Isaac Swayze

Isaac Swayze (1751 – February 11, 1828) was a Loyalist and British partisan during the American Revolution, and afterwards a politician and militia officer in Upper Canada.

Later in life he told a story about how he and several others, including his brother Benjamin, had taken shelter in a barn when a group of armed Patriots arrived looking for him.

[2][4] Another story tells how Swayze had been captured and sentenced to death, but had escaped by exchanging clothes with his wife during a prison visit.

The sheriff of Morris Country issued a notice that described Isaac as "thirty years of age, five feet eight or nine inches high, sandy complextion, and had a scar of a bullet or swan shot in one of his temples."

[5][6] Following a high profile robbery in 1782, Isaac's brother Caleb was killed when his hiding place in Morris County's Great Swamp was discovered.

In two letters to Lieutenant General Guy Carleton, he protested that he had been "unjustly accused of robbery" and "deprived of justice" since he had been held without trial for eight weeks and as a result was unable to collect debts owing him from those evacuating from New York.

Swayze and Brown were passengers on the sloop Cato bound for Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia in October of that year.

He initially settled on 16 acres parcel of land near the mouth of Two Mile Creek adjoining the property of John Secord.

An American officer commented that "the noted Isaac Swayze has received a captain's commission for the flying artillery of which they have a number of pieces.

"[5][9] Swayze's unit, which was responsible for moving field guns and ammunition during military engagements, was present at the Battle of Queenston Heights in October 1812.

[10] William Hamilton Merritt, in his memoir, commented that Swayze deserved “the greatest credit for his indefatigable exertions” during the war.

In 1818 he brought charges of seditious libel against the editor of the Niagara Spectator for publishing an address authored by Gourlay.