Here we are, back in Springfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony, where so many of our Allen ancestors started out. This time we're looking at the rather short life of Samuel Ball, who was born in Springfield on March 16, Samuel's life started out on a harsh note, when his father drowned on October 3, 1648. Samuel wasn't yet a year old. Samuel had an older brother, Jonathan, and his mother soon remarried to Benjamin Munn. Before long he had at least eight half siblings to care for and play with. We don't know much more of his youth than that, but we know from following the early history of Springfield that the town was settled with houses close together, everyone went to church when the drummer came by, and Puritan boys were expected to learn to read and write. Benjamin Munn was the only father Samuel would ever know, so we can expect that he raised the two Ball boys as he raised his own family. Samuel's inheritance from his father was prtected in 1649, stating that he would receive either 14 pounds when he became twenty years old, or would be provided with an apprenticeship.
It looks like he was probably apprenticed to a brickmaker or mason, because there are several references to his employment in that trade in the town records. He also had an interest in a pine saw mill at a later date. Samuel married Mary Graves, daughter of John and Mary Smith Graves, in Hatfield, Massachusetts on January 15, 1671. Let's hope Mary settled him down a bit, because as a youth Samuel was one of the young men who did not behave well (there was quite a group of them). He was sentenced to the whipping post for speaking rudely to his step-father when Samuel was eighteen years old, saying to him "A father indeed; you are no better than an old Indian." Samuel was offered the option of paying a fine, which he did. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the money for the fine came from his step-father, but we don't know that.
Samuel and Mary had five children together. Probably the most difficult part of their life would have been King Philip's War. Samuel is credited with fighting in the Turner Fall battle near Deerfield, Massachusetts,on May 19, 1676, along with several other of our family members and his own family, too. This is a very complicated family as there were several Ball-Stebbins marriages, but we had other family names, too. John Hitchcock, Samuel's son in law, received land in Falltown, at roughly the site of the battle, in 1736 as the heir of Samuel Ball. It is quite likely that this was not the only time Samuel fought, or went on patrol, or stood guard duty, but this is the one instance we are sure of.
Samuel was just 41 years old when he became sick and died on September 13, 1689, in Springfield. There is no indication of the illness, or the length of the illness. It could have been a contagious disease or it may have been heart trouble. Medical care at the time was not particularly effective.
Samuel died without a will and the only record we have is John Hitchcock's presentation of an inventory to the court, on behalf of his mother in law, Mary Graves Ball. The inventory didn't survive, although there are notes to support the widow and also his mother, and then divide up the inheritance among the surviving children.
In a way, it's fun when we can see a bit of the personality of our ancestors. Samuel was a little bit of a rebel, as many teen agers are today, and that gives us a sense of connection with him. He was also willing to work hard, to support his family and to fight for his hometown. In some ways, he was just like us.
The line of descent is
Samuel Ball-Mary Graves
Mary Ball-John Hitchcock
Samuel Hitchcock-Ruth Stebbins
Margaret Hitchock-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, May 29, 2020
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Holbrook line: Samuel Morris 1670-1745
Oh dear. I have been guilty of perpetuating an error in my blog posts, I fear. That of course is one reason I write these blog posts, to prove to my own satisfaction that I have the correct ancestry for each of the people I write about. Now I find that I must strike names from my tree, and go back to update a few of my earlier posts. At least through this line, we are not connected to the Mayo or the John Graves lines. So those posts are now "alternate facts", but I will leave the posts up, just adding an update, so that if someone else is researching those lines, they might be helped.
Now, let's turn to Samuel Morris. He was born in March, 1670, in Roxbury, Massachusetts to Edward and Grace Bett Morris. He lived there with his parents and seven siblings, until his father moved to Woodstock, Connecticut in 1685. His father was a man of considerable wealth and standing in both towns, so when his father died in 1689, Samuel inherited some lands, even though he was "only" a fourth son. The narrative gets a little confusing here, as Woodstock was originally known as "New Roxbury" and some of the records are not clear as to which Roxbury is being discussed.
It does appear that Samuel returned to Roxbury, or possibly had stayed there, and married Mehitable Mayo, daughter of John and Hannah Graves Mayo in 1694. Samuel inherited some of his father's land there and so it makes sense that he would have returned to the scene of his youth and lived there. He was made a freeman there in 1691. Samuel and Mehitable had at least seven children together, and she died February 8, 1703. That makes it impossible for her to be the mother of Abigail Morris, who was born April 2, 1707. Samuel had married Dorotha or Dorothy Martin, the widow Howe, in Marlboro of Middlesex County, Massachusetts on May 15, 1706. Dorothy had six children, Samuel had seven, and then had two children together, Abigail and Elizabeth, before disappearing from Marlboro records. All I know about Dorothy Martin Howe Morris right now is that her father was Thomas Martin, and he died in 1701. (Another ancestor to explore!)
We know that Samuel purchased lands in Marlboro before his second marriage, and we know that he purchased 1500 acres of land in 1714 from Governor Joseph Dudley, for 500 pounds English money. This was on the east line of the Town of Woodstock. On the same day, Samuel and Dorothy gave a deed of the old homestead in Roxbury to Colonel William Dudley for 500 pounds current money. This is when the Morris's finally removed to Connecticut. Samuel built a house with "fortifications". We're not told exactly what this meant, but generally it would mean one that had thick walls, and thin slits from which guns could be fired without exposing oneself to the "enemy". Situations with some of the native Americans were still tense, although the Nipmuck tribe which lived nearby seems to have been friendly. As far as we know, the fortifications were never needed.
Samuel was a highly respected man in Woodstock, but I must say he seems to have also been a grumpy old man in his later years. He felt that he was being double taxed as far as church rates go, being forced to pay for the meeting house, minister's salary, etc. in more than one town at a time, because he was assigned to a parish that was not of his liking. He claimed great difficulty in traveling the five miles to Thompson, citing swamps, mountains, and a river he had to cross to reach the meeting house he was forced to support financially. This complaint stayed in the court and on town records for several years, until eventually he was given half rates for the church he did not wish to attend. His grumbling may not have stopped, but the annual discussions did. It's believed he attended church at a location much closer to his home, in his later years, one that he could reach without difficulty.
Samuel built and maintained at least three bridges in the area, over a river and two streams on his 1500 acres. He also kept up a road on his property, and other than the church dispute, seems to have been a good neighbor.
Dorothy died July 28, 1742, and Samuel died January 9, 1745. Sadly, we are missing all probate records for Samuel, so we don't know whether he acquired additional land other than the 1500 acres, or what value his inventory showed. The records are thought to have been destroyed in a fire, but it's always possible that they will show up somewhere. We are left with records of a man who had enough wealth to build a fortified house, to build and maintain bridges, and to raise at least nine children. He was also a man who was willing to start over, in Roxbury and then Marlboro and then near Woodstock. His official death location is Thompson, Connecticut, because town limits expanded. As far as is known, he didn't leave those 1500 acres.
The line of descent is:
Samuel Morris-Dorothy Martin
Abigail Morris-John Perrin
Benjamin Perrin=Mary
Mary Perrin-David Fay
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
And now, if you'll excuse me, I have some corrections to make!
Now, let's turn to Samuel Morris. He was born in March, 1670, in Roxbury, Massachusetts to Edward and Grace Bett Morris. He lived there with his parents and seven siblings, until his father moved to Woodstock, Connecticut in 1685. His father was a man of considerable wealth and standing in both towns, so when his father died in 1689, Samuel inherited some lands, even though he was "only" a fourth son. The narrative gets a little confusing here, as Woodstock was originally known as "New Roxbury" and some of the records are not clear as to which Roxbury is being discussed.
It does appear that Samuel returned to Roxbury, or possibly had stayed there, and married Mehitable Mayo, daughter of John and Hannah Graves Mayo in 1694. Samuel inherited some of his father's land there and so it makes sense that he would have returned to the scene of his youth and lived there. He was made a freeman there in 1691. Samuel and Mehitable had at least seven children together, and she died February 8, 1703. That makes it impossible for her to be the mother of Abigail Morris, who was born April 2, 1707. Samuel had married Dorotha or Dorothy Martin, the widow Howe, in Marlboro of Middlesex County, Massachusetts on May 15, 1706. Dorothy had six children, Samuel had seven, and then had two children together, Abigail and Elizabeth, before disappearing from Marlboro records. All I know about Dorothy Martin Howe Morris right now is that her father was Thomas Martin, and he died in 1701. (Another ancestor to explore!)
We know that Samuel purchased lands in Marlboro before his second marriage, and we know that he purchased 1500 acres of land in 1714 from Governor Joseph Dudley, for 500 pounds English money. This was on the east line of the Town of Woodstock. On the same day, Samuel and Dorothy gave a deed of the old homestead in Roxbury to Colonel William Dudley for 500 pounds current money. This is when the Morris's finally removed to Connecticut. Samuel built a house with "fortifications". We're not told exactly what this meant, but generally it would mean one that had thick walls, and thin slits from which guns could be fired without exposing oneself to the "enemy". Situations with some of the native Americans were still tense, although the Nipmuck tribe which lived nearby seems to have been friendly. As far as we know, the fortifications were never needed.
Samuel was a highly respected man in Woodstock, but I must say he seems to have also been a grumpy old man in his later years. He felt that he was being double taxed as far as church rates go, being forced to pay for the meeting house, minister's salary, etc. in more than one town at a time, because he was assigned to a parish that was not of his liking. He claimed great difficulty in traveling the five miles to Thompson, citing swamps, mountains, and a river he had to cross to reach the meeting house he was forced to support financially. This complaint stayed in the court and on town records for several years, until eventually he was given half rates for the church he did not wish to attend. His grumbling may not have stopped, but the annual discussions did. It's believed he attended church at a location much closer to his home, in his later years, one that he could reach without difficulty.
Samuel built and maintained at least three bridges in the area, over a river and two streams on his 1500 acres. He also kept up a road on his property, and other than the church dispute, seems to have been a good neighbor.
Dorothy died July 28, 1742, and Samuel died January 9, 1745. Sadly, we are missing all probate records for Samuel, so we don't know whether he acquired additional land other than the 1500 acres, or what value his inventory showed. The records are thought to have been destroyed in a fire, but it's always possible that they will show up somewhere. We are left with records of a man who had enough wealth to build a fortified house, to build and maintain bridges, and to raise at least nine children. He was also a man who was willing to start over, in Roxbury and then Marlboro and then near Woodstock. His official death location is Thompson, Connecticut, because town limits expanded. As far as is known, he didn't leave those 1500 acres.
The line of descent is:
Samuel Morris-Dorothy Martin
Abigail Morris-John Perrin
Benjamin Perrin=Mary
Mary Perrin-David Fay
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
And now, if you'll excuse me, I have some corrections to make!
Friday, May 22, 2020
Holbrook line: Israel Joslin 1692-1740 Yes, this one!
These Joslin men! Honestly, if they had tried, they couldn't be any more confusing than they are. Did they live to play :hide and seek" and "Can you see me now? and "Will the real Israel Joslin please stand up"? Israel's father, Nathaniel, was hard to unravel because of several men in the same time and location with the same name. Israel follows that pattern, and many of the trees on line seem to have it wrong. We have to pay attention to time, location, and opportunity in order to sort the documentation and make sure we have this right. Of course, I could still be wrong and if someone can refute this, please contact me.
Our Israel Joslin was born April 2, 1692 in Marlboro, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He was the son of Nathaniel and Hester or Esther Morse Joslin. He may well have spent his entire life in the same location, although I haven't verified that yet. He died in Southboro rather than Marlboro, but Southboro split off from Marlboro so it's quite possible that Israel's land was originally in Marlboro.
As a boy, Israel was one of eleven children, and he must have enjoyed large families because it appears that he was the father of at least nine children. The lucky wife/mother was Sarah Cleveland (or Cleaveland), the daughter of Enoch and Elizabeth Counts Cleveland. They were married on April 29, 1719 in Marlboro.
Other than the birth of his children, Israel seems to have made little impact on the town he lived in, whether it was Marlboro or Southboro (the two towns are less than five miles apart, so Israel likely knew everyone in each of the two towns). I haven't yet checked the town records (they are in Salt Lake City but aren't available on line yet) but I would assume that he paid taxes, went to church, and served in some sort of militia or training band. That's what we know so far.
However, his will and inventory tell us a little bit more. He described himself as a yeoman in the will written August 29, 1740, less than two months before he died on October 23 of that same year. He was only 48 years old. What illness would have caused him to write a will at that age? Or maybe it wasn't an illness. He could have been hurt in an accident, or while serving in a military raid, or any number of other ways. But we can think that maybe it wasn't a sudden accident, like getting hit by lightning or drowning. Israel must have known or suspected it was coming.
By his description of "yeoman", we know he owned land, which is confirmed in his inventory, and we know he was not a servant. I haven't been able to verify yet that he was a "free man" and had the right to vote, because those records are also at Salt Lake City. But it's likely that he was in that category. His will is a little bit surprising, because he leaves everything to his wife Sarah. Typically husbands would leave the widow one third of the estate, as required by law, and then give instructions for how the rest was to be divided. This will, however, only says that after Sarah is deceased, this assets are to be divided among his children. Sarah was only about 38 and could reasonably be expected to re-marry, but that didn't matter to Israel. He must have trusted and loved her very much!
It is only when we look at Israel's inventory that we are able to start drawing a picture of him, and it seems that whatever else he was, he was a good steward of his land. He had considerably more clothes than did many of his fellow yeomen, and he had two Bibles and books that were by themselves valued at three pounds. He also had a pair of spectacles, bt we don't know whether he was near or far sighted. There were at least four beds with bedding, which is more than many households had, and
His inventory included just three pieces of land, and they are not very description. However, the appraisers assigned a value of 1200 pounds to his homestead, including all the lands attached to it, so this is where much of his wealth lay. The inventory was taken just a few days after his death. It totaled a little over 1678 pounds, which even after we take the new currency into account, wasn't a small estate. Sarah was set for life and could run the farm and raise their children.
Except, it's possible that our Sarah Joslin is the one who married David Bellows in 1745. He lived only until 1754, but was born in 1702 so was about her age, and was a husbandman when he died. Sarah declined to be the executor of his estate and I can find no further reference to her. I suppose it's possible that she married again and we just haven't traced her yet. It's also possible this is a different Sarah Joslin, but our Sarah seems to be the only one in the area and of the right age to marry David. I'd love to find the rest of her records, too!
The line of descent is
Israel Joslin-Sarah Cleveland
Sarah Joslin-Edward Fay
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Our Israel Joslin was born April 2, 1692 in Marlboro, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He was the son of Nathaniel and Hester or Esther Morse Joslin. He may well have spent his entire life in the same location, although I haven't verified that yet. He died in Southboro rather than Marlboro, but Southboro split off from Marlboro so it's quite possible that Israel's land was originally in Marlboro.
As a boy, Israel was one of eleven children, and he must have enjoyed large families because it appears that he was the father of at least nine children. The lucky wife/mother was Sarah Cleveland (or Cleaveland), the daughter of Enoch and Elizabeth Counts Cleveland. They were married on April 29, 1719 in Marlboro.
Other than the birth of his children, Israel seems to have made little impact on the town he lived in, whether it was Marlboro or Southboro (the two towns are less than five miles apart, so Israel likely knew everyone in each of the two towns). I haven't yet checked the town records (they are in Salt Lake City but aren't available on line yet) but I would assume that he paid taxes, went to church, and served in some sort of militia or training band. That's what we know so far.
However, his will and inventory tell us a little bit more. He described himself as a yeoman in the will written August 29, 1740, less than two months before he died on October 23 of that same year. He was only 48 years old. What illness would have caused him to write a will at that age? Or maybe it wasn't an illness. He could have been hurt in an accident, or while serving in a military raid, or any number of other ways. But we can think that maybe it wasn't a sudden accident, like getting hit by lightning or drowning. Israel must have known or suspected it was coming.
By his description of "yeoman", we know he owned land, which is confirmed in his inventory, and we know he was not a servant. I haven't been able to verify yet that he was a "free man" and had the right to vote, because those records are also at Salt Lake City. But it's likely that he was in that category. His will is a little bit surprising, because he leaves everything to his wife Sarah. Typically husbands would leave the widow one third of the estate, as required by law, and then give instructions for how the rest was to be divided. This will, however, only says that after Sarah is deceased, this assets are to be divided among his children. Sarah was only about 38 and could reasonably be expected to re-marry, but that didn't matter to Israel. He must have trusted and loved her very much!
It is only when we look at Israel's inventory that we are able to start drawing a picture of him, and it seems that whatever else he was, he was a good steward of his land. He had considerably more clothes than did many of his fellow yeomen, and he had two Bibles and books that were by themselves valued at three pounds. He also had a pair of spectacles, bt we don't know whether he was near or far sighted. There were at least four beds with bedding, which is more than many households had, and
His inventory included just three pieces of land, and they are not very description. However, the appraisers assigned a value of 1200 pounds to his homestead, including all the lands attached to it, so this is where much of his wealth lay. The inventory was taken just a few days after his death. It totaled a little over 1678 pounds, which even after we take the new currency into account, wasn't a small estate. Sarah was set for life and could run the farm and raise their children.
Except, it's possible that our Sarah Joslin is the one who married David Bellows in 1745. He lived only until 1754, but was born in 1702 so was about her age, and was a husbandman when he died. Sarah declined to be the executor of his estate and I can find no further reference to her. I suppose it's possible that she married again and we just haven't traced her yet. It's also possible this is a different Sarah Joslin, but our Sarah seems to be the only one in the area and of the right age to marry David. I'd love to find the rest of her records, too!
The line of descent is
Israel Joslin-Sarah Cleveland
Sarah Joslin-Edward Fay
David Fay-Mary Perrin
Euzebia/Luceba Fay-Libbeus StanardHiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Holbrook line: Another John Lamb, quite mysterious
I can tell you a lot of things John isn't. He isn't the son of Thomas and Dorothy Harbottle Lamb. He isn't the son of Thomas (see above) and Elizabeth Lamb. He isn't the John who died in Springfield, Massachusetts in 16*90. He isn't the John who died January 9, 1677 in a saw mill accident in New London or perhaps Stonington, Connecticut, although there are indications this may have been John's son, John. We know several things about who he wasn't, but there's not much to show who he was.
I was surprised when I started researching John Lamb to find him first in Kittery, Maine. I had to pull up a map of Kittery, which is in York County (a new county for me to research in, perhaps making this number 238!!) to realize this was not at all far from the northern shores of Massachusetts. At the time, of course, it was part of Massachusetts Bay Colony, so John can be forgiven for being in "new" parts. However, we don't know when or where he was born, or how he arrived in Kittery, or even when he arrived in Kittery.
Most guesses put his birthdate at about 1623, with two or three different locations being put forth for his home at birth, and several guesses as to his parents. If we accept that the John killed near Stonington was his son, and assume that he was probably not more than 24 (since he would likely have been married by then) and assume that he was the first or second son of John's, then our John could have been born as late as 1630. John himself tells us that he was 45 years old in 1670, when he testified in court, so even though these dates are not always accurate, it is as close as we are likely to get.
We know he was in Kittery, Maine in 1651, because then and again in 1653 he was called a liar in court (a thief also, in 1651) although I don't know the disposition of those cases. I also don't know whether he was single or married at this time, although it must have been around this time that he married. His son Thomas sold part of his inheritance to brother Samuel in 1695. The best guess is that John died sometime around 1681, and likely some of his seven children were minors at this time, which could explain why there is no discussion of an inheritance until 1695. But that is supposition.
It's believed that his wife's name was Ann. She may have been Ann Skelton, or she may have been Ann Plaistead. The Plaistead guess seems to be based on that 1670 court case, when John testified on behalf of Roger Plaistead about lands in dispute between Connecticut and Rhode Island. In 1674, John made inquiries on behalf of this same Roger Plaistead about building a fulling mill near Stonington. There was some sort of connection here, but whether this is enough to establish a family relationship appears doubtful. There seems to be even less support for the Skelton idea. So for now and perhaps forever, the name of John's wife is not known.
He was a charcoal burner in Kittery, which was a lonely, demanding job, since the charcoal had to be tended to almost constantly. Charcoal was needed for the iron smelting process. He received grants of land in Kittery in 1655 and 1666, but by 1663 was in New London, or possibly near Stonington, Connecticut. We don't know why he changed locations. At his new home, he seems to have been a farrier and a blacksmith as well as a farmer and a miller. Again, the records are scanty.
He may be the John Lamb who became a freeman at New London in 1670, but that isn't clear.
The implication is that John died about 1681, when there was testimony about what John told John Packer about problems in a mill wash. Since John himself didn't testify, he was likely either too sick to testify or had already died.
So he don't know his parents, his origins, when he arrived in New England (I'm thinking he was possibly an indentured servant), who he married or when, or much about his life near Stonington. We don't know what he thought of King Philip's War, or whether he might have served in earlier militias. We don't know why he was only about 55 when he (most likely) died. We assume that he attended church but there don't seem to be records to confirm this. He apparently prepared a will in 1673 but it's been lost. "Johnny, we hardly knew ye."
Please, if someone knows more or has insights into this family, please contact me!
The line of descent is
John Lamb-Ann
Elizabeth Lamb-Daniel Longbottom
James Longbottom-Elizabeth Jackson
Elizabeth Longbottom-John Eames
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
I was surprised when I started researching John Lamb to find him first in Kittery, Maine. I had to pull up a map of Kittery, which is in York County (a new county for me to research in, perhaps making this number 238!!) to realize this was not at all far from the northern shores of Massachusetts. At the time, of course, it was part of Massachusetts Bay Colony, so John can be forgiven for being in "new" parts. However, we don't know when or where he was born, or how he arrived in Kittery, or even when he arrived in Kittery.
Most guesses put his birthdate at about 1623, with two or three different locations being put forth for his home at birth, and several guesses as to his parents. If we accept that the John killed near Stonington was his son, and assume that he was probably not more than 24 (since he would likely have been married by then) and assume that he was the first or second son of John's, then our John could have been born as late as 1630. John himself tells us that he was 45 years old in 1670, when he testified in court, so even though these dates are not always accurate, it is as close as we are likely to get.
We know he was in Kittery, Maine in 1651, because then and again in 1653 he was called a liar in court (a thief also, in 1651) although I don't know the disposition of those cases. I also don't know whether he was single or married at this time, although it must have been around this time that he married. His son Thomas sold part of his inheritance to brother Samuel in 1695. The best guess is that John died sometime around 1681, and likely some of his seven children were minors at this time, which could explain why there is no discussion of an inheritance until 1695. But that is supposition.
It's believed that his wife's name was Ann. She may have been Ann Skelton, or she may have been Ann Plaistead. The Plaistead guess seems to be based on that 1670 court case, when John testified on behalf of Roger Plaistead about lands in dispute between Connecticut and Rhode Island. In 1674, John made inquiries on behalf of this same Roger Plaistead about building a fulling mill near Stonington. There was some sort of connection here, but whether this is enough to establish a family relationship appears doubtful. There seems to be even less support for the Skelton idea. So for now and perhaps forever, the name of John's wife is not known.
He was a charcoal burner in Kittery, which was a lonely, demanding job, since the charcoal had to be tended to almost constantly. Charcoal was needed for the iron smelting process. He received grants of land in Kittery in 1655 and 1666, but by 1663 was in New London, or possibly near Stonington, Connecticut. We don't know why he changed locations. At his new home, he seems to have been a farrier and a blacksmith as well as a farmer and a miller. Again, the records are scanty.
He may be the John Lamb who became a freeman at New London in 1670, but that isn't clear.
The implication is that John died about 1681, when there was testimony about what John told John Packer about problems in a mill wash. Since John himself didn't testify, he was likely either too sick to testify or had already died.
So he don't know his parents, his origins, when he arrived in New England (I'm thinking he was possibly an indentured servant), who he married or when, or much about his life near Stonington. We don't know what he thought of King Philip's War, or whether he might have served in earlier militias. We don't know why he was only about 55 when he (most likely) died. We assume that he attended church but there don't seem to be records to confirm this. He apparently prepared a will in 1673 but it's been lost. "Johnny, we hardly knew ye."
Please, if someone knows more or has insights into this family, please contact me!
The line of descent is
John Lamb-Ann
Elizabeth Lamb-Daniel Longbottom
James Longbottom-Elizabeth Jackson
Elizabeth Longbottom-John Eames
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, May 15, 2020
Beeks line: Joseph Holley 1605-1647
It's been awhile since I had a Beeks ancestor to write about. Sometimes I just somehow miss these people, and sometimes the first time I looked for information, I couldn't find enough to write about. It's also possible that I've relaxed my definition of "enough". When I started doing these brief sketches, I made it a goal to write 8-10 paragraphs about each ancestor. Now, I'm willing to write even just a little bit, figuring that something is better than nothing. With Joseph, I've found enough to give at least some outline of his life, although there are still big question marks, too.
Joseph was born about 1605 possibly in Crewkerne, Somerset, England, although his parents have not yet been identified. We know he was born about 1605 because in a court case in 1640, Joseph stated that he was 35 or thereabouts. Crewkerne is a very old town, dating back to the time of Alfred the Great. There is a 15th century church there, which Joseph would probably have attended. There was also a school at the time that Joseph lived there, but we don't know whether he attended or not.
Joseph married Rose Allen, daughter of George and Katherine (maiden name not certain) Allen, in England. We know that it was in England becae his son was "of age" when Joseph died in 1647, which means the son must have been at least 18. That puts his birth date at 1629, so this Joseph likely married in or about 1628. The couple had at least five children together, a son and then four daughters.
We don't know for sure when Joseph came to New England but he was in Dorchester as early as 1633 and in Lynn in 1636. By 1637 he was in Sandwich, in Plymouth Colony, where he is considered one of the 61 original signers and one of just 16 long term settlers. The church of Sandwich seems to have not been as Puritan as was liked, and they went for ten years without a pastor. There is some thought that the people of the town, or at least some of them, were early Quaker adherents.
We know Joseph was part of a military band, probably guarding against Indians but we don't know whether he actually fought in any battles. We know he owned property as early as 1639. By occupation, he was a millwright, which may explain why he went from place to place for a few years before settling in Sandwich. He was a freeman in 1643/44constable in 1644, and either he or his son was a surveyor of highways in 1647.
Sadly. that is the last we hear of Joseph, for he died in 1647 in Sandwich. We have no information about his cause of death but he was only about 42 years old, so it was likely an illness of some sort. Fevers and dysentery were relatively common at the time.
His inventory was valued at about 205 pounds, but the estate wasn't settled for another 18 years, as the youngest of the children finally reached maturity. Rose remarried after a few months as a widow, to William Newland, and she died in 1694.
The line of descent is
Joseph Holley-Rose Allen
Mary Holley-Nathaniel FitzRandolph__
Samuel FitzRandolph-Mary Jones
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham=Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Joseph was born about 1605 possibly in Crewkerne, Somerset, England, although his parents have not yet been identified. We know he was born about 1605 because in a court case in 1640, Joseph stated that he was 35 or thereabouts. Crewkerne is a very old town, dating back to the time of Alfred the Great. There is a 15th century church there, which Joseph would probably have attended. There was also a school at the time that Joseph lived there, but we don't know whether he attended or not.
Joseph married Rose Allen, daughter of George and Katherine (maiden name not certain) Allen, in England. We know that it was in England becae his son was "of age" when Joseph died in 1647, which means the son must have been at least 18. That puts his birth date at 1629, so this Joseph likely married in or about 1628. The couple had at least five children together, a son and then four daughters.
We don't know for sure when Joseph came to New England but he was in Dorchester as early as 1633 and in Lynn in 1636. By 1637 he was in Sandwich, in Plymouth Colony, where he is considered one of the 61 original signers and one of just 16 long term settlers. The church of Sandwich seems to have not been as Puritan as was liked, and they went for ten years without a pastor. There is some thought that the people of the town, or at least some of them, were early Quaker adherents.
We know Joseph was part of a military band, probably guarding against Indians but we don't know whether he actually fought in any battles. We know he owned property as early as 1639. By occupation, he was a millwright, which may explain why he went from place to place for a few years before settling in Sandwich. He was a freeman in 1643/44constable in 1644, and either he or his son was a surveyor of highways in 1647.
Sadly. that is the last we hear of Joseph, for he died in 1647 in Sandwich. We have no information about his cause of death but he was only about 42 years old, so it was likely an illness of some sort. Fevers and dysentery were relatively common at the time.
His inventory was valued at about 205 pounds, but the estate wasn't settled for another 18 years, as the youngest of the children finally reached maturity. Rose remarried after a few months as a widow, to William Newland, and she died in 1694.
The line of descent is
Joseph Holley-Rose Allen
Mary Holley-Nathaniel FitzRandolph__
Samuel FitzRandolph-Mary Jones
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham=Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Holbrook line: Joseph Thomson 1698-1755
There are certain towns in Massachusetts that should be "destinations" for family travelers. One such area is Springfield-Westfield, in the Connecticut River valley, where many of our Allen names lived for generations. Another is the Mendon-Wrentham-Franklin-Bellingham area, which was home to many of our Holbrook families for generations. Sometimes our ancestors were big people in these little places, and sometimes they didn't leave much of a trace.
Joseph Thomson (or Tomson, or Thompson) is one of our Mendon-Bellingham ancestors, who didn't make much of an impact on the town, as far as we can tell. He lived, married, had children, and died. Even though there is a lot we don't know about him, we do know that he lived in interesting times, and we know that his estate papers will tell us a little about his life.
First, what we do know. Joseph was born in Medfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony, on October 19, 1698, to John and Hannah Wight Thomson. Medfield at the time would have felt like a new town. It was originally founded in 1649 but was burned during King Philips War, so none of the hoes were more than 20 or so years old. And memories were long. Joseph had at least seven brothers and sisters, so his parents had plenty to do. One thing they likely did was send the boys to school. Another Holbrook ancestor, Ralph Wheelock, had founded the school there and it was important that boys learn to read and write.
Joseph married Mary Holbrook, daughter of Peter and Alice Godfrey Holbrook, on March 28, 1725, in Bellingham, Massachusetts Bay Colony. The town had been officially formed in 1719, but people had been living in the area for some time. Joseph's parents died in Bellingham, so it seems likely that his parents had initiated the move prior to Joseph's reaching the age of 21, but we don't know for sure when the move was made. Joseph and Mary had 11 children together, so again, this was a busy family, with busy parents.
Some of the Thomsons and most of the Holbrooks were Baptists, but the church didn't form until mid-century so Joseph, even if a member, would not have had a lot of influence there. He doesn't show up on the earliest membership rolls, so perhaps he stayed in the Puritan church. He does show up as one of only 50 qualified voters in the town, in 1739.
I don't know if he ever served in the military. We was of the right age to be in Queen Anne's war and might have been in King George's War, but I've not yet found his name on any such listing. His inventory does include "Armour, gun, sword and accoutrements" so he was or had been ready to serve, at one time.
Joseph died January 2, 1755, without having a will. His appraisers were Ebenezer Thayer, (ancestor), Samuel Hayward, and John Metcalf. Besides the military items listed above, he had several parcels of land, bedding for four beds, feathers, household goods, husbandry and carpenter tools, farm animals, and a lot of flax, It's hard to tell whether there was a loom or spinning wheel because several lines list an object and then say "and sundry items" so similar words. He did have a few books.
There is a careful documentation in the file of who was to get which part of which parcel of land and other belongings. Mary was entitled to her one third of the estate and the rest was divided up among the children. Mary died March 4, 1781. I haven't located a burial location for them but it was probably what is known as the North Cemetery, where many of the town's founders are buied.
So that's the little we know about Joseph Thomson. He was a decent man, or there would be stories of any shenanigans in court records. He may or may not have been a religious man, whether Puritan or Baptist. He may or may not have served in one of more of the conflicts that were an ongoing part of colonial life. But he was our ancestor, anchored in time and location, and for that, I am grateful.
The line of descent is:
Joseph Thomson-Mary Holbrook
Alice Thomson-Joseph Rockwood
Levi Rockwood-Deborah Lazell
Susannah Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook=Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Joseph Thomson (or Tomson, or Thompson) is one of our Mendon-Bellingham ancestors, who didn't make much of an impact on the town, as far as we can tell. He lived, married, had children, and died. Even though there is a lot we don't know about him, we do know that he lived in interesting times, and we know that his estate papers will tell us a little about his life.
First, what we do know. Joseph was born in Medfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony, on October 19, 1698, to John and Hannah Wight Thomson. Medfield at the time would have felt like a new town. It was originally founded in 1649 but was burned during King Philips War, so none of the hoes were more than 20 or so years old. And memories were long. Joseph had at least seven brothers and sisters, so his parents had plenty to do. One thing they likely did was send the boys to school. Another Holbrook ancestor, Ralph Wheelock, had founded the school there and it was important that boys learn to read and write.
Joseph married Mary Holbrook, daughter of Peter and Alice Godfrey Holbrook, on March 28, 1725, in Bellingham, Massachusetts Bay Colony. The town had been officially formed in 1719, but people had been living in the area for some time. Joseph's parents died in Bellingham, so it seems likely that his parents had initiated the move prior to Joseph's reaching the age of 21, but we don't know for sure when the move was made. Joseph and Mary had 11 children together, so again, this was a busy family, with busy parents.
Some of the Thomsons and most of the Holbrooks were Baptists, but the church didn't form until mid-century so Joseph, even if a member, would not have had a lot of influence there. He doesn't show up on the earliest membership rolls, so perhaps he stayed in the Puritan church. He does show up as one of only 50 qualified voters in the town, in 1739.
I don't know if he ever served in the military. We was of the right age to be in Queen Anne's war and might have been in King George's War, but I've not yet found his name on any such listing. His inventory does include "Armour, gun, sword and accoutrements" so he was or had been ready to serve, at one time.
Joseph died January 2, 1755, without having a will. His appraisers were Ebenezer Thayer, (ancestor), Samuel Hayward, and John Metcalf. Besides the military items listed above, he had several parcels of land, bedding for four beds, feathers, household goods, husbandry and carpenter tools, farm animals, and a lot of flax, It's hard to tell whether there was a loom or spinning wheel because several lines list an object and then say "and sundry items" so similar words. He did have a few books.
There is a careful documentation in the file of who was to get which part of which parcel of land and other belongings. Mary was entitled to her one third of the estate and the rest was divided up among the children. Mary died March 4, 1781. I haven't located a burial location for them but it was probably what is known as the North Cemetery, where many of the town's founders are buied.
So that's the little we know about Joseph Thomson. He was a decent man, or there would be stories of any shenanigans in court records. He may or may not have been a religious man, whether Puritan or Baptist. He may or may not have served in one of more of the conflicts that were an ongoing part of colonial life. But he was our ancestor, anchored in time and location, and for that, I am grateful.
The line of descent is:
Joseph Thomson-Mary Holbrook
Alice Thomson-Joseph Rockwood
Levi Rockwood-Deborah Lazell
Susannah Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook=Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, May 8, 2020
Holbrook line: Another Ebenezer Thayer 1699-1771
I had something of a genealogy scare when I started researching for this post. I saw that there are several trees that give different parents for our Ebenezer than I had thought correct. So I spent some time going through what records I could find on line and ended up confident that the parents I'm showing are more likely to be correct than the ones others are showing. Whew! I let my breath out when I came to my conclusion, because I've made enough errors already and don't want to perpetuate any more.
So, Ebenezer Thayer was born April 12, 1699 in Mendon, Massachusetts, the son of Ebenezer and Martha Thomson Thayer. (I wrote about Ebenezer Senior recently, with never a thought that he might be the wrong guy.) Ebenezer, the subject of this post, had at least two brothers and four sisters, named in his father's will in 1722 (father was of Bellingham then). Bellingham was formed out of Mendon and it appears that at least some of the family land was on the border between the two towns, but the main dwelling house was part of Bellingham.
Our Ebenezer married Mary Wheelock on August 9, 1721. She was the daughter of Benjamin and Huldah Thayer Wheelock, and yes, there was a family connection between Ebenezer and Huldah. The two were first cousins once removed. When Ebenezer Senior died in 1722, he left a lot of land and other assets, to the value of about 795 pounds. Ebenezer, as the oldest son, received a double share and it looks like he would have been set for life.
Then it gets confusing, and I've not been able to find a will to give answers. Mary, the wife of Ebenezer, is said to have died in 1731 and Ebenezer is said to have married Hannah Greene in 1734 and fathered more children with her. I can't find a record of Mary's death or of the marriage of Ebenezer and Hannah, so I'm confused. I don't know whether the Ebenezer who married Hannah was ours or not. Some of the printed genealogies say that it was an Ebenezer who was born in 1720 who married Hannah, and that makes no sense either. There was an Ebenezer who was born to Isaac Thayer in 1697; could it have been this Ebenezer who married Hannah?
And yet, there are just three records of births to Ebenezer and Mary in the town records...so what really happened?
Another point of confusion is the use of the term "Captain" in 1754. Which Ebenezer was this? And how did he obtain the title of "Captain"/ What military service might this person have been part of? The most likely explanation, given the birth date of 1699 for our Ebenezer is that he was somehow involved in King George's War,but I've found no evidence for that yet.
There was only one Ebenezer who was taxed in 1726 in Bellingham, one who was qualified in 1739 to be a voter (implying land ownership and church membership, I believe). His name is on a petition asking to be assigned to Mendon II district for ecclesiastical affairs, in 1747. I know that Mendon had a serious church problem as did Bellingham, as the church in Bellingham was Baptist. Perhaps Ebenezer was not of that persuasion and wanted to go to a more traditional church.
Since I can't find a will or estate papers for Ebenezer, I don't know whether he held on to some of his father's wealth or not. Farming in that area of Massachusetts was difficult as the soil was not suited for farming, or at least not easily farmed. Was his will taken by someone who wanted it for personal reasons, or did he never have a will? But shouldn't he at least had a probate record?
I'd like to know about Ebenezer, of course. Did Mary die and did her remarry? Where are Mary's death records? What were his religious beliefs, and how did he acquire the title of "Captain", if this man is ours? I sure hope someone who has studied this family will have some answers and be willing to help us learn more of our ancestor's story.
The line of descent is:
Ebenezer Thayer-Mary Wheelock
Abigail Thayer-Jesse Holbrook
Amariah Holbrook-Molly Wright
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
So, Ebenezer Thayer was born April 12, 1699 in Mendon, Massachusetts, the son of Ebenezer and Martha Thomson Thayer. (I wrote about Ebenezer Senior recently, with never a thought that he might be the wrong guy.) Ebenezer, the subject of this post, had at least two brothers and four sisters, named in his father's will in 1722 (father was of Bellingham then). Bellingham was formed out of Mendon and it appears that at least some of the family land was on the border between the two towns, but the main dwelling house was part of Bellingham.
Our Ebenezer married Mary Wheelock on August 9, 1721. She was the daughter of Benjamin and Huldah Thayer Wheelock, and yes, there was a family connection between Ebenezer and Huldah. The two were first cousins once removed. When Ebenezer Senior died in 1722, he left a lot of land and other assets, to the value of about 795 pounds. Ebenezer, as the oldest son, received a double share and it looks like he would have been set for life.
Then it gets confusing, and I've not been able to find a will to give answers. Mary, the wife of Ebenezer, is said to have died in 1731 and Ebenezer is said to have married Hannah Greene in 1734 and fathered more children with her. I can't find a record of Mary's death or of the marriage of Ebenezer and Hannah, so I'm confused. I don't know whether the Ebenezer who married Hannah was ours or not. Some of the printed genealogies say that it was an Ebenezer who was born in 1720 who married Hannah, and that makes no sense either. There was an Ebenezer who was born to Isaac Thayer in 1697; could it have been this Ebenezer who married Hannah?
And yet, there are just three records of births to Ebenezer and Mary in the town records...so what really happened?
Another point of confusion is the use of the term "Captain" in 1754. Which Ebenezer was this? And how did he obtain the title of "Captain"/ What military service might this person have been part of? The most likely explanation, given the birth date of 1699 for our Ebenezer is that he was somehow involved in King George's War,but I've found no evidence for that yet.
There was only one Ebenezer who was taxed in 1726 in Bellingham, one who was qualified in 1739 to be a voter (implying land ownership and church membership, I believe). His name is on a petition asking to be assigned to Mendon II district for ecclesiastical affairs, in 1747. I know that Mendon had a serious church problem as did Bellingham, as the church in Bellingham was Baptist. Perhaps Ebenezer was not of that persuasion and wanted to go to a more traditional church.
Since I can't find a will or estate papers for Ebenezer, I don't know whether he held on to some of his father's wealth or not. Farming in that area of Massachusetts was difficult as the soil was not suited for farming, or at least not easily farmed. Was his will taken by someone who wanted it for personal reasons, or did he never have a will? But shouldn't he at least had a probate record?
I'd like to know about Ebenezer, of course. Did Mary die and did her remarry? Where are Mary's death records? What were his religious beliefs, and how did he acquire the title of "Captain", if this man is ours? I sure hope someone who has studied this family will have some answers and be willing to help us learn more of our ancestor's story.
The line of descent is:
Ebenezer Thayer-Mary Wheelock
Abigail Thayer-Jesse Holbrook
Amariah Holbrook-Molly Wright
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Holbrook line: Joseph Stevens 1679-1757
I hesitate to write this blog post, because I'm finding information that is different than mine. It looks like two of even three men by the name of Joseph Stevens have been combined in some of the information that is out on the web. I hope I have untangled our Joseph Stevens from the others, and if I haven't, I hope someone who has the documentation will correct me.
Our Joseph Stevens was the son of John and Elizabeth Hildreth Stevens. His grandfather, Henry, was the Stevens immigrant, and father John was born in Boston in 1637. Joseph, however, was born in Chelmsford, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony on March 24, 1679, This was just after King Philip's War, and Chelmsford had apparently not been seriously attacked during that conflict, although the town did suffer raids from native Americans. Joseph may have been the youngest of the eight Stevens children, so some of his older siblings likely told him stories as he grew up. I can imagine the youngster's eyes growing round as they told stories that may have become slightly embellished with time.
This might be a good time to comment on a reference I saw that Joseph is believed to have been one.eighth native American. I would say that this is possible only because I don't know all of Joseph's great grandparents. They would have been born around the turn of the seventeenth century, or earlier, and would have had to have lived in the colony. So far I've no evidence that there was anyone here that early. I would love to know the truth of that rumor.
I don't know whether Joseph ever lived in Woburn, but it's possible because he married Elizabeth Tidd, daughter of John and Elizabeth Fifield Tidd there in 1701. We next find Joseph in Billerica, where he married his second wife, Elizabeth Sherman in 1713 in BIllerica. Elizabeth Tidd had died shortly before that, of unknown causes.
Joseph had four children with Elizabeth Tidd and then perhaps as many as eight children with Elizabeth Sherman. It would have been quite a household. Joseph was well-regarded in Billerica and took responsibility to help form the town of Chelmsford. It was formally incorporated in 1732, but settlers were probably there earlier. He had the right to call the first town meeting, as the proprietor of the town, but he didn't do that. He was, however, moderator of the first town meetings and was chosen as selectman several times. He also seems to have been active in getting the first church started, after signing the covenant in 1734.
Then it is hard to tell what happened to Joseph. He died October 1, 1756 in Townsend, still in Essex County. I haven't yet been able to trace when he moved there, or why, but his probate papers clearly state that he is of Townsend. (Note: I found a will attached to him on Ancestry trees but it doesn't appear to be correct. The children named don't belong to our Joseph, for one thing. I found what I believe is the correct probate file at American Ancestry.) Joseph died without a will and with a very small estate, burdened with debts. Perhaps in his old age taking "loans" from friends was a way to sustain himself. But he was rich in treasure laid up in heaven, because this is what his headstone says:
"Halt stranger as you go past
Remember time doth runeth fast
My dust in narou bounds do lye
Remember man that thou must dye
This dust revive it shalt again
And in a grave no more remain
When trumpet sounds I shall arise
And celebrat my God his praise"
(Transcribed by Kevin Avery on Find a Grave.) I've not seen this verse before and it speaks to me. Joseph was a man of his times, a not so stern Puritan as he looked forward to his resurrection.
So we know a little about Joseph, but not enough to really satisfy me. Why did he move so many times? Did he have a trade that was valued at each of his homes? Why did he fall on hard times? Did he participate in any of the military missions of his times? There is always more to learn!
The line of descent is
Joseph Stevens-Elizabeth Tidd
Elizabeth Stevens-William Snow
Lucy Snow-Josiah Whittemore
Josiah Whittemore-Betsy Foster
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Our Joseph Stevens was the son of John and Elizabeth Hildreth Stevens. His grandfather, Henry, was the Stevens immigrant, and father John was born in Boston in 1637. Joseph, however, was born in Chelmsford, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony on March 24, 1679, This was just after King Philip's War, and Chelmsford had apparently not been seriously attacked during that conflict, although the town did suffer raids from native Americans. Joseph may have been the youngest of the eight Stevens children, so some of his older siblings likely told him stories as he grew up. I can imagine the youngster's eyes growing round as they told stories that may have become slightly embellished with time.
This might be a good time to comment on a reference I saw that Joseph is believed to have been one.eighth native American. I would say that this is possible only because I don't know all of Joseph's great grandparents. They would have been born around the turn of the seventeenth century, or earlier, and would have had to have lived in the colony. So far I've no evidence that there was anyone here that early. I would love to know the truth of that rumor.
I don't know whether Joseph ever lived in Woburn, but it's possible because he married Elizabeth Tidd, daughter of John and Elizabeth Fifield Tidd there in 1701. We next find Joseph in Billerica, where he married his second wife, Elizabeth Sherman in 1713 in BIllerica. Elizabeth Tidd had died shortly before that, of unknown causes.
Joseph had four children with Elizabeth Tidd and then perhaps as many as eight children with Elizabeth Sherman. It would have been quite a household. Joseph was well-regarded in Billerica and took responsibility to help form the town of Chelmsford. It was formally incorporated in 1732, but settlers were probably there earlier. He had the right to call the first town meeting, as the proprietor of the town, but he didn't do that. He was, however, moderator of the first town meetings and was chosen as selectman several times. He also seems to have been active in getting the first church started, after signing the covenant in 1734.
Then it is hard to tell what happened to Joseph. He died October 1, 1756 in Townsend, still in Essex County. I haven't yet been able to trace when he moved there, or why, but his probate papers clearly state that he is of Townsend. (Note: I found a will attached to him on Ancestry trees but it doesn't appear to be correct. The children named don't belong to our Joseph, for one thing. I found what I believe is the correct probate file at American Ancestry.) Joseph died without a will and with a very small estate, burdened with debts. Perhaps in his old age taking "loans" from friends was a way to sustain himself. But he was rich in treasure laid up in heaven, because this is what his headstone says:
"Halt stranger as you go past
Remember time doth runeth fast
My dust in narou bounds do lye
Remember man that thou must dye
This dust revive it shalt again
And in a grave no more remain
When trumpet sounds I shall arise
And celebrat my God his praise"
(Transcribed by Kevin Avery on Find a Grave.) I've not seen this verse before and it speaks to me. Joseph was a man of his times, a not so stern Puritan as he looked forward to his resurrection.
So we know a little about Joseph, but not enough to really satisfy me. Why did he move so many times? Did he have a trade that was valued at each of his homes? Why did he fall on hard times? Did he participate in any of the military missions of his times? There is always more to learn!
The line of descent is
Joseph Stevens-Elizabeth Tidd
Elizabeth Stevens-William Snow
Lucy Snow-Josiah Whittemore
Josiah Whittemore-Betsy Foster
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, May 1, 2020
Harshbarger line: Johann Conrad Reber 1723-after 1790
I've written before about Johann Conrad Reber, born December 10, 1751. I mis-stated his place of birth, for in researching his father, I find that his parents were already in Pennsylvania by the time Conrad Jr. was born.
So let's look at this father's life and we may gain some insights into the younger generation also. Johann Conrad Refer, the father and immigrant, was born in March of 1723 and christened on March 23 of that year. He was the son of Johan Bernhard and Annia Maria Ahl Reber, and was born in Langenselbold, Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany. The town may have been more of a village at the time, but it was probably larger than some of the other towns that our German ancestors came from. Still, economics of the time meant that land was scarce and our Conrad decided to come to America in 1746.
We don't know where he lived at first. Germantown was a first stop for many of the immigrants of the time, but he was soon in Tulpehocken township, Berks County. It is not known whether he had family there but it's quite possible. He married Anna Margaret Conrad on August 1, 1750, and the couple set to work to build a family. It's likely that they built their own home, which can still be seen today, or at least, there are pictures of it. It's a small log cabin and it's hard to see how they raised 7 children in such a small space, so maybe this is their first home, or their last one.
Conrad may have wondered whether he had made the right choice in settling in Tulpehocken township because that area was hard hit by attacks from the native Americans for several years during the French and Indian War. There is a long list in one of the Berks County history books of those who were killed, captured, and wounded, and it is sobering indeed to read it. Most likely Conrad was in a militia to protect his family and his neighbors. This was a Lutheran or Reformed family, not Mennonite or Amish, so fighting was permissible to them. There seem to be no nearby settlements that the family would naturally have gone to, so they may have gone to Reading, which would be quite a trip, especially with young children, but there was a greater degree of safety there.
We can also wonder about Conrad's thoughts regarding the Revolutionary War. He was 52 years old when it broke out, which was probably old to be doing much soldiering. But he may have been involved in providing or transporting supplies to the Americans. His son Conrad apparently fought so his father would have had some feelings about the matter. Mostly, though, he farmed.
Conrad farmed to support his family, and on some of the tax lists, there are also the initials "g.m." I haven't found a key for this but I'm guessing this might have been "grist mill". On tax lists, Conrad is generally taxed more than most of his neighbors, but not as much as some. On one such list, I believe from 1789, he is shown as owning 200 acres, 4 horses and 5 cattle. Sometime during his later life, he seems to have moved from Tulpehocken township to Bethel Township, but probably did not move far. The two townships are adjoining.
There are varying dates for Conrad's death, from 1786 to 1796. The inventory was presented in 1796, and there wouldn't have been minor children to delay the probate, so I'm guessing he died shortly before September 24, 1796. He is buried at Zion Church Cemetery at Strausstown. It's not known when Anna Margaret died but it was apparently after her husband. The records I found of his will are not clear but it looks like his estate was valued at about 224 pounds.
You can see copies of his signature and of the picture I referred to at www.bergergirls.com, if you'd care to look.
The line of descent is
Johann Conrad Reber-Anna Margaret Conrad
Johann Conrad Reber-Mary Margaret Pontius
Mary Margaretha Reber-Solomon Buchtel
Benjamin Buchtel-Barbara Burkholder
Nancy Buchtel-Adam Kenery
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks
Their descendants
So let's look at this father's life and we may gain some insights into the younger generation also. Johann Conrad Refer, the father and immigrant, was born in March of 1723 and christened on March 23 of that year. He was the son of Johan Bernhard and Annia Maria Ahl Reber, and was born in Langenselbold, Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany. The town may have been more of a village at the time, but it was probably larger than some of the other towns that our German ancestors came from. Still, economics of the time meant that land was scarce and our Conrad decided to come to America in 1746.
We don't know where he lived at first. Germantown was a first stop for many of the immigrants of the time, but he was soon in Tulpehocken township, Berks County. It is not known whether he had family there but it's quite possible. He married Anna Margaret Conrad on August 1, 1750, and the couple set to work to build a family. It's likely that they built their own home, which can still be seen today, or at least, there are pictures of it. It's a small log cabin and it's hard to see how they raised 7 children in such a small space, so maybe this is their first home, or their last one.
Conrad may have wondered whether he had made the right choice in settling in Tulpehocken township because that area was hard hit by attacks from the native Americans for several years during the French and Indian War. There is a long list in one of the Berks County history books of those who were killed, captured, and wounded, and it is sobering indeed to read it. Most likely Conrad was in a militia to protect his family and his neighbors. This was a Lutheran or Reformed family, not Mennonite or Amish, so fighting was permissible to them. There seem to be no nearby settlements that the family would naturally have gone to, so they may have gone to Reading, which would be quite a trip, especially with young children, but there was a greater degree of safety there.
We can also wonder about Conrad's thoughts regarding the Revolutionary War. He was 52 years old when it broke out, which was probably old to be doing much soldiering. But he may have been involved in providing or transporting supplies to the Americans. His son Conrad apparently fought so his father would have had some feelings about the matter. Mostly, though, he farmed.
Conrad farmed to support his family, and on some of the tax lists, there are also the initials "g.m." I haven't found a key for this but I'm guessing this might have been "grist mill". On tax lists, Conrad is generally taxed more than most of his neighbors, but not as much as some. On one such list, I believe from 1789, he is shown as owning 200 acres, 4 horses and 5 cattle. Sometime during his later life, he seems to have moved from Tulpehocken township to Bethel Township, but probably did not move far. The two townships are adjoining.
There are varying dates for Conrad's death, from 1786 to 1796. The inventory was presented in 1796, and there wouldn't have been minor children to delay the probate, so I'm guessing he died shortly before September 24, 1796. He is buried at Zion Church Cemetery at Strausstown. It's not known when Anna Margaret died but it was apparently after her husband. The records I found of his will are not clear but it looks like his estate was valued at about 224 pounds.
You can see copies of his signature and of the picture I referred to at www.bergergirls.com, if you'd care to look.
The line of descent is
Johann Conrad Reber-Anna Margaret Conrad
Johann Conrad Reber-Mary Margaret Pontius
Mary Margaretha Reber-Solomon Buchtel
Benjamin Buchtel-Barbara Burkholder
Nancy Buchtel-Adam Kenery
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks
Their descendants
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