I don't know much about Rice Jones. He is reported to have come from Wales, or at least his father was from Wales. If true, than most likely the name would have been written Rhys ap Jones, or something similar. However, by the time he arrived in Virginia he was Rice Jones.
We don't know when he arrived in Virginia. Some say he arrived in 1650, and it certainly seems that he did, yet there are references to a Rice Jones in Virginia as early as 1628. Probably the 1637 birthdate I had listed for him is too late, but was he born as early as 1607? That would make him old enough to be a landowner in 1628.
He is shown as a planter with land around Elizabeth City, and later is listed in Lancaster County records. His will is apparently recorded in Lower Norfolk and Norfolk County records, if this is the same Rice Jones. He mentions his wife Ann. Our Rice Jones was married to Jane Cocke, so it's a little bit confusing. The only child I know of, from Rice's marriage to Jane, was Anna Keen Jones, who married John Wyatt.
It seems almost too little information to even write a post about Rice Jones, but as usual I am cousin baiting and hoping someone will know more about Rice and contact me. And even if this is all we know, it's a reminder that the Harshbarger line has many divergent branches and not all led back to Germany or Switzerland. Rice was most likely Welsh, or at least lived very near Wales, and that makes him interesting to me.
The line of descent is:
Rice Jones-Jane Cocke
Anna Keen Jones-John Wyatt
Thomas Wyatt-Susanna "Sukey" Edmondson
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
Friday, December 30, 2016
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Beeks line: Samuel Scullard abt 1616-1647 Immigrant
Samuel Scullard is likely from Abbots Ann, Hamphire, England although as yet it seems that no one has pinpointed his birth or christening record. He is believed to be the son of Richard Scullard, joiner, and his wife, Alice. Richard died in 1617 when Samuel, his second child, was just a baby, which could possibly explain the lack of baptismal records for Samuel. Perhaps his wife was just too overwhelmed or ill to arrange for it.
It appears that Samuel was in New England by 1638, and likely came with Rev. Stephen Bachwiler. He was in Newbury, Massachusetts by February 24,1637/38, because he was fined for not attending a town meeting at eight o'clock in the morning, after having been warned, so he must have been there at least a few weeks by that time. He was referred to as yeoman, meaning a farmer who owned his own land, as opposed to a tenant farmer, or a planter, who may not have actually worked the land he owned. He also was a partner in a water (grist) mill in Newbury, and upon his death his widow's second husband purchased that interest. Newbury is situated at the northeast end of Massachusetts, on the coast, and was also an early site for shipbuilding and tanning, so there was an opportunity to sell to more than just the local farmers.
Samuel married Rebecca Kent, daughter of Richard and Emme Dorothy Shorte in 1641. Some sites say they married in England but this does not appear to be correct. The Kents were already in Newbury and doubtless the couple met and married there. They probably had four children, Mary, Rebecca, Sarah and Samuel although only Mary and Sarah are named in his will. Unfortunately, his will was dated March 27, 1647 and proved July 28, 1647, so Samuel died when he was only about 30 years old. It was a nuncupative will, indicating that likely his death was sudden. He may have been injured, or he may have died of one of the fevers that went the rounds so quickly and so often in colonial times.
His estate was valued at 196 pounds, 4 shillings. Half went to his wife, who remarried soon after Samuel's death, and the other half went to his two daughters but not until 1670, when the daughters were married and of age. Rebecca married John Bishop and died sometime before John's death in 1684.
There is still more research to be done about Samuel. I don't have a good grasp of the land he owned, or of his church life, or whether he held any church or civic positions. However, we do know this much and that's more than we knew when we began this post!
The line of descent is:
Samuel Scullard-Rebecca Kent
Mary Scullard-John Rolfe
Mary Rolfe-Benjamin Dunham
Jonathan Dunham-Mary Smith
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
It appears that Samuel was in New England by 1638, and likely came with Rev. Stephen Bachwiler. He was in Newbury, Massachusetts by February 24,1637/38, because he was fined for not attending a town meeting at eight o'clock in the morning, after having been warned, so he must have been there at least a few weeks by that time. He was referred to as yeoman, meaning a farmer who owned his own land, as opposed to a tenant farmer, or a planter, who may not have actually worked the land he owned. He also was a partner in a water (grist) mill in Newbury, and upon his death his widow's second husband purchased that interest. Newbury is situated at the northeast end of Massachusetts, on the coast, and was also an early site for shipbuilding and tanning, so there was an opportunity to sell to more than just the local farmers.
Samuel married Rebecca Kent, daughter of Richard and Emme Dorothy Shorte in 1641. Some sites say they married in England but this does not appear to be correct. The Kents were already in Newbury and doubtless the couple met and married there. They probably had four children, Mary, Rebecca, Sarah and Samuel although only Mary and Sarah are named in his will. Unfortunately, his will was dated March 27, 1647 and proved July 28, 1647, so Samuel died when he was only about 30 years old. It was a nuncupative will, indicating that likely his death was sudden. He may have been injured, or he may have died of one of the fevers that went the rounds so quickly and so often in colonial times.
His estate was valued at 196 pounds, 4 shillings. Half went to his wife, who remarried soon after Samuel's death, and the other half went to his two daughters but not until 1670, when the daughters were married and of age. Rebecca married John Bishop and died sometime before John's death in 1684.
There is still more research to be done about Samuel. I don't have a good grasp of the land he owned, or of his church life, or whether he held any church or civic positions. However, we do know this much and that's more than we knew when we began this post!
The line of descent is:
Samuel Scullard-Rebecca Kent
Mary Scullard-John Rolfe
Mary Rolfe-Benjamin Dunham
Jonathan Dunham-Mary Smith
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Friday, December 23, 2016
Holbrook line: James Mackall, Scottish Immigrant, 1630-1693
This is the stuff of which legends are made. The question is, is it true? Was James Mackall a prisoner of war sent to Maryland by the British, or did he come of his own will and volition? It depends on what you want to believe, I guess, because I'm not finding documentation that says that the James Mackall born in 1630 in Scotland was the same James Mackall who arrived in Calvert County in about 1666. I'm not finding that his wife was Mary Grahame, although many, many sites list it as such. But what I am finding is intriguing.
Our James was in Maryland by 1666, and I do believe he was of Scottish origin. His wife's name was Mary and she may have been Mary Grahame, the daughter of John Grahame and Barbara Stewart. If this is the same James Mackall, he has quite an interesting line in Scotland which includes some of the great names of Caithness. The problem is, there was another James MacKall who was born about the same time, who went to New England about the same time and who others have given the parents as James Mackall and Mary Grahame. This James's life in New England is fairly well documented. Of course, the two James Mackalls could well have come from the same family, but it is difficult to find proof.
The New England James Mackall was definitely a prisoner of war of the English, sent to New England to work as an ironworker. Our James Mackall of Maryland may also have been a prisoner of war, but he also may have been a free Scotsman, coming to Maryland because of economic opportunity as well as religious freedom. He is reported to have received a land grant of 30,000 acres in Calvert County, which is exceptionally large and indicates that he was a person of some prestige when he arrived here.
Our James was a planter, with a large plantation called "The Clifts" in Calvert County, Maryland. He also purchased another plantation called "The Cage." It seems to have been a matter of debate as to the number of his children. The most inclusive list I've seen lists eight children, with two named Anne and two named Elizabeth, plus John, James, Benjamin, and Martha. He left a will at his death in 1693 which mentioned specifically one slave, Tobe, who was to go to his wife and then his youngest son, Benjamin. It is likely that with land as vast as his was, there would have been more slaves. Mary died in 1718.
The confusing part of all this, as far as our family goes, is that what I have found doesn't give Elizabeth Mackall Mauldin as a child in the will. Of course it is possible that she was given land at the time of her marriage to Frances Mauldin in 1687. Oftentimes such gifts are noted in the will but there seems to be no mention of it in this instance.
There are so many mysteries about this man. What was his background? Was he really granted 30,000 acres in Calvert County? Was he a Covenanter, or a Roman Catholic, or was he Anglican? Did he and Ninian Beall know each other in Scotland? And was his wife really from the famous Grahame family? I've presented various theories here, but other than his arrival date, his land, and his will, much of his life is still open for further research. It would be fascinating to learn the answers!
Our proposed line of descent is:
James Mackall-Mary Grahame
Elizabeth Mackall-Frances Mauldin
Ann Mauldin-William Amos
James Amos-Hannah Clarke
Robert Amos-Martha McComas
Robert Amos-Elizabeth Amos
Martha Amos-Peter Black
Elizabeth Black-Isaac Hetrick
Mary Alice Hetrick-Louis Stanard
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Our James was in Maryland by 1666, and I do believe he was of Scottish origin. His wife's name was Mary and she may have been Mary Grahame, the daughter of John Grahame and Barbara Stewart. If this is the same James Mackall, he has quite an interesting line in Scotland which includes some of the great names of Caithness. The problem is, there was another James MacKall who was born about the same time, who went to New England about the same time and who others have given the parents as James Mackall and Mary Grahame. This James's life in New England is fairly well documented. Of course, the two James Mackalls could well have come from the same family, but it is difficult to find proof.
The New England James Mackall was definitely a prisoner of war of the English, sent to New England to work as an ironworker. Our James Mackall of Maryland may also have been a prisoner of war, but he also may have been a free Scotsman, coming to Maryland because of economic opportunity as well as religious freedom. He is reported to have received a land grant of 30,000 acres in Calvert County, which is exceptionally large and indicates that he was a person of some prestige when he arrived here.
Our James was a planter, with a large plantation called "The Clifts" in Calvert County, Maryland. He also purchased another plantation called "The Cage." It seems to have been a matter of debate as to the number of his children. The most inclusive list I've seen lists eight children, with two named Anne and two named Elizabeth, plus John, James, Benjamin, and Martha. He left a will at his death in 1693 which mentioned specifically one slave, Tobe, who was to go to his wife and then his youngest son, Benjamin. It is likely that with land as vast as his was, there would have been more slaves. Mary died in 1718.
The confusing part of all this, as far as our family goes, is that what I have found doesn't give Elizabeth Mackall Mauldin as a child in the will. Of course it is possible that she was given land at the time of her marriage to Frances Mauldin in 1687. Oftentimes such gifts are noted in the will but there seems to be no mention of it in this instance.
There are so many mysteries about this man. What was his background? Was he really granted 30,000 acres in Calvert County? Was he a Covenanter, or a Roman Catholic, or was he Anglican? Did he and Ninian Beall know each other in Scotland? And was his wife really from the famous Grahame family? I've presented various theories here, but other than his arrival date, his land, and his will, much of his life is still open for further research. It would be fascinating to learn the answers!
Our proposed line of descent is:
James Mackall-Mary Grahame
Elizabeth Mackall-Frances Mauldin
Ann Mauldin-William Amos
James Amos-Hannah Clarke
Robert Amos-Martha McComas
Robert Amos-Elizabeth Amos
Martha Amos-Peter Black
Elizabeth Black-Isaac Hetrick
Mary Alice Hetrick-Louis Stanard
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Allen line: Philip Randall, Immigrant possibly 1574-1662
Or the correct dates might be 1590 to 1648, or some combination thereof. At this point, I'm thinking the dates in the title of this post are likely correct, but I'm open to considering any further evidence that comes up.
There was a Philip Randall born in 1574 in Allington, Bridport Parish, Dorset, England and it seems plausible if not completely proven that this is our Philip Randall. If this is our man, he came to the New World about 1633 (some sources say as early as 1630, so he may have come first and then gone back for his family). If he arrived in 1630, he was already possibly 56 years old, but he must have been a vigorous man, to be willing to live in the Colonies. He was a smith, so was in high demand for his goods and his life would not have been quite as difficult as that of some of our immigrant ancestors.
He had married Joanne or Joanna Fush in England in 1608, If the 1574 birth date was correct than he would have been about 34 years old, so possibly this was not his first marriage. Joanne was born in1578 in Allington, Bridport Parish, Dorset, England so she would have been 30 at the time of the April 10, 1608 marriage. The relatively late marriage of this couple may help to explain why we have record of only three or four children for the couple. The children were Abraham, Elizabeth, Philury and Frances, all born in England.
When the couple came to the New World, it appears that the children, who were in their late teen and early adult years, came with them. Philip settled first at Dorchester, where he was made a freeman about 1635. A year later, he went to Windsor, Connecticut where he helped settle the town and where his smithing skills were undoubtedly needed. We don't know whether he was involved in the Pequot War of 1637 but it seems at least possible. He stayed atWindsor until the end of his days, receiving land grants and possibly buying more land as time went on. He died May 6, 1662, and the inventory was taken May 28, 1662. He had real estate valued at 72 pounds and the rest of his estate, including smith's tools and books, was valued at 41 pounds. He signed his will with an X but that doesn't mean he was illiterate. He may have merely been weak or/and ill.
I haven't found any information that follows his church life, other than he was a freeman in Dorchester so must have belonged to the church at that time. It would be interesting to know what he thought of the various controversies that the church was involved in, and whether he stayed faithful to his religion.
The line of descent is:
Philip Randall-Joanne Fush
Frances Randall-Thomas Dewey
Thomas Dewey-Constant Hawes
Elizabeth Dewey-Thomas Noble
Thomas Noble-Sarah Root
Stephen Noble-Ruth Church
Ruth Noble-Martin Root
Ruth Root-Samuel Falley
Clarissa Falley-John Havens Starr
Harriet Starr-John W. Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
There was a Philip Randall born in 1574 in Allington, Bridport Parish, Dorset, England and it seems plausible if not completely proven that this is our Philip Randall. If this is our man, he came to the New World about 1633 (some sources say as early as 1630, so he may have come first and then gone back for his family). If he arrived in 1630, he was already possibly 56 years old, but he must have been a vigorous man, to be willing to live in the Colonies. He was a smith, so was in high demand for his goods and his life would not have been quite as difficult as that of some of our immigrant ancestors.
He had married Joanne or Joanna Fush in England in 1608, If the 1574 birth date was correct than he would have been about 34 years old, so possibly this was not his first marriage. Joanne was born in1578 in Allington, Bridport Parish, Dorset, England so she would have been 30 at the time of the April 10, 1608 marriage. The relatively late marriage of this couple may help to explain why we have record of only three or four children for the couple. The children were Abraham, Elizabeth, Philury and Frances, all born in England.
When the couple came to the New World, it appears that the children, who were in their late teen and early adult years, came with them. Philip settled first at Dorchester, where he was made a freeman about 1635. A year later, he went to Windsor, Connecticut where he helped settle the town and where his smithing skills were undoubtedly needed. We don't know whether he was involved in the Pequot War of 1637 but it seems at least possible. He stayed atWindsor until the end of his days, receiving land grants and possibly buying more land as time went on. He died May 6, 1662, and the inventory was taken May 28, 1662. He had real estate valued at 72 pounds and the rest of his estate, including smith's tools and books, was valued at 41 pounds. He signed his will with an X but that doesn't mean he was illiterate. He may have merely been weak or/and ill.
I haven't found any information that follows his church life, other than he was a freeman in Dorchester so must have belonged to the church at that time. It would be interesting to know what he thought of the various controversies that the church was involved in, and whether he stayed faithful to his religion.
The line of descent is:
Philip Randall-Joanne Fush
Frances Randall-Thomas Dewey
Thomas Dewey-Constant Hawes
Elizabeth Dewey-Thomas Noble
Thomas Noble-Sarah Root
Stephen Noble-Ruth Church
Ruth Noble-Martin Root
Ruth Root-Samuel Falley
Clarissa Falley-John Havens Starr
Harriet Starr-John W. Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Friday, December 16, 2016
Harshbarger line: Johan Mentzer 1701-?? Immigrant
Johan or Johannes Mentzer or Maintzer is the first immigrant ancestor in this family. He came to Philadelphia in September of 1751 on board the "Brothers", along with his second wife, Catherine Spirgi and four children. Two of the children were "theirs" and two were from his first marriage, to Anna Maria Meyer. She died some time between the death of her third child on April 1, 1729 and August 11, 1733, the date of Johan's second marriage. Johan's birth to Johan George Mentzer and Anna Maria Heim, as well as Johan's two marriages and the birth of all of his children, took place in Hagsfeld, in what is now Baden, Germany. He is described as a burgher in the town records there, which seems to imply more than just citizenship. He was likely well-respected and probably a member of the middle class or better, perhaps a merchant of some kind. (This is implied by the term 'burgher' but may not necessarily be true in this instance. Generalizations are always dangerous.)
That's as much as we know about Johan's life in Germany. Probably for economic reasons, perhaps as a result of the Thirty Years War, Johan and his family decided to start a new life in the New World. We know he came to Philadelphia and we know he settled in what was then Lancaster County. It's believed that he as well as his son Conrad died in 1781, in Lancaster County, but I haven't found documentation of that yet. I also have nothing that shows me where he lived, what land he owned, what taxes he might have paid, or what church he attended.
I always wonder about these people. At age 50, what gave him the impetus to start over? Was he healthy enough to try pioneer life, or did he have any idea what he was getting into? Was he as respected here as he was in Hagsfeld? The search goes on, but meanwhile, here is another German immigrant who deserves our respect.
The line of descent is:
Johan Mentzer-Catherine Spirgi
Conrad Mentzer-Catherine Elizabeth Hibschmann
John Mentzer-Margaret
Conrad Mentzer-Elizabeth Tullepan
Catherine Mentzer (Mancer)-Lewis Harshbarger
Emmanuel Harshbarger-Clara Harter
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
That's as much as we know about Johan's life in Germany. Probably for economic reasons, perhaps as a result of the Thirty Years War, Johan and his family decided to start a new life in the New World. We know he came to Philadelphia and we know he settled in what was then Lancaster County. It's believed that he as well as his son Conrad died in 1781, in Lancaster County, but I haven't found documentation of that yet. I also have nothing that shows me where he lived, what land he owned, what taxes he might have paid, or what church he attended.
I always wonder about these people. At age 50, what gave him the impetus to start over? Was he healthy enough to try pioneer life, or did he have any idea what he was getting into? Was he as respected here as he was in Hagsfeld? The search goes on, but meanwhile, here is another German immigrant who deserves our respect.
The line of descent is:
Johan Mentzer-Catherine Spirgi
Conrad Mentzer-Catherine Elizabeth Hibschmann
John Mentzer-Margaret
Conrad Mentzer-Elizabeth Tullepan
Catherine Mentzer (Mancer)-Lewis Harshbarger
Emmanuel Harshbarger-Clara Harter
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Beeks line: Johann Wilhelm Berkheimer, 1706-1745, Immigrant
I love it when I find someone in the ancestry of President Obama, who I've not yet written about. It means that much research has already been done and I'm not likely to uncover any hidden gems. The pros have done it for me. Much of this information came from family websites and from people who like to research presidents. More power to them, and thank you very much!
He seems to have gone by the name Wilhelm, so that is how I'll refer to him. Wilhem was born in 1706 in Frankenthal, Bayern, Germany to Balthasar and Anna Margaretha (maiden name unknown ) Berkheimer. Frankenthal was a town that was all but destroyed in the wars of the seventeenth century so it is a wonder that any records at all have survived. (Or maybe they didn't survive, and that is why we have no specific birth date for him.)
We know that he arrived in Philadelphia with his wife, Maria Salome Hallman (Heilman or Heyllman are also spellings of the same name) four children, and a Susanna Berkheimer, who may have been a sister or cousin. Wilhelm is listed as being 20 in 1732 but he was more likely 26 years old then, as his wife, listed as Salome, was 25. The children were named Leonhard, Valentin, Magdalenea Louisa, and Johann Georg. They arrived together on the "Samuel" on August 11, 1732. It's possible that a son Henry was born in the New World, also.
The family made their way to what is now Perkiomen Township, Montgomery County, Pa I have a copy of a land grant for 25 acres to Wilhelm Berkheimer, which gives him 25 acres of land adjacent to the land he already owns, if I am reading this correctly. This was dated 1742, so he owned land prior to that time. Probably he farmed and possibly he had another occupation also. His family would have felt right at home here because the whole valley was settled primarily by German immigrants. There are tax records for him through 1744, but I don't yet know when they started.
1745 must have been a very rough year for both Wilhelm and Salome died that year. Most likely they died of one of a number of diseases but it's possible there was an accident that killed them both. It would be interesting to know the cause of death, because that would give us a glimpse into the kind of life they had. Both were just about 40 years old when they died, which was young, and they would have left a young family, although several of the children were teen agers. Wilhelm and presumably Salome are buried at the Old Goshenhoppen Church Cemetery in Woxall, Perkiomen Township, Montgomery County, Pa.
There is more research to be done on this family, to determine the causes of death, when they acquired land and how much, and whether they were of the Lutheran or the reformed faith. However, we do have this much information and it's a start, and a reminder of how little we really know about our ancestors.
The line of descent is:
Wilhelm Berkheimer-Maria Salome Hallman
Leonard Berkheimer-Maria Catherine Kerger
Magdalena Berkheimer-Samuel Goodnight
Catherine Goodnight-Jacob Dunham
Samuel Goodnight Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Homer Aldridge
Gretta Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
He seems to have gone by the name Wilhelm, so that is how I'll refer to him. Wilhem was born in 1706 in Frankenthal, Bayern, Germany to Balthasar and Anna Margaretha (maiden name unknown ) Berkheimer. Frankenthal was a town that was all but destroyed in the wars of the seventeenth century so it is a wonder that any records at all have survived. (Or maybe they didn't survive, and that is why we have no specific birth date for him.)
We know that he arrived in Philadelphia with his wife, Maria Salome Hallman (Heilman or Heyllman are also spellings of the same name) four children, and a Susanna Berkheimer, who may have been a sister or cousin. Wilhelm is listed as being 20 in 1732 but he was more likely 26 years old then, as his wife, listed as Salome, was 25. The children were named Leonhard, Valentin, Magdalenea Louisa, and Johann Georg. They arrived together on the "Samuel" on August 11, 1732. It's possible that a son Henry was born in the New World, also.
The family made their way to what is now Perkiomen Township, Montgomery County, Pa I have a copy of a land grant for 25 acres to Wilhelm Berkheimer, which gives him 25 acres of land adjacent to the land he already owns, if I am reading this correctly. This was dated 1742, so he owned land prior to that time. Probably he farmed and possibly he had another occupation also. His family would have felt right at home here because the whole valley was settled primarily by German immigrants. There are tax records for him through 1744, but I don't yet know when they started.
1745 must have been a very rough year for both Wilhelm and Salome died that year. Most likely they died of one of a number of diseases but it's possible there was an accident that killed them both. It would be interesting to know the cause of death, because that would give us a glimpse into the kind of life they had. Both were just about 40 years old when they died, which was young, and they would have left a young family, although several of the children were teen agers. Wilhelm and presumably Salome are buried at the Old Goshenhoppen Church Cemetery in Woxall, Perkiomen Township, Montgomery County, Pa.
There is more research to be done on this family, to determine the causes of death, when they acquired land and how much, and whether they were of the Lutheran or the reformed faith. However, we do have this much information and it's a start, and a reminder of how little we really know about our ancestors.
The line of descent is:
Wilhelm Berkheimer-Maria Salome Hallman
Leonard Berkheimer-Maria Catherine Kerger
Magdalena Berkheimer-Samuel Goodnight
Catherine Goodnight-Jacob Dunham
Samuel Goodnight Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Homer Aldridge
Gretta Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Friday, December 9, 2016
Holbrook line: Thomas Angell 1618-1689 Immigrant
Thomas Angell walked and talked with one of my hero ancestors, Roger Williams. That is reason enough to write about him, in my view. We don't know as much about him as we know about Roger Williams, but it is enough to convince us he was an honorable man, educated and yet probably humble, as he called himself a "farmer" even though he was town clerk of Providence, Rhode Island for 17 years.
Sources vary and don't always make a lot of sense. Once source seems to indicate he was illiterate, but somewhere he learned to read and write well enough that he was trusted with recording the business of the town. Another question arises about his immigration. It has been variously suggested that he came with Richard Waterman in 1629, as a personal assistant, but he would have been only about 11 years old then. Others say he came in 1631 on the ship "Lyon" with Roger Williams, or that he came with his sister and her family in 1638. None of these theories make perfect sense, and none is documented.
So, we believe Thomas Angell was born to James and Mary Angell and was christened on May 1, 1618 at St. Alban's, Hertfordshire, England. We lived at least his boyhood in England before coming to New England, where at some point he met Roger Williams. This may have been in Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony or it may have been in Seekonk in Plymouth Colony, on Williams' way to exile. It's also possible that he arrived in Providence on his own or with his sister's family.
He was in Providence in time to sign a document covenanting to join in a town fellowship. This was not dated but is believed to have been signed with an X, sometime between July 13, 1638 and 1640. He name was on the list of thirty nine signers on an agreement for a government there, dated July 27,1640. At least the first document was signed with an "X", which is puzzling. Did he not acquire his literacy skills until he was an adult?
Thomas was a farmer, and married Alice Ashton, the daughter of James Ashton and Alice Honeychurch about 1643. Although some sources say, without documentation, that the marriage took place in England it seems much more likely that it occurred in Providence. They had at least eight children, including John, James, Anphyillis, Mary, Deborah, Alice, Margery and possibly Thomas (not mentioned in will, perhaps died young).
While Thomas was raising and providing for his family, he was also quite busy with town affairs. He seems to have taken his obligations as a citizen seriously, and was a member of the Town Council in 1650, as well as surveyor and commissioner. He served as a juryman in 1650,1652, and 1659. He served on some high profile trials and commissions, and as mentioned earlier was town clerk for 17 years. Somehow, he and Roger Williams parted ways, intellectually or politically, and Williams filed charges against him as being one of three ringleaders pushing for a new division in the colony. He was apparently not prosecuted, however. He also was one of those who decided the fate of Indian captives after King Philip's War. (Providence had been almost totally destroyed during that conflict).
Thomas's will was probated September 18, 1694, on the same day as his wife's. It had been written May 23, 1685 and it is believed he died about 1689. By this time, he had acquired several parcels of land, up to 60 acres in size, which he divided between his two surviving sons, and two shillings to each of his daughters. He rather generously left his dwelling house and a small portion of land to his widow, plus each son was to give his mother 8 shillings a year. Alice's will left five pounds to James, certain personal belongings to each of her four surviving daughters, and the balance to be divided between the two sons. This makes it seem possible that Thomas had died earlier but that for whatever reason, the will was not probated until Alice also had died.
I envy Thomas in one respect, that he was able to know and talk with Roger Williams. I don't know what caused their falling out nor how long it lasted, but I hope they were able to patch things up. Thomas is another ancestor worthy of our admiration.
The line of descent is:
Thomas Angell-Alice Ashton
Anphyllis Angell-Edward Smith
Anphyllis Smith-Zachariah Eddy
Elisha Eddy-Sarah Phetteplace
Enos Eddy-Sarah Brown
Enos Eddy-Deborah Paine
Joseph Brown Eddy-Susan Lamphire
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Sources vary and don't always make a lot of sense. Once source seems to indicate he was illiterate, but somewhere he learned to read and write well enough that he was trusted with recording the business of the town. Another question arises about his immigration. It has been variously suggested that he came with Richard Waterman in 1629, as a personal assistant, but he would have been only about 11 years old then. Others say he came in 1631 on the ship "Lyon" with Roger Williams, or that he came with his sister and her family in 1638. None of these theories make perfect sense, and none is documented.
So, we believe Thomas Angell was born to James and Mary Angell and was christened on May 1, 1618 at St. Alban's, Hertfordshire, England. We lived at least his boyhood in England before coming to New England, where at some point he met Roger Williams. This may have been in Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony or it may have been in Seekonk in Plymouth Colony, on Williams' way to exile. It's also possible that he arrived in Providence on his own or with his sister's family.
He was in Providence in time to sign a document covenanting to join in a town fellowship. This was not dated but is believed to have been signed with an X, sometime between July 13, 1638 and 1640. He name was on the list of thirty nine signers on an agreement for a government there, dated July 27,1640. At least the first document was signed with an "X", which is puzzling. Did he not acquire his literacy skills until he was an adult?
Thomas was a farmer, and married Alice Ashton, the daughter of James Ashton and Alice Honeychurch about 1643. Although some sources say, without documentation, that the marriage took place in England it seems much more likely that it occurred in Providence. They had at least eight children, including John, James, Anphyillis, Mary, Deborah, Alice, Margery and possibly Thomas (not mentioned in will, perhaps died young).
While Thomas was raising and providing for his family, he was also quite busy with town affairs. He seems to have taken his obligations as a citizen seriously, and was a member of the Town Council in 1650, as well as surveyor and commissioner. He served as a juryman in 1650,1652, and 1659. He served on some high profile trials and commissions, and as mentioned earlier was town clerk for 17 years. Somehow, he and Roger Williams parted ways, intellectually or politically, and Williams filed charges against him as being one of three ringleaders pushing for a new division in the colony. He was apparently not prosecuted, however. He also was one of those who decided the fate of Indian captives after King Philip's War. (Providence had been almost totally destroyed during that conflict).
Thomas's will was probated September 18, 1694, on the same day as his wife's. It had been written May 23, 1685 and it is believed he died about 1689. By this time, he had acquired several parcels of land, up to 60 acres in size, which he divided between his two surviving sons, and two shillings to each of his daughters. He rather generously left his dwelling house and a small portion of land to his widow, plus each son was to give his mother 8 shillings a year. Alice's will left five pounds to James, certain personal belongings to each of her four surviving daughters, and the balance to be divided between the two sons. This makes it seem possible that Thomas had died earlier but that for whatever reason, the will was not probated until Alice also had died.
I envy Thomas in one respect, that he was able to know and talk with Roger Williams. I don't know what caused their falling out nor how long it lasted, but I hope they were able to patch things up. Thomas is another ancestor worthy of our admiration.
The line of descent is:
Thomas Angell-Alice Ashton
Anphyllis Angell-Edward Smith
Anphyllis Smith-Zachariah Eddy
Elisha Eddy-Sarah Phetteplace
Enos Eddy-Sarah Brown
Enos Eddy-Deborah Paine
Joseph Brown Eddy-Susan Lamphire
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Allen line: Samuel Ireland 1603-1639 Immigrant
Samuel Ireland came from England. It would not surprise me to learn that one or more of his ancestors were Irish, but perhaps there is another reason for his name. His background, at this point, is still a mystery.
We know that he was born about 1603. Some websites are listing his place of birth as London but I haven't seen documentation to support that. We know he was born about 1603 because when he immigrated to New England, he was reported as being a carpenter, aged 32. He had a wife Marie, aged 30, and a daughter, aged one and one-half when he was permitted to set sail on the "Increase" after going through all the formalities to prove he was not a threat to the government nor to the Church of England.
We don't know where the family first landed, but they ended up in Wethersfield, Ct. Wethersfield was founded in 1634 so the family was almost in at the beginning of the settlement. He soon owned several small parcels (none larger than 10 acres) of land which indicates that most of them were probably as the result of being a founder of the settlement, and were given by the town as more or less a 'reward" for being there and doing the early hard work. As a carpenter, Samuel would have been kept quite busy building homes and businesses for those who wanted to settle there.
He is believed to have had at least one child in Connecticut. It's a little confusing but it seems the name of his first child was Martha and his second Mary. We don't know whether there were other children, but if there were, they apparently died young.
A major event during his time in Wethersfield was the Pequot War. There was an attack on the town in 1637, which resulted in the death of 6 men and 3 women, and several head of livestock, and the capture of two young girls. Undoubtedly this was a stressful time for the village, and it is likely that Samuel would have been involved in the militia that responded to the attack.
Unfortunately, Samuel also died young, sometime after September 5, 1639 and before April 2 of 1641, when his inventory was produced. We don't know whether it was an accident or an illness that took his life. His widow was to have one third and "the children" two thirds of the estate, which was valued at 70 pounds. Marie Ireland married Robert Burrows and he apparently took over the estate. She is believed to have died in 1672.
This isn't a lot to go on, but it does give us a brief glimpse of the kind of life Samuel must have led. He was a family man, a tradesman, a landowner, and likely a church member, one of the young men who helped our country get started. I'd love to know more about him, where he came from and who his parents were. But at least we know a little about his life on this side of the Atlantic.
The line of descent is:
Samuel Ireland-Marie or Mary
Mary Ireland-John Fish
Samuel Fish-Sarah Stark
Abigail Fish-Daniel Eldridge
Sarah Eldridge-Thomas Chester
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Elizabeth Chester Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
We know that he was born about 1603. Some websites are listing his place of birth as London but I haven't seen documentation to support that. We know he was born about 1603 because when he immigrated to New England, he was reported as being a carpenter, aged 32. He had a wife Marie, aged 30, and a daughter, aged one and one-half when he was permitted to set sail on the "Increase" after going through all the formalities to prove he was not a threat to the government nor to the Church of England.
We don't know where the family first landed, but they ended up in Wethersfield, Ct. Wethersfield was founded in 1634 so the family was almost in at the beginning of the settlement. He soon owned several small parcels (none larger than 10 acres) of land which indicates that most of them were probably as the result of being a founder of the settlement, and were given by the town as more or less a 'reward" for being there and doing the early hard work. As a carpenter, Samuel would have been kept quite busy building homes and businesses for those who wanted to settle there.
He is believed to have had at least one child in Connecticut. It's a little confusing but it seems the name of his first child was Martha and his second Mary. We don't know whether there were other children, but if there were, they apparently died young.
A major event during his time in Wethersfield was the Pequot War. There was an attack on the town in 1637, which resulted in the death of 6 men and 3 women, and several head of livestock, and the capture of two young girls. Undoubtedly this was a stressful time for the village, and it is likely that Samuel would have been involved in the militia that responded to the attack.
Unfortunately, Samuel also died young, sometime after September 5, 1639 and before April 2 of 1641, when his inventory was produced. We don't know whether it was an accident or an illness that took his life. His widow was to have one third and "the children" two thirds of the estate, which was valued at 70 pounds. Marie Ireland married Robert Burrows and he apparently took over the estate. She is believed to have died in 1672.
This isn't a lot to go on, but it does give us a brief glimpse of the kind of life Samuel must have led. He was a family man, a tradesman, a landowner, and likely a church member, one of the young men who helped our country get started. I'd love to know more about him, where he came from and who his parents were. But at least we know a little about his life on this side of the Atlantic.
The line of descent is:
Samuel Ireland-Marie or Mary
Mary Ireland-John Fish
Samuel Fish-Sarah Stark
Abigail Fish-Daniel Eldridge
Sarah Eldridge-Thomas Chester
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Elizabeth Chester Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Friday, December 2, 2016
Harshbarger post: Daniel Schultz 1730-1820
This is a frustrating post to write. I know nothing more of this man than the approximate birth and death dates for him. I don't even have a death location.
The only clues I have to Daniel Schultz's life are that he was married to a Catherine Walter and their daughter Elizabeth was born in Frederick County, Maryland in 1757. I do know that Frederick County had a settlement of Germans and because Catherine is sometimes listed as Catherine Walterin, the feminine form of Walter, I suspect that this was a German family. I would love to know when the families immigrated and where they were from. I also know there would be several variant spellings to the Schultz name, including Shultz. That makes searching more challenging!
Other suspicions are that the family farmed, that it was larger than the one child I know of, and that they may have moved on by the time Daniel died, in 1820. His daughter Elizabeth had died earlier in 1791, in Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia) and it is possible that this is where we should be looking for Daniel. After all, there were grandchildren to enjoy and to help raise!
Again, this is more of a place marker post, knowing that his story isn't told yet. I hope others in his family will find this, and someone will contact me with other information, be it a scrap or a document or a place to look for records. One Ancestry tree shows a Revolutionary War symbol, but there is no indication of whether he was a veteran, and if so, what group he was with. I will start looking in the militia for Frederick County, for starters, but that may or may not prove fruitful.
When I know more, I will write more.
The line of descent is:
Daniel Schultz-Catherine Walter
Elizabeth Schultz-Jacob Geiger
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter Jr.
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
The only clues I have to Daniel Schultz's life are that he was married to a Catherine Walter and their daughter Elizabeth was born in Frederick County, Maryland in 1757. I do know that Frederick County had a settlement of Germans and because Catherine is sometimes listed as Catherine Walterin, the feminine form of Walter, I suspect that this was a German family. I would love to know when the families immigrated and where they were from. I also know there would be several variant spellings to the Schultz name, including Shultz. That makes searching more challenging!
Other suspicions are that the family farmed, that it was larger than the one child I know of, and that they may have moved on by the time Daniel died, in 1820. His daughter Elizabeth had died earlier in 1791, in Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia) and it is possible that this is where we should be looking for Daniel. After all, there were grandchildren to enjoy and to help raise!
Again, this is more of a place marker post, knowing that his story isn't told yet. I hope others in his family will find this, and someone will contact me with other information, be it a scrap or a document or a place to look for records. One Ancestry tree shows a Revolutionary War symbol, but there is no indication of whether he was a veteran, and if so, what group he was with. I will start looking in the militia for Frederick County, for starters, but that may or may not prove fruitful.
When I know more, I will write more.
The line of descent is:
Daniel Schultz-Catherine Walter
Elizabeth Schultz-Jacob Geiger
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter Jr.
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
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