Mary Ann Swailes (also spelled Swails) was born on 13 September 1838 in Wayne County, New York, on the shore of Lake Ontario, the daughter of John Swails, deceased by 1884. The 1884 Gratiot County album says she was raised on the farm where the British troops landed in the War of 1812; the 1913 history says the parents of both she and her husband were natives of England. She married Thomas Derry Jr. and had nine children: Albert, Herbert A., Frank A., Emma E., Agnes M., Willis, Lewis, Anna and Frederick. She was a Presbyterian from the age of 16. The family moved from Wayne County, New York to Hamilton Township, Gratiot County, Michigan, in 1866. She died on 8 December 1890 (Tucker 1913; Find a Grave gives 1838–1890). Her husband later married Ann "Annie" Hounsell (1838–1908) in 1897, according to Find a Grave.
Timeline
1838
Born13 Sep 1838 — Wayne County, New York, on the shore of Lake Ontario (Tucker 1913; 1884 album)
1890
Died8 Dec 1890 — Hamilton Township, Gratiot County, Michigan (Tucker 1913)
Claims in the record
13 Sep 1838 — Wayne County, New York, on the shore of Lake Ontario (Tucker 1913; 1884 album)
8 Dec 1890 — Hamilton Township, Gratiot County, Michigan (Tucker 1913)
John Swails (deceased by 1884); a native of England (Tucker 1913: both her parents were natives of England)
Thomas Derry Jr. (b. 26 Jan 1832, Cambridgeshire; d. Dec 1901)
Albert (b. 29 May 1859), Herbert A., Frank A. (1861–1899), Emma E. (1863–1901), Agnes M. (b. 1866), Willis (b. 1868), Lewis (1870–1902), Anna (1873–1897), Frederick (b. 1875)
1884 Portrait and Biographical Album of Gratiot County, p. 260 (Thomas Derry entry); Tucker, Gratiot County, Michigan (1913), Rowell family entry; Find a Grave memorial 45304831 (Thomas Derry)
1884 Portrait and Biographical Album of Gratiot County, p. 260 (Thomas Derry entry); Tucker, Gratiot County, Michigan (1913), Rowell family entry
Research next
John Swails and his wife (native of England) are the next generation: Wayne County, New York censuses 1850 and 1860, and local histories of Sodus and Ontario townships. A Swales/Swails family from Yorkshire, England lived at Sodus, Wayne County (William Swales, 1776–1855, with a Captain John Swails b. 1815), but nothing links them to Mary Ann's father, who must be older than she was. Other spellings: Swailes, Swales, Swails. Mary Ann's Find a Grave memorial (if one exists) may name her parents.