Allen line: The family of RIchard Falley 1711-1756

I'm not sure who Richard Falley's parents are, but they lived on Guernsey Island, or one of the other islands of Guernsey, where Richard was born, possibly the son of the Richard Falle who was born in 1672.  Our Richard was born in 1711-1712 and supposedly was kidnapped as a young boy and taken to either Massachusetts or Nova Scotia, where he was indentured to pay for his forced passage to America. (The Guernsey Islands were part of Normandy at one time and many of its people were of Norman/French descent, but the islands were apparently under English control when our ancestor was kidnapped.)

We know that he spent several years in Maine, working off his indentureship, and that he married Anna Lamb, the daughter of Richard Lamb (who was from Ireland and died on the way to America).  They married in St. George's River, Maine.  Richard and Anna had at least 8 children, some born in what is now Cushing, Maine, some in Concord, Massachusetts, and some in Ware River (now Ware), Massachusetts.  Richard and Anna both died in Westfield, Massachusetts, which is why some of the names of their children's in-laws, and their grandchildren, are familiar to us.

Their first known son was Richard, born in 1740 and died in 1808 in Westfield.  I have written about him earlier and there is actually a biography of him, because he first served in the Revolutionary War, and then manufactured rifles that were used to arm the soldiers, among other contributions he made.  He married Margaret Hitchcock, the daughter of Samuel and Ruth Stebbins Hitchcock.  Their children are Margaret, Lois, Clarissa, Richard, Charles, Samuel, Francis, Ruth, Edmund, Linus, Eunice and Charlotte, and I will follow this family in my next blog post.  

Rachel was born next, in February of 1742.  She married Daniel Hubbard, the son of Daniel and Naomi Root Hubbard.  (I have not identified Naomi further but she was likely some sort of shirt tail relation through the Root family of Springfield and Westfield, Massachusetts.)  Their children are Daniel, Anna, Naomi, Molly, another Daniel, Thomas, and possibly James.  Rachel died in 1828 in Pittsfield, Berkshire, Massachusetts.

Elizabeth was born in 1743 and died July 22, 1812 in Benson, Vermont.  She married William Ford, the son of Amos and Rebecca Churchill Ford.  Their children are Rebecca, Molly, William, John, Oliver, Betsey, Electa, and Charlotte.

Mary was born in 1744 and died in 1822 in Lewis, New York.  She married Zachariah Bush, the son of Zachariah and Mercy Lewis Bush.  Their children are Oliver, Enoch, Oliver again, Edward, Walter, Charles, Henry, and Polly.

After three daughters, another son, Samuel, was born in 1756.  He married Miriam Root, the daughter of Martin and Eunice Lamb Root.  (Martin and Eunice are also our ancestors. Eunice Lamb does not appear to be related to Anna Lamb Falley.)  Their children are an unnamed daughter who died at or shortly after birth, Anna, Samuel, Miriam, Theodosia, Rachel, and Rhoda.  Samuel died in 1812 in Lenox, Berkshire County, Massachusetts.  It is more than possible that Samuel served in some capacity in the Revolutionary War but I have not found documentation for that yet.  Perhaps he stayed home and worked in his father's factory.

Sarah was born in 1750 and died in 1801 in Westfield.  I have found no further mention of her and no documentation.  It has been stated that she did not marry.  

Frederick was born in 1752 and died the following year.

There may or may not have been a daughter Margaret, born in 1754.  I don't think she is the Margaret Falley who married a Cleveland and was the ancestor of Grover Cleveland, but many sites show this connection.  However, the Margaret Falley who was Grover Cleveland's grandmother was born in 1766, after both Richard and Anna Lamb had died.  Instead, she was the daughter of Richard and Margaret Hitchcock Falley, and a granddaughter of of Richard and Anna Lamb Falley.  If there was a Margaret Falley born in 1754, I have been unable to trace her.

Richard and Anna each came from difficult situations-one kidnapped and sold into indentureship, one orphaned at an early age-but over came their childhoods to raise a family that contributed much to our country.  Certainly they deserve our honor and respect.  It's sad that they died in their middle 40's and didn't get to know their many grandchildren!