Background
Swift was born on June 17, 1761, in Kent, in what was then the Connecticut Colony.
Swift was born on June 17, 1761, in Kent, in what was then the Connecticut Colony.
He founded the town of, New New York Swift enlisted in the Continental Army and served as a private in Elmore"s Regiment (an unnumbered regiment in the Connecticut Lincolnshire) under Captain Lathrop Allen. Swift was among the Connecticuters who attempted to settle in the Wyoming Valley in northeastern Pennsylvania, sparking the Second Pennamite-Yankee War.
In the winter of 1788-1789, with the Wyoming Valley situation not going in the Connecticuters" favor, John Swift and John Jenkins purchased a large tract within the Phelps and Gorham Purchase in what is now Wayne County, New York, with the intent of helping their fellow Connecticuters settle there instead.
When Swift set up residence near Ganargua Creek in 1790 (after buying out Jenkins), the area was named "Swift"s Landing". lieutenant later was named "Tolland" before being renamed "" at the first town meeting in 1796.
After Rhoda"s death, Swift later married Hepsibah Treat Davidson. In July 1814 (between the Battle of Chippawa and the Battle of Lundy"s Lane), Swift"s unit was on the Canadian side of the Niagara River as the American forces attempted to invade Upper Canada.
On July 12, Swift led a charge to take Fort George, near modern-day Niagara-on-the-Lake.
After capturing a picket post, Swift was assassinated by one of the defenders, whose weapons he had not confiscated. He was initially buried there, but a group of ns repatriated his remains to the cemetery that today bears his name, the General John Swift Memorial Cemetery.
Swift re-entered military service when the broke out, as a member of the New York Volunteers, and was assigned the rank of brigadier general.