New Bedford School’s Family Connection to Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift can connect her heritage back to New Bedford, and is related to the Jireh Swift for whom one of New Bedford’s elementary schools is named.

Maybe she can come perform at the school before its eventual merger with the Ashley School for a new North End elementary school building?

So how exactly can Taylor trace her roots back to our city?

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Well, first, we must note that Taylor’s path has crossed with the Whaling City in the past; she had a track on her 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department entitled “Clara Bow,” referencing the actress who starred in the 1922 silent film Down to the Sea in Ships, which was shot in New Bedford.

However, it turns out Taylor has a more direct connection to New Bedford than just a song.

Turns out, she is descended from a prominent New Bedford family.

Bear with us, because things can get a bit convoluted.

It all goes back to William Swift, who was born in the Southwark section of London, England back in 1627. He moved to New England in 1634, eventually settling in Sandwich. One of William’s children, Jirah Swift, was born in Sandwich and is the seventh-great-grandfather of Taylor Swift.

Jirah’s son, also named Jirah, was born in either Sandwich or Wareham but he lived in Dartmouth by 1730, which is where records indicate he married Abigail Gibbs in that year. It’s important to note that at that time, New Bedford was actually known as “Bedford Village” and was just a part of Dartmouth; New Bedford didn’t become a town on its own until 1787, and then a city in 1847.

That Jirah bore a son Jireh, who was born in Dartmouth in about 1741, and whose lineage resulted in the Jireh Swift for whom New Bedford’s elementary school is named. Jirah also bore a son Nathaniel, which led to Taylors branch of the Swift family tree.

Nathaniel had a son of his own named Nathaniel, who in turn had a son named Julius while bringing the family to Connecticut. Julius Swift had a son named Charles Swift, and Charles had a son named Archie Dean Swift. Charles also brought the Swift family to Pennsylvania, which is where Taylor was born.

Archie Dean Swift then had a son of the same name, whose own son was named Scott Kingsley Swift – Taylor’s father.

If you dig further into Taylor Swift’s family tree, you’ll see she is related to all kinds of famous people, including ones with SouthCoast connections such as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (sixth cousin, once removed), Henry Huttleston Rogers (sixth cousin, three times removed) and Abby Durfee Gray Borden, the murdered stepmother of Lizzie Borden (sixth cousin, four times removed).

Maybe we can get her to write a song about the SouthCoast? Taylor, if you’re reading this, we have some ideas for lyrics.