So what have I accomplished this year, in the world of genealogy?
First, I've "met" several very helpful people, distant relations and otherwise, who have been willing to give me additional information, or clues, or encouragement, to keep going in my search to find all our ancestors who are still findable. Oh, how I bless you all!
Second, I've ordered Civil War records for three Allen and Harshbarger ancestors, one of whom I didn't even know was a veteran when the year started. All three records are treasures to me, as I learned more about George Allen, William Withers, and David Wise.
Third, I've written about 100 blog posts, most of them brief sketches of immigrant or Revolutionary War ancestors, with a few others thrown in for good measure.
Fourth, with the help of the new probate records on Ancestry.com, I was able to disprove some information on the family tree. While I hated to get rid of that line of people, I'm thrilled to have new families to research, even though right now they are quite challenging.
Fifth, I've been able to locate the wills of quite a few ancestors in the above mentioned probate records, far more than I would have ever been able to locate on my own. My latest find was the 1810 will for my husband's fifth great grandfather, but I've found newer wills and older wills. Of course, there are still many that aren't available, or perhaps records were never created, so I keep hoping for more finds, too.
Sixth, I've learned that I will never be a good organizer, but that I can take baby steps to try to improve as I go along.
Seventh, I've learned that I'll need to consider moving my family tree to another provider, since Family Tree Maker will be ditched by Ancestry. I am still trying to figure out how urgent it is for me to make a change. If I change, it will be a chance for a "do-over" so I can get rid of the many duplicates I currently have in the trees.
Eighth, I've read a lot of books about ancestors or/and their times this year, and have purchased or been given several intriguing reference books to help me understand more. Some are still on order, but all are deeply appreciated.
Ninth, I've filled out a personal memories book for my son's family, and have shared stories with my daughter's family. Their memory books were done earlier, and probably none of the books are the same.
Finally, I've been more intentional about investing time in the lives of my grandchildren. Someday, they may share stories of their craft days with their uncrafty grandmother, or of our shopping expeditions, or of all the books I've read with my grandson, or of how excited we all are as we prepare to welcome another grandchild into the family. Hopefully, this is the greatest "achievement", and the most enjoyable, of all.
I don't know what 2016 will bring in my genealogy world. I hope it will bring breaking down one or more of the brick walls I've written about, but even if it doesn't, there will be joys and new finds along the way, I'm sure. A teacher I had in the fifth grade would not let us leave at the end of the school day unless we could tell her something new we had learned that day, and I still feel that a day without learning something new is a wasted day.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Friday, December 25, 2015
Allen line: Christmas in the 1950s and 1960s
Christmas is a time for nostalgia, among other things, and since our extended family no longer gathers for Christmas I thought I'd pretend that we were all together and all the younger ones were asking me, as the oldest of the clan, about "Christmas in the long ago." Here are some of my memories from the later 1950's and early 1960s. I'm all about traditions, even as times change and we no longer keep them, except in our memory.
The Allen Christmas was blessed in many ways, because we kept Christ at the center of our Christmas, and because we were an intact, nuclear family. Yet, our Christmas might have been pitied by some, because we didn't live in the same city as our relatives, and because our Christmas was not a huge gift giving extravaganza.
For those early years, before children's allergies to mold became known, we had a real tree, mostly on the small size. Mom thought a tree should be no taller than 6 1/2 feet, although what looked like 6 1/2 feet in the tree lot often was larger when we got it home. Dad was not a fan of cutting tree trunks (he did it, but muttered the whole time) so perhaps that is why Mom always wanted a smaller tree. We usually put the tree up maybe 10 days before Christmas, much later than most of my friends, but it was always pretty well gone by the day after Christmas, and was always down well before New Year's Day. Our decorations were bulbs and a few shaped glass ornaments, and some glass birds that were clip ons, and a lot of tinsel. When my younger sisters came along, "unbreakable" ornaments were added for the bottom of the tree. I remember when my parents stopped putting some simple paper ornaments on the tree. Those were ones they had made for their first Christmas, when Dad was still in college and funds were tight. They didn't throw the ornaments away, but they didn't put them on the tree anymore, either.
We had a white plaster of paris Nativity set, which had been a Vacation Bible School project when I was about three years old. It was intended to be painted, but the ladies (including Mom) in charge soon realized that was too much of a project for the time allotted and the age of the children who came. So ours has been white ever since, and as I put the scene out for it's 62nd appearance this year, I realized that there are duplicate shepherds, sheep, and wise men. I wonder what the story was about that? Anyway, I was lucky enough to be given this and it now has a simple metal stable to set it off.
Unfortunately, the story I must relate about this is that my younger sister and I were allowed to put this set on top of the piano every year. It was always a big deal to put the baby Jesus in the manger in its place, but since they were all wrapped in soft paper, we couldn't tell what piece we had as we grabbed each piece out of the box. I recall one particular year, to my shame, when my sister and I pretty much came to blows over whose turn it was to put the baby Jesus figure out. Well, sometimes the spirit of Christmas went missing for a few minutes, I guess.
Mom always wanted to encourage us to make gifts and decorations, even though we weren't particularly artistic (in my case, not even a little artistic), One year, we cut apart cardboard egg cartons and covered each holder with aluminum foil, to make bells. I think we had pipe cleaner clappers but I could be wrong about that. Then we strung them on yarn. We tried to add cranberries in between the bells, but they were so hard that not even Mom could get them threaded, so that part of the project was a failure. As we grew older, I remember making candles of different sorts, probably for two or three years in a row. One year, we made trays that were made of cut up linoleum tiles, grouted, using a round pizza tray for a base. I was absolutely thrilled to see on of those trays on display in the home of one of my aunts, when I visited there several years later as an adult.
Mom didn't do a lot of Christmas baking in those early years, but I sure miss her almond crescents decorated with confectioner's sugar. As we grew a bit older, there were more cookies made but I think most of them were given to Sunday school teachers and other church leaders. We probably made more cookies the years we hosted the extended Holbrook family get-together. When I was about 10, Mom found a recipe for a braided yeast bread type wreath, and that soon became a much-loved tradition. The first year, she made one for Christmas breakfast and I can still smell and taste it, in my memory. It was such a hit that the next year we two older girls were enlisted to help, and we made several batches, again for Sunday school teachers, and the tradition continued. We always kept one wreath for Christmas breakfast, though.
I mentioned earlier that we didn't have a huge gift giving extravaganza. Dad was a pastor, in small churches, so there was never a lot of money in those years. Mom told me as an adult that she tried to make sure each child had four gifts under the tree, although three of them may have been small items like coloring books and crayons, or Little Golden books. I remember one year that my main gift was $10, with a promise of $10 more each month until I had enough money to buy a bicycle. We had gifts from aunts and uncles, too, and from my grandmother. One aunt always knew just what to buy me, because Mom had given her a wish list, and I always looked forward to her gifts. One uncle always sent a food package of some kind, knowing that would help the family over the rough winter months when there might not be enough church offering to give the pastor his full salary.
We had one other family tradition that was probably a little different. We never put gifts out under the tree until Christmas Eve. As a familly, we first had a small devotional around the tree, and read the Christmas story from Luke before someone would yell "Scatter!" and that was our signal to go get the gifts we had prepared out of hiding, and put them with love under the tree. Mom and Dad generally would wait until we had gone to bed to bring one more gift out, so there would be a surprise on Christmas morning. Naturally, the thought of presents under the tree, which we had just seen for the first time, made it a little difficult to go right to sleep that night. Santa Claus, in our family, was a happy story but certainly we didn't believe in him or expect gifts from him, so no one ever waited up for a possible appearance on Christmas Eve.
We would open our gifts in the morning, enjoy them for a little while, and then either prepare for our cousins, aunt and uncle and grandmother to arrive, or load up the car to go to one of their homes for Christmas. I especially loved to go to the home of my aunt and uncle for Christmas. They always had a big tree, nicely decorated. For a few years, they had bubble lights on the tree, and I loved to watch them, over and over again. They always had a real tree. I think it's possible that my grandmother had one of those aluminum trees, but I'm not sure about that. (I know friends had them, and I hope they still have them, or that they have sold them for the major dollars those trees get now.)
Wherever we gathered, Grandma always made a mincemeat pie, which was a tradition from her mother and I don't know how many generations back. Unfortunately, it's a tradition I never learned to appreciate. And yes, we always had a fruit cake, too, also made by my grandmother and also not appreciated by me. I don't know whether that was a family tradition or not, but I suspect that it was.
Christmas celebrations have changed through the years, as the children became teenagers and young adults and married (not necessarily in that order), and as my parents became grandparents to 9, and great grandparents to four before their deaths. The nuclear family gave way to extended family, and we generally had our extended family Christmas the Sunday (usually) after Christmas. When Mom and Dad gave up their home and spent their last years in Mattoon, Illinois, everyone traveled to my sister's home for the extended family Christmas, and there was quite a group of us.
I hope we learned some of Mom and Dad's lessons, even though we don't celebrate their traditions in the same way. Christ comes first, family is to be treasured, and giving gifts is much more important than receiving them. Merry Christmas, family!
The Allen Christmas was blessed in many ways, because we kept Christ at the center of our Christmas, and because we were an intact, nuclear family. Yet, our Christmas might have been pitied by some, because we didn't live in the same city as our relatives, and because our Christmas was not a huge gift giving extravaganza.
For those early years, before children's allergies to mold became known, we had a real tree, mostly on the small size. Mom thought a tree should be no taller than 6 1/2 feet, although what looked like 6 1/2 feet in the tree lot often was larger when we got it home. Dad was not a fan of cutting tree trunks (he did it, but muttered the whole time) so perhaps that is why Mom always wanted a smaller tree. We usually put the tree up maybe 10 days before Christmas, much later than most of my friends, but it was always pretty well gone by the day after Christmas, and was always down well before New Year's Day. Our decorations were bulbs and a few shaped glass ornaments, and some glass birds that were clip ons, and a lot of tinsel. When my younger sisters came along, "unbreakable" ornaments were added for the bottom of the tree. I remember when my parents stopped putting some simple paper ornaments on the tree. Those were ones they had made for their first Christmas, when Dad was still in college and funds were tight. They didn't throw the ornaments away, but they didn't put them on the tree anymore, either.
We had a white plaster of paris Nativity set, which had been a Vacation Bible School project when I was about three years old. It was intended to be painted, but the ladies (including Mom) in charge soon realized that was too much of a project for the time allotted and the age of the children who came. So ours has been white ever since, and as I put the scene out for it's 62nd appearance this year, I realized that there are duplicate shepherds, sheep, and wise men. I wonder what the story was about that? Anyway, I was lucky enough to be given this and it now has a simple metal stable to set it off.
Unfortunately, the story I must relate about this is that my younger sister and I were allowed to put this set on top of the piano every year. It was always a big deal to put the baby Jesus in the manger in its place, but since they were all wrapped in soft paper, we couldn't tell what piece we had as we grabbed each piece out of the box. I recall one particular year, to my shame, when my sister and I pretty much came to blows over whose turn it was to put the baby Jesus figure out. Well, sometimes the spirit of Christmas went missing for a few minutes, I guess.
Mom always wanted to encourage us to make gifts and decorations, even though we weren't particularly artistic (in my case, not even a little artistic), One year, we cut apart cardboard egg cartons and covered each holder with aluminum foil, to make bells. I think we had pipe cleaner clappers but I could be wrong about that. Then we strung them on yarn. We tried to add cranberries in between the bells, but they were so hard that not even Mom could get them threaded, so that part of the project was a failure. As we grew older, I remember making candles of different sorts, probably for two or three years in a row. One year, we made trays that were made of cut up linoleum tiles, grouted, using a round pizza tray for a base. I was absolutely thrilled to see on of those trays on display in the home of one of my aunts, when I visited there several years later as an adult.
Mom didn't do a lot of Christmas baking in those early years, but I sure miss her almond crescents decorated with confectioner's sugar. As we grew a bit older, there were more cookies made but I think most of them were given to Sunday school teachers and other church leaders. We probably made more cookies the years we hosted the extended Holbrook family get-together. When I was about 10, Mom found a recipe for a braided yeast bread type wreath, and that soon became a much-loved tradition. The first year, she made one for Christmas breakfast and I can still smell and taste it, in my memory. It was such a hit that the next year we two older girls were enlisted to help, and we made several batches, again for Sunday school teachers, and the tradition continued. We always kept one wreath for Christmas breakfast, though.
I mentioned earlier that we didn't have a huge gift giving extravaganza. Dad was a pastor, in small churches, so there was never a lot of money in those years. Mom told me as an adult that she tried to make sure each child had four gifts under the tree, although three of them may have been small items like coloring books and crayons, or Little Golden books. I remember one year that my main gift was $10, with a promise of $10 more each month until I had enough money to buy a bicycle. We had gifts from aunts and uncles, too, and from my grandmother. One aunt always knew just what to buy me, because Mom had given her a wish list, and I always looked forward to her gifts. One uncle always sent a food package of some kind, knowing that would help the family over the rough winter months when there might not be enough church offering to give the pastor his full salary.
We had one other family tradition that was probably a little different. We never put gifts out under the tree until Christmas Eve. As a familly, we first had a small devotional around the tree, and read the Christmas story from Luke before someone would yell "Scatter!" and that was our signal to go get the gifts we had prepared out of hiding, and put them with love under the tree. Mom and Dad generally would wait until we had gone to bed to bring one more gift out, so there would be a surprise on Christmas morning. Naturally, the thought of presents under the tree, which we had just seen for the first time, made it a little difficult to go right to sleep that night. Santa Claus, in our family, was a happy story but certainly we didn't believe in him or expect gifts from him, so no one ever waited up for a possible appearance on Christmas Eve.
We would open our gifts in the morning, enjoy them for a little while, and then either prepare for our cousins, aunt and uncle and grandmother to arrive, or load up the car to go to one of their homes for Christmas. I especially loved to go to the home of my aunt and uncle for Christmas. They always had a big tree, nicely decorated. For a few years, they had bubble lights on the tree, and I loved to watch them, over and over again. They always had a real tree. I think it's possible that my grandmother had one of those aluminum trees, but I'm not sure about that. (I know friends had them, and I hope they still have them, or that they have sold them for the major dollars those trees get now.)
Wherever we gathered, Grandma always made a mincemeat pie, which was a tradition from her mother and I don't know how many generations back. Unfortunately, it's a tradition I never learned to appreciate. And yes, we always had a fruit cake, too, also made by my grandmother and also not appreciated by me. I don't know whether that was a family tradition or not, but I suspect that it was.
Christmas celebrations have changed through the years, as the children became teenagers and young adults and married (not necessarily in that order), and as my parents became grandparents to 9, and great grandparents to four before their deaths. The nuclear family gave way to extended family, and we generally had our extended family Christmas the Sunday (usually) after Christmas. When Mom and Dad gave up their home and spent their last years in Mattoon, Illinois, everyone traveled to my sister's home for the extended family Christmas, and there was quite a group of us.
I hope we learned some of Mom and Dad's lessons, even though we don't celebrate their traditions in the same way. Christ comes first, family is to be treasured, and giving gifts is much more important than receiving them. Merry Christmas, family!
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Beeks line: Jan Pieter Slot 1613-1703, Immigrant
Here's an ancestor with a fascinating history. I would love to sit down with him at the dinner table and learn his story, because he lived in such interesting times and places, that I haven't yet learned much about yet and may not have the time to research myself.
Jan Pieter Slot was born in Holstein, Denmark in 1613, perhaps the son of Pieter Sloat and Mary Baerts. I say "perhaps" because I haven't seen the documentation to back up his parents' names. However, several sources state that he was a Dane, so I am fairly confident with that much of his early life.
Sometime in his youth or early manhood he migrated to Amsterdam, Holland. We don't know for sure what he did there, but somewhere he learned the carpenter trade. With all the growth that Amsterdam was experiencing, he would surely have had little trouble finding work in that line. He also married his first wife there, Aeltje Jans, and they had two sons together, Pieter Jansen and Johan. Jan Pieter and his sons emigrated to New Amsterdam in 1650, apparently with his wife, who died about 1664.
New Amsterdam was a fascinating place, small but bustling, and as long as taxes were paid, open not just to the Dutch but to people from all backgrounds. The contrast with the relatively closed society of the Puritans of New England is quite striking. Jan Pieter settled first in Harlem, which was a few miles north of New Amsterdam, but still on Manhattan Island. By 1667 he is believed to have been living at "Fort Amsterdam", under British administration. His lot was at the foot of what is now known as "Wall Street." He was a carpenter in Harlem and presumably also in what became New York, and was also a magistrate for at least 6 years at Harlem, so he was well-respected by his peers. Perhaps he was removed as magistrate when the British took over the colony.
I have two death dates for Jan Pieter, one in 1690 and one in 1703. There may be some confusion between Jan Pieter and his son, Pieter Jan. It's believed that the son died first. Assuming that the 1703 death date is correct, he lived for about 90 years, in three very different cultures (Danish, old world Dutch, and then Dutch/English New York). I'd love to know why he made each move, how hard or easy it was to adjust, what language(s) he spoke, what his religion was, and more about his life in early America. Of course, I'd love to know about his parents, too, and their lives.
The line of descent is:
Jan Pieter Slot-Aeltje Jans
Pieter Jans Slot-Marritsje Jacobse Van Winkle
Jacobus Slot-Maria Demarest
Benjamin Slot/Lock-Sarah Demaree or Demarest
William Lock-Elizabeth Teague
Sally Lock-Jeremiah Folsom
Leah Folsom-Darlington Aldridge
Harvey Aldridge-Margaret Catherine Dunham
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Somewhere between Benjamin and William, the name was Americanized from Slot to Lock. The words have the same meaning.
Jan Pieter Slot was born in Holstein, Denmark in 1613, perhaps the son of Pieter Sloat and Mary Baerts. I say "perhaps" because I haven't seen the documentation to back up his parents' names. However, several sources state that he was a Dane, so I am fairly confident with that much of his early life.
Sometime in his youth or early manhood he migrated to Amsterdam, Holland. We don't know for sure what he did there, but somewhere he learned the carpenter trade. With all the growth that Amsterdam was experiencing, he would surely have had little trouble finding work in that line. He also married his first wife there, Aeltje Jans, and they had two sons together, Pieter Jansen and Johan. Jan Pieter and his sons emigrated to New Amsterdam in 1650, apparently with his wife, who died about 1664.
New Amsterdam was a fascinating place, small but bustling, and as long as taxes were paid, open not just to the Dutch but to people from all backgrounds. The contrast with the relatively closed society of the Puritans of New England is quite striking. Jan Pieter settled first in Harlem, which was a few miles north of New Amsterdam, but still on Manhattan Island. By 1667 he is believed to have been living at "Fort Amsterdam", under British administration. His lot was at the foot of what is now known as "Wall Street." He was a carpenter in Harlem and presumably also in what became New York, and was also a magistrate for at least 6 years at Harlem, so he was well-respected by his peers. Perhaps he was removed as magistrate when the British took over the colony.
I have two death dates for Jan Pieter, one in 1690 and one in 1703. There may be some confusion between Jan Pieter and his son, Pieter Jan. It's believed that the son died first. Assuming that the 1703 death date is correct, he lived for about 90 years, in three very different cultures (Danish, old world Dutch, and then Dutch/English New York). I'd love to know why he made each move, how hard or easy it was to adjust, what language(s) he spoke, what his religion was, and more about his life in early America. Of course, I'd love to know about his parents, too, and their lives.
The line of descent is:
Jan Pieter Slot-Aeltje Jans
Pieter Jans Slot-Marritsje Jacobse Van Winkle
Jacobus Slot-Maria Demarest
Benjamin Slot/Lock-Sarah Demaree or Demarest
William Lock-Elizabeth Teague
Sally Lock-Jeremiah Folsom
Leah Folsom-Darlington Aldridge
Harvey Aldridge-Margaret Catherine Dunham
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Somewhere between Benjamin and William, the name was Americanized from Slot to Lock. The words have the same meaning.
Friday, December 18, 2015
Holbrook line: Jude Foster 1759-1789
Why would we be interested in a man who lived only 30 years, long ago? First, he's an ancestor. Second, his line ties in to that of Miles Standish and Edward Doty, two passengers on the Mayflower. Third, he served in the Revolutionary War. Fourth, he died just three weeks after receiving a pension. Fifth, he is also the ancestor of the late Supreme Court Associate Justice Harry Blackmun, who served on the Supreme Court from 1970-1994, so we would, for better or worse, be distant cousins to him.
For a man of such importance to the family, there is not much information about him, and some of that is contradictory. He was born April 10, 1759 perhaps in Western, now Warren, Worcester County, Massachusetts, to Nathan Foster Jr. and Elizabeth Lunsford or Lansford. Some sources state he is born in Stafford, Tolland County, Connecticut; until I find proof one way or the other, I'm willing to leave his birth place as "unknown." He was one of at least nine children.
He would have been sixteen years of age when he joined Captain Josiah Putnam's Co. of Colonel Jedediah Foster's Regiment, to march on the alarm at Lexington. That service lasted just 8 days, and when he returned to enlisted in Captain John Grainger's Company of Colonel Learned's Regiment, and served three months, 1 week, and one day. He was also on a payroll return dated October 7, 1775. Next we find that he had enlisted January 1, 1776 in Jonathan Danforth's Company, Colonel Asa Whitcomb's regiment, and was shown as sick in hospital at Camp Ticonderoga. His service at that time lasted 10 months and 26 days. He recovered and was shown on Captain Daniel Gilbert's Compny, Colonel Job Cushings reiment, from July 13,1777 to September2,1777, a total of one month and four days, service at Bennington. There was another 3 months of service in Captain Thomas Whipple's Co, Colonel Abijah Stearns regiment, from March 30 to July 2, 1778, serving three months and three days "guarding Convention troops."
Somewhere probably following this last service, he married Sarah Goodenough (Goodenow, Goodnow). She is reported as being from Princeton, Massachusetts, which was near the towns of Paxton and Western. They appear to have settled in Paxton, also near Princeton, but there is a possibility that they also lived in Rowe, which was more to the north and west of Paxton. They had at least four daughters. Sally and Polly are sometimes shown as Sally/Polly, but I think these were two different girls. The others were Lydia, Judith, and Betsey. Sarah died sometime before Jude's death, because at the time of his death he was married to "Lydia M." It's not clear who she was nor how long they were married, but generally the children, except perhaps for Lydia, are thought to be Sarah's. Proof at this point is lacking.
Since Jude was awarded a pension in 1789, this indicates that he was an invalid and unable to earn a living. Unfortunately, it seems that the records from that time period were destroyed or at least are unable to be located, so we are left guessing. Did he have injuries, or was it a debilitating illness such as consumption (tuberculosis) that killed him at such a young age? He had served his state and country for over a year, at least some of that time under very difficult conditions (Ticonderoga comes to mind), and any of several conditions could have caused his death. He died March 28,1789, about 2 weeks before his thirtieth birthday.
I've not found a will or a true inventory for Jude, but I did locate partial probate records on AmericanAncestors.org. His administrator was his brother Joel. His assets totaled $364.90 and his debts, which were many, totaled $267.95. That would have left the widow with very little to live on. Jude's main assets were land in Paxton and in Rowe, which had been sold by order of the court, and also $31.67 owed in back pension from the United States. I need to trace the men who owed him money and the men to whom he owed money. One name in the list that leaps out at me is "David Goodenough", who I'm hoping could be Sarah's brother or father. (I don't know who Sarah is, at the moment, and I'd love to place her with her family.)
Lydia was still alive in 1801, but that is the last I could find of her. She apparently raised her daughters, or perhaps set them out as servants or apprentices, but they married and had families of their own. Jude and his wives must have done something right, besides Jude's sacrifices for his country.
I have clues to follow up from the probate records. I need to find where his land was, and why he owned land in Rowe. I need to locate birth records, which so far have eluded me and I need to trace the people named in the probate records, to see if any of them lead to Sarah's family. I'd also like to know how Jude supported his young family following the war, if he was able to work at all. I think I would have liked this man, and I certainly honor him now for his service to his country and to his family.
If some one reading this can answer any of my questions, I'd love to hear from you. Jude's full story needs to be found, and told. Please contact me via comments or at happygenealogydancingATgmailDOTcom. You'll know what to do with the AT and the DOT.
The line of descent is:
Jude Foster-Sally Goodenow (probably)
Betsey Foster-Josiah Whittemore
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph R Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
For a man of such importance to the family, there is not much information about him, and some of that is contradictory. He was born April 10, 1759 perhaps in Western, now Warren, Worcester County, Massachusetts, to Nathan Foster Jr. and Elizabeth Lunsford or Lansford. Some sources state he is born in Stafford, Tolland County, Connecticut; until I find proof one way or the other, I'm willing to leave his birth place as "unknown." He was one of at least nine children.
He would have been sixteen years of age when he joined Captain Josiah Putnam's Co. of Colonel Jedediah Foster's Regiment, to march on the alarm at Lexington. That service lasted just 8 days, and when he returned to enlisted in Captain John Grainger's Company of Colonel Learned's Regiment, and served three months, 1 week, and one day. He was also on a payroll return dated October 7, 1775. Next we find that he had enlisted January 1, 1776 in Jonathan Danforth's Company, Colonel Asa Whitcomb's regiment, and was shown as sick in hospital at Camp Ticonderoga. His service at that time lasted 10 months and 26 days. He recovered and was shown on Captain Daniel Gilbert's Compny, Colonel Job Cushings reiment, from July 13,1777 to September2,1777, a total of one month and four days, service at Bennington. There was another 3 months of service in Captain Thomas Whipple's Co, Colonel Abijah Stearns regiment, from March 30 to July 2, 1778, serving three months and three days "guarding Convention troops."
Somewhere probably following this last service, he married Sarah Goodenough (Goodenow, Goodnow). She is reported as being from Princeton, Massachusetts, which was near the towns of Paxton and Western. They appear to have settled in Paxton, also near Princeton, but there is a possibility that they also lived in Rowe, which was more to the north and west of Paxton. They had at least four daughters. Sally and Polly are sometimes shown as Sally/Polly, but I think these were two different girls. The others were Lydia, Judith, and Betsey. Sarah died sometime before Jude's death, because at the time of his death he was married to "Lydia M." It's not clear who she was nor how long they were married, but generally the children, except perhaps for Lydia, are thought to be Sarah's. Proof at this point is lacking.
Since Jude was awarded a pension in 1789, this indicates that he was an invalid and unable to earn a living. Unfortunately, it seems that the records from that time period were destroyed or at least are unable to be located, so we are left guessing. Did he have injuries, or was it a debilitating illness such as consumption (tuberculosis) that killed him at such a young age? He had served his state and country for over a year, at least some of that time under very difficult conditions (Ticonderoga comes to mind), and any of several conditions could have caused his death. He died March 28,1789, about 2 weeks before his thirtieth birthday.
I've not found a will or a true inventory for Jude, but I did locate partial probate records on AmericanAncestors.org. His administrator was his brother Joel. His assets totaled $364.90 and his debts, which were many, totaled $267.95. That would have left the widow with very little to live on. Jude's main assets were land in Paxton and in Rowe, which had been sold by order of the court, and also $31.67 owed in back pension from the United States. I need to trace the men who owed him money and the men to whom he owed money. One name in the list that leaps out at me is "David Goodenough", who I'm hoping could be Sarah's brother or father. (I don't know who Sarah is, at the moment, and I'd love to place her with her family.)
Lydia was still alive in 1801, but that is the last I could find of her. She apparently raised her daughters, or perhaps set them out as servants or apprentices, but they married and had families of their own. Jude and his wives must have done something right, besides Jude's sacrifices for his country.
I have clues to follow up from the probate records. I need to find where his land was, and why he owned land in Rowe. I need to locate birth records, which so far have eluded me and I need to trace the people named in the probate records, to see if any of them lead to Sarah's family. I'd also like to know how Jude supported his young family following the war, if he was able to work at all. I think I would have liked this man, and I certainly honor him now for his service to his country and to his family.
If some one reading this can answer any of my questions, I'd love to hear from you. Jude's full story needs to be found, and told. Please contact me via comments or at happygenealogydancingATgmailDOTcom. You'll know what to do with the AT and the DOT.
The line of descent is:
Jude Foster-Sally Goodenow (probably)
Betsey Foster-Josiah Whittemore
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph R Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Allen line: Rowland Stebbins 1592-1671 Immigrant and Allen ancestor at least three times
Rowland Stebbins is a name the Allen family should hold dear, for we have at least three different lines that go back to this man and his wife. I guess somehow that would probably make us our own cousins, but that gets too complicated to think about. At any rate, Rowland Stebbins is a name we should recognize and acknowledge. Fortunately, there is some information about him so that we know a little more about him than we know about some of our other immigrant ancestors.
Rowland Stebbins was born or christened November 5, 1592 in Bocking, Essex, England, the son of Thomas Stebbins and Ellen, whose maiden name is unknown. He had at least two brothers and a sister, and there may have been more children in the family. His older brother Dennis died soon after birth, so for all intents and purposes, Rowland was the oldest child in the family. We don't know what the family did for a living but much of the town at that time was involved in the woolen trade in some fashion, so it is likely that this family also participated in some aspect of that business, whether raising sheep, manufacturing the cloth, or trading in it.
Rowland married Sarah Whiting, who was three years older than he, on November 30, 1618 at St Mary's Parish, which is where Rowland had been christened. Sarah was the daughter of John Whiting and Sarah Smith. The family had at least four children, who traveled with them on the Francis in 1634, along with Mary Winche, who at 15 may have been a servant but also may have been related to either Rowland or Sarah. We don't know what compelled the family to emigrate, but because he was well regarded in his town of choice, Springfield, Massachusetts, we probably can conclude that religious convictions had something to do with the move.
Rowland is believed to have settled or stayed first in Roxbury, because that is where his younger brother Martin lived. By 1639, he and his family were in Springfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony, where he stayed for almost 30 years. Sarah died in 1649, and Rowland never remarried. We can probably infer that Rowland was a well respected man in Springfield by the statement that he was in the "first seat" of the Springfield meeting house in 1659 and again in 1662/3. The "first seat" was a rather coveted position and the family sitting there would generally be either wealthy or extremely pious, or otherwise highly respected by the community.
He acquired land in various grants from the town, small acreages here and there, including meadows and wood lots so he could grow the hay needed for animals and cut the wood needed to heat the family home. He doesn't appear to have owned what we would consider a farm, all in one location, but owned various parcels granted by the town as it grew. Since he wasn't farming, he must have had another occupation but I've been unable to locate it. He is not known to have signed his name, but signed deeds by "his mark."
He sold his land in Springfield in 1668 and moved to Northampton, likely to be with an adult child. He wrote his will March 1, 1669/70 and died December 24, 1671. His inventory totaled a little over 121 pounds, of which 66 pounds was real estate. His will leaves property to his sons John and Thomas, to his daughter Elizabeth, and to various grandchildren.
There is much I would like to know about Rowland, such as his presumed service in the militia, how he might have dealt with the local natives, what his occupation was, and more about his daily life. However, we know he was an immigrant, a pioneer in the frontier town of Springfield, and the father of four children who lived to adulthood. Once again, he is worthy or our respect.
Here is one line of descent:
Rowland Stebbins-Sarah Whiting
Thomas Stebbins-Hannah Wright
Joseph Stebbins-Sarah Dorchester
Martha Stebbins-Samuel Lamb
Eunice Lamb-Martin Root
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 descendants
We have another line through Rowland and then Thomas, and one through Rowland and son John. It's complicated!
Rowland Stebbins was born or christened November 5, 1592 in Bocking, Essex, England, the son of Thomas Stebbins and Ellen, whose maiden name is unknown. He had at least two brothers and a sister, and there may have been more children in the family. His older brother Dennis died soon after birth, so for all intents and purposes, Rowland was the oldest child in the family. We don't know what the family did for a living but much of the town at that time was involved in the woolen trade in some fashion, so it is likely that this family also participated in some aspect of that business, whether raising sheep, manufacturing the cloth, or trading in it.
Rowland married Sarah Whiting, who was three years older than he, on November 30, 1618 at St Mary's Parish, which is where Rowland had been christened. Sarah was the daughter of John Whiting and Sarah Smith. The family had at least four children, who traveled with them on the Francis in 1634, along with Mary Winche, who at 15 may have been a servant but also may have been related to either Rowland or Sarah. We don't know what compelled the family to emigrate, but because he was well regarded in his town of choice, Springfield, Massachusetts, we probably can conclude that religious convictions had something to do with the move.
Rowland is believed to have settled or stayed first in Roxbury, because that is where his younger brother Martin lived. By 1639, he and his family were in Springfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony, where he stayed for almost 30 years. Sarah died in 1649, and Rowland never remarried. We can probably infer that Rowland was a well respected man in Springfield by the statement that he was in the "first seat" of the Springfield meeting house in 1659 and again in 1662/3. The "first seat" was a rather coveted position and the family sitting there would generally be either wealthy or extremely pious, or otherwise highly respected by the community.
He acquired land in various grants from the town, small acreages here and there, including meadows and wood lots so he could grow the hay needed for animals and cut the wood needed to heat the family home. He doesn't appear to have owned what we would consider a farm, all in one location, but owned various parcels granted by the town as it grew. Since he wasn't farming, he must have had another occupation but I've been unable to locate it. He is not known to have signed his name, but signed deeds by "his mark."
He sold his land in Springfield in 1668 and moved to Northampton, likely to be with an adult child. He wrote his will March 1, 1669/70 and died December 24, 1671. His inventory totaled a little over 121 pounds, of which 66 pounds was real estate. His will leaves property to his sons John and Thomas, to his daughter Elizabeth, and to various grandchildren.
There is much I would like to know about Rowland, such as his presumed service in the militia, how he might have dealt with the local natives, what his occupation was, and more about his daily life. However, we know he was an immigrant, a pioneer in the frontier town of Springfield, and the father of four children who lived to adulthood. Once again, he is worthy or our respect.
Here is one line of descent:
Rowland Stebbins-Sarah Whiting
Thomas Stebbins-Hannah Wright
Joseph Stebbins-Sarah Dorchester
Martha Stebbins-Samuel Lamb
Eunice Lamb-Martin Root
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 descendants
We have another line through Rowland and then Thomas, and one through Rowland and son John. It's complicated!
Friday, December 11, 2015
Harshbarger line: Nicholas Cocke 1592-1670
Quite a bit of research has been done on the Cocke family of Virginia, and some of it is likely not correct. However, we know the Cocke's were there, early, so we have at least the general outlines of the family, even if we're not clear on when the first immigration took place.
Nicholas Cocke was born about 1592, likely in Cornwall or Lancashire, England. Either the records haven't survived or they haven't been located, but this is where the Cocke family lived, and the coat of arms on Nicholas's grave was identical to the Cocke family's coat of arms. It would be great if someone could trace this back further, and learn why the coat of arms was used, but as far as I know it hasn't happened.
He married Elizabeth Lower of Lesaunt, Cornwall, England on November 11, 1619 so this would be a good clue as to where to start looking for baptismal records. As far as I know now, the couple had only one child, Nicholas Jr., although they had a marriage of over 50 years. I would think it likely that there were more children.
It is hard to tell which Nicholas Cocke is being discussed in the Virginia land records, but the older Nicholas seems to have stayed in Middlesex County while his son was in Lancaster County, Va. (Middlesex was actually formed from Lancaster County, so it is possible that the two men actually lived very close to each other.)
Nicholas died in 1670 and his wife died in 1687, at home in Middlesex County. I haven't located probate records yet, nor do I know the cause of death for either person. Elizabeth would have been quite old at her death, perhaps as much as 95 years old but surely at least 85. Nicholas lived what was actually quite a good life, too, 78 years. He had been in Virginia for at least 12 years, and that was pretty good for living among all the dangers-natural, human, and disease-that seemed to stalk the colony.
I'd love to know more about Nicholas Senior. His son had slaves; did this Nicholas also engage in slavery? What was his home like? Was he wholeheartedly in favor of the Anglican/Church of England church? And if Nicholas was truly his only child, how did he feel about that situation? I would be thrilled to hear from anyone who knows anything more about the Cockes, or the Jones family, or anyone else in this list of descendants. I don't have good documentation on some of them and I'd love to learn more about these families.
The line of descent is believed to be:
Nicholas Cocke-Elizabeth Lower
Nicholas Cocke-Jane widow Curtis
Jane Cocke-Rice Jones
Anna Keen Jones-John Wyatt
Thomas Wyatt-Susannah "Sukey" Edmondson
John Wyatt-Alice Gordon
Jean Wyatt-William Farmer
Margaret Farmer-Solomon Eliot Bennett
Mary Bennett-John Harter
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Nicholas Cocke was born about 1592, likely in Cornwall or Lancashire, England. Either the records haven't survived or they haven't been located, but this is where the Cocke family lived, and the coat of arms on Nicholas's grave was identical to the Cocke family's coat of arms. It would be great if someone could trace this back further, and learn why the coat of arms was used, but as far as I know it hasn't happened.
He married Elizabeth Lower of Lesaunt, Cornwall, England on November 11, 1619 so this would be a good clue as to where to start looking for baptismal records. As far as I know now, the couple had only one child, Nicholas Jr., although they had a marriage of over 50 years. I would think it likely that there were more children.
It is hard to tell which Nicholas Cocke is being discussed in the Virginia land records, but the older Nicholas seems to have stayed in Middlesex County while his son was in Lancaster County, Va. (Middlesex was actually formed from Lancaster County, so it is possible that the two men actually lived very close to each other.)
Nicholas died in 1670 and his wife died in 1687, at home in Middlesex County. I haven't located probate records yet, nor do I know the cause of death for either person. Elizabeth would have been quite old at her death, perhaps as much as 95 years old but surely at least 85. Nicholas lived what was actually quite a good life, too, 78 years. He had been in Virginia for at least 12 years, and that was pretty good for living among all the dangers-natural, human, and disease-that seemed to stalk the colony.
I'd love to know more about Nicholas Senior. His son had slaves; did this Nicholas also engage in slavery? What was his home like? Was he wholeheartedly in favor of the Anglican/Church of England church? And if Nicholas was truly his only child, how did he feel about that situation? I would be thrilled to hear from anyone who knows anything more about the Cockes, or the Jones family, or anyone else in this list of descendants. I don't have good documentation on some of them and I'd love to learn more about these families.
The line of descent is believed to be:
Nicholas Cocke-Elizabeth Lower
Nicholas Cocke-Jane widow Curtis
Jane Cocke-Rice Jones
Anna Keen Jones-John Wyatt
Thomas Wyatt-Susannah "Sukey" Edmondson
John Wyatt-Alice Gordon
Jean Wyatt-William Farmer
Margaret Farmer-Solomon Eliot Bennett
Mary Bennett-John Harter
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Beeks and Holbrook lines: John Pers 1588-1661 Immigrant
John Pers is another in a long line of early immigrants to New England in the Beeks family, and also the Holbrook family. He follows something of the typical mold, if there is such a thing, of coming to New England before the English Civil War, with a family and in his middle age. John was born April 8, 1588 in Norwich, Norfolk, England, the son of Richard Pers or Pierce and Marguerite Coney. We don't know much about his early life, except that his occupation in New England was a weaver. It is probable that he learned this trade at home in Norwich, where the main industry was wool. Wool made Norwich a wealthy city, and the Wikipedia article is quite interesting as it explains how Norwich welcomed religious refugees in the decades just before John was born. What we don't know is John's religion, except that his children were baptized in the Anglican church.
John married Elizabeth Trulle or Stoker on April 22, 1610, in Norwich. (I have seen her name listed as Trulle Stoker and as Stoker Trulle, but as of now I haven't found documentation for either name. The couple had seven children from 1610 to 1622. Four of them are documented as having traveled with their parents to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1637. There was also a servant, John Gednay, in their party. However, this may not have been John's first trip to the New World. The older children of John were already here, and John was given land in Watertown in 1634. It is likely that he was here as early as 1633 and then returned to New England for his wife and the rest of his family, to bring them over in 1637.
The family settled in Watertown where John taught the weaving trade to at least some of his children, and where they were given land as settlers of the town. John was made a freeman in March of 1638 and took the "oath of fidelity" in 1652. His name appears as a drummer in the train band (militia) of that year but it's not clear whether this was John the immigrant or John the son. John the immigrant would have been 64 years old and likely had been excused from the militia by this time, unless he was in exceptionally good health.
John made his will in 1658 and died September 2, 1661. His will was proven September 30,1661, and his inventory was valued at just over 217 pounds. Elizabeth made her will on March 15, 1667 and died within just a few days, as it was proved April 2, 1667. Her estate was valued at just over 124 pounds, so she must have used her assets wisely.
Of course I'd like to know more about this couple, but I'm grateful to have located this much information about them. Here are the lines of descent.
Beeks:
John Pers-Elizabeth Trulle or Stoker
Anthony Pers-Ann
Daniel Pierce-Elizabeth Shedd
Elizabeth Pierce-Samuel Smith
Shubael Smith-Prudence Fitzrandolph
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Holbrook:
John Pers-Elizabeth Trulle or Stoker
Hester Pierce-Joseph Morse
Joseph Morse-Susanna Shattuck
Esther Morse-Nathaniel Joslin
Israel Joslin-Sarah Cleveland
Sarah Joslin-Edward Fay
David Fay-Mary or Mercy Perrin
Euzebia (Luceba) Fay-Libbeus Stanard
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
John married Elizabeth Trulle or Stoker on April 22, 1610, in Norwich. (I have seen her name listed as Trulle Stoker and as Stoker Trulle, but as of now I haven't found documentation for either name. The couple had seven children from 1610 to 1622. Four of them are documented as having traveled with their parents to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1637. There was also a servant, John Gednay, in their party. However, this may not have been John's first trip to the New World. The older children of John were already here, and John was given land in Watertown in 1634. It is likely that he was here as early as 1633 and then returned to New England for his wife and the rest of his family, to bring them over in 1637.
The family settled in Watertown where John taught the weaving trade to at least some of his children, and where they were given land as settlers of the town. John was made a freeman in March of 1638 and took the "oath of fidelity" in 1652. His name appears as a drummer in the train band (militia) of that year but it's not clear whether this was John the immigrant or John the son. John the immigrant would have been 64 years old and likely had been excused from the militia by this time, unless he was in exceptionally good health.
John made his will in 1658 and died September 2, 1661. His will was proven September 30,1661, and his inventory was valued at just over 217 pounds. Elizabeth made her will on March 15, 1667 and died within just a few days, as it was proved April 2, 1667. Her estate was valued at just over 124 pounds, so she must have used her assets wisely.
Of course I'd like to know more about this couple, but I'm grateful to have located this much information about them. Here are the lines of descent.
Beeks:
John Pers-Elizabeth Trulle or Stoker
Anthony Pers-Ann
Daniel Pierce-Elizabeth Shedd
Elizabeth Pierce-Samuel Smith
Shubael Smith-Prudence Fitzrandolph
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Holbrook:
John Pers-Elizabeth Trulle or Stoker
Hester Pierce-Joseph Morse
Joseph Morse-Susanna Shattuck
Esther Morse-Nathaniel Joslin
Israel Joslin-Sarah Cleveland
Sarah Joslin-Edward Fay
David Fay-Mary or Mercy Perrin
Euzebia (Luceba) Fay-Libbeus Stanard
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, December 4, 2015
Holbrook line: Henry Kingman 1595-1667, Immigrant
What would we ever do without the "Great Migration" series that Robert Charles Anderson has devoted his life to preparing? We certainly wouldn't know as much as we do, particularly about this ancestor, Henry Kingman. With all due respect, however, there are still mysteries about this immigrant, including the minor details of when and where he was born, and who his parents were. As I understand it, there is a researcher in England working on these questions now. May he have great success, and may he share them with the many thousands of people who descent from Henry.
The first knowledge we have of the man, at present, is his migration to New England in 1635 on board the Marygould. This ship sailed from Weymouth, England and almost all the passengers went to Weymouth, Massachusetts, a small village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This was part of Rev. Hull's company. (Rev. Hull was an interesting preacher for the time. He was expelled from the Church of England early in 1635, then was pastor at Weymouth until he was dismissed for his "liberal views", and so on to Hingham and various other places until he returned to England for a decade, then back to the New World to preach in New Hampshire. He was apparently too Puritan for the Church of England and too Church of England for the Puritans.) When Henry came to America, he is listed as being 40 years old. He came with his wife, Joane, and chidren, Edward, Joane, Ann, Thomas, John, and a servant, John or Jonathan Ford.
Henry and his wife settled in Weymouth, a small village at the time, and stayed there the rest of their lives. He was a freeman, a member of the church, and a ferryman and innkeeper by trade. He was granted 42 acres at Weymouth in 1636, apparently in several different parcels, and also acquired land that was "first given to" various other settlers, who apparently moved on or died. In 1648, he purchased a house and several acres of land belonging to William Richards, so the ferryman/innkeeper business must have been somewhat lucrative.
He served as the deputy for Wemouth to the Massachusetts Bay General Court in May of 1638 and again in May of 1652, and was a memer of a Massachusetts Bay grand jury in 1637.
Joan died at Weymouth on April 11, 1659 and Henry died there June 5, 1667. They had six children, Edward, Joan, Anne, Thomas, Bridget, and John, all born in England. All of the children probably helped in the family business as they grew, so this would likely have been a close family. Henry's inventory was not totaled, but the land he owned was valued at 288 pounds, and it is noted that his estate included a Bible and one other book.
This is as much as we currently know about Henry and his wife, Joan or Joanna. There is much speculation that Joan's maiden name was Drake. If so, her genealogy may make her a cousin to Sir Francis Drake, but this is not proven. It would be wonderful to find more answers to more questions!
The line of descent is
Henry Kingman-Joan possibly Drake
Joan or Joanna Kingman-Thomas Holbrook
Peter Holbrook-Alice Godfrey
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Cook
Jesse Holbrook-Abigail Thayer
Amariah Holbrook-Molly Wright (there she is again!)
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
The first knowledge we have of the man, at present, is his migration to New England in 1635 on board the Marygould. This ship sailed from Weymouth, England and almost all the passengers went to Weymouth, Massachusetts, a small village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This was part of Rev. Hull's company. (Rev. Hull was an interesting preacher for the time. He was expelled from the Church of England early in 1635, then was pastor at Weymouth until he was dismissed for his "liberal views", and so on to Hingham and various other places until he returned to England for a decade, then back to the New World to preach in New Hampshire. He was apparently too Puritan for the Church of England and too Church of England for the Puritans.) When Henry came to America, he is listed as being 40 years old. He came with his wife, Joane, and chidren, Edward, Joane, Ann, Thomas, John, and a servant, John or Jonathan Ford.
Henry and his wife settled in Weymouth, a small village at the time, and stayed there the rest of their lives. He was a freeman, a member of the church, and a ferryman and innkeeper by trade. He was granted 42 acres at Weymouth in 1636, apparently in several different parcels, and also acquired land that was "first given to" various other settlers, who apparently moved on or died. In 1648, he purchased a house and several acres of land belonging to William Richards, so the ferryman/innkeeper business must have been somewhat lucrative.
He served as the deputy for Wemouth to the Massachusetts Bay General Court in May of 1638 and again in May of 1652, and was a memer of a Massachusetts Bay grand jury in 1637.
Joan died at Weymouth on April 11, 1659 and Henry died there June 5, 1667. They had six children, Edward, Joan, Anne, Thomas, Bridget, and John, all born in England. All of the children probably helped in the family business as they grew, so this would likely have been a close family. Henry's inventory was not totaled, but the land he owned was valued at 288 pounds, and it is noted that his estate included a Bible and one other book.
This is as much as we currently know about Henry and his wife, Joan or Joanna. There is much speculation that Joan's maiden name was Drake. If so, her genealogy may make her a cousin to Sir Francis Drake, but this is not proven. It would be wonderful to find more answers to more questions!
The line of descent is
Henry Kingman-Joan possibly Drake
Joan or Joanna Kingman-Thomas Holbrook
Peter Holbrook-Alice Godfrey
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Cook
Jesse Holbrook-Abigail Thayer
Amariah Holbrook-Molly Wright (there she is again!)
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Allen line: Robert Perrigo abt 1635-1683
I have only a little bit of information about Robert Perrigo, ancestor in the Allen line and immigrant. What I have, however, is so intriguing that I want to share it, in hopes that someone else has found more pieces to his puzzle and would be willing to share it.
So far as is believed, our ancestor was born somewhere in England, although his surname is believed to have derived from France. His birth date is unknown, and his birth place and parents are unknown, although someone has indicated his father's name might be William Perrigo. There was no documentation attached to that statement. At least one internet researcher believes he was born in 1624 in St Clements, Hastings, Sussex, England.
The next thing we know about Robert is that he was married in 1657 in New Barbadoes, New Jersey to Sarah Smart, daughter of Robert Smart. (New Barbadoes was settled by the Dutch, and is now known as Hackensack.) Robert and Sarah had at least three children together, Ezekiel, Sarah, and Robert. They were born in Saybrook, Ct. where the couple had settled. Apparently Sarah died, and about 1670 Robert married for a second time, to Mary or Marah Wood. Together they had four or five children, the last born in 1683, a few months after her father's death.
Mary remarried, to Henry Peterson, but all may now have been well between Henry and his step children. In April of 1711, 28 years after Robert's death, Henry wrote a letter to the court basically saying that he had learned that some of the children of Robert were hiring attorneys and claiming that the estate of Robert Perrigo, which had been settled in 1684, had not been properly handled. In 1711, Henry was offering up another 63 acres of Perrigo's land, at Beaver Brook, to add to the estate. This letter is now on Ancestry,com. Part of this dispute may be because Robert's son, Robert, had apparently been left only one shilling in the will. Unfortunately, the probate records for the time period prior to 1700 were destroyed, so these are the only hints we have about the Perrigo estate.
As to his occupation, again, it is difficult to say much. There are hints that he may have worked in the maritime industry, since he was said to be on Mr. Goodall's ship, "now at Goodman Rusco's" in 1659 when his young son Ezekiel received medical treatment. If course, it's also possible that he was a merchant or a trader or any number of other occupations. Since he had 63 acres of land not included in the original estate, he likely did at least some farming.
With no estate records, no inventory, and very few other records to go on, we are left with little knowledge of this ancestor. We know he married twice, had at least seven children, and probably died before the age of 50. We also know he came to the New World from the Old, and possibly had friends or relatives in New Jersey, (or Sarah was in Connecticut for some reason), since the couple married in New Jersey. More research needs to be done concerning Robert, but in the meantime, we can honor what we know of his life.
The line of descent is:
Robert Perrigo-Sarah Smart
Sarah Perrigo-John Royse
Moses-Royce-Hannah
John Royce-Hannah Bellamy
Elizabeth Royce-William McCoy
James McCoy-Nancy Ann Lane
Vincent McCoy-Eleanor Jackson
Nancy McCoy-George Allen
Edward Allen-Edith Knott
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
So far as is believed, our ancestor was born somewhere in England, although his surname is believed to have derived from France. His birth date is unknown, and his birth place and parents are unknown, although someone has indicated his father's name might be William Perrigo. There was no documentation attached to that statement. At least one internet researcher believes he was born in 1624 in St Clements, Hastings, Sussex, England.
The next thing we know about Robert is that he was married in 1657 in New Barbadoes, New Jersey to Sarah Smart, daughter of Robert Smart. (New Barbadoes was settled by the Dutch, and is now known as Hackensack.) Robert and Sarah had at least three children together, Ezekiel, Sarah, and Robert. They were born in Saybrook, Ct. where the couple had settled. Apparently Sarah died, and about 1670 Robert married for a second time, to Mary or Marah Wood. Together they had four or five children, the last born in 1683, a few months after her father's death.
Mary remarried, to Henry Peterson, but all may now have been well between Henry and his step children. In April of 1711, 28 years after Robert's death, Henry wrote a letter to the court basically saying that he had learned that some of the children of Robert were hiring attorneys and claiming that the estate of Robert Perrigo, which had been settled in 1684, had not been properly handled. In 1711, Henry was offering up another 63 acres of Perrigo's land, at Beaver Brook, to add to the estate. This letter is now on Ancestry,com. Part of this dispute may be because Robert's son, Robert, had apparently been left only one shilling in the will. Unfortunately, the probate records for the time period prior to 1700 were destroyed, so these are the only hints we have about the Perrigo estate.
As to his occupation, again, it is difficult to say much. There are hints that he may have worked in the maritime industry, since he was said to be on Mr. Goodall's ship, "now at Goodman Rusco's" in 1659 when his young son Ezekiel received medical treatment. If course, it's also possible that he was a merchant or a trader or any number of other occupations. Since he had 63 acres of land not included in the original estate, he likely did at least some farming.
With no estate records, no inventory, and very few other records to go on, we are left with little knowledge of this ancestor. We know he married twice, had at least seven children, and probably died before the age of 50. We also know he came to the New World from the Old, and possibly had friends or relatives in New Jersey, (or Sarah was in Connecticut for some reason), since the couple married in New Jersey. More research needs to be done concerning Robert, but in the meantime, we can honor what we know of his life.
The line of descent is:
Robert Perrigo-Sarah Smart
Sarah Perrigo-John Royse
Moses-Royce-Hannah
John Royce-Hannah Bellamy
Elizabeth Royce-William McCoy
James McCoy-Nancy Ann Lane
Vincent McCoy-Eleanor Jackson
Nancy McCoy-George Allen
Edward Allen-Edith Knott
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
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