Sometimes it's difficult to find anything new about the second generation of colonists. Sometimes it's hard to find anything at all about them. With Daniel Scofield, son of one Daniel Scofield and father of another, we are somewhat more fortunate. I've been able to pull some bits and pieces together that will help us get an idea of his life. I say, "idea" because there is still much I don't know.
Daniel was the second son of Daniel and first wife Sarah Scofield. The elder Daniel was one of the early founders of the townof Stamford, Connecticut, and was first named as a resident in 1641 (settlement had begun in 1640.) Our subject, Daniel II, was born about 1647 or 1648, but I've not found documentation for an actual date. He was one of at least five children, and he outlived his siblings.
One mystery about Daniel at this point is his occupation. He was financially stable, perhaps even well off, judging by tax records of 1700, but it's not clear how he made his living. He married Abigail Merwin, daughter of Miles and Elizabeth Powell Merwin, in Stamford in about 1671, when he was about 24 years old. He and Abigail had at least eight children together.
Daniel's house lot was number three in the town according to a map from 1685. I don't know whether he inherited this lot or whether he purchased it from someone, but it was certainly an early number and may indicate either that the lots were assigned by drawing, or that the original owner had his choice of lots.
Daniel wasn't in the top tier of town government. Most of his duties had to do with the church, such as helping to settle disputes, tything man, and he also was made a townsman in 1700. (I'm not sure whether this was a "freeman" or whether this was what Massachusetts referred to as a selectman, a member of the council. That same year he was appointed a sheepmaster, to take care of the flock.
In the town tax records of 1700, his estate was valued at 115 pounds, 5 shillings. There were men in town with higher valuations, but not many. So he made money somehow, and was more than the term sheepmaster might indicate to us.
Daniel lived his life, and died October 10, 1714. I don't know whether he ever left the village he was born in, although Long Island Sound borders the town, and it wouldn't have been far to travel to New York, or to Hartford, for that matter.
His inventory is not detailed but it indicates that he had several parcels of land and homes, valued at about 300 pounds, and 149 pounds in personal property. An additional amount had been set aside for Abigail. There were debts to be paid. It's interesting that it appears that more was spent for rum and sugar, apparently for the funeral or visitation, than for the coffin. The boards for the coffin were two shillings, the coffin making (marking? not sure I read this correctly) was three shillings and four pence, and the rum and sugar was 10 shillings and 10 pence.
I've not found record of Abigail's death but several sites list it as 1714 also. She is mentioned extensively in the settlement papers so she was still alive as of November 29, 1714. I guess her death date is one of the questions still unanswered, as well as how Daniel made his living. This, however, is more information than we have for many ancestors, and it is enough to recognize that Daniel was a hard working, pious man.
The line of descent is:
Daniel Scofield-Abigail Merwin
Daniel Scofield-Hannah Hoyt
Hannah Scofield-Nathaniel Finch
Jesse Finch-Hannah
Hannah Finch-John Bell
Hannah Bell-Thomas Knott
John Wilson Knott-Harriet Starr
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Friday, November 15, 2019
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Holbrook line: Samuel Hayward 1641-1713
Samuel Hayward left us some traces in the records, and for that, in this month of November, I am profoundly grateful. He is one of those ancestors who seem to be little researched, perhaps because there were several Samuel Haywards in Massachusetts Bay Colony of about the same time period and year. Fortunately, if we limit our search to Braintree and then Mendon, Massachusetts, his story becomes if not clear, at least less murky.
Our Samuel was born in about 1641 to William and Margery Knight Hayward. I haven't found record of his birth but it was in the Boston or Braintree area, because that is where his parents settled early. (His parents were those I've written of before, who apparently went to Barbados for a short time before arriving in Massachusetts.)
Samuel was one of at least 8 children, so he had quite a full family life. As an adult, he was a "housewright", so he was likely apprenticed to or at least worked with a housewright as soon as he had finished whatever schooling he acquired. A housewright built wooden (as opposed to stone or brick) houses, but the job involved more than a carpenter's work. He cut the wood, sawed it into planks, and then built the house with the wood he had chosen and prepared. There was no middleman, and no one else to blame if something was not done correctly. I have much respect for housewrights after learning this!
Samuel married Mehitable Thompson, daughter of John and Sarah Trevore Thompson, on November 28, 1666 in Medfield, Massachusetts. They had at least twelve children together. Samuel is listed as a founding father of Mendon, which was officially formed from Braintree in 1667. He held several town positions. In 1668 he was a surveyor of highways, in 1692 and 1696 a selectman, and in 1696 also a tything man.
One of the most remembered events of his life was probably King Philip's War. Mendon was one of the towns that was attacked early in the war, with loss of life, and later the town was burned to the ground by the native Americans. Mendon had several villages of "praying Indians", converted by our grand uncle John Eliot, and it was not these groups who rebelled. They did, however, suffer consequences. Samuel and his family left Mendon, perhaps soon after the first attack, but Samuel was back in 1677 to rebuild his home, and doubtless those of others who returned also.
There were at least two Samuel Haywards who are listed as soldiers in King Philip's War, but I didn't find those reports also listing other Mendon men, so I think the ones who are listed in the records are not our Samuel. He may have gone to stay with friends or relatives in Braintree, expectantly waiting for the end of the war.
By 1680 Samuel's family was probably back in Mendon, and life was slowly returning to normal. Samuel was hired by the town to raise (build} the meeting house, which was to be 26 feet by 24 feet in size. He was to be paid 3 shillings a day, with part of that to be in kind, a cow and a calf. There was some unspecified dispute involved during or following construction, but it was resolved and the town and Samuel each went about their business.
Samuel's wife Mehitabel died in 1700 and the next year he married Elizabeth Sabin. Samuel died on July 29, 1713, without leaving a will. If there is an inventory, I haven't located it, either. However, I did locate papers, filed in Suffolk County, showing that the surviving children (or in the case of the several daughters who were married, their husbands) agreed to a settlement of the estate. Interestingly, there were few who could sign their name to this document; most used a mark. (Joseph Rockwood, our ancestor, did sign his name and it is quite legible.) A probate judge signed off on the "deal" and presumably everyone lived happily ever after. We do know that Samuel had a house and quite a bit of land. Housewright may not sound like a glamorous job, but in a time when everyone needed to have a house built, it paid the bills and then some.
I like Samuel. He took care of his family, he was a public servant, an honest and hard working man, and he served his church also. And I especially like that I was able to find a little bit of information about him!
The line of descent is:
Samuel Hayward-Mehitabel Thompson
Mary Hayward-Joseph Rockwood
John Rockwood-Deborah Thayer
Joseph Rockwood-Alice Thompson
Levi Rockwood-Deborah Lazell
Susanna Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Our Samuel was born in about 1641 to William and Margery Knight Hayward. I haven't found record of his birth but it was in the Boston or Braintree area, because that is where his parents settled early. (His parents were those I've written of before, who apparently went to Barbados for a short time before arriving in Massachusetts.)
Samuel was one of at least 8 children, so he had quite a full family life. As an adult, he was a "housewright", so he was likely apprenticed to or at least worked with a housewright as soon as he had finished whatever schooling he acquired. A housewright built wooden (as opposed to stone or brick) houses, but the job involved more than a carpenter's work. He cut the wood, sawed it into planks, and then built the house with the wood he had chosen and prepared. There was no middleman, and no one else to blame if something was not done correctly. I have much respect for housewrights after learning this!
Samuel married Mehitable Thompson, daughter of John and Sarah Trevore Thompson, on November 28, 1666 in Medfield, Massachusetts. They had at least twelve children together. Samuel is listed as a founding father of Mendon, which was officially formed from Braintree in 1667. He held several town positions. In 1668 he was a surveyor of highways, in 1692 and 1696 a selectman, and in 1696 also a tything man.
One of the most remembered events of his life was probably King Philip's War. Mendon was one of the towns that was attacked early in the war, with loss of life, and later the town was burned to the ground by the native Americans. Mendon had several villages of "praying Indians", converted by our grand uncle John Eliot, and it was not these groups who rebelled. They did, however, suffer consequences. Samuel and his family left Mendon, perhaps soon after the first attack, but Samuel was back in 1677 to rebuild his home, and doubtless those of others who returned also.
There were at least two Samuel Haywards who are listed as soldiers in King Philip's War, but I didn't find those reports also listing other Mendon men, so I think the ones who are listed in the records are not our Samuel. He may have gone to stay with friends or relatives in Braintree, expectantly waiting for the end of the war.
By 1680 Samuel's family was probably back in Mendon, and life was slowly returning to normal. Samuel was hired by the town to raise (build} the meeting house, which was to be 26 feet by 24 feet in size. He was to be paid 3 shillings a day, with part of that to be in kind, a cow and a calf. There was some unspecified dispute involved during or following construction, but it was resolved and the town and Samuel each went about their business.
Samuel's wife Mehitabel died in 1700 and the next year he married Elizabeth Sabin. Samuel died on July 29, 1713, without leaving a will. If there is an inventory, I haven't located it, either. However, I did locate papers, filed in Suffolk County, showing that the surviving children (or in the case of the several daughters who were married, their husbands) agreed to a settlement of the estate. Interestingly, there were few who could sign their name to this document; most used a mark. (Joseph Rockwood, our ancestor, did sign his name and it is quite legible.) A probate judge signed off on the "deal" and presumably everyone lived happily ever after. We do know that Samuel had a house and quite a bit of land. Housewright may not sound like a glamorous job, but in a time when everyone needed to have a house built, it paid the bills and then some.
I like Samuel. He took care of his family, he was a public servant, an honest and hard working man, and he served his church also. And I especially like that I was able to find a little bit of information about him!
The line of descent is:
Samuel Hayward-Mehitabel Thompson
Mary Hayward-Joseph Rockwood
John Rockwood-Deborah Thayer
Joseph Rockwood-Alice Thompson
Levi Rockwood-Deborah Lazell
Susanna Rockwood-Nahum Holbrook
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Friday, November 8, 2019
Holbrook line: Benjamin Amos 1748-1814
I wrote a blog post recent about Robert Amos, brother to Benjamin. It was an interesting (to me) blog post because I was able to uncover some information about Robert that was new to me. With Benjamin, I have some new to me information but I am not sure what it all means.
Let's start at the beginning. Like Robert, Benjamin was the son of James and Hannah Clarke Amos. James and Hannah had at least nine children. Robert was at least seven years older than Benjamin, so I don't know how close they were as children. When Benjamin grew up, he married Sarah Bussey, daughter of Edward Bussey and Mary, who was the widow of Edward Pendergrass. (I have not yet solved the mystery of Mary's maiden name, and would surely love some help on that challenge.)
Benjamin and Sarah were married in about 1772, and had at least four children-Elizabeth, Mary, Ann, and James, all named in Benjamin's will. Now here's a mystery: Did Benjamin ever leave the land he lived on? The reason I ask is that I can't find another Amos in this immediate family who would have been alive to be the Benjamin Amos who was listed as a merchant in Baltimore, in 1800. The location is given as 48 Calvert Street. If this is the same Calvert Street as the one so named now, then he would have been just a few blocks from the harbor, an excellent location for a merchant. Also, if we assume this is our Benjamin, it gives us a reason that his granddaughter Martha might have been in Baltimore when she married Peter Black in 1812.
But then there is the census information. It shows Benjamin Amos in Harford County, Maryland (where he was born and died) in 1790, with 6 white males (presumably including himself), one of which is under 16, and 6 females. No slaves are reported, but since I can't identify all of these people it's possible that slaves were included in these numbers. The 1800 census, when he possibly was in Baltimore, shows him in Harford County District 4, with a male and a female over 45, one male aged 10-15, one female 16-25, and ten slaves. The 1810 census shows him at Havre de Grace, Harford, Maryland, with one female 16-25, a male over age 45, and 10 slaves. Two questions arise: Slaves, and where was Sarah?
The only thing I can say about the slavery issue is that grandfather William was a Quaker, and abhorred slavery. There was a split in the family between those who were willing to "own" slaves and those who were not. I don't know how serious the split was but I do know a family that had been harmonious in their beliefs was under considerable strain as the slavery issue played out.
I don't know where Sarah was in 1810. Possibly she was with a child, nursing someone through an illness or pregnancy. In 1820, after Benjamin had died, she was in Election District 4, Harford County, with one slave to care for her. No slaves are mentioned in Benjamin's will but he did divide his personal property up between his four children, after his wife had her thirds. So did he still have slaves? I don't know.
Also confusing are the dates. Benjamin's will is dated January 2, 1815 and his death date is generally given as January 15, 1815. However, there are wills dated 1814 just before his will and also the second will after his. And..there are inventories of a sort, handled by James Amos, the executor of Benjamin's will, that are dated November 14, 1814 and then January 19, 1818. These refer to debts and to cash on hand. Did James serve as executor for another Benjamin Amos? Did whoever copied these wills read the dates wrong? What is the explanation for this?
So we are left with mysteries: What happened to the slaves, and when and how did he initially acquire them? Did Benjamin have a business in Baltimore at one time? Did he perhaps lose them when a business failed, or sell them to keep a business afloat? When did he die, really-1814 or 1815? Clearly there is more to be learned about this ancestor of ours, but what we do know is intriguing.
The line of descent is:
Benjamin Amos-Sarah Bussey
Elizabeth Amos-Robert Amos
Martha Amos-Peter Black
Elizabeth Black-Isaac Hetrick
Mary Alice Hetrick-Louis Stanard
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Let's start at the beginning. Like Robert, Benjamin was the son of James and Hannah Clarke Amos. James and Hannah had at least nine children. Robert was at least seven years older than Benjamin, so I don't know how close they were as children. When Benjamin grew up, he married Sarah Bussey, daughter of Edward Bussey and Mary, who was the widow of Edward Pendergrass. (I have not yet solved the mystery of Mary's maiden name, and would surely love some help on that challenge.)
Benjamin and Sarah were married in about 1772, and had at least four children-Elizabeth, Mary, Ann, and James, all named in Benjamin's will. Now here's a mystery: Did Benjamin ever leave the land he lived on? The reason I ask is that I can't find another Amos in this immediate family who would have been alive to be the Benjamin Amos who was listed as a merchant in Baltimore, in 1800. The location is given as 48 Calvert Street. If this is the same Calvert Street as the one so named now, then he would have been just a few blocks from the harbor, an excellent location for a merchant. Also, if we assume this is our Benjamin, it gives us a reason that his granddaughter Martha might have been in Baltimore when she married Peter Black in 1812.
But then there is the census information. It shows Benjamin Amos in Harford County, Maryland (where he was born and died) in 1790, with 6 white males (presumably including himself), one of which is under 16, and 6 females. No slaves are reported, but since I can't identify all of these people it's possible that slaves were included in these numbers. The 1800 census, when he possibly was in Baltimore, shows him in Harford County District 4, with a male and a female over 45, one male aged 10-15, one female 16-25, and ten slaves. The 1810 census shows him at Havre de Grace, Harford, Maryland, with one female 16-25, a male over age 45, and 10 slaves. Two questions arise: Slaves, and where was Sarah?
The only thing I can say about the slavery issue is that grandfather William was a Quaker, and abhorred slavery. There was a split in the family between those who were willing to "own" slaves and those who were not. I don't know how serious the split was but I do know a family that had been harmonious in their beliefs was under considerable strain as the slavery issue played out.
I don't know where Sarah was in 1810. Possibly she was with a child, nursing someone through an illness or pregnancy. In 1820, after Benjamin had died, she was in Election District 4, Harford County, with one slave to care for her. No slaves are mentioned in Benjamin's will but he did divide his personal property up between his four children, after his wife had her thirds. So did he still have slaves? I don't know.
Also confusing are the dates. Benjamin's will is dated January 2, 1815 and his death date is generally given as January 15, 1815. However, there are wills dated 1814 just before his will and also the second will after his. And..there are inventories of a sort, handled by James Amos, the executor of Benjamin's will, that are dated November 14, 1814 and then January 19, 1818. These refer to debts and to cash on hand. Did James serve as executor for another Benjamin Amos? Did whoever copied these wills read the dates wrong? What is the explanation for this?
So we are left with mysteries: What happened to the slaves, and when and how did he initially acquire them? Did Benjamin have a business in Baltimore at one time? Did he perhaps lose them when a business failed, or sell them to keep a business afloat? When did he die, really-1814 or 1815? Clearly there is more to be learned about this ancestor of ours, but what we do know is intriguing.
The line of descent is:
Benjamin Amos-Sarah Bussey
Elizabeth Amos-Robert Amos
Martha Amos-Peter Black
Elizabeth Black-Isaac Hetrick
Mary Alice Hetrick-Louis Stanard
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Allen line: Samuel Davis 1637-1692
This is a poor excuse for a post. I admit it, and I write it because of a hope that someone who reads this will have at least one more little tidbit to add to what little I think I know about Samuel. I also write it because no one in our family should be ignored.
Samuel is traditionally given as the son of Foulk or Fulke Davis and Mary Haynes Dayton, although that may not be correct. Fulke was the sort of character who had a girl in every port (on Long Island) and I've not found a marriage record for this couple, but Samuel was born possibly about 1637 in Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York.
He married Mary, possibly Mary Mather, about 1671, at Southampton, Suffolk Co, New York (Long Island). He died in 1692 at Jamaica, Queens County, NY.
That is what I know about Samuel. I can make a few other guesses. My guess is as good as yours, unless you've found more information than I have. Since his father was something of a ne'er do well, we can guess that Samuel had a hard life. He may have been employed at sea, or he may have worked menial jobs such as his father had. Perhaps he was lucky and was put out to learn a trade of some sort.
There is a deed from a Samuel Davis to his son Samuel Davis, dated January 14, 1729. It mentions that the older Samuel Davis was a blacksmith. If this is the son of our Samuel, then at least he was able to give his oldest son a trade, also. And if this Samuel is the son of our Samuel, then there were also sons Obadiah, Joseph, and Daniel; those names are mentioned in the deed and the first two were specified to be brothers. But that's a big, unproven if.
Samuel is believed to also have had at least one daughter, Hester, and that is where we connect.
I have no will, no inventory, no hint of anything further at this point. His death is generally given as 1692, which is the same year his father died. I don't know whether there is any record of Samuel's death, or whether this is an "after 1692" date. It would probably take a trip to the appropriate towns and courthouses to even have a chance of learning anything new, but new records are coming on line all the time and perhaps next week something new will show up. Then maybe we'll be able to write more of his story, and find out whether he was able to improve his situation in life or not.
The line of descent is:
Samuel Davis-Mary possibly Mather
Hester Davis- John Finch
John Finch-Sarah
Nathaniel Finch-Hannah Scofield
Jesse Finch-Hannah
Hannah Finch-John Bell
Harriet Bell-Thomas Knott
John Wilson Knott-Harriet Starr
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Samuel is traditionally given as the son of Foulk or Fulke Davis and Mary Haynes Dayton, although that may not be correct. Fulke was the sort of character who had a girl in every port (on Long Island) and I've not found a marriage record for this couple, but Samuel was born possibly about 1637 in Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York.
He married Mary, possibly Mary Mather, about 1671, at Southampton, Suffolk Co, New York (Long Island). He died in 1692 at Jamaica, Queens County, NY.
That is what I know about Samuel. I can make a few other guesses. My guess is as good as yours, unless you've found more information than I have. Since his father was something of a ne'er do well, we can guess that Samuel had a hard life. He may have been employed at sea, or he may have worked menial jobs such as his father had. Perhaps he was lucky and was put out to learn a trade of some sort.
There is a deed from a Samuel Davis to his son Samuel Davis, dated January 14, 1729. It mentions that the older Samuel Davis was a blacksmith. If this is the son of our Samuel, then at least he was able to give his oldest son a trade, also. And if this Samuel is the son of our Samuel, then there were also sons Obadiah, Joseph, and Daniel; those names are mentioned in the deed and the first two were specified to be brothers. But that's a big, unproven if.
Samuel is believed to also have had at least one daughter, Hester, and that is where we connect.
I have no will, no inventory, no hint of anything further at this point. His death is generally given as 1692, which is the same year his father died. I don't know whether there is any record of Samuel's death, or whether this is an "after 1692" date. It would probably take a trip to the appropriate towns and courthouses to even have a chance of learning anything new, but new records are coming on line all the time and perhaps next week something new will show up. Then maybe we'll be able to write more of his story, and find out whether he was able to improve his situation in life or not.
The line of descent is:
Samuel Davis-Mary possibly Mather
Hester Davis- John Finch
John Finch-Sarah
Nathaniel Finch-Hannah Scofield
Jesse Finch-Hannah
Hannah Finch-John Bell
Harriet Bell-Thomas Knott
John Wilson Knott-Harriet Starr
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Friday, November 1, 2019
Holbrook line: Simon Thompson, Immigrant 1619-1658
Simon Thompson was about 11 years old when he came to Massachusetts with his father, James Thompson or Thomson, and his step-mother, Elizabeth. He was born to James and his mother, Ann, and was christened July 3, 1619 at Friesden, Lincolnshire, England. He was one of four children born to this couple before Ann died about December 13, 1625. Simon's father, James, married Elizabeth in 1625 and soon moved to the neighboring parish of Fishtoft. This couple had two children born in England. When James and Elizabeth came to Massachusetts they had four children with them, Simon, James, Jonathan and Olive.
James settled in Charlestown so that is where Simon spent his early teen age years, probably learning a trade as well as how to adjust to this whole new world he could explore. James soon moved on to Woburn, as did Simon, and that is where Simon met and married his wife, Mary Converse, the daughter of Edward and Sarah Parker Converse, They were married December 19, 1643 in Woburn, and had at least six children together.
After that, we don't know much about Simon. He is not listed in the list of freemen in Massachusetts, although his father, James was so listed. He was made a freeman of Woburn in 1648, according to information found on Wikitree, so I'm not sure why he didn't show up in the state record.
We know he had some land because it is mentioned briefly in a record of deeds for early Woburn. This particular reference, the only one I found, refers to land in a meadow, so from that, we can infer that he also had a house lot. Family tradition says that he was an early town clerk, but I cannot verify that-yet. We can be pretty sure, with the designation of meadow-land, that Simon farmed, but we don't know if that was his only occupation.
We can also be sure that he attended what became the First Congregational Church of Woburn, whether or not he was a member. During the early days of each "plantation" or settlement that I've read about, an appointed drummer walked through the village, beating the drum at each household, so the persons residing could fall in line and march to the meeting house for service. Every resident was expected to be at service whether or not they belonged to the church.
The Wikitree that I referenced earlier states that Simon had helped to organize the town of Chelmsford, but it's not clear that he ever moved there.
Simon died while still quite young. He was not yet 40 years old when he died in May of 1658. He likely died of an illness because he reportedly wrote his will a few weeks before he died. I have been unable to find a cause of death, nor have I found the will or inventory. He left the widow's third to Mary, a double portion to his surviving son James, and the rest was left to his four daughters. All of the children were minors, which is probably one reason that Mary remarried quickly. She married John Sheldon of Billerica in 1659, the year after Simon's death.
This certainly is not a satisfying blog post. There surely is more information about Simon than I've located. However, it at least helps us remember Simon and a little of the kind of life he lived. He's another of the quiet people who helped build America, and for that alone we should be thankful.
One of his famous descendants was Calvin Coolidge, "Silent Cal". Perhaps he took lessons from this ancestor!
The line of descent is
Simon Thompson-Mary Converse
Jonathan Thompson-Thankful Woodland
Martha Thompson-Ebenezer Thayer
Ebenezer Thayer-Mary Wheelock
Abigail Thayer-Jesse Holbrook
Amariah Holbrook-Molly Wright
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-May Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
James settled in Charlestown so that is where Simon spent his early teen age years, probably learning a trade as well as how to adjust to this whole new world he could explore. James soon moved on to Woburn, as did Simon, and that is where Simon met and married his wife, Mary Converse, the daughter of Edward and Sarah Parker Converse, They were married December 19, 1643 in Woburn, and had at least six children together.
After that, we don't know much about Simon. He is not listed in the list of freemen in Massachusetts, although his father, James was so listed. He was made a freeman of Woburn in 1648, according to information found on Wikitree, so I'm not sure why he didn't show up in the state record.
We know he had some land because it is mentioned briefly in a record of deeds for early Woburn. This particular reference, the only one I found, refers to land in a meadow, so from that, we can infer that he also had a house lot. Family tradition says that he was an early town clerk, but I cannot verify that-yet. We can be pretty sure, with the designation of meadow-land, that Simon farmed, but we don't know if that was his only occupation.
We can also be sure that he attended what became the First Congregational Church of Woburn, whether or not he was a member. During the early days of each "plantation" or settlement that I've read about, an appointed drummer walked through the village, beating the drum at each household, so the persons residing could fall in line and march to the meeting house for service. Every resident was expected to be at service whether or not they belonged to the church.
The Wikitree that I referenced earlier states that Simon had helped to organize the town of Chelmsford, but it's not clear that he ever moved there.
Simon died while still quite young. He was not yet 40 years old when he died in May of 1658. He likely died of an illness because he reportedly wrote his will a few weeks before he died. I have been unable to find a cause of death, nor have I found the will or inventory. He left the widow's third to Mary, a double portion to his surviving son James, and the rest was left to his four daughters. All of the children were minors, which is probably one reason that Mary remarried quickly. She married John Sheldon of Billerica in 1659, the year after Simon's death.
This certainly is not a satisfying blog post. There surely is more information about Simon than I've located. However, it at least helps us remember Simon and a little of the kind of life he lived. He's another of the quiet people who helped build America, and for that alone we should be thankful.
One of his famous descendants was Calvin Coolidge, "Silent Cal". Perhaps he took lessons from this ancestor!
The line of descent is
Simon Thompson-Mary Converse
Jonathan Thompson-Thankful Woodland
Martha Thompson-Ebenezer Thayer
Ebenezer Thayer-Mary Wheelock
Abigail Thayer-Jesse Holbrook
Amariah Holbrook-Molly Wright
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-May Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Holbrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Holbrook line: Ephraim Wilson 1656-1733,
OK. So here's another ancestor who lived through tough times, but of whom we know very little. I've ordered a book about the history of Dedham, Massachusetts because we have so many ancestors there, but it's not here yet. Perhaps it will tell us more about Ephraim and perhaps we will still not know much.
First, the name Ephraim is unusual. It was not carried down in our line; at least none of our later ancestors have that first name. It comes from the Old Testament; Ephraim was a child of Joseph and Asenath, and the patriarch of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Biblical names were frequently used by the Puritans of Massachusetts, and Ephraim's parent qualified in that regard.
Ephraim was a son of Henry and Mary Metcalf Wilson (sometimes spelled Willson), His parents, both immigrants, married in 1642 in Dedham, Massachusetts Bay Colony, and Ephraim was born in 1656, the last of their five children.
The first record I can find of Ephraim is during King Philip's War, when he was about 20 years old. He earned twelve shillings for serving under Captain Jacob in Medfield, where native Americans attacked and destroyed about half the town despite there being a relatively large garrison there. Because Ephraim's pay record is from June of 1676 and the attack occurred in February, it's possible that he was not there when the town was attacked, but was sent after the fact to guard against further attacks. Interestingly, the towns were responsible for paying the soldiers and then were reimbursed by the colony. So Ephraim's family, probably his father, received the pay and we don't know whether Ephraim received any of it or not. The family may have used it to help replace whatever income was lost to them when Ephraim left his job and went to war.
I don't know what kind of job Ephraim had. He didn't marry until 1681, when he married Rebecca Sumner, daughter of Samuel and Rebecca Staples Sumner. They had at least five children together-Samuel, Rebecca, Nathaniel, John and Ephraim. Ephraim was a little older than was typical for the time and place, which could indicate that he was still busy establishing himself in his trade or on a farm prior to his marriage.
He died February 20, 1733, a few months short of 77 years. His stone is still standing and can be seen on his Find A Grave memorial. Unfortunately, I've not found a will or inventory for Ephraim. That could tell us a lot about what his occupation may have been, possibly his religion, perhaps items that would indicate a financial status. The likelihood is that he was a Puritan, that he was a farmer, and that he worked hard for a living. I can't wait till the Dedham book arrives to see if there are any gems there that will tell us more.
The line of descent is:
Ephraim Wilson-Rebecca Sumner
Samuel Wilson-Elizabeth Hawes
Rebecca Wilson-Jonathan Wright
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
First, the name Ephraim is unusual. It was not carried down in our line; at least none of our later ancestors have that first name. It comes from the Old Testament; Ephraim was a child of Joseph and Asenath, and the patriarch of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Biblical names were frequently used by the Puritans of Massachusetts, and Ephraim's parent qualified in that regard.
Ephraim was a son of Henry and Mary Metcalf Wilson (sometimes spelled Willson), His parents, both immigrants, married in 1642 in Dedham, Massachusetts Bay Colony, and Ephraim was born in 1656, the last of their five children.
The first record I can find of Ephraim is during King Philip's War, when he was about 20 years old. He earned twelve shillings for serving under Captain Jacob in Medfield, where native Americans attacked and destroyed about half the town despite there being a relatively large garrison there. Because Ephraim's pay record is from June of 1676 and the attack occurred in February, it's possible that he was not there when the town was attacked, but was sent after the fact to guard against further attacks. Interestingly, the towns were responsible for paying the soldiers and then were reimbursed by the colony. So Ephraim's family, probably his father, received the pay and we don't know whether Ephraim received any of it or not. The family may have used it to help replace whatever income was lost to them when Ephraim left his job and went to war.
I don't know what kind of job Ephraim had. He didn't marry until 1681, when he married Rebecca Sumner, daughter of Samuel and Rebecca Staples Sumner. They had at least five children together-Samuel, Rebecca, Nathaniel, John and Ephraim. Ephraim was a little older than was typical for the time and place, which could indicate that he was still busy establishing himself in his trade or on a farm prior to his marriage.
He died February 20, 1733, a few months short of 77 years. His stone is still standing and can be seen on his Find A Grave memorial. Unfortunately, I've not found a will or inventory for Ephraim. That could tell us a lot about what his occupation may have been, possibly his religion, perhaps items that would indicate a financial status. The likelihood is that he was a Puritan, that he was a farmer, and that he worked hard for a living. I can't wait till the Dedham book arrives to see if there are any gems there that will tell us more.
The line of descent is:
Ephraim Wilson-Rebecca Sumner
Samuel Wilson-Elizabeth Hawes
Rebecca Wilson-Jonathan Wright
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
Friday, October 25, 2019
Holbrook line: Nathaniel Joslin, of Marlsboro
There is so much erroneous information about our ancestor Nathaniel Joslin, on so many trees and websites, that I hesitate to write this post. I hope I have weeded out most of the false information and I think I can add a few details to his story. I would absolutely love to hear from anywone who knows more about this Nathaniel, the son of Nathaniel and Sarah King Joslin.
The first thing we don't know is when he was born. It was not Aril 21, 1658, as is often stated. That son Nathaniel died in 1667. We know our Nathaniel was the son of the above couple because he is mentioned several times in his father's will. But we don't know his birthdate, or location, or why it would have been omitted from town records that seem complete otherwise. Perhaps his name was on a scrap of paper that was stuck in the records, intending that it be recorded later, and the scrap of paper was mislaid. Another possibility is that Nathaniel was not Sarah's child, and so was not recorded, but there is no indication of that and surely it would have been noted somewhere.
Nathaniel married Hester Morse, daughter of Joseph and Susannah Shattuck Morse, on July 20,1682, and that is the first record we have of him. Presumably this would give him a birth date in the early 1660's. He was next named on a list of inhabitants in Marlboro in 1686, and would likely have been at least 21 years old to have made that list. So again, we point to the early 1660's. Nathaniel and Hester (also seen as Esther, same lady) were the parents of perhaps as many as eleven children, although that would mean Hester had children into her 40's, which is surely not impossible.
The list of inhabitants from 1686 that includes the names of both father and son, the two Nathaniels, is not one to be particularly proud of. The men of Marlboro wanted more land and not long after King Philip's War they began settling on land that was owned by the native Americans. The General Court told them their deed was invalid and declared null and void, but the men of the settlement connived, basically, to continue settling on those lands and tried to make it look legal. It wasn't. The land was in dispute for at least 23 years after the 1686 list, but I didn't find a final resolution, except the results were that the colonists kept the land.
Many of the settlers of Marlboro had ties to Lancaster, Massachusetts, which was burned by the natives in King Philip's War. Nathaniel Senior lost a brother, sister in law, and nephew during the massacre, and other townspeople lost family members, too. It was a raw wound. That doesn't excuse their later actions but it helps put it in a bit of perspective.
King Philip's War didn't end the difficulties with some of the native tribes, and in 1711 our Nathaniel was appointed to a committee to assigned families to garrisons. If the natives threatened the town, each family was to go to one of the stronger fortified homes in the area, where soldiers were also assigned. Nathaniel's family was assigned to Captain Kerley's garrison. We don't know if there was ever a time when the family was forced to go there or not.
Nathaniel must have had a good reputation, because he was chosen selectman in 1701, and also a good education, because he was town clerk from 1714 until 1725.
I've not found a mention of Nathaniel's occupation, nor have I found his will. (The will frequently attached to his name on websites is from Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts. That Nathaniel was a cousin of some sort to ours, and the similar death dates are a coincidence). If his will and inventory could be found, we could possibly answer the question of his occupation, find out if he had books, get a clue as to how he did financially, and perhaps get a clue as to his religion. It would be wonderful to find those estate records, just as it would be wonderful to find his birth record!
The line of descent is
Nathaniel Joslin-Hester or Esther Morse
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
The first thing we don't know is when he was born. It was not Aril 21, 1658, as is often stated. That son Nathaniel died in 1667. We know our Nathaniel was the son of the above couple because he is mentioned several times in his father's will. But we don't know his birthdate, or location, or why it would have been omitted from town records that seem complete otherwise. Perhaps his name was on a scrap of paper that was stuck in the records, intending that it be recorded later, and the scrap of paper was mislaid. Another possibility is that Nathaniel was not Sarah's child, and so was not recorded, but there is no indication of that and surely it would have been noted somewhere.
Nathaniel married Hester Morse, daughter of Joseph and Susannah Shattuck Morse, on July 20,1682, and that is the first record we have of him. Presumably this would give him a birth date in the early 1660's. He was next named on a list of inhabitants in Marlboro in 1686, and would likely have been at least 21 years old to have made that list. So again, we point to the early 1660's. Nathaniel and Hester (also seen as Esther, same lady) were the parents of perhaps as many as eleven children, although that would mean Hester had children into her 40's, which is surely not impossible.
The list of inhabitants from 1686 that includes the names of both father and son, the two Nathaniels, is not one to be particularly proud of. The men of Marlboro wanted more land and not long after King Philip's War they began settling on land that was owned by the native Americans. The General Court told them their deed was invalid and declared null and void, but the men of the settlement connived, basically, to continue settling on those lands and tried to make it look legal. It wasn't. The land was in dispute for at least 23 years after the 1686 list, but I didn't find a final resolution, except the results were that the colonists kept the land.
Many of the settlers of Marlboro had ties to Lancaster, Massachusetts, which was burned by the natives in King Philip's War. Nathaniel Senior lost a brother, sister in law, and nephew during the massacre, and other townspeople lost family members, too. It was a raw wound. That doesn't excuse their later actions but it helps put it in a bit of perspective.
King Philip's War didn't end the difficulties with some of the native tribes, and in 1711 our Nathaniel was appointed to a committee to assigned families to garrisons. If the natives threatened the town, each family was to go to one of the stronger fortified homes in the area, where soldiers were also assigned. Nathaniel's family was assigned to Captain Kerley's garrison. We don't know if there was ever a time when the family was forced to go there or not.
Nathaniel must have had a good reputation, because he was chosen selectman in 1701, and also a good education, because he was town clerk from 1714 until 1725.
I've not found a mention of Nathaniel's occupation, nor have I found his will. (The will frequently attached to his name on websites is from Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts. That Nathaniel was a cousin of some sort to ours, and the similar death dates are a coincidence). If his will and inventory could be found, we could possibly answer the question of his occupation, find out if he had books, get a clue as to how he did financially, and perhaps get a clue as to his religion. It would be wonderful to find those estate records, just as it would be wonderful to find his birth record!
The line of descent is
Nathaniel Joslin-Hester or Esther Morse
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
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