I'd like to put dates in for his birth and death. I thought I knew them. I thought I knew who his parents were. But now that I'm getting ready to write a little about his life (and it's little enough, I will say), I'm confused.
So, I will say that Joseph was probably born in Mendon, Massachusetts in 1727 or in 1722. His parents were either John Rockwood and Deborah Thayer, or Joseph Rockwood and Elizabeth Turner. He comes from a long line of Johns and Josephs who lived in the same area for many years and who names their sons both John and Joseph. So you can see the problem, which I haven't yet solved. I'm posting this in the hopes that someone has documentation that proves, either by will or land records, which Joseph is which, and which parents are his.
Mendon, Massachusetts was founded in 1667 and John Rockwood, who is Joseph's great-grandfather, was one of the first founders of the town. The town was burned during King Philip's war but was rebuilt in 1680. Many of the first settlers stayed there for generations, and we find a lot of family names on the lists of those first founders. But information about the later lines is sparse.
Assuming that his parents were John and Deborah, Joseph had as many as eight siblings. However, if he was the Joseph born in 1722, his parents were Joseph and Elizabeth, and his father died before our Joseph was even born. That would have likely been a veryh difficult life.
We do know that Joseph married Alice Thomson or Thompson, daughter of Joseph and Mary Holbrook Thomson, on March 10, 1750 in Bellingham. Bellingham was created from the very large land that Mendon had charge of, in 1719/ It is likely that Joseph didn't move very far at all when he married. Joseph and Alice had nine children, all in Bellingham.
I can't imagine the pain that Alice would have suffered as she lost her family. On October 6, 1778, their son Joseph died, "on returning from the Army", so I'm not sure whether he made it home first or not. Joseph himself died November 10, 1778, just a little over a month after their son had died. Alice was not done grieving. In 1786, just as her sons were reaching manhood, John and Cephas died while at sea. Their death dates are given as one day apart. Did a hurricane or a nor'easter take them? Where had they been? Were they seamen or traders or what? Regardless of the circumstances, Alice would have been overcome with sorrow. Levi and Daniel seem to be the only sons left to her.
I haven't yet found a will that I think was Joseph's, nor have I found a father's will that clearly identifies his children. I will continue to look, and to think. Besides wanting to verify his parentage, I would also like to find his religion (many of the families in Bellingham were Baptist) and his occupation. I'd also like to know if he was involved in the French and Indian war. I know men from his area were drafted into the King's service, but I've not found a record for Joseph, at least not yet.
I plan to keep looking for information about Joseph, and his parents. Someone is right about his parents, and someone is wrong. I'd like to declare the winner. If you have records or documents that would help in straightening this out, I would be most appreciative if you'd contact me. Thanks!
The line of descent is:
Joseph Rockwood-Alice Thomson
Levi Rockwood-Deborah Lazell
Susannah Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Pheobe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Friday, July 26, 2019
Holbrook line: John Larkin 1640-1678
This man should be in my husband's line, but as far as I know John is my ancestor only. But husband should at least have a deep and heartfelt liking for the man, because he was a turner by trade. His father was a turner, also, and John passed his tools on to his sons so they could continue the trade also. A turner was someone who worked on a wood lathe, making whatever was needed (his father made wheels and it's possible that's what John did, too). It's interesting to find a family where the family business was passed from father to son like this.
To start at the beginning, John was the son of Edward and Joanna Butler Larkin (mother's name is not certain; some say her name was Cutler or Cutter, This genealogy stuff is never easy). Edward and Joanna were immigrants but John was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts Bay Colony, sometime on or before March 10, 1640, which is his baptismal date. He was the oldest son, one of at least seven children of the couple, which is why he received the tools and training from his father.
John married Joanna Hale, daughter of Robert and Joanna Cutter Hale on November 9, 1664 in Charlestown, and the couple set up their home there. Actually, John apparently already had his own home in 1658, when he was listed on a tax list in Charlestown along with the notation 0-4-0. That may or may not mean that he was taxed 4 shillings, which was more than some and less than other residents of the town on this list.
John and Joanna had at least six children together, but their time together was regrettably short. John reportedly died of smallpox on February 17, 1678. Although I haven't been able to document his cause of death, there is good reason to believe this is accurate because it's known that a great epidemic hit Boston and surrounding areas in 1678. The wonder is that, as far as I know, no one else in the family died of the disease. Other families were not so "lucky", to lose just one family member.
In between his marriage and his death, not much is known about John. I did locate a book, "From Deference to Defiance" that lists John as a constable in 1673, but he seems not to have been otherwise involved in public service. Roger Thompson, the author of the book mentioned, would likely have mentioned him had he been in serious trouble with the courts, so he probably complied with the laws and likely attended church regularly. That, and his trade of turning is all that I could find about him.
That is, until I located his will on Ancestry. That's where I learned that his son Edward was to have a double portion of the estate, plus John's turning tools, if he became a turner. If not, son John was to have them, if he became a turner.
Joanna was left her widow's third, plus partial control of the estate until the children were old enough to receive their bequests. Edward, the oldest, was just 12 when his father died, and Sarah, the youngest, was just a year old. Joanna had her hand's full with six children, but remained single for 7 years, when she married William Dodge of Beverly, Massachusetts.
John left his family enough money to live on, so Joanna probably felt less pressure to remarry quickly than some other widows. John's estate was appraised with a value of over three hundred poounds, as nearly as I can tell. When it was re-appraised in 1691, so Edward could receive at least part of his inheritance, it was noted that there was a dwelling house, wharf and warehouse. There was also an old boat, which perhaps wasn't so old when John had it. The picture I have in my mind is that he was a turner, yes, but also a merchant of sorts. Whether he sold his own goods to other towns and villages, or whether he did some trading, I'm not sure as there is much of the inventory that I can't make out. However, this is not the inventory of someone just getting by. I was pleased to see that there was mention of books in the inventory, so he or someone in his family must have been literate.
It looks like the final settlement of the estate didn't occur until 1698, when some of the children petitioned to receive their share. Among the names on the document are David and Sarah Larkin Fay. Sarah, the youngest child, was now 21 and there was no legal reason why the estate could not be divided as John had planned. Joanna, John's widow, had died in 1694, between the time Edward claimed some of his inheritance and the time the estate was finally divided.
It's been fun to find this story. I love the father to son to son trade, and I love knowing that John was relatively successful. But most of all, with my hsuband really enjoying learning to "turn" on his new lathe, I love hearing it hum and thinking back to the way it would have been done when foot pedals were the means of turning. The sawdust probably smells the same!
The line of descent is:
John Larkin-Joanna Hale
Sarah Larkin-David Fay
Edward Fay-Sarah Joslin
David Fay-Mary Perrin
Euzebia or Luceba Fay-Libbeus Stanard
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
To start at the beginning, John was the son of Edward and Joanna Butler Larkin (mother's name is not certain; some say her name was Cutler or Cutter, This genealogy stuff is never easy). Edward and Joanna were immigrants but John was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts Bay Colony, sometime on or before March 10, 1640, which is his baptismal date. He was the oldest son, one of at least seven children of the couple, which is why he received the tools and training from his father.
John married Joanna Hale, daughter of Robert and Joanna Cutter Hale on November 9, 1664 in Charlestown, and the couple set up their home there. Actually, John apparently already had his own home in 1658, when he was listed on a tax list in Charlestown along with the notation 0-4-0. That may or may not mean that he was taxed 4 shillings, which was more than some and less than other residents of the town on this list.
John and Joanna had at least six children together, but their time together was regrettably short. John reportedly died of smallpox on February 17, 1678. Although I haven't been able to document his cause of death, there is good reason to believe this is accurate because it's known that a great epidemic hit Boston and surrounding areas in 1678. The wonder is that, as far as I know, no one else in the family died of the disease. Other families were not so "lucky", to lose just one family member.
In between his marriage and his death, not much is known about John. I did locate a book, "From Deference to Defiance" that lists John as a constable in 1673, but he seems not to have been otherwise involved in public service. Roger Thompson, the author of the book mentioned, would likely have mentioned him had he been in serious trouble with the courts, so he probably complied with the laws and likely attended church regularly. That, and his trade of turning is all that I could find about him.
That is, until I located his will on Ancestry. That's where I learned that his son Edward was to have a double portion of the estate, plus John's turning tools, if he became a turner. If not, son John was to have them, if he became a turner.
Joanna was left her widow's third, plus partial control of the estate until the children were old enough to receive their bequests. Edward, the oldest, was just 12 when his father died, and Sarah, the youngest, was just a year old. Joanna had her hand's full with six children, but remained single for 7 years, when she married William Dodge of Beverly, Massachusetts.
John left his family enough money to live on, so Joanna probably felt less pressure to remarry quickly than some other widows. John's estate was appraised with a value of over three hundred poounds, as nearly as I can tell. When it was re-appraised in 1691, so Edward could receive at least part of his inheritance, it was noted that there was a dwelling house, wharf and warehouse. There was also an old boat, which perhaps wasn't so old when John had it. The picture I have in my mind is that he was a turner, yes, but also a merchant of sorts. Whether he sold his own goods to other towns and villages, or whether he did some trading, I'm not sure as there is much of the inventory that I can't make out. However, this is not the inventory of someone just getting by. I was pleased to see that there was mention of books in the inventory, so he or someone in his family must have been literate.
It looks like the final settlement of the estate didn't occur until 1698, when some of the children petitioned to receive their share. Among the names on the document are David and Sarah Larkin Fay. Sarah, the youngest child, was now 21 and there was no legal reason why the estate could not be divided as John had planned. Joanna, John's widow, had died in 1694, between the time Edward claimed some of his inheritance and the time the estate was finally divided.
It's been fun to find this story. I love the father to son to son trade, and I love knowing that John was relatively successful. But most of all, with my hsuband really enjoying learning to "turn" on his new lathe, I love hearing it hum and thinking back to the way it would have been done when foot pedals were the means of turning. The sawdust probably smells the same!
The line of descent is:
John Larkin-Joanna Hale
Sarah Larkin-David Fay
Edward Fay-Sarah Joslin
David Fay-Mary Perrin
Euzebia or Luceba Fay-Libbeus Stanard
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Beeks line: William Beeks, Civil War veteran, and ancestor
I've been studying family history for thirteen years, and I've made thousands of interesting discoveries (and more than a few mistakes). I thought I pretty much knew everything back through the past five or six generations. That was another mistake. I thought that the William Beeks who was in the Civil War, from Lagro, Wabash County, Indiana must have been another William Beeks, because his parents were listed on an 1890 "enrollment" form as Martin Beeks and Sarah Beeks.
I was wrong. The form was wrong.
So, here's a brief review of William Beeks. William was born in 1832 or 1833 in either Greene or Clinton County Ohio. His parents were John and Polly (possibly Mary) Carter Beeks. They had married in 1830 in Greene County, Ohio. I'm not at all sure that I have all of their children, but William was one of them. The Beeks family had moved to Lagro, Wabash County, Indiana by 1850, where John farmed and William undoubtedly helped him.
By 1860, William was ready for marriage. He married Fanny Dils and had two children with her, Elias and Isaac. She died shortly after the death of their second child, and he then married Mary Wise on January 14, 1863. Or did he...He certainly married her, but was she Mary Wise? That is a subject for another blog post, when I know more. Their first two children were named Charity, for Mary's mother, and Jackson, for her father...Or were they her parents? Stay tuned.
All of this was happening during the background of the Civil War. Wabash County sent many, many men to fight for the Union. Elias and Isaac may have been raised by their grandparents, because they were with John and Polly in the 1870 census, but William had two young ones at home when he (apparently) enlisted in the Army on January 28, 1865. I don't yet have access to all of his military records, so it's possible he was drafted, but the form I am working from says "volunteers". He was assigned to company F of the 153rd Indiana Infantry.
This unit was officially mustered in at Indianapolis on March 1, 1865, although company F, composed of men from Wabash and Grant counties, may have formed and drilled between the January and March dates, closer to home. They had very little time for training after they mustered in, because they were on their way to Nashville, Tennessee by March 5. I don't know whether they ever got to Nashville because the regiment was stopped at Louisville and three companies were ordered into guerilla warfare in and around Russellville, Kentucky. Company F was not one of them. They went to Taylor Barracks, where they stayed for the rest of the war.
Taylor Barracks is interesting because it was a camp for black Union soldiers. I would sure be interested in knowing what a regiment of troops from Indiana was doing there. Were they some kind of guards for the supposedly freed soldiers? Were they sent there for training which, due to the war ending, never happened? Did they perform hospital duty for the sick soldiers? I don't yet know the answer to these questions.
I do know that the unit was disbanded on September 4, 1865, and I think that William came home a sick man. The 1890 enrollment form says he suffered from chronic diarrhea (dysentery), which was both debilitating and common with soldiers of that era. I've found that he applied for an invalid pension shortly before his death. It looks like this was granted, because there are also records for a widow's pension. William died September 25, 1888 and his widow, Mary, died December 17, 1928. From what I know now, it looks like neither left Lagro township, except for the war experience.
My next step is to save up the money to order the pension records. I want to know, and I want the family to know, more about his Civil War service, and to understand how it affected him for the rest of his life. I also want to know if the records give us any clues about Mary, his wife. Was she a Wise, or was she, as I've been told, adopted at a very young age? Might her birth name have been Rauch? Did she even know she was adopted? These may end up to be two separate lines of investigation, but I'm intrigued by both. I hope to find some answers.
The line of descent is:
William Beeks-Mary Wise or Rauch
John Beeks-Elizabeth Wise
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
I was wrong. The form was wrong.
So, here's a brief review of William Beeks. William was born in 1832 or 1833 in either Greene or Clinton County Ohio. His parents were John and Polly (possibly Mary) Carter Beeks. They had married in 1830 in Greene County, Ohio. I'm not at all sure that I have all of their children, but William was one of them. The Beeks family had moved to Lagro, Wabash County, Indiana by 1850, where John farmed and William undoubtedly helped him.
By 1860, William was ready for marriage. He married Fanny Dils and had two children with her, Elias and Isaac. She died shortly after the death of their second child, and he then married Mary Wise on January 14, 1863. Or did he...He certainly married her, but was she Mary Wise? That is a subject for another blog post, when I know more. Their first two children were named Charity, for Mary's mother, and Jackson, for her father...Or were they her parents? Stay tuned.
All of this was happening during the background of the Civil War. Wabash County sent many, many men to fight for the Union. Elias and Isaac may have been raised by their grandparents, because they were with John and Polly in the 1870 census, but William had two young ones at home when he (apparently) enlisted in the Army on January 28, 1865. I don't yet have access to all of his military records, so it's possible he was drafted, but the form I am working from says "volunteers". He was assigned to company F of the 153rd Indiana Infantry.
This unit was officially mustered in at Indianapolis on March 1, 1865, although company F, composed of men from Wabash and Grant counties, may have formed and drilled between the January and March dates, closer to home. They had very little time for training after they mustered in, because they were on their way to Nashville, Tennessee by March 5. I don't know whether they ever got to Nashville because the regiment was stopped at Louisville and three companies were ordered into guerilla warfare in and around Russellville, Kentucky. Company F was not one of them. They went to Taylor Barracks, where they stayed for the rest of the war.
Taylor Barracks is interesting because it was a camp for black Union soldiers. I would sure be interested in knowing what a regiment of troops from Indiana was doing there. Were they some kind of guards for the supposedly freed soldiers? Were they sent there for training which, due to the war ending, never happened? Did they perform hospital duty for the sick soldiers? I don't yet know the answer to these questions.
I do know that the unit was disbanded on September 4, 1865, and I think that William came home a sick man. The 1890 enrollment form says he suffered from chronic diarrhea (dysentery), which was both debilitating and common with soldiers of that era. I've found that he applied for an invalid pension shortly before his death. It looks like this was granted, because there are also records for a widow's pension. William died September 25, 1888 and his widow, Mary, died December 17, 1928. From what I know now, it looks like neither left Lagro township, except for the war experience.
My next step is to save up the money to order the pension records. I want to know, and I want the family to know, more about his Civil War service, and to understand how it affected him for the rest of his life. I also want to know if the records give us any clues about Mary, his wife. Was she a Wise, or was she, as I've been told, adopted at a very young age? Might her birth name have been Rauch? Did she even know she was adopted? These may end up to be two separate lines of investigation, but I'm intrigued by both. I hope to find some answers.
The line of descent is:
William Beeks-Mary Wise or Rauch
John Beeks-Elizabeth Wise
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Friday, July 19, 2019
Allen line: James McCoy, Immigrant and part myth?
James McCoy is almost lost under the weight of the stories surrounding his name. His early life remains undocumented, so I can't tell you for sure when or exactly where he was born. He is believed to have been born somewhere in Ulster, Ireland, about the year 1720. This would fit well with a proposed marriage date of 1745, to Ann Bruce, supposedly in Frederick County, Va.
An undocumented story says he arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1730. Either he was very young and traveled with someone, or this isn't our James McCoy. Other stories say he was a runaway, who became a stow away passenger on a ship to America. He supposedly ran away because he rode a horse too hard, causing it to stumble and fall. When the horse had to be put down, James disappeared. It's only a story, but it's fun and there might be a grain of truth in there somewhere. Another story is that he at some point prior to his marriage stayed with a "Captain Hyde", whose wife taught him to read and write. It is possible that the "Hyde" was actually a "Hite" but so far no candidate seems to fit the description exactly. Again, it's a story, which may or may not prove true. We know he came to America and we know he married Ann Bruce, daughter of John and Sarah Parrell Bruce, about 1745.
The couple is credited with having as many as ten children. Some, as early as 1753, are given birth locations as Union Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania but that is only in hindsight. In 1753, this would have been Bedford County, and then it was Westmoreland County before Fayette County was finally formed in 1783.
Wherever the McCoy's were (I've found record of them in 1777 in what became Fayette County), they were deeply affected by the attacks of the native Americans in both the French and Indian war and the Revolutionary War. James replaced his original log cabin with a fort, where neighbors gathered when the area was under attack. This appears to be Revolutionary War era, but it doesn't say how long the McCoys lived in the log cabin before the fort was built.
It is most probable that James is a Revolutionary War veteran, and also likely a French and Indian war veteran, although I've not found records yet. Several of his sons served, and since he was likely still in his mid 40's when the Revolutionary War broke out, he would at least have served in the militia. The history of this time and place is absolutely fascinating, and one can't read a book about it without feeing a tremendous admiration for the men and the women who settled and lived on the frontier, long before it was "safe" to do so.
When the first Baptist Church was founded in Uniontown, Fayette County in 1780, James was an early, if not charter, member. He was also instrumental in the building of another Baptist church, south of Uniontown, in 1787, where he was a faithful member until his death on September 30, 1801 (I've also seen 1802 as his death date). Ann died February 4, 1808, also in South Union Township.
As we know, the Baptist legacy of James McCoy lived on through his sons and grandsons and likely there are still descendants of this family who belong to that generation. There are certainly many who cling to the "Old Rugged Cross". Legacies are important, and religious legacies may be the most important of all.
The line of descent is
James McCoy-Ann Bruce
Wiiliam McCoy-Eizabeth Royse
James McCoy-Nancy Lane
Vincent McCoy-Eleanor Jackson
Nancy McCoy-George Allen
Edward Allen-Edith Knott
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
An undocumented story says he arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1730. Either he was very young and traveled with someone, or this isn't our James McCoy. Other stories say he was a runaway, who became a stow away passenger on a ship to America. He supposedly ran away because he rode a horse too hard, causing it to stumble and fall. When the horse had to be put down, James disappeared. It's only a story, but it's fun and there might be a grain of truth in there somewhere. Another story is that he at some point prior to his marriage stayed with a "Captain Hyde", whose wife taught him to read and write. It is possible that the "Hyde" was actually a "Hite" but so far no candidate seems to fit the description exactly. Again, it's a story, which may or may not prove true. We know he came to America and we know he married Ann Bruce, daughter of John and Sarah Parrell Bruce, about 1745.
The couple is credited with having as many as ten children. Some, as early as 1753, are given birth locations as Union Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania but that is only in hindsight. In 1753, this would have been Bedford County, and then it was Westmoreland County before Fayette County was finally formed in 1783.
Wherever the McCoy's were (I've found record of them in 1777 in what became Fayette County), they were deeply affected by the attacks of the native Americans in both the French and Indian war and the Revolutionary War. James replaced his original log cabin with a fort, where neighbors gathered when the area was under attack. This appears to be Revolutionary War era, but it doesn't say how long the McCoys lived in the log cabin before the fort was built.
It is most probable that James is a Revolutionary War veteran, and also likely a French and Indian war veteran, although I've not found records yet. Several of his sons served, and since he was likely still in his mid 40's when the Revolutionary War broke out, he would at least have served in the militia. The history of this time and place is absolutely fascinating, and one can't read a book about it without feeing a tremendous admiration for the men and the women who settled and lived on the frontier, long before it was "safe" to do so.
When the first Baptist Church was founded in Uniontown, Fayette County in 1780, James was an early, if not charter, member. He was also instrumental in the building of another Baptist church, south of Uniontown, in 1787, where he was a faithful member until his death on September 30, 1801 (I've also seen 1802 as his death date). Ann died February 4, 1808, also in South Union Township.
As we know, the Baptist legacy of James McCoy lived on through his sons and grandsons and likely there are still descendants of this family who belong to that generation. There are certainly many who cling to the "Old Rugged Cross". Legacies are important, and religious legacies may be the most important of all.
The line of descent is
James McCoy-Ann Bruce
Wiiliam McCoy-Eizabeth Royse
James McCoy-Nancy Lane
Vincent McCoy-Eleanor Jackson
Nancy McCoy-George Allen
Edward Allen-Edith Knott
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Holbrook line: Ebenezer Thayer 1672-1723
Oh my! This man has been difficult to place. He is not, as far as I know, Captain Ebenezer; that man lived later than our ancestor. The same goes for Reverend Ebenezer Thayer. He's not our ancestor either. It's been amazing to find so many Ebenezers, and so many Thayers, and so many Ebenezer Thayers, in Mendon, Massachusetts. I'm glad I've been able to unravel our ancestor from some of the other men, and I'm especially glad that I found first his will (on Ancestry) and then his estate papers (on americanancestors.org). Without those papers, we'd know a lot less about Ebenezer than we know now.
Ebenezer is the son of Ferdinando and Hulday Hayward Thayer. He was born in either 1672 or 1674, possiblly in Braintree, Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was one of at least six children. At some point, when Ebenezer was still a child or youth, the family moved to Mendon, Massachusetts, at a time that Mendon was considered to be on the frontier. If they had already moved by the time of King Philip's War, this would have been a very tense time for the family. It was probably still tense in 1690, when Huldah is though to have died in Mendon, for there had been some kind of a military call up just the year before, perhaps due to intelligence about native American attacks. Short and uneasy were the periods of truce between the whites and the natives.
We get a sense of how much this was frontier by noting tht Ebenezer Thayer killed a wolf in 1694, and that the constable cut off its ears in front of some of the selectmen. There was probably a bounty for the wolf head, as that is usual in frontier towns.
Regardless of the date that Ebenezer arrived in Mendon, he stayed there the rest of his life. He married Martha Thomson or Thompson there on June 13, 1695. She was the daughter of John and Thankful Woodland Thompson. Ebenezer describes himself in his will as a husbandman, meaning he farmed his own land. Ebenezer and Martha had eight or perhaps nine children, enough to keep the two of them busy. His name is on rate lists for 1694 and 1699, and he was given land in the town allotments in 1707 and 1713, if not sooner. He acquired quite a significant holding before his death.
Mendon eventually grew to the point that it needed to be divided into one or more town, and Ebenezer's name is on a 1719 petition requesting division of the lands. It was granted by the general court, and Ebenezer's land straddled the line between Mendon and Bellingham. He may not have moved at all, but his death is sometimes shown as having happened in Bellingham. Note: up to the point that "Ebenezer's land straddled the line..." the information for this post has come from "Annals of the Town of Mendon' by John G. Metcalf. I've not seen this source quoted in on line summaries of his life, but there is this much information in the book.
The next we find of Ebenezer is his death. It occurred in either 1722 or 1723. It was an illness of some kind that took him because he described himself, in the will, as "being very sick". He left 68 acres of land to his son Ebenezer, laid out in various parcels in various years. To Uriah, he left several pieces of land in Mendon, to be held by the executor until he came of age. Then he left more land in Bellingham to Ebenezer. His homestead in Bellingham, not previously disposed of, was to be divided between his three sons, but his wife was to live on it and have the improvements until his son Daniel was of age. His wife was to be provided for in her widowhood out of the gifts he had made to his sons. His daughters Martha and Hannah were to have 10 pounds each when they reached the age of twenty one, out of his "personal estate". More was to be given to each of his four daughters, who also included Deborah and Abigail, and his sons were to provide for his wife's care, in one end of the dwelling house, in equal shares. She was to have corn and firewood, a cow and a horse, to lead a "comfortable subsistence".
The inventory is categorized rather than itemized, so we don't know about the little things that would tell us more about Ebenezer. He had about 16 head of cattle, including two oxen, three horses, 34 sheep and lambs, and 7 swine,. He also had a sword, belt, and ammunition, but there is no specific mention of a gun or other weapon. Interestingly, he also had four spinning wheels, which perhaps means his daughters were already working in a cottage industry. The estate was valued at about 826 pounds, due mostly to the many parcels of land that he owned. Funeral and other expenses reduced the estate by 15 pounds. It seems that Ebenezer left his family in decent financial shape, much sooner than he had planned. Martha is believed to have married Joseph Wight in 1724, and to have lived until 1759.
There are still many questsions I'd like to have answered. What was his military experience? Was he a Baptist, or a Congregationalist? Was he literate? His will was signed with an "X" but since he was "very sick", that may not mean anything. We can at least conclude that he was a successful farmer, at a time and place when that was difficult. Thank you, Ebenezer, for being part of our family!
The line of descent is:
Ebenezer Thayer-Martha Thompson
Deborah Thayer-John Rockwood
Joseph Rockwood-Alice Thompson
Levi Rockwood-Deborah Lazell
Susanna Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Ebenezer is the son of Ferdinando and Hulday Hayward Thayer. He was born in either 1672 or 1674, possiblly in Braintree, Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was one of at least six children. At some point, when Ebenezer was still a child or youth, the family moved to Mendon, Massachusetts, at a time that Mendon was considered to be on the frontier. If they had already moved by the time of King Philip's War, this would have been a very tense time for the family. It was probably still tense in 1690, when Huldah is though to have died in Mendon, for there had been some kind of a military call up just the year before, perhaps due to intelligence about native American attacks. Short and uneasy were the periods of truce between the whites and the natives.
We get a sense of how much this was frontier by noting tht Ebenezer Thayer killed a wolf in 1694, and that the constable cut off its ears in front of some of the selectmen. There was probably a bounty for the wolf head, as that is usual in frontier towns.
Regardless of the date that Ebenezer arrived in Mendon, he stayed there the rest of his life. He married Martha Thomson or Thompson there on June 13, 1695. She was the daughter of John and Thankful Woodland Thompson. Ebenezer describes himself in his will as a husbandman, meaning he farmed his own land. Ebenezer and Martha had eight or perhaps nine children, enough to keep the two of them busy. His name is on rate lists for 1694 and 1699, and he was given land in the town allotments in 1707 and 1713, if not sooner. He acquired quite a significant holding before his death.
Mendon eventually grew to the point that it needed to be divided into one or more town, and Ebenezer's name is on a 1719 petition requesting division of the lands. It was granted by the general court, and Ebenezer's land straddled the line between Mendon and Bellingham. He may not have moved at all, but his death is sometimes shown as having happened in Bellingham. Note: up to the point that "Ebenezer's land straddled the line..." the information for this post has come from "Annals of the Town of Mendon' by John G. Metcalf. I've not seen this source quoted in on line summaries of his life, but there is this much information in the book.
The next we find of Ebenezer is his death. It occurred in either 1722 or 1723. It was an illness of some kind that took him because he described himself, in the will, as "being very sick". He left 68 acres of land to his son Ebenezer, laid out in various parcels in various years. To Uriah, he left several pieces of land in Mendon, to be held by the executor until he came of age. Then he left more land in Bellingham to Ebenezer. His homestead in Bellingham, not previously disposed of, was to be divided between his three sons, but his wife was to live on it and have the improvements until his son Daniel was of age. His wife was to be provided for in her widowhood out of the gifts he had made to his sons. His daughters Martha and Hannah were to have 10 pounds each when they reached the age of twenty one, out of his "personal estate". More was to be given to each of his four daughters, who also included Deborah and Abigail, and his sons were to provide for his wife's care, in one end of the dwelling house, in equal shares. She was to have corn and firewood, a cow and a horse, to lead a "comfortable subsistence".
The inventory is categorized rather than itemized, so we don't know about the little things that would tell us more about Ebenezer. He had about 16 head of cattle, including two oxen, three horses, 34 sheep and lambs, and 7 swine,. He also had a sword, belt, and ammunition, but there is no specific mention of a gun or other weapon. Interestingly, he also had four spinning wheels, which perhaps means his daughters were already working in a cottage industry. The estate was valued at about 826 pounds, due mostly to the many parcels of land that he owned. Funeral and other expenses reduced the estate by 15 pounds. It seems that Ebenezer left his family in decent financial shape, much sooner than he had planned. Martha is believed to have married Joseph Wight in 1724, and to have lived until 1759.
There are still many questsions I'd like to have answered. What was his military experience? Was he a Baptist, or a Congregationalist? Was he literate? His will was signed with an "X" but since he was "very sick", that may not mean anything. We can at least conclude that he was a successful farmer, at a time and place when that was difficult. Thank you, Ebenezer, for being part of our family!
The line of descent is:
Ebenezer Thayer-Martha Thompson
Deborah Thayer-John Rockwood
Joseph Rockwood-Alice Thompson
Levi Rockwood-Deborah Lazell
Susanna Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, July 12, 2019
Holbrook line: Richard Langer or Sanger, Immigrant
It's hard enough to find information about our ancestors without someone writing their name in such a fashion that it can't be read accurately. Two sources who apparently looked at the very same records for the very same year arrived at different conclusions as to whether the initial letter in his first name is an "L" or and "S". In my tree, I have it as an "S" but I'm not taking any bets as to whether or not that is correct.
Having said that, is it any wonder that we don't know who this man's parents are, or where they came from? Everyone assumes it's England, and that is probably correct, but we don't know when he was born, either, so that makes the search a little more difficult.
What we do know is that he was in or of Hinghaam, Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts in 1636, when he was given a grant of land there.
We know that he had a daughter Margaret when he died in 1659 and we know from his will that he had three daughters, Margaret married to Thomas Lincoln (eldest son Joshua), Dinah and Rebecca, who were apparently not married. There is no mention of a wife so she had probably died, but whether that was in New England or not, we don't know. Some have given her a first name of Margaret and others have called her "Joanne Underdowne" but I've not seen documentation for either name.
When Richard wrote his will on February 20, 1659, he tells us all we know of his life between 1636 and 1659; in fact, he tells us all we know of his life. He describes himself as "very aged". His real estate was described as "two home lotts that I bought of mhy son in law, Thomas Lincoln", which were to go to Joshua Lincoln, and a lot of meadow at Conyhasset as well as his "great lott lyeing neere Glad Tidings Rocke". The only personal property he disposed of was a 'green rugg" to his daughter Margaret, and she was to give 4 shillings each to her two sisters, Dinah and Rebecca. He may have been living with the Lincolns when he died, to have so little personal property. His appraisal was modest, just 21 pounds and two shillings. I haven't seen a copy of the appraisal, so I don't know whether the valuation included the land mentioned or not.
We can guess that Richard attended church services but we don't know whether or not he was a Puritan, or a Separatist, or merelly getting along with his neighbors. He did seem to get along with his neighbors, as I found no mention of him in court records. These are speculations only. We have a record that shows he was here, that he acquired a modest amount of property, that he had daughters, and that he seemed to have a high regard for hiw (apparently) first grandson. Other than that, he kept his head down and raised his family, for which we thank him, whatever his name is!
The line of descent is
Richard Sanger-
Margaret Sanger-Thomas Lincoln
Sarah Lincoln-Thomas Marsh
Deborah Marsh-Isaac Lazell
Deborah Lazell-Levi Rockwood
Susanna Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Having said that, is it any wonder that we don't know who this man's parents are, or where they came from? Everyone assumes it's England, and that is probably correct, but we don't know when he was born, either, so that makes the search a little more difficult.
What we do know is that he was in or of Hinghaam, Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts in 1636, when he was given a grant of land there.
We know that he had a daughter Margaret when he died in 1659 and we know from his will that he had three daughters, Margaret married to Thomas Lincoln (eldest son Joshua), Dinah and Rebecca, who were apparently not married. There is no mention of a wife so she had probably died, but whether that was in New England or not, we don't know. Some have given her a first name of Margaret and others have called her "Joanne Underdowne" but I've not seen documentation for either name.
When Richard wrote his will on February 20, 1659, he tells us all we know of his life between 1636 and 1659; in fact, he tells us all we know of his life. He describes himself as "very aged". His real estate was described as "two home lotts that I bought of mhy son in law, Thomas Lincoln", which were to go to Joshua Lincoln, and a lot of meadow at Conyhasset as well as his "great lott lyeing neere Glad Tidings Rocke". The only personal property he disposed of was a 'green rugg" to his daughter Margaret, and she was to give 4 shillings each to her two sisters, Dinah and Rebecca. He may have been living with the Lincolns when he died, to have so little personal property. His appraisal was modest, just 21 pounds and two shillings. I haven't seen a copy of the appraisal, so I don't know whether the valuation included the land mentioned or not.
We can guess that Richard attended church services but we don't know whether or not he was a Puritan, or a Separatist, or merelly getting along with his neighbors. He did seem to get along with his neighbors, as I found no mention of him in court records. These are speculations only. We have a record that shows he was here, that he acquired a modest amount of property, that he had daughters, and that he seemed to have a high regard for hiw (apparently) first grandson. Other than that, he kept his head down and raised his family, for which we thank him, whatever his name is!
The line of descent is
Richard Sanger-
Margaret Sanger-Thomas Lincoln
Sarah Lincoln-Thomas Marsh
Deborah Marsh-Isaac Lazell
Deborah Lazell-Levi Rockwood
Susanna Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Holbrook line: Daniel Comstock abt 1624-1683
Contrary to what most websites say, Daniel Comstock was born before (probably shortly before) July 21, 1624 in Uxbridge, Middlesex, England. His parents were William and Elizabeth Daniel Comstock. He was probably in New England by 1639, when his father has records in Wetherfield, Connecticut, but because he was underage there don't seem to be records of his arrival here.
The first we know of Daniel for sure is that he was in Providence, Rhode Island in 1645, but we don't know why he was there. It's possible that he served as an indentured servant to one of the other families in the settlement. He was granted 25 acres of land there in 1645, and was there in 1648 when John Elderkin, his future father in law, took Robert Williams to Daniel's home to sleep off the effects of too much alcohol. That same year, he was fined for making a false report of an Indian attack.
John married Palthiah Elderkin probably in Providence about 1653, as their first daughter is thought to have been born in 1654. The family stayed in Providence for a few years and then moved on to Norwich, Connecticut. Daniel was selling land about 1657 and that may be when the family moved.
Daniel and Palthiah's family was large but there are differing opinions on just how large it was. Most seem to agree there were at least 11 children, and some add more. At any rate, Daniel and Palthiah were kept busy with their young brood. We don't know what his occupation was but perhaps he worked with his father in law. Elderkin was a ship's carpenter, and if Daniel followed the same trade, that could explain why he moved to Norwich and then on to New Haven, following the work.
He was made a freeman in New Haven, Connecticut in 1669. If he hadn't been a freeman in the other towns, this would have been his first chance to vote. We don't know whether he was involved in King Philip's War, or any of the earlier skirmishes between the colonists and the natives. He would have been at least 50 years old when the war started and perhaps he was excused from duty because of his age. Many Connecticut men were called to duty, either to fight the Indians or to stay behind and protect the families left behind, so it would not be totally unexpected if he took one of these roles.
Daniel died, probably in New Haven, in 1683. His inventory was taken there in November, and valued at almost 222 pounds. Most of the value appears to have been in real estate, including plots of 100 acres and 150 acres of land. His wife was to have control of the estate to assist her in raising their younger children, at least three of whom were minors.
Many times the second and third generations of immigrants are more difficult to trace than the original settler was, so we can be grateful for the bits and pieces we have here. We don't know whether he was a church member, nor do we know whether he was literate, nor his occupation. But we know he adjusted to his new life and contributed to the story of our family. Perhaps more will be found in the future, but this is at least a start.
The line of descent is:
Daniel Comstock-Palthiah Elderkin
Kingsland Comstock-Mary Atwell
Kingsland Comstock-Rachel Crocker
Rachel Comstock-John Eames
John Eames-Elizabeth Longbottom
Hannah Eames-James Lamphire
Susan Lamphire-Joseph Eddy
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
The first we know of Daniel for sure is that he was in Providence, Rhode Island in 1645, but we don't know why he was there. It's possible that he served as an indentured servant to one of the other families in the settlement. He was granted 25 acres of land there in 1645, and was there in 1648 when John Elderkin, his future father in law, took Robert Williams to Daniel's home to sleep off the effects of too much alcohol. That same year, he was fined for making a false report of an Indian attack.
John married Palthiah Elderkin probably in Providence about 1653, as their first daughter is thought to have been born in 1654. The family stayed in Providence for a few years and then moved on to Norwich, Connecticut. Daniel was selling land about 1657 and that may be when the family moved.
Daniel and Palthiah's family was large but there are differing opinions on just how large it was. Most seem to agree there were at least 11 children, and some add more. At any rate, Daniel and Palthiah were kept busy with their young brood. We don't know what his occupation was but perhaps he worked with his father in law. Elderkin was a ship's carpenter, and if Daniel followed the same trade, that could explain why he moved to Norwich and then on to New Haven, following the work.
He was made a freeman in New Haven, Connecticut in 1669. If he hadn't been a freeman in the other towns, this would have been his first chance to vote. We don't know whether he was involved in King Philip's War, or any of the earlier skirmishes between the colonists and the natives. He would have been at least 50 years old when the war started and perhaps he was excused from duty because of his age. Many Connecticut men were called to duty, either to fight the Indians or to stay behind and protect the families left behind, so it would not be totally unexpected if he took one of these roles.
Daniel died, probably in New Haven, in 1683. His inventory was taken there in November, and valued at almost 222 pounds. Most of the value appears to have been in real estate, including plots of 100 acres and 150 acres of land. His wife was to have control of the estate to assist her in raising their younger children, at least three of whom were minors.
Many times the second and third generations of immigrants are more difficult to trace than the original settler was, so we can be grateful for the bits and pieces we have here. We don't know whether he was a church member, nor do we know whether he was literate, nor his occupation. But we know he adjusted to his new life and contributed to the story of our family. Perhaps more will be found in the future, but this is at least a start.
The line of descent is:
Daniel Comstock-Palthiah Elderkin
Kingsland Comstock-Mary Atwell
Kingsland Comstock-Rachel Crocker
Rachel Comstock-John Eames
John Eames-Elizabeth Longbottom
Hannah Eames-James Lamphire
Susan Lamphire-Joseph Eddy
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, July 5, 2019
Holbrook line: Isaac Lazell 1701-1783
Some of our relatives play hide and seek with us. I was never much good at that game as a child, or a mother, or for that matter, a grandmother. Possibly Isaac knew that, and knew he could hide his tracks fairly well. I have found a few nuggets of information about him, so I will share what little I've found, so far.
Isaac Lazell was the son of Israel and Rachel Lincoln Lazell. He was born August 30, 1701 in Hingham, Massachusetts, where his family had lived since the 1630s or so. He was one of four children in the family, all boys, and all born between 1701 and 1707. This family was probably prominent in the town because I've seen reference to a Lazell Street in Hingham.
Isaac obviously survived his childhood, but he was fairly old when he married Deborah Marsh on June 4, 1741 in Hingham. She was fifteen years younger than her husband, and was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Burr Marsh, also of Hingham. There is no indication of an earlier marriage for Isaac, but we can't rule it out either. Maybe the late marriage was due to economic circumstances.
Isaac shared a home with his parents in Hingham Centre, "over the river". By the time his father died in 1755, 7 of the nine new Lazells were born, so this must have been a bustling household. I've not found Israel's probate records so I don't know whether or not Isaac received the home, but he stayed in Hingham until about 1773, when he took the family to Bellingham, Massachusetts. This was quite a change for the family. Hingham was almost on the edge of the ocean, and Bellingham was 45 to 50 miles inland and a farming community. He apparently took his family there because he was a Baptist, and there was a Baptist church in Bellingham. He didn't stay in Bellingham long, because, at the age of 72, he bought land from Isaac Bates, an 18 acre farm on the Bellingham-Mendon line.
The only mention I found of Isaac's public service was as a constable in Hingham in 1746. Isaac died at Mendon, also recorded in Bellingham records, on June 29, 1783, so he lived through the Revolutionary War. I didn't find him listed as a patriot on the DAR website but we shouldn't draw any conclusions from that. Bellingham was, in general, a patriotic town that supported the American cause, and Isaac may well have shared that feeling. He was too old to fight in the Revolution but he may have served in some capacity in the French and Indian war. There were other "minor" wars, involving battles with native Americans, during most of Isaac's earlier life so although I can't say he was ever a soldier, I certainly can't say he wasn't.
Isaac's wife, Deborah, outlived him by 8 years, dying in Mendon in 1791. I have not yet located a will or estate for either of these people, which is disappointing. We know he was a farmer and a Baptist, but we don't know whether or not he was literate, nor what his military service may have been. There is still more research to be done to document Isaac's life, but this gives us a start. He was another in a long line of honorable, brave, hard working men, and I salute my fifth great grandfather.
The line of descent is:
Isaac Lazell-Deborah Marsh
Deborah Lazell-Levi Rockwood
Susannah Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Wwhittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Isaac Lazell was the son of Israel and Rachel Lincoln Lazell. He was born August 30, 1701 in Hingham, Massachusetts, where his family had lived since the 1630s or so. He was one of four children in the family, all boys, and all born between 1701 and 1707. This family was probably prominent in the town because I've seen reference to a Lazell Street in Hingham.
Isaac obviously survived his childhood, but he was fairly old when he married Deborah Marsh on June 4, 1741 in Hingham. She was fifteen years younger than her husband, and was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Burr Marsh, also of Hingham. There is no indication of an earlier marriage for Isaac, but we can't rule it out either. Maybe the late marriage was due to economic circumstances.
Isaac shared a home with his parents in Hingham Centre, "over the river". By the time his father died in 1755, 7 of the nine new Lazells were born, so this must have been a bustling household. I've not found Israel's probate records so I don't know whether or not Isaac received the home, but he stayed in Hingham until about 1773, when he took the family to Bellingham, Massachusetts. This was quite a change for the family. Hingham was almost on the edge of the ocean, and Bellingham was 45 to 50 miles inland and a farming community. He apparently took his family there because he was a Baptist, and there was a Baptist church in Bellingham. He didn't stay in Bellingham long, because, at the age of 72, he bought land from Isaac Bates, an 18 acre farm on the Bellingham-Mendon line.
The only mention I found of Isaac's public service was as a constable in Hingham in 1746. Isaac died at Mendon, also recorded in Bellingham records, on June 29, 1783, so he lived through the Revolutionary War. I didn't find him listed as a patriot on the DAR website but we shouldn't draw any conclusions from that. Bellingham was, in general, a patriotic town that supported the American cause, and Isaac may well have shared that feeling. He was too old to fight in the Revolution but he may have served in some capacity in the French and Indian war. There were other "minor" wars, involving battles with native Americans, during most of Isaac's earlier life so although I can't say he was ever a soldier, I certainly can't say he wasn't.
Isaac's wife, Deborah, outlived him by 8 years, dying in Mendon in 1791. I have not yet located a will or estate for either of these people, which is disappointing. We know he was a farmer and a Baptist, but we don't know whether or not he was literate, nor what his military service may have been. There is still more research to be done to document Isaac's life, but this gives us a start. He was another in a long line of honorable, brave, hard working men, and I salute my fifth great grandfather.
The line of descent is:
Isaac Lazell-Deborah Marsh
Deborah Lazell-Levi Rockwood
Susannah Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Wwhittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Harshbarger line: Jacob Geiger 1748-1792
I am seriously wondering if there are two Jacob Geigers, and if they have somehow been mixed up in most records. What I have found is quite confusing but it seems to have two men by the same name at the same place at the same time. I am trying to get to the bottom of this but here's what I think I know.
Jacob was born in 1748 and wsas the son of Johan Valentin Geiger III, and Sarah, who may have been a widow Vettatoe, or some such name. He was reportedly born in New Hanover Township, in what is now Montgomery County but at the time was still Philadelphia County. This would have been frontier land at the time.
Somehow, Jacob made his way to Frederick County, Maryland, where we have one of the first documentations that I've been able to locate. There he married Elizabeth Schultz on August 11, 1776, in a Lutheran church or at least by a Lutheran pastor, just a few weeks after our country declared Independence. Jacob had actually been in Frederick County longer than that, because in December of 1775 he was listed as an Associator in the American cause. This was basically a volunteer militia. He also took the oath of allegiance in 1778, which was to the state of Maryland rather than to Great Britain, or, more interestingly, to the American cause. This was required of all office holders, including attorneys, and also all voters, which meant at the time those men who owned real estate.
Jacob and Elizabeth had at least seven children, born from 1776, just three months after the wedding, to 1786. Elizabeth, I think, deserved a break after that. Her body must have been worn out by the time the last one was born.
We don't know what other military service Jacob may have participated in, before or during the Revolutionary War. The area he is believed to have settled in was hard hit by attacks by native Americans, and it is more than possible that Jacob participated in one or more of the marches and battles that protected Americans and "rid the area" of most native Americans. The stories from that time and area are gruesome, but for the purposes of this blog, it is only a possibility that Jacob was involved, not a certainty. It is, however, more than likely that the family moved to the relative safety of a nearby fort or stockade for at least short periods of time during the war years.
I think that Jacob owned land in Frederick County, Maryland called "Discontentment". There were 244 acres there, and it was resurveyed in 1793, soon after Jacob died. It wouldn't have belonged to son Jacob, because the son was only 15 years old at the time. A more thorough study of land records would possibly show that the land was deeded to either heirs or a purchaser.
It has been reported, but I can't document, that Jacob Geiger died at or near Greenbrier, Berkeley County, (West) Virginia in February of 1791 or 1792. If his birth date is correct, he was a young man of 44 at the time, which makes one wonder if an accident or injury of some type was involved. It could also have been simple overwork. We don't know when the family relocated, or why, but the Jacob Geiger who died in Northampton County, Pennsylvania at about the same time does not appear to be one and the same with our Jacob.
One other thing that is confusing on websites I've found is that both Jacob and Elizabeth are said to have died on the same date, February 24, 1791 or 1792. I'd like to find the source of that information, because that could indicate either Indians, or some sudden disease like cholera. Either way, there would be a story there. But once before I thought I'd found a couple who died on the same day, and that information turned out to be faulty. So the question is still an open one: Who died when, and where, and how? Is that too much to ask?
Jacob lived a difficult life in difficult times. I hope his homestead gave him wonderful views, and I hope he died happy, knowing that his children had the skills and fortitude to continue carving out homes in the wilderness.
Much of this post is speculation, with just a few records to support it. If anyone has additional information on this man, I would love to hear more of him, especially if there is documentation. Please contact me.
The line of descent is:
Jacob Geiger-Elizabeth Schultz
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Jacob was born in 1748 and wsas the son of Johan Valentin Geiger III, and Sarah, who may have been a widow Vettatoe, or some such name. He was reportedly born in New Hanover Township, in what is now Montgomery County but at the time was still Philadelphia County. This would have been frontier land at the time.
Somehow, Jacob made his way to Frederick County, Maryland, where we have one of the first documentations that I've been able to locate. There he married Elizabeth Schultz on August 11, 1776, in a Lutheran church or at least by a Lutheran pastor, just a few weeks after our country declared Independence. Jacob had actually been in Frederick County longer than that, because in December of 1775 he was listed as an Associator in the American cause. This was basically a volunteer militia. He also took the oath of allegiance in 1778, which was to the state of Maryland rather than to Great Britain, or, more interestingly, to the American cause. This was required of all office holders, including attorneys, and also all voters, which meant at the time those men who owned real estate.
Jacob and Elizabeth had at least seven children, born from 1776, just three months after the wedding, to 1786. Elizabeth, I think, deserved a break after that. Her body must have been worn out by the time the last one was born.
We don't know what other military service Jacob may have participated in, before or during the Revolutionary War. The area he is believed to have settled in was hard hit by attacks by native Americans, and it is more than possible that Jacob participated in one or more of the marches and battles that protected Americans and "rid the area" of most native Americans. The stories from that time and area are gruesome, but for the purposes of this blog, it is only a possibility that Jacob was involved, not a certainty. It is, however, more than likely that the family moved to the relative safety of a nearby fort or stockade for at least short periods of time during the war years.
I think that Jacob owned land in Frederick County, Maryland called "Discontentment". There were 244 acres there, and it was resurveyed in 1793, soon after Jacob died. It wouldn't have belonged to son Jacob, because the son was only 15 years old at the time. A more thorough study of land records would possibly show that the land was deeded to either heirs or a purchaser.
It has been reported, but I can't document, that Jacob Geiger died at or near Greenbrier, Berkeley County, (West) Virginia in February of 1791 or 1792. If his birth date is correct, he was a young man of 44 at the time, which makes one wonder if an accident or injury of some type was involved. It could also have been simple overwork. We don't know when the family relocated, or why, but the Jacob Geiger who died in Northampton County, Pennsylvania at about the same time does not appear to be one and the same with our Jacob.
One other thing that is confusing on websites I've found is that both Jacob and Elizabeth are said to have died on the same date, February 24, 1791 or 1792. I'd like to find the source of that information, because that could indicate either Indians, or some sudden disease like cholera. Either way, there would be a story there. But once before I thought I'd found a couple who died on the same day, and that information turned out to be faulty. So the question is still an open one: Who died when, and where, and how? Is that too much to ask?
Jacob lived a difficult life in difficult times. I hope his homestead gave him wonderful views, and I hope he died happy, knowing that his children had the skills and fortitude to continue carving out homes in the wilderness.
Much of this post is speculation, with just a few records to support it. If anyone has additional information on this man, I would love to hear more of him, especially if there is documentation. Please contact me.
The line of descent is:
Jacob Geiger-Elizabeth Schultz
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
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