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Swaim

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WITH ALL OF THE SWAIM GROUP PARTICIPANTS (SWAIM, SWIM, SWIMS, TUDHOPE AND VESTAL), HAVING MATCHING Y DNA RESULTS, THIS PARTICULAR DNA TEST ALONE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROVE ANY INDIVIDUAL, SON TO FATHER TO FATHER, ETC., LINEAGE CONNECTIONS GOING BACK TO THE IMMIGRANT ANCESTOR, THYS BARENTSEN. MANY LINEAGE CONNECTIONS ARE IN DISPUTE AS TO THE EXACT ANCESTRAL SWAIM LINEAGE. THE CONFLICTING LINEAGES INVOLVE SOME SWAIM MEN WHO LIVED IN THE 1700'S AND EARLY 1800'S. RESEARCH STARTED IN 2007, USING THE GENEALOGICAL PROOF STANDARD, TO TRY TO DETERMINE THE CORRECT SWAIM ANCESTRAL LINEAGE CONNECTIONS OF THE GROUP PARTICIPANTS DESCENDING FROM CONTESTED SWAIM LINEAGES.

TRADITION OF SWAIM SURNAME ORIGINATING IN VAN PELT FAMILY IS NOT TRUE

1. The North Carolina Swaim descendants who have tested so far match the Barentsen descendant and NOT the Van Pelt descendants. So it appears conclusive that the Swaim surname originated in the family of the immigrant Thys Barentsen and not in the Van Pelt family.

A Lane descendant, who is a part of another DNA group, shared his results (not listed on our result page) and they match two of the men who are descended from Teunis Van Pelt. This helps to support the old research conclusion that descendants of the brother of Teunis, Mathys Van Pelt, changed their surname to Lane.

One of the Van Pelt participants, who also has traced his ancestry back to Teunis Van Pelt, does not match the other Van Pelt descendants. We cannot explain the mismatch, but the matching results of the other Van Pelt men (as well as another Van Pelt man who is also a part of another project, not listed here) have helped to identify the Teunis Van Pelt - Mathys Van Pelt Y chromosome signature. Van Pelts, not knowing their ancestry, should be able to participate in our project and determine if they match this immigrant Van Pelt family.

SWAIM SURNAME ORIGINATED IN SINGLE STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK FAMILY

2. The Swaim men are all showing matching DNA results to eachother, regardless of their ancestry. This is suggestive of a single family origin of the Swaim surname, and so far has not shown that the surname was adopted by unrelated men in this country. However the test sample is still small and we need to test more Swaim men.

A CLAIM THAT IMPLIED A RELATIONSHIP OF AN ANTHONY SWAIM, (MARRIED TO A MARIA DRAGEAU) TO THE IMMIGRANT THYS BARENTSEN, AS BEING SUPPORTED BY THIS DNA PROJECT IS NOT A CORRECT INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT. THAT PARTICULAR LINEAGE EXISTENCE IS IN DISPUTE AND IS CURRENTLY UNDER FURTHER RESEARCH STUDY. THE RESEARCHERS WELCOME ANY DIRECT EVIDENCE OR PRIMARY INFORMATION THAT MIGHT SUPPORT THE EXISTENCE OF THE ANTHONY SWAIM - MARIA DRAGEAU FAMILY.

STILL UNABLE TO IDENTIFY JOHN, SON OF JOHN SWAIM AND CHARITY TEAGUE OF NORTH CAROLINA

3. Since all Swaim men appear to be matching to one another, it is not yet possible to determine if John Swaim (b. 1748) of Randolph County, NC or John Swaim (b. abt 1757) of Wilkes County, NC is the son of John Swaim and Charity Teague or the son of Michael Swaim and Martha Worthington or that one of them is the son of another brother. Yet, it is apparent, that the two John Swaim men are 1st, 2nd or 3rd cousins.

TRADITION OF ALEXANDER VESTAL BEING ILLEGITIMATE SON OF MICHAEL SWAIM IS TRUE

4. Two descendants of Alexander Vestal have tested as matching the Swaim men. Their family history claimed that Alexander Vestal was the illegitimate son of a Michael Swaim, who was the son of Michael Swaim, who was the son of John Swaim and Charity Teague. If Michael Swaim was not the father of Alexander Vestal, then another Swaim man certainly was, however, evidence seems to narrow the father down to Michael.

LOYALIST SWAIM FAMILY (SWIM) WENT TO NOVA SCOTIA

5. Michael SWAIM (SWIM) went to Nova Scotia in the Fall of 1783 when a fleet of British ships transported the loyalist refugees to Canada. It is unknown why he went to Nova Scotia while the other Swim refugees went to New Brunswick. Perhaps he was on ship Martha that was wrecked off Seal Islands between Cape Sable and the Bay of Fundy. Michael was the son of Albert Swim (b c1742 in Dutchess County died 1780 in NYC, buried at Trinity Church) He was a loyalist. Albert married Sarah Haight (b 1744-d 1814 in NYC) Marriage recorded at Presbyterian Church, Rumbout, NY.

Michael SWIM and his brother were part of a group of Loyalists who left in 1783. Each was placed aboard ship - different ships - apparently for no reason other than chance - and dispatched from New York City for Nova Scotia. The ship which carried Michael, landed in Shelburne County, Nova Scotia; the other ship with his brother, buffeted by heavy storms was blown off course and finally landed at St. John, New Brunswick. The "Family" was thus divided.
Michael obtained a job in Shelburne as a clerk. On a visit to Barrington (about 30 miles away) he stayed at the home of a Mrs. Thomas DOANE, there met her daughter who, on October 6th, 1786, became his wife. They built a house at Barrington Passage; living there briefly. They then built, at Bear Point, a home which later became the home of his son, Albert. Shortly thereafter, Michael moved to Swims Point, Clark's Harbour, where he engaged in fishing and also ran a small business. His was the first home in this part of the island. All Swims originating in that part of the country are descended from Michael, through his fourteen children.


This group of Swims had claimed to be from the German "Schwimmer", coming through England. (Verbal history). Their DNA matching that of the Thys Barentsen Swaim family descendants supports the conclusion that they are from Thys Barentsen. Here is the probable line of descent:

Thys Barentsen (b 1621 in Holland d c1681 at Staten Island)
spouse #2 Scytie Cornelise (1636-1704) They arrived at
Staten Island from Holland in 1661.

their son Cornelius Tisen (b 1661 at Staten Island, d unknown in NJ?) spouse unknown

their son Albert Swim (b c1691 - died Dutchess County , NY?) He has been found in Highland Falls, NY by 1740 spouse unknown

Their son Cornelius Swim (b c1715 in Dutchess County) spouse unknown He was reportedly killed by British for not revealing hidden supplies.

Their son Albert Swim (b c1742 in Dutchess County died 1780 in NYC, buried at Trinity Church) He was a loyalist. He married Sarah Haight (b 1744-d 1814 in NYC) Marriage recorded at Presbyterian Church, Rumbout, NY.