I've hesitated for quite some time to write about Christopher Nation. The reason is not that I am not proud of him. The reason is that I am not sure of his wife's maiden name. So I'll get this out here early, in case someone wants to read only the first paragraph of this blog. Some sites say his wife was Elizabeth Sharpe, and some say his wife was Elizabeth Swaim. Some say he was married to both, but none give a date for a second marriage. At this point I lean toward our connection being the Swaim one, but I am more than willing to look at documentation for either marriage, or for both. I just want to know the truth.
But back to what we do know: Christopher Nation was born in 1717 in Upper Freehold, Monmouth County, New Jersey to John and Bethiah Robbins Nation. He was one of at least seven children born to the couple. They apparently traveled down through Virginia, with possibly a stop of several years there, before moving on to what was then Guilford County, North Carolina, where John and Bethiah both died.
Somewhere along the line, Christopher married Elizabeth, whatever her name was. Christopher was the father of at least nine children, including our ancestor, Joseph. Although we typically focus more on colonial history from the middle Atlantic and New England states, life was lively in North Carolina, too. During the French and Indian War, North Carolina had to protect the frontier against native American attacks. Christopher was a lieutenant in the militia and by 1766 was a captain. He is mentioned as being a part of the "Regulator" movement in the early 1770's, but this was more likely to have been his son, Christopher, born about 1744. At any rate, our Christopher suffered no ill effects from his son's rebellion.
He seems to have stayed out of the Revolutionary War, although by now he would have been in his middle fifties. He's not listed as a patriot on the DAR website, nor is he listed as a Tory in the list of men from Guilford County who were subject to having their estates confiscated for being a Tory (supporting the British against the Americans who were fighting for independence). Randolph County was formed from Guilford County in 1779, and his name is on the first tax list for that county, in 1779.
He was a planter and possibly a delegate to the state assembly, although this could have been the son Christopher, in 1789. At any rate, we can see that he raised his family well, to have American values. Although he was not a Quaker (note his military record), he seems to have associated with Quaker families, perhaps tracing back to his time in Frederick County, Virginia or even further back to his time in New Jersey. I haven't yet found church records for him, nor have I found a burial location.
Christopher died November 11, 1799 in Randolph County, NC. In his will, he leaves almost everything to his oldest son, Abraham, leaving one shilling each to his other surviving children. Perhaps Abraham had been promised the home place and Christopher helped the other children get established or purchase land as the need arose. I haven't found an inventory yet, so I don't know whether Christopher had slaves or not. He seems to have been a farmer with mostly smaller tracts of land, 120 acres at the end of his life, so perhaps he didn't "need" slaves. He may have hired labor to help put the last crops in and harvest them, or perhaps his sons and sons in law were able to help.
So the questions are: Who was his wife when our ancestor was born? What religion, if any, did he practice? Did he contribute in any way to either side in the Revolutionary War? What were his experiences during the French and Indian War? Did his family have to worry about attacks from the Native Americans? I need to read more about North Carolina during this time period, as we have several families who were in this area during the 1700s. It's another part of our family history to explore.
Our line of descent is:
Christopher Nation-Elizabeth possibly Swaim
Joseph Nation-Jerretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-John Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Showing posts with label Nation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nation. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Friday, October 18, 2019
Holbrook line: Joseph Robbins 1668-1709
Sometimes I forget that we had some ancestors who lived in New Jersey for a generation or two. This is one of those ancestors, He was actually born in Woodbridge, Middlesex County and died in Freehold, Monmouth County, so he spent his whole, although relatively brief, life there.
Joseph Robbins was the son of Daniel and Hope Potter Robins. (The second "b" was a fixture in Joseph's name but not in Daniel's.) Daniel was from somewhere in Scotland, apparently. He may have come to the colonies as a Covenanter, or he came have come as an indentured servant, for the same reasons ohters came to the Colonies.
Joseph was one of at least 11 children of Daniel and Hope Potter Robins. The first we find of him is his marriage to Anna Pack on June 8, 1692 in Woodbridge. Anna is the daughter of George and Anna possibly Cranmer Pack. Joseph and Anna had at least 9 children, before Joseph's premature death ion May 10, 1709.
We don't know any more about Joesph than that, except that he sold l100 acres of land in Woodbridge to his son Joseph when he moved to Monmouth, That is a clue that he was a farmer of some sort, and in his will he calls himself "yeoman".
Several of Joseph's children were minors when he died. He left everything to his widow during her life, then gave each son (except Richard, who was born after Joseph's death) land that was to be his after the widow's death. Each son was to provide for one or two of his sisters, ten pounds each two years after taking possession of the land. Each son was also to give 25 pounds to the unborn baby if it was a boy, and nothing if a girl.
I haven't yet located land records for Joseph but records surely must exist. There may be an inventory somewhere, also, but I've not yet located it. I've also not yet located a deaath record for Anna, nor guardianship records regarding her children. There is much work yet to do!
The line of descent is:
Joseph Robbins-Anna Pack
Bethia Robbins-John Nation
Christopher Nation-Elizabeth Swaim
Joseph Nation-Jerretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-John Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Joseph Robbins was the son of Daniel and Hope Potter Robins. (The second "b" was a fixture in Joseph's name but not in Daniel's.) Daniel was from somewhere in Scotland, apparently. He may have come to the colonies as a Covenanter, or he came have come as an indentured servant, for the same reasons ohters came to the Colonies.
Joseph was one of at least 11 children of Daniel and Hope Potter Robins. The first we find of him is his marriage to Anna Pack on June 8, 1692 in Woodbridge. Anna is the daughter of George and Anna possibly Cranmer Pack. Joseph and Anna had at least 9 children, before Joseph's premature death ion May 10, 1709.
We don't know any more about Joesph than that, except that he sold l100 acres of land in Woodbridge to his son Joseph when he moved to Monmouth, That is a clue that he was a farmer of some sort, and in his will he calls himself "yeoman".
Several of Joseph's children were minors when he died. He left everything to his widow during her life, then gave each son (except Richard, who was born after Joseph's death) land that was to be his after the widow's death. Each son was to provide for one or two of his sisters, ten pounds each two years after taking possession of the land. Each son was also to give 25 pounds to the unborn baby if it was a boy, and nothing if a girl.
I haven't yet located land records for Joseph but records surely must exist. There may be an inventory somewhere, also, but I've not yet located it. I've also not yet located a deaath record for Anna, nor guardianship records regarding her children. There is much work yet to do!
The line of descent is:
Joseph Robbins-Anna Pack
Bethia Robbins-John Nation
Christopher Nation-Elizabeth Swaim
Joseph Nation-Jerretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-John Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Holbrook line: Hezekiah Vickery 1683 ish to 1736
Hezekiah Vickery is just a fun name to say. It's also a fun name for some of the family to remember, as Hezekiah 2:16 and 3:11 were often cited in our house as I was growing up, as ammunition in a debate between my parents. It took me many years to figure it out. But I digress.
Hezekiah was a son of the more conventionally named John Viccary and was born in Dorchester County, Maryland about January 1, 1683. His mother has been variously identifieds Mary, Margaret, or Anne, She may or may not have been Margaret Mary Ballentine. John came to Maryland as an indentured servant in 1681, but he must have served a short term as his son, Hezekiah was born probably about 18 months after his father's arrival. John established himself in Dorchester County and purchased 200 acres there, recorded on March 10, 1696 as Bristol. I haven't yet located a will for John but perhaps some of this land went to Hezekiah when he came of age.
Hezekiah appear to have gone to Virginia relatively early in his adult life, which is where he likely married Merci Holland, daughter of James Holland and his unknown wife. There are references which are apparently to locations in Virginia where James was a witness as early as 1704. If Merci was born in 1693, then the marriage would have had to have taken place after that. Some internet sites give the marriage date as 1710, so Merci was sill a very young bride.
The couple had perhaps six children together. I say perhaps because most of the children were born between 1710 and 1722, but Joseph was born about 1735. I'm not convinced he's a child of this couple, but he may have been just a "surprise". That wouldn't be the first time there was a baby born after parents thought they were done with such things.
It appears that Hezekiah and Merci settled in what became Orange County, where Hezekiah purchased 50 acres of land called "Pleasant", from James Holland. This was in Spotsylvania County, which was formed in 1720-21, and then later, in 1734, Orange County was formed from it. The county is described as being in the "Central Piedmont". At the time Hezekiah settled there, he would have been one of the pioneers in the area, and would have worked hard to clear (if necessary) and plant those 50 acres. Possibly he had been a tenant farmer before that, but needed land to support that growing family of his.
Hezekiah must have worked hard, because he met an early death. He died prior to August 17, 1736, when Merie Holland obtained letters of administration for his small estate. The inventory submitted two months later showed a value of a little less than 9 pounds, which tells us a lot about the way Hezekiah and Merci lived. I've not found a death date or location for Merci yet. Perhaps she remarried, but we don't know that. Most
of her children were in their teens and able to either work on the farm or be bound out to learn a trade. It's every parent's hope that their children will do better financially than they did, and probably that was one of Hezekiah and Merci's greatest wishes. They had every chance to do so, as they lived in a thriving area and what could stop them? Well, the French and Indian War and skirmishes with native Americans both before and after may have had an influence on their children's lives. But Hezekiah taught them well and they were all builders of America.
The line of descent is:
Hezekiah Vickery-Merci Holland
Marmaduke Vickery-Elizabeth Nation
Jeretta Vickery-Joseph Nation
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Hezekiah was a son of the more conventionally named John Viccary and was born in Dorchester County, Maryland about January 1, 1683. His mother has been variously identifieds Mary, Margaret, or Anne, She may or may not have been Margaret Mary Ballentine. John came to Maryland as an indentured servant in 1681, but he must have served a short term as his son, Hezekiah was born probably about 18 months after his father's arrival. John established himself in Dorchester County and purchased 200 acres there, recorded on March 10, 1696 as Bristol. I haven't yet located a will for John but perhaps some of this land went to Hezekiah when he came of age.
Hezekiah appear to have gone to Virginia relatively early in his adult life, which is where he likely married Merci Holland, daughter of James Holland and his unknown wife. There are references which are apparently to locations in Virginia where James was a witness as early as 1704. If Merci was born in 1693, then the marriage would have had to have taken place after that. Some internet sites give the marriage date as 1710, so Merci was sill a very young bride.
The couple had perhaps six children together. I say perhaps because most of the children were born between 1710 and 1722, but Joseph was born about 1735. I'm not convinced he's a child of this couple, but he may have been just a "surprise". That wouldn't be the first time there was a baby born after parents thought they were done with such things.
It appears that Hezekiah and Merci settled in what became Orange County, where Hezekiah purchased 50 acres of land called "Pleasant", from James Holland. This was in Spotsylvania County, which was formed in 1720-21, and then later, in 1734, Orange County was formed from it. The county is described as being in the "Central Piedmont". At the time Hezekiah settled there, he would have been one of the pioneers in the area, and would have worked hard to clear (if necessary) and plant those 50 acres. Possibly he had been a tenant farmer before that, but needed land to support that growing family of his.
Hezekiah must have worked hard, because he met an early death. He died prior to August 17, 1736, when Merie Holland obtained letters of administration for his small estate. The inventory submitted two months later showed a value of a little less than 9 pounds, which tells us a lot about the way Hezekiah and Merci lived. I've not found a death date or location for Merci yet. Perhaps she remarried, but we don't know that. Most
of her children were in their teens and able to either work on the farm or be bound out to learn a trade. It's every parent's hope that their children will do better financially than they did, and probably that was one of Hezekiah and Merci's greatest wishes. They had every chance to do so, as they lived in a thriving area and what could stop them? Well, the French and Indian War and skirmishes with native Americans both before and after may have had an influence on their children's lives. But Hezekiah taught them well and they were all builders of America.
The line of descent is:
Hezekiah Vickery-Merci Holland
Marmaduke Vickery-Elizabeth Nation
Jeretta Vickery-Joseph Nation
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Holbrook line: Christopher Myers 1776-1856, revisited
One of the things I just love about genealogy is that one is never done with the search, or with an ancestor. When I first wrote about Christopher Myers, back in June of 2014, there was still much to learn about him. There is still much to learn about him, five years later. In fact, until today, I had not found one new piece of information. However, on a recent day trip we drove through the town of Goshen, county seat of Elkhart County, Indiana, and that reminded me that I had never found a will for this man.
It took about ten seconds on Ancestry to locate his estate. It was a good news bad news kind of find. The good news was that there were 283 pages in his file. The bad news is that not everything was included, as far as I can tell. I didn't find the will, for instance, which one would think was rather important. But I did find enough to deduce that each of his nine children were to receive equal shares, which amounted to about $1500 over the course of several years. and that if a child was deceased, the parent's share was to be divided among the parent's children, so the grandchildren of Christopher Myers. There were a lot of heirs and a lot of payments, so the whole thing gets rather complicated.
However, the main thing is that I have concluded that our ancestor was not a poor man. If he lived in a cabin at first, it seems probable that either he added on to it or he built a new house at some point. He owned, at his death, five different tracts of land, all in Elkhart County and totaling about 417 acres. Even at the age of 80, he had a respectable number of farm animals-2 mares with colts, cows, calves and yearling bulls, eighteen head of hogs- plus farm wagons and feed, a number of farm tools, plus certificates of deposit at the Goshen bank, and notes held from 29 different individuals, for sums ranging from $9.50 to $200. Many, if not all, of these were to family members, including $200 loaned to our own Adam Brown.
I'd like to give a very late shout out to Christopher's son Gideon Myers, who was the executor of Christopher's will. He worked to settle the estate for at least eight years, with at least three separate times that he had to obtain receipts from each and every one of the heirs, stretching geographically from Preble County, Ohio to Iowa. Much of the estate papers are taken up with that paperwork. There's also a bill, apparently the only one outstanding, of $330 for "nursing the old gentleman during his last sickness for six weeks and the trouble and expense incident to entertainment of friends of the old man"; "nursing the old gentleman during a spell of sickness in 1855", and "washing for the old man from 13th December 1854 till time of his death", due to Lucus McCumsey. It's possible that he was a family member, but I haven't yet identified him. At any rate, Gideon did a great job of keeping track of all the details, submitting reports to the court, asking for extra time to sell land, and so on and on and on.
There is much more to be gleaned from these estate papers, but this will help us understand Christopher and his final years, after the death of his wife Elizabeth Nation in 1852. I'd love to find the will, but for now, this tells us so much more than we knew before, about Christopher's life in Elkhart County, Indiana. What will we learn from our next discovery?
The line of descent is:
Christopher Myers-Elizabeth Nation
Phoebe Myers-Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
It took about ten seconds on Ancestry to locate his estate. It was a good news bad news kind of find. The good news was that there were 283 pages in his file. The bad news is that not everything was included, as far as I can tell. I didn't find the will, for instance, which one would think was rather important. But I did find enough to deduce that each of his nine children were to receive equal shares, which amounted to about $1500 over the course of several years. and that if a child was deceased, the parent's share was to be divided among the parent's children, so the grandchildren of Christopher Myers. There were a lot of heirs and a lot of payments, so the whole thing gets rather complicated.
However, the main thing is that I have concluded that our ancestor was not a poor man. If he lived in a cabin at first, it seems probable that either he added on to it or he built a new house at some point. He owned, at his death, five different tracts of land, all in Elkhart County and totaling about 417 acres. Even at the age of 80, he had a respectable number of farm animals-2 mares with colts, cows, calves and yearling bulls, eighteen head of hogs- plus farm wagons and feed, a number of farm tools, plus certificates of deposit at the Goshen bank, and notes held from 29 different individuals, for sums ranging from $9.50 to $200. Many, if not all, of these were to family members, including $200 loaned to our own Adam Brown.
I'd like to give a very late shout out to Christopher's son Gideon Myers, who was the executor of Christopher's will. He worked to settle the estate for at least eight years, with at least three separate times that he had to obtain receipts from each and every one of the heirs, stretching geographically from Preble County, Ohio to Iowa. Much of the estate papers are taken up with that paperwork. There's also a bill, apparently the only one outstanding, of $330 for "nursing the old gentleman during his last sickness for six weeks and the trouble and expense incident to entertainment of friends of the old man"; "nursing the old gentleman during a spell of sickness in 1855", and "washing for the old man from 13th December 1854 till time of his death", due to Lucus McCumsey. It's possible that he was a family member, but I haven't yet identified him. At any rate, Gideon did a great job of keeping track of all the details, submitting reports to the court, asking for extra time to sell land, and so on and on and on.
There is much more to be gleaned from these estate papers, but this will help us understand Christopher and his final years, after the death of his wife Elizabeth Nation in 1852. I'd love to find the will, but for now, this tells us so much more than we knew before, about Christopher's life in Elkhart County, Indiana. What will we learn from our next discovery?
The line of descent is:
Christopher Myers-Elizabeth Nation
Phoebe Myers-Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Friday, January 4, 2019
Matthys Barent Swaim 1621-1682, Immigrant
I think it's so much fun to write about our Dutch families, few and far between though they may be. This line brings in New Amsterdam, and early New Jersey, and Frederick County, Virginia, as well as North and South Carolina, none of which are our "typical" New England roots. But then, by now we've learned our family has a varied background, which makes it both fun and more challenging to trace.
But I digress. This post is about the immigrant. I must state that most of this information came from a 542 page book available online as a PDF, authored by Joe Mullane, Lloyd B. Swaim, and Marjorie Decker Johnson. All the credit for the research, as well as my undying gratitude, goes to these folks who were so generous as to share their years of work with us, and all mistakes and misinterpretations are mine alone.
So how cool is it to have Dutch ancestors on Staten Island, before England took over the settlement? I think it's very cool indeed. Matthys was born in 1621 in Leerdam, Holland, to Barent Swaaem and Sybilla unknown. He married, as his second wife, Scytje Cornelise in probably late 1658 or early 1659. He and his first wife had several children, with only two surviving. In 1661, the new family, including two sons and then toddler Anthony, arrived on the ship "St. Jan Baptiste". They first had lodgings in block D, house 4 in New Amsterdam while looking around for land to occupy. Matthys, along with many of the other passengers on the ship met with Peter Stuyvesant and two councilors on August 22, 1661 and asked that they have a village and land laid out on Staten Island, as they wished to settle there. It was so agreed.
This was still very much frontier country. Native Americans made frequent raids at the time, there were all sorts of wild animals (wolf, deer, probably the occasional bear or panther), and in addition to maintaining personal safety, the families there would have to clear land and make it their own. Matthys must have been successful as a farmer and well liked, for he was elected a magistrate in 1673 and was involved in some court cases that included some of his neighbors. Other than that, and the baptism of some of his children at the Dutch Reformed Church in New Amsterdam, we know little of his life.
At his death, probably in November of 1682, he had achieved a good life for his family. His estate is valued in guilders and I haven't found a chart to convert that to English money of the time, but he had more furnishings in his home, more animals than many of our New England ancestors, and some pewterware. There is no mention of books in his inventory. Matthys had survived adversity and given his family a good start in their life in the New World.
The line of descent, subject to paragraph 1 above, is
Matthys Barent Swaim-Scytie Cornelise
Willem Thyszem Swaim-Mary Larzelere
Elizabeth Swaim-Christopher Nation
Joseph Nation-Jerretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-John Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
But I digress. This post is about the immigrant. I must state that most of this information came from a 542 page book available online as a PDF, authored by Joe Mullane, Lloyd B. Swaim, and Marjorie Decker Johnson. All the credit for the research, as well as my undying gratitude, goes to these folks who were so generous as to share their years of work with us, and all mistakes and misinterpretations are mine alone.
So how cool is it to have Dutch ancestors on Staten Island, before England took over the settlement? I think it's very cool indeed. Matthys was born in 1621 in Leerdam, Holland, to Barent Swaaem and Sybilla unknown. He married, as his second wife, Scytje Cornelise in probably late 1658 or early 1659. He and his first wife had several children, with only two surviving. In 1661, the new family, including two sons and then toddler Anthony, arrived on the ship "St. Jan Baptiste". They first had lodgings in block D, house 4 in New Amsterdam while looking around for land to occupy. Matthys, along with many of the other passengers on the ship met with Peter Stuyvesant and two councilors on August 22, 1661 and asked that they have a village and land laid out on Staten Island, as they wished to settle there. It was so agreed.
This was still very much frontier country. Native Americans made frequent raids at the time, there were all sorts of wild animals (wolf, deer, probably the occasional bear or panther), and in addition to maintaining personal safety, the families there would have to clear land and make it their own. Matthys must have been successful as a farmer and well liked, for he was elected a magistrate in 1673 and was involved in some court cases that included some of his neighbors. Other than that, and the baptism of some of his children at the Dutch Reformed Church in New Amsterdam, we know little of his life.
At his death, probably in November of 1682, he had achieved a good life for his family. His estate is valued in guilders and I haven't found a chart to convert that to English money of the time, but he had more furnishings in his home, more animals than many of our New England ancestors, and some pewterware. There is no mention of books in his inventory. Matthys had survived adversity and given his family a good start in their life in the New World.
The line of descent, subject to paragraph 1 above, is
Matthys Barent Swaim-Scytie Cornelise
Willem Thyszem Swaim-Mary Larzelere
Elizabeth Swaim-Christopher Nation
Joseph Nation-Jerretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-John Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, January 1, 2019
John Nation, Immigrant 1697-1772
John Nation would have quite an interesting story to tell us, if he were able. He is believed to be the John Nation who was born in North Petherton, Somerset, England and christened on March 28, 1697. If this is he, his parents were John and Frances Parsons Nation. We don't know how he arrived in the Colonies, or when, but in 1710 he is considered an asset as a "servant boy" in the will of William Beakes in Nottingham, Burlington County, New Jersey. At the time, he had eight years of service left, which means he was likely 13 at the time. Indentured servants who were minors earned their freedom at the age of 21. The years match very closely to the date of John's christening, so I think John and Frances were likely his parents. John, the subject of this blog post, may have come to America willingly, but there is a family story that he was kidnapped. This is not beyond the realm of possibility, as ship captains and masters were well paid to deliver young men and women to America who didn't necessarily want to go there.
At any rate, John was a free man at age 21. We lose track of him for a few years but he married Bethiah Robins, who was born in 1702 at Crostwekes, Monmouth County, New Jersey, the daughter of Joseph Robins and Hanna or Anna Pack. Their first child was born in 1717 so Bethiah would have been a very young bride indeed, perhaps only 14 years old. The couple had seven known children, six born in Monmouth County, New Jersey and the seventh in Orange County, Virginia in 1729. It appears that they went to Virginia sometime between 1725 and 1729, based on the birth locations of their children. Traveling that far with six children under the age of 11 proves that our ancestors had determination and resilience, among other qualities. (We think it's hard to put that many children in a van or SUV and drive for a couple of hours!)
Frederick County, Virginia was formed from Orange County, Virginia in 1733 but for a time John was still noted more frequently in Orange County, where he witnessed the will of Hezekiah Vickery in 1736. It's possible that he settled on land that wasn't legally his because in 1749 he is granted land by Lord Fairfax, but earlier he was made overseer of a road "from the run by his house to Kerseys Ferry", and was ordered to keep it in good condition. The land Lord Fairfax sold him was on Opekon (Opequon) Creek, but soon after he acquired the land he sold it back to Lord Fairfax. Perhaps he wasn't happy with the land for some reason, or perhaps he already was restless and wanted to move on.
By 1754 he and the family were living in Rowan County, North Carolina. In 1757 he had two grants of land from Lord Granville. He sold one tract to Robert Fields in 1759, so it appears that he lived on 401 acres on Polecat Creek. It may be that he sold or gave land to his son Christopher Nation in 1761, to help him get established. We should remember that this was basically frontier country and that the whole frontier was often threatened by various tribes and coalitions of native Americans. It took hardy souls to stay on their land and survive. I strongly believe there are stories here that we don't know.
John wrote his will in 1772, and probably died shortly after December 15, 1772. The will was filed in Guilford County, North Carolina. His son Joseph received the land John lived on, and son John was to have some personal property after his wife Bethiah died, with Joseph receiving the rest. Bethiah was to live on the land as long as she was a widow. It appears that Joseph may have been a caregiver for his mother, who died in 1774. At that time, Joseph sold the land. John's other children were acknowledged with one shilling each. Christopher had received land earlier, and the daughters may have received cash or goods as each married.
I'm sure that John had an interesting life. However he arrived in New Jersey, whether by choice, by agreement, or by kidnapping, he was there at an early age. Somehow he acquired the skills he would need to build homes on the frontier and to raise enough food to feed seven children. Bethiah also deserves our admiration. She likely not only made clothes for the family, but made the fabric and perhaps the threads that were used to make the fabric, in addition to all the other chores she would have had. Our pioneer ancestors continue to amaze me. The more I learn, the more I wonder how they did it.
We have at least two lines of descent from John and Bethiah, because Joseph Nation and Jeretta Vickery were cousins. This was not unusual for the time and place.
John Nation-Bethiah Robins
Christopher Nation-Elizabeth Swaim
Joseph Nation-Jeretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-John Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
also
John Nation-Bethiah Robins
Elizabeth Nation-Marmaduke Vickery
Jeretta Vickery-Joseph Nation
At any rate, John was a free man at age 21. We lose track of him for a few years but he married Bethiah Robins, who was born in 1702 at Crostwekes, Monmouth County, New Jersey, the daughter of Joseph Robins and Hanna or Anna Pack. Their first child was born in 1717 so Bethiah would have been a very young bride indeed, perhaps only 14 years old. The couple had seven known children, six born in Monmouth County, New Jersey and the seventh in Orange County, Virginia in 1729. It appears that they went to Virginia sometime between 1725 and 1729, based on the birth locations of their children. Traveling that far with six children under the age of 11 proves that our ancestors had determination and resilience, among other qualities. (We think it's hard to put that many children in a van or SUV and drive for a couple of hours!)
Frederick County, Virginia was formed from Orange County, Virginia in 1733 but for a time John was still noted more frequently in Orange County, where he witnessed the will of Hezekiah Vickery in 1736. It's possible that he settled on land that wasn't legally his because in 1749 he is granted land by Lord Fairfax, but earlier he was made overseer of a road "from the run by his house to Kerseys Ferry", and was ordered to keep it in good condition. The land Lord Fairfax sold him was on Opekon (Opequon) Creek, but soon after he acquired the land he sold it back to Lord Fairfax. Perhaps he wasn't happy with the land for some reason, or perhaps he already was restless and wanted to move on.
By 1754 he and the family were living in Rowan County, North Carolina. In 1757 he had two grants of land from Lord Granville. He sold one tract to Robert Fields in 1759, so it appears that he lived on 401 acres on Polecat Creek. It may be that he sold or gave land to his son Christopher Nation in 1761, to help him get established. We should remember that this was basically frontier country and that the whole frontier was often threatened by various tribes and coalitions of native Americans. It took hardy souls to stay on their land and survive. I strongly believe there are stories here that we don't know.
John wrote his will in 1772, and probably died shortly after December 15, 1772. The will was filed in Guilford County, North Carolina. His son Joseph received the land John lived on, and son John was to have some personal property after his wife Bethiah died, with Joseph receiving the rest. Bethiah was to live on the land as long as she was a widow. It appears that Joseph may have been a caregiver for his mother, who died in 1774. At that time, Joseph sold the land. John's other children were acknowledged with one shilling each. Christopher had received land earlier, and the daughters may have received cash or goods as each married.
I'm sure that John had an interesting life. However he arrived in New Jersey, whether by choice, by agreement, or by kidnapping, he was there at an early age. Somehow he acquired the skills he would need to build homes on the frontier and to raise enough food to feed seven children. Bethiah also deserves our admiration. She likely not only made clothes for the family, but made the fabric and perhaps the threads that were used to make the fabric, in addition to all the other chores she would have had. Our pioneer ancestors continue to amaze me. The more I learn, the more I wonder how they did it.
We have at least two lines of descent from John and Bethiah, because Joseph Nation and Jeretta Vickery were cousins. This was not unusual for the time and place.
John Nation-Bethiah Robins
Christopher Nation-Elizabeth Swaim
Joseph Nation-Jeretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-John Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
also
John Nation-Bethiah Robins
Elizabeth Nation-Marmaduke Vickery
Jeretta Vickery-Joseph Nation
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Holbrook line: George Pack, Immigrant
I'm considering George Pack an immigrant until I'm shown otherwise. He was born about 1634 but he wasn't born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, as many sites say, because Elizabethtown Tract, which I believe to be the reference, wasn't even formed until 1664, when the tract of land was purchased from the Lenape natives. Some sites give his parents as William and Grace Greene Pecke, who were in New Haven, Connecticut early. If this is correct, then George may have been born in Nottinghamshire, England. The site "Descendants of Founders of New Jersey" says that George was born in England and emigrated to America in the 1650's, probably with his (unnamed) parents and likely settled in the Mitford area of Connecticut. . This makes sense, but means more research needs to be done.
In 1665, he was one of eighty Associates who purchased a large tract of land west of the Hudson River and then settled the first English town in eastern New Jersey. George had 118 acres there, and took the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity in the town on February 19, 1665. The only other record I've found of him was that he signed a letter of remonstrance to the King in 1700, asking for a more competent Governor for the colony. We also have record of several land sales that he made, and ofthe witnessing of at least one will.
George married Anna, who was more likely than not Anna Cranmer, about 1660, and they had six children together. Anna died about 1681. George may have moved to Rahway, N.J. where he married Elizabeth Moore in March of 1683. They had four children. He was a yeoman (a land owning farmer) when he died October 2, 1704.
I wish we knew more about George, especially who his parents were, and what role he might have played in local government or in church life. There are more records to explore, and there may be more facts to this story. A man who immigrated to America, helped found his town, and lived 70 years surely has more to his story than what I've found so far. And since he is an ancestor twice-over, he's doubly important!
One line of descent is:
George Pack-Anna Cranmer
Hannah Pack-Joseph Robins
Bethiah Robins-John Nation
Christopher Nation-Elizabeth Swaim
Joseph Nation-Jeretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
The other line is:
George Pack-Anna Cranmer
Hannah Pack-Joseph Robins
Bethia Robins-John Nation
Elizabeth Nation-Marmaduke Vickery
Jeretta Vickery-Joseph Nation
Joseph Nation and Jeretty Vickery were first cousins, it appears. That was not unusual in that time and place.
In 1665, he was one of eighty Associates who purchased a large tract of land west of the Hudson River and then settled the first English town in eastern New Jersey. George had 118 acres there, and took the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity in the town on February 19, 1665. The only other record I've found of him was that he signed a letter of remonstrance to the King in 1700, asking for a more competent Governor for the colony. We also have record of several land sales that he made, and ofthe witnessing of at least one will.
George married Anna, who was more likely than not Anna Cranmer, about 1660, and they had six children together. Anna died about 1681. George may have moved to Rahway, N.J. where he married Elizabeth Moore in March of 1683. They had four children. He was a yeoman (a land owning farmer) when he died October 2, 1704.
I wish we knew more about George, especially who his parents were, and what role he might have played in local government or in church life. There are more records to explore, and there may be more facts to this story. A man who immigrated to America, helped found his town, and lived 70 years surely has more to his story than what I've found so far. And since he is an ancestor twice-over, he's doubly important!
One line of descent is:
George Pack-Anna Cranmer
Hannah Pack-Joseph Robins
Bethiah Robins-John Nation
Christopher Nation-Elizabeth Swaim
Joseph Nation-Jeretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
The other line is:
George Pack-Anna Cranmer
Hannah Pack-Joseph Robins
Bethia Robins-John Nation
Elizabeth Nation-Marmaduke Vickery
Jeretta Vickery-Joseph Nation
Joseph Nation and Jeretty Vickery were first cousins, it appears. That was not unusual in that time and place.
Friday, September 15, 2017
Holbrook line: Jacques Larzalere, Immigrant
Now, how much fun is this? A Holbrook ancestor, apparently from the area of northern France-Belguim-the Netherlands, who lived in Flatbush, New York as early as 1677! This is not our typical New England, or even Maryland, ancestor! What's up with this man?
Well, I wish I knew more than I know, but I am so, so grateful to Joseph F. Mulbane who has done extensive research on this family. The purpose of his research was not so much to talk about our Jacques, as to try to document his children. He has done an admirable job, and much of what I am writing here comes from his research.
We don't really know when Jacques was born, or where. I've seen suggestions that wherever he was born, he probably went to Antwerp with other members of his family, who may or may not have been escaping religious persecution, and who may or may not have originally had a name of Largillier, or something similar. Based on the birth dates of his children, he was probably born sometime around 1650, and was in the New World, at Flatbush, in 1677. This was a few years after the English took over New Amsterdam and the surrounding area, but still early in the history of New York.
He was married, probably in 1667, to Marie Granger or Grancon (Mulbane uses "Granger" but says he has not found documentation for either name), but we don't know whether that was on the other side of the ocean or here. The couple soon began having children, and at the same time, Jacques was working very hard to support them. In 1683 he was taxed in Flatbush (now part of Brooklyn, New York City) for horses, cows, hogs, and 60 acres of land.
The Dutch, which we can consider this family to be, in terms of culture if not birth, have a reputation for keeping extremely clean, neat-looking homes so it is fun to consider what the home of Jacques and Marie looked like. Was it frame, or brick? Did it have the typical overhand of the second story, and the "Dutch" split door? What about the typical porch area?
As far as we can determine, the couple had children named Jacob, Nicholas, Anthony, Michael, Magdalena, Maria, and possibly Margaret.
We don't know what happened to Jacques, but he was dead by 1687. Although even the oldest child would have been not yet 21 at the time of his father's death, Maria didn't remarry, as she is described as his "relict" at her death in 1693 or 1694 (dates are confusing.) Her estate was valued at 277 pounds, 15 shillings, 6 pence which included various farm animals and the 60 acres of land, now described as of "two lots of land and meadow". It also included a sword, which may have been left from Jacques's supposed military duty . The relative prosperity of the family was continuing, which is a good thing as some of the children may have still been as young as 10 years of age.
This is pretty much what we know of Jacques, other than a comment that he and his wife transferred to the "French church". I haven't figured all this out yet, but there may have been a French reformed church as well as the Dutch Reformed church, and presumably an established English church by this time. There are still lots of questions about Jacques, and many of his ancestors would love to find his family in Antwerp, or France, or wherever it was that he was born. I'd love to know that, and I'd also love to know more about his life here. For instance, was he educated, and did he educate his children? What is the reference to the "French church"? And was he happy that he'd decided to come to American?
The line of descent is:
Jacques Larzalere-Maria Grancon or Granger
Maria Larzalere-Willem Swaim
Elizabeth Swaim-Christopher Nation
Joseph Nation-Jerretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Well, I wish I knew more than I know, but I am so, so grateful to Joseph F. Mulbane who has done extensive research on this family. The purpose of his research was not so much to talk about our Jacques, as to try to document his children. He has done an admirable job, and much of what I am writing here comes from his research.
We don't really know when Jacques was born, or where. I've seen suggestions that wherever he was born, he probably went to Antwerp with other members of his family, who may or may not have been escaping religious persecution, and who may or may not have originally had a name of Largillier, or something similar. Based on the birth dates of his children, he was probably born sometime around 1650, and was in the New World, at Flatbush, in 1677. This was a few years after the English took over New Amsterdam and the surrounding area, but still early in the history of New York.
He was married, probably in 1667, to Marie Granger or Grancon (Mulbane uses "Granger" but says he has not found documentation for either name), but we don't know whether that was on the other side of the ocean or here. The couple soon began having children, and at the same time, Jacques was working very hard to support them. In 1683 he was taxed in Flatbush (now part of Brooklyn, New York City) for horses, cows, hogs, and 60 acres of land.
The Dutch, which we can consider this family to be, in terms of culture if not birth, have a reputation for keeping extremely clean, neat-looking homes so it is fun to consider what the home of Jacques and Marie looked like. Was it frame, or brick? Did it have the typical overhand of the second story, and the "Dutch" split door? What about the typical porch area?
As far as we can determine, the couple had children named Jacob, Nicholas, Anthony, Michael, Magdalena, Maria, and possibly Margaret.
We don't know what happened to Jacques, but he was dead by 1687. Although even the oldest child would have been not yet 21 at the time of his father's death, Maria didn't remarry, as she is described as his "relict" at her death in 1693 or 1694 (dates are confusing.) Her estate was valued at 277 pounds, 15 shillings, 6 pence which included various farm animals and the 60 acres of land, now described as of "two lots of land and meadow". It also included a sword, which may have been left from Jacques's supposed military duty . The relative prosperity of the family was continuing, which is a good thing as some of the children may have still been as young as 10 years of age.
This is pretty much what we know of Jacques, other than a comment that he and his wife transferred to the "French church". I haven't figured all this out yet, but there may have been a French reformed church as well as the Dutch Reformed church, and presumably an established English church by this time. There are still lots of questions about Jacques, and many of his ancestors would love to find his family in Antwerp, or France, or wherever it was that he was born. I'd love to know that, and I'd also love to know more about his life here. For instance, was he educated, and did he educate his children? What is the reference to the "French church"? And was he happy that he'd decided to come to American?
The line of descent is:
Jacques Larzalere-Maria Grancon or Granger
Maria Larzalere-Willem Swaim
Elizabeth Swaim-Christopher Nation
Joseph Nation-Jerretta Vickery
Elizabeth Nation-Christopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Holbrook line: Marmaduke Vickery 1715-1787
Marmaduke Vickery was born about 1715 in Dorchester County, Maryland, and and died at the end of 1787 or early 1788 in Randolph County, North Carolina. He lived through some very challenging times (French and Indian War, Revolutionary War) and in several different places, so his life is worthy of a review. However, once again it appears that there were at least two and probably three Marmaduke Vickery's, and their records are all jumbled up. Marmaduke Senior had a son named Marmaduke and possibly a nephew also.
Marmaduke was born to Hezekiah Vickery and Merci Holland, or at least, that's what most of the online trees say. In my limited research, I have found no documentation of that fact, but it does appear likely. He was one of at least six children born to this couple, but he didn't stay long in Maryland. He left, apparently with his parents, to move to Virginia, variously listed as Orange County, Augusta County, and Clarke County. His father is listed as having died in Orange County.
Marmaduke married Elizabeth Nation, daughter of John Nation and Bethia Robins, about 1734. Sometime about 1755, Marmaduke and his family moved on to Rowan County, North Carolina, where he can be found on a tax list for 1759. Marmaduke and Elizabeth are believed to have had at least 11 children, born between 1735 and 1757, so they would have arrived in Rowan County with quite a large family. They likely moved for economic reasons, and they may have been seeking cheap land, which was still available at the time. He owned a large tract of land in St Luke's Parish, Randolph County, and was a farmer.
If this is the same Marmaduke, he loved horse racing. Traces of his plantation were still visible 100 years later, showing a house, barn, loom house, blacksmith shop, spring house, and grist mill. This would have been quite an accomplishment for a man who started out life being called "Duke" or even "Dewkey".
He is recognized as a Patriot by the DAR because of goods he contributed to the American cause. There was a nephew Marmaduke was was involved in the Regulator's Rebellion of 1771, and three of his sons were in the 10th NC Regiment, so it is likely that most of the family were at least patriot sympathizers, even if they didn't fight. Our Marmaduke would have been over 60 by the time of the Revolutionary War, so contributing horses and provisions was the best he had to offer the country.
Marmaduke wrote his will on December 26, 1787, and it was probated in 1788, but his exact date of death isn't known. His inventory consisted of one hundred acres of land, one home, one mare, 5 head of catter, 2 beds and furniture, one cupboard, 1 table, 2 pots, 1 oven, 1 ax, 1 hoe, 1 par horse chains, 1 log chain, 1 skillet, 2 iron pots, a rocker, one pair ice tongs, 2 pails, 1 churn, 1 spinning wheel, 1 drawing knife, other knifes and forks, 1 trunk, 1 pickling tub, and one or more illegible items. Either he had downsized from the type of life suggested by the horse racing owner of several buildings and enterprises, or our Marmaduke led a quieter life. He left everything to his wife and youngest son, which could indicate that his older sons and daughters had already been given their "share" during their lifetimes. I'd love to see more research done on his land holdings and what happened to them.
Marmaduke is buried at Timber Ridge Church Cemetery near Deep River, Randolph County, NC. Find a grave indicates that this cemetery is deep in the woods and is overgrown. It is apparently right next to the Richard Petty museum, which is fitting because Richard Petty is noted to be one of his descendents. I guess the trend from horse racing to car racing shows that there must have been something in Marmaduke's genes!
Our line of descent is:
Marmaduke Vickery-Elizabeth Nation
Jeretta Vickery-Joseph Nation
Elizabeth Nation-Chrisopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-John Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Lois/Gladys/Ray/Howard Holbrook, their children, grand children, and great grandchildren
Marmaduke was born to Hezekiah Vickery and Merci Holland, or at least, that's what most of the online trees say. In my limited research, I have found no documentation of that fact, but it does appear likely. He was one of at least six children born to this couple, but he didn't stay long in Maryland. He left, apparently with his parents, to move to Virginia, variously listed as Orange County, Augusta County, and Clarke County. His father is listed as having died in Orange County.
Marmaduke married Elizabeth Nation, daughter of John Nation and Bethia Robins, about 1734. Sometime about 1755, Marmaduke and his family moved on to Rowan County, North Carolina, where he can be found on a tax list for 1759. Marmaduke and Elizabeth are believed to have had at least 11 children, born between 1735 and 1757, so they would have arrived in Rowan County with quite a large family. They likely moved for economic reasons, and they may have been seeking cheap land, which was still available at the time. He owned a large tract of land in St Luke's Parish, Randolph County, and was a farmer.
If this is the same Marmaduke, he loved horse racing. Traces of his plantation were still visible 100 years later, showing a house, barn, loom house, blacksmith shop, spring house, and grist mill. This would have been quite an accomplishment for a man who started out life being called "Duke" or even "Dewkey".
He is recognized as a Patriot by the DAR because of goods he contributed to the American cause. There was a nephew Marmaduke was was involved in the Regulator's Rebellion of 1771, and three of his sons were in the 10th NC Regiment, so it is likely that most of the family were at least patriot sympathizers, even if they didn't fight. Our Marmaduke would have been over 60 by the time of the Revolutionary War, so contributing horses and provisions was the best he had to offer the country.
Marmaduke wrote his will on December 26, 1787, and it was probated in 1788, but his exact date of death isn't known. His inventory consisted of one hundred acres of land, one home, one mare, 5 head of catter, 2 beds and furniture, one cupboard, 1 table, 2 pots, 1 oven, 1 ax, 1 hoe, 1 par horse chains, 1 log chain, 1 skillet, 2 iron pots, a rocker, one pair ice tongs, 2 pails, 1 churn, 1 spinning wheel, 1 drawing knife, other knifes and forks, 1 trunk, 1 pickling tub, and one or more illegible items. Either he had downsized from the type of life suggested by the horse racing owner of several buildings and enterprises, or our Marmaduke led a quieter life. He left everything to his wife and youngest son, which could indicate that his older sons and daughters had already been given their "share" during their lifetimes. I'd love to see more research done on his land holdings and what happened to them.
Marmaduke is buried at Timber Ridge Church Cemetery near Deep River, Randolph County, NC. Find a grave indicates that this cemetery is deep in the woods and is overgrown. It is apparently right next to the Richard Petty museum, which is fitting because Richard Petty is noted to be one of his descendents. I guess the trend from horse racing to car racing shows that there must have been something in Marmaduke's genes!
Our line of descent is:
Marmaduke Vickery-Elizabeth Nation
Jeretta Vickery-Joseph Nation
Elizabeth Nation-Chrisopher Myers
Phoebe Myers-John Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Lois/Gladys/Ray/Howard Holbrook, their children, grand children, and great grandchildren
Friday, May 23, 2014
Holbrook line: Christopher Myers 1776-1856
Our ancestor was born in North Carolina and died in Indiana, with stops in Tennessee and Ohio. In Tennessee, Ohio, and Indiana he would have been considered a pioneer. That's a lot of times to start one's life over, particularly when he probably started each time by building a log cabin.
I know more about Christopher than I know about some of our other ancestors, but there are still big, gaping holes in his life story. Much of what is known is from a biographical sketch of one of Christopher's sons, Lewis A Myers, published in "Portrait and Biographical Album, Wapello County, Iowa" in 1887. I'll copy it here in its entirety, and then make some additional observations.
"My great grandfather Myers came from Germany before the Revolutionary War, and settled in Pennsylvania, where my grandfather Myers was born. When he became a man, he went to North Carolina and married Miss Fogleman, by whom he had two children,-George, the elder, and Christopher, the younger. My father was born near Guildford Court House, NC. March 8, 1776, just 111 years ago. When he arrived at the age of twenty-one, he and his brother, George, left North Carolina and went across the mountains to Powell's Valley, Tennessee, where he married my mother, Elizabeth Nation, who had been raised in South Carolina. They were married in 1802. They lived in Tennessee until 1811, when the moved to Preble County, Ohio, and soppe five miles east of Eaton, where I was born.
My father bought 160 acres of land in the northeast corner of the county, and there moved in the fall of 1812, the year hostilities commenced between this country and Great Britain. His cabin stood on the very outskirts of the settlement. He now had seven small children to care for, the oldest being about ten years of age, and that too in a heavily timbered country, a perfect wilderness. Here they had no church or school privileges, and were liable to be scalped by the Indians, who were then in large numbers in Ohio. Great Britain had hired these Indians to scalp the defenseless settlers, paying them a bounty for each white scalp, just as we now pay for a wolf scalp.
As my parents were there the only chance was to go to work and clear up land and raise grain and flax, the one for food and the other for clothing. My mother at that time spun and wove linen and ...
cloth for clothing for the entire family, and through all these trials and hardships was kept by a kind Providence.
I will relate one or two incidents that took place during the War of 1812, as they were told my by my father and mother in after years. In 1813, during harvest time, when the men of the neighborhood were helping one of their number to reap his grain, the Indians drove the horses of one of my father's neighbors intil his own stable, caught them, took them off about one mile, and shot them. The colts could not follow their mothers, and their mothers kept up such a neighing for them that the Indians became frightened, and for that cause shot them. That same night the Indians came back and stole all the horses my father had, and as they took them away the next day they met a man by the name of Stoner and shot him. After going a few miles further they met a soldier by the name of Elliot, who was returning home on a furlough from Ft. Greenville. The Indians shot this soldier through the wrist, and then had a regular hand-to-hand fight with him with their tomahawks, around a beech tree, and they finally succeeded in killing him. It was thought there were three or four of the Indians and one white man in the company, and the soldier killed them all but one. I have seen this beech-tree with the marks of the tomahawks made in the fight.
In the spring of 1830 my father sold out, and in the fall of the same year moved to Elkhart County, Indiana, which was then a new country. The Indians were quite numerous there, but peaceably inclined."
Other facts I've found in my search: Christopher's father, also named Christopher, wrote his will in August of 1775 and it was recorded in November of 1775, so Christopher never knew his father. I have not found a remarriage for Elizabeth Fogleman Myers, so I don't know what happened to her. There should be guardian records to look at, too, for her two sons.
Elizabeth Nation, Christopher's mother, was the daughter of Joseph Nation and Jerretta Vickrey.
The land Christopher entered in Preble County was entered November 6, 1811 and was in Section 2, Township 7, range 03. He purchased more land on February 26, 1823, in section 1, township 7, Range 03. George Myers also purchased land in 1816 in Preble County, Ohio. This was probably Christopher's brother. All of these purchases were from the US Land Act, Cincinnati Land Office. Christopher's land was in Harrison Township.
When the Myers family moved to Elkhart County, they settled near Benton, Indiana. All that I have found of them there is a one word sentence from a history of Elkhart County, indicating that a Methodist pastor conducted services at the cabin of Christopher Myers, apparently beginning in 1832. So apparently this family was Methodist. I have not yet searched for the actual land records there, but the 1850 census indicated that their real estate was worth $8000, quite a considerable sum. I don't know whether they still lived in a log cabin, or whether eventually they built a house for themselves.
The family consisted of Christopher and Elizabeth and their children Margaret, Phoebe, Eli, Lewis Anderson, Charity, George, Joseph, Gideon and Elizabeth . They were born between the years of 1803 and 1821, so some were born in Tennessee and some were born in Ohio.
Christopher entered a deposition so that his mother in law could draw a pension based on her husband Joseph Nation's service in the Revolutionary War. Jerretta was still in Preble County and Christopher's deposition was apparently taken in Elkhart County.
I'd sure like to know where Christopher spent his childhood, and whether he was taught a trade. I'd like to know why he decided to go to Powell's Valley, and why he decided to go to Preble County, and why he decided to go to Elkhart County. I'd like to know whether he served in the War of 1812, and if not, why not. Most men in Ohio were at least in the militia, responsible for guarding the home front. And of course I'd like to know more about his parents and grandparents! Based on Lewis's comments, it sure seems that he led an exciting, if ordinary, life.
Elizabeth died November 13, 1852 and Christopher died June26, 1856, per their tombstones which are located in Jackson Cemetery, Benton, Elkhart County, Indiana. We have visited this cemetery and it is quite and peaceful, set up on a hill. Some of the tombstones needed to be repaired when we were there, including Elizabeth's, but it was well-kept at that time.
The line of descent is:
Christopher Myers-Elizabeth Nation
Phoebe Myers-Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Lois/Gladys/Howard/Ray Holbrook
Their children, grand children, and great grandchildren
I know more about Christopher than I know about some of our other ancestors, but there are still big, gaping holes in his life story. Much of what is known is from a biographical sketch of one of Christopher's sons, Lewis A Myers, published in "Portrait and Biographical Album, Wapello County, Iowa" in 1887. I'll copy it here in its entirety, and then make some additional observations.
"My great grandfather Myers came from Germany before the Revolutionary War, and settled in Pennsylvania, where my grandfather Myers was born. When he became a man, he went to North Carolina and married Miss Fogleman, by whom he had two children,-George, the elder, and Christopher, the younger. My father was born near Guildford Court House, NC. March 8, 1776, just 111 years ago. When he arrived at the age of twenty-one, he and his brother, George, left North Carolina and went across the mountains to Powell's Valley, Tennessee, where he married my mother, Elizabeth Nation, who had been raised in South Carolina. They were married in 1802. They lived in Tennessee until 1811, when the moved to Preble County, Ohio, and soppe five miles east of Eaton, where I was born.
My father bought 160 acres of land in the northeast corner of the county, and there moved in the fall of 1812, the year hostilities commenced between this country and Great Britain. His cabin stood on the very outskirts of the settlement. He now had seven small children to care for, the oldest being about ten years of age, and that too in a heavily timbered country, a perfect wilderness. Here they had no church or school privileges, and were liable to be scalped by the Indians, who were then in large numbers in Ohio. Great Britain had hired these Indians to scalp the defenseless settlers, paying them a bounty for each white scalp, just as we now pay for a wolf scalp.
As my parents were there the only chance was to go to work and clear up land and raise grain and flax, the one for food and the other for clothing. My mother at that time spun and wove linen and ...
cloth for clothing for the entire family, and through all these trials and hardships was kept by a kind Providence.
I will relate one or two incidents that took place during the War of 1812, as they were told my by my father and mother in after years. In 1813, during harvest time, when the men of the neighborhood were helping one of their number to reap his grain, the Indians drove the horses of one of my father's neighbors intil his own stable, caught them, took them off about one mile, and shot them. The colts could not follow their mothers, and their mothers kept up such a neighing for them that the Indians became frightened, and for that cause shot them. That same night the Indians came back and stole all the horses my father had, and as they took them away the next day they met a man by the name of Stoner and shot him. After going a few miles further they met a soldier by the name of Elliot, who was returning home on a furlough from Ft. Greenville. The Indians shot this soldier through the wrist, and then had a regular hand-to-hand fight with him with their tomahawks, around a beech tree, and they finally succeeded in killing him. It was thought there were three or four of the Indians and one white man in the company, and the soldier killed them all but one. I have seen this beech-tree with the marks of the tomahawks made in the fight.
In the spring of 1830 my father sold out, and in the fall of the same year moved to Elkhart County, Indiana, which was then a new country. The Indians were quite numerous there, but peaceably inclined."
Other facts I've found in my search: Christopher's father, also named Christopher, wrote his will in August of 1775 and it was recorded in November of 1775, so Christopher never knew his father. I have not found a remarriage for Elizabeth Fogleman Myers, so I don't know what happened to her. There should be guardian records to look at, too, for her two sons.
Elizabeth Nation, Christopher's mother, was the daughter of Joseph Nation and Jerretta Vickrey.
The land Christopher entered in Preble County was entered November 6, 1811 and was in Section 2, Township 7, range 03. He purchased more land on February 26, 1823, in section 1, township 7, Range 03. George Myers also purchased land in 1816 in Preble County, Ohio. This was probably Christopher's brother. All of these purchases were from the US Land Act, Cincinnati Land Office. Christopher's land was in Harrison Township.
When the Myers family moved to Elkhart County, they settled near Benton, Indiana. All that I have found of them there is a one word sentence from a history of Elkhart County, indicating that a Methodist pastor conducted services at the cabin of Christopher Myers, apparently beginning in 1832. So apparently this family was Methodist. I have not yet searched for the actual land records there, but the 1850 census indicated that their real estate was worth $8000, quite a considerable sum. I don't know whether they still lived in a log cabin, or whether eventually they built a house for themselves.
The family consisted of Christopher and Elizabeth and their children Margaret, Phoebe, Eli, Lewis Anderson, Charity, George, Joseph, Gideon and Elizabeth . They were born between the years of 1803 and 1821, so some were born in Tennessee and some were born in Ohio.
Christopher entered a deposition so that his mother in law could draw a pension based on her husband Joseph Nation's service in the Revolutionary War. Jerretta was still in Preble County and Christopher's deposition was apparently taken in Elkhart County.
I'd sure like to know where Christopher spent his childhood, and whether he was taught a trade. I'd like to know why he decided to go to Powell's Valley, and why he decided to go to Preble County, and why he decided to go to Elkhart County. I'd like to know whether he served in the War of 1812, and if not, why not. Most men in Ohio were at least in the militia, responsible for guarding the home front. And of course I'd like to know more about his parents and grandparents! Based on Lewis's comments, it sure seems that he led an exciting, if ordinary, life.
Elizabeth died November 13, 1852 and Christopher died June26, 1856, per their tombstones which are located in Jackson Cemetery, Benton, Elkhart County, Indiana. We have visited this cemetery and it is quite and peaceful, set up on a hill. Some of the tombstones needed to be repaired when we were there, including Elizabeth's, but it was well-kept at that time.
The line of descent is:
Christopher Myers-Elizabeth Nation
Phoebe Myers-Adam Brown
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Lois/Gladys/Howard/Ray Holbrook
Their children, grand children, and great grandchildren
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Holbrook line: John Adam Brown, Jr.
Earlier I wrote about Adam's father, John Adam Brown who married Catherine Clapp in North Carolina and moved from there to Preble County, Ohio, where they both died. Today is the day to write about his son, John Adam Brown, known as Adam, who was also a pioneer.
Adam was born March 18, 1804 (probably a few days earlier, as this is his date of christening) in Guilford County, N.C. When he was a toddler or very young boy, his parents moved to Preble County, Ohio, where they were very early settlers, and where they lived out their days on a farm.
Adam married Phoebe Myers, daughter of Christopher Myers and Elizabeth Nation, on March 11, 1830 in Preble County. The Myers family were also early settlers in the area, and Christopher was born in North Carolina also. It is unknown whether the two families knew each other from "way back", or whether it was coincidence that they arrived at the same place from the same general area of North Carolina. At any rate, the two married.
Shortly before the death of Adam Sr, Adam and Phoebe and son Christopher set off on their own. They apparently traveled by themselves to the southern edge of what became Bloom Township, Cook County, Illinois. They may have traveled to Elkhart County, Indiana, first, with Christopher and Phoebe Myers, and stayed there long enough to help them build their cabin and get some land cleared. Christopher and Phoebe stayed in Elkhart County, but Adam and Phoebe, along with son Christopher, moved on.
When they came to Illinois in about 1833, the family settled on land at the intersection of the Vincennes Road and Sauk Road. The Vincennes road was used by traders, merchants, and others traveling from the Vincennes area to the north, and the Sauk Road was primarily an Indian trail until others moving west started using it. There surely must have been some interesting characters traveling on these roads!
Adam went to work clearing land and building his home. He first built a log cabin, but by 1838, when he purchased the land, he had built a "house" and planted an orchard. He purchased land on all four corners of the intersection, which turned out to be the perfect place for an inn, which was apparently his next enterprise. He evidently did rather well financially. The 1850 census gives the value of his land as $4,800. The state census in 1865 shows that he had livestock, grains, other products, and wool. Possibly some of the other products included fruit from the orchard he had planted. By 1870, he had real estate holdings worth $20,800 and his personal property was valued at $27,000. It looks like this man was a hard worker, and his wife would have worked equally hard.
Adam is noted in the Cook County, Illinois History as having been a "Universalist" in religion, which was very different from the Lutheran upbringing of his childhood. Universalists of the time generally believed that all would be eventually reconciled to God, thereby not acknowledging the Biblical doctrine of eternal damnation. We don't know whether Phoebe shared these views, but since Fremont and Phoebe Holbrook were staunch Methodists, as were Phoebe Brown's parents, the Myers, it seems likely that Phoebe Brown may have gently led the children in another direction.
Adam Brown died on March 3, 1893, in Will County, Illinois, where he had gone to live with family following the death of Phoebe on February 27, 1892. They are both buried in Crete Cemetery, Will County, very close to the lands they lived on for about 60 years. The inn was carried on by family members until about 1906, and the intersection was known as Brown's Corners.
Their known children were Christopher, Lovina (first white child born in the township), Elizabeth, George, William, Sarah, Mary J, Phoebe, and Adam.
The line of descent is:
Adam Brown-Phoebe Myers
Phoebe Myers-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Lois/Gladys/Ray/Howard Holbrook
children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren
Adam was born March 18, 1804 (probably a few days earlier, as this is his date of christening) in Guilford County, N.C. When he was a toddler or very young boy, his parents moved to Preble County, Ohio, where they were very early settlers, and where they lived out their days on a farm.
Adam married Phoebe Myers, daughter of Christopher Myers and Elizabeth Nation, on March 11, 1830 in Preble County. The Myers family were also early settlers in the area, and Christopher was born in North Carolina also. It is unknown whether the two families knew each other from "way back", or whether it was coincidence that they arrived at the same place from the same general area of North Carolina. At any rate, the two married.
Shortly before the death of Adam Sr, Adam and Phoebe and son Christopher set off on their own. They apparently traveled by themselves to the southern edge of what became Bloom Township, Cook County, Illinois. They may have traveled to Elkhart County, Indiana, first, with Christopher and Phoebe Myers, and stayed there long enough to help them build their cabin and get some land cleared. Christopher and Phoebe stayed in Elkhart County, but Adam and Phoebe, along with son Christopher, moved on.
When they came to Illinois in about 1833, the family settled on land at the intersection of the Vincennes Road and Sauk Road. The Vincennes road was used by traders, merchants, and others traveling from the Vincennes area to the north, and the Sauk Road was primarily an Indian trail until others moving west started using it. There surely must have been some interesting characters traveling on these roads!
Adam went to work clearing land and building his home. He first built a log cabin, but by 1838, when he purchased the land, he had built a "house" and planted an orchard. He purchased land on all four corners of the intersection, which turned out to be the perfect place for an inn, which was apparently his next enterprise. He evidently did rather well financially. The 1850 census gives the value of his land as $4,800. The state census in 1865 shows that he had livestock, grains, other products, and wool. Possibly some of the other products included fruit from the orchard he had planted. By 1870, he had real estate holdings worth $20,800 and his personal property was valued at $27,000. It looks like this man was a hard worker, and his wife would have worked equally hard.
Adam is noted in the Cook County, Illinois History as having been a "Universalist" in religion, which was very different from the Lutheran upbringing of his childhood. Universalists of the time generally believed that all would be eventually reconciled to God, thereby not acknowledging the Biblical doctrine of eternal damnation. We don't know whether Phoebe shared these views, but since Fremont and Phoebe Holbrook were staunch Methodists, as were Phoebe Brown's parents, the Myers, it seems likely that Phoebe Brown may have gently led the children in another direction.
Adam Brown died on March 3, 1893, in Will County, Illinois, where he had gone to live with family following the death of Phoebe on February 27, 1892. They are both buried in Crete Cemetery, Will County, very close to the lands they lived on for about 60 years. The inn was carried on by family members until about 1906, and the intersection was known as Brown's Corners.
Their known children were Christopher, Lovina (first white child born in the township), Elizabeth, George, William, Sarah, Mary J, Phoebe, and Adam.
The line of descent is:
Adam Brown-Phoebe Myers
Phoebe Myers-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Lois/Gladys/Ray/Howard Holbrook
children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren
Friday, December 20, 2013
Holbrook line: John Adam Brown
John Adam Brown was born sometime around 1760, according to his tombstone and census records, and died before March 31, 1834. He had at least one brother, George. He was possibly born in or near Rowan County, North Carolina, and died in Preble County, Ohio. We know that he married Catherine Clapp on March 24, 1784 in Orange County, North Carolina. The Clapps were a German family who came from Weissenheim-Berg, Hesse (Germany) originally, via Berks County, Pa. The Clapps came to Orange County about 1754 in one of the famous wagon trains from Berks County, but we don't yet know if Adam's family came that way, too, or whether they may have been some of the Germans who came up through the Carolinas and went west. It's not even known for sure whether the Brown family was German, but since there is a remark in an 1881 history of Preble County that this family spoke only German in the home, we are guessing that Adam was originally known at Johann Adam, and that his family name was originally Braun. The Clapp family is proven but I have found no proof for the Brown/Braun family back further than this John Adam.
When John Phillip Clapp, Catherine's father, died in 1798 he left land on or near Sandy Creek in the northeast corner of Randolph County to Adam Brown, and this is where they apparently raised their family until they left for Ohio.
The only descendent that we have found definite baptismal/christening records for is John Adam Brown, Jr., who was born in Guilford County, NC in 1804. He was christened at the "Old Brick Church" in Guilford County, and the date (not sure if this is birth date or christening date) was March 18, 1804. He is possibly the last of Adam and Catherine's children, or at least the last born in North Carolina.
In 1805, Adam sold his land so quickly that it was only recorded after the fact, when Adam and Catherine and their family were probably already on their way to their new home in Preble County, Ohio. The children that we think we have identified are Polly, George A, John, John Adam, Frederick, and Peter. In the 1790 census in Guilford County,there were four females listed, which would indicate there could have been two older daughters. , and in the 1820 census in Harrison Township, Preble County there are two white males 10-15, one 16-18 (perhaps our John Adam), two who are 16-25 (John Adam and Frederick?), and one white female under 10 as well as two white females 16-25. George, John, Peter and Polly have apparently left home, and we still have several females to identify. Were they children, or were they another relative? And who were they? At any rate, this family settled in Preble County when there were only three other men in the county, so they were very early pioneers.
We know that Adam was already listed as a taxpayer in Preble County in 1808, and that when he arrived he was o. In 1817, Adam Brown and wife Catherine donated or sold 1 acre of land to John Lock Sr and Peter Ozias as Trustees of the German Lutheran and German Calvinist Society, by name of Frederick Meeting House Congregation of Preble County, Ohio, for $20. Adam Brown also purchased goods or chattel at the auction of John Lock's goods, in 1818, in Harrison Twp., so they must have been near neighbors. He may have been too old to have participated in a regular basis in the War of 1812, but it is likely that he at least stood guard duty while the younger men were out on campaign. I have not been able to show that he fought in the Revolutionary War, either, although with a battle having taken place at Guilford Court House, it is possible that he was at least involved in that battle in some way.
Adam Brown's estate is listed as case number 543 in the Preble County Probate Abstracts. He was buried in either Old Euphemia Cemetery, or in Roselawn Cemetery, Lewisburg, Preble County. The death date matches for Roselawn Cemetery, but Find A Grave gives a birthdate of 1757 for him, which is a little earlier than other sites give.
As to the parents of John Adam St, I have two theories. One is that he is one or another of the several Johann Adam Braun's born in Berks County, Pa in the 1755-1765 time period, and that he came to North Carolina with one of the family groups that moved together. The other is that his father was Frederick Brown. Frederick is listed as having been on a road crew in Rowan County in 1753, so he was at least 21 at that time. He owned land in the same tract as Ludwig Clapp (Catherine's grandfather) in 1758, on Sandy Creek. He was naturalized in Salisbury, Rowan County in 1763, and is clearly noted as having been from Germany. So far I have found not a hint as to who his wife, if any, may have been.
As usual, there are more questions than answers about Adam. I would love to know whether he was at the battle at Guilford Court House. I'd love to know what his role was in the War of 1812, if any. I'd love to know more about his descendants, and where they ended up besides Cook County, Illinois. And of course, I'd love to know his parents, and where they came from.
Our line of descent is:
John Adam Brown-Catherine Clapp
John Adam Brown, Jr.-Elizabeth Myers
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
their children, and their children's descendants-we know who we are!
When John Phillip Clapp, Catherine's father, died in 1798 he left land on or near Sandy Creek in the northeast corner of Randolph County to Adam Brown, and this is where they apparently raised their family until they left for Ohio.
The only descendent that we have found definite baptismal/christening records for is John Adam Brown, Jr., who was born in Guilford County, NC in 1804. He was christened at the "Old Brick Church" in Guilford County, and the date (not sure if this is birth date or christening date) was March 18, 1804. He is possibly the last of Adam and Catherine's children, or at least the last born in North Carolina.
In 1805, Adam sold his land so quickly that it was only recorded after the fact, when Adam and Catherine and their family were probably already on their way to their new home in Preble County, Ohio. The children that we think we have identified are Polly, George A, John, John Adam, Frederick, and Peter. In the 1790 census in Guilford County,there were four females listed, which would indicate there could have been two older daughters. , and in the 1820 census in Harrison Township, Preble County there are two white males 10-15, one 16-18 (perhaps our John Adam), two who are 16-25 (John Adam and Frederick?), and one white female under 10 as well as two white females 16-25. George, John, Peter and Polly have apparently left home, and we still have several females to identify. Were they children, or were they another relative? And who were they? At any rate, this family settled in Preble County when there were only three other men in the county, so they were very early pioneers.
We know that Adam was already listed as a taxpayer in Preble County in 1808, and that when he arrived he was o. In 1817, Adam Brown and wife Catherine donated or sold 1 acre of land to John Lock Sr and Peter Ozias as Trustees of the German Lutheran and German Calvinist Society, by name of Frederick Meeting House Congregation of Preble County, Ohio, for $20. Adam Brown also purchased goods or chattel at the auction of John Lock's goods, in 1818, in Harrison Twp., so they must have been near neighbors. He may have been too old to have participated in a regular basis in the War of 1812, but it is likely that he at least stood guard duty while the younger men were out on campaign. I have not been able to show that he fought in the Revolutionary War, either, although with a battle having taken place at Guilford Court House, it is possible that he was at least involved in that battle in some way.
Adam Brown's estate is listed as case number 543 in the Preble County Probate Abstracts. He was buried in either Old Euphemia Cemetery, or in Roselawn Cemetery, Lewisburg, Preble County. The death date matches for Roselawn Cemetery, but Find A Grave gives a birthdate of 1757 for him, which is a little earlier than other sites give.
As to the parents of John Adam St, I have two theories. One is that he is one or another of the several Johann Adam Braun's born in Berks County, Pa in the 1755-1765 time period, and that he came to North Carolina with one of the family groups that moved together. The other is that his father was Frederick Brown. Frederick is listed as having been on a road crew in Rowan County in 1753, so he was at least 21 at that time. He owned land in the same tract as Ludwig Clapp (Catherine's grandfather) in 1758, on Sandy Creek. He was naturalized in Salisbury, Rowan County in 1763, and is clearly noted as having been from Germany. So far I have found not a hint as to who his wife, if any, may have been.
As usual, there are more questions than answers about Adam. I would love to know whether he was at the battle at Guilford Court House. I'd love to know what his role was in the War of 1812, if any. I'd love to know more about his descendants, and where they ended up besides Cook County, Illinois. And of course, I'd love to know his parents, and where they came from.
Our line of descent is:
John Adam Brown-Catherine Clapp
John Adam Brown, Jr.-Elizabeth Myers
Phoebe Brown-Fremont Holbrook
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
their children, and their children's descendants-we know who we are!
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