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Roger SWIRE (Planter & Magistrate) (1792 - 1841)
Roger SWIRE was born 15 September 1792 in Hunsingore, Yorkshire, England to
Roger SWIRE and Hannah MELLIN. His English ancestry is well documented back to
the mid-1500’s. It’s not known exactly when he left England, but it is assumed
that a military assignment sent him to the Caribbean sometime after 1810. It has
been said that he first ventured to Antigua before arriving in St. Vincent at
least by 1819. It was here, where he is believed to have met
Frances Lydia COX, daughter of British Army Captain John George COX and his wife Jane Ann, maiden
name unknown. Roger and Frances had 12 children.
In 1821, Roger SWIRE was a Lieutenant in the Queen’s Companies on St.
Vincent. So far, this is all that is known about his public life there.
The Roger SWIRE family left the island of St. Vincent between 1827 and 1828,
settling in Eastern Jamaica near Portland. Oral history from the RUTTY family
states that an eruption of the St. Vincent volcano La Soufrière is the reason
why the SWIRE’s left St. Vincent. However, the only documented eruption of this
volcano in the 1800’s took place in 1812, which would have been too soon for
their departure. It is believed that the story about the volcano played some
other role in their lives. Perhaps this was the reason for Roger Swire to have
come to St. Vincent since the widespread damage likely made the island
vulnerable to attack. More Rutty family history states that Roger Swire
inherited property on the island, but it’s not known who left him the property,
or if this story is true or not.
There are some amusing family stories about Roger and his courtship with
Frances. One of them from the Littlejohn family states that: “Roger SWIRE was
Aide-de-camp to the Governor of St. Vincent. Frances Lydia Palmer-COX (note the
surname is incorrect here, Palmer is not a part of her name) had been sent out at age 16 to stay with her grandfather, the Chief
Justice. [Note: Frances' grandfather was Herbert Palmer COX, who was a Clerk of
the Court in St. Vincent.]
Roger and Frances fell in love but were forbidden to see each other.
Roger was rather wild. Apparently Roger asked the advice of the Governor. “The
Governor pointed over his shoulder. Roger thanked him, and when the Governor
said, ‘I said nothing,’, Roger said, ‘No Sir, but I will take your advice.’
Roger procured a sloop, some sailors, and a chaperone and effected an elopement.
They were married at St. George’s Church in Grenada and later settled in
Jamaica, purchased a sugar plantation, and imported horses from Yorkshire to
improve local stock.”
Another family story from the RUTTY’s states that: “Frances Lydia COX’s father
was the colonel of an English regiment. The future Lord Clive was a penniless
lieutenant in his regiment. Clive fell in love with Frances, but the colonel
said no go and packed her off to the island of St. Vincent, where his sister
[Margaret Jane Cox MELVILLE]
lived, the wife of the Bishop of St. Vincent. [Note: There was no "Bishop" on
St. Vincent at this time, and Margaret Jane COX had married Dr. Alexander
MELVILLE in St. Vincent on August 29, 1796. MELVILLE was a "Surgeon to the
Forces" on St. Vincent, who later became a civil doctor there.] There she met a Yorkshire man by
the name of Roger SWIRE, who had inherited property on the island, and they fell
in love. Roger chartered a schooner and eloped with her to Antigua, where they
married. They then returned to St. Vincent.”
The first five children of Roger SWIRE and Frances Lydia COX were born on St.
Vincent, according to her family bible that is now in possession of the National
Library of Jamaica.] So far, christening records have been
located for only three of the first five children in the records of St. George’s
Anglican Cathedral in Kingstown, St. Vincent. John Henry Dalzell SWIRE was
christened there on 25 March 1821, Roger Jones SWIRE (last name recorded as Sweri) was
christened 01 September 1824, along with his sister Hannah Jane SWIRE (last name
recorded as Sweri), christened the same day.
After the family moved to Jamaica, Roger SWIRE owned or was associated with
several properties in eastern Jamaica in the Surrey County parishes of St.
George’s and Portland. Those properties included Lenox Estate, Norwich, Stanton
Harcourt, Unity Valley, Spring Garden, Belle Vue and Fort Stewart Estate.
Records in the National Library of Jamaica show that SWIRE served as Captain of
the St. George’s (Parish) Militia in 1830, Justice of the Peace and Assistant
Judge in 1832, Collecting Constable in 1837, Commissioner of Supreme Court in
1839, and Inspector and Collector of Rum Duties in 1841, the year that he died.
While his burial record is supposed to show the middle name of Henry, some
family researchers dispute
this as incorrect. [Note: His eldest son went by the name Henry, would could
explain the situation.]
Here is the full list of his children with Frances Lydia COX:
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Philip SWIRE (1828 - 1912) Married in the USA to Anna C. KEAN. Lived in
Jamaica until age 10, then England until age 17. Returned to Jamaica and then
moved to America at age 19. Lived in Nacogdoches and Galveston, Texas and
Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Died in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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Marianne SWIRE (1830 - 1910) Married Mark PLUES. Left Jamaica for
Australia in the 1850’s, lived and died in Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
Nickname: “Mamie”.
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Christina/Christiana Octavia SWIRE (1831 - after 1900). Married Charles
SEYMOUR in Jamaica, then James C. WOODS in USA. Lived in Jamaica until mid to
late 1850’s, then Louisiana, USA by 1860, Mississippi USA by 1870. Death place
unknown. Nickname: “Kissy”.
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