Swett Family

The Swett family was an important part of Rocks Village life from the very beginning, as ferrymen in the early 1700s to shoe manufacturers in the mid to late 1800s. The family descends from John Swett of Newbury, born in 1580, who arrived with his wife and four sons during the Great Migration of the 1630-40’s and was admitted as a freeman to Massachusetts colony in 1642. Although several sources claim that John Swett of Newbury harks back either to the Swetes of Devonshire, England, or to John Swete/Swett of Trayne manor in Modbury, England,  primary sources reveal that the family came from Wymondham in Norfolk, east of Cambridge. Many of the Puritan immigrants came from this same area of England. In fact, Haverhill, Mass. is named after Haverhill, England, which is in the same area.

One of the four sons who immigrated with his father was Stephen Swett, born in England about 1620. He ran a tavern or ‘ordinary’ which is still preserved on High Road in Newbury as the Swett Isley house. Stephen had a son John Swett who had both a son and a grandson of the same name. Stephen’s grandson John Swett Jr., lived in Newbury, but in 1711 was licensed by the town of Haverhill to operate a ferry for a period of 40 years from the Haverhill side (at the site of today’s Rocks Village bridge).  His son, John Swett III, born in 1699, inherited the ferry when his father died in 1725. He continued to operate it for many years, and settled in the village. Another son, Benjamin Swett, inherited the homestead and other lands in Newbury. Some sources say that Benjamin operated the ferry from the Newbury side.

A John Swett had permission to operate a tavern at Holt’s Rocks, one of only two in the entire town in 1728 [ 32, p 283]. Since John Swett Jr. had died in 1725, this must refer to John Swett III. The tavern seems to have stayed in the family through his son Timothy Swett (1729 – 1759). Timothy’s daughter Sarah (1756 – 1833) married Thomas Elliott (see Eliott family page) in 1778, the same year that John Swett III died. They  kept the tavern for a while and passed it down to their daughter Sally who married Joseph de Poyen, an exile from Guadeloupe. Sally and Joseph did not keep the tavern but they did live in the village for many years, moving in 1840 to Amesbury/Merrimac. In about 1850 the tavern was split in half,  sold to Chase and Osgood, and moved to Old Amesbury Line Road and River Road respectively.

John Swett III bought 54 acres of land at “the Rocks” from the Zachariah Davis family. This land extended from the river up both sides of E Main St. to Twelve Rod Way and Merrimac St. He laid out a roadway to connect his ferry to the end of Back Lane at the river, the road now called River Rd. but at that time called  “a two-rod way laid out by John Swett”. In 1742, he sold off the 19 acres on the north side of East main street to Dr. Simeon Brown although we think he kept about a quarter acre that his tavern was on which became 28 East Main St.  In 1750 there were by repute only four houses in the village, three along the river side of River Rd. (land not owned by Swett) and his own house, the older half of what is now 1 Wharf Lane. Wharf Lane itself was not laid out until much later.

For the 35 acres he owned on the south side of E. Main St., he sold the upper woodland acreage to Samuel Chase. He kept the remaining 16 acres nearer the river, and when he died in 1778, he willed that land,  the ferry, and his dwelling house and barn to his grandson James White.

William Swett (1730-1808), John Swett’s nephew and son of his brother Benjamin, was a soldier in the French and Indian War and left a diary of the Expedition to Canada. He was also a lieutenant in the Revolutionary War, marching under command of Captain Joseph Page of Salisbury on the alarm of April 19, 1775, service seven and one-half days.

Jackson B. Swett (1815 – 1890) was the son of William’s grandson also named William (William, William, William, Benjamin, John Jr, Stephen, John). He served several years as Selectman of Haverhill, was County Commissioner thirteen years and was two years Senator in the General Court of Massachusetts. He was a manufacturer of shoes for many years and in business with his son Phillip Currier Swett (1842 – 1914) from 1863 to 1885 when Jackson retired.  Jackson and his son Phillip bought a property just west of 28 East Main Street,  which was by then (1872) the site of Samuel Elliott’s house.  This property was probably the Elliott shoe factory (see Industries page) and ironically the same location where the old Swett tavern had been. Jackson was a strong temperance man and was one of the organizers and Presidents of the Reform Club. Being past military age at the time of the Civil War, he sent a substitute to the front. Of his 14 children by 3 wives, 11 died young.

Phillip Swett took part in the siege of Port Hudson, under General Banks in the Civil War.  [American Civil War Soldiers, Ancestry.com] After the war he was a shoe manufacturer in Haverhill, an alderman in the Haverhill city government, and vice president of three banks.

Anthony Chase who ran the mill on Middle Road married a Sarah Swett, a widow, in 1782. Our theory is that she was the widow of Nathan Swett (1739-1782)  of Kingston NH. Nathan Swett is (Nathan, John, Capt. Benjamin, John 1580).

  1. John Swett (1580 or 1583 Guernsey – 1651/2 Newbury, MA) married 1) Sarah (xxx – 1650) , 2) Phebe xxx (1590 – 1665) in xxx. He lived in Wymondham, Norfolk, England before emigrating to the new world. He might have been the son of Adrian and Joanna Swett. He was admitted as a freeman to Massachusetts colony in 1642 and died in Newbury, MA. in 1651/2. John was one of the first grantees of Newbury, MA, receiving a tract of land in on the sea coast near the NH state line. Some sources say he was from Devonshire or Guernsey but his children were baptized in Wymondham, Norfolk, so his birthplace has not been established.
    1. Joseph Swett (xxx- xx) marries 1) Elizabeth Taylor, 2) Mrs. Mary Buttolph (5 children)
    2. John Swett Jr. (1603 or 1613 – 1693) married 1) Mercy Rouse, 2) Jane xxx. Some sources [GENI] say he married 1) Sarah d. Newbury 1650 2) Mercy Rouse, 3) unknown, had a daughter in law Jane.  Lived in Charlestown, MA where he died 1693, a shoemaker.
    3. Stephen Swett (1620 Wymondham, Norfolk, England – 1693, Newbury, MA) marries 1) Hannah Merrill (1630 -1662) d. of John and Elizabeth) in 1647, 2) Rebecca Smith (1639 – xxx) (d. Thomas Smith) in 1663. He
      kept an “ordinary” in 1670, afterwards known as the “Blue Anchor Tavern.”
      This house, built by him, is still standing and occupied, on the west
      side of High Street,  in Newbury. It has recently been purchased by the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (in 1911). He sold this place 16 Nov. 1691, and he is mentioned as “deceased” 9 Jan. 1693-4. Children recorded in Newbury :

      1. John SWETT (1648 Newbury, MA – 1717) married Married 1) Mary Plummer (1648/9 – bef 1713) (c. of Samuel and Mary (Bidfield) Plummer, m 1670.  2) Widow Esther Jackman French (1651 – xxx) in 1713. Probate: 26957, April 7, 1718 no papers found. Children by Mary:
        1. Miriam “Mary” (1671 – xx) marries Gideon Lowell in 1692
          1. Gideon Lowell
          2. Abner Lowell
        2. Hannah (1674- xxx) marries Archilaus Woodman in 1695
          1.  Mary WOODMAN b: 26 Feb 1695/1696
          2.  Edward WOODMAN b: 12 May 1698
          3.  Archelaus WOODMAN b: 15 May 1700
        3. John SWETT Jr (28 Feb 1676/77 in Newbury – 1725) Probate 26958 Newbury dated 1725. Marries 1) Susanna Page (1675-1739) in 1698. He was licensed to keep a ferry at Holt’s Rocks, West Newbury, 25 Sept. 1711, where now is Rocks Bridge. In 1739 Susannah (probate 26984 in Amesbury) widow of John Swett, had died, and an agreement was made by children as to division of property, viz., Josiah and Mary Copp of Haverhill, Ephraim and Susanna Weed of Newbury, James and Ruth Saunders of Amesbury, and Stephen and Hannah Webster of Salisbury. All but the last daughter are recorded in Newbury. 

          1. John SWETT III (31 Dec 1699 -1778) 1) married Sarah SANDERS (16 Jun 1699 – 1755, 65y) in Haverhill in 1724, 2) Ruth (Saunders) Hastings (1705 – 1776) in 1757.  Buried in Walnut cemetery. Ruth Hastings, born Sanders, was widow of Robert Hastings (likely same Hastings of Hastings-Morse house situated opposite Greenwood cemetery, still standing, see Morse family page.) John bought most of the land in Rocks Village in about 1730 from Zachariah Davis and his descendants. He inherited the ferry from his father and ran the ferry and the tavern for many years. (Rocks bridge wasn’t built until 1795) He (or possibly his father before he died) was licensed to keep a tavern at ‘the Rocks’ before 1728 at a time when there were only 2 taverns in Haverhill.  He lived at (and might have built) what is now 1 Wharf Lane (old half) near the Haverhill end of Swett’s Ferry.  All three of his sons died without a male heir, so he willed his homestead and his interest in Swett’s Ferry to his grandson, James White, 3 April 1778.
            1. James SWETT (4 Sep 1725 in Haverhill – Oct. 3, 1725)
            2. Rachel SWETT (1 Aug 1726 in Haverhill –  Oct. 13, 1726)
            3. John SWETT (13 Aug 1727 – 1728) in Haverhill.
            4. Moses SWETT b: 23 Feb 1728/29 in Haverhill, E. died Feb. 25, 1729)
            5. Timothy SWETT (23 Feb 1729/30 in Haverhill – 1759, 28y ) Walnut cemetery Probate 26987. Married Anne Merrill (1733 – xxx) in 1753. Ann Swett widow of Timothy marries [Lt. int.] Hezekiah Hutchings, at Haverhill, Jan. 29, 1761. Lived in Hampstead, NH.
              1. Anne SWETT (12 Dec 1753 in Haverhill – 1813) marries Robert Heath (1746 – 1810). Inherited land from her grandfather John Swett III.
              2. Sarah SWETT (14 Jun 1756 in Haverhill – 1833), married Thomas Elliott (1752 – 1818) in 1778. Sarah and Thomas ran the tavern on E. Main St. for many years. Sarah also Inherited land from her grandfather John Swett III.
                1. Sally Swett married Joseph de Poyen of Hampstead, NH. Mar. 5, 1805. They lived in the village for several years.
              3. Hannah Hutchings (1761 Hampstead, NH.)
              4. Ephraim Hutchings (1763 Hampstead, NH.)
              5. Molly Hutchings (1766 Hampstead, NH.)
            6. Sarah SWETT (16 Jan 1730/31- xxx) Married  Noah WHITE (15 Feb 1728/29 – xx ) in 18 Apr 1751. In the vital records, it says Mrs. Sarah Swett.
              1. James WHITE (26 May 1754 Haverhill – 18 Dec 1830 E. Thetford, VT) m Eunice Kingsbury abt 1779 Thetford, VT. Probate record: 26959 He inherits John Swett III’s stake in the ferry and the house where he lived when he died (1 Wharf Ln.). He also inherited considerable land on the south side of E Main St., which was later sold off to others.
            7. Anne SWETT  (20 Nov 1733 or 1722 in Haverhill – 29 Sep 1765) marries John HAZEN Sr (11 Aug 1731 – xxx) 30 Nov 1752.
              1. Sarah HAZEN b: 12 Jun 1753 in Haverhill, married a Merrill (inherits land in Haverhill that John her grandfather purchased from Samuel Liluer.
              2. John HAZEN Jr b: 29 Mar 1755 in Haverhill, received salt marsh in Newbury from John Swett’s probate 26959
              3.  Moses HAZEN b: 1 Sep 1757 in Hampstead, New Hampshire
            8. Mary SWETT b: 12 Nov 1735 in Haverhill
          2. Mary SWETT (24 Sep 1702 – xxx) Married Josiah Copp of Haverhill  May 26, 1731
          3. Susannah SWETT  (21 Oct 1704 i- xxx) Marries Ephriam Weed of Newbury on January 11, 1726/7
          4.  Benjamin SWETT (John, John, Stephen, John)(14 Mar 1707/08 – before 1760) Married 1) Susanna Whittier (1709 – xxx) in 1729, 2) married Susannah Stockman (1712 – xxx)  of Salisbury, at Salisbury, June 7, 1733.
            1. William SWETT (3 Apr 1730 in Newbury – 9 Dec. 1808 Salisbury) received 20 shillings from John Swett III his uncle Probate record: 26959. Married 1) Judith Merrill (1733 – bef. 1759) d of Aaron Merrill in 1755, 2) Anna Morbridge (1734-1794, 62 yr or 5 June 1798, aged 64 ) m 17 Dec. 1759. She is widow of Theophilus Hackett, and dau. of John and Betty (Osgood) Morgridge.  William was a soldier of the French and Indian War and left a diary of his expedition to Quebec in 1760.  He was also a Lieutenant in the Revolution.  [Stackpole # 72.} Children recorded in Salisbury, by Anna:
              1. Susanna SWETT b: 17 Jun 1761 in Salisbury, married Bela Mitchell  in 1780.
              2.  Aaron SWETT (24 Nov 1762 in Salisbury – 1815), married 1) Nancy xxx, 2) Molly Colby 1801.
                1. Timothy Swett
                2. Aaron Swett
                3. Molly Swett
                4. John Swett
              3.  William SWETT b: 12 Oct 1764 in Salisbury – 1803) Lydia BAGLEY b: ABT 1764 in Salisbury, in 1785
                1. Benjamin SWETT (4 Jul 1786 in Salisbury – 1813)
                2.  William SWETT (17 Jul 1788 in Salisbury – before 1849) Marries Dorothy Currier (1790 Newton, NH – 1849) in 1810. Cabinetmaker who lived in Salisbury Point and Haverhill.  History of Haverhill, by George W. Chase, [32], has William Swett as a member of Capt. Samuel W. Duncan’s Company in Col. John Johnson’s Regiment of Light Infantry during the War of 1812.
                  1. William Currier SWETT (1811 or 1809 in Salisbury – 1849) marries Ann S. Dow in 1831.
                    1. Harriet Ann Swett (xx – xx) marries Andrew J. Fox
                    2. William M. Swett
                    3. Adelaide Dorothy Swett
                    4. Charles Dow Swett(1840 – )
                    5. Olivia Swett
                    6. Julia O. Swett
                    7. Albert Gallatin Swett
                  2. Philip Currier SWETT (1813 in Haverhill – 1839 New Orleans)
                  3. Jackson Benjamin SWETT (12 Feb 1815 in Haverhill – 1890). Married 1) Elizabeth Whittier (1817 – 1852, 35yr) d. of Nathaniel and Abigail (Kimball) Whittier, in 1840, 2) Harriett Frances Balch (1827 – 1866, 39yr~) in 1854, 3) Mary Boardman Davis (1831 – 1896) in 1867. Jackson owned property west of 28 East Main in 1874. Children by Elizabeth:
                    1. Jackson SWETT (1 Nov 1841 in Haverhill – 1841)
                    2.  Philip Currier SWETT (24 Oct 1842 in Haverhill – 1914) married Catherine “Katie” L. Clark adopted daughter to Gardner Keniston (1847 – xxx) in 1866. In partnership with his father in shoemaking in 1864.
                      1. Jackson Benjamin SWETT b: 8 Nov 1867 in Haverhill – 1878)
                      2. Annie Elizabeth SWETT (13 Jun 1869 in Haverhill – 1869)
                      3. Grace Louise SWETT b: 18 Jul 1872 in Haverhill – 1872)
                      4. Fanny Whittier SWETT ( 21 Mar 1874 in Haverhill – xxx) marries Charles Sweetser Benson (1872 -xx) in 1898
                        1. Catherine Whittier Benson (1899 – xx)
                        2. Philip Edgar Benson (1900 – xx)
                    3. Abby Whittier SWETT (17 Apr 1845 in Haverhill – 1846)
                    4. Abby Kimball SWETT (23 Jan 1847 in Haverhill – 1856)
                    5. Nathaniel Whittier SWETT (4 Jun 1851 in Haverhill – 1907) marries Marinda Maria York in 1881. d. of John Bennett and Lydia (Keniston) York of  Durham, NH. was in business with his brother Phillip from 1885 to 1889.
                    6. Susan Ellen SWETT (by Mary)  (21 Jul 1873 in Haverhill – 1873)
                    7. Mary Jackson SWETT (by Mary) b: 13 Jun 1870 in Haverhill, marries Francis Homer Foster in 1895.
                      1. William Phillip Foster
                    8. Wesley Balch SWETT (by Harriet) (20 Sep 1855 in Haverhill,
                    9. Harry SWETT (by Harriet) (3 Jan 1858 in Haverhill,
                    10. Willie SWETT (by Harriet) (3 Jan 1858 in Haverhill,
                    11. Alice Balch SWETT (by Harriet) (27 Jun 1860 in Haverhill,
                3.  Joseph SWETT b: 24 Nov 1793 in Salisbury,
                4. Sally SWETT b: 18 Feb 1796 in Salisbury,
                5. Lydia SWETT b: 27 Mar 1798 in Salisbury, marries Amos Brown in 1819.
                6.  Bela SWETT b: 21 Sep 1800 in Salisbury, marries Persis Brown (1800 – 1864 Henniker, NH in 1821.). They had 3 children.
                7. Mary Ann SWETT b: 11 Feb 1804 in Salisbury,
              4. Nannie SWETT b: 17 Mar 1766 in Salisbury,
              5. Mehitabel SWETT b: 11 Oct 1767 in Salisbury,
              6. Mary SWETT b: 4 May 1769 in Salisbury, marries William Merrill in 1786
              7. Theophilus SWETT (4 Apr 1771 in Salisbury – 1771)
              8. Theophilus SWETT b: 14 Aug 1776 in Salisbury,
            2. John SWETT b: 29 Nov 1735 in Salisbury, prob died young
            3. Stockman SWETT b: 25 Feb 1738/39 in Amesbury, prob died young
            4. Enoch SWETT b: 28 Sep 1740 in Salisbury, receives shillings from John Swett III his uncle. Marries Sarah xxx. Wig maker by trade (6 sons recorded) Probate record: 26959
              See lineage below for further descendants of Benjamin.  Jackson B and Phillip C own 22-24 East Main street in 1872.
          5. Ruth SWETT (13 Feb 1709/10 – xxx) Marries James Saunders on April 15, 1729
          6. Hannah SWETT  (ABT 1712 – 1725) Marries Stephen WEBSTER III b: 2 Jan 1704/05 in Haverhill, Essex, 2 Nov 1734 in Salisbury.
        4. Samuel SWETT b: 10 Sep 1680 in Newbury. marries Jane Gerrish 22 Sep 1686.
          1. Has No Children Samuel SWETT b: 27 Oct 1706 m Elizabeth Adams
          2. Has No Children Moses SWETT b: 18 Feb 1707 m Deborah Greenleaf, Mary Titcomb
          3. Has No Children Jane SWETT b: 4 Apr 1711 m Henry Allen of Boston.
          4. Has No Children Benjamin SWETT b: 6 Apr 1713 m Judith Allen
          5. Has No Children William SWETT b: 8 Aug 1717
        5. Stephen SWETT b: 27 Jan 1682/83 in Newbury.
        6. Joseph SWETT b: 2 Feb 1686/87 in Newbury.
        7. Benjamin SWETT b: 11 Apr 1688 in Newbury. (partner in Ferry) marries 1) Mary Wheeler (b 1686), m Feb. 12, 1711, 2) Mary Titcomb, Nov. 30, 1721.
      2. Stephen SWETT (1650 – 1650)
      3. Stephen SWETT (28 Jan 1653/54 in Newbury – xx)  
      4. Hannah SWETT (7 Oct 1651 – xxx) marries John Badger (1643 – 1691) in 1670
        1. Hannah Badger (1673 – xxx)
      5. Elizabeth SWETT b: 17 Jan 1655/56 in Newbury, married Edward Poor in Newbury, MA
      6. Elizabeth Swett b abt 1662. May be same as above Elizabeth.
      7. Joseph SWETT b: 28 Nov 1657 in Newbury, married Hannah Knott or Hannah Devereaux abt 1688 Marblehead, MA

        1. Joseph Swett b 25 Aug 1689 Marblehead, MA
      8. Joseph Swett b abt 1664 Newbury ??
      9. Mary SWETT  (25 Apr 1660 in Newbury – 1662)
      10. ??Benjamin SWETT b: 20 May 1664 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts
      11.  Rebecca SWETT (4 Dec 1665 in Newbury – 1667)
      12. Rebecca SWETT b: 27 Feb 1668/69 Newbury – xx) marries Daniel Gale of Salem, MA
    4. Capt. Benjamin Swett (1624 England – June 29, 1677 Moore’s Brook, present Scarborough, ME) killed in the battle of Moore’s Bank. Known as Indian fighter. married Hester/Esther Weare (abt 1629 Brokenborough, England- 1717 Nantucket) in xxx. Capt. of the milltia. KIA at Black Point, Scaraborough, Maine fighting Indians. 
      1. Hester/Esther Swett 1648 Newbury- 1703) buried Chilton, England. m Abraham Green. Mother of Abigail Johnson; John Greene; Mercy Lancaster; Benjamin Green; Henry Green; and Nathan Green
      2. Mary Swett  (1651 or 1654 Hampton, NH –  xxx ) m Thomas Richardson
      3. Benjamin Swett 1656 Newbury – 1719 New Castle, DE) m Theodate Hussey. Father of Sarah Swett; John Swett and Benjamin Swett
      4. Stephen Swett (1672/3 Hampton, NH – 1738 Hampton, NH m 1) Mary 2) Mary xxx Father of 
        1. Joseph Swett; 1701
          1. Abraham 1742 marries a Sarah Bradley (1730 Haverhill- x) https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/s/w/e/Donald-K-Swett/GENE1-0021.html
        2. Stephen Swett, Jr.; 
        3. John Swett; 
        4. Moses Swett; 
        5. Judith Hale; and 
        6. Joseph Swett 
      5. Capt. Joseph Swett (1657/8 Newbury – abt 1722 Hampton Falls, NH m 1) Hannah Ward 2) Sarah. Father of Hannah Hutchinson; Joseph Swett; Esther Swett; Margaret Sherburne; Abigail Stone; Lydia Swett; Esther Eaton Swett; Hannah Swett; Capt. Benjamin Swett; Capt. Jonathan Swett; Moses Swett and David Swett
      6. Moses Swett (1661 Newbury – 1731 Nantucket) m Mary xxx. Father of Mary Gardner; Esther Hoag-Eaton; Elizabeth Swett; Benjamin Swett; Deliverance Coleman (Swett); Daniel Swett; Stephen Swett, Sr; Theodate Purington; Huldah Swett; Phoebe Purinton and Patience Dow
      7. Sarah/Sara Swett (1650 Newbury-  1717 Hampton, NH) m Morris Hobbs. Mother of Ester Johnson; Morris / Maurice Hobbs, Jr.; James Hobbs; John Hobbs; Jonathan Hobbs; Joseph Hobbs; Mary Hobbs; Sarah Towle and Benjamin Hobbs
      8. Hannah Swett b 1664 Hampton, NH – d abt 1696 m Nathaniel xx
      9. Elizabeth Swett b 1667 Hampton, NH aka “French” m James xx and John French
      10. John Swett b 1670 Nantucket – 1753 Kingston NH  m Bethia Page Swett; Mary Mayo and Sarah Swett . Father of Huldah Winslow; John Swett; Deacon Elisha Swett; Benjamin Swett; Nathan Swett; Sarah Swett; Joseph Swett; Samuel Winslow Swett; Moses Swett; Joseph Sweat; Elizabeth Sweat; Benjamin Sweat; Mary Sweat; Solomon Sweat and Hannah Sweat
        1. Nathan Swett 1711- 1796  Kingston NH m Mary Dearborn 1711-1750. Other sources say Husband of Jane Garland(Swett) and Mary Swett (Wadleigh)
          1. Nathan Swett b 1739- 1782  Kingston NH m Sarah Frye b 1742 m 16 April  1764/5 Haverhill, MA. One source says She perhaps married (2) Anthony Morse, 7 May 1782. Children recorded in Haverhill, Mass. We think she married Anthony Chase as his second wife in 1782. 
            1. Abiel Swett b 1766 m Sarah Chase/ Sally Brickett
            2. Mary/ Polly Swett b 1769  m John Patten b 1768
            3. Sarah Swett b 1771 m Theodore Brickett b 1772
            4. Nathan Swett  b 1774 m Betsy Harding

Census:

1922 – 1936 Edmond H. Swett and Esther L. Swett owned the Countess House

1930 census: Edmond H Swett (74) born 1856 and Hannah M. (63) Sweden

1940 census: Edmond H Swett (84), Esther (74) Canada, George Fisher (stepson) (45) living next to Hunkins and Owens

  • The 1850 Census for Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts, has:
 Jackson B. Swett, 36, b. Massachusetts, shoecutter
 Elizabeth Swett, 32, b. Massachusetts
 Phillip C. Swett, 8, b. Massachusetts
 Abby K. Swett, 3, b. Massachusetts
 Nancy M. Brown, 19, b. New Hampshire
    The 1865 Haverhill Directory has Jackson B. Swett & Son (Philip C.),shoe manufacturer

The 1880 Census for Ward 2, Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts, has: Philip C. Swett, self, 39, b. Massachusetts, shoe manufacturer Catherine L. Swett, wife, 32, b. Massachusetts Fannie W. Swett, dau, 6, b. Massachusetts All three of their older children died before 1880.

The 1900 Census for Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts, has: Phillip Swett, head, 57, b. Oct 1842 Massachusetts, married 33 years Katie Swett, wife, 53, b. Mar 1847 Scotland, father b. England, mother b. Scotland; Imm. 1849; mother of 4 children, 1 living Charles S. Benson, son/law, 27, b. Jul 1872 Maine, parents b. Maine, married 2 years, physician Fannie W. Benson, dau, 26, b. Mar 1874 Massachusetts, mother of 2 children, living Katherine W. Benson, g/dau, 1, b. Feb 1899 Massachusetts Philip E. Benson, g/son, 0, b. Jun 1900 Massachusetts plus a nurse and 2 boarders

Probates:

John Swett Jr. (1676 – 1725) Probate: 26958, dated December 27, 1725 in Newbury
Testifies that he will pay at Plank Landing (Plank landing shows up in a deed:
Josiah Copp sold land to Benjamin Swett in 1741 (81/269) near a landing known as plank landing. Quarter acre on Merrimac River bounding by Little Brook and Enoch Brown.

Gives to
wife Susannah
son John Swett – Lands in Haverhill, Kingston, Amesbury north of the Merrimac River, Ferry Boat, canoe and Ferry. 1/2 Marsh on Plum Island
daughter Mary Swett – 30 pds
daughter Susannah – 30 pds
son Benjamin – all lands in Newbury including buildings, 1/2 marsh on Plum Island
daughter Ruth – 30 pds
daughter Hannah – 30 pds

Benjamin is listed as executor in will.

John Swett III  His will is dated 1778. Probate record: 26959 (1780) Tombstones to his wives and son Timothy are found in a cemetery near the East Parish church in Haverhill.
Children recorded in Haverhill.

Gives to his daughter Sarah White, wife of Noah White: Money and 1/2 of household goods
Gives to granddaughters through Timothy: Anna and Sarah (wife of Thomas Elliott): 5 shillings
Gives to Grandson John Hazzen (son of Anna Hazen) salt marsh in Newbury
Gives to granddaughter Sarah (Hazen) Merrill): 2 acres of woodland that he bought from Silver.
Gives to nephews (through Benjamin) William and Enoch: 20 shillings
Gives to Elizabeth Colby, wife of Theophelus Colby: two pounds.  This is daughter of my last wife.
(Robert Peaslee was at one time the owner of two slaves. Amos Peaslee, Amos Davis, John Sanders, John Swett, Joseph Greele and
William Morse were also slave-owners in the East Parish, between the
years 1754 and 1776. (Peaslee)
In his will, John Swett III gives Elizabeth Colby wife of Theophilis Colby two pounds (Elizabeth is the daughter of his late wife).  Theophilus Colby, of Amesbury, marries Elisabeth Hastings, Oct. 18, 1750. Also 1 pound is given to Robert Hastings son of his late wife. Robert marries Patience Colby, sister of Theophilis. One pound also goes to Ruth George (wife of William George) and daughter of his late wife.

Timothy (1729 -1759) Probate # 26987
Anna is executor. List of Item. All seems to go to Anna.

Notes:

William Swett marched under command of Captain Joseph Page of Salisbury on the alarm of April 19, 1775, service seven and one-half days. William Swett, 2nd Lieutenant, Captain Joseph Page's Company of Col. Jonathan Titcomb's Essex County Regiment of Massachusetts Militia, ordered in Council May 3, 1776, that said Officers be commissioned. Reported commissioned May 3, 1776. [Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War, Vol. 15, p. 296-297, cited in DAR Application Number 346168]
  • Philip C. Swett of Haverhill, Massachusetts, Shoemaker, enlisted as a Corporal on 18 August 1862 at the age of 19. Served 1 year and 6 days. Assigned to Company F of the 50th Infantry Regiment Massachusetts on 14 February 1862. Took part in the siege of Port Hudson, under General Banks. Mustered out on 24 August 1863 in Wenham, Massachusetts. [American Civil War Soldiers, Ancestry.com] 

After the war he was a shoe manufacturer in Haverhill, an Alderman in the Haverhill city government, and Vice President of three banks.

References:

http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=pjmpjm&id=I12418

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nhmerrim/families/swettfamily.htm

http://swett-genealogy.com/02John2.html

Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of …, Volume 3  [79]

Stackpole # 72 Stackpole’s Swett Genealogy

https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/s/w/e/Donald-K-Swett/GENE1-0021.html