Saturday, October 31, 2015

OCTOBER 2015

October is a beautiful month in New England. Here are some of my favorite photos I took
this year in Abington and surrounding towns, along with a poem by Robert Frost:

Mt. Vernon Cemetery, Abington, Ma.

Luddam's Ford, Pembroke, Ma.

St. Bridget's Church, Abington, Ma.

October

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—
For the grapes’ sake along the wall.

-Robert Frost

Mt. Vernon Cemetery, Abington, Ma.

Fern Hill Cemetery, Hanson, Ma.

Cranberry Bog, Plympton, Ma.

Friday, October 30, 2015

HALLOWEEN TALES: "LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE"

((First posted on October, 2011))

I was a third grader at the Frank V Thompson School in Boston's
Dorchester section when I first read this poem in our English text
book. Years later I used to post it every Halloween on an email
list for a fantasy role playing group. And our Mom used to
recite the "Gobble-uns 'll git you ef you don't watch out!" part,
which was followed by tickling.

Anyway, it's the best Halloween poem I know. Enjoy.

And `ware th' Gobble-uns!

Little Orphant Annie

by James Whitcomb Riley.

LITTLE Orphant Annie ’s come to our house to stay,
An’ wash the cups and saucers up, an’ brush the crumbs away,
An’ shoo the chickens off the porch, an’ dust the hearth, an’ sweep,
An’ make the fire, an’ bake the bread, an’ earn her board-an’-keep;
An’ all us other children, when the supper things is done,
We set around the kitchen fire an’ has the mostest fun
A-list’nin’ to the witch-tales ’at Annie tells about,
An’ the Gobble-uns ’at gits you
        Ef you
            Don’t
              Watch
                Out!

Onc’t they was a little boy would n’t say his pray’rs—
An’ when he went to bed at night, away up stairs,
His mammy heerd him holler, an’ his daddy heerd him bawl,
An’ when they turn’t the kivvers down, he was n’t there at all!
An’ they seeked him in the rafter-room, an’ cubby-hole, an’ press,
An’ seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an’ ever’wheres, I guess;
But all they ever found was thist his pants an’ roundabout!
An’ the Gobble-uns ’ll git you
        Ef you
            Don’t
              Watch
                Out!

An’ one time a little girl ’ud allus laugh an’ grin,
An’ make fun of ever’ one, an’ all her blood-an’-kin;
An’ onc’t when they was “company,” an’ ole folks was there,
She mocked ’em an’ shocked ’em, an’ said she did n’t care!
An’ thist as she kicked her heels, an’ turn’t to run an’ hide,
They was two great big Black Things a-standin’ by her side,
An’ they snatched her through the ceilin’ ’fore she knowed what she ’s about!
An’ the Gobble-uns ’ll git you
        Ef you
            Don’t
                Watch
                    Out!

An’ little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue,
An’ the lampwick sputters, an’ the wind goes woo-oo!
An’ you hear the crickets quit, an’ the moon is gray,
An’ the lightnin’-bugs in dew is allsquenched away,—
You better mind yer parents, and yer teachers fond and dear,
An’ churish them ’at loves you, an’ dry the orphant’s tear,
An’ he’p the pore an’ needy ones ’at clusters all about,
Er the Gobble-uns ’ll git you
        Ef you
            Don’t
              Watch
                Out!

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

"WHEN THE FROST IS ON THE PUNKIN" BY JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY

((Oddly enough, both my parents occasionally would quote a line or two from Riley's
two most famous poems. This is the one Dad would quote; I'll post the other later this week
I first posted this on 13Oct 2012))

We had the first frost of the fall season last night and it put
me in mind how Dad would sometimes recite "When the
frost is on the pumpkin...". That's the only part of the poem
he'd say. I think he must have had to recite it in school when he
was a kid and that's all he remembered.

Reading it just now I had to grin at the line about the turkey
since I've now had experience with a loud, "struttin" turkey
here in my own backyard!

"When the Frost is on the Punkin"
James Whitcomb Riley

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here—
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;
And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!...
I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be
As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me—
I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 42: LOT SPAULDING, "LABOURER"

My 5x great grandfather was the youngest of John Spaulding's seven children. I already knew he had worked for the Continental Army during the Revolution and had found an interesting
story about that, but wasn't able to find much more about him for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Here's the entry for him in The Spalding Memorial, written by Samuel Jones Spaulding:

631. Lot4 [190] (John3, Andrew2, Edward1), b. Sept. 24,1737, in Chelmsford, Ms.; d. Jan. 15, 1822, aged 84, in Pelham, N. H.; m. Esther Butterfield, of Chelmsford, Ms., June 27, 1764; she d. Dec. 30, 1842. They resided in Pelham, N. H.

632. Lot, b. Jane 23, 1766; d. July 21, 1844; unmarried.

633. Esther, b. Sept. 16, 1769; m Moses Colburn, Feb. 1, 1794; they
removed to Bethel, Me.; she d. Feb. 13, 1849.

634. Zacharias, b. Sept. 15, 1773; d. Aug. 23, 1838, unmarried.

635. Lydla, b. Nov. 16, 1781; d. Jan. 10, 1861; unmarried.

636. Sarah, b. May 1, 1766; m. Capt. Joseph Blodgett, of Hudson, N.H., Dec. 19, 1812. She d. April 26, 1865.

637. John [1737], b. Aug. 8, 1788.-page 61
Spalding Memorial: A Genealogical History of Edward Spalding, of Massachusetts Bay, and His Descendants, A. Mudge & son, printers, Boston, Ma. 1872

His father John Spaulding's Probate File did had an interesting bit of information. It's in a document where Lot and five other heirs agree to sell their shares of the estate to their brother John Spaulding in exchange for ten pounds to each heir. In return, John would pay all debts and costs against the estate.

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)20970-4

What's interesting is the list of heirs gives their social status after each name. They are:

Jonathan Spaulding, gentleman
Job Spaulding yeoman
Lott Spaulding, labourer
Sampson Spaulding, clerk
John Woodward, husbandman (married to Mary Spaulding)
Sampson Hildreth, husbandman (grandson of John Spaulding)
John Spaulding Jr, yeoman.

It works out to this:
Jonathan Spaulding was probably a professional, perhaps a doctor or lawyer.
Job and John Jr. were farmers.
John Woodward and Sampson Hildreth were farmers also, but may not have owned the land they farmed.
Sampson Spaulding was a minister.

And my 5x great grandfather Lot was a labourer, the lowest level of the colonial working class.

Monday, October 26, 2015

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 41: JOHN SPAULDING OF CHELMSFORD, MA.

John Spaulding is one of those ancestors that I haven't found very much about online so far. The only biography is from a genealogy book about Pennsylvania, of all places, and he was in that only because
of one of his descendants:

"(III) John Spaulding, son of Andrew and Hannah (Jefes) Spaulding, was born at Chelmsford, August 20, 1682, died in the same town, March 7, 1760. He succeeded to the old homestead, and was engaged in farming and stock raising. He married, April 22, 1704, Mary Barnett. Children: Jonathan, Mary, Hannah, Samson, see forward; Job, Mary, John, Lot. " -p201

Genealogical and Personal History of Western Pennsylvania, Volume 1 by John Wolf Jordan.
Lewis Historical Publishing Co., New York, New York, 1915

John's wife Mary's last name was Barrett, not Barnett, and after her death he married a
woman named Lydia whose maiden name is unknown.

I also knew that he and his brothers had all served as "snowshoe soldiers" against the Indians, but I didn't know until recently that those soldiers were given bounties by the colonial government for taking Indian scalps. A bit disquieting to say the least.

John's will mentions his second wife Lydia and provides for his children. One of the interesting parts is that my 5x great uncle Sampson Spaulding's part of the estate was to be what John had already spent on his college education. It turns out Sampson graduated from Harvard University!

As for my 5x great grandfather Lot Spaulding, John left him one half of his property, and a gun:

But it seems Lot and his siblings had their own ideas on how the estate should be divided, and I'll
discuss that in my post about him.

Friday, October 23, 2015

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 40: ANDREW SPAULDING OF CHELMSFORD, MA.

My 7x great grandfather Andrew Spaulding was the youngest of Edward Spaulding's seven
children and apparently the only son still living when Edward died. Here's William Richard Cutter's entry for him:

(II) Andrew Spaulding, son of Edward Spaulding (1), born November 19, 1652, died May 5, 1713. He inherited the estate from his father. He was deacon of the church, and held the office until he died. He married April 30, 1674, Hannah Jefts, died January 21, 1730, daughter of Henry Jefts, of Billerica, Massachusetts. His will was dated June 6, 1712. Children: 1. Hannah, died March 25, 1677. 2. Andrew, born March 25, 1678; mentioned below. 3. Henry, born November 2, 1680. 4. John, born August 20, 1682. 5. Rachel, born September 26, 1685; married December 7, 1703, Samuel Butterfield. 6. William, born August 3, 1688. 7. Joanna, born October 8, 1689 or 90; married Josiah Fletcher. 8. Benoni, born February 6, 1691. 9. Mary, born December 5, 1695; died July 18, 1698.
-p 979

Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, Volume 2 Lewis historical Publishing Company, 1908

Here is Andrew's will from the Middlesex County probate file collection on AmericanAncestors.org. It's a bit unusual in that while most wills I've found would have been written "book style" with a "page" on either side of the fold in the middle, it's written from edge to edge right across that fold. The handwriting is elegant, and very legible, and since Andrew signed it using his "mark", I suspect that perhaps it was written for Andrew by John Meriam Junr whose signature as a witness is very fancy:

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)20918:2

I'm descended from Andrew's son John who will be the subject of my next post in the 2015
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 39:EDWARD SPAULDING OF CHELMSFORD, MA.

For week 39 of the 2015 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is my immigrant ancestor, Edward Spaulding. Edward is my 8x great grandfather and I'm descended from him through my maternal grandmother, Cora Barker. Here's William Richard Cutter's short biographical sketch of Edward:

(I) Edward Spalding (or Spaulding) came to America probably with Sir George Yeardley, about 1619. He and his family were established in the Virginia Colony in 1623. He removed to Braintree, Massachusetts, about 1634, among the first settlers, and was made a freeman May 13, 1640. In 1653 he was living in the plantation which at the request of the settlers was incorporated into the town of Chelmsford, Massachusetts, in May, 1655, and was one of the proprietors there. He was selectman in 1654-56-60-61; surveyor of highways 1663; and one of the surveyors of Newfield, afterwards North Chelmsford, 1666. where he owned land. The attention of the settlers was early given to the culture of apple trees, and special mention is made in 1664 of the orchard of Edward Spaulding. He married first, Margaret , died August, 1640; second, Rachel . Children of first wife: 1. John. 2. Edward. 3. Grace, buried May, 1641. Children of second wife: 4. Benjamin, born April 7, 1643. 5. Joseph, born October 25, 1646. 6. Dinah, born March 14, 1649. 7. Andrew, born November 19, 1652; mentioned below. Edward Spaulding died February 26, 1670. His will was dated February 13, -1667, and proved April 5, 1670.-p 979

Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, Volume 2 Lewis historical Publishing Company, 1908

I'm a bit dubious of that supposed original immigration to Virginia, wondering if there could be
confusion with another Edward Spaulding.

I found Edward's Probate file over on AmericanAncestors.org. The will is a little difficult to read because of the ornate penmanship but his son Andrew, my 7th grandfather, is mentioned.

Here's the image of the estate inventory. Boy, those long tails on the "L"'s and "D"'s are aggravating!

I'll discuss Andrew Spaulding next.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

THE SPAULDING DESCENT

Before beginning the series about my Spaulding ancestors, I wanted to post a chart showing
my grandmother Cora Barker's descent from immigrant ancestor Edward Spaulding/Spalding.
It includes several other family lines which I'll write about afterwards.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 38: THE DEBORAH STEVENS CONUNDRUM

One of the reasons I like the 52 ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge is it's a way to go back
through all my ancestors and recheck the information I have on them in my database. Most
of the time the dates and names are confirmed. Occasionally, I find something that needs to
be more closely reexamined and if need be, corrected. Such is the case with my 8x great
grandfather John Stevens' wife.

You see, I thought she was Elizabeth Hildreth, who is listed in the Chelmsford Vital Records as marrying John Stephens on 15Dec 1664. Their daughter Deborah married Joseph Wright and is my 7x great grandmother. or so I believed.. But recently I've seen claims that her parents were John Stevens and Hannah Barnard of Andover, and another that they were John Stevens and Sarah Snow of Chelmsford.

Now, the two new sets of parents have problems.

While John Stevens and Sarah Snow were from Chelmsford, their daughter Deborah was born
in 1698, much too late to have been the Deborah Stevens who married Joseph Wright in 1697.

And I can't find any record of John Stevens and Hannah Barnard of Andover having a daughter
named Deborah.

On the other hand, I can't find a birth record for Deborah Stevens, daighter of John and Elizabeth Stevens in the Chelmsford Vital recocds.

This might take some time to straighten out. For now, it's a conundrum.

Friday, October 16, 2015

FINDMYPAST FRIDAY COLLECTION RELEASES FOR 16OCT 2015

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Full disclosure: I am a member of the Findmypast Ambassador Program which includes a
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Tuesday, October 13, 2015

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 37: ARTHUR WARREN OF WEYMOUTH, MA.

My 9x great grandfather Arthur Warren is my subject for Week 37 of the 2015 52 Ancestors in
52 Weeks Challenge. Arthur interests me because he lived in Weymouth, the next town north from
where I live here in Abington, Ma. Unfortunately I haven't found much about him online. Here's what
William Richard Cutter has to say about him:

"Arthur Warren, the immigrant ancestor, emigrated to America before 1638 and located at Weymouth, Massachusetts. The earliest mention of his name in the Weymouth records is in 1638, and he is next mentioned in 1645 as one of the petitioners to the general court for a grant of the Narragansett lands. His name is fourth on the list of landowners, February, 1651-2, and it is evident that he owned considerable real estate. He was one of the substantial citizens of Weymouth, but he was not named among those who were admitted as freemen, and the records do not show any activity in public affairs. From this it is inferred that he was not in harmony with the religion of the Puritans. He died before 1663, in which year land was granted to “Widow Warren”. He married, about 1638, Mary. Children, born at Weymouth:1 Arthur, November 17, 1639; Abigail. October 27, 1640; Jacob, mentioned below; Joseph, living in 1671; Fearnot, June, 1655."
p363

New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 1
Lewis historical publishing Company, New York 1913

I'm descended from his daughter Abigail who married John Wright. Apparently some of his sons
had settled in Chelmsford and that may be how Abigail and John met. Cutter's speculation that
Arthur Warren wasn't on the best of terms with the Puritan government is interesting. Neither was
John Wright at one point, so perhaps that was a common cause that brought the two families
together?

In my next 52 Ancestors post, I will discuss my recent confusion over the identity of Deborah Stevens.

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 36: JOHN WRIGHT JR OF WOBURN, MA. PT2

I found my ancestor John Wright's Probate file over at the AmericanAncestors.org
website. Although it was filed in1714, John had written his will thirteen years earlier on
24May 1701. He was around 70 years old at that time and must have decided it was time to
get his affairs in order. He made Josiah, his youngest living son, the executor of the estate
and had this to say about the three older surviving sons:

"I have given unto my sons John Wright Junr, Joseph Wright &
Ebenezer Wright all three of them liveing in Chelmsford in
the above county, inheritances of lands, and deeds of gift
thereof, undr my hand and Seale, as also som personall estate Each
and Every of them I have given them, and left them in the pos
-session thereof ye which my will is they shall Each and Every of
them Enjoye for Evere. the which shall be their Respective
portions of my Estate, in full, only as a further token of my
love I do give to Each and Every of them five shilings apiece,..."

One of the little things I noticed was how he says "Each & Every" where today we say "Each and
every one". I am descended from son Joseph.

John also made provisions for his wife Abigail (Warren) Wright and their youngest daughter Lydia,
who he gave extra to because he felt she would be the one most likely caring for her mother in
Abigail's old age.

Here's the image for the estate inventory, submitted in June 1714.

So my 8x great grandfather John Wright left an estate of 240 pounds and lived to a ripe old age for colonial times.

I'll discuss Abigail Warren's parents next.

Friday, October 09, 2015

FINDMYPAST FRIDAY COLLECTION RELEASES FOR 9 OCT 2015

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You can read fuller descriptions of these collections here.

Full disclosure: I am a member of the Findmypast Ambassador Program which includes a
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Thursday, October 08, 2015

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 36: JOHN WRIGHT JR OF WOBURN, MA.

Continuing on with my Wright family line for the 2015 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, the
subject for week 36 is John Wright Jr., my 8x great grandfather. He has a bit more information
available that what I had found for his father. From William Richard Cutter:

(II) John Wright, son of John Wright. was born in 1630. He lived in Chelmsford for a time, but returned to Woburn. His will was dated May 24, 1701, proved 1704 . He married, May 10, 1661. Abigail Warren, died April 6. 1726, aged eighty-four, daughter of Arthur Warren. of Weymouth. Children: 1. John, born 1662. 2. Joseph, October 14, 1663. . Ebenezer, 1665. 4. Josiah, mentioned below. 5. Ruth, married Jonathan Butterfield: died January 11, 1754, aged eighty. 6. Priscilla. born 1671, married, March 7. 1707, Samuel Damon, of Charlestown. 7. Deborah, married, February 17, 1701-02, Nathaniel Patten, of Cambridge; died March 9, 1716, aged thirtyeight. 8. Lydia, married, November 11, 1724, Giles Roberts.
-p348
Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, Volume 1 Lewis historical Publishing Company, 1908 - Boston (Mass.)

Two things of interest in that biography: first, the marriage of John's daughter Ruth to Jonathan Butterfield, who is my 8x great granduncle ; second, John Wright's marriage to
Abigail Warren. I'll get into the significance of that in a moment.

I also found more about John Wright in an article SOME DESCENDANTS OF JOHN WRIGHT OF WOBURN, MASS. BY FRANK VERNON WRIGHT published in Putnam's Monthly Historical Magazine, Volume 3:
2. John (2) Wright, son of John and Priscilla, moved to Chelmsford and there married Abigail, daughter of Arthur Warren of Weymouth, May 10, 1661. He afterwards returned to Woburn. With his brother Joseph and several other members of the church at Woburn, in Dec., 1671, he was presented by the Grand Jury to the Court sitting at Charlestown for withdrawing from the communion of the church and for favoring in other ways the sentiments and practices of the Baptists. He was a selectman (1670–1680–81?) 1690. Tithingman for Boggy Meadow End in 1692. In 1687 he was in Chelmsford and sold four acres of land in Woburn, which he had bought of his brother-in-law Joshua Sawyer, to James Fowle. His will was dated May 24, 1701, and probated Nov. 11, 1714. Wife and son Josiah executors. Abigail, his widow, died 6 Apr., 1726, aged eighty-four years.
-p230

Putnam's Monthly Historical Magazine, Volume 3, Eben Putnam, Publisher and Editor, Salem, Ma. 1895

So John and his brother Joseph were involved in a dispute and may have been Baptists? I'll
have to see what else I can find out about that.

I mentioned that there was some significance to me about John's wife, Abigail Warren. Her
father Arthur Warren was one of the first settlers of Weymouth, Ma., which is the town
just to the north of Abington, Ma. where I live today. The border between the Massachusetts
Bay Colony and Plimouth Colony in colonial times ran through about what is now the border
between Abington and Weymouth. Weymouth is one of only two towns I've lived where my
colonial ancestors had lived as well(the other is Marshfield).

I have the images of John Wright's probate file and I'll discuss those in a later post.

Wednesday, October 07, 2015

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 35: JOHN WRIGHT OF WOBURN, MA.

The matrilineal lines in my Coburn family tree are a bit frustrating. The maiden names of Edward Colborne's and his son Joseph Coburn's wives are unknown or in dispute. All that is known for
sure is that their wives' first names were both Hannah. It isn't until we get to the third generation,
Moses Coburn, that we have a wife with a surname: Deborah Wright. So I'm starting off exploring her Wright family line.

Her immigrant ancestor was John Wright, of whom William Richard Cutter has this to say:

John Wright, immigrant ancestor, born in England in 1601, settled in Woburn, Massachusetts, among the first settlers. He was prominent in church and town affairs. He married Priscilla . who died April 10, 1687. He died June 21, 1688. Children: 1. John, born 1630, mentioned below. 2. Joseph, 1639. 3. Ruth. April 23, 1646, married Jonathan Knight; died April 13, 1714. 4. Deborah. born January 21, 1648-49. 5. Sarah, February 16, 1652-53, married Joshua Sawyer.
-p348
Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, Volume 1 Lewis historical Publishing Company, 1908 - Boston (Mass.)

Some sources identify John Wright's wife as Priscilla Byfield but there even seems to be
a question about that. Identity problems seem to run in the Coburn line, including one
involving Deborah (Wright) Coburn which has me rethinking her parentage, but that's for a later post.

Next I'll discuss their son John Wright, Jr and his wife Abigail Warren.

Saturday, October 03, 2015

SONG OF LOVEWELL'S FIGHT

As I said in a previous post, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem about the Battle of Lovewell's Pond was not the first written about it. I found this one in Walter C Bronson's anthology American Poems (1625-1892). In his notes, Bronson dates it from about 1725, which was a year after the fight.

Several of my colonial ancestors served under Captain Lovewell's command but I haven't discovered if any of them were present on this third expedition. The Wyman credited with killing Chief Paugus may have been a descendant of my ancestor John Wyman.

Some might find it hard to accept the idea that our colonial ancestors took Indians scalps as willingly as the Indians took theirs, but it was a harsh fact of life at the time.

ANONYMOUS

SONG OF LOVEWELL'S FIGHT

Of worthy Captain Lovewell I purpose now to sing,
How valiantly he served his country and his King:
He and his valiant soldiers did range the woods full wide,
And hardships they endured to quell the Indian's pride.

T'was nigh unto Pigwacket, on the eighth day of May,
They spied a rebel Indian soon after break of day;
He on a bank was walking, upon a neck of land
Which leads into a pond, as we 're made to understand.

Our men resolv'd to have him, and travell'd two miles round
Until they met the Indian, who boldly stood his ground.
Then speaks up Captain Lovewell: "Take you good heed," says he;
'This rogue is to decoy us, I very plainly see.

"The Indians lie in ambush, in some place nigh at hand,
In order to surround us upon this neck of land;
Therefore we 'll march in order, and each man leave his pack,
That we may briskly fight them when they make their attack."

They came unto this Indian, who did them thus defy:
As soon as they came nigh him, two guns he did let fly,
Which wounded Captain Lovewell and likewise one man more;
But when this rogue was running, they laid him in his gore.

Then, having scalp'd the Indian, they went back to the spot
Where they had laid their packs down, but there they found them not,
For the Indians, having spy'd them when they them down did lay,
Did seize them for their plunder and carry them away.

These rebels lay in ambush this very place hard by,
So that an English soldier did one of them espy
And cried out, "Here's an Indian!" With that they started out
As fiercely as old lions, and hideously did shout.

With that our valiant English all gave a loud huzza,
To shew the rebel Indians they fear'd them not a straw.
So now the fight began; and as fiercely as could be
The Indians ran up to them, but soon were forced to flee.

Then spake up Captain Lovewell when first the fight began,
"Fight on, my valiant heroes! you see they fall like rain!"
For, as we are inform'd, the Indians were so thick
A man could scarcely fire a gun and not some of them hit.

Then did the rebels try their best our soldiers to surround,
But they could not accomplish it, because there was a pond
To which our men retreated and covered all the rear:
The rogues were forc'd to flee them, altho' they skulked for fear.

Two logs there were behind them that close together lay:
Without being discovered they could not get away;
Therefore our valiant English they travell'd in a row,
And at a handsome distance, as they were wont to go.

T'was ten o'clock in the morning when first the fight begun,
And fiercely did continue until the setting sun,
Excepting that the Indians, some hours before't was night,
Drew off into the bushes and ceas'd a while to fight.

But soon again returned in fierce and furious mood,
Shouting as in the morning, but yet not half so loud;
For, as we are informed, so thick and fast they fell
Scarce twenty of their number at night did get home well;

And that our valiant English till midnight there did stay,
To see whether the rebels would have another fray;
But, they no more returning, they made off towards their home,
And brought away their wounded as far as they could come.

Of all our valiant English there were but thirty-four,
And of the rebel Indians there were about fourscore:
And sixteen of our English did safely home return;
The rest were kill'd and wounded, for which we all must mourn.

Our worthy Captain Lovewell among them there did die;
They killed Lieut. Robbins, and wounded good young Frye,
Who was our English Chaplain: he many Indians slew,
And some of them he scalp'd when bullets round him flew.

Young Fullam, too, I'll mention, because he fought so well—
Endeavouring to save a man, a sacrifice he fell.
But yet our valiant Englishmen in fight were ne'er dismay'd,
But still they kept their motion, and Wyman's captain made,

Who shot the old chief Paugus, which did the foe defeat;
Then set his men in order, and brought off the retreat;
And, braving many dangers and hardships in the way,
They safe arriv'd at Dunstable the thirteenth day of May.
pp42-45

American Poems ( 1625-1892) University of Chicago Press, Chicago Illinois 1912

Friday, October 02, 2015

FINDMYPAST FRIDAY COLLECTION RELEASES FOR 2 OCT 2015

This week's Findmypast Friday new collections include more records from New York and
school registers from England:

This week's Findmypast Friday marks the arrival of over 67,000 New York birth, marriage and burial records dating all the way back to 1639! We’ve also released school registers from three of Britain’s top historic schools (where many of the history’s most famous Brits were educated). Explore our new collections to reveal your family’s colonial origins or discover the achievements of any ancestors who attended British public schools.
I hope you find these records of interest. If you have any questions or feedback, do feel free to get in touch!
Alex
Editor

New York baptisms 1660-1862
Discover your New York ancestors and explore over 200 years of baptism records from Long Island, Staten Island and the city of Kingston to discover if you had family in the region when it was still a Dutch colony.
Add New York ancestors to your family tree »

New York marriages 1639-1900
Reveal undiscovered branches of your family tree with over 50,000 New York marriage records. Find out when, where and to whom your forefathers were married in records that date back to colonial times.
Uncover your families colonial origins »

New York deaths & burials 1758-1862
Locate the final resting place of your New York relatives while uncovering valuable biographical details, such as where they lived, their occupations and the names of their parents or spouse.
Where were your NY family members laid to rest? »

Berkshire, Eton College Register 1441-1698
Uncover the great deeds of old Etonians including Britain’s first prime minister and Elizabeth I’s saucy godson by exploring historic registers from one of Britain’s leading public schools.
Explore one of the most impressive school registers in history »

London, Dulwich College Register 1619-1926
Did you have a family member that attended Dulwich College in South East London? Explore over 18,000 records that span four centuries and date back to the admission of the school’s first 12 pupils in 1619.
Was your relative in class with Ernest Shackleton? »

Sussex, Lancing College Register 1901-1954
Search the register of Lancing College in Sussex to discover what pupils went on to achieve later in life. Many of those listed fought in either the First or Second World Wars including WW1 fighter ace Captain John Letts MC.
Discover the achievements of your public school forebears »

Why not explore our fascinating new collections this weekend to see if you have any undiscovered public school connections? Remember if you have any queries, comments or issues with Findmypast, get in touch here. We'd love to hear what you discover!
Have a great weekend,
Alex
Editor

You can read fuller descriptions of each record collection here.

Full disclosure: I am a member of the Findmypast Ambassador Program which includes a
complimentary one year world subscription to Findmypast and a Findmypast First membership.

West in New England

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