It's been awhile since I had a Beeks ancestor to write about. Sometimes I just somehow miss these people, and sometimes the first time I looked for information, I couldn't find enough to write about. It's also possible that I've relaxed my definition of "enough". When I started doing these brief sketches, I made it a goal to write 8-10 paragraphs about each ancestor. Now, I'm willing to write even just a little bit, figuring that something is better than nothing. With Joseph, I've found enough to give at least some outline of his life, although there are still big question marks, too.
Joseph was born about 1605 possibly in Crewkerne, Somerset, England, although his parents have not yet been identified. We know he was born about 1605 because in a court case in 1640, Joseph stated that he was 35 or thereabouts. Crewkerne is a very old town, dating back to the time of Alfred the Great. There is a 15th century church there, which Joseph would probably have attended. There was also a school at the time that Joseph lived there, but we don't know whether he attended or not.
Joseph married Rose Allen, daughter of George and Katherine (maiden name not certain) Allen, in England. We know that it was in England becae his son was "of age" when Joseph died in 1647, which means the son must have been at least 18. That puts his birth date at 1629, so this Joseph likely married in or about 1628. The couple had at least five children together, a son and then four daughters.
We don't know for sure when Joseph came to New England but he was in Dorchester as early as 1633 and in Lynn in 1636. By 1637 he was in Sandwich, in Plymouth Colony, where he is considered one of the 61 original signers and one of just 16 long term settlers. The church of Sandwich seems to have not been as Puritan as was liked, and they went for ten years without a pastor. There is some thought that the people of the town, or at least some of them, were early Quaker adherents.
We know Joseph was part of a military band, probably guarding against Indians but we don't know whether he actually fought in any battles. We know he owned property as early as 1639. By occupation, he was a millwright, which may explain why he went from place to place for a few years before settling in Sandwich. He was a freeman in 1643/44constable in 1644, and either he or his son was a surveyor of highways in 1647.
Sadly. that is the last we hear of Joseph, for he died in 1647 in Sandwich. We have no information about his cause of death but he was only about 42 years old, so it was likely an illness of some sort. Fevers and dysentery were relatively common at the time.
His inventory was valued at about 205 pounds, but the estate wasn't settled for another 18 years, as the youngest of the children finally reached maturity. Rose remarried after a few months as a widow, to William Newland, and she died in 1694.
The line of descent is
Joseph Holley-Rose Allen
Mary Holley-Nathaniel FitzRandolph__
Samuel FitzRandolph-Mary Jones
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham=Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Showing posts with label Holley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holley. Show all posts
Friday, May 15, 2020
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Beeks line: Nathaniel Fitzrandolph 1642-1713 From Puritan to Quaker
Nathaniel Fitzrandolph is not an immigrant, as he was born in Barnstable, Massachusetts in 1642 to his parents, Edward Fitzrandolph and Elizabeth Blossom. However, from the records I've found, he is such an interesting man that he deserves his own blog post. He was one of the early Quakers at Barnstable, and that marks him as a man of courage. He married for the second time at age 64, and had a child by his second wife, which marks him as a man of interest. And he was well respected in his time and place, which marks him as a man of honor.
It is hard to pinpoint just when Nathaniel became a Quaker. He appears to have lived somewhat happily in Barnstable (on Cape Cod) for his early years. His mother was born in Leyden, Holland and was of a thoroughly Pilgrim family. The Blossoms had been on the "Speedwell", which was forced to turn back early in the planned voyage with the Mayflower. Edward Fitzrandolph and his wife came to America in the Winthrop Fleet of 1630, so they were Puritans if not Separatists. The household Nathaniel grew up in would have been quite religious and he would have listened to or read the Word of God every day.
So was it love that changed Nathaniel's heart? He married Mary Holley or Holloway in 1662, and her family was Quaker. Her parents were Joseph Holley and Rose Allen. One would like to think this was the case, but we also know that several of Nathaniel's siblings became Baptists. Both groups were persecuted by the government, who required infant baptism, payment of tithes to the church, and other actions objectionable to the Fitzrandolphs.
At any rate, Nathaniel and Mary had seven children, apparently all in Barnstable, before the poor treatment of Quakers caused them to join sibling Fitzrandolph's in Woodbridge, N.J. in 1677-78. Here they were permitted to practice their religion with more freedom than in Barnstable, although it was still not an easy life. Nathaniel, however, had respect in the community. He was an associate justice of Middlesex County for several years, and represented Woodbridge in the Provisional Assembly for three years. He also served as sheriff and as highway viewer at Woodbridge.
I've seen Nathaniel referred to as a "planter" and as a "gentleman planter". Usually the term "gentleman planter" infers that slaves were used, but since Quakers abhorred slavery perhaps he employed indentured servants, who would receive their freedom in a stated number of years.
Starting in about 1704, Nathaniel's home became the meeting place for area Quakers. This was a year after Mary had died. One wonders if she objected to opening their home earlier, or was she ill and the home therefore not available, or was it just coincidence that Nathaniel's home was needed at this time. After Mary died, Nathaniel married Jane Curtis, and had one son by her.
It is believed that Nathaniel, who died in 1713, and Mary are buried in the Friends Meeting House at Shrewsbury, with no gravestone as that was the Quaker way at the time.
This is the snapshot we have of Nathaniel as husband, father, planter and Quaker. There are of course numerous questions still to be answered, but we see enough to see a strong and gentle figure, and that is reason to honor and respect him.
The line of descent is:
Nathaniel Fitrandolph-Mary Holley
Samuel Fitzrandolph-Mary Jones
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah possibly Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
It is hard to pinpoint just when Nathaniel became a Quaker. He appears to have lived somewhat happily in Barnstable (on Cape Cod) for his early years. His mother was born in Leyden, Holland and was of a thoroughly Pilgrim family. The Blossoms had been on the "Speedwell", which was forced to turn back early in the planned voyage with the Mayflower. Edward Fitzrandolph and his wife came to America in the Winthrop Fleet of 1630, so they were Puritans if not Separatists. The household Nathaniel grew up in would have been quite religious and he would have listened to or read the Word of God every day.
So was it love that changed Nathaniel's heart? He married Mary Holley or Holloway in 1662, and her family was Quaker. Her parents were Joseph Holley and Rose Allen. One would like to think this was the case, but we also know that several of Nathaniel's siblings became Baptists. Both groups were persecuted by the government, who required infant baptism, payment of tithes to the church, and other actions objectionable to the Fitzrandolphs.
At any rate, Nathaniel and Mary had seven children, apparently all in Barnstable, before the poor treatment of Quakers caused them to join sibling Fitzrandolph's in Woodbridge, N.J. in 1677-78. Here they were permitted to practice their religion with more freedom than in Barnstable, although it was still not an easy life. Nathaniel, however, had respect in the community. He was an associate justice of Middlesex County for several years, and represented Woodbridge in the Provisional Assembly for three years. He also served as sheriff and as highway viewer at Woodbridge.
I've seen Nathaniel referred to as a "planter" and as a "gentleman planter". Usually the term "gentleman planter" infers that slaves were used, but since Quakers abhorred slavery perhaps he employed indentured servants, who would receive their freedom in a stated number of years.
Starting in about 1704, Nathaniel's home became the meeting place for area Quakers. This was a year after Mary had died. One wonders if she objected to opening their home earlier, or was she ill and the home therefore not available, or was it just coincidence that Nathaniel's home was needed at this time. After Mary died, Nathaniel married Jane Curtis, and had one son by her.
It is believed that Nathaniel, who died in 1713, and Mary are buried in the Friends Meeting House at Shrewsbury, with no gravestone as that was the Quaker way at the time.
This is the snapshot we have of Nathaniel as husband, father, planter and Quaker. There are of course numerous questions still to be answered, but we see enough to see a strong and gentle figure, and that is reason to honor and respect him.
The line of descent is:
Nathaniel Fitrandolph-Mary Holley
Samuel Fitzrandolph-Mary Jones
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah possibly Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Beeks line: George Allen circa 1583-1649
Lots of people "know" who George Allen is, where he came from, the names of his wives, and the names of his children. The problem is that there is no documentation for any of these facts, and they may or may not be as believed. So all I will say about George's early life is that he was born somewhere in England (most likely) about the year 1583 (most likely) and that he married more than once while in England.
Our first known record for him is in the records of his departure from England on an unnamed ship, from Weymouth, Dorsetshire, on March 20, 1634/35. On that record, he is erroneously listed as being age 24, but was probably closer to 50. His wife Katherine, who was 30, and sons George, 16, William,8, and Matthew, 6, and a servant, Edward Poole were with him. It seems likely based on ages that George was the son of an earlier marriage, and there may have been other children (females, who would not necessarily be listed on the manifest) who were also in the party. Daughter Rose, for instance, is generally thought to have been the child of George's first marriage, and she is not listed on the manifest.
George is sometimes referred to as an "Anabaptist", which would mean he did not believe in infant baptism. This may explain the difficulty in finding birth/baptismal records for the above noted children, which might provide clues to the parents and their location. Some of his children became part of the Quaker tradition, which was a difficult way to live in Puritan Massachusetts.
When George arrived in the New World, he was first at Weymouth, Massachusetts and within two years was an early settler of Sandwich, Massachusetts. His land in Weymouth seems to have been given or sold to sons George, Ralph, and John. We don't know how or when Ralph and John arrived in Weymouth, and again, we don't know their ages or the name of their mother.
George, despite being an "Anabaptist", was made a free man of Plymouth Colony September 3, 1639, when Sandwich officially became a town. That same day, he was appointed Constable, and held various other town offices during the early 1640s. He was also the deputy for Sandwich to Plymouth General Court from 1640-1644. This would have meant traveling from Sandwich, which is on the north side of Cape Cod, up the coast of what is now Massachusetts to Plymouth. This may have been a trip made by ship rather than horseback or walking, for by the time he was first elected, he would have been approaching age 60.
Within a few years of his last known election as deputy, his health failed him. His date of death isn't known, but he was buried May 2, 1648. His will was not dated but was proved June 7, 1649. His inventory, excluding real estate, was 44 pounds 16 s, and most of his estate was given to his wife and "five least children".
There is so much I'd like to know about George, including more about his religious beliefs. He would not have had to have been a member of the church in Plymouth Colony to be a free man, so what were his beliefs and practices? How did the family become acquainted with Quaker beliefs, and how many practiced that faith? Why was Sandwich more tolerant of Quakers than other towns, particularly in Massachusetts Bay Colony? I'd love to know who George's parents were, and I'd love to know why he decided to come to America when he was probably about 54 years old. Did his sons come first, and then encourage him to come, or did George lead the way and the older sons came later? I'd like to know who his wives were, and I'd like to know more about how he lived in Sandwich. Did Edward Poole stay with him as a servant, or if he eventually earned his freedom, did the family have other servants?
As usual, there are more questions than answers when I think about George Allen, but I have to admire him, as I do all immigrants who came to the New World when it was nothing but a few towns on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
The line of descent is:
George Allen-first wife (possibly Katherine Davis)
Rose Allen-Joseph Holway or Holley
Mary Holley-Nathaniel FitzRandolph
Samuel Fitzrandolph-Mary Jones
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel Goodnight Dunham-Eliza M Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Gretta Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendents
Fun fact: There is also a line of descent for the Holbrook line:
George Allen-first wife
Samuel Allen-Ann Whitmore
Sarah Allen-Josiah Standish
Josiah Standish-Sarah Doty
Hannah Standish-Nathan Foster
Nathan Foster-Elizabeth Lansford
Jude Foster-Sarah Goodenow
Betsy Foster-Josiah Whittemore
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph R Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendents
Most of the information for this post came from "The Great Migration" volume 1, pages 27-35.
Our first known record for him is in the records of his departure from England on an unnamed ship, from Weymouth, Dorsetshire, on March 20, 1634/35. On that record, he is erroneously listed as being age 24, but was probably closer to 50. His wife Katherine, who was 30, and sons George, 16, William,8, and Matthew, 6, and a servant, Edward Poole were with him. It seems likely based on ages that George was the son of an earlier marriage, and there may have been other children (females, who would not necessarily be listed on the manifest) who were also in the party. Daughter Rose, for instance, is generally thought to have been the child of George's first marriage, and she is not listed on the manifest.
George is sometimes referred to as an "Anabaptist", which would mean he did not believe in infant baptism. This may explain the difficulty in finding birth/baptismal records for the above noted children, which might provide clues to the parents and their location. Some of his children became part of the Quaker tradition, which was a difficult way to live in Puritan Massachusetts.
When George arrived in the New World, he was first at Weymouth, Massachusetts and within two years was an early settler of Sandwich, Massachusetts. His land in Weymouth seems to have been given or sold to sons George, Ralph, and John. We don't know how or when Ralph and John arrived in Weymouth, and again, we don't know their ages or the name of their mother.
George, despite being an "Anabaptist", was made a free man of Plymouth Colony September 3, 1639, when Sandwich officially became a town. That same day, he was appointed Constable, and held various other town offices during the early 1640s. He was also the deputy for Sandwich to Plymouth General Court from 1640-1644. This would have meant traveling from Sandwich, which is on the north side of Cape Cod, up the coast of what is now Massachusetts to Plymouth. This may have been a trip made by ship rather than horseback or walking, for by the time he was first elected, he would have been approaching age 60.
Within a few years of his last known election as deputy, his health failed him. His date of death isn't known, but he was buried May 2, 1648. His will was not dated but was proved June 7, 1649. His inventory, excluding real estate, was 44 pounds 16 s, and most of his estate was given to his wife and "five least children".
There is so much I'd like to know about George, including more about his religious beliefs. He would not have had to have been a member of the church in Plymouth Colony to be a free man, so what were his beliefs and practices? How did the family become acquainted with Quaker beliefs, and how many practiced that faith? Why was Sandwich more tolerant of Quakers than other towns, particularly in Massachusetts Bay Colony? I'd love to know who George's parents were, and I'd love to know why he decided to come to America when he was probably about 54 years old. Did his sons come first, and then encourage him to come, or did George lead the way and the older sons came later? I'd like to know who his wives were, and I'd like to know more about how he lived in Sandwich. Did Edward Poole stay with him as a servant, or if he eventually earned his freedom, did the family have other servants?
As usual, there are more questions than answers when I think about George Allen, but I have to admire him, as I do all immigrants who came to the New World when it was nothing but a few towns on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
The line of descent is:
George Allen-first wife (possibly Katherine Davis)
Rose Allen-Joseph Holway or Holley
Mary Holley-Nathaniel FitzRandolph
Samuel Fitzrandolph-Mary Jones
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel Goodnight Dunham-Eliza M Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Gretta Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendents
Fun fact: There is also a line of descent for the Holbrook line:
George Allen-first wife
Samuel Allen-Ann Whitmore
Sarah Allen-Josiah Standish
Josiah Standish-Sarah Doty
Hannah Standish-Nathan Foster
Nathan Foster-Elizabeth Lansford
Jude Foster-Sarah Goodenow
Betsy Foster-Josiah Whittemore
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph R Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendents
Most of the information for this post came from "The Great Migration" volume 1, pages 27-35.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Beeks line: Thomas Blossom, the almost Mayflower Pilgrim
Actually, Thomas Blossom was a Mayflower Pilgrim. However, he arrived on a later ship, also known as the Mayflower, in 1629. Most of the passengers on this trip were those who had intended to arrive in 1620 with the first Pilgrims. However, Blossom and his fellow passengers had been on board the Speedwell, which turned out to be so leaky and unseaworthy that it was forced to turn back before the voyage was well underway.
Thomas Blossom was born about 1580, probably in Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire, England, the son of Peter and Annabel Blossom. Her maiden name is as yet unknown. He was the youngest of four children; a fifth, Francis, Peter and Annabel's first born, had lived only about a month. As the youngest child, he may have been pampered just a little bit, and he seems to have secured an education somehow. His later letters to William Bradford are not those of an uneducated man.
There isn't much known about Thomas's life as he was growing up. His father was described as a husbandman and then a laborer, so he may have fallen upon hard times before he died in 1597. Thomas married Ann Helsden or Elsdon on November 10, 1605 in St Clement's Church, Cambridge, England. (The church is still in existence and can be googled for interior views; however, it appears that the church bears little resemblance to the building of 1605.)
I'm not sure when Thomas would have acquired his Puritan views. Most families that went to Leiden in 1609 had been Puritans for years, so perhaps Thomas and Ann had held their beliefs for years, or perhaps they were "late" converts. Regardless, in 1609, the couple were in Pieterskerkhof, Leyden, Holland with the Separatists, and several children were born there. The first two children died before the 1620 trip, and another son was born before 1620 and died in 1625. Elizabeth, Thomas, and Peter were born in Leyden and accompanied their parents when the trip to Plymouth was finally accomplished in 1629.
Thomas was a deacon in the church at Plymouth Colony, but little else is known of him there. He died of an infectious fever in 1632, along with at least 19 other colonists. His widow was taxed 9 shillings in 1633, which seems to be the minimum amount that anyone was assessed. Ann married Henry Rowley on October 17, 1633.
Most of the information for this post came from a Robert Charles Anderson article called "Pilgrim Village Families Sketch" found on americanancestors.org, and from a book called "Plymouth Colony, Its History and People 1620-1691" by Eugene Aubrey Stratton.
The line of descent is:
Thomas Blossom-Ann Helsdon
Elizabeth Blossom-Edward Fitzrandolph
Nathaniel Fitzrandolph-Mary Holley
Samuel Fitzrandolph-Mary Jones
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah probably Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel Goodnight Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Beeks descendents
Thomas Blossom was born about 1580, probably in Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire, England, the son of Peter and Annabel Blossom. Her maiden name is as yet unknown. He was the youngest of four children; a fifth, Francis, Peter and Annabel's first born, had lived only about a month. As the youngest child, he may have been pampered just a little bit, and he seems to have secured an education somehow. His later letters to William Bradford are not those of an uneducated man.
There isn't much known about Thomas's life as he was growing up. His father was described as a husbandman and then a laborer, so he may have fallen upon hard times before he died in 1597. Thomas married Ann Helsden or Elsdon on November 10, 1605 in St Clement's Church, Cambridge, England. (The church is still in existence and can be googled for interior views; however, it appears that the church bears little resemblance to the building of 1605.)
I'm not sure when Thomas would have acquired his Puritan views. Most families that went to Leiden in 1609 had been Puritans for years, so perhaps Thomas and Ann had held their beliefs for years, or perhaps they were "late" converts. Regardless, in 1609, the couple were in Pieterskerkhof, Leyden, Holland with the Separatists, and several children were born there. The first two children died before the 1620 trip, and another son was born before 1620 and died in 1625. Elizabeth, Thomas, and Peter were born in Leyden and accompanied their parents when the trip to Plymouth was finally accomplished in 1629.
Thomas was a deacon in the church at Plymouth Colony, but little else is known of him there. He died of an infectious fever in 1632, along with at least 19 other colonists. His widow was taxed 9 shillings in 1633, which seems to be the minimum amount that anyone was assessed. Ann married Henry Rowley on October 17, 1633.
Most of the information for this post came from a Robert Charles Anderson article called "Pilgrim Village Families Sketch" found on americanancestors.org, and from a book called "Plymouth Colony, Its History and People 1620-1691" by Eugene Aubrey Stratton.
The line of descent is:
Thomas Blossom-Ann Helsdon
Elizabeth Blossom-Edward Fitzrandolph
Nathaniel Fitzrandolph-Mary Holley
Samuel Fitzrandolph-Mary Jones
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah probably Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel Goodnight Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Beeks descendents
Friday, March 28, 2014
Beeks line: Edward Fitzrandolph, gateway immigrant
There is a lot of information on line about this gentleman, but I'm going to give a brief recap here because it's a possible a family member will read about him here for the first time. This is a condensed version of his life. He is important in the genealogy world because he was an immigrant in the Winthrop fleet of 1630, and because he has lines that tie him back to Scottish royalty (a direct descendent of William I of Scotland).
Edward Fitzrandolph, often referred to as Junior, was born to Edward Fitzrandolph and Francis Howis or Howes on July 8, 1607 (this may be his christening date) at Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottingham, England. Frances was Edward's third wife, so some of his brothers and sisters are more correctly called half brothers and sisters. It appears that Edward had five full brothers and sisters: Anthony, Ales (Alice), Christopher, Joseph, and John. Edward was the oldest of them.
In 1630, when Edward was about 23 years old, he came to Massachusetts with the Winthrop fleet. The Winthrop Fleet was a group of 8 ships, containing about 800 Puritans, that came to settle the Massachusetts Bay colony (not to be confused with Plymouth Colony). He was settled at Scituate, Massachusetts, with his home being the 38th home built there. He married Elizabeth Blossom there on May 10, 1637. Her parents were Elder Thomas Blossom and Ann Heilson, who were passengers on the Speedwell, the ship that was forced to turn back after setting sail with the Mayflower. Her parents returned to Holland, where Elizabeth was born.
Edward and Elizabeth had at least 12 children, all born in Barnstable, where they had moved in 1639. He lived in Barnstable and then West Barnstable until 1669, when he and six of the children moved to Piscataway, New Jersey. It isn't known why he moved to Piscataway. Perhaps it was economics or perhaps it was religion. His son Nathaniel had married Mary Holley, and this family was Quaker. Perhaps Edward, or Elizabeth, or both, had Quaker leanings and were ready to be a little more free in their religious practices. Perhaps it was for economics, or perhaps they had simply been approached and asked to help plant a new colony, much as we would ask someone reliable to help plant a new church.
It is believed that Edward died in 1674 or 1675. After a second marriage, Elizabeth was buried beside him in 1713, in what is now St James Churchyard in Piscataway. Their stones were lost when a skirmish was fought there during the Revolutionary War, and breastworks were thrown up against the British. When the area was cleared after the war, the stones weren't found, so even in death, this couple was giving to the cause of their chosen homeland.
He is referred to as a "yeoman", which would be a farmer of some importance. I have not found that he was ever made a freeman of the colony, although that is possible. He did bear arms and was available for military duty.
I've used James Savage's Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, quotes from The Descendants of Edward Fitzrandolph and Elizabeth Blossom 1630-1950 by Louise Aymar Christian, and Genealogies of Barnstable Families by Amos Otis for this brief discussion.
Here's the rather lengthy line of descent:
Edward Fitzrandolph-Elizabeth Blossom
Nathaniel Fitzrandolph-Mary Holley
Samuel Fitzrandolph-Mary Jones
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel Goodnight Dunham-Eliza Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Gretta Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Beeks children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren
Edward Fitzrandolph, often referred to as Junior, was born to Edward Fitzrandolph and Francis Howis or Howes on July 8, 1607 (this may be his christening date) at Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottingham, England. Frances was Edward's third wife, so some of his brothers and sisters are more correctly called half brothers and sisters. It appears that Edward had five full brothers and sisters: Anthony, Ales (Alice), Christopher, Joseph, and John. Edward was the oldest of them.
In 1630, when Edward was about 23 years old, he came to Massachusetts with the Winthrop fleet. The Winthrop Fleet was a group of 8 ships, containing about 800 Puritans, that came to settle the Massachusetts Bay colony (not to be confused with Plymouth Colony). He was settled at Scituate, Massachusetts, with his home being the 38th home built there. He married Elizabeth Blossom there on May 10, 1637. Her parents were Elder Thomas Blossom and Ann Heilson, who were passengers on the Speedwell, the ship that was forced to turn back after setting sail with the Mayflower. Her parents returned to Holland, where Elizabeth was born.
Edward and Elizabeth had at least 12 children, all born in Barnstable, where they had moved in 1639. He lived in Barnstable and then West Barnstable until 1669, when he and six of the children moved to Piscataway, New Jersey. It isn't known why he moved to Piscataway. Perhaps it was economics or perhaps it was religion. His son Nathaniel had married Mary Holley, and this family was Quaker. Perhaps Edward, or Elizabeth, or both, had Quaker leanings and were ready to be a little more free in their religious practices. Perhaps it was for economics, or perhaps they had simply been approached and asked to help plant a new colony, much as we would ask someone reliable to help plant a new church.
It is believed that Edward died in 1674 or 1675. After a second marriage, Elizabeth was buried beside him in 1713, in what is now St James Churchyard in Piscataway. Their stones were lost when a skirmish was fought there during the Revolutionary War, and breastworks were thrown up against the British. When the area was cleared after the war, the stones weren't found, so even in death, this couple was giving to the cause of their chosen homeland.
He is referred to as a "yeoman", which would be a farmer of some importance. I have not found that he was ever made a freeman of the colony, although that is possible. He did bear arms and was available for military duty.
I've used James Savage's Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, quotes from The Descendants of Edward Fitzrandolph and Elizabeth Blossom 1630-1950 by Louise Aymar Christian, and Genealogies of Barnstable Families by Amos Otis for this brief discussion.
Here's the rather lengthy line of descent:
Edward Fitzrandolph-Elizabeth Blossom
Nathaniel Fitzrandolph-Mary Holley
Samuel Fitzrandolph-Mary Jones
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel Goodnight Dunham-Eliza Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Gretta Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Beeks children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren
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