Swains Island - The Jennings Dynasty

The Jennings Dynasty

Styling themselves "leaders", or "proprietors", members of the Jennings family ruled Swains Island virtually independent of any outside authority from 1856 to 1925. After 1925, while retaining proprietary ownership of the island, they were subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. territory of American Samoa.

Jennings who ruled as semi-independent "proprietors":

• 13 October 1856 - 4 December 1878: Eli Hutchinson Jennings, Sr. (1814–1878)
• 4 December 1878 - 25 October 1891: Malia Jennings, his Samoan widow (d. 1891)
• 25 October 1891 - 24 October 1920: Eli Hutchinson Jennings, Jr., (1863–1920) son of Eli, Sr. and Malia (1863–1920) Referred to by Robert Louis Stevenson as "King Jennings" during a visit to the island.
• 24 October 1920 - August 1921: Ann Eliza Jennings Carruthers (1897–1921) Jointly with sibling, Alexander Hutchinson Jennings; both children of Eli Jr.
• 24 October 1920: - 4 March 1925: Alexander Hutchinson Jennings

Jennings who ruled under direct American jurisdiction:

• 4 March 1925 - Unknown date in 1940s: Alexander Hutchinson Jennings
• Unknown Dates between 1940 - 1954: Alexander E. Jennings
• 1954 to Present: Local government instituted by American Samoa. However, the island is still owned by the Jennings extended family.