Tuesday, April 18, 2017

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

APRIL  is a  month where we have a number of birthdays in our family. So I'll post my closest relatives, then add in the direct-line ancestors - only 18 total known for April!



On the left side, Johnny GILLESPIE, my dad, born April 7th in Scotland. [now deceased]  This photo shows him in his Canadian Army uniform, taken in about 1939/1940. He ended up in Halifax area on the new RADAR installation.
 
On the right side, Jack LEWIS, my children's father, was born April 15th in California USA, but spent most of his life in BC. This photo on the right was taken about 10 years ago.


Our second daughter,
Megan LEWIS, born April 22nd in Burnaby.  Only two days old here in the hospital, and Megan is already busy watching the world!
  

On the right side, my son-in-law, Brent PERRY, born April 17th in Canada. The photo was taken on his wedding day, to my first daughter Pia.




Other ancestors in our direct line who have
APRIL birthdays include the following:
       -- April  1726  Dirk TERWILLIGER
        3 April 1715  Zerubbabel JEROME
        4 April 1732  Grover BUELL
        5 April 1683  Enoch BUCK
        5 April 1726  Hannah BROOKS
        6 April 1712  Deacon Joseph BAILEY
        6 April 1680  Susannah SPENCER
      11 April 1675  Hannah ORCUTT
      12 April 1811  Thomas Milligan VINEYARD          
      15 April 1576  Annis/Agnes PROWSE
      16 April 1620  Mary ____ m. Thomas AXTELL
      19 April 1727  Huldah KEYES
      19 April 1592  Deacon Gregory STONE
      30 April 1725  Catherine RIFFEL


If any of these names seem familiar to you, do write me. I'm always interested in finding new cousins, or correcting any errors, adding documented information. My contact information is at the very bottom of the blog.

Blooger has a glitch which is stopping me from replying to your comments, but please do know that I appreciate your comments very much. You make my day! Thanks so much for stopping by to read my family blog. 

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Robert KEYES 1606-1647, Immigrant to Massachusetts

Robert KEYES is the 8th great-grandfather to my ex-husband and his brother, 9th to their children, 10th to the grandchildren. He is an early immigrant from the south of England to Massachusetts in New England. Information for this post came from the book The Great Migration Begins by Robert C Anderson, NEHGS, as well as a book "Genealogy Robert Keyes of Watertown Mass, Solomon Keyes of Newbury and Chelmsford Mass, 1653. And their descendants." by Asa Keyes, 1850. Vital records of early Massachusetts were also consulted.

In the description of Robert KEYES from the Great Migration Begins [1620-1635] pp1128-1131, the editor states that Robert Keyes' history in New England is somewhat anomalous to other immigrants. Amongst some apparently missing birth registrations, and no town grant of land, he does appear to be:
  "...a solid married man with a family in progress, who is in a record made just before his death called "Mr." [high respect]. But in othe ways he does not fit the mold; he did not become a town proprietor, he did not become a freeman, and he does not appear to have left any estate at his death."

It is assumed that Robert and his wife came from the south of England, possibly Kent. However, there is not yet consensus of Robert's English ancestry, nor of his wife. Note the spelling of KEYES is quite variable: Keies, Case, Key[s], Kaye[s], and so on.

Robert was born, possibly in Kent, about 1606 to [possibly] John & Susan KEYES. Nothing is known of occupations of his father, nor of Robert as an adult in England. About 1630, he married Sarah [unknown maiden name]. Their known/accepted children follow, all but the first and last born in Watertown, MA. I have not completed research on all the children of these children:
   1.  Solomon, b. est 1631 England; m. Oct 2, 1653 Newbury MA to Frances Grant, children.
   2.  Sarah, b. May 26 1633 [MA reg.] Watertown MA, d. 1707; m. Jul 8, 1656 in Salisbury MA to Samuel Buswell, children.
   3.   Peter, b. est 1635 Watertown MA, m. Elizabeth est 1660 Watertown MA; children
   4.   Rebecca, b. Mar 17, 1637/38 [MA reg.] Watertown MA, m. est 1660 to William Smith, children
   5.   Phebe, b. Jun 17 1639 [MA reg,] Watertown MA, m. est 1663 to John French, children
   6.   Mary, b. Feb 1641/42 [MA reg.] Watertown MA, buried July 20, 1642 Watertown.
   7.   Elias [ancestor], b. May 20 1643 Watertown MA, d bef 1679 Sudbury MA; m. Sep 11, 1665 in Sudbury MA to Sarah BLANDFORD, 5 children; Sarah m. 2nd John Gage 1679, 3 more children.
   8.   Mary, b. Jun 16 1645 [MA reg] Sudbury MA, d. Dec 20 1668 in Newbury MA to Benjamin Gage; died in childbirth with infant.

Robert purchased a 3 acre homestall of land in Watertown from Wm. Wilcocks. This land was bounded E. and N. by Thomas Brigham, and S. and W. by Sir Richard Saltonstall. Sir Richard Saltonstall  came with the Winthrop Fleet of 11 ships in 1630; he was the nephew of Sir Richard Saltonstall, Lord Mayor of London during the time of Queen Elizabeth I.

It is not clear if the Keyes had a close relationship with Sir Saltonstall, although the senior Sir Saltonstall married a Grace Kaye who has been speculated to be a relation of Robert Keyes. Without knowing Robert KEYES' English heritage nor his birthplace, it is difficult to be certain of relationships between these early immigrants. Note that Robert's name "Robert Keies" can be found at the base of the monument to Sir Richard Saltonstall at Watertown MA. This might imply a specific relationship. Much more research is needed to be certain of this speculation.

Robert's life in this early Massachusetts colony came to an untimely end with his death July 16, 1647, aged 41 years.  His eldest child, Solomon, would be about 16 yrs, the youngest, Mary, only 2 years of age. No details of his death is given, nor any mentioned in genealogies/records of the times that I have found, to date.

Although there does not appear to be a will for Robert, nor any records of his estate, it seems that his wife Sarah managed well enough with her 7 children. On Nov 7, 1658, Sarah married another widow from Ipswich MA, John Gage, who also had 7 children of roughly similar ages. Sarah was widowed for a second time, when John Gage died in 1673. Her estate and inventory showed a total of £28 2s, and the particulars were divided between the three living [married] daughters, Sarah, Rebecca, and Phebe.

As you can see there needs more research to see if any more details might be teased out about Robert and his life in England as well as in Massachusetts. Research is never done...
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If you have more to offer about Robert and his family, including any corrections, I would be very pleased to hear about it. My email contact is at the very bottom of the blog page.

Blooger has a glitch which is stopping me from replying to your comments, but please do know that I appreciate your comments very much. You make my day! Thanks so much for stopping by to read my family blog. 

Monday, April 3, 2017

Nicholas HUDSON c.1712 - 1780, Wales to Pennsylvania

Nicholas HUDSON born approx 1712 in Pembrokeshire Wales, was the second son of George HUDSON, the immigrant, who has been written about previously: [click on link]  

Nicholas is my 5th great-grandfather, the 6th for my children, and the 7th for my grandchildren.

Nicholas' brothers and his own sons seem to have what I would consider as "English" names for the times: Charles, George, John, William, Edward. However, the family definitely seem to have left from Pembrokeshire in Wales to New England after 1720-1730, settling in Caernarvon, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with a number of other Welshmen. Pembrokeshire is the extreme lower eastern part of Wales, as seen on the map here.

The name Hudson is sometimes written as Huttson, by the way. Hudd is apparently a 'pet' name for Hugh, so this is a patronymic surname for 'Hugh's son,' i.e., Hudd-son.

There is a wonderful clear hand-printed map of Caernarvon landowners, drafted in 1834, of the early settlers/land-owners purchases of land in the new township from 1718 onwards. It may be found in the PA Archives, although it's mildly challenging to find - email me and I can send you a PDF of it. [contact info at very bottom of page]. The HUDSON men were in the group of first settlers in Caernarvon, and their names can be found in a number of land plots on this map. Note snippet of the map to the left. Details of Warrent, Survey, Patent dates are quite clear as you can see. One of Nicholas' land patents is at the top, John Bowen's in the middle of this snippet.

In about 1734 [no record found as yet], Nicholas married Jean BOWEN, daughter of John & Elizabeth BOWEN. John BOWEN was one of the first settlers in Caernarvon PA, along with the Hudson family members, and many others who married into our family.

Nicholas and Jean's children were the following, b. in Caernarvon township region:
   1.   John [ancestor], sometimes referred to as Jonathan, b abt 1735,
             d. Sep 1789; m. Jun 20, 1768 to Mary MORGAN; 7 childen
   2.   George, b. 1738
   3.   William, b. 1740
   4.   Elijia/Elijah, b. 1743, d. 1820; m. Jan 2, 1785 to Ann ____, at Little
              Conestoga, Chester, PA, 5 children
    5.   Joyce, b. 1747; m. to Thomas Douglass
    6.   Margaret, b. 1749; m. to Thomas Loyd
    7.   Edward, b. est 1751

Clearly I need to do more research on the 5 children about whom I know little. Both girls married a Thomas: Joyce to Thomas Douglass, Margaret to Thomas Loyd. Nicholas mentions his sons-in-law in his will, making Thomas Douglass one of the executors.

Nicholas was a prosperous landowner in the area, buying and selling land. Several land warrants are to be found: 150 acres, 200 acres. After his father died in 1748, he continued to care for his step-mother Margaret, with direct care of her when she required more care for the three years before her death, before March 3rd, 1761. He also held the inheritances for his younger brother, William's three children, William having left Pennsylvania to the French colony in Louisiana. Two of the 3 children of William did return to Pennsylvania, and received their inheritances set aside from their grandfather George Hudson, held for them by Nicholas.

In 1772, he is listed as "Constable" for Carnarvon region, a one-year commitment. The link gives some details on what the duties of a Constable might be.

He is listed in the 1779 Septennial Census in Pensylvania; these censuses were taken for taxation and representation purposes, every 7 years. Unfortunately this Census list was transcribed alphabetically, so no information about neighbours can be gleaned. Oh to see the original!

His Will was written February 2, 1780, and is recorded in full (almost 3 pages), detailing his land (by the descriptions clearly he has walked it many times), large money disbursements to various adult children, grandchildren, nephews, etc. However, there is no mention of his actual death date. It was brought to the county, with Inventory pages, and proved September 28, 1780, so we may assume he died a month or so before that date. Here is a snippet of the transcribed will:

His will does not mention his wife, Jean, so I must assume she predeceased him. No record of her death has been found to date. It is fairly legible, so I will be transcribing it in full in the next month.

I have no further information. My research plan now has more individuals to research, more details to search for or write for, plus the wills to transcribe - his and his father's wills. My early genealogy work had me simply filling in my direct ancestors, and bare bones information on the siblings. Although when there were several children with duplicate names living in the same area, that problem forced me to do better research. So late, I grow wiser.

If you haven't yet found the map of Caernarvon township settlers' land plots, remember you can simply email me for a copy. Or, click on this link, and look under Lancaster County. It should work for you. The drafting on the map is so clear it may be downloaded and expanded to see all details! A true treasure. I love to delve into old maps like this.

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If you have any further details or suggestions about Nicholas HUDSON or his family, I would love to hear from you; contact through my email address at the very bottom of the blog page.  

Blooger has a glitch which is stopping me from replying to your comments, but please do know that I appreciate your comments very much. You make my day! Thanks so much for stopping by to read my family blog. 

Welcome!

Family, friends, and others - I hope you enjoy these pages about our ancestors and their lives. Genealogy has become somewhat of an obsession, more than a hobby, and definitely a wonderful mystery to dig into and discover. Enjoy my writing, and contact me at celia.winky at gmail dot com if you have anything to add to the stories. ... Celia Lewis