This man should be in my husband's line, but as far as I know John is my ancestor only. But husband should at least have a deep and heartfelt liking for the man, because he was a turner by trade. His father was a turner, also, and John passed his tools on to his sons so they could continue the trade also. A turner was someone who worked on a wood lathe, making whatever was needed (his father made wheels and it's possible that's what John did, too). It's interesting to find a family where the family business was passed from father to son like this.
To start at the beginning, John was the son of Edward and Joanna Butler Larkin (mother's name is not certain; some say her name was Cutler or Cutter, This genealogy stuff is never easy). Edward and Joanna were immigrants but John was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts Bay Colony, sometime on or before March 10, 1640, which is his baptismal date. He was the oldest son, one of at least seven children of the couple, which is why he received the tools and training from his father.
John married Joanna Hale, daughter of Robert and Joanna Cutter Hale on November 9, 1664 in Charlestown, and the couple set up their home there. Actually, John apparently already had his own home in 1658, when he was listed on a tax list in Charlestown along with the notation 0-4-0. That may or may not mean that he was taxed 4 shillings, which was more than some and less than other residents of the town on this list.
John and Joanna had at least six children together, but their time together was regrettably short. John reportedly died of smallpox on February 17, 1678. Although I haven't been able to document his cause of death, there is good reason to believe this is accurate because it's known that a great epidemic hit Boston and surrounding areas in 1678. The wonder is that, as far as I know, no one else in the family died of the disease. Other families were not so "lucky", to lose just one family member.
In between his marriage and his death, not much is known about John. I did locate a book, "From Deference to Defiance" that lists John as a constable in 1673, but he seems not to have been otherwise involved in public service. Roger Thompson, the author of the book mentioned, would likely have mentioned him had he been in serious trouble with the courts, so he probably complied with the laws and likely attended church regularly. That, and his trade of turning is all that I could find about him.
That is, until I located his will on Ancestry. That's where I learned that his son Edward was to have a double portion of the estate, plus John's turning tools, if he became a turner. If not, son John was to have them, if he became a turner.
Joanna was left her widow's third, plus partial control of the estate until the children were old enough to receive their bequests. Edward, the oldest, was just 12 when his father died, and Sarah, the youngest, was just a year old. Joanna had her hand's full with six children, but remained single for 7 years, when she married William Dodge of Beverly, Massachusetts.
John left his family enough money to live on, so Joanna probably felt less pressure to remarry quickly than some other widows. John's estate was appraised with a value of over three hundred poounds, as nearly as I can tell. When it was re-appraised in 1691, so Edward could receive at least part of his inheritance, it was noted that there was a dwelling house, wharf and warehouse. There was also an old boat, which perhaps wasn't so old when John had it. The picture I have in my mind is that he was a turner, yes, but also a merchant of sorts. Whether he sold his own goods to other towns and villages, or whether he did some trading, I'm not sure as there is much of the inventory that I can't make out. However, this is not the inventory of someone just getting by. I was pleased to see that there was mention of books in the inventory, so he or someone in his family must have been literate.
It looks like the final settlement of the estate didn't occur until 1698, when some of the children petitioned to receive their share. Among the names on the document are David and Sarah Larkin Fay. Sarah, the youngest child, was now 21 and there was no legal reason why the estate could not be divided as John had planned. Joanna, John's widow, had died in 1694, between the time Edward claimed some of his inheritance and the time the estate was finally divided.
It's been fun to find this story. I love the father to son to son trade, and I love knowing that John was relatively successful. But most of all, with my hsuband really enjoying learning to "turn" on his new lathe, I love hearing it hum and thinking back to the way it would have been done when foot pedals were the means of turning. The sawdust probably smells the same!
The line of descent is:
John Larkin-Joanna Hale
Sarah Larkin-David Fay
Edward Fay-Sarah Joslin
David Fay-Mary Perrin
Euzebia or Luceba Fay-Libbeus Stanard
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Showing posts with label Hale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hale. Show all posts
Friday, July 26, 2019
Friday, April 6, 2018
Holbrook line: Robert Hale, Deacon, Ensign, and Immigrant
It's always a joy to find information about an ancestor, already written and even with the will transcribed. Much of the information on this post came from the geni website, which in turn used a lot of information from Robert Charles Anderson's Great Migration project. If you've been following this blog, you'll recognize that Robert Hale was an early immigrant to New England, specifically to Massachusetts.
However, we still don't know some of the most basic information about Robert, such as who his parents were and where he was from. We know that his wife was "Jone" but her maiden name and origins have also not been proven, although I've read in several places that her name was Jone or Joanne Cutter or Cutler.
Robert is said to have been born in 1606, possibly in Canterbury, Kent, England. However, the first thing we're able to say with certainty is that he arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 with the Winthrop Fleet. He was a carpenter, and carpentry was in high demand since those 1000 people who landed with the fleet needed shelters to get them through the first winter, and homes to live in as they put down roots.
Robert and Joan may have been married in England or more probably in Boston soon after Robert's arrival, although so far no one seems to have found records. Robert was admitted to the Boston church as member number 18, in the fall of 1630. Two years later, Robert and Joan were dismissed to church at Charlestown, where they were founding members of the Charlestown church. They were probably already living closer to Charlestown than to Boston. He became a deacon of the church, and was made a freeman on May 14, 1634. Apparently their first child arrived in 1636.
Robert soon acquired several parcels of land (13 parcels by 1638), as an early settler of the town, and was a selectman for at least the early years of the town. He also assisted in surveying and laying out lands in "the wilderness" and helped settle land disputes, so his talents were not limited to carpentry. Most if not all men in the town were required to join the "Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company", which I think was the same thing as the training band, and Robert joined in 1644. He was chosen as sergeant by 1652, and ensign by 1658, so he showed leadership abilities.
We don't know a lot about his educational level but he did have books in his inventory valued at two pounds. We could speculate whether these were practical books of use in the carpentry trade, or whether they were religious books, or whether there were some of each. We could also wonder how many of the couple's children were taught to read, or write.
Robert Hale, carpenter, deacon, and ensign died May 5, 1659. He may have had an illness or suffered an injury earlier because his will was dated June 26, 1647, and most wills in that time period were written when death seemed to be imminent. His inventory totaled 407 pounds, 18 shillings and 3 pence, of which about 241 pounds was real estate. Joan was given about a third of the estate and the children (four surviving) mostly got land and cash.
Joan married Richard Jacob on September 24, 1662, and there was apparently some sort of pre-nuptial agreement, because she was able to dispose of land to her children, grandchildren, and step children in her will which was dated July 30, 1679 and proved December 20, 1681. Her inventory was valued at 264 pounds, 4 shillings and 6 pence, so she was a good steward of what she was given, it would seem. (She was a widow at the time she wrote her will so she had probably inherited also from her second husband).
I have a mental picture of Robert as a good, hard working man, who was probably "good with money" and who also likely loved the Lord his God. He was respected in his community and was another ancestor we can respect, too.
The line of descent is:
Robert Hale-Joan
Joanna Hale-John Larkin
Sarah Larkin-David Fay
Edward Fay-Sarah Joslin
David Fay-Mary or Mercy Perrin
Luceba Fay-Libbeus Stanard
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Etta Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
However, we still don't know some of the most basic information about Robert, such as who his parents were and where he was from. We know that his wife was "Jone" but her maiden name and origins have also not been proven, although I've read in several places that her name was Jone or Joanne Cutter or Cutler.
Robert is said to have been born in 1606, possibly in Canterbury, Kent, England. However, the first thing we're able to say with certainty is that he arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 with the Winthrop Fleet. He was a carpenter, and carpentry was in high demand since those 1000 people who landed with the fleet needed shelters to get them through the first winter, and homes to live in as they put down roots.
Robert and Joan may have been married in England or more probably in Boston soon after Robert's arrival, although so far no one seems to have found records. Robert was admitted to the Boston church as member number 18, in the fall of 1630. Two years later, Robert and Joan were dismissed to church at Charlestown, where they were founding members of the Charlestown church. They were probably already living closer to Charlestown than to Boston. He became a deacon of the church, and was made a freeman on May 14, 1634. Apparently their first child arrived in 1636.
Robert soon acquired several parcels of land (13 parcels by 1638), as an early settler of the town, and was a selectman for at least the early years of the town. He also assisted in surveying and laying out lands in "the wilderness" and helped settle land disputes, so his talents were not limited to carpentry. Most if not all men in the town were required to join the "Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company", which I think was the same thing as the training band, and Robert joined in 1644. He was chosen as sergeant by 1652, and ensign by 1658, so he showed leadership abilities.
We don't know a lot about his educational level but he did have books in his inventory valued at two pounds. We could speculate whether these were practical books of use in the carpentry trade, or whether they were religious books, or whether there were some of each. We could also wonder how many of the couple's children were taught to read, or write.
Robert Hale, carpenter, deacon, and ensign died May 5, 1659. He may have had an illness or suffered an injury earlier because his will was dated June 26, 1647, and most wills in that time period were written when death seemed to be imminent. His inventory totaled 407 pounds, 18 shillings and 3 pence, of which about 241 pounds was real estate. Joan was given about a third of the estate and the children (four surviving) mostly got land and cash.
Joan married Richard Jacob on September 24, 1662, and there was apparently some sort of pre-nuptial agreement, because she was able to dispose of land to her children, grandchildren, and step children in her will which was dated July 30, 1679 and proved December 20, 1681. Her inventory was valued at 264 pounds, 4 shillings and 6 pence, so she was a good steward of what she was given, it would seem. (She was a widow at the time she wrote her will so she had probably inherited also from her second husband).
I have a mental picture of Robert as a good, hard working man, who was probably "good with money" and who also likely loved the Lord his God. He was respected in his community and was another ancestor we can respect, too.
The line of descent is:
Robert Hale-Joan
Joanna Hale-John Larkin
Sarah Larkin-David Fay
Edward Fay-Sarah Joslin
David Fay-Mary or Mercy Perrin
Luceba Fay-Libbeus Stanard
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Etta Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, January 23, 2015
Holbrook line: Edward Larkin, another immigrant abt 1610-1652
Edward Larkin has as many unanswered questions as do most of our other immigrant ancestors. It's not sure where he was born, although 1610 seems to be a reasonable guess, and Kent, England may have been his birthplace. Some trees are showing a birth date of June 2, 1615 in Berkhampsted, Sussex, England, but I am not locating the documentation for that. Neither is it known when he came to the New World. I've found an undocumented statement that he came with his mother in 1629, and another that he came in 1634. I am not sure that either of these statements are correct, because he is not featured in the Early Migrations or The Great Migration Begins, as far as I can tell.
We do know that he was in the New World by 1638, when he married Joanna Butler, or possibly Cutter. He and Joanna settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts, (which was across the river from Boston, and in those days, a few miles away) and joined the church there in 1639. Edward became a free man in 1640, signifying that he had joined the church and owned property. This of course gave him a right to vote in matters that might come up. We know he could read and write because he signed his will, and because there were books in his inventory.
By occupation, he was a turner and a wheelwright, and a husbandman. As a turner, he would have formed the spindles used in the wheels he made. This was likely a valued occupation in early New England, so repairs and replacements could be made quickly instead of having to wait for goods from England. As a husbandman, he probably grew enough food or animals to help feed his family, but perhaps no more than that. He was also a member of the local artillery, as was every able-bodied man. Edward and Joanna had at least six children-John, Elizabeth, Hannah, Thomas, Edward, and Sarah, and probably Increase who was born in 1652. Edward had described his wife as "bigg with childe" in his will.
If he was born in either 1610 or 1615, or at some point in between, he was not an old man when he died, and perhaps was not even 40. His children were still young and he left his wife control of everything until his oldest son was 21. The Larkin's daughter, Hannah, had been adopted by Edward's sister, Joanna and her husband, John Penticost, who were childless. Hannah was not given money in her father's will, except for 10 shillings with which she was to buy books, at the age of 18. This shows that books were valued in the Larkin household, since her father wanted her to have them above all else, to remember him.
Edward wrote his will on July 15, 1651 and it was proved February 6, 1652, probably shortly after his death. Joanna would have needed to have control of the assets, since she had hungry mouths to feed and the new baby to care for. The estate was valued at just over 123 pounds. Joanna is believed to have married a second time, but there are too many Joanna's in this family to keep straight, and none of the marriage dates, and births of subsequent children that I am finding make chronological sense. Although her death date is given as 1686, this appears to be the death date of another Joanna Larkin who married a Dodge. I'd sure be glad if someone could straight this out for me!
The line of descent is:
Edward Larkin-Joanna possibly Butler
John Larkin-Joanna Hale
Sarah Larkin-David Fay
Edward Fay-Sarah Joslin
David Fay-Mercy Perrin
Euzebia (Luceba) Fay-Libbeus Stanard Jr.
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendents
Fun fact: I don't know where this came from, but there is a story "out there on the web" that is pretty ludicrous. It purports that Edward Larkin did not die, but simply disappeared and showed up in Providence, Rhode Island, where he married a woman named Lydia and had a second family. Obviously, there were two Edward Larkins and some one down through the ages has confused the two. Our New England Puritans were quite conscientious and it is not possible that the witnesses of the will, who would have had to swear in court, would have covered up such an event.
We do know that he was in the New World by 1638, when he married Joanna Butler, or possibly Cutter. He and Joanna settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts, (which was across the river from Boston, and in those days, a few miles away) and joined the church there in 1639. Edward became a free man in 1640, signifying that he had joined the church and owned property. This of course gave him a right to vote in matters that might come up. We know he could read and write because he signed his will, and because there were books in his inventory.
By occupation, he was a turner and a wheelwright, and a husbandman. As a turner, he would have formed the spindles used in the wheels he made. This was likely a valued occupation in early New England, so repairs and replacements could be made quickly instead of having to wait for goods from England. As a husbandman, he probably grew enough food or animals to help feed his family, but perhaps no more than that. He was also a member of the local artillery, as was every able-bodied man. Edward and Joanna had at least six children-John, Elizabeth, Hannah, Thomas, Edward, and Sarah, and probably Increase who was born in 1652. Edward had described his wife as "bigg with childe" in his will.
If he was born in either 1610 or 1615, or at some point in between, he was not an old man when he died, and perhaps was not even 40. His children were still young and he left his wife control of everything until his oldest son was 21. The Larkin's daughter, Hannah, had been adopted by Edward's sister, Joanna and her husband, John Penticost, who were childless. Hannah was not given money in her father's will, except for 10 shillings with which she was to buy books, at the age of 18. This shows that books were valued in the Larkin household, since her father wanted her to have them above all else, to remember him.
Edward wrote his will on July 15, 1651 and it was proved February 6, 1652, probably shortly after his death. Joanna would have needed to have control of the assets, since she had hungry mouths to feed and the new baby to care for. The estate was valued at just over 123 pounds. Joanna is believed to have married a second time, but there are too many Joanna's in this family to keep straight, and none of the marriage dates, and births of subsequent children that I am finding make chronological sense. Although her death date is given as 1686, this appears to be the death date of another Joanna Larkin who married a Dodge. I'd sure be glad if someone could straight this out for me!
The line of descent is:
Edward Larkin-Joanna possibly Butler
John Larkin-Joanna Hale
Sarah Larkin-David Fay
Edward Fay-Sarah Joslin
David Fay-Mercy Perrin
Euzebia (Luceba) Fay-Libbeus Stanard Jr.
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendents
Fun fact: I don't know where this came from, but there is a story "out there on the web" that is pretty ludicrous. It purports that Edward Larkin did not die, but simply disappeared and showed up in Providence, Rhode Island, where he married a woman named Lydia and had a second family. Obviously, there were two Edward Larkins and some one down through the ages has confused the two. Our New England Puritans were quite conscientious and it is not possible that the witnesses of the will, who would have had to swear in court, would have covered up such an event.
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