Pages

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 47: CAPT. JOHN WHITE OF LANCASTER MA. PT.4

Continuing with the April 1725 campaign journal of my ancestor Captain John White of Lancaster,
Ma. from lma Larkin White's book Genealogy of the descendants of John White of Wenham and Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1638-[1909].

10 day was foul wether and we sent 2 men in to dunstabel with the
sik and Lam men and (they) returned that night to us again

11 day we traueled about 13 milds and then campt about 3 mild
aboue amoskeeg falls.

12 day we traueled 11 milds and then campt at the mouth of pene-
koock riuer.

13 day we traueled 7 milds and then campt at the iarish fort in
penekook Enteruals that day it rayend uery hard all day.

14 day we trauel d 10 milds and then Crost meremack riuer aboue
the mouth of Contookock riuer and then Campt.

15 day we trauel d 8 milds north west from Contockock to a litel
stream that runs into meremack Riuer about 3 milds westard from
meremack and then campt and sent out skouts

16 day we traueld 12 milds and Cam to a pond which was uery
Long and we turned to the east sid of it and then campt, and then
sent out skouts that day we lay about 3 milds westard of the mouth of
Winepiseocket

17 day it raynd uere hard the fore part of the day and a litel before
night it cleared up & we sent skouts but found northen

18 clay we traueled 14 milds and that day we Crost 2 great streames
that runs in to meremack, one of them comes out of a great pond
which sum indens says it is 3 days jurney round it the Land is uerey
full of great hils and mountains and uerey rockey abundance of spms
and hemlock and fur and sum bech and maple and we campt

19 day we traueld 11 milds and then campt at the Louar End of
pemichewashet Lour Enteruals and sent out skouts.

20 day we lay stil by reson of foull wether and towards nit it Cleard
up and we sent out skouts and found whear Cornol Tyng crost mere-
mack.

21 day we traueld 12 milds up pemichewashet Riuer and found old
sines of indens and we sent out skouts that night and found one new
track and we lay that night by the riuer and mad new camps. The
Land that lys by this riuer is uere rich and good the upland uere full
of hils and mountains, uery bad traueling

22 day we traueld 2 milds and then sent out skouts ouer the riuer
and up a stream that runs into the riuer but found northen

23 day we traueld up the riuer about 14 milds and that day we
Crost 3 streames that runs into the riuer this riuer corns sheafly from
the north west & then we campt

24 day we traueld 10 milds westward and that day we found old
signs of indens whear they had bin this spring and in the winter, and
sent out skouts but cold find now indens This day Samil Moosman
actidently kild himself with his own gun

25 day it rained uery hard and we lay stil that day til amost night
it cleard up and we sent out skouts but found northen

26 day we traueld 18 milds and came upon Conetecut riuer and one
of our men was taken uere sik that night we campt by the riuer

27 day we traueld down the riuer and found a bark cannow which
was of great saruis to our sik man & to us ; that day we traueld about
18 milds and then campt.

28 day we traueld 19 milds and then campt This Riuer runs cheafiy
upon a south westerly pint this day we crost seural litel streams that
runs into Conetecut riuer.

29 day we traueld 20 milds and then campt.

30 day we traueld 17 milds and crost one litel riuer below the great
falls and then campt

May the first we traueld 24 milds and came to the fort above north
field and thare lay all night

2 day we traueld 10 milds and came to northfield and there stayed
that night

3 day we lay still it Lookt uery lykly ferr foul wether and we lay
thare that night

4 day we set out for Lancaster a cros the woods and traueld about
12 milds and then campt.

5 day we traueld 15 milds and then campt

6 day we traueld 14 milds and comm to Lancaster about 4 a clock
this day it raind uery hard all day.

(Endorsed) Capt Whites Journal May 1725 "

(Massachusetts Archives XXXVIII, A, 97-98.)

pp37-38
 Genealogy of the descendants of John White of Wenham and Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1638-[1909]
Chase Brothers Publishers, Haverhill, Ma 1900

So my 7x great grandfather John White had traveled over 300 miles on foot in a little under a
month, some of it in "foul weather" and most of it cross-country. And this was shortly after he
had returned home from the Lovewrll expedition.

He would go out on at least one more campaign. 

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 47: CAPT. JOHN WHITE OF LANCASTER MA. PT3.

In my previous blogpost, John White mentioned in his report to Lt. Governor William Dummer that he would be sending along his journal of that April expedition against the Indians. Alma Larkin White includes the following in her  book Genealogy of the descendants of John White of Wenham and Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1638-[1909]. It is a  diary of that expedition and while the people who discovered it in 1876 had no idea who wrote it,it appears to be
John White's journal.

 
" In an appendix to an Address delivered in Bolton at the Centen-
nial Celebration, July 4, 1876, by Reverend Richard S. Edes, is printed
part of a diary 'found among the papers of the first clerks of the
town.' The copyist adds, 'How old the book is, no one can tell.' It
is a journal of the scout of Captains Lovell and White 'when tire 10
Indians were killed,' February, 1724 ; probably written by one of the
Lancaster soldiers there present. The minutes of the first eight days
have been torn off."

"9. We traveled 14 miles and camped at the norwest corner of
winipisocket pond.

10. We traveled 16 miles, and camped at the north side of Cusumpe
pond.

11. We traveled 6 miles N by E from Cusumpe and there camped
— and sent out scouts, and some of our scouts thought they discovered
smoke.

12. We sent out scouts, and they discovered nothing.

13. We lay still and sent out scouts, and to strengthen us to go
farther we sent home 29 men.

14. We traveled 10 miles toward Pigwackett, and then came upon
a branch of the Saco river, and sent out scouts.

15. We lay still and sent out scouts and discovered nothing.

lb. We traveled 6 miles and came upon an Indian wigwam — the
Indians being gone we left 16 men with our packs and the rest pursued
them till dark and stayed there all night.

17. We followed their track till eight o'clock next day and then we
came back to fetch our packs, traveled the remaining part of that day
and the night ensuing six miles.

18. We traveled 20 miles and camped at the great pond upon
Sawco river.

19. We traveled 22 miles and camped at a great pond.

20. We traveled 5 miles and came to a wigwam where the Indians
had been lately gone from, and then we pursued their track about 2
miles further, and discovered their smoke and then tarried till about
two o'clock at night and then came upon them and killed 10 Indians
which was all there was.

2 1 . We traveled 6 miles.

22. We lay still and kept scouts upon our back tracks to see if
there would any pursue.

23. We traveled 30 miles and Camped at Cocheco.



Then it becomes the journal of the April campaign:

A tru journall of my travells began the 5 th of April, 1725 We
trauel d to Groten 12 milds and thear stayed by reson of foul wether

6 day we trauel d to dunstabel 12 milds and thear Lay the night

7 day we Lay stil by reson of foull wether

8 day we mustared and went ouer the riuer to the hous of John
Taylors about 3 milds

9 day we marcht up the riuer about 8 milds and then campt one of
our men being taken uerey sik for he kold trauel no ferther, his name
was Thomas Simson, Our Doctor Joseph Whetcomb that night set his
fut into a Ketel of biling broth that he cold trauel no ferther 



pp36-37
 Genealogy of the descendants of John White of Wenham and Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1638-[1909]
Chase Brothers Publishers, Haverhill, Ma 1900

Doctor Joseph Whitcomb may have been my cousin or possible 7 or 8x great granduncle.


To be continued

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 47: CAPT. JOHN WHITE OF LANCASTER MA. PT2.

In the previous post I included an excerpt from Alma Larkin White's book Genealogy of the descendants of John White of Wenham and Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1638-[1909]. Part of it was the text of orders to my 7x great grandfather John White and two other militia commanders pertaining to an expedition to be conducted against
the local Indians. 

When he returned home, John submitted this report to Lt. Governor William Dummer:

"Lancaster, May 9th , 1725.

May it please your Honour.
Being returned home I thought myself oblidged to Inform your
Honour that on the 5 lh of April last, I went from Lancaster to
Dunstable and the 8 th Day of April from thence up Merrimack with
30 men, two of which came back in A short time, one of them being
taken sick, and ye other having scalt himself very badly. I marcht up
Merrimack about 130 mile, and there discovered some signs of Indians,
some old, which we Judged were made sometime this winter and one
new track on the Bank of the River, wch we Judged had gone but a
few days before I sent out scouts but could discover nothing further.
We then turned off to ye Westward towards Coos, marched 10 miles
the 24 th of April. Att evening one of our men viz Samll Mossman of
Sudbury being about Encamping, took hold of his Gun that stood
among some Bushes drew it towards him with the muzzle towards him
some twigg caught hold of the cock, the Gun went off, and shott him
throgh, he died Imediately. We went across to Connecticutt River
came down that to Northfield and from thence across the woods to
Lancaster, we gott in yesterday. I have endeavoured faithfully to at-
tend your Honours orders already recieved, and if your Honour has
any further service for me I desire your Honour would let me know it.
I have not as yet compleated my Journal, but hope to finish it in a
short time that it may be Laid before your Honour. I am your
Honours most obedient humble Servant

On his Majesties Service John White.

For the Honourable William Dummer Esq.
Lieut Governour &c. In Boston. These"

(Massachusetts Archives, LXXII, 230.)


pp34-35
 Genealogy of the descendants of John White of Wenham and Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1638-[1909]
Chase Brothers Publishers, Haverhill, Ma 1900

That's quite a lot of ground to cover by foot for a 41 year old man. There were very few roads and since
they were scouting for Indians most of the journey would have been cross country. Never the less John
and his men were back in Lancaster by early May, and he said he was willing to go back out again if the
Lt. Governor thought it was necessary.

As the next post will show, John White was sent out again very soon.

To be continued...

Monday, November 28, 2016

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 47: CAPT. JOHN WHITE OF LANCASTER MA. PT1.

Since much of my Moore line was largely unkown to me until earlier this year, I hadn't run across
any mention of the exploits of my 7 x great grandfather before then. His story seems to have been
well lnown in New England up until the early 19th century and there was even a pamphlet written
about him.  But there is also a substantlal bit about him in Alma Larkin Whites book on her family's
history.  Here's the first part, which quotes a deed that established the parentage of John's wife
Eunice Wilder. It also includes instructions to John and his co-commanders regarding an expecition
they were to lead against the Indians:

JOHN 2 (46), b. in Lancaster Sept. 20, 1684; m. Eunice, dau. of
Lieut. Nathaniel and Mary (Sawyer) Wilder, b. , 1690. The
date of their marriage has not been found, but the following (found in
Worcester Deeds, Vol. 4, page 162), dated May 1, 1724, proves her
parentage :

"To all people to whom these present shall come Greeting. Know
ye we the Subscribers namely Samuel Carter and John White, both
of the town of Lancaster in the County of Worcester in the Province
of Massachusetts Bay in New England Yeoman, together with each
of our wives namely Dorothy the wife of me the said Samuel Carter
and Eunice the wife of me the said John White both our s d wives
being daughters of Lieut. Nathaniel Wilder, some time of s d Lancaster
Deceased, for and in consideration of the Sum, of Forty pounds.
Hereby acquit exonerate & forever discharge our loving brother vis.
Cornet Nathaniel Wilder of Lancaster."

Capt. John White was a cooper and blacksmith by trade. He was
with Capt. Lovell at the killing of the ten Indians.

" Instructions to Captains Willard, White and Blanchard.
S r . Having Commissionated you to Command a Company of Vol-
untiers against the Indian Enemy, you are hereby Directed to Exer-
cise and maintain good Discipline and Government among your Offi-
cers and Soldiers and to Suppress and punish all Disorders, Vice, and
Immorality and to Keep up the Worship of God in your said Com-
pany. You must march to Pigwacket, unless you shall upon mature
Consideration Judge any other tour more effectual for the service,
withall Convenient Dispatch Joining such Companys of Voluntiers in
the County of Middlesex as shall be ready to proceed with you and
from thence march to such places where by your Intelligence may
Judge it probable to meet with the Indian Enemy. If you Judge it
necessary to keep the whole Body together in order to attack any
Tribe or Settlement of Indians I shall approve of your so doing, oth-
wise that Two Companys or halfe your Body proceed East" & the
other halfe to proceed from Pigwacket to Strike over to Amrescoggin
& Kennebeck River, endeavouring to get higher up the said Rivers then
the places of the Indians Settlements one party of which to Come
down Amrescoggin River to Fort George & the other down Kennebeck
River to Richmond, and if your provision should fall short so as that
the whole cannot be sufficiently furnish d for the march to Amrescoggin
& Kennebeck Rivers, some of your Feeblest men must Come into
Berwick. The remaining part of the Body to go off to the North
Westward in Quest of the Indian Enemy said to be there taking with
them the Mohawks for their Guides. Let your Marches be with all
the Secrecy & Silence as well as Dispatch, you are Capable of. You
must Kill, Take & Destroy to the utmost of your power all the Enemy
Indians you can meet with in your March, & Search for their Corn,
destroying all you can find. And give Intelligence from time to time
of every thing of Importance that may happen."
(Massachusetts Archives, LXXII, 250.)

pp33-34

Genealogy of the descendants of John White of Wenham and Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1638-[1909]
Chase Brothers Publishers, Haverhill, Ma 1900

More on John White's part in this expedition in the next post.

To be continued...

Friday, November 25, 2016

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 46: JOSIAH WHITE OF LANCASTER MA.

My 8x great grandfather Josiah White is one of my ancestors who is overshadowed by his relatives.
His father John White was one of the founders of Lancaster, Ma. and is desribed as the richest man
in town. And his son, another John White, was renowned in his day as an "Indian fighter."  What I
do know is the following:

Josiah White was born in 1643 in Wenham, Ma.  and was a carpenter by trade. His first wife was
Mary Lewis who died in 1678. Not long after that same year Josiah married Mary Rice, whose parents were Thomas and Mary (King) Rice of Sudbury, Ma.  (Thomas' brother Henry is my 9x great
grandfather through another family line.) Josiah held several positions in Lancaster town government over his lifetime. During the Queen Anne's War he was a sergeant in the town militia and at one point was put in command of one of the town garrisons. 

I've found birth records for seven children of Josiah and Mary over on the Early Vital Records of Massachusetts From 1600 to 1850 website:

Sarah 21 Oct 1680
Joseph, 15 Sep 1682
Josiah 16 Sep 1682
John 20 Sep 1684
Thankful 27Mar 1689
Jonathan 1692

It looks like Joseph and Josiah were twins born around midnight, or perhaps those dates are a typo.

Josiah died intestate on 11Nov 1714 and I've found a copy of his probate file at AmericanAncestors.org. His widow Mary remarried a few years later. Interestingly, her new husband was my 7x great granduncle Thomas Sawyer Jr, whose experiences as an Indian captive I've previously blogged about. Mary died in 1733.

FINDMYPAST FRIDAY RECORDS COLLECTION RELEASES FOR 25 NOVEMBER 2016

Findmypast has released over 285,000 new records for this week's Findmypast Friday, including baptism,
burial and marriage records from Pennsylvania:



BRAND NEW RECORDS:

British Army Service Records - Scots Guards 1799-1939
OVER 4,000 RECORDS 140 years’ worth of personnel files and enlistment registers pertaining to the Scots Guards have been added to our collection of British Army Service records allowing you to discover fascinating details of your ancestors’ military careers.
SEARCH NOW »

Queensland, Mackay, funeral notices and funeral director records
OVER 44,000 RECORDS
Search funeral records kept by the local firms Melrose & Fenwick and Mackay Funerals as well as funeral notices published in the Daily Mercury to uncover the date of your ancestors’ deaths, burials and births.
SEARCH NOW »

Pennsylvania baptisms 1709-1760
OVER 4,500 RECORDS
Find out where and when your Pennsylvania ancestors were born with a collection of records from Christ Church, Philadelphia. Records will also list the names of both parents providing you with a valuable link to the previous generation.
SEARCH NOW »

Pennsylvania burials 1816-1849
OVER 1,000 RECORDS
Explore church records from Susquehanna County to discover when your ancestors died and where they were laid to rest. Reveal important biographical details such as birth year, occupation, residence, parents' names and spouse’s name.
SEARCH NOW »

ADDITIONAL RECORDS FOR EXISTING SETS:
United States Marriages
New Records: 17,059
Total records: 140,518,395
Covering: Pennsylvania
Discover: Marriage date, location, birth year, marital status, parents' names, spouse’s details
SEARCH NOW »    

Irish Newspapers
New articles: 177,208
New titles: Tyrone Courier, Mayo Constitution
Covering: Family notices, local & national affairs, advertisements
Discover: The realities of life in historic Ireland
SEARCH NOW »

Thursday, November 24, 2016

THE EIGHTH ANNUAL GREAT GENEALOGY POETRY CHALLENGE POSTS

Welcome to the Eighth Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge wrap up. There were some very
interesting submissions this year, The subjects range over various subjects  but all the poems have some
connection to our family histories from family events to the symbol of a state where a family has lived
for generations. Follow the links below to read them all,  The posts are:



Dorene Paul's family has deep roots in Ohio, the "Buckeye State" , so it's not surprising that her
entry in this year's challenge is a poem about the tree that gives that state its nickname. You can
read " The Buckeye Tree, a Poem by Karl Laurent " on Dorene's blog Graveyard Rabbit of Sandusky
Bay. The next time I visit Ohio I need to see one of these trees.


Over the years Heather Wilkinson Rojo has shared the poetry of her British born grandmother Bertha (Roberts)Wilkinson.  Bertha wrote poems about New England  that make me see the scenes she was describing.  This year Heather shares  "Winter in New England"  in her post "The 8th  Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge" over at Nutfield Genealogy.


Losing a child to death is every parent's nightmare.  John Tew's  great grandmother "Nettie"
(Flagg) Cooke lost three. John thinks writing  poetry was cathartic for his ancestor. John shares one about her son Russell in the post  "A Poem on Little Russell's Passing" (October 17, 2016) at his blog Filiopietism Prism. He's included family pictures and images of the original handwritten poem.


Katherine Schober 's business is translating letters written by her clients' German ancestors. So
it was ironic when she recently found a poem written by her own German ancestor Wilhelm Muller on the subject of old letters. She's translated it into English and posted it into English.
It's entitled "On Old Letters"  and you can read it over on her SK Translations website.


Celia Laighton Thaxter was a popular New England poet who wrote many poems about her native Isles of Shoals in the Gulf of Maine. One  of them, A Woman Of Star Island, describes the toll life  on the Isles took on some women, and Janice Webster Brown of the Cow Hampshire blog wonders how much of that description  would fit her own ancestor Elinor (Urin)Wellcomb. Janice shares the poem and story in her 2016: The 8th Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge.


Barbara Poole has won the Willy Puckerbrush Award for this year's Challenge. The Award is in honor of the late Terry Thornton who would post humorous stories and poems on his genealogy blog under the name of Willy Puckerbrush. Barbara's post at her Life From the Roots blog is Father Abbey's Will: Very Funny and Very Sad. It was written in 1732 Boston by her distant cousin Jonathan Seccombe and it lists the possessions"Father Abbey" leaves to his heir. I have managed to find the probate files for many of my ancestors and have always been fascinated by the items listed in the estate inventories. Reading the poem made me grin because I've seen many of the items in the poem in my own ancestors' wills. Barbara also includes information about her relative and some background on the poem.


Every October I post what I call "Halloween Tales": stories or poems  about some of strange and spooky happenings in New England. This year I found a poem by my distant cousin John Greenleaf Whittier that's based on an actual tragedy, the wreck of the ship "Palantine". Whittier added a supernatural element to the story,  turning the Palantine into a ghost ship. The post is  called HALLOWEEN TALES: "THE PALANTINE" BY JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER and you can read it here on West in New England.

That concludes this year's Challenge. Please take the time to visit and read the contributors' blogs, and leave comments to show your appreciation.

And as always, my thanks to all those who took part in the Challenge. You folks are fantastic!


Tuesday, November 22, 2016

NOVEMBER 22ND, 1963

On November 22, 1963 I was a sophomore at Abington High School here in Abington, Ma. It was
near the end of the school day, and I was in my last class, American History with Mr Smith. Suddenly
the door at the back of the room opened and Mr.Divoll walked in from his room and told us the
president had been shot.

Mr. Divoll was the Drama Coach as well as a history teacher and was known to use a little theater in
his classes, so at first I wasn't sure what this was all about. When he said it again, this time using
President Kennedy's name, reality hit me.

I don't remember if we were dismissed from school early that day. I suspect not. School got out for
the day at 2pm and the news that JFK was dead broke around 2:30. So most of us had gone home by
then. Mom usually watched the CBS soap operas so when they switched to live coverage of what had
happened it was Walter Cronkite who told us the awful news.

Two days later my family went to my Uncle Ed's house for Thanksgiving dinner and we heard on the
car radio that Jack Ruby had killed Lee Harvey Oswald.

Of course the whole country was in shock but JFK's death really hit New England hard, especially
we Irish Roman Catholics. JFK was the first of us elected president, and it was a tremendous source of
pride, especially in Massachusetts. His election had been the ultimate triumph of generations of Irish
immigrants over anti-Irish Catholic discrimination.

I remember the pictures of the Kennedy children, and watching the funeral procession with the riderless
horse. I remember the cadence of the drums.

It was the start of one of the most turbulent eras in our history, but I didn't know it at the time. 

EATING AT THE KIDS TABLE

((I first posted these Thanksgiving memories in 2011))


Thanksgiving is approaching and it brings back memories of Thanksgivings
when we were kids.

If we were hosting the family that year, Dad would be up early in the
morning cooking the bird. I don't know how many companies do it
today but back then many employers gave their workers a frozen
turkey for Thanksgiving so when that happened my parents would
decide if it was big enough for the whole family and guests. If not,
it would stay in the freezer and they'd buy a bigger turkey. The smaller
one would be used for a Sunday dinner for the family a few weeks later.

When the rest of us got up my sister and I would watch the Thanksgving
Day parades on TV while Mom and Dad started on the rest of the food.
The most critical part of the preparations was the stuffing which had to
turn out moist at the meal. I don't know exactly how this was done
nearly every year except that for most of my childhood my folks used
Bell Stuffing in the bird. (When we were older, there was often "backup"
Stove Top Stuffing for when the "made in the bird" stuffing ran out).
   
But no matter whether we were hosting Thanksgiving or if  it was at our
Uncle Ed and Aunt Mimi's house, there were certain traditions. One was
the kids' table, usually in the kitchen or at the doorway between the dining
room and the living room. In the early years, four of us were seated there:
myself, my sister Cheryl, and our cousins Winnie and Richie.For us, the
most important part of the meal was who was going to get the drumsticks.
After all, there were only two drumsticks and there were four of us! Our
parents at first solved the problem by using a rotating system that was based
on age: Winnie and I were the older and would get the drumsticks at that
Thanksgiving, and Cheryl and Richie would get them at Christmas, since
the families served turkey for the holiday dinner then, This worked for a few
years until my Aunt and Uncle had two more boys, Little Eddie and Vincent,
but by that time somebody had figured out they could buy extra drumsticks
at the supermarket and chaos was averted.

Eventually, one by one, we all outgrew the kids' table and the need to be
the one who ate the drumstick. I found out that I liked the slices of dark
meat better and that cranberry sauce was my favorite part of the main
meal. I also learned that if we were eating at my Aunt and Uncle's house
I should leave room for the second course of all the Italian food, especially
the lasagna. If the meal were at our house, there was a later leftover
sandwich with turkey and stuffing and maybe a little more cranberry sauce
on it.

One not so pleasant Thanksgiving memory was the turkey I forgot. I was
working somewhere at the time, (I forget now if it were for Child World or
Big L Drug Discount Stores) and I got a frozen holiday turkey from the
company which I loaded into the back floor of my car before I drove home.

I forgot it was in the car...

For two days....

Luckily, it wasn't a very warm November.

But it did look sort of green when I finally remembered it was there and
took it inside.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

FINDMYPAST FRIDAY RECORDS COLLECTION RELEASES FOR 18 NOVEMBER 2016

Over 2 million new records from Britain, Ireland and Australia make up this week's Findmypast 
Friday record releases:

 
The 1939 Register
OVER 2 MILLION "CLOSED RECORDS"  have been opened up to mark the first anniversary of the online publication of the 1939 register. Explore more than 32.8 million records to find out where your ancestors were living and what they were doing on the eve of war. 

SEARCH THESE RECORDS »


New South Wales, Government Railways and Tramways Roll Of Honour, 1914-1919
OVER 1,000 RECORDS
Discover your ancestors in this index of New South Wales railway and tramway employees that died while serving in the First World War. Find out which branch they worked for and the military unit they fought with.
SEARCH THESE RECORDS »

 

Britain, The National Guard In The Great War 1914-1918
316 PAGES
Explore a fascinating publication from 1920 that celebrates the role of the ‘Home Guard’ during the First World War. Included in the volume are a number of photographs and lists of the men who served, including those who went on to join the regular forces as the war progressed.
SEARCH THESE RECORDS »

Ireland, 19th Century Directories
OVER 146,000 RECORDS
Search across more than 120 volumes of fascinating Irish directories to learn more about your Irish ancestors. Trace your relatives through each annual edition, or learn more about the world in which your ancestor lived.
SEARCH THESE RECORDS »

Friday, November 18, 2016

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

Thursday, November 17, 2016

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. Updated this year to include Warren Line #2))


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 #1 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 #2 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 #1 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.




Warren #2 Through Dunham Line:

Richard Warren & Elizabeth (LNU)
Ann Warren & Thomas Little
Hannah Little & Stephen Tilden
Mary Tilden & James Thomas
John Thomas & Abigail Dunham
Mary Thomas & John Dunham
James Dunham  & Cynthia Packard
James Thomas Dunham & Sally Houghton
Florilla Dunham & Asa Ellingwood
Clara Ellingwood & Philip J West
Floyd E West Sr & Cora Bertha Barker

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

FINAL DEADLINE REMINDER FOR THE GREAT GENEALOGY POETRY CHALLENGE.

There's only two days left to submit a blogpost for Eighth Annual Great Genealogy Poetry
Challenge. The deadline is November 17th!

These 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 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 17th
and I'll publish all links to the entries on Thanksgiving Day, November 24th!

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.

Monday, November 14, 2016

CYPRIAN STEVENS' LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL REVISITED

((UPDATE: It's been seven years since I posted this and since then I've discovered that
I have Moore, Whitcomb, Wilder, and Fairbanks ancestors. So only three names listed below  
are not those of a direct ancestor or a cousin. First posted in  February 2009))


I found a few more things during my research on Simon Willard that
touched on some of my ancestors. One of them is this transcription at
Genealogy.com by Janice Farnsworth of "Lancaster in Philip's War:
The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts 1643 - 1725 Edited by
Henry S. Nourse, A.M. Lancaster, 1884 (page 107)





"Lancaster March 11, 1675/6 - Letter to the Governor and Counsell -"A
humble Petition of the poor distressed people of Lancaster (excerpt)
"...many of us heare in this prison, have not bread to last us one month &
our other provisions spent & gon, for the genrallyty, our Town is drawn
into two garisons - sixteen soulders....we areseartaynly a bayt (bait) for
the enemy. We are sorrowful to leave the place but hoplesse to keep it
unlesse mayntayed by the Cuntrey....our women cris dus daily...which dus
not only fill our ears but our hearts full of Greefe and makes us humbly
Request yo'r Hon'rs to send a Gard of men & that if you please so comand
we may have Carts about fourteen will re-move the whool eight of which has
presed long at Sudbury but never came for want of a small gard of men, the
whooll that is, all that are in the Garison, Kept in Major Willards house
which is all from y're Hon'rs most humble servants & suplyants -
Lancast'r March 11, 1675/6 Jacob FFarrar
John Houghton Sen'r
John Moore
John Whittcomb
Job Whittcomb
Jonathan Whittcomb
John Houghton Jun'r
Cyprian Steevens


The other garrison are in like distresse & soe humbly desire yo'r like
pitty & ffatherly care, having widows & many fatherless children - the
number of carts to Carey away this garison is twenty carts. Yo'r Hon'rs
Humble pettisioners
John Prescott Sen'r
Tho. Sawyer Sen'r
Tho. Sawyer Jun'r
Jonathan Prescott
Tho Willder
John willder
Sarah Wheeler, Wid.
Widow Ffarbanks
John Rigby
Nathaniell Wilder
John Rooper
Widow Rooper

The whole is in the handwriting of Cyprian Steevens.
[Massachusetts Archives, LXVII, 156.] "

Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth

What struck me reading this was the names of those in the garrison. They include my
direct ancestors John Prescott, Thomas Sawyer, Senior and Thomas Sawyer, Junior
in the second garrison two of my Houghton relatives in the first. It reminded me again
of how many of my ancestors were so close to a violent death during the Indian wars
of New England. Some, as I've mentioned in earlier posts, did not escape it. One of
those things that historians sometimes ponder is "What If?" If more of my colonist
ancestors had died, I and many more of their descendants wouldn't be around to
trace our ancestry.

As it was, Thomas Sawyer Junior was to have another encounter with Indians
some years later, and I'll be telling that story soon.

Thank you to Janice Farnsworth for granting me permission to use her transcription!

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 45: JOHN WHITE OF LANCASTER MA.

I've been finding conflicting information about the ancestors of  7x great grandmother Mary (Hayward)
Whitcomb, so for the moment I am putting that aside and moving on to the family of 6x great grandmother
Elizabeth (White) Whitcomb. the wife of David Whitcomb Jr.

Elizabeth's family was another prominent one in Lancaster, Ma.Her great grandfather John White is often
described as "the richest man in town" and was another of the early settlers.

 Here's his section in Henry Steadman Nourse's book about Lancaster:


JOHN WHITE’S LANDS.

No record of John White’s first allotment is found in the Book of Lands, though this is probably an omission of the copyist. We know, however, that the house lot joined Atherton’s, and that his house stood upon the east end of it. Direct descendants have resided upon the land until modern days, and perhaps the first settler’s home was on or quite near the site of Edward Houghton’s residence. Goodman White, however, owned the land across the highway, bounding upon the river. He came here from Salem, where he was admitted an inhabitant in 1639, and had an estate in what is now Wenham, upon which his eldest son, Thomas, remained. He brought with him to Lancaster his wife Joanna, a son Josiah, Elizabeth, who married Henry Kerley November 2, 1654, Mary, wife of the Reverend Joseph Rowlandson, and Hannah, who married John Divoll in 1663. He had also married daughters Joanna and Sarah. His wife died in 1654. Hannah, the youngest daughter, we learn from his will, was " a nurse to him in his old age,” and the Lancaster estate was bequeathed to her and her brother Josiah. John White died in the spring of 1673, his will being signed March 10, and offered for probate May 28th of that year. His son Josiah died November II, 1714. The famous Indian fighter, Captain John White, was son of Josiah.pp253-254

The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts. 1643-1725  W. J. Coulter,  Lancaster, Ma. 1884



Friday, November 11, 2016

FINDMYPAST FRIDAY RECORDS COLLECTION RELEASES FOR 11 NOVEMBER 2016

There are 2.3 millions records added to the Findmypast databases in this week's Findmypast Friday
releases. They include:




BRAND NEW RECORDS

Britain, Campaign, Gallantry & Long Service Medals & Awards
OVER 6.1 MILLION RECORDS  Over 171,000 new additions have been merged with our existing medal collections to form this comprehensive index of British Army, Royal Marines, Royal Navy, and Merchant Navy personnel who were recognised for their service, courage, and accomplishments in times of war and conflict.
 

SEARCH THESE RECORDS »

 

British Royal Navy, Ships' Musters
OVER  280,000 RECORDS
Find seafaring ancestors in the Royal Navy before service records began in 1853. Covering the years 1739 to 1861, muster roll books record the names and birth details of every person present on board a ship.
 

SEARCH THESE RECORDS »

 

British Royal Naval Reserve 1899-1930
OVER 81,000 RECORDS
Explore service cards of officers and ratings who served with the RNR and uncover the names, ranks and dates of service of RNR personnel as well as details of awards, promotions and notes on their character and behaviour during combat.
 

SEARCH THESE RECORDS »

Lower Canada Census 1825
OVER 74,000 RECORDS
Search early census records covering modern day Labrador and southern Quebec. Learn the language your ancestor spoke as well as where and with how many people they lived.
 

SEARCH THESE RECORDS »


ADDITIONAL RECORDS FOR EXISTING SETS:



British Royal Navy & Royal Marines Service and Pension Records, 1704-1919
New Records: 185,393
Total records: 1,096,737
Covering: Greenwich Pensioners - over 230 years of British naval history from 1704 to 1934
Discover: Details of your ancestor’s career with the Royal Navy, such as their period of service, where they served, when they joined and if they were wounded in the line of duty
 

SEARCH THESE RECORDS »


Newspapers – Military
New articles: 1,560,366
New titles: The Naval & Military Gazette and Weekly Chronicle of the United Service
Covering: Military affairs, British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force
Discover: The rich history of the British Armed Forces
 

SEARCH THESE RECORDS »

Thursday, November 10, 2016

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 44: RICHARD LINTON OF LANCASTER MA.

As was mentioned in the last post in this series. Ann (Linton) Waters was the daughter
of my 9x great grandfather Richard Linton, another of my Lancaster, Ma. ancestors.

Here's what Henry Steadman Nourse wrote about him in The Early Records of Lancaster:
 
In September. 1645, Richard Linton deeded his house
and lot in Watertown to Robert Sanderson. About that
date, or perhaps earlier, he and his son-in-law. Lawrence
Waters, began life with their families upon the Nashaway,
having been induced by the first proprietors to undertake
the task of preparing the way for further settlement. He
died March 30, 1665. and by his will it would seem that
his wife Elizabeth outlived him. His house stood upon the
west side of the present street, somewhere between the
residences of Miss Levantia Bradley and Henry M. Lath-
am, but he owned the land along the opposite side of the
way for sixty rods, including the ground upon which the
public buildings stand. His daughter, Anne Waters, re-
ceived ten acres of this in trust for his grandson, Joseph
Waters. The other lands he left lo another grandson,
George Bennett, who being slain in the massacre August
22, 1675, Samuel Bennett, his son, succeeded to possession.

-p252

 The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts. 1643-1725  W. J. Coulter,  Lancaster, Ma. 1884



I've found the image of Richard Linton's will over at AmericanAncestors.org and will evetually
transcribe it.



Wednesday, November 09, 2016

FINDMYPAST GRANT FOUR DAYS OF FREE ACCESS TO ALL MILITARY RECORDS FOR VETERANS DAY 2016



                     FINDMYPAST GRANT FOUR DAYS OF
                         FREE ACCESS TO ALL MILITARY
                     RECORDS FOR VETERANS DAY 2016

·         Findmypast makes entire collection of more than 70 million world
                                           military records free for four days

·         All UK, Irish, Australian, Canadian and US military records free
                                     from the 10th to the 13th November 2016

·         Includes free access to over 43 million US and Canada military
                                                            records

Leading family history website, Findmypast, has just announced that
they will be making their entire collection of military records free
for four days to coincide with Veterans Day 2016.

From 04:00 EST, 10th November until 18:59 GMT, 13th November
2016, all 70 million records within Findmypast’s “Military, Armed Forces and Conflict” category will be completely free to search and
explore, providing family historians from around the globe the
opportunity to uncover the stories of the military heroes within their
own family.

This will include free access to;

·         Over 43 million US and Canada military records

·         Over 1.3 million United States Army enlistment records

·         Over 1.1 million United States Civil War Pension File
Index records

·         Over 89,000 Revolutionary War Pensions

·         Millions of Civil War soldiers, sailors, veterans and
medal records.

·         Millions of records covering US forces in Korea, Vietnam
and WW2

·         Over 26.4 million British military Records including the
most comprehensive collection of British Army service records
both for WW1 and pre WW1 - these multiple page
documents were released in partnership with The National
Archives and are packed with fascinating biographical details
such as the names and addresses of next of kin, physical
descriptions and character references from commanding
officers

·         The most comprehensive British Royal Nave and Royal
Air Force collections available online

·         Over 2.6 million POW records in our exclusive Prisoners
of War 1715-1945 collection.

·         Over 1.1 million WW2 casualty records

·         Soldiers Died In The Great War 1914-1919 records

·         Over 1.5 million medal index cards, memorial rolls and
roll of honour records

·         Military tribunal records - the records of thousands of
men who attempted to avoid conscription

·         Military Nurses 1856-1994 records

                              Free Live Webinar

On Friday November 11th at 11:00 EST, Findmypast will be hosting

a free Remembrance Day  Webinar presented by in-house military
expert, Paul Nixon. In “Unpicking the past: revealing secrets in old
military photographs”, Mr Nixon will demonstrate how anyone can
 turn detective using old military photographs, military records and
historic newspapers to uncover clues which in turn open up further
avenues of research.

Learn more at:  http://www.findmypast.com/military-records  



Monday, November 07, 2016

ON VETERANS' DAY 2016

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.

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


Sunday, November 06, 2016

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 42: LAWRENCE WATERS OF LANCASTER MA.

I was having a hard time finding any information online for both my 9x great grandfather Lawrence
Waters and his father-in-law Richard Linton. Luckily, Henry Steadman Nourse had brief biographies of
both in his book The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts 1643-1725. They follow descriptions
of their land holdings : 

THE LANDS OF LAWRENCE WATERS

his housee Lott. The house Lott of Lawrence Waters part whareof Lies in that feild he hath enclosed by his house their being six acors and half and nine acors of enteruail in that feild butting south upon the high way that Lyes between the Carting place in the north Riuer and it bounds north upon the Lott or orchard of Richard Linton and upon the Lott of Robert Brick and bounded east by a highway that Goes to quasaponikin meadows and west and south west by the North Riuer upon which he hath planted his house garden and orchard both which persels of upland and Enteruail being parte of his house Lott and enteruail Lott more he hath apart of his upland Lott Lying on the east side of the Swans Swamp being about thirteen acres and half or thare abouts : bounded South by a brook and north by a hill at the side of the pine plain and west by the Swans Swamp and buting east upon a Littel Corner of a plaine:

his enteruail Lott More he hath eleuen acres of enteruaile Lying on the east side of Penicook Riuer butting east upon the high way that Goes to the Plumtrees and west upon the Riuer it Lyes bounded South by sum common entervail Reserued for a lott and north by sum ent’eruail that was sum time Laid out for a Lott to Goodman Wilder: all which parcels of upland and enteruail Lying for his upland Lott and enteruail Lott and Lying for fourtie acres be thay more or Less.

Lawrence Waters, a carpenter of Watertown, was one of three sent up, in 1645, by the grantees of the Nashaway Plantation, to make suitable preparation for their own coming. By his wife Ann Linton he had six children born in Watertown: Lawrence, Feb. 14, 1635; Sarah, Dec. 7, 1636; Mary, Jan. 27, 1638; Rebecca, February, 1640; Daniel, Feb. 6, 1642; Stephen, Jan. 24, 1643; and the following born in Lancaster: Adam, I645 (?); Joseph, April 29, 1647; Jacob and Rachel, March 1, 1649; Samuel, Feb. 14, 1651 ; Joanna, March 26, 1653; Ephraim, Jan. 27, 1655. The proprietors assigned him a lot upon which he built a house, probably the second building erected by white men in Lancaster, (the trucking house on George Hill being the first). This house was situated in the grounds now owned by Caleb T Symmes, Esq. Waters, before 1650, had sold his home to John Hall, and it became the property successively of Richard Smith, John Tinker, Major Simon Willard, Cyprian Stevens, and Simon Stevens. Waters removed but a few rods, building on the lot above described, the chief portion of which is now the homestead of S. J. S. Vose, Esq. He became a freeman in 1663. After the massacre of 1676, we find him with his wife, and Samuel with his wife and two children, seeking shelter in Charlestown, where Stephen became responsible to the authorities for them. Lawrence Waters was then blind. He died December 9th, 1687, in Charlestown, aged about eighty-five years, outliving his wife seven years. Joseph Waters came back in 1679, and occupied part of his father’s and grandfather’s lands. In the distribution of the estate of Lieutenant Nathaniel Wilder, in 1709, there was given to Oliver, the youngest son, " upland and Interval where Lawrence Waters formerly Dwelt about fifteen acres,” and the inventory shows that it had been bought of John Skeath, the husband of Waters’ oldest daughter, Sarah. In 1714, Simon Stevens, whose wife was Mary, daughter of Lieutenant Nathaniel Wilder, sold to Hooker Osgood " Lawrence Waters’ lot on the Neck bounded southerly and easterly by ye Highway, west and south west by the River.” Adam Waters, perhaps the first born of English parents in Lancaster, in 1663 bought John Smith’s lot upon George Hill. He died 1670, at Charlestown
.pp260-1

The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts. 1643-1725  W. J. Coulter,  Lancaster, Ma. 1884


Once again I'm reminded of how many of my Lancaster ancestors narrowly escaped death in that 1676
Indian attack.

FINDMYPAST FRIDAY RECORDS COLLECTION RELEASES FOR 4 NOVEMBER 2016

Fimdmypast has added 2.8 million brand new records to their database this week:



United States Marriages
OVER 2.7 MILLION RECORDS  Significant new additions from 12 states including Kentucky, Florida, Vermont, Alabama and Illinois have been added to our collection of United States marriage records.
SEARCH THESE RECORDS »


Duty Locations, Naval Group China, World War II, 1942-1945
OVER 33,000 RECORDS
Find out if your military ancestor served overseas with the United States’ Naval Group China during World War II and uncover details of their rank, rate of pay, and where they were stationed.
SEARCH THESE RECORDS »


1840 U.S. Census, Revolutionary War Veterans
OVER 21,000 RECORDS
Did your ancestors take up arms to fight for independence from British rule? Discover whether your military ancestors, or their next of kin, received pensions in 1840 for serving in the Revolutionary War.
SEARCH THESE RECORDS


New Zealand Wars, Officers and Men Killed 1860-1870
193 RECORDS
Find out if you have ancestors that fought and died in the New Zealand Wars with nominal returns of colonial officers and men who were killed in action between 1860 and 1870. Discover your ancestor’s death date, rank, and corps in this index.
SEARCH THESE RECORDS »



New Zealand, Military Pensions 1900-1902
OVER 5,000 RECORDS
Discover if your ancestor was eligible for a military pension and uncover details of their next of kin with a collection of transcripts recording former servicemen who were eligible for military pensions in 1900 and 1902.
SEARCH THESE RECORDS »


Ireland, Royal Hibernian Military School History
168 PAGES
Explore the history of the Royal Hibernian Military School in Dublin with a fascinating publication that includes transcriptions from memorial inscriptions, a roll of honour from the First World War, and transcripts from both the 1901 and 1911 census.
SEARCH THESE RECORDS »


Ireland Military Records
OVER 2,700  RECORDS
This collection comprises 8 different Irish military publications including memorial inscriptions, army lists, and popular novels. Search for your ancestor among the names listed and learn more about their life in the army.
SEARCH THESE RECORDS »

Saturday, November 05, 2016

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 41: DAVID WHITCOMB JR. OF BOLTON, MA.

My 6x great grandfather David Whitcomb lseems to have led a pretty quiet life compared to some of his
othee relatives, His marriage to Betty White, however, brought a connection to another of the founding
families of Lancaster, Ma.

Again, from Charlotte Whitcomb's history of the Whitcomb family:

20 DAVID WHITCOMB,* (David.^ Josiah,^ John,*) was married in Lancaster, Mass., January 13. 1730, or 1731, to Betty White. He joined the Lancaster church, July i8, 1736, and in 1741 was dismissed to the Bolton, Mass., church. He was called "Deacon." His will, probated December 5, 1786, mentions ten children.
CHILDREN:
+53- JOHN,5 born November 13 or 24, 1731.
54. EUNICE,5 born December 10, 1733; was married December i, 1768,  perhaps to Jeremiah Wilson, perhaps to Timothy Houghton.
55. PRUDENCE,5 born October 29, 1735; married November 28, 1754, to Israel Greenleaf of Bolton; fourteen children; died September 15, 1784.
56. TILLY,5 born November 22, 1737; died December 30, 1741 or 1742.
+57. LEVI, 5 born October 21, 1739.
58. BETTY, 5 born February 28, 1743 or 1744.
+59- JOSHUA,5 born May 2, 1746.
60. RELIEF,5 born March 14, 1748; died October 27, 1786.
+61. DAVID, 5 born February 18, 1749 or 1750.
62. SILENCE,5 born December 16, 1752; married Jonas Hale of Stow, Mass., Nov. 24, 1778.
63. ABEL, 5 born 1753.
pp401-2
 The Whitcomb family in America : a biographical genealogy with a chapter on our English forbears
"by the name of Whetcombe"  Minneapolis, Minnestota, October, 1904


Thursday, November 03, 2016

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 40: DAVID WHITCOMB OF BOLTON, MA.

Charlotte Whitcomb's entry on my 7x great grandfather David Whitcomb Sr. in her Whitcomb
family history had some surprises for me: another connection with the Fairbanks family, a former
Indian captive, a possible Mayflower connection, and a description of how a tavernkeeper was to
conduct his business:

5 DAVID WHITC0MB,3 ( Josiah,2 John,1 ) was married May 31, 1700, in Concord. Mass., to widow Mary (Hayward) Fairbanks, who was descended from Resolve White who came over in the May-
flower. Her husband. Jonathan Fairbanks, was killed by Indians at Lancaster, Mass., September 4, 1697; she was taken captive, but was returned January 17, 1699, on the Province Galley from Casco Bay. While in captivity she acquired a knowledge of herbs which resulted in her afterwards dispensing medicine and being called "Doctress." They lived in the Southeastern -corner of Bolton, Mass., where they kept a tavern, as is shown by the following :

"To the Honorable Justices for ye county of Middlesex these may sertifie that whereas Mr. David Whetcombe of Lancaster hath anplyde himselfe to us the subscribers for our approbation for his selling strong Drink by Retale, we accordingly Request that your Hon'rs would please to grant the same.
JOHN HOUGHTON,
PETER JOSLIN,
JONAS HOUGHTON,
Dated Lan. July 7, 1717-8."
Selectmen. 


The following extract from his "Bond" sets forth in plain terms David's duties and responsibihties as inn-keeper :
"He shal not suffer, or have, any playinge at cards, dice, lally, bowls, ninepins, billiards, or any other unlawful game or games in his said house, or yard, or garden, or backside, nor shal sufifer to remain m his house enny person or persons, not being his own family, on Saturday night after dark or Sabbath days, or during the tyme of God's publick worrship ; nor shal he entertain as lodgers in his house any strangers, men or women, above the space of forty and eight hours, but such whose names and surnames he shal deliver to some one of the selectmen or constable of the towne, unless they shal be such as he verry well knoweth and will ensure for his or her forthcoming — nor shal sell enny wine to the Indians or negroes, nor suffer any children, or servant, or other person, to remane in his house tippling or drinking after nine o'clock in the night— nor shal buy or take to preserve any stolen goodes, nor knowingly or willingly harbor in his house, barn, stable, or othenvise. any rogues, vagabonds, thieves, sturdy beggars, or offenders whatsoever— nor shal anny person or persons whatsoever sell or utter any wine, ale, cider, rum or other liquors by defaulting, or by color of his License— nor shal entertain any person or persons whom he shal be prohibited by law, or by enny one of the Magistrates of the community, as persons of jolly conversation, or given to tippling." 


David Whitcomb died intestate April 11, 1730, and his wife, Mary, died January 5th, 1734, in the sixty-seventh year of her age.' Real estate owned by David was divided among his family by partition proceedings. (Concerning David's children, the dates and order of birth are not positively known.)
CHILDREN:
+20. DAVID,* born , Lancaster, Mass.
+21. JONATHAN,-» born , Lancaster, Mass. '
+22. JOSEPH,** born 1700, (?) Lancaster, Mass.
23. REBECCA,* baptized 1708; married Ezra Sawyer, January 16, 172; or 1726.
+24. BENJAMIN,* baptized October or November 26, 1710, Lancaster. Mass.
+25. SIMON,* baptized March 7. 1713 or 1714, Lancaster, Mass.


pp308-310
The Whitcomb family in America : a biographical genealogy with a chapter on our English forbears
"by the name of Whetcombe"  Minneapolis, Minnestota, October, 1904


Wednesday, November 02, 2016

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 39: JOSIAH WHITCOMB OF BOLTON, MA.

My 8x great grandfather Josiah Whitcomb was one of my ancestors who lived in a
time of war with the Indians and Indians, and in this, written by Charlotte Whitcomb
in her history of the family:

JOSIAH WHITCOMB,- (John,1) was born in Dorchester, Mass., in 1638, according to
Dorchester town records, and is believed to have been the youngest son of John.'
He accompanied his father's family from Scituate to Lancaster, Mass.. in 1654,
and his name appears variously in the early records of life in the new town. In
1688 he was granted a bounty for killing a wolf,* and again he was named with
his brother Job in an action for damages for accidentally or otherwise injuring
or killing swine. (See page 32, this Book. )

Josiah was married January 4, 1664, in Lancaster, to Rebecca, daughter of
Lawrence and Ann Linton Waters, of Watertown, Lancaster and Charlestown,
Mass. She was born in February, 1640.

During Queen Ann's war (1702-17) he was allowed a garrison for protection
against the. Indians. This garrison was situated in what is now called Bolton,
originally a part of Lancaster, but set oft in 1736, and he lived in the southeastern
part of this Bolton. He was commander of the garrison and with him were
associated his sons, Josiah, David and Hezekiah, his son-in-law, Jacob Houghton,
also Henry Houghton and John Wilder. Jr.

In 1705 he was selectman: in 1705 he and twenty-nine others signed the church
covenant and. as he was financially in good circumstances, he contributed liberally
towards the support of the church; in 1 710 he was elected to represent Lancaster
in the General Court.

In his will, drawn March 20. 1718. he gave to each of his children one-eighth part of
his right to land in the plantation of Littleton. His widow, who survived him eight years,
died in 1726,

Though Jonathan's recorded posterity is, numerically, the largest of the sons of John1,
there is reason to believe Tosiah"s posterity is at least as numerous. The tabulated
records of Josiah's descendants nearly equal those of Jonathan. while those records
which are known to exist, but which are not yet obtained, outnumber the corresponding
class in any other line.


CHILDREN:

3. JOSIAH,  born November 12, 1665; died same day.

+4. J0SIAH, born January 7, 1666 or 1667.

+5. DAVID, born February 20. 1668.

6. REBECCA, born November 12. 1671; married Jacob Houghton, 1704.

7. JOHANNAH, born March 8, 1674; was married December 26, 1708, to Peter Joslin,
and died September 24, 1717.

+8. HEZEKIAH, born September 14, 1681.

9. DEBORAH,  born December 26, 1683; probably died early, as she was
not named in will.

10. DAMARIS,  married in Marlboro, Mass., to Nathaniel  Wilder.

11. MARY twin   both named in father's will.

12. ABIGAIL,  born March 13, 1687 or 1688; married to Josiah White, June 26, 1706.

13. EUNICE, born — — .


pp396-398

The Whitcomb family in America : a biographical genealogy with a chapter on our English forbears
"by the name of Whetcombe"  Minneapolis, Minnestota, October, 1904