John Swain the son of Richard Swain, seems to have been the only child by Richard's first wife Elizabeth "Basselle" Saunders, who came to Nantucket and he accompanied his father to the island. The record shows under the date of February 15, 1667 that "John Swain had his house laid out by the Lot layers aforesaid being sixty Rod square bounded on the South with the first lot of Richard Swain and on the North with the highway that leads into the Longwoods, on the East and West by the common , more or less, as it is laid out.The section laid out at that time to the First Purchasers seems to be West of the Wesco lots. Subsequently he removed to the East side of the Island. It was the house that Thomas Story refers to as being raised on the occasion of his visit to Swain on the July 17, 1704 and that date probably indicates very nearly the time when John Swain settled at Polpis.

John Swain married Mary Wyer on September 15, 1660 in Hampton, Rockingham, Massachusetts.

John Swain and Mary Wyer had 9 children, 4 boys and 5 girls.

Mary - 1661-1714 Married: Joseph Nason
John - 1664-1739 Married: Experience Folger
Stephen - 1666-1712
Sarah - 1670- Married: Joseph Nortin
Joseph - 1673-1766 Married: Mary Sibley
Elizabeth - 1676-1760 Married: Joseph Sevolle
Benjamin - 1679-1757 Married: Mary Taylor
Hannah - 1681-1765 Married: Joseph Tallman
Patience - 1685-1746 Married: Samuel Gardner

John Swain died on Nantucket Island on February 9, 1717.

Biographical Information came from 'The History of Nantucket County, Island and Town" by Alexander Starbuck. ISBN 0-8048-0250-5

Inscription information:
The main memorial, with the names of some of the island’s first male European settlers, is situated on the plot. The text of this memorial reads:
ERECTED A.D. 1881. BY
A DESCENDANT OF THE FIRST
SETTLERS OF NANTUCKET
IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHOSE REMAINS
ARE BURIED ON THIS HALLOWED SPOT
WHERE STOOD THE FIRST CHURCH
GATHERED HERE IN 1711,
SINCE REMOVED TO WHERE IT
NOW STANDS AS THE VESTRY OF THE
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY.
1609 – TRISTAM COFFIN – 1681
1598 – THOMAS MACY – 1682.
1604 – EDWARD STARBUCK – 1690
1617 – PETER FOLGER – 1690.
1624 – JOHN GARDNER – 1706
1664 – JOHN SWAIN. JR. – 1738.
1644 – JOHN COLEMAN – 1715.
1626 – RICHARD GARDNER – 1688.
1598 – CHRISTOPHER HUSSEY – 1686.
1640 – WILLIAM BUNKER – 1712.