To recap the story so far: Before leaving on a trip, John Rolfe asked my
ancestor to watch over his wife,Mary Rofe, while he was away. John's
step daughter Elizabeth Webster went to stay with Elizabeth. Meanwhile,
two strangers, Henry Greenland and John Cordin who apparently were
both physicians, had taken a room at the Emerys' husehold.
Two things about the text: in some words the letter v had been transcribed
as a letter u. So "unciuill discourse" is "uncivill discourse".
The other mater is the word sampe mentioned at the dinner. Sampe was
a corn mush that was originally a Native American dish.
The first testimony is from Mary Rolfe and Elizabeth Webster:
"Mary Rolfe and Elizabeth Webster deposed "that the first time that Mr Grenland
Came to our house John Emerie brought him and Mr Cordin and goody Emerie
Came with him and it was late in the night: and John Emerie Came before and
asked whether the old man wer a bed and said he would bring the two docters
thither: which he did: and about twelve oclock John Emery and his wife went
away and left the two docters there: but before John Emerie went away Came
Richard Doles boy henerie Lesenbe to our house and John Emerie Charged the
boy he should not tell his master who was there.
"hauing Received severall abuses both my selfe and the maide that is with me,
we did agree to be still together and to help on another: upon a time the maide
had ocasion to go to hir father Emeris house about a pere of bodis shee desired
me to go with hir: and when we Cam ther we hering goody Emerie and hir daughter
was in the Chamber, we went up and ther was John Emeri likwis and though
unknown to us this mr Grenland was in the bed sick as they said: at last thay went
down all but goodman Emeri and I: and I thought to speke to mr Greenland about
the abuse he ofred to me: before goodman Emerie he formerly pretending to be a
friend to me I tooke this opertunitie I siting upon the Chest: but before I Could
speke, mr grenland Called me to speke with him, I bid him speke but he said I
should Com neerer to speke in privat: but I said here is non but goodman Emerie
but he Ernestly desired me to Com neerer, so I came and he Catched me by the
apron and broke my apron strings and I gaue way to saue my apron and he Caught
me by the arme and pulled me . . . then I said sir I wonder you ar so unciuell . . .
then I Called to goodman Emerie and asked him if it wer not an unciuell part:
then Mr Grenland said if his landlord would say it is an unciuell part he would let
me go: but goodman Emerie made no answer but Laught nether would he help me
. . . though I spoke to him: but with striving I got from him and went downe out of
the Chamber: after this Mr grenland Came down: and John Emerie Invited us to
supper and when Mr Grenland and we wer sett down to supper and while John
Emerie was Craving a blesing and before John Emerie had half don Mr grenland
put on his hatt and spread his napkin and stored the sampe and saide Com
Landlord light supper short grace.
"After supper ther was a great del of Rude and unciuill discors mr grenland speking
that if hes wife should dy he would not marrie ... he had a pretee young wife . . .
This besid a greet del of such lik discourc ther being John Emeris young son and
daughter and his wifs daughter and William Neffe and divers others."
So far John Emery doesn't come off too well in this account of events. He doesn't
seem to be too concerned about Greenland's advances towards Mary Rolfe.
There'd been some hanky panky upstairs and downstairs. Now it was about to move
"up in milady's chambers."
To be continued.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
ON VETERANS' DAY 2012
On Veteran's Day I'd like to pay tribute to the members of
our family who have served our country from it's birth. I don't
have all the details of the service records, and I'm sure I will
discover more relatives with service records, but this is what
I have so far. I've updated the list to include my recent discovery
of Nathaniel Barker's service in the War of 1812:
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
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
My nephew Paul Skarinka
our family who have served our country from it's birth. I don't
have all the details of the service records, and I'm sure I will
discover more relatives with service records, but this is what
I have so far. I've updated the list to include my recent discovery
of Nathaniel Barker's service in the War of 1812:
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
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
My nephew Paul Skarinka
Saturday, November 10, 2012
FLYBOYS 2012
((I'm reposting this today in hopes that perhaps the relatives of the men
in the photograph might one day find this picture of their veterans. First posted
June, 2008))
I think I may have posted this photo once before. It's from
when my Dad was training for the Air Corps during World
War II before he washed out due to inner ear problems.
On the back is a partial list of names of his fellow trainees,
and I'm posting that image now and my attempt at
transcribing it here in the hopes that the children and
grandchildren of these men might find it someday and see
how they looked in their uniforms before they went off to
war.
Because of the way the men are grouped it's hard for me to
assign names to specific faces. The only two I can are Michael
D. Piper Jr. and Lonnie (or Lennie?) L. Parker (?) standing to
either side of my father Floyd E. West Jr. at the far right end
of the back row. I think the first name is actually Lee Mill
Sanders and that he just signed the list "last name first."
I also noticed that Daniel M. Jeffrey's name appears twice.
The first entry is crossed over so I've assumed that either
someone else had posted the name in the wrong place or he
had done so himself and then corrected his mistake. I've
changed the first entry to "unknown".
So here they are. I wonder how many of them made it
home after the war, and I thank them for their service
to our country.
Sanders Lee Mill Artesia N.M.
Palmer E. Severson Wanooka (?) Minn,
Jerald L. Swan Beatrice, Nebraska
Helmut Paul Zimmerman, Buffalo, N.Y.
Robert L. Rugg Pueblo, Colorado
Unknown
Charles H. Parman, Skidmore, Mo.
Unknown
Unknown
Bill C. Hays San Angelo, Texas
Unknown
Ward L. Warnock, Camden, Ark.
Michael C. Sanborn (?) Port Arthur, Tex.
Bob Moffet St. Joseph, Mo.
Unknown
Ross Powill, Ellisville Miss
Daniel M. Jeffrey, Jeanette, La.
Allen D. Bailey Mpls Minnesota
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Jack Sessions Colton, California
Jack Wendt -Pecos, Texas
Unknown
Burton L. Steele, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Bob E Wick - Denver, Colorado
James H. Trask, Kansas City, Kansas
William E. Green - Eden, Texas
Unknown
Unknown
Michael D. Piper Jr. Queen City, Mo.
Floyd E. West
Lonnie (or Lennie?) L. Parker (?) Roswell, New Mex.
JOHN EMERY OF NEWBURY PT4
The first records I found were from the March 31, 1663 court session held
at Ipswich , Massachusetts. The spelling and grammar are those used in
the period. You'll notice that the spelling of names change back and forth.
The story starts with this entry. The asterik at the end denotes a footnote.:
"Henry Greeland was charged with several times soliciting Mary, wife of John
Roffe, to adultery, especially on one night when he came into her own house to
bed with her to her great affright. Said Greeleland desired to be tried by a jury,
which request was granted, and they found him guilty. Court sentenced him to
prison to remain until the next session of court and then to be whipped, unless
he pay a fine of thirty pounds. Greeland was bound to good behavior. Capt.
Walter Barfoote and George Gouldwire, sureties.*"
Then follows the footnote, which is a letter concerning the sureties that was
sent to the court the following August:
*Sr
"Mr. Greenland hauing his wife come over is desirous to withdraw his appeale,
& yet is not willing to endanger the forfeiture of his bond especially his sureties,
I told him if he did submit to the sentence of Ipswich court, and could procure
the consent of the Judge of that court to withdraw his appeale I did suppose he
might save the forfeiture of his bond he desired me to signify my opinion to
yourselfe that so if you & Mr Woodman are like minded, he may have that
assurance that may direct him how to act, he will more fully impart his desires
& reasons then is necessary for me to doe, hastily I rest
Yrs "Daniel Denison.
"Ips: Aug. 26, 1663.
"I assent to what is above written
August 26th, 1663 Samuel Symonds.
"I do likewise Asent to what is Above written, Auguste 27th 1663
"p Edward Woodman."
So Henry Greenland was accused and convicted of what might be
described as hanky-panky with Mary Rolfe. He was released pending
his appeal but apparently wanted to drop it by August because of the
arrival of his wife from England.
But back in March, before the case proceeded and the various
witness statements were given, Mary Rolfe petitioned the court:
Letter addressed: "For the Honord Mr Samuel Symonds, these."
Mary Rofe's petition:
"I would desier the honord Court to here me a few words. I am a poor young
woman and in an aflicted Condition. My husband not being with me: he Litl
knowing the trubls I haue met with: being a verie Louing husband to me as
anie young woman Can Expect and provided for me in his absenc that I might
liue Cherfully as he thought and want for nothing therefor he went unto John
Emeris house and got John Emeri and his wife to be willing to let ther daughter
Elizabeth Webster to Com and liue with me and to lye with me untill he Cam
whom again: but by the prouidenc of god this fel out to be hurtfull to me: she
was to worke for hir self and diat hir selfe: and by this means I was occasioned
to go often with hir to hir father Emeris house about his victualls and John
Emerie promist to be || as || a father to me and a frend and Called me daughter
and I him father: and I was often merily disposed as young persons use to be
genrally but no uncivell Carig as goodman Emerie and his wife have both
acknowledged.
But so it fell out in the Intrim this Mr grenland Com to live in John Emeris
house: and this becam a snare to me and Cordin likewise frequenting grenlands
Companie at that house: and I haue bin a salted by them and not only so: but
grenland have Labored with manie of my naibours to posesse them that I am
as guiltie as he and sais he can proue it. I hope it may apeer to the honored
Court that not on of my naibors in all the toune nether neer nor further of
Can say they saw anie uncivell Carridg or hurt by me in ther liues: and what
wittnesses he will bring I know not: what so Euer thay be this is my Comfortt
that I Can say in the psents of god and before his peopl with a good Concienc
that nether grenland nor Cordin nor anie other Man in the world . . . what Euer
Aspercions haue bin Cast upon me it is the hand of god that is upon me and I
desier to be willing to bere it and I hope It shall be a warning to me in what
Companie I com in to henc forward."
mary (her mark) Rofe.
It seemed to me that Mary was a bit nervous about what her neighbors from
Newbury were going to say about her own part in the affair and wanted to get
her side of the story heard first.
I'll conclude this post with the very practical statement of Constable Henry
Jacques:
.""My Charg for Bringen Mr Greenland before the magstrat and for looken
for him is tweleue shilens henry Jaques Constabl neubry"
To be continued.
at Ipswich , Massachusetts. The spelling and grammar are those used in
the period. You'll notice that the spelling of names change back and forth.
The story starts with this entry. The asterik at the end denotes a footnote.:
"Henry Greeland was charged with several times soliciting Mary, wife of John
Roffe, to adultery, especially on one night when he came into her own house to
bed with her to her great affright. Said Greeleland desired to be tried by a jury,
which request was granted, and they found him guilty. Court sentenced him to
prison to remain until the next session of court and then to be whipped, unless
he pay a fine of thirty pounds. Greeland was bound to good behavior. Capt.
Walter Barfoote and George Gouldwire, sureties.*"
Then follows the footnote, which is a letter concerning the sureties that was
sent to the court the following August:
*Sr
"Mr. Greenland hauing his wife come over is desirous to withdraw his appeale,
& yet is not willing to endanger the forfeiture of his bond especially his sureties,
I told him if he did submit to the sentence of Ipswich court, and could procure
the consent of the Judge of that court to withdraw his appeale I did suppose he
might save the forfeiture of his bond he desired me to signify my opinion to
yourselfe that so if you & Mr Woodman are like minded, he may have that
assurance that may direct him how to act, he will more fully impart his desires
& reasons then is necessary for me to doe, hastily I rest
Yrs "Daniel Denison.
"Ips: Aug. 26, 1663.
"I assent to what is above written
August 26th, 1663 Samuel Symonds.
"I do likewise Asent to what is Above written, Auguste 27th 1663
"p Edward Woodman."
So Henry Greenland was accused and convicted of what might be
described as hanky-panky with Mary Rolfe. He was released pending
his appeal but apparently wanted to drop it by August because of the
arrival of his wife from England.
But back in March, before the case proceeded and the various
witness statements were given, Mary Rolfe petitioned the court:
Letter addressed: "For the Honord Mr Samuel Symonds, these."
Mary Rofe's petition:
"I would desier the honord Court to here me a few words. I am a poor young
woman and in an aflicted Condition. My husband not being with me: he Litl
knowing the trubls I haue met with: being a verie Louing husband to me as
anie young woman Can Expect and provided for me in his absenc that I might
liue Cherfully as he thought and want for nothing therefor he went unto John
Emeris house and got John Emeri and his wife to be willing to let ther daughter
Elizabeth Webster to Com and liue with me and to lye with me untill he Cam
whom again: but by the prouidenc of god this fel out to be hurtfull to me: she
was to worke for hir self and diat hir selfe: and by this means I was occasioned
to go often with hir to hir father Emeris house about his victualls and John
Emerie promist to be || as || a father to me and a frend and Called me daughter
and I him father: and I was often merily disposed as young persons use to be
genrally but no uncivell Carig as goodman Emerie and his wife have both
acknowledged.
But so it fell out in the Intrim this Mr grenland Com to live in John Emeris
house: and this becam a snare to me and Cordin likewise frequenting grenlands
Companie at that house: and I haue bin a salted by them and not only so: but
grenland have Labored with manie of my naibours to posesse them that I am
as guiltie as he and sais he can proue it. I hope it may apeer to the honored
Court that not on of my naibors in all the toune nether neer nor further of
Can say they saw anie uncivell Carridg or hurt by me in ther liues: and what
wittnesses he will bring I know not: what so Euer thay be this is my Comfortt
that I Can say in the psents of god and before his peopl with a good Concienc
that nether grenland nor Cordin nor anie other Man in the world . . . what Euer
Aspercions haue bin Cast upon me it is the hand of god that is upon me and I
desier to be willing to bere it and I hope It shall be a warning to me in what
Companie I com in to henc forward."
mary (her mark) Rofe.
It seemed to me that Mary was a bit nervous about what her neighbors from
Newbury were going to say about her own part in the affair and wanted to get
her side of the story heard first.
I'll conclude this post with the very practical statement of Constable Henry
Jacques:
.""My Charg for Bringen Mr Greenland before the magstrat and for looken
for him is tweleue shilens henry Jaques Constabl neubry"
To be continued.
Friday, November 09, 2012
JOHN EMERY OF NEWBURY PT3: AN INTERLUDE
Before I launch into the story of John Emery and his neighbors the Rolfes, I
thought I'd mention how I'd found it.
I am very grateful for the free full text editions of Records and Files of the
Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts available on Google
Books. It's been a great source of information and family history for me
because some of my ancestors, bless their souls, were not as "pure as the
new driven snow". Whenever I research one of them in the court files for
some specific case I always use the search feature for any other entries
for them in that particular volume and that often leads to another great
story. I've blogged about some of them here in The Haskell Inheritance
series, in The Case Of Roger Haskell And His Pitchfork, and the posts
about William Gerrish, to name a few.
That's what happened again with John Emery. The case involves John,
his wife, his step-children, his wife's former mother in law, the Rolfes,
and the two rather rakish gentlemen who were boarding with the Emerys.
It certainly had to have been the topic of much gossip and scandal in
Ipswich town, and centuries later has been cited in books on early
Massachusetts colonial history. I don't intend to get into the cultural
or sociological significance of it all. I will say that those who think
that the people of that period were all upstanding moral people need
to do a bit more research into everyday colonial life.
So if you have ancestors who lived in 17th century New England, check
out Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County,
Massachusetts and other early documents available on Google Books.
You might be surprised by what you discover!
thought I'd mention how I'd found it.
I am very grateful for the free full text editions of Records and Files of the
Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts available on Google
Books. It's been a great source of information and family history for me
because some of my ancestors, bless their souls, were not as "pure as the
new driven snow". Whenever I research one of them in the court files for
some specific case I always use the search feature for any other entries
for them in that particular volume and that often leads to another great
story. I've blogged about some of them here in The Haskell Inheritance
series, in The Case Of Roger Haskell And His Pitchfork, and the posts
about William Gerrish, to name a few.
That's what happened again with John Emery. The case involves John,
his wife, his step-children, his wife's former mother in law, the Rolfes,
and the two rather rakish gentlemen who were boarding with the Emerys.
It certainly had to have been the topic of much gossip and scandal in
Ipswich town, and centuries later has been cited in books on early
Massachusetts colonial history. I don't intend to get into the cultural
or sociological significance of it all. I will say that those who think
that the people of that period were all upstanding moral people need
to do a bit more research into everyday colonial life.
So if you have ancestors who lived in 17th century New England, check
out Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County,
Massachusetts and other early documents available on Google Books.
You might be surprised by what you discover!
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
ELECTION DAY 6TH NOVEMBER 2012
Yesterday was Election Day. The weather was sunny and cool here in
Southeastern Ma. and the polling place was at the high school just down
the street from my apartment so I layered up and walked down there to
cast my vote. The line of cars waiting to get into the school parking lot
stretched the length of the street and there were campaign signs
along the side of the road and in the median strip. Supporters of various
candidates were mostly centered around the Revolutionary War Memorial
in front of the school holding signs and waving to the drivers as they came
and went.
Voting was done in the school gym. It was busy but there wasn't a long line
and I was in and out in less than ten minutes. I'm a lifelong Democrat and
voted for President Obama and Elizabeth Warren for Senator. On the
local offices I also voted for Democrats and one Independent. This area of
Massachusetts is more Republican than other areas so I'm sort of a "lonely
little petunia in an onion patch" on most election days here.
One of the things that hasn't changed in all the years I've voted here is the
Irish names of the state and local Democratic candidates: Lynch and Buckley
for example. This is the legacy of late 19th and early 20th century politics
when the state Republican Party was anti-Irish immigration. It launched
the political career of John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald who served as Mayor
of Boston and was elected Congressman from the 9th Congressional District
in 1894, a district his great grandson Joseph Kennedy III won last night.
I finished filling out my ballot and when it went into the ballot box I learned
I was voter #543 in the town's 5th District. I was glad to hear from one of the
poll workers that there had been an even heavier turnout earlier in the day
with longer lines than normal. We agreed it was a very good thing and that it
was too bad there weren't similar turnouts for the local elections every year.
So that was my Election Day experience. I won't comment on the politics of it.
But I will say that I wondered if anyone would have thought fifty years ago that
an African-American incumbent would be facing a Mormon challenger and
neither of those facts were an issue in the election.
That's something about which I think we can all be proud.
Southeastern Ma. and the polling place was at the high school just down
the street from my apartment so I layered up and walked down there to
cast my vote. The line of cars waiting to get into the school parking lot
stretched the length of the street and there were campaign signs
along the side of the road and in the median strip. Supporters of various
candidates were mostly centered around the Revolutionary War Memorial
in front of the school holding signs and waving to the drivers as they came
and went.
Voting was done in the school gym. It was busy but there wasn't a long line
and I was in and out in less than ten minutes. I'm a lifelong Democrat and
voted for President Obama and Elizabeth Warren for Senator. On the
local offices I also voted for Democrats and one Independent. This area of
Massachusetts is more Republican than other areas so I'm sort of a "lonely
little petunia in an onion patch" on most election days here.
One of the things that hasn't changed in all the years I've voted here is the
Irish names of the state and local Democratic candidates: Lynch and Buckley
for example. This is the legacy of late 19th and early 20th century politics
when the state Republican Party was anti-Irish immigration. It launched
the political career of John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald who served as Mayor
of Boston and was elected Congressman from the 9th Congressional District
in 1894, a district his great grandson Joseph Kennedy III won last night.
I finished filling out my ballot and when it went into the ballot box I learned
I was voter #543 in the town's 5th District. I was glad to hear from one of the
poll workers that there had been an even heavier turnout earlier in the day
with longer lines than normal. We agreed it was a very good thing and that it
was too bad there weren't similar turnouts for the local elections every year.
So that was my Election Day experience. I won't comment on the politics of it.
But I will say that I wondered if anyone would have thought fifty years ago that
an African-American incumbent would be facing a Mormon challenger and
neither of those facts were an issue in the election.
That's something about which I think we can all be proud.
Monday, November 05, 2012
THE POOR VOTER ON ELECTION DAY
I thought on this election eve a poem from cousin John Greenleaf Whittier
might remind us of why every man and woman's vote is important. Sometimes,
in all the noise and nonsense of the campaign, attack ads and robocalls, we
forget what makes this country great:
THE POOR VOTER ON ELECTION DAY.
The proudest now is but my peer,
The highest not more high;
To-day, of all the weary year,
A king of men am I.
To-day, alike are great and small,
The nameless and the known;
My palace is the people's hall,
The ballot-box my throne!
Wh serves to-day upon the list
Beside the served shall stand;
Alike the brown and wrinkled fist,
The gloved and dainty hand!
The rich is level with the poor,
The weak is strong to-day;
And sleekest broadcloth counts no more
Than homespun frock of gray.
To-day let pomp and vain pretence
My stubborn right abide;
I set a plain man's common sense
Against the pedant's pride.
To-day shall simple manhood try
The strength of gold and land;
The wide world has not wealth to buy
The power in my right hand!
While there's a grief to seek redress,
Or balance to adjust,
Where weighs our living manhood less
Than Mammon's vilest dust, —
While there's a right to need my vote,
A wrong to sweep away,
Up! clouted knee and ragged coat!
A man's a man to-day!
1848
-Riverside Ed. The Writings of John Greenleaf Whittier ...: Anti-slavery poems:
Songs of labor and reform Houghton&Mifflin, Boston 1891 p342
might remind us of why every man and woman's vote is important. Sometimes,
in all the noise and nonsense of the campaign, attack ads and robocalls, we
forget what makes this country great:
THE POOR VOTER ON ELECTION DAY.
The proudest now is but my peer,
The highest not more high;
To-day, of all the weary year,
A king of men am I.
To-day, alike are great and small,
The nameless and the known;
My palace is the people's hall,
The ballot-box my throne!
Wh serves to-day upon the list
Beside the served shall stand;
Alike the brown and wrinkled fist,
The gloved and dainty hand!
The rich is level with the poor,
The weak is strong to-day;
And sleekest broadcloth counts no more
Than homespun frock of gray.
To-day let pomp and vain pretence
My stubborn right abide;
I set a plain man's common sense
Against the pedant's pride.
To-day shall simple manhood try
The strength of gold and land;
The wide world has not wealth to buy
The power in my right hand!
While there's a grief to seek redress,
Or balance to adjust,
Where weighs our living manhood less
Than Mammon's vilest dust, —
While there's a right to need my vote,
A wrong to sweep away,
Up! clouted knee and ragged coat!
A man's a man to-day!
1848
-Riverside Ed. The Writings of John Greenleaf Whittier ...: Anti-slavery poems:
Songs of labor and reform Houghton&Mifflin, Boston 1891 p342
Sunday, November 04, 2012
JOHN EMERY OF NEWBURY PT2
My 9x great grandfather John Emery was an innkeeper in Ipswich, Ma
and seemed not to care what the towns people thought about what
sort of guests he kept at his house. Quakers were not welcome in 17th
century Massachusetts and associating with them was a criminal offense.
So at the court session held at Ipswich on 5May 1663 John was brought
upon the following charge:
"John Emery's presentment for entertaining Quakers was referred
to the next court, || and upon his presentment for entertaining a
stranger, he was fined four shillings."
That double bar demotes a footnote, and a long one it was indeed:
"ll Henry Jaques, aged about forty-four years, deposed that he heard Joseph
Noyes say that after the Quakers had their meeting at John Emry's house,
the latter bade them welcome. Further he said that Joseph Noyce said that
John Emry had entertained Quakers both for board and table, and this said
Noyce testified before the church at Newbry. John Emery and his wife
acknowledged it, saying that they would not put them fron their house,
and used argument for the lawfulness of it. Sworn in court.
John Rolfe, aged about twenty-eight years, deposed that whereas John Emery,
sr., affirmed before the honored court that he had not entertained any Quakers
in his house since the meeting when Mr. Parker was sent for and came to them,
"I doe testifie that I being at John Emerys Sr house about 3 weeks after that time
did see two Quakers there & I herd him say to them & som others that were there
y' Joseph Noyce came to his house & told him that ther were two quakers coming
towards his house & wisht him not to entertaine them, he sayd if they came to his
house they should be welcom & he would not forbid them there they were when
I cam in & there I left them I was there upon occasion neare an houer & there were
prsent in goodman Emerys house wiliam Ilsly Sr & John muselwhitt." Sworn in court.
Joseph Noyes, aged twenty-six years, deposed that as he was going to Goodman
Emeries, sr., he overtook two women Quakers, and supposing that they would call
at said Emmery's house, he cautioned him not to entertain them. While he was
talking, they went into the house and stayed until he went away. Goodman Emmery
was in the chamber, because he heard him call out to his wife, the latter being in
the same room with the Quakers. Said Emmery had also entertained two men
Quakers "very kindely to bed and table, & John Emmerie shook ym by y* hand,
and bid ym welcome." Sworn, 24:4:1663, before Simon Bradstreet."
Constable Jacques wasn't quite done though. He had more to add:
"Henry Jaques, constable of Newbury, acquainted the Ipswich court with the
following: "For as much as John Emerie senr is on of our grand Juri men this Last
yere for our Towne of Newbery and he him selfe having Broken the Law as I do
understand in Entertaining of Travilers and quakere in to his house and on mr
Grenland in all which disorder he haue bouldly Insisted wherby Reproch and
scandall is Com upon our Towne to the dishonor of god and damag and hurt to
som of our Naibours: for which acording to my dutie I am bound to Enform the
honored Court of such disorder and Likewise of Mr Grenland being a stranger
lately Com in to the Countrie and in to our towne for not having licenc according
to the law in paig 73 and 74 and Likewise I do Enform the honored Court of a
quaker Elaacom Aldrous' wife of Hampton Came part naked in to our meeting
house on a lords Day a litl before meeting began."
pp66-68 Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts
Vol3 (Essex Institute 1913)
That last line is interesting since I believe it's a misspelling of Eliakim Wardwell
whose wife Lydia was the infamous "Naked Quaker". In fact, her case was the
first heard at this same court session.
Two further points:
One is I was bemused at how many times the name Emery was misspelled in this
record, and the number of different ways it was done.
The second was the inclusion of a statement from John Emery's neighbor John Rolfe,
since the Rolfes would figure in the next court case involving the Emerys.
JOHN EMERY OF NEWBURY PT1
My 9x great grandfather John Emery Sr arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
in 1635 on-board the ship James with his brother Anthony Emery. I'm not sure if
his first wife Alice Grantham came over on that same ship or arrived later, but
I'm descended from their daughter Eleanor, one of four children born in England
before John's departure. Alice died sometime before 1647 when John remarried.
His second wife was Mary Shatswell, the widow of John Bishop.
One of the neat things about having ancestors who lived in early Essex County
Massachusetts, especially if they misbehaved, is that they might have ended
up being brought to court. I've found many interesting cases involving my
ancestors. John Emery was no different:
"John Emery, for his miscarriage with the wife of Henry Traverse, fined 3li. or
to be whipped, and pay witness fee to Christopher Bartlet. Bound to good
behavior and not to frequent the company of the wife of Henry Traverse."
Ironically. a few lines above that record is this entry:
"Inventory of John Webster's lands and goods sworn to by his widow, Mary
Webster, who is appointed administratrix".
-Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts:
1636-1641 Vol1 (Essex Institute, Salem, Ma. 1911) p110
The date of their appearances was 29Sep 1646. I like to think they may have met
there waiting to have their names called and one thing led to another. At any rate,
they were married at Newbury on 29Oct 1647.
John and Mary would appear in court again several times, mostly for family
matters, but there were two cases that were a bit more serious. One involved
Quakers, and the other behavior that might be best described as bawdy. I'll
discuss them in the next few posts.
in 1635 on-board the ship James with his brother Anthony Emery. I'm not sure if
his first wife Alice Grantham came over on that same ship or arrived later, but
I'm descended from their daughter Eleanor, one of four children born in England
before John's departure. Alice died sometime before 1647 when John remarried.
His second wife was Mary Shatswell, the widow of John Bishop.
One of the neat things about having ancestors who lived in early Essex County
Massachusetts, especially if they misbehaved, is that they might have ended
up being brought to court. I've found many interesting cases involving my
ancestors. John Emery was no different:
"John Emery, for his miscarriage with the wife of Henry Traverse, fined 3li. or
to be whipped, and pay witness fee to Christopher Bartlet. Bound to good
behavior and not to frequent the company of the wife of Henry Traverse."
Ironically. a few lines above that record is this entry:
"Inventory of John Webster's lands and goods sworn to by his widow, Mary
Webster, who is appointed administratrix".
-Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts:
1636-1641 Vol1 (Essex Institute, Salem, Ma. 1911) p110
The date of their appearances was 29Sep 1646. I like to think they may have met
there waiting to have their names called and one thing led to another. At any rate,
they were married at Newbury on 29Oct 1647.
John and Mary would appear in court again several times, mostly for family
matters, but there were two cases that were a bit more serious. One involved
Quakers, and the other behavior that might be best described as bawdy. I'll
discuss them in the next few posts.
Friday, November 02, 2012
IN RELATION TO HISTORY
We're in November now and moving towards Thanksgiving. I've done posts
on my Mayflower ancestry but I was thinking of writing some on ny other
early Pilgrim and Puritan ancestors. Toward that end I startled googling
some of their names tonight. One of the family names I searched was
Morton.
Now when I was a bookseller I used to get a kick out of seeing a kid's
book about Plimoth Plantation, A Day in The Life of Sarah Morton. I'm
descended from Sarah's older sister Patience who married my 9x great
grandfather John Faunce. I knew that their father was George Morton
who came over to Plimouth on the ship Anne in 1623. What I didn't
know was that some historians think he may be one of the people behind one
of the early documents that helped spur more immigrants to New England,
Mourt's Relation. Most think Edmund Winslow and/or William Bradford
wrote the book, with a few thinking George Morton did instead. But most
believe that George was responsible for the book being printed in London
in 1622, a year before he himself emigrated to the New World.
I've read about Mourt's Relation and have intended to read it for some time,
and even seen reference to the Morton connection to it, but never made the
connection between George Morton the historical figure and George Morton
my ancestor. I guess I better finally get around to reading the book!
Now I'm wondering what other connections I've failed to see before between
my early New England ancestors and New England's history!
My descent from George Morton comes from my 2x great grandparents
Florilla Dunham and ASa F. Ellingwood. George's death date on this chart
is incorrect, it should be 1624
on my Mayflower ancestry but I was thinking of writing some on ny other
early Pilgrim and Puritan ancestors. Toward that end I startled googling
some of their names tonight. One of the family names I searched was
Morton.
Now when I was a bookseller I used to get a kick out of seeing a kid's
book about Plimoth Plantation, A Day in The Life of Sarah Morton. I'm
descended from Sarah's older sister Patience who married my 9x great
grandfather John Faunce. I knew that their father was George Morton
who came over to Plimouth on the ship Anne in 1623. What I didn't
know was that some historians think he may be one of the people behind one
of the early documents that helped spur more immigrants to New England,
Mourt's Relation. Most think Edmund Winslow and/or William Bradford
wrote the book, with a few thinking George Morton did instead. But most
believe that George was responsible for the book being printed in London
in 1622, a year before he himself emigrated to the New World.
I've read about Mourt's Relation and have intended to read it for some time,
and even seen reference to the Morton connection to it, but never made the
connection between George Morton the historical figure and George Morton
my ancestor. I guess I better finally get around to reading the book!
Now I'm wondering what other connections I've failed to see before between
my early New England ancestors and New England's history!
My descent from George Morton comes from my 2x great grandparents
Florilla Dunham and ASa F. Ellingwood. George's death date on this chart
is incorrect, it should be 1624
"SALEM WITCHCRAFT" BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW
Last week while I was posting about my ancestors who'd been among the
accused or accusers during the Salem Witch trials I had a sudden inspiration.
I still need a poem for my own contribution to the Fourth Annual Great
Genealogy Challenge. Why not a poem about the Salem Witches? So off
and on the past few days I've been searching for one that I could use,
one written by a local poet. A poem by distant cousin John Greenleaf
Whittier would have been perfect. Unfortunately, even though he'd
written a number of poems on the witch trial era, they were all very, very
long. Then I wondered if Henry Wadsworth Longfellow might have
written one, and I found this in an anthology he'd edited, Poems of
Places , P229-231:
Salem Witchcraft
Delusions of the days that once have been,
Witchcraft and wonders of the world unseen,
Phantoms of air, and necromantic arts
That crushed the weak and awed the stoutest hearts,—
These are our theme to-night; and vaguely here,
Through the dim mists that crowd the atmosphere,
We draw the outlines of weird figures cast
In shadow on the background of the Past.
Who would believe that in the quiet town
Of Salem, and amid the woods that crown
The neighboring hillsides, and the sunny farms
That fold it safe in their paternal arms,—
Who would believe that in those peaceful streets,
Where the great elms shut out the summer heats,
Where quiet reigns, and breathes through brain and breast
The benediction of unbroken rest,—
Who would believe such deeds could find a place
As these whose tragic history we retrace?
’T was but a village then: the goodman ploughed
His ample acres under sun or cloud;
The goodwife at her doorstep sat and spun,
And gossiped with her neighbors in the sun;
The only men of dignity and state
Were then the Minister and the Magistrate,
Who ruled their little realm with iron rod,
Less in the love than in the fear of God;
And who believed devoutly in the Powers
Of Darkness, working in this world of ours,
In spells of Witchcraft, incantations dread,
And shrouded apparitions of the dead.
Upon this simple folk “with fire and flame,”
Saith the old Chronicle, “the Devil came;
Scattering his firebrands and his poisonous darts,
To set on fire of Hell all tongues and hearts!
And ’t is no wonder; for, with all his host,
There most he rages where he hateth most,
And is most hated; so on us he brings
All these stupendous and portentous things!”
Something of this our scene to-night will show;
And ye who listen to the Tale of Woe,
Be not too swift in casting the first stone,
Nor think New England bears the guilt alone.
This sudden burst of wickedness and crime
Was but the common madness of the time,
When in all lands, that lie within the sound
Of Sabbath bells, a Witch was burned or drowned.
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Poem Of Places: Vol.2 America Houghton & Mifflin, Boston 1878
accused or accusers during the Salem Witch trials I had a sudden inspiration.
I still need a poem for my own contribution to the Fourth Annual Great
Genealogy Challenge. Why not a poem about the Salem Witches? So off
and on the past few days I've been searching for one that I could use,
one written by a local poet. A poem by distant cousin John Greenleaf
Whittier would have been perfect. Unfortunately, even though he'd
written a number of poems on the witch trial era, they were all very, very
long. Then I wondered if Henry Wadsworth Longfellow might have
written one, and I found this in an anthology he'd edited, Poems of
Places , P229-231:
Salem Witchcraft
Delusions of the days that once have been,
Witchcraft and wonders of the world unseen,
Phantoms of air, and necromantic arts
That crushed the weak and awed the stoutest hearts,—
These are our theme to-night; and vaguely here,
Through the dim mists that crowd the atmosphere,
We draw the outlines of weird figures cast
In shadow on the background of the Past.
Who would believe that in the quiet town
Of Salem, and amid the woods that crown
The neighboring hillsides, and the sunny farms
That fold it safe in their paternal arms,—
Who would believe that in those peaceful streets,
Where the great elms shut out the summer heats,
Where quiet reigns, and breathes through brain and breast
The benediction of unbroken rest,—
Who would believe such deeds could find a place
As these whose tragic history we retrace?
’T was but a village then: the goodman ploughed
His ample acres under sun or cloud;
The goodwife at her doorstep sat and spun,
And gossiped with her neighbors in the sun;
The only men of dignity and state
Were then the Minister and the Magistrate,
Who ruled their little realm with iron rod,
Less in the love than in the fear of God;
And who believed devoutly in the Powers
Of Darkness, working in this world of ours,
In spells of Witchcraft, incantations dread,
And shrouded apparitions of the dead.
Upon this simple folk “with fire and flame,”
Saith the old Chronicle, “the Devil came;
Scattering his firebrands and his poisonous darts,
To set on fire of Hell all tongues and hearts!
And ’t is no wonder; for, with all his host,
There most he rages where he hateth most,
And is most hated; so on us he brings
All these stupendous and portentous things!”
Something of this our scene to-night will show;
And ye who listen to the Tale of Woe,
Be not too swift in casting the first stone,
Nor think New England bears the guilt alone.
This sudden burst of wickedness and crime
Was but the common madness of the time,
When in all lands, that lie within the sound
Of Sabbath bells, a Witch was burned or drowned.
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Poem Of Places: Vol.2 America Houghton & Mifflin, Boston 1878
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
THE HELL HOUNDS OF BREWSTER
((It's Halloween, so I thought I'd repost how I created a campfire
ghost story. First posted in October, 2007))
Back in my college days, I spent three summers as a camp
counselor at Camp Mitton in Brewster, Mass down on Cape Cod.
One night during my last summer there in 1970, I was sitting at
the Indian Council Ring with the campers and councilors as we
told stories around a campfire. One of the kids started telling a
story about the Black Hell Hounds that chased a murderer’s
ghost on the dirt roads by the camp and I had to grin. I knew the
story well.
In fact, I was the one who’d first told it.
Two years before I was trying to come up with the a story to tell
at the campfire that hadn’t already been told and a combination
of things led me to make up a new one.
One of the elements was the camp’s location. There were several
dirt roads that wound their way through old cranberry bogs,
some of which with old buildings nearby. We occasionally took the
kids on hikes down those roads and so the locale of the story
would be familiar.
Another element was that one of the councilors had snorkeled in
the lake the camp was situated on and found an old buckboard
type wagon on the lake floor. Everyone had wondered how it ever
got there.
And the third element? That would be Queenie the black Labrador
Retriever and two of her grown offspring who frequently hung
around the camp mooching scraps and attention from the kids.
And so, I came up with this story:
“Many years ago there lived down by the cranberry bogs a man
and his wife. They had no children, and the cranberry farmer’s
wife was lonely so the farmer bought her three black hounds to
keep her company and protect her when he was away from the
farm.
Things went well for several years until bad weather caused
the cranberry crop to be a small one and the farmer fell into
debt. He took to drinking and when his wife asked him to stop
they would argue. One night the man hit his wife and the dogs
who were trained to protect her attacked the farmer. In a rage
he grabbed his axe and killed the dogs and then his wife, and
then buried them all in an unmarked grave somewhere along
the dirt roads through the bogs. If neighbors asked he told them
his wife had left him and gone off to her parents’ home in
Boston.
Then one night exactly a year to the night after the murder
the farmer was driving his wagon down a dirt road, the very
same road that runs right through the center of our camp, when
he heard the sound of hounds baying behind him. He looked
over his shoulder and by the light of the moon he saw the red
eyes of three ghostly hounds racing after him in the
moonlight.
He whipped his horse to run faster, but still the hounds came
closer, and closer, and CLOSER until suddenly the wagon hit
the bump in the road just past where the softball field is
today and the horse broke free, while the wagon went racing
down into the lake, taking the farmer with it to drown.
And some say that every year the murderous farmer’s ghost
can be seen in his wagon being chased down the dirt road by
the three black Hell Hounds.”
Not exactly Poe but it worked well in the dark by the campfire,
especially with Queenie nearby begging for marshmallows.
I didn’t work at the camp the summer after I first told the story
but apparently it had been told by one of the campers that year,
and then the year I returned, another camper told it. I don’t
know if it continued to be told, since that was the last summer I
spent there. But if Queenie and her descendants were around I
suspect it might have been told again.
I think this must be how a lot of legends and ghost stories must
have started, a mixture of the commonplace with fantasy.
Oh. Did I mention that in my apartment complex nearly
forty years later, my next door neighbor’s pet was a black
Labrador Retriever?
ghost story. First posted in October, 2007))
Back in my college days, I spent three summers as a camp
counselor at Camp Mitton in Brewster, Mass down on Cape Cod.
One night during my last summer there in 1970, I was sitting at
the Indian Council Ring with the campers and councilors as we
told stories around a campfire. One of the kids started telling a
story about the Black Hell Hounds that chased a murderer’s
ghost on the dirt roads by the camp and I had to grin. I knew the
story well.
In fact, I was the one who’d first told it.
Two years before I was trying to come up with the a story to tell
at the campfire that hadn’t already been told and a combination
of things led me to make up a new one.
One of the elements was the camp’s location. There were several
dirt roads that wound their way through old cranberry bogs,
some of which with old buildings nearby. We occasionally took the
kids on hikes down those roads and so the locale of the story
would be familiar.
Another element was that one of the councilors had snorkeled in
the lake the camp was situated on and found an old buckboard
type wagon on the lake floor. Everyone had wondered how it ever
got there.
And the third element? That would be Queenie the black Labrador
Retriever and two of her grown offspring who frequently hung
around the camp mooching scraps and attention from the kids.
And so, I came up with this story:
“Many years ago there lived down by the cranberry bogs a man
and his wife. They had no children, and the cranberry farmer’s
wife was lonely so the farmer bought her three black hounds to
keep her company and protect her when he was away from the
farm.
Things went well for several years until bad weather caused
the cranberry crop to be a small one and the farmer fell into
debt. He took to drinking and when his wife asked him to stop
they would argue. One night the man hit his wife and the dogs
who were trained to protect her attacked the farmer. In a rage
he grabbed his axe and killed the dogs and then his wife, and
then buried them all in an unmarked grave somewhere along
the dirt roads through the bogs. If neighbors asked he told them
his wife had left him and gone off to her parents’ home in
Boston.
Then one night exactly a year to the night after the murder
the farmer was driving his wagon down a dirt road, the very
same road that runs right through the center of our camp, when
he heard the sound of hounds baying behind him. He looked
over his shoulder and by the light of the moon he saw the red
eyes of three ghostly hounds racing after him in the
moonlight.
He whipped his horse to run faster, but still the hounds came
closer, and closer, and CLOSER until suddenly the wagon hit
the bump in the road just past where the softball field is
today and the horse broke free, while the wagon went racing
down into the lake, taking the farmer with it to drown.
And some say that every year the murderous farmer’s ghost
can be seen in his wagon being chased down the dirt road by
the three black Hell Hounds.”
Not exactly Poe but it worked well in the dark by the campfire,
especially with Queenie nearby begging for marshmallows.
I didn’t work at the camp the summer after I first told the story
but apparently it had been told by one of the campers that year,
and then the year I returned, another camper told it. I don’t
know if it continued to be told, since that was the last summer I
spent there. But if Queenie and her descendants were around I
suspect it might have been told again.
I think this must be how a lot of legends and ghost stories must
have started, a mixture of the commonplace with fantasy.
Oh. Did I mention that in my apartment complex nearly
forty years later, my next door neighbor’s pet was a black
Labrador Retriever?
SUPERSTORM SANDY
Last year it was Hurricane Irene; this year, Hurricane Sandy.
Since we lost power here for several days after Irene I took a bit more
precautions for this storm. I made sure I had sufficient batteries and
food, and I charged my cell phone and ereader up on Sunday afternoon.
My laptop battery was fully charged as well so I was all set there. I was
more concerned about losing food because of losing electricity. I'd
ended up throwing out most of the food in my freezer after last year's
storm.
So while I was watching the football game Sunday I took some advice
from the local newscast. I turned my refrigerator's temperature
control down to the coldest setting. Then I filled up a two liter soda
bottle and some food containers with water. I put them in the freezer
to fill up some of the empty space. I also had a bag of ice already there.
Supposedly food in a freezer won't go bad for 48 hours after loss of
power but I hoped that the extra frozen containers would extend that
safety period a little longer. Then I went outside to move my patio
furniture into the building's foyer Finally, I took down my bird feeder.
After that, all I could do was wait out the storm.
Monday didn't start off to badly but the forecast was for the worst of
the storm to start around midday. I had a warm breakfast of hardboiled
eggs, a toasted mini-bagel and a cup of tea. For lunch I microwaved
leftover spaghetti because I thought that if the power was lost at least
I'd have had a hot meal beforehand, Sure enough the lights began
dimming, and then went off and on three times before I finally lost
electricity at 4:23pm.
I settled in for the night. I had a flashlight and a booklight, and my
transistor radio. I read a book for awhile, then made a ham sandwich
for dinner. Afterward I played some games on my laptop while I
listened to a talk show on the radio with people complaining about losing
their power. Outside the storm lessened and the sky cleared enough
for the full moon to shine down and dimly light up the lawn outside
my apartment. I finally went to bed around 1am.
When I woke at 8am Tuesday morning I realized the electricity was back.
I knew this because of my razor sharp powers of deduction: the lights
were on in my living room. (I later heard from the handyman that power
returned around 3am.). After I had my hot tea I moved the furniture back
outside, rehung the bird feeder and returned my refrigerator to the normal
settings. My freezer had weathered the storm in frozen style.
Other parts of the country were less fortunate than my area of Massachusetts.
I'm glad that my friends and family got safely through the past few days and I
hope that those people who have lost their homes will receive all possible
help to get back on their feet soon.
And that was my Hurricane Sandy experience.
Since we lost power here for several days after Irene I took a bit more
precautions for this storm. I made sure I had sufficient batteries and
food, and I charged my cell phone and ereader up on Sunday afternoon.
My laptop battery was fully charged as well so I was all set there. I was
more concerned about losing food because of losing electricity. I'd
ended up throwing out most of the food in my freezer after last year's
storm.
So while I was watching the football game Sunday I took some advice
from the local newscast. I turned my refrigerator's temperature
control down to the coldest setting. Then I filled up a two liter soda
bottle and some food containers with water. I put them in the freezer
to fill up some of the empty space. I also had a bag of ice already there.
Supposedly food in a freezer won't go bad for 48 hours after loss of
power but I hoped that the extra frozen containers would extend that
safety period a little longer. Then I went outside to move my patio
furniture into the building's foyer Finally, I took down my bird feeder.
After that, all I could do was wait out the storm.
Monday didn't start off to badly but the forecast was for the worst of
the storm to start around midday. I had a warm breakfast of hardboiled
eggs, a toasted mini-bagel and a cup of tea. For lunch I microwaved
leftover spaghetti because I thought that if the power was lost at least
I'd have had a hot meal beforehand, Sure enough the lights began
dimming, and then went off and on three times before I finally lost
electricity at 4:23pm.
I settled in for the night. I had a flashlight and a booklight, and my
transistor radio. I read a book for awhile, then made a ham sandwich
for dinner. Afterward I played some games on my laptop while I
listened to a talk show on the radio with people complaining about losing
their power. Outside the storm lessened and the sky cleared enough
for the full moon to shine down and dimly light up the lawn outside
my apartment. I finally went to bed around 1am.
When I woke at 8am Tuesday morning I realized the electricity was back.
I knew this because of my razor sharp powers of deduction: the lights
were on in my living room. (I later heard from the handyman that power
returned around 3am.). After I had my hot tea I moved the furniture back
outside, rehung the bird feeder and returned my refrigerator to the normal
settings. My freezer had weathered the storm in frozen style.
Other parts of the country were less fortunate than my area of Massachusetts.
I'm glad that my friends and family got safely through the past few days and I
hope that those people who have lost their homes will receive all possible
help to get back on their feet soon.
And that was my Hurricane Sandy experience.
Monday, October 29, 2012
FOURTH ANNUAL GREAT GENEALOGY POETRY CHALLENGE REMINDER.
There's still a few weeks left before the November 18th deadline
for submissions to Fourth Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge
Once again, these are the rules:
1. Find a poem by a local poet, famous or obscure, from 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!
Or 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.)
3.Tell us how the subject of the poem or song relates to your ancestor's
home or life.
4.Submit your post's link here to me by midnight Sunday November 18th
and I'll publish all links to the entries on Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd!
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.
I've already gotten some great submissions. It's not too late for you to
join them!
for submissions to Fourth Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge
Once again, these are the rules:
1. Find a poem by a local poet, famous or obscure, from 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!
Or 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.)
3.Tell us how the subject of the poem or song relates to your ancestor's
home or life.
4.Submit your post's link here to me by midnight Sunday November 18th
and I'll publish all links to the entries on Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd!
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.
I've already gotten some great submissions. It's not too late for you to
join them!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
THE AMES MURDER PT4
In the list of witnesses called during the trial of Jonathan
Eames and his mother Elizabeth there is listed “Elizabeth,
wife of Richard Kimball.” There is a marriage between an
Elizabeth Secton or Seeton of Lunenberg and Richard Kimbal,
at Lunenberg, recorded in the Boxford Vital Records that took
place on 23 Jan 1750(1751). She would have been slightly older
than Ruth Perley Eames but closer in age to her than the senior
Mrs. Eames. It’s my guess she is the “Mrs. Kimball” who raised
the suspicions of the townsfolk over Ruth’s mysterious death.
As I’ve said previously, after their acquittal the Eames family
eventually sold their farm and left town. It must have been a
difficult time for Jonathan Eames Sr. who doesn’t seem to have
figured at all in the trial. I’ve been hunting around on the net the
past few nights but have yet to come up with where the family
eventually relocated.
So far I’ve been searching for any Essex County traces but they
might have gone further away than that. A few generations
before the children of the executed Mary Townes Estey had
moved either out of Essex County or left Massachusetts entirely.
Elizabeth Eames had a brother living in Farmington, Me. Perhaps
that was far enough away to escape the scandal’s shame?
The “not guilty” verdict would seem to be puzzling given the
apparent belief by their neighbors that Jonathan and Elizabeth
had murdered poor Ruth. But there was no solid physical evidence
to prove their guilt and perhaps memories of the innocents who’d
been sent to their deaths at Salem the century before might have
played a part. The Eames had been held up to public scrutiny and
afterwards were so shunned that they removed themselves from
the town.
In the end that would have to satisfy their accusers.
Finally, I do have to say that finding out that a relative, even a
distant one, was defended by John Adams …wow…how cool is that?
Eames and his mother Elizabeth there is listed “Elizabeth,
wife of Richard Kimball.” There is a marriage between an
Elizabeth Secton or Seeton of Lunenberg and Richard Kimbal,
at Lunenberg, recorded in the Boxford Vital Records that took
place on 23 Jan 1750(1751). She would have been slightly older
than Ruth Perley Eames but closer in age to her than the senior
Mrs. Eames. It’s my guess she is the “Mrs. Kimball” who raised
the suspicions of the townsfolk over Ruth’s mysterious death.
As I’ve said previously, after their acquittal the Eames family
eventually sold their farm and left town. It must have been a
difficult time for Jonathan Eames Sr. who doesn’t seem to have
figured at all in the trial. I’ve been hunting around on the net the
past few nights but have yet to come up with where the family
eventually relocated.
So far I’ve been searching for any Essex County traces but they
might have gone further away than that. A few generations
before the children of the executed Mary Townes Estey had
moved either out of Essex County or left Massachusetts entirely.
Elizabeth Eames had a brother living in Farmington, Me. Perhaps
that was far enough away to escape the scandal’s shame?
The “not guilty” verdict would seem to be puzzling given the
apparent belief by their neighbors that Jonathan and Elizabeth
had murdered poor Ruth. But there was no solid physical evidence
to prove their guilt and perhaps memories of the innocents who’d
been sent to their deaths at Salem the century before might have
played a part. The Eames had been held up to public scrutiny and
afterwards were so shunned that they removed themselves from
the town.
In the end that would have to satisfy their accusers.
Finally, I do have to say that finding out that a relative, even a
distant one, was defended by John Adams …wow…how cool is that?
Saturday, October 27, 2012
THE AMES MURDER PT3
((Originally published in March 2007))
So, just how are suspected murderers Jonathan Ames Jr.
and his mother related to me?
I checked the Vital Records of Boxford Ma. 1685 to 1849
page at the Essex County Ma USGenWeb Site. Under the
births I found nothing under Ames but under Eams I found
a baptism for “Jonathan, s. Jonathan, bp. Sept. 11, 1743”.
In the marriages I found under Eames a marriage for Jonathan
and Elisabeth Blunt of Andover, at Andover, Apr. __, 1738.
The older Mrs. Ames or Eames was referred to as Elizabeth in
the Essex Antiquarian Article, so it seemed likely this was her
and her husband Jonathan (E)Ames Sr.
Next I Googled “Jonathan Ames”+ “Elizabeth Blunt”+ Boxford.
I got only 5 hits, two from the Payne-Joyce Genealogy Website.
It lists Elizabeth as the daughter of William Blunt and Sarah
Foster and her date of birth as 26 Sept 1714 in Andover, Ma.
On 10 Apr 1738 she married Jonathan Ames, the son of Joseph
Ames and Jemima Hoyt at Andover, Ma.
This was interesting. I have Hoyts in my lineage. I moved up
another generation.
Elizabeth’s father William was the son of William Blunt and
Elizabeth Ballard. And Elizabeth Ballard was the daughter of
William Ballard and Grace Berwick, and so sister to several
figures in the Salem Witch events, such as Joseph Ballard.
And finally, Joseph (E)Ames was the younger brother of my
ancestor John (E)Ames, son of Robert (E)Ames and Rebecca
Blake, the accused witch. His wife Jemima Hoyt might be a
relative in my line through her grandfather William Barnes.
As I suspected, while not a direct ancestor Jonathan Ames was
a relative and it turns his mother Elizabeth Blunt was as well.
I’ve some other points on this which I’ll go into next time.
So, just how are suspected murderers Jonathan Ames Jr.
and his mother related to me?
I checked the Vital Records of Boxford Ma. 1685 to 1849
page at the Essex County Ma USGenWeb Site. Under the
births I found nothing under Ames but under Eams I found
a baptism for “Jonathan, s. Jonathan, bp. Sept. 11, 1743”.
In the marriages I found under Eames a marriage for Jonathan
and Elisabeth Blunt of Andover, at Andover, Apr. __, 1738.
The older Mrs. Ames or Eames was referred to as Elizabeth in
the Essex Antiquarian Article, so it seemed likely this was her
and her husband Jonathan (E)Ames Sr.
Next I Googled “Jonathan Ames”+ “Elizabeth Blunt”+ Boxford.
I got only 5 hits, two from the Payne-Joyce Genealogy Website.
It lists Elizabeth as the daughter of William Blunt and Sarah
Foster and her date of birth as 26 Sept 1714 in Andover, Ma.
On 10 Apr 1738 she married Jonathan Ames, the son of Joseph
Ames and Jemima Hoyt at Andover, Ma.
This was interesting. I have Hoyts in my lineage. I moved up
another generation.
Elizabeth’s father William was the son of William Blunt and
Elizabeth Ballard. And Elizabeth Ballard was the daughter of
William Ballard and Grace Berwick, and so sister to several
figures in the Salem Witch events, such as Joseph Ballard.
And finally, Joseph (E)Ames was the younger brother of my
ancestor John (E)Ames, son of Robert (E)Ames and Rebecca
Blake, the accused witch. His wife Jemima Hoyt might be a
relative in my line through her grandfather William Barnes.
As I suspected, while not a direct ancestor Jonathan Ames was
a relative and it turns his mother Elizabeth Blunt was as well.
I’ve some other points on this which I’ll go into next time.
Friday, October 26, 2012
THE AMES MURDER PT2
((Originally published in March 2007))
Jonathan Ames Jr. married Ruth Perley on Dec 19th, 1768 and
took his new bride home to live in his parents house which might
very well have been the same one built by Robert (E)Ames. The
story goes that, as often happens with newlyweds, the bride and
mother in law didn't seem to get along very well. The couple’s
first child was born in May in 1769 and there was no sign of
anything out of the ordinary until the morning of June 5th when
a neighbor, Mrs. Kimball, came to call on the young wife and was
informed by the elder Mrs. Ames that Ruth was ill.
Despite Mrs. Ames’ objections Mrs. Kimball insisted on seeing
Ruth and found the younger woman in agony and frothing at the
mouth. The illness has begun at 7 am in the morning and within
four or five hours Ruth Perley Ames was dead. The funeral and
burial was swift and the townsfolk of Boxford became highly
suspicious of the cause of the young bride’s death. They petitioned
for a coroner’s inquest and on July 10th the proceedings began
looking into whether Ruth had been poisoned.
It’s not my intention to recount the whole story. It can be read
here in the article from the Essex Antiquarian. But I did want to
point out some interesting aspects of the case. It’s probably the
last recorded instance of the medieval custom of “ordeal by
touch” in New England if not in America as a whole. Briefly, the
accused was made to touch the corpse’s neck with the index finger
of his left hand. If the touch caused the body to bleed at the point
of contact then the accused was guilty. There had been insufficient
evidence presented so far and apparently the townsfolk or one of
the jury proposed that Jonathan Ames and his mother be put to
the test with the exhumed body of Ruth Perley Ames.
Both Jonathan and his mother refused to take part in the ordeal
and so were taken off to jail in nearby Salem where a grand jury
indicted Mrs. Ames for murder and Jonathan as her accessory.
On November 9th Jonathan’s sister Elizabeth was also arrested
as an accessory and the trial began in Superior Court on November
14th.
The account of the trial reads almost like an episode of Law &
Order. The Crown was represented by Jonathan Sewall. The
accused was represented by Sewall’s old friend and fellow law
student, John Adams. By this time Jonathan had turned King's
Evidence against his mother and accused her of killing Ruth by
poisoning her with “rats bane”. There were four judges who
heard the case, three of whom seemed to feel the evidence was
sufficient for a guilty verdict. The fourth judge was unconvinced
due to the uncertainty of physicians as to whether it had indeed
been “rat’s bane“ (or arsenic as we now call it ) that had killed
the victim and also because it was not certain who administered
the poison in the first place.
The trial lasted late into the night and the jury got the case at 2am
on November 15th. At 9am, they came back with a verdict: Not
guilty. The Ames family was freed but would soon after leave town.
So, what relation is Jonathan Ames to me? What of the identity of
his mother, known only in the Antiquarian account as “Elizabeth
Ames”? Where did they all go to when they left Boxford in
shame? And what of Mrs. Kimball?
Jonathan Ames Jr. married Ruth Perley on Dec 19th, 1768 and
took his new bride home to live in his parents house which might
very well have been the same one built by Robert (E)Ames. The
story goes that, as often happens with newlyweds, the bride and
mother in law didn't seem to get along very well. The couple’s
first child was born in May in 1769 and there was no sign of
anything out of the ordinary until the morning of June 5th when
a neighbor, Mrs. Kimball, came to call on the young wife and was
informed by the elder Mrs. Ames that Ruth was ill.
Despite Mrs. Ames’ objections Mrs. Kimball insisted on seeing
Ruth and found the younger woman in agony and frothing at the
mouth. The illness has begun at 7 am in the morning and within
four or five hours Ruth Perley Ames was dead. The funeral and
burial was swift and the townsfolk of Boxford became highly
suspicious of the cause of the young bride’s death. They petitioned
for a coroner’s inquest and on July 10th the proceedings began
looking into whether Ruth had been poisoned.
It’s not my intention to recount the whole story. It can be read
here in the article from the Essex Antiquarian. But I did want to
point out some interesting aspects of the case. It’s probably the
last recorded instance of the medieval custom of “ordeal by
touch” in New England if not in America as a whole. Briefly, the
accused was made to touch the corpse’s neck with the index finger
of his left hand. If the touch caused the body to bleed at the point
of contact then the accused was guilty. There had been insufficient
evidence presented so far and apparently the townsfolk or one of
the jury proposed that Jonathan Ames and his mother be put to
the test with the exhumed body of Ruth Perley Ames.
Both Jonathan and his mother refused to take part in the ordeal
and so were taken off to jail in nearby Salem where a grand jury
indicted Mrs. Ames for murder and Jonathan as her accessory.
On November 9th Jonathan’s sister Elizabeth was also arrested
as an accessory and the trial began in Superior Court on November
14th.
The account of the trial reads almost like an episode of Law &
Order. The Crown was represented by Jonathan Sewall. The
accused was represented by Sewall’s old friend and fellow law
student, John Adams. By this time Jonathan had turned King's
Evidence against his mother and accused her of killing Ruth by
poisoning her with “rats bane”. There were four judges who
heard the case, three of whom seemed to feel the evidence was
sufficient for a guilty verdict. The fourth judge was unconvinced
due to the uncertainty of physicians as to whether it had indeed
been “rat’s bane“ (or arsenic as we now call it ) that had killed
the victim and also because it was not certain who administered
the poison in the first place.
The trial lasted late into the night and the jury got the case at 2am
on November 15th. At 9am, they came back with a verdict: Not
guilty. The Ames family was freed but would soon after leave town.
So, what relation is Jonathan Ames to me? What of the identity of
his mother, known only in the Antiquarian account as “Elizabeth
Ames”? Where did they all go to when they left Boxford in
shame? And what of Mrs. Kimball?
THE AMES MURDER PT1
((I originally posted this series back in March 2007. Since
there was an echo of the witchcraft hysteria in it, I thought
I'd revisit it for Halloween))
I was surfing through the US GenWeb’s Essex County site
the other night and came across a reference to a murder
in Boxford Ma. It happened in 1769 and involved a Jonathan
Ames who was accused of murdering his wife Ruth(Perley)
and involved testimony by a neighbor, a Mrs. Kimball.
This got my attention quickly. My 3x great grandmother was
Arvilla Ames and she was a descendant of Priscilla Kimball.
The Ames or Eames line is one of my favorites because the
family has been part of interesting events in New England
Colonial history. Robert (E)Ames, whose ancestry is unknown,
married Rebecca Blake who was one of those convicted of
witchcraft in the Salem witch hysteria. She later was given a
reprieve and the couple lived out their lives in the town of
Boxford.
Their son John married Priscilla Kimball, the daughter of
Thomas Kimball and Mary Smith The Kimball family was
living in Rowley Ma. when they were attacked by Indians on
May 2nd ,1676. Thomas was killed and Mary and their five
children, including Priscilla, were taken captive for forty-one
days before the chief of the Pennacook tribe persuaded the
raiding Indians to release their captives.
Priscilla grew to adulthood and married John Ames. They
hada farm in Boxford but they sold it in March of 1715 or 1716
and moved to Groton, Ma. John was standing one day at the
front door of what is referred to as “his garrison” (Was this
simply a fortified farmhouse or a trading post sort of building?)
when he was shot by an Indian on July 9th, 1724. He is said to
have been the last man slain by an Indian in Groton although
there appears to be some debate over that.
The Indian who was presumed to be the murderer was killed
in turn by Jacob Ames, John and Priscilla’s second oldest son.
So as you see, the Ames and Kimballs had gone through some
trying times already. When I ran across the reference of an
article in the Essex Antiquarian on a murder involving Jonathan
Ames and someone named Kimball, I had to look into it to see
how it related to my family genealogy.
Which I’ll go into next time!
there was an echo of the witchcraft hysteria in it, I thought
I'd revisit it for Halloween))
I was surfing through the US GenWeb’s Essex County site
the other night and came across a reference to a murder
in Boxford Ma. It happened in 1769 and involved a Jonathan
Ames who was accused of murdering his wife Ruth(Perley)
and involved testimony by a neighbor, a Mrs. Kimball.
This got my attention quickly. My 3x great grandmother was
Arvilla Ames and she was a descendant of Priscilla Kimball.
The Ames or Eames line is one of my favorites because the
family has been part of interesting events in New England
Colonial history. Robert (E)Ames, whose ancestry is unknown,
married Rebecca Blake who was one of those convicted of
witchcraft in the Salem witch hysteria. She later was given a
reprieve and the couple lived out their lives in the town of
Boxford.
Their son John married Priscilla Kimball, the daughter of
Thomas Kimball and Mary Smith The Kimball family was
living in Rowley Ma. when they were attacked by Indians on
May 2nd ,1676. Thomas was killed and Mary and their five
children, including Priscilla, were taken captive for forty-one
days before the chief of the Pennacook tribe persuaded the
raiding Indians to release their captives.
Priscilla grew to adulthood and married John Ames. They
hada farm in Boxford but they sold it in March of 1715 or 1716
and moved to Groton, Ma. John was standing one day at the
front door of what is referred to as “his garrison” (Was this
simply a fortified farmhouse or a trading post sort of building?)
when he was shot by an Indian on July 9th, 1724. He is said to
have been the last man slain by an Indian in Groton although
there appears to be some debate over that.
The Indian who was presumed to be the murderer was killed
in turn by Jacob Ames, John and Priscilla’s second oldest son.
So as you see, the Ames and Kimballs had gone through some
trying times already. When I ran across the reference of an
article in the Essex Antiquarian on a murder involving Jonathan
Ames and someone named Kimball, I had to look into it to see
how it related to my family genealogy.
Which I’ll go into next time!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
THE DEVIL IN THE SHAPE OF A HORSE
There's always some new surprise waiting for me in my genealogy
research. My previous post detailed the testimony my ancestors
Benjamin Abbot(t) and his wife Sarah (Farnham) Abbot(t)gave that
helped convict Martha Carrier of witchcraft.
On the day Martha was executed, 19 August 1692 another ancestor,
Rebecca Eames, was in the crowd watching and was accused by another
spectator of causing them to have a pinprick in the foot. Rebecca was
taken in for questioning right away, readily confessed to be a witch and
claimed that her eldest son Daniel Eames was as well.
The following is from Records of Salem Witchcraft: Copied from the
Original Documents, Volume 2 (Priv. print. for W. E. Woodward, 1864)
pp 143-146.The questions and answers were mixed in with the observations
of the court officers in long run on paragraphs so I've used line spaces to
make the document easier to read.:
"Examination of Rebecca Eames.
Rebecca Eames examined before Salem, Majestrats, Aug" 19: 1692. She owned
she had bin in ye snare a monthe or 2 : and had bin persuaded to it 3 monthes
and that ye devil apeared to her like a colt very ugly ye first time but she would
not own y1 she had bin baptised by him she did not know but y1 ye devil did
persuade her to renounce god and christ and ffolow his wicked wayes and that
she did take his Counsell and that she did afflict Timo: Swan she did not know
but that ye devil might ask her body and soul and she knows not but yl she did
give him soul and body after ward she sd she did do it and that she would forsake
god and his works: and ye devil promised her to give her powr to avenge herself
on them that offended her afterward she P ye devil apeared to her 7 year agoe
and that he had tempted her to ly and had made her to afflict persons but she
could not tell their names that she first afflicted.
Q: who came wth ye devil when he made you a witch
A: a ragged girl : they came together and they persuaded me to afflict: and J
afflicte mary Warin and an other fayr face it is abot a quarter of a year agoe: J
did it by sticking of pins
:but did you afflict Swan
: yes, but I am sorry for it
: Q. where had you your spear
A. J had nothing but an all
:but was it with yor body or spirit you came to hurt these maydes
: A. with my spirit
Q. but can you ask them forgivnes
A: I will fall down on my knees to ask it of them
She would not own that she signed ye devils book when he askd her body
and soul: but he would have had her done it nor to a burch Rign nor nothing:
She sd ye devil was in ye Shape of a hors when he caried her to afflict: but
would not own anybody went with her to afflict but ye afflicted sd her son
Danll went with her to afflict
: Q did you not say ye Devil baptised yor son daniell.
A. he told me so;
Q but; did you not touch the book nor lay yor hand on book nor paper.
A: I layd my hand on nothing without it was a peice of board
: and did you lay yor hand on ye board when he bid you.
A: yes;
mary Lascy sd she had given her son Danllto ye devil at 2 years old: and y1
her apertion told her so: but she could not remember it: she was bid to take
warin and lazy by ye hand and beg forgivnes and did so, and they forgave her
she sd if she had given her son Danll to ye devil it was in an Angry fitt she did
not know but she might do it nor J do not know he is a wich but J am afrayd he
is : mary lascy saw her son Danll stand before her and sd Danll bid his mother
not confess he was a Wich: his mother did not know she sd but she might se him
for she saw a burlling thing before her: Mary Lascy sd she had baptized her son
Danll and she had bin babtized in five mile Pond: she sd ye reason she feared
Danll was a witch : was becaus he used dredfull bad words when he was Angry:
and bad wishes; being asked the age of Danll sd he was 28 years old; she was
told she had bin long a witch; then, if she gave her son to ye devil at 2 years old
she owned she had bin discontented since she had bin in league with ye devil:
she knew not but ye devil might come once a day lik a mous or ratt: she sd she
knew Sarah parker but did not know her to be a wich: but she heard she had
bin crossed in love and ye devil had come to her and kissed her
: who was with you when you afflicted swan
: A. nobody but my son Danll he was there when J came theether
: she would have Danll perswaded to confes but was told she were best
to perswade him becaus me knew him to be a wich: she was afkt if she was
at ye execution: she sd she was at ye hous below ye hill: she saw a few folk
: the woman of ye hous had a pin stuck into her foot : but she sd she did not
doe it
: but how do you afflict:
A: J Consent to it
: but have you bin a witch 26 years
: A no, J cannot remember but 7 years and have afflicted about a
quarter of a year
:but : if you have bin a wich so long : why did you not afflict before
seing you promised to Sen ye devil,
A: others did not Afflict before and the devil did not require it
: but: doth not ye devil threaten you if you not do what he ses
: A, yes he thretens to tere me in peices
: but did you use to goe to meeting on Sabbath dayes
; yes, but not so often as J should have done
: what shape did the devil com in when you layd yor hand on ye board
: A. J cannot tell except it was a mous."
There are numerous theories on what produced the outrageous claims
made during the Witch Trials. One theory is that they were caused
by hallucinations brought about by a bread mold. I think there may be
something to that because a lot of the testimony reads like bad LSD
trips from the 1960's!
Eventually Rebecca was convicted and sentenced to be hung the following
22Sep 1692. The sentence was reprieved and she spent most of that fall
and winter in jail before being released.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
'EXKSEDINGLY TORMENTED''... BENJAMIN ABBOTT VS. MARTHA CARRIER
I have some ancestors involved in 17th century witchcraft hysteria in
Massachusetts. Two of them, Rebecca (Blake)Eames and Mary (Towne)Eastey
were among those accused of being witches. Mary was hung ; Rebecca was
pardoned. But I also have relatives among the accusers. So I thought for
Halloween I'd do some blogposts about some of them.
First up are my 8x great grandparents Benjamin Abbot(t) and Sarah
(Farnham) Abbot(t) of Andover, Ma. They testified against their neighbor
Martha Carrier accusing her of using magic to exact revenge over a land
dispute. If you are a longtime viewer of the PBS show History Detectives
you may have seen the episode they did on Abbott House in Andover and
the dispute with the Abbot(t)s. Here is Benjamin and Sarah's depositions
from Records of Salem Witchcraft: Copied from the Original Documents,
Volume 2 (Priv. print. for W. E. Woodward, 1864) pp60-62:
"Benjn Abbott v. Martha Carier.
The testimony of Beniamin Abbutt aged about 31 years Saith: last march was
twelfe months, then haueing some land granted to me by the Towne of Andover
near to goodman Carriers his land, and when this land came to be laid out goodwiffe
Carrier was very Angery, and said she would stick as Cross to Benjamin Abbut
as the bark Stooke to the Tree and that J mould Repent of it afore seuen yeares
Came to an End and that docter prescott could neuer cure me: These words were
heard by Allin Toothaker she also said to Ralph farnam Junr that she would hold
my noss so Close to the grindstone as Ever it was held Since my name was
Beniamin Abbut presently after I was taken with a Swelling in my ffoot and then
was taken with a payne in my side Exksedingly Tormented, wich bred to a sore,
which was lancit by docter prescott and Seuerall gallons of Corruption did run
out as was Judged and so Continued about six weeks very bad, and then one other
sore did breed in my grine wich was lancit by doct. prescott also and Continued
very bad awhile and then another sore breed in my grine which was also cutt and
putt me to very great misery, So that it brought me almost to Deaths doore, &
Continued, untill goodwiffe Carrier was Taken and Carried a waye by the Constable,
and that very day I began to grow better, my soers grew well and I grew better
Every day and so haue been well ever since and have great cause to think that
the sd Carrier had a great hand in my sickness and misery.
benjamin Abbut. Jurat in Curia Aug1 3d 1692.
Attest Step. Sewall Cler."
"Sarah Abbott v. Martha Carrier.
The deposition of Sarah Abbott aged about 32 years testifieth that since my
husband had a parcell of land granted by ye Towne, lying near ye land of Thomas
Carrier, (which as I have heard) his wife martha Carrier was greatly troubled att
and gaue out threatning words that my husband Benjamin Abbott has not been
only afflicted in his body, as he testifies, but also that strange and unusuall things
has happened to his Cattle, for some have died suddenly and strangely, which we
could not tell any naturall reason for, and one Cowe Cleaned a fourthnight before
me Calved but ye Cowe died afterwards strangely though she calved well soe far
as we could perceive, and some of ye Cattle would come out of ye woods wth
their tongues hanging out of their mouths in a strange and affrighting manner,
and many such things, which we can give noe account of ye reason of, unless it
should be ye effects, of martha Carrier threatings.
her mark
Jurat in Curia. Sarah f Abbott
Aug13d 1692. attest. Steph. Sewall Cler".
Martha Carrier was executed on 16Aug 1692. Modern historians now hold that it
was Benjamin Abbot(t) who was landhungry and who engineered the accusation
of witchcraft to gain ownership over the coveted piece of land where Abbot(t)
House was later built about 1711. Benjamin died in 1703.
Massachusetts. Two of them, Rebecca (Blake)Eames and Mary (Towne)Eastey
were among those accused of being witches. Mary was hung ; Rebecca was
pardoned. But I also have relatives among the accusers. So I thought for
Halloween I'd do some blogposts about some of them.
First up are my 8x great grandparents Benjamin Abbot(t) and Sarah
(Farnham) Abbot(t) of Andover, Ma. They testified against their neighbor
Martha Carrier accusing her of using magic to exact revenge over a land
dispute. If you are a longtime viewer of the PBS show History Detectives
you may have seen the episode they did on Abbott House in Andover and
the dispute with the Abbot(t)s. Here is Benjamin and Sarah's depositions
from Records of Salem Witchcraft: Copied from the Original Documents,
Volume 2 (Priv. print. for W. E. Woodward, 1864) pp60-62:
"Benjn Abbott v. Martha Carier.
The testimony of Beniamin Abbutt aged about 31 years Saith: last march was
twelfe months, then haueing some land granted to me by the Towne of Andover
near to goodman Carriers his land, and when this land came to be laid out goodwiffe
Carrier was very Angery, and said she would stick as Cross to Benjamin Abbut
as the bark Stooke to the Tree and that J mould Repent of it afore seuen yeares
Came to an End and that docter prescott could neuer cure me: These words were
heard by Allin Toothaker she also said to Ralph farnam Junr that she would hold
my noss so Close to the grindstone as Ever it was held Since my name was
Beniamin Abbut presently after I was taken with a Swelling in my ffoot and then
was taken with a payne in my side Exksedingly Tormented, wich bred to a sore,
which was lancit by docter prescott and Seuerall gallons of Corruption did run
out as was Judged and so Continued about six weeks very bad, and then one other
sore did breed in my grine wich was lancit by doct. prescott also and Continued
very bad awhile and then another sore breed in my grine which was also cutt and
putt me to very great misery, So that it brought me almost to Deaths doore, &
Continued, untill goodwiffe Carrier was Taken and Carried a waye by the Constable,
and that very day I began to grow better, my soers grew well and I grew better
Every day and so haue been well ever since and have great cause to think that
the sd Carrier had a great hand in my sickness and misery.
benjamin Abbut. Jurat in Curia Aug1 3d 1692.
Attest Step. Sewall Cler."
"Sarah Abbott v. Martha Carrier.
The deposition of Sarah Abbott aged about 32 years testifieth that since my
husband had a parcell of land granted by ye Towne, lying near ye land of Thomas
Carrier, (which as I have heard) his wife martha Carrier was greatly troubled att
and gaue out threatning words that my husband Benjamin Abbott has not been
only afflicted in his body, as he testifies, but also that strange and unusuall things
has happened to his Cattle, for some have died suddenly and strangely, which we
could not tell any naturall reason for, and one Cowe Cleaned a fourthnight before
me Calved but ye Cowe died afterwards strangely though she calved well soe far
as we could perceive, and some of ye Cattle would come out of ye woods wth
their tongues hanging out of their mouths in a strange and affrighting manner,
and many such things, which we can give noe account of ye reason of, unless it
should be ye effects, of martha Carrier threatings.
her mark
Jurat in Curia. Sarah f Abbott
Aug13d 1692. attest. Steph. Sewall Cler".
Martha Carrier was executed on 16Aug 1692. Modern historians now hold that it
was Benjamin Abbot(t) who was landhungry and who engineered the accusation
of witchcraft to gain ownership over the coveted piece of land where Abbot(t)
House was later built about 1711. Benjamin died in 1703.
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