The ancestor of all Swaims in America was Dutch immigrant Mathijs Barentsz aka Thys Barentsen.
Mathijs’ family was one of nineteen families that established the first permanent settlement on Staten
Island in 1661.
Mathijs Barentsz’ ancestors in the Netherlands appear to descend from the Van Arkels. The van Arkels
were a noble family that ruled a small fiefdom for many years until they lost power in the 1400s. Note that
there is some uncertainty regarding the van Arkel connection.
George Washington surveyed the land of Michael Swaim (1715) in Virginia in 1751.
John Swaim (1748) was a hunting companion of Daniel Boone.
John Hines Swaim (1797) was my ggg grandfather. He was an eccentric rich vagabond who used to carry
large sums of money with him wherever he went. He buried gold and cash throughout Indiana that was
never found.
There are also a few interesting stories associated with my more distant Swaim ancestors
Major David G. Swaim became President James Garfield’s Chief of Staff and was at his deathbed after the
assassination. President Garfield’s last dying word was “Swaim”.
The mother of William Sydney Porter better known as “O Henry” was Mary Jane Virginia Swaim.
