Henry Stevens is another man of mystery, prior to his immigration to Massachusetts Bay Colony on the Defiance in 1635. His age on the records is given as 24 at that time, so his birth date would be about 1611, and it's probably safe to say his origins were in England. The ship sailed from London, which may or may not mean he was from somewhere in the southeast section of the country. Alice Stevens, believed to be Henry's wife, came at the same time on a separate ship, the Abigail. We don't know why they sailed on separate ships and that is a mystery I'd like to solve. At any rate, it appears that they were married before they came to America, perhaps shortly before.
Their first home was in Lynn but they were in Boston by 1641. Alice was admitted to the Boston church on June 18, 1643, and Henry Stevens was admitted February 8, 1651/2. Sometime between April 11, 1649 and February 1651/52, Alice had died and Henry was married to Mary Buckmaster. Their first child was born May 28, 1652, so Henry wasn't a widow for long. Henry and Alice's first three children were baptized on the same day that Alice became a member of the church (having children baptized was sometimes a prime motivator in joining a church; at least one parent had to belong to the church.) John, James, Joseph, Deborah and Deliverance were the children of Henry and Alice. Henry's children with Mary were Joanna, Henry, Thomas, Joshua, John, Samuel, Silence, and Mary. This was quite a family to raise! Son John was nearly 33 years old when Mary, the last child, was born in 1670.
Fortunately, Henry had a good trade. He was a mason, and likely moved from Lynn to Boston when he realized there was more work available at Boston. (Robert Charles Anderson suggests that Henry was a servant to John Humfrey, who left to return permanently to England, about the time that Henry moved to Boston. He further suggests that Henry, as a servant to Humfrey, had burned down Humfrey's bar. My inference is that this was likely an accident, because years were added to Henry's servitude, rather than Henry being imprisoned or even sentenced to death, as would have happened if it were considered a crime.
Henry had at least some education because he signed his name on deeds, and when he died his estate included books. He became a freeman on May 26, 1652, and was appointed to committees to set boundaries between towns. He was also a constable at least twice, and a tithingman. One of the deeds refers to Henry Stevens as a husbandman, so he must have done some farming, or at least owned farmland, also.
When Henry died on June 11, 1690, James and Joseph had predeceased him, as Henry left small bequests to their children. His estate totaled 411 pounds 10 shillings, of which 381 pounds was real estate in several different locations.
I have not been able to find what became of Mary. Information on various genealogy web sites gives her death as 1684. If this is accurate, then Henry, who wrote his will in 1688, had remarried and his third wife was also Mary, for he mentions her by name in his will. This would be a mystery that a descendant of Henry and Mary might want to try to solve. Our tree comes through Henry and Alice, so my interest is in identifying Alice.
The line of descent is:
Henry Stevens-Alice
John Stevens-Elizabeth Hildreth
Joseph Stevens-Elizabeth Tidd
Elizabeth Stevens-William Snow
Lucy Snow-Josiah Whittemore
Josiah Whittemore-Betsy Foster
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
Friday, December 7, 2018
Holbrook line: William Fifield, newly found immigrant
William Fifield is a recent addition to our family tree. When I learned who the Lucy Snow was who married Josiah Whittemore, she came with quite a well researched genealogy. William Fifield was one of those finds. I love it when an ancestor has been written up by Robert Charles Anderson in The Great Migration series! What I don't love about William Fifield is that he lived in a state and county that I'm not familiar with. That means I not only have more research to do, but I have to learn how to do the research in New Hampshire. However, I digress.
William Fifield was born about 1614 somewhere in England. A case has been made that he is from Littleton, Hampshire, England, and some believe his ancestry can be traced back another four or five generations. I'm not convinced, but I'm sure going to look into it. His birthdate is approximated from various depositions he gave in his adult life, when he said that he was of a certain age at that time. It isn't known who his wife may have been, other than her given name of Mary. They likely married after each immigrated.
The first record we have of William is his oath of fidelity given when he immigrated on the Hercules, in 1634. It arrived at Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay Colony in April of that year. Since there were only 12 known passengers on this ship, either it was very small or it carried primarily cargo. In 1634, most of what the colony used would have been imported from "home". It was, after all, a colony. He lived at Ipswich for a short time, then at Newbury, and in 1639 went to Hampton, in what is now New Hampshire. It appears that he spent the rest of his life there.
Hampton would have been a good place to raise a family. It was on the Atlantic Ocean, so there was likely a maritime business. If not, at least it was pretty! Good water was available, and there were vast fields of timber nearby. William and Mary may have had as many as nine children, the last born in 1660/61. Two children did not survive infancy, but the others reached adulthood and married.
There is a possibility that William was somehow related to the Fifields of Barbados, but that needs more study. If it turns out to be true, one could wonder ships sailing to or from Hampton would have carried family members. It also makes one wonder whether there was any slave trade involved.
William acquired land both by grants and by purchase, but I don't know enough about land in New Hampshire at this time period to figure out whether he acquired more than the typical resident.
William had some amount of education, because he signed his name to deeds. He was made a freeman in 1641, which gave him the right to vote and to hold office. He held the office of timber surveyor, selectman, constable, and deputy constable at various times, and was frequently a petit juror. He also served on a committee to set the boundary between Portsmouth and Hampton.
This is what I know about William Fifield. I'd like to learn his origins and his wife's maiden name. I'd like to know about his military service (he had some, because he was excused from military training in the later years of his life), and how active he was in church. But, welcome to our family, William Fifield! I'm glad you made your presence known.
The line of descent is:
William Fifield-Mary
Elizabeth Fifield-John Tidd
Elizabeth Tidd-Joseph Stevens
Elizabeth Stevens-William Snow
Lucy Snow-Josiah Whittemore
Josiah Whittemore-Betsy Foster
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
William Fifield was born about 1614 somewhere in England. A case has been made that he is from Littleton, Hampshire, England, and some believe his ancestry can be traced back another four or five generations. I'm not convinced, but I'm sure going to look into it. His birthdate is approximated from various depositions he gave in his adult life, when he said that he was of a certain age at that time. It isn't known who his wife may have been, other than her given name of Mary. They likely married after each immigrated.
The first record we have of William is his oath of fidelity given when he immigrated on the Hercules, in 1634. It arrived at Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay Colony in April of that year. Since there were only 12 known passengers on this ship, either it was very small or it carried primarily cargo. In 1634, most of what the colony used would have been imported from "home". It was, after all, a colony. He lived at Ipswich for a short time, then at Newbury, and in 1639 went to Hampton, in what is now New Hampshire. It appears that he spent the rest of his life there.
Hampton would have been a good place to raise a family. It was on the Atlantic Ocean, so there was likely a maritime business. If not, at least it was pretty! Good water was available, and there were vast fields of timber nearby. William and Mary may have had as many as nine children, the last born in 1660/61. Two children did not survive infancy, but the others reached adulthood and married.
There is a possibility that William was somehow related to the Fifields of Barbados, but that needs more study. If it turns out to be true, one could wonder ships sailing to or from Hampton would have carried family members. It also makes one wonder whether there was any slave trade involved.
William acquired land both by grants and by purchase, but I don't know enough about land in New Hampshire at this time period to figure out whether he acquired more than the typical resident.
William had some amount of education, because he signed his name to deeds. He was made a freeman in 1641, which gave him the right to vote and to hold office. He held the office of timber surveyor, selectman, constable, and deputy constable at various times, and was frequently a petit juror. He also served on a committee to set the boundary between Portsmouth and Hampton.
This is what I know about William Fifield. I'd like to learn his origins and his wife's maiden name. I'd like to know about his military service (he had some, because he was excused from military training in the later years of his life), and how active he was in church. But, welcome to our family, William Fifield! I'm glad you made your presence known.
The line of descent is:
William Fifield-Mary
Elizabeth Fifield-John Tidd
Elizabeth Tidd-Joseph Stevens
Elizabeth Stevens-William Snow
Lucy Snow-Josiah Whittemore
Josiah Whittemore-Betsy Foster
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Holbrook line: Joseph Morse 1610-1690 Immigrant
Perhaps I should be writing this about the Joseph Morse who died in 1646 in Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay Colony and who had a son named Joseph, mentioned in his will, but Robert Charles Anderson is not willing to state that Joseph of Ipswich is the father of Joseph of Watertown, Massachusetts Bay Colony, so I will only present that as a possibility. The Joseph Morse I will write of was born about 1610, somewhere in England and sailed on the Elizabeth from Ipswich, England in 1634.
Joseph was listed as 24 years of age at the time. He apparently went straight to Watertown and stayed there is whole life. He was admitted to the Watertown Church and was granted the status of freeman on May 6, 1635. He was a weaver by trade but also received several grants of land, including meadow and "upland" as well as a farm of 73 acres, all as grants. He may have rented these lands out or he may have farmed them himself. He was married by about 1637 to Esther or Hester Piece, daughter of John and Elizabeth (possibly Stoker) Pierce, also of Watertown. Joseph and Esther had at least seven children, six of whom lived until adulthood. This was a pretty decent survival rate for the time and indicates that Joseph and Esther were probably not "dirt poor", although they may have struggled during the early years. Another indication that the family was surviving economically was that they accepted at least one child into their care, who was three years old at the time and who became an apprentice at the age of five, unless these are two different children with the same father.
Joseph apparently did not take an active part in the civic life of Watertown, although he was a fence viewer for a term. Raising several children, carrying on a trade as well as (likely) a farming operation may have left him little time for public service. When Joseph died in 1689/90, his estate was very small, just a little over six pounds. He had already disposed of his land holdings and probably was living with or under the care of one or more of his children. Esther lived until 1694.
This is not much information to fill in the "dash" for a man who lived about 80 years. I have a book on my "to read" shelf about Watertown, and although I didn't find his name in the index, perhaps the book will be able to fill in some of the gaps in my knowledge of Joseph and how he lived. We do know that he farmed, he worked, he attended church, he voted, and he served as "master" to at least one child beside his own.
One other thing: He is listed as the ancestor of Calvin Coolidge and of Richard Nixon.
The line of descent is:
Joseph Morse-Esther Pierce
Joseph Morse-Susanna Shattuck
Esther Morse-Nathaniel Joslin
Israel Joslin-Sarah Cleveland
Sarah Joslin-Edward Fay
David Fay-Mary Perrin
Luceba Fay-Libbeus Stanard
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Joseph was listed as 24 years of age at the time. He apparently went straight to Watertown and stayed there is whole life. He was admitted to the Watertown Church and was granted the status of freeman on May 6, 1635. He was a weaver by trade but also received several grants of land, including meadow and "upland" as well as a farm of 73 acres, all as grants. He may have rented these lands out or he may have farmed them himself. He was married by about 1637 to Esther or Hester Piece, daughter of John and Elizabeth (possibly Stoker) Pierce, also of Watertown. Joseph and Esther had at least seven children, six of whom lived until adulthood. This was a pretty decent survival rate for the time and indicates that Joseph and Esther were probably not "dirt poor", although they may have struggled during the early years. Another indication that the family was surviving economically was that they accepted at least one child into their care, who was three years old at the time and who became an apprentice at the age of five, unless these are two different children with the same father.
Joseph apparently did not take an active part in the civic life of Watertown, although he was a fence viewer for a term. Raising several children, carrying on a trade as well as (likely) a farming operation may have left him little time for public service. When Joseph died in 1689/90, his estate was very small, just a little over six pounds. He had already disposed of his land holdings and probably was living with or under the care of one or more of his children. Esther lived until 1694.
This is not much information to fill in the "dash" for a man who lived about 80 years. I have a book on my "to read" shelf about Watertown, and although I didn't find his name in the index, perhaps the book will be able to fill in some of the gaps in my knowledge of Joseph and how he lived. We do know that he farmed, he worked, he attended church, he voted, and he served as "master" to at least one child beside his own.
One other thing: He is listed as the ancestor of Calvin Coolidge and of Richard Nixon.
The line of descent is:
Joseph Morse-Esther Pierce
Joseph Morse-Susanna Shattuck
Esther Morse-Nathaniel Joslin
Israel Joslin-Sarah Cleveland
Sarah Joslin-Edward Fay
David Fay-Mary Perrin
Luceba Fay-Libbeus Stanard
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, November 30, 2018
Thomas Savory, maybe an immigrant?
This is more of a plea for help than a blog post, actually. I've had such difficulty in pinning this man down that about all I can write about him will be theories and speculation. The one thing I am reasonably certain of is that he married Mary (Marie) Woodcock (Woororke, or something similar) on January 26, 1595 in Hannington, Wiltshire, England. This would probably make his birth date sometime in the early 1570's but that is really just a guess. I show on my tree that his parents were Robert and Joan Savory, but I haven't seen good documentation for that and so I regard it merely as speculation. Robert and Joan did have a child named Thomas in that time period and location, but so did at least one other couple, so I say "show me".
We don't know when he came to America. In fact, there are those who don't think he came to America at all. Because his daughter was Elizabeth Savory who married Samuel Eddy in Massachusetts Bay Colony, I lean toward the idea that he was here but I have no proof. He most likely is not the Thomas who came to America in 1633, and neither is he the one who came on the Mary and John in 1634.
There is even considerable dispute about his children. Some lists do not include Elizabeth, but she does seem to fit in this family, due to her birth date of May 1607, between two of her brothers. It's possible that Elizabeth came to America without her parents, but no proof has been found.
So Thomas is a mystery, and I'm asking for help in finding him. If he came to America, he deserves recognition. If he didn't come to America, then how did Elizabeth get here, and were Thomas and Mary her parents?
This blog post is written as quite evident proof that there is much more to be learn about our ancestors. Did Thomas come to America and possibly live just a short time? Did he stay in England and perhaps perish in the Civil War there? Did he die on board ship? How did he stay under the radar for so long? I hope to update this blog post at some point in the future, but let this be evidence that finding accurate information about our ancestors is difficult!
The (supposed) line of descent is:
Thomas Savory-Mary Woodcocke
Elizabeth Savory-Samuel Eddy
Zechariah Eddy-Alice Paddock
Zechariah Eddy-Anphillis Smith
Elisha Eddy-Sarah Phettiplace
Enos Eddy-Sarah Brown
Enos Eddy-Deborah Paine
Joseph Brown Eddy-Susan Lamphire
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
We don't know when he came to America. In fact, there are those who don't think he came to America at all. Because his daughter was Elizabeth Savory who married Samuel Eddy in Massachusetts Bay Colony, I lean toward the idea that he was here but I have no proof. He most likely is not the Thomas who came to America in 1633, and neither is he the one who came on the Mary and John in 1634.
There is even considerable dispute about his children. Some lists do not include Elizabeth, but she does seem to fit in this family, due to her birth date of May 1607, between two of her brothers. It's possible that Elizabeth came to America without her parents, but no proof has been found.
So Thomas is a mystery, and I'm asking for help in finding him. If he came to America, he deserves recognition. If he didn't come to America, then how did Elizabeth get here, and were Thomas and Mary her parents?
This blog post is written as quite evident proof that there is much more to be learn about our ancestors. Did Thomas come to America and possibly live just a short time? Did he stay in England and perhaps perish in the Civil War there? Did he die on board ship? How did he stay under the radar for so long? I hope to update this blog post at some point in the future, but let this be evidence that finding accurate information about our ancestors is difficult!
The (supposed) line of descent is:
Thomas Savory-Mary Woodcocke
Elizabeth Savory-Samuel Eddy
Zechariah Eddy-Alice Paddock
Zechariah Eddy-Anphillis Smith
Elisha Eddy-Sarah Phettiplace
Enos Eddy-Sarah Brown
Enos Eddy-Deborah Paine
Joseph Brown Eddy-Susan Lamphire
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Thomas Hanchett, Immigrant
Thomas is another mystery ancestor. We know nothing of his ancestry although there are various theories. He was probably born about 1620, and probably in England, but right now that is as close as we can come to an origin for him, We know nothing of him until we find him being granted a house lot in Wethersfield, Connecticut on February 28, 1647. This was shortly before he married Deliverance Langton, daughter of George Langton on September 22, 1647. The marriage may have occurred in Springfield, Massachusetts Bay Colony, but there seems to be no record available.
Thomas and Deliverance had four children, probably all born in Wethersfield, Thomas, John, Deliverance and Hannah. The granting of the house lot may indicate that Thomas was already a settler there, since the town was founded about 1637, or it may indicate that the town wanted him there for some reason, such as a skill or trade he might have had. I've found no record that indicates an occupation for Thomas.
In 1660, the family moved to Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts Boy Colony, where they lived on land granted them by Deliverance's father. Thomas took the oath of fidelity there, and was made a freeman in 1661, giving him the right to vote and hold office. The Hanchetts stayed in Northampton until about 1679, when they moved to Suffield, where Thomas was a founder. One source says that Hanchett also lived at New London, Connecticut and Westfield, Massachusetts. If this is accurate, then we have to wonder about Thomas. Was he difficult to get along with, did he have religious misgivings, or did he simply have a trade, such as millwright or home builder, that encouraged him to go where the new villages were forming? I hope to find more information about this.
Thomas is given the title of deacon in his death record. He served in that capacity at both Northampton and at Suffield. His Wikitree profile shows Thomas's signature, which is the only indication we have of a possible educational level.
Thomas died June 11, 1686 but so far I have not located a will or estate papers. Deliverance married Jonathan Burt that same year, and lived until 1711.
I'm hoping that a book about Thomas Hanchett will appear under the Christmas tree and perhaps after I read it I will have a better understanding of his life. We know, however, that he was one of those who chose to come to America, that he lived in frontier towns in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and that whatever he did for a living, he helped build our country.
The line of descent is:
Thomas Hanchett-Deliverance Langton
John Hanchett-Esther Pritchard
John Hanchett-Lydia Hayward
Hannah Hanchett-John Stannard
Libbeus Stannard-Eunice Pomeroy
Libbeus Stanard-Luceba Fay
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Thomas and Deliverance had four children, probably all born in Wethersfield, Thomas, John, Deliverance and Hannah. The granting of the house lot may indicate that Thomas was already a settler there, since the town was founded about 1637, or it may indicate that the town wanted him there for some reason, such as a skill or trade he might have had. I've found no record that indicates an occupation for Thomas.
In 1660, the family moved to Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts Boy Colony, where they lived on land granted them by Deliverance's father. Thomas took the oath of fidelity there, and was made a freeman in 1661, giving him the right to vote and hold office. The Hanchetts stayed in Northampton until about 1679, when they moved to Suffield, where Thomas was a founder. One source says that Hanchett also lived at New London, Connecticut and Westfield, Massachusetts. If this is accurate, then we have to wonder about Thomas. Was he difficult to get along with, did he have religious misgivings, or did he simply have a trade, such as millwright or home builder, that encouraged him to go where the new villages were forming? I hope to find more information about this.
Thomas is given the title of deacon in his death record. He served in that capacity at both Northampton and at Suffield. His Wikitree profile shows Thomas's signature, which is the only indication we have of a possible educational level.
Thomas died June 11, 1686 but so far I have not located a will or estate papers. Deliverance married Jonathan Burt that same year, and lived until 1711.
I'm hoping that a book about Thomas Hanchett will appear under the Christmas tree and perhaps after I read it I will have a better understanding of his life. We know, however, that he was one of those who chose to come to America, that he lived in frontier towns in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and that whatever he did for a living, he helped build our country.
The line of descent is:
Thomas Hanchett-Deliverance Langton
John Hanchett-Esther Pritchard
John Hanchett-Lydia Hayward
Hannah Hanchett-John Stannard
Libbeus Stannard-Eunice Pomeroy
Libbeus Stanard-Luceba Fay
Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, November 23, 2018
Molly Wright Holbrook: I found her!
All right. Molly is playing with me. She has haunted my dreams for years and now that I've found her, three times my almost finished blog post has completely disappeared from my screen. She seems to want her privacy, but after spending years, probably dozens and perhaps hundreds of hours, and $376.90 looking for her, I am going to tell what I've learned of her family, whether Molly likes it or not. (Just kidding, but why would this blog post keep disappearing?)
Molly has been the ancestor I've most wanted to find. She was probably incredibly feisty, since she raised nine children after her husband, Amariah Holbrook, died in 1797. She was unusual for the time in that she did not remarry, although remarriage would have given her some security for her family. But she has also been hidden, despite all the time and money I've spent looking for her, and I was beginning to think I'd never be able to identify her. I am so glad I was wrong!
I learned from searching the new database on American Ancestors, Norfolk County, Massachusetts probate files 1793-1877, that Jonathan Wright's estate was probated in April of 1797. He was from Franklin, Norfolk County, so I had hopes that he was some sort of relation to Molly, since that was her home before her marriage.
Imagine my joy to learn that Jonathan was Molly's father, and the relationship was clearly spelled out in the administration papers. More than that, three other children, siblings to Molly, were named. Seth was the sole surviving son and there was also Esther Aldis and Suzannah Wright, as well as a family I haven't yet identified. There seems to be a relationship but the wording is not specific so I'll need to research that.
I have learned that Jonathan married Rebecca )Rebecah) Willson or Wilson in 1741 in Wrentham, and the first three children were born during the early 1740s. Seth, in fact, was born about four months after the marriage. Molly wasn't born until 1759, and I still don't have a birth record for her so I don't know whether or not Rebecca is her mother. There was plenty of time between son Jonathan's birth in 1749 and Molly's in 1759 for Rebecca to have died and Jonathan to have remarried. Or perhaps they simply left the area for a time and then moved back. There is no mention of a wife in the estate packet, unless this other family somehow fits in there.
The main thing I learned about Molly from this discovery is that 1797 was a very hard year for this feisty woman. Son Lyman was born in February of 1797. Her father died before April 4, 1797, and her husband, Amariah, died September 7, 1797. On top of that, it became apparent that her father's estate was insolvent, so there would be no inheritance. Molly would soon start fighting for a pension for Amariah's Revolutionary War service, but I don't know what else she did to support herself. Spinning and weaving may have been one of the money making ventures.
Simply knowing that Molly did have a family, that she wasn't dropped from an alien space ship after all, is a joy. I hope to research Jonathan and Rebecca as time allows over the next weeks and months, but for now, I am content to leave Molly with her father, a yeoman of very little monetary worth when he died. But he's precious to me. He must have been a good father, to have given Molly the tools she needed to survive in this world. Oh, one other thing: In the probate papers, Amariah and Molly were the only two people to sign their names. The other children made their mark.
The line of descent is:
Molly Wright-Amariah Holbrook
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Molly has been the ancestor I've most wanted to find. She was probably incredibly feisty, since she raised nine children after her husband, Amariah Holbrook, died in 1797. She was unusual for the time in that she did not remarry, although remarriage would have given her some security for her family. But she has also been hidden, despite all the time and money I've spent looking for her, and I was beginning to think I'd never be able to identify her. I am so glad I was wrong!
I learned from searching the new database on American Ancestors, Norfolk County, Massachusetts probate files 1793-1877, that Jonathan Wright's estate was probated in April of 1797. He was from Franklin, Norfolk County, so I had hopes that he was some sort of relation to Molly, since that was her home before her marriage.
Imagine my joy to learn that Jonathan was Molly's father, and the relationship was clearly spelled out in the administration papers. More than that, three other children, siblings to Molly, were named. Seth was the sole surviving son and there was also Esther Aldis and Suzannah Wright, as well as a family I haven't yet identified. There seems to be a relationship but the wording is not specific so I'll need to research that.
I have learned that Jonathan married Rebecca )Rebecah) Willson or Wilson in 1741 in Wrentham, and the first three children were born during the early 1740s. Seth, in fact, was born about four months after the marriage. Molly wasn't born until 1759, and I still don't have a birth record for her so I don't know whether or not Rebecca is her mother. There was plenty of time between son Jonathan's birth in 1749 and Molly's in 1759 for Rebecca to have died and Jonathan to have remarried. Or perhaps they simply left the area for a time and then moved back. There is no mention of a wife in the estate packet, unless this other family somehow fits in there.
The main thing I learned about Molly from this discovery is that 1797 was a very hard year for this feisty woman. Son Lyman was born in February of 1797. Her father died before April 4, 1797, and her husband, Amariah, died September 7, 1797. On top of that, it became apparent that her father's estate was insolvent, so there would be no inheritance. Molly would soon start fighting for a pension for Amariah's Revolutionary War service, but I don't know what else she did to support herself. Spinning and weaving may have been one of the money making ventures.
Simply knowing that Molly did have a family, that she wasn't dropped from an alien space ship after all, is a joy. I hope to research Jonathan and Rebecca as time allows over the next weeks and months, but for now, I am content to leave Molly with her father, a yeoman of very little monetary worth when he died. But he's precious to me. He must have been a good father, to have given Molly the tools she needed to survive in this world. Oh, one other thing: In the probate papers, Amariah and Molly were the only two people to sign their names. The other children made their mark.
The line of descent is:
Molly Wright-Amariah Holbrook
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Holbrook line: Captain Miles Standish, Immigrant,
I/m really surprised that I haven't written about Miles (Myles) Standish yet, so the timing of this, during Thanksgiving week, seems appropriate. There is a lot of material about the Captain available, but there is still much to learn. Robert Charles Anderson thinks it is possible or even likely, but not proven, that Miles is the son of John Standish, of the Isle of Man, son of John, son of Huan. It has long been thought that Miles came from either the Isle of Man or Lancashire, and the two families seem to be somehow related, although the connection has not yet been found. He seems to have been born about 1583 or 1584,
Another mystery is when and under what circumstances he went to fight in the "Low Country". The two options put forth most often are that he went as a mercenary, during the war between the Low Countries and Spain, or that he served under Sir Horatio Vere, who was sent by Queen Elizabeth I to fight in Holland. Vere is known to have recruited soldiers in both Lancashire and the Isle of Man. It seems that there would be some sort of record if that were the case, but of course the English Civil War of the 1640s, as well as other causes of decay, confusion, and misplacing of records all mean that we may never find a roster with the name of Miles Standish on it. In any case, it appears that he retired from military service and stayed in Holland, where he had ample opportunity to meet with the men who would soon be known as Pilgrims.
Miles was hired by the Pilgrims to be their military advisor, so it appears that he wasn't one of the Pilgrims. He was Protestant, though, and hIn 1620, whas been called Puritan. If this is accurate, the difference in beliefs between his own and the Pilgrims would not have been large' primarily, the Separatists wanted to live separately, away from established religion as they knew it, and the Puritans were interested in reforming the Church of England, to make it a simpler and less ornate religion.
In 1620, when the Pilgrims left Holland and then England for the New World, Miles and his wife Rose were on board the Mayflower, Rose, however, died during that first winter, along with many of the other Pilgrims, due to exposure and disease as well as inadequate food. His second wife, Barbara, arrived on the ship "Anne" in 1623. This seems to be someone Miles already knew but Anderson is not willing to identify her further. It has been suggested that she was the sister of Rose,
Captain Myles' s occupation is listed only as "soldier", but he did much more than construct the defenses at Plymouth Plantation. He led men on military expeditions, which were mainly again the native Americans but also against the Dutch in the war against the Dutch. He is said to have had a violent temper, but he was working in difficult conditions with difficult men so I'll give him a pass on that. He was a councilor, a free man, an assistant, deputy governor, treasurer of the colony, and on the Council of War. He was also the commander of the military forces. He was still listed os able to bear arms in 1643, when he would have been just about 60 years of age.
While we don't know the extent of his education, he was the treasurer so he must have had at least rudimentary arithmetic skills, and perhaps more than that. He had several dozen books in his inventory when he died, including three Bibles, Honer's Iliad and Caesar's Commentaries. I think we can say he had an education, whether formal or not .
He and his wife had 7 children, and by 1643 had moved with his family to Duxbury, a new settlement in Plymouth Colony. There he lived out his days, and died on October 3, 1656, Barbara died sometime after October 6, 1659. (She apparently did not remarry). Myles's estate was valued at 358 pounds, 7 shillings, which was not too bad for a "soldier". He must have had a good business sense, too.
Although I certainly wish the situation with the native Americans could have been handled differently, in general Myles Standish is worth our respect and honor. The situations that he lived through were remarkable and more difficult than we can imagine. I'm glad we're part of his family.
The line of descent is:
Miles Standish-Barbara
Josiah Standish-Sarah Allen
Josiah Standish-Sarah Doty
Hannah Standish-Nathan Foster
Nathan Foster-Elizabeth Lansford (Lundsford)
Jude Foster-Lydia M
Betsy Foster-Josiah Whittemore
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Another mystery is when and under what circumstances he went to fight in the "Low Country". The two options put forth most often are that he went as a mercenary, during the war between the Low Countries and Spain, or that he served under Sir Horatio Vere, who was sent by Queen Elizabeth I to fight in Holland. Vere is known to have recruited soldiers in both Lancashire and the Isle of Man. It seems that there would be some sort of record if that were the case, but of course the English Civil War of the 1640s, as well as other causes of decay, confusion, and misplacing of records all mean that we may never find a roster with the name of Miles Standish on it. In any case, it appears that he retired from military service and stayed in Holland, where he had ample opportunity to meet with the men who would soon be known as Pilgrims.
Miles was hired by the Pilgrims to be their military advisor, so it appears that he wasn't one of the Pilgrims. He was Protestant, though, and hIn 1620, whas been called Puritan. If this is accurate, the difference in beliefs between his own and the Pilgrims would not have been large' primarily, the Separatists wanted to live separately, away from established religion as they knew it, and the Puritans were interested in reforming the Church of England, to make it a simpler and less ornate religion.
In 1620, when the Pilgrims left Holland and then England for the New World, Miles and his wife Rose were on board the Mayflower, Rose, however, died during that first winter, along with many of the other Pilgrims, due to exposure and disease as well as inadequate food. His second wife, Barbara, arrived on the ship "Anne" in 1623. This seems to be someone Miles already knew but Anderson is not willing to identify her further. It has been suggested that she was the sister of Rose,
Captain Myles' s occupation is listed only as "soldier", but he did much more than construct the defenses at Plymouth Plantation. He led men on military expeditions, which were mainly again the native Americans but also against the Dutch in the war against the Dutch. He is said to have had a violent temper, but he was working in difficult conditions with difficult men so I'll give him a pass on that. He was a councilor, a free man, an assistant, deputy governor, treasurer of the colony, and on the Council of War. He was also the commander of the military forces. He was still listed os able to bear arms in 1643, when he would have been just about 60 years of age.
While we don't know the extent of his education, he was the treasurer so he must have had at least rudimentary arithmetic skills, and perhaps more than that. He had several dozen books in his inventory when he died, including three Bibles, Honer's Iliad and Caesar's Commentaries. I think we can say he had an education, whether formal or not .
He and his wife had 7 children, and by 1643 had moved with his family to Duxbury, a new settlement in Plymouth Colony. There he lived out his days, and died on October 3, 1656, Barbara died sometime after October 6, 1659. (She apparently did not remarry). Myles's estate was valued at 358 pounds, 7 shillings, which was not too bad for a "soldier". He must have had a good business sense, too.
Although I certainly wish the situation with the native Americans could have been handled differently, in general Myles Standish is worth our respect and honor. The situations that he lived through were remarkable and more difficult than we can imagine. I'm glad we're part of his family.
The line of descent is:
Miles Standish-Barbara
Josiah Standish-Sarah Allen
Josiah Standish-Sarah Doty
Hannah Standish-Nathan Foster
Nathan Foster-Elizabeth Lansford (Lundsford)
Jude Foster-Lydia M
Betsy Foster-Josiah Whittemore
Mary Elizabeth Whittemore-Joseph Holbrook
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
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