James Swan of Scotland

James Swan was a merchant from Boston who participated in the Boston Tea Party in December 1773. He was born in Fifeshire, Scotland and went to Boston at an early age. He found work as a clerk and soon became well known to his associates as a strong advocate for human freedom, which was pretty popular in Boston during this time frame.

James was wounded in his side at Bunker Hill, was later made a captain of a artillery company which helped drive the British out of Boston Harbor in 1776. In 1777 he was secretary to the board of war of Massachusetts, and later became adjutant-general of the State.

James was appointed to General George Washington's staff and served as an envoy to France. In his many dealings with the French he became a good friend to General Lafayette. In 1787 he went to Paris with letters of introduction where he became very popular, and had gained a great reputation as well as a substantial fortune.

James Swan became a great land speculator in the late 1700's early 1800's. He was granted and purchased hundreds of thousands of acres in Virginia/Kentucky, with the sole intent to sell to settlers that were moving westward into the Appalachians. Part of his land schemes were to sell to the French and German immigrants as well. He formed a land company while in France and sent a man named Jerome to the States to build mills so the prospective settlers would have a place to grind corn.

With the purchase of land came the burden of taxes and James didn't like paying taxes. As it would happen he owed a substantial amount of money and he refused to fork it over.

James Swan pays the US war debt to France!!!

In 1794 James Swan paid off the United States war debt to France from his own pocket The sum totaled around $2,000,000, something you don't generally read in your history books.

In 1808 a judgment of $50,000 dollars was rendered against him while in Paris. This was part of a dispute that he had with a German investor. James refused to pay the man and he was imprisoned at St. Pelagic, France for 22 years. The stubborn Scotsman wouldn't give into the court's orders, though he could have easily paid the judgment from his vast wealth. James Swan considered the claim unjust, and preferred to suffer imprisonment rather than yield his principle