1. Robert Swain was born 1 about 1790 in Ulster, Ireland. He died about 1852 in Caplin Bay, NF.
No written reference to Robert's birthplace has ever been found, however there are several versions of family tradition that relate the circumstances of Robert's arrival at Caplin Bay. Although some details differ, most of this oral family tradition has a common thread. Family tradition says that Robert Swain was a Protestant who came from the province of Ulster, (Northern) Ireland. He converted to Catholicism when he married a girl named Betsy Bryan from Ferryland.
Robert Swain settled on the northeastern headland of Caplin Bay, in the area known as Stone Island. His home was located on the eastern side of Stone Island River, opposite the property settled earlier by the Wade family. The earliest recorded mention of the Swain name in this area was in the Ferryland Supreme Court records. On Nov. 3, 1830, Robert Swain was "charged, with others, in erecting a stage at Stone Island shooting place which interfered with other people’s nets which have been set there for 40 years". The charges appear to have been laid by Matthew Morry and Co. and Benjamin Sweetland and Co., fishing merchants of English origin whose fishing operations were based a couple of miles west, at the head of Caplin Bay.
Robert is shown as a voter at Caplin Bay from 1840 to 1852. It is not known exactly when Robert died however his name does not appear on the voter's lists after 1852.
Robert married Elizabeth Bryan "Betsy" about 1816. Elizabeth was born 1 about 1800 in Ferryland, NF. She died in Caplin Bay, NF.
In family lore, Elizabeth (Betsy) Bryan, the wife of Robert Swain was said to have come from Ferryland. Although there were several Bryan (O' Brien) families in the Caplin Bay area around 1800, there are no matches with any females recorded in the census taken there at that time. However, there was one later event that may suggest some kinship with the Bryans of Ferryland. One of the co-defendants named in the civil suit against Robert Swain and "others" in 1830 was a Timothy Brien. We can speculate that this may have been the Timothy Jr. who was recorded under his Irish name "Teague" at Ferryland in the 1800 Census. His reasons for being at Stone Island in 1830 are unclear. Was he there helping his brother-in-law? From 1840 onward, the voter's lists shows Timothy Bryan living on the northside of Ferryland in the area(s) known as Freshwater and Bark House.
They had the following children:
2 F i Elizabeth Swain "Eliza" was born 1 about 1817 in Caplin Bay, NF. She died 2 on 15 Jun 1891 in Caplin Bay, NF. The cause of death was la grippe. She was buried in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
Vital Statistics death record states that she was 74 when she died in 1891.Elizabeth married 1 Joseph Sullivan on 25 Jan 1838 in Fermeuse, NF. Joseph was born 2 about 1812 in Co. Wexford, Ireland. He died 3 on 20 Dec 1888 in Caplin Bay, NF. He was buried in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
St. John's newspaper - Evening Telegram - Dec 26, 1888.
Sullivan, Joseph, native of Wexford, died 20th at Caplin Bay aged 76, here 59 yrs.3 F ii Mary Swain was born 1 about 1818 in Caplin Bay, NF. She died 2 on 17 Feb 1902 in Caplin Bay, NF. The cause of death was old age. She was buried in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
Vital Statistics death record states that she was 84 when she died.Mary married James Walsh son of James Walsh and Elenor about 1841 in Caplin Bay, NF. James was born after 1800 in Ferryland, NF. He died 1 after 1871 in Caplin Bay, NF.
James Walsh Sr. married Nellie (Ellen/Elenor) Evoy, the widow of Michael Evoy at Ferryland in 1799. They ran a pub and lived at Ferryland for a period of time before moving to Caplin Bay, sometime after 1805. James Jr. was in all likelihood born at Ferryland, however he may have been born at Caplin Bay. He was still alive at Caplin Bay in 1871 according to Lovell's Directory.4 M iii John Swain was born 1 about 1825 in Caplin Bay, NF. He died 2 on 3 Jan 1904 in Caplin Bay, NF. The cause of death was septicaemia. He was buried in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
Vital Statistics death record states that he was 79 when he died.John married 1 Mary Meaney about 1857. Mary was born 2 about 1833 in Ferryland, NF. She died 3 on 23 Jun 1885 in Caplin Bay, NF.
Births, Deaths, Marriages in Newfoundland Newspapers (1825-1890).
Swain, Mary - wife of John Swain, died aged 52 years at Caplin Bay on the 11th. June 28/85M.
Notes (Kevin Reddigan)
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Family tradition holds that Mary Meaney was from Ferryland. Little is known of Mary so we are left to speculate as to who her father may have been. Based on the voter's lists, Francis Meaney, was the only surviving male Meaney at Ferryland in 1840. He is not listed in any later voter's lists, which probably means he died there about 1841. No other Meaney is recorded there again until 1959 when a James Meaney is shown living at the Downs.
Based on my own family research, it appears that James Meaney, who settled at Stone Island in the early 1840s, was in all likelihood from Ferryland. The census taken at Ferryland in 1800 shows a Francis and Elizabeth Meaney with a son Thomas (8), a son Francis (6) and a daughter Mary (4). James was probably a younger brother, born after 1800. There is also a lesser possiblility that James could have been the son of either Francis Jr. or Thomas, since we don't know how old James was when he died. The names of his sons, Thomas (my great-grandfather) and Francis reflect the connection to the Ferryland Meaneys.
Mary may have been the daughter of the 1790s Francis or Thomas. Assuming she was the daughter of Francis, she would have been only about eight years old in 1841. This situation leads me to wonder if she may have gone to live with her uncle/brother/cousin James Meaney and his family at Stone Island after her father's death. We can speculate that, at the very least, she would have regularily visited her relatives at Stone Island. She also named a son Thomas, but as far as we know the name Francis was not given to any of her children.5 F iv Anne Swain was born 1 about 1827 in Caplin Bay, NF. She died 2 on 4 Sep 1908 in Caplin Bay, NF. The cause of death was old age. She was buried 3 in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
Her headstone transcription records her death at age 80 on Sept 4 1909. However the Vital Statistics death record states that she was 81 when she died on Sept 4 1908.Anne married Thomas Condon "Tom" 1 son of Patrick Condon and Catherine about 1856. Thomas was born 2 about 1825 in Caplin Bay, NF. He died 3 on 18 Apr 1911 in Caplin Bay, NF. He was buried 4 in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
The Vital Statistics death record states that Thomas was born in Caplin Bay. However in the Newfoundland Census - 1935, Ernest Condon stated that his father was born in Ireland. This is contradictory to family tradition which claims that Tom Condon was the first male child born on the north side of Caplin Bay.
His headstone transcription says he was 86 when he died April 17 1911. His death in the Vital Statistics records was recorded on April 18, 1911 and also gives his age as 86.6 M v Robert Swain was born 1 about 1830 in Caplin Bay, NF. He died 2 on 23 Dec 1908 in Caplin Bay, NF. The cause of death was paralysis. He was buried in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
Vital Statistics death record states he was 78 when he died, however two differrent dates are given. One record shows that on Dec 23 1908 a Robert Swain died from paralysis and another entry shows that a Robert Swain died Jan 9 1909 from old age. The voter's list of 1908 shows only one Robert Swain at Caplin Bay.Robert married Ellen Evoy daughter of Patrick Evoy and Mary about 1857. Ellen was born in Caplin Bay, NF. 7 M vi Joseph Swain was born 1 about 1832 in Caplin Bay, NF. He died 2 on 29 Jun 1906 in Caplin Bay, NF. The cause of death was heart failure. He was buried in Ferryland RC Cemetery.
Vital Statistics death record states he was 74 when he died.Joseph married Anne Power about 1857. Anne was born in St. John's, NF. She died after 1877 in Caplin Bay, NF.
No death record or headstone found to date. Although the surname Power is common in the Caplin Bay area it is believed that Anne Power was from St. John's.