Just sitting and chilling literally and figuratively. Where's the heat?? I'm
ready for a warm, sunny day!
I might yet get out on some genealogy expedition before vacation is
over but I was a bit taken aback looking at the fees for copies at the
Boston Archdiocese Archives and the Massachusetts State Archives.
I couldn't find any indication that either allowed a researcher to
download anything to a USB pocket drive. Can you do that at the
NEHGS?
I should know enough by now to remember to bookmark sites with
family information on them so I can get back to them later, but somehow
I forgot to do it with three sites during my Captain William Gerrish
research. I've found one, but the other two are still eluding me. I'm
not sure now if the incidents they discussed were about him, or whether
it was about Stephen Greenleaf or Thomas Chandler. I was running
Google searches on different family names with the added search terms of
"Essex" and "court" to see if I could find more court cases. Ah well, I'll
keep hunting them.
And in the category of "What the HECK is that? " see if you can spot
the word that had me doing a double take in this list of goods that belonged
to Captain Gerrish:
"14 pecs serges, 35li.; 1 pece of hollond, 5li. 10s.; 69 els of Ossinb., 5li. 15s.; 60 yds. flaning, 6li.; 30 1-2, 37 1-2 of duffills, 15li. 6s.; 42 yds. penistone, 5li. 15s. 6d.; 25 yds. Carsy....."
It was rather late at night when I read that list and I rubbed my eyes a few
times because I thought I was misreading that. I wasn't, but as it turned out,
the word refers to a very rare type of wool that comes from a breed of sheep
raised near the Pennines in England.
Coffee's almost gone. Now I need to decide, more writing, or go see the "Star Trek"
movie?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
WILLIAM GERRISH VERSUS THOMAS WOODBRIDGE ROUND3
The citizenry of Essex County must have had a lot of interesting conversations
about the goings on between Thomas Woodbridge and my 9x great grandfather
Captain William Gerrish in that spring of 1676. They were launching legal missiles
at each other as before the ink was even dry on the writs issued by the court. And
things seem to have come to a head in June of that year.
First, on June 15th, a writ that references the items that had been attached from
Captain Gerrish in the previous case. I must say that Joseph Pike, the constable,
seems to have taken a bit of relish in that duty and I'll ask you, reader, to keep
that thought for later. I also find the list of good interesting because of the
unfamiliar terms and names:
"Capt. Wm. Geerish v. Mr. Tho. Woodbridge. Review. Verdict for plaintiff. Appealed
to the next Court of Assistants. Said Woodbridge bound, with Mr. Dudly Bradstreet
and Ensign Tho. Chandler as sureties.
Writ, dated June 15, 1676, signed by Anthony Somerby, for the court, and served by
Joseph Pike, constable of Newbery, by attachment of the dwelling house, warehouse
and land, all the furniture in the house, which consists of five beds, several pewter dishes,
divers sorts of linens in trunks in the house, several parcels of English goods in the shop,
one bale of goods in the warehouse, salt, lines, cork, feathers, etc., belonging to defendant.
Execution, dated Mar. 30, 1676, against Capt. Will. Gerish to satisfy judgment granted
Mr. Thomas Woodbridge at Ipswich court, signed by Robert Lord, cleric, and served by
Robert Lord, marshal of Ipswich. Copy made by Robert Lord, cleric.
Bought of Mr. Jacob Jesson, Nov. 19, 1675, to pay in pork in two months at money price
at Boston: 28 M. 1-2 6d nailes at 5s., 7li. 2s. 6d.; 50 M. 4d nailes, at 2s. 8d., 6li. 13s. 4d.;
14 M. 10d nailes, 3s., 5li. 12s.; total, 19li. 5s. 10d. Owned by Mr. Woodbridg, 27 : 4 : 1676,
before Hilliard Veren cleric.
Goods delivered the Marshal by execution, 60li. 10s.: 14 pecs serges, 35li.; 1 pece of
hollond, 5li. 10s.; 69 els of Ossinb., 5li. 15s.; 60 yds. flaning, 6li.; 30 1-2, 37 1-2 of duffills,
15li. 6s.; 42 yds. penistone, 5li. 15s. 6d.; 25 yds. Carsy, 10li 12s.; 2 pecs 1-2 thicke carsy,
11li. 12s. 6d.; 1 pece of carsy, 3li. 10s.; 1 peece of sad carsy, 4li.; 2 pecs of mild serge,
11li. 10s.; 1 pece of prest serge, 3li. 18s.; 1 pece of serge, 3li.; 1 pec. serge, 3li. 10s.; 1
pece serge, 3li. 18s.; 2 pecs of prewnello, 15li. 10s.; 1 pece of farindine, 6li.; 3 pecs of
stuffe, 8li. 5s.; 1 pece of serge, 3li. 18s.; silver lace, 3li. 7s. 6d.; 6 pecs of callico, 6li. 2s.;
2 pecs of Lawne, 3li. 12s.; 1 pece of gimpe lace, 11s. 3d.; blew lining, 5li. 14s.; 1 peece
of stuffe, 3li. 10s.; nayls, 27li. 9s.
Capt. Gerrish's bill of cost, to witnesses John Dole, John Atkinson, Henry Tewxsbury,
Thomas Noys, Nico. Noys, Stephen Greinleife, Daniell Lunt, John Kent, Hugh March and
Joseph Gerrish, etc., 9li. 1s. 6d.
Caleb Moody deposed. Sworn, 27 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Elizabeth Gerrish, aged twenty-two years, testified concerning the attachments served by
constable Joseph Pike, she standing at the porch door. He said "I doe attach this Cubbard
this Chaire this table & this dogg," and then went outside and attached three oxen, seven
cows, two yokes, a chain and a dungpot. Then the constable went away with Tristram
Coffin. Sworn, 27 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
John Cornelius, aged twenty-five years, deposed. Sworn, June 26, 1676, before Daniel
Denison.
Ric. Dole, aged about fifty-two years, testified. Sworn in court.
John Knight, sr., testified. Sworn in court.
Tristram Coffin, aged forty-four years, deposed. Sworn in court.
Tristram Coffin and Jno. Dole testified. Sworn in court.
John Wells, aged about thirty-six years, deposed on June 23, 1676. Sworn, June 26, 1676,
before William Stoughton. Copy made by Hilliard Veren, cleric.
John Knight testified that Mr. Woodbridge told him that he had paid Gerrish a part of his
debt and the remainder he would pay at the next coming in of the boat, etc. Sworn in
court.
John Knight, sr., deposed. Sworn in court.
Elizabeth Gerrish, aged about twenty-two years, deposed concerning the goods for
which Woodbridge sued her father. Sworn, 26 :4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Moses Gerrish, aged about twenty-years, deposed concerning what Mr. Woodbridge
told his wife about the goods, etc. Sworn, 27 :4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant."
Now, one would think that having won his case and seen all of Thomas Woodbridge's
belongings attached would have been enough satisfaction for William Gerrish and the
two of them would have moved on with their lives. But only two days later, the pair
were once more back in court over something that had occurred weeks earlier.
This time, it was William Gerrish who was the defendant:
"Mr. Tho. Woodbridg v. Capt. Wm. Gerrish. Unjust molestation. Verdict for plaintif
Writ, dated June 17, 1676, signed by Dudley Bradstreet, for the court and served by J
oseph Pike, constable of Newbury.
Thomas Woodbridge's bill of cost, 17s. 8d.
Theophilus Willson, aged about seventy-five years, testified that about eight days before
the last Ipswich court Capt Gerrish arrested Mr. Woodbridge for slander in an action of
l,000li., and not giving security said Woodbridge was brought to deponent who was
keeper of the prison, and was kept imprisoned eight days. Sworn, June 26, 1676, before
Daniel Denison.
John Knight, aged fifty-one years, deposed that the last spring the constable of Neubery
attached a parcel of iron of Mr. Woodbridge's which the latter shipped aboard Daniell
Lunt's boat. Immediately after the iron was attached, Capt. Gerrish sent deponent to
Woodbridge to tell him what iron he had present use for about his vessel he should have,
weighing it. Sworn in court.
Joseph Pike, aged about thirty-seven years, testified concerning serving the attachments,
the first time on two tons which proved to be Mr. Page's etc. Sworn in court.
Joseph Pike, aged about thirty-seven years, deposed that he weighed out for Ensign
Greenleif 300li. of the iron which he delivered to Woodbridge's men who were employed
on the vessel now called Mr. Dumer's, etc. Sworn in court.
Stephen Grenlef, aged about forty-seven years, deposed that the constable brought the
iron which was attached to deponent's shop, etc. Sworn in court.
Major Denison and Marshal Lord affirmed in court that Woodbridge was put in prison."
And then....well, I don't know. I haven't found anymore records of court preceedings
between Capt. Gerrish and Thomas Woodbridge. And I wish I knew what the
witnesses said in testifying.
But I have found one last case that involves Constable Pike and the Captain, and we'll
discuss that next.
about the goings on between Thomas Woodbridge and my 9x great grandfather
Captain William Gerrish in that spring of 1676. They were launching legal missiles
at each other as before the ink was even dry on the writs issued by the court. And
things seem to have come to a head in June of that year.
First, on June 15th, a writ that references the items that had been attached from
Captain Gerrish in the previous case. I must say that Joseph Pike, the constable,
seems to have taken a bit of relish in that duty and I'll ask you, reader, to keep
that thought for later. I also find the list of good interesting because of the
unfamiliar terms and names:
"Capt. Wm. Geerish v. Mr. Tho. Woodbridge. Review. Verdict for plaintiff. Appealed
to the next Court of Assistants. Said Woodbridge bound, with Mr. Dudly Bradstreet
and Ensign Tho. Chandler as sureties.
Writ, dated June 15, 1676, signed by Anthony Somerby, for the court, and served by
Joseph Pike, constable of Newbery, by attachment of the dwelling house, warehouse
and land, all the furniture in the house, which consists of five beds, several pewter dishes,
divers sorts of linens in trunks in the house, several parcels of English goods in the shop,
one bale of goods in the warehouse, salt, lines, cork, feathers, etc., belonging to defendant.
Execution, dated Mar. 30, 1676, against Capt. Will. Gerish to satisfy judgment granted
Mr. Thomas Woodbridge at Ipswich court, signed by Robert Lord, cleric, and served by
Robert Lord, marshal of Ipswich. Copy made by Robert Lord, cleric.
Bought of Mr. Jacob Jesson, Nov. 19, 1675, to pay in pork in two months at money price
at Boston: 28 M. 1-2 6d nailes at 5s., 7li. 2s. 6d.; 50 M. 4d nailes, at 2s. 8d., 6li. 13s. 4d.;
14 M. 10d nailes, 3s., 5li. 12s.; total, 19li. 5s. 10d. Owned by Mr. Woodbridg, 27 : 4 : 1676,
before Hilliard Veren cleric.
Goods delivered the Marshal by execution, 60li. 10s.: 14 pecs serges, 35li.; 1 pece of
hollond, 5li. 10s.; 69 els of Ossinb., 5li. 15s.; 60 yds. flaning, 6li.; 30 1-2, 37 1-2 of duffills,
15li. 6s.; 42 yds. penistone, 5li. 15s. 6d.; 25 yds. Carsy, 10li 12s.; 2 pecs 1-2 thicke carsy,
11li. 12s. 6d.; 1 pece of carsy, 3li. 10s.; 1 peece of sad carsy, 4li.; 2 pecs of mild serge,
11li. 10s.; 1 pece of prest serge, 3li. 18s.; 1 pece of serge, 3li.; 1 pec. serge, 3li. 10s.; 1
pece serge, 3li. 18s.; 2 pecs of prewnello, 15li. 10s.; 1 pece of farindine, 6li.; 3 pecs of
stuffe, 8li. 5s.; 1 pece of serge, 3li. 18s.; silver lace, 3li. 7s. 6d.; 6 pecs of callico, 6li. 2s.;
2 pecs of Lawne, 3li. 12s.; 1 pece of gimpe lace, 11s. 3d.; blew lining, 5li. 14s.; 1 peece
of stuffe, 3li. 10s.; nayls, 27li. 9s.
Capt. Gerrish's bill of cost, to witnesses John Dole, John Atkinson, Henry Tewxsbury,
Thomas Noys, Nico. Noys, Stephen Greinleife, Daniell Lunt, John Kent, Hugh March and
Joseph Gerrish, etc., 9li. 1s. 6d.
Caleb Moody deposed. Sworn, 27 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Elizabeth Gerrish, aged twenty-two years, testified concerning the attachments served by
constable Joseph Pike, she standing at the porch door. He said "I doe attach this Cubbard
this Chaire this table & this dogg," and then went outside and attached three oxen, seven
cows, two yokes, a chain and a dungpot. Then the constable went away with Tristram
Coffin. Sworn, 27 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
John Cornelius, aged twenty-five years, deposed. Sworn, June 26, 1676, before Daniel
Denison.
Ric. Dole, aged about fifty-two years, testified. Sworn in court.
John Knight, sr., testified. Sworn in court.
Tristram Coffin, aged forty-four years, deposed. Sworn in court.
Tristram Coffin and Jno. Dole testified. Sworn in court.
John Wells, aged about thirty-six years, deposed on June 23, 1676. Sworn, June 26, 1676,
before William Stoughton. Copy made by Hilliard Veren, cleric.
John Knight testified that Mr. Woodbridge told him that he had paid Gerrish a part of his
debt and the remainder he would pay at the next coming in of the boat, etc. Sworn in
court.
John Knight, sr., deposed. Sworn in court.
Elizabeth Gerrish, aged about twenty-two years, deposed concerning the goods for
which Woodbridge sued her father. Sworn, 26 :4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Moses Gerrish, aged about twenty-years, deposed concerning what Mr. Woodbridge
told his wife about the goods, etc. Sworn, 27 :4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant."
Now, one would think that having won his case and seen all of Thomas Woodbridge's
belongings attached would have been enough satisfaction for William Gerrish and the
two of them would have moved on with their lives. But only two days later, the pair
were once more back in court over something that had occurred weeks earlier.
This time, it was William Gerrish who was the defendant:
"Mr. Tho. Woodbridg v. Capt. Wm. Gerrish. Unjust molestation. Verdict for plaintif
Writ, dated June 17, 1676, signed by Dudley Bradstreet, for the court and served by J
oseph Pike, constable of Newbury.
Thomas Woodbridge's bill of cost, 17s. 8d.
Theophilus Willson, aged about seventy-five years, testified that about eight days before
the last Ipswich court Capt Gerrish arrested Mr. Woodbridge for slander in an action of
l,000li., and not giving security said Woodbridge was brought to deponent who was
keeper of the prison, and was kept imprisoned eight days. Sworn, June 26, 1676, before
Daniel Denison.
John Knight, aged fifty-one years, deposed that the last spring the constable of Neubery
attached a parcel of iron of Mr. Woodbridge's which the latter shipped aboard Daniell
Lunt's boat. Immediately after the iron was attached, Capt. Gerrish sent deponent to
Woodbridge to tell him what iron he had present use for about his vessel he should have,
weighing it. Sworn in court.
Joseph Pike, aged about thirty-seven years, testified concerning serving the attachments,
the first time on two tons which proved to be Mr. Page's etc. Sworn in court.
Joseph Pike, aged about thirty-seven years, deposed that he weighed out for Ensign
Greenleif 300li. of the iron which he delivered to Woodbridge's men who were employed
on the vessel now called Mr. Dumer's, etc. Sworn in court.
Stephen Grenlef, aged about forty-seven years, deposed that the constable brought the
iron which was attached to deponent's shop, etc. Sworn in court.
Major Denison and Marshal Lord affirmed in court that Woodbridge was put in prison."
And then....well, I don't know. I haven't found anymore records of court preceedings
between Capt. Gerrish and Thomas Woodbridge. And I wish I knew what the
witnesses said in testifying.
But I have found one last case that involves Constable Pike and the Captain, and we'll
discuss that next.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
WILLIAM GERRISH VERSUS THOMAS WOODBRIDGE ROUND2
As I said in a previous post, my ancestor Captain William Gerrish had more
than one court battle with Thomas Woodbridge. Gerrish had already sued
Woodbridge for slander but the case had been withdrawn for some reason or
another that I've yet to discover. Apparently something happened to make the
Captain refile his suit, and at first it appears he won:
"Capt. Wm. Gerish v. Mr. Thomas Woodbridge. Defamation or slander.
Verdict for plaintiff. To pay a fine unless he acknowledge his offence
before the court in saying that the Capt. had cheated him and lied, and also
make a like acknowledgment at Newbery on a lecture day within five weeks,
openly in the meeting house before the congregation. Appealed to the next
Court of Assistants. Mr. Thomas Woodbridge bound, with Mr. Dudly Bradstreet
and Thomas Chandler as sureties.*
*Writ, dated 19 : 4 : 1676, signed by Hilliard Veren, for the court, and served
by Joseph Webb, marshal of Boston. Bond of Tho. Woodbridge.
Bill of cost, 3li. 13s. 4d.
Daniell Luntt, aged about thirty-four years, deposed concerning what Woodbridge
said about Gerrish, etc. Sworn, 24 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant
Robert Lord, sr., aged about seventy-five years, deposed concerning a bill which
Capt. Gerrish acknowledged and then denied, etc. Sworn, June 23, 1676, before
Daniel Denison.
Henry Jaques, aged about fifty-six years, testified that he was one of the jury in the
action of defamation brought by Capt. William Gerrish against Mr. Thos. Woodbridge,
and their verdict against Gerrish was given on account of the contradictory and untrue statements of said Gerrish. Wit: John Wells and Dudley Bradstreet. Abraham Perkins
testified to the same. Sworn, June 26, 1676, before Daniel Denison."
But Thomas Woodbridge would not give up so easily, and did appeal the
decision:
"Mr. Thomas Woodbridge v. Capt. Wm. Gerrish. Review of a case tried at
the last Ipswich court. Verdict for defendant. Appealed to the next Court of
Assistants. Said Woodbridge bound, with Mr. Dudly Bradstreet and Ensign Tho. Chandler
as sureties.*
*Writ, dated June 17, 1676, signed by Dudley Bradstreet,for the court, and served
by Joseph Pike, constable of Newbery, by attachment of a dwelling house, land,
shed, ten acres of upland between Mr. Jno. Woodbridg's and Mr. Perses land,
belonging to defendant, also his part of the bark of which Daniell Lunt is commander,
sixteen or twenty acres of marsh and meadow, eastward of and near Newbery mill at
the little river, six or eight acres between Ant. Morse's house and Richard Brown's
pasture, also seven cows, a dung-fork, two yokes and a chain at Capt. Gerrish's usual
dwelling place, a cupboard, a great chair, table and a dog.
Bill of cost, 4s.
John Knight and Thomas Knight deposed that there were many particulars behind for
which Woodbridge had not given the Captain credit, and upon Woodbridge demanding
what they were, John Knight replied that cousin Thomas Noyce's 11li. 10s. was one
and the old bark of Badger's which he sold for 10li., was another and the third
was an interest in Sterling's vessel, all of which Woodbridge owned.
Thomas Noyce testified that the 11li. 10s. was to be paid in barley at his father
Peirce's, etc. Sworn, 26 :4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Tristram Coffine, aged forty-four years, testified concerning the accounts. Sworn in
court.
Richard Dole, aged fifty-two years, deposed concerning the ossenbrige purchased,
etc. Sworn in court.
Daniel Lunt, aged about thirty-five years, testified concerning taking on his boat to Boston ninety-eight bushels of malt worth 3s. 6d. per bushel which he delivered to
Mr. Thomas Woodbridg. Sworn, 24 :4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Ricd. Dole, aged fifty-two years, testified concerning discussion of the account at
Hugh Marches house. Sworn in court.
Nicholas Noyes deposed. Sworn in court.
Henery Tuckexbury, aged about fifty years, deposed that he being indebted to Capt.
Gerrish for 5li., Woodbridge desired him to work about a "wessel" which he had
building, he agreed to pay the 5li. to Gerrish, etc. Sworn, 26 : 4 : 1676, before
Simon Bradstreet.
Jno. Dole, aged about twenty-seven years, deposed concerning witnessing the
payment of goods by Mr. Woodbridge to Capt. Gerrish. Sworn in court.
Tristram Coffin, aged forty-four years, deposed. Sworn in court.
Caleb Moody deposed that by order of Capt. Gerish he paid malt to Goodman Cbease
of Hamton, boatman, to the value of 20s. or 30s. for freight of a parcel of goods,
which Gerish told him were Woodbridge's goods. This was two years ago the last
spring. Sworn, 27 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Richard Dole, aged about fifty-two years, deposed. Sworn m court.
Hugh March, aged about fifty-four years, deposed. Sworn, 26 : 4 : 1676, before
Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
John Atkisson, aged about forty years, deposed that the malt delivered at Boston
was sold by Mr. Woodbridge to Mr. John Viall. Sworn in court.
Richard Dole, aged fifty-two years, deposed. Mr. Deane and Mr. Dudley Bradstreet
mentioned. Sworn in court.
Joseph Gerrish testified that his father paid him 36s. in money for Mr. Thomas
Woodbridge which he said Woodbridge owed deponent on account of a horse.
Sworn, 27 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Moses Gerrish, aged twenty years, deposed that Woodbridge had 3li. of powder
of his father, etc. Sworn, 26 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne,f assistant.
Tho. Woodbridge's order to Capt. Gerrish, May 4, 1674, to let Goodman Sawer
have eight thousand shingle nails and two thousand board nails, and Will. Sayear's
receipt. Sworn in court.
Tho. Woodbridge'sf order to Capt. Gerrish, May 2, 1674, to let Joshua Boynton
have 1 M. shingle nails and 1 M. board nails. Sworn in court.
Nails delivered by Wm. Gerrish,f on order of Woodbridge, Mar. 1673-4, to Samuell Mody, Goodman Somersby, Joseph Bointon, Wm. Sayre, Mr. Pearce, Thomas
Rogers, Ensign Greinleife, Mr. Dumer, John Indian. Sworn in court.
Tho. Woodbridge's order to Capt. Gerrish to let Goodman Somerbee have 3 M
shingle nails and 1 M board nails, with Anthony Somerby's receipt.
Sworn in court."
The list of attached items was particularly interesting to me. They certainly were efficient,
even including a "dung-fork" and a dog!
So it seems Captain Gerrish had won out over his adversary. Thomas Woodbridge would
have to make a public apology, and that would be an end to it.
Or would it?
To be continued....
than one court battle with Thomas Woodbridge. Gerrish had already sued
Woodbridge for slander but the case had been withdrawn for some reason or
another that I've yet to discover. Apparently something happened to make the
Captain refile his suit, and at first it appears he won:
"Capt. Wm. Gerish v. Mr. Thomas Woodbridge. Defamation or slander.
Verdict for plaintiff. To pay a fine unless he acknowledge his offence
before the court in saying that the Capt. had cheated him and lied, and also
make a like acknowledgment at Newbery on a lecture day within five weeks,
openly in the meeting house before the congregation. Appealed to the next
Court of Assistants. Mr. Thomas Woodbridge bound, with Mr. Dudly Bradstreet
and Thomas Chandler as sureties.*
*Writ, dated 19 : 4 : 1676, signed by Hilliard Veren, for the court, and served
by Joseph Webb, marshal of Boston. Bond of Tho. Woodbridge.
Bill of cost, 3li. 13s. 4d.
Daniell Luntt, aged about thirty-four years, deposed concerning what Woodbridge
said about Gerrish, etc. Sworn, 24 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant
Robert Lord, sr., aged about seventy-five years, deposed concerning a bill which
Capt. Gerrish acknowledged and then denied, etc. Sworn, June 23, 1676, before
Daniel Denison.
Henry Jaques, aged about fifty-six years, testified that he was one of the jury in the
action of defamation brought by Capt. William Gerrish against Mr. Thos. Woodbridge,
and their verdict against Gerrish was given on account of the contradictory and untrue statements of said Gerrish. Wit: John Wells and Dudley Bradstreet. Abraham Perkins
testified to the same. Sworn, June 26, 1676, before Daniel Denison."
But Thomas Woodbridge would not give up so easily, and did appeal the
decision:
"Mr. Thomas Woodbridge v. Capt. Wm. Gerrish. Review of a case tried at
the last Ipswich court. Verdict for defendant. Appealed to the next Court of
Assistants. Said Woodbridge bound, with Mr. Dudly Bradstreet and Ensign Tho. Chandler
as sureties.*
*Writ, dated June 17, 1676, signed by Dudley Bradstreet,for the court, and served
by Joseph Pike, constable of Newbery, by attachment of a dwelling house, land,
shed, ten acres of upland between Mr. Jno. Woodbridg's and Mr. Perses land,
belonging to defendant, also his part of the bark of which Daniell Lunt is commander,
sixteen or twenty acres of marsh and meadow, eastward of and near Newbery mill at
the little river, six or eight acres between Ant. Morse's house and Richard Brown's
pasture, also seven cows, a dung-fork, two yokes and a chain at Capt. Gerrish's usual
dwelling place, a cupboard, a great chair, table and a dog.
Bill of cost, 4s.
John Knight and Thomas Knight deposed that there were many particulars behind for
which Woodbridge had not given the Captain credit, and upon Woodbridge demanding
what they were, John Knight replied that cousin Thomas Noyce's 11li. 10s. was one
and the old bark of Badger's which he sold for 10li., was another and the third
was an interest in Sterling's vessel, all of which Woodbridge owned.
Thomas Noyce testified that the 11li. 10s. was to be paid in barley at his father
Peirce's, etc. Sworn, 26 :4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Tristram Coffine, aged forty-four years, testified concerning the accounts. Sworn in
court.
Richard Dole, aged fifty-two years, deposed concerning the ossenbrige purchased,
etc. Sworn in court.
Daniel Lunt, aged about thirty-five years, testified concerning taking on his boat to Boston ninety-eight bushels of malt worth 3s. 6d. per bushel which he delivered to
Mr. Thomas Woodbridg. Sworn, 24 :4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Ricd. Dole, aged fifty-two years, testified concerning discussion of the account at
Hugh Marches house. Sworn in court.
Nicholas Noyes deposed. Sworn in court.
Henery Tuckexbury, aged about fifty years, deposed that he being indebted to Capt.
Gerrish for 5li., Woodbridge desired him to work about a "wessel" which he had
building, he agreed to pay the 5li. to Gerrish, etc. Sworn, 26 : 4 : 1676, before
Simon Bradstreet.
Jno. Dole, aged about twenty-seven years, deposed concerning witnessing the
payment of goods by Mr. Woodbridge to Capt. Gerrish. Sworn in court.
Tristram Coffin, aged forty-four years, deposed. Sworn in court.
Caleb Moody deposed that by order of Capt. Gerish he paid malt to Goodman Cbease
of Hamton, boatman, to the value of 20s. or 30s. for freight of a parcel of goods,
which Gerish told him were Woodbridge's goods. This was two years ago the last
spring. Sworn, 27 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Richard Dole, aged about fifty-two years, deposed. Sworn m court.
Hugh March, aged about fifty-four years, deposed. Sworn, 26 : 4 : 1676, before
Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
John Atkisson, aged about forty years, deposed that the malt delivered at Boston
was sold by Mr. Woodbridge to Mr. John Viall. Sworn in court.
Richard Dole, aged fifty-two years, deposed. Mr. Deane and Mr. Dudley Bradstreet
mentioned. Sworn in court.
Joseph Gerrish testified that his father paid him 36s. in money for Mr. Thomas
Woodbridge which he said Woodbridge owed deponent on account of a horse.
Sworn, 27 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne, assistant.
Moses Gerrish, aged twenty years, deposed that Woodbridge had 3li. of powder
of his father, etc. Sworn, 26 : 4 : 1676, before Wm. Hathorne,f assistant.
Tho. Woodbridge's order to Capt. Gerrish, May 4, 1674, to let Goodman Sawer
have eight thousand shingle nails and two thousand board nails, and Will. Sayear's
receipt. Sworn in court.
Tho. Woodbridge'sf order to Capt. Gerrish, May 2, 1674, to let Joshua Boynton
have 1 M. shingle nails and 1 M. board nails. Sworn in court.
Nails delivered by Wm. Gerrish,f on order of Woodbridge, Mar. 1673-4, to Samuell Mody, Goodman Somersby, Joseph Bointon, Wm. Sayre, Mr. Pearce, Thomas
Rogers, Ensign Greinleife, Mr. Dumer, John Indian. Sworn in court.
Tho. Woodbridge's order to Capt. Gerrish to let Goodman Somerbee have 3 M
shingle nails and 1 M board nails, with Anthony Somerby's receipt.
Sworn in court."
The list of attached items was particularly interesting to me. They certainly were efficient,
even including a "dung-fork" and a dog!
So it seems Captain Gerrish had won out over his adversary. Thomas Woodbridge would
have to make a public apology, and that would be an end to it.
Or would it?
To be continued....
ONE WEEK LEFT TO JUST MAKE UP SOME GENEALOGY LYRICS!
The deadline for my "Just Make Up some Genealogy Lyrics" Challenge
is coming up on June 30th, but there's still time for you to play...and sing...
along.
These are the rules:
1. Set the names of your ancestors to the music of any song. It can be
any number of names, any song. Just remember to mention what song
you are using so we can all sing along as we read!
2. Publish your efforts on your blog and send me the link. If you don't have
a blog( and you really should, you know, they're easy and fun to do) then send
me your song in a comment to this blog.
2. Dead line is June 30th. I'll publish the final list here on the 4th of July!
Now I've had some entries that don't list family names but hey, I'm easy.
I'll take any genealogy themed song !
I know some folks that are going to Jamboree may not have had the time
to come up with a song, but maybe they can brainstorm with their
fellow geneabloggers out there.
Who knows? Maybe they'll come up with an official Geneabloggers' Anthem!
is coming up on June 30th, but there's still time for you to play...and sing...
along.
These are the rules:
1. Set the names of your ancestors to the music of any song. It can be
any number of names, any song. Just remember to mention what song
you are using so we can all sing along as we read!
2. Publish your efforts on your blog and send me the link. If you don't have
a blog( and you really should, you know, they're easy and fun to do) then send
me your song in a comment to this blog.
2. Dead line is June 30th. I'll publish the final list here on the 4th of July!
Now I've had some entries that don't list family names but hey, I'm easy.
I'll take any genealogy themed song !
I know some folks that are going to Jamboree may not have had the time
to come up with a song, but maybe they can brainstorm with their
fellow geneabloggers out there.
Who knows? Maybe they'll come up with an official Geneabloggers' Anthem!
Monday, June 22, 2009
WILLIAM GERRISH VERSUS THOMAS WOODBRIDGE
Both Stephen Greenleaf and Stephen Greenleaf Jr. had made good marriages with
women from prominent colonial families. Stephen the elder had married Elizabeth
Coffin, daughter of Tristram Coffin; Stephen Junior married Elizabeth Gerrish,
whose father was Captain William Gerrish.
The Greenleaf, Coffin and Gerrish families ran profitable mercantile and ship
construction businesses in the towns of Newbury and Amesbury as well in Boston.
And despite the religious beliefs of the founding Puritan fathers, the business
world back then was just as competitive as it is today. Take the case of William Gerrish
and Thomas Woodbridge.
Actually, make that cases. They faced each other in court in Essex County at least
three times, twice over debts, and the third time my ancestor William Gerrish took
Thomas Woodbridge to court for slander:
"Capt. Wm. Gerrish v. Thomas Woodbridge. Slander. Withdrawn.:
Caleb Moody testified that he heard Woodbridge say that Captain Gerish was a cheating knave, that he had cheated him out of 180li., and that he had told a damnable or devilish
lie. Sworn in court.
Jno. Joanes and Steven Swet testified. Sworn in court.
Joseph Hills, aged about seventy years, deposed that in the presence of Mr. Henry Sewall
he heard Woodbridge say that there were fifty men in Newbury who would say that
Capt. Gerrish had cheated them and that he would be cast out of the church. Deponent
asked Rev. Mr. Jno. Woodbridg to give him a meeting at his son's house, which he did,
and said Hills then declared that the meeting was to prevent contention between Capt.
Gerrish and Woodbridge. Mr. Jno. Woodbridg said he was very much troubled at his
son's speeches many times and he had counselled him to moderation, and asked
deponent to advise him how to act. "I answered yt he was more able to advise himselfe
also ye sd Tho. Woodbridg then said yt what he had spoken to mee about Cheating he
had spoken to som others and bid them goe tell Capt Gerrish." Sworn in court.
Anthony Somerby, aged sixty-six years, deposed that Woodbridge said Gerrish had
without question cheated the town of Newbury of many a pound, and that he doubted
not that he had taken away the boards from Mr. Richardsun's house. Sworn in court.
Tristram Coffin, aged forty-four years, deposed that Woodbridge called Capt. Gerrish a cheating knave and that he made a profession of religion to cover his knavery,
whereupon deponent advised Woodbridge to be more moderate in his words, for Capt.
Gerrish was a rational man and would do what was right. Also at said Woodbridge's
house, the latter asked deponent why he told Gerrish he was drunk. Deponent said he
did not tell him so but he did say that he believed "that he wass six and twenty."
Woodbridge said that he was as well then as at this present time, and also that there
were only five men in town who would not say that Gerrish had cheated them, to
which deponent replied that he had traded with Capt. Gerrish for many score pounds
and he had never cheated him. Daniell Lunt said the same. Woodbridge replied that Lunt, deponent and Rich. Doell were three of the five, that he would make Capt. Gerish's house
a dung hill and would make Capt. Gerish "fly the town" or else he should make him fly
the town, and within eight months he would make it appear what Capt. Gerish was, etc. Sworn in court."
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts Vol.VI 1675-
1678 Essex Institute, Salem, Ma. 1917 pp125-126
I think "180li" must be 180 pounds. I'm also not sure what the reference about being "six
and twenty" means in reference to drunkeness unless it was the 17th century equivalent of
"three flags to the wind" or something? I feel some sympathy for poor John Woodbridge
asking for advice in how to deal with his verbose son Thomas!
You can read the particulars of the other two cases in the same book on Googlebooks
which includes very long lists of trade goods with fascinating names!
women from prominent colonial families. Stephen the elder had married Elizabeth
Coffin, daughter of Tristram Coffin; Stephen Junior married Elizabeth Gerrish,
whose father was Captain William Gerrish.
The Greenleaf, Coffin and Gerrish families ran profitable mercantile and ship
construction businesses in the towns of Newbury and Amesbury as well in Boston.
And despite the religious beliefs of the founding Puritan fathers, the business
world back then was just as competitive as it is today. Take the case of William Gerrish
and Thomas Woodbridge.
Actually, make that cases. They faced each other in court in Essex County at least
three times, twice over debts, and the third time my ancestor William Gerrish took
Thomas Woodbridge to court for slander:
"Capt. Wm. Gerrish v. Thomas Woodbridge. Slander. Withdrawn.:
Caleb Moody testified that he heard Woodbridge say that Captain Gerish was a cheating knave, that he had cheated him out of 180li., and that he had told a damnable or devilish
lie. Sworn in court.
Jno. Joanes and Steven Swet testified. Sworn in court.
Joseph Hills, aged about seventy years, deposed that in the presence of Mr. Henry Sewall
he heard Woodbridge say that there were fifty men in Newbury who would say that
Capt. Gerrish had cheated them and that he would be cast out of the church. Deponent
asked Rev. Mr. Jno. Woodbridg to give him a meeting at his son's house, which he did,
and said Hills then declared that the meeting was to prevent contention between Capt.
Gerrish and Woodbridge. Mr. Jno. Woodbridg said he was very much troubled at his
son's speeches many times and he had counselled him to moderation, and asked
deponent to advise him how to act. "I answered yt he was more able to advise himselfe
also ye sd Tho. Woodbridg then said yt what he had spoken to mee about Cheating he
had spoken to som others and bid them goe tell Capt Gerrish." Sworn in court.
Anthony Somerby, aged sixty-six years, deposed that Woodbridge said Gerrish had
without question cheated the town of Newbury of many a pound, and that he doubted
not that he had taken away the boards from Mr. Richardsun's house. Sworn in court.
Tristram Coffin, aged forty-four years, deposed that Woodbridge called Capt. Gerrish a cheating knave and that he made a profession of religion to cover his knavery,
whereupon deponent advised Woodbridge to be more moderate in his words, for Capt.
Gerrish was a rational man and would do what was right. Also at said Woodbridge's
house, the latter asked deponent why he told Gerrish he was drunk. Deponent said he
did not tell him so but he did say that he believed "that he wass six and twenty."
Woodbridge said that he was as well then as at this present time, and also that there
were only five men in town who would not say that Gerrish had cheated them, to
which deponent replied that he had traded with Capt. Gerrish for many score pounds
and he had never cheated him. Daniell Lunt said the same. Woodbridge replied that Lunt, deponent and Rich. Doell were three of the five, that he would make Capt. Gerish's house
a dung hill and would make Capt. Gerish "fly the town" or else he should make him fly
the town, and within eight months he would make it appear what Capt. Gerish was, etc. Sworn in court."
Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts Vol.VI 1675-
1678 Essex Institute, Salem, Ma. 1917 pp125-126
I think "180li" must be 180 pounds. I'm also not sure what the reference about being "six
and twenty" means in reference to drunkeness unless it was the 17th century equivalent of
"three flags to the wind" or something? I feel some sympathy for poor John Woodbridge
asking for advice in how to deal with his verbose son Thomas!
You can read the particulars of the other two cases in the same book on Googlebooks
which includes very long lists of trade goods with fascinating names!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
STEPHEN GREENLEAF Jr., AT NEWBURY, MA. 7OCT 1695
Some four years after the last documented evidence I have of Stephen Greenleaf Jr.'s
military presence in Maine, he was involved in Massachusetts and much closer to
home.
Although many of the defeated Indian warriors of the King Philip's War had moved
north into Maine and Canada, there were still occasional raids back into Massachusetts.
It was during one of them that Captain Greenleaf received a serious wound. I found
the sequence of events at Googlebooks in "A Sketch of the History of Newbury,
Newburyport and West Newbury":
"1695
October 7th. On the afternoon of this day, five Indians attacked and plundered the house of
John Brown, who lived on the westerly side of Turkey hill, and captivated nine persons;
one only of the family escaped to tell the tale. On the same day, colonel Daniel Pierce sent
the following letter to colonel Appleton and colonel Wade, of Ipswich.
' Sir, this afternoon there came the enemy to a house in our town and went in and took and
carried away nine persons and plundered the house, and as near as we can gather, they
went southwestwardly between Boxford and Bradford. We can not gather that there
were above five of the enemy, but night came on So that we could not pursue them, but
we have lined Merrimac river with about fourscore men to watch lest they should carry
the captives over the river, and do design in the morning to pursue them and range the
woods with all the force we can make, and think it advisable that you range the woods towards Andover, and that Rowley towards Bradford, for if they escape us it will be an encouragement to them. Sir, I do think the case requires our utmost industry who am
your friend and servant,
D. Pierce.
October 7th, 1695.'
To this letter was appended the following.
' Colonel Gedney,
Honored sir, it is thought advisable on the consideration abovesaid yt it may be beneficial
for the several companies in the several townes to range ye woods with all possible speed towards Bradford and Andover and so towards Merrimack river, so that if it might be ye enemy may be found and destroyed, which spoyle our people.
Ipswich, October eighth, at five in the morning.
Your servant,
Samuel Appleton.'
Three hours after this, colonel Thomas Wade thus writes from Ipswich.
'Honored sir,
Just now captain Wicom brings information that the last night captain Greenleaf with a
party of men met with the enemy by the river side, have redeemed all the captives but one, which they doubt is killed. Three of the Indians got into a canoe and made escape, and the other two ran into the woods. Captain Greenleaf is wounded in the side and arm, how
much we know not, which is all at present from your servant,
Thomas Wade.'
Judge Sewall, in his journal, says, ' all the captives were brought back, save one boy,
that was killed. The Indians knocked the rest on the head, save one infant.'
Reverend John Pike, in his journal, states, that' the captives were all retaken but some
died of their wounds.'
On the fifth of March, 1696, captain Greenleaf addressed the following petition to the
general court.
' The petition of captain Stephen Greenleaf of Newbury, ' Humbly sheweth,
' That upon the seventh of October last about three o'clock in the afternoon a party of
Indians surprised a family at Turkey hill in said town captivated nine persons, women and children, rifled the house, carrying away bedding and other goods. Only one person
escaped and gave notice to the next family and they, the town. Upon the alarm your
petitioner with a party of men pursued after the enemy, endeavouring to line the river Merrimack to prevent their passage, by which means the captives were recovered and brought back.
' The enemy lay in a gully hard by the highway and about nine at night made a shot at
your petitioner and shot him through the wrist between the bones, and also made a large wound in his side, which wounds have been very painful and costly to your petitioner in
the cure of them and have in a great measure utterly taken away the use of his left hand
and wholly taken him off from his employment this winter.
' Your petitioner therefore humbly prays this honored court that they would make him
such compensation as shall seem fit, which he shall thankfully acknowledge and doubts
not but will be an encouragement to others speedily to relieve their neighbours when assaulted by so barbarous an enemy, And your petitioner shall ever pray,
Stephen Greenleaf.
'March 6th. Read and voted that there be paid out of the province treasury to the
petitioner the sum of forty pounds.'
From one of John Brown's descendants, William G. White, I learn the following particulars
as a family tradition. The Indians had secreted themselves for some time near the house, waiting for the absence of the male members of the family, who, about three o'clock,
departed with a load of turnips. The Indians then rushed from their concealment, tomahawked a girl, who was standing at the front door. Another girl, who had concealed herself as long as the Indians remained, immediately after their departure gave the alarm, which resulted as before related. The coat, which captain Greenleaf wore in his pursuit of
the Indians, is still preserved by his descendants, together with the bullet, which was extracted from his wound. This, I believe, is the only instance, in which the Indians either attacked, captivated, or killed, any of the inhabitants of Newbury."
Joshua Coffin and Joseph Barlett. "A Sketch of the History of Newbury, Newburyport and
West Newbury" Samuel Drake, Publisher, Boston, Ma. 1845 (pp161-163)
From the description of the incident and the fact that there was only one bullet recovered,
I'm guessing that Greenleaf was shot through the left wrist and the bullet continued on into
his side. Maybe it was the hand holding his horse's reins, if he was mounted?
Despite his wounds, Stephen Greenleaf Jr went on to a successful career as a merchant and
shipbuilder, and among his many descendants are Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and John
Greenleaf Whittier.
military presence in Maine, he was involved in Massachusetts and much closer to
home.
Although many of the defeated Indian warriors of the King Philip's War had moved
north into Maine and Canada, there were still occasional raids back into Massachusetts.
It was during one of them that Captain Greenleaf received a serious wound. I found
the sequence of events at Googlebooks in "A Sketch of the History of Newbury,
Newburyport and West Newbury":
"1695
October 7th. On the afternoon of this day, five Indians attacked and plundered the house of
John Brown, who lived on the westerly side of Turkey hill, and captivated nine persons;
one only of the family escaped to tell the tale. On the same day, colonel Daniel Pierce sent
the following letter to colonel Appleton and colonel Wade, of Ipswich.
' Sir, this afternoon there came the enemy to a house in our town and went in and took and
carried away nine persons and plundered the house, and as near as we can gather, they
went southwestwardly between Boxford and Bradford. We can not gather that there
were above five of the enemy, but night came on So that we could not pursue them, but
we have lined Merrimac river with about fourscore men to watch lest they should carry
the captives over the river, and do design in the morning to pursue them and range the
woods with all the force we can make, and think it advisable that you range the woods towards Andover, and that Rowley towards Bradford, for if they escape us it will be an encouragement to them. Sir, I do think the case requires our utmost industry who am
your friend and servant,
D. Pierce.
October 7th, 1695.'
To this letter was appended the following.
' Colonel Gedney,
Honored sir, it is thought advisable on the consideration abovesaid yt it may be beneficial
for the several companies in the several townes to range ye woods with all possible speed towards Bradford and Andover and so towards Merrimack river, so that if it might be ye enemy may be found and destroyed, which spoyle our people.
Ipswich, October eighth, at five in the morning.
Your servant,
Samuel Appleton.'
Three hours after this, colonel Thomas Wade thus writes from Ipswich.
'Honored sir,
Just now captain Wicom brings information that the last night captain Greenleaf with a
party of men met with the enemy by the river side, have redeemed all the captives but one, which they doubt is killed. Three of the Indians got into a canoe and made escape, and the other two ran into the woods. Captain Greenleaf is wounded in the side and arm, how
much we know not, which is all at present from your servant,
Thomas Wade.'
Judge Sewall, in his journal, says, ' all the captives were brought back, save one boy,
that was killed. The Indians knocked the rest on the head, save one infant.'
Reverend John Pike, in his journal, states, that' the captives were all retaken but some
died of their wounds.'
On the fifth of March, 1696, captain Greenleaf addressed the following petition to the
general court.
' The petition of captain Stephen Greenleaf of Newbury, ' Humbly sheweth,
' That upon the seventh of October last about three o'clock in the afternoon a party of
Indians surprised a family at Turkey hill in said town captivated nine persons, women and children, rifled the house, carrying away bedding and other goods. Only one person
escaped and gave notice to the next family and they, the town. Upon the alarm your
petitioner with a party of men pursued after the enemy, endeavouring to line the river Merrimack to prevent their passage, by which means the captives were recovered and brought back.
' The enemy lay in a gully hard by the highway and about nine at night made a shot at
your petitioner and shot him through the wrist between the bones, and also made a large wound in his side, which wounds have been very painful and costly to your petitioner in
the cure of them and have in a great measure utterly taken away the use of his left hand
and wholly taken him off from his employment this winter.
' Your petitioner therefore humbly prays this honored court that they would make him
such compensation as shall seem fit, which he shall thankfully acknowledge and doubts
not but will be an encouragement to others speedily to relieve their neighbours when assaulted by so barbarous an enemy, And your petitioner shall ever pray,
Stephen Greenleaf.
'March 6th. Read and voted that there be paid out of the province treasury to the
petitioner the sum of forty pounds.'
From one of John Brown's descendants, William G. White, I learn the following particulars
as a family tradition. The Indians had secreted themselves for some time near the house, waiting for the absence of the male members of the family, who, about three o'clock,
departed with a load of turnips. The Indians then rushed from their concealment, tomahawked a girl, who was standing at the front door. Another girl, who had concealed herself as long as the Indians remained, immediately after their departure gave the alarm, which resulted as before related. The coat, which captain Greenleaf wore in his pursuit of
the Indians, is still preserved by his descendants, together with the bullet, which was extracted from his wound. This, I believe, is the only instance, in which the Indians either attacked, captivated, or killed, any of the inhabitants of Newbury."
Joshua Coffin and Joseph Barlett. "A Sketch of the History of Newbury, Newburyport and
West Newbury" Samuel Drake, Publisher, Boston, Ma. 1845 (pp161-163)
From the description of the incident and the fact that there was only one bullet recovered,
I'm guessing that Greenleaf was shot through the left wrist and the bullet continued on into
his side. Maybe it was the hand holding his horse's reins, if he was mounted?
Despite his wounds, Stephen Greenleaf Jr went on to a successful career as a merchant and
shipbuilder, and among his many descendants are Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and John
Greenleaf Whittier.
STEPHEN GREENLEAF Jr., IN MAINE
The next set of documents concern the campaign of 1689-1690 in Maine
during which Stephen Greenleaf Junior is supposed to have taken a major role
at a battle near Wells, Maine. But still, as these instructions show, he was seems to
have been in the ranks of junior officers in command. Once more, these
are from "A History of the State of Maine" from the Maine Historical Society.
"Instructions for Capt. Stephen Greenleaf.
Boston May 27° 1690./.
Captn Stephen Greenlefe,
You are Ordered forthwith to Advance with the Souldiers now put under yor Comand,
into the Eastern parts in and about Piscataqua or where else you may be advised when
you come upon the place, that you may do most Service for the defence of their Majties
Subjects and destruction of the Comon Enemy, untill you receive farther Orders.
Keep good order and Government over yor Souldiers, take the advice of the Comission
Military Officers and other Gentlemen of the place where you may come as to yor
proceeding, and all Opportunitys to advise the Governor and Council of yor motions,
Major Frost and Major Vaughan wilbe necessarily consulted by you And when the Forces
sent from this Colony are together Captn Edward Wyllys is to be owned as the first in
dignity./"
The One hundred Soldiers to be detached by their respective proportions.
"Ordered that ye Major Generall forthwith grant out his warrants to the Majors of the
severall Regiments of Militia hereafter mentioned for detaching their respective
proportions of Souldiers well appointed with armes and ammunition for their Majties
Service, as followeth to make up One hundred men Ordered for the strengthning of the
Forees Eastward (that is to say) Midd1 lower Regiment Seventeen, Upper Regiment
Twelve, Boston Regiment Sixteen, Suf- folke South Regiment Twenty, Essex South
Regiment ffifteen Middle Regiment ffiftcen, North Regiment ffive, to Randezvouz upon
Tuesday next the two and twentyeth of this instant where Each Major shall appoint who
is forthwith to send away his number under some suitable person unto Newbury and
deliver them to Captn Stephen Greenlefe junr to be by him conducted or sent unto
Piscataqua to be disposed of by Major Pike Comander in Chiefs for the filling up the
severall Companys there under his Comand not to be posted in Garrisons.
Voted & Consented to by ye deputies
Past in the affirmative by the Govr and Magistrates 17 : July, 1690. Isc Addington Secry"
Letter from Capt Greenleaf & Capt Wicom to Major Gen. Winthrop
"To the Worshipfull major Generall Waitt Winthop esqire.
These are to inform you that whereas by order from your selfe we prest severall of our
troopers to gard the commissioners that went to Wels to treate with the Indians the first
of may instant, that order may be given that those troopers may be paid for said servis
which will oblige your most humble servants
Stephen Greenlef Capt
May : 21 : 1691: Daniell Wicom Capt"
One of the things I find most fascinating about this group is the number of regiments
listed. Remember, the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies were barely 70 years
in the New World and there were now enough men to form the 7 regiments listed and
more!
As for Stephen Greenleaf Jr, while I've found no account as yet of his action at Wells,
Maine, I have found a record of his bravery in action closer to home in Massachusetts,
and I'll discuss it in my next post.
during which Stephen Greenleaf Junior is supposed to have taken a major role
at a battle near Wells, Maine. But still, as these instructions show, he was seems to
have been in the ranks of junior officers in command. Once more, these
are from "A History of the State of Maine" from the Maine Historical Society.
"Instructions for Capt. Stephen Greenleaf.
Boston May 27° 1690./.
Captn Stephen Greenlefe,
You are Ordered forthwith to Advance with the Souldiers now put under yor Comand,
into the Eastern parts in and about Piscataqua or where else you may be advised when
you come upon the place, that you may do most Service for the defence of their Majties
Subjects and destruction of the Comon Enemy, untill you receive farther Orders.
Keep good order and Government over yor Souldiers, take the advice of the Comission
Military Officers and other Gentlemen of the place where you may come as to yor
proceeding, and all Opportunitys to advise the Governor and Council of yor motions,
Major Frost and Major Vaughan wilbe necessarily consulted by you And when the Forces
sent from this Colony are together Captn Edward Wyllys is to be owned as the first in
dignity./"
The One hundred Soldiers to be detached by their respective proportions.
"Ordered that ye Major Generall forthwith grant out his warrants to the Majors of the
severall Regiments of Militia hereafter mentioned for detaching their respective
proportions of Souldiers well appointed with armes and ammunition for their Majties
Service, as followeth to make up One hundred men Ordered for the strengthning of the
Forees Eastward (that is to say) Midd1 lower Regiment Seventeen, Upper Regiment
Twelve, Boston Regiment Sixteen, Suf- folke South Regiment Twenty, Essex South
Regiment ffifteen Middle Regiment ffiftcen, North Regiment ffive, to Randezvouz upon
Tuesday next the two and twentyeth of this instant where Each Major shall appoint who
is forthwith to send away his number under some suitable person unto Newbury and
deliver them to Captn Stephen Greenlefe junr to be by him conducted or sent unto
Piscataqua to be disposed of by Major Pike Comander in Chiefs for the filling up the
severall Companys there under his Comand not to be posted in Garrisons.
Voted & Consented to by ye deputies
Past in the affirmative by the Govr and Magistrates 17 : July, 1690. Isc Addington Secry"
Letter from Capt Greenleaf & Capt Wicom to Major Gen. Winthrop
"To the Worshipfull major Generall Waitt Winthop esqire.
These are to inform you that whereas by order from your selfe we prest severall of our
troopers to gard the commissioners that went to Wels to treate with the Indians the first
of may instant, that order may be given that those troopers may be paid for said servis
which will oblige your most humble servants
Stephen Greenlef Capt
May : 21 : 1691: Daniell Wicom Capt"
One of the things I find most fascinating about this group is the number of regiments
listed. Remember, the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies were barely 70 years
in the New World and there were now enough men to form the 7 regiments listed and
more!
As for Stephen Greenleaf Jr, while I've found no account as yet of his action at Wells,
Maine, I have found a record of his bravery in action closer to home in Massachusetts,
and I'll discuss it in my next post.
WORD VERIFICATION DICTIONARY 4
Once again, definitions for the strange words that we type for
word verification for comments on Blogspot.com blogs:
bingster: A fan of the new Bing.com browser. Of course, I use Google.
So I'm a googler.
iness- A degree of coolness possessed by a certain object or pursuit:
"Mary was impressed by the iness of the geneabloggers.
vacestle- er...a medieval cup as in "The vacestle with the vapestle is
the brew that is true."
ablet- A very small abs muscle? "Jack had just started working
out and only had an ablet to show for it so far.
word verification for comments on Blogspot.com blogs:
bingster: A fan of the new Bing.com browser. Of course, I use Google.
So I'm a googler.
iness- A degree of coolness possessed by a certain object or pursuit:
"Mary was impressed by the iness of the geneabloggers.
vacestle- er...a medieval cup as in "The vacestle with the vapestle is
the brew that is true."
ablet- A very small abs muscle? "Jack had just started working
out and only had an ablet to show for it so far.
Friday, June 19, 2009
THE 74TH EDITION OF THE CARNIVAL OF GENEALOGY IS HERE!
The 74th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is up over at Jasia's Creative
Gene blog. This was the 2nd Swimsuit Edition and 32 geneabloggers
responded with great stories and photos of family fun at the beach!
(I sat this one out. We didn't take many beach pictures when I was a kid
and I'd already written about Houghs Neck where most of the beach trips
took place.)
The next CoG will be the 78th (!) and here is the call for submissions:
"Time for a change of pace. Call for Submissions! The COG topic for July 1
is “Justice and Independence ”. Since our beginnings as a nation, the United
States of America has seen changes with every year, every decade, and every
century. Each generation adds growth to our lives, our communities, and our
nation. One thing that has never changed, however, is our desire for Justice
for those who wrong us and Independence from those who try to oppress us.
This month’s COG asks you to relate to these concepts of Justice and Independence
in one or all of three ways: 1). Tell a story of an ancestor(s) who fought for freedom.
2). Tell a story about how Independence Day was celebrated by your ancestors. Did
any of their celebratory traditions get passed down for your own family to continue?
Or 3). Post the lyrics of a song that exemplifies how Justice and Independence have
worked in the lives of your ancestors and/or family. Include photos! This edition
of the COG will be hosted by Colleen at OMcHodoy (thanks Colleen!). Deadline for
submissions is July 1.
Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the
carnival submission form. Please use a descriptive phrase in the title of any articles
you plan to submit and/or write a brief description/introduction to your articles in the "comment" box of the blogcarnival submission form. This will give readers an idea
of what you've written about and hopefully interest them in clicking on your link.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page."
I'll definitely be participating in the next CoG. If you haven't done so yet, you
should! It's a great way to become part of the geneablogger community!
Gene blog. This was the 2nd Swimsuit Edition and 32 geneabloggers
responded with great stories and photos of family fun at the beach!
(I sat this one out. We didn't take many beach pictures when I was a kid
and I'd already written about Houghs Neck where most of the beach trips
took place.)
The next CoG will be the 78th (!) and here is the call for submissions:
"Time for a change of pace. Call for Submissions! The COG topic for July 1
is “Justice and Independence ”. Since our beginnings as a nation, the United
States of America has seen changes with every year, every decade, and every
century. Each generation adds growth to our lives, our communities, and our
nation. One thing that has never changed, however, is our desire for Justice
for those who wrong us and Independence from those who try to oppress us.
This month’s COG asks you to relate to these concepts of Justice and Independence
in one or all of three ways: 1). Tell a story of an ancestor(s) who fought for freedom.
2). Tell a story about how Independence Day was celebrated by your ancestors. Did
any of their celebratory traditions get passed down for your own family to continue?
Or 3). Post the lyrics of a song that exemplifies how Justice and Independence have
worked in the lives of your ancestors and/or family. Include photos! This edition
of the COG will be hosted by Colleen at OMcHodoy (thanks Colleen!). Deadline for
submissions is July 1.
Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the
carnival submission form. Please use a descriptive phrase in the title of any articles
you plan to submit and/or write a brief description/introduction to your articles in the "comment" box of the blogcarnival submission form. This will give readers an idea
of what you've written about and hopefully interest them in clicking on your link.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page."
I'll definitely be participating in the next CoG. If you haven't done so yet, you
should! It's a great way to become part of the geneablogger community!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
STEPHEN GREENLEAF Jr., 9APR 1689 AND A NEW FAMILY MYSTERY
Stephen Greenleaf, Sr. had come to the Bay Colony with his father Edmund Greenleaf
and settled in Newbury, Essex Co. Ma. On 13Nov 1651 he married Elizabeth Coffin,
daughter of Tristram Coffin and Dionis Stevens and his first son, Stephen Greenleaf,
Jr. was born 15Aug 1652.
Stephen Jr. is most often referred to as Captain Greenleaf in the family genealogy and
is termed a "great Indian fighter." I've found several references to his having had a
prominent role in a battle in 1690 in Wells, Maine but as yet I haven't found any
account of the event anywhere else online. However, I have found several documents
dealing with his military career.
The first of these seems to be a report of a conversation he had or overheard with a man
named William Sargeant(Sargent) of Amesbury. This took place during the campaign in
Maine of 1689:
"Testimony of S. Greenleafe Junr
The testimony of Stephen Greenleaf Jun. That on the 8th of Aprill he heard Wm Sargeant
of Ames bury who came lately from the Indians (among whom he had bin a season) to
affirme these things to be told by the Indians.
That the Gouernour had agreed with three nations of Indians besides the Mowhakes to
come downe vpon the English & on the agree mt had given them some money & some coats,
That the Penicook Indians had no designe for warre, but they being in combination with the mowhakes he thought they would be ruled by them, & do as they did.
That he thought that euery day that it was neglected it was too long, & he was affraid that
there would be bloud shed.
That he had done no hurt agt the English, & he was glad he went no farther then Mr Hinks
his house with the post letters, & mr Hinks stopt him,
Divers other words were spoken, but this as farre as he remembers was the substance of
what was spoken
Taken on oath Aprill 9th 1689. before me Jon Woodbridge J. P".
James Phinney Baxter, History of the State of Maine Maine Historical Society
Portland, Me. 1890 pp472-473
I think the "Gouernor" refers to the French Governor of Quebec.
Now what struck me about this testimony was the name of the person that it concerns:
William Sargeant of Amesbury. One of my ancestors is William Sargent of Amesbury and
now I'm wondering if this is him. And if it is, what was he doing spending a season among
the Indians? Noting the April 8th date, then Sargeant had spent the winter, perhaps
trapping or trading for fur with the tribes .
I've found no answers to this as yet. So now I have a new family mystery to solve!
and settled in Newbury, Essex Co. Ma. On 13Nov 1651 he married Elizabeth Coffin,
daughter of Tristram Coffin and Dionis Stevens and his first son, Stephen Greenleaf,
Jr. was born 15Aug 1652.
Stephen Jr. is most often referred to as Captain Greenleaf in the family genealogy and
is termed a "great Indian fighter." I've found several references to his having had a
prominent role in a battle in 1690 in Wells, Maine but as yet I haven't found any
account of the event anywhere else online. However, I have found several documents
dealing with his military career.
The first of these seems to be a report of a conversation he had or overheard with a man
named William Sargeant(Sargent) of Amesbury. This took place during the campaign in
Maine of 1689:
"Testimony of S. Greenleafe Junr
The testimony of Stephen Greenleaf Jun. That on the 8th of Aprill he heard Wm Sargeant
of Ames bury who came lately from the Indians (among whom he had bin a season) to
affirme these things to be told by the Indians.
That the Gouernour had agreed with three nations of Indians besides the Mowhakes to
come downe vpon the English & on the agree mt had given them some money & some coats,
That the Penicook Indians had no designe for warre, but they being in combination with the mowhakes he thought they would be ruled by them, & do as they did.
That he thought that euery day that it was neglected it was too long, & he was affraid that
there would be bloud shed.
That he had done no hurt agt the English, & he was glad he went no farther then Mr Hinks
his house with the post letters, & mr Hinks stopt him,
Divers other words were spoken, but this as farre as he remembers was the substance of
what was spoken
Taken on oath Aprill 9th 1689. before me Jon Woodbridge J. P".
James Phinney Baxter, History of the State of Maine Maine Historical Society
Portland, Me. 1890 pp472-473
I think the "Gouernor" refers to the French Governor of Quebec.
Now what struck me about this testimony was the name of the person that it concerns:
William Sargeant of Amesbury. One of my ancestors is William Sargent of Amesbury and
now I'm wondering if this is him. And if it is, what was he doing spending a season among
the Indians? Noting the April 8th date, then Sargeant had spent the winter, perhaps
trapping or trading for fur with the tribes .
I've found no answers to this as yet. So now I have a new family mystery to solve!
BIG NEWS FOR THE NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC GENEALOGY SOCIETY!
The NEHGS just got a very nice gift!
Read about it here, And boy, I can't wait to see that new website
because I think the present one is already excellent!
Read about it here, And boy, I can't wait to see that new website
because I think the present one is already excellent!
Monday, June 15, 2009
THE INDENTURING OF JACOB PRESTON TO THOMAS CHANDLER
In 1676, a man named William Curtis brought suit against his indentured servant
Jacob Preston for failure to serve out the full term of his indenture. While I am
not related in anyway to Curtis, there is a connection because Jacob Preston was
originally servant to my ancestor Thomas Chandler. That original document was
submitted as evidence in the case and read as follows:
"This Indenture made and concluded this twenty day of May in the yeare of ye Lord God
one thousand six hundred seventy and one & in the three & twentieth year of the reign of
ye soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England, Scotland, France
& Ireland, king, Defender of the Faith &c, Between Ensigne Thomas Chandler of the
towne of Merrimack in the County of Essex in New England Blacksmith on ye one part
and Jacob Preston of Andover with the full and free consent of Nicolas Holt of Andover aforesaid, his Father-in-law by the marriage of his Mother and also with the full consent
of his said Naturall mother hath and doth by these presents bind himselfe an apprentice
to ye said Thomas seven years to be compleated and ended accounting from the twenty-
sixth day of March last past untill the said seven years next & immediately ensuing the
said 26th of March 1671 shall be fully expired. During which time of seven yeares the said Jacob shall behave & demeane himself during his sd apprenticeship as an apprentice or servant ought for to doe according to the usuall & lawdable customs of England in the like cases. During wh time also of seven yeares, the above named Thomas, Master unto ye sd
Jacob, is hereby obliged & stands bound at his owne costs & charges to provide & procure
for his said servant, meat, drink, cloathing, washing, and lodging with all other things convenient, necessary & sufficient for an apprentice as is usuall in England. And the said Chandler is also to learne or cause his sd Apprentice to be learnt to read ye English tongue perfectly to write & cypher or cast & keepe accounts sufficiently for his owne employment
of a Blacksmith, if his capacities will attaine thereunto. And the sd Thomas is also hereby obliged according to his owne best skill & abilitie to learne and instruct the sd Jacob in the trade & art of a Blacksmith, if the sd Jacob be capable of learning the same, and he shall
keepe his said servant Jacob at worke upon the sd trade as much as may be without
damage to other necessary occasions that may fall out unavoidably to be done in a family; that so for want of time & use & instruction, ye said Jacob may have no just ground to complaine of his owne want of experience or profitting under his sd Master in ye sd Trade
of a Blacksmith. Alsoe ye sd Thomas when the sd seaven yeares are expired shall give the
sd Jacob two suits of Apparell from head to foot, suitable for a person of his degree, one
good & hansom and suitable to weare on ye Sabbath dayes, & the other convenient for ye week days. The said Thomas doth bind himselfe, heires, executors, & administrators to the
sd Jacob his heires, & assignes to fulfill the articles herein conteined belonging to him to
doe for the sd servant. In witnesse whereunto ye sd parties Thomas & Jacob as they are severally concerned in this instrument & the articles of the same have hereunto interchangeably sett their hands & scales.
Signed sealed & interchangeably delivered before
George Abbot Jr
Alexander Sessions.
Thomas Chandler
The Mark of
Jacob + Preston "
Sara Loring Bailey "Historical Sketches of Andover" Houghton Mifflin Co , Boston 1880
pp 49-50
Now, besides being one of the earliest known examples of an indenture agreement in the Colonies (along with the earlier one between Thomas Chandler and Hopestill Tyler), this document is of interest to me for two of the names on it. The first is that of Nicholas Holt,
Jacob's "Father-in-law by the marriage of his Mother" or in other words, his step-father.
Martha Holt was Nicholas' third wife. I am descended from Nicholas and his first wife,
Elizabeth Short and both their children Henry and Elizabeth Holt.
George Abbot Jr. is also a relative, another 9x great-grandfather who was married to
Hannah Chandler, sister of Thomas Chandler. This might be why there was a copy of the
original indentureship contract available to the court.
And George's son Benjamin Abbot married Nicholas' granddaughter Sarah Farnum and
their descendants, besides myself, include Tim Abbott of "Walking the Berkshires" and
Janice Brown of "Cow Hampshire"!
Jacob Preston for failure to serve out the full term of his indenture. While I am
not related in anyway to Curtis, there is a connection because Jacob Preston was
originally servant to my ancestor Thomas Chandler. That original document was
submitted as evidence in the case and read as follows:
"This Indenture made and concluded this twenty day of May in the yeare of ye Lord God
one thousand six hundred seventy and one & in the three & twentieth year of the reign of
ye soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England, Scotland, France
& Ireland, king, Defender of the Faith &c, Between Ensigne Thomas Chandler of the
towne of Merrimack in the County of Essex in New England Blacksmith on ye one part
and Jacob Preston of Andover with the full and free consent of Nicolas Holt of Andover aforesaid, his Father-in-law by the marriage of his Mother and also with the full consent
of his said Naturall mother hath and doth by these presents bind himselfe an apprentice
to ye said Thomas seven years to be compleated and ended accounting from the twenty-
sixth day of March last past untill the said seven years next & immediately ensuing the
said 26th of March 1671 shall be fully expired. During which time of seven yeares the said Jacob shall behave & demeane himself during his sd apprenticeship as an apprentice or servant ought for to doe according to the usuall & lawdable customs of England in the like cases. During wh time also of seven yeares, the above named Thomas, Master unto ye sd
Jacob, is hereby obliged & stands bound at his owne costs & charges to provide & procure
for his said servant, meat, drink, cloathing, washing, and lodging with all other things convenient, necessary & sufficient for an apprentice as is usuall in England. And the said Chandler is also to learne or cause his sd Apprentice to be learnt to read ye English tongue perfectly to write & cypher or cast & keepe accounts sufficiently for his owne employment
of a Blacksmith, if his capacities will attaine thereunto. And the sd Thomas is also hereby obliged according to his owne best skill & abilitie to learne and instruct the sd Jacob in the trade & art of a Blacksmith, if the sd Jacob be capable of learning the same, and he shall
keepe his said servant Jacob at worke upon the sd trade as much as may be without
damage to other necessary occasions that may fall out unavoidably to be done in a family; that so for want of time & use & instruction, ye said Jacob may have no just ground to complaine of his owne want of experience or profitting under his sd Master in ye sd Trade
of a Blacksmith. Alsoe ye sd Thomas when the sd seaven yeares are expired shall give the
sd Jacob two suits of Apparell from head to foot, suitable for a person of his degree, one
good & hansom and suitable to weare on ye Sabbath dayes, & the other convenient for ye week days. The said Thomas doth bind himselfe, heires, executors, & administrators to the
sd Jacob his heires, & assignes to fulfill the articles herein conteined belonging to him to
doe for the sd servant. In witnesse whereunto ye sd parties Thomas & Jacob as they are severally concerned in this instrument & the articles of the same have hereunto interchangeably sett their hands & scales.
Signed sealed & interchangeably delivered before
George Abbot Jr
Alexander Sessions.
Thomas Chandler
The Mark of
Jacob + Preston "
Sara Loring Bailey "Historical Sketches of Andover" Houghton Mifflin Co , Boston 1880
pp 49-50
Now, besides being one of the earliest known examples of an indenture agreement in the Colonies (along with the earlier one between Thomas Chandler and Hopestill Tyler), this document is of interest to me for two of the names on it. The first is that of Nicholas Holt,
Jacob's "Father-in-law by the marriage of his Mother" or in other words, his step-father.
Martha Holt was Nicholas' third wife. I am descended from Nicholas and his first wife,
Elizabeth Short and both their children Henry and Elizabeth Holt.
George Abbot Jr. is also a relative, another 9x great-grandfather who was married to
Hannah Chandler, sister of Thomas Chandler. This might be why there was a copy of the
original indentureship contract available to the court.
And George's son Benjamin Abbot married Nicholas' granddaughter Sarah Farnum and
their descendants, besides myself, include Tim Abbott of "Walking the Berkshires" and
Janice Brown of "Cow Hampshire"!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
MY ANCESTOR THE KNAVE?
Here's one of those "eggs" I've found recently. Thomas Chandler of Andover (1628-1703)
is another of my 9x great grandfathers and was a blacksmith by trade.(Another blacksmith!
One of these days I need to make a list of all my blacksmith ancestors...). In 1658 he took
on Hopestill Tyler as an apprentice, and it was apparently not a good match. The result
was a story that made me laugh when I read Sara Loring Bailey's account of it here on
Google Books:
"One of the earliest apprentices found on record was Hopestill Tyler. There is a tradition
that his father, Job Tyler, was living at Andover when the settlers came here, as Blackstone
lived at Boston, " monarch of all he surveyed," until the advent of the "lords brethren," as
he said, put him to flight, as the rule of the " lords bishops " had driven him from the old
country. Job Tyler had apprenticed his son Hopestill to Thomas Chandler, the blacksmith,
1658. But after the papers were drawn up, he broke the bargain, got possession of the instrument of indenture, entering the house of Nathan Parker, (who wrote the paper, and
had it hid in, as he supposed, a safe place,) and stealing it in the absence of the owner of the house. The matter was a cause of long controversy and several trials, — "Chandler vs.
Tyler" and "Tyler vs. Chandler," extending over a period of more than ten years, and
carried from court to court. One paper of interest, in connection with this, is a deposition
of a witness in regard to the terms of the indenture, which it was said "Mr. Bradstreet"
saw, had perused,and judged " to be good and firme." In this the mutual obligations of
master and apprentice are set forth : —
`That the sd apprentice Hope Tiler should serve the said Thomas Chandler faithfully for
nine years and a half after the manner of an apprentice, that the master, the said Chandler should teach him the trade of a blacksmith so farr as he was capable to learne, and to
teach him to read the Bible & to write so as to be able to keepe a book, so as to serve his
turne for his trade and to allow unto the sd apprentice convenient meat & drinke, washing, lodging and clothes.'
Job Tyler paid dear for his hard words against a man of so great influence as Thomas Chandler, who afterward became one of the town's deputies to the General Court, and
who was one of the principal citizens in point of wealth, in the little community of
husbandmen and artisans : —
`1665 A case in difference between Thomas Chandler of Andevour & Job Tiler having
formerly been entered in Salem Court, in an action of defamation being withdrawne & reference made as appears by their bond to that purpose to Colonel Browne, Edward
Denison & Captain Johnson of Roxbury .... they not agreeing, wee the aforesaid Captain Johnson & Edward Denison doe give in our award as followeth : [Job Tyler, being poor,
they judge he should not be fined above six pounds.] ' We doe order that Job Tiler shall
nayle up or fasten upon the posts of Andevour & Roxbury meeting-houses in a plaine
leadgable hand, the acknowledgment to remain so fastened to the posts aforementioned
for the space of fourteen days, it to be fastened within the fourteen days at Andevour & tomorrow being the twenty-seventh of January '65 at Roxbury The Confession and acknowledgment ordered by us for Job Tiler to make & poste as is above expressed is as
followeth: Whereas it doth apeare by sufficient testimony that I Job Tiler have shamefullv reproached Thomas Chandler of Andevour by saying he is a base lying, cozening, cheating knave & that he hath got his estate by cozening in a base reviling manner & that he was recorded for a lyer & that he was a
cheating, lying whoring knave fit for all manner of bawdery, wishing the
devill had him, Therefore I Job Tiler doe acknowledge that I have in these expressions most wickedly slandered the said Thomas Chandler & that
without any just ground, being noe way able to make good these or any of
these my slanderous accusations of him & therefore can doe noe lesse but expresse my selfe to be sorry for them & for my cursing of him desiring God
& the said Thomas to forgive me & that noe person would think the worse of
the said Thomas Chandler for any of these my sinfull expressions And
engaging myself for the future to be more carefull of my expressions
both concerning him & otherwise desiring the lord to help me so to doe,
Isaac Johnson.
Edward Denison."
Sara Loring Bailey "Historical Sketches of Andover" Houghton Mifflin Co , Boston 1880
pp 47-48
Now maybe it's me, but it struck me as funny that in making his apology Job Tyler was
required to list in full all his slanderous statements about Thomas Chandler. I would have thought a simple "I apologize for all my slanderous statements about Thomas Chandler."
would have sufficed. Instead, there nailed up outside the meetinghouses of Andover and Roxbury were signs with the "base lying, cozening, cheating knave" on them.
Was this some statement by his peers about Thomas Chandler's behavior? As a later case
will show, another apprentice left him for a new master. Was Thomas an overly strict
master? Or was the ruling an example of a Puritan mindset where every little detail of a
case was set into evidence and writing?
Did Thomas Chandler stare angrily at those words or did he simply steer clear of the meetinghouses for two weeks?
And did Job Tyler perhaps laugh in private at his punishment?
is another of my 9x great grandfathers and was a blacksmith by trade.(Another blacksmith!
One of these days I need to make a list of all my blacksmith ancestors...). In 1658 he took
on Hopestill Tyler as an apprentice, and it was apparently not a good match. The result
was a story that made me laugh when I read Sara Loring Bailey's account of it here on
Google Books:
"One of the earliest apprentices found on record was Hopestill Tyler. There is a tradition
that his father, Job Tyler, was living at Andover when the settlers came here, as Blackstone
lived at Boston, " monarch of all he surveyed," until the advent of the "lords brethren," as
he said, put him to flight, as the rule of the " lords bishops " had driven him from the old
country. Job Tyler had apprenticed his son Hopestill to Thomas Chandler, the blacksmith,
1658. But after the papers were drawn up, he broke the bargain, got possession of the instrument of indenture, entering the house of Nathan Parker, (who wrote the paper, and
had it hid in, as he supposed, a safe place,) and stealing it in the absence of the owner of the house. The matter was a cause of long controversy and several trials, — "Chandler vs.
Tyler" and "Tyler vs. Chandler," extending over a period of more than ten years, and
carried from court to court. One paper of interest, in connection with this, is a deposition
of a witness in regard to the terms of the indenture, which it was said "Mr. Bradstreet"
saw, had perused,and judged " to be good and firme." In this the mutual obligations of
master and apprentice are set forth : —
`That the sd apprentice Hope Tiler should serve the said Thomas Chandler faithfully for
nine years and a half after the manner of an apprentice, that the master, the said Chandler should teach him the trade of a blacksmith so farr as he was capable to learne, and to
teach him to read the Bible & to write so as to be able to keepe a book, so as to serve his
turne for his trade and to allow unto the sd apprentice convenient meat & drinke, washing, lodging and clothes.'
Job Tyler paid dear for his hard words against a man of so great influence as Thomas Chandler, who afterward became one of the town's deputies to the General Court, and
who was one of the principal citizens in point of wealth, in the little community of
husbandmen and artisans : —
`1665 A case in difference between Thomas Chandler of Andevour & Job Tiler having
formerly been entered in Salem Court, in an action of defamation being withdrawne & reference made as appears by their bond to that purpose to Colonel Browne, Edward
Denison & Captain Johnson of Roxbury .... they not agreeing, wee the aforesaid Captain Johnson & Edward Denison doe give in our award as followeth : [Job Tyler, being poor,
they judge he should not be fined above six pounds.] ' We doe order that Job Tiler shall
nayle up or fasten upon the posts of Andevour & Roxbury meeting-houses in a plaine
leadgable hand, the acknowledgment to remain so fastened to the posts aforementioned
for the space of fourteen days, it to be fastened within the fourteen days at Andevour & tomorrow being the twenty-seventh of January '65 at Roxbury The Confession and acknowledgment ordered by us for Job Tiler to make & poste as is above expressed is as
followeth: Whereas it doth apeare by sufficient testimony that I Job Tiler have shamefullv reproached Thomas Chandler of Andevour by saying he is a base lying, cozening, cheating knave & that he hath got his estate by cozening in a base reviling manner & that he was recorded for a lyer & that he was a
cheating, lying whoring knave fit for all manner of bawdery, wishing the
devill had him, Therefore I Job Tiler doe acknowledge that I have in these expressions most wickedly slandered the said Thomas Chandler & that
without any just ground, being noe way able to make good these or any of
these my slanderous accusations of him & therefore can doe noe lesse but expresse my selfe to be sorry for them & for my cursing of him desiring God
& the said Thomas to forgive me & that noe person would think the worse of
the said Thomas Chandler for any of these my sinfull expressions And
engaging myself for the future to be more carefull of my expressions
both concerning him & otherwise desiring the lord to help me so to doe,
Isaac Johnson.
Edward Denison."
Sara Loring Bailey "Historical Sketches of Andover" Houghton Mifflin Co , Boston 1880
pp 47-48
Now maybe it's me, but it struck me as funny that in making his apology Job Tyler was
required to list in full all his slanderous statements about Thomas Chandler. I would have thought a simple "I apologize for all my slanderous statements about Thomas Chandler."
would have sufficed. Instead, there nailed up outside the meetinghouses of Andover and Roxbury were signs with the "base lying, cozening, cheating knave" on them.
Was this some statement by his peers about Thomas Chandler's behavior? As a later case
will show, another apprentice left him for a new master. Was Thomas an overly strict
master? Or was the ruling an example of a Puritan mindset where every little detail of a
case was set into evidence and writing?
Did Thomas Chandler stare angrily at those words or did he simply steer clear of the meetinghouses for two weeks?
And did Job Tyler perhaps laugh in private at his punishment?
Saturday, June 13, 2009
SATURDAY NIGHT GENEALOGICAL FUN-THREE THINGS
It's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun time (where DID that week go?) and
once more Randy Seaver has a challenge for geneabloggers over at
Genea-Musings. This week it's:
"1) Think of three things that you learned about Genealogy
or Family History today.
2) Tell us about them in a blog post or a comment to this post."
And here's mine:
My 8x great grandfather John Hoyt was killed by Indians on the road between
Andover and Haverhill 13Aug 1696.
My 9x great grandfather Thomas Chandler won a slander case in 1665 but the penalty
meted out to the slanderer sure seems more a further insult to Thomas!
It's a lot easier to find things about my paternal ancestors in 17th and 18th century
Massachusetts than to find anything from 19th century Maine and New Hampshire.
Really! Not to mention anything about my mom's Irish grandparents' family! But
I may take some steps on that soon.
Stay tuned for further developments!
once more Randy Seaver has a challenge for geneabloggers over at
Genea-Musings. This week it's:
"1) Think of three things that you learned about Genealogy
or Family History today.
2) Tell us about them in a blog post or a comment to this post."
And here's mine:
My 8x great grandfather John Hoyt was killed by Indians on the road between
Andover and Haverhill 13Aug 1696.
My 9x great grandfather Thomas Chandler won a slander case in 1665 but the penalty
meted out to the slanderer sure seems more a further insult to Thomas!
It's a lot easier to find things about my paternal ancestors in 17th and 18th century
Massachusetts than to find anything from 19th century Maine and New Hampshire.
Really! Not to mention anything about my mom's Irish grandparents' family! But
I may take some steps on that soon.
Stay tuned for further developments!
THE GREAT GENEALOGY EGG HUNT
I think I might have used this analogy before, but more and more
genealogy to me seems like one of those Russian egg puzzles. You open up
the egg and inside is another egg and inside that is another egg and
so on until you reach the last teeny eeny egg. Lately in researching
the roles my ancestors played in the early Massachusetts colonial
wars I keep finding new "eggs" that have me err...scrambling...to
gather them up.
For example, I found some transcribed documents involving my 8x great
grandfather Stephen Greenleaf, and in googling some of my other ancestors
who were Stephen's contemporaries I found the details of court cases between
9x great grandfather Capt. William Gerrish and a rival in Newbury, Ma. The
last of the cases was a trial for slander and is a hoot to read. I'll be posting it here
soon.
I get a kick out of finding these stories and as long as fate, or Google,
keeps rolling these eggs in my direction I'll keep opening them up and
sharing what I find inside them here with everyone.
genealogy to me seems like one of those Russian egg puzzles. You open up
the egg and inside is another egg and inside that is another egg and
so on until you reach the last teeny eeny egg. Lately in researching
the roles my ancestors played in the early Massachusetts colonial
wars I keep finding new "eggs" that have me err...scrambling...to
gather them up.
For example, I found some transcribed documents involving my 8x great
grandfather Stephen Greenleaf, and in googling some of my other ancestors
who were Stephen's contemporaries I found the details of court cases between
9x great grandfather Capt. William Gerrish and a rival in Newbury, Ma. The
last of the cases was a trial for slander and is a hoot to read. I'll be posting it here
soon.
I get a kick out of finding these stories and as long as fate, or Google,
keeps rolling these eggs in my direction I'll keep opening them up and
sharing what I find inside them here with everyone.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
MY ROCKWOOD LINE OF DESCENT
My Rockwood Family descent:
Nicholas Rockwood (b1640?-d 26 Jan 1680) m. 1646 Jane Adams (b 1624?-d 15Dec 1654)
Benjamin Rockwood (b 8Sep 1651-d 5Dec 1747) m 27 Sep 1678 Judith Ellis (b 15 Apr 1658-
d ?)
Bethiah Rockwood (b. 24Jul 1679-d?) m 1Dec 1701 William Man(Mann)(B 1May 1679-d
22Mar 1765)
Mehitabel Man(Mann) (b 1Sep1713-d 7Jun 1789) m 24Sep 1734 Daniel Boyden (b 1Mar 1713-
d 29Jan 1782)
Hezekiah Boyden (b 28Nov 1739-d 9Feb 1800) m 13Sep 1764 Elizabeth Green (b 27Feb 1745
-d 11Feb 1841)
Mary Boyden (b 19Feb 1765-d 15Feb 1846) m John Griffeth (b 4Jun 1763-d8Feb 1840)
Mary (Polly) Griffith (b 30Nov 1785-d 13Jan 1834) m 6Sep 1807 Jonathan Phelps Ames
(b 20Apr 1781-d 16Dec 1863)
Arvilla Ames (b 25Jan 1810-d 25Apr 1907) m 23Sep 1827 John Cutter West (b 8Oct 1802-
d 24Jul 1862)
and then on down through my West family to myself.
Nicholas Rockwood (b1640?-d 26 Jan 1680) m. 1646 Jane Adams (b 1624?-d 15Dec 1654)
Benjamin Rockwood (b 8Sep 1651-d 5Dec 1747) m 27 Sep 1678 Judith Ellis (b 15 Apr 1658-
d ?)
Bethiah Rockwood (b. 24Jul 1679-d?) m 1Dec 1701 William Man(Mann)(B 1May 1679-d
22Mar 1765)
Mehitabel Man(Mann) (b 1Sep1713-d 7Jun 1789) m 24Sep 1734 Daniel Boyden (b 1Mar 1713-
d 29Jan 1782)
Hezekiah Boyden (b 28Nov 1739-d 9Feb 1800) m 13Sep 1764 Elizabeth Green (b 27Feb 1745
-d 11Feb 1841)
Mary Boyden (b 19Feb 1765-d 15Feb 1846) m John Griffeth (b 4Jun 1763-d8Feb 1840)
Mary (Polly) Griffith (b 30Nov 1785-d 13Jan 1834) m 6Sep 1807 Jonathan Phelps Ames
(b 20Apr 1781-d 16Dec 1863)
Arvilla Ames (b 25Jan 1810-d 25Apr 1907) m 23Sep 1827 John Cutter West (b 8Oct 1802-
d 24Jul 1862)
and then on down through my West family to myself.
STEPHEN GREENLEAF SR. & THE PHIPS EXPEDITION
The recall of Jeremiah Swain and his men from Maine in the autumn of 1689 possibly
was related to a change in strategy on the part of the Massachusetts colony with the
decision to carry the war to the French in Canada. An naval expedition was planned
with Sir William Phips in command.
Phips is an interesting man. Born in Maine, he'd been a shephard as a boy until he
got a job as a shipyard carpenter's apprentice. He then moved to Boston where he
appears to have gotten an education and married well, which allowed him to build a
shipyard back in Maine. When Indians burned him out, Phips took an amazing gamble:
he decided to salvage a sunken Spanish treasure ship in the Bahamas! He went to
England, found some investors among the nobility, and after one failure, succeeded
in salvaging some of the treasure and was knighted by the King. Remember, this was
1687 and he didn't have the technology and equipment used by modern day treasure
hunters!
Phips returned to Massachusetts in 1689. I haven't as yet found out whether the
expedition against French Canada was already in the works or whether it was
proposed by Phips himself, but either way, he was appointed its Commander. He set
sail for Canada in April 1690.
Among Phip's officers was my 9x great-grandfather Stephen Greenleaf Sr. who was 61
years old and from a family of citizen-soldiers. His father Edmund Greenleaf had served
in the militia against the Indians as far back as 1637, and his son, Stephen Greenleaf Jr.
was an officer in the fighting on land in Maine even as the Phips fleet sailed north.
Phips attacked and captured the town of Port Royal in Arcadia (now Annapolis Royal,
Nova Scotia) on 11May,1690 and then returned to Boston, where he was put in charge
of an attack on the city of Quebec. The fleet left Boston in 9August,1690 which was
close to the onset of the rougher autumn weather. Ironically, it was not storms but
becalmed winds that slowed the fleet, and Phips and his ships didn't arrive at Quebec
until October. Despite his fleet and a force of over 2,000 men, Phips was unable to
overcome the city and after 6 days gave up and started the return journey to Boston.
Now this is where I have some confusion over Stephen Greenleaf Sr. I've found many
sources online that say he was part of a "disastrous Phips expedition against Port Royal"
in October 1690 during which he drowned off Cape Breton in December 1690. As I've
already noted, Phips had captured Port Royal back in May; it was the attack on Quebec in October that had failed. Also, various sources state that some of Phips' ships stopped for
repairs during the return voyage to Boston. By that time the storm season would have set
in and the trip would have taken much longer.
So I believe that when Stephen Greenleaf and 9 others drowned of Cape Breton on 1Dec,
1690, it was as part of the Quebec expedition,
Meanwhile, Stephen Greenleaf, Jr. was fighting in battles on land in Maine, We'll
discuss those next.
was related to a change in strategy on the part of the Massachusetts colony with the
decision to carry the war to the French in Canada. An naval expedition was planned
with Sir William Phips in command.
Phips is an interesting man. Born in Maine, he'd been a shephard as a boy until he
got a job as a shipyard carpenter's apprentice. He then moved to Boston where he
appears to have gotten an education and married well, which allowed him to build a
shipyard back in Maine. When Indians burned him out, Phips took an amazing gamble:
he decided to salvage a sunken Spanish treasure ship in the Bahamas! He went to
England, found some investors among the nobility, and after one failure, succeeded
in salvaging some of the treasure and was knighted by the King. Remember, this was
1687 and he didn't have the technology and equipment used by modern day treasure
hunters!
Phips returned to Massachusetts in 1689. I haven't as yet found out whether the
expedition against French Canada was already in the works or whether it was
proposed by Phips himself, but either way, he was appointed its Commander. He set
sail for Canada in April 1690.
Among Phip's officers was my 9x great-grandfather Stephen Greenleaf Sr. who was 61
years old and from a family of citizen-soldiers. His father Edmund Greenleaf had served
in the militia against the Indians as far back as 1637, and his son, Stephen Greenleaf Jr.
was an officer in the fighting on land in Maine even as the Phips fleet sailed north.
Phips attacked and captured the town of Port Royal in Arcadia (now Annapolis Royal,
Nova Scotia) on 11May,1690 and then returned to Boston, where he was put in charge
of an attack on the city of Quebec. The fleet left Boston in 9August,1690 which was
close to the onset of the rougher autumn weather. Ironically, it was not storms but
becalmed winds that slowed the fleet, and Phips and his ships didn't arrive at Quebec
until October. Despite his fleet and a force of over 2,000 men, Phips was unable to
overcome the city and after 6 days gave up and started the return journey to Boston.
Now this is where I have some confusion over Stephen Greenleaf Sr. I've found many
sources online that say he was part of a "disastrous Phips expedition against Port Royal"
in October 1690 during which he drowned off Cape Breton in December 1690. As I've
already noted, Phips had captured Port Royal back in May; it was the attack on Quebec in October that had failed. Also, various sources state that some of Phips' ships stopped for
repairs during the return voyage to Boston. By that time the storm season would have set
in and the trip would have taken much longer.
So I believe that when Stephen Greenleaf and 9 others drowned of Cape Breton on 1Dec,
1690, it was as part of the Quebec expedition,
Meanwhile, Stephen Greenleaf, Jr. was fighting in battles on land in Maine, We'll
discuss those next.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
BENJAMIN ROCKWOOD AT BLACK POINT, MAINE.
As I've mentioned before, Benjamin Rockwood was wounded in King Philip's War in Maine.
This took place on 29 June, 1677 at Black Point near Scarborough, Maine in a fight known
as The Battle at Moore's Brook. There's a great account of it by Sumner Hunnewell
posted here at a site from the Lane Memorial Library at Hampton, NH. and I highly
recommend it to anyone interested in colonial history. It has information on many of
the colonial soldiers and their fates, including an image of the actual casualty list
of the battle.
I also found the following on Google Books:
"Many others whose names are not here, appear in the old documents referred to; like
that of Benjamin Rockwood (Rocket), who, in a later Ledger, has credit for Military Service,
in 1677. In Mass. Archives, vol. 72, pp. 622- 624, several original documents arc found
showing that he was a soldier in Philip's war, was in service at the Westward, and then was
sent, under Capt. Swett, to the Eastward; and at Bllackpoynt, was twice severely wounded,
and was confined' in Salem Hospital for " a quarter of a year." A memorial of his townsmen testifies to the facts, and other evidence shows that he had " two bullets in his thigh." Much
more is found about this last case, which, being typical of the times and men, doubtless had
many parallels, if we knew all."
George Madison Bodge Soldiers in King Philip's War 2nd ed. Self published (?) 1896
page 453
Benjamin Rockwood died in 1747 at age 97. Hunnewell mentions the son in law who
petitioned the colony for a pension to help support Benjamin when he was 93 and who
then was accused of keeping the money for himself. That appears to have been my
ancestor William Man(Mann). The pension was then sent to and administered by the
town of Wrentham.
This took place on 29 June, 1677 at Black Point near Scarborough, Maine in a fight known
as The Battle at Moore's Brook. There's a great account of it by Sumner Hunnewell
posted here at a site from the Lane Memorial Library at Hampton, NH. and I highly
recommend it to anyone interested in colonial history. It has information on many of
the colonial soldiers and their fates, including an image of the actual casualty list
of the battle.
I also found the following on Google Books:
"Many others whose names are not here, appear in the old documents referred to; like
that of Benjamin Rockwood (Rocket), who, in a later Ledger, has credit for Military Service,
in 1677. In Mass. Archives, vol. 72, pp. 622- 624, several original documents arc found
showing that he was a soldier in Philip's war, was in service at the Westward, and then was
sent, under Capt. Swett, to the Eastward; and at Bllackpoynt, was twice severely wounded,
and was confined' in Salem Hospital for " a quarter of a year." A memorial of his townsmen testifies to the facts, and other evidence shows that he had " two bullets in his thigh." Much
more is found about this last case, which, being typical of the times and men, doubtless had
many parallels, if we knew all."
George Madison Bodge Soldiers in King Philip's War 2nd ed. Self published (?) 1896
page 453
Benjamin Rockwood died in 1747 at age 97. Hunnewell mentions the son in law who
petitioned the colony for a pension to help support Benjamin when he was 93 and who
then was accused of keeping the money for himself. That appears to have been my
ancestor William Man(Mann). The pension was then sent to and administered by the
town of Wrentham.
Sunday, June 07, 2009
BAD NEWS ABOUT " COW HAMPSHIRE"?
Ironically, I was checking the links on my Puckerbrush Award posts when I
found that the one to Janice Brown's Cow Hampshire blog doesn't work.
I got one of those dreaded error messages:
"ERROR: cowhampshire.blogharbor.com is temporarily unavailable
or does not exist. Please check the address and try again."
I hope it is only temporary, but given the length of time since Janice last
posted I fear the website is now gone.
I hope Janice is well wherever she is at present and that someday we will see her
return to her genealogy blog!
found that the one to Janice Brown's Cow Hampshire blog doesn't work.
I got one of those dreaded error messages:
"ERROR: cowhampshire.blogharbor.com is temporarily unavailable
or does not exist. Please check the address and try again."
I hope it is only temporary, but given the length of time since Janice last
posted I fear the website is now gone.
I hope Janice is well wherever she is at present and that someday we will see her
return to her genealogy blog!
THE PUCKERBRUSH AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
This past Friday I was honored to receive The Puckerbrush Award for Excellence"
from both Cheryl Fleming Palmer and Judith Richards Schubert. I am flattered and
grateful for being given this award, especially since it is given in honor of one of my
first genea-blogger friends, Janice Brown. She has a great sense of humor and it was
her that gave me the challenge to come up with 49 Genealogical Uses for a Flutaphone!
Early on we discovered we were distant cousins.
The award was started by Terry Thornton, aka Willie Puckerbrush:
"In honor of our absent friend, Janice Brown, whose delightful blog Cow Hampshire
continues to inspire through all her archived articles, is my attempt to recognize a few
writers and their blogs --- those I consider the best in the blogging world and whose
work has influenced me the most.
Janice told us all about the word "puckerbrush" in an article she posted August 27,
2007, at Cow Hampshire .... That article inspired me to use, on occasion, the
alias of "Willie Puckerbrush" in making some of the many foolish comments I've left
about the blogosphere.
It appears to me that in the thicket of all the blogs being written that I should highlight
those ten writers of greatest influence to me --- in other words, my list of the ten best
based solely upon my personal opinion."
So here are my list of ten. Please note I had one heck of a time coming up with this, not
because I couldn't think of anyone, but because there are so many out there to choose
from. So in the end I opted to go by the wording used by Terry and pick those who've had
the greatest influence on me through their style of writing and the content of their blogs.
They've all contributed prominently to the formation of our genea-blogger community:
Jasia from Creative Gene- The creator of the Carnival of Genealogy through which I
discovered so many other genealogy blogs and author of great articles on her own
blog!
Chris Dunham from The Genealogue- There's always something there that makes me
laugh and I found many genealogy blogs through hi Blog Finder, Besides, he's a cousin!
Randy Seaver from Genea-Musings- Randy's blog has great analysis of genealogy
programs and issues written in a direct and easy to understand style! And his Saturday
Night Genealogy Fun challenges are exactly that: fun, and educational!
Miriam Midkiff from AnceStories- The creator of ScanFest Sunday where I've
learned a lot about scanning and have had a chance to "meet" other bloggers.
Besides, she's a cousin!
Tim Abbott from Walking the Berkshires- Reading his blog inspired me to explore
the historical background of my family's history. And, besides, he's ...yeah...another
cousin!
Craig Manson from The GeneaBlogie- Another great writer. Craig is able to explain
legal aspects of genealogy and blogging in a way even a dunderhead like myself can
understand.
footnoteMaven from footnoteMaven- A creative lady with a sense of humor that rivals
Janice's own. Creator of great graphics for various genealogy carnivals and an authority
on proper source citation. All that, and a writer I enjoy reading!
Terry Thornton from Hill Country of Monroe County, Mississippi- Terry's writings on his beloved Mississippi are great reads. And he's the Founder of the Association of
Graveyard Rabbits bloggers .
Thomas MacEntee from Destination: Austin Family- "The Perle Mesta" of genea-blogging community and creator of the Geneabloggers website and the Genea-Bloggers group on Fb.
Apple from Apple's Tree- Another fine writer who's blog I read regularly. And, yes, she's
a cousin!
It was after I made my choices that I realized that four of them were my distant cousins.
But so is Janice, so I guess I'm sort of keeping the award in the family!
Thanks again, Cheryl and Judith, for this award!
THE TRUTH BEHIND THE TRADITION.
As many of us have found out at one time or another in researching our
family tree, family traditions can sometimes turn out to be something
other than the real facts.
Christina Tree writes about her own discovery of the truth behind a
family legend in an article in the Boston Globe here entitled
"A presumed family legacy uprooted."
The truth she discovered is much less romantic than the legend
but I think it's much richer.
family tree, family traditions can sometimes turn out to be something
other than the real facts.
Christina Tree writes about her own discovery of the truth behind a
family legend in an article in the Boston Globe here entitled
"A presumed family legacy uprooted."
The truth she discovered is much less romantic than the legend
but I think it's much richer.
WHERE WERE THEY IN 1909?
This week's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun Challenge from Randy Seaver over at
Genea-Musings was an interesting one, Where Were They in 1909? :
1) Which of your ancestors were alive in 1909?
2) Tell us where your ancestral families were living in 1909. What country, state,
county, city/town, etc. Who was in the family at the time? Use the 1910 census as
"close enough."
3) Have you found each of these families in the 1910 census?
4) Write a blog post about your response. Or write a comment to this post.
5) Have fun. Learn something!
Alright then, I did use the 1910 census for my information. I've divided it up into
two sections. Ages and maiden names are in parentheses:
My Mom's Family
Great-Grandparents Edward J. White (35) and his wife Pauline (Offlincher)White(35)
were living at 218 Florence St in the Roslindale section of Boston, Suffolk Co., Ma. Edward's
occupation was Teamster for Wholesale Flour. They had eight children ranging in age from
12 years old to 9 months old, among whom was my grandfather Edward F. White, age 10
years old.
Great-Grandparents John McFarland(56) and wife Annie(Kelley) McFarland(50) lived at
950 Parker St in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston, Suffolk Co., Ma. with their 8 children,
ranging from age 23 to age 6. Among these was my grandmother Agnes McFarland, age
11. John's occupation was given as a Laborer for the street Dept.
I have no knowledge of any other maternal ancestors living in 1909.
My Dad's Family.
Great-grandfather Philip J. West(40) was living with his second wife, Alphonsene (Turgeon)
West(30) in Upton, Oxford Co., Me. Living with them was Philip's 18 year old son,
my grandfather, Floyd E. West Sr. Philip's occupation was given as a Farmer.
Great-grandfather Frank W. Barker was deceased and I haven't found any record of the
location of great-grandmother Charlotte L (Barker) Barker. She would have been 30 years
old in 1909-10. and I believe she lived until 1944. Her maiden name was the same as her married name because she and Frank were first cousins. Their daughter, my grandmother
Cora B. Barker would have been 10 years old and I believe her to be the 10 year old Cora
B. Barker listed as a Boarder with Olis W. Brooks and his wife Cora in Grafton, Oxford, Me.
Great-great grandparents Jonathan Phelps West(78) and Louisa (Richardson) West(72)
were lving in Upton, Oxford Co., Me.
Great-great grandparents Asa F. Ellingwood(80) and Florilla (Dunham) Ellingwood
(78) were living with their son Joseph Ellingwood's family in Hebron, Oxford Co., Me,
So now I have a mystery: Where was Charlotte Lovenia Barker in 1909? Was she
simply missed in the census or her name mispelled? Was she someplace outside of
Maine trying to make a living? Her husband Frank had died in 1905 leaving her
with 6 year old Cora and 2 year old Henry to raise. Is that why Cora is a boarder
with the Brooks family, if indeed is my grandmother living with them. Is there a
connection with Cora Brooks?
Hmmm....
Genea-Musings was an interesting one, Where Were They in 1909? :
1) Which of your ancestors were alive in 1909?
2) Tell us where your ancestral families were living in 1909. What country, state,
county, city/town, etc. Who was in the family at the time? Use the 1910 census as
"close enough."
3) Have you found each of these families in the 1910 census?
4) Write a blog post about your response. Or write a comment to this post.
5) Have fun. Learn something!
Alright then, I did use the 1910 census for my information. I've divided it up into
two sections. Ages and maiden names are in parentheses:
My Mom's Family
Great-Grandparents Edward J. White (35) and his wife Pauline (Offlincher)White(35)
were living at 218 Florence St in the Roslindale section of Boston, Suffolk Co., Ma. Edward's
occupation was Teamster for Wholesale Flour. They had eight children ranging in age from
12 years old to 9 months old, among whom was my grandfather Edward F. White, age 10
years old.
Great-Grandparents John McFarland(56) and wife Annie(Kelley) McFarland(50) lived at
950 Parker St in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston, Suffolk Co., Ma. with their 8 children,
ranging from age 23 to age 6. Among these was my grandmother Agnes McFarland, age
11. John's occupation was given as a Laborer for the street Dept.
I have no knowledge of any other maternal ancestors living in 1909.
My Dad's Family.
Great-grandfather Philip J. West(40) was living with his second wife, Alphonsene (Turgeon)
West(30) in Upton, Oxford Co., Me. Living with them was Philip's 18 year old son,
my grandfather, Floyd E. West Sr. Philip's occupation was given as a Farmer.
Great-grandfather Frank W. Barker was deceased and I haven't found any record of the
location of great-grandmother Charlotte L (Barker) Barker. She would have been 30 years
old in 1909-10. and I believe she lived until 1944. Her maiden name was the same as her married name because she and Frank were first cousins. Their daughter, my grandmother
Cora B. Barker would have been 10 years old and I believe her to be the 10 year old Cora
B. Barker listed as a Boarder with Olis W. Brooks and his wife Cora in Grafton, Oxford, Me.
Great-great grandparents Jonathan Phelps West(78) and Louisa (Richardson) West(72)
were lving in Upton, Oxford Co., Me.
Great-great grandparents Asa F. Ellingwood(80) and Florilla (Dunham) Ellingwood
(78) were living with their son Joseph Ellingwood's family in Hebron, Oxford Co., Me,
So now I have a mystery: Where was Charlotte Lovenia Barker in 1909? Was she
simply missed in the census or her name mispelled? Was she someplace outside of
Maine trying to make a living? Her husband Frank had died in 1905 leaving her
with 6 year old Cora and 2 year old Henry to raise. Is that why Cora is a boarder
with the Brooks family, if indeed is my grandmother living with them. Is there a
connection with Cora Brooks?
Hmmm....
Friday, June 05, 2009
SPEAK LIKE A NATIVE NEW ENGLANDER 10
Well, it's nearly summer time again, and some of my readers might be
traveling up here in New England, so it's time once more for some lessons
on how to speak like a native New Englander.
It might help you understand what we're saying, too.
Place names up here are always challenging and a story on the news
tonight provided me with two examples:
One is the town of Natick. It's not pronounced "Nah-tick" or "Nat-ick"
Nay! It's pronounced "Nate-ick"
And it sits on the shores of "Lake Cochituate". This is usually pronounced
as "Ka-chit-chew-it." You can imagine some of the jokes kids make of that
one.
But at least it's a shorter name than Lake Chargogg....er...that place..
traveling up here in New England, so it's time once more for some lessons
on how to speak like a native New Englander.
It might help you understand what we're saying, too.
Place names up here are always challenging and a story on the news
tonight provided me with two examples:
One is the town of Natick. It's not pronounced "Nah-tick" or "Nat-ick"
Nay! It's pronounced "Nate-ick"
And it sits on the shores of "Lake Cochituate". This is usually pronounced
as "Ka-chit-chew-it." You can imagine some of the jokes kids make of that
one.
But at least it's a shorter name than Lake Chargogg....er...that place..
Thursday, June 04, 2009
BENJAMIN ROCKWOOD AND INDIAN POINT, FRANKLIN, MA.
I mentioned my ancestor Benjamin Rockwood (also known as Rocket or
Rockett)in passing in one of my earlier posts about Jeremiah Swain. Now
that I finished the Swain series, I began searching for information on
Rockwood, and discovered this passage discussing his role in an incident
during King Philip's War. It illustrates how intense a struggle it was:
"In that part of ancient and original Wrentham now called Franklin, a man named
Rocket, in the spring or summer of 1676, was searching for a stray horse, and at about
sunset he discovered a train of forty-two Indians that he suspected were preparing
to attack the English settlement at Wrentham. He therefore secretly followed them till
they halted for the night, when he hastily repaired to that settlement and gave notice
to the inhabitants, among whom a consultation was held and it was determined to
attack the Indians early the next morning. A company of thirteen men from
Wrentham and vicinity were collected, who, having secured the women and children
in the garrison house, these men, under the lead of a Mr. Ware, set out for the Indian encampment that they reached just before daylight the next morning. The party were
divided at a short distance from the Indian camp, with orders to reserve their fire till
the Indians began to decamp. Between daylight and sunrise the Indians suddenly arose,
when at a given signal a general discharge of the English musketry threw them into consternation, and in attempting to escape, the Indians leaped down a rocky precipice
of ten or twenty feet, but were pursued by the English, who slew some twenty of them
with no loss of life on their part. The spot where the Indians that night encamped is
still known as " Indian Rock." "
(Ebenezer Weaver Pierce & Zerviah Gould Mitchell, Indian History, Biography, and Genealogy
Boston, Ma. 1878)
I found the book on Google Books here.
Another source claims that only 2 Indians escaped.
Reading this, I couldn't help but wonder: what if the Indians weren't planning an attack but
were "just passing through"?
Rockett)in passing in one of my earlier posts about Jeremiah Swain. Now
that I finished the Swain series, I began searching for information on
Rockwood, and discovered this passage discussing his role in an incident
during King Philip's War. It illustrates how intense a struggle it was:
"In that part of ancient and original Wrentham now called Franklin, a man named
Rocket, in the spring or summer of 1676, was searching for a stray horse, and at about
sunset he discovered a train of forty-two Indians that he suspected were preparing
to attack the English settlement at Wrentham. He therefore secretly followed them till
they halted for the night, when he hastily repaired to that settlement and gave notice
to the inhabitants, among whom a consultation was held and it was determined to
attack the Indians early the next morning. A company of thirteen men from
Wrentham and vicinity were collected, who, having secured the women and children
in the garrison house, these men, under the lead of a Mr. Ware, set out for the Indian encampment that they reached just before daylight the next morning. The party were
divided at a short distance from the Indian camp, with orders to reserve their fire till
the Indians began to decamp. Between daylight and sunrise the Indians suddenly arose,
when at a given signal a general discharge of the English musketry threw them into consternation, and in attempting to escape, the Indians leaped down a rocky precipice
of ten or twenty feet, but were pursued by the English, who slew some twenty of them
with no loss of life on their part. The spot where the Indians that night encamped is
still known as " Indian Rock." "
(Ebenezer Weaver Pierce & Zerviah Gould Mitchell, Indian History, Biography, and Genealogy
Boston, Ma. 1878)
I found the book on Google Books here.
Another source claims that only 2 Indians escaped.
Reading this, I couldn't help but wonder: what if the Indians weren't planning an attack but
were "just passing through"?
THE 73RD CARNIVAL OF GENEALOGY IS POSTED!
The 73rd Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is up over at the Apple's Tree blog.
The topic is "The Good Earth" and twenty geneabloggers write about the
connection between their family and the land in ways such as farming or
gardening.
Of course, it concludes with the call for submissions to the 74th edition:
"And now it's time for a Call for Submissions! Back by popular demand,
the topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Swimsuit
Edition! Why should Sports Illustrated have all the fun? This is your chance
to show off the bathing beauties in your family. Pull out the old photos of
Grandma Moses in her seaside bloomers, Auntie Mae in her pin-up girl suit
from the 1940s or 50s, cousin Paula in her psychedelic bikini from the 1970s,
or even yourself in your Speedo! Let's have some fun here! Memorial
Weekend is behind us and that means the start of the summer sun, sand,
and lakeside season so let's get in the mood with summer fun photos. What?
You don't have any swimsuit photos you dare to share? No problem! Tell us
your best family beach stories instead! The deadline for submissions is
June 15th. This edition of the COG will be hosted by Jasia at Creative Gene.
Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using
the carnival submission form. Please use a descriptive phrase in the title of any
articles you plan to submit and/or write a brief description/introduction to
your articles in the "comment" box of the blogcarnival submission form. This
will give readers an idea of what you've written about and hopefully interest
them in clicking on your link. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our
blog carnival index page."
While we're on the subject of the CoG, the 73rd Edition was published in time to
celebrate its third anniversary. Congratulations, Jasia, and here's to many more
years of enjoyment from the Carnival of Genealogy!
The topic is "The Good Earth" and twenty geneabloggers write about the
connection between their family and the land in ways such as farming or
gardening.
Of course, it concludes with the call for submissions to the 74th edition:
"And now it's time for a Call for Submissions! Back by popular demand,
the topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Swimsuit
Edition! Why should Sports Illustrated have all the fun? This is your chance
to show off the bathing beauties in your family. Pull out the old photos of
Grandma Moses in her seaside bloomers, Auntie Mae in her pin-up girl suit
from the 1940s or 50s, cousin Paula in her psychedelic bikini from the 1970s,
or even yourself in your Speedo! Let's have some fun here! Memorial
Weekend is behind us and that means the start of the summer sun, sand,
and lakeside season so let's get in the mood with summer fun photos. What?
You don't have any swimsuit photos you dare to share? No problem! Tell us
your best family beach stories instead! The deadline for submissions is
June 15th. This edition of the COG will be hosted by Jasia at Creative Gene.
Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using
the carnival submission form. Please use a descriptive phrase in the title of any
articles you plan to submit and/or write a brief description/introduction to
your articles in the "comment" box of the blogcarnival submission form. This
will give readers an idea of what you've written about and hopefully interest
them in clicking on your link. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our
blog carnival index page."
While we're on the subject of the CoG, the 73rd Edition was published in time to
celebrate its third anniversary. Congratulations, Jasia, and here's to many more
years of enjoyment from the Carnival of Genealogy!
JEREMIAH SWAIN PART 14 : CONCLUSION
This is the last in a series of posts about Jeremiah Swain, my 9x great grandfather:
I've yet to find any information online as to whether Jeremiah Swain saw any more military
action after 1689. Instead he returned to his practice as a physician and to his political
career, serving several terms on the Reading Board of Selectman as well as the town's
Representative to the General Court and as a Governor's Assistant. As if all that wasn't
enough to keep Jeremiah busy, he also became a Justice of the Peace for Reading in 1691
which meant he could perform marriages.
The last online record I can find of Swain speaking in public involves the Salem Witch
trials in 1692. A woman named Mary Taylor was accused of witchcraft by Jeremiah's
sister Mary Marshall, and Jeremiah was present when she testified. He made a few
comments to "Goody" Taylor and asked her a few questions. I've found nothing else
about his activities after that in the eighteen years leading up to his death in 1710.
But I count myself extremely lucky to find so much of his actual correspondence!
His letters reflect the writing style of his period but are not flowery and his personality
comes through in some of his commentary about the Maine campaign. Despite adverse
weather and supply shortages he did the best he could and was a commander who led
his men into action. Like Benjamin Church, he seems to have adopted tactics more suited
to fighting Indians rather than European foes. But unlike Church, he didn't write a book
about his military exploits, so his role in the New England Indian wars is largely unknown
today.
This series on Jeremiah Swain started off discussing the facts behind a poem he
appeared in as "beloved of Mars." While some of the poem's facts are incorrect, other
writers describe him as a brave man and a good officer. A doctor, politician, justice of the
peace, and a military officer, he was a man of many parts.
And of course, without him I wouldn't be here!
I've yet to find any information online as to whether Jeremiah Swain saw any more military
action after 1689. Instead he returned to his practice as a physician and to his political
career, serving several terms on the Reading Board of Selectman as well as the town's
Representative to the General Court and as a Governor's Assistant. As if all that wasn't
enough to keep Jeremiah busy, he also became a Justice of the Peace for Reading in 1691
which meant he could perform marriages.
The last online record I can find of Swain speaking in public involves the Salem Witch
trials in 1692. A woman named Mary Taylor was accused of witchcraft by Jeremiah's
sister Mary Marshall, and Jeremiah was present when she testified. He made a few
comments to "Goody" Taylor and asked her a few questions. I've found nothing else
about his activities after that in the eighteen years leading up to his death in 1710.
But I count myself extremely lucky to find so much of his actual correspondence!
His letters reflect the writing style of his period but are not flowery and his personality
comes through in some of his commentary about the Maine campaign. Despite adverse
weather and supply shortages he did the best he could and was a commander who led
his men into action. Like Benjamin Church, he seems to have adopted tactics more suited
to fighting Indians rather than European foes. But unlike Church, he didn't write a book
about his military exploits, so his role in the New England Indian wars is largely unknown
today.
This series on Jeremiah Swain started off discussing the facts behind a poem he
appeared in as "beloved of Mars." While some of the poem's facts are incorrect, other
writers describe him as a brave man and a good officer. A doctor, politician, justice of the
peace, and a military officer, he was a man of many parts.
And of course, without him I wouldn't be here!
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
JUST MAKE UP THE LYRICS GENEALOGY CHALLENGE: `MY FAMILY NAMES'
Ok, here's my entry into the " Just Make Up the Lyrics
Genealogy Challenge":
My Family Names
(to the tune of "My Favorite Things" from Rogers' and Hammerstein's
"Sound of Music" and NOT from Lerner and Lowe's "My Fair Lady" )
West, White and McFarland, Barker and Coburn,
Offinger, Ellingwood, Richardson, Dunham.
Barrows and Laughton and Hastings and Moore
These are the ancestors I' m searching for!
There's Houghton and Haskell and Benson and Abbot
I do have a Lowell line but don't have a Cabot,
Griffeth and Greenleaf, Packard and Ames
These are a few of my family names!
I have Williamson, Boyden, Buswell and Dow,
(I need a way to rhyme Bumpus somehow!)
Willard and Stafford, Pierce, Stone and Green
So many family names I have seen.
When I find that I have come to
A dead end or brick wall
I simply remember the names that I've found
And I don't feel too bad at all!
Genealogy Challenge":
My Family Names
(to the tune of "My Favorite Things" from Rogers' and Hammerstein's
"Sound of Music" and NOT from Lerner and Lowe's "My Fair Lady" )
West, White and McFarland, Barker and Coburn,
Offinger, Ellingwood, Richardson, Dunham.
Barrows and Laughton and Hastings and Moore
These are the ancestors I' m searching for!
There's Houghton and Haskell and Benson and Abbot
I do have a Lowell line but don't have a Cabot,
Griffeth and Greenleaf, Packard and Ames
These are a few of my family names!
I have Williamson, Boyden, Buswell and Dow,
(I need a way to rhyme Bumpus somehow!)
Willard and Stafford, Pierce, Stone and Green
So many family names I have seen.
When I find that I have come to
A dead end or brick wall
I simply remember the names that I've found
And I don't feel too bad at all!
Monday, June 01, 2009
CARNIVAL OF GENEALOGY 73: THE LAND AND MY FAMILY
Like many early immigrants to this country, it was always about land for my ancestors
on my Dad's side of the family. Our Mayflower ancestors sought religious freedom but
they also needed good farmland to support themselves. With time the settlers moved
northwards where the farmland was better and our Edson, Forbes, Keith, and Packard
ancestors ended up in what later became the Bridgewaters, which are less than ten minutes
away from where I sit typing this article at this moment.
Our Massachusetts Bay Colony ancestors were a bit luckier than those south of Boston.
The land to the north and west was more fertile and land was plentiful. Ralph Ellingwood
was given 1/2 acre in 1637 by the town of Salem and left a considerably larger estate
when he died. Simon Willard was one of the first settlers of Concord, John Prescott of
Lancaster, and Jeremiah Swain Sr. of Reading. Some were farmers, some built mills and
sawmills, and Simon Willard even traded in furs with the Indians. And of course, it was
the growing number of English settlers taking over the land that led to the wars with the
Indians.
A lot of the fighting took place in Maine and New Hampshire over the next century so
many of the Revolutionary War veterans who took land grants there after the Revolution
had heard stories of what to expect in the area from their fathers and grandfathers. Some
of them farmed, but others logged the forests.
The more recent generations of Dad's family did some of both farming and logging, and
trapping and hunting as well. Admittedly I'm not expert but from what I can tell they
did it carefully and with respect for the land.
And then my father moved south and married a city girl. Mom's family might have
been here for a shorter time but her Irish-American family did have in common with my
Dad's ancestors a desire to own land. As soon as they could they bought houses out in
the suburbs. I think the biggest regret for both my parents was not being able to manage
to own their own home.
One of the great things about researching my family history is the realization of how deep
a connection there is with the history of the region. That probably explains why I can't
imagine myself living anywhere else!
Written for the 73rd edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.
on my Dad's side of the family. Our Mayflower ancestors sought religious freedom but
they also needed good farmland to support themselves. With time the settlers moved
northwards where the farmland was better and our Edson, Forbes, Keith, and Packard
ancestors ended up in what later became the Bridgewaters, which are less than ten minutes
away from where I sit typing this article at this moment.
Our Massachusetts Bay Colony ancestors were a bit luckier than those south of Boston.
The land to the north and west was more fertile and land was plentiful. Ralph Ellingwood
was given 1/2 acre in 1637 by the town of Salem and left a considerably larger estate
when he died. Simon Willard was one of the first settlers of Concord, John Prescott of
Lancaster, and Jeremiah Swain Sr. of Reading. Some were farmers, some built mills and
sawmills, and Simon Willard even traded in furs with the Indians. And of course, it was
the growing number of English settlers taking over the land that led to the wars with the
Indians.
A lot of the fighting took place in Maine and New Hampshire over the next century so
many of the Revolutionary War veterans who took land grants there after the Revolution
had heard stories of what to expect in the area from their fathers and grandfathers. Some
of them farmed, but others logged the forests.
The more recent generations of Dad's family did some of both farming and logging, and
trapping and hunting as well. Admittedly I'm not expert but from what I can tell they
did it carefully and with respect for the land.
And then my father moved south and married a city girl. Mom's family might have
been here for a shorter time but her Irish-American family did have in common with my
Dad's ancestors a desire to own land. As soon as they could they bought houses out in
the suburbs. I think the biggest regret for both my parents was not being able to manage
to own their own home.
One of the great things about researching my family history is the realization of how deep
a connection there is with the history of the region. That probably explains why I can't
imagine myself living anywhere else!
Written for the 73rd edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.
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