52Ancestors: Renald FERNALD & Joanna WARBURTON, early US settlers

Continuing the #52Ancestors [52 weeks] challenge by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow, here are my 8th great-grandparents on my maternal line. In the 1730s they marry with the PETTYGROVEs, then in the 1860s to the KUHNs, then down to my mother.  

The likeliest baptism record I've found in England to date is of Renald FERNALD bap. 6 Jul 1605 in Bristol England. More research is needed here. There are several other variants of Renald Fernald born around this time in Holborn/London, but I also noted burial records for those men before 1625. 

He was an early settler in New Hampshire, living for some time on Peirce Island - called Doctor's Island. He was a Chirurgeon [physician], although later, in the few years before he died, he was a court recorder of wills/probates.  

In approximately 1630 he married Joanna WARBURTON, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The first Anglican church of record was erected in 1638 which begs the question of who married them. A visiting ship captain? A leader in Portsmouth designated as a justice of the peace? Also, to date I have not found information on either of their parents - more on my to-do list!  

Renald and Joanna had 7 known children, dates are estimates, all born in Portsmouth. Note the Spinney sisters marrying the two younger Fernald brothers:
   1.  Thomas, b. abt 1632, d. in Maine; m. abt 1650 to Temperance Washington
   2.  Elizabeth, b. abt 1634
   3.  Mary, b. abt 1637
   4.  Sarah, b. abt 1640; m. abt 1660 to Allen Lyde
   5.  John [ancestor], b. 27 Sep 1642, d. after 1708 Maine; m. 1669 to
           Mary Norman SPINNEY; 6 children
   6.  Samuel, b. abt 1644;  m. Dec 1698 to Hannah Spinney
   7.  William, b. 5 Mar 1644/45, d. 5 Jul 1728 Kittery Maine; m. 16 Nov 1671
            to Elizabeth Langdon

Found on Internet Archives, The Pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire, 1623-1660, by Charles Henry Pope, 1908, p66, this excerpt provides some details: 

 FERNALD:    Reginald, or Renald, chirurgion, physician, Portsmouth, before 1642; his son Thomas had a deed of land from Richard Vines, steward general of Gorges [Sir Ferdinando Gorges], 3 May, 1645.  He was one of the commissioners for trial of minor cases in 1649.  He signed - “Renald Fernald” - the petition of Portsmouth people for full rights, 20 Oct. 1651. [Mass.Arch. 112,38,]  Clerk of courts in 1654.  He deposed in 1659 as to occurrences 17 years before.

His widow Joanna made will, 23 April 1660; it was brought into court 28 June, by Elias Stileman and Anthony Ellens, with inventory attested by Elizabeth Fernald.  She beq. to daus, Sarah, Elizabeth and Mary, sons Samuel, John, William and Thomas; to John all the surgery books that were his father’s. Thomas, shipwright, with wife Temperance, sold land in Kittery 4 March, 1689, to his bro. William, shipwright.  Elizabeth sold land near Hinckson’s Pool, 29 Oct. 1660.

And also on Internet Archives, Old Kittery and Her Families, by Everett S. Stackpole, p375, this brief description adds a few additional details, and confirms the children of Renald and Joanna: 
FERNALD
     Renald (also called Reginald) Fernald came to Portsmouth in 1631 as the surgeon of Capt. John Mason's Company.  It is a tradition that he was a surgeon in the English Navy, resigning his post to come to America.  He was Clerk of Court, Recorder of Deeds, Commissioner, and Surveyor, and was Town Clerk at the time of his death.  He lived on "Doctor's" now Peirces Island, where he died between 17 May and 7 Oct 1656, and is said to have been buried at Point of Graves cemetery in Portsmouth.  His wife's name was Joanna, who died in 1660.
Children: 
   1.  Thomas b. about 1633; m. Temperance [Washington]; d. before 25 Aug 1697
   2.  Elizabeth b. abt 1634; unmarried
   3.  Mary b. about 1637; m. John Partridge 11 Dec 1660; d. 16 Aug 1722; 8 children
   4.  Sarah b. about 1640; m. [1] Allen Lyde 3 Dec 1661, [2] Richard Water___
   5.  John b. abt 1642; m. Mary Spinney
   6.  Samuel b. abt 1644; m. Hannah Spinney
   7.  William b. 3 Mar 1646; m. Elizabeth Langdon 16 Nov 1671.

Still to discover/research about Renald FERNALD and Joanna WARBURTON:
     - Parents of both in England
     - Ships Passenger lists [bef. 1633]
     - Church Records
     - Guardianship records for the younger children after Renald died

It is definitely challenging researching in early 1600s, but sometimes one can find a complete Parish Registration book [bap, marr., burials], or notes about someone emigrating to New England. One never knows! 

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If these are your ancestors, I am happy to share what little I have on these ancestors. And if there are errors, please do let me know, via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below and I will get back to you either by email or in the Comments. I appreciate the opportunity to correct any issues in these family trees.

Blogger - or my computer - 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!!

52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES, No.46: Christopher ADAMS, Margaret HUNKING

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog based on Themes. Last week's theme was "Free" but I chose to write about my son-in-law's 3rd great-grandparents This week's theme is "Changes" and I'm stymied once more.  Back to my lines to look for another early settler to North America: Christopher ADAMS, and wife Margaret HUNKING or HAMBURG, both likely b. in England.  These are my 7th great-grandparents on my mother's lines - KUHN-TERWILLIGER.

Christopher ADAMS appears to have settled in Braintree, Massachusetts before 1645. A marriage is listed in Torrey's book on New England Marriages Prior to 1700 as having taken place between 1655 and 1662.  That is, they don't know when!  It seems most likely to be the latter date, however.  His wife's surname has been listed as either HUNKING  or  HAMBURG, forename, Margaret. Her surname still needs to be clarified.

An ADAMS man was involved with a group arguing to be granted a separate town from Boston, first in 1640 - Henry ADAMS. This could have been Christopher's father or other relative, but is not yet proven.  Again, a few years later, in 1645 an additional petition was denied as to building a new plantation where "Gorton and his companie had erected two or more houses," Gorton having left the colony, and the various other adventureres having left also.  In that second petition group were six ADAMS men:  Christopher, Henry Sr., Henry Jr., John, Samuel, and Thomas. This would seem to indicate that Christopher was of age by that date, e.g., born in the early or mid 1620s.  Again, more research is needed to clarify these names and relationships.

The ADAMS couple moved to Kittery, at some point after the above Braintree petitions, and remained there until their deaths. Christopher and Margaret appear to have had the following children, listed on Christopher's will of 13 Jan 1686/7, born in either Braintree or Kittery:

1. Mark, b. estimated ? 1665?; not listed in mother's will of 1722
2. Anne, b. estimated ? 1668?; m. ___ Weeks, children
3. Mary, b. estimated ? 1671?, m. also, children
4. John Sr. [ancestor], b. ?1675, possibly in Kittery; m. abt 1700 to Anna ___; children including ancestor John ADAMS Jr.

Christopher had a fairly large acreage of land, and his will inventory includes several distinct pieces; total inventory was £621:7:00.  He lists the above children on his will, but no grandchildren. He also provides for his wife, Margaret with house, lands, orchard, etc. There is an attestation on another page with more inventory, by Margaret, agreeing it is a true/accurate inventory. 

Margaret continued to live in Kittery after Christopher's death. On 30 Jun 1720, she made out a will in detail, listing her children, but not Mark.  She also listed many grandchildren, with surnames... Ah yes, more research to complete.  Probate was 23 Jan 1722/23.  The final inventory was returned 30 Jun 1723, totalling £818.  While Christopher's will was the original image, Margaret's is a transcribed/typed published account. Easier to read this, but I would love to see the original handwritten will.  [Both wills are availabe to view on Ancestry, in Massachusetts Wills.]

As you can see, I have a great deal more research to do to flesh out this ADAMS couple and their children.  Land records have yet to be clarified... there are several of the same forenames living in both MA and ME.  However, it is always a treasure to find wills and probates with children's names and grandchildren.

If you know anything about Christopher & Margaret ADAMS, in early Braintree and Kittery, I would be so pleased for more details. Contact me at my address at the bottom of the page, or in the Comments section.

Sometimes my Blogger account seems not to allow me to "reply" to your comments. Do know that I value your comments immensely. You make my day! Thanks for stopping by to read my weekly post.

52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES, No. 37, Large Family: Mary KING - 13 children, 87 grandchildren

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog based on Themes. Last week's theme was Working For A Living, and this week's is LARGE FAMILY.  Hmmm, time to go trolling through my tree to see who has a very large family...

Oh my, there are so many couples with 10 or more, born by the same parents. And of course, there were some families which had larger numbers of children, but with several different mothers, or different fathers. I decided to look for a direct ancestor, a WOMAN who birthed the largest number of children:  Mary KING, wife of Thomas RICE.  Mary is my ex-husband's 6th great-grandmother, and she had 13 children, 87 grandchildren!

Mary KING, b. abt 1630 was the 5th of the 6 children of Thomas KING and Anne COLLINS, whose family arrived in early Massachusetts about 1638, from an unknown town in Dorset, England, possibly Shaftsbury (Shaston). She had 1 brother, and 3 older and 1 younger sisters.

Thomas RICE, b. 1625/26, the 4th of 13 children (father, Edmund RICE, mother Thomasina/Tamasin FROST), and his family came from Stanstead, Suffolk, England, arriving in early Massachusetts in 1638. Stanstead/Stansted is a small village about 40 miles north of London, England.

The Edmund RICE (1638) Association keeps detailed genealogies [with sources quoted/listed], and may be searched for more information. This is where I found my first details for this early immigrant family.

Mary KING married Thomas RICE in about 1651, although this has not yet been confirmed with documents.  They settled in Sudbury, Massachusetts, where they had 13 children:

1. Grace, b. 1652, d. 3 Jan 1653/54
2. Thomas (jr), b. 30 Jun 1654, d. after 1747; m. 10 Jan 1681/2 to his 1st cousin, Anna Rice; 14 children
3. Mary, b. 4 Sep 1656, d. 22 Aug 1733; m. (1st) 28 Nov 1678 to Josiah White; 7 children; (2nd) 15 Jul 1718 to Thomas Sawyer
4. [Capt.] Peter, b. 24 Oct 1658, d. 28 Nov 1753; m. abt 1688 to Rebecca How(e); 9 children
5. Nathaniel, b. 3 Jan 1660/61, d. 13 Nov 1726; m. (1st) Sarah Stone (d. 1704); (2nd) Dec 1704 to Patience Brown; 3 children
6. Sarah, b. 15 Jan 1661/62, d. abt 1742; m. bef 1706 to John Adams; 1 son
7. Ephraim, b. 15 Apr 1665, d. 25 Oct 1732; m. (1st) 21 Feb 1687/88 to Hannah Livermore, 10 children (Hannah d. 25 May? 1724);  m. (2nd) Mary Noyes
8. Gershom, b. 9 May 1667, d. 19 Dec 1768! ; m. abt 1694 to Elizabeth Balcom(me); 6 children
9. James, b. 31 Mar 1669, d. 14 Oct 1730; m. abt 1695 to Sarah Stone (not related to #5 or #11's wives); 10 children
10. Frances, b. 3 Feb 1669/70, d. abt 1767; m. abt 1689 to Benjamin Allen; 6 children
11. Jonas, b. 6 Mar 1672/73, d. 22 Sep 1753; m. 10 Feb 1701/02 to Mary Stone (sister to #5's wife, Sarah), 5 children
12. Grace, b. 15 Jan 1674/75, d. after 19 Dec 1768; m. 10 Feb 1701/02 to [Deacon] Nathaniel Moore [cousin?]; 9 children
13. Elisha,  [direct ancestor] b. 4 Dec 1679, d. bef 19 Oct 1761; m. 10 Feb 1705/06 to Elizabeth WHEELER, granddaughter of Resolved WHITE (Mayflower - see ship below); 7 children.
    Our family line goes down from their 6th child, Elijah RICE.  

A few family trees and articles note a 14th child, named "Remnant Rice" (b. 1681).  However this is quite unlikely for many reasons: the name itself is a big clue that this is a hoax, and in addition, it would be unlikely that Mary was still having children in 1681 or so. The Edmund Rice Association lists this name, but only to explain there is no evidence whatsoever that there has ever been such a child.  

Mary's 13 children (one died young) produced a grand total of 87 grandchildren! My hat tips to her in awe. I'm certain there would have been extended family members available to help, and I note there were several RICE families in the region, including her sister Elizabeth King who married Samuel Rice, Mary's brother-in-law. It does indeed take a village to raise families which were so large. I'm daunted by the laundry, sewing, cooking, gardening, and other tasks which would take so much of Mary's time each day, each season. 

Wish I could find a diary of this time, in order to find any details of how the women handled their daily tasks, and managed to find time with their many children. Generally, such a large group would break into several 'groups', e.g., the older few, the middle ones, the younger few. And the older children would have responsibility for the younger children, as soon as they became old enough to help out in that way.  

If you have information and corrections on Thomas RICE & Mary KING, and their children, I would be very pleased to receive any details. I may be contacted through the email at the bottom of the page, or in the Comments section below.

Blogger - or my computer - 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.

52 ANCESTORS in 52 WEEKS, #19 : John GRUMMAN

Following the challenge of writing 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, issued by Amy Johnson Crow, here is my 19th installment, for John GRUMMAN/GROMAN, my 8th great-grandfather on my mother's lines. He is a very early settler in Connecticut, apparently arriving about 1649. 

John GRUMMAN, was b. 24 Feb 1627 in Cranfield, Bedford, England (abt 50 miles north of London); parents were John GRUMMAN and Elizabeth WHEELER.  The surname GRUMMAN may also be found spelled in various ways as Grumant, Grumand, Groman, Gromman, and so forth.  John arrived in the New England Colony before 1650, settling in Fairfield, Connecticut. It is not clear if he came with any siblings, or any family members.   (Photo from Wikipedia)

In 1651, in Connecticut, he married his first wife, Sarah TRY who was born about 1630 in Long Island, New York, of early settlers to that area, Michael TRY, and [Unknown] PHILLIPS.  John and Sarah had 6 children (4 boys, then 2 girls), of whom the youngest, our direct ancestor, was Sarah GRUMMAN, b. 1675 in Fairfield, as were all the children.  

Children of John and Sarah:

• John, b. 1652
• Samuel, b. 1667
• Thomas, b. 1669
• Michael, b. 1671
• Elizabeth, b. 1673
• *Sarah [ancestor], b. 1675, m. Samuel JENNINGS in 1691; 10 children (3 boys)
• ?possibly Abigail, b. 1685.  -- mentioned in his will, unclear of relationship.

The gap between the first and second child has not been explained; possibly it has been discussed in various books or articles I have yet to find and read.  Normally I would expect that showed the death of a wife, and subsequent marriage.  However it has not shown up in the usual early records of marriages in early New England.  Of course, the date itself may be in error... Research to do.

In 1664, John GRUMMAN was made a Freeman of Fairfield Connecticut, according to a history of Fairfield. 

Many of the details I have about my ancestor John GRUMMAN has come from two sources: Jennings Family Association, and a particular book, "The descendants of John Grumman(t) of Cranfield, Bedfordshire, and Fairfield, Connecticut, and his wife Sarah Try"  by Marion G. Phillips;  New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass. : Newbury Street Press, 2007.  Histories of early settlers in Fairfield also contain details and summary information.  

John died after 2 Jun 1685 in Fairfield Connecticut; Sarah, his wife, died died a few years later on 8 Apr 1691, same place.  There is apparently a will dated 2nd June 1685, mentioned in several trees and sources, but never detailed.  Perhaps it may be found on the NEHGS site in their databases.  In his will, he lists children John, Samuel, Thomas, Michael, Sarah who had married Samuel Jennings, and Abigail. I have yet to see the will.  There may well be additional tidbits of information and confirmation of some details of this early settler of Fairfield Connecticut. 

Addition, August 29, 2019:  WikiTree has the transcribed will of John GRUMMAN, taken from "The American Genealogist" vol.32.  Thank you to a friendly reader for providing me with this helpful detail. 

If you have any further information or any questions, do please contact me via email calewis at telus dot net, or in comments below. Thank you so much for reading about this early New England settler.