Timothy Martin is one of the 'new" members to the Beeks tree. He is the father of the Matilda Martin who married David Wise, the Civil War veteran I've written of earlier. I'm just starting to get to "know" Timothy, so I went to the Wabash County Courthouse last week to see if I could find more information about him.
The 1850 census shows that he was born in Vermont and was about 40 years of age, so born about 1810. The 1860 census shows that he was born in New York and was about 62, so born in about 1798. I don't know which is correct, but I know these are the same two men because their location, the names of their wives, and the names of the children all match. (Ages and places of birth are a different matter, but that is incidental to this post.) The 1850 census lists him as a farmer, but no value is given for land so apparently he didn't own any at that point. The 1860 census gives him $500 in real estate and $600 in personal property. The $500 in real estate seemed like it would be relatively easy to pin down by going to the courthouse.
I didn't find any record of land either bought or sold by Timothy, from 1833 onward. I did, however, find a transaction from Timothy Martin to Samuel Tilberry listed in the General Index to Deeds, which was a "P.O.S." (proof of sale) dated April 29, 1850 for the odd sum of $48.13. I strongly suspect that Samuel Tilberry was the brother of Hanna Martin, Timothy's wife, so I hurried to Book L page 171 of the deeds to see what land Timothy had disposed of in 1850. What I found was at least as interesting as any land deed. I will copy it here to the best of my ability, although there were a couple of words I wasn't able to read:
"A bill of sale from Timothy Martin to Samuel Tilberry. Know all men that I, Timothy Martin, have this day sold to Samuel Tilberry the following property to wit: One two horse wagon, 3 milch cows, 1st brindle, 2nd red with a white forehead, 3rd brindle, 3 young cattle one year old each, one mare colt, mare grey, colt black, for the sum of forty eight dollars & 13 cents to secure the payment of judgement for the sum of forty eight dollars & 13 cents on the docket of William Sallee Esq. and in favor of J.R. Fry, for which I stand security, and that the above described property is now placed in the possession of the said Samuel Tilberry for the purpose of securing the payment of the above judgement & costs, and on condition, said Martin (not sure of word or words) the above judgement and costs at the time the issue becomes due on the docket of the said William Sallee, Justice, as aforesaid , then this obligation to be void; otherwise to remain in full force and witness in law.
"In witness whereof the said Timothy Martin hereunto set my hand and seal the 24th day of April A.D. 1850. Timothy Martin (seal)
Witness: David (Umirres? Amsirres? Could not read last name)
Recorded May 3, 1850 M. Steele RWC"
Of course I wanted to know who J.R. Fry was, and the only one I located that makes any sense is a J.R. Fry back in Sidney, Shelby County, Ohio, which is where Timothy and Hanna were married in 1833. (A whole lot of other Tilberrys were married there, too, but I haven't begun to sort them out yet.) J.R. is about the same age as Timothy and Hanna. I don't know if this is the right man, I don't know of any relationship between Timothy and J.R., and I don't know why Timothy would have signed as security for him. Perhaps those records are in Shelby County. If the records were in Wabash County, then according to the folks at the Courthouse we are out of luck, because "everything burned in a courthouse fire". (Obviously not completely true, because the land records are complete.)
I worry about the Martins as I read the list of items sold to Samuel. They lost a wagon, three milch cows, three cattle, and a mare and colt. What, if anything, did they have left? Did Samuel allow them the continued use of these items, after the sale? Was Timothy ever able to reclaim them? Samuel appears to have been at least slightly better off than Timothy. He had been in Wabash County since at least 1840, when he purchased 97.60 acres from Daniel Sayre on November 17, 1840, for $488. So ten years later, he was established enough to have $48.13 that he could use to help Timothy honor the security he had given.
If anyone knows the rest of this story, who J.R. Fry was and why Timothy would have signed as security for him, I'd love to know how this all started.
Since I couldn't find a record of Timothy owning real estate, I wonder if possibly he was buying land on contract in 1860. That could explain why he was shown as owning real estate. Or perhaps it was a happy mistake on the census taker's part, that encouraged me to go find this interesting record.
Again, the line of descent is:
Timothy Martin-Hannah Tilberry
Matilda Martin-David Wise
Elizabeth Wise-John Beeks
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Friday, September 25, 2015
Holbrook line: Henry Woodward 1607-1683 Immigrant
I want to write about Henry Woodward today, if for no other reason than to mention the name of his children. His daughters were Experience, Freedom, and Thankful. Doesn't that say a lot? The names of his daughters are actually a sermon to us, his descendants, a reminder to be grateful that we can have freedom, both politically and spiritually. Thank you, grandfather Henry!
Henry is also said to be the ancestor of at least two famous people to whom we can now claim kinship, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (again) and Princess Diana. Funny, we don't look anything like either of them!
Henry was baptized March 22, 1607, the son of Thomas Woodward and Elizabeth Tynen of Much Woolton, Lancashire, England. For some reason, he was baptized at Childwell, Lancashire, so that may have been the main church of worship for the parish. Childwell is very near or part of Liverpool, on the west coast of England and in the north.
Henry came to the New World on the ship "James" in 1635, although I am not finding him in any of the "Great Migration" publications to date. He was in Boston first, then went to Dorchester by 1639 and on to Northampton in 1659. He married Elizabeth about 1640, probably in Dorchester. It has long been thought that his wife was Elizabeth Mather, of the Puritan famous Mather family, but apparently proof is lacking because I've also seen speculation that her last name was Cundliffe. Henry became a member of the Dorchester church and a freeman of the colony shortly after his arrival in Dorchester.
He was a respected member of the community of Dorchester, serving on various committees and juries there, and in 1657, at least, he was serving as constable.
His children, named above and also a son John, were all born at Dorchester, where Henry was a physician. In 1658, Henry and two Dorchester men were sent to start the new village of Northampton, and were rewarded with large grants of land there.(One unidentified source says that part of his land is now occupied by Smith College.)
When the family moved to Northampton, he was the keeper of an ordinary (tavern) and also a miller. He would also have been a small time farmer, raising crops and animals for this family. He was 51 when he went to Northampton at Richard Mather's request. Northampton had been founded a few years earlier so we don't know why it was thought necessary to send more men. Perhaps it had to do with the occupation of the men who were sent, or perhaps it was felt that the church there needed building up.
Northampton was attacked by Indians several times during King Philip's War. This was one town n Massachusetts that was more or less prepared for attack, having built a long wooden palisade that enclosed several of the structures around the central meeting house. There were three "minor" attacks in 1675 that killed at least two people and resulted in the burning of several homes and barns, so over the winter of 1675-1676 the palisade was built and at the time of the "big" Northampton attack, there were about 300 soldiers stationed there. on March 14, 1676, a "sizable force of local warriors" attacked Northampton. They managed to set ten houses on fire, and to breach the walls of the palisade in three places, but the soldiers rallied and drove the Indians away. We don't know whether Henry was there or not. Many men had sent their families away, so it may be that Elizabeth was gone but Henry was there to fight, or to assist with illnesses and injuries over the winter.
The town regrouped after the war (there were no more attacks on this town) and Henry's life went on. He was killed in some sort of accident at the "upper corn mill" on April 9, 1683, when he was 76 years old. Elizabeth lived until August 13, 1690, when she died at Northampton. I haven't yet located a will for either Henry or Elizabeth. Perhaps one would give us an insight into Elizabeth's parentage. It would certainly help us understand what Henry accumulated, in terms of land and goods, during his lifetime.
I'd like to know whether Henry was literate, and I'd like to know more about his life in both Dorchester and Northampton, particularly why he decided or agreed to go to Northampton. Of course, I'd like to know about his life in England, too, and what prompted him to come to America.
There are always more questions, it seems.
Our line of descent is:
Henry Woodward-Elizabeth possibly Mather
Experience Woodward-Medad Pomeroy
Joseph Pomeroy-Hannah Seymour
Medad Pomeroy-Hannah Trumbull
Medad Pomeroy Jr.-Eunice Southwell
Eunice Pomeroy-Libbeus Stanard
Libbeus Stanard Jr.-Euzebia or Luceba Fay
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Henry is also said to be the ancestor of at least two famous people to whom we can now claim kinship, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (again) and Princess Diana. Funny, we don't look anything like either of them!
Henry was baptized March 22, 1607, the son of Thomas Woodward and Elizabeth Tynen of Much Woolton, Lancashire, England. For some reason, he was baptized at Childwell, Lancashire, so that may have been the main church of worship for the parish. Childwell is very near or part of Liverpool, on the west coast of England and in the north.
Henry came to the New World on the ship "James" in 1635, although I am not finding him in any of the "Great Migration" publications to date. He was in Boston first, then went to Dorchester by 1639 and on to Northampton in 1659. He married Elizabeth about 1640, probably in Dorchester. It has long been thought that his wife was Elizabeth Mather, of the Puritan famous Mather family, but apparently proof is lacking because I've also seen speculation that her last name was Cundliffe. Henry became a member of the Dorchester church and a freeman of the colony shortly after his arrival in Dorchester.
He was a respected member of the community of Dorchester, serving on various committees and juries there, and in 1657, at least, he was serving as constable.
His children, named above and also a son John, were all born at Dorchester, where Henry was a physician. In 1658, Henry and two Dorchester men were sent to start the new village of Northampton, and were rewarded with large grants of land there.(One unidentified source says that part of his land is now occupied by Smith College.)
When the family moved to Northampton, he was the keeper of an ordinary (tavern) and also a miller. He would also have been a small time farmer, raising crops and animals for this family. He was 51 when he went to Northampton at Richard Mather's request. Northampton had been founded a few years earlier so we don't know why it was thought necessary to send more men. Perhaps it had to do with the occupation of the men who were sent, or perhaps it was felt that the church there needed building up.
Northampton was attacked by Indians several times during King Philip's War. This was one town n Massachusetts that was more or less prepared for attack, having built a long wooden palisade that enclosed several of the structures around the central meeting house. There were three "minor" attacks in 1675 that killed at least two people and resulted in the burning of several homes and barns, so over the winter of 1675-1676 the palisade was built and at the time of the "big" Northampton attack, there were about 300 soldiers stationed there. on March 14, 1676, a "sizable force of local warriors" attacked Northampton. They managed to set ten houses on fire, and to breach the walls of the palisade in three places, but the soldiers rallied and drove the Indians away. We don't know whether Henry was there or not. Many men had sent their families away, so it may be that Elizabeth was gone but Henry was there to fight, or to assist with illnesses and injuries over the winter.
The town regrouped after the war (there were no more attacks on this town) and Henry's life went on. He was killed in some sort of accident at the "upper corn mill" on April 9, 1683, when he was 76 years old. Elizabeth lived until August 13, 1690, when she died at Northampton. I haven't yet located a will for either Henry or Elizabeth. Perhaps one would give us an insight into Elizabeth's parentage. It would certainly help us understand what Henry accumulated, in terms of land and goods, during his lifetime.
I'd like to know whether Henry was literate, and I'd like to know more about his life in both Dorchester and Northampton, particularly why he decided or agreed to go to Northampton. Of course, I'd like to know about his life in England, too, and what prompted him to come to America.
There are always more questions, it seems.
Our line of descent is:
Henry Woodward-Elizabeth possibly Mather
Experience Woodward-Medad Pomeroy
Joseph Pomeroy-Hannah Seymour
Medad Pomeroy-Hannah Trumbull
Medad Pomeroy Jr.-Eunice Southwell
Eunice Pomeroy-Libbeus Stanard
Libbeus Stanard Jr.-Euzebia or Luceba Fay
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Alllen line: Deacon Samuel Wright, Immigrant
You would think that a man known as "Deacon" would be easy to trace. Much is written about him but as far as I can tell not much is really known about him. His parents are not known for certain, although the best guess at this point is that his parents were John Wright and Martha Castell. They had a son named Samuel who was born June 29, 1606 at Wrightsbridge, Essex, England, as well as John, Nathaniel, and Robert. If Samuel was the son of these parents, then he was born into a life that is more privileged than some. His grandfather would have been Lord John Wright, a member of the House of Lords and his father, John Wright, was at one time a clerk to the House of Commons. Samuel's parents were Puritans, and so was Samuel.
Samuel married possibly Margaret Stratton or some other Margaret, while in England, perhaps around 1631. To my knowledge, the marriage record has not yet been found.
Some of his seven children were born in England and some in America. He and Margaret arrived here about 1636, and by 1639 they were in Springfield. He didn't become a freeman until 1648 and one wonders what the reason was for the hold up. Did Samuel not join the church right away? Did he not meet the property requirements? He had already been serving on juries as early as 1640, so was the freeman designation an oversight?
He was among the early settlers of Springfield and at some point in those earl years acted as church leader or at least speaker, before the church acquired their own pastor. By 1656, the Wrights had moved to Northampton, 35 miles north of Springfield. Their oldest son Samuel, Jr. had already moved there and with Samuel Senior already 60, he may have wanted to move to be near family. Samuel "died in his chair" on October 17, 1665. His wife, Margaret, lived until 1681.
Their known children were Samuel, Margaret, Hester, Lydia, and Mary. The family is traditionally assigned Hannah, also, who is our connection to this line. At least one researcher does not believe Hannah is their child, but I'm leaving her in this family until proven otherwise. It is possible that Hannah is a niece that the couple raised. I'd sure like to learn the truth of this matter. And of course I'd like to know if any of this line can be traced to my Molly Wright, who is still lost to me.
The supposed line of descent is:
Samuel Wright-Margaret
Hannah Wright-Thomas Stebbins
Edward Stebbins-Sarah Graves
Sarah Stebbins-John Root
Sarah Root-Thomas Noble
Stephen Noble-Ruth Church
Ruth Noble-Martin Root Jr.
Ruth Root-Samuel Falley
Clarissa Falley-John Havens Starr
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Samuel married possibly Margaret Stratton or some other Margaret, while in England, perhaps around 1631. To my knowledge, the marriage record has not yet been found.
Some of his seven children were born in England and some in America. He and Margaret arrived here about 1636, and by 1639 they were in Springfield. He didn't become a freeman until 1648 and one wonders what the reason was for the hold up. Did Samuel not join the church right away? Did he not meet the property requirements? He had already been serving on juries as early as 1640, so was the freeman designation an oversight?
He was among the early settlers of Springfield and at some point in those earl years acted as church leader or at least speaker, before the church acquired their own pastor. By 1656, the Wrights had moved to Northampton, 35 miles north of Springfield. Their oldest son Samuel, Jr. had already moved there and with Samuel Senior already 60, he may have wanted to move to be near family. Samuel "died in his chair" on October 17, 1665. His wife, Margaret, lived until 1681.
Their known children were Samuel, Margaret, Hester, Lydia, and Mary. The family is traditionally assigned Hannah, also, who is our connection to this line. At least one researcher does not believe Hannah is their child, but I'm leaving her in this family until proven otherwise. It is possible that Hannah is a niece that the couple raised. I'd sure like to learn the truth of this matter. And of course I'd like to know if any of this line can be traced to my Molly Wright, who is still lost to me.
The supposed line of descent is:
Samuel Wright-Margaret
Hannah Wright-Thomas Stebbins
Edward Stebbins-Sarah Graves
Sarah Stebbins-John Root
Sarah Root-Thomas Noble
Stephen Noble-Ruth Church
Ruth Noble-Martin Root Jr.
Ruth Root-Samuel Falley
Clarissa Falley-John Havens Starr
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Friday, September 18, 2015
Harshbarger line: James Boughan died 1677 Immigrant
It's surprising to me that I keep finding people in the Harshbarger line who were not German, not immigrants to Pennsylvania, and not Anabaptist or Lutheran. There is one line that leads back to Virginia, and one of the Virginia families is that of James and Thomasin Boughan. Thomasin was the "widow Harper" but we don't know more than that.
We don't know when or where James was born. Most on line genealogies assign him a birth date of 1625, but that seems not to have any documentation. It is likely based on calculations that his son James (who was referred to as Major James) had cows given to him in 1664 and 1671, and purchased land in 1671. That gives Major James a birthdate of perhaps 1650 or earlier, so therefore immigrant James could have been born around 1625.
He settled in what was at first considered Rappahannock County, and is now Essex County, Virginia. His first land purchase was in July of 1655, 250 acres purchased from Oliver Seager. In 1658, he received a land patent for what was apparently another 250 acres and then in 1665 he received another 150 acres as headright (given 50 acres of land for each person he brought into Virginia colony. This meant he paid their passage and likely they then became his indentured servants to pay off their debt.) The persons he transported were Elizabeth Pettus., Elizabeth Edom, and Jno Roakes. Later he transported another 20 people, names not given, and received another 1000 acres in return. It is possible that not all of these 20 people went to work on his plantation, although they may have. If someone transported more people than they could use on their land, they would "sell" the indenture to someone else. Regardless, those who were transported owed their passage money to someone, and it was usually worked off in 3 or 4 years time, although minors sometimes had to serve for seven years.
It appears that most of this land was still owned by James when he died. His date of death was sometime between December 26, 1677, when he served as a member of a jury, and March 29, 1678, when Major James, his son, referred to his father as "lately deceased."
James and Thomasin had four known children, James, John, Henry, and Alexander. They lived in Farnham Parish, Essex County, which means they went to church or at least paid their tithables to the church, which would have been Church of England in denomination. Since we don't know when James and Thomasin immigrated, (or whether together or separately), it is hard to guess the reasons for the move. It may have been related to all the upheavals of the English Civil War and its aftermath, or it may have been strictly for economic reasons. Regardless, the colonists in Virginia were affected by the English Civil War and that was a part of their lives. If they were here prior to 1646, they would have also been affected by the Powhatan Indian wars that resulted in several uprisings during the early years of colonization.
We know enough about the Boughan's to know they had children, and land, and a chance at a new life in America. We can suspect they had indentured servants, and we know they would have belonged to the local church. We know they lived through eventful times, and we know they contributed to the building of America. That is enough for a very broad outline, but I'd sure like to have more details!
The line of descent is:
James Boughan-Tomasin widow Harper
Major James Boughan-Mary possibly Edmondson
John Boughan-Susannah Bryant
Mary Boughan-John Edmondson
Susannah "Sukey" Edmondson-Thomas Wyatt
John Wyatt-Alice Gordon
Jean Wyatt-William Farmer
Margaret Farmer-Solomon Bennett
Mary Bennett-John Harter
Clara Harter-Emanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendant
Much more information than the highlights I've given here is available at thomasmoore.com/genealogy. The pages I have looked at there are thorough and well documented. However, any mistakes in this post are mine and mine alone.
We don't know when or where James was born. Most on line genealogies assign him a birth date of 1625, but that seems not to have any documentation. It is likely based on calculations that his son James (who was referred to as Major James) had cows given to him in 1664 and 1671, and purchased land in 1671. That gives Major James a birthdate of perhaps 1650 or earlier, so therefore immigrant James could have been born around 1625.
He settled in what was at first considered Rappahannock County, and is now Essex County, Virginia. His first land purchase was in July of 1655, 250 acres purchased from Oliver Seager. In 1658, he received a land patent for what was apparently another 250 acres and then in 1665 he received another 150 acres as headright (given 50 acres of land for each person he brought into Virginia colony. This meant he paid their passage and likely they then became his indentured servants to pay off their debt.) The persons he transported were Elizabeth Pettus., Elizabeth Edom, and Jno Roakes. Later he transported another 20 people, names not given, and received another 1000 acres in return. It is possible that not all of these 20 people went to work on his plantation, although they may have. If someone transported more people than they could use on their land, they would "sell" the indenture to someone else. Regardless, those who were transported owed their passage money to someone, and it was usually worked off in 3 or 4 years time, although minors sometimes had to serve for seven years.
It appears that most of this land was still owned by James when he died. His date of death was sometime between December 26, 1677, when he served as a member of a jury, and March 29, 1678, when Major James, his son, referred to his father as "lately deceased."
James and Thomasin had four known children, James, John, Henry, and Alexander. They lived in Farnham Parish, Essex County, which means they went to church or at least paid their tithables to the church, which would have been Church of England in denomination. Since we don't know when James and Thomasin immigrated, (or whether together or separately), it is hard to guess the reasons for the move. It may have been related to all the upheavals of the English Civil War and its aftermath, or it may have been strictly for economic reasons. Regardless, the colonists in Virginia were affected by the English Civil War and that was a part of their lives. If they were here prior to 1646, they would have also been affected by the Powhatan Indian wars that resulted in several uprisings during the early years of colonization.
We know enough about the Boughan's to know they had children, and land, and a chance at a new life in America. We can suspect they had indentured servants, and we know they would have belonged to the local church. We know they lived through eventful times, and we know they contributed to the building of America. That is enough for a very broad outline, but I'd sure like to have more details!
The line of descent is:
James Boughan-Tomasin widow Harper
Major James Boughan-Mary possibly Edmondson
John Boughan-Susannah Bryant
Mary Boughan-John Edmondson
Susannah "Sukey" Edmondson-Thomas Wyatt
John Wyatt-Alice Gordon
Jean Wyatt-William Farmer
Margaret Farmer-Solomon Bennett
Mary Bennett-John Harter
Clara Harter-Emanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendant
Much more information than the highlights I've given here is available at thomasmoore.com/genealogy. The pages I have looked at there are thorough and well documented. However, any mistakes in this post are mine and mine alone.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Beeks line: Matilda Martin Wise and My Big Fat "Oops!" Moment
I've known since early in my genealogy life (so probably 7 or 8 years ago) that Matilda Martin was the wife of David Wise. That much was correct. I've also learned, through the years, that her family history was not only interesting but long. In fact, it was 1700 plus names long. I know, because I deleted every one of them from my tree last week. Sigh.
Those darned facts just keep getting in the way.
I've been having a wonderful time on Ancestry.com, going through their new wills and probates database. I've found several wonderful wills for a great grandfather, two great grandfathers, a great great great grandfather, and some even further back, and I'm not done yet. I also found the will for Joel Martin, whom I "knew" to be Matilda's father.
From having David Wise's Civil War record, I had recently verified that he married Matilda Martin in 1864, so I was feeling pretty good about that. I also learned that she died in either 1876 or 1877, depending on which pension statement you believed. What I learned from reading Joel Martin's will was that when he died in 1879, his daughter Matilda Kendall was still living. Oops! This didn't add up, either to dates or to names.
So, I wrote to a couple of researchers who have been helping me immensely with the Wise line, and said "What's up with this?" One had the same tree I just deleted, and one said, "Oh, her parents were Tim Martin and Hannah Tilbury." I, meanwhile, had been all over the web and had found Tim and Hannah in 1850 in Lagro, Wabash County, Indiana, where David Wise had lived most of his life. They had a four year old daughter named Matilda, and their educational attainment (did not read or write) more closely matched David's. So I'd already been wondering whether this was the Matilda we need in the Beeks tree, and researcher number two confirmed that. She also pointed out that two people I had been unable to identify in the 1870 census, in the David Wise household, were actually Matilda's younger siblings.
I'm just beginning to research these two new families, the Martins and the Tilburys. I know they were married in Shelby County, Ohio (where the Wise's were from) in 1833 and I've found a John Tilbury in Shelby County who was an early settler there and seems like a possibility to be Hannah's father. But I'm not ready to say that's the case, it's just a possibility at this point. I've not found death records for Timothy or Hannah yet, but I'm guessing that at least Timothy was dead by 1870, since some of his children were living elsewhere.
So, forget some of the posts I've written in the past. The posts I've written about Lewellen Martin, Anna Smith Bane, and Morgan Abraham don't apply to the Beeks line. The Beeks line is less royally connected than I'd thought, as some lines I'd followed all the way back to Henry II of England. I had to delete a lot of interesting folks from the tree. Now, however, I get the fun of seeing what I can learn about these "new" ancestors. Welcome to the family, Timothy and Hannah!
Of course, I most abjectly apologize for leading anyone else astray with my earlier posts. I try to be accurate in what I write and it is with regret that I acknowledged my "Oops!", even to myself. I hope this will present someone, sometime, from making the same mistake I did. I certainly would love to hear from someone working on the Timothy Martin or Hannah Tilbury lines, as obviously I could use some guidance on these people.
The line of descent is:
Timothy Martin-Hannah Tilbury
Matilda Martin-David Wise
Elizabeth Wise-John Beeks
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Those darned facts just keep getting in the way.
I've been having a wonderful time on Ancestry.com, going through their new wills and probates database. I've found several wonderful wills for a great grandfather, two great grandfathers, a great great great grandfather, and some even further back, and I'm not done yet. I also found the will for Joel Martin, whom I "knew" to be Matilda's father.
From having David Wise's Civil War record, I had recently verified that he married Matilda Martin in 1864, so I was feeling pretty good about that. I also learned that she died in either 1876 or 1877, depending on which pension statement you believed. What I learned from reading Joel Martin's will was that when he died in 1879, his daughter Matilda Kendall was still living. Oops! This didn't add up, either to dates or to names.
So, I wrote to a couple of researchers who have been helping me immensely with the Wise line, and said "What's up with this?" One had the same tree I just deleted, and one said, "Oh, her parents were Tim Martin and Hannah Tilbury." I, meanwhile, had been all over the web and had found Tim and Hannah in 1850 in Lagro, Wabash County, Indiana, where David Wise had lived most of his life. They had a four year old daughter named Matilda, and their educational attainment (did not read or write) more closely matched David's. So I'd already been wondering whether this was the Matilda we need in the Beeks tree, and researcher number two confirmed that. She also pointed out that two people I had been unable to identify in the 1870 census, in the David Wise household, were actually Matilda's younger siblings.
I'm just beginning to research these two new families, the Martins and the Tilburys. I know they were married in Shelby County, Ohio (where the Wise's were from) in 1833 and I've found a John Tilbury in Shelby County who was an early settler there and seems like a possibility to be Hannah's father. But I'm not ready to say that's the case, it's just a possibility at this point. I've not found death records for Timothy or Hannah yet, but I'm guessing that at least Timothy was dead by 1870, since some of his children were living elsewhere.
So, forget some of the posts I've written in the past. The posts I've written about Lewellen Martin, Anna Smith Bane, and Morgan Abraham don't apply to the Beeks line. The Beeks line is less royally connected than I'd thought, as some lines I'd followed all the way back to Henry II of England. I had to delete a lot of interesting folks from the tree. Now, however, I get the fun of seeing what I can learn about these "new" ancestors. Welcome to the family, Timothy and Hannah!
Of course, I most abjectly apologize for leading anyone else astray with my earlier posts. I try to be accurate in what I write and it is with regret that I acknowledged my "Oops!", even to myself. I hope this will present someone, sometime, from making the same mistake I did. I certainly would love to hear from someone working on the Timothy Martin or Hannah Tilbury lines, as obviously I could use some guidance on these people.
The line of descent is:
Timothy Martin-Hannah Tilbury
Matilda Martin-David Wise
Elizabeth Wise-John Beeks
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Friday, September 11, 2015
Holbrook line: John Elderkin 1612-1687, Immigrant
Who wouldn't love a name like John Elderkin? It's just fun to say. As it turns out, it's also fun to read about his life, and as is often the case with our immigrants, his early life is pretty much a mystery.
John Elderkin's birth is a mystery although the one that I like best is January 1, 1612, at Fennes, Lincolnshire, England. (I haven't seen this record, but it's likely that it would be the baptism date and not the birth date.) The parents of this John Elderkin were John Elderkin and Palthiah, and they were married in 1592. The date of 1612 also matches one of the dates John gave in a statement later in life, although in other places the age he gave for himself would compute to 1616. No one was come up with a John Elderkin born in England in 1616 yet, as far as I know.
The first we really know about John is that he was in Lynn, Massachusetts by 1637. He was married to Abigail Kingland (also shown as Kingslane) probably in England, and the couple had probably three daughters, Pelatiah, Abigail, and Hannah. Abigail died possibly as early as 1646 but definitely before 1660, when John married Elizabeth Drake. She had children, he had children, and they had children together, making a total of 16 but of course the oldest children were likely out of the house by the time the youngest ones arrived.
The neat thing about John is that we know quite a bit about his life in New England. He was a master builder, or a general contractor, or whatever term you want to use to describe a man who didn't stay in one place very long. We know that he was in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1637, Dedham, Massachusetts in 1641, Reading, Massachusetts in 1646, possible Providence, R.I. or possibly just making a short stop there, then New London, Connecticut in 1651 and finally Norwich, Connecticut in 1660.
At each location, he was a miller, a millwright, and a carpenter, using his skills to build and operate mills and also to build churches, bridges, and at least one ship. He seems to have stayed in each location until he had built what the town needed to function. By the time he got to Norwich, he was in his 50's and perhaps not so willing to move on. (Also, he had just re-married and may have stayed more in one place for family reasons.)
In 1661 he was an ordinary keeper in New London, which doesn't conform to the Norwich date of 1660. I have no explanation for this, unless the ordinary keeper was his son John. Perhaps he was a long distance owner, but that doesn't make much sense, either. However, this is what the records seem to say.
John Elderkin died at Norwich June 22, 1687, and Elizabeth lived for another 29 years, dying in 1716. I haven't found his will yet but I would guess that he was a man with some means, as he had been given land in several different locations, either as an early settler or in recognition of the services he'd provided.
I like knowing more than I can include in a post about an ancestor, and I particularly like thinking about this ancestor, who must have been incredibly talented, to build churches, bridges, and ships, and to build and run mills. When I look at very old carpenter tools now, I'll think of John Elderkin and imagine his hands holding and using something similar, and I'll feel a connection. I hope you do, too!
The line of descent is:
John Elderkin-Abigail Kingsland
Pelatiah (Palthiah) Elderkin-Daniel Comstock
Kingsland Comstock-Mary Atwell
Kingsland Comstock-Rachel Crocker
Rachel Comstock-John Eames
John Eames-Elizabeth Longbottom
Hannah Eames-James Lamphire
Susan Lamphire-Joseph B Eddy
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
John Elderkin's birth is a mystery although the one that I like best is January 1, 1612, at Fennes, Lincolnshire, England. (I haven't seen this record, but it's likely that it would be the baptism date and not the birth date.) The parents of this John Elderkin were John Elderkin and Palthiah, and they were married in 1592. The date of 1612 also matches one of the dates John gave in a statement later in life, although in other places the age he gave for himself would compute to 1616. No one was come up with a John Elderkin born in England in 1616 yet, as far as I know.
The first we really know about John is that he was in Lynn, Massachusetts by 1637. He was married to Abigail Kingland (also shown as Kingslane) probably in England, and the couple had probably three daughters, Pelatiah, Abigail, and Hannah. Abigail died possibly as early as 1646 but definitely before 1660, when John married Elizabeth Drake. She had children, he had children, and they had children together, making a total of 16 but of course the oldest children were likely out of the house by the time the youngest ones arrived.
The neat thing about John is that we know quite a bit about his life in New England. He was a master builder, or a general contractor, or whatever term you want to use to describe a man who didn't stay in one place very long. We know that he was in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1637, Dedham, Massachusetts in 1641, Reading, Massachusetts in 1646, possible Providence, R.I. or possibly just making a short stop there, then New London, Connecticut in 1651 and finally Norwich, Connecticut in 1660.
At each location, he was a miller, a millwright, and a carpenter, using his skills to build and operate mills and also to build churches, bridges, and at least one ship. He seems to have stayed in each location until he had built what the town needed to function. By the time he got to Norwich, he was in his 50's and perhaps not so willing to move on. (Also, he had just re-married and may have stayed more in one place for family reasons.)
In 1661 he was an ordinary keeper in New London, which doesn't conform to the Norwich date of 1660. I have no explanation for this, unless the ordinary keeper was his son John. Perhaps he was a long distance owner, but that doesn't make much sense, either. However, this is what the records seem to say.
John Elderkin died at Norwich June 22, 1687, and Elizabeth lived for another 29 years, dying in 1716. I haven't found his will yet but I would guess that he was a man with some means, as he had been given land in several different locations, either as an early settler or in recognition of the services he'd provided.
I like knowing more than I can include in a post about an ancestor, and I particularly like thinking about this ancestor, who must have been incredibly talented, to build churches, bridges, and ships, and to build and run mills. When I look at very old carpenter tools now, I'll think of John Elderkin and imagine his hands holding and using something similar, and I'll feel a connection. I hope you do, too!
The line of descent is:
John Elderkin-Abigail Kingsland
Pelatiah (Palthiah) Elderkin-Daniel Comstock
Kingsland Comstock-Mary Atwell
Kingsland Comstock-Rachel Crocker
Rachel Comstock-John Eames
John Eames-Elizabeth Longbottom
Hannah Eames-James Lamphire
Susan Lamphire-Joseph B Eddy
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Allen line: Robert Ashley 1620-1682 Immigrant
I decided to write about Robert Ashley today because part of his story is very real to me as I write. I have been reading "King Philip's War: The History and Legacy of America's Forgotten Conflict" by Eric B Schultz and Michael J. Touglas, and when I started looking at Robert's life, I realized he lived in Springfield, Massachusetts at the time that the Indian attack took place in 1675. However, I guess I'm getting ahead of myself.
There isn't a lot of information about Robert's early life. He was born in 1620 apparently in Lowesby, Leicestershire, England, although I have seen another birth location listed. His father is believed to have been William Ashley and Elizabeth or Mary, possibly widow Schuyler. Almost nothing is known of his life in England. There are dates postulated as immigration dates ranging from 1626 to 1638. If he came at the age of 6, it would likely have been with a family member who is as yet unidentified. If he came later, he may have come about the same time that William Pynchon came, or he may have joined the Pynchon group after he got to Roxbury.
Although the first notice I've found of Robert in America is in 1639, where he is in Springfield, Massachusetts, some sources say he first spent several years in Roxbury. Roxbury was the early home of the Pynchons, before William and some other colonists went to the area that would soon become Springfield in 1635. If Robert was still underage in 1635, it's possible that his name would not have been noted until after he was 18, so it is possible that he was in Springfield at its founding.
We know that he was there in 1639,when he agreed to help pay for the minister's maintenance and either helped physically, or contributed monetarily, to build a home for the minister. He must have worked hard and been a financial success, for in 1641 he won the hand of Mary Eddy, who was the wealthy widow of Thomas Horton. She had a three year old child and an infant when they married. It was not necessarily a marriage of equals, because Mary was an educated woman and Robert always signed with his mark, but that doesn't mean that Robert wasn't financially astute or a good businessman. Mary thought enough of him that she assigned her property that she had inherited from her first husband to Robert, for the use and behalf of her two children.
Mary was called to account by the town authorities in 1641 for having sold her husband's "piece" (gun) to an Indian and was told to recall it immediately. She pleaded innocence in that she didn't know it was against the law to do so. Robert must have either squirmed, being very embarrassed by the whole situation, or else he thought that she needed a man to take care of her. Regardless, the marriage took place as planned.
Robert soon was a respected member of the community because he was first a juryman in 1639 and 1640, and then was elected selectman of the town for most of the years between 1653 and 1666. From this, we can deduce that he was a freeman, and a property holder. We don't know for sure what his early occupation was, but his wife's first husband had operated an "ordinary" (tavern/inn) and in 1665 Robert and his wife, keepers of the ordinary, were ordered not to sell any "strong waters" or wine to the Indians. We don't know if he had been operating the ordinary since his marriage, or whether he acquired it later in life.
Robert and his wife raised her two children, plus five of their own. They were born between 1642 and 1652, so they may not have been part of the family home during the Indian troubles of 1675 and 1676. By the time of King Philip's War, Springfield may have had a population of about 500, and about four small settlements that made up Springfield itself. It's not clear which settlement held the home and ordinary of the Ashleys, and we also don't know for sure whether the Ashleys were still in Springfield or whether they had fled to other towns where they would be somewhat safer.
Most of the homes in the village, as well as barns and some of the garrisons, were burned by the Indians in that attack. The homes and barns were looted and ransacked, so that there were few supplies left to the people and they faced a very difficult time, along with numerous of their sister settlements, in keeping food on the table. Robert would have been 55 years old at the time of the attack, so he may or may not have been involved as a part of the militia. He may have been excused from training by this time due to his age, but he may also have been considered a "reserve", to be called on when needed.
Robert died on November 29, 1682 and his wife Mary died less than a year later on September 19,1683. I've not yet located a will for him, but since he died of disease it is likely he had time to write one. I'll keep looking for it.
I'd love to know more about Robert's story, especially surrounding the harrowing years of King Philip's War. What an amazing life he led!
The line of descent is:
Robert Ashley-Mary Eddy
Mary Ashley-John Root
Samuel Root-Marry Gunne
Martin Root-Eunice Lamb
Martin Root, Jr-Ruth Noble
Ruth Root-Samuel Falley
Clarissa Falley-John Havens Starr
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendents
Fun fact: Robert Ashley and Mary Eddy were the ancestors of Rutherford B Hayes and Franklin D Roosevelt. We are becoming quite the presidential family!
There isn't a lot of information about Robert's early life. He was born in 1620 apparently in Lowesby, Leicestershire, England, although I have seen another birth location listed. His father is believed to have been William Ashley and Elizabeth or Mary, possibly widow Schuyler. Almost nothing is known of his life in England. There are dates postulated as immigration dates ranging from 1626 to 1638. If he came at the age of 6, it would likely have been with a family member who is as yet unidentified. If he came later, he may have come about the same time that William Pynchon came, or he may have joined the Pynchon group after he got to Roxbury.
Although the first notice I've found of Robert in America is in 1639, where he is in Springfield, Massachusetts, some sources say he first spent several years in Roxbury. Roxbury was the early home of the Pynchons, before William and some other colonists went to the area that would soon become Springfield in 1635. If Robert was still underage in 1635, it's possible that his name would not have been noted until after he was 18, so it is possible that he was in Springfield at its founding.
We know that he was there in 1639,when he agreed to help pay for the minister's maintenance and either helped physically, or contributed monetarily, to build a home for the minister. He must have worked hard and been a financial success, for in 1641 he won the hand of Mary Eddy, who was the wealthy widow of Thomas Horton. She had a three year old child and an infant when they married. It was not necessarily a marriage of equals, because Mary was an educated woman and Robert always signed with his mark, but that doesn't mean that Robert wasn't financially astute or a good businessman. Mary thought enough of him that she assigned her property that she had inherited from her first husband to Robert, for the use and behalf of her two children.
Mary was called to account by the town authorities in 1641 for having sold her husband's "piece" (gun) to an Indian and was told to recall it immediately. She pleaded innocence in that she didn't know it was against the law to do so. Robert must have either squirmed, being very embarrassed by the whole situation, or else he thought that she needed a man to take care of her. Regardless, the marriage took place as planned.
Robert soon was a respected member of the community because he was first a juryman in 1639 and 1640, and then was elected selectman of the town for most of the years between 1653 and 1666. From this, we can deduce that he was a freeman, and a property holder. We don't know for sure what his early occupation was, but his wife's first husband had operated an "ordinary" (tavern/inn) and in 1665 Robert and his wife, keepers of the ordinary, were ordered not to sell any "strong waters" or wine to the Indians. We don't know if he had been operating the ordinary since his marriage, or whether he acquired it later in life.
Robert and his wife raised her two children, plus five of their own. They were born between 1642 and 1652, so they may not have been part of the family home during the Indian troubles of 1675 and 1676. By the time of King Philip's War, Springfield may have had a population of about 500, and about four small settlements that made up Springfield itself. It's not clear which settlement held the home and ordinary of the Ashleys, and we also don't know for sure whether the Ashleys were still in Springfield or whether they had fled to other towns where they would be somewhat safer.
Most of the homes in the village, as well as barns and some of the garrisons, were burned by the Indians in that attack. The homes and barns were looted and ransacked, so that there were few supplies left to the people and they faced a very difficult time, along with numerous of their sister settlements, in keeping food on the table. Robert would have been 55 years old at the time of the attack, so he may or may not have been involved as a part of the militia. He may have been excused from training by this time due to his age, but he may also have been considered a "reserve", to be called on when needed.
Robert died on November 29, 1682 and his wife Mary died less than a year later on September 19,1683. I've not yet located a will for him, but since he died of disease it is likely he had time to write one. I'll keep looking for it.
I'd love to know more about Robert's story, especially surrounding the harrowing years of King Philip's War. What an amazing life he led!
The line of descent is:
Robert Ashley-Mary Eddy
Mary Ashley-John Root
Samuel Root-Marry Gunne
Martin Root-Eunice Lamb
Martin Root, Jr-Ruth Noble
Ruth Root-Samuel Falley
Clarissa Falley-John Havens Starr
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendents
Fun fact: Robert Ashley and Mary Eddy were the ancestors of Rutherford B Hayes and Franklin D Roosevelt. We are becoming quite the presidential family!
Friday, September 4, 2015
Beeks line: Henry Bowen 1678-1755
It's hard to find information about Henry Bowen. It's even harder to find accurate information about him. The dates I have used here are in dispute, but I believe they are close. It is believed that he was born in Wales, possibly Carmarthen, but I'm not aware of any documentation to that. His parents were Evan ap Owen and Mary McMillan, and he had a much more famous brother, Moses, or Moses John.
It's believed the ap Owen family, hereafter referred to as the Bowen family, came to Pennsylvania before 1700, and possibly as early as 1681 as there is record of a Moses Bowen's arrival in 1681. the family is thought to have been Quaker, and came to Pennsylvania at William Penn's inducement if not in his actual fleet. Nothing more is known of Henry until about 1703, when he married Jane Carter, daughter of Robert Carter and Margaret, at the Brick Meeting House in Bucks County, Pa. (I have found both the 1703 and 1704 dates, which could be calendar confusion, or perhaps one date was the date of their intentions and the other was the date of their marriage.)
Henry and Jane's children appear to have been born in Pennsylvania. Their known children include Henry, William, Jane, Priscilla, Margaret, and Catherine. Henry doesn't seem to have been as successful financially as his brother Moses, who at one time owned 10,000 acres. In fact, I've yet to find evidence of land ownership, although I hope to locate records someday.
We don't know when Henry and Jane moved to Frederick County, Virginia but we know they were there for some years before Henry's death in 1755, and we know he was in New Garden for the wedding of a daughter in 1726. Frederick County would have been somewhere in the northern tip of Virginia, or on west into what is now West Virginia. This was a common location for Quaker families, and was very much frontier country.
We know that he died in 1755, shortly after the outbreak of the French and Indian War. As a Quaker, Henry would not have fought in these or any other battles, but it is interesting to wonder where the family went when battles broke out. Did they ever see George Washington or General Braddock as they were on their way to what turned out to be disasters, fighting the Indians? Or did they see the President as an even younger man, as he was doing land surveys in that part of the country?
Much more research needs to be one about Henry, to locate land records and to locate his will, if any. My tentative picture of him is as a hard working, brave, and peaceful man. I'd like to know more than that!
The line of descent is:
Henry Bowen-Jane Carter
Margaret Bowen-Thomas Rees
Thomas Rees-Hannah Rees
Solomon Rees-Anna
Owen T. Reese-Margaret Ellen Moon
Eliza Reese-Samuel G Dunham
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Fun fact: Henry's parents were the ancestors of former Vice President of the US, Richard Cheney. It's fun to find that the Beeks family has both Republican and Democratic VIPs in their lines.
It's believed the ap Owen family, hereafter referred to as the Bowen family, came to Pennsylvania before 1700, and possibly as early as 1681 as there is record of a Moses Bowen's arrival in 1681. the family is thought to have been Quaker, and came to Pennsylvania at William Penn's inducement if not in his actual fleet. Nothing more is known of Henry until about 1703, when he married Jane Carter, daughter of Robert Carter and Margaret, at the Brick Meeting House in Bucks County, Pa. (I have found both the 1703 and 1704 dates, which could be calendar confusion, or perhaps one date was the date of their intentions and the other was the date of their marriage.)
Henry and Jane's children appear to have been born in Pennsylvania. Their known children include Henry, William, Jane, Priscilla, Margaret, and Catherine. Henry doesn't seem to have been as successful financially as his brother Moses, who at one time owned 10,000 acres. In fact, I've yet to find evidence of land ownership, although I hope to locate records someday.
We don't know when Henry and Jane moved to Frederick County, Virginia but we know they were there for some years before Henry's death in 1755, and we know he was in New Garden for the wedding of a daughter in 1726. Frederick County would have been somewhere in the northern tip of Virginia, or on west into what is now West Virginia. This was a common location for Quaker families, and was very much frontier country.
We know that he died in 1755, shortly after the outbreak of the French and Indian War. As a Quaker, Henry would not have fought in these or any other battles, but it is interesting to wonder where the family went when battles broke out. Did they ever see George Washington or General Braddock as they were on their way to what turned out to be disasters, fighting the Indians? Or did they see the President as an even younger man, as he was doing land surveys in that part of the country?
Much more research needs to be one about Henry, to locate land records and to locate his will, if any. My tentative picture of him is as a hard working, brave, and peaceful man. I'd like to know more than that!
The line of descent is:
Henry Bowen-Jane Carter
Margaret Bowen-Thomas Rees
Thomas Rees-Hannah Rees
Solomon Rees-Anna
Owen T. Reese-Margaret Ellen Moon
Eliza Reese-Samuel G Dunham
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Fun fact: Henry's parents were the ancestors of former Vice President of the US, Richard Cheney. It's fun to find that the Beeks family has both Republican and Democratic VIPs in their lines.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Harshbarger line: John Edmondson 1688-1733
I am so confused. I want to write about the Ednmondsons, who have a very long history in Virginia. The Harshbarger connection is Sukey or Susanna Edmondson who married Thomas Wyatt on November 25, 1747 in Essex County, Virginia. Her parents were John Edmondson and Mary Boughan. After that it gets murkier. I seem to have too many sets of Edmondsons in the higher branches of the tree to fit the facts. For instance, I have a Judith Allaman as a grandmother to John, and that cannot be if the birthdates are correct, because I show Judith as born in 1695 and John (the husband of Mary Boughan) as born in 1688. Something is surely wrong here.
However, I want to at least mention the Edmundson family as being part of the Harshbarger heritage, because I do think the John Edmondson-Mary Boughan parentage is correct for Sukey. From what little I can find on line, John was of Essex County, Virginia, and he owned slaves that were later deeded from Gabriel Jones and his wife to their children. (Mary Boughan Edmondson mararied Gabriel Jones of Orange County, Viginia in 1738, after John had died in 1733.) He left a will, which I have not seen, mentioning an unborn child who apparently did not survive. The will also mentioned his wife Mary and daughter Sukey, as well as Augustine Boughan and the children of his brother Samuel Edmundson, William Smith, Thomas Moore, Sarah Boughan and brother Thomas Edmundson. Mary must have been a capable woman as she served as executrix with James Webb, John Webb, and Thomas Sparke as securities.
John apparently left very little other tracks in the deeds or court books of the time. He is believed to have been born about 1688, although I have seen other sources guessing his birth date as about 1700. I don't know where either of those dates came from. At any rate, we was still a young man when he died, with one child born and another on the way. Presumably he attended church somewhere although that is not a given, since church attendance in the early 1700's was not necessarily important to many Virginians.
More research needs to be done to determine his birthdate, tax records, any deeds that show land ownership, and other details of his life. Nevertheless, we know that he lived, fathered a Harshbarger ancestor, and thereby left a legacy. The Virginia heritage is a small one in this line, but every ancestor is important and I would love to find out more about him!
The line of descent is:
John Edmondson-Mary Boughan
Sukey Edmondson-Thomas Wyatt
John Wyatt-Alice Gordon
Jean Wyatt-William Farmer
Margaret Farmer-Solomon Bennett
Mary Bennett-John Harter
Clara Harter-Emanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
However, I want to at least mention the Edmundson family as being part of the Harshbarger heritage, because I do think the John Edmondson-Mary Boughan parentage is correct for Sukey. From what little I can find on line, John was of Essex County, Virginia, and he owned slaves that were later deeded from Gabriel Jones and his wife to their children. (Mary Boughan Edmondson mararied Gabriel Jones of Orange County, Viginia in 1738, after John had died in 1733.) He left a will, which I have not seen, mentioning an unborn child who apparently did not survive. The will also mentioned his wife Mary and daughter Sukey, as well as Augustine Boughan and the children of his brother Samuel Edmundson, William Smith, Thomas Moore, Sarah Boughan and brother Thomas Edmundson. Mary must have been a capable woman as she served as executrix with James Webb, John Webb, and Thomas Sparke as securities.
John apparently left very little other tracks in the deeds or court books of the time. He is believed to have been born about 1688, although I have seen other sources guessing his birth date as about 1700. I don't know where either of those dates came from. At any rate, we was still a young man when he died, with one child born and another on the way. Presumably he attended church somewhere although that is not a given, since church attendance in the early 1700's was not necessarily important to many Virginians.
More research needs to be done to determine his birthdate, tax records, any deeds that show land ownership, and other details of his life. Nevertheless, we know that he lived, fathered a Harshbarger ancestor, and thereby left a legacy. The Virginia heritage is a small one in this line, but every ancestor is important and I would love to find out more about him!
The line of descent is:
John Edmondson-Mary Boughan
Sukey Edmondson-Thomas Wyatt
John Wyatt-Alice Gordon
Jean Wyatt-William Farmer
Margaret Farmer-Solomon Bennett
Mary Bennett-John Harter
Clara Harter-Emanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
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