52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES, No. 22, Commencement/Beginnings: Resolved WHITE 1614 - abt 1687

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog based on Themes. Last week, it was Military.  This week, the theme is Commencement / Beginnings:  I've chosen Resolved WHITE.     

Time to write about the Mayflower ancestors, eh? Some information may be found on The Mayflower History site, Wikipedia, and the Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, among other sources.  The image on this page is of a postcard, published by Smith's Inc, Plymouth, Mass., about 1930-1945, displayed in Boston Public Library.

William & Susanna WHITE, and their two sons, Resolved, born in England [direct ancestor] and Peregrine, his younger brother, born in the Provincetown harbour, are on my children's father's lines. They link into the RICE line, first immigrant Deacon Edmund RICE, who arrived in the colony in 1632. Details of the Pilgrim's colony beginnings may be found on many sites, as noted above.

William & Susanna WHITE and 5 year-old Resolved had a very rocky start to their trip to New England. Note that the WHITE couple with their two servants were part of the London Merchant group, which boarded in London, then sailed to Leiden to add the congregation members as passengers. In Leiden, the other ship needed lengthy repairs, and the group in the Mayflower set off finally quite late in the season, early in September.  Here is an excellent set of sketches to show the inside of the ship, Mayflower.

Mentioned above, after arriving at safe harbour in Provincetown Harbour on November 9th, Susanna delivered a second son on board ship, whom they named Peregrine, at the end of November 1620. As all know who learn about the Mayflower group of settlers, their first winter was extremely challenging and approximately half of the crew and passengers died. On 21 Feb 1620/1, William WHITE died, leaving his wife and two children on their own.  

Three months later, 12 May 1621, Susanna married Edward Winslow, who had also been widowed, his wife having died two months earlier. It must have been amazingly challenging for this couple to manage. Each had been very recently widowed, and were determined to settle in this new country with extremely limited resources. Susanna and Edward went on to have five children, plus her two earlier children.  Edward Winslow served as Governor, Assistant Governor and, as the colony's agent in England. 

Resolved WHITE was born 9 Sep 1614, in England.  By the 1630s, he moved with his stepfather and mother to Marshfield, later moving to Scituate where he was granted 100 acres next to William VASSALL's land.

On 6 Nov 1640, he married Judith VASSALL, whose family (William VASSALL & Anna KING) had arrived in 1635.  William VASSALL was a founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; he left the Colony and settled in Barbados - another story altogether! 

Resolved and Judith had the following nine children, born and baptized in Scituate:

1. William, b. 10 Apr 1642, d. 24 Jan 1694/5
2. John, b. 11 Mar 1643/4
3. Sylvanus, b. 13 Mar 1645/6, d. as infant [not listed in some records]
4. Samuel, b. 13 Mar 1645/6, d. between 1720-1731; m. Rebecca ___, abt 1667.
5. Resolved [jr.], b. 12 Nov 1647, d. bef 27 Mar 1670
6. Anna, bap 10 Jun 1649, d. 25 May 1714 Concord MA; m. abt 1670 to John Hayward.
7. Elizabeth [ancestor], b. 10 Jun 1652/bap 4 Jul 1652, d. 27 Oct 1732 Concord MA; m. to Obadiah WHEELER on 17 Jul 1672; 9 children; Wheeler family arrived about 1639.
8. Josiah, b. 29 Sep 1654/bap 14 Oct 1654, d. bef 5 Jun 1710; m. abt 1680 to Remember Read; 5 known children
9. Susanna, b. Aug 1645/bap 9 Nov 1645

In 1656/7, Resolved and Judith - and likely, some of their children - travelled to Barbados, likely to aid in the settling of the estate of her father William who had settled there.

Resolved was made a Freeman of Plymouth County on June 1, 1658. By 1670, he was a Freeman of Marshfield.  He was actively involved in the early colony, and was a soldier in 1670, in King Philip's War. 

Judith, his wife, died by 3 Apr 1670 in Marshfield, aged 51 years.  On 5 Oct 1674, Resolved married for a second time to widow Abigail Lord [maiden name unknown].  Abigail died 27 Jun 1682, while they were living in Salem, where he had become a Freeman of Salem. 

After Abigail's death, Resolved moved back to Marshfield, likely living in the household of one of his children.  He is mentioned in a land transfer of his eldest son, William White, on 19 Sep 1687, and it is suggested that he died within a few years of this date. 

Resolved and his first wife Judith are buried in Winslow Cemetery in Marshfield. It is not known where his second wife, Abigail, is buried, nor when. 

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52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES, No. 21, MILITARY: Col. Jacob MORGAN, 1716-1792

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog based on Themes. Last week, it was Black Sheep.  This week, the theme is Military, in keeping with the Memorial Weekend events in the USA [I'm Canadian].  

My 5th great-grandfather, Col. Jacob MORGAN, came to Pennsylvania from Wales with his parents, Thomas MORGAN & and Elizabeth ABREY, and his four older brothers, before 1718.  The Morgan family settled near Caernarvon township, in an area which includes the village of Morgantown which Col. MORGAN laid out in approximately 1779, after the Revolutionary War [about 1770, according to several accounts].  

Jacob MORGAN was born in Wales on 7 Nov 1716, and in 1739 he married Rachel PIERSOL [1723-1791], daughter of Richard PIERSOL and Bridget BROWN.  Jacob and Rachel had the following children, in Caernarvon PA:

1. Rebecca, b. 1741; m. John Price
2. Gen. Jacob jr., b. 1742, d. 18 Sep 1802; m. Barbara Leisure Jenkins; 6 children
3. Benjamin, b. abt 1745;  m. 27 Jun 1793 to Harriett Ashton, 1 child known
4. *Mary [ancestor], b. 20 Jun 1748, d. 1795; m. 20 Jun 1768 to John HUDSON, 7 children known
5. Sarah, b. abt 1750; m. to Joseph Jenkins
6. Frances, b. abt 1752 [not listed in his will]
7. John, b. abt 1755

With both senior and junior versions of Jacob MORGAN men in Pennsylvania, both active in military duty at the General/Colonel level, there are some confusing details in histories of the region.  The pronoun 'he' without a clarifying detail such as each man's birthyear, makes it a small challenge. I have quoted details from the article "Genealogies of Pennsylvania Families" printed in Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, Vol III, p 469. Additional details may be found in histories of Pennsylvania, and histories of families and individuals who fought in the two Wars in which he participated.

Jacob Sr. amassed a large amount of land over his years, inheriting about 400 acres from his father Thomas MORGAN when he died in 1740.  When Jacob died he owned over 5,000 acres of land.  

From 1755 to 1760, he was a Captain in the First Battalian of the Pennsylvania Regiment; later his company formed part of the Second Battalian, in the "Seven Years War" - the French/Indian Wars - receiving 3,000 acres for his service as Captain. He enlisted again in the Revolutionary War, June 1776 to Dec 1780, receiving the title of Colonel. 

He was commissioned as a Justice of the Peace and of the courts, during the period between 1764-1784. 

"From 22 May, 1777, until 8 January, 1781, he was Lieutenant of Berks County, with the rank of colonel, and as such, was at the head of military affairs in that county, and rendered constant and most valuable services to the cause of Independence."

Jacob and his wife, Rachel apparently moved to Philadelphia after 1784, where Rachel died 19 Dec 1791, aged 68.  

A year later, on 11 Nov 1792, Jacob died at the age of 76. He is buried in the cemetery of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Morgantown, Caernarvon township, Berks, PA.  

If you have more information on the MORGAN family, including Jacob MORGAN Sr., please do not hesitate to contact me via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below. I appreciate being corrected or having additional sources pointed out!  

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52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES, No. 20, Black Sheep: John GOODENOW (Capt.)

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog based on Themes. Last week, it was There's a Way.  This week, the theme is Black Sheep.  I don't think I have a Black Sheep in my ancestry... but there's one in my children's father's family line!

I'm writing about this ancestor because a very distant cousin recently asked for more information on the family line of GOODENOW.  Which immediately stimulated me to do more research on the line, of course. Does that happen to you as well?  Here's the bit of information I've been able to find so far on John GOODENOW (Capt.) - who wasn't quite as "good enough" as he should have been!  

   p. 100  ...Captain John Goodenow was forced to resign all offices because of his adultery, in 1697.

   p. 172  ...Publicly Goodenow had monopolized town offices and corruptly misused his power.  Privately, he had cheated at horse trading, been censured for drunkenness by his fellow church members, and attended only half the services.  What he did during the other services is implied in the complaint: "When he is absent from meeting the wife of John Brooks is absent also."  

   p. 172  ...John Brooks, economically vulnerable as a tenant of Goodenow, had complained that his landlord "had as much to do with his wife as himself and he wold beeer it no longer... he asked some of the company to go with him to demand his house from Capt Goodenow" but found no volunteers.  Another Sudbury housewife deposed that the man who was concurrently militia captain, town clerk, town assessor, first selectman, and moderator of the town meeting had lustfully "tempted me with the command of his estate... to committ adultery with him." 

Above excerpts taken from the book: Sex in Middlesex: Popular Mores in a Massachusetts County, 1649-1699, Roger Thompson, 1986, Univ of Massachusetts Press. 

John GOODENOW immigrated (aged 3) to Massachusetts on the ship, Confidence, in 1638, with his parents, Edmund and Anne, with younger brother Thomas (1 yr old).  The family were from Dunhead, Wiltshire, England, and came over with several other Goodenow families from other areas.

John GOODENOW married (1)  Mary AXTELL on 19 Sep 1656 in Sudbury, MA. Mary was bap 25 Sep 1639 in Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, England.  She apparently had a very lengthy illness, before she died 14 Apr 1704.  John & Mary had the following 12 children, all born in Sudbury, MA:

1. Hannah, b. 15 Dec 1657, d. 22 Nov 1691
2. Mary, b. 19 Oct 1659, d. 2 Aug 1687
3. Edmund, b. 16 Oct 1661, d. 31 May 1727
4. Sarah, b. 26 Feb 1664, d. 1724
5. Dorothy, b. abt 1668, m. John Peckham 9 Dec 1687
6. John [jr], b. 9 Sep 1670, d. 24 Feb 1736
7. Elizabeth, b. 18 Nov 1672, d. 9 May 1736
8. *Joseph [ancestor], b. 1 Dec 1674, d. 3 Sep 1758; m. abt 1700 to Patience BENT 1700, 6 children known
9. Ebenezar, b. 6 Jun 1677
10. Lydia, b. 18 Oct 1678, d. 21 Apr 1679
11. Mary/Mercy, b. 8 Nov 1680, d. 1 Sep 1710

John married for a second time to Mary Stone Walker (wid) in Dec 1705.  Mary (2nd wife), b. 22 Mar 1644 in Cambridge, MA, died in Sudbury, MA, aged 87, on 4 Nov 1731; this was 10 years after her husband's death.

On 6 Aug 1721, John GOODENOW, died 6 Aug 1721, aged 86, in Sudbury, MA. Eventually this GOODENOW line joins up with our RICE-LEWIS line.

I think I'd like to do more research on this black sheep, although I'm also distracted at looking at the origin of the surname GOODENOW, plus his 1st wife's unusual surname of AXTELL.  So many bright shiny objects to distract me with this couple!  

If any of these people are your ancestors as well, please contact me via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below.  I would love to learn more about my children's ancestors, and appreciate any corrections or comments. 

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52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES, No. 19, There's A Way: Susanna PARSONS 1807-1866

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog, but based on Themes. Last week, it was Where There's A Will.  This week, the theme is There's a Way.

I chose to write about Susanna PARSONS, my son-in-law's 3rd great-grandmother and her family. Susanna was the third child (of 11 children) of parents, Richard PARSONS and Sarah CHETTEN [surname not proven as yet]. Richard is listed on the 1841 Census living in Snow Hill in the hamlet of Hartshill, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England.  His occupation is listed as Ag Lab - agricultural labourer - as are his older sons.  

Susannah was baptised 7 Sep 1807 in St. Peter's church in the Parish of Mancetter, Warwick.  Susannah married Edwin WHITE in the on June 30th, 1828, also in the Parish 'mother' church, St. Peter's, built in the 13th Century. Edwin signed his name, while Susanna made her mark.  The Witnesses were Wm Henry Wright and Anne Ch....[difficult to read], who are not known to be relatives.

They settled nearby, in Chapel End in the hamlet of Hartshill, and can be found in the 1841 Census, with their first four children.  Edwin was working as a blacksmith, and the census shows he was not born in the county of Warwick [he was born in Nottingham].  

Susanna and Edwin had the following children, born in Hartshill:
  1.  Josiah, b. 1829
  2.  James, b. 1833
  3.  Susanna, b. 1835
  4.  Sarah [direct ancestor], b. 25 Sep 1836, d. 23 Oct 1908; m. to John PERRY 15 Apr 1860, 9 children
  5.  Hannah, b. 1842
  6.  Philip, b. 1847
  7.  Isabella, b. 1852

Note that I have not completed research to find spouses/families of their 7 children, other than for the direct ancestor, Sarah; plus I need to search for death records, and any other records which might be found on this WHITE family. 

In the 1851 Census, the family were again found living in Snow Hill, two homes away from Susanna's brother Richard and his family.  Edwin's occupation is listed as Blacksmith, as are his eldest sons, Josiah and James. However, Susanna is listed as a Hand Loom Weaver Ribbons, as are her two older daughters, Susannah and Sarah.  Her younger brother and his wife are also Ribbon Weavers, as is a neighbour.  Another neighbour woman is listed as having the occupation of Silk Winder.  

Ribbons.  Woven on a handloom, in whatever light could be found through a window, or with a small light.  You cannot read a Regency romance novel without reading about women buying ribbons to decorate their hats, their hair, their dresses. The northern area in Warwick produced ribbons for the fashion trade, originally for the wealthy, but now produced in large enough amounts to be within the price range of most women.  Over 30,000 hand looms were known to be working in the region, doing piecework at home. 

As you can see from the photo, the loom is placed right up against the window for maximum light. To earn money, one would need to be weaving the patterns for as long as possible while the light held.  And the windows were not like today's double-glazed ones, with well-insulated walls.  

Unfortunately, by the late 1860s the advent of steam-powered looms collapsed the home-based hand loom ribbon businesses, causing great hardship, as well as poverty.  

The 1861 Census shows Edwin still working as a Blacksmith, and their daughter Hannah as a Ribbon Weaver, but there are fewer in the neighbourhood.  Susanna, his wife, does not show an occupation on this Census.  

The 1871 Census shows Edwin, widowed, Blacksmith, living only with his youngest child, Isabella, aged 19, no occupation.  They were living in Snow Hill as before.  

Susanna is shown as having died in the first quarter of 1866 (Jan-March), and the death was registered in Parish Mancetter, in Atherstone which is about 2.5 miles from Hartshill. 

I have a list of questions still about Susanna.  Clearly everyone pulled their weight in the family, and while raising seven living children, she also wove silk ribbons to add to the family income.  I wonder if a neighbour showed her how to do this work, and I wonder how much money they might have earned with each 'piece' (yards?)

A challenging life, a challenging time, as the Industrial Revolution hit the poor very hard. This family found a way, and Susanna certainly did her part.

If any of these people are your ancestors as well, please contact me via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below.  I would love to learn more about my Perry grandchildren's ancestors. 

Blogger is still not letting me "reply" to your comments, for some unknown reason. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented! You make my day.

52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES. No. 17, Prosper : Charles Giles GRAVES, 1824-1902

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog, but based on Themes.  Number 16 was Live Long.  This week, number 17 theme is Prosper.  

Please note that photos are copyright to me, and may not be copied.  Contact me if you are a relative and wish me to send you a copy, or if you have information/corrections to offer.

The photo here may or may not be of Charles Giles GRAVES - but was with others who clearly were family members, part of a collage. 

Here's Charles Giles GRAVES - a "Gentleman," who lived "on his own means" - as the Censuses state as his Occupation; clearly a prosperous man. Charles Giles GRAVES was my second great-grandfather on my mother's mother's line.  

His father was Cornelius GRAVES (1783-1828) & Anna TREAT (1783-1866). From the Graves Family Association's records, (Gen. 166), Cornelius "...was a stone mason [who] removed to near Auburn New York, where he pursued farming and contracting, and furnished materials to build Auburn prison, and for locks on the Erie Canal."  Anna TREAT was the 2nd great-granddaughter to Governor Robert TREAT of Connecticut.

Charles was the 8th child of Cornelius & Anna, the youngest of 6 sons and 2 daughters, born 7 Mar 1824 in Jordan, Onondaga, NY.  Note he was only 4 years old when his father died.  His mother did not remarry.  

On 26 Sep 1850, in Syracuse, Onondaga, NY, he married "Hattie" Harriet Philena ORMSBEE (1827-1929).  Hattie was the eldest daughter, 2nd child, of Jacob ORMSBEE and Sabra TOWERS. Jacob was a successful contractor/builder in and around Syracuse. 

Charles and Hattie had the following children, born in Syracuse NY:

  1.  Lillian Adele, b. 25 Nov 1853, d. 5 Jan 1949 Syracuse; m. 11 Jul 1877 to
          Gabriel W. Wisner (lawyer); 4 children
  2.  Clara Augusta "Gussie" [ancestor], b. 5 Nov 1857, d. 30 Oct 1955,
          Pinellas FL;  m. 2 Oct 1879 to James "Grove" Grover TERWILLIGER;
          3 children [my line through eldest]
  3.  Florence Estelle, b. 3 Feb 1860, d. 6 Apr 1954 Tabor NJ; m. 6 Sep 1893 to
          Ernest F. Tyler (jeweller/business owner); 1 daughter.  She was called
          "Aunt Toto" by my mother.

From 1862 Jan 21 - 1863 Apr 18, he was a Second Lieutenant in COMPANY "C", 19th INFANTRY, New York.  He resigned out on April 18 1863.  

In the Syracuse region, he owned or was a partner in a number of mercantile businesses (Seager & Graves, e.g.), as well as in the early oil industry, and manufacturing of gas pipes. 

One month short of his 78th birthday, Charles G. GRAVES died at the family residence on Sunday, 4 Feb 1902, after struggling with pneumonia for two weeks, according to newspaper accounts.  He was survived by his wife, Hattie, and their three daughters, eight grandchildren.

He is buried (as is his wife) in the Oakwood Cemetery, Syracuse, Onondaga, NY, as can be seen on FindAGrave.

If any of these people are your ancestors as well, please contact me via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below.  I would love to learn more about my ancestors. 

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52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES. No. 18, "Where There's A Will" - Widow Mary BUELL 1684

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog, but based on Themes. Last week, it was Prosper.  This week, the theme is Where There's A Will - and I chose this one.

Mary POST, wife of the Immigrant, William BUELL (1604/5-1681): her will is marvellous as it lists her married daughters.  Mary's birth is estimated to be about 1615/16 in Chesterton, Huntingdon, England; she married William BUELL on 18 Nov 1640 in Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut. 

William died 16 Nov 1681, aged 76, and his will is dated July 26, 1681.  His wife provided the estate inventory of £142. 2s 7d.  Mary died several years later, aged 69. They had 7 children that we are aware of, all born in Windsor, Connecticut: Samuel William, Mary, Sgt Peter, Hannah, Hepsibah, Sarah, Abigail (predeceased her mother)

Her will has been transcribed as follows, found in the collection "Hartford, Connecticut Probate Records, 1639-1700" on Ancestry.com, taken from "A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records, Hartford District,1635-1700.Vol. I. n.p., 1906"; pages 219-220: 

   Buell, Widow Mary, Windsor. Died 1st September, 1684.  Invt.  £19-15-06.  
   Taken 11 October, 1684, by James Hilliard & Samuel Barber.  

Will dated 29 August, 1684.
I  Mary Buell, being very weak and nigh to death, but having my 
   natural Understanding, having some smale things to dispose of, my Will is 
   that my Eldest daughter Mary Mills shall have my Westcoate, Coat, & 
   that Hatt which was Sarah's, & 1 white linen apron, & 1 blue Apron 
   which it is woue; & the rest of my Wool & Linen Clothes I give to my 
   daughter Hannah Palmer, & my Hatt, & 1 pewter Platter, & 1 tin pann.  
   I give to my daughter Hepzibah Welles 6 yards of linen Cloth, & I give 
   to my gr. child Mary Palmer Wool Cloth to make her a Coat, & to my 
   gr. Child Sarah Palmer Wool Cloth for a Waste Coat, & the rest of 
   my Wool Cloth is to be divided between my daughters Mary & Hannah, 
   & the rest of my linen cloth is to be diuided between my two 
   daughters Mary and Hannah, & I give to my daughter Hannah 1 blue 
   apron, & that is all that I give to my daughter.
   (Will not signed)
Witnesses: James Hillier,   Mary X Hillier.

As you can see, her several daughters are the only persons receiving her goods; the two sons having been given land and other properties and goods from their father when he died 23 Nov 1681. 

The best thing about a will is that if it names the married daughters, giving their married surnames.  Abigail Buell, the youngest daughter, died in late 1681, aged 25 yrs, apparently not married.  The next youngest daughter, Sarah Buell, is said to have lived to 1734, but I have yet to find out if she married, or where she lived. It is possible she left the area, with the clue in the fourth line above - "that Hatt which was Sarah's"  This confusion has yet to be clarified.

Don't you love wills?  I find myself wondering why certain daughters receive some items.  
- And why only 2 of the Palmer grandchildren received cloth, no other grandchildren?  
- Her eldest daughter Mary married Simon Mills and had 11 children (several dying early) before 1678.  
- Hannah married [Fenner or] Timothy Palmer and had 9 children.  
- Hepzibah married Thomas Welles and had 8 children. 
- Samuel [my ancestor] had 12 children with Deborah Griswold.   
- Youngest son, Peter, married three times, first with Martha Cozzens, third with Mary Bissell; a second wife died soon after marriage; he had a grand total of 13 children.  

With wills from both Mary and William BUELL - or BEWELL, as it is spelled in his will of 1681, details of the family, confirmation of names and marriages, are very helpful.  I need to go looking for more wills, and eventually clear up the mystery of what happened to Sarah Buell (b. 1653). 

If you have more information or questions, contact me via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below.  I would love to learn more about these ancestors.

Blogger is still not letting me "reply" to your comments, for some unknown reason. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented! You truly make my day.