Biography

David Anderson Swann

David Anderson Swann was born in 1850 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, to Henry Swann and Margaret Anderson, who were married on 21st February 1818 in Horton, Staffordshire, UK. David had one known sibling George Swann.

David Anderson Swann married Jessie Wood in Midlothian, Edinburgh, Scotland, on 10 June 1870, when David and Jessie were both 19 years old.

Jessie and David Swann had two children in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. Their first, a son named John Finlay Swann born on June 12, 1871. Their daughter, Mary McDonald Swann was born on May 20 1873.

David Anderson Swann and Jessie Swann emigrated to NZ on the ship Geraldine Paget, arriving in Canterbury on 27 Dec 1874. Accompanying them on the journey were their two children: John Swann 3 years and Mary Swann 1 year old. Jessie Swann was listed as 26 years old. David Swann was listed as 26 years, and his occupation was listed as a Lancashire Sawyer.

David and Jessie Swann went on to have seven more children in NZ:

Jane Swann b.1877. Margaret Anderson Swann b. 10/01/1880. Catherine Neaves Swann b.16/07/1882. Agnes Swann b.1885 . David Anderson Swann b.1887. Constance Muriel Swann b.1891. George Swann b.1894

In the Evening star newspaper, Issue 5793, there was an article on 1 October 1881 outlining the sale of the Fitzroy properties that David Swann is listed as owning sections 76 and 77 in Fitzroy.

David Swann, in the Otago Nominal Index of 1884, occupation was listed as saw miller and residence in Fitzroy,

In 1893 on the Otago Nominal Index. David Swann’s occupation was listed as a sawyer, or saw miller.

The Swann family residence was listed in several different sources as 13 Helena Street, Caversham, Dunedin. The family of 11 resided in the same house from the 1880s. David passed away in this house on October 17th, 1916.