My examination of my grandmother Cora Bertha Barker's ancestors for the 2015 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks continues now with my 8x great grandfather Isaac Learned. According to William Richard
Cutter, he was a prominent citizen in Woburn and then Chelmsford:
(II) Isaac, only son of William and Judith Learned, was baptized February 25, 1624, at Bermondsey, and died November 27, 1657, in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. He was a small boy when he came with his parents to this country, and was not yet of age when they settled in Woburn. He appears to have resided in that town until 1652, when he removed to Chelmsford. He sold his house and lands in Woburn, April 2, 1652. The inventory of his estate made in December, 1657, amounted to one hundred and eighty-seven pounds, eighteen shillings and six pence. His widow and her father were administrators of the estate, which was beholden to his father's widow for three pounds per year. She survived him about four years and the inventory of her estate included an item of six pounds still due her from the Widow Learned, of Chelmsford. Isaac Learned married, in Woburn, August 9, 1646, Mary, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Barker) Stearns, born January 6, 1626, in Mayland, Suffolk, England, died 1663. She married (second), June 9, 1662, John Burge, of Weymouth. Children of Isaac and Mary Learned: Mary, born August 7, 1647; Hannah, August 24, 1649; William, October 1, 1650; Sarah, October 28, 1653; Isaac, mentioned below, and Benoni, November 29, 1657. The last three were born in Chelmsford, and the others in Woburn.
-pp2508
Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts, Volume 4 Lewis historical publishing Company, 1910, NY, NY
I've found the probate file for Isaac's estate and I'll discuss that in the next post.
One of the things I noticed in that biographical sketch is how young Isaac was when he died, only
thirty-three years old. His youngest child was born two days after his death, and his widow, Mary
(Stearns) Learned didn't remarry until five years later.
To be continued.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Friday, November 27, 2015
FINDMYPAST FRIDAY COLLECTION RELEASES FOR 27NOV 2015
The Findmypast Friday record collections release for 27Nov focuses on 'watermen", an
occupation not familiar to we Americans. According to Wikipedia, "A waterman is a river worker
who transfers passengers across and along city centre rivers and estuaries in the United Kingdom
and its colonies. Most notable are those on the River Thames and River Medway, but other rivers such as the River Tyne and River Dee, Wales also had their watermen who formed guilds in medieval times."
Here's the list of collections:
An important and surprisingly common profession from centuries past is being showcased this week as we release a variety of London watermen collections. These fascinating new resources include birth registers, Navy records, a royal petition and more. Plus, explore our latest round-up of Irish newspapers which saw 16 new titles added recently.
We're bringing you over 2 million new records and newspaper articles including:
Irish Newspapers
We've added 16 new titles to our Irish newspapers collection recently, increasing our numbers by 2 million fully searchable articles.
See what’s new on the blog »
London, Watermen in Royal Navy, 1803-1809
This collection holds lists of Watermen impressed into the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars - several on the HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Discover how they served »
London, List of Free Watermen, 1827
This "mini-census" of watermen from 1827 details 5,400 names of watermen in London. See if one of your relatives had this very common occupation.
Search the list »
London, Watermen, Birth Register of Contracted Men, 1865-1921
This register lists over 1,400 apprentices of the Worshipful Company of Waterman and Lighterman. You'll discover their birth or baptism date and place of birth.
Find your family's apprentice »
If you're unsure of your London ancestors occupations, these new watermen records are worth exploring - we now have more than 100,000 online. Who knows, you may discover that your family member was an essential part of early London society!
If you have any queries or comments, or discoveries you'd like to share, get in touch here. We love hearing your stories.
Have a great weekend,
Jen Baldwin
You can see fuller descriptions of the collections here at Findmypast.com.
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.
occupation not familiar to we Americans. According to Wikipedia, "A waterman is a river worker
who transfers passengers across and along city centre rivers and estuaries in the United Kingdom
and its colonies. Most notable are those on the River Thames and River Medway, but other rivers such as the River Tyne and River Dee, Wales also had their watermen who formed guilds in medieval times."
Here's the list of collections:
An important and surprisingly common profession from centuries past is being showcased this week as we release a variety of London watermen collections. These fascinating new resources include birth registers, Navy records, a royal petition and more. Plus, explore our latest round-up of Irish newspapers which saw 16 new titles added recently.
We're bringing you over 2 million new records and newspaper articles including:
Irish Newspapers
We've added 16 new titles to our Irish newspapers collection recently, increasing our numbers by 2 million fully searchable articles.
See what’s new on the blog »
London, Watermen in Royal Navy, 1803-1809
This collection holds lists of Watermen impressed into the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic wars - several on the HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Discover how they served »
London, List of Free Watermen, 1827
This "mini-census" of watermen from 1827 details 5,400 names of watermen in London. See if one of your relatives had this very common occupation.
Search the list »
London, Watermen, Birth Register of Contracted Men, 1865-1921
This register lists over 1,400 apprentices of the Worshipful Company of Waterman and Lighterman. You'll discover their birth or baptism date and place of birth.
Find your family's apprentice »
If you're unsure of your London ancestors occupations, these new watermen records are worth exploring - we now have more than 100,000 online. Who knows, you may discover that your family member was an essential part of early London society!
If you have any queries or comments, or discoveries you'd like to share, get in touch here. We love hearing your stories.
Have a great weekend,
Jen Baldwin
You can see fuller descriptions of the collections here at Findmypast.com.
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.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
THE SEVENTH ANNUAL GREAT GENEALOGY POETRY CHALLENGE POSTS
Welcome to the roundup of posts submitted in Seventh Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge !
Here are the rules for submissions to the Challenge:
1. Find a poem by a local poet, famous or obscure, from the region
your ancestors lived in. It can be about an historical event, a
legend, a person, or even about some place (like a river)or a local
animal. It can even be a poem you or one of your ancestors have written!
0r if you prefer, post the lyrics of a song or a link to a video of someone
performing the song.
2. Post the poem or song to your blog (remembering to cite the source
where you found it.). If you wish to enter an older post, you may as long
as long as it has not appeared here in an earlier Poetry Challenge.
3.Tell us how the subject of the poem or song relates to your ancestor's
home or life, or the area of the country where they lived.
We have a variety of poetry in this year's Challenge. There is a poem for commercial use, several
celebratory poems written for events, and one to ease a child to sleep. There are poems written by
famous poets and poems written by relatives, poems about a battle, one about a shipwreck and one
written by a homesick young man. And the poems vary in length from the short to the very long.
I hope you enjoy reading them all, and please be sure to leave a comment to let each blogger know
your thoughts on their post.
.
Back in late 19th and early 20th century America, businesses frequently used poems to
advertise their products. Dorene Paul of Graveyard Rabbit of Sandusky Bay blog found and shares
one such poem in her post Seventh Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge. You might be surprised
at what company used the poem and what the connection was between it and a certain animal.
Heather Wilkinson Rojo of Nutfield Genealogy has shared her grandmother's poems with us in previous Poetry Challenges.I've enjoyed each one of them. This year she contributes another, the beautiful Baby's Lullaby, by Bertha Roberts Wilkinson, and tells a bit about Bertha's life.
For many years Americans used poetry to celebrate special events or family history with poetry. It's a vanished tradition, except perhaps for poet laureates reciting a poem at Presidential Inaugurations. My Ellingwood cousin Pam Carter found a poem about a relative's courtship written for a dedication. Her post is Deborah Bachiler Poem at Pam's My Maine Ancestry blog.
Vickie at BeNotForgot has another example of a celebratory poem, this one for the 250th
anniversary of the town of Andover. Ma. Like her, some of my ancestors were among the first
settlers and I have several cousin connections with Vickie. Read the poem in the blog post entitled
1653:: Marriage of Clemens and Osgood.
Barbara Poole knew exactly what she wanted to do for this year's challenge and set about
looking for a poem written by one of her ancestors. She found one by her 2nd great
granduncle Fitch Poole, as well as an article about his life. They are posted on her Life From
The Roots blog in two posts, THE LIBRARIAN'S EPITAPH, a Poem, and I Googled POEM and FITCH POOLE and came up with This.
Schalene Dagutis is related by marriage to Nathaniel Tucker, a poet who lived in the late 18th -early 19th century. Although he lived for a time in the American colonies, he had been born in Bermuda, which inspired his poem The Bermudan. Like much poetry of that era it's long. See for yourself in the post
52 Ancestors #1: Nathaniel Tucker, Poet at Tangled Roots and Leaves.
I have three poems here on West in New England for my own contribution to the Challenge:
Back in June I had mentioned on Facebook that my Mom's German paternal great grandparents had come to America on the ship S.S. Deutschland and friend Terri Kallio asked me if was the same ship
that sank in 1875 during a storm. She sent me a link to Wikipedia which led me to finding English poet Gerald Manley Hopkins' poem about the tragedy,The Wreck of the Deutschland.
Then in September I found two poems about a Colonial American era battle at Lovewell's
Pond in New Hampshire between the "Snowshoe Soldier" militia and Native Americans.
One poem, The Battle of Lovell's Pond, was the first published work by Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow; the second, Song of Lovewell's Fight, was a popular ballad from a century before
Longfellow's poem. Some of my ancestors had served under Lovewell in previous campaigns.
Here are the rules for submissions to the Challenge:
1. Find a poem by a local poet, famous or obscure, from the region
your ancestors lived in. It can be about an historical event, a
legend, a person, or even about some place (like a river)or a local
animal. It can even be a poem you or one of your ancestors have written!
0r if you prefer, post the lyrics of a song or a link to a video of someone
performing the song.
2. Post the poem or song to your blog (remembering to cite the source
where you found it.). If you wish to enter an older post, you may as long
as long as it has not appeared here in an earlier Poetry Challenge.
3.Tell us how the subject of the poem or song relates to your ancestor's
home or life, or the area of the country where they lived.
We have a variety of poetry in this year's Challenge. There is a poem for commercial use, several
celebratory poems written for events, and one to ease a child to sleep. There are poems written by
famous poets and poems written by relatives, poems about a battle, one about a shipwreck and one
written by a homesick young man. And the poems vary in length from the short to the very long.
I hope you enjoy reading them all, and please be sure to leave a comment to let each blogger know
your thoughts on their post.
.
Back in late 19th and early 20th century America, businesses frequently used poems to
advertise their products. Dorene Paul of Graveyard Rabbit of Sandusky Bay blog found and shares
one such poem in her post Seventh Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge. You might be surprised
at what company used the poem and what the connection was between it and a certain animal.
Heather Wilkinson Rojo of Nutfield Genealogy has shared her grandmother's poems with us in previous Poetry Challenges.I've enjoyed each one of them. This year she contributes another, the beautiful Baby's Lullaby, by Bertha Roberts Wilkinson, and tells a bit about Bertha's life.
For many years Americans used poetry to celebrate special events or family history with poetry. It's a vanished tradition, except perhaps for poet laureates reciting a poem at Presidential Inaugurations. My Ellingwood cousin Pam Carter found a poem about a relative's courtship written for a dedication. Her post is Deborah Bachiler Poem at Pam's My Maine Ancestry blog.
Vickie at BeNotForgot has another example of a celebratory poem, this one for the 250th
anniversary of the town of Andover. Ma. Like her, some of my ancestors were among the first
settlers and I have several cousin connections with Vickie. Read the poem in the blog post entitled
1653:: Marriage of Clemens and Osgood.
Barbara Poole knew exactly what she wanted to do for this year's challenge and set about
looking for a poem written by one of her ancestors. She found one by her 2nd great
granduncle Fitch Poole, as well as an article about his life. They are posted on her Life From
The Roots blog in two posts, THE LIBRARIAN'S EPITAPH, a Poem, and I Googled POEM and FITCH POOLE and came up with This.
Schalene Dagutis is related by marriage to Nathaniel Tucker, a poet who lived in the late 18th -early 19th century. Although he lived for a time in the American colonies, he had been born in Bermuda, which inspired his poem The Bermudan. Like much poetry of that era it's long. See for yourself in the post
52 Ancestors #1: Nathaniel Tucker, Poet at Tangled Roots and Leaves.
I have three poems here on West in New England for my own contribution to the Challenge:
Back in June I had mentioned on Facebook that my Mom's German paternal great grandparents had come to America on the ship S.S. Deutschland and friend Terri Kallio asked me if was the same ship
that sank in 1875 during a storm. She sent me a link to Wikipedia which led me to finding English poet Gerald Manley Hopkins' poem about the tragedy,The Wreck of the Deutschland.
Then in September I found two poems about a Colonial American era battle at Lovewell's
Pond in New Hampshire between the "Snowshoe Soldier" militia and Native Americans.
One poem, The Battle of Lovell's Pond, was the first published work by Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow; the second, Song of Lovewell's Fight, was a popular ballad from a century before
Longfellow's poem. Some of my ancestors had served under Lovewell in previous campaigns.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 47: WILLIAM LEARNED OF WOBURN, MA.
The subject for Week 47 of the 2015 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge is my immigrant
ancestor and 9x great grandfather William Learned. William is one of my ancestors for whom
I've found quite a bit, including an entry in The Great Migration Begins and this long biographical sketch from one of William Richard Cutter's books:
(1)William Learned was born as early as 1590, and died in Woburn, Massachusetts. March 1, 1646. He was in Massachusetts as early as 1632, and possibly as early as 1630. The records of Charlestown show that he was admitted as an inhabitant there and had a planting lot in 1630. But as these records were made many years afterwards,-the time is somewhat uncertain. The admission of himself and wife to what is now the First Church of Charlestown was the first recorded, December 6, 1632. In this record his wife's name is spelled Gooithe, and is presumed to mean Judith, though some authorities claim it is derived from the Saxon word Goditha. It is possible that William Learned resided for a short time in Ware, England, and it is known that he resided in the parish of Bermondsey, Surrey, from 1612 to 1625. In the latter year his third child was buried there. His eldest child, Sarah, may have been the Sarah Learned, baptized September 30, 1604, at Ware, though records made in Massachusetts indicate that she was born about 1607. Such discrepancy as this is not uncommon, and it may easily be supposable that the baptism at Ware applies to William Learned's daughter. His other children baptized at Bermondsey were: Bertha, October 29. 1612; Mary, September 15, 1615; Abigail, September 30, 1618; Elizabeth, March 25, 1621; and Isaac, mentioned below. William Learned was an inhabitant of Charlestown in 1633-35-36, and received a share of marsh land there February 11. 1637. The record of various parcels granted him makes it appear that he had more than seventy-two acres. He was made a freeman, May 14, 1634, and was subsequently selectman. February 13, 1636, he was made a member of a committee to stint the common lands, and he was on various committees to lay out lots and bounds. Being a friend of Wheelwright, he signed a remonstrance against the treatment of that worthy, and was subsequently compelled by the church to renounce such action. He was on a committee to settle with the school master in 1638, and on February 26, of that year, was made a member of a committee to "consider of some things tending toward a body of laws." He was among those who attended the first meeting for the organization of the town of Woburn, December 18, 1614, and was one of the signers of the town orders of that time. The clerks record of the transaction spells his name Lernedt. He was one of the seven to form the first church of Woburn, which was gathered, August 14, 1642. On November 24 of that year he gave up his lot for the use of the town, and received subsequent grants, including seventy-two acres laid out to his son Isaac, in recompense for abandoning his first lot. On April 13, 1643, ne was elected constable and selectman, and was again chosen to the same offices, February 9, 1645, and died just before the succeeding election. The office of constable was an important one at that time, as the collection of taxes was made by that officer. His widow appears in subsequent records as Sarah or Jane. The inventory of her estate made in November, 1661, amounted to forty-one pounds, eighteen shillings and eleven pence.
-pp2507-8
Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts, Volume 4 Lewis historical publishing Company, 1910, NY, NY
I've had no luck finding a probate file and seen no mention of one either. I'll have to look for
land sale records. But what I have found already shows William Learned to have been a prominent
citizen of Charlestown and then Woburn.
ancestor and 9x great grandfather William Learned. William is one of my ancestors for whom
I've found quite a bit, including an entry in The Great Migration Begins and this long biographical sketch from one of William Richard Cutter's books:
(1)William Learned was born as early as 1590, and died in Woburn, Massachusetts. March 1, 1646. He was in Massachusetts as early as 1632, and possibly as early as 1630. The records of Charlestown show that he was admitted as an inhabitant there and had a planting lot in 1630. But as these records were made many years afterwards,-the time is somewhat uncertain. The admission of himself and wife to what is now the First Church of Charlestown was the first recorded, December 6, 1632. In this record his wife's name is spelled Gooithe, and is presumed to mean Judith, though some authorities claim it is derived from the Saxon word Goditha. It is possible that William Learned resided for a short time in Ware, England, and it is known that he resided in the parish of Bermondsey, Surrey, from 1612 to 1625. In the latter year his third child was buried there. His eldest child, Sarah, may have been the Sarah Learned, baptized September 30, 1604, at Ware, though records made in Massachusetts indicate that she was born about 1607. Such discrepancy as this is not uncommon, and it may easily be supposable that the baptism at Ware applies to William Learned's daughter. His other children baptized at Bermondsey were: Bertha, October 29. 1612; Mary, September 15, 1615; Abigail, September 30, 1618; Elizabeth, March 25, 1621; and Isaac, mentioned below. William Learned was an inhabitant of Charlestown in 1633-35-36, and received a share of marsh land there February 11. 1637. The record of various parcels granted him makes it appear that he had more than seventy-two acres. He was made a freeman, May 14, 1634, and was subsequently selectman. February 13, 1636, he was made a member of a committee to stint the common lands, and he was on various committees to lay out lots and bounds. Being a friend of Wheelwright, he signed a remonstrance against the treatment of that worthy, and was subsequently compelled by the church to renounce such action. He was on a committee to settle with the school master in 1638, and on February 26, of that year, was made a member of a committee to "consider of some things tending toward a body of laws." He was among those who attended the first meeting for the organization of the town of Woburn, December 18, 1614, and was one of the signers of the town orders of that time. The clerks record of the transaction spells his name Lernedt. He was one of the seven to form the first church of Woburn, which was gathered, August 14, 1642. On November 24 of that year he gave up his lot for the use of the town, and received subsequent grants, including seventy-two acres laid out to his son Isaac, in recompense for abandoning his first lot. On April 13, 1643, ne was elected constable and selectman, and was again chosen to the same offices, February 9, 1645, and died just before the succeeding election. The office of constable was an important one at that time, as the collection of taxes was made by that officer. His widow appears in subsequent records as Sarah or Jane. The inventory of her estate made in November, 1661, amounted to forty-one pounds, eighteen shillings and eleven pence.
-pp2507-8
Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts, Volume 4 Lewis historical publishing Company, 1910, NY, NY
I've had no luck finding a probate file and seen no mention of one either. I'll have to look for
land sale records. But what I have found already shows William Learned to have been a prominent
citizen of Charlestown and then Woburn.
Saturday, November 21, 2015
MY ALLERTON AND WARREN MAYFLOWER ANCESTRY
(( I first posted two articles about my Mayflower family descents back in
November 2011 and decided to repost them every year as a Thanksgiving
tradition.))
Whenever I am talking or writing about my Mayflower descent, for some
ironic reason I always forget about Remember Allerton. The reason for the
irony is that both my Dad's parents were Allerton descendants: Pop from
Remember Allerton and Grandma Bertha from Mary Allerton.:
Allerton through Ellingwood Line
Isaac Allerton & Mary Norris
Remember Allerton & Moses Maverick
Abigail Maverick & Samuel Ward
Martha Ward & John Tuthill(Tuttle)
Martha Tuthill(Tuttle) & Mark Haskell
Martha Haskell & John Safford
Ruth Safford & Samuel Haskell
Martha Haskell & Moses Houghton
Sally Houghton & James Thomas Dunham
Florilla Dunham & Asa Freeman Ellingwood
Clara Ellingwood & Phillip Jonathan West
Floyd Earl West Sr & Cora B Barker
Floyd Earl West Jr & Anne Marie White
Allerton through Barker Line
Isaac Allerton & Mary Norris
Mary Allerton & Thomas Cushman
Sarah Cushman & Adam Hawkes
John Hawkes & Mary(Margery)Whitford
Eva Hawkes & John Bancroft Eunice Hawkes & Jacob Walton
John Bancroft & Mary Walton
Sally(Sarah)Bancroft & Francis Upton
Hannah Upton & Cyrus Moore
Betsey Jane Moore & Amos Hastings Barker
Charlotte Lovenia Barker & Frank W Barker
Cora B, Barker & Floyd Earl Wesrt Sr
Floyd Earl West Jr and Anne Marie White.
My Warren ancestry comes through my Ames line
Warren Through Ames Line
Richard Warren & Elizabeth (?)
Mary Warren & Robert Bartlett
Mary Bartlett & Jonathan Mowrey(Morey)
Hannah Mowrey(Morey) & John Bumpas
Mary Bumpas & Seth Ellis
Mary Ellis & Ephraim Griffith
John Griffith & Mary Boyden
Polly Griffith & Jonathan Phelps Ames
Arvilla S. Ames & John Cutter West
John Cutter West & Louisa Richardson
Phillip Jonathan West & Clara Ellingwood
Floyd Earl West Sr & Cora B Barker
Floyd Earl West Jr and Anne Marie White.
November 2011 and decided to repost them every year as a Thanksgiving
tradition.))
Whenever I am talking or writing about my Mayflower descent, for some
ironic reason I always forget about Remember Allerton. The reason for the
irony is that both my Dad's parents were Allerton descendants: Pop from
Remember Allerton and Grandma Bertha from Mary Allerton.:
Allerton through Ellingwood Line
Isaac Allerton & Mary Norris
Remember Allerton & Moses Maverick
Abigail Maverick & Samuel Ward
Martha Ward & John Tuthill(Tuttle)
Martha Tuthill(Tuttle) & Mark Haskell
Martha Haskell & John Safford
Ruth Safford & Samuel Haskell
Martha Haskell & Moses Houghton
Sally Houghton & James Thomas Dunham
Florilla Dunham & Asa Freeman Ellingwood
Clara Ellingwood & Phillip Jonathan West
Floyd Earl West Sr & Cora B Barker
Floyd Earl West Jr & Anne Marie White
Allerton through Barker Line
Isaac Allerton & Mary Norris
Mary Allerton & Thomas Cushman
Sarah Cushman & Adam Hawkes
John Hawkes & Mary(Margery)Whitford
Eva Hawkes & John Bancroft Eunice Hawkes & Jacob Walton
John Bancroft & Mary Walton
Sally(Sarah)Bancroft & Francis Upton
Hannah Upton & Cyrus Moore
Betsey Jane Moore & Amos Hastings Barker
Charlotte Lovenia Barker & Frank W Barker
Cora B, Barker & Floyd Earl Wesrt Sr
Floyd Earl West Jr and Anne Marie White.
My Warren ancestry comes through my Ames line
Warren Through Ames Line
Richard Warren & Elizabeth (?)
Mary Warren & Robert Bartlett
Mary Bartlett & Jonathan Mowrey(Morey)
Hannah Mowrey(Morey) & John Bumpas
Mary Bumpas & Seth Ellis
Mary Ellis & Ephraim Griffith
John Griffith & Mary Boyden
Polly Griffith & Jonathan Phelps Ames
Arvilla S. Ames & John Cutter West
John Cutter West & Louisa Richardson
Phillip Jonathan West & Clara Ellingwood
Floyd Earl West Sr & Cora B Barker
Floyd Earl West Jr and Anne Marie White.
FINDMYPAST FRIDAY COLLECTION RELEASES FOR 20NOV 2015
Here's the Findmypast Friday records release announcement for 20Nov 2015, which is quite large:
This week, we're releasing a variety of fascinating UK collections including almost 10,000 volumes of England & Wales electoral registers, now browsable online for the first time. We're also bringing you military records, social history, and a large update to our newspapers. With so much to explore, you're bound to find something on your British family.
We've added over 3.8 million new records and newspaper articles including:
England & Wales, Electoral Registers 1832-1932, Image Browse
Browse over 5.4 million images containing approximately 220 million names to find your family between the censuses. Discover where they lived, the property they owned or lean about the history of your local area.
Find your ancestors before they came to America »
British Newspapers
We're debuting 11 brand new publications and have bolstered another 43 titles with additional articles and years.
Paint a picture of the life your ancestor lived »
British In Argentina, 1914-1919
This book contains information and photographs of British volunteers from Argentina who went back home to serve their country in World War I.
See who answered the call of duty »
Additional Social & Institutional Records from Devon, England
Explore two centuries of Devon's social history to paint a vivid picture of everyday life there. We've added over 49,000 more records to the collection.
Delve into these rich records »
We hope you enjoy exploring these rich and varied collections. The electoral registers in particular, are a fantastic resource that have helped me gain a better understanding of my ancestors' place in society.
If you have any queries or comments, or discoveries you'd like to share, get in touch here. We love hearing your stories!
Have a great weekend,
Jen Baldwin
You can see more complete descriptions of these records 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.
This week, we're releasing a variety of fascinating UK collections including almost 10,000 volumes of England & Wales electoral registers, now browsable online for the first time. We're also bringing you military records, social history, and a large update to our newspapers. With so much to explore, you're bound to find something on your British family.
We've added over 3.8 million new records and newspaper articles including:
England & Wales, Electoral Registers 1832-1932, Image Browse
Browse over 5.4 million images containing approximately 220 million names to find your family between the censuses. Discover where they lived, the property they owned or lean about the history of your local area.
Find your ancestors before they came to America »
British Newspapers
We're debuting 11 brand new publications and have bolstered another 43 titles with additional articles and years.
Paint a picture of the life your ancestor lived »
British In Argentina, 1914-1919
This book contains information and photographs of British volunteers from Argentina who went back home to serve their country in World War I.
See who answered the call of duty »
Additional Social & Institutional Records from Devon, England
Explore two centuries of Devon's social history to paint a vivid picture of everyday life there. We've added over 49,000 more records to the collection.
Delve into these rich records »
We hope you enjoy exploring these rich and varied collections. The electoral registers in particular, are a fantastic resource that have helped me gain a better understanding of my ancestors' place in society.
If you have any queries or comments, or discoveries you'd like to share, get in touch here. We love hearing your stories!
Have a great weekend,
Jen Baldwin
You can see more complete descriptions of these records 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.
Friday, November 20, 2015
MY ELLINGWOOD MAYFLOWER ANCESTRY
(( I first posted two articles about my Mayflower family descents back in
November 2011 and decided to repost them every year as a Thanksgiving
tradition.))
Back when I first started researching the family genealogy online I was
thrilled to discover we were descended from several Mayflower passengers.
At one point I even carried around a small folded up piece of paper
in my wallet with the lines of descent to show when discussing genealogy
with some customer at the bookstore. But I lost that some time ago, so I
thought I'd post them here for other family members.
The first three lines come down through my Ellingwood ancestry from
Stephen Hopkins, Thomas Rogers, and James Chilton.
Hopkins Line
Stephen Hopkins and Mary____
Constance Hopkins & Nicholas Snow
Elizabeth Snow & Thomas Rogers
Eleazer Rogers & Ruhamah Willis
Experience Rogers & Stephen Totman
Deborah Totman & Moses Barrows Jr.
Asa Barrows & Content Benson
Rachel Barrows & John Ellingwood Jr
Asa F. Ellingwood & Florilla Dunham
Clara Ellingwood & Philip West
Floyd West Sr & Clara Barker
Floyd West Jr & Anne M White
Rogers Line
Thomas Rogers & Alice Cosford
Joseph Rogers & Hannah___
Thomas Rogers & Elizabeth Snow
Eleazer Rogers & Ruhamah Willis
Experience Rogers & Stephen Totman
Deborah Totman & Moses Barrows Jr.
Asa Barrows & Content Benson
Rachel Barrows & John Ellingwood Jr
Asa F. Ellingwood & Florilla Dunham
Clara Ellingwood & Philip West
Floyd West Sr & Clara Barker
Floyd West Jr & Anne M White
Chilton Line
James Chilton & ?
Isabella Chilton & Roger Chandler
Sarah Chandler & Moses Simmons
Moses Simmons Jr & Patience Barstow
Patience Simmons & George Barrows
Moses Barrows & Mary Carver
Deborah Totman & Moses Barrows Jr.
Asa Barrows & Content Benson
Rachel Barrows & John Ellingwood Jr
Asa F. Ellingwood & Florilla Dunham
Clara Ellingwood & Philip West
Floyd West Sr & Clara Barker
Floyd West Jr & Anne M White
November 2011 and decided to repost them every year as a Thanksgiving
tradition.))
Back when I first started researching the family genealogy online I was
thrilled to discover we were descended from several Mayflower passengers.
At one point I even carried around a small folded up piece of paper
in my wallet with the lines of descent to show when discussing genealogy
with some customer at the bookstore. But I lost that some time ago, so I
thought I'd post them here for other family members.
The first three lines come down through my Ellingwood ancestry from
Stephen Hopkins, Thomas Rogers, and James Chilton.
Hopkins Line
Stephen Hopkins and Mary____
Constance Hopkins & Nicholas Snow
Elizabeth Snow & Thomas Rogers
Eleazer Rogers & Ruhamah Willis
Experience Rogers & Stephen Totman
Deborah Totman & Moses Barrows Jr.
Asa Barrows & Content Benson
Rachel Barrows & John Ellingwood Jr
Asa F. Ellingwood & Florilla Dunham
Clara Ellingwood & Philip West
Floyd West Sr & Clara Barker
Floyd West Jr & Anne M White
Rogers Line
Thomas Rogers & Alice Cosford
Joseph Rogers & Hannah___
Thomas Rogers & Elizabeth Snow
Eleazer Rogers & Ruhamah Willis
Experience Rogers & Stephen Totman
Deborah Totman & Moses Barrows Jr.
Asa Barrows & Content Benson
Rachel Barrows & John Ellingwood Jr
Asa F. Ellingwood & Florilla Dunham
Clara Ellingwood & Philip West
Floyd West Sr & Clara Barker
Floyd West Jr & Anne M White
Chilton Line
James Chilton & ?
Isabella Chilton & Roger Chandler
Sarah Chandler & Moses Simmons
Moses Simmons Jr & Patience Barstow
Patience Simmons & George Barrows
Moses Barrows & Mary Carver
Deborah Totman & Moses Barrows Jr.
Asa Barrows & Content Benson
Rachel Barrows & John Ellingwood Jr
Asa F. Ellingwood & Florilla Dunham
Clara Ellingwood & Philip West
Floyd West Sr & Clara Barker
Floyd West Jr & Anne M White
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 46: JONATHAN BARRETT OF CHELMSFORD, MA.
I have had about the same amount of luck finding anything online for my 7x great grandfather
Jonathan Barrett as I did finding anything for his father John. Neither seems to have left a
will and there are no probate files for them on AmericanAncestors.org. Perhaps I'll find more
when I search for land records.
Meanwhile, here's William Richard Cutters brief biographical sletch of Jonathan Barrett:
(III) Jonathan, son of Lieutenant John Barrett, was born in Braintree, Massachusetts. He married (first) Sarah, born in Chelmsford, October 28, 1653, died January 11, 1695, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Stearns) Learned, as shown by a deed to J. Burge in 1686. He married (second) June 26, 1696, in Woburn, Massachusetts, Abigail Weston, who died October 19, 1706. He married (third) about 1708, Abigail (Wilson) Hildreth, widow of Joseph Hildreth. She was born in Woburn, August 8, 1666, daughter of John Wilson and sister of Lieutenant John Wilson, of Billerica. By her first husband she was ancestress of Richard Hildreth, the historian. Children by first wife: Hannah, married Jonathan Bowers; Mary, born November 20, 1684; Jonathan, October 28, 1687; Deliverance, February 24, 1690; Experience, January 3, 1695, died July 29, 1695. Children by second wife: Rachel, born August 9, 1699; Bridget, April 11, 1702, died September 7, 1702; Benjamin, February 14, 1705. Child by third wife: John, mentioned below.
-p924
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 2 Lewis historical publishing Company, New York, New York 1913
I'll be discussing the family of Jonathan's first wife Mary Stearns next.
Jonathan Barrett as I did finding anything for his father John. Neither seems to have left a
will and there are no probate files for them on AmericanAncestors.org. Perhaps I'll find more
when I search for land records.
Meanwhile, here's William Richard Cutters brief biographical sletch of Jonathan Barrett:
(III) Jonathan, son of Lieutenant John Barrett, was born in Braintree, Massachusetts. He married (first) Sarah, born in Chelmsford, October 28, 1653, died January 11, 1695, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Stearns) Learned, as shown by a deed to J. Burge in 1686. He married (second) June 26, 1696, in Woburn, Massachusetts, Abigail Weston, who died October 19, 1706. He married (third) about 1708, Abigail (Wilson) Hildreth, widow of Joseph Hildreth. She was born in Woburn, August 8, 1666, daughter of John Wilson and sister of Lieutenant John Wilson, of Billerica. By her first husband she was ancestress of Richard Hildreth, the historian. Children by first wife: Hannah, married Jonathan Bowers; Mary, born November 20, 1684; Jonathan, October 28, 1687; Deliverance, February 24, 1690; Experience, January 3, 1695, died July 29, 1695. Children by second wife: Rachel, born August 9, 1699; Bridget, April 11, 1702, died September 7, 1702; Benjamin, February 14, 1705. Child by third wife: John, mentioned below.
-p924
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 2 Lewis historical publishing Company, New York, New York 1913
I'll be discussing the family of Jonathan's first wife Mary Stearns next.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 45: JOHN BARRETT OF CHELMSFORD, MA.
My 8x great grandfather John Barrett is the subject of Week 45 in the 2015 52 Ancestors in 52
Weeks Challenge. I haven't found much about him as yet. I know from what I've found about
his father that John was born in England before emigrating with his parents to Braintree, Ma.
The rest of what I know is from this brief sketch by William Richard Cutter:
(II) Lieutenant John Barrett, son of Thomas Barrett, was a comparatively large proprietor of lands. In 1659 he had a grant of land in Chelmsford, where he settled after his marriage, and he received several grants or divisions of common lands later. He served as tithingman and lieutenant. He was a mill owner. He and his wife Sarah deeded land in 1698 to their son-in-law, Nathaniel Collar. He died May 19, 1706. Children, first two born in Braintree, others in Chelmsford: John; Jonathan, mentioned below; Lydia, born September 22, 1659; Samuel, June 16, 1661; Mary, March 13, 1663; Margaret, November 10, 1667, died February, 1681; Joseph; Sarah, married Ambrose Swallow. p924
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 2 Lewis historical publishing Company, New York, New York 1913
I haven't been able to find anything else except that some genealogies say his wife's maiden name was Bates.
Weeks Challenge. I haven't found much about him as yet. I know from what I've found about
his father that John was born in England before emigrating with his parents to Braintree, Ma.
The rest of what I know is from this brief sketch by William Richard Cutter:
(II) Lieutenant John Barrett, son of Thomas Barrett, was a comparatively large proprietor of lands. In 1659 he had a grant of land in Chelmsford, where he settled after his marriage, and he received several grants or divisions of common lands later. He served as tithingman and lieutenant. He was a mill owner. He and his wife Sarah deeded land in 1698 to their son-in-law, Nathaniel Collar. He died May 19, 1706. Children, first two born in Braintree, others in Chelmsford: John; Jonathan, mentioned below; Lydia, born September 22, 1659; Samuel, June 16, 1661; Mary, March 13, 1663; Margaret, November 10, 1667, died February, 1681; Joseph; Sarah, married Ambrose Swallow. p924
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 2 Lewis historical publishing Company, New York, New York 1913
I haven't been able to find anything else except that some genealogies say his wife's maiden name was Bates.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
FINDMYPAST FRIDAY COLLECTION RELEASES FOR 13NOV 2015
Here's the Findmypast Friday records releases for 13Nov 2015, with this week's releases
devoted to WW1 in commemoration of the end of the war:
Commemorate the sacrifices made by members of your family this Findmypast Friday with a brand new global collection of WW1 military records. Explore memorial rolls containing detailed biographies and even photographic portraits! Plus, we've added conscription tribunal records, army pensions and soldier settlements to help you discover how the lives of your relatives were altered forever by one of history's bloodiest conflicts....
We've released millions of new WW1 records including:
Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933
Discover if your military ancestors' pension was ever paid out and who to. Find out their next of kin, when they died and details of their service.
Uncover the loved ones your WW1 ancestor left behind »
Surrey, Military Tribunals, 1915-1918
Find out if anyone in your family was exempt from conscription by exploring the registers and letter books of four military tribunals in the English county of Surrey.
Was your ancestor too important to send to war? »
British Army, Lloyds of London Memorial Roll 1914-1919
Uncover the records and photographs of Lloyd's of London employees who died during the First World War to discover their rank, regiment and the awards they received.
See the faces of a lost generation »
London Stock Exchange Memorial Roll, 1914-1918
Explore biographies and testimonies from fellow soldiers relating to male and female employees of the London Stock Exchange who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Read heartfelt tributes to fallen comrades »
If you have any Great War stories or other family history discoveries you'd like to share, get in touch here. We'd love to hear from you!
Have a great weekend,
Alex, Editor
You can see fuller descriptions of each collection here at Findmypast.
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.
devoted to WW1 in commemoration of the end of the war:
Commemorate the sacrifices made by members of your family this Findmypast Friday with a brand new global collection of WW1 military records. Explore memorial rolls containing detailed biographies and even photographic portraits! Plus, we've added conscription tribunal records, army pensions and soldier settlements to help you discover how the lives of your relatives were altered forever by one of history's bloodiest conflicts....
We've released millions of new WW1 records including:
Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933
Discover if your military ancestors' pension was ever paid out and who to. Find out their next of kin, when they died and details of their service.
Uncover the loved ones your WW1 ancestor left behind »
Surrey, Military Tribunals, 1915-1918
Find out if anyone in your family was exempt from conscription by exploring the registers and letter books of four military tribunals in the English county of Surrey.
Was your ancestor too important to send to war? »
British Army, Lloyds of London Memorial Roll 1914-1919
Uncover the records and photographs of Lloyd's of London employees who died during the First World War to discover their rank, regiment and the awards they received.
See the faces of a lost generation »
London Stock Exchange Memorial Roll, 1914-1918
Explore biographies and testimonies from fellow soldiers relating to male and female employees of the London Stock Exchange who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Read heartfelt tributes to fallen comrades »
If you have any Great War stories or other family history discoveries you'd like to share, get in touch here. We'd love to hear from you!
Have a great weekend,
Alex, Editor
You can see fuller descriptions of each collection here at Findmypast.
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.
Friday, November 13, 2015
MARTHA (BARRETT) SPARKS OF CHELMSFORD, MA. PT 3:"...THE SOME OF TWO HUNDRED POUNDS..."
To recap from my last post, Martha (Barrett)Sparks had been in jail in Boston for over a year
in 1692, having been accused of witchcraft. Her husband was off with the militia fighting
Indians, and her two young children were being cared for by her elderly parents. In November 1692
her father, Thomas Barrett Jr., petitioned for her release. A month later he appeared before the Suffolk County Court. Here is the record of what happened there, again from William Waters' History of Chelmsford:
Thomas Barrett's Recognizance For Martha Sparks'Appearance At Middlesex Court.
Recognizance of Martha Sparks:
"Memorandum
That on the Sixth day of Decembr. 1692 in the ffowerth year of the Reign of our Souerain Lord & Lady William & Mary by the grace of God of England &c; King & Queen Defenders of ye ffaith; Personally Appeared before us James Russell & Samuell Heyman Esqs of their Maiesties Councill & Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England, & Justices of peace within ye Same; Thomas Barrat of Chelmsford in ye County of Middlesex; Mason & Acknowledged himself to be indebted unto our Sd: Lord &. Lady the King & Queen and the survivors of them, their Heires & Successors, in the Some of Two hundred pounds to be leavied on his Goods or Chattells Lands or Tennements for ye use of our said Lord &. Lady ye King &. Queen or Surviver of them if default be made in the performance of the Condition underwritten, viz
The Condition of the above Recognisance is Such yt wheare as Martha Sparks of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex was committed to Boston Goall being accused & suspected of perpetrating or committing divers Acts of Wichcraft; If therefore ye aforesd. Martha Sparks Shall make her personal! Appearance before the Justices of our sd. Lord & Lady the King & Queen; at the next Court of Assizes Oyer & Terminer & Generall Goall deliuery to be holden for, or within ye County of Middlesex Abouesd. to Answer what Shall be Obiected against her in their Maities. behalfe refering to Witchcraft and to do &. Receiue yt.which by said Court Shall be then and there Inioined her, and not depart without Licence then the abouesaid Recognizance to be void or Elce to abide in ffull fforce &. virtue.
Capt. & Recognit die & diet. Coram.
Ja: Russell
Samuell Hayman"
[Suffolk Clerk of Courts—Early Files—No. 2696.]
-pp575-576
The History of Chelmsford, printed for the town by Courier-Citizen Company, Lowell, Ma 1917
So Thomas Barrett pledged 200 pounds to obtain Martha Sparks' release, which would be forfeit
if she did not appear in court on her trial date. Luckily,it didn't come to that.
Governor Phips returned to England in 1693 and pardoned the remaining witchcraft prisoners before
he left.
As for Martha Sparks her husband Henry died in 1694; she followed him in 1697. I will have to see what
happened to their children.
And that's how, thanks to the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, there's another "witch" on my family tree!
in 1692, having been accused of witchcraft. Her husband was off with the militia fighting
Indians, and her two young children were being cared for by her elderly parents. In November 1692
her father, Thomas Barrett Jr., petitioned for her release. A month later he appeared before the Suffolk County Court. Here is the record of what happened there, again from William Waters' History of Chelmsford:
Thomas Barrett's Recognizance For Martha Sparks'Appearance At Middlesex Court.
Recognizance of Martha Sparks:
"Memorandum
That on the Sixth day of Decembr. 1692 in the ffowerth year of the Reign of our Souerain Lord & Lady William & Mary by the grace of God of England &c; King & Queen Defenders of ye ffaith; Personally Appeared before us James Russell & Samuell Heyman Esqs of their Maiesties Councill & Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England, & Justices of peace within ye Same; Thomas Barrat of Chelmsford in ye County of Middlesex; Mason & Acknowledged himself to be indebted unto our Sd: Lord &. Lady the King & Queen and the survivors of them, their Heires & Successors, in the Some of Two hundred pounds to be leavied on his Goods or Chattells Lands or Tennements for ye use of our said Lord &. Lady ye King &. Queen or Surviver of them if default be made in the performance of the Condition underwritten, viz
The Condition of the above Recognisance is Such yt wheare as Martha Sparks of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex was committed to Boston Goall being accused & suspected of perpetrating or committing divers Acts of Wichcraft; If therefore ye aforesd. Martha Sparks Shall make her personal! Appearance before the Justices of our sd. Lord & Lady the King & Queen; at the next Court of Assizes Oyer & Terminer & Generall Goall deliuery to be holden for, or within ye County of Middlesex Abouesd. to Answer what Shall be Obiected against her in their Maities. behalfe refering to Witchcraft and to do &. Receiue yt.which by said Court Shall be then and there Inioined her, and not depart without Licence then the abouesaid Recognizance to be void or Elce to abide in ffull fforce &. virtue.
Capt. & Recognit die & diet. Coram.
Ja: Russell
Samuell Hayman"
[Suffolk Clerk of Courts—Early Files—No. 2696.]
-pp575-576
The History of Chelmsford, printed for the town by Courier-Citizen Company, Lowell, Ma 1917
So Thomas Barrett pledged 200 pounds to obtain Martha Sparks' release, which would be forfeit
if she did not appear in court on her trial date. Luckily,it didn't come to that.
Governor Phips returned to England in 1693 and pardoned the remaining witchcraft prisoners before
he left.
As for Martha Sparks her husband Henry died in 1694; she followed him in 1697. I will have to see what
happened to their children.
And that's how, thanks to the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, there's another "witch" on my family tree!
Thursday, November 12, 2015
MARTHA (BARRETT) SPARKS OF CHELMSFORD, MA. PT 2 "...HATH LAYNE IN PRISON IN BOSTON..."
When my 8x great granduncle Thomas Barrett Jr's daughter was accused of witchcraft she
was imprisoned in Boston, it caused hardship for the entire family. William Waters includes
two documents in his History of Chelmsford, the first of which is this petition Thomas submitted to Governor Phips and the colonial government, asking for Martha's release.
PETITION OF THOMAS BARRETT.
To his Excy. Sr. William Phips, Knt. Capn Genll, and Governor.
in Cheife of their Majttes Province of the Massachusetts Bay in
New England and to the Honed. Council thereof.
The Humble Petition of Thomas Barrett of Chelmsford in New
England, in behalf of his Daughter Martha Sparkes, wife of
Henry Sparkes who is now a Souldier in their Majties Service att
the Easterne Parts, and soe hath beene for a Considerable Time,
Humbly Showeth
That yor Petitionrs Daughter hath Layne in Prison in Boston for the Space of Twelve months and Five days, being Committed by Thomas Danforth, Esq the Late Depty Governor. upon suspicion of Witchcraft, Since which noe Evidence hath appeared against her in any Such matter, neither hath any Given bond to prosecute her nor doth any one att this day accuse her of any such thing as yor Petitionr knows of. That Yor Petitionr hath ever since kept two of her children—the one of 5 years ye other of 2 years old, 'wch hath been a considerable Trouble and charge to him in his poore & meane Condition; besides yor Petitionr hath a Lame antient & sick wife, who for these 5 yeares & upwards past hath beene soe afflicted: as that shee is altogether rendred uncapable of affording her self any help, wch much augments his Trouble.
Yor Poore Petitionr Earnestly and humbly Intreates Yor E'cy & honrs. to take his distressed condition into yor consideracon, And that you will please to order ye releasemt. of his Daughtr. from her confinemt. Whereby shee may returne home to her poore children to look after them, haveing nothing to pay the charge of her Confinemt.
And yor Petitionr as in duty bound shall ever pray,
Nov. 1, 1692. &c.
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 135, p. 62, doc. 64.]
-pp 574-575
The History of Chelmsford, printed for the town by Courier-Citizen Company, Lowell, Ma 1917
How did the Governor and his Council respond? I'll discuss that next.
To be continued.
was imprisoned in Boston, it caused hardship for the entire family. William Waters includes
two documents in his History of Chelmsford, the first of which is this petition Thomas submitted to Governor Phips and the colonial government, asking for Martha's release.
PETITION OF THOMAS BARRETT.
To his Excy. Sr. William Phips, Knt. Capn Genll, and Governor.
in Cheife of their Majttes Province of the Massachusetts Bay in
New England and to the Honed. Council thereof.
The Humble Petition of Thomas Barrett of Chelmsford in New
England, in behalf of his Daughter Martha Sparkes, wife of
Henry Sparkes who is now a Souldier in their Majties Service att
the Easterne Parts, and soe hath beene for a Considerable Time,
Humbly Showeth
That yor Petitionrs Daughter hath Layne in Prison in Boston for the Space of Twelve months and Five days, being Committed by Thomas Danforth, Esq the Late Depty Governor. upon suspicion of Witchcraft, Since which noe Evidence hath appeared against her in any Such matter, neither hath any Given bond to prosecute her nor doth any one att this day accuse her of any such thing as yor Petitionr knows of. That Yor Petitionr hath ever since kept two of her children—the one of 5 years ye other of 2 years old, 'wch hath been a considerable Trouble and charge to him in his poore & meane Condition; besides yor Petitionr hath a Lame antient & sick wife, who for these 5 yeares & upwards past hath beene soe afflicted: as that shee is altogether rendred uncapable of affording her self any help, wch much augments his Trouble.
Yor Poore Petitionr Earnestly and humbly Intreates Yor E'cy & honrs. to take his distressed condition into yor consideracon, And that you will please to order ye releasemt. of his Daughtr. from her confinemt. Whereby shee may returne home to her poore children to look after them, haveing nothing to pay the charge of her Confinemt.
And yor Petitionr as in duty bound shall ever pray,
Nov. 1, 1692. &c.
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 135, p. 62, doc. 64.]
-pp 574-575
The History of Chelmsford, printed for the town by Courier-Citizen Company, Lowell, Ma 1917
How did the Governor and his Council respond? I'll discuss that next.
To be continued.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
ON VETERANS DAY 2015
On Veterans Day I like to pay tribute to the members of
our family who have served our country from its birth. I don't
have all the details of the service records, and I'm sure I will
discover more relatives to add later, but this is what I have so far.
American Revolution:
Jonathan Barker Jr. My 4x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman from Methuen Ma with rank of Sergeant.
He responded to Lexington and Concord with his sons
Served in Captain Samuel Johnson's Company in
Colonel Titcomb's Regiment for 2 months in 1777 in Rhode
Island and then with Nathaniel Gage's Company in Colonel
Jacob Gerrish's guards from Dec 1777 tol April 1778 guarding
the captured troops of General Burgoyne.
Jonathan Barker 3rd My 5x great grandfather
Enlisted on 19 Apr 1775 in Continental Army, Capt. John
Davis' Company, Col. James Frye's Regiment, in the
Massachusetts line for 8 months in Cambridge, Ma. At the
conclusion of the term, he reenlisted for another 3 months in
Capt John Allen's Company, Colonel John Waldron's Regiment,
General Sullivan's Brigade in the New Hampshire Brigade at
Charlestown, Ma. He then enlisted a third time in June 1778
at Methuen, Ma., joining Captain Samuel Carr's Company, Col.
James Weston's Regiment, in General Lerned's Brigade at
White Plains, N.Y. and serving for another 9 months.
John Ames My 5x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman under Capt. Asa Parker on April 18th,
1775. He then enlisted in the Continental Army under Captain
Oliver Parker, Col. William Prescott's Regiment and
in the Brigade that was commanded in turn by Generals
Putnam, Lee, and Washington and served for 8 1/2 months.
For a more detailed account of his service see my posts
about his Revolutionary War Pension File starting here.
Asa Barrows My 4x great grandfather
A member of the militia from Middleborough , Ma. (south of
Boston) in the Company of Captain Joshua Benson, in Colonel
Cotton's Regiment, and General William Heath's Brigade for
8 months during the siege of Boston. In December 1776 he
joined a militia Company commanded by Captain Joshua
Perkins and marched to Barrington, R.I. and was stationed
there for 6 weeks. In July 1780 he again enlisted, this time
in a militia company commanded by Captain Perez Churchill
that marched to Tiverton, R.I. I posted about his
Revolutionary War Pension File starting here.
Moses Coburn My 4x great grandfather
Moses Coburn got into the War late and by reason of being
"hired by a certain class of men in the then town of Dunstable
to go into the Continental Army in the summer of 1781."
When he reached Phillipsburgh in New York he was placed in
Captain Benjamin Pike's Company, in the Regiment of the
Massachusetts line commanded by Lt. Colonel Calvin Smith in
which he served for nearly two years until it was broken up.
He then transferred to the Company of Judah Alden in the
Regiment commanded by Colonel Sprouts until his discharge
in 1783.
Samuel Haskell My 5x great grandfather
Samuel served in Captain Joseph Elliott's Company in Colonel
William Turner's Regiment and then under Captain Hezekiah
Whitney in Colonel Josiah Whitney's Regiment.
Amos Hastings My 5x great grandfather
Amos was responded to the Lexington Alarm as part of
Captain Richard Ayer's Company and Colonel William
Johnson's Regiment. He later served in Captain Timothy
Eaton's Company in Colonel Edward Wigglesworth's Regiment
and was at the taking of the British General Burgoyne at
Ticonderoga.
Elisha Houghton 5x great grandfather
Enlisted at Harvard Ma as a Private in May of 1777 in the
Massachusetts militia and was at the Battles of Bunker Hill
and Stillwater. He then enlisted for three years in the infantry
company commanded by Captain Joshua Brown in Colonel
Timothy Bigelow's 15th Regiment of the Massachusetts line.
and took part in the Battles of Monmouth and Newport and
was at Valley Forge. He twice was promoted to Sergeant and
twice was busted back down to the ranks.
Amos Upton My 5x great grandfather
Responded to the Lexington Alarm and marched there from
his home in Reading. He later joined the militia company
commanded by Captain Asa Prince as an orderly sergeant
and then enlisted for eight months in the Continental Army
under Colonel Mansfield for 8 months. He was at the Battle
of Bunker Hill. He was discharged in October of 1775.
John Griffith My 5x great grandfather
Enlisted in 1781 as a Matross (he swabbed out the barrel of
the cannons after they fired, or so I've been told) in Captain
William Treadwell's Company in Colonel John Crane's
Artillery Regiment.
Reuben Packard My 5x great grandfather
A Sergeant in Captain Josiah Hayden's Company in Colonel
Bailey's militia. They marched to Lexington at news of the
Alarm. He also responded several more times as a Minuteman
for a total of nearly 8 months duty.
Jonathan Abbot My 5x great grandfather
Served as a Sergeant in the Militia under Captain Henry
Abbott and responded to the Lexington Alarm
Samuel Stowe My 5x great grandfather
Minuteman from Sherborn, Ma. Served in Capt. Benjamin Bullard's
Company in Col. Asa Whitcomb's 5th Massachusetts Bay
Provincial Regiment
Besides those direct ancestors, these other relatives fought
in the Revolution:
Moses Barrows, brother to Asa Barrows.
Samuel, Jesse, and Benjamin Barker, sons of Jonathan
Barker, Jr. and brothers to Jonathan Barker 3rd.
James Swan, brother in law to Jonathan Barker.
War of 1812
John Griffith My 5x great grandfather
served in Capt Elias Morse's Company, Col. Holland's Regiment
as part of a artillery company defending Portland, Maine.
Amos Hastings My 5x great grandfather
helped organize the militia in Bethel, Maine and rose
to the rank of Brigadier General of the 2nd Brigade, 13th Division of
the Massachusetts State Militia.
Nathaniel Barker My 3x great grandfather
was a private in the company commanded by Captain William Wheeler
in the Regiment of Militia commanded by Col. Ryerson, which was
stationed at Portland, Maine.
Civil War
Asa Freeman Ellingwood My 2x great grandfather
enlisted in Company I, 5th Maine Infantry, on June 24, 1861.
He was at the First Battle of Bull Run after which he received
a medical discharge in Dec 1861. He reenlisted inCo "A" 9th
Veteran R Corps in September 1864 and served until the end
of the war when he was honorably discharged.
Other relatives who served in the Civil War:
2x great granduncles:
Leonidas West
Enlisted in Company G 12 Maine Infantry Regiment on March 1,
1865. Mustered out on 18Apr 1866
Asa Atwood West
Enlisted in Company F of the Maine Coast Guard.
Oscar Phipps Ellingwood
Enlisted in Company E, New Hampshire 14th Infantry Regiment
23Sept 1862, mustered out 9Sep 1863. Transferred to Company
E, U.S,.Veterans Reserve Corps 21st Infantry Regiment 9Sep 1863,
mustered out 11Jul 1865.
Cousins:
Charles O. Ellingwood
Enlisted 21 Dec 1863 in Company E, 9th New Hampshire Infantry.
Died 13Mar 1864 at Camp Burnside,Kentucky. (18 yrs old)
Henry O. Ellingwood Enlisted 25Oct 1862 Company K, New
Hampshire 16th Infantry Regiment, died 1Mar 1863 in Carollton, La.
Franklin Dunham
Died in the War. Haven't found any details as yet.
Spanish-American War
Hollis J Ellingwood My cousin
Enlisted 2May 1898 in Company A 1st Regiment Maine Infantry
Discharged 28Oct 1898
World War 1
Floyd E West Sr. My grandfather
Enlisted 29Apr 1918. Served in Company K,303rd Infantry. He was a
corpsman at Camp Devens, Ma during the Spanish Influenza outbreak
and was honorably discharged 12 Mar 1919
World War II
Floyd E West Jr My Dad
Enlisted 19 Mar 1943 at 18 years old. After washing out of the Air Corps
Bomber School, he served in the US Army Infantry in the Pacific Theater and
was honorably discharged on 11 Mar 1946 at age 22
Edward F White, Jr. My Uncle
Enlisted in the U.S.Navy on 27Oct 1942 at 17years old. He was honorably
discharged 18Apr 1946, a week before his 21st birthday.
Charles Barger My Uncle
I don't know the specifics of his service yet.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Paul Skarinka My Nephew
our family who have served our country from its birth. I don't
have all the details of the service records, and I'm sure I will
discover more relatives to add later, but this is what I have so far.
American Revolution:
Jonathan Barker Jr. My 4x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman from Methuen Ma with rank of Sergeant.
He responded to Lexington and Concord with his sons
Served in Captain Samuel Johnson's Company in
Colonel Titcomb's Regiment for 2 months in 1777 in Rhode
Island and then with Nathaniel Gage's Company in Colonel
Jacob Gerrish's guards from Dec 1777 tol April 1778 guarding
the captured troops of General Burgoyne.
Jonathan Barker 3rd My 5x great grandfather
Enlisted on 19 Apr 1775 in Continental Army, Capt. John
Davis' Company, Col. James Frye's Regiment, in the
Massachusetts line for 8 months in Cambridge, Ma. At the
conclusion of the term, he reenlisted for another 3 months in
Capt John Allen's Company, Colonel John Waldron's Regiment,
General Sullivan's Brigade in the New Hampshire Brigade at
Charlestown, Ma. He then enlisted a third time in June 1778
at Methuen, Ma., joining Captain Samuel Carr's Company, Col.
James Weston's Regiment, in General Lerned's Brigade at
White Plains, N.Y. and serving for another 9 months.
John Ames My 5x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman under Capt. Asa Parker on April 18th,
1775. He then enlisted in the Continental Army under Captain
Oliver Parker, Col. William Prescott's Regiment and
in the Brigade that was commanded in turn by Generals
Putnam, Lee, and Washington and served for 8 1/2 months.
For a more detailed account of his service see my posts
about his Revolutionary War Pension File starting here.
Asa Barrows My 4x great grandfather
A member of the militia from Middleborough , Ma. (south of
Boston) in the Company of Captain Joshua Benson, in Colonel
Cotton's Regiment, and General William Heath's Brigade for
8 months during the siege of Boston. In December 1776 he
joined a militia Company commanded by Captain Joshua
Perkins and marched to Barrington, R.I. and was stationed
there for 6 weeks. In July 1780 he again enlisted, this time
in a militia company commanded by Captain Perez Churchill
that marched to Tiverton, R.I. I posted about his
Revolutionary War Pension File starting here.
Moses Coburn My 4x great grandfather
Moses Coburn got into the War late and by reason of being
"hired by a certain class of men in the then town of Dunstable
to go into the Continental Army in the summer of 1781."
When he reached Phillipsburgh in New York he was placed in
Captain Benjamin Pike's Company, in the Regiment of the
Massachusetts line commanded by Lt. Colonel Calvin Smith in
which he served for nearly two years until it was broken up.
He then transferred to the Company of Judah Alden in the
Regiment commanded by Colonel Sprouts until his discharge
in 1783.
Samuel Haskell My 5x great grandfather
Samuel served in Captain Joseph Elliott's Company in Colonel
William Turner's Regiment and then under Captain Hezekiah
Whitney in Colonel Josiah Whitney's Regiment.
Amos Hastings My 5x great grandfather
Amos was responded to the Lexington Alarm as part of
Captain Richard Ayer's Company and Colonel William
Johnson's Regiment. He later served in Captain Timothy
Eaton's Company in Colonel Edward Wigglesworth's Regiment
and was at the taking of the British General Burgoyne at
Ticonderoga.
Elisha Houghton 5x great grandfather
Enlisted at Harvard Ma as a Private in May of 1777 in the
Massachusetts militia and was at the Battles of Bunker Hill
and Stillwater. He then enlisted for three years in the infantry
company commanded by Captain Joshua Brown in Colonel
Timothy Bigelow's 15th Regiment of the Massachusetts line.
and took part in the Battles of Monmouth and Newport and
was at Valley Forge. He twice was promoted to Sergeant and
twice was busted back down to the ranks.
Amos Upton My 5x great grandfather
Responded to the Lexington Alarm and marched there from
his home in Reading. He later joined the militia company
commanded by Captain Asa Prince as an orderly sergeant
and then enlisted for eight months in the Continental Army
under Colonel Mansfield for 8 months. He was at the Battle
of Bunker Hill. He was discharged in October of 1775.
John Griffith My 5x great grandfather
Enlisted in 1781 as a Matross (he swabbed out the barrel of
the cannons after they fired, or so I've been told) in Captain
William Treadwell's Company in Colonel John Crane's
Artillery Regiment.
Reuben Packard My 5x great grandfather
A Sergeant in Captain Josiah Hayden's Company in Colonel
Bailey's militia. They marched to Lexington at news of the
Alarm. He also responded several more times as a Minuteman
for a total of nearly 8 months duty.
Jonathan Abbot My 5x great grandfather
Served as a Sergeant in the Militia under Captain Henry
Abbott and responded to the Lexington Alarm
Samuel Stowe My 5x great grandfather
Minuteman from Sherborn, Ma. Served in Capt. Benjamin Bullard's
Company in Col. Asa Whitcomb's 5th Massachusetts Bay
Provincial Regiment
Besides those direct ancestors, these other relatives fought
in the Revolution:
Moses Barrows, brother to Asa Barrows.
Samuel, Jesse, and Benjamin Barker, sons of Jonathan
Barker, Jr. and brothers to Jonathan Barker 3rd.
James Swan, brother in law to Jonathan Barker.
War of 1812
John Griffith My 5x great grandfather
served in Capt Elias Morse's Company, Col. Holland's Regiment
as part of a artillery company defending Portland, Maine.
Amos Hastings My 5x great grandfather
helped organize the militia in Bethel, Maine and rose
to the rank of Brigadier General of the 2nd Brigade, 13th Division of
the Massachusetts State Militia.
Nathaniel Barker My 3x great grandfather
was a private in the company commanded by Captain William Wheeler
in the Regiment of Militia commanded by Col. Ryerson, which was
stationed at Portland, Maine.
Civil War
Asa Freeman Ellingwood My 2x great grandfather
enlisted in Company I, 5th Maine Infantry, on June 24, 1861.
He was at the First Battle of Bull Run after which he received
a medical discharge in Dec 1861. He reenlisted inCo "A" 9th
Veteran R Corps in September 1864 and served until the end
of the war when he was honorably discharged.
 |
| Asa & Florilla Ellingwood |
Other relatives who served in the Civil War:
2x great granduncles:
Leonidas West
Enlisted in Company G 12 Maine Infantry Regiment on March 1,
1865. Mustered out on 18Apr 1866
Asa Atwood West
Enlisted in Company F of the Maine Coast Guard.
Oscar Phipps Ellingwood
Enlisted in Company E, New Hampshire 14th Infantry Regiment
23Sept 1862, mustered out 9Sep 1863. Transferred to Company
E, U.S,.Veterans Reserve Corps 21st Infantry Regiment 9Sep 1863,
mustered out 11Jul 1865.
Cousins:
Charles O. Ellingwood
Enlisted 21 Dec 1863 in Company E, 9th New Hampshire Infantry.
Died 13Mar 1864 at Camp Burnside,Kentucky. (18 yrs old)
Henry O. Ellingwood Enlisted 25Oct 1862 Company K, New
Hampshire 16th Infantry Regiment, died 1Mar 1863 in Carollton, La.
Franklin Dunham
Died in the War. Haven't found any details as yet.
Spanish-American War
Hollis J Ellingwood My cousin
Enlisted 2May 1898 in Company A 1st Regiment Maine Infantry
Discharged 28Oct 1898
World War 1
Floyd E West Sr. My grandfather
 |
| Floyd E West Sr. |
Enlisted 29Apr 1918. Served in Company K,303rd Infantry. He was a
corpsman at Camp Devens, Ma during the Spanish Influenza outbreak
and was honorably discharged 12 Mar 1919
World War II
Floyd E West Jr My Dad
Enlisted 19 Mar 1943 at 18 years old. After washing out of the Air Corps
Bomber School, he served in the US Army Infantry in the Pacific Theater and
was honorably discharged on 11 Mar 1946 at age 22
Edward F White, Jr. My Uncle
Enlisted in the U.S.Navy on 27Oct 1942 at 17years old. He was honorably
discharged 18Apr 1946, a week before his 21st birthday.
Charles Barger My Uncle
I don't know the specifics of his service yet.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Paul Skarinka My Nephew
 | |
| Paul And Jen |
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
MARTHA (BARRETT) SPARKS OF CHELMSFORD, MA. PT 1
I'm grateful to Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small for starting the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge. Taking part in it has helped me find things I hadn't known about some of my ancestors.
Take for example what I found out about my 9x great grandfather Thomas Barrett's granddaughter
Martha (Barrett) Sparks who was among those accused of witchcraft in the "Great Hysteria"
William Waters tells the story of Martha Sparks in his History of Chelmsford:
There was in Chelmsford one notable instance of accusation of witchcraft. Probably it may be safe to assume that the person referred to by Cotton Mather (see page 69), was Martha Sparks. How much Cotton Mather really knew of the case, it is impossible to say.
Martha was born at Braintree, Sept. 16, 1656, the daughter of Thomas Barrett, son of Thomas. Her father moved to Chelmsford, sometime prior to March, 1660. The two Thomases bought a house and fifty-two acres of land on the south side of Robin's Hill, April 10, 1663. These deaths are recorded: Thomas Barrett, Sr., Oct. 6, 1668. Margreatt, wife of Thomas Barrett, July 8, 1681. Thomas Barrett, Dec. 8, 1702. Fransis, wife of Thomas Barit, May 27, 1694. These were her grand-parents and parents. On July 10, 1676, Martha was married to Henry Sparks of Exeter, N. H. In February of that year he is credited to Chelmsford in the return of a Middlesex Regiment of Militia. He was granted land in Chelmsford. The births of two of their children, Abiell, a daughter, in 1686, and Deliverance, a son, March 8, 1690, are recorded in Chelmsford, as is the death of another son, not named in the record, July 6, 1683.
Henry Sparks died July 16, 1694, and Martha died Feb. 28, 1697. She was confined in Boston Gaol, October 28, 1691, on suspicion of witchcraft. November 1, 1692, her father petitioned the Governor and Council for her release, and on December 6 gave a recognisance for her appearance in Court, and two days afterwards she was set free, no doubt owing to the influential interposition of the Rev. Mr. Clarke, then minister of Chelmsford; that is, assuming this to be the case mentioned by Mather. The case was probably never called in Court. At that time, after the dissolution of the first charter, the Court of Assistants was superseded by the Superior Court of Judicature, and there is no record of such a case being tried by either of these Courts. The Records of the Middlesex County Court for the period when this case might have been called in that Court were burned some time since in a fire in Concord, where they were then kept, but no papers relating to the case are to be found in the Court files of 1692 and 1693.
In the early part of 1693, Governor Phips, being about to leave the country, pardoned all the condemned, and the jails were delivered.-pp573-574
The History of Chelmsford, printed for the town by Courier-Citizen Company, Lowell, Ma 1917
So I' ve discovered another relative involved in the witch trials!
I'll post the text of Thomas Barrett's petitions next.
Take for example what I found out about my 9x great grandfather Thomas Barrett's granddaughter
Martha (Barrett) Sparks who was among those accused of witchcraft in the "Great Hysteria"
William Waters tells the story of Martha Sparks in his History of Chelmsford:
There was in Chelmsford one notable instance of accusation of witchcraft. Probably it may be safe to assume that the person referred to by Cotton Mather (see page 69), was Martha Sparks. How much Cotton Mather really knew of the case, it is impossible to say.
Martha was born at Braintree, Sept. 16, 1656, the daughter of Thomas Barrett, son of Thomas. Her father moved to Chelmsford, sometime prior to March, 1660. The two Thomases bought a house and fifty-two acres of land on the south side of Robin's Hill, April 10, 1663. These deaths are recorded: Thomas Barrett, Sr., Oct. 6, 1668. Margreatt, wife of Thomas Barrett, July 8, 1681. Thomas Barrett, Dec. 8, 1702. Fransis, wife of Thomas Barit, May 27, 1694. These were her grand-parents and parents. On July 10, 1676, Martha was married to Henry Sparks of Exeter, N. H. In February of that year he is credited to Chelmsford in the return of a Middlesex Regiment of Militia. He was granted land in Chelmsford. The births of two of their children, Abiell, a daughter, in 1686, and Deliverance, a son, March 8, 1690, are recorded in Chelmsford, as is the death of another son, not named in the record, July 6, 1683.
Henry Sparks died July 16, 1694, and Martha died Feb. 28, 1697. She was confined in Boston Gaol, October 28, 1691, on suspicion of witchcraft. November 1, 1692, her father petitioned the Governor and Council for her release, and on December 6 gave a recognisance for her appearance in Court, and two days afterwards she was set free, no doubt owing to the influential interposition of the Rev. Mr. Clarke, then minister of Chelmsford; that is, assuming this to be the case mentioned by Mather. The case was probably never called in Court. At that time, after the dissolution of the first charter, the Court of Assistants was superseded by the Superior Court of Judicature, and there is no record of such a case being tried by either of these Courts. The Records of the Middlesex County Court for the period when this case might have been called in that Court were burned some time since in a fire in Concord, where they were then kept, but no papers relating to the case are to be found in the Court files of 1692 and 1693.
In the early part of 1693, Governor Phips, being about to leave the country, pardoned all the condemned, and the jails were delivered.-pp573-574
The History of Chelmsford, printed for the town by Courier-Citizen Company, Lowell, Ma 1917
So I' ve discovered another relative involved in the witch trials!
I'll post the text of Thomas Barrett's petitions next.
Monday, November 09, 2015
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 44: THOMAS BARRETT OF CHELMSFORD, MA.
My 6x great grandfather John Spaulding married Mary Barrett on 6Feb 1705, and it's through
her that I am related to the Stearns and Learned families. Mary's immigrant ancestor was
Thomas Barrett, who William Richard Cutter profiled:
(I) Thomas Barrett, the immigrant ancestor, was made a freeman in 1645. He was one of the thirty-two inhabitants of Braintree, Massachusetts, who received from the general court in 1645 the grant of ten thousand acres of land in Warwick, Rhode Island, which had been confiscated by reason of Gorton's "heresy". This action of the general court was overruled in England, however, before the settlement could be begun, and the original settlers in Warwick retained their land. Thomas Barrett lived in Braintree several years, and purchased land there in 1651 of Michael Saunders and Francis Elliot. Later he settled in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, where he made his will in 1662, naming his wife, his sons John, Thomas and Joseph. He died October 6, 1668, and his widow Margaret died July 8, 1681. Children: John, mentioned below; Thomas, married, in 1665, in Braintree, Frances Woolderson; Mary, married, 1654, Shadrach Thayer; Joseph, married Martha Gould, 1672.-p924
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 2 Lewis historical publishing Company New York, New York 1913
I was able to find Thomas' probate file at AmericanAncestors.org, and I still haven't deciphered it to attempt a transcription. One problem is it's written on a small piece of paper and the writing is cramped in several spots, but it does mention his son John, who is my 8x great grandfather.
But before I move onto John Barrett, I want to discuss something else I discovered about the Barrett
family in my next post.
her that I am related to the Stearns and Learned families. Mary's immigrant ancestor was
Thomas Barrett, who William Richard Cutter profiled:
(I) Thomas Barrett, the immigrant ancestor, was made a freeman in 1645. He was one of the thirty-two inhabitants of Braintree, Massachusetts, who received from the general court in 1645 the grant of ten thousand acres of land in Warwick, Rhode Island, which had been confiscated by reason of Gorton's "heresy". This action of the general court was overruled in England, however, before the settlement could be begun, and the original settlers in Warwick retained their land. Thomas Barrett lived in Braintree several years, and purchased land there in 1651 of Michael Saunders and Francis Elliot. Later he settled in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, where he made his will in 1662, naming his wife, his sons John, Thomas and Joseph. He died October 6, 1668, and his widow Margaret died July 8, 1681. Children: John, mentioned below; Thomas, married, in 1665, in Braintree, Frances Woolderson; Mary, married, 1654, Shadrach Thayer; Joseph, married Martha Gould, 1672.-p924
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 2 Lewis historical publishing Company New York, New York 1913
I was able to find Thomas' probate file at AmericanAncestors.org, and I still haven't deciphered it to attempt a transcription. One problem is it's written on a small piece of paper and the writing is cramped in several spots, but it does mention his son John, who is my 8x great grandfather.
But before I move onto John Barrett, I want to discuss something else I discovered about the Barrett
family in my next post.
Saturday, November 07, 2015
FINDMYPAST FRIDAY COLLECTION RELEASES FOR 6NOV 2015
Findmypast Fridays have returned with another release of new record collections to help your research:
1939 Register
Explore one of the most important documents of modern British history to discover where your relatives were living, with whom and what jobs they did at the start of World War II.
Uncover stories of a people whose lives were about to change forever »
Additional Burials from Yorkshire, England
Over 62,000 new records from Bradford Family History Society are now available to search. Explore over 220 years of records covering 18 locations to discover the final resting place of your relatives.
Where were your Yorkshire ancestors laid to rest? »
Marriage Licences from Cambridgeshire, England, 1684-1811
Search over 8,000 records to find out if any of your relations received a marriage licence from the ancient Anglican Diocese of Ely in Cambridgeshire and discover who they married.
Uncover new branches of your Cambridgeshire family »
Lloyd's Register of Merchant Ships Index 1843
Was your ancestor the master of a ship in 1843? Search over 14,000 entries to discover the name of their vessel and where they sailed from.
Find out if your family sailed the seven seas »
Explore the 1939 Register and more this weekend to gain a unique glimpse of your family, their home and their community as you've never seen them before.
If you have any queries or comments, or discoveries you'd like to share, get in touch here. We love hearing your stories!
Have a great weekend,
Alex, Editor
You can see fuller descriptions of these new records 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.
1939 Register
Explore one of the most important documents of modern British history to discover where your relatives were living, with whom and what jobs they did at the start of World War II.
Uncover stories of a people whose lives were about to change forever »
Additional Burials from Yorkshire, England
Over 62,000 new records from Bradford Family History Society are now available to search. Explore over 220 years of records covering 18 locations to discover the final resting place of your relatives.
Where were your Yorkshire ancestors laid to rest? »
Marriage Licences from Cambridgeshire, England, 1684-1811
Search over 8,000 records to find out if any of your relations received a marriage licence from the ancient Anglican Diocese of Ely in Cambridgeshire and discover who they married.
Uncover new branches of your Cambridgeshire family »
Lloyd's Register of Merchant Ships Index 1843
Was your ancestor the master of a ship in 1843? Search over 14,000 entries to discover the name of their vessel and where they sailed from.
Find out if your family sailed the seven seas »
Explore the 1939 Register and more this weekend to gain a unique glimpse of your family, their home and their community as you've never seen them before.
If you have any queries or comments, or discoveries you'd like to share, get in touch here. We love hearing your stories!
Have a great weekend,
Alex, Editor
You can see fuller descriptions of these new records 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.
Thursday, November 05, 2015
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 43: HENRY JEFTS OF BILLERICA, MA. PT2
Henry Jefts' will was written on 4March 1691/2, and filed in court eight years later on 17June 1700 in Charlestown, Ma. after Henry's death on 24May.
Henry is very specific in his will, mentioning his sons, sons-in -law and grandchildren, He also gifts his
two daughters Hannah (Jefts) Spaulding and Joanna (Jefts) Dutton with land, including instructions
on how it is to be administered:
"...I do give by will unto my two daughters hannah spallding & Johanah Dutton: a piece of upland lying
opon Mr Budges farme on the west side of Concord Roade by Capt Ralph Hill on the north
west side & a lot wch was Capt. Daniell Chumneys on the south east; the remaininder of that alott
ment on Mr Budge's farme all besides what I have given unto my son henry. Also a peice of upland on
the west of Concord River containing by estimation thirty eight acress & a halfebe it more or less joining
upon James Kidder this land. I do will the improvement there of unto my two daughters namely hanah
spaldiing & Joanah Dutton and to there children. & I do by will pro hibit any sale to be made of this
while the youngest of my grand children by these two daughters namely hanah spalding &
Joanah Dutton while the youngest of there children com to being fourtenes years of age & so capable of
choosing of there gardian then by then by this my will I do apoint this land to be sould if it may be and to an
nother & the produce thereof to be equally divided among them grand children
and my two daughters, my two daughters hanah spalding & Joanah Dutton to have an eaquall of share
with there children & if any of them dys before that time the produce above mentioned to be equally
shared among the surviveing"
There is also mention of his granddaughter Mary Dunkin, Joanna's daughter from her first marriage.
Joanna (Jefts) (Dunkin) Dutton and her daughter Mary Dunkin were killed by Indians in an attack on
Billerica on 1Aug 1691/2.
Henry apparently never rewrote the will to reflect their deaths.
Wednesday, November 04, 2015
A DEADLINE REMINDER FOR THE SEVENTH ANNUAL GREAT GENEALOGY POETRY CHALLENGE!
It's only a little over two weeks until the November 19th deadline for submissions for the
Seventh Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge!
For those who haven't seen them yet, here are the Challenge rules:
1. Find a poem by a poet, famous or obscure, about the region
one of your ancestors lived in. It can be about an historical event, a
legend, a person, or even about some place (like a river)or a local
animal. It can even be a poem you or one of your ancestors have written!
0r if you prefer, post the lyrics of a song or a link to a video of someone
performing the song.
2. Post the poem or song to your blog (remembering to cite the source
where you found it.). If you wish to enter an older post, you may as long
as long as it has not appeared here in an earlier Poetry Challenge.
3.Tell us how the subject of the poem or song relates to your ancestor's
home or life, or the area of the country where they lived.
4.Submit your post's link here to me by midnight Thursday, November 19th
and I'll publish all links to the entries on Thanksgiving Day, November 26th!
If you submit a humorous poem or song that will be entered under the
"Willy Puckerbrush" division. Willy was the late geneablogger Terry
Thornton's alias for some humorous posts and comments.
Don't forget to send me the link to your blogpost by leaving a comment here!
Seventh Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge!
For those who haven't seen them yet, here are the Challenge rules:
1. Find a poem by a poet, famous or obscure, about the region
one of your ancestors lived in. It can be about an historical event, a
legend, a person, or even about some place (like a river)or a local
animal. It can even be a poem you or one of your ancestors have written!
0r if you prefer, post the lyrics of a song or a link to a video of someone
performing the song.
2. Post the poem or song to your blog (remembering to cite the source
where you found it.). If you wish to enter an older post, you may as long
as long as it has not appeared here in an earlier Poetry Challenge.
3.Tell us how the subject of the poem or song relates to your ancestor's
home or life, or the area of the country where they lived.
4.Submit your post's link here to me by midnight Thursday, November 19th
and I'll publish all links to the entries on Thanksgiving Day, November 26th!
If you submit a humorous poem or song that will be entered under the
"Willy Puckerbrush" division. Willy was the late geneablogger Terry
Thornton's alias for some humorous posts and comments.
Don't forget to send me the link to your blogpost by leaving a comment here!
Monday, November 02, 2015
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2015 WEEK 43: HENRY JEFTS OF BILLERICA, MA.
her maiden name is unknown. Some believe she was Rachel Needham but that is in dispute.
So I'll begin my posts about families of the Spaulding wives with the next generation, 7x great grandmother Hannah Jefts.
Hannah's father was Henry Jefts/Jefes/Jifes, one of the first settlers of Billerica, Ma. While
there wasn't much written about him on line, I was able to find this short sketch in History of Billerica, Massachusetts, with a Genealogical register by Henry Allen Hazen
 |
| History of Billerica, Massachusetts, with a Genealogical register, A. Williams & Co, 1883,Boston, Ma. |
Several things stand out for me in that: Hannah was named the first female child born in Billerica,
while her older sister, also named Hannah, had been the first death there. Another entry of interest
is that her brother in law John Dunkin was killed by Indians in 1692, which would place it after King Phillip's War. Finally there is the question of which of his first two wives, Ann Stowers or Hannah
Births, was the mother of his children?
I've found Henry Jeft's will over on AmericanAncestors.org. In it, he leaves property to both
of his daughters, and I'll discuss that in another post.
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