John Sweete1,2,3,4

M, b. before 1600, d. 1637
FatherRobert Swete b. c 1561
     John was born before 1600 in Modbury, Devonshire, England, at the Trayne Manor. John married Mary (?) circa 1620 in Modbury, Devonshire, England, at the Trayne Manor. He and Mary were blessed with 4 known children. In 1632, John Sweete, his wife Mary, children: John, Maribah, & James immigrated from their home in England to Salem, Massachusetts. On 6 June 1637, John was called before the Grand Jury in Salem, Massachusetts being charged with shooting Colonel Endicott's wolf dog and was fined 5 pounds. At about this time an inlet near his home was named Sweet's Cove. Soon after, he removed to Rhode Island and received a grant of land in Providence in the same year.5,6 John departed this life in 1637 in Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island.

Family

Mary (?) d. b 31 Jul 1681
Children

Citations

  1. [S119] Herbert Furman Seversmith, Colonial Families of Long Island, New York & Connecticut, pages 222-223.
  2. [S1653] Lois Stewart, James Sweet of Rhode Island: A Mystery - www.americanancestors.org.
  3. [S1654] Harold F. Porter Jr., James Sweet of WArwick, Rholde Island - americanancestors.org.
  4. [S1656] Winthrop Society: From list of Early Planters of Salem
    Name: John Sweet
    Born: circa 1600
    Died: 1637
    Came to New England: about 1632
    Resided in: Salem
    First Spouse: Mary died previous to 1638
    Children: John, James & Renewed
    - http://www.winthropsociety.com/settlers/s-data.htm
  5. [S166] John Osborne Austin, Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island Families, page 195 - John Sweet 6 June 1637 - called before the court because he shot a Wolf dog; 6 June 1637, the name "Sweet's Cove" was given to an inlet near John Sweete's residence; 1637, Providence - he had a grant of land here, after his death, his widow received the grant & she returned to Salem and receivced a grant of land there as well.
  6. [S119] Herbert Furman Seversmith, Colonial Families of Long Island, New York & Connecticut, 1. John Swete, a resident of Trayne or Train in Modbury, Devonshire, inherited property there about 1540. The family had been living in that vicinity since 1438. Issue included at least
    2. Adrian, who married and had issue:
    i. John, an immigrant to Boston, Massachusetts. From a pedigree given in the Visitation of Devon in 1620, it is given that the wife of John was Mary Periam, daughter of John, son of William Periam
    3. Robert, married Johanna
    3. Robert Swete or Sweets, son of John Swete, married Johanna Issue:
    + 4. John, married Mary     -
    4. John Sweete or Sweet, son of Robert and Johanna Sweete, is identified as the immigrant to Rhode Island. He came to America probably in 1630 together with his wife, his two sons John and Jamss• and his daughter Meribah (and if Abigail Baldwin was his daughter she was undoubtedly included). They settled at first in Salem, Massachusetts. In Felt's Annals of Salem, vol. 2, p. 456 it is stated that on 6 June, 1637, John Sweet was fined for killing a wolf dog of Governor Endicott's in the yard of the latter. After this incident and perhaps because of it John Sweet removed to Rhode Island, although allegations that he came with Roger Williams are certainly incorrect. John Sweet must have died about about 1638, in which year his widow Mary married Ezekiel Holliman. The land held by John Sweet is said to have been where the present state house of Rhode Island stands. That Mary's husband was named John and not Isaac is proved by a deed of their younger son James given in Kingston, Rhode Island, 8 November, 1686, wherein he speaks of "my father John Sweet deceased, who was one of the first purchasers of Providence." (See The Owl, vol. 2, No. 2).
    Austin in his Genealogical Dictionary states that John Sweet died in 1637, the same year in which he had a grant of land, and after his death the widow obtained it. Her will, dated 31 July, 1681, was probated in the same year. It makes no mention of Abigail, but this is not significant, for she may have been either deceased, or cut off for obvious reasons.     

    Issue:
    1. John, born in England- about—1620; He appears to have been a law abiding, respected-and frequently honored citizen of the towns of Providence and Warwick, Rhode Ialand. He and his younger brother James are included among 31 persons who were admitted with the 12 original purchasers of Warwick prior to 5, June, 1648. On 2 June, 1651 and, again on 1 June, 1658, he was appointed sergeant. In 1655 at Warwick, he was taxed for having in his possession “an anker" or ten gallons of liquor. In 1655 he was made freeman and on 18 October, 1660,he was Commissioner from Newport. In 1660 he bought land at Narragansett (Kingstown) and in 1671 was living at Acquidnessett (Wickford). He had a gristmill and another works on the Potowomut, and was burnt out by the Indians during King Phillip's war in 1675. He died in 1677, after July 16. He is reported to have married Elizabeth Jeffrey about 1651. She was born in 1629 and died in 1684 as the widow at that time of Samuel Wilson. Issue :
    i. John, married Deborah. Reynolds.
    ii. Daniel, married Eleanor Carpenter.
    iii. James, married Jane Browning.
         iv. Henry, born in 1657 at Newport, married     Mary
    Griffin- and died at Attleboro, Massachusetts.
    v. Richard, married 1, Mehetable Larkin and 2,Priscilia Carpenter:
    vi. Benjamin, married Susannah
    vii. William, married Thankful. Hamilton.
    viii. Jeremiah, married Mary -
    ix. Daughter.
    Sanborn gives as his authorities in this connection:Arnold' s-Vital Records of Rhode Island; New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. IX, p. 53, vol. LI, p. 361; The Owl, vols. 2 and 3; The New York Genealogical and
    Biographical Record, No critical analysis of the English origins has been made.
         2. James, born in 1622, a resident of Warwick, Rhode Island. He died in 1695. His wife was Mary Greene, daughter of John and Joan (Tattersall) Greene; issue.
    3. Meribah who later changed her name to Renewed. She married Jan Gereardy, son of Phillip and Marie (Pollet)Gereardy; he was an adventurer, trader and- privateer who ranged the-whole Atlantic coast. Prior to 5 June, 1648, he had become an inhabitant of Warwick; it may be that he was induced to settle there from an interest in Mrs. Ezekiel Holliman's daughter.
    And quite possibly:
    4. Abigail, wife of George Baldwin. See the preceding.