the earliest island of swain's island to be settled were the outer swain's islands which were close to good fishing grounds and provided excellent shelter for vessels. the first two settlers were english men, william tiller and john winsor in 1810. other families soon followed, such as the brentons, mulletts, stockleys, dykes, and hills. the islands' population combined in 1836 equalled 85, and by that year there was a church of england school-chapel built on one of the islands, named hill's island. swain's island was prospering by the 1860s in its successful inshore fishery and involvement in the labrador fishery; and by this time residents were also beginning to participate in the seal hunt.