18 Facts About Hannah Swarton

Hannah Swarton was eventually freed and told her story to Cotton Mather, who used it as a moral lesson in several of his works.

Hannah Swarton's narrative describes the hardships she experienced as a prisoner among the Indians.

Hannah Swarton was separated from her children at Norridgewock, Maine and later learned that her oldest son Samuel had been killed about two months after being taken prisoner.

Hannah Swarton never saw or heard of her son John again after they were separated, and she had only sporadic contact with her daughter Mary for the first three years of her captivity.

Hannah Swarton was reunited with her son Jasper in late 1695.

Hannah Swarton describes being starved and forced to work in the snow without adequate clothing.

Hannah Swarton's native mistress was a Catholic who had been raised in an English community at Black Point.

Hannah Swarton told Hannah that her captivity was punishment for her rejection of Catholicism.

Hannah Swarton believed that her captivity and suffering were divine punishment inflicted on her for her sins, a common theme in Puritan literature of the time.

In particular, Hannah Swarton identifies leaving "public worship and the Ordinances of God" by moving from Beverly, Massachusetts, to Casco Bay, a rural community "where there was no Church, or Minister of the Gospel," as a transgression, even though she probably had little choice in the matter.

Hannah Swarton remained certain that she would eventually be delivered and would afterwards be inspired to "declare the Works of the Lord," as payment for her freedom.

Hannah Swarton had her treated at a local hospital and his wife paid a ransom to Hannah's Indian master.

Hannah Swarton was fed and clothed well, but was subjected to pressure to convert to Catholicism, which she resisted.

Hannah Swarton was forced to attend mass regularly until her mistress decided that she was not going to convert, and thereafter did not require her to go to church.

Hannah Swarton's story was heavily embellished by Mather, who added numerous biblical references, but many of the details of her experiences appear authentic.

Mather's appendix to the sermon, A Narrative of Hannah Swarton, Containing a Great Many Wonderful Passages, Relating to her Captivity and Deliverance, is clearly Mather's work, in which he employs a woman's voice to emphasize the importance of remaining active in the church and mindful of Puritan values, in imitation of his father Increase Mather, who in 1682 published A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs Mary Rowlandson, the captivity narrative of Mary Rowlandson.

Hannah Swarton is therefore depicted as a sinner, but one who has atoned, and has been redeemed and returned to grace.

Hannah Swarton makes no attempt to escape, but shows endurance in her faith and willingness to recognize and atone for her sins.