Samuel Winsor was the son of Joshua and Mary (maiden name unknown) Winsor. He was born at Providence Plantation on November 18, 1644, very early in the life of that colony. His father, Joshua was a free thinker, perhaps having similar thoughts to those of Roger Williams. He was encouraged to come to Providence by Roger Williams, and the Winsors would have known the Williams family well for many years.
We don't know a lot about Samuel, and some of what is on the internet is not accurate, as far as I can tell. This Samuel Winsor was not a pastor or a "Reverend", unless I have missed some documentation, although his son and grandson were Baptist pastors. Our Samuel may or may not have worshiped as a Baptist, but since the Baptist church was the first one in Providence it is likely that he did attend services there. It's also likely that he was a seeker, always looking for God in his life.
His occupation was that of a farmer, but I haven't seen whether he was considered a yeoman or a husbandman. Perhaps in Rhode Island they didn't pay much attention to titles.
He was one of those who stayed in Providence during King Philip's war. Since only two homes were not burned by the natives during that struggle, it is probable that if he had his own home by that time, it was destroyed. Roger Williams was captain of the militia during this time, and there were 30 men left in his unit. All the others had fled. I would like to say that Samuel, being about 32 years old at this time, would have stayed to guard and if necessary, fight to protect the small village.
Samuel married on January 2, 1677 to the youngest daughter of Roger and Mary Barnard Williams, Mercy. She was the widow of Resolved Waterman. The Winsors had four children together, which, with the five children she had with Resolved, would have made for quite a large family.
We don't have Samuel's will or administration papers, although the administration papers apparently exist. But we do have his statement of taxable items the all residents were required to provide during the rule of Edmund Andros, in 1686-1687. At that time, he reported two oxen, three cows, one three year old "hifer", Four two year old cattle, three yearlings, one horse, one mare, one two year old horse, five small siwne, eighteen sheep a year old, one house lott, one house lott more, eighty seven acres of land in the wilderness, a share beyond the seven mile line unlaid out, a swamp called Joshua's swamp, five or six acres, half a share of meadow called Shepherd's meadow about thirty acres, at my house three (acres) plowed, about 5 or six rough pasture of the said thirty. This is the best account that I can give. He made an addendum to report one horse more belonging to Resolved Waterman "who is with me upon wages" more eleven acres of land in the neck that was forgot that was Shepard's (spelling and punctuation mostly cleaned up by this writer). This was dated September 1, 1687.
So in ten years after the destruction of his home, Samuel had largely recovered what he lost and perhaps was even prospering. This is the only information I've found that give us an indication of his economic standing. We don't know his religion for sure, we don't know that he served in the militia for sure, but we do know that he must have been a hardworking man, and we can honor him for that work ethic. We can also honor him for the children he raised, his and his wife's, and for the service he gave to his country. On line records show that Samuel and Mercy died on the same day, September 19, 1705, but I can only verify Samuel's death date. Mercy may well have died about the same time. If they did die on the same date, it would be interesting to know their cause(s) of death. Was there a contagious disease, or was it pure coincidence, or was it love?
The line of descent is
Samuel Winsor-Mercy Williams
Samuel Winsor-Mercy Harding
Joseph Winsor-Deborah Mathewson
Lillis Winsor-Nathan Paine
Deborah Paine-Enos Eddy
Joseph Eddy-Susan Hamphire
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, February 28, 2020
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Allen line: Deacon, Joseph Ely 1663-1755
Joseph was the son of Samuel Ely (who in turn was the son of the immigrant Nathaniel Ely) and Martha unknown (may or may not have been Bliss, as far as I can tell). He was born August 20, 1663 in Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts and 91 years later, died just across the river in West Springfield. Unlike his immigrant grandfather, Joseph was content to stay in one place his entire life, which means there are a few records to be found, because the town records of Springfield have been published. We also have some vital records and a will. So far, however, I've been unable to locate military or church records.
Joseph was not quite 22 when he married Mary Riley, daughter of John and Margaret McCraney Riley, on July 9, 1685. Exactly nine months later, their first son, Joseph, was born, to be followed by 6 more children over the next 21 years. He was made a freeman in 1691.
I have little idea of how Joseph supported his family, although he did acquire several pieces of land over the years. Presumably this means he farmed. Lending credence to this idea is the fact that during the 1730s, when he was already in his 70's, he was paid 40 shillings for the "use" of his bull. Only a few farmers kept bulls, and they were used by all the area farmers when their cows were ready for shenanigans. After 1735 there is no further mention, so Joseph may have sold his livestock then, or given them to his sons.
He was not very active in civic life, although he was appointed fence-viewer in the area where he lived several times. This job involved making sure that new landowners put up proper fences, including permanent markers at the corners of their lands. He would also have been responsible to make sure all fences were kept in good repair, and to notify landowners when their fences needed attention. It required some diplomacy and perhaps some rudimentary surveying skills, but it wasn't the most complicated of civic jobs. His diplomatic skills would also have come into play when he was appointed to a committee to try to smooth out difficulties over the courthouse in 1712.
He was referred to as deacon many times, including in his death records. Deacons might give the message in the absence of the pastor, but their main role may have been as treasurer. They were responsible for the finances of the church, and were also responsible for distribution of aide to the community's poor people. Sometimes this involved finding families who would take people into their household, especially the elderly who had no families. For the most part, caring for the poor was a church function and not a town function when Joseph was deacon. So again, he was given the role of diplomat; perhaps that came naturally to him.
Mary died May 19, 1736. Joseph didn't re-marry, but survived her for 19 years, dying on April 29, 1755. He left land to his sons and a grandson, and 25 pounds each to his daughters. The value of his estate was a little over 356 pounds, most of it in land and house lots. He had clothes and some basic household utensils, two beds, and spectacles. There isn't a mention of military arms or of books that I can see. But he signed his own name to his will, written in 1738, so he was at least somewhat literate. It's quite possible that he was living with a child or grandchild at the time of his death, which would explain why there were no farm animals, crops, or other evidence of income producing goods.
The other big mystery I would like to know is-did Joseph participate in any of the military actions of the time? King William's War and Queen Anne's War both took place during the time he would have been in the militia. I haven't yet found a source listing the men who fought in these wars. He may have been involved in defending or guarding against native American attacks in one or another of the attacks on Deerfield, Massachusetts, which was more or less just up the river, 35 miles from Springfield. So far, I've not found evidence of this, but it is worth considering. Even if he didn't participate, he likely pulled some sort of guard duty at home during those uncertain times. I'd like to know more!
Joseph Ely was a man of honor and integrity, as we can tell by his being deacon, and being elected and re-elected fence viewer. We can be proud to be his descendant.
The line of descent is:
Joseph Ely-Mary Riley
Mary Ely-Thomas Stebbins
Ruth Stebbins-Samuel Hitchcok
Margaret Hitchcok-Richard Falley
Samuel Falley-Ruth Root
Clarissa Falley-John Havens Starr
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Friday, February 21, 2020
Holbrook line: Nathaniel Hawes 1660-1714
As I started this post, I had very little information about Nathaniel Hawes beyoun the basics. He is like many other second generation ancestors. The immigrants themselves may have quite a bit of information available about them, but these second generation folks are not so easily traceable. Well, we know who their parents are and usually vital records, but not much more than that. Such is the case with our Nathaniel.
He was born August 14, 1660 at Dedgam in Suffolk COunty, Massachusetts, and he died there October 18. 1714. His parents were Edward and Eleanor or Eliony Lombaard Hawes, and they were the immigrants. Nathaniel was one of at least nine children, so he had a lot of siblings. the Hawes family was probably in the lower half of Dedham residents, as far as economics go, so Nathaniel was probably let out at a young age to learn a trade. That trade eluded me until I saw his inventory. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
We don't know how or whether Nathaniel was involved in King Philip's War. He wasn't 15 yet when the war broke out, and by the time he turned 16, the war was winding down. We do know that Dedham was a gathering place for militia, and that quite a few men from Dedham were at the "Great Swamp Fight", but it is likely that Nathaniel stayed home to help protect this family.
At the age of 27, Nathaniel married Sarah Newell, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Curtis Newell, on March 29, 1688. Sarah was 22 at the time, so they would likely have been considered mature enough to marry and perhaps to set up their own household. Nathaniel and Sarah had eight children, and there was another daughter who apparently did not survive infancy. Of the eight, only one was a son, Nathaniel Jr., who was born in 1701, when there were already five girls. (Nathaniel Jr must have been one spoiled child, wouldn't you think?) Two more sisters were born after Nathaniel, to complete the family.
That's what we know of Nathaniel. We can draw some inferences that he was somewhat respected, because several of his daughters married into families that were important in Dedham history (Puffer, Bacon, Aldis). Nathaniel died October 14, 1714, when he was 54 years old.
And then, there's the inventory. It included two parcels on land, farm animals, wearing apparel, woodenware (a clue that the family was not weathy), books worth one pound (so he was literate), and, interesting to me, cooper's tools. So he built barrels or other wooden containers for liquids, most likely, to help increase the family income. This was a skill that he must have learned somewhere, perhaps as a young man when he may have been an apprentice or at least a laborer in someone's shop. Nathaniel left most of his estate to his wife, with the stipulation that when Nathaniel Jr. reached the age of 21 he would receive a double share, and the estate was to be given to his children when Sarah died or remarried.
Sarah did remarry, to Deacon Samuel Rocket or Rockwood) and she presented another inventory when the estate was closed out in 1720. I'm not sure whether the daughters had received their shares by then or not. The youngest daughter would have been just 13.
I'm glad to know that Nathaniel had a trade as well as a farm, orchard, and dwelling. I'm glad to know he had some books. I wish I knew more about him. I didn't locate his name as any kind of town office holder, and that is a little bit curious given the families his daughters married into. I need to do more research on that. I like to imagine Nathaniel as a cooper, making barrels or buckets or pails. I can smell the wood now, and can imagine what equipment he might have had. I'd like to hear his story about King Philip's War, though.
The line of descent is
Nathaniel Hawes-Sarah Newell
Elizabeth Hawes-Samuel Wilson
Rebecca Wilson-Jonathan Wright
Molly Wright-Amariah Holbrook
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-Maary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
He was born August 14, 1660 at Dedgam in Suffolk COunty, Massachusetts, and he died there October 18. 1714. His parents were Edward and Eleanor or Eliony Lombaard Hawes, and they were the immigrants. Nathaniel was one of at least nine children, so he had a lot of siblings. the Hawes family was probably in the lower half of Dedham residents, as far as economics go, so Nathaniel was probably let out at a young age to learn a trade. That trade eluded me until I saw his inventory. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
We don't know how or whether Nathaniel was involved in King Philip's War. He wasn't 15 yet when the war broke out, and by the time he turned 16, the war was winding down. We do know that Dedham was a gathering place for militia, and that quite a few men from Dedham were at the "Great Swamp Fight", but it is likely that Nathaniel stayed home to help protect this family.
At the age of 27, Nathaniel married Sarah Newell, daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Curtis Newell, on March 29, 1688. Sarah was 22 at the time, so they would likely have been considered mature enough to marry and perhaps to set up their own household. Nathaniel and Sarah had eight children, and there was another daughter who apparently did not survive infancy. Of the eight, only one was a son, Nathaniel Jr., who was born in 1701, when there were already five girls. (Nathaniel Jr must have been one spoiled child, wouldn't you think?) Two more sisters were born after Nathaniel, to complete the family.
That's what we know of Nathaniel. We can draw some inferences that he was somewhat respected, because several of his daughters married into families that were important in Dedham history (Puffer, Bacon, Aldis). Nathaniel died October 14, 1714, when he was 54 years old.
And then, there's the inventory. It included two parcels on land, farm animals, wearing apparel, woodenware (a clue that the family was not weathy), books worth one pound (so he was literate), and, interesting to me, cooper's tools. So he built barrels or other wooden containers for liquids, most likely, to help increase the family income. This was a skill that he must have learned somewhere, perhaps as a young man when he may have been an apprentice or at least a laborer in someone's shop. Nathaniel left most of his estate to his wife, with the stipulation that when Nathaniel Jr. reached the age of 21 he would receive a double share, and the estate was to be given to his children when Sarah died or remarried.
Sarah did remarry, to Deacon Samuel Rocket or Rockwood) and she presented another inventory when the estate was closed out in 1720. I'm not sure whether the daughters had received their shares by then or not. The youngest daughter would have been just 13.
I'm glad to know that Nathaniel had a trade as well as a farm, orchard, and dwelling. I'm glad to know he had some books. I wish I knew more about him. I didn't locate his name as any kind of town office holder, and that is a little bit curious given the families his daughters married into. I need to do more research on that. I like to imagine Nathaniel as a cooper, making barrels or buckets or pails. I can smell the wood now, and can imagine what equipment he might have had. I'd like to hear his story about King Philip's War, though.
The line of descent is
Nathaniel Hawes-Sarah Newell
Elizabeth Hawes-Samuel Wilson
Rebecca Wilson-Jonathan Wright
Molly Wright-Amariah Holbrook
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-Maary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Holbrook line: Benjamin Wheelock 1639-1716
Benjamin Wheelock, who may have been the first Wheelock born in the American colonies, certainly has stayed out of view of family historians. We have bits and pieces, enough to have a vague outline, but we don't know nearly as much about him as he know about his father.
His parents were Rev. Ralph and Rebecca Clarke Wheelock. Rev. Wheelock was a graduate of Clare College at Cambridge University, and Rev. Ralph came to America as a Puritan pastor. He is also recognized as the first public school teacher in America. So, poor Benjamin! His father was both a pastor and a schoolteacher; what chance did the poor kid have?
Benjamin had four older siblings and one younger sibling. He was born January 8, 1639/40 in Dedham, Massachusetts, where his parents had gone soon after arriving in Massachusetts Bay Colony. The family stayed there until Benjamin was about 11 years old and then they moved to Medfield, Massachusetts. Typically boys were put into some kind of a trade or on the job training program by the time they were 14. We don't know if this happened to Benjamin, or whether his father's more professional occupations might have allowed Benjamin to stay at home longer. Perhaps he was needed for the chores around home, as his father was busy preparing sermons and lessons and may not have paid much attention to other things that needed to be done.
Benjamin married Elizabeth Bullen, daughter of Samuel and Mary Morse Bullen, on May 21, 1668 in Medfield. He was a little older than typical for his generation, about 28, but Elizabeth was about 21, about typical for young women. Benjamin and Elizabeth stayed in Medfield, where he had a house built the year of their marriage. He acquired other land and became known as a "proprietor", which gave him certain rights in land divisions that not every resident had.
Benjamin and Elizabeth had at least five children, and at least four were born in Medfield. Sometime in 1685 or 1686, the family moved to Mendon, where Benjamin is listed as a founder. Here he was a tything man, a constable, and a selectman, so he was well regarded there. He purchased land from Matthias Puffer and undoubtedly hoped to live out his days in Mendon, along with his wife Elizabeth.
However, Elizabeth died in 1689, Benjamin may have married Elizabeth French, widow of Jonathan Thayer and daughter of John French, in about 1692. It is possible that he fathered two more children with her, although some think this is not correct. I guess I hope it is true, that he had children when he was well into middle age, because they would have kept him young, or at least helped care for him as he aged.
Benjamin died September 13, 1716 at Mendon. I've not found a will or inventory, which is disappointing. That might give us more insight into what Benjamin did for a living, and how well he was doing, financially. It might also tell us what land he owned, and whether he had a library of more than a Bible and a couple of religious books.
From what little we know, we know that he was respected in his community, that he raised a good family, and that he was at least as "religious" as his neighbors. Being chosen as a selectman was an honor, and it's an privilege to be able to claim him as an ancestor.
The line of descent is
Benjamin Wheelock-Elizabeth Bullen
Benjamin Wheelock-Huldah Thayer
Mary Wheelock-Ebenezer Thayer
Abigail Thayer-Jesse Holbrook
Amariah Holbrook-Molly Wright
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Hobrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
His parents were Rev. Ralph and Rebecca Clarke Wheelock. Rev. Wheelock was a graduate of Clare College at Cambridge University, and Rev. Ralph came to America as a Puritan pastor. He is also recognized as the first public school teacher in America. So, poor Benjamin! His father was both a pastor and a schoolteacher; what chance did the poor kid have?
Benjamin had four older siblings and one younger sibling. He was born January 8, 1639/40 in Dedham, Massachusetts, where his parents had gone soon after arriving in Massachusetts Bay Colony. The family stayed there until Benjamin was about 11 years old and then they moved to Medfield, Massachusetts. Typically boys were put into some kind of a trade or on the job training program by the time they were 14. We don't know if this happened to Benjamin, or whether his father's more professional occupations might have allowed Benjamin to stay at home longer. Perhaps he was needed for the chores around home, as his father was busy preparing sermons and lessons and may not have paid much attention to other things that needed to be done.
Benjamin married Elizabeth Bullen, daughter of Samuel and Mary Morse Bullen, on May 21, 1668 in Medfield. He was a little older than typical for his generation, about 28, but Elizabeth was about 21, about typical for young women. Benjamin and Elizabeth stayed in Medfield, where he had a house built the year of their marriage. He acquired other land and became known as a "proprietor", which gave him certain rights in land divisions that not every resident had.
Benjamin and Elizabeth had at least five children, and at least four were born in Medfield. Sometime in 1685 or 1686, the family moved to Mendon, where Benjamin is listed as a founder. Here he was a tything man, a constable, and a selectman, so he was well regarded there. He purchased land from Matthias Puffer and undoubtedly hoped to live out his days in Mendon, along with his wife Elizabeth.
However, Elizabeth died in 1689, Benjamin may have married Elizabeth French, widow of Jonathan Thayer and daughter of John French, in about 1692. It is possible that he fathered two more children with her, although some think this is not correct. I guess I hope it is true, that he had children when he was well into middle age, because they would have kept him young, or at least helped care for him as he aged.
Benjamin died September 13, 1716 at Mendon. I've not found a will or inventory, which is disappointing. That might give us more insight into what Benjamin did for a living, and how well he was doing, financially. It might also tell us what land he owned, and whether he had a library of more than a Bible and a couple of religious books.
From what little we know, we know that he was respected in his community, that he raised a good family, and that he was at least as "religious" as his neighbors. Being chosen as a selectman was an honor, and it's an privilege to be able to claim him as an ancestor.
The line of descent is
Benjamin Wheelock-Elizabeth Bullen
Benjamin Wheelock-Huldah Thayer
Mary Wheelock-Ebenezer Thayer
Abigail Thayer-Jesse Holbrook
Amariah Holbrook-Molly Wright
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Hobrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, February 14, 2020
Holbrook line: John Paine 1658-1718
We have a lot of men named Stephen Paine in our line and I've written about the immigrant earlier. I'll try to write about at least some of the succeeding generations later, if I'm able to find some information about them. But first, we have John Paine. I didn't find a lot of information about him, but he lived in interesting times and left us clues about his life, even if we don't have answers to all the questions we have about him.
John was born April 3, 1658 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, the son of Stephen and Anne Chickering Paine. He was their second son, one of a total of at least nine children. John's grandfather had been a linen weaver and John's trade is listed as weaver. although we don't know what in particular he wove, or how much this was a livelihood and how much just added income to see his family over the tight spots.
John married, at the age of 22, Elizabeth Belcher, who was 20 and was the daughter of Josiah and Uranis Rainsford Belcher. Elizabeth likely grew up hearing stories a little different than the Paine's did, for the Rainsford family was connected, far back, to royalty. He inherited land from his grandfather as well as his father, and that may be why he moved to Swansea, Massachusetts Bay by 1683. Rehoboth and Swansea are roughly 9 miles apart, so John didn't move far when he moved. Both towns were burned during King Philip's War in 1675-76. John would have been old enough to serve but I've not found his name listed a a soldier anywhere. We can assume that he was either serving or staying at home to protect his younger siblings, during the war, or leading them to a "safer" town. Surely a 17 or 18 year old young man would not have been doing nothing during this time period!
At this point it is interesting to speculate about the religion of John Paine. I have seen on some trees that he was a Quaker, but after looking for evidence, I think it is more likely that his son or grandson of the same name was the Quaker. The question for me is" was he a Baptist? Both Rehoboth and Swansea had healthy Baptist populations and it seems possible that he was a Baptist also. So far I've not found anything that leads me to be able to make a judgement one way or the other on that question. Let's just say, for now, that it wouldn't surprise me.
John and Elizabeth had at least ten children together, before Elizabeth died prior to 1711. John remarried soon after,, to Martha (last name not known) and this couple had four children. About the time of the second marriage John moved his family to Providence, Rhode Island, which was about 11 miles. John was a surveyor of highways and a representative in Swansea, so he was a respected man, whether or not he was Baptist, Quaker, or Congregationalist.
There is supposedly a will or administration for John but I've not found it on line. He died September 26, 1718, at Providence. His widow, Martha, was younger than he was and soon remarried, as she had four children of her own plus two or three of the younger children of Elizabeth to care for.
So John is a bit of a mystery in terms of religion, military service, and even the value of his estate. We also don't know what kind of education he had. However, like all of our ancestors, he contributed to the story of us, and that makes him important in my eyes.
The line of descent is
John Paine-Elizabeth Belcher
Stephen Paine-Sarah Vallett
Stephen Paine-Sarah Thornton
Nathan Paine-Lillis Winsor
Deborah Paine-Enos Eddy
Joseph Eddy-Susan Lamphire
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
John was born April 3, 1658 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, the son of Stephen and Anne Chickering Paine. He was their second son, one of a total of at least nine children. John's grandfather had been a linen weaver and John's trade is listed as weaver. although we don't know what in particular he wove, or how much this was a livelihood and how much just added income to see his family over the tight spots.
John married, at the age of 22, Elizabeth Belcher, who was 20 and was the daughter of Josiah and Uranis Rainsford Belcher. Elizabeth likely grew up hearing stories a little different than the Paine's did, for the Rainsford family was connected, far back, to royalty. He inherited land from his grandfather as well as his father, and that may be why he moved to Swansea, Massachusetts Bay by 1683. Rehoboth and Swansea are roughly 9 miles apart, so John didn't move far when he moved. Both towns were burned during King Philip's War in 1675-76. John would have been old enough to serve but I've not found his name listed a a soldier anywhere. We can assume that he was either serving or staying at home to protect his younger siblings, during the war, or leading them to a "safer" town. Surely a 17 or 18 year old young man would not have been doing nothing during this time period!
At this point it is interesting to speculate about the religion of John Paine. I have seen on some trees that he was a Quaker, but after looking for evidence, I think it is more likely that his son or grandson of the same name was the Quaker. The question for me is" was he a Baptist? Both Rehoboth and Swansea had healthy Baptist populations and it seems possible that he was a Baptist also. So far I've not found anything that leads me to be able to make a judgement one way or the other on that question. Let's just say, for now, that it wouldn't surprise me.
John and Elizabeth had at least ten children together, before Elizabeth died prior to 1711. John remarried soon after,, to Martha (last name not known) and this couple had four children. About the time of the second marriage John moved his family to Providence, Rhode Island, which was about 11 miles. John was a surveyor of highways and a representative in Swansea, so he was a respected man, whether or not he was Baptist, Quaker, or Congregationalist.
There is supposedly a will or administration for John but I've not found it on line. He died September 26, 1718, at Providence. His widow, Martha, was younger than he was and soon remarried, as she had four children of her own plus two or three of the younger children of Elizabeth to care for.
So John is a bit of a mystery in terms of religion, military service, and even the value of his estate. We also don't know what kind of education he had. However, like all of our ancestors, he contributed to the story of us, and that makes him important in my eyes.
The line of descent is
John Paine-Elizabeth Belcher
Stephen Paine-Sarah Vallett
Stephen Paine-Sarah Thornton
Nathan Paine-Lillis Winsor
Deborah Paine-Enos Eddy
Joseph Eddy-Susan Lamphire
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Harshbarger line: Where was George Essig in 1840?
Perhaps I should start at the beginning, with the "who" of george Essig. He was the son of Simon and Juliana Margaretha Schneer Essig, and was born, some say in Adams County, Pennsylvania, on October 19, 1794. This would make some sense, as his father, Simon Essig, is believed to have been the only one of his family to have escaped an Indian attack, near Emmitsburg, Maryland, before the Revolutionary War. The two locations are near each other.
Simon and Juliana moved on to Stark County, Ohio, and raised their rather large family there. George was one of 14 children born to the couple. His parents were on the 1810 tax rolls for Stark County, and it is reported that Simon was in Plain Township, Stark County, planting an orchard as early as 1806. It appears that all but possibly one of the children in George's first family had been born before the move from central Pennsylvania to central Ohio was made. What a trip that must have been! george would have been eleven or twelve years old at the time, so he would have been old enough to help with whatever needed to be done. He would also have been old enough to remember both Pennsylvania and the trip.
There is a tradition that George served in the War of 1812 along with his brothers Jacob and Adam. I have not found any evidence of George's having served, but tradition says that he was injured by Indians (fighting on the side of the British) near Put-in-Bay, Ohio. Sometimes these stories are true and sometimes not, so take it with a grain of salt until records are found verifying this. It is beyond doubt that the Essig family would have felt threatened by the events of the war. Fort Meigs was not constructed until 1813, and it was 156 miles away from Canton, the nearest town to where the Essigs lived. If George wasn't a soldier in the war, he would probably have been in a local militia, and certainly would have been prepared to protect his family from stray Indian raids.
After the war was over, George married Catherine Shollenberger (various spellings), daughter of Peter and Susanna Shollenberger, on September 6, 1816. We can trace the couple in the 1820 census, when there were two children, and the 1830 census, when there were 7 children under the age of 20 (officially) or under the age of 14 (actually). We know George owned land in 1828 in Plain Township, Stark County.
Then George seems to go missing from the records. A George Essig purchased public lands in Dekalb County, Indiana in 1840 and up through 1852. I do not know whether this is our George or not. It is possible, whether or not this was our George, that the family was traveling somewhere in 1840 and thus was missed in the census. I found a George Essick in the 1840 census in Davidson County, North Carolina, but the ages were off and it doesn't seem likely this was our George. Some families just get missed, or are hiding within another family and so don't get named in the early censuses.
We do know that George and Catherine were in Whitley County, Indiana by 1850. That year's census shows them with 4 children still at home, ranging in age from 13 to 20. Some of the older children live near by, having started their own households. (According to his will, there were 11 children living at the time of George's death.) By 1860, George and Catherine are living in Columbia City, where he still is listed as a farmer. An eleven year old boy named Washington Payne is living with them. I don't yet know who he is, whether he is someone living there to help care for them or whether he is part of the extended family.
George died on April 11, 1866. Although he is not shown as having any land in the 1860 census, his will gives land to his son Joseph and to son David, after the death of his wife Catherine, and to each of his other children $35, which Joseph is to pay at the rate of $10 per year. Catherine lived until June 19, 1872. They are buried at Oakgrove Methodist (Redbrush) Cemetery near Larwill, Indiana, which was near the land they owned and farmed.
There is undoubtedly more to George's story. He left Pennsylvania, arrived in Ohio when it was basically frontier, helped build Stark County, and then came to Whitley County while it was still early in that county's history, probably again clearing land and farming as his father and his father before him had done. He would certeinly have stories of his own to tell!
The line of descent is:
George Essig-Catherine Shollenberger
Susannah Essig-Daniel Kemery
Adam Kemery-Nancy Buchtel
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks
Their descendants
Simon and Juliana moved on to Stark County, Ohio, and raised their rather large family there. George was one of 14 children born to the couple. His parents were on the 1810 tax rolls for Stark County, and it is reported that Simon was in Plain Township, Stark County, planting an orchard as early as 1806. It appears that all but possibly one of the children in George's first family had been born before the move from central Pennsylvania to central Ohio was made. What a trip that must have been! george would have been eleven or twelve years old at the time, so he would have been old enough to help with whatever needed to be done. He would also have been old enough to remember both Pennsylvania and the trip.
There is a tradition that George served in the War of 1812 along with his brothers Jacob and Adam. I have not found any evidence of George's having served, but tradition says that he was injured by Indians (fighting on the side of the British) near Put-in-Bay, Ohio. Sometimes these stories are true and sometimes not, so take it with a grain of salt until records are found verifying this. It is beyond doubt that the Essig family would have felt threatened by the events of the war. Fort Meigs was not constructed until 1813, and it was 156 miles away from Canton, the nearest town to where the Essigs lived. If George wasn't a soldier in the war, he would probably have been in a local militia, and certainly would have been prepared to protect his family from stray Indian raids.
After the war was over, George married Catherine Shollenberger (various spellings), daughter of Peter and Susanna Shollenberger, on September 6, 1816. We can trace the couple in the 1820 census, when there were two children, and the 1830 census, when there were 7 children under the age of 20 (officially) or under the age of 14 (actually). We know George owned land in 1828 in Plain Township, Stark County.
Then George seems to go missing from the records. A George Essig purchased public lands in Dekalb County, Indiana in 1840 and up through 1852. I do not know whether this is our George or not. It is possible, whether or not this was our George, that the family was traveling somewhere in 1840 and thus was missed in the census. I found a George Essick in the 1840 census in Davidson County, North Carolina, but the ages were off and it doesn't seem likely this was our George. Some families just get missed, or are hiding within another family and so don't get named in the early censuses.
We do know that George and Catherine were in Whitley County, Indiana by 1850. That year's census shows them with 4 children still at home, ranging in age from 13 to 20. Some of the older children live near by, having started their own households. (According to his will, there were 11 children living at the time of George's death.) By 1860, George and Catherine are living in Columbia City, where he still is listed as a farmer. An eleven year old boy named Washington Payne is living with them. I don't yet know who he is, whether he is someone living there to help care for them or whether he is part of the extended family.
George died on April 11, 1866. Although he is not shown as having any land in the 1860 census, his will gives land to his son Joseph and to son David, after the death of his wife Catherine, and to each of his other children $35, which Joseph is to pay at the rate of $10 per year. Catherine lived until June 19, 1872. They are buried at Oakgrove Methodist (Redbrush) Cemetery near Larwill, Indiana, which was near the land they owned and farmed.
There is undoubtedly more to George's story. He left Pennsylvania, arrived in Ohio when it was basically frontier, helped build Stark County, and then came to Whitley County while it was still early in that county's history, probably again clearing land and farming as his father and his father before him had done. He would certeinly have stories of his own to tell!
The line of descent is:
George Essig-Catherine Shollenberger
Susannah Essig-Daniel Kemery
Adam Kemery-Nancy Buchtel
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks
Their descendants
Friday, February 7, 2020
Allen line: John Havens Starr 1808-1873
It seems that most people think their life is boring. "Nothing to see here, folks. Move along>" they would tell us, then as now. (Did you ever try writing your own autobiography? Nothing to see here, folks.) I'm pretty sure that our stern, Presbyterian ancestor would say the same thing. And yet, what could be boring about following a man born in Connecticut, who lived his early life in frontier Ohio and then moved on to frontier Iowa? What could be boring about watching a man as he grieves the loss of a son in the Civil War? What could be boring about watching a man whose dreams may have been bigger than he could deliver? Was he a failure, or a fraud, or a man like so many, who reached for the stars and didn't quite get there?
John Havens Starr was born December 31, 1803 (I think the date found in a printed history is incorrect, because his family had already moved on to Ohio by 1809. The 1809 date was probably a typo, or perhaps a misreading of the original entry) in Groton, Connecticut. His grandfather, John Starr, and his great grandfather, Thomas Starr, had also been born there but his own father, John Starr, was born in Nova Scotia while John the grandfather was building a life there prior to the Revolutionary War. When that war broke out, the family moved back to Groton, and resumed life there.
Except, John the grandfather was given land in Ohio twice, in compensation for the land he lost in Nova Scotia and also for the serious wound he had sustained in the battle of Groton Heights. John the father and his wife, Elizabeth "Betsey" Chester Havens, and probably two siblings traveled with the family when John the grandfather went to Ohio to claim his lands in Franklin County, Ohio. John the father would have been a wonderful help to his father, who had lost the use of his right arm, and our John grew up in Franklin County, on land that is now part of Columbus, Ohio. John was among the oldest of the children, as more and more siblings arrived, so he learned quickly a sense of responsibility.
The Starr family were staunch Presbyterians and were some of the founding fathers of the first church there. John Starr, possibly the father, was in charge of Sunday school there for many years, and probably had influence beyond the local church. It took a while for our John to marry. We don't know if that was because of family obligations, or because, like others in our family, he was waiting for the right woman, one who loved God as much as he did. He was 36 years old when he married Clarissa Falley in Granville, Licking County, Ohio. She was the daughter of Samuel and Ruth Root Falley, and she was 27 at the time of the marriage.
These relatively late ages for their marriage have caused some to speculate that John had been married earlier, but I find no documentation for that. I've seen a tree that gives a wedding date of September 27, 1827 to John Havens Starr and Almira "Myra" Falley. I've not been able to locate a record that support that, but if true, then this couple had several children together before Myra died. Myra was probably a cousin of Clarissa's. There is a monument to her in the Sand Hill Cemetery at Tipton, Iowa, showing a death date of December 28, 1838 and listing her husband as John H. Starr. So despite the lack of a marriage record (put down on must find list), I now think this wife is likely correct and there is more to the story. Was John in Iowa as early as 1838, and did he then go back to Ohio to marry Clarissa? John and Myra appear to have had five children, of whom only two survived.
Our couple, John and Clarissa, are not visible in the 1840 census. However, his parents by then are north of Columbus, in Bloomingrove, Richland County, and it's possible that they are included on the census of Samuel Falley in Granville in 1840. By 1850, they are in Cedar County, Iowa. Puzzling on the list of names in the household are Havens Starr, age 22, school teacher, and Anson Starr, age 18, farmer. Who are these young men? They were clearly born before John and Clarissa's marriage. Was John married previously, in a county that didn't yet keep records, or are these perhaps nephews? I sure hope someone reading this has an answer for this question! In addition, there are also Myra, John C. Francis R. and Eunice F Starr, all of whom appear to be John and Clarissa's children, and all of whom were born in Ohio. That must have been quite a trick, traveling with four young children, whether by boat or by wagon, all the way from Ohio to Iowa! I would consider that story not likely to be at all boring, although probably Clarissa would have more to say about it than John would.
We know that John was quickly involved in the Presbyterian church there. By 1854 he was trying to get an "Academy" started, for Presbyterian students, and he even offered some of his land in Tipton to build on. Those dreams did not come true, but it does show his dedication to his church and his God. The 1860 census gives us an extra blessing. We have a "Non-population" schedule for him, showing the activities and assets of his farm. At that time, he owned 460 acres, half of it improved. the cash value was 90000, and the value of his equipment and implemnts was $900. He had 4 horses, 6 milch cows, 4 other cattle, 2 swine, with the value of live stock given as $500. In the year 1859, the farm had produced 600 bushels of wheat, 2300 bushels of Indian corn, and 300 bushels of oats. Compared to others on the page, he was doing pretty well as a farmer.
John could probably take pride in contributing some of his crops for the war effort, as the Civil War began. He also sent his son, John Calvin Starr, off to war. As mentioned in an earlier column, John Calvin died in Thibodeaux, Louisiana of some kind of "brain fever", perhaps meningitis. It must have been a horrible shock to his parents, but one that all too many parents felt during those years.
John continued on. In the 1870 census, he and Clarissa are living in Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa, with 19 year old Mary and 38 year old Anson. The value of his real estate is $2500 and his personal property $300, This is the last time we see John, until his death on March 13, 1873. Clarissa died on April 4, 1875, and that is when the fight over the remaining family assets took place. I've written of that earlier.
So, what was John's life? Boring, fascinating, salt of the earth? I would call him courageous, moral, and probably stern. His son in law, John Wilson Knott, had some unkind things to say about him, mostly promises not kept. It appears to me that the family fortune went downhill and he was probably unable to fulfill his promises, although he made them with every good intention. It would be interesting to study the economics of that area during the 1860s to see if other families suffered the same economic woes, or if perhaps John was so overcome with grief that he was unable to cope when he needed to cope. There is still much to know about this ancestor, but here's a start, anyway.
Our line of descent is:
John H Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
John Havens Starr was born December 31, 1803 (I think the date found in a printed history is incorrect, because his family had already moved on to Ohio by 1809. The 1809 date was probably a typo, or perhaps a misreading of the original entry) in Groton, Connecticut. His grandfather, John Starr, and his great grandfather, Thomas Starr, had also been born there but his own father, John Starr, was born in Nova Scotia while John the grandfather was building a life there prior to the Revolutionary War. When that war broke out, the family moved back to Groton, and resumed life there.
Except, John the grandfather was given land in Ohio twice, in compensation for the land he lost in Nova Scotia and also for the serious wound he had sustained in the battle of Groton Heights. John the father and his wife, Elizabeth "Betsey" Chester Havens, and probably two siblings traveled with the family when John the grandfather went to Ohio to claim his lands in Franklin County, Ohio. John the father would have been a wonderful help to his father, who had lost the use of his right arm, and our John grew up in Franklin County, on land that is now part of Columbus, Ohio. John was among the oldest of the children, as more and more siblings arrived, so he learned quickly a sense of responsibility.
The Starr family were staunch Presbyterians and were some of the founding fathers of the first church there. John Starr, possibly the father, was in charge of Sunday school there for many years, and probably had influence beyond the local church. It took a while for our John to marry. We don't know if that was because of family obligations, or because, like others in our family, he was waiting for the right woman, one who loved God as much as he did. He was 36 years old when he married Clarissa Falley in Granville, Licking County, Ohio. She was the daughter of Samuel and Ruth Root Falley, and she was 27 at the time of the marriage.
These relatively late ages for their marriage have caused some to speculate that John had been married earlier, but I find no documentation for that. I've seen a tree that gives a wedding date of September 27, 1827 to John Havens Starr and Almira "Myra" Falley. I've not been able to locate a record that support that, but if true, then this couple had several children together before Myra died. Myra was probably a cousin of Clarissa's. There is a monument to her in the Sand Hill Cemetery at Tipton, Iowa, showing a death date of December 28, 1838 and listing her husband as John H. Starr. So despite the lack of a marriage record (put down on must find list), I now think this wife is likely correct and there is more to the story. Was John in Iowa as early as 1838, and did he then go back to Ohio to marry Clarissa? John and Myra appear to have had five children, of whom only two survived.
Our couple, John and Clarissa, are not visible in the 1840 census. However, his parents by then are north of Columbus, in Bloomingrove, Richland County, and it's possible that they are included on the census of Samuel Falley in Granville in 1840. By 1850, they are in Cedar County, Iowa. Puzzling on the list of names in the household are Havens Starr, age 22, school teacher, and Anson Starr, age 18, farmer. Who are these young men? They were clearly born before John and Clarissa's marriage. Was John married previously, in a county that didn't yet keep records, or are these perhaps nephews? I sure hope someone reading this has an answer for this question! In addition, there are also Myra, John C. Francis R. and Eunice F Starr, all of whom appear to be John and Clarissa's children, and all of whom were born in Ohio. That must have been quite a trick, traveling with four young children, whether by boat or by wagon, all the way from Ohio to Iowa! I would consider that story not likely to be at all boring, although probably Clarissa would have more to say about it than John would.
We know that John was quickly involved in the Presbyterian church there. By 1854 he was trying to get an "Academy" started, for Presbyterian students, and he even offered some of his land in Tipton to build on. Those dreams did not come true, but it does show his dedication to his church and his God. The 1860 census gives us an extra blessing. We have a "Non-population" schedule for him, showing the activities and assets of his farm. At that time, he owned 460 acres, half of it improved. the cash value was 90000, and the value of his equipment and implemnts was $900. He had 4 horses, 6 milch cows, 4 other cattle, 2 swine, with the value of live stock given as $500. In the year 1859, the farm had produced 600 bushels of wheat, 2300 bushels of Indian corn, and 300 bushels of oats. Compared to others on the page, he was doing pretty well as a farmer.
John could probably take pride in contributing some of his crops for the war effort, as the Civil War began. He also sent his son, John Calvin Starr, off to war. As mentioned in an earlier column, John Calvin died in Thibodeaux, Louisiana of some kind of "brain fever", perhaps meningitis. It must have been a horrible shock to his parents, but one that all too many parents felt during those years.
John continued on. In the 1870 census, he and Clarissa are living in Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa, with 19 year old Mary and 38 year old Anson. The value of his real estate is $2500 and his personal property $300, This is the last time we see John, until his death on March 13, 1873. Clarissa died on April 4, 1875, and that is when the fight over the remaining family assets took place. I've written of that earlier.
So, what was John's life? Boring, fascinating, salt of the earth? I would call him courageous, moral, and probably stern. His son in law, John Wilson Knott, had some unkind things to say about him, mostly promises not kept. It appears to me that the family fortune went downhill and he was probably unable to fulfill his promises, although he made them with every good intention. It would be interesting to study the economics of that area during the 1860s to see if other families suffered the same economic woes, or if perhaps John was so overcome with grief that he was unable to cope when he needed to cope. There is still much to know about this ancestor, but here's a start, anyway.
Our line of descent is:
John H Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Holbrook line: John Brackett 1637-1686
As I first researched this ancestor of ours, I could find only enough information to perhaps fill out three sentences. I knew his parents, his birth and death dates (incorrect death date, as it turns out), his siblings and his wife and children. I knew the town where he lived and died. I knew that his father was a deacon and a jailer, and I thought maybe our John had gone undercover, so to speak, to escape his father's reputation.
But as I did a little more research, I found a few more facts, ones that show John standing on his own two feet and becoming his own man. It's not much, yet, but still, it's more than I knew at the beginning.
John's parents were Richard and Alice Blower Brackett. His father had come to Massachusetts in 1632, returned to England to marry in 1633 and then returned to New England in 1634 with his bride. John had one older sister, Hannah. He and his brother were baptized the same day, May 7, 1637 in Boston. It's not clear whether the two were twins, but if not, they were certainly close all their days. Five more siblings were born after John. Remarkably, all of the children of Richard and Alice lived to adulthood.
It's not clear how much John would have remembered of his earliest childhood days in Boston, because his parents moved to Braintree about 1641. John would have been only about 4 years old at the time of the move, and Braintree was probably the equivalent of the old home place, although of course both Richard and Alice could have talked about their own childhoods, in England.
John, however, looked to the future. He married Hannah French, daughter of William and Elizabeth French, on September 6, 1661 in Braintree. Sometime during the next few years, he moved his family 45 miles north, to Billerica. Billerica had been founded in 1655 on the side of a former native village, and although John didn't get in on the ground floor, he must have had good reason for going there. Four of his brothers and sisters moved to Billerica, and Hannah's father may have already been there. These moves took place for the most part in the early 1660's, although exact dates are hard to pin down.
We do know that John was "rated" in 1669 for 15 shillings to go to the maintenance of Mr. Whiting, the church pastor. This was a fairly low amount based on the list I found in an 1883 History of Billerica, but at the time John had been married for only about 8 years so is not likely to have had a large estate. I also found that he was a soldier, at least in the militia, during King Philip's War. His family, along with those of Daniel Shed Jr, Samuel Trull, and James Kidder Jr. were assigned to Sergeant Kidder's home when the town felt threatened. Two soldiers were also assigned there, for a total of 7 soldiers, so the implication is that each of the men mentioned were also soldiers. I also found note that Billerica had been abandoned after an attack, but I am not sure of the chronology of this, whether it was before or after the assignment of the various families to the garrison and strong houses. John was rated at three shillings in 1679, but again, this is soon after the war ended so it is hard to draw conclusions from this list.
Hannah died on May 9, 1674, the same day that her last daughter was born. Her father named the last daughter "Marah", which meant "bitter" in the Old Testament. However, with seven children to raise he needed a new wife, and he married Ruth Morse Ellis, widow, on March 31, 1674. She had three children of her own and then she and John had four children, three of whom survived. That was one large family. And Ruth would have been the one to take her four children, John's seven, and possibly the first of their children together, into Sergeant Kidder's house for what may have been a lengthy period of time during King Philip's War!
John died March 18, 1686 in Billerica, still less than 50 years old. He apparently didn't leave a will, and his inventory is confusing. It looks like it says that the first accounting was not complete and the marshal seized some of Ruth's holdings until it was completed to the court's satisfaction, but the final total was a little over 118 pounds. Ruth would have received 1/3 of that, and the rest divided up among John's children as they reached the age of majority. So there wasn't much to go around, but something is better than nothing.
I found nothing about John's religious beliefs but as this was still early in colonial history, and as his father had been a deacon, it's probably safe to say he was a Puritan and raised his children in the same beliefs. His inventory appears to show the tools, animals, and equipment of a farmer, although he may also have had a trade. I'd like to know more about him, of course. He was another of the salt of the earth type people who built New England and influenced America down to this day.
The line of descent is
John Brackett-Hannah French
Hannah Brackett-Joseph Stannard
John Stannard-Hannah Jordan
John Stannard-Hannah Hanchett
Libbeus Stanard-Eunice Pomeroy
Libbeus Stanard-Luceba Fay
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
But as I did a little more research, I found a few more facts, ones that show John standing on his own two feet and becoming his own man. It's not much, yet, but still, it's more than I knew at the beginning.
John's parents were Richard and Alice Blower Brackett. His father had come to Massachusetts in 1632, returned to England to marry in 1633 and then returned to New England in 1634 with his bride. John had one older sister, Hannah. He and his brother were baptized the same day, May 7, 1637 in Boston. It's not clear whether the two were twins, but if not, they were certainly close all their days. Five more siblings were born after John. Remarkably, all of the children of Richard and Alice lived to adulthood.
It's not clear how much John would have remembered of his earliest childhood days in Boston, because his parents moved to Braintree about 1641. John would have been only about 4 years old at the time of the move, and Braintree was probably the equivalent of the old home place, although of course both Richard and Alice could have talked about their own childhoods, in England.
John, however, looked to the future. He married Hannah French, daughter of William and Elizabeth French, on September 6, 1661 in Braintree. Sometime during the next few years, he moved his family 45 miles north, to Billerica. Billerica had been founded in 1655 on the side of a former native village, and although John didn't get in on the ground floor, he must have had good reason for going there. Four of his brothers and sisters moved to Billerica, and Hannah's father may have already been there. These moves took place for the most part in the early 1660's, although exact dates are hard to pin down.
We do know that John was "rated" in 1669 for 15 shillings to go to the maintenance of Mr. Whiting, the church pastor. This was a fairly low amount based on the list I found in an 1883 History of Billerica, but at the time John had been married for only about 8 years so is not likely to have had a large estate. I also found that he was a soldier, at least in the militia, during King Philip's War. His family, along with those of Daniel Shed Jr, Samuel Trull, and James Kidder Jr. were assigned to Sergeant Kidder's home when the town felt threatened. Two soldiers were also assigned there, for a total of 7 soldiers, so the implication is that each of the men mentioned were also soldiers. I also found note that Billerica had been abandoned after an attack, but I am not sure of the chronology of this, whether it was before or after the assignment of the various families to the garrison and strong houses. John was rated at three shillings in 1679, but again, this is soon after the war ended so it is hard to draw conclusions from this list.
Hannah died on May 9, 1674, the same day that her last daughter was born. Her father named the last daughter "Marah", which meant "bitter" in the Old Testament. However, with seven children to raise he needed a new wife, and he married Ruth Morse Ellis, widow, on March 31, 1674. She had three children of her own and then she and John had four children, three of whom survived. That was one large family. And Ruth would have been the one to take her four children, John's seven, and possibly the first of their children together, into Sergeant Kidder's house for what may have been a lengthy period of time during King Philip's War!
John died March 18, 1686 in Billerica, still less than 50 years old. He apparently didn't leave a will, and his inventory is confusing. It looks like it says that the first accounting was not complete and the marshal seized some of Ruth's holdings until it was completed to the court's satisfaction, but the final total was a little over 118 pounds. Ruth would have received 1/3 of that, and the rest divided up among John's children as they reached the age of majority. So there wasn't much to go around, but something is better than nothing.
I found nothing about John's religious beliefs but as this was still early in colonial history, and as his father had been a deacon, it's probably safe to say he was a Puritan and raised his children in the same beliefs. His inventory appears to show the tools, animals, and equipment of a farmer, although he may also have had a trade. I'd like to know more about him, of course. He was another of the salt of the earth type people who built New England and influenced America down to this day.
The line of descent is
John Brackett-Hannah French
Hannah Brackett-Joseph Stannard
John Stannard-Hannah Jordan
John Stannard-Hannah Hanchett
Libbeus Stanard-Eunice Pomeroy
Libbeus Stanard-Luceba Fay
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
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