Events
Date of Birth: 8 March 1744/5.
Place of Birth: unknown.
The date is given in the baptism record in the parish register.
Date of Baptism: 7 April 1745.
Place of Baptism: Prescot St Helens, Lancashire.
The baptism is recorded in the parish register.
Date of Death: 1815 or 1816.
Place of Death: unknown.
Lionel made a codicil to his will 31 January 1815 and administration was granted 25 September 1816.
Relationships
Father: Lionel Swift.
Mother: Alice Hewgrave.
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Ellen Crumpton. Married 25 November 1771 in Rainford. Ellen died in 1782.
The marriage is recorded in the parish register.
Spouse: Elizabeth Lyon. Married 30 January 1785 in Prescot.
The marriage is recorded in the parish register.
Children (by Ellen):
(Baptisms are recorded in the parish register of Prescot St Helens.)
John Swift (born 19 January 1772 - died 21 March 1849) married Ellen Parr 14 May 1799 in Billinge, Lancashire.
Mary Swift (born 13 July 1773).
William Swift (born 2 January 1775 - died 1850) married Elizabeth Jump 28 April 1806 at St Mary the Virgin, Prescot, Lancashire.
Alice Swift (born 11 May 1776) married John Ansdale 27 March 1803 in Billinge.
Thomas Swift (born 14 October 1777 - died 1852) married Margaret Ashton 24 November 1806 in Upholland, Lancashire.
Ellen Swift (born 19 October 1778).
Peter Swift (born 4 October 1779 - died 28 July 1816).
Joseph Swift (born 21 December 1781 - died 24 June 1837) married Anne Hughson 20 July 1807 in Prescot, Lancashire.
Children (by Elizabeth):
(These relationships are made clear in the wills of John, Thomas, Henry, Richard, and Mary Catherine's daughter Mary Catherine as well as by church registers. More information is given on this page.)
Mary Catherine Swift married (1) Charles Gore 24 July 1813 in Liverpool; married (2) William Adams.
Lionel Swift (baptized 23 March 1788 in Our Lady, Portico, Prescot - died 18 March 1805)
Henry Swift (baptized 15 April 1792 in in Our Lady, Portico, Prescot)
Margaret Swift (baptized 9 March 1794 in Our Lady, Portico, Prescot)
Henry Swift (born 1796 in Eccleston, Lancashire, baptized 15 May in Our Lady, Portico, Prescot - died 11 May 1863 in Eccleston) married Elizabeth Owen 11 May 1822 in Rainford, Lancashire.
Richard Swift (born 1798 in Eccleston, baptized 27 September 1798 in Our Lady, Portico, Prescot - died 23 June 1875 in Rainhill) married Esther Mary Liptrot 10 October 1826 in Aigburth, Lancashire.
Elizabeth Swift (baptized 25 December 1800 in Our Lady, Portico, Prescot)
Elizabeth Swift (baptized 13 June 1802 in St Mary, Lowe House, St Helens)
Evidence
from the Prescott, St Helens parish register:
1745
Rainhill Lyonell son of Lyonell Swift farmer & Alice his wife was born the 8 of March & Christened --7 [April]
1772
Eccleston - John son of Linell Swift labourer & Ellen his wife born 19 January & Chr:d -9
1773
Mary dau of Lionel Swift Labourer Hardshaw Born July 13th
1775
Wm son of Lionel Swift Hardshaw Born Jany 2nd
1776
Alice dau of Lionel Swift Labourer Hardshaw Born May 11th
1777
Thos son of Lionel Swift Labourer Hardshaw Born Octr 14th
1778
119 Ellen da of Lionel Swift Farmer Eccleston [born] Oct 19 [baptized] Nov 8
1779
133 Peter son of Linel Swift Labour of Eccleston [born] Oct 4 [baptized] Oct 31
1781
140 Joseph son of Linel Swift Labourer of Eccleston [born] Dec: 21 [baptized] Jan: 13
Lionel Swift of the Parish of Prescot in the Diocese of Chester Husbandman and Elizabeth Lyon of the same Parish Spinster were married in this Church by Licence this 26th of January 1785 by me John Barnes Curate
This Marriage was solemniz’d Lionel Swifts Mark
between Elizabeth Lyon’s Mark
In the Presence of Thomas Coppel James Lyon
from the Rainford parish register:
Lionel Swift of Eccleston Husbandman and Ellen Crumpton of the same place Spinster were married in the parochial Chapel of Rainford by publication of Banns this 25th Day of November 1771 by me Rich.d Hunt Min.r
This Marriage was solemnized between us Lionel [his X Mark] Swift Ellen [her X Mark] Crumpton
In the presence of James Smith James Spencer
Second marriage (marriage licence allegation):
The twentieth Day of January in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty five.
On which Day appeared personally Lionel Swift of Eccelston in the Parish of Prescott and being sworn on the Holy Evangelists, alledged and made Oath as follows, That he is of the Age of twenty one Years and upwards, and a Widower and intends to marry Elizabeth Lyon aged twenty one Years and upwards, and a Spinster not knowing or believing any lawful Let, or Impediment, by reason of any Praecontract, entered into before the Twenty-fifth Day of March, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Four, Consanguinity, Affinity, or any other Cause whatsoever, to hinder the said intended Marriage: And he prayed a Licence to solemnize the said Marriage in the Parish Church of Prescot aforesaid. In which said Parish the said Lionel Swift further made Oath, That the said Elizabeth Lyon hath had her usual Abode for the space of Four Weeks past.
Lionel [his X mark] Swift
The same Day the said Lionel Swift was sworn before me, George Hodson, Surrogate.
from the Our Lady, Portico, Prescot, Lancashire registers (Roman Catholic):
1788
March 23 Lionel f: Lionel & Eliz Swift John Howard, Abigail Patrick
1792
15 Hen: f: Lionel & Eliz Swift Ralf Higgison Ann Travis
1794
March 9 Margt f: Lionel & Eliz Swift Hen: & Martha Lyon
1796
May 15 Hen: Lionel & Eliz Swift John Parr & Helen Parr.
1798
Sept: 27 Ricd f: Lionel & Eliz: Swift Ralf: & Ann Higgison.
1800
Dec: 25 Eliz: f: Lionel & Eliz: Swift James & Mary Wilson
1802
died
June 15 Eliz Swift
died 1805
March 18 Lionel Swift 17
Land tax redemption, 1798:
A Lionel Swift (perhaps more than one) is shown occupying pieces of land in Eccleston assessed at 6 shillings and 9 pence (owned by Mr. Peter Johnsons He's for Whitlows), 4 shillings half a pence; (owned by the executors of Margaret Lyon); 18 shillings 10 pence (owner: Thos Eccleston Esq. for Holmes and Kiln houses in Scholes End); and 3 shillings 7 and a quarter pence (also in Scholes End).
In an 1811 probate bond for his son-in-law John Ansdale, Lionel is described as a farmer of Eccleston.
From the Cheshire probate calendar:
25th September 1816
Before CGJ Driffield Surr
Swift
Under 4000 £
Admon with the Codicil of Lionel Swift late of Eccleston yeoman Deced was granted unto James Underhill West, Robert Liptrot, and Thomas Swift the Trustees & Exors named and appointed in a Certain Codicil bearing date the Thirty first day of January 1815 limited until such time as the last Will and Testament of the sd deced (which is now mislead) can be found.
[The executor Thomas Swift was of Upholland. Unfortunately, the will seems to have been lost.]
from the London Gazette:
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS,
Prescot, October 25, 1816.
All persons who have any demands against the estate of Lionel Swift, late of Eccleston, in the County of Lancaster, Yeoman, deceased, are requested to render an account therof, on or before the 1st day of January next, when a division of his estate and effects will be made amongst his Representatives, to James Underhill West, at Eccleston aforesaid, Esq., on of the Administrators of the estate and effects of the said Lionel Swift, or to Messrs. Sherratt, Heyes and Orrell, Solicitors, Prescot, or they will lose the benefit of their claims against the said estate; and all persons who stand indebted to the said estate are requested to pay the amount of their respective debts to the said James Underhill West, or Messrs. Sherratt, Heyes, and Orrell, who are authorized to receive the same.
The will of Peter Swift:
This is the last will and testament of me Peter Swift of Eccleston in the County of Lancaster Yeoman. First I direct that all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses and the charging of the probate thereof be in the first place paid by my executors hereinafter named. I give and bequeath unto my Brother William my hair-Trunk with every thing contained therein at the time of my decease -- I give and bequeath unto my Brother Thomas Swift my silver watch and all my Books. All and every my wearing apparel and also all other my estate and effects whatsoever. I do hereby direct my executors to divide equally between my said two Brothers William and Thomas and I nominate and appoint James Wilson of Eccleston aforesaid and my said Brother Thomas executors hereof. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty third day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixteen
Peter Swift
Signed sealed published and declared by the said Peter Swift as and for his last will and testament in our presence who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses
James Wilson Junr.
Jane Wilson
Robert [his X mark] Davies
Probate issued 26 November 1816. (The testator died 28 July 1816.) The estate was valued under 200 pounds.
Commentary
Lionel’s parentage
Lionel was married in 1771 and secondly in 1785, and had children baptized in Prescot pretty regularly between 1772 and 1802. Given this data, the only plausible baptism I have come across is in Prescot in 1745. (A Linell Swift was baptized in Rainford in 1749/50 and another in 1751, but both of these Linells died young.)
The 1745 baptism record shows that Lionel’s parents were “Lyonell & Alice Swift”. Lyonell and Alice had seventeen children baptized at Prescot between 1735/6 and 1762. Lionel Swift of Sutton and Alice Hewgrave were married in Warrington in 1735 (Sutton was a chapelry in the parish of Prescot.) In their marriage bond, both Lionel and Alice are stated to be “of Prescotte”.
There is some (slight) DNA evidence that Lionel was a son of Lionel Swift. I am a paper-trail descendant of Lionel and I share some DNA (13 cM across 2 segments) with a descendant of Lionel’s uncle Henry. (It is quite possible that the DNA comes from a common ancestor in a non-Swift line.)
References
Parish registers for Prescot St Helens, Prescot, St Mary’s digital images on Ancestry.com [accessed 24 September 2016].
Cheshire Marriage licence bonds and allegations 1606-1905, digital image on Findmypast.uk [accessed 24 September 2016].
Cheshire probate calender, digital image on Findmypast.uk [accessed 24 September 2016].
John Ansdale of St Helens, labourer. 1811 probate bond in the Consistory Court of Chester. Digital images on FamilySearch.org accessed 24 November 2019.
UK, Land Tax Redemption, 1798. Digital images on Ancestry.com, accessed 5 January 2018.
Will of Henry Swift, late of Eccleston near Saint Helens in the County of Lancaster Farmer, proved 18 June 1863, UK.
Will of John Swift, yeoman of Sutton. Consistory Court of Chester, 1851. Digital image on FamilySearch.
Will of Peter Swift, yeoman of Eccleston. Consistory Court of Chester, 1816. Digital image on FamilySearch (Film#004421822).
Will of Richard Swift, late of Rainhill in the County of Lancaster Farmer, proved 16 July 1875, UK.
Will of Thomas Swift, yeoman of Upholland. Consistory Court of Chester, 1852. Digital image on FamilySearch.