Richard Rocket or Rockwood came to America in or before 1633, but Robert Charles Anderson has not included him as a featured immigrant in his Great Migration series. I don't know why he has been missed, but fortunately there are other sources that help tell his story. It's just that Anderson would have done a superb job, and he missed that opportunity.
Richard was born in 1602 in Weymouth, Dorset, England. His parents were Richard and Elizabeth (maiden name not known) Rockwood. Weymouth is a town on the south coast of England, and has always had a port since is was founded in the middle of the 13th century. So much of the townspeople would have either worked as merchants or in the maritime trade itself. Probably there were fishing fleets that sailed from here as well. Richard, therefore, would have lived in a town that was very different from the hometowns of some of our other ancestors, who either lived in a large city or in a small inland village.
It's believed that Richard sailed to Massachusetts in 1633, when he was given land in Dorchester. He first married an unknown wife in 1628, and then married Agnes Lovell, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Dunckley Lovell in 1636/37. She died in 1643, after giving birth to John Rockwood and possibly one other child. Robert then married Ann as yet not identified, but they apparently had not children together.
By 1641 it appears that the Richard and Agnes and their children were living in Braintree, where they lived out their lives. Agnes died in 1643 in Braintree and Richard died July 6, 1660 in Dorchester, with third wife Ann surviving.
We don't know Richard's occupation, or his religion, and although there seems to be a will and an appraisal or inventory I have not yet located it. I do find notes that the estate was balued at slightly over 38 pounds, but I don't know whether or not that included his land, and I don't know how much land he owned when he died. At one time, he had 40 acres in Dorchester.
Richard is the ancestor of President James Garfield, so this President is also our distant cousin.
The line of descent is:
Richard Rockwood-Agnes Lovell
John Rockwood-Joanna Ford
Joseph Rockwood-Mary Hayward
John Rockwood-Deborah Thayer
Joseph Rockwood-Alice Thompson
Levi Rockwood-Deborah Lazell
Susanna Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Rockwood Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, March 31, 2017
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Allen line: John Root 1608-1684, Immigrant
Although we know quite a bit about John Root, there are two big questions I have after going through all the material I can find about him. The first is his origin. His gravestone, which I think is old but probably not dating back to 1684, states that he was a "Descendant of the Huguenots Routtes who fled from France to England." I've seen statements that this headstone was actually put up as late as 1880, and that the statement should be discounted because it was an American who had it installed. Being an American doesn't necessarily make it wrong, of course, and there is a Thomas Routte/Roote/Root who is accepted by the National Huguenot Society as being an ancestor. I don't know how much credibility to apply to this statement except that it does seem likely that at some point the Routte family came to England.
The second mystery about John is his parents. They are given everywhere as John Roote and Mary Ann Russell or Rushall. However, we are also told that John was raised by a wealthy uncle, and looking at the family tree, it appears that this couple might fit that description. I can't find documentation as to his birth or to the death of these "parents" so I'm not clear on exactly who John is. However, he was born February 26,1608 in Badby, Northamptonshire, England. Supposedly the uncle who raised him was pressing John to go into the Parliamentary Army under Cromwell, and our John was not willing to do that, so he came to America as a Puritan and settled in Farmington, Connecticut in 1640.
He married Mary Kilbourne, most likely after arriving in Farmington but possibly in England. Their first known child was born in 1642 in Farmington, so if they met soon after John's arrival, possibly in church, then a marriage perhaps in 1641 and a child born a year later would make sense.
John was a weaver as well as a farmer. We know that he and his wife were members of the church in Farmington, that John served on several juries at Hartford, and that he was apparently a respected man of his town. We are fortunate that copies of his estate are still available. At his death, it was valued at 819 pounds. Interestingly, it includes a list of the 32 books in his library, most of which were religious. There was one "law book" and it's not clear what a couple of the other books were, but most had titles like "Israel's Safety" or "door of Salvation." His inventory also included a long gun, a musket, a carbine, a backsword and belt, and various equipment needed to support these weapons. It is likely that he was part of the "military train" for much of his life, but since he lived until 1684, when he would have been 76 years old, he had probably been excused from military service some years earlier. He was have been 67 or 68 when King Philip's War broke out, so likely stayed home to help guard the women and children when the men of the town were called out.
John died in August of 1684 and his wife Mary died in 1697. Among his descendants, so our cousins, are President Rutherford B. Hayes, Louisa May Alcott (yes! I knew I liked her!), Nancy Davis Reagan, Bess Wallace Truman, and Clint Eastwood. He contributed much to American's history, besides settling in Connecticut and helping make a town out of the wilderness.
Our line of descent is:
John Root-Mary Kilbourne
John Root Mary Ashley
Samuel Root-Mary Gunn
Martin Root-Eunice Lamb
Martin Root-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
A second line is the same for the first two generations, and then is:
John Root-Sarah Stebbins
Sarah Root-Thomas Noble
Stephen Noble-Ruth Church
Ruth Noble-Martin Root
and so on. Ruth Noble and Martin Root were second cousins, if I have this figured right. So we're doubly related to all those famous people I mentioned!
The second mystery about John is his parents. They are given everywhere as John Roote and Mary Ann Russell or Rushall. However, we are also told that John was raised by a wealthy uncle, and looking at the family tree, it appears that this couple might fit that description. I can't find documentation as to his birth or to the death of these "parents" so I'm not clear on exactly who John is. However, he was born February 26,1608 in Badby, Northamptonshire, England. Supposedly the uncle who raised him was pressing John to go into the Parliamentary Army under Cromwell, and our John was not willing to do that, so he came to America as a Puritan and settled in Farmington, Connecticut in 1640.
He married Mary Kilbourne, most likely after arriving in Farmington but possibly in England. Their first known child was born in 1642 in Farmington, so if they met soon after John's arrival, possibly in church, then a marriage perhaps in 1641 and a child born a year later would make sense.
John was a weaver as well as a farmer. We know that he and his wife were members of the church in Farmington, that John served on several juries at Hartford, and that he was apparently a respected man of his town. We are fortunate that copies of his estate are still available. At his death, it was valued at 819 pounds. Interestingly, it includes a list of the 32 books in his library, most of which were religious. There was one "law book" and it's not clear what a couple of the other books were, but most had titles like "Israel's Safety" or "door of Salvation." His inventory also included a long gun, a musket, a carbine, a backsword and belt, and various equipment needed to support these weapons. It is likely that he was part of the "military train" for much of his life, but since he lived until 1684, when he would have been 76 years old, he had probably been excused from military service some years earlier. He was have been 67 or 68 when King Philip's War broke out, so likely stayed home to help guard the women and children when the men of the town were called out.
John died in August of 1684 and his wife Mary died in 1697. Among his descendants, so our cousins, are President Rutherford B. Hayes, Louisa May Alcott (yes! I knew I liked her!), Nancy Davis Reagan, Bess Wallace Truman, and Clint Eastwood. He contributed much to American's history, besides settling in Connecticut and helping make a town out of the wilderness.
Our line of descent is:
John Root-Mary Kilbourne
John Root Mary Ashley
Samuel Root-Mary Gunn
Martin Root-Eunice Lamb
Martin Root-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
A second line is the same for the first two generations, and then is:
John Root-Sarah Stebbins
Sarah Root-Thomas Noble
Stephen Noble-Ruth Church
Ruth Noble-Martin Root
and so on. Ruth Noble and Martin Root were second cousins, if I have this figured right. So we're doubly related to all those famous people I mentioned!
Friday, March 24, 2017
Harshbarger line: Jacob Kobel, 1682-1731 Immigrant
I'm once again coming to the end of known Harshbarger line immigrants to write about, so it was a thrill to find one who has a well-known history. Actually, it's better known than I am going to write about, because there are some articles in genealogy journals that I've not yet been able to consult. So this will be an incomplete sketch. If the articles tell me more that I think the family would want to know about, I'll do an update. But the story as I already know is one of courage and hard work and all the things we admire in our ancestors.
Jacob Kobel was born in 1682 in Sinsheim, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, the son of Johann George and Eva Sonsst Kobel. He had about 7 brothers and two half-brothers, so it was a large family. He married Anna Maria Egli in 1708 in Hofferheim, Baden-Wuerttemburg, Germany. Probably for economic reasons (his father had to provide a living for all those children!), Jacob and Maria left Germany when Queen Anne of England signaled her willingness to help the hopeful immigrants get to the New World, where they would work to build a colony. Or did she? Perhaps it was an offhand comment that somehow made it's way to Germany, but the arrivals in London thought they were on their way to the New World, where the queen was granting them free land. Such was not the case.
While the German immigrants arrived in greater and greater number, the English didn't know what to do with them. Some found menial jobs, or joined the English army. But most stayed on, jobless and without hope as they realized there was no free transportation or free land in their future. They were there for several months, if not longer, while funds were found to send them onward. Meanwhile, these people lived in tents in a dismal part of London. Even in summer, England is not always warm and they were there during the winter months, too, with little food or fuel to survive on. I can't imagine spending a London winter living in a tent! Finally, the group was so large that the Queen had to move them on, and the immigrants were sent to New York.
Most of them were indentured and worked around Schoharie, NY for the first years they were in America. Once they had paid back their passage money by serving their indentureship, conditions didn't improve. Their masters refused to free them, or to give them the money, tools, or clothes they were entitled to. Finally, groups of Germans turned New Yorkers left the Schoharie area, fearing they were being followed all the way, and then those who survived the journey settled mostly in Tulpehocken, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
There, with the few things they had been able to bring with them, they settled, finally free. It's not clear whether they were able to purchase land right away or whether they settled where they could and then paid for the land later, when crops and trapping allowed them to accumulate the funds to buy their own land. Jacob was a miller, having built mills in the Schoharie area and also in the area of Womelsdorf, Pa., so he may have had a cash flow sooner than some of the other settlers.
However, it was a hard life even after it got better, and Jacob lived only until 1731. He and Maria had at least 8 children, with the first known child being born in 1713 and the last in 1726. There may be other children, born before 1713 or after 1726, that we don't know of, perhaps because they didn't survive. Maria, however, was a survivor and lived until 1774. She had the misfortune to see her son Henry and most of his family massacred by Indians at the beginning of the French and Indian Wars, in 1755. (Although Jacob and Maria were Lutherans, Henry had married a Mennonite woman and they were pacifists who believed they were on good terms with the native Americans. The surviving children became Lutherans as young adults.)
We just can't begin to imagine everything that Jacob and Maria endured in their efforts to improve their lot and raise their family in America. Take pride in this heritage!.
I'm looking forward to finding the books and articles I have printed out for my next trip to the Allen County Public Library, and will do an update if I find more of interest.
The line of descent is:
Jacob Kobel-Anna Maria Egli
Maria Barbara Kobel-Johann Jacob Schaeffer
Anna Maria Schaeffer-Jacob Whetstone
John Whetstone-Magdalena
Catherine Whetstone-Henry Cook or Koch
William Cook-Elizabeth Brown
Barbara Cook-William A Withers
William H Withers-Della Kemery
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Jacob Kobel was born in 1682 in Sinsheim, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, the son of Johann George and Eva Sonsst Kobel. He had about 7 brothers and two half-brothers, so it was a large family. He married Anna Maria Egli in 1708 in Hofferheim, Baden-Wuerttemburg, Germany. Probably for economic reasons (his father had to provide a living for all those children!), Jacob and Maria left Germany when Queen Anne of England signaled her willingness to help the hopeful immigrants get to the New World, where they would work to build a colony. Or did she? Perhaps it was an offhand comment that somehow made it's way to Germany, but the arrivals in London thought they were on their way to the New World, where the queen was granting them free land. Such was not the case.
While the German immigrants arrived in greater and greater number, the English didn't know what to do with them. Some found menial jobs, or joined the English army. But most stayed on, jobless and without hope as they realized there was no free transportation or free land in their future. They were there for several months, if not longer, while funds were found to send them onward. Meanwhile, these people lived in tents in a dismal part of London. Even in summer, England is not always warm and they were there during the winter months, too, with little food or fuel to survive on. I can't imagine spending a London winter living in a tent! Finally, the group was so large that the Queen had to move them on, and the immigrants were sent to New York.
Most of them were indentured and worked around Schoharie, NY for the first years they were in America. Once they had paid back their passage money by serving their indentureship, conditions didn't improve. Their masters refused to free them, or to give them the money, tools, or clothes they were entitled to. Finally, groups of Germans turned New Yorkers left the Schoharie area, fearing they were being followed all the way, and then those who survived the journey settled mostly in Tulpehocken, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
There, with the few things they had been able to bring with them, they settled, finally free. It's not clear whether they were able to purchase land right away or whether they settled where they could and then paid for the land later, when crops and trapping allowed them to accumulate the funds to buy their own land. Jacob was a miller, having built mills in the Schoharie area and also in the area of Womelsdorf, Pa., so he may have had a cash flow sooner than some of the other settlers.
However, it was a hard life even after it got better, and Jacob lived only until 1731. He and Maria had at least 8 children, with the first known child being born in 1713 and the last in 1726. There may be other children, born before 1713 or after 1726, that we don't know of, perhaps because they didn't survive. Maria, however, was a survivor and lived until 1774. She had the misfortune to see her son Henry and most of his family massacred by Indians at the beginning of the French and Indian Wars, in 1755. (Although Jacob and Maria were Lutherans, Henry had married a Mennonite woman and they were pacifists who believed they were on good terms with the native Americans. The surviving children became Lutherans as young adults.)
We just can't begin to imagine everything that Jacob and Maria endured in their efforts to improve their lot and raise their family in America. Take pride in this heritage!.
I'm looking forward to finding the books and articles I have printed out for my next trip to the Allen County Public Library, and will do an update if I find more of interest.
The line of descent is:
Jacob Kobel-Anna Maria Egli
Maria Barbara Kobel-Johann Jacob Schaeffer
Anna Maria Schaeffer-Jacob Whetstone
John Whetstone-Magdalena
Catherine Whetstone-Henry Cook or Koch
William Cook-Elizabeth Brown
Barbara Cook-William A Withers
William H Withers-Della Kemery
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Beeks line: David Jones 1653-1707, Immigrant
It's possible that I should be writing about Samuel Jones, who may or may not be David's father, and who may or may not have emigrated from Wales to Pennsylvania. However, I can find a bit of documentation for David and I find nothing for Samuel, so at this point we'll write what we can about David.
David was born in 1653 in either Pembrokeshire or Carmarthenshire, Wales. We know nothing at all of his early life until he shows up in 1682 in Langamin, Carmarthen(shire) Wales, marrying Susanna Howell at the Monthly Meeting of Pembroke. This gives us our first clue-he was a Quaker, and so that may explain some of why he can't be found earlier. Quakers left few footprints, unless they were jailed for their faith. So far, records haven't been found that would indicate this. So he probably lived a very quiet life, and either paid his taxes when due, as some Quakers did, or possibly owed no taxes. He married Susanna Howell, whose parents are believed to be Morgan Howell and Elizabeth Adams, on April 6, 1682. There are 22 names signed as witnesses on the marriage record, including Saara Jones, who may be a relative, and three people with the last name of Howell.
Soon after their marriage, David and Susanna came to America, arriving in Pennsylvania in 1682, so probably part of the William Penn group. Here they found frontier territory to settle, and it appears that they settled in what became Chester County, in what was later termed the "Welsh Tracts". He and Susanna had at least three children-Susanna, Elizabeth, and Alice. That is all we know of him until his death 04 Eleventh, 1707 (Quaker usage), or January 4, 1707, as we would know it. This is noted in the Chester Monthly meeting, and his religion is indicated as "Orthodox" which doesn't seem to have much meaning as applied to this time period in history.
It appears that his wife Susanna died within just a couple of months of David's death. Was there an epidemic, or were these two fifty somethings just worn out? I've seen no hints that there were problems with the native Americans, as the early Quakers did all in their power to treat them peacefully.
Of course there is so much more we'd like to know. David undoubtedly did some farming, but was this his principal occupation? Was he a fur trader, or a merchant of some kind? With no known sons, it would have been hard to expand his landholdings, if he even owned land. Did his daughters work for others in order to help support the family, or was David doing well enough by the time they were born that they didn't need to do that? I'd like to know what land he held, if any, and of course I'd love to know about his life in Wales, and his family further back.
The line of descent is:
David Jones-Susanna Howell
Elizabeth Jones-Isaac Malin
Isaac Malin-Lydia Booth
Sarah Malin-David Ruble
Hannah Ruble-Samuel Dunham
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
David was born in 1653 in either Pembrokeshire or Carmarthenshire, Wales. We know nothing at all of his early life until he shows up in 1682 in Langamin, Carmarthen(shire) Wales, marrying Susanna Howell at the Monthly Meeting of Pembroke. This gives us our first clue-he was a Quaker, and so that may explain some of why he can't be found earlier. Quakers left few footprints, unless they were jailed for their faith. So far, records haven't been found that would indicate this. So he probably lived a very quiet life, and either paid his taxes when due, as some Quakers did, or possibly owed no taxes. He married Susanna Howell, whose parents are believed to be Morgan Howell and Elizabeth Adams, on April 6, 1682. There are 22 names signed as witnesses on the marriage record, including Saara Jones, who may be a relative, and three people with the last name of Howell.
Soon after their marriage, David and Susanna came to America, arriving in Pennsylvania in 1682, so probably part of the William Penn group. Here they found frontier territory to settle, and it appears that they settled in what became Chester County, in what was later termed the "Welsh Tracts". He and Susanna had at least three children-Susanna, Elizabeth, and Alice. That is all we know of him until his death 04 Eleventh, 1707 (Quaker usage), or January 4, 1707, as we would know it. This is noted in the Chester Monthly meeting, and his religion is indicated as "Orthodox" which doesn't seem to have much meaning as applied to this time period in history.
It appears that his wife Susanna died within just a couple of months of David's death. Was there an epidemic, or were these two fifty somethings just worn out? I've seen no hints that there were problems with the native Americans, as the early Quakers did all in their power to treat them peacefully.
Of course there is so much more we'd like to know. David undoubtedly did some farming, but was this his principal occupation? Was he a fur trader, or a merchant of some kind? With no known sons, it would have been hard to expand his landholdings, if he even owned land. Did his daughters work for others in order to help support the family, or was David doing well enough by the time they were born that they didn't need to do that? I'd like to know what land he held, if any, and of course I'd love to know about his life in Wales, and his family further back.
The line of descent is:
David Jones-Susanna Howell
Elizabeth Jones-Isaac Malin
Isaac Malin-Lydia Booth
Sarah Malin-David Ruble
Hannah Ruble-Samuel Dunham
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
Friday, March 17, 2017
Holbrook line: William Hawkins 1609-1699 Immigrant
For a man who lived such a long life, he sure seems to have left few records behind. Even his place of birth is something of a mystery. It is listed as "Exon, Glouer, Devon, England" on several genealogy sites. I think this comes from a passenger ship listing, and the "Glouer" should actually be read "glover", as his occupation, when he left England for New England in 1634. If this is true, then perhaps the birth year came from that same list, and may be off by a year or two. I've also seen one mention that he was of Exmouth, England, which is a very different place than the only Exon I've been able to find. So, he may have been born near the castle of Exon, or in the village of Exmouth, but I've not found real documentation for either location Perhaps someone with knowledge of this will be able to enlighten me on this subject!
We do know that he and his future wife, Margaret Harwood, were on the same ship as they sailed from England to St Christophe in the Caribbean and then north to -where? Most sites give Providence, Rhode Island but they must have been somewhere else first because Providence wasn't founded until 1635-36, when Roger Williams was expelled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. So they would have gone either to Connecticut or to Boston, most likely. I'd sure like to know what they were doing for those three or four years before they showed up in Providence in 1638! How did they meet or hear of Roger Williams? Why did they choose to join his settlement/colony? Oh, the questions!
William married Margaret Harwood, probably not long after their arrival in Providence, and he was granted land in December of 1638. This appears to be in what later became Smithfield. His name is on the list of those who signed a compact in 1640, agreeing on the basic rules of government, and he purchased more land in 1645. Ten years later, he was made a freeman. He was granted more land on the condition that he cut the meadow and build a house and live there within three years, which he did . When the troubles came with King Philip's War, he was one of the few men who stayed in Rhode Island, not leaving for a safer place, although we are not told what his family did. (Family included at least five children, born between 1641 and 1649). Since that was the end of the child bearing, did Margaret die about this time? I find no mention of her death.
He apparently wrote his will in 1699, at that time granting freedom to his slave Jack, but not for another 25 years. Still, it was better treatment than most slaves received! Some think a reference in 1702/03 to William Hawkins Sr. refers to this William. It could just as well be his son William, who might now be a "Senior" as there were likely grandchildren of our William who were named after him. In 1698, his rateable estate included 2 oxen, 4 steers, 6 cows, 3 heifers, a horse, 2 mares, 6 acres Indian corn, 3 acres rye, 10 acres meadow and 10 acres pasture, without mentioning his dwelling.
I found no reference to his religion, to his occupation (glover? in the wilds of Rhode Island?), or to any role he might have played in government. Those are questions I would like to answer, one way or another. But I did find enough to show that he is another in a long line of extraordinary and normal folks, probably not far up the economic ladder, who came to America and made it what it is today.
Our line of descent is:
William Hawkins-Margaret Harwood
John Hawkins-Sarah Daniels
Mary Hawkins-Hosanna Brown
Othniel Brown-Deborah Brown
Sarah Brown-Enos Eddy
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
We do know that he and his future wife, Margaret Harwood, were on the same ship as they sailed from England to St Christophe in the Caribbean and then north to -where? Most sites give Providence, Rhode Island but they must have been somewhere else first because Providence wasn't founded until 1635-36, when Roger Williams was expelled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. So they would have gone either to Connecticut or to Boston, most likely. I'd sure like to know what they were doing for those three or four years before they showed up in Providence in 1638! How did they meet or hear of Roger Williams? Why did they choose to join his settlement/colony? Oh, the questions!
William married Margaret Harwood, probably not long after their arrival in Providence, and he was granted land in December of 1638. This appears to be in what later became Smithfield. His name is on the list of those who signed a compact in 1640, agreeing on the basic rules of government, and he purchased more land in 1645. Ten years later, he was made a freeman. He was granted more land on the condition that he cut the meadow and build a house and live there within three years, which he did . When the troubles came with King Philip's War, he was one of the few men who stayed in Rhode Island, not leaving for a safer place, although we are not told what his family did. (Family included at least five children, born between 1641 and 1649). Since that was the end of the child bearing, did Margaret die about this time? I find no mention of her death.
He apparently wrote his will in 1699, at that time granting freedom to his slave Jack, but not for another 25 years. Still, it was better treatment than most slaves received! Some think a reference in 1702/03 to William Hawkins Sr. refers to this William. It could just as well be his son William, who might now be a "Senior" as there were likely grandchildren of our William who were named after him. In 1698, his rateable estate included 2 oxen, 4 steers, 6 cows, 3 heifers, a horse, 2 mares, 6 acres Indian corn, 3 acres rye, 10 acres meadow and 10 acres pasture, without mentioning his dwelling.
I found no reference to his religion, to his occupation (glover? in the wilds of Rhode Island?), or to any role he might have played in government. Those are questions I would like to answer, one way or another. But I did find enough to show that he is another in a long line of extraordinary and normal folks, probably not far up the economic ladder, who came to America and made it what it is today.
Our line of descent is:
William Hawkins-Margaret Harwood
John Hawkins-Sarah Daniels
Mary Hawkins-Hosanna Brown
Othniel Brown-Deborah Brown
Sarah Brown-Enos Eddy
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, March 14, 2017
Allen line: Thomas Starr 1565-1640 Immigrant
How hard can it be to write about the very first ancestor I ever heard about, back when I was a pre-teen or early teen-ager? A family genealogist, unidentified, had researched the Starr family and an aunt gave us a copy of her discoveries as a Christmas gift. (Although, now I wonder how much of it was her work and how much was a compilation; still, it was and is precious to us).
But when I actually sat down to write about him, there is much less information than I expected to find, and some of it is contradictory, as is often the case. His father was Thomas, his son was Thomas, and hehad grandsons named Thomas, so it's easy to see how facts could be a little confusing, and confused.
Thomas Starr was born about 1565 in New Romney, Kent, England. His father was Thomas Starr who served as mayor of New Romney for a short period of time, and it appears that his mother's name was Agnes. Our Thomas was a mercer, a dealer in textile goods, generally silks, velvets, and fine materials. He would have supplied the well-to-do of the towns of Cranbrook and Ashford, which are the two towns where most of his children were baptized. It is likely that Thomas and his wife Susan or Susannah made the first move, from New Romeny to Cranbrook, because of economic reasons. They may have moved a second time because they had become Puritans, and Ashford was a center for people with these beliefs.
Thomas and Susan gave names to their children that are on trivia games and lists of "amazing" names, but they surely didn't intend to give their children a fleeting moment of fame. They were names chosen because they meant something to the family, even if we are a bit puzzled by some of them now. Their children were Jehosaphet, Comfort, Nostrength, Moregift, William, Mercy, Suretrust, Standwell, Judith, Truth-Shall-Prevail, Joyfulle (also seen as Joyfoole), Constant, and Beloved. I hope someone called them "Bub" or "Sis"! It does give us a glimpse into the mindset of Thomas, though.
His son Comfort, a surgeon, seems to have been the first of the family to make the trip to Massachusetts, in 1637, and his parents are believed to have come in 1637, although I've seen one guesstimate as 1633. At any rate, it was still early in the history of the colony. Thomas would have been somewhere between 68 and 72 years of age, so perhaps he expected more of his family to come also, or maybe the religious pressures in England were just beginning to be more than he could deal with.
We know little of his life in Boston except that he is believed to have died in Dorchester in late 1639 or early 1640. His estate in New England was small, about 69 pounds, but he still owned lands and buildings in England which helped his family live more comfortably than some.
We have two lines of descent from Thomas:
Thomas Starr-Agnes
Comfort Starr-Elizabeth Watts
Thomas Starr-Rachel Harris
Samuel Starr-Hannah Brewster
Thomas Starr-Mercy Morgan
Mary Starr-John Chester
Thomas Chester-Sarah Eldridge
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
The second line is the same through Thomas Starr and Mary or Mercy Morgan. Then it's
Thomas Starr-Jerusha Street
John Starr Mary Sharp
John Starr-Betsy Havens
and continues on from there. So John and Betsy would have been distant cousins.
But when I actually sat down to write about him, there is much less information than I expected to find, and some of it is contradictory, as is often the case. His father was Thomas, his son was Thomas, and hehad grandsons named Thomas, so it's easy to see how facts could be a little confusing, and confused.
Thomas Starr was born about 1565 in New Romney, Kent, England. His father was Thomas Starr who served as mayor of New Romney for a short period of time, and it appears that his mother's name was Agnes. Our Thomas was a mercer, a dealer in textile goods, generally silks, velvets, and fine materials. He would have supplied the well-to-do of the towns of Cranbrook and Ashford, which are the two towns where most of his children were baptized. It is likely that Thomas and his wife Susan or Susannah made the first move, from New Romeny to Cranbrook, because of economic reasons. They may have moved a second time because they had become Puritans, and Ashford was a center for people with these beliefs.
Thomas and Susan gave names to their children that are on trivia games and lists of "amazing" names, but they surely didn't intend to give their children a fleeting moment of fame. They were names chosen because they meant something to the family, even if we are a bit puzzled by some of them now. Their children were Jehosaphet, Comfort, Nostrength, Moregift, William, Mercy, Suretrust, Standwell, Judith, Truth-Shall-Prevail, Joyfulle (also seen as Joyfoole), Constant, and Beloved. I hope someone called them "Bub" or "Sis"! It does give us a glimpse into the mindset of Thomas, though.
His son Comfort, a surgeon, seems to have been the first of the family to make the trip to Massachusetts, in 1637, and his parents are believed to have come in 1637, although I've seen one guesstimate as 1633. At any rate, it was still early in the history of the colony. Thomas would have been somewhere between 68 and 72 years of age, so perhaps he expected more of his family to come also, or maybe the religious pressures in England were just beginning to be more than he could deal with.
We know little of his life in Boston except that he is believed to have died in Dorchester in late 1639 or early 1640. His estate in New England was small, about 69 pounds, but he still owned lands and buildings in England which helped his family live more comfortably than some.
We have two lines of descent from Thomas:
Thomas Starr-Agnes
Comfort Starr-Elizabeth Watts
Thomas Starr-Rachel Harris
Samuel Starr-Hannah Brewster
Thomas Starr-Mercy Morgan
Mary Starr-John Chester
Thomas Chester-Sarah Eldridge
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
The second line is the same through Thomas Starr and Mary or Mercy Morgan. Then it's
Thomas Starr-Jerusha Street
John Starr Mary Sharp
John Starr-Betsy Havens
and continues on from there. So John and Betsy would have been distant cousins.
Friday, March 10, 2017
Harshbarger line: John Buchtel 1733-1809
We are fortunate to have a good amount of information about John. He is also known as Johannes, but it seems that most of the records about him refer to him as John. Henry Meyer in volume 8 of the Pennsylvania-German magazine does a wonderful job of telling John's story, making it easy for us to imagine him and proud for us to honor him. I recommend that you get a copy of the magazine (it's on Google, at no cost) in order to get a full sense of the man and his family. This is necessarily shortened.
John was born in late 1732 or early 1733 in Linsenhofen, Wuerttemburg, Germany. This alone makes him different from many of our ancestors, because he wasn't Swiss and may not have suffered religious persecution. He and his family were Lutheran, Well, actually he may have been a bit of a free thinker, but mostly he was Lutheran. His family had lived in the little village for at least five generations, going back to Petrus Buchtel who was born there in 1610. For references, it's near Stuttgart, Germany, and has a population of about 2500 people, but that's about all I've been able to find about it. John's parents were Johannes and Lucia Ehhalt Buchtel, and he had a sister and quite probably other siblings.
John came to America in 1753, possibly because war seemed to be brewing at home. He was single when he arrived here, and had little in the way of material goods. He served an indentureship to pay off the cost of his passage, and married Catherine Seiler or Scheler, a neighbor who was also working to pay off her indenture. They were married December23,1760 and first went to live in Snyder County. Later they moved to Brush Valley, in what is now Centre county, and this is where they made their forever home.
John and Catherine had at least 9 children, and all of the family members are considered to be pioneers of Centre County. they had to clear their land while keeping an eye out for wolves, bears, and even panthers. By 1792, the year they apparently moved to Brush Valley, the threat from the native Americans was pretty much over, but there were still many dangers to overcome. John farmed and planted apple trees as well. His grapevines were not as successful, and I don't understand the slang in the article that explains why. It is apparent that the failure was not due to lack of work on John or the family's part. John was also a cooper (made barrels, buckets, and pails) and a mechanic, and as the Valley filled up, or as travelers passed, his skills were much needed. He seems to have been well educated, or self-educated, with particular interests in mathematics, astrology (common at this time period) and philosophy. As already stated, he was a Lutheran but not a regular church goer. It is said that ministers went to him in order to learn.
John several times mentioned that he would not die in his bed and that prediction came true one unnoted day in 1809. He was standing in the doorway to his house, and fell down dead. Some of the Buchtel children wanted to move on to Ohio, perhaps because they weren't given enough land to survive on in their father's will (that is just speculation on my past). In 1812, all but two of the children, plus Catherine herself, set off for a new home near Uniontown, Stark County, Ohio, and Catherine died there in 1813. The trip was probably quite difficult for her.
There is a picture in the article of a home that Solomon Buchtel built in Brush Valley near Rebersburg. It is probably not standing any longer, but it looks like it would have been a nice farm home at the time it was built.
I admire John Buchtel and would like to learn more about him. One thing I'm really curious about is where he got his education, and what his parents hoped that he would do with it. Did they want him to become a pastor or a schoolteacher? And what inspired him to continue his learning while he was so busy doing the back breaking work of farming and breaking in new land?
The line of descent is:
John Buchtel-Catherine Seiler
Solomon Buchtel-Maria Margaretha Reber
Benjamin Buchtel-Barbara Burkholder Long
Fannie Buchtel-Adam Kemery
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
John was born in late 1732 or early 1733 in Linsenhofen, Wuerttemburg, Germany. This alone makes him different from many of our ancestors, because he wasn't Swiss and may not have suffered religious persecution. He and his family were Lutheran, Well, actually he may have been a bit of a free thinker, but mostly he was Lutheran. His family had lived in the little village for at least five generations, going back to Petrus Buchtel who was born there in 1610. For references, it's near Stuttgart, Germany, and has a population of about 2500 people, but that's about all I've been able to find about it. John's parents were Johannes and Lucia Ehhalt Buchtel, and he had a sister and quite probably other siblings.
John came to America in 1753, possibly because war seemed to be brewing at home. He was single when he arrived here, and had little in the way of material goods. He served an indentureship to pay off the cost of his passage, and married Catherine Seiler or Scheler, a neighbor who was also working to pay off her indenture. They were married December23,1760 and first went to live in Snyder County. Later they moved to Brush Valley, in what is now Centre county, and this is where they made their forever home.
John and Catherine had at least 9 children, and all of the family members are considered to be pioneers of Centre County. they had to clear their land while keeping an eye out for wolves, bears, and even panthers. By 1792, the year they apparently moved to Brush Valley, the threat from the native Americans was pretty much over, but there were still many dangers to overcome. John farmed and planted apple trees as well. His grapevines were not as successful, and I don't understand the slang in the article that explains why. It is apparent that the failure was not due to lack of work on John or the family's part. John was also a cooper (made barrels, buckets, and pails) and a mechanic, and as the Valley filled up, or as travelers passed, his skills were much needed. He seems to have been well educated, or self-educated, with particular interests in mathematics, astrology (common at this time period) and philosophy. As already stated, he was a Lutheran but not a regular church goer. It is said that ministers went to him in order to learn.
John several times mentioned that he would not die in his bed and that prediction came true one unnoted day in 1809. He was standing in the doorway to his house, and fell down dead. Some of the Buchtel children wanted to move on to Ohio, perhaps because they weren't given enough land to survive on in their father's will (that is just speculation on my past). In 1812, all but two of the children, plus Catherine herself, set off for a new home near Uniontown, Stark County, Ohio, and Catherine died there in 1813. The trip was probably quite difficult for her.
There is a picture in the article of a home that Solomon Buchtel built in Brush Valley near Rebersburg. It is probably not standing any longer, but it looks like it would have been a nice farm home at the time it was built.
I admire John Buchtel and would like to learn more about him. One thing I'm really curious about is where he got his education, and what his parents hoped that he would do with it. Did they want him to become a pastor or a schoolteacher? And what inspired him to continue his learning while he was so busy doing the back breaking work of farming and breaking in new land?
The line of descent is:
John Buchtel-Catherine Seiler
Solomon Buchtel-Maria Margaretha Reber
Benjamin Buchtel-Barbara Burkholder Long
Fannie Buchtel-Adam Kemery
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Beeks line: Jackson Wise 1817-1893
Jackson Wise may or may not be the biological ancestor of those in the Beeks family. But he was certainly part of the family, known as Dad, Grandpa, and Uncle to the Beeks family, and they must have known his story at one time. We don't know much of his story particularly after he came to Wabash County, but I'm learning more. T.J. Hunnicutt, the archivist at the Wabash County Historical Museum, has been sending me copies of the "rather large file" about Jackson that he has there. While I may or may not share all of it, one of the first items he sent me answers an important question: How did Jackson Wise die?
This is from a typed copy of an article taken from the Wabash Daily Plain Dealer of Monday Evening, March 6, 1893, page 4 column 3.
"Died From His Injuries"
"Jack Wise, a noted character living about two miles southwest of Lincolnville, died at his home Saturday from internal injuries sustained Thursday of last week while assisting a horse which had fallen in his stable to arise. The horse was on his back and was wedged in the stall. A rope was tied around the animal's neck in order to pull him around. Mr. Wise was behind the horse and he kicked back with one foot striking him in the stomach with the above result. Wise was picked up and assisted to his house where he lingered in great pain until death came to his relief. the funeral occurred Sunday morning at 10o'clock. Burial in Center Grove Cemetery."
I'm looking forward to learning more about the reasons "Jack" was considered a "noted character", I think. I'm also wondering why there would be a funeral at church service time on a Sunday morning. Maybe that's when the family could be there, or the preacher was available because he didn't have services until a little later in the day. I don't recall seeing many Sunday 10 a.m. funerals, though, even in that time period. As often happens, answering one question generates more questions.
The line of descent is:
Jackson Wise-Charity Botkin
Mary Wise-William Beeks
John Beeks-Elizabeth Wise
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
This is from a typed copy of an article taken from the Wabash Daily Plain Dealer of Monday Evening, March 6, 1893, page 4 column 3.
"Died From His Injuries"
"Jack Wise, a noted character living about two miles southwest of Lincolnville, died at his home Saturday from internal injuries sustained Thursday of last week while assisting a horse which had fallen in his stable to arise. The horse was on his back and was wedged in the stall. A rope was tied around the animal's neck in order to pull him around. Mr. Wise was behind the horse and he kicked back with one foot striking him in the stomach with the above result. Wise was picked up and assisted to his house where he lingered in great pain until death came to his relief. the funeral occurred Sunday morning at 10o'clock. Burial in Center Grove Cemetery."
I'm looking forward to learning more about the reasons "Jack" was considered a "noted character", I think. I'm also wondering why there would be a funeral at church service time on a Sunday morning. Maybe that's when the family could be there, or the preacher was available because he didn't have services until a little later in the day. I don't recall seeing many Sunday 10 a.m. funerals, though, even in that time period. As often happens, answering one question generates more questions.
The line of descent is:
Jackson Wise-Charity Botkin
Mary Wise-William Beeks
John Beeks-Elizabeth Wise
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Friday, March 3, 2017
Holbrook line: Matthew Whipple 1588-1647
It's always fun to find an ancestor I've overlooked, and to find there is quite a bit of information about him, AND to find his will AND his inventory. So it's been a fun morning.
Matthew Whipple isn't a name that leaps to my mind when remembering my immigrant ancestors, but maybe now he will be. There is a log of information about him on the Geni sight, and more on AmericanAncestors. The will is found in Volume 1 of The Probate Records of Essex County, which means it's been transcribed and although I still struggle with archaic spellings and meanings and even vocabulary, at least I don't have to try to read ancient handwriting.
Matthew was born, or christened, December 19,1588, in Bocking, Essex, England. His parents were Matthew Whipple and Joan. Matthew of England was a clothier, and based on his will, was apparently well off. I'm not finding a lot of information about Bocking on line, but I did find St Mary's Church, which is where Matthew probably attended as a child, and where his father is buried (likely his mother, too).. He had at least nine brothers and sisters, and Matthew was the fifth child born into the family.
Matthew married Ann or Anne Hawkins on May 7, 1622, at St Mary's church in Bocking. I haven't done any proof work to say whether I believe this or not, but Ann is supposed to be a granddaughter of the famous John Hawkins, merchant, slave trader, explorer, treasurer and controller of the English Navy. (I am learning to be somewhat doubtful when I find a line tied to someone famous, since I've been burned a few times by published genealogies that turned out to be mistaken or in some cases just plain fraudulent.)
Matthew and Ann had at least 5 children and possibly more. Apparently most were born in Bocking but the last one or two may have been born in Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay Colony. The family immigrated apparently between 1636 and 1638. He was a member of the church there and I believe that when I see the phrase "Deacon Whipple" it refers to our Matthew. Ann died sometime before September 28, 1646, when Matthew married Rose Barker Chute, who outlived him.
I've found that Matthew held many offices but I've not found a list other than that he was frequently a "clerke", That indicates he could read and write, and that is supported by contents of his inventory which included 29 books. He was one of the largest landowners in the area, along with his brother John. From his inventory, we can see that he farmed, that he had several weapons, and that he had a large amount of linen goods as well as at least three wheels, two linen and one cotton. It appears that his home had at least three rooms as many objects, including 85 "peeces" of pewter were in the hall, and the linens and some clothes were in the parlor. There was a chamber over the parlor which held miscellaneous items, and then there are a lot of tools that must have been kept in a barn. He had a dwelling house with 4 acres of ground that included a "barne" and other out houses, a 6 acre lot, a four acre lot, six acres of marsh, and a farm containing 160 acres plus a meadow of 30 acres, and then another 20 acres of marsh and "wast" land. We are surprised that his estate was valued at only a little over 287 pounds when we see the long list of his property.
His will was written March 7, 1645 and then he added a codicil September 13, 1646 to provide for his new wife, Rose. All of her items that she brought to the marriage were to remain hers, and she was given 10 pounds, besides. William must have died within a year, because the will was proven July 28, 1647.
I'd love to learn more about Matthew and his life in both Bocking and Ipswich. It's been fun to learn this much but I always have more questions, it seems. For now, we know of another immigrant to the New World, one who apparently did well for himself and his family. It's a start.
The line of descent is:
Matthew Whipple-Ann Hawkins
Anna Whipple-John Annable
Elizabeth Annable-John Whittemore
John Whittemore-Elizabeth Lloyd
John Whittemore-Lydia Clough
Josiah Whittermore-Lucy Snow
Josiah Whittemore-Betsy Foster
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph R Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Matthew Whipple isn't a name that leaps to my mind when remembering my immigrant ancestors, but maybe now he will be. There is a log of information about him on the Geni sight, and more on AmericanAncestors. The will is found in Volume 1 of The Probate Records of Essex County, which means it's been transcribed and although I still struggle with archaic spellings and meanings and even vocabulary, at least I don't have to try to read ancient handwriting.
Matthew was born, or christened, December 19,1588, in Bocking, Essex, England. His parents were Matthew Whipple and Joan. Matthew of England was a clothier, and based on his will, was apparently well off. I'm not finding a lot of information about Bocking on line, but I did find St Mary's Church, which is where Matthew probably attended as a child, and where his father is buried (likely his mother, too).. He had at least nine brothers and sisters, and Matthew was the fifth child born into the family.
Matthew married Ann or Anne Hawkins on May 7, 1622, at St Mary's church in Bocking. I haven't done any proof work to say whether I believe this or not, but Ann is supposed to be a granddaughter of the famous John Hawkins, merchant, slave trader, explorer, treasurer and controller of the English Navy. (I am learning to be somewhat doubtful when I find a line tied to someone famous, since I've been burned a few times by published genealogies that turned out to be mistaken or in some cases just plain fraudulent.)
Matthew and Ann had at least 5 children and possibly more. Apparently most were born in Bocking but the last one or two may have been born in Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay Colony. The family immigrated apparently between 1636 and 1638. He was a member of the church there and I believe that when I see the phrase "Deacon Whipple" it refers to our Matthew. Ann died sometime before September 28, 1646, when Matthew married Rose Barker Chute, who outlived him.
I've found that Matthew held many offices but I've not found a list other than that he was frequently a "clerke", That indicates he could read and write, and that is supported by contents of his inventory which included 29 books. He was one of the largest landowners in the area, along with his brother John. From his inventory, we can see that he farmed, that he had several weapons, and that he had a large amount of linen goods as well as at least three wheels, two linen and one cotton. It appears that his home had at least three rooms as many objects, including 85 "peeces" of pewter were in the hall, and the linens and some clothes were in the parlor. There was a chamber over the parlor which held miscellaneous items, and then there are a lot of tools that must have been kept in a barn. He had a dwelling house with 4 acres of ground that included a "barne" and other out houses, a 6 acre lot, a four acre lot, six acres of marsh, and a farm containing 160 acres plus a meadow of 30 acres, and then another 20 acres of marsh and "wast" land. We are surprised that his estate was valued at only a little over 287 pounds when we see the long list of his property.
His will was written March 7, 1645 and then he added a codicil September 13, 1646 to provide for his new wife, Rose. All of her items that she brought to the marriage were to remain hers, and she was given 10 pounds, besides. William must have died within a year, because the will was proven July 28, 1647.
I'd love to learn more about Matthew and his life in both Bocking and Ipswich. It's been fun to learn this much but I always have more questions, it seems. For now, we know of another immigrant to the New World, one who apparently did well for himself and his family. It's a start.
The line of descent is:
Matthew Whipple-Ann Hawkins
Anna Whipple-John Annable
Elizabeth Annable-John Whittemore
John Whittemore-Elizabeth Lloyd
John Whittemore-Lydia Clough
Josiah Whittermore-Lucy Snow
Josiah Whittemore-Betsy Foster
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph R Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
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