I haven't written about Jonathan Brewster before now because I wrote about his somewhat famous father, Elder William Brewster earlier, and my feeling was that the father kind of outshines the son. I may be wrong about that. Jonathan Brewster is a fascinating man in his own right, and he was almost a Mayflower ancestor, arriving on the Fortune in November of 161. But let's start at the beginning
Jonathan was born August 12, 1593 to William and Mary (last nae still uncertain) Brewster in Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England. By the time he was born, his parents were already ardent Puritans and Separatists, and it was after his father had been jailed and released for his religious beliefs that the Pilgrims fled to Amsterdam and then Leiden, Holland (The Netherlands). Jonathan accepted citizenship there in 1617 and may have planned to make his life there.
However, he married and his wife and baby died, and that convinced Jonathan to join his family in New England. (It's possible that he had already been planning to come, of course). It should be noted that not every genealogist believes that there was a first marriage. It would be interesting to know but that fact isn't essential to the rest of our story. In Leiden, Jonathan supported himself and any family he may have had by ribbon making, which was a craft that several of the Pilgrims were practicing. He probably didn't have a real occupation in England, given that he was 17 years old when he went to Holland, and jobs were not plentiful for Separatists in England. Possibly he was a day laborer.
About three years after coming to New England, Jonathan married Lucretia Oldham, daughter of William and Philippa Sowter Oldham on April 10, 1624. By this time, Jonathan may already have been trading with the natives on an informal basis. Later, he became a trader and was allowed to set up a trading post in what became Connecticut.
We know that Jonathan had quite an education, or at least read widely, because one of his other interests was alchemy. He is mentioned several times in the book "Prospero's America" by Walter W. Woodward. The book is more of the story of John Winthrop Jr and his study of alchemy, but Jonathn is mentioned several times there as having correspondence with Winthrop, as is William White, our ancestor on the Holbrook side Alchemy could probably be thought of as an attempt by Christians to learn the secrets of nature in order to use them for profit and also to prepare the world for the Second Coming, which would only happen when the world was good enough. If an individual alchemist was good enough and pious enough, worked very hard and studied constantly, God might provide him with the clues needed to understand all of nature, and incidentally, to make gold out of base metals Not every alchemist was trying to find gold. Some concentrated on making medicines with minerals as their base, as opposed to herbal medicines. I don't know how much Jonathan was involved in any of these particular ventures, but he does seem to have been involved with an iron works that Winthrop had developed.
I've found indications that Jonathan also served as surveyor, as a deacon or/an an elder in the church, in military service during the Pequot War, as a deputy to the General Court and as an assistant to the governor of Connecticut (don't know which governor). He was also an attorney, and was styled "Gentleman". Probably about 1649 but possibly earlier, he moved his family to Pequot, which became New London, and served there as town clerk He was censured for setting up an Indian trading post without permission but in 1652 the deed from the Indian sachem to Jonathan was approved and he was allowed to continue the trading post. All in all, Jonathan was a busy man.
John and Lucretia had at least 8 children together, the last born in 1641 in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony. He died August 7, 1659 at Norwich, New London, Connecticut and is buried at Brewster's Neck, Preston, Connecticut. I haven't yet found a copy of his will, but I would expect that it would show a considerable net worth since I know he had debts owed him of hundreds of pounds at one time There is much more to be found, or to be learned, about Jonathan and his story deserves to be found and told. He was a remarkable man.
The line of descent is
Jonathan Brewster-Lucretia Oldham
Hannah Brewster-Samuel Starr
Thomas Starr-Mary or Mercy Morgan
Mary Starr-John Chester
Thomas Chester-Sarah Eldridge
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy (Elizabeth Chester) Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Showing posts with label Chester. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chester. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Allen line: William Brewster, Immigrant and Pilgrim
It seems somehow fitting that I write the last regularly scheduled Allen family post about the first ancestor our nuclear family learned of . We were given for Christmas one year a typewritten genealogy of the Starr family, and in those pages we found our connection to William Brewster. I was about 12 years old at the time, and I was one proud young girl. William Brewster! The Mayflower! Elder, holding the role of chaplain! To someone already deeply interested in history, this was a treasure of pure gold.
Much has been written about William Brewster and I could just say "look him up on Wikepedia" and not have to write another word . But because some of my family might not take that step, here is a brief summary of his life. William Brewster was likely born at Scrooby Manor, Nottinghamshire, England, where his father, also William Brewster, was the bailiff of the archbishop of York (Scrooby Manor belonged to the archbishop) and also the local postmaster.
The first significant event in William's life was his brief period of study at Peterhouse, Cambridge, before he entered the service of William Davison. This likely meant that he was part of the court of Queen Elizabeth I. William Davison got on her wrong side and was sent home in disgrace, and our William Brewster went home to Scrooby. There he took over his father's role as postmaster.
Whether it was at Peterhouse or somewhere else, William became less and less a proper Anglican and more and more a Separatist. Scrooby Manor was frequently used as a meeting place by other Separatists in the area, where the group worshipped and planned what to do as the authorities started cracking down on anyone not a full supporter of the Anglican church. The group decided to leave England, but before they could do so, many of this small group were arrested. The cell where William Brewster and William Bradford were held is now a tourist attraction, seen on "Who Do You Think You Are?" in the Ashley Judd program. Eventually the two were released, and made their way to the Netherlands, where other members of the Separatists had already fled.
The Pilgrims spent 13 years in the Netherlands, which practiced a certain amount of religious freedom. The group lived in close proximity to each other, and ate many of their meals together. Here William Brewster practiced the trade of printing, and taught English at Leiden, and made enough money to help support the group in very modest circumstances. One of the pamphlets he printed angered King James in England, and he had to go into hiding as the Separatists negotiated to buy ships and prepare to leave the Netherlands.
The story of the Mayflower is well enough known that I won't repeat much here. There was at least one false start, as the second ship intended to go with the Mayflower, the Speedwell, began leaking, and unsuccessful repairs were made. This was a fearful time for the passengers and the trip across the Atlantic wasn't easy, either. Once land was sighted, most of the men on board the Mayflower signed what became known as the Mayflower Compact, setting up basic regulations for the way they would live. Tradition says that this was signed using the top of a chest belonging to William Brewster, which has been preserved.
The first Massachusetts winter, that of 1621, was terrible for the Pilgrims and at the end, there were only seven men left alive. William Brewster was one, and William Bradford wrote in his journal of the tender care that Mr. Brewster gave to those who were ill. William took on many of the roles of a pastor, praying and preaching, conducting graveside services, and encouraging the congregation to live a Christian life. However, he continually refused to preside over Communion services, so the group had to wait until their pastor, John Robinson, arrived in 1629.
William's wife Mary, surname still a subject of debate, died in 1627 after having given birth to six children, one of whom died in England. William did not remarry, and he died April 10, 1644, at Duxbury. He was about 77 years old at the time of his death.
Pilgrims were stern people because they had to be. But they laughed and raised families and felt joy as well as other emotions. While we may not understand some of their religious beliefs, we can honor them for their faithfulness, for their hard work, and for the opportunity that they saw to "start over" in a new country. William Brewster is one of my favorite ancestors, and not just because he was the first one I learned about. I hope he is one of yours, too.
Our line of descent is
William Brewster-Mary
Jonathon Brewster-Lucretia Oldham
Hannah Brewster-Samuel Starr
Thomas Starr-Mary Morgan
Mary Starr-John Chester
Thomas Chester-Sarah Eldridge
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathon Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Fun fact: There is a whole list of famous descendants in the Wikepedia article. We are distant cousins of Katherine Hepburn, Bing Crosby, Nelson Rockefeller, and Zachary Taylor, among many others. Hello, cousins!
Much has been written about William Brewster and I could just say "look him up on Wikepedia" and not have to write another word . But because some of my family might not take that step, here is a brief summary of his life. William Brewster was likely born at Scrooby Manor, Nottinghamshire, England, where his father, also William Brewster, was the bailiff of the archbishop of York (Scrooby Manor belonged to the archbishop) and also the local postmaster.
The first significant event in William's life was his brief period of study at Peterhouse, Cambridge, before he entered the service of William Davison. This likely meant that he was part of the court of Queen Elizabeth I. William Davison got on her wrong side and was sent home in disgrace, and our William Brewster went home to Scrooby. There he took over his father's role as postmaster.
Whether it was at Peterhouse or somewhere else, William became less and less a proper Anglican and more and more a Separatist. Scrooby Manor was frequently used as a meeting place by other Separatists in the area, where the group worshipped and planned what to do as the authorities started cracking down on anyone not a full supporter of the Anglican church. The group decided to leave England, but before they could do so, many of this small group were arrested. The cell where William Brewster and William Bradford were held is now a tourist attraction, seen on "Who Do You Think You Are?" in the Ashley Judd program. Eventually the two were released, and made their way to the Netherlands, where other members of the Separatists had already fled.
The Pilgrims spent 13 years in the Netherlands, which practiced a certain amount of religious freedom. The group lived in close proximity to each other, and ate many of their meals together. Here William Brewster practiced the trade of printing, and taught English at Leiden, and made enough money to help support the group in very modest circumstances. One of the pamphlets he printed angered King James in England, and he had to go into hiding as the Separatists negotiated to buy ships and prepare to leave the Netherlands.
The story of the Mayflower is well enough known that I won't repeat much here. There was at least one false start, as the second ship intended to go with the Mayflower, the Speedwell, began leaking, and unsuccessful repairs were made. This was a fearful time for the passengers and the trip across the Atlantic wasn't easy, either. Once land was sighted, most of the men on board the Mayflower signed what became known as the Mayflower Compact, setting up basic regulations for the way they would live. Tradition says that this was signed using the top of a chest belonging to William Brewster, which has been preserved.
The first Massachusetts winter, that of 1621, was terrible for the Pilgrims and at the end, there were only seven men left alive. William Brewster was one, and William Bradford wrote in his journal of the tender care that Mr. Brewster gave to those who were ill. William took on many of the roles of a pastor, praying and preaching, conducting graveside services, and encouraging the congregation to live a Christian life. However, he continually refused to preside over Communion services, so the group had to wait until their pastor, John Robinson, arrived in 1629.
William's wife Mary, surname still a subject of debate, died in 1627 after having given birth to six children, one of whom died in England. William did not remarry, and he died April 10, 1644, at Duxbury. He was about 77 years old at the time of his death.
Pilgrims were stern people because they had to be. But they laughed and raised families and felt joy as well as other emotions. While we may not understand some of their religious beliefs, we can honor them for their faithfulness, for their hard work, and for the opportunity that they saw to "start over" in a new country. William Brewster is one of my favorite ancestors, and not just because he was the first one I learned about. I hope he is one of yours, too.
Our line of descent is
William Brewster-Mary
Jonathon Brewster-Lucretia Oldham
Hannah Brewster-Samuel Starr
Thomas Starr-Mary Morgan
Mary Starr-John Chester
Thomas Chester-Sarah Eldridge
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathon Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Fun fact: There is a whole list of famous descendants in the Wikepedia article. We are distant cousins of Katherine Hepburn, Bing Crosby, Nelson Rockefeller, and Zachary Taylor, among many others. Hello, cousins!
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Allen line: Comfort Starr 1589-1659, Immigrant
I found a fascinating piece of speculation while looking for information about Comfort Starr, "Chirurgeon". He lived at the right time and the right place, with the right training, to have possibly been an associate or student under Dr. William Harvey, the man who first described the circulation of blood in the human body. There is even a possibility, but as far as I know no proof, that he may have followed in Dr. Harvey's footsteps and received his medical training at Padua, Italy. Even if none of this is borne out by facts and documents, the fact remains that the two men were active in medicine at the same time and place and would have at least known each other. I think that's pretty cool.
In the first of several known connections with other Allen and Holbrook ancestors, it appears that Rev. William Eddye, who is an ancestor in both of our families, was the vicar of the church Comfort likely attended in Cranbrook, from 1591 to 1616.
Comfort Starr, of course, does not need to hang onto the shirt tails of anyone. He can quite well stand on his own as an honorable and respected man, one dedicated to the well being of his friends and neighbors, and one brave enough, in middle age, to bring his family to New England while the country was still young and barely hanging on, still in survival mode.
He and three children, at least, and three servants sailed in the ship Hercules, of Sandwich, in 1635. One of the servants was his sister, Truth-Shall-Prevail. His wife was Elizabeth Watts, whom he married on October 4, 1614, but we don't know whether she traveled with the family or whether she came later.
Comfort is first seen in Cambridge, but by 1638 he had gone to Duxbury, in Plymouth Plantation (where our Holbrook ancestor Miles Standish lived). As another connection in the Allen line, the land and "dwelling" he purchased in Duxbury or Duxburrow was owned by Jonathan Brewster, also our ancestor. He was admitted a freeman there in 1639. In another eight years, Comfort Starr was in Boston, which by that time had grown to a larger population than Duxbury.
At Duxbury, Comfort had owned several pieces of land. He was respected enough that he represented Duxbury at a Plymouth Colony council of war in 1642. The next year, he was on a list of men able to bear arms, and his inventory later included a musket and sword.
We don't know much of his private life, but it is safe to assume that he was quite busy as a surgeon, and may have acted as an apothecary also as there is record of Thomas Lechford making a note to himself to write to Mr. Comfort Starr at Duxbury for a quarter of a pint of henbane and a quarter of a pound of hemlock seed. (Henbane was a remedy for stomach ailments. I didn't find a medical use for hemlock seed, in my extensive 30 second search of Google). There were over 70 names on a list of those whom owed Comfort Starr money when he died, and who knows whether all the debts were even noted. This gives us a feel for the size of his medical practice.
Although we don't know the extent of his education, he did own books valued at seven pounds when he died, which is more of a library than many had. If he studied with or in the footsteps of Dr. Harvey, we can guess that he had more education than most of his peers. He and Elizabeth had at least 10 children. I'm happy to report that except for passing on the name "Comfort", the other children were given more common names than Comfort and his siblings had received.
Elizabeth died at Boston on June 25th, 1658, aged 63, so she would have been about 19 when she married. Thomas died January 2, 1659/60 and left an estate valued at a little over 292 pounds. In his will, he made bequests to his children and grandchildren, with more granted to the grandchildren who had lost one or both parents.
In 1909, some of Comfort's many descendants had a monument erected at the Cranbrook church which said "In Memory of Dr. Comfort Starr Baptized in Cranbrook Church 6th July, 1589, a Warden of St Mary's, Ashford, Kent, 1631 & 1632 Sailed from Sandwich for New England 1635 One of the Earliest Benefactors of Harvard, the First College in America, 1638, of which His Son Comfort was One of 7 Incorporators, 1650, Died at Boston, New england in January 1659 A Distinguised Surgeon Eminent for Christian Character Erected by this American Descendants 1909".
Comfort and Elizabeth are buried at King's Chapel Burial ground in Boston, and there is a memorial stone there similar to the one described above. If we're ever in Boston, we need to pay our respects to this man.
There are two lines of descent for Comfort. The first is:
Comfort Starr-Elizabeth Watts
Thomas Starr-Rachel Harris
Samuel Starr-Hannah Brewster
Thomas Starr Mary Morgan
Thomas Starr-Jerusha Street
John Starr-Mary Sharp
John Starr-Betsy Havens
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
The second line is the same down through Thomas Starr-Mary Morgan. Then it diverges:
Mary Starr-John Chester
Thomas Chester-Sarah Eldridge
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
and yes, cousin married cousin, although they were, by my calculations, third cousins.
In the first of several known connections with other Allen and Holbrook ancestors, it appears that Rev. William Eddye, who is an ancestor in both of our families, was the vicar of the church Comfort likely attended in Cranbrook, from 1591 to 1616.
Comfort Starr, of course, does not need to hang onto the shirt tails of anyone. He can quite well stand on his own as an honorable and respected man, one dedicated to the well being of his friends and neighbors, and one brave enough, in middle age, to bring his family to New England while the country was still young and barely hanging on, still in survival mode.
He and three children, at least, and three servants sailed in the ship Hercules, of Sandwich, in 1635. One of the servants was his sister, Truth-Shall-Prevail. His wife was Elizabeth Watts, whom he married on October 4, 1614, but we don't know whether she traveled with the family or whether she came later.
Comfort is first seen in Cambridge, but by 1638 he had gone to Duxbury, in Plymouth Plantation (where our Holbrook ancestor Miles Standish lived). As another connection in the Allen line, the land and "dwelling" he purchased in Duxbury or Duxburrow was owned by Jonathan Brewster, also our ancestor. He was admitted a freeman there in 1639. In another eight years, Comfort Starr was in Boston, which by that time had grown to a larger population than Duxbury.
At Duxbury, Comfort had owned several pieces of land. He was respected enough that he represented Duxbury at a Plymouth Colony council of war in 1642. The next year, he was on a list of men able to bear arms, and his inventory later included a musket and sword.
We don't know much of his private life, but it is safe to assume that he was quite busy as a surgeon, and may have acted as an apothecary also as there is record of Thomas Lechford making a note to himself to write to Mr. Comfort Starr at Duxbury for a quarter of a pint of henbane and a quarter of a pound of hemlock seed. (Henbane was a remedy for stomach ailments. I didn't find a medical use for hemlock seed, in my extensive 30 second search of Google). There were over 70 names on a list of those whom owed Comfort Starr money when he died, and who knows whether all the debts were even noted. This gives us a feel for the size of his medical practice.
Although we don't know the extent of his education, he did own books valued at seven pounds when he died, which is more of a library than many had. If he studied with or in the footsteps of Dr. Harvey, we can guess that he had more education than most of his peers. He and Elizabeth had at least 10 children. I'm happy to report that except for passing on the name "Comfort", the other children were given more common names than Comfort and his siblings had received.
Elizabeth died at Boston on June 25th, 1658, aged 63, so she would have been about 19 when she married. Thomas died January 2, 1659/60 and left an estate valued at a little over 292 pounds. In his will, he made bequests to his children and grandchildren, with more granted to the grandchildren who had lost one or both parents.
In 1909, some of Comfort's many descendants had a monument erected at the Cranbrook church which said "In Memory of Dr. Comfort Starr Baptized in Cranbrook Church 6th July, 1589, a Warden of St Mary's, Ashford, Kent, 1631 & 1632 Sailed from Sandwich for New England 1635 One of the Earliest Benefactors of Harvard, the First College in America, 1638, of which His Son Comfort was One of 7 Incorporators, 1650, Died at Boston, New england in January 1659 A Distinguised Surgeon Eminent for Christian Character Erected by this American Descendants 1909".
Comfort and Elizabeth are buried at King's Chapel Burial ground in Boston, and there is a memorial stone there similar to the one described above. If we're ever in Boston, we need to pay our respects to this man.
There are two lines of descent for Comfort. The first is:
Comfort Starr-Elizabeth Watts
Thomas Starr-Rachel Harris
Samuel Starr-Hannah Brewster
Thomas Starr Mary Morgan
Thomas Starr-Jerusha Street
John Starr-Mary Sharp
John Starr-Betsy Havens
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
The second line is the same down through Thomas Starr-Mary Morgan. Then it diverges:
Mary Starr-John Chester
Thomas Chester-Sarah Eldridge
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
and yes, cousin married cousin, although they were, by my calculations, third cousins.
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Allen line: Thomas Starr 1565-1640 Immigrant
How hard can it be to write about the very first ancestor I ever heard about, back when I was a pre-teen or early teen-ager? A family genealogist, unidentified, had researched the Starr family and an aunt gave us a copy of her discoveries as a Christmas gift. (Although, now I wonder how much of it was her work and how much was a compilation; still, it was and is precious to us).
But when I actually sat down to write about him, there is much less information than I expected to find, and some of it is contradictory, as is often the case. His father was Thomas, his son was Thomas, and hehad grandsons named Thomas, so it's easy to see how facts could be a little confusing, and confused.
Thomas Starr was born about 1565 in New Romney, Kent, England. His father was Thomas Starr who served as mayor of New Romney for a short period of time, and it appears that his mother's name was Agnes. Our Thomas was a mercer, a dealer in textile goods, generally silks, velvets, and fine materials. He would have supplied the well-to-do of the towns of Cranbrook and Ashford, which are the two towns where most of his children were baptized. It is likely that Thomas and his wife Susan or Susannah made the first move, from New Romeny to Cranbrook, because of economic reasons. They may have moved a second time because they had become Puritans, and Ashford was a center for people with these beliefs.
Thomas and Susan gave names to their children that are on trivia games and lists of "amazing" names, but they surely didn't intend to give their children a fleeting moment of fame. They were names chosen because they meant something to the family, even if we are a bit puzzled by some of them now. Their children were Jehosaphet, Comfort, Nostrength, Moregift, William, Mercy, Suretrust, Standwell, Judith, Truth-Shall-Prevail, Joyfulle (also seen as Joyfoole), Constant, and Beloved. I hope someone called them "Bub" or "Sis"! It does give us a glimpse into the mindset of Thomas, though.
His son Comfort, a surgeon, seems to have been the first of the family to make the trip to Massachusetts, in 1637, and his parents are believed to have come in 1637, although I've seen one guesstimate as 1633. At any rate, it was still early in the history of the colony. Thomas would have been somewhere between 68 and 72 years of age, so perhaps he expected more of his family to come also, or maybe the religious pressures in England were just beginning to be more than he could deal with.
We know little of his life in Boston except that he is believed to have died in Dorchester in late 1639 or early 1640. His estate in New England was small, about 69 pounds, but he still owned lands and buildings in England which helped his family live more comfortably than some.
We have two lines of descent from Thomas:
Thomas Starr-Agnes
Comfort Starr-Elizabeth Watts
Thomas Starr-Rachel Harris
Samuel Starr-Hannah Brewster
Thomas Starr-Mercy Morgan
Mary Starr-John Chester
Thomas Chester-Sarah Eldridge
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
The second line is the same through Thomas Starr and Mary or Mercy Morgan. Then it's
Thomas Starr-Jerusha Street
John Starr Mary Sharp
John Starr-Betsy Havens
and continues on from there. So John and Betsy would have been distant cousins.
But when I actually sat down to write about him, there is much less information than I expected to find, and some of it is contradictory, as is often the case. His father was Thomas, his son was Thomas, and hehad grandsons named Thomas, so it's easy to see how facts could be a little confusing, and confused.
Thomas Starr was born about 1565 in New Romney, Kent, England. His father was Thomas Starr who served as mayor of New Romney for a short period of time, and it appears that his mother's name was Agnes. Our Thomas was a mercer, a dealer in textile goods, generally silks, velvets, and fine materials. He would have supplied the well-to-do of the towns of Cranbrook and Ashford, which are the two towns where most of his children were baptized. It is likely that Thomas and his wife Susan or Susannah made the first move, from New Romeny to Cranbrook, because of economic reasons. They may have moved a second time because they had become Puritans, and Ashford was a center for people with these beliefs.
Thomas and Susan gave names to their children that are on trivia games and lists of "amazing" names, but they surely didn't intend to give their children a fleeting moment of fame. They were names chosen because they meant something to the family, even if we are a bit puzzled by some of them now. Their children were Jehosaphet, Comfort, Nostrength, Moregift, William, Mercy, Suretrust, Standwell, Judith, Truth-Shall-Prevail, Joyfulle (also seen as Joyfoole), Constant, and Beloved. I hope someone called them "Bub" or "Sis"! It does give us a glimpse into the mindset of Thomas, though.
His son Comfort, a surgeon, seems to have been the first of the family to make the trip to Massachusetts, in 1637, and his parents are believed to have come in 1637, although I've seen one guesstimate as 1633. At any rate, it was still early in the history of the colony. Thomas would have been somewhere between 68 and 72 years of age, so perhaps he expected more of his family to come also, or maybe the religious pressures in England were just beginning to be more than he could deal with.
We know little of his life in Boston except that he is believed to have died in Dorchester in late 1639 or early 1640. His estate in New England was small, about 69 pounds, but he still owned lands and buildings in England which helped his family live more comfortably than some.
We have two lines of descent from Thomas:
Thomas Starr-Agnes
Comfort Starr-Elizabeth Watts
Thomas Starr-Rachel Harris
Samuel Starr-Hannah Brewster
Thomas Starr-Mercy Morgan
Mary Starr-John Chester
Thomas Chester-Sarah Eldridge
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
The second line is the same through Thomas Starr and Mary or Mercy Morgan. Then it's
Thomas Starr-Jerusha Street
John Starr Mary Sharp
John Starr-Betsy Havens
and continues on from there. So John and Betsy would have been distant cousins.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Allen line: Aaron Stark(e) 1608-1685
Oh, what a mess he was! We don't know anything about his early life although it's believed he was of Scotch descent. He seems to have been in the New World as early as 1627, when he is reported to have landed in Salem, Massachusetts. This was the main port of Massachusetts Bay Colony at the time. We lose sight of him for about ten years, which may mean he stayed out of trouble, and it also probably means he stayed out of church. He is not known to have been a Puritan, despite possible being associated with Rev. Hooker.
During his early years in the colonies he is reported to have "misbehaved" with an animal young men, and finally a girl. For the girl, he was ordered to be branded and whipped, and when the girl was ready, to marry her. Apparently the marriage didn't happen, and apparently there was some question about the virtue of the girl involved, as there was another court case involving her the next year . There is no evidence that Aaron and Mary Holt ever married.
It's believed that Aaron's wife was Sarah, possibly Lambert, with no real documentation for that last name. So for now, we need to consider that as an open question. From the ages of his children, it seems that he married late in life, perhaps around 1650 when he would have been in his early 40s. It may have taken him this long to establish himself and rebuild his damaged reputation.
There is an Aaron Stark from Windsor who participated in the Pequot War under Captain Mason, and it's believed this is our Aaron Stark since he was later awarded land based on his service during this conflict. He is also reported to have participated in King Philip's War. He had a son Aaron who would have been about 26 years old at the time of King Philip's War, and he seems to be a more likely candidate to fill the military mission. It's possible that our Aaron was credited with military service, but was one of the "old men" who stayed behind to help protect the women and children while the men were out fighting native Americans.
Aaron's first known residence was in Stonington, Ct where he stayed for several years. Finally, in 1666, he was made a freeman there. Three years later, he was accepted as a freeman in New London This means he was a respectable person who owned property, so he had indeed come up in the world. It's nice to see that he was rehabilitated from the scandals of his early days. Sarah may have settled him down. There were at least 6 children born to Aaron and Sarah: Aaron, Mehitable, John, Sarah, Elizabeth, and William. Some lists also show a Margaret, but I think she was probably the daughter of the son Aaron Stark. His final move seems to have been to Mystic, Ct and he seems to have died there in 1685. All of these locations were in close proximity so he may not have moved far, at all.
That's what is known about Aaron Stark, in a nutshell. He was a rehabbed citizen, a soldier of the early years of our county, and he came from nothing to owning his own land. He may not be the first ancestor we think of when we think of those we are proud of, but I would like to hear his side of the story. Perhaps the whipping/flogging he received gave him something to think about, and aided somehow in his reformation, or perhaps the early charges were greatly exaggerated. We'll probably never know, now, but he lived with those charges every day for the rest of his life That takes some kind of courage, and for Sarah, it took some sort of compassion.
The line of descent is:
Aaron Stark-Sarah
Sarah Stark-Samuel Fish
Abigail Fish-Daniel Eldridge
Sarah Eldridge-Thomas Chester
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
During his early years in the colonies he is reported to have "misbehaved" with an animal young men, and finally a girl. For the girl, he was ordered to be branded and whipped, and when the girl was ready, to marry her. Apparently the marriage didn't happen, and apparently there was some question about the virtue of the girl involved, as there was another court case involving her the next year . There is no evidence that Aaron and Mary Holt ever married.
It's believed that Aaron's wife was Sarah, possibly Lambert, with no real documentation for that last name. So for now, we need to consider that as an open question. From the ages of his children, it seems that he married late in life, perhaps around 1650 when he would have been in his early 40s. It may have taken him this long to establish himself and rebuild his damaged reputation.
There is an Aaron Stark from Windsor who participated in the Pequot War under Captain Mason, and it's believed this is our Aaron Stark since he was later awarded land based on his service during this conflict. He is also reported to have participated in King Philip's War. He had a son Aaron who would have been about 26 years old at the time of King Philip's War, and he seems to be a more likely candidate to fill the military mission. It's possible that our Aaron was credited with military service, but was one of the "old men" who stayed behind to help protect the women and children while the men were out fighting native Americans.
Aaron's first known residence was in Stonington, Ct where he stayed for several years. Finally, in 1666, he was made a freeman there. Three years later, he was accepted as a freeman in New London This means he was a respectable person who owned property, so he had indeed come up in the world. It's nice to see that he was rehabilitated from the scandals of his early days. Sarah may have settled him down. There were at least 6 children born to Aaron and Sarah: Aaron, Mehitable, John, Sarah, Elizabeth, and William. Some lists also show a Margaret, but I think she was probably the daughter of the son Aaron Stark. His final move seems to have been to Mystic, Ct and he seems to have died there in 1685. All of these locations were in close proximity so he may not have moved far, at all.
That's what is known about Aaron Stark, in a nutshell. He was a rehabbed citizen, a soldier of the early years of our county, and he came from nothing to owning his own land. He may not be the first ancestor we think of when we think of those we are proud of, but I would like to hear his side of the story. Perhaps the whipping/flogging he received gave him something to think about, and aided somehow in his reformation, or perhaps the early charges were greatly exaggerated. We'll probably never know, now, but he lived with those charges every day for the rest of his life That takes some kind of courage, and for Sarah, it took some sort of compassion.
The line of descent is:
Aaron Stark-Sarah
Sarah Stark-Samuel Fish
Abigail Fish-Daniel Eldridge
Sarah Eldridge-Thomas Chester
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Allen line: Samuel Eldred or Eldridge1620-1697, Immigrant
Well, we know his first name and we know he was an immigrant. The rest of the "facts" in the title are up for interpretation, to say the least. His name was generally spelled Eldred in the records I have looked at, but sometime after his generation the name is more commonly seen as Eldridge, as well as various other spellings. We say he was born in 1620 because that seems to be his christening record, although he, in various court documents, put his birth year at about 1612. And there are various reports as to when he died. It seems reasonable, based on the evidence, to think that he died in 1697 or shortly thereafter. I have seen a date as late as 1710, but that would put him at either 88 or 98 at the time of his death, which seems to stretch belief just a bit. (Yes, I know some people lived to be 90 even then, but it wasn't common.)
His parents are believed to be John and Anna Watson Eldred. His christening was on November 27, 1620at Ipswich, Suffolk, England. He had at least two brothers and a sister. His father died just a few days after Samuel married Elizabeth Miller at St Mary of the Quay in Ipswich.
By this time Samuel was a cordwainer (shoemaker) so he had a trade to support a wife. He is on record as a resident of Boston in 1641, so the couple must have come to America very shortly after their marriage. Samuel was a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery in Boston in 1641, and either when he joined or later in his life was a sergeant. Military training was a fact of life for men of a certain age in Boston, and his training would come him handy later in his life.
Samuel and his growing family moved frequently. It's hard to tell what the reasons were for some of the moves, but we can make guesses about some of them. He lived in Charlestown, Medford, and Chelsea (Romney Marsh), and those moves may have been for economic reasons. He doesn't seem to have owned land in those locations, so he wasn't a first settler in any of them, but he may have been invited because people in those villages needed a shoemaker.
In 1660, however, the family moved to Wickford, Rhode Island. The statement is made, without proof so far as I know, that this was a Baptist family and they followed Roger Williams, 24 years after his forced eviction from Massachusetts Bay Colony. Other interpretations were that he was a follower of Anne Hutchinson, and left because of her banishment. This doesn't seem likely, as that exile took place 22 years earlier. At any rate, Samuel probably felt uncomfortable by 1660 and for whatever reason, went to Rhode Island.
He had some role in a dispute with Connecticut and apparently took that state's side. He tried to empanel a jury, for which he had no authority, and ended up being briefly imprisoned by Rhode Island officials, and rewarded with 18 rubles from Connecticut authorities. (I wish I understood this better, but this is the best I can do for now.) He and his family suffered great loss in King Phillip's War, and were given corn in the time of their distress (1676). So it sounds like at least the crop was lost, if not everything they owned. Samuel himself was involved in the War and assisted in capturing 18 native Americans at one time. It was not noted what became of the prisoners. By Samuel's calculations, he would have been about 64 years old at this time, yet he found himself in battle, and then starting over as far as crops and possibly a home go
Samuel and Elizabeth had at least seven, and possibly eight children. They were Elizabeth, Samuel, Mary, James, Thomas, John, Daniel, and possibly Enoch Kenyon. They were born from 1642 to 1663, with Enoch's birthplace and birthdate not noted. Elizabeth, Samuel's wife probably died in or shortly before 1697, and Samuel died sometime after Apil 13,1697, when he deeded land to son John. There is a burial plot on that land and Samuel and Elizabeth are believed to be buried there, but there is no stone or marker for them.
Samuel led an interesting life and took part in some of the events that allowed America to thrive. We should be proud to honor such a man.
The line of descent is
Samuel Eldred-Elizabeth Miller
Daniel Eldridge-Mary Phillips
Daniel Eldridge-Abigail Fish
Sarah Eldridge-Thomas Chester
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
His parents are believed to be John and Anna Watson Eldred. His christening was on November 27, 1620at Ipswich, Suffolk, England. He had at least two brothers and a sister. His father died just a few days after Samuel married Elizabeth Miller at St Mary of the Quay in Ipswich.
By this time Samuel was a cordwainer (shoemaker) so he had a trade to support a wife. He is on record as a resident of Boston in 1641, so the couple must have come to America very shortly after their marriage. Samuel was a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery in Boston in 1641, and either when he joined or later in his life was a sergeant. Military training was a fact of life for men of a certain age in Boston, and his training would come him handy later in his life.
Samuel and his growing family moved frequently. It's hard to tell what the reasons were for some of the moves, but we can make guesses about some of them. He lived in Charlestown, Medford, and Chelsea (Romney Marsh), and those moves may have been for economic reasons. He doesn't seem to have owned land in those locations, so he wasn't a first settler in any of them, but he may have been invited because people in those villages needed a shoemaker.
In 1660, however, the family moved to Wickford, Rhode Island. The statement is made, without proof so far as I know, that this was a Baptist family and they followed Roger Williams, 24 years after his forced eviction from Massachusetts Bay Colony. Other interpretations were that he was a follower of Anne Hutchinson, and left because of her banishment. This doesn't seem likely, as that exile took place 22 years earlier. At any rate, Samuel probably felt uncomfortable by 1660 and for whatever reason, went to Rhode Island.
He had some role in a dispute with Connecticut and apparently took that state's side. He tried to empanel a jury, for which he had no authority, and ended up being briefly imprisoned by Rhode Island officials, and rewarded with 18 rubles from Connecticut authorities. (I wish I understood this better, but this is the best I can do for now.) He and his family suffered great loss in King Phillip's War, and were given corn in the time of their distress (1676). So it sounds like at least the crop was lost, if not everything they owned. Samuel himself was involved in the War and assisted in capturing 18 native Americans at one time. It was not noted what became of the prisoners. By Samuel's calculations, he would have been about 64 years old at this time, yet he found himself in battle, and then starting over as far as crops and possibly a home go
Samuel and Elizabeth had at least seven, and possibly eight children. They were Elizabeth, Samuel, Mary, James, Thomas, John, Daniel, and possibly Enoch Kenyon. They were born from 1642 to 1663, with Enoch's birthplace and birthdate not noted. Elizabeth, Samuel's wife probably died in or shortly before 1697, and Samuel died sometime after Apil 13,1697, when he deeded land to son John. There is a burial plot on that land and Samuel and Elizabeth are believed to be buried there, but there is no stone or marker for them.
Samuel led an interesting life and took part in some of the events that allowed America to thrive. We should be proud to honor such a man.
The line of descent is
Samuel Eldred-Elizabeth Miller
Daniel Eldridge-Mary Phillips
Daniel Eldridge-Abigail Fish
Sarah Eldridge-Thomas Chester
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Allen line: John Fish 1620-1689
Much is in dispute about John Fish. Most sources list him as having been born at Market Harborough, Great Bowden, Leicester, England in 1620/21, the second son of Robert and Alice Fish (her maiden name seems to have been Fish also; it is frequently seen as Fyshe, perhaps in an attempt to differentiate between the two families). Robert died in 1639, leaving his wife with 10 children, some in early adulthood and the youngest just four months old. It appears to be during this time period that John and his brother Thomas came to the New World, most likely to find a way to support themselves and perhaps hoping to send money back to their mother. We don't know what kind of education he had in Market Harborough, although he later taught school, so he certainly learned at least the basics. There was a good preparatory school in Market Harborough, and he may have gone there with the hopes of going on to a university.
When John arrived in New England, he disappears for a few years. This means he likely wasn't a landowner or the head of a family, and it also means he may not have been a member of a church. He apparently shows up in Wethersfield and Mystic, Connecticut, and also in Stratford and finally Stonington by 1670, when he is listed on a record of inhabitants. He was apparently a man with a temper, and seems to have moved from at least one of these locations (Stratford) due to quarrels with his neighbors. I haven't seen the records, but it is reported that he seems to have made some unwarranted accusations that eventually made their way to the courts.
John and his son Samuel were among the volunteers who fought in the Narrangansett War of 1675-76, and eventually, in 1700, Samuel was awarded land in his own name and also his deceased father's name in Voluntown, as a reward for their service.
John apparently had three wives, but only the first, Mary Ireland, gave him children. His second wife was Martha Stark, who was unfaithful and absconded with Samuel Culver in 1674. John was able to obtain a divorce six years later, and then in 1681 married Hannah Palmer Hewitt Steery. He would have been about sixty years old at this time. He was at this time a school teacher, instructing the children of Stonington in reading, writing, arithmetic, and grammar.
He was also a land surveyor, and laid out many of the public lands. By grant and by purchase, he became the proprietor of quite a lot of land in Stonington and at Groton, "considerably over one thousand acres". So far I have been unable to locate a specific date of death, although it is believed to be about 1689. I've also not located his will, although it seems that with over 1000 acres of land he would have had a will of some sort, unless he died very suddenly. More research needs to be done, as usual.
If we are looking for an ancestor to emulate, perhaps John Fish is not the one. He seems to have had a bit of a temper, and perhaps wasn't easy to live with, moving as frequently as he did. But I'd love to hear his side of the story, because drawing any real conclusions. He certainly came to the New World with hopes and dreams, and I hope they were realized, at least to some degree. For his service to his country, we owe him gratitude.
The line of descent is:
John Fish-Mary Ireland
Samuel Fish-Sarah Starke
Abigail Fish-Daniel Eldridge
Sarah Eldridge-Thomas Chester
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
When John arrived in New England, he disappears for a few years. This means he likely wasn't a landowner or the head of a family, and it also means he may not have been a member of a church. He apparently shows up in Wethersfield and Mystic, Connecticut, and also in Stratford and finally Stonington by 1670, when he is listed on a record of inhabitants. He was apparently a man with a temper, and seems to have moved from at least one of these locations (Stratford) due to quarrels with his neighbors. I haven't seen the records, but it is reported that he seems to have made some unwarranted accusations that eventually made their way to the courts.
John and his son Samuel were among the volunteers who fought in the Narrangansett War of 1675-76, and eventually, in 1700, Samuel was awarded land in his own name and also his deceased father's name in Voluntown, as a reward for their service.
John apparently had three wives, but only the first, Mary Ireland, gave him children. His second wife was Martha Stark, who was unfaithful and absconded with Samuel Culver in 1674. John was able to obtain a divorce six years later, and then in 1681 married Hannah Palmer Hewitt Steery. He would have been about sixty years old at this time. He was at this time a school teacher, instructing the children of Stonington in reading, writing, arithmetic, and grammar.
He was also a land surveyor, and laid out many of the public lands. By grant and by purchase, he became the proprietor of quite a lot of land in Stonington and at Groton, "considerably over one thousand acres". So far I have been unable to locate a specific date of death, although it is believed to be about 1689. I've also not located his will, although it seems that with over 1000 acres of land he would have had a will of some sort, unless he died very suddenly. More research needs to be done, as usual.
If we are looking for an ancestor to emulate, perhaps John Fish is not the one. He seems to have had a bit of a temper, and perhaps wasn't easy to live with, moving as frequently as he did. But I'd love to hear his side of the story, because drawing any real conclusions. He certainly came to the New World with hopes and dreams, and I hope they were realized, at least to some degree. For his service to his country, we owe him gratitude.
The line of descent is:
John Fish-Mary Ireland
Samuel Fish-Sarah Starke
Abigail Fish-Daniel Eldridge
Sarah Eldridge-Thomas Chester
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Betsy Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Allen line: Samuel Ireland 1603-1639 Immigrant
Samuel Ireland came from England. It would not surprise me to learn that one or more of his ancestors were Irish, but perhaps there is another reason for his name. His background, at this point, is still a mystery.
We know that he was born about 1603. Some websites are listing his place of birth as London but I haven't seen documentation to support that. We know he was born about 1603 because when he immigrated to New England, he was reported as being a carpenter, aged 32. He had a wife Marie, aged 30, and a daughter, aged one and one-half when he was permitted to set sail on the "Increase" after going through all the formalities to prove he was not a threat to the government nor to the Church of England.
We don't know where the family first landed, but they ended up in Wethersfield, Ct. Wethersfield was founded in 1634 so the family was almost in at the beginning of the settlement. He soon owned several small parcels (none larger than 10 acres) of land which indicates that most of them were probably as the result of being a founder of the settlement, and were given by the town as more or less a 'reward" for being there and doing the early hard work. As a carpenter, Samuel would have been kept quite busy building homes and businesses for those who wanted to settle there.
He is believed to have had at least one child in Connecticut. It's a little confusing but it seems the name of his first child was Martha and his second Mary. We don't know whether there were other children, but if there were, they apparently died young.
A major event during his time in Wethersfield was the Pequot War. There was an attack on the town in 1637, which resulted in the death of 6 men and 3 women, and several head of livestock, and the capture of two young girls. Undoubtedly this was a stressful time for the village, and it is likely that Samuel would have been involved in the militia that responded to the attack.
Unfortunately, Samuel also died young, sometime after September 5, 1639 and before April 2 of 1641, when his inventory was produced. We don't know whether it was an accident or an illness that took his life. His widow was to have one third and "the children" two thirds of the estate, which was valued at 70 pounds. Marie Ireland married Robert Burrows and he apparently took over the estate. She is believed to have died in 1672.
This isn't a lot to go on, but it does give us a brief glimpse of the kind of life Samuel must have led. He was a family man, a tradesman, a landowner, and likely a church member, one of the young men who helped our country get started. I'd love to know more about him, where he came from and who his parents were. But at least we know a little about his life on this side of the Atlantic.
The line of descent is:
Samuel Ireland-Marie or Mary
Mary Ireland-John Fish
Samuel Fish-Sarah Stark
Abigail Fish-Daniel Eldridge
Sarah Eldridge-Thomas Chester
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Elizabeth Chester Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
We know that he was born about 1603. Some websites are listing his place of birth as London but I haven't seen documentation to support that. We know he was born about 1603 because when he immigrated to New England, he was reported as being a carpenter, aged 32. He had a wife Marie, aged 30, and a daughter, aged one and one-half when he was permitted to set sail on the "Increase" after going through all the formalities to prove he was not a threat to the government nor to the Church of England.
We don't know where the family first landed, but they ended up in Wethersfield, Ct. Wethersfield was founded in 1634 so the family was almost in at the beginning of the settlement. He soon owned several small parcels (none larger than 10 acres) of land which indicates that most of them were probably as the result of being a founder of the settlement, and were given by the town as more or less a 'reward" for being there and doing the early hard work. As a carpenter, Samuel would have been kept quite busy building homes and businesses for those who wanted to settle there.
He is believed to have had at least one child in Connecticut. It's a little confusing but it seems the name of his first child was Martha and his second Mary. We don't know whether there were other children, but if there were, they apparently died young.
A major event during his time in Wethersfield was the Pequot War. There was an attack on the town in 1637, which resulted in the death of 6 men and 3 women, and several head of livestock, and the capture of two young girls. Undoubtedly this was a stressful time for the village, and it is likely that Samuel would have been involved in the militia that responded to the attack.
Unfortunately, Samuel also died young, sometime after September 5, 1639 and before April 2 of 1641, when his inventory was produced. We don't know whether it was an accident or an illness that took his life. His widow was to have one third and "the children" two thirds of the estate, which was valued at 70 pounds. Marie Ireland married Robert Burrows and he apparently took over the estate. She is believed to have died in 1672.
This isn't a lot to go on, but it does give us a brief glimpse of the kind of life Samuel must have led. He was a family man, a tradesman, a landowner, and likely a church member, one of the young men who helped our country get started. I'd love to know more about him, where he came from and who his parents were. But at least we know a little about his life on this side of the Atlantic.
The line of descent is:
Samuel Ireland-Marie or Mary
Mary Ireland-John Fish
Samuel Fish-Sarah Stark
Abigail Fish-Daniel Eldridge
Sarah Eldridge-Thomas Chester
Bathsheba Chester-Jonathan Havens
Elizabeth Chester Havens-John Starr
John Havens Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
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