I am a YDNA-proven descendant of Edward Swann and Susannah Heath Swann of Eagleton Plantation, Md.
I’ll try to make the story of my research life short. I started off with a focus on my Swan name (my grt-grandfather dropped the second ‘n’), my Swan blood line, and, now, Susannah’s heritage. I am a member of The Swann Project at FTDNA in Houston and collaborate with Swann/Swan researchers in the US and Canada, the UK, NZ, Iceland, Belgium, and elsewhere. We are serious researchers and do not post our findings on ancestry.com, legacy.com, or any other such forum. I have a 650 page descendant report on Edward and Susannah Heath Swann and I have published 8 books....soon to be 9. My 3rd book, ‘My Swann Family With Wilson, Shipley And Alcock Families’ is in many eastern libraries and genealogical society libraries. In short, I/we do not rely on ancestry.com for information; we get it the old fashioned way.....we go look for it.
My Swann family begins with Edward Swann and Susannah Heath who emigrated (at different times) from England and settled in the mid-1600s in Charles County, Maryland. Edward is thought to have been born about 1630 and we are still researching to determine where.
Edward Swann arrived in Maryland before March 1653* and married Susannah Heath, possibly by 1658. It is usually thought that Edward was born before 1630 in Kent County, England. He died about 26 May 1708 at Eagleton, Charles County, Maryland. He married Susannah Heath daughter of William Heath b~1605 and Anne MNU (maiden name unknown)) about 1660 in Charles County, Maryland. Susannah was born in Jan 1629/30 in Surrey County, England and baptized 25 February 1630 at St. Thomas Parish Southwark, Surrey County. She died about 1693 at Eagleton Plantation, Charles County, Maryland. It has been claimed that there are no probate records for Edward Swan and that he died ~1678** in St. Mary’s County, Maryland.(I think not.)
[Sources: (1) Maryland Prerogative Court, Inventories & Accounts, Liber 2, pp. 153, 156, and 202, and Liber 4, pp 256 and 524, and (2) Hall, Robert W., Early Landowners of Maryland, Volume 5: St. Mary’s County, 1633-1710, p. 223.] However, a court record which follows proves otherwise.

*Edward first appeared in the Maryland court records in 1653 when he stood good for a debt incurred by Francis Posey of St. Mary's County (Francois Poschet was born 13 May 1615, Cambrai, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France; he died 24 May 1654 in Charles County, MD). Edward was Constable in Charles County in 1663 and also Coroner. He was a Juror 1665-1666. Edward Swann shows in the 1696 AIS/GRS database in Maryland Colony.

**CC, May 3, 1742. The deposition of John Thorn, age about 45 years, who says that the place where he now stands, being on the point of a small hill near the dwelling house of William Thorn, decd, that the sd William Thorn told him, about 6 years ago (1736), that on this place, old Edward Swann told him {about 48 years ago) (1694) stood a bounded red oak, a bounded tree of old Thomas Stonestreet's land called Burch Den, and further says that the sd William Thorn, decd, told him, if it should ever come in dispute, he would prove it, and this deponent further says that Samuel Swann told him that his father, Edward Swann, showed the sd Thomas Stonstreet where to take up the sd land.

The first known record for Edward Swann indicates that he was in Maryland as early as 1653. In March 1653, Francis Posey sells to Edward Swann and mentions Walter Beane with witnesses John Hatch and Wm. Marshall*.
*A William Marshall is shown ‘Cavaliers and Pioneers’ as transported in 1653 by Major John Weathrope to Charles City. Also a William Marshall as transported in 1643 by William Erwins to James City.
Susannah (Heath) Swann was christened 25 February 1630 at St. Thomas Parish in Surrey County, England. Her father is shown as William Heath (15 Dec 1605 – 29 May 1652). At this time, it is thought that her mother was Hannah or Anne maiden name unknown who died in childbirth in 1646/47 and was buried 14 Feb 1646/47 at Southwark, St. Thomas Parish, Surrey County, England.
Edward and Susannah Swann raised 3 sons and a daughter. (see Descendant Report in Volume 2 of 'My Swann Family....') I am descended from their son, James Swann, born about 1668 in Charles County, Maryland. When Edward died, James, the eldest son inherited Eagleton Plantation. Upon James’ death, his wife, Judith Goldsmith Nyfinger Swann, would have had a dower right to a third of his estate. However, since she remarried to Samuel Williamson, Eagleton Plantation passed to James Swann's eldest son, Thomas Swann b.1692, my 5th great-grandfather.

Regarding the marriage of Edward Swann and Susannah Heath, no records have been identified. A message from Mary Klein may explain:

Phil,
As you know, early Maryland records are very hard to come by, especially early church records. The have been burned, lost, stolen and never recorded. Of course, ship captains were authorized to marry, as were other civil officers such as Justices. The organization in those early days was pretty loose, since survival was the main aim. If no clergyman or other official were available, couples often lived together as husband and wife until such time as they could be married officially. Of course land records often have more information than most other sources. And sometimes, as you well, know, there is no available documentation at all. Thanks for the attachments, and all the best in your ongoing gigantic project.
Mary
(May 2015)
Mary O. Klein | Archivist
Episcopal Diocese of Maryland 4 E. University Pkwy |Baltimore, MD 21218 |410-467-1399

The only documented children of Edward and Susannah Heath Swann:
Susannah b.~1662 CC, MD married Dr. Philip Briscoe in 1678
(Capt.) James b~1668 CC, MD married Judith Goldsmith 7 August 1688
Thomas Swann b~1674 SMC, MD marr. Catherine Burch 1698 PGC, MD
Samuel Swann b~1676 Eagleton marr. Ann Burch 1701 CC, MD
I suggest that you dismiss the suggestion of any other children; I have extremely good documentation. Contact me and read my previous messages to the former sponsor of this gravesite.

phil swan

I am a YDNA-proven descendant of Edward Swann and Susannah Heath Swann of Eagleton Plantation, Md.
I’ll try to make the story of my research life short. I started off with a focus on my Swan name (my grt-grandfather dropped the second ‘n’), my Swan blood line, and, now, Susannah’s heritage. I am a member of The Swann Project at FTDNA in Houston and collaborate with Swann/Swan researchers in the US and Canada, the UK, NZ, Iceland, Belgium, and elsewhere. We are serious researchers and do not post our findings on ancestry.com, legacy.com, or any other such forum. I have a 650 page descendant report on Edward and Susannah Heath Swann and I have published 8 books....soon to be 9. My 3rd book, ‘My Swann Family With Wilson, Shipley And Alcock Families’ is in many eastern libraries and genealogical society libraries. In short, I/we do not rely on ancestry.com for information; we get it the old fashioned way.....we go look for it.
My Swann family begins with Edward Swann and Susannah Heath who emigrated (at different times) from England and settled in the mid-1600s in Charles County, Maryland. Edward is thought to have been born about 1630 and we are still researching to determine where.
Edward Swann arrived in Maryland before March 1653* and married Susannah Heath, possibly by 1658. It is usually thought that Edward was born before 1630 in Kent County, England. He died about 26 May 1708 at Eagleton, Charles County, Maryland. He married Susannah Heath daughter of William Heath b~1605 and Anne MNU (maiden name unknown)) about 1660 in Charles County, Maryland. Susannah was born in Jan 1629/30 in Surrey County, England and baptized 25 February 1630 at St. Thomas Parish Southwark, Surrey County. She died about 1693 at Eagleton Plantation, Charles County, Maryland. It has been claimed that there are no probate records for Edward Swan and that he died ~1678** in St. Mary’s County, Maryland.(I think not.)
[Sources: (1) Maryland Prerogative Court, Inventories & Accounts, Liber 2, pp. 153, 156, and 202, and Liber 4, pp 256 and 524, and (2) Hall, Robert W., Early Landowners of Maryland, Volume 5: St. Mary’s County, 1633-1710, p. 223.] However, a court record which follows proves otherwise.

*Edward first appeared in the Maryland court records in 1653 when he stood good for a debt incurred by Francis Posey of St. Mary's County (Francois Poschet was born 13 May 1615, Cambrai, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France; he died 24 May 1654 in Charles County, MD). Edward was Constable in Charles County in 1663 and also Coroner. He was a Juror 1665-1666. Edward Swann shows in the 1696 AIS/GRS database in Maryland Colony.

**CC, May 3, 1742. The deposition of John Thorn, age about 45 years, who says that the place where he now stands, being on the point of a small hill near the dwelling house of William Thorn, decd, that the sd William Thorn told him, about 6 years ago (1736), that on this place, old Edward Swann told him {about 48 years ago) (1694) stood a bounded red oak, a bounded tree of old Thomas Stonestreet's land called Burch Den, and further says that the sd William Thorn, decd, told him, if it should ever come in dispute, he would prove it, and this deponent further says that Samuel Swann told him that his father, Edward Swann, showed the sd Thomas Stonstreet where to take up the sd land.

The first known record for Edward Swann indicates that he was in Maryland as early as 1653. In March 1653, Francis Posey sells to Edward Swann and mentions Walter Beane with witnesses John Hatch and Wm. Marshall*.
*A William Marshall is shown ‘Cavaliers and Pioneers’ as transported in 1653 by Major John Weathrope to Charles City. Also a William Marshall as transported in 1643 by William Erwins to James City.
Susannah (Heath) Swann was christened 25 February 1630 at St. Thomas Parish in Surrey County, England. Her father is shown as William Heath (15 Dec 1605 – 29 May 1652). At this time, it is thought that her mother was Hannah or Anne maiden name unknown who died in childbirth in 1646/47 and was buried 14 Feb 1646/47 at Southwark, St. Thomas Parish, Surrey County, England.
Edward and Susannah Swann raised 3 sons and a daughter. (see Descendant Report in Volume 2 of 'My Swann Family....') I am descended from their son, James Swann, born about 1668 in Charles County, Maryland. When Edward died, James, the eldest son inherited Eagleton Plantation. Upon James’ death, his wife, Judith Goldsmith Nyfinger Swann, would have had a dower right to a third of his estate. However, since she remarried to Samuel Williamson, Eagleton Plantation passed to James Swann's eldest son, Thomas Swann b.1692, my 5th great-grandfather.

Regarding the marriage of Edward Swann and Susannah Heath, no records have been identified. A message from Mary Klein may explain:

Phil,
As you know, early Maryland records are very hard to come by, especially early church records. The have been burned, lost, stolen and never recorded. Of course, ship captains were authorized to marry, as were other civil officers such as Justices. The organization in those early days was pretty loose, since survival was the main aim. If no clergyman or other official were available, couples often lived together as husband and wife until such time as they could be married officially. Of course land records often have more information than most other sources. And sometimes, as you well, know, there is no available documentation at all. Thanks for the attachments, and all the best in your ongoing gigantic project.
Mary
(May 2015)
Mary O. Klein | Archivist
Episcopal Diocese of Maryland 4 E. University Pkwy |Baltimore, MD 21218 |410-467-1399

The only documented children of Edward and Susannah Heath Swann:
Susannah b.~1662 CC, MD married Dr. Philip Briscoe in 1678
(Capt.) James b~1668 CC, MD married Judith Goldsmith 7 August 1688
Thomas Swann b~1674 SMC, MD marr. Catherine Burch 1698 PGC, MD
Samuel Swann b~1676 Eagleton marr. Ann Burch 1701 CC, MD
I suggest that you dismiss the suggestion of any other children; I have extremely good documentation. Contact me and read my previous messages to the former sponsor of this gravesite.

phil swan