Benjamin Wheelock, who may have been the first Wheelock born in the American colonies, certainly has stayed out of view of family historians. We have bits and pieces, enough to have a vague outline, but we don't know nearly as much about him as he know about his father.
His parents were Rev. Ralph and Rebecca Clarke Wheelock. Rev. Wheelock was a graduate of Clare College at Cambridge University, and Rev. Ralph came to America as a Puritan pastor. He is also recognized as the first public school teacher in America. So, poor Benjamin! His father was both a pastor and a schoolteacher; what chance did the poor kid have?
Benjamin had four older siblings and one younger sibling. He was born January 8, 1639/40 in Dedham, Massachusetts, where his parents had gone soon after arriving in Massachusetts Bay Colony. The family stayed there until Benjamin was about 11 years old and then they moved to Medfield, Massachusetts. Typically boys were put into some kind of a trade or on the job training program by the time they were 14. We don't know if this happened to Benjamin, or whether his father's more professional occupations might have allowed Benjamin to stay at home longer. Perhaps he was needed for the chores around home, as his father was busy preparing sermons and lessons and may not have paid much attention to other things that needed to be done.
Benjamin married Elizabeth Bullen, daughter of Samuel and Mary Morse Bullen, on May 21, 1668 in Medfield. He was a little older than typical for his generation, about 28, but Elizabeth was about 21, about typical for young women. Benjamin and Elizabeth stayed in Medfield, where he had a house built the year of their marriage. He acquired other land and became known as a "proprietor", which gave him certain rights in land divisions that not every resident had.
Benjamin and Elizabeth had at least five children, and at least four were born in Medfield. Sometime in 1685 or 1686, the family moved to Mendon, where Benjamin is listed as a founder. Here he was a tything man, a constable, and a selectman, so he was well regarded there. He purchased land from Matthias Puffer and undoubtedly hoped to live out his days in Mendon, along with his wife Elizabeth.
However, Elizabeth died in 1689, Benjamin may have married Elizabeth French, widow of Jonathan Thayer and daughter of John French, in about 1692. It is possible that he fathered two more children with her, although some think this is not correct. I guess I hope it is true, that he had children when he was well into middle age, because they would have kept him young, or at least helped care for him as he aged.
Benjamin died September 13, 1716 at Mendon. I've not found a will or inventory, which is disappointing. That might give us more insight into what Benjamin did for a living, and how well he was doing, financially. It might also tell us what land he owned, and whether he had a library of more than a Bible and a couple of religious books.
From what little we know, we know that he was respected in his community, that he raised a good family, and that he was at least as "religious" as his neighbors. Being chosen as a selectman was an honor, and it's an privilege to be able to claim him as an ancestor.
The line of descent is
Benjamin Wheelock-Elizabeth Bullen
Benjamin Wheelock-Huldah Thayer
Mary Wheelock-Ebenezer Thayer
Abigail Thayer-Jesse Holbrook
Amariah Holbrook-Molly Wright
Nahum Holbrook-Susanna Rockwood
Joseph Holbrook-Mary Elizabeth Whittemore
Fremont Holbrook-Phoebe Brown
Loren Hobrook-Etta Stanard
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Friday, February 14, 2020
Holbrook line: John Paine 1658-1718
We have a lot of men named Stephen Paine in our line and I've written about the immigrant earlier. I'll try to write about at least some of the succeeding generations later, if I'm able to find some information about them. But first, we have John Paine. I didn't find a lot of information about him, but he lived in interesting times and left us clues about his life, even if we don't have answers to all the questions we have about him.
John was born April 3, 1658 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, the son of Stephen and Anne Chickering Paine. He was their second son, one of a total of at least nine children. John's grandfather had been a linen weaver and John's trade is listed as weaver. although we don't know what in particular he wove, or how much this was a livelihood and how much just added income to see his family over the tight spots.
John married, at the age of 22, Elizabeth Belcher, who was 20 and was the daughter of Josiah and Uranis Rainsford Belcher. Elizabeth likely grew up hearing stories a little different than the Paine's did, for the Rainsford family was connected, far back, to royalty. He inherited land from his grandfather as well as his father, and that may be why he moved to Swansea, Massachusetts Bay by 1683. Rehoboth and Swansea are roughly 9 miles apart, so John didn't move far when he moved. Both towns were burned during King Philip's War in 1675-76. John would have been old enough to serve but I've not found his name listed a a soldier anywhere. We can assume that he was either serving or staying at home to protect his younger siblings, during the war, or leading them to a "safer" town. Surely a 17 or 18 year old young man would not have been doing nothing during this time period!
At this point it is interesting to speculate about the religion of John Paine. I have seen on some trees that he was a Quaker, but after looking for evidence, I think it is more likely that his son or grandson of the same name was the Quaker. The question for me is" was he a Baptist? Both Rehoboth and Swansea had healthy Baptist populations and it seems possible that he was a Baptist also. So far I've not found anything that leads me to be able to make a judgement one way or the other on that question. Let's just say, for now, that it wouldn't surprise me.
John and Elizabeth had at least ten children together, before Elizabeth died prior to 1711. John remarried soon after,, to Martha (last name not known) and this couple had four children. About the time of the second marriage John moved his family to Providence, Rhode Island, which was about 11 miles. John was a surveyor of highways and a representative in Swansea, so he was a respected man, whether or not he was Baptist, Quaker, or Congregationalist.
There is supposedly a will or administration for John but I've not found it on line. He died September 26, 1718, at Providence. His widow, Martha, was younger than he was and soon remarried, as she had four children of her own plus two or three of the younger children of Elizabeth to care for.
So John is a bit of a mystery in terms of religion, military service, and even the value of his estate. We also don't know what kind of education he had. However, like all of our ancestors, he contributed to the story of us, and that makes him important in my eyes.
The line of descent is
John Paine-Elizabeth Belcher
Stephen Paine-Sarah Vallett
Stephen Paine-Sarah Thornton
Nathan Paine-Lillis Winsor
Deborah Paine-Enos Eddy
Joseph Eddy-Susan Lamphire
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
John was born April 3, 1658 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, the son of Stephen and Anne Chickering Paine. He was their second son, one of a total of at least nine children. John's grandfather had been a linen weaver and John's trade is listed as weaver. although we don't know what in particular he wove, or how much this was a livelihood and how much just added income to see his family over the tight spots.
John married, at the age of 22, Elizabeth Belcher, who was 20 and was the daughter of Josiah and Uranis Rainsford Belcher. Elizabeth likely grew up hearing stories a little different than the Paine's did, for the Rainsford family was connected, far back, to royalty. He inherited land from his grandfather as well as his father, and that may be why he moved to Swansea, Massachusetts Bay by 1683. Rehoboth and Swansea are roughly 9 miles apart, so John didn't move far when he moved. Both towns were burned during King Philip's War in 1675-76. John would have been old enough to serve but I've not found his name listed a a soldier anywhere. We can assume that he was either serving or staying at home to protect his younger siblings, during the war, or leading them to a "safer" town. Surely a 17 or 18 year old young man would not have been doing nothing during this time period!
At this point it is interesting to speculate about the religion of John Paine. I have seen on some trees that he was a Quaker, but after looking for evidence, I think it is more likely that his son or grandson of the same name was the Quaker. The question for me is" was he a Baptist? Both Rehoboth and Swansea had healthy Baptist populations and it seems possible that he was a Baptist also. So far I've not found anything that leads me to be able to make a judgement one way or the other on that question. Let's just say, for now, that it wouldn't surprise me.
John and Elizabeth had at least ten children together, before Elizabeth died prior to 1711. John remarried soon after,, to Martha (last name not known) and this couple had four children. About the time of the second marriage John moved his family to Providence, Rhode Island, which was about 11 miles. John was a surveyor of highways and a representative in Swansea, so he was a respected man, whether or not he was Baptist, Quaker, or Congregationalist.
There is supposedly a will or administration for John but I've not found it on line. He died September 26, 1718, at Providence. His widow, Martha, was younger than he was and soon remarried, as she had four children of her own plus two or three of the younger children of Elizabeth to care for.
So John is a bit of a mystery in terms of religion, military service, and even the value of his estate. We also don't know what kind of education he had. However, like all of our ancestors, he contributed to the story of us, and that makes him important in my eyes.
The line of descent is
John Paine-Elizabeth Belcher
Stephen Paine-Sarah Vallett
Stephen Paine-Sarah Thornton
Nathan Paine-Lillis Winsor
Deborah Paine-Enos Eddy
Joseph Eddy-Susan Lamphire
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Harshbarger line: Where was George Essig in 1840?
Perhaps I should start at the beginning, with the "who" of george Essig. He was the son of Simon and Juliana Margaretha Schneer Essig, and was born, some say in Adams County, Pennsylvania, on October 19, 1794. This would make some sense, as his father, Simon Essig, is believed to have been the only one of his family to have escaped an Indian attack, near Emmitsburg, Maryland, before the Revolutionary War. The two locations are near each other.
Simon and Juliana moved on to Stark County, Ohio, and raised their rather large family there. George was one of 14 children born to the couple. His parents were on the 1810 tax rolls for Stark County, and it is reported that Simon was in Plain Township, Stark County, planting an orchard as early as 1806. It appears that all but possibly one of the children in George's first family had been born before the move from central Pennsylvania to central Ohio was made. What a trip that must have been! george would have been eleven or twelve years old at the time, so he would have been old enough to help with whatever needed to be done. He would also have been old enough to remember both Pennsylvania and the trip.
There is a tradition that George served in the War of 1812 along with his brothers Jacob and Adam. I have not found any evidence of George's having served, but tradition says that he was injured by Indians (fighting on the side of the British) near Put-in-Bay, Ohio. Sometimes these stories are true and sometimes not, so take it with a grain of salt until records are found verifying this. It is beyond doubt that the Essig family would have felt threatened by the events of the war. Fort Meigs was not constructed until 1813, and it was 156 miles away from Canton, the nearest town to where the Essigs lived. If George wasn't a soldier in the war, he would probably have been in a local militia, and certainly would have been prepared to protect his family from stray Indian raids.
After the war was over, George married Catherine Shollenberger (various spellings), daughter of Peter and Susanna Shollenberger, on September 6, 1816. We can trace the couple in the 1820 census, when there were two children, and the 1830 census, when there were 7 children under the age of 20 (officially) or under the age of 14 (actually). We know George owned land in 1828 in Plain Township, Stark County.
Then George seems to go missing from the records. A George Essig purchased public lands in Dekalb County, Indiana in 1840 and up through 1852. I do not know whether this is our George or not. It is possible, whether or not this was our George, that the family was traveling somewhere in 1840 and thus was missed in the census. I found a George Essick in the 1840 census in Davidson County, North Carolina, but the ages were off and it doesn't seem likely this was our George. Some families just get missed, or are hiding within another family and so don't get named in the early censuses.
We do know that George and Catherine were in Whitley County, Indiana by 1850. That year's census shows them with 4 children still at home, ranging in age from 13 to 20. Some of the older children live near by, having started their own households. (According to his will, there were 11 children living at the time of George's death.) By 1860, George and Catherine are living in Columbia City, where he still is listed as a farmer. An eleven year old boy named Washington Payne is living with them. I don't yet know who he is, whether he is someone living there to help care for them or whether he is part of the extended family.
George died on April 11, 1866. Although he is not shown as having any land in the 1860 census, his will gives land to his son Joseph and to son David, after the death of his wife Catherine, and to each of his other children $35, which Joseph is to pay at the rate of $10 per year. Catherine lived until June 19, 1872. They are buried at Oakgrove Methodist (Redbrush) Cemetery near Larwill, Indiana, which was near the land they owned and farmed.
There is undoubtedly more to George's story. He left Pennsylvania, arrived in Ohio when it was basically frontier, helped build Stark County, and then came to Whitley County while it was still early in that county's history, probably again clearing land and farming as his father and his father before him had done. He would certeinly have stories of his own to tell!
The line of descent is:
George Essig-Catherine Shollenberger
Susannah Essig-Daniel Kemery
Adam Kemery-Nancy Buchtel
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks
Their descendants
Simon and Juliana moved on to Stark County, Ohio, and raised their rather large family there. George was one of 14 children born to the couple. His parents were on the 1810 tax rolls for Stark County, and it is reported that Simon was in Plain Township, Stark County, planting an orchard as early as 1806. It appears that all but possibly one of the children in George's first family had been born before the move from central Pennsylvania to central Ohio was made. What a trip that must have been! george would have been eleven or twelve years old at the time, so he would have been old enough to help with whatever needed to be done. He would also have been old enough to remember both Pennsylvania and the trip.
There is a tradition that George served in the War of 1812 along with his brothers Jacob and Adam. I have not found any evidence of George's having served, but tradition says that he was injured by Indians (fighting on the side of the British) near Put-in-Bay, Ohio. Sometimes these stories are true and sometimes not, so take it with a grain of salt until records are found verifying this. It is beyond doubt that the Essig family would have felt threatened by the events of the war. Fort Meigs was not constructed until 1813, and it was 156 miles away from Canton, the nearest town to where the Essigs lived. If George wasn't a soldier in the war, he would probably have been in a local militia, and certainly would have been prepared to protect his family from stray Indian raids.
After the war was over, George married Catherine Shollenberger (various spellings), daughter of Peter and Susanna Shollenberger, on September 6, 1816. We can trace the couple in the 1820 census, when there were two children, and the 1830 census, when there were 7 children under the age of 20 (officially) or under the age of 14 (actually). We know George owned land in 1828 in Plain Township, Stark County.
Then George seems to go missing from the records. A George Essig purchased public lands in Dekalb County, Indiana in 1840 and up through 1852. I do not know whether this is our George or not. It is possible, whether or not this was our George, that the family was traveling somewhere in 1840 and thus was missed in the census. I found a George Essick in the 1840 census in Davidson County, North Carolina, but the ages were off and it doesn't seem likely this was our George. Some families just get missed, or are hiding within another family and so don't get named in the early censuses.
We do know that George and Catherine were in Whitley County, Indiana by 1850. That year's census shows them with 4 children still at home, ranging in age from 13 to 20. Some of the older children live near by, having started their own households. (According to his will, there were 11 children living at the time of George's death.) By 1860, George and Catherine are living in Columbia City, where he still is listed as a farmer. An eleven year old boy named Washington Payne is living with them. I don't yet know who he is, whether he is someone living there to help care for them or whether he is part of the extended family.
George died on April 11, 1866. Although he is not shown as having any land in the 1860 census, his will gives land to his son Joseph and to son David, after the death of his wife Catherine, and to each of his other children $35, which Joseph is to pay at the rate of $10 per year. Catherine lived until June 19, 1872. They are buried at Oakgrove Methodist (Redbrush) Cemetery near Larwill, Indiana, which was near the land they owned and farmed.
There is undoubtedly more to George's story. He left Pennsylvania, arrived in Ohio when it was basically frontier, helped build Stark County, and then came to Whitley County while it was still early in that county's history, probably again clearing land and farming as his father and his father before him had done. He would certeinly have stories of his own to tell!
The line of descent is:
George Essig-Catherine Shollenberger
Susannah Essig-Daniel Kemery
Adam Kemery-Nancy Buchtel
Della Kemery-William Withers
Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks
Their descendants
Friday, February 7, 2020
Allen line: John Havens Starr 1808-1873
It seems that most people think their life is boring. "Nothing to see here, folks. Move along>" they would tell us, then as now. (Did you ever try writing your own autobiography? Nothing to see here, folks.) I'm pretty sure that our stern, Presbyterian ancestor would say the same thing. And yet, what could be boring about following a man born in Connecticut, who lived his early life in frontier Ohio and then moved on to frontier Iowa? What could be boring about watching a man as he grieves the loss of a son in the Civil War? What could be boring about watching a man whose dreams may have been bigger than he could deliver? Was he a failure, or a fraud, or a man like so many, who reached for the stars and didn't quite get there?
John Havens Starr was born December 31, 1803 (I think the date found in a printed history is incorrect, because his family had already moved on to Ohio by 1809. The 1809 date was probably a typo, or perhaps a misreading of the original entry) in Groton, Connecticut. His grandfather, John Starr, and his great grandfather, Thomas Starr, had also been born there but his own father, John Starr, was born in Nova Scotia while John the grandfather was building a life there prior to the Revolutionary War. When that war broke out, the family moved back to Groton, and resumed life there.
Except, John the grandfather was given land in Ohio twice, in compensation for the land he lost in Nova Scotia and also for the serious wound he had sustained in the battle of Groton Heights. John the father and his wife, Elizabeth "Betsey" Chester Havens, and probably two siblings traveled with the family when John the grandfather went to Ohio to claim his lands in Franklin County, Ohio. John the father would have been a wonderful help to his father, who had lost the use of his right arm, and our John grew up in Franklin County, on land that is now part of Columbus, Ohio. John was among the oldest of the children, as more and more siblings arrived, so he learned quickly a sense of responsibility.
The Starr family were staunch Presbyterians and were some of the founding fathers of the first church there. John Starr, possibly the father, was in charge of Sunday school there for many years, and probably had influence beyond the local church. It took a while for our John to marry. We don't know if that was because of family obligations, or because, like others in our family, he was waiting for the right woman, one who loved God as much as he did. He was 36 years old when he married Clarissa Falley in Granville, Licking County, Ohio. She was the daughter of Samuel and Ruth Root Falley, and she was 27 at the time of the marriage.
These relatively late ages for their marriage have caused some to speculate that John had been married earlier, but I find no documentation for that. I've seen a tree that gives a wedding date of September 27, 1827 to John Havens Starr and Almira "Myra" Falley. I've not been able to locate a record that support that, but if true, then this couple had several children together before Myra died. Myra was probably a cousin of Clarissa's. There is a monument to her in the Sand Hill Cemetery at Tipton, Iowa, showing a death date of December 28, 1838 and listing her husband as John H. Starr. So despite the lack of a marriage record (put down on must find list), I now think this wife is likely correct and there is more to the story. Was John in Iowa as early as 1838, and did he then go back to Ohio to marry Clarissa? John and Myra appear to have had five children, of whom only two survived.
Our couple, John and Clarissa, are not visible in the 1840 census. However, his parents by then are north of Columbus, in Bloomingrove, Richland County, and it's possible that they are included on the census of Samuel Falley in Granville in 1840. By 1850, they are in Cedar County, Iowa. Puzzling on the list of names in the household are Havens Starr, age 22, school teacher, and Anson Starr, age 18, farmer. Who are these young men? They were clearly born before John and Clarissa's marriage. Was John married previously, in a county that didn't yet keep records, or are these perhaps nephews? I sure hope someone reading this has an answer for this question! In addition, there are also Myra, John C. Francis R. and Eunice F Starr, all of whom appear to be John and Clarissa's children, and all of whom were born in Ohio. That must have been quite a trick, traveling with four young children, whether by boat or by wagon, all the way from Ohio to Iowa! I would consider that story not likely to be at all boring, although probably Clarissa would have more to say about it than John would.
We know that John was quickly involved in the Presbyterian church there. By 1854 he was trying to get an "Academy" started, for Presbyterian students, and he even offered some of his land in Tipton to build on. Those dreams did not come true, but it does show his dedication to his church and his God. The 1860 census gives us an extra blessing. We have a "Non-population" schedule for him, showing the activities and assets of his farm. At that time, he owned 460 acres, half of it improved. the cash value was 90000, and the value of his equipment and implemnts was $900. He had 4 horses, 6 milch cows, 4 other cattle, 2 swine, with the value of live stock given as $500. In the year 1859, the farm had produced 600 bushels of wheat, 2300 bushels of Indian corn, and 300 bushels of oats. Compared to others on the page, he was doing pretty well as a farmer.
John could probably take pride in contributing some of his crops for the war effort, as the Civil War began. He also sent his son, John Calvin Starr, off to war. As mentioned in an earlier column, John Calvin died in Thibodeaux, Louisiana of some kind of "brain fever", perhaps meningitis. It must have been a horrible shock to his parents, but one that all too many parents felt during those years.
John continued on. In the 1870 census, he and Clarissa are living in Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa, with 19 year old Mary and 38 year old Anson. The value of his real estate is $2500 and his personal property $300, This is the last time we see John, until his death on March 13, 1873. Clarissa died on April 4, 1875, and that is when the fight over the remaining family assets took place. I've written of that earlier.
So, what was John's life? Boring, fascinating, salt of the earth? I would call him courageous, moral, and probably stern. His son in law, John Wilson Knott, had some unkind things to say about him, mostly promises not kept. It appears to me that the family fortune went downhill and he was probably unable to fulfill his promises, although he made them with every good intention. It would be interesting to study the economics of that area during the 1860s to see if other families suffered the same economic woes, or if perhaps John was so overcome with grief that he was unable to cope when he needed to cope. There is still much to know about this ancestor, but here's a start, anyway.
Our line of descent is:
John H Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
John Havens Starr was born December 31, 1803 (I think the date found in a printed history is incorrect, because his family had already moved on to Ohio by 1809. The 1809 date was probably a typo, or perhaps a misreading of the original entry) in Groton, Connecticut. His grandfather, John Starr, and his great grandfather, Thomas Starr, had also been born there but his own father, John Starr, was born in Nova Scotia while John the grandfather was building a life there prior to the Revolutionary War. When that war broke out, the family moved back to Groton, and resumed life there.
Except, John the grandfather was given land in Ohio twice, in compensation for the land he lost in Nova Scotia and also for the serious wound he had sustained in the battle of Groton Heights. John the father and his wife, Elizabeth "Betsey" Chester Havens, and probably two siblings traveled with the family when John the grandfather went to Ohio to claim his lands in Franklin County, Ohio. John the father would have been a wonderful help to his father, who had lost the use of his right arm, and our John grew up in Franklin County, on land that is now part of Columbus, Ohio. John was among the oldest of the children, as more and more siblings arrived, so he learned quickly a sense of responsibility.
The Starr family were staunch Presbyterians and were some of the founding fathers of the first church there. John Starr, possibly the father, was in charge of Sunday school there for many years, and probably had influence beyond the local church. It took a while for our John to marry. We don't know if that was because of family obligations, or because, like others in our family, he was waiting for the right woman, one who loved God as much as he did. He was 36 years old when he married Clarissa Falley in Granville, Licking County, Ohio. She was the daughter of Samuel and Ruth Root Falley, and she was 27 at the time of the marriage.
These relatively late ages for their marriage have caused some to speculate that John had been married earlier, but I find no documentation for that. I've seen a tree that gives a wedding date of September 27, 1827 to John Havens Starr and Almira "Myra" Falley. I've not been able to locate a record that support that, but if true, then this couple had several children together before Myra died. Myra was probably a cousin of Clarissa's. There is a monument to her in the Sand Hill Cemetery at Tipton, Iowa, showing a death date of December 28, 1838 and listing her husband as John H. Starr. So despite the lack of a marriage record (put down on must find list), I now think this wife is likely correct and there is more to the story. Was John in Iowa as early as 1838, and did he then go back to Ohio to marry Clarissa? John and Myra appear to have had five children, of whom only two survived.
Our couple, John and Clarissa, are not visible in the 1840 census. However, his parents by then are north of Columbus, in Bloomingrove, Richland County, and it's possible that they are included on the census of Samuel Falley in Granville in 1840. By 1850, they are in Cedar County, Iowa. Puzzling on the list of names in the household are Havens Starr, age 22, school teacher, and Anson Starr, age 18, farmer. Who are these young men? They were clearly born before John and Clarissa's marriage. Was John married previously, in a county that didn't yet keep records, or are these perhaps nephews? I sure hope someone reading this has an answer for this question! In addition, there are also Myra, John C. Francis R. and Eunice F Starr, all of whom appear to be John and Clarissa's children, and all of whom were born in Ohio. That must have been quite a trick, traveling with four young children, whether by boat or by wagon, all the way from Ohio to Iowa! I would consider that story not likely to be at all boring, although probably Clarissa would have more to say about it than John would.
We know that John was quickly involved in the Presbyterian church there. By 1854 he was trying to get an "Academy" started, for Presbyterian students, and he even offered some of his land in Tipton to build on. Those dreams did not come true, but it does show his dedication to his church and his God. The 1860 census gives us an extra blessing. We have a "Non-population" schedule for him, showing the activities and assets of his farm. At that time, he owned 460 acres, half of it improved. the cash value was 90000, and the value of his equipment and implemnts was $900. He had 4 horses, 6 milch cows, 4 other cattle, 2 swine, with the value of live stock given as $500. In the year 1859, the farm had produced 600 bushels of wheat, 2300 bushels of Indian corn, and 300 bushels of oats. Compared to others on the page, he was doing pretty well as a farmer.
John could probably take pride in contributing some of his crops for the war effort, as the Civil War began. He also sent his son, John Calvin Starr, off to war. As mentioned in an earlier column, John Calvin died in Thibodeaux, Louisiana of some kind of "brain fever", perhaps meningitis. It must have been a horrible shock to his parents, but one that all too many parents felt during those years.
John continued on. In the 1870 census, he and Clarissa are living in Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa, with 19 year old Mary and 38 year old Anson. The value of his real estate is $2500 and his personal property $300, This is the last time we see John, until his death on March 13, 1873. Clarissa died on April 4, 1875, and that is when the fight over the remaining family assets took place. I've written of that earlier.
So, what was John's life? Boring, fascinating, salt of the earth? I would call him courageous, moral, and probably stern. His son in law, John Wilson Knott, had some unkind things to say about him, mostly promises not kept. It appears to me that the family fortune went downhill and he was probably unable to fulfill his promises, although he made them with every good intention. It would be interesting to study the economics of that area during the 1860s to see if other families suffered the same economic woes, or if perhaps John was so overcome with grief that he was unable to cope when he needed to cope. There is still much to know about this ancestor, but here's a start, anyway.
Our line of descent is:
John H Starr-Clarissa Falley
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Holbrook line: John Brackett 1637-1686
As I first researched this ancestor of ours, I could find only enough information to perhaps fill out three sentences. I knew his parents, his birth and death dates (incorrect death date, as it turns out), his siblings and his wife and children. I knew the town where he lived and died. I knew that his father was a deacon and a jailer, and I thought maybe our John had gone undercover, so to speak, to escape his father's reputation.
But as I did a little more research, I found a few more facts, ones that show John standing on his own two feet and becoming his own man. It's not much, yet, but still, it's more than I knew at the beginning.
John's parents were Richard and Alice Blower Brackett. His father had come to Massachusetts in 1632, returned to England to marry in 1633 and then returned to New England in 1634 with his bride. John had one older sister, Hannah. He and his brother were baptized the same day, May 7, 1637 in Boston. It's not clear whether the two were twins, but if not, they were certainly close all their days. Five more siblings were born after John. Remarkably, all of the children of Richard and Alice lived to adulthood.
It's not clear how much John would have remembered of his earliest childhood days in Boston, because his parents moved to Braintree about 1641. John would have been only about 4 years old at the time of the move, and Braintree was probably the equivalent of the old home place, although of course both Richard and Alice could have talked about their own childhoods, in England.
John, however, looked to the future. He married Hannah French, daughter of William and Elizabeth French, on September 6, 1661 in Braintree. Sometime during the next few years, he moved his family 45 miles north, to Billerica. Billerica had been founded in 1655 on the side of a former native village, and although John didn't get in on the ground floor, he must have had good reason for going there. Four of his brothers and sisters moved to Billerica, and Hannah's father may have already been there. These moves took place for the most part in the early 1660's, although exact dates are hard to pin down.
We do know that John was "rated" in 1669 for 15 shillings to go to the maintenance of Mr. Whiting, the church pastor. This was a fairly low amount based on the list I found in an 1883 History of Billerica, but at the time John had been married for only about 8 years so is not likely to have had a large estate. I also found that he was a soldier, at least in the militia, during King Philip's War. His family, along with those of Daniel Shed Jr, Samuel Trull, and James Kidder Jr. were assigned to Sergeant Kidder's home when the town felt threatened. Two soldiers were also assigned there, for a total of 7 soldiers, so the implication is that each of the men mentioned were also soldiers. I also found note that Billerica had been abandoned after an attack, but I am not sure of the chronology of this, whether it was before or after the assignment of the various families to the garrison and strong houses. John was rated at three shillings in 1679, but again, this is soon after the war ended so it is hard to draw conclusions from this list.
Hannah died on May 9, 1674, the same day that her last daughter was born. Her father named the last daughter "Marah", which meant "bitter" in the Old Testament. However, with seven children to raise he needed a new wife, and he married Ruth Morse Ellis, widow, on March 31, 1674. She had three children of her own and then she and John had four children, three of whom survived. That was one large family. And Ruth would have been the one to take her four children, John's seven, and possibly the first of their children together, into Sergeant Kidder's house for what may have been a lengthy period of time during King Philip's War!
John died March 18, 1686 in Billerica, still less than 50 years old. He apparently didn't leave a will, and his inventory is confusing. It looks like it says that the first accounting was not complete and the marshal seized some of Ruth's holdings until it was completed to the court's satisfaction, but the final total was a little over 118 pounds. Ruth would have received 1/3 of that, and the rest divided up among John's children as they reached the age of majority. So there wasn't much to go around, but something is better than nothing.
I found nothing about John's religious beliefs but as this was still early in colonial history, and as his father had been a deacon, it's probably safe to say he was a Puritan and raised his children in the same beliefs. His inventory appears to show the tools, animals, and equipment of a farmer, although he may also have had a trade. I'd like to know more about him, of course. He was another of the salt of the earth type people who built New England and influenced America down to this day.
The line of descent is
John Brackett-Hannah French
Hannah Brackett-Joseph Stannard
John Stannard-Hannah Jordan
John Stannard-Hannah Hanchett
Libbeus Stanard-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
But as I did a little more research, I found a few more facts, ones that show John standing on his own two feet and becoming his own man. It's not much, yet, but still, it's more than I knew at the beginning.
John's parents were Richard and Alice Blower Brackett. His father had come to Massachusetts in 1632, returned to England to marry in 1633 and then returned to New England in 1634 with his bride. John had one older sister, Hannah. He and his brother were baptized the same day, May 7, 1637 in Boston. It's not clear whether the two were twins, but if not, they were certainly close all their days. Five more siblings were born after John. Remarkably, all of the children of Richard and Alice lived to adulthood.
It's not clear how much John would have remembered of his earliest childhood days in Boston, because his parents moved to Braintree about 1641. John would have been only about 4 years old at the time of the move, and Braintree was probably the equivalent of the old home place, although of course both Richard and Alice could have talked about their own childhoods, in England.
John, however, looked to the future. He married Hannah French, daughter of William and Elizabeth French, on September 6, 1661 in Braintree. Sometime during the next few years, he moved his family 45 miles north, to Billerica. Billerica had been founded in 1655 on the side of a former native village, and although John didn't get in on the ground floor, he must have had good reason for going there. Four of his brothers and sisters moved to Billerica, and Hannah's father may have already been there. These moves took place for the most part in the early 1660's, although exact dates are hard to pin down.
We do know that John was "rated" in 1669 for 15 shillings to go to the maintenance of Mr. Whiting, the church pastor. This was a fairly low amount based on the list I found in an 1883 History of Billerica, but at the time John had been married for only about 8 years so is not likely to have had a large estate. I also found that he was a soldier, at least in the militia, during King Philip's War. His family, along with those of Daniel Shed Jr, Samuel Trull, and James Kidder Jr. were assigned to Sergeant Kidder's home when the town felt threatened. Two soldiers were also assigned there, for a total of 7 soldiers, so the implication is that each of the men mentioned were also soldiers. I also found note that Billerica had been abandoned after an attack, but I am not sure of the chronology of this, whether it was before or after the assignment of the various families to the garrison and strong houses. John was rated at three shillings in 1679, but again, this is soon after the war ended so it is hard to draw conclusions from this list.
Hannah died on May 9, 1674, the same day that her last daughter was born. Her father named the last daughter "Marah", which meant "bitter" in the Old Testament. However, with seven children to raise he needed a new wife, and he married Ruth Morse Ellis, widow, on March 31, 1674. She had three children of her own and then she and John had four children, three of whom survived. That was one large family. And Ruth would have been the one to take her four children, John's seven, and possibly the first of their children together, into Sergeant Kidder's house for what may have been a lengthy period of time during King Philip's War!
John died March 18, 1686 in Billerica, still less than 50 years old. He apparently didn't leave a will, and his inventory is confusing. It looks like it says that the first accounting was not complete and the marshal seized some of Ruth's holdings until it was completed to the court's satisfaction, but the final total was a little over 118 pounds. Ruth would have received 1/3 of that, and the rest divided up among John's children as they reached the age of majority. So there wasn't much to go around, but something is better than nothing.
I found nothing about John's religious beliefs but as this was still early in colonial history, and as his father had been a deacon, it's probably safe to say he was a Puritan and raised his children in the same beliefs. His inventory appears to show the tools, animals, and equipment of a farmer, although he may also have had a trade. I'd like to know more about him, of course. He was another of the salt of the earth type people who built New England and influenced America down to this day.
The line of descent is
John Brackett-Hannah French
Hannah Brackett-Joseph Stannard
John Stannard-Hannah Jordan
John Stannard-Hannah Hanchett
Libbeus Stanard-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, January 31, 2020
Holbrook line: Samuel Tubbs 1638-1696
There's a lot to think about when we think about Samuel Tubbs. He must have had an incredibly difficult life, with his mother's scandalous behavior being the talk of the town. Oh, wait...our Pilgrim fathers and mothers didn't gossip. He certainly had an interesting life. He would have known our ancestors William Brewster and Miles Standish and Edward Doty. He moved to New London, Connecticut and fought in King Philip's War, for long enough that he was awarded land in Voluntown, Connecticut. He may have known, and almost certainly knew of, that other famous ancestor of ours, Roger Williams. And did I mention he lived in New England during some of its earliest years?
So, here's the story...Samuel Tubbs was born in 1638, probably in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony, the son of William and Mercy Sprague Tubbs. I have written about their marriage and William's attempts to end it in another post. The divorce between the parents was finally granted in 1668, when Samuel was 30 years old, but the difficulties between his parents, and Mercy's behavior, were evident during Samuel's teen aged years, if not before. Nevertheless, he did have four (at least) younger siblings, assumed to be offspring of both parents.
No wonder our hero took off for New London, Connecticut, just about as soon as he could. He seems to have been there prior to 1664, because in that year he, along with other young single men, requested permission from the court to stay in New London. (Typically, a young single man had to live with another family until he was married, but with a large group of young men, such as New London had, there may have been other arrangements made.) Samuel probably was quite relieved when the request was approved.
William had taught his son several things. One important skill was that he passed on his own trade of shoemaker to his son. New London may have been a good place for a shoemaker to settle, because in addition to the colonists who lived there, this was a sea faring town and there were sailors and merchants who needed new shoes, or repairs.
Samuel married Mary Willey, daughter of Isaac and Joanna Lufton Willey, about 1666. They had been called up on a charge of fornication, and generally the easiest way to get a light sentence for that crime was to marry the girl. I haven't found a record of the trial or it's aftermath yet, but typically the woman was punished more heavily than the man. Even though they married, there were consequences. But if she was whipped, it was likely after the child was born,)
Despite what may have been a rough start to their marriage, Samuel and Mary apparently made the best of it. They had probably 10 children, 9 of them named in Samuel's will, which I haven't seen. Besides his shoemaker occupation,
Samuel was a busy man, but not too busy to engage in civic affairs. I don't know of any civic offices that he held, but he did participate in a "riot" in 1671, The dispute was about a meadow claimed by both New London and Lyme. Samuel was on the side of New London, which eventually won the dispute. I don't know the extent of the "riot". Then, a few years later, King Philip's War broke out. Samuel enlisted with other Connecticut men and apparently served during most if not all of the conflict, protecting both Connecticut and Rhode Island. He was later, posthumously, awarded land in Voluntown, Connecticut (located on the border with Rhode Island), as a reward for service during that conflict. Out of 180 men from Connecticut who were to be allotted land, he was number 62, in rough chronological order of when they enlisted. He was awarded lot number 85 in the Cedar Swamp there. Although he may have stayed active with a militia or training band, this is the last time we know of that he was actually involved in battle.
In fact, this is the last that I've found of Samuel. He is reported to have died before May 31, 1696, at New London, and is supposed to be buried at East Haddam. Mary died prior to 1726, but I've not found an exact date for her.
Samuel basically escaped from Duxbury, made at least one mistake in his early manhood, and then seems to have settled down. He likely attended church on a regular basis, for that was expected if not required, and he raised a large family. His military service alone is enough reason for us to remember him. He got the family name back to a certain degree of respectability, and for that, we are grateful.
The line of descent is:
Samuel Tubbs-Mary Willey
Mercy Tubbs-John Crocker
Rachel Crocker=Kingsland Comstock
Rachel Comstock-John Eames
John Eames-Elizabeth Longbottom
Hannah Eames-James Lamphire
Susan Lamphire-Joseph Eddy
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
So, here's the story...Samuel Tubbs was born in 1638, probably in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony, the son of William and Mercy Sprague Tubbs. I have written about their marriage and William's attempts to end it in another post. The divorce between the parents was finally granted in 1668, when Samuel was 30 years old, but the difficulties between his parents, and Mercy's behavior, were evident during Samuel's teen aged years, if not before. Nevertheless, he did have four (at least) younger siblings, assumed to be offspring of both parents.
No wonder our hero took off for New London, Connecticut, just about as soon as he could. He seems to have been there prior to 1664, because in that year he, along with other young single men, requested permission from the court to stay in New London. (Typically, a young single man had to live with another family until he was married, but with a large group of young men, such as New London had, there may have been other arrangements made.) Samuel probably was quite relieved when the request was approved.
William had taught his son several things. One important skill was that he passed on his own trade of shoemaker to his son. New London may have been a good place for a shoemaker to settle, because in addition to the colonists who lived there, this was a sea faring town and there were sailors and merchants who needed new shoes, or repairs.
Samuel married Mary Willey, daughter of Isaac and Joanna Lufton Willey, about 1666. They had been called up on a charge of fornication, and generally the easiest way to get a light sentence for that crime was to marry the girl. I haven't found a record of the trial or it's aftermath yet, but typically the woman was punished more heavily than the man. Even though they married, there were consequences. But if she was whipped, it was likely after the child was born,)
Despite what may have been a rough start to their marriage, Samuel and Mary apparently made the best of it. They had probably 10 children, 9 of them named in Samuel's will, which I haven't seen. Besides his shoemaker occupation,
Samuel was a busy man, but not too busy to engage in civic affairs. I don't know of any civic offices that he held, but he did participate in a "riot" in 1671, The dispute was about a meadow claimed by both New London and Lyme. Samuel was on the side of New London, which eventually won the dispute. I don't know the extent of the "riot". Then, a few years later, King Philip's War broke out. Samuel enlisted with other Connecticut men and apparently served during most if not all of the conflict, protecting both Connecticut and Rhode Island. He was later, posthumously, awarded land in Voluntown, Connecticut (located on the border with Rhode Island), as a reward for service during that conflict. Out of 180 men from Connecticut who were to be allotted land, he was number 62, in rough chronological order of when they enlisted. He was awarded lot number 85 in the Cedar Swamp there. Although he may have stayed active with a militia or training band, this is the last time we know of that he was actually involved in battle.
In fact, this is the last that I've found of Samuel. He is reported to have died before May 31, 1696, at New London, and is supposed to be buried at East Haddam. Mary died prior to 1726, but I've not found an exact date for her.
Samuel basically escaped from Duxbury, made at least one mistake in his early manhood, and then seems to have settled down. He likely attended church on a regular basis, for that was expected if not required, and he raised a large family. His military service alone is enough reason for us to remember him. He got the family name back to a certain degree of respectability, and for that, we are grateful.
The line of descent is:
Samuel Tubbs-Mary Willey
Mercy Tubbs-John Crocker
Rachel Crocker=Kingsland Comstock
Rachel Comstock-John Eames
John Eames-Elizabeth Longbottom
Hannah Eames-James Lamphire
Susan Lamphire-Joseph Eddy
Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard
Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick
Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook
Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen
Their descendants
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Allen line: John Gunn, Quartermaster 1641-1726
John Gunn or Gunne is another one of our ancestors who contributed to the Westfield, Massachusetts family connections. For such a small village, we certainly had a lot of Allen ancestors there, back in the day. We know a little bit about him, but not a lot.
John was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth possibly Brown Gunn, born July 8, 1647 in Windsor, Connecticut. Thomas was an inkkepper in Windsor but left for Westfield "early". Since Westfield wasn't formed until the late 1660s, John may well have been 25 years old or so before moving, if he left at the same time his father did. John was apparently in Westfield when he married Mary Williams, daughter of John and Mary (maiden name Burley, Bulkeley, or something else) on January 22, 1678.
John seems to have been one of four children who survived infancy, and he and Mary had at least six children. There is a four year gap between two of their children, so it's possible there was another baby, or a miscarriage. Women typically had children every two years or so, unless illness or absence prevented it.
We don't know for sure what John did for a living but he likely farmed, at least enough to support his family. He had land both in Windsor and in Westfield at one time, and eventually sold the Windsor land. He may have purchased more in Westfield at about the same time. He seems to have been a respected man in town and probably accumulated some wealth, although I have not been able to locate a will or inventory for him-yet.
His gravestone calls him "quartermaster". which has me scratching my head. John lived through King Philip's War, Queen Anne's War, and King William's War. John Root, another of our ancestors, was listed as a commissary in Westfield for King Philip's War, and it seems, unless I am missing something, that the two terms have the same definition. It's possible that John Root took care of the troops who were garrisoned in Westfield and John Gunn took care of supplying the troops who went further afield, fighting the natives and their French instigators. It would be interesting to figure out which conflict or conflicts John Gunn was part of, and whether he was part of any actual skirmis or battles.
Mary died in Westfield November 26, 1711, and John survived her by close to fifteen years. He lived until Spetember 17, 1726. The records say he died in Springfield but was buried in Westfield. He may have been staying with daughter Mercy in Springfield, or he may have gone there for medical attention. At any rate, he lived a long life, about 85 years.
We don't know certain things about John but we can infer that he could read and write, because most men in the town could. We can guess that if he wasn't a church member, he at least attended church, because regular church attendance was required in Puritan towns, whether or not one was a member. And we can know that he was a good citizen and attended town meetings, because, again, it was required. He did much to help shape America, just by living and raising his family.
The line of descent is
John Gunn-Mary Williams
Mary Gunn-Samuel Root
Martin Root-Eunice Lamb
Martin Root-Ruth Noble
Ruth Root-Samuel Falley
Clarissa Falley-John Havens Starr
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
John was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth possibly Brown Gunn, born July 8, 1647 in Windsor, Connecticut. Thomas was an inkkepper in Windsor but left for Westfield "early". Since Westfield wasn't formed until the late 1660s, John may well have been 25 years old or so before moving, if he left at the same time his father did. John was apparently in Westfield when he married Mary Williams, daughter of John and Mary (maiden name Burley, Bulkeley, or something else) on January 22, 1678.
John seems to have been one of four children who survived infancy, and he and Mary had at least six children. There is a four year gap between two of their children, so it's possible there was another baby, or a miscarriage. Women typically had children every two years or so, unless illness or absence prevented it.
We don't know for sure what John did for a living but he likely farmed, at least enough to support his family. He had land both in Windsor and in Westfield at one time, and eventually sold the Windsor land. He may have purchased more in Westfield at about the same time. He seems to have been a respected man in town and probably accumulated some wealth, although I have not been able to locate a will or inventory for him-yet.
His gravestone calls him "quartermaster". which has me scratching my head. John lived through King Philip's War, Queen Anne's War, and King William's War. John Root, another of our ancestors, was listed as a commissary in Westfield for King Philip's War, and it seems, unless I am missing something, that the two terms have the same definition. It's possible that John Root took care of the troops who were garrisoned in Westfield and John Gunn took care of supplying the troops who went further afield, fighting the natives and their French instigators. It would be interesting to figure out which conflict or conflicts John Gunn was part of, and whether he was part of any actual skirmis or battles.
Mary died in Westfield November 26, 1711, and John survived her by close to fifteen years. He lived until Spetember 17, 1726. The records say he died in Springfield but was buried in Westfield. He may have been staying with daughter Mercy in Springfield, or he may have gone there for medical attention. At any rate, he lived a long life, about 85 years.
We don't know certain things about John but we can infer that he could read and write, because most men in the town could. We can guess that if he wasn't a church member, he at least attended church, because regular church attendance was required in Puritan towns, whether or not one was a member. And we can know that he was a good citizen and attended town meetings, because, again, it was required. He did much to help shape America, just by living and raising his family.
The line of descent is
John Gunn-Mary Williams
Mary Gunn-Samuel Root
Martin Root-Eunice Lamb
Martin Root-Ruth Noble
Ruth Root-Samuel Falley
Clarissa Falley-John Havens Starr
Harriet Starr-John Wilson Knott
Edith Knott-Edward Allen
Richard Allen-Gladys Holbrook
Their descendants
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