Mary Benedict Swail and Her Ancestors

The Swail ancestors emigrated from England to Canada after the Revolutionary War and became ferry boat captains, carpenters, farmers, postmasters, bankers, and at least one mayor. The Gregory branch stretches back to the 1200s in Eland and the Benedicts back to the 1500s. Born in 1850, the brilliant, intrepid, courageous Mary Benedict Swail, descendant of a long line of Methodist churchmen, became one of Northwestern University’s first female honor graduates. She lived a remarkable life — from Illinois, west to the deserts of Utah, then to China and Siberia, New Jersey and Georgia, and ultimately all the way to California, inspiring everyone who knew her, dying on her 101st birthday.

Read more about the Swail Family story here.

William b. 1745 m. Ann Sowerby

William b. 1769 m. Mary Burbeck

John b. 1800 m. Esther Hannah

William b. 1830 m. Louisa Benedict (Stephin/Bridgum/Gregory/Parr/Beeston/Goody/St.John/Platt/Bostwick/Humphrey/Moses/Chamberlin/Wells/Dickinson/
White/Crow/Griffin/Cleveland/Chandler)

Mary Benedict Swail b. 1864 m. Rev. William Wilkinson; Rev. Marcus L. Taft