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 Jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jones. Show all posts
Friday, May 15, 2020
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Beeks line: David Jones 1653-1707, Immigrant
It's possible that I should be writing about Samuel Jones, who may or may not be David's father, and who may or may not have emigrated from Wales to Pennsylvania. However, I can find a bit of documentation for David and I find nothing for Samuel, so at this point we'll write what we can about David.
David was born in 1653 in either Pembrokeshire or Carmarthenshire, Wales. We know nothing at all of his early life until he shows up in 1682 in Langamin, Carmarthen(shire) Wales, marrying Susanna Howell at the Monthly Meeting of Pembroke. This gives us our first clue-he was a Quaker, and so that may explain some of why he can't be found earlier. Quakers left few footprints, unless they were jailed for their faith. So far, records haven't been found that would indicate this. So he probably lived a very quiet life, and either paid his taxes when due, as some Quakers did, or possibly owed no taxes. He married Susanna Howell, whose parents are believed to be Morgan Howell and Elizabeth Adams, on April 6, 1682. There are 22 names signed as witnesses on the marriage record, including Saara Jones, who may be a relative, and three people with the last name of Howell.
Soon after their marriage, David and Susanna came to America, arriving in Pennsylvania in 1682, so probably part of the William Penn group. Here they found frontier territory to settle, and it appears that they settled in what became Chester County, in what was later termed the "Welsh Tracts". He and Susanna had at least three children-Susanna, Elizabeth, and Alice. That is all we know of him until his death 04 Eleventh, 1707 (Quaker usage), or January 4, 1707, as we would know it. This is noted in the Chester Monthly meeting, and his religion is indicated as "Orthodox" which doesn't seem to have much meaning as applied to this time period in history.
It appears that his wife Susanna died within just a couple of months of David's death. Was there an epidemic, or were these two fifty somethings just worn out? I've seen no hints that there were problems with the native Americans, as the early Quakers did all in their power to treat them peacefully.
Of course there is so much more we'd like to know. David undoubtedly did some farming, but was this his principal occupation? Was he a fur trader, or a merchant of some kind? With no known sons, it would have been hard to expand his landholdings, if he even owned land. Did his daughters work for others in order to help support the family, or was David doing well enough by the time they were born that they didn't need to do that? I'd like to know what land he held, if any, and of course I'd love to know about his life in Wales, and his family further back.
The line of descent is:
David Jones-Susanna Howell
Elizabeth Jones-Isaac Malin
Isaac Malin-Lydia Booth
Sarah Malin-David Ruble
Hannah Ruble-Samuel Dunham
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
David was born in 1653 in either Pembrokeshire or Carmarthenshire, Wales. We know nothing at all of his early life until he shows up in 1682 in Langamin, Carmarthen(shire) Wales, marrying Susanna Howell at the Monthly Meeting of Pembroke. This gives us our first clue-he was a Quaker, and so that may explain some of why he can't be found earlier. Quakers left few footprints, unless they were jailed for their faith. So far, records haven't been found that would indicate this. So he probably lived a very quiet life, and either paid his taxes when due, as some Quakers did, or possibly owed no taxes. He married Susanna Howell, whose parents are believed to be Morgan Howell and Elizabeth Adams, on April 6, 1682. There are 22 names signed as witnesses on the marriage record, including Saara Jones, who may be a relative, and three people with the last name of Howell.
Soon after their marriage, David and Susanna came to America, arriving in Pennsylvania in 1682, so probably part of the William Penn group. Here they found frontier territory to settle, and it appears that they settled in what became Chester County, in what was later termed the "Welsh Tracts". He and Susanna had at least three children-Susanna, Elizabeth, and Alice. That is all we know of him until his death 04 Eleventh, 1707 (Quaker usage), or January 4, 1707, as we would know it. This is noted in the Chester Monthly meeting, and his religion is indicated as "Orthodox" which doesn't seem to have much meaning as applied to this time period in history.
It appears that his wife Susanna died within just a couple of months of David's death. Was there an epidemic, or were these two fifty somethings just worn out? I've seen no hints that there were problems with the native Americans, as the early Quakers did all in their power to treat them peacefully.
Of course there is so much more we'd like to know. David undoubtedly did some farming, but was this his principal occupation? Was he a fur trader, or a merchant of some kind? With no known sons, it would have been hard to expand his landholdings, if he even owned land. Did his daughters work for others in order to help support the family, or was David doing well enough by the time they were born that they didn't need to do that? I'd like to know what land he held, if any, and of course I'd love to know about his life in Wales, and his family further back.
The line of descent is:
David Jones-Susanna Howell
Elizabeth Jones-Isaac Malin
Isaac Malin-Lydia Booth
Sarah Malin-David Ruble
Hannah Ruble-Samuel Dunham
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Beeks line: The missing John Walter born 1619, immigrant
Maybe the reason I know nothing about this man is that no one has ever looked for him, or at least, not successfully. I just spent some time looking on my usual databases and very little is showing for him, and that is undocumented. However, we know the man existed and is in the Beeks family line, so let's get written down what is known about him. He is an ancestor and deserves to be honored as such, even though his life is well hidden at present.
John is believed to have been born about 1619, somewhere in Kent, England, and his father is noted as "Thos." We don't know when he came to America, but it was apparently without his father. We do know that he married Patience Wooten, possibly the daughter of Thomas Wooten or Wotton). This couple is often said to be the parents of Joseph Walter, but he was born in 1629 so if the birthdates for John and Patience are correct, he was not their biological child. Their only known child is Safronia or Safronie, born in 1643 somewhere in Connecticut, presumably. I show that the couple married in 1640, so Safronia may not have been their first, nor their only, child.
I haven't been able to find a single reference to either person in any on line document, although admittedly I've only looked for an hour or so. The only additional information I have is that both persons are believed to have died about 1710, and John, at least, is believed to be buried in Walnut Grove Cemetery in Marlborough, Connecticut. However, I find this questionable because Marlborough wasn't formed until 1803, and the only Walnut Grove cemetery I can locate is in Meriden, Ct and wasn't founded until about 1840. So perhaps this couple was never in Connecticut at all. Their daughter, Safronia, married to Jeffrey Jones, died in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Perhaps the Walters were also there.
This is as much as I know about John, and it's certainly frustrating. I would like to give him parents, a home, a career, and a little bit of a life. Please, if someone knows more about John, please email me: happygenealogydancingATgmailDOTcom. Thanks!
The line of descent is
John Walter-Patience Wooten
Safronia Walter-Jeffrey Jones
Mary Jones-Samuel Fitzrandolph
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight (President Obama's ancestors)
Samuel Goodnight Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
John is believed to have been born about 1619, somewhere in Kent, England, and his father is noted as "Thos." We don't know when he came to America, but it was apparently without his father. We do know that he married Patience Wooten, possibly the daughter of Thomas Wooten or Wotton). This couple is often said to be the parents of Joseph Walter, but he was born in 1629 so if the birthdates for John and Patience are correct, he was not their biological child. Their only known child is Safronia or Safronie, born in 1643 somewhere in Connecticut, presumably. I show that the couple married in 1640, so Safronia may not have been their first, nor their only, child.
I haven't been able to find a single reference to either person in any on line document, although admittedly I've only looked for an hour or so. The only additional information I have is that both persons are believed to have died about 1710, and John, at least, is believed to be buried in Walnut Grove Cemetery in Marlborough, Connecticut. However, I find this questionable because Marlborough wasn't formed until 1803, and the only Walnut Grove cemetery I can locate is in Meriden, Ct and wasn't founded until about 1840. So perhaps this couple was never in Connecticut at all. Their daughter, Safronia, married to Jeffrey Jones, died in Woodbridge, New Jersey. Perhaps the Walters were also there.
This is as much as I know about John, and it's certainly frustrating. I would like to give him parents, a home, a career, and a little bit of a life. Please, if someone knows more about John, please email me: happygenealogydancingATgmailDOTcom. Thanks!
The line of descent is
John Walter-Patience Wooten
Safronia Walter-Jeffrey Jones
Mary Jones-Samuel Fitzrandolph
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight (President Obama's ancestors)
Samuel Goodnight Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
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, April 5, 2016
Beeks line: Isaac Malin 1681-1750
A few months ago, I wrote about Randall Malin, Isaac's father. Since Isaac was born about a year before his family came to America, technically Isaac was also an immigrant, although not "The" immigrant. It seems that little is known of his life, but here's what I've been able to find out.
Isaac was the son of Randall and Elizabeth Malin and was born in 1681 in Chester, or possibly Cheshire, England. He had at least two siblings, Jacob and Malin. This was a Quaker family who responded to William Penn's invitation to come to Pennsylvania, and Randall was one of the first 400 to buy land here. A year later, the family came to the New World, with Isaac just a "babe in arms."
There is an alternative record of birth, in the Quaker records on Ancestry.com, that show very early births in Pennsylvania, dating from 1681. Isaac's name is recorded there, so it is possible that he was actually born shortly after the family's arrival here. It's unclear whether the records are intended to show just births that happened in Pennsylvania, or whether this was a summary of children of each of the early Quakers. So he was born either in England or in Pennsylvania, I guess.
Isaac grew up on his father's farm on Ridley Creek in Upper Providence Township, in what is now Delaware County, near the town, now borough, of Media. It is described as being 15 miles west of Philadelphia, but those are probably current day boundaries, so it would have been further to Philadelphia "back in the day."
On January 1, 1702/03 married Elizabeth Jones, daughter of David and Susanna Howell Jones. Shortly after this, Randall signed a deed of gift of 150 acres to his son Isaac, part of the family farm. When Randall died, he left Isaac his woolen weaving clothes (cloths?) so it is possible that Randall and then Isaac had been weavers, at least during the winter months. Isaac and Elizabeth had 7 children together, but sadly, Elizabeth died in 1717, not long after the birth of the seventh child, Randall. (An earlier son, Randall, had lived only about 23 months).
Isaac must have mourned deeply, as it appears that he waited almost 10 years to remarry. His second wife was Jane Roberts Pugh, a widow with children of her own. Isaac and Jane had about 15 years together, but no children were born to them. Isaac died August 10, 1743 at Malin Hill, Chester, Pennsylvania, still a Quaker and part of Goshen Monthly Meeting. Since the death location appears to be different from the location in Delaware County, it would be interesting to know whether Isaac had purchased new land there, or whether he was living with a child at this time of his death.
There is more to this story, but for now it is not available. Still, we remember Isaac as a man of faith, who worked hard to support his family. He must have wondered at the stories he heard as a small child, about life in England, and then compared them to life on the frontier in Pennsylvania. And he must have been amazed at the changes in Philadelphia, from a small village to a town growing into a city, at the time of his death.
The line of descent is:
Isaac Malin-Elizabeth Jones
Isaac Malin-Lydia Booth
Sarah Malin-David Ruble
Hannah Ruble-Samuel Dunham
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel Dunham-Eliza Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Isaac was the son of Randall and Elizabeth Malin and was born in 1681 in Chester, or possibly Cheshire, England. He had at least two siblings, Jacob and Malin. This was a Quaker family who responded to William Penn's invitation to come to Pennsylvania, and Randall was one of the first 400 to buy land here. A year later, the family came to the New World, with Isaac just a "babe in arms."
There is an alternative record of birth, in the Quaker records on Ancestry.com, that show very early births in Pennsylvania, dating from 1681. Isaac's name is recorded there, so it is possible that he was actually born shortly after the family's arrival here. It's unclear whether the records are intended to show just births that happened in Pennsylvania, or whether this was a summary of children of each of the early Quakers. So he was born either in England or in Pennsylvania, I guess.
Isaac grew up on his father's farm on Ridley Creek in Upper Providence Township, in what is now Delaware County, near the town, now borough, of Media. It is described as being 15 miles west of Philadelphia, but those are probably current day boundaries, so it would have been further to Philadelphia "back in the day."
On January 1, 1702/03 married Elizabeth Jones, daughter of David and Susanna Howell Jones. Shortly after this, Randall signed a deed of gift of 150 acres to his son Isaac, part of the family farm. When Randall died, he left Isaac his woolen weaving clothes (cloths?) so it is possible that Randall and then Isaac had been weavers, at least during the winter months. Isaac and Elizabeth had 7 children together, but sadly, Elizabeth died in 1717, not long after the birth of the seventh child, Randall. (An earlier son, Randall, had lived only about 23 months).
Isaac must have mourned deeply, as it appears that he waited almost 10 years to remarry. His second wife was Jane Roberts Pugh, a widow with children of her own. Isaac and Jane had about 15 years together, but no children were born to them. Isaac died August 10, 1743 at Malin Hill, Chester, Pennsylvania, still a Quaker and part of Goshen Monthly Meeting. Since the death location appears to be different from the location in Delaware County, it would be interesting to know whether Isaac had purchased new land there, or whether he was living with a child at this time of his death.
There is more to this story, but for now it is not available. Still, we remember Isaac as a man of faith, who worked hard to support his family. He must have wondered at the stories he heard as a small child, about life in England, and then compared them to life on the frontier in Pennsylvania. And he must have been amazed at the changes in Philadelphia, from a small village to a town growing into a city, at the time of his death.
The line of descent is:
Isaac Malin-Elizabeth Jones
Isaac Malin-Lydia Booth
Sarah Malin-David Ruble
Hannah Ruble-Samuel Dunham
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel Dunham-Eliza Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Friday, December 11, 2015
Harshbarger line: Nicholas Cocke 1592-1670
Quite a bit of research has been done on the Cocke family of Virginia, and some of it is likely not correct. However, we know the Cocke's were there, early, so we have at least the general outlines of the family, even if we're not clear on when the first immigration took place.
Nicholas Cocke was born about 1592, likely in Cornwall or Lancashire, England. Either the records haven't survived or they haven't been located, but this is where the Cocke family lived, and the coat of arms on Nicholas's grave was identical to the Cocke family's coat of arms. It would be great if someone could trace this back further, and learn why the coat of arms was used, but as far as I know it hasn't happened.
He married Elizabeth Lower of Lesaunt, Cornwall, England on November 11, 1619 so this would be a good clue as to where to start looking for baptismal records. As far as I know now, the couple had only one child, Nicholas Jr., although they had a marriage of over 50 years. I would think it likely that there were more children.
It is hard to tell which Nicholas Cocke is being discussed in the Virginia land records, but the older Nicholas seems to have stayed in Middlesex County while his son was in Lancaster County, Va. (Middlesex was actually formed from Lancaster County, so it is possible that the two men actually lived very close to each other.)
Nicholas died in 1670 and his wife died in 1687, at home in Middlesex County. I haven't located probate records yet, nor do I know the cause of death for either person. Elizabeth would have been quite old at her death, perhaps as much as 95 years old but surely at least 85. Nicholas lived what was actually quite a good life, too, 78 years. He had been in Virginia for at least 12 years, and that was pretty good for living among all the dangers-natural, human, and disease-that seemed to stalk the colony.
I'd love to know more about Nicholas Senior. His son had slaves; did this Nicholas also engage in slavery? What was his home like? Was he wholeheartedly in favor of the Anglican/Church of England church? And if Nicholas was truly his only child, how did he feel about that situation? I would be thrilled to hear from anyone who knows anything more about the Cockes, or the Jones family, or anyone else in this list of descendants. I don't have good documentation on some of them and I'd love to learn more about these families.
The line of descent is believed to be:
Nicholas Cocke-Elizabeth Lower
Nicholas Cocke-Jane widow Curtis
Jane Cocke-Rice Jones
Anna Keen Jones-John Wyatt
Thomas Wyatt-Susannah "Sukey" Edmondson
John Wyatt-Alice Gordon
Jean Wyatt-William Farmer
Margaret Farmer-Solomon Eliot Bennett
Mary Bennett-John Harter
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Nicholas Cocke was born about 1592, likely in Cornwall or Lancashire, England. Either the records haven't survived or they haven't been located, but this is where the Cocke family lived, and the coat of arms on Nicholas's grave was identical to the Cocke family's coat of arms. It would be great if someone could trace this back further, and learn why the coat of arms was used, but as far as I know it hasn't happened.
He married Elizabeth Lower of Lesaunt, Cornwall, England on November 11, 1619 so this would be a good clue as to where to start looking for baptismal records. As far as I know now, the couple had only one child, Nicholas Jr., although they had a marriage of over 50 years. I would think it likely that there were more children.
It is hard to tell which Nicholas Cocke is being discussed in the Virginia land records, but the older Nicholas seems to have stayed in Middlesex County while his son was in Lancaster County, Va. (Middlesex was actually formed from Lancaster County, so it is possible that the two men actually lived very close to each other.)
Nicholas died in 1670 and his wife died in 1687, at home in Middlesex County. I haven't located probate records yet, nor do I know the cause of death for either person. Elizabeth would have been quite old at her death, perhaps as much as 95 years old but surely at least 85. Nicholas lived what was actually quite a good life, too, 78 years. He had been in Virginia for at least 12 years, and that was pretty good for living among all the dangers-natural, human, and disease-that seemed to stalk the colony.
I'd love to know more about Nicholas Senior. His son had slaves; did this Nicholas also engage in slavery? What was his home like? Was he wholeheartedly in favor of the Anglican/Church of England church? And if Nicholas was truly his only child, how did he feel about that situation? I would be thrilled to hear from anyone who knows anything more about the Cockes, or the Jones family, or anyone else in this list of descendants. I don't have good documentation on some of them and I'd love to learn more about these families.
The line of descent is believed to be:
Nicholas Cocke-Elizabeth Lower
Nicholas Cocke-Jane widow Curtis
Jane Cocke-Rice Jones
Anna Keen Jones-John Wyatt
Thomas Wyatt-Susannah "Sukey" Edmondson
John Wyatt-Alice Gordon
Jean Wyatt-William Farmer
Margaret Farmer-Solomon Eliot Bennett
Mary Bennett-John Harter
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Friday, June 19, 2015
Beeks line: Jeffrey Jones about 1630-December 21,1717
Every genealogist and family historian groans when they find a name like "Smith" or "Jones" in the family tree. It almost automatically means long years of research trying to trace the family, and when a "Jones" is found early in the New World with no real indication of his roots, it is going to have to wait for someone with a lot of time, money, and luck to actually trace back another generation. Since this is an ancestor in the line of President Barack Obama, and really excellent genealogists were not able to go back any further, for the time being Jeffrey Jones is an "end of the line" ancestor .
So, we don't know who Jeffrey Jones's parents were. We don't know where he was born, or the circumstances of his family, or their religion. We know of nothing, really, until he shows up We know of two wives but he is thought to possibly have had as many as four. It is believed but not proven that he lived in Massachusetts before going to Long Island. Beginning in 1658, there are land records for "Geoffrey Jones" so it seems he would have been at least 21 at this time. That is the only real guess we have as to his age.
He was one of the original land patentees in Southold, Long Island, but there are no clear records as to his residence prior to that time. However, we do know that his father in law (one of them), Captain Charles Glover, owned a ship building business and that he was noted in a land record in 1664 as being a ship's carpenter. He sold land likely inherited from his father in law in 1664 and in 1665 was in Elizabethtown, New Jersey. Southold is toward the northern end of Long Island and Elizabethtown is directly west of the southern edge of Long Island, but from what I have read this journey may not have been as simple as it sounds. There were all sorts of currents and sea hazards to deal with on this trip.
Jeffrey (also written as Geoffrey) would live out the rest of his days in Elizabethtown. He took the oath of allegiance there in 1665 and in 1668 was listed as one on the eighty patentees of the town. He was at that time, 1668, approved for a license in a whale fishing business, along with John Ogden Sr., Caleb Carwithy, Jacob Moleyn and William Johnson. The boats were to operate out of Sandy Hook. He also seems to have had an association with Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ but it's not clear whether he lived there or possibly just owned property there. He was a landowner with considerable property at one time
We know that he had a son named Edward and daughters Abigail and Mary, who were each mentioned in his will and there were likely other children who died before their father. The will was dated December 21, 1717 and was proved December 31, 1717. Jeffrey was at least 80 years old when he died, and if the 1630 birth date is correct he may have been as much as 87 years old.
There is so much I would like to know about Jeffrey Jones. Beyond the obvious questions I've noted above, I'd love to know more about his involvement in the ship building and whaling industries. Did he ever actually go to sea on a whaling expedition? Where did the whalers go during the late 17th century? What kind of whales were they "fishing"? And if he was strictly a land-lubber, what kind of tools did he use in his job? What size of ship did he build?
I need to give a huge amount of credit for this blog post to a site I found on-line, In Old New York, at familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/l/a/c/Dr-ellsworth-J-La-coste/Book. This researcher has done a phenomenal amount of family research and there is much more information about Jeffrey Jones than I have included here. Most of the other information I found on line simply included some of the information found at the website I mentioned.
The line of descent is:
Jeffrey Jones-possibly Safronia Walter
Mary Jones-Samuel Fitzrandolph
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendents
So, we don't know who Jeffrey Jones's parents were. We don't know where he was born, or the circumstances of his family, or their religion. We know of nothing, really, until he shows up We know of two wives but he is thought to possibly have had as many as four. It is believed but not proven that he lived in Massachusetts before going to Long Island. Beginning in 1658, there are land records for "Geoffrey Jones" so it seems he would have been at least 21 at this time. That is the only real guess we have as to his age.
He was one of the original land patentees in Southold, Long Island, but there are no clear records as to his residence prior to that time. However, we do know that his father in law (one of them), Captain Charles Glover, owned a ship building business and that he was noted in a land record in 1664 as being a ship's carpenter. He sold land likely inherited from his father in law in 1664 and in 1665 was in Elizabethtown, New Jersey. Southold is toward the northern end of Long Island and Elizabethtown is directly west of the southern edge of Long Island, but from what I have read this journey may not have been as simple as it sounds. There were all sorts of currents and sea hazards to deal with on this trip.
Jeffrey (also written as Geoffrey) would live out the rest of his days in Elizabethtown. He took the oath of allegiance there in 1665 and in 1668 was listed as one on the eighty patentees of the town. He was at that time, 1668, approved for a license in a whale fishing business, along with John Ogden Sr., Caleb Carwithy, Jacob Moleyn and William Johnson. The boats were to operate out of Sandy Hook. He also seems to have had an association with Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ but it's not clear whether he lived there or possibly just owned property there. He was a landowner with considerable property at one time
We know that he had a son named Edward and daughters Abigail and Mary, who were each mentioned in his will and there were likely other children who died before their father. The will was dated December 21, 1717 and was proved December 31, 1717. Jeffrey was at least 80 years old when he died, and if the 1630 birth date is correct he may have been as much as 87 years old.
There is so much I would like to know about Jeffrey Jones. Beyond the obvious questions I've noted above, I'd love to know more about his involvement in the ship building and whaling industries. Did he ever actually go to sea on a whaling expedition? Where did the whalers go during the late 17th century? What kind of whales were they "fishing"? And if he was strictly a land-lubber, what kind of tools did he use in his job? What size of ship did he build?
I need to give a huge amount of credit for this blog post to a site I found on-line, In Old New York, at familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/l/a/c/Dr-ellsworth-J-La-coste/Book. This researcher has done a phenomenal amount of family research and there is much more information about Jeffrey Jones than I have included here. Most of the other information I found on line simply included some of the information found at the website I mentioned.
The line of descent is:
Jeffrey Jones-possibly Safronia Walter
Mary Jones-Samuel Fitzrandolph
Prudence Fitzrandolph-Shubael Smith
Mary Smith-Jonathan Dunham
Samuel Dunham-Hannah Ruble
Jacob Dunham-Catherine Goodnight
Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Reese
Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge
Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendents
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)