To the best of my knowledge at this point, we'd have to go way back to the early Middle Ages to find another ancestor named "Lambert". It was a British name, not particularly common in America. Nevertheless, this is the name that our ancestor was given by his parents, Samuel Lane and Mary Jane Corbin, when he was born in 1737 in Baltimore, Maryland (or possibly England). He was one of 12 children born to this couple, who moved at some point from Maryland to Bedford County, Pa.
There Lambert met his future wife, Nancy Ann Anderson, who was the daughter of James Anderson and Ann Downing. They had been born in England, but I know almost nothing more of their background at this point. What we do know is quite a bit about the wedding of Lambert and Nancy Ann, thanks to the website "Boone County Genealogy: Preserving out Precious Past." A grandson of Lambert and Nancy's, William E Lane, wrote this from his home near Zionsville, In. on October 18, 1886:
"My grandparents, Lambert Lane and Nancy Anderson, were emigrants from England. They were both young when their parents arrived in this country. Their parents settled on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania about fifteen miles north of its mouth, in the wild woods and amongst the Indians. While living there my parents became acquainted and were married in the quaint old style. My grandfather wore a blue cloth coat cut "claw hammer" style, with no lapels, ornamented with large brass buttons which closely buttoned up his coat; his pantaloons were white linen, buckled with a large silver bucle just below the knees to a pair of white silk stockings. His shoes were leather, fastened with another pair of silver buckles. Grandmother wore a white cambric dress, with nice hand embroidery on the skirt. In a few years they moved to Virginia and lived there about four years; then they moved to Tennessee on the Holston River and remained there for a few years, after which they moved to Shelby County, Kentucky, about five miles from Shelbyville."
(As an aside, the rest of this letter is fascinating but is not directly related to our ancestors. I encourage you to go to the Boone County Indiana genweb site and read it, because our family's history is probably not far different than the one related by our distant cousin William.)
I believe William was not correct about Lambert being an emigrant from England. His background seems to be well documented and leads back to several generations of Lanes in Maryland, although it's possible that Lambert's parents had visited family in England and that's where the confusion was. However, I said "seems" and this needs more investigation. Did someone place Lambert Lane in the wrong family? More investigation needs to be done on this.
However, we can trace Lambert Lane, married in Bedford County, Pa about 1762, further. According to his grandson's statements, they lived in Bedford County for a few years, then moved to Virginia, and then to the Holston River Valley in Tennessee for a few years. This is where Lambert earned his recognition from the DAR, participating in the campaign against the Cherokee Indians (who were encouraged by the British, as part of their strategy during the Revolutionary War). This must have been a scary time for the family. It appears that their 13 children were born in Virginia and in the Holston River area, for the most part. The earliest may have been born in Bedford County, Pa.
From the Holston River area, the couple, now approaching 60, moved to Shelby County, Kentucky. This was a common emigration route at the time, and land was more plentiful in Shelby County than it had been in Tennessee or Virginia. There, Lambert died in 1804. His will is on record there, and he trusted his wife enough to make her the executrix of the will, which she accepted.
This is the story as reported on various web sites and in the Maryland books I've consulted. However, I would like to find true primary records rather than relying on secondary records, because I'm not finding documentation that can support the connection to Maryland, nor am I finding documentation to support the English immigrant theory. Does anyone reading this have any further information? I'd like to get this right, even if it turns out that Lambert is not of the illustrious Lane ancestry.
Our line of descent is:
Lambert Lane-Nancy Ann Anderson
Nancy Ann Lane-James McCoy
Vincent McCoy-Eleanor Jackson
Nancy McCoy-George R Allen
Edward Allen-Edith Knott
Richard/Edith/Corinne/Tessora/Vernon Allen
Their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Friday, June 13, 2014
Holbrook line: John Philip Clapp
Here's a brief recount of the life of John Philip Clapp, who was the father of Catherine Clapp who married John Adam Brown (senior), one of my brick walls.
John Philip was born February 20, 1731, in Berks County, Pennsylvania. This was 15-20 years before the majority of our German ancestors arrived, and there would have been even less infrastructure in place than the later Germans had. His parents, George Valentine Clapp and Anna Barbary Steiss, had arrived on September 27, 1727 on the ship "James Goodwill" from Rotterdam along with other members of the Clapp family. Philip was one of at least 9 children, and land was very expensive in Berks County, Pennsylvania, where the family settled for some years. The family may have struggled financially.
As affordable land became available in North Carolina, many of the German families moves south along the Great Wagon Road, as did many of the Scoth-Irish heritage. Several of the German families settled in what was then Orange County but is now Guilford County, North Carolina, where they purchased more land for considerably less money than they could have purchased in Pennsylvania. John Philip probably came to North Carolina shortly after his father, uncle, and possibly grandfather had arrived there in 1748.
This is where it gets confusing and controversial. John Philip's wife was named Barbara. In my tree, I am showing that his wife was Barbara Clapp, the daughter of John Ludwig Clapp and Margaret Strader. This would mean that first cousins had married, which was not unusual at the time. However, there are researchers who are adamant that Barbara was a different, unknown Barbara. Regardless, Philip and Barbara were married, probably in 1751, in Berks County, Pennsylvania. They arrived in North Carolina soon after their marriage, and made their home in the same area as his father and uncle, and probably, brothers had done, near Stinking Quarters and Sandy Creeks.
Philip and Barbara had at least 10 children, 6 girls and 4 boys. Some stayed in North Carolina, one went to Kentucky, one to Ohio, and at least two went to Preble County, Ohio. John Philip died in 1798 in Guilford County, Ohio and Barbara died in 1821, possibly in Preble County, Ohio. Philip was probably buried at the "Old Brick Church", previously the Clapp Church, on Holts Store Road in Whitsett, NC. (The church was restored in 1998 as part of the 250th anniversary of the congregation. It was of course Reformed/Lutheran in worship.)
We can assume that Philip had some part in the Revolutionary War, although no records were found on Fold 3 nor on the DAR website. Most of the North Carolina loyalists were of Scotch-Irish descent, so it's not likely that Philip joined them. He may have tried to stay out of politics and the war entirely, but from what I've read of that time period, he probably would not have been successful in such an effort.
Philip was successful enough that he was able to leave land or slaves and money to each of his children. He gave away four slaves and left his wife a rather large estate, consisting of lands, Negroes, stock of all kinds, household furniture and instruments of agriculture, "all of which subject to her disposal at or before her decease". This was extremely generous for the times. We don't know how much land she had left, or how many Negroes, but it would be interesting to trace her subsequent actions to see what land she sold, and when. I'd like to know what happened to the remaining slaves, both those willed to his daughters and those willed to his wife. Slavery is a hard concept for us, 150 years past the Emancipation Proclamation, to even grasp but learning their stories might be helpful in the process.
The line of descent is:
Johann Philip Clapp-Barbara (Clapp?)
Catherine Clapp-John Adam Brown
John Adam Brown, Jr-Phoebe Myers
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook Allen/Lois Holbrook Melcher
Their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren
John Philip was born February 20, 1731, in Berks County, Pennsylvania. This was 15-20 years before the majority of our German ancestors arrived, and there would have been even less infrastructure in place than the later Germans had. His parents, George Valentine Clapp and Anna Barbary Steiss, had arrived on September 27, 1727 on the ship "James Goodwill" from Rotterdam along with other members of the Clapp family. Philip was one of at least 9 children, and land was very expensive in Berks County, Pennsylvania, where the family settled for some years. The family may have struggled financially.
As affordable land became available in North Carolina, many of the German families moves south along the Great Wagon Road, as did many of the Scoth-Irish heritage. Several of the German families settled in what was then Orange County but is now Guilford County, North Carolina, where they purchased more land for considerably less money than they could have purchased in Pennsylvania. John Philip probably came to North Carolina shortly after his father, uncle, and possibly grandfather had arrived there in 1748.
This is where it gets confusing and controversial. John Philip's wife was named Barbara. In my tree, I am showing that his wife was Barbara Clapp, the daughter of John Ludwig Clapp and Margaret Strader. This would mean that first cousins had married, which was not unusual at the time. However, there are researchers who are adamant that Barbara was a different, unknown Barbara. Regardless, Philip and Barbara were married, probably in 1751, in Berks County, Pennsylvania. They arrived in North Carolina soon after their marriage, and made their home in the same area as his father and uncle, and probably, brothers had done, near Stinking Quarters and Sandy Creeks.
Philip and Barbara had at least 10 children, 6 girls and 4 boys. Some stayed in North Carolina, one went to Kentucky, one to Ohio, and at least two went to Preble County, Ohio. John Philip died in 1798 in Guilford County, Ohio and Barbara died in 1821, possibly in Preble County, Ohio. Philip was probably buried at the "Old Brick Church", previously the Clapp Church, on Holts Store Road in Whitsett, NC. (The church was restored in 1998 as part of the 250th anniversary of the congregation. It was of course Reformed/Lutheran in worship.)
We can assume that Philip had some part in the Revolutionary War, although no records were found on Fold 3 nor on the DAR website. Most of the North Carolina loyalists were of Scotch-Irish descent, so it's not likely that Philip joined them. He may have tried to stay out of politics and the war entirely, but from what I've read of that time period, he probably would not have been successful in such an effort.
Philip was successful enough that he was able to leave land or slaves and money to each of his children. He gave away four slaves and left his wife a rather large estate, consisting of lands, Negroes, stock of all kinds, household furniture and instruments of agriculture, "all of which subject to her disposal at or before her decease". This was extremely generous for the times. We don't know how much land she had left, or how many Negroes, but it would be interesting to trace her subsequent actions to see what land she sold, and when. I'd like to know what happened to the remaining slaves, both those willed to his daughters and those willed to his wife. Slavery is a hard concept for us, 150 years past the Emancipation Proclamation, to even grasp but learning their stories might be helpful in the process.
The line of descent is:
Johann Philip Clapp-Barbara (Clapp?)
Catherine Clapp-John Adam Brown
John Adam Brown, Jr-Phoebe Myers
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook Allen/Lois Holbrook Melcher
Their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Harshbarger line: Conrad Reber
We're going back a ways here, since Johann Conrad Reber was born in December 10, 1751 in Langenselbold, Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Hesse, now Germany. His parents, Johann Conrad Reber and Anna Margaret Conradt, emigrated to America shortly after his birth, as another of their children was born in 1754 in Upper Tulpehocken Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
Conrad grew up in a typically large German family of 8 children. He would have worked hard on the family farm and his early years would have been spent with one eye out for warring Indians, as well as wolves, panthers, bears, and other more natural dangers. There is a Conrad Reber who was a private in the Militia during the time of the Revolutionary War, but I am not sure whether it was this Conrad. He would have been the right age and this is the right location, but another Reber family claims this as their Conrad, and I haven't yet found proof one way or the other. Conrad most likely would have been in either the militia or the American army. I found a listing for a Conrad Reber in 1779 who was taxed for having two cattle, and I think this may be our Conrad Reber because he was listed just two names above Peter Pontius, who was probably his brother in law. In this list, Conrad is listed under occupation as "joiner", which is a skilled carpenter. Conrad would likely have served an apprenticeship to learn this skill, unless his father taught it to him.
Conard married Mary Margaret Pontius, daughter of Nicholas Pontius and Anna Margaret Shuey, probably in Berks County but date and location as yet not located. By the 1790 census, his household shows three males under the age of 16, and a total of five females, one of which would have been Margaret. I show a total of ten children for them, with four being born in the 1790s. Known children are Christina, Margaret Elizabeth, Magdalena, Daniel, Maria Margaretha, Conrad, Thomas, Catherine, John, and Henry. Of course there
The History of Centre County by John Blair Linn states that Conrad Reber came to Miles Township, Centre County, in 1801, where he remained some 8 or 10 years. This is where daughter Maria Margaretha met and married Solomon Buchtel in 1805. A Conrad Reber acquired land in Ohio in 1806 but it appears this was not our Conrad, as he stayed in Miles Township for about 10 years before moving west. Before he moved, he laid out the town of Rebersburg, in Centre County, Pa. It was not hard to choose a location for the town, as he situated it near two churches, a tavern, and a couple of other buildings that were already there. He also deeded some of his land to the Reformed Church, for the erection of a building.
Sometime around 1811, it appears that he and much of his family moved on to Uniontown, Ohio in Stark County. They lived some miles from the nearest town, Canton, and were apparently in Ohio during the War of 1812. By now the Rebers would have been in their 60's, so military service would not have been expected. Conrad died in Lake Township, Stark County, Ohio on September 7, 1823, and Margaret died in 1831. I don't have their burial information or their estate information at this time, but I need to locate that.
I also need to find a marriage date and location and the baptismal/birth date information for their children. Once again, we don't know a lot about this family. I have the feeling that they were not dirt poor since they paid taxes in Berks County and since they could donate land for the church in Centre County, but estate and land records would also give us clues there.
The line of descent is:
Conrad Reber-Mary Margaret Pontius
Maria Margaretha Reber-Solomon Buchtel
Benjamin Buchtel-(brick wall) Barbara Long
Nancy Buchtel-Adam Kemery
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Harshbarger children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren
Conrad grew up in a typically large German family of 8 children. He would have worked hard on the family farm and his early years would have been spent with one eye out for warring Indians, as well as wolves, panthers, bears, and other more natural dangers. There is a Conrad Reber who was a private in the Militia during the time of the Revolutionary War, but I am not sure whether it was this Conrad. He would have been the right age and this is the right location, but another Reber family claims this as their Conrad, and I haven't yet found proof one way or the other. Conrad most likely would have been in either the militia or the American army. I found a listing for a Conrad Reber in 1779 who was taxed for having two cattle, and I think this may be our Conrad Reber because he was listed just two names above Peter Pontius, who was probably his brother in law. In this list, Conrad is listed under occupation as "joiner", which is a skilled carpenter. Conrad would likely have served an apprenticeship to learn this skill, unless his father taught it to him.
Conard married Mary Margaret Pontius, daughter of Nicholas Pontius and Anna Margaret Shuey, probably in Berks County but date and location as yet not located. By the 1790 census, his household shows three males under the age of 16, and a total of five females, one of which would have been Margaret. I show a total of ten children for them, with four being born in the 1790s. Known children are Christina, Margaret Elizabeth, Magdalena, Daniel, Maria Margaretha, Conrad, Thomas, Catherine, John, and Henry. Of course there
The History of Centre County by John Blair Linn states that Conrad Reber came to Miles Township, Centre County, in 1801, where he remained some 8 or 10 years. This is where daughter Maria Margaretha met and married Solomon Buchtel in 1805. A Conrad Reber acquired land in Ohio in 1806 but it appears this was not our Conrad, as he stayed in Miles Township for about 10 years before moving west. Before he moved, he laid out the town of Rebersburg, in Centre County, Pa. It was not hard to choose a location for the town, as he situated it near two churches, a tavern, and a couple of other buildings that were already there. He also deeded some of his land to the Reformed Church, for the erection of a building.
Sometime around 1811, it appears that he and much of his family moved on to Uniontown, Ohio in Stark County. They lived some miles from the nearest town, Canton, and were apparently in Ohio during the War of 1812. By now the Rebers would have been in their 60's, so military service would not have been expected. Conrad died in Lake Township, Stark County, Ohio on September 7, 1823, and Margaret died in 1831. I don't have their burial information or their estate information at this time, but I need to locate that.
I also need to find a marriage date and location and the baptismal/birth date information for their children. Once again, we don't know a lot about this family. I have the feeling that they were not dirt poor since they paid taxes in Berks County and since they could donate land for the church in Centre County, but estate and land records would also give us clues there.
The line of descent is:
Conrad Reber-Mary Margaret Pontius
Maria Margaretha Reber-Solomon Buchtel
Benjamin Buchtel-(brick wall) Barbara Long
Nancy Buchtel-Adam Kemery
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Harshbarger children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren
Friday, June 6, 2014
Beeks line: A few tidbits about Darlington Aldridge 1820-1859
I wish I could tell you where the name Darlington came from. I suspect he may have been a hero in a newspaper serial, but to the best of my current knowledge, it was not a family name. His parents gave rather "different" names to several of their children, much as many young people are trying to do today.
I don't know a lot about Darlington but here are the basics, and then the tidbits: He was born November 18, 1820 in Clermont County, Ohio to John Simpson Aldridge Jr and Lucinda Wheeler. He was one of at least 10 children and was either the oldest or the second oldest child. The entire Aldridge family had moved to Rush County, Indiana by 1835. Darlington married Leah Folsom, daughter of Jeremiah Folsom and Sally Lock, on October 28, 1841, in Shelby County, Indiana, less than a year before his father died, and about five years after his mother had died. Darlington and Leah later moved to Tipton County, Indiana where he died July 31, 1859. He is buried in Tucker Cemetery there, and his Findagrave site indicates there are actually two tombstones, with slightly different death dates.
These are the tidbits I've learned: At the estate sale of his father's property which was filed on May 9, 1842, Darlington, a newlywed, bought a few item. He purchased a dinner pot for 34 1/2 cents, a box of meal bag for 43 and one quarter cents, and a lot of meat for 12 and one half cents. Darlington would still have been a newlywed then, and apparently didn't have a lot of ready cash at the time. It is interesting to note that Austin Clark, who had been Leah Folsom's guardian before she married, made two purchases at the sale, so he was still keeping in close contact with the family.
The other tidbit that I found that fascinates me is the settling of "Dart" Aldridge's account at the Moscow store. I am not sure whether Dart was a nickname for Darlington, or whether that was his middle name (we know the middle initial was "D"), but it apparently was the name he used. Anyway, the ledger of this store indicates that there was a balance forward on July 7, 1851 for "balance on calico". Jusly 6, there were two entries totaling 75 cents for ballamean and 1 1/2 yards lining. On August 21, there was a balance forward of 70 cents for calico, plus purchases of 2 yards of ribbon for thirty cents, 8 yards of calico for $1, 2 yards of black lustre for $1 and 2 3/4 yards red flannel for $1.03. August 10 there was a purchase of 7 lbs cotton yarn for $1.75, 2 oz. indigo for $.30, 1/2 lb madder for 10 cents, 1/2 lb alum for 5 cents, an illegible item, and 15 yards brown muslin for $1.50. This was all settled on December 20, 1851 with a $9.15 cent cash payment. The crops may have come in or some livestock may have been sold at this time, so there was cash to pay the bill. Leah must have been keep awfully busy, sewing and perhaps knitting!
The above information came from a small book called "Happenings: Orange Township, Rush County, Indiana and Adjoining Townships," compiled by Opal Boring and found in the Public Library in Rush County, Indiana on our "field trip" last fall.
To put this in context, the book also noted that Millard Fillmore was the President of the United States, the thirteenth, during this time period. The Mexican War was over, but Kansas was beginning to "heat up" in events that were part of the build up to the Civil War and there were continuing disputes with Native Americans in the West. If Darlington could read, he may have been reading a best seller like Moby Dick or The House of the Seven Gables, both of which were published in 1851. Darlington's brother, Joseph, had purchased a lot of books at the 1842 estate sale, and there was a family Bible also purchased, so I am hoping that he could read.
I hope you've enjoyed this brief look into Darlington Aldridge's life. These little bits and pieces of information are what brings our ancestors to life, and help us realize just how alike, and different, we are.
The line of descent is:
Darlington Aldridge-Leah Folsom
Harvey Aldridge-Margaret Catherine Dunham
Gretta Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Beeks children, grand children, and more generations!
I don't know a lot about Darlington but here are the basics, and then the tidbits: He was born November 18, 1820 in Clermont County, Ohio to John Simpson Aldridge Jr and Lucinda Wheeler. He was one of at least 10 children and was either the oldest or the second oldest child. The entire Aldridge family had moved to Rush County, Indiana by 1835. Darlington married Leah Folsom, daughter of Jeremiah Folsom and Sally Lock, on October 28, 1841, in Shelby County, Indiana, less than a year before his father died, and about five years after his mother had died. Darlington and Leah later moved to Tipton County, Indiana where he died July 31, 1859. He is buried in Tucker Cemetery there, and his Findagrave site indicates there are actually two tombstones, with slightly different death dates.
These are the tidbits I've learned: At the estate sale of his father's property which was filed on May 9, 1842, Darlington, a newlywed, bought a few item. He purchased a dinner pot for 34 1/2 cents, a box of meal bag for 43 and one quarter cents, and a lot of meat for 12 and one half cents. Darlington would still have been a newlywed then, and apparently didn't have a lot of ready cash at the time. It is interesting to note that Austin Clark, who had been Leah Folsom's guardian before she married, made two purchases at the sale, so he was still keeping in close contact with the family.
The other tidbit that I found that fascinates me is the settling of "Dart" Aldridge's account at the Moscow store. I am not sure whether Dart was a nickname for Darlington, or whether that was his middle name (we know the middle initial was "D"), but it apparently was the name he used. Anyway, the ledger of this store indicates that there was a balance forward on July 7, 1851 for "balance on calico". Jusly 6, there were two entries totaling 75 cents for ballamean and 1 1/2 yards lining. On August 21, there was a balance forward of 70 cents for calico, plus purchases of 2 yards of ribbon for thirty cents, 8 yards of calico for $1, 2 yards of black lustre for $1 and 2 3/4 yards red flannel for $1.03. August 10 there was a purchase of 7 lbs cotton yarn for $1.75, 2 oz. indigo for $.30, 1/2 lb madder for 10 cents, 1/2 lb alum for 5 cents, an illegible item, and 15 yards brown muslin for $1.50. This was all settled on December 20, 1851 with a $9.15 cent cash payment. The crops may have come in or some livestock may have been sold at this time, so there was cash to pay the bill. Leah must have been keep awfully busy, sewing and perhaps knitting!
The above information came from a small book called "Happenings: Orange Township, Rush County, Indiana and Adjoining Townships," compiled by Opal Boring and found in the Public Library in Rush County, Indiana on our "field trip" last fall.
To put this in context, the book also noted that Millard Fillmore was the President of the United States, the thirteenth, during this time period. The Mexican War was over, but Kansas was beginning to "heat up" in events that were part of the build up to the Civil War and there were continuing disputes with Native Americans in the West. If Darlington could read, he may have been reading a best seller like Moby Dick or The House of the Seven Gables, both of which were published in 1851. Darlington's brother, Joseph, had purchased a lot of books at the 1842 estate sale, and there was a family Bible also purchased, so I am hoping that he could read.
I hope you've enjoyed this brief look into Darlington Aldridge's life. These little bits and pieces of information are what brings our ancestors to life, and help us realize just how alike, and different, we are.
The line of descent is:
Darlington Aldridge-Leah Folsom
Harvey Aldridge-Margaret Catherine Dunham
Gretta Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Beeks children, grand children, and more generations!
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Allen line: Nathaniel Finch
It's about time we learned more about Nathaniel Finch. There isn't much known about him, but he lived in interesting historic times and he has a story to tell. He was born in Stamford, Connecticut, on April 29, 1722, the son of John Finch and Sarah maiden name unknown. She may have been a Sarah Lockwood, but if so, extensive research has failed to identify her family.
Nathaniel was one of 10 children, so was likely set up in some sort of apprentice or indenture program in order to learn a trade. I have seen no reference to what that trade may have been, but since Nathaniel moved inland as an adult it probably did not have to do with the sea trade.
Nathaniel married Hannah Scofield, daughter of Daniel Scofield and Hannah Hoyt, in Ridgefield, Ct on December 15, 1743. He was not quite 22 years of age, and she was just over 17. It appears that there were four children born to this marriage. Nathaniel was born December 9, 1743, Jesse was born in 1744, Stephen was born in 1745 and Hannah was born in 1749. (I don't know whether perhaps one of the December dates was perhaps old style and one new style, but it appears that Nathaniel may have arrived before the marriage ceremony could take place.) There children were all born in New Canaan, Fairfield County, Connecticut.)
There is a gap of a few years until the next children were born, and some researchers think the rest of the family was by a second wife. These children were Martha, John, Benoni, and Abigail. These children were born in Salem, Westchester County, New York, which was just over the county line from Connecticut, so the family would have been familiar with the area. The Finch-Scofield marriage took place in Ridgefield, which was very near the New York-Connecticut border.
That is basically the end of what we know about Nathaniel. There is a military record of Nathaniel, who is probably Nathaniel the son, who was a member of the militia in 1759 and still in 1761. The 1761 list gives his height as 5' 3.5", which may indicate the family was smaller in stature than the average. I've not found a record of Nathaniel Senior being in the militia, although he would have been the correct age to serve in the French and Indian war of 1756-1763. Sadly, the last we know was that he shared in the distribution of the estate of Sarah Keeler, his mother, June 15, 1768.
He was a Congregationalist, admitted to full communion at New Canaan Parish Church on May 30, 1742, and apparently went to Christ Church, Salem, NY at some point. There is a record that Nathaniel Finch and wife were recommended to communion there by Rec. Silliman, rector of Christ Church at Fairfield, Ct.
We don't know his occupation, we don't know whether he served in the militia or other military service, and we don't know if he had more than one wife. I have not located a copy of his will, or of his death date or location. There are two men by the name of Nathaniel Finch listed in the 1790 census, but they are both in Connecticut. Did the family return there? Nathaniel seems to have been a common name in the Finch family, so it's difficult to say. In 1800, Nathaniel Finch and wife, both over 45, are living in Westmoreland, Oneida County, New York, but again, we don't know that this is our Nathaniel.
So many questions, so few answers, at this point. I'd love to "meet" cousins who are working on this family, and maybe we can find some answers, together.
Our line of descent:
Nathaniel Finch-Hannah Scofield
Jesse Finch-unknown (widow was Hannah)
Hannah Finch-John Bell
Hannah Bell-Thomas Jefferson Knott
John Wilson Knott-Harriet Starr
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Vernon/Edith/Tessora/Corinne/Richard Allen
Their children, grand children, and great grandchildren
Nathaniel was one of 10 children, so was likely set up in some sort of apprentice or indenture program in order to learn a trade. I have seen no reference to what that trade may have been, but since Nathaniel moved inland as an adult it probably did not have to do with the sea trade.
Nathaniel married Hannah Scofield, daughter of Daniel Scofield and Hannah Hoyt, in Ridgefield, Ct on December 15, 1743. He was not quite 22 years of age, and she was just over 17. It appears that there were four children born to this marriage. Nathaniel was born December 9, 1743, Jesse was born in 1744, Stephen was born in 1745 and Hannah was born in 1749. (I don't know whether perhaps one of the December dates was perhaps old style and one new style, but it appears that Nathaniel may have arrived before the marriage ceremony could take place.) There children were all born in New Canaan, Fairfield County, Connecticut.)
There is a gap of a few years until the next children were born, and some researchers think the rest of the family was by a second wife. These children were Martha, John, Benoni, and Abigail. These children were born in Salem, Westchester County, New York, which was just over the county line from Connecticut, so the family would have been familiar with the area. The Finch-Scofield marriage took place in Ridgefield, which was very near the New York-Connecticut border.
That is basically the end of what we know about Nathaniel. There is a military record of Nathaniel, who is probably Nathaniel the son, who was a member of the militia in 1759 and still in 1761. The 1761 list gives his height as 5' 3.5", which may indicate the family was smaller in stature than the average. I've not found a record of Nathaniel Senior being in the militia, although he would have been the correct age to serve in the French and Indian war of 1756-1763. Sadly, the last we know was that he shared in the distribution of the estate of Sarah Keeler, his mother, June 15, 1768.
He was a Congregationalist, admitted to full communion at New Canaan Parish Church on May 30, 1742, and apparently went to Christ Church, Salem, NY at some point. There is a record that Nathaniel Finch and wife were recommended to communion there by Rec. Silliman, rector of Christ Church at Fairfield, Ct.
We don't know his occupation, we don't know whether he served in the militia or other military service, and we don't know if he had more than one wife. I have not located a copy of his will, or of his death date or location. There are two men by the name of Nathaniel Finch listed in the 1790 census, but they are both in Connecticut. Did the family return there? Nathaniel seems to have been a common name in the Finch family, so it's difficult to say. In 1800, Nathaniel Finch and wife, both over 45, are living in Westmoreland, Oneida County, New York, but again, we don't know that this is our Nathaniel.
So many questions, so few answers, at this point. I'd love to "meet" cousins who are working on this family, and maybe we can find some answers, together.
Our line of descent:
Nathaniel Finch-Hannah Scofield
Jesse Finch-unknown (widow was Hannah)
Hannah Finch-John Bell
Hannah Bell-Thomas Jefferson Knott
John Wilson Knott-Harriet Starr
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Vernon/Edith/Tessora/Corinne/Richard Allen
Their children, grand children, and great grandchildren
Friday, May 30, 2014
Allens and Holbrooks and Tudors, oh my!
Usually I write about people on "this side of the pond", so to speak. I know a lot of the family has trouble imagining people who lived 5 or 6 generations ago, so I try not to confuse the issue by talking about 15 or so generations ago. Except, once in a while, I have to break my self-imposed rules, because it's just too much fun.
I confess it: I am interested in ALL my ancestors, no matter where or when they lived. Some are more easily researched than others, and some are more worth writing about than others. I came across a fun little book on Amazon.com, called "Who's Who at the Tudor Court" by Victoria Evans, and I couldn't resist making up a short list of the people mentioned in the book, who are also our ancestors. These people are fascinating! Here's what I found, subject always to additional information:
Direct ancestors in the Holbrook line:
John Gage, my 15th great grandfather, held numerous posts in the court of Henry VIII, but as a Catholic, fell from favor when the King divorced or had his marriage annulled to Catherine of Aragon. He returned to court upon the accession of Mary I, and held her train at her coronation and at her wedding. He -was married to Philippa Guildford, who was probably at court as a lady in waiting from time to time, but I didn't find reference to that in this book.
Richard Rich, my 13th great grandfather, is known as a torturer and persecutor of Protestants, which is not exactly a high recommendation, but it does show that he had power. He was Lord Chancellor under King Edward VI, and held other various offices during his lifetime. His wife was Elizabeth Jenks, and again, she was probably part of the court, too.
William Sandys, my 12th great grandfather was the father of the Archbishop of York. He may actually be a collateral, and not a direct ancestor, so I'll work on that connection.
Edward Seymour, my 12th great grandfather, was Lord Protector of England during the minority of Edward VI. He was in and out of favor with the court, but generally landed on his feet.
Direct ancestors in the Allen line:
Stephen Gardiner, my 15th great grandfather, perhaps. The evidence on this is somewhat controversial. He was the Lord Chancellor during the reign of Queen Mary I, and was a Roman Catholic bishop who helped Henry VIII try to obtain an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon from the Pope.
William Parr, Mary Salisbury Parr (his wife) and their daughter, Maud Parr, were appointed to various offices during the reign of Catherine Parr, William's cousin and Henry VIII's last queen. Mary Parr Lane was a lady in waiting to Queen Catherine, so it is likely that her husband, Ralph Lane, was at court, too.
John Russell-my 13th great grandfather, served as Lord Admiral and Lord Privy Seal. He accompanied Henry VII and other Kings on various trips and really led quite a life.
We also have famous collateral relatives, including of course Queen Jane Seymour, Henry VIII's third wife and sister to Edward Seymour, and their father Thomas Seymour.
I think my most interesting discovery was finding that the Thomas Cromwell who is our relative was the same gentleman who was so prominent in helping Henry VIII marry Anne Boleyn, and who then lost his head to the executioner a few years later.
More of each person mentioned here (except for William Sandys, which is why I am suspicious) can be found in Wikipedia articles, and I encourage you to read them. Some even are shown in drawings by famous artists like Hans Holbein. Rather than summarize the articles further, this will at least let you know that our family had a part in history. Of course, the most famous Tudor, Henry VIII, is also likely our ancestor, through an illegitimate daughter.
If you enjoyed this recap, I'm glad. If you didn't, I'll get back to American folks on my next post, I promise!
I confess it: I am interested in ALL my ancestors, no matter where or when they lived. Some are more easily researched than others, and some are more worth writing about than others. I came across a fun little book on Amazon.com, called "Who's Who at the Tudor Court" by Victoria Evans, and I couldn't resist making up a short list of the people mentioned in the book, who are also our ancestors. These people are fascinating! Here's what I found, subject always to additional information:
Direct ancestors in the Holbrook line:
John Gage, my 15th great grandfather, held numerous posts in the court of Henry VIII, but as a Catholic, fell from favor when the King divorced or had his marriage annulled to Catherine of Aragon. He returned to court upon the accession of Mary I, and held her train at her coronation and at her wedding. He -was married to Philippa Guildford, who was probably at court as a lady in waiting from time to time, but I didn't find reference to that in this book.
Richard Rich, my 13th great grandfather, is known as a torturer and persecutor of Protestants, which is not exactly a high recommendation, but it does show that he had power. He was Lord Chancellor under King Edward VI, and held other various offices during his lifetime. His wife was Elizabeth Jenks, and again, she was probably part of the court, too.
William Sandys, my 12th great grandfather was the father of the Archbishop of York. He may actually be a collateral, and not a direct ancestor, so I'll work on that connection.
Edward Seymour, my 12th great grandfather, was Lord Protector of England during the minority of Edward VI. He was in and out of favor with the court, but generally landed on his feet.
Direct ancestors in the Allen line:
Stephen Gardiner, my 15th great grandfather, perhaps. The evidence on this is somewhat controversial. He was the Lord Chancellor during the reign of Queen Mary I, and was a Roman Catholic bishop who helped Henry VIII try to obtain an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon from the Pope.
William Parr, Mary Salisbury Parr (his wife) and their daughter, Maud Parr, were appointed to various offices during the reign of Catherine Parr, William's cousin and Henry VIII's last queen. Mary Parr Lane was a lady in waiting to Queen Catherine, so it is likely that her husband, Ralph Lane, was at court, too.
John Russell-my 13th great grandfather, served as Lord Admiral and Lord Privy Seal. He accompanied Henry VII and other Kings on various trips and really led quite a life.
We also have famous collateral relatives, including of course Queen Jane Seymour, Henry VIII's third wife and sister to Edward Seymour, and their father Thomas Seymour.
I think my most interesting discovery was finding that the Thomas Cromwell who is our relative was the same gentleman who was so prominent in helping Henry VIII marry Anne Boleyn, and who then lost his head to the executioner a few years later.
More of each person mentioned here (except for William Sandys, which is why I am suspicious) can be found in Wikipedia articles, and I encourage you to read them. Some even are shown in drawings by famous artists like Hans Holbein. Rather than summarize the articles further, this will at least let you know that our family had a part in history. Of course, the most famous Tudor, Henry VIII, is also likely our ancestor, through an illegitimate daughter.
If you enjoyed this recap, I'm glad. If you didn't, I'll get back to American folks on my next post, I promise!
Monday, May 26, 2014
Memorial Day: Our family is less, and more, because of these
Many people use the term "celebrate" in connection with Memorial Day. I prefer the term "commemorate". I'm not saying that we shouldn't enjoy the family barbecues, the Indy 500, and whatever your personal traditions include. But over the course of the three day weekend, I hope you will have the kind of moment I had yesterday.
I was watching the lead up to the Indy 500, which includes quite a bit of emphasis on the men and women who served and died for America. As part of the presentation, "Taps" was played. I had to leave the room, I was so stricken with sudden grief. I was grieving my uncle, Ray Holbrook, who was killed in World War II. I was grieving my great uncle, John Calvin Starr, who died of an illness in the Civil War. I was grieving my great uncle, Michael Hetrick, who died as a prisoner of war in the Civil War. I was grieving the changed lives of so many relatives, who came back from their wars forever changed, some in body and some in mind. And I was grieving for the men and the families I will never know, who are always and forever more directly impacted than I am.
I'm sure the families of the men who didn't come back from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflicts still think, now and then or every day, of what might have been. For instance, I know that Uncle Ray had hopes of marrying Dorothy (last name unknown) when he returned from the war. What would that family, or another, have been like? What kind of cousins would I have had? What would it have been like to have had a strong family leader to help with some of the problems that every family had?
I mourn the loss of Ray and of every soldier, but one way to honor them is to keep their memories alive. Researching their lives, telling their stories, and resolving that "they did not live in vain" is important to that purpose.
In a little while, I'll be going to our local cemetery and placing flags at the plots of my father, my husband's father, his two grandfathers, and his grand uncle, all veterans. By the end of the day, there will be many flags at this small cemetery. Each represents an early death, or a changed life, to help keep America free. I encourage you to visit a cemetery, and view the flags, and think of the story that flag at that grave site represents. It is because of those servicemen and women that we live in such a wonderful country.
I was watching the lead up to the Indy 500, which includes quite a bit of emphasis on the men and women who served and died for America. As part of the presentation, "Taps" was played. I had to leave the room, I was so stricken with sudden grief. I was grieving my uncle, Ray Holbrook, who was killed in World War II. I was grieving my great uncle, John Calvin Starr, who died of an illness in the Civil War. I was grieving my great uncle, Michael Hetrick, who died as a prisoner of war in the Civil War. I was grieving the changed lives of so many relatives, who came back from their wars forever changed, some in body and some in mind. And I was grieving for the men and the families I will never know, who are always and forever more directly impacted than I am.
I'm sure the families of the men who didn't come back from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflicts still think, now and then or every day, of what might have been. For instance, I know that Uncle Ray had hopes of marrying Dorothy (last name unknown) when he returned from the war. What would that family, or another, have been like? What kind of cousins would I have had? What would it have been like to have had a strong family leader to help with some of the problems that every family had?
I mourn the loss of Ray and of every soldier, but one way to honor them is to keep their memories alive. Researching their lives, telling their stories, and resolving that "they did not live in vain" is important to that purpose.
In a little while, I'll be going to our local cemetery and placing flags at the plots of my father, my husband's father, his two grandfathers, and his grand uncle, all veterans. By the end of the day, there will be many flags at this small cemetery. Each represents an early death, or a changed life, to help keep America free. I encourage you to visit a cemetery, and view the flags, and think of the story that flag at that grave site represents. It is because of those servicemen and women that we live in such a wonderful country.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)