Harshbarger line: The family of Wendell Essig

This will be a very short post, as little is known about Wendell, nor of his wife, Anna Eva Matte.  He is given a life span of about 1700 to about 1770, although there seems to be no documentation for either date.  He was from Bern Canton, Switzerland, and settled near Emmitsburg, Maryland, where he is thought to have raised at least four sons.  He , along with his wife and three of his sons, are said to have been killed by natives during the run-up to the Revolutionary War.  This is a family story that has yet to be proven.  

We don't know whether the three sons-Adam, Jacob, and George, who did not survive the believed attack are older or younger than Simon, the surviving son.  He had been sent away from the homestead on an errand, and when he returned, found his family killed and the cabin burned to the ground.  Was he sent on the errand because he was the oldest son and could be trusted to travel for miles in the countryside?  Or was he sent as the youngest son, the least useful around the farm? We don't know.  

None of those killed are known to have married or have had children, but it's possible that someday records will be found that will help fill in the picture of this family.  

For now, we know that Simon, born in 1754, married Julia Margaret Schneer, the daughter of Johann Caspar and Magdalena Kunkel/Kunkle Schneer.  They raised a large family together, and I will follow this family in my next post.  Their children are Adam, Magdalena, Elizabeth, John,  Jacob, George, Sarah, Julie, David, Samuel, William, Catherine, and Rebecca.  Julia died in 1844 in Canton, Stark County, Ohio, and Simon died there in 1851.  The family had lived in Ohio since 1808.  

I told you this would be a short post!  If anyone has further information about Wendell, I'd love to hear it!   

The family of Samuel Demarest 1707-1781

 This is the last of I believe 7 posts about the immigrant David Demarest and his descendants.  It's been fun, and sometimes a slog, to see how the original French Huguenots grew their family, and how those families grew.  Although I have only followed the siblings of my family's ancestors for one generation, I know that if those children were traced further, there would be even more interesting stories and tidbits than I have uncovered here.  For at least 150 years, the Demarest family was closely associated with history, only some of which we studied in school.

As a reminder of how we got to this point, Samuel's father is David, whose father is Samuel, whose father is David.  And to make matters interesting, this Samuel decided to use the spelling De Maree, as did at least some of his children.  I'm referring to him as Demarest because, that's easier for me.  David was born in 1707 in Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey.  His wife is Lea Demarest, and they are distant cousins.  Lea's line back to immigrant David is Peter, Jean, and then David.  Her parents are Peter and Maretjie Meet Demarest; his are David and Matie DeBaun Demarest.  Samuel died in 1781 near Pleasureville, Henry County, Kentucky.  Lea may have died in 1780 in Hackensack, New Jersey. This couple, like their ancestors, had a large family.  Ten children was normal for the Demarests but of course, not to us.  

Their first known child was a daughter, Antjin, born in 1733 and died in 1810 (some say 1802) in Pleasureville, Henry County, Kentucky.  She married Hendrik or Henry Banta, the son of Hendrick and Geertjie (I've found lots of different spellings, not sure this is the most correct) Terhune Banta.  Their children are Rachel, Samuel, Peter, John, Cornelius, Jacob, Daniel, Mary Polly, Antie, David, Isaac, Anginitje, and Hendrick.  

Marie was born next, in 1735.  She died in 1799 in Harrodsburg, Mercer County, Kentucky.  She married Jacobus Westervelt or Westerfield, son of James and C=Debora Van Schyweg Westervelt.  Their children are Jacobus, William, Samuel, Isaac, Leah, Debora, Catrina, William, and Rebecca.  This family has a sad story, known as the Westerfield massacre.  Indigenous people regarded Kentucky as their hunting ground, and were very upset as the first settlers arrived and settled in land they regarded as theirs.  During the Revolutionary War, the natives, aided and abetted by the British, repeatedly attacked settlers to try to force them out of the land they claimed.  One such group was the Westerfield family.  There were about 40 allied people who were headed to the fort at Harrodsburg after learning that their neighbors were being killed and their settlement was next.  They didn't make it to the fort.  Instead, they whole group was ambushed.  All of the men (at least 9) were killed, scalped, and their scalps sold to the British.  Some of the women and children were taken to Detroit and held there for ransom, although I am not sure if any of this immediate family was included in that group.  Only about half of the people who set out for Harrodsburg escaped to tell their story.  I do not know this for a fact, but it seems that Marie may have stayed in Harrodsburg rather than return as a widow to a burned out home. slaughtered animals, and destroyed crops in Pleasureville.

Petrus (Peter) was the first son, born in 1737.  I was unable to find a death date and location, other than "about 1818 in Kentucky", although he is buried in Pleasureville.  He married Mary Allen, or Ellen, and I am not sure who her parents are.  Their children are Samuel, Johannes, Peter, Abraham, David, James, and Mary.  

Elizabeth was born in 1739 and died in 1799 in Conewago, Pennsylvania.  She married Daniel Harris, whom I am unable to further identify.  Their children are Annie, John, Daniel, Samuel, George, Peteer, Eleanor, Lena, and Mary/Polly. 

Sarah was born in 1741 and died sometime after 1800, when she married for the second time.  Her first husband, the father of her children, is Benjamin Slot. who changed his surname to Lock.  He is the son of Jacobus and Maria Demarest Slot (Maria is a descendant of Jean and Jacomina De Ruine Demarest, so this family is interconnected in several ways!). Their children are Samuel, William, John, Gerardia (may well be something else), Peter, Jacob, and possibly Polly.  Her second marriage is to George Erdmayer/Admire in 1800.  It is possible that she died in Henry County, where George lived at the time of their marriage, but I haven't found proof of that.

Rachel was born in 1743 and died in 1811 in Madison, Jefferson County, Indiana.  She first married Gerardus Rycken or Ryker, the son of Johannes and and Gartung Wiltsee Rycken.  Their children are Jacob, John, Leah, Gerardus, Samuel, Peter, Geertje, Rachel, and Deborah.  After her husband's death, she married John Van Cleave, son of Aaron and Rachel Schenck Van Cleave.  Their children are Peter and David.  

John was born in 1745 and died about 1798,  in Shelby County, Kentucky.  He married Nancy, possibly Ramey, whom I can't further identify.  All that is reasonably certain is that his wife's name was Nancy.  Their children are Jacob, John, Peter, Nancy, Phebe and Mary.   

Tryntje or Trintie was born in 1748 and died in 1828 in Hanover, Jefferson County, Indiana.  She married Jacob Smock, the son of John and Leah (maiden name not found) Smock.  Their children are Leah, Samuel, Peter, Abraham, Matthew, John, Mary, Jacob, Katherine, and Sally Ann.   

The last daughter, Lea, was born in 1752.  What little information I can find of her is conflicting.  She probably married Abraham van Buskirk, but who he was I cannot determine.  She is said to have died in 1843 in Jefferson County, Indiana, although the Demarest family book states that she was the only one of her siblings not to have gone west.  I know that some of the van Buskirk families were Loyalists, so it's possible that they went to Canada or another of the British colonies after the Revolutionary War.  Or she may have gone west long after the rest of her family, perhaps as a widow.  Much more research needs to be done for her.  Her children are listed as David, and possibly Peter.  There may have been more.

And finally, there is yet another Samuel Demarest or Demaree.  He was born in 1754 and died in 1826 in Jefferson County, Indiana.  He married Mary Brouwer, the daughter of Daniel and Marie Brouwer.  Their children are Susanna, Daniel, and Mary Ann.  

Some general comments: The Revolutionary War greatly affected this generation.  Some of the family fought on the Patriot side and some on the British side.  There were times when the men were in the same battle, on different sides.  The family moved from their Bergen County, New Jersey home to Conewago, Pennsylvania, on to Berkeley County, Virginia, and then to the area of Shelby/Henry/Mercer County, Kentucky.  Several of the children crossed the Ohio River and settled in Jefferson County, Indiana.  It has been suggested that at least some of them were motivated by anti-slavery beliefs, but it is just as likely that they were looking for more land and economic opportunities.  And of course, when some of the family moved, more joined them.  

This has been a fascinating family to follow, from start to finish.  There is so much history encapsulated in their lives, and we are fortunate that so much of it is available to us.  Their stories should be part of the Beeks family treasury of stories.   

 

The family of David Demarest 1681-1761

 Just so we're keeping the Davids and the Samuels and the other Demarest men straight, sort of, this David is the grandson of David the immigrant, who is married to Marie Sohier.  He is the son of Samuel and Maria DeRuine Demarest, and is one of several David Demarests who are part of this large extended family.  He married Matie (sometimes seen as Martha) de Baun, the daughter of Joost (Jost, Joseph) and Elizabeth Drabbe de Baun or de Banen, and died in 1761 in Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey. Once again, there are numerous variations on the spellings of these names and once again this is a family with a lot of children, several of whom are named David, with a couple of Samuels thrown in.  And as always, this is how I see it as of today, but further documentation could change my mind, or at least answer some of the questions I still have.

David and Matie's first child was Samuel, born in 1707.  I am still researching to find his date and location of death but most web sites are showing that he died in 1781 near Pleasureville, Henry County, Kentucky.  That would make him an early pioneer there.  He married twice.  His first wife is Antie Lozier, the daughter of Nicholas and Tryhtje Slot Lachaire.  They had two children together, David and Nicholas.  After Antie died, he married Lea Demarest, the daughter of Peter and Maretie Demarest (yes, they are cousins.)  their children are Antie, Marie, Peter, Elizabeth, Sarah, Rachel, John, Daniel, Trntje, Lea, and Samuel.  I have seen a Samuel listed as the child of the first wife, but I can't verify that.  Perhaps there were two Samuels.  I will follow this family in my next blog post.  

Elizabeth was born next, in 1708.  Sadly, she died 6 1/2 years later, in 1715, in Hackensack, New Jersey.

Joost was born in 1710 and died in 1750 in New York City, New York.  I am not sure whether he lived there or whether he was there on business of some sort.  He married Marijtjin Meyer, the daughter of Jacob and Annetie Kammega Meyer.  Their children are Antjin, Maria, Jacob, Daniel, Petrus, Elizabeth, Annetje, Sara, Rachel, John, Daniel, Marytjin, Tryntje, and Samuel.  I am somewhat skeptical of this list, as 14 children seem like a lot for a man who died when he was 40.  We should do more research on this family.  

Maria was born in 1713 and died about 1793, although her place of death is not known.  She married Thomas Eckerson, son of Jan and Marie Jans Ekkerson.  Their children are Mrtie, David, Jacob, Jan, Sara, Edward, Elizabeth, and Maria.   

Elizabeth was born in 1715 and died in 1797 in Bergenfield, Bergen County, NJ.  She married William Campbell (I have also seen this spelled Kammell more than once, but based on the parents' names, think that Campbell is the more likely spelling), the son of James and Janet Humphrey Campbell.  Their children are Jannetje, David, Thomas, Christian, James, Alexander, Samuel, John, Jacob, Nancy and Elizabeth.   

Christian was born in 1717 and died in 1787 in New York.  He is interesting because in 1780, at the age of 63, he was captured by the British, at Paramus, New Jersey and held as a prisoner of war.  As yet, I haven't tracked down more of his story but I certainly want to do so.  He married Geesje Romein, the daughter of Albert and Jantje Westervelt Romeyn.  Their children are Maetje, Albert, Elizabeth, Jannetje, Albert again, David, and Nicholas.  Christian married twice more, to Hannah Van Horn and then to Jane Bussey, but these were later in life marriages with no children born to them.

Peter was born next, in 1719.  One page I looked at said that he married Mary Demarest, but there was no further information about either of them.  I do not know how long Peter lived, nor whether he married.  If someone has that information, I would love to know a little more of his story!

Jacob was born in 1721 and died in 1793, in Goshen, Orange County, New York.  He married Rachel Secord, the daughter of Daniel and Catherine Secord.  I suspect that there are more children that I haven't located, but this couple seems to have had a son, David, and perhaps a son Peter.  He served during the Revolutionary War, even though he would have been in his late 50s or early 60s.  Again, more research needs to be done to learn more of his story.

Sara was born in 1724 and married James Campbell, whom I can't further identify but who may be related to the William Campbell mentioned above.  I have two different death dates and locations for her so at this point I do not know when or where she died.  Their children include Sara, James, and Jannetje, and there may well be more.  

Rachel was born in 1726 and died in 1756, although neither date seems to be well documented.  It is thought that she died in Bergen County, NJ.  She married Cornelius Doremus, the son of Johannes and Lysbeth Ackerman Doremus.  Their children are Rachel, Johannes, David, Margaret, and Aeltje.

And finally, perhaps after Matie thought she was done with the pregnancy and birth events, there was Annetje, born in 1730.  Annetje died in or after 1794 in Adolphustown, Ontario, Canada.  She married Claes Peterson the son of Nicholas and Catalyntie Jongbloedt Petersen,  Adolphustown was formed in 1784 by Loyalists (Tories) who had fled or been forced out of their homes in the thirteen colonies following the Revolutionary War.  It is easy to speculate that Claes was a Loyalist but not so easy to understand what Annetje might have thought about that, other than perhaps it was her duty to go with her husband.  Or perhaps she wholeheartedly agreed with his political beliefs, which would have set them apart from most of the Demarest family.  Their known children are Davvid, another David, Trintje, Annetje, Paul, Nicholas, Christopher, Katherine, and Maritje.  

Some of these children lived a normal life span for the time, and some lived less than 40 years.  They all, however, started families and helped grow their country, whichever country they sided with.  Most of these children stayed relatively close to "home", which indicates to me that David and Matie were able to help them get a start in life, and that achievement, by itself, is enough to make me give them respect. 

 

 

 

The family of Samuel Demarest 1656-1728

 These Demarest lines are confusing, and are about to get more confusing.  I recently wrote posts about the families of David Demarest, Jean Demarest, and David Demarest, three generations of men before daughtering out with David's daughter Lea.  I mentioned then that Lea had married Samuel Demarest, and we'd be exploring that line next.  So now we're backing up to an earlier Samuel Demarest, who is a brother to Jean and the son of David and Marie Sohier Demarest.  We'll follow this line for several generations, also.  And again, a caution: These names, both surnames and given names, have all kinds of variations so anyone looking at or for records needs to be on their toes, have good eyesight, and accept flexible spelling in the same family and even in records depicting the same person.  I am not positive that I've sorted through all of this correctly, but it at least gives us a good starting point.  Are you ready?

Samuel, as mentioned above, is the son of David and Marie Sohier Demarest, born in 1656 in Mannheim in what is not Germany, and died in 1728 in Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey.  He married Maria De Ruine, the daughter of Simon and Magdalena van Straaten (Vanderstraaten) De Ruine.  Eleven children are known to have been born to this couple, so once again, this will be a rather long post.  

Their first child is a daughter, Magdalena, born in 1680 and died between 1712 and 1718, in Hackensack, New Jersey.  She married Cornelius Banta, the son of Epke and Sitske Dirckse Banta.  Their children are Samuel, another Samuel, Jacob, Rachel, Lea, Elizabeth, and Abram.   

David was born in 1681 and died in 1760 in Hackensack.  He married Matie DeBaun, the daughter of Jost and Elizabeth Drabbe DeBaun.  Their children are Maria, Lea, Elizabeth, Christian, Peter, Sarah, Jacob, Rachel, Annetje, and Samuel.  (Please note that the only name from Magdalena's list of children that is not repeated here is Abram.  And it will get more complex as we add more cousins!) I will write more about this family in my next post.

Jacomina was born in 1686 (potential pregnancy between the two??)and died in 1728 in Monmouth, New Jersey.  She married twice.  Her first marriage was to Samuel Helling, or Helm, the son of  Hendrik and Grietje Samuels Helling.  They had three children, Susanna, Teunis, and Samuel.  She naxt married Cornelius van Horn, the son of Cornelius and Margrietje Vanderburgh Van Horn.  Their children are Margaret, Annetje, Cornelius, Margrita, Maria, John, Lucas, Rachel, and Daniel.  Jacomina died a day after her son Daniel was born.  

Judith was born in 1690 and died in 1767 in Kinderkamack, New Jersey.  She married Christian DeBaun, the son of Jost and Elizabeth Crabbe DeBaun.  (Demarest siblings married DeBaun siblings, so Judith's first child, Christina, is a double cousin to David's children).  She next married Peter Durie, the son of Jehan and Jeanne Hessulier Durie.  Their children are Cornelia, Jan, Marie, Jannete, Samuel, and Sarah. 

Samuel was next, born in 1693.  Don't try to keep track of all the Samuel Demarests in these two lines, unless you really want a challenge.  This Samuel died in 1737 in Monmouth, New Jersey.  He married Annetje Van Horn, the daughter of Cornelius and Margretje Vanderburgh Van Horn (yes, you just saw the names of those parents a few paragraphs ago.  Again, siblings from the Demarest family married siblings from the Van Horn family.).  Their children are Jannetje, Cornelius, Samuel, Margrietje, David, Elsie, Peter, and Daniel.  

Peter was born in 1695 and died in 1774 in Orange County, New York.  This may have been about 50 miles, depending on which part of each county the farms are located.  He married Grietje Haring, the daughter of Cornelius and Cathalyn Flierboon Haring.  Their children are Marie, Catalynthe, Samuel, Fytie, Sara, Jacob, Margretjen, John, and Vrouwtje.

Sara was born in 1697 and died in 1719 in Hackensack.  She married John Westervelt, the son of Jurinen and Gieske Bongert van Westervelt.  They had one child together, Jurrian.  I don't know whether Sara died as a result of childbirth, but it's certainly possible.

Simon was born in 1699 and died in 1761 in Hackensack.  He married Vrouwtje Haring, the daughter of Conelius and Cathalyn Flierboon Haring.  (See two paragraphs above-siblings and siblings, again.  So many double cousins in this family!)  Their children are Samuel, Catalyntje, Cornelius, Maria, Daniel,  John, David, Petrus and Jacob.   

Rachel was born in 1701 and died in 1799 in Appoquinimink, Dekaware,  She married Jacobus Peek, the son of Johannes and Lysbeth van Imbarg Peek.  Their children are Sarah, Judith, Rachel, Samuel, Jacobus, Guysber, Rachel, David, and Annetie.  

Susanna was the last daughter, born in 1703 and died in 1747 in Hackensack, New Jersey.  She married Benjamin van Boskerck, the son of Laurens and an unidentified mother van Boskerck.  Their children are Samuel, Lauren, Marie, and Jacomyntie.  There may be more children, but  these are the ones that are noted in the records I looked at.

Finally, son Daniel was born in 1706 and died in 1727 in Bergen County, New Jersey.  There are no records of a spouse or children for Daniel, and it is believed that he was single when he died at the age of 21.

Samuel and Marie had about 77 grandchildren.  10 were named Samuel, and I didn't attempt to count the Maria or Rachels or other names.   When we think of the Samuels I've mentioned in the previous posts, and the ones yet to come, it's easy to wonder how the families kept them all straight.  

  

The family of Peter Demarest 1683-1763

 Warning: This post will be a long one, because this ancestor has 17 children and at least 117(!!) grandchildren.  Second warning: All names, first and surname, are subject to many variations.  I have tried to choose the most commonly used spelling but don't let that stop you from pursuing people with other spellings who are in the same area at the same time and whose other characteristics indicate a match, or at least a hint.  With all that said, let's try to build this family, who of course have several marriages into other of our families, or to cousins or closer in other families entirely.  This part of the family tree is more of a tangled bush.

Peter (Pieter, Petrus) Demarest (De Maree and other spellings) is the son of Jean (Jan, John) and Jacomina De Ruine Demarest and was born in 1683 in Hackensack, Bergen, New Jersey after the family had moved there from various locations in New York, including New Amsterdam.  He first married Maretie (Marie, Mary, Maretjie, etc.) Meet, the daughter of Jan and Gerritjie Mandeville Meet, and had seven children with her before she died in 1720. I will refer to her as Mary, simply to limit confusion with her successor, Marie. Peter next married a significantly younger Marie Batton, the daughter of Jacques and Margrietje Sans Batton, and they had eleven children together.  Peter died in 1763 in Bergen County, New Jersey, as part of a well respected and somewhat prosperous family.  

Peter and Mary's first child was Jacomina, born in 1710 and died in 1763 in Schraalenburgh, Bergen County, New Jersey.  She married Johannes Ackerman (Akkerman) the son of Laurents and Giertjie Egbert Ackerman.  Their children are Laurens, Peter, Jan, Grietje, Maryte, and Aaron.  (Note the various spellings of the first names.  This is what makes genealogy so much "fun".)

Maria was born in 1712 and died in 1763, about four months before her older sister.  She married William Ruttan, the son of Paulus and Marie David Ruttan,  Their children are Harmanes, Elizabeth, Maria, Abraham, Peter, Paulus, Leah, Jacob, William, David, and another William.  Peter and William were Loyalists in the Revolutionary War, and went to Canada at the end of the War.  What a heartbreak for the Demarest family in general, who have many names listed in Revolutionary War records as patriots, soldiers, and tax payers.  

Lea was born next, in 1713.  I show her death date as the same as sister Maria's.  If these are correct, then perhaps there was an epidemic of some sort going around.  I'd like to investigate this further.  She married Samuel Demarest, the son of David and Maria de Baun Demarest.  I'll be getting back to this branch of the Demarest family with my next post.  Of course, this was some sort of cousin relationship. Their children are Antjie, Marie, Petrus, Elizabeth, Sarah, Rachel, John, Cornelius, Tryntje, Lea, and Samuel.  

And then, a son, named Petrus of course.  He was born in 1715 and died in 1780 at New Bridge, New Jersey.  He married Aaltjie (not sure I've chosen the best spelling for that name!) Van Hoorn or Horn, the daughter of Barent and Jametje Hessels Van Horn.  Their children are Marie, Antia, Peter, Jan/John, Cornelia, Margaret, and James and/or Jacobus.

I know least about Rachel.  She was born in 1716 and died "before 1763", which gives a bit of leeway.  She married Johannes Loots, the son of Jan and Hilletje Paulus Loots, and that is the last I can trace her.  It's possible that she died soon after her 1736 marriage, perhaps in childbirth.  It's also possible that she left the area and no one has made the connection yet.  I have not found records of any children for her.  Her husband's 1764 will makes no mention of a widow or of children.

Trentje was born in 1718 and died in 1795.  She married Laurense Verwey, son of Jan and Catryn Ackerman Verwey. Their children are Sara, Maria, Catherine, Petrus, Geertje, Jan, Lowerans, and Laurens.  Again, there are many spellings for some of these names.  

Mary and Peter's final child is Sara, born in 1720 and died in 1804 in Schaalenburgh, New Jersey.  She married Cornelius Van Houten, the son of Roelof (Ralph) and Jannetje SPier Van Houten.  Their children are Roelof, Abraham, Jannetje, Jena, Jan, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jacomintjie, and Annetje.  

Mary seems to have died in 1720, perhaps in childbirth, and Peter married Marie Batton in 1722.  He certainly needed someone to help him take care of 7 children, and this 18 year old must have thought she was up to the task, and then some. 

Peter and Marie's first child was a daughter, Margretje, born in 1723 and died in 1790 in Bergen County, New Jersey.  She married Jan Bogert, son of Roelof and Elizabeth Bertholf Bogert.  I have located just three children for this couple-Roelof, Peter, and Hendrick.  Both Margretje and Jan lived into their 60's so it is possible there are more children, as yet not located.  

Elizabeth was born in 1725 and died in 1763 in Bergen County, New Jersey.  I have been unable to confirm the death date, so perhaps it is simply "before 1763".  She married Laurens Van Buskirk, the son of Andrew and Jacomyntje Demarest Van Buskirk.  (Yes, she is a descendant of Jean and Jacomina Re Ruine Demerest. Don't say I didn't warn you!)  Their children are Maria, Jacominte, Peter, Marietje, Aanatie, Laurent, Margaret, and possibly Jemima.  (It's possible that Jemima and Jacomnte are one and the same, but the birth dates I found are confusing.)

Hester was born in 1728 and died in that death year of 1763, (in May) in New Barbadoes, Bergen, New Jersey.  She married Abraham Ackerman, the son of Johannes and Maria Wakefield Ackerman.  (This is the third time I've found a connection to an Ackerman family, and surely they are connected in some way.)  Their children are Maria, Elizabeth, John, Jannetje, Peter, Hester, Johannes, and Maria.  

Yet another daughter, Lydia, was born in 1730 and died in 1770.  This makes nine of the first ten of Peter's children daughters, who were loved but not likely as valued as sons would be.  She married another Abraham Ackerman, the son of Johannes and Jannetje Lozier Ackerman.  Their children are Petrus, Maria, Johannes, Maria, David, Margretje, and Abraham.  

And then, finally, a son, a half brother for Petrus although the two were about 17 years apart in age.  John was born in 1732 and died in 1809 in Hackensack, New Jersey.  He married Willimpie Bogert, the daughter of Jan and Antje Westervelt Bogert.  Their children are Antje, Peter, John, Jacobus, Maria, Margretjie, Cornelia and another Cornelia.  

Jacobus was born in 1735 and died in 1807 an Kinderkamack, New Jersey.  He married Maretje Smith, the daughter of Philip and Rebecca Earle Smith.  This is the first marriage of these children where the bride (or groom) does not appear to come from a thoroughly French or Dutch family.  Their children, however, have mostly French/Dutch names-Peter, Philip, John, Jacobus, David, Rebecca, Maria, and Margretje.  

David was born in 1738 and died in 1820 in Hacksensack, New Jersey.  He married Hester Brower, the daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Ackerman (that name again!) Brouwer.  Their children are Petrus, Elizabeth, Petrus again, Maria, Abraham, Margretjie, Abraham, John, David, and James.

Maria was born in 1740 and died in 1810 in Kinderkamack, New Jersey.  She married Richard Heaton or Eaton, the son of John and Mary Van Hooghkerk Heaton.  Their children are John, Petrus, Maria, Elizabeth, Richard, Jacobus, Margretje, Lucas, Hester, and Lucas again.  

Another daughter, Annatie, was born in 1743 and died in 1787 in Bergen County, New Jersey   She married Jan (John) Banta, the son of Cornelius and Rachel Wiert Banta.  Their children are Rachel, Rachel, Maria, Cornelius, Peter, Maria, Margaret, Henry, and John.  

Samuel, the last son, was born in 1745 and died in 1835 probably in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey.  He married Wilimena Banta, the daughter of Hendrick and Anneje DeGroot Banta.  Their children are Maria, Peter, Elena, Samuel, John, Catalynte (Catherine), Annatie, Wilimena, Margrietje, Jan, and Jacobus.

Finally born 38 years (less two days) of her oldest half sister, Magdalene was the last child of Peter and Maria.  She married Peter Stuyvesant (I don't know whether he was a descendant of the famous one of New Amsterdam), the son of Benoni and Pryntje Preyer Stuyvesant.  Their children are Peter, Johannes, and Mary.

I believe that most, if not all of the men mentioned as children of Peter and his wives would have fought or served in some capacity in the Revolutionary War, and the older ones perhaps in the French and Indian War.  I have found men of the same names and from Bergen County in various lists, but as we know, there was more than one John or Peter or David or (fill in the blank) Demarest in Bergen County at the time.  Regardless, and in spite of the two sons of Maria Demarest Ruttan, most of this family supported the cause of American freedom.  

But Mary and Marie are heroes, too.  They each had a large family, and raised good people.  That was the ultimate sign of success then, and raising good people is still one of the main values of their descendants.   

 

 

 

  

 

The family of Jean/Jan/John Demarest 1645-1719

 One thing that makes researching this family (all of the Demarests, from David on down), is that there are many spellings of both first names and surnames, and sometimes it seems that there are nicknames or middle names used as first names, just to make it fun for family researchers.  I am using the surname Demarest, but the further back in time you go, the more variations you will find.  And I'm using Jean, because that seems to be the most common and because it reminds us that he was, after all, from a French family.

Jean is the first son of David and Marie Sohier Demarest, born in 1645 in Zeeland, the Netherlands.  He immigrated with his family to what was then New Amsterdam, and married Jacomina de Ruine, the daughter of Simon and Magdelena van der Straaten de Ruine, in about 1668.  All of these families are French Huguenots, living in France, the Netherlands, and Germany as religious persecution dictated.  They were fortunate to find a more congenial religious climate in America, and were at first part of the Dutch Reformed church.  Jean and Jacomina moved on with members of their extended family, to settle near Hackensack, New Jersey, where they lived the rest of their lives, and where they raised a large family.  Jacomina died in 1692 and Jean in 1719. Both are buried at the French Burying Ground at New Milford, Bergen County, New Jersey.  (Jean married twice after Jacomina's death, to Marritje Van Winkle and then to Magdalena Laurens.  No children were born from those marriages.)

David was their first born son, in 1669.  He died in 1706 at Hackensack, New Jersey.  He married Antie/Annetje Slot, the daughter of Peter and Marritje Van Winkle Slot.  (So Jean's second wife was his son's mother in law.)  Their children are Lea, Maritje, Jacomina, a second Lea, David, and Rachel.  

John (this spelling seems to be used more than Jean or Jan, but watch out!) was born in 1671 and died in 1731 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  He married Deborah Heyer or Heyet or possibly Hyatt or even Hoyt, possibly the daughter of Peter of whatever spelling you choose.  Their children are Jan, David, and Jemima (or possibly Jacomina).  John's second wife is Golah Pattison, whom I have not been able to further identify.  Their children are Golin, Solomon, and Elly.  

A daughter, Marie, was born in 1673 and died in 1730.  She married Jacobus Slot, the son of Peter and Marritje Van Winkle Slot (yes, the same family already mentioned twice in this post.) Their children are Peter, Johannes, Eva, Maria, Lea, Jona, David, Sara, Trintje, and Benjamin.  Marie (Maria, Mary, etc) died in 1730 at Hackensack, New Jersey. 

Sarah was born next, in 1675, and died in 1741 in Odessa, New Castle, Delaware.  She married Abraham Canon or Cannon, the son of Andrew and Jane Pearse Cannon.  Their children are Isaac, Andrew, Sarah, Jenny, Hester, John, David, and Abraham.  

Simon was born next, in 1677, and, sadly, died that same year.  

It seems that about every two years, there was a new child to welcome to the Demarest household.  In 1679, it was Rachel.  She married Thomas Heyer, the son of John Heyer (there seems to be little doubt about this identification, which makes me wonder whether John's wife was also part of this Heyer family, but apparently no documentation has yet been found to prove that.) Their children are Rachel, Jan, David, and Thomas.  Rachel may have died as early as 1709, which would explain why there are "only" four children.

Jacomina was born in 1680 and died sometime between 1727 and 1760 (still trying to find a documented date) in New Castle County, Delaware.  She married John Stewart, the son of John and Isabel Gardiner Stewart.  I believe this is the first Demarest to marry outside of the Huguenot community, so I can't help but wonder what Jean thought about this! Their children are Johannes, Elizabeth, James, David and Isaac.  She later married Richard Wilkinson, whom I'd can't identify further at this point.  It is not believed that she had children with him.  

Leah was born in 1682 and died after 1744 in Hackensack, New Jersey.  Her first husband, the father of her children, is Abraham Brouwer, the son of Peter and Petronilla Clyn (again, various spellings) Brouwer.  Their children are Petrus, Johannes, Samuel, David, Jacobus, Lea, Rachel, Daniel, and Maria.  Her second marriage is to Roelof Westervelt, the son of Libbert and Geesje Westervelt.  (I am not absolutely sure that I have correctly interpreted the names of Roelof's parents.  I'm not going to attempt Geesje's maiden name.) 

Peter was born in 1683 and died in 1763 in Schaalenburgh, New Jersey.  He first married Marritje Meet, the daughter of Peter and Gerritje Mandeville Meet.  Their children are Jacomina, Maria, Petrus, Rachel, Trintje, and Sara.  He next married Maria Batton, the daughter of Jacques and Margretje Sans Batton.  Their children are Margetje, Elizabeth, Hester, Lydia, John, Jacobus, David, Maria, Annatie, Samuel, and Magdalena.  I will follow this family in my next post.

Magdalena was born in 1684 and died in 1763 at Hackensack, New Jersey.  She married James Christie, the son of John and Anna Ramsay Christie.  Their children are Jacomina, Jacob, Annetje, Lea, Johannes, Marie, Elizabeth, James, David, William, Rachel, Daniel, Sara, and Magdalena.  

Their last child was Samuel, born in 1687.  He is thought to have died young, because he is not mentioned in his father's 1714 will, but no definite information has been located about him.  

So nine of Jean and Jacomina's 11 children lived to adulthood.  If my list of the grandchildren is correct and complete. they had 79 grandchildren, although they did not live long enough to meet all of them.  This family appears to have been both prosperous and respected, and their descendants can be proud of them. 

A side note:  This blog post marks my 1100th post in an attempt to trace the ancestors of my children.  It's been a wonderful ride, and with recent discoveries I've made, I'm not close to being done yet! 

 

  

 

 

 

Beeks line: The family of David Demarest 1620-1695

 I've written about David Demarest before.  He was born in Beauchamp, Chambray, France in 1620, and lived in Middleburg in The Netherlands and Mannheim in Germany before immigrating to the colony of New York, and finally to Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey.  These moves were necessitated due to the family being of French Huguenot beliefs, and such families suffered persecution for many years.  The moves once the family came to America were also due to economic and societal reasons.  It was a very eventful life that David and his family lived.

I am using the spelling Demarest here, because that is the most common and modern spelling.  It can be seen in any number of configurations, including De Maree and De Marets, but let's not get too confusing.  David is most likely the son of Jean Demarest and possibly Marguerite de Herville.  (I am not convinced that this was his mother, since none of his children or grandchildren are named Marguerite, but many trees are showing her as the mother.)  He married Marie Sohier, the daughter of Francois and Marie Ernhoult Sohier, in Middleburg in 1643.  Their children were born in Middleburg, Mannheim, and finally New Amsterdam.  They had the sadness of losing several children too young, as infants and young children, yet they persevered in their life and their faith.

The first child was Jean, born in 1645 and died in 1719 in Hackensack, New Jersey, where by that time there was a thriving Huguenot community.  He married three times, but all children are with his first wife, Jacomina de Ruine, the daughter of Simon and Magdalena Van Der Straten.  Their children are David, Jan, Mary, Sarah, Simon, Rachel, Jacomina, Lea, Peter, Magdalena, and Samuel.  His second marriage is to Marritje Van Winkle, the daughter of Jacob Van Winkle and Tryntje Jacobs, and the mother of his daughter in law.  His third marriage is to Magdalena Lauren, whom I have not further identified.  I will follow this family in my next post.

The first daughter may have been Marie, who does not seem to be documented.  She was born in 1646 and probably died as in infant, but certainly before 1659.

An infant son, David, was born in 1649 and died before December of 1651. 

David was the next son, born in 1651 and died in 1691 in Kinderkamack, Bergen County, New Jersey.  He married Rachel Cresson, the daughter of Pierre and Rachel Clauss Cresson.  Their children are David, Peter, Susanna, Ragel, Jacobus, Samuel, Daniel, Lidia, and Benjamin.  

Samuel was the next son, born in 1656 and died in 1728 in Hackensack, New Jersey.  He married Maria de Ruine, the daughter of Simon and Magdalena Van Der Straten de Ruine, another case of brothers marrying sisters.  Their children are Magdalena, Jacomina, Judith Samuel, Pieter, Sara, Simon, Rachel, Susanna, and Daniel.  I will also write about this family in an upcoming post, as the Beeks family has lines through both Jean and Samuel.  

A second daughter named Marie was born in 1659 and died before May of 1662.

A third daughter Marie was born in 1662 and died before August 26, 1689.  She is not known to have married.

And finally, Daniel, the New Amsterdam baby, was born in 1666 and was killed when he was run over by a horse in January of 1672.  

As we can see, this family had many losses, perhaps more than average but certainly not unheard of.  Those who survived left large families and good memories, and even, thankfully, a reasonable amount of records.  Let's not forget this French family! 

 

 

The family of Stephen Noble 1727-1791

Stephen Noble is the son of Thomas and Sarah Root Noble, born in 1727 and died in 1791, in Westfield, Massachusetts.  He lived his entire life there, except for the time he was in military service during the Revolutionary War, and possibly the French and Indian War (I've found no documentation at this point for the French and Indian War, but almost every able bodied male from Westfield was on at least one of the campaigns, so the strong possibility exists.). He married Ruth Church, the daughter of Jonathan and Ruth Hitchcock Church.  Stephen and Ruth had at least eight children, and all of them left Westfield.  

Their first child was Lovisa or Louisa (found under both spellings).  She was born in 1751 and died in 1823 in Hadley, Hampshire, County, Massachusetts, which was roughly 25 miles from Westfield.  She married Perez Smith, the son of John and Mehitable Cook Smith.  I located just two children for them, Anna and Louisa, but there may have been more.  If these were the only two children, perhaps there is a story that I've not yet found which would explain the small family.  Perez died in 1824.

Ruth was born next in 1756, She married Martin Root, the son of Martin and Eunice Lamb Root, and died in 1790 in Monthgomery, Massachusetts, which is roughly 12 miles from Westfield.  Their children are Noble, Martin, Ruth, Charlotte, Charles, and Eunice.  I've written earlier about this family.

Bildad was born in 1759 and died in 1799 in Warren, Herkimer County, New York.  He married Esther Greenfield, the daughter of Israel and Mary Brewer Greenfield.  Their children are Ebenezer, Lystra, Amanda, Henry, Minor, and a daughter who apparently died young.  Bildad is a Revolutionary War veteran, and perhaps some of his children would have fought in the war of 1812, given their location in New York.

Aaron was born in 1761 and died in 1824 in Lansingburgh, (now part of Troy) New York.  He is also a Revolutionary War veteran, having served with his father.  He married Catherine, known as Cate, Green, the daughter of John and Catherine Carr Greene.  Their children are Ruth, Stephen, Charlotte, another Stephen, another Charlotte, Harriet, and Aaron.  

There may or may not be an Irene, born in 1763.  I haven't located any information at all about her, and there appears to be another Irene born in 1763 in a different town.  If someone can help clear this up for me, I'd appreciate it!

Stephen was born in 1765 and died in August of 1823 in Mariposa, Ontario, Canada, where he had apparently gone sometime between 1810 and 1814.  I have no idea why he left his country, particularly with the war of 1812 either imminent or in full swing.  If someone has the answer to this mystery, I'd sure like to know it!  He married Esther Smith, the daughter of Thomas and Esther Ball Smith.  Their children are Stephen, Austin, Ambrose, Cynthia, Thomas, Eunice, Esther, Christiana, Achsah, and Susannah.  

Lois was born in 1767 and died in 1847 in Westhampton. about 14 miles from Westfield.  She married Israel Bridgman, the son of Noah and Mercy Clark Bridgman, as his second wife.  She was 35 at the time of their marriage, and had no children.  She was, however, stepmother to Israel's five children by his first wife.  

Eunice was born in 1770 and died in 1807 in Amherst, Massachusetts, about 28 miles from Westfield.  She married William Boltwood, the son of William and Mary Sheldon Boltwood.  Their children are Sarah, Lucius, Mary, Emily, Harriet, William, and Eunice.   

And finally, Lucinda was born in 1774, and died in 1857 in Hadley, Massachusetts.  She married Elisha Hubbard, the son of Edward and Margaret Gaylord Hubbard.  Their children are Maria, Harriet, Lucinda, Margaret, Elizabeth, Eunice, and Susan.  

All of the children left Westfield, but most of them stayed within a 30 or so radius of "home".  This was likely because of better economic prospects elsewhere.  If I had time, I'd love to explore these children more, but it is time to move on to another family.  I've enjoyed learning the essential details, and hints of the lives these Noble children lived, for each generation I've followed.  They are part of America.   

 

 

Breaking news, the brick wall breaking kind!

 I've been working on family genealogy for 19 years now, and I surely thought that I'd found about everyone that I was ever going to find.  Thanks to some kind folks I met through Ancestry, and new records on line, I now know who my 4th great grandmother is.  And in the process, I am somewhat satisfied with 11 new surnames to research.  I already know that some of them have fascinating stories, so I'm excited.  

"My" find is Lydia Goodenow, who married Jude Foster.  I have not yet identified her death date and location (she's not the one buried in Boston in 1801, because her name was no longer Foster at that point.)  Preliminary research shows that I'm missing some female names, so I have more grandmothers to try to find.  But here is a list of the surnames that appear to be correct, all except Rice new to our tree:

Goodenow, Bent, Drury, Rice, Moore, Weare, Lamson, Good, Graves, Axtell, Cutler.   Oh, and also Corbet/Corbett, who was the second husband of Lydia.  

If you recognize one of your families in this list (late 1500s to early 1700s). I'd love to hear from you.  It takes a village to build a tree.  Meantime, it's happy genealogy dance time! 

The family of Thomas Noble 1696-1775

This is the third Thomas Noble family I've written about, and the most fascinating to me.  In my last post, about Thomas and Elizabeth Dewey Noble, I mentioned that some of their children and grandchildren would surely have defended their colony in the French and Indian War, and fought in the Revolutionary War.  This family, that of Thomas and Sarah Root Noble, is one such example.  With only a little bit of searching, I've found stories about three of the sons, and there are probably more waiting to be found.  

This is also a family that has lots of cousin marriages, between Nobles and Roots, and Nobles and Deweys, and other families also show up multiple times.  Westfield in the early 1700s was still a very small town, noted as having about 150 families by 1750.  The pickings for marriage partners was slim, but we can hope that the marriages were generally good ones.

Thomas was born in 1696. the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Dewey Noble.  He married Sarah Root, the daughter of John and Sarah Stebbins Root in 1722.  He spent all his days in Westfield, Massachusetts, unless he participated in military expeditions, but I've found no record of any such thing yet.  Thomas died in Westfield in 1775, just two months before the battles of Lexington and Concord that more or less began the Revolutionary War.  Thomas and Sarah had at least 10 children together.  If, as adults, all the children had been gathered at the same table, there would have been enough stories told to last the night through, and then some.  Thomas also married, in 1761, Sarah Field Belding, about a year after his first wife's death.

Sarah was born first, in 1723 (actually, within a few months of her parents' marriage, but who's counting?).  She married Aaron Dewey, the son of Israel and Sarah Root Dewey.  Sarah was related to both of Aaron's parents, so she knew her husband probably her whole life.  Their children are Aaron, Sarah, Aaron, Aaron, John, Silas, Eunice, Silas, and Levi.  Sadly, several of these children died as infants.  Sarah died in 1796 in Westfield.  

Thomas (yes, another Thomas to confuse us all) was born in 1725 and died in 1801 in Westfield.  He married Susanna Cole, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Goodwin Cole.  His uncle, Jonathan Noble, was married to a sister of Susanna.  Thomas and Susanna's children are Eunice, Jerusha, Susanna, Thomas, Sally, Jerusha, Dorothy, Calvin, Luther, Molly, and Nancy. 

Stephen was born in 1727 and died in 1791 in Westfield.  He married Ruth Church, the daughter of Jonathan and Ruth Hitchcock Church. (Jonathan was the son of Richard and Elizabeth Noble Church.  Elizabeth was Stephen's grand aunt, another family connection.)  Their children are Lovisa, Ruth, Bildad, Aaron, Stephen, Lois, Eunice, and Lucinda.  This family will be the subject of my next blog post.

Eunice was born in 1729 and died just 21 years later in Westfield.  She married Samuel Smith, the son of Samuel and Desire Bedortha Smith.  They had one daughter together, also a Eunice.

John was born in 1731 and died in 1807 in Blandford, Massachusetts.  He married Lois Sexton, the daughter of Daniel and Mary Douglas Sexton.  Their children are John, Bohan, Hannah, Rhoda, John, Oliver, and Alva.  I'm a little confused about the last two names.  They might belong to the same person, and the name might be Olive.  I have not found the records to confirm this.  

Silas was born in 1733 and died July 11, 1775, at Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.  My history loving ears perked up at the date and sure enough, he died while serving in the earliest days of the Revolutionary War, of "camp fever".  George Washington arrived to take charge of what became the core of the militia/army that fought against George III's troops.  I've read that when he got there, one of the first things he did was insist that the camp be cleaned up and military discipline applied.  But I digress...Silas married twice.  His first was is Bethia Dewey, the daughter of Adijah and Mercy Ashley Dewey.  (Both of those folks are our cousins, also.) Their children are Elisha, James, Silas, and Medad.  Silas's second wife is Mary Taylor, whom I have not further identified.  Their children are Bethia, Solomon, and Mary.

Aaron was born in 1735 and died in November of 1760 in Westfield.  His story is both sad and interesting.  He fought during four different campaigns of the French and Indian War, and evidently was captured at some point, and held in Quebec.  When finally released, he likely sailed on one of the ships that unknowingly held one or more passengers suffering from smallpox.  Aaron arrived home in good health, had an hour with his family, and then fell ill.  He died about a week later, from smallpox.  I haven't found any others of this family that died shortly after Aaron, so apparently he didn't infect anyone else, which was a good thing.  He deserves to be held among the heroes in our family.

Elizabeth was born in 1738 and died in 1804 in Westfield.  She married Medad Dewey, who was a brother to Bethia Dewey mentioned above, and the son of Adijah and Mercy Ashley Dewey.  Their children are Solomon and Medad.  She then married John Miller, not yet further identified, and their children are Elizabeth, Olive, and Anna.  Finally, she married Benjamin Sexon, the son of Benjamin and Mary Strong Sexton, and they had a son, Phinehas.  

Caleb was born in 1741 and died in 1804 in what became Ashtabula County, Ohio.  He is the first of this family to put down roots anyplace except Hampden County, Massachusetts.  This was early to be in Ohio, and I'm not sure whether he was actually there to stay or whether he was checking the area out.  He was a Revolutionary War veteran but I don't know whether he was given land in compensation for property losses or injuries.  It's possible that he died en route to an area further south, where his brother Seth was given land for his Revolutionary War service.  Caleb married Mercy Kellogg, the daughter of John and Mary Newton Kellogg.  Their children are Caleb, Ashsah, Moses, Aaron, Rosanna, Seth, Oliva, Sophie, an infant, Philo, and Betsey.  

Seth is the last born of the family, in 1743.  He died in 1807 in Franklin County, Ohio, where he had been granted 350 acres of land for his service and losses in the Revolutionary War.  He was a Presbyterian pastor and lived and ministered in several different towns, including Nova Scotia, where he was as the war broke out.  He married three times.  His first wife is Hannah Barket, the daughter of Joseph and Sarah Palmer Barker.  Their children are Seth, Joseph, Sarah, Benjamin, and Hannah.  He next married Ruhama Rich Emery, a widow.  Their children are Betsey, Thomas, Polly, and John.  His third wife is Mary Magill.  I could find nothing to tell us who Ruhama or Mary's parents are.  

Seth likely knew our ancestor John Starr, also a Revolutionary War vet and a Presbyterian, who died in Franklin County Ohio on land granted him for the serious injury he suffered in the Revolutionary War.  I like to imagine them worshiping together in the same house or cabin or first small church.  The Starr family and the Noble family have no close blood relationship that I have found, yet, they were brothers in Christ and in service to their country.  I think that is cool! 

 

 

  

The family of Thomas Noble 1666--1750

 Thomas Noble, the son of Thomas and Hannah Warriner, was born in 1666 in Springfield, Massachusetts, likely in what became Westfield just four years later.  He stayed in Westfield his entire life, having married Elizabeth Dewey, the daughter of Thomas and Constant Dewey Hawes in 1695.  Elizabeth was also born in Westfield in 1677 and died there in 1757, about seven years after Thomas.  Thomas's siblings all lived to adulthood and most into old age, but the family of Thomas and Elizabeth was not so blessed.  There were at least eleven children born to this couple, but there were several early deaths.  It's a good thing that Thomas and Elizabeth had a strong faith (he was a deacon in the church) to help them as they lost some of their children.  Fortunately, there are also children who lived to have large families, so there were grandchildren galore to bring joy to their lives.

Thomas was the first born, in 1696.  He also lived his entire life in Westfield, until he died in 1775.  He married Sarah Root, the daughter of John and Sarah Stebbins Root.  Their children are Sarah, Thomas, Stephen, Eunice, John, Silas, Aaron, Elizabeth, Caleb, and Seth.  I will write more of this family in my next post.  

Job was born next, in January of 1699, and died less than five months later, in June.

Jonathan was born in 1700 and died in 1719 in Westfield, before any marriage took place.  

Seth was born in 1702 and died just five weeks later.  

Israel was born in 1703 and died in 1758, also in t.  He married twice.  His first wife is Elizabeth Weller, who may be the daughter of Eleazer Weller but that is not proven.  They had one son together, Israel, but Elizabeth died about a month after her son's birth.  Israel then married Elizabeth Miller, the daughter of Ebenezer and Hannah Keep Miller.  Their children are Margaret, Shadrack, Thankful, Hannah, Margaret, Roger, and Thankful. 

Elizabeth. their first daughter, was born in 1705 and died in 1793 in Westfield.  She married John Shepard, the son of John and Elizabeth Woodruff Shepard.  Their children are Elizabeth, Elizabeth, John, John, Experience, William, Silas, three sons each named Enoch, David, and two sons named Gideon.  This family sadly seems to have had at least five infants or children die at an early age.  

Lois was born next, in 1708.  She was the first of the Noble children to die away from Westfield, but not until 1757, when she died in Brimfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts.  Brimfield and Westfield are about 33 miles apart, Brimfield being directly east of Westfield, so we do not know whether she was able to see here parents often.  She married Josiah Keep, the son of Samuel and Sarah Colton Keep.  Their children are Lois, Jemima, Ruth, Josiah, Moses, Hannah, and Austin.  

Ebenezer was born in 1711 and died in 1775 in Suffield, Hartford County, Connecticut.  He married Abigail Palmer, the daughter of Timothy and Abigail Allen Palmer.  Their children are Abigail, Anna, Ebenezer, Joel, Rachel, Esther, Nathan, and Timothy.  

Thankful was born in 1714, and may have died in 1716.  I could find no further information about her.

Anna was born in 1716 and died in 1787 in West Springfield, Massachusetts.  She married John Leonard, the son of John and Sarah Dickinson Leonard.  Their children are Anna, Sarah, Anna, John, Sarah, Abigail, Elizabeth, and Justin.  

Finally, there is Jonathan, born in 1721.  (There may have been at least one pregnancy between Anna and Jonathan, given the time gap.)  He married Elizabeth Cole, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Goodwin Cole.  Their children are Elijah, Jonathan, William, Phineas, Mary, and Roswell.   He died in 1781 in Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut.  

Thomas and Elizabeth must have raised their children well.  As mentioned, Thomas was a deacon, and I notice that almost all of his children's names, and his grandchildren's names, are Biblical.  I would expect to find that some of their sons fought in the French and Indian War, and there are quite a few names of what appear to be grandsons listed as having fought in the Revolutionary War.  I would love to have the time, and eyesight, to explore this family more thoroughly.  

 

 

Allen line: The family of Thomas Noble 1632-1704

 There are various conjectures as to where Thomas came from, and who his parents are.  I am not sure enough of any of them to state them as fact, or even as probables.  It is probable, however, that Thomas was an immigrant from some part of England, and was born about 1632.  We're not sure when he arrived in America, but he married Hannah Warriner, the daughter of William and Joanna Searles Warriner, in 1660 in Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts.  The couple made their home in what became Westfield in 1669. The couple had at least ten children.  After Thomas died in 1704, Hannah married Medad Pomeroy, the son of Eltweed and Margery Rockett (Rockwood) Pomeroy.  Medad is our ancestor in our Holbrook line, and I hope to write about that family in the future.  

John seems to have been the first born, in 1662.  (He was born almost exactly two years after his parents married, so it is possible there was an earlier pregnancy.)  He died in New Milford, Litchfield, Connecticut in 1714, but not before he had married twice.  His first wife is Abigail Sackett, the daughter of John and Abigail Hannum Sackett.  They have one daughter together, also Abigail, but sadly, John's wife died 4 days after giving birth to Abigail.  Less than a year later, he married Mary Goodman, the daughter of Richard and Mary Terry Goodman.  They have 10 children together-John, Stephen, Elizabeth, Mary, David, Hannah, Sarah, William, Margaret, and Mabel.   

Hannah was born next, in 1664.  She married three times and died in 1741 in Hadley, Hampshire, Massachusetts.  Her first husband was John Goodman, the daughter of John and Hannah Edwards Goodman (I have not yet found a connection between Richard and John Goodman, but there is at least a possibility that these two families are related.)  Hannah's children with John are John, Hannah, another Hannah, Stephen, and James.  She later married Nathaniel Edwards, the son of Alexander and Sarah Searle Edwards, and then Samuel Partridge, the son of William and Mary Smith Partridge.  I have not found any mention of children with Nathaniel, and she was well along in years when she married Samuel.  

Thomas was born next, in 1666.  He married Elizabeth Dewey, the daughter of Thomas and Constant Hawes Dewey, and died in 1750 in Springfield, Massachusetts.  Their children are Thomas, Job, Jonathan, Seth, Israel, Elizabeth, Louis, Ebenezer, Thankful, Anna, and Jonathan.  I will follow this family in my next blog post. 

Matthew was born in 1668 and died in 1744 in Sheffield, Berkshire, Massachusetts.  He married Hannah Dewey, the daughter of Thomas and Constant Hawes Dewey (see above).  Their children are Joseph, Hezekiah, Matthew, Solomon, Elisha, Obadiah, Hannah, Hester, Jonathan, and Rhoda.  

Mark was the first child born in Westfield, in 1670, and like several of his siblings, didn't leave.  He died there in 1741.  He married Mary Marshall, the daughter of Samuel and Rebecca Newberry Marshall.  Their children are Noah, Mary, Abigail, John, Miriam, and Noah.  

Elizabeth was born next, in 1673.  She died in 1751 in Colchester, New London, Connecticut.  She married Richard Church, the son of John and Sarah Beckley Church, who are also our ancestors and I hope to write about one day.  Their children are John, Hannah, Rachel, James, Joseph, Jonathan, and Samuel.  Her second marriage is to Samuel Loomis, the son of John and Elizabeth Scott Loomis.  This was a late in life marriage and there were no children of this couple.

Luke was born in 1675 and died in 1744 in Westfield, Massachusetts.  He first married Hannah Stebbins, the daughter of Thomas and Abigail Munn Stebbins, who are not our ancestors but are related. (The Stebbins families are another goal of mine.) Their children are Luke and Samuel, although I am not sure about Samuel.  He may be a child of the second marriage, or there could be two Samuel Nobles in this family, but I haven't been able to confirm birth dates.  His second marriage is to Ruth Wright, the daughter of Joseph and Ruth Sheldon Wright.  Their children are Ruth, Moses, Anna, Asa, Naomi, Samuel, Jacob, and Ephraim.  Luke's third wife is Sarah Dewey, who was the widow of David Dewey but whose parents are unknown.  There are no children know to have been born to this couple.

James was born in 1677 and died in 1712 in Westifeld.  He married Katharine Higley (also seen as Higlee), the daughter of John and Hannah Drake Higley.  Their children are Lydia, James, and David.  

Then came Mary, in 1680.  She also died in Westfield, in 1750.  Her husband is Ephraim Colton, the son of Ephraim and Mary Drake Colton.  Their children are Mary, Ephraim, Deborah, Jerusha, male twins who died very young, Damaris, Job, Samuel, and Hannah.  

And lastly came Rebecca, in 1683.  She married Samuel Loomis, the son of Samuel and Hannah Hanchett Loomis.  (Yes, the Hanchett line is in our tree also.)  Their children are Rebecca, Samuel, Rachel, Rebecca, Mabel, Mercy, Moses, and David.  I am confused about her death date.  It may be 1720, it may be 1750, or it may be 1759, but whichever is correct, she died in Westfield, Massachusetts.  

This Noble family is interesting for several reasons.  First, of course is the number of ties to other lines in our families.  Then there are the first names-almost every name of the grandchildren, as well as the children, is from the Bible.  The family lived through trying times with King Philip's War and later battles with natives, and I'm sure many of these names will be found on military rolls.  Many of these children lived into their 70s, and they would have told many stories to their children and their own grandchildren.  It's been fun to write about this family that ties to ours in so many ways.   

The family of Alexis Lemmon 1746-1826

As I write this, it's the Fourth of July weekend, and it seems fitting that I'm writing about the family of Alexis Lemmon (Jr.), who served in the Revolutionary War as a captain in the Maryland militia.  We should never forget the sacrifices made by our ancestors to give us a chance at freedom, as well as life itself.  

Alexis was born in 1746 in Baltimore, Maryland, and died in 1826 in Perry Township, Richland County, Ohio.  I have had the honor of visiting his gravesite.  He married Rachel Stansbury, the daughter of Thomas and Hannah Gorsuch Stansbury.  (Hannah is one of our lines back to British royalty, if you trace her far enough.)  They raised their family in Maryland, on an estate known as "Eight Sisters", because, yes, this family was blessed with daughters only.  He owned a 400 acre estate in Maryland, so the supposition is high that he held slaves, although the only hint I've found was in the 1820 census, when "Electius" reported one slave.  

Sarah was the first born, in 177, in Baltimore County, Maryland (birthplace of all of the children).  She died in 1834 in Perry Township, Morrow County, Ohio.  She was married to Abraham Hetrick, the son of Johan Jacob and Anna Elizabeth Nuss Hetrick.  Their children are Mary Ann, Rachel, Elizabeth, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Susannah, Abraham, and an unnamed daughter who may have died at a young age.  This is our line, and at some point I hope to write about the Hetrick families.

Ruth was born in 1774 and died in 1846 in Morrow County, Ohio.  She married John Edwards, the son of Johan and Jane Flanigan Edwards.  Their children are Christianaa, Alexis, Jessie, Rebecca, Edward, and Elias.  (Marion is also seen as their child, but he seems to have been born much later; perhaps he is a grandson.)

Elizabeth was born in 1776 and that is what I could learn about her.  There was an Elizabeth Lemmon who married a Robert Anderson in 1801, but I have been unable to determine whether this was her, or what might have happened to her, whether she was married or not.

Mary was born in 1778 and died in 1818 in Woodbury, Morrow County, Ohio.  She married John Singrey (Singry), son of Christian and Elizabeth Ingold Singrey.  Their children are Sarah, Jehu, Mary, John, Rebecca, and Harriet.

Rebecca was born in 1780 and died in 1855 in Perry Township, Morrow County, Ohio.  She married John Shauck, son of John and Mary Magdalene Ebaugh Shauck.  There are three known children born to Rebecca, but there may be more as yet not located.  The known children are Elah (Eli), Mary Ann, and John.   

Rachel is a bit confusing.  Her birthdate is given as both 1780 (on the same date as Rebecca) and again on the same date but in 1782.  So she may or may not be a twin.  Also, she married Jehu Singrey in 1832, who is the son of Christian and Elizabeth Ingold Singrey (see Mary's paragraph, and also Jane's, who follows this one.)  Because she was 50 or more when she married, there were no children born to this couple.

Jane, however, had married Jehu Singrey first.  She was born in 1784 and died in 1831 in Morrow County, Ohio.  Jane and Jehu, son of Christian and Elizabeth Ingold Singrey, have 6 children-Elizabeth, Rachel, Sarah, Joshua, David, and Alice.  

Temperance was the final child.  She was born in 1786 and died in 1814.  SHe married Jacob Coltrider, the son of Johannes George Peter and Weylet, maiden name not found, Kaltreider.  They may have had a son, Jacob, but I have not been able to verify that.

Rachel, Alexis' wife, died in 1823 in Baltimore County, Maryland.  Alexis lost little time in moving to Morrow County, along with his as yet unmarried daughter, Rachel.  All the surviving daughters lived within a short distance of each other, and Alexis must have taken great comfort in being in their presence once again.  

I have a great deal of admiration for the daughters of Alexis and Rachel.  They left home, probably together or within a short time period of each other, and traveled hundreds of miles to settle in a new to them land that was yet unsettled.  Their husbands, pioneers and then leaders of their communities, helped build their state, and the daughters were there supporting them and raising their children to also be good citizens.  They were remarkable, every one of them. 

 

 

Holbrook line: The family of Alexis Lemmon 1718-1786

 I was going to start this short series out with a post about John Lemmon and Elizabeth Smith, who I believed to be the parents of Alexis Lemmon.  It's possible that they are, but it's also possible that they are not.  So let's just leave it there for now, until more convincing evidence one way or the other turns up.  (I have seen Edward and James listed as his parents, also, so that's why the hesitation on my part.  

We do know that Alexis was born in 1718 in either England or Ireland, and died in or before 1786.  He is listed as a patriot of the Revolutionary War, as he provided wheat to the army and also signed the oath of allegiance.  His first wife, the mother of his children, is Martha Merryman, the daughter of John and Martha Bowen Merryman.  His second wife is Rachel Cottrell Jones, the daughter of Thomas Cottrell and the widow of Jacob Jones.  There were no children born to the second marriage.  Alexis and Martha have eight known children, although there are some trees that list fewer or give the children different names.  I hope this list is correct!

John is the first son, born in 1740.  He died in 1811 in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.  His wife is Sarah Stansbury, the daughter of Thomas and Hannah Gorsuch Stansbury.  Their children are Lemuel, Martha, Hannah, Alexis, Matthew, Thomas, John, Benjamin, Eleanor, and Charles.   John is a Revolutionary War veteran.

Ruth was born next, in 1741.  Unfortunately, that is all that I know of her.  There are several trees that give her husband as Thomas Stansbury, the son of Thomas and Hannah Gorsuch Stansbury (see above). I have been unable to confirm that.  He married a possibly second wife, so perhaps Ruth died soon after the marriage.  I find no record of children and to me, this case is still very much open.

Mary was born in 1744 and died in 1818 in Piasa Township, Jersey County, Illinois.  She married Ulrick William Burke, so son of Thomas and Sarah Sicklemore Burk.  Their children are Martha, Sarah, Thomas, Elisha, Alexis, Ulrick, John, and Pat. Ulrich died in 1784 and I am not sure how Mary arrived in Illinois.  Perhaps she was living with one of her children.  

Alexis was born in 1746 and died in 1826 in Perry Township, Richland County, Ohio.  He was a veteran of the Revolutionary War as well as the War of 1812.  He married Rachel Stansbury, who is the daughter of Thomas and Hannah Gorsuch Stansbury.  If the Ruth connection with Thomas is correct, then three Lemmon siblings married three Stansbury siblings.  Their children are Sarah, Ruth, Elizabeth, Mary, James, Rebecca, Rachel, Jane, and Temperance.  I will follow this family in my next blog post. 

Hannah was born in 1751 and died in 1840 in Baltimore.   Some say she never married, and some say she was the Hannah Lemmon who married Thomas Cochran in 1788.  Perhaps the marriage never actually took place, or this may be a different Hannah Lemmon.  It appears that she is buried with the name of Lemmon, and that she was staying with a Micajah Merryman, likely a relative of some sort, at the time of her death. 

Eleanor (who may have preferred and used the name Elizabeth) was born in 1757 and died about 1779, most likely in Maryland.  She married Zebulon Headington, the son of James and Ruth (maiden name not known) Headington.  They had two children, Laban and Ruth.  

Rebecca was born in 1758 and died in 1786, in Baltimore County, Maryland.  She married Jabez Murray Tipton, the son of John and Martha Murray Tipton. Their children are Moses, John, and Alexis.

Finally, there was Moses, born in 1759 and died in 1852 in Union County, Illinois.  He married Sarah Jones, the daughter of Jacob and Rachel Cottrell Jones, his step-sister as Rachel had married Alexis after Martha's death.  Their children are Moses, Joshua, Jacob, Elizabeth, Susannah, Rebecca, and Mary.  Moses is a Revolutionary War veteran.

Alexis, the patriot, saw all three of his sons, go off to war, at least one more than once.  Some of his sons-in-law also served their country.  He and Martha raised quite a remarkable family. and it is fitting to honor them, among many others, on this Independence Day.  

Side note: For anyone who is doing research on Alexis, his name is also found as Electius and Alexius and possibly other spellings also.   

 

 

Harshbarger line: The family of John Wyatt 1748-1802

 When I chose this family as the next target in my "family" posts, I thought I had four generations of Wyatts in America to write about.  The more I reviewed my research and that of others, the less sure I became.  So I now have one generation of Wyatts to write about.  I will mention that the line I thought I had went from John to Thomas who married Sukey Edmondson to John who married Anna Keen Jones to William who married Anne.  If someone has actual documentation taking John even one generation further back, I'd love to talk with you.  I suspect that the Wyatt "connections" may have been made by someone trying to connect the family back to Haute Wyatt, but I haven't found any documents supporting that.  

I should note that I believe this is the first family in the Harshbarger line that is not Swiss or German in origin, although it is possible that the Farmer family was just a bit earlier.  Regardless, we are talking Anglo-Saxon heritage here, something different for this line. 

So to start at what is now my beginning, John Wyatt was born in 1748, probably in Loudoun County, Virginia, to unknown parents.  He married Alice Gordon, the daughter of John Gordon and an unknown mother, and lived in Shenandoah County, Virginia before dying in Franklin County, Virginia in 1802. John and Alice had at least eight children together.  

Their first son was Edward, born in 1768 and died in 1846 in Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio.  He married Ann Gordon, the daughter of John Gordon. (I don't know if there is a connection between the two John Gordons, but I suspect that is the case.)  Edward and Ann's children are John, Elizabeth, Joseph, Jeptha, Susannah, Sarah, Jane, Margaret, and Naomi.  Note: Some trees say Ann is the daughter of John and Lucy Churchill Gordon, but I don't think that is the case.  I stand ready to be otherwise convinced.

Elijah was the next son, born about 1770 and died in 1858 in Chattanooga, Georgia.   He married twice, to Francis Canterbury and Mary "Polly" Richardson, but does not appear to have had children by either marriage.  Further research may provide clarification.  There is an Elijah Wiat in the 1820 census in Urbanna, Middlesex County, Virginia, who had children, but I do not know whether this is our Elijah.

Solomon was born in 1773 and died in 1840 in Jefferson County, Tennessee.  He married Hannah Reece or Reese, the daughter of William and Mary Crenshaw Reece.  (As far as I know, Hannah is not connected to the Reese family in the Beeks family line, but diligent research may find a connection.) Their children are Reuben, Mary, Lorenzo, William, Solomon, Alexander, and Sinah.  Solomon was a private in the War of 1812.

Thomas was born in 1774 and died in 1853 in Shelby County, Ohio.  He married Mary Reese, the daughter of William and Mary Crenshaw Reese (see above-the two young ladies are sisters).  Their children are Thomas, Margaret, Abner, Andrew, Joseph, Mary, and John.

John was born in 1778 and died in 1831 in Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio.  He married Susannah Law, the daughter of John and Mary Jane Miller Law.  Their children are Margaret, Milly, Hannah, Cheadle, Drusilla, John, Susannah, James, and Martha.   

Yet another son, Andrew, was born in 1779 and died in 1831 in Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio. (Please note this is the same death date, October 20, that I found for John. Assuming these are correct dates, I wonder what happened.  Illness or accident?  There should be a story there!)  Andrew married Sally Maddox or Maddux, the daughter of Nathan and Michelle (maiden name not known) Maddox.  Their known children are Mary, Nathan, and John.

Finally, on the seventh try, a daughter was born.  Do you suppose she might have been just a little bit spoiled?  Jean or Jane was born in 1781 and died in 1831 in Miami County, Ohio.  I don't have an exact date of death for her, but again, it's Miami County and 1831.  She married William Farmer, the son of Matthew and possibly Margaret Farmer.  Their children are Margaret, John, Andrew, William, Matthew, Sarah, Nancy, and Betsy.  This is the family in the Harshbarger line.

And then there is Sarah, born in 1782.  My best guess, not documented, is that she died in September, not October, of 1831, possibly in Clark County, Ohio.  She married John Farmer, who was also the son of Matthew and Margaret Farmer (see above paragraph.  Their children are John, William, James, Isaac, and Andrew, and possibly others.  

I would love to hear from others who are researching this family.  There are a lot of John, Thomas, and Andrew Wyatts to sort out, and if any of my information is incorrect, I'd love to update it.   

 

 

Beeks line: The family (or part of it) of Timothy Martin 1798-?

There will only be one post in this line, because this is one of the brick walls we are facing.  It's frustrating, because his children, at least some of them, lived within a few miles of our current location, and they should not be hard to trace.  Some are very difficult indeed, and I will have nothing but a general birth date based on census records.  Others I am giving a somewhat educated guess on.  There are some that I feel more confident about.  I will try to indicate clearly which is which.

Timothy was born about 1798 in Vermont, according to the 1850 census, or 1810 in New York, in other records.  Take your pick.  I've recently found records of a Timothy Martin who bought land in Whitingham, Windham County, Vermont in 1796, but have not yet been able to determine whether the two Timothy Martins might be related.  We do know that Timothy Martin married Hannah Tilberry (various spellings) in Shelby County, Ohio.  She may be the daughter of Jacob and Barbara Voelker Tilberry, although that isn't proven yet.  Their first two, and possibly three, children were born in Ohio before the family moved to Lagro, Wabash County, Indiana in the early 1840s. And once again, the family may not be complete, as they married in 1833 and the first child wasn't born until about 1838.  I have no death date for Timothy or for Hannah, but neither is found in the 1870 census.  

John, middle initial W, is the first son we have record of.  He was in the 1860 census in his parents' household, and then I cannot trace him any further.  I don't think he is the John Martin who married Ellen Ann Smallwood, as later records from Chester Township, Wabash County, Indiana, show that John Martin as being "colored".  

Mary Ann Martin was born about 1840.  There is a Mary Ann Martin who married Jesse L Cramer in Wabash County in November of 1860, so after the census that was taken showing her as living with her parents.   If this is our Mary Ann, in 1870 she and Jesse were living in Antioch (now Andrews), Huntington County, Indiana and they had four children-John, Ellen, Mary, and Rosettie.  Jesse is the son of Laurence and Anna Maria Lehman Cramer.  There is a Jesse Cramer who served in the Civil War and is buried at Hartford City, Blackford County, Indiana, but any birth or death dates are no longer visible, and if this is Jesse, I don't know what happened to Mary Ann, or when.  Or, of course, whether this is even the correct Mary Ann.  If you know, let me know, please!!

Eli was born in September 1841 and died sometime after 1900.  He was drafted into the Civil War during the last months of the war, along with several other men in our tree from Wabash County.  He married Elizabeth Wise, daughter of Andrew and Mary Serfass Wise, shortly before leaving for Army duty.  Their known children are John and Timothy.

Ellen was born May 3, 1843 and died in July, 1918 in Wabash County, Indiana.  Her first husband is Joseph Snyder, the son of Joseph and Phebe Pulley Snyder.  I find three children for them-Ullysses, Mary, and Elsworth, but her census records show that she had 8 children, 6 of them living in 1910 so I am missing some.  After Joseph died, she married William Utley, the son of Joseph Utley and an unknown mother.  This marriage was in 1908 so there were no children from this marriage.  

Matilda was born in 1846 and died in 1876 in Wabash County, Indiana.  She married David Wise, the son of Andrew and Mary Serfass Wise.  (See Eli Martin, above, who married a daughter of this same couple.) Their children are Andrew, Hannah, Elizabeth, John Philip, and Martin.  

Timothy is pretty much a mystery.  He was born about 1846 (some give his birth date as August 6, 1847).  He is credited with three wives although I am not sure that this is the same Timothy in each marriage.  Perhaps his wife is Elizabeth Boman or Bowman, the daughter of Levi and Elizabeth Stout Bowman.  It is possible that Clarinda is their child. There is a Timothy Martin whose gravestone indicates a birth date of 1847 and a death year of 1931 buried in Jackson, Jackson County, Ohio.  I do not know whether or not this is our Timothy.  Again, is you know something, and can shed some light on any other possible wives and children, please contact me!

Elizabeth was born in 1851 and died in 1929 in Union Township, Huntington County, Indiana.  She married first John Culver, the son of Garrett and Caroline Mendenhall Culver.  Their children are Caroline, John, William, and perhaps Daniel.  She next married John Burgett, and finally Thomas Jefferson Brown, who was called by his middle name.  

Robert was born next, about 1854.  I find no record that I can positively identify for him after the 1860 census, so he may have died young.

Finally Isaac was born in 1857.  He died in 1909 in Lagro, Wabash County, Indiana.  He was single and I haven't found records of a marriage, although of course there could have been one.

This was an interesting and frustrating generation to research.  Some of these men served in the Civil War, on the Union side.  Society would say none of them seemed to amount to much, but society would be wrong.  They helped build our country and their children mostly climbed a step or two up the ladder.  I hope they all found joy in their lives and in their families.   

 

The family of John Wilson Knott 1836-1927

This was a terribly sad post to research, and it's a sad one to write.  Lots of our ancestors in the distant past had to deal with many losses of children, and although I feel a little tug at my heart as I learn of them, this family is much closer to me in time, and I have recollections of two of the "children", my grandmother and my grand uncle.  This one just plain hurts.

John Wilson Knott was born in 1836 in Jamestown, Steuben County, Indiana, the son of Thomas J and Hannah Bell Knott.  Thomas moved from place to place as part of his job, but I think Wilson, as he was known, probably thought of Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa as his home.  His mother and several of his siblings are buried there, and John and his wife are buried there also.  John's wife is Harriet Clarissa Starr, the daughter of John and Clarissa Falley Starr, and they were married in Tipton, where the Starr family had lived for decades.  

John probably profited from being moved from pillar to post so often during his childhood, because he continued that pattern his entire life.  As a Presbyterian pastor, he led at least 17 different congregations. I've written of his life before, but am mentioning it again here because the people I'm really writing about, his children, would have moved frequently also.  This is true, at least, of the ones who survived. If you're a family member reading this, grab the tissues!

The first son born to John and Harriet is Alfred.  He was born in 1863 in Tipton and died in 1865 in Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa.   

Herbert, called Bertie, was born in 1865 and died in 1879 in Shiloh Township, Jefferson County, Illinois.  Apparently his family was visiting his grandparents, and the newspaper account says that he died of poisoning.  Worse, it said that his mother had mistakenly given him arsenic, when she thought she was giving him his quinine medicine.   I can not begin to imagine the pain his mother must have felt, and how this could have affected her marriage.  

Walter Leroy was born in 1867.  He did live to adulthood, married, and had children, but his is not a happy story either.  He married Estella Huntington, the daughter of Septimius and Ruth Pherson Huntington.  They had three children together, Jane, Ruth, and Paul.  However, the marriage didn't work out and Leroy left the family.  The distress pushed his wife into severe mental illness, and she was institutionalized for what appears to be the rest of her life.  Leroy didn't remarry.  He died in 1930 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

Robert was born in 1870 in Mechanicsville, Cedar County, Iowa.  He married Nellie Burkhalter, the daughter of Henry and Hannah Dutro Burkhalter.  I have found no record of children for them, but it's possible that there were children who were born and died between census records.  Robert died in 1930 in Salt Lake City, Utah and my father knew him.  

Mary was born in 1872 in Lodi, Columbia County, Wisconsin and died in 1894 in Holdrege, Nebraska of "quick consumption".  She had begun a promising career as a concert soprano and her parents must have been heartbroken.

Anna was born in 1874 and died less than two years later, both in Lodi, Columbia, Wisconsin. Cause of death is "cholera infantum".

Edith was born in 1878 in Lodi, Wisconsin.  She married Edward Allen, the son of George and Nancy McCoy Allen.  He was a school teacher at the time and she the pastor's daughter, newly arrived in Soda Springs, Idaho.  Their children are Forest, Vernon, Tessora, Corinne, Edith, and Richard.  Edith died in 1954 in Salt Lake City, Utah, so she was the first of the children to have a long and mostly happy life.  

George was the next born, in 1880.  He was born in Anna, Union County, Illinois, and died in 1967 in Independence, Polk County, Oregon, where he was a physician for many years.  He married Martha Fratzke, the daughter of Johann August and Charlotte Tetzloff Fratzke, and they have three daughters-Margaret, Helen and Frances.  

Finally, John was born in 1882 and died in 1886 in Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa.  As far as we know, this was their last child, and it is always sad to lose the youngest.  

I should mention that there is a four year gap between children, between Anna and Edith.  Since the other children were born approximately every two years, it is possible that there was an unsuccessful pregnancy during this time.  Or perhaps Harriet was in need of a rest.

Wilson and Harriet are both buried in Tipton, Iowa, after dying in Oregon.  I feel sure that George paid for their funerals and burial, for in serving the Lord all those years, the only treasures they laid up are those in heaven.  I can't stop thinking about this family, about the love and faith that sustained them through all the sorrows in their life together.  They were amazing people.   

 

 

 

The family of Thomas J Knott 1808-1887

Tracing the family of Thomas Knott means chasing all over the country, basically.  Thomas is the son of Joseph and Mary Adams Knott, and was born in 1808,  His parents had moved from Pennsylvania to Jefferson County, Ohio, very early, and Thomas was born there, near Steubenville.  The family later moved to Richland County, Ohio, and Thomas married Hannah Bell there.  She is the daughter of John and Hannah Finch Bell.

Thomas was a man who couldn't stay in one place for long, partly for reasons of business (he was a millwright who built mills, ran them for a short time, and then moved on), and partly because he seems to have had a wanderlust.  During his lifetime he lived in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Nevada, and Illinois, and he made several trips to Nevada/California,at least once overland and other times by sea. His life is interesting and I've written about it in a previous post.  

However, he was home often enough to start and raise a family.  We're told that he and Hannah had 9 children.  I've been able to name 8, but I'm still missing one.  As mentioned, his children settled all over the country.  

The first born was Anna, born in 1830.  She married William Fesler, so far not identified further.  They had one son, George, before Anna's death in 1852 in Jonesville, Hillsdale County, Michigan.    

Elzy Hedges (apparently named for a storekeeper in Richland County, Ohio) was born in 1832.  He married Mary Elizabeth Harris.  All that is known of her background is that she grew up in South Wales.  Sadly, Elzy was murdered in 1859 in Genoa, Douglas County, Nevada, where he had settled and where his parents planned to move until the sadness of his death changed their minds.  Mary gave birth to a daughter, Elzyette, a few months after Elzy's death.  

John Wilson, who used the name "Wilson", was born in 1836 and died in 1927 in Salem, Marion County, Ohio.  He married Harriet Clarissa Starr, the daughter of John and Clarissa Falley Starr.  Their children are Herbert, Alfred, Walter, Robert, Mary, Anna, Edith, George, and John, and I will write more of this family in my next blog post.

Harriet was born in 1838  and died in 1840 at Jamestown, Steuben County, Indiana, where Thomas and Hannah were living.

Thomas Knott was the first of the children to have a long life.  He was born in 1840 and died in 1921 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois.  He was twice married, first to Elizabeth Simmermaker and then to Mary Simmermaker.  The women are cousins.  Elizabeth's parents are Philip and Margaret Beach Simmermaker, and Mary's are George and Aley Henderson Simmermaker.  There are no known children from the first marriage, and two, Fred and Clara, from the second.  

Louisa was born in 1873 and died in 1927 in Oak Park, Cook County, Illinois.  She married Benjamin Weaver, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Charles Weaver.  Their children are Ella May, Harriet known as Hattie, and Mary Etta.  

James was born February 10, 1846, and no more is heard of him, not being listed in the 1850 census.  He must have died as a baby or very young child. 

The last child we know of is Albert Adams, born in 1848 and died in 1947 in Vallejo, Solano County, California.  He married Margaret Welty, the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Bitzch Welty.  Their children are Elaz, Franklin, Albert, and Elizabeth. 

If the nine children is an accurate tally, then there is one child missing.  Since he or she doesn't show up on a census, it is likely that the child did not live long, and was possibly born after the 1850 census although it could have been earlier.  I like to read about Thomas as he left more records than many of our ancestors, but it's Hannah who has my heart.  She had to be mother and father to the children as Thomas traveled so much.  It's a reminder that our female ancestors deserve our respect and admiration. They didn't have it easy.

Allen line: The family of Joseph Scull Knott 1761-1836

Lots.  There is "lots" of information about this family. Some of it is correct.  Some is not.  "Lots" is still missing, and lots of the men have been confused with others of the same name.  So this is an attempt to sort it out, as much as is possible.  

Joseph Knott was born in 1761, probably somewhere in England.  Tradition says he was kidnapped as a young boy, and sent to America, but there seems to be no paper trail to support that.  Some trees show his parents as Francis and Susanna Greenfield Knott, of Maryland.  They did have a son named Joseph but I don't think these are his parents, either.  This family was Catholic, for one thing, and there is not a single instance of the names Francis or Susanna being used in any of the children or grandchildren of Joseph.  If I were a betting person, based on names alone, I'd be looking for a John Knott as a potential father.  Good luck with that!  

The earliest we know of Joseph is that he was in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in 1786 and later.  He first married Sarah Wilson, the daughter of James and Isabelle Barr Wilson, in 1789.  They had one child together, Wilson, but Sarah died in or soon after childbirth.  Wilson was raised by his maternal grandparents and it doesn't appear that he had much, if any, communication with his younger half brothers and sisters. Wilson married Rebecca Wallace, the daughter of Peter and Jane Craig Wallace, and their children are James, Peter, Joseph, Richard, Samuel, Mary Jane, Lucinda, Clark, Isabella, and Elizabeth.  

About two years after Sarah's death, Joseph married Mary Adams, the daughter of Solomon and possibly Rachel Kinton Adams.  The number of children they had is under some dispute.  I will first write of those that seem to be documented, and then mention the others as "maybe."  Joseph died in 1836 in Budyrus, Crawford County, Ohio, and Mary died in 1846 in Clay Township, Lagrange County, Indiana.

John was the first son, born in 1793 in Pennsylvania.  He married Anna Louise Bell, the daughter of John and Hannah Finch Bell, and died in 1849 in Jamestown, Steuben County, Indiana.  Their children are Robert, Hannah, Mary, and Thomas.  Anna died and John then married Mary Douglas or Douglass.  Their children are Marcus and Anna.  

Solomon was born next, in 1795.  He died in 1875 in Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa.  His wife was Parmelia or Pauline McCauley, They were married in 1817 in Jefferson County, Ohio, but I haven't been able to determine who her parents may have been.  Their children are Thomas, James, John, William, Joseph, and Elizabeth.

Richard was born in 1797 and died in 1882 in Harvey County, Kansas.  He married someone named Mary Ann, variously given as Pomery, Tofts, or Stevens.  There may have been more than one wife.  Children seem to be Frederick, Mary, Abraham, Margaret, and Elizabeth.  Some of these names seem to come from a Richard who was married in England, and I'm not sure they belong here but neither am I sure they don't.  Richard was a merchant and it's possible that he had reason to be in England for a marriage, but I'm not adding any of the potential wife's name to my tree-yet.

Robert was born in 1801 and died in 1879 in or near Auburn, Dekalb County, Indiana.  He married Elizabeth Gill (Gail? Gull?), again not yet identified.  Their children are Joanna, Mary, Henry, Adam, Martha, Samuel, Cornelia and Francelia.  

Samuel was born in 1803 and died in 1871 in Charlton County, Missouri.  He first married Susanna Heller, the daughter of Jacob and Elinora Hanna Heller.  Their children are Isaiah, Sarah, Lucy, Hellen, and Joel.  His second marriage was to Anne Currey, the daughter of Matthew and Catherine Fleming Currey.l  Their children are Anne and Hiram.  His third marriage was to Ester Holcomb, whose parentage is not known.  She may have been a widow, and there seem to be no children from this marriage.  

Mary Ann was born in 1805 and may have died in 1879. There are death records for a Mary Porter in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but I'm not sure this is the same woman.  At any rate, she married Page Porter, the son of Solomon and Sarah Barrows Porter.  Their children are William, Solomon, Mary Ann, Sarah, Rebecca, Samuel, and Amy.  Page died in 1845 and it's possible that Mary Ann remarried but I haven't found records to say so.

Thomas J was born in 1808 and died in 1887 in Shiloh Township, Jefferson County, Illinois.  He married Hannah Bell, the daughter of John and Hannah Finch Bell (yes, brothers married sisters). He traveled extensively during most of his life because he was, among other things, a millwright. Their children are Anna, Elzy, John Wilson, Harriet, Thomas, Louisa, James, and Albert.  I will follow this family in my next blog post.

Levi was born in 1810 and died in 1874 in Olympia, Thurston County, Washington.  His first wife was Sally or Sarah Thompson, whose parents are not yet known to me.  Their children are Almon and Sarah.  She died in 1847 in Lagrange County, Indiana and he then married Amanda Bowen, the daughter of Jacob and Rachel Oldham Bowen.  (I got curious, and Jacob Bowen traces back to Moses and Rebecca Rees Bowen, who are ancestors on husband's Beeks line.)  Their children are Sarah, Mary, Belle, Rachel Rosalie, and M.J.  There is a hint that he may have married a third wife, Belle Wilson, but I haven't found documentation about that.  There is no mention of a wife in his will.

Then there is a gap of several years until Adams, often seen as Adam, was born in 1817.  Mary would have been 43 at the time.  It is possible that there were other children born in that 7 year period, but if so, their traces have yet to be discovered.  Adams married Sarah Russell, the daughter of John and Rachel Van Ornum Rusell.  Their children are Mary, Sarah, Almon, Arthur, Henry, and Caroline.  Adams died in 1870 in Cook County, Illinois.  

Here's the thing: There are probably more children, because Thomas in his autobiography states that he had two step sisters and I believe it was 10 siblings.  I've seen reports that state that Joseph had a son named Joseph, which would make sense.  I've also seen a William Knott mentioned as a son.  I could find no information at all on a possible Joseph Jr.  I did find a William Knott who married an Elizabeth Stevenson in 1850 in Richland County, Ohio.  It is possible that he was a son of Joseph and Mary, but I can't prove it.  Nor can I prove what became of him.  I would be delighted to hear from someone who knows if there was a Joseph, if this William is Joseph and Mary's son, and if there are other children we haven't yet found.  These are "Knott-y" questions to be solved!