One of the most frustrating and sometimes painful things that happens for family historians is finding out that someone you believed to be your ancestor isn' t.The most common reason for this is that there is more than one person in a family or community that have the same name, and for one reason or another you have the wrong one.
And this is what happened to me in the case of John Dunham Jr. and consequently his son Samuel Dunham.
Oops.Let me explain.
I had John Dunham Jr in my tree as my 8th great grandfather and his son Samuel Dunham as my 7th great grandfather. But when I finally got around to transcribing John's will the other day, there was no mention of Samuel anywhere in it. So I started checking the other information I had on the family and discovered that John Dunham Jr's son Samuel died in a house fire in August 1687/88, five years before John's will was written, and had never married. So he wasn't my ancestor.
Eventually I figured it out. The Samuel Dunham I am descended from was John Dunham Jr's nephew, who was married to Mary Harlow. And his father Samuel Dunham Sr was John's btother.
So how did this happen? Well, the Ellingwood and Dunhams were the first of my ancestors I added to my family tree, using my cousin Florence O'Connor's book. And she used the book by Isaac Watson for her Dunham information. All of her Ellingwood research has checked out but I hadn't worked extensively on the Dunhams until now. And as I've mentioned in a previous post, Isaac Watson's book has since been proven to have some erroneous information. But fifty or so years ago the book information was widely accepted.
I made a classic newbie error when I didn't double check the information when I entered it on my family tree.
Luckily for me, I don't have to remove a whole branch from that tree, just one generation from my line of descent. I've already done that on Ancestry and RootsMagic. And I will have to redo Week 37 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks with the correct ancestor this time.
Live and Learn!
Saturday, October 20, 2018
"WHEN THE FROST IS ON THE PUNKIN" BY JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY
((Oddly enough, both my parents occasionally would quote a line or two from Riley's
two most famous poems. This is the one Dad would quote; I'll post the other later this month
I first posted this on 13Oct 2012))
We had the first frost of the fall season last night in parts of New England and it put me in mind
how Dad would sometimes recite "When the frost is on the pumpkin...". That's the only part of
the poem he'd say. I think he must have had to recite it in school when he was a kid and that's all
he remembered.
Reading it just now I had to grin at the line about the turkey since I've now had experiences with
a loud, "struttin" turkey here in my own backyard!
"When the Frost is on the Punkin"
James Whitcomb Riley
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here—
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;
And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!...
I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be
As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me—
I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
two most famous poems. This is the one Dad would quote; I'll post the other later this month
I first posted this on 13Oct 2012))
We had the first frost of the fall season last night in parts of New England and it put me in mind
how Dad would sometimes recite "When the frost is on the pumpkin...". That's the only part of
the poem he'd say. I think he must have had to recite it in school when he was a kid and that's all
he remembered.
Reading it just now I had to grin at the line about the turkey since I've now had experiences with
a loud, "struttin" turkey here in my own backyard!
"When the Frost is on the Punkin"
James Whitcomb Riley
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here—
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;
And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!...
I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be
As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me—
I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
Monday, October 08, 2018
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 36:JOHN DUNHAM SR.OF PLYMOUTH, MA.
My 9x great grandfather John Dunham Sr. has been the subject of much discussion by genealogists over the years. There is the question of John Singletary/ John Dunham which I won't go into here. And then there is the confusion caused by Isaac Watson's book which had many errors that were accepted by the genealogical community of the 19th century as fact.
I debated dicussing those errors here but then decided if I did so they might end up on someone's online family tree and spread further. Instead here is a link to the book, Dunham genealogy: English and American branches of the Dunham family. This is an edition published in 1907. What alarms me is that there are editions published as recently as 2017.
Luckily, more thorough research from reputable genealogists has produced these facts:
John Dunham Sr was born in England around 1588/9. He married Susannah Keno around 1615 and they were part of the English Separatist community in Leiden Holland where they had three children together before Susannah's death. John's second wife was Abigail Barlow (or Ballou) who he married on 22Oct 1629 in Leiden. Their first three (possibly four) children were born in Leiden before the family arrived at Plymouth Plantation in 1632. John's occupation is listed in the Plymouth records as weaver but he managed to acquire quite a bit of property and he was a prominent member of the community. He also was active in the town government where he served on committees and worked as a town officer several times, He and his sons also occasionally were involved in some scurrilous incidents over the years. He died in Plymouth on 2Mar 1688/9.
John Dunham Sr.'s children with Susannah Keno, all born in Leiden, were:
John Jr., b. about 1616; died 6Apr 1692
Humility, b. around 1618
Thoma, b. around 1619; died around 1677
His children with Abigail Barlow/Ballou:
Samuel, b. in Leiden about 1623; died in Plymouth 20Jan 1711
Jonathan, b. in Leiden about 1625
Abigail, b. in Leiden around 1627
Joseph, b. 1631 (probably in Leiden)
Hannah, b. in Plymouth 1634; died in Plymouth 1Apr 1708
Persis, b. in Plymouth 1635
Benajah, b. in Plymouth 1637
Daniel, b. in Plymouth 1639
I am descended from sons John Jr. and Joseph.
I debated dicussing those errors here but then decided if I did so they might end up on someone's online family tree and spread further. Instead here is a link to the book, Dunham genealogy: English and American branches of the Dunham family. This is an edition published in 1907. What alarms me is that there are editions published as recently as 2017.
Luckily, more thorough research from reputable genealogists has produced these facts:
John Dunham Sr was born in England around 1588/9. He married Susannah Keno around 1615 and they were part of the English Separatist community in Leiden Holland where they had three children together before Susannah's death. John's second wife was Abigail Barlow (or Ballou) who he married on 22Oct 1629 in Leiden. Their first three (possibly four) children were born in Leiden before the family arrived at Plymouth Plantation in 1632. John's occupation is listed in the Plymouth records as weaver but he managed to acquire quite a bit of property and he was a prominent member of the community. He also was active in the town government where he served on committees and worked as a town officer several times, He and his sons also occasionally were involved in some scurrilous incidents over the years. He died in Plymouth on 2Mar 1688/9.
John Dunham Sr.'s children with Susannah Keno, all born in Leiden, were:
John Jr., b. about 1616; died 6Apr 1692
Humility, b. around 1618
Thoma, b. around 1619; died around 1677
His children with Abigail Barlow/Ballou:
Samuel, b. in Leiden about 1623; died in Plymouth 20Jan 1711
Jonathan, b. in Leiden about 1625
Abigail, b. in Leiden around 1627
Joseph, b. 1631 (probably in Leiden)
Hannah, b. in Plymouth 1634; died in Plymouth 1Apr 1708
Persis, b. in Plymouth 1635
Benajah, b. in Plymouth 1637
Daniel, b. in Plymouth 1639
I am descended from sons John Jr. and Joseph.
Thursday, October 04, 2018
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 35:THE DUNHAM DESCENT
There's been a change of plans in the next series of posts in the 52 Ancestors in 52Weeks series. Due to a question in establishing which John Ellis was the father of my 7x great grandmother Elizabeth (Ellis) Briggs I am going to postpone those posts for now. Instead I will be turning to the family tree of my 2x great grandmother Florilla (Dunham) Ellingwood, who is a descendant of immigrant ancestor John Dunham of Plymouth. Here's the relationship chart:
I'll also be posting about the other families in her line.
I'll also be posting about the other families in her line.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
ANOTHER DIP IN THE GENE POOL
Last week Ancestry.com updated their Ethnicity Estimates on the results of the DNA tests people had taken. It was quite a topic of conversation on Facebook as the Estimate changed quite a bit for some people. It sure did for mine!
This is my original Ethnicity Estimate chart a year ago:
And this is the updated chart from last week:
Several changes happened. Ireland became Ireland & Scotland and went up 1% to 52%.
The 25% Scandinavia disappeared entirely
And so did the 24% Other Regions, which included:
In short, all the exotic stuff. Sigh.
But it did add somethings that had been missing from the original Estimate
Two of my Mom's maternal great grandparents were immigrants from Germany; the rest of her family was Irish.
And Dad's ancestors were mainly English with a few Welshmen and Scots so they are now better represented.
The general reaction among my genealogy friends is that the new Estimate better reflects what they know about their families,and I think it does the same for mine, too!
This is my original Ethnicity Estimate chart a year ago:
And this is the updated chart from last week:
Several changes happened. Ireland became Ireland & Scotland and went up 1% to 52%.
The 25% Scandinavia disappeared entirely
And so did the 24% Other Regions, which included:
But it did add somethings that had been missing from the original Estimate
Two of my Mom's maternal great grandparents were immigrants from Germany; the rest of her family was Irish.
And Dad's ancestors were mainly English with a few Welshmen and Scots so they are now better represented.
The general reaction among my genealogy friends is that the new Estimate better reflects what they know about their families,and I think it does the same for mine, too!
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
"AT NORRIDGEWOCK" BY JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER
I had started worrying I wouldn't find a poem for this year's Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge when I found this poem in an anthology edited by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.There are three
reasons why this is perfect for my entry:
One, it's written by my distant cousin, John Greenleaf Whittier.
Two, it's about Norridgewock, Maine where three generations of my Laughton family ancestors (all three of them named John Laughton) lived in the 18th century.
And three, it's about Fall.
Here it is:
AT NORRIDGEWOCK.
by John Greenleaf Whittier
T' is morning over Norridgewock, —
On tree and wigwam, wave and rock.
Bathed in the autumnal sunshine, stirred
At intervals by breeze and bird,
And wearing all the hues which glow
In heaven's own pure and perfect bow,
That glorious picture of the air,
Which summer's light-robed angel forms
On the dark ground of fading storms,
With pencil dipped in sunbeams there,—
And, stretching out, on either hand,
O'er all that wide and unshorn land,
Till, weary of its gorgeousncss,
The aching and the dazzled eye
Rests, gladdened, on the calm blue sky, —
Slumbers the mighty wilderness!
The oak, upon the windy hill,
Its dark green burthen upward heaves;
The hemlock broods above its rill.
Its cone-like foliage darker still,
Against the birch's graceful stem,
And the rough walnut-bough receives
The suu upon its crowded leaves,
Each colored like a topaz gem;
And the tall maple wears with them
The coronal, which autumn gives,
The brief, bright sign of ruin near,
The hectic of a dying year!-pp143-144
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed., Poems of Places: America Vol.II Houghton, Mifflin And Company, Boston, Ma. 1851
reasons why this is perfect for my entry:
One, it's written by my distant cousin, John Greenleaf Whittier.
Two, it's about Norridgewock, Maine where three generations of my Laughton family ancestors (all three of them named John Laughton) lived in the 18th century.
And three, it's about Fall.
Here it is:
AT NORRIDGEWOCK.
by John Greenleaf Whittier
T' is morning over Norridgewock, —
On tree and wigwam, wave and rock.
Bathed in the autumnal sunshine, stirred
At intervals by breeze and bird,
And wearing all the hues which glow
In heaven's own pure and perfect bow,
That glorious picture of the air,
Which summer's light-robed angel forms
On the dark ground of fading storms,
With pencil dipped in sunbeams there,—
And, stretching out, on either hand,
O'er all that wide and unshorn land,
Till, weary of its gorgeousncss,
The aching and the dazzled eye
Rests, gladdened, on the calm blue sky, —
Slumbers the mighty wilderness!
The oak, upon the windy hill,
Its dark green burthen upward heaves;
The hemlock broods above its rill.
Its cone-like foliage darker still,
Against the birch's graceful stem,
And the rough walnut-bough receives
The suu upon its crowded leaves,
Each colored like a topaz gem;
And the tall maple wears with them
The coronal, which autumn gives,
The brief, bright sign of ruin near,
The hectic of a dying year!-pp143-144
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed., Poems of Places: America Vol.II Houghton, Mifflin And Company, Boston, Ma. 1851
Monday, September 10, 2018
ANNOUNCING THE TENTH ANNUAL GREAT GENEALOGY POETRY CHALLENGE
It's time to start thinking about a post for the Tenth Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge!
Hard to believe I've been doing this for ten years now.
As in the past, I'll be posting the links to the submissions on Thanksgiving Day,which this year falls on Thursday, November 22nd. Deadline for submissions will be a week before, on Thursday, November 15th. That gives everyone two months to find (or write) and share their poem or song. If you find one long before that deadline (as I have) you can post it on your blog now, but don't forget to send me the link to it before November 15th!
These are the Challenge rules:
1. Find a poem by a poet, famous or obscure, about the region
one of your ancestors lived in. It can be about an historical event, a
legend, a person, or even about some place (like a river)or a local
animal. It can even be a poem you or one of your ancestors have written.
0r, if you prefer, post the lyrics of a song or a link to a video of someone
performing the song.
2. Post the poem or song to your blog (remembering to cite the source
where you found it.). If you wish to enter an older post, you may as long
as it has not appeared here in an earlier Poetry Challenge.
3.Tell us how the subject of the poem or song relates to your ancestor's
home or life, or the area of the country where they lived.
4.Submit your post's link here to me by midnight Thursday, November 15th
and I'll publish all links to the entries on Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd!
5. If you submit a humorous poem or song that will be entered under the
"Willy Puckerbrush" division. Willy was the late geneablogger Terry
Thornton's alias for some humorous posts and comments.
There you have it. You have two months to find your poem and post it to your
blogs. I will be waiting to see what you come up with this year!
Hard to believe I've been doing this for ten years now.
As in the past, I'll be posting the links to the submissions on Thanksgiving Day,which this year falls on Thursday, November 22nd. Deadline for submissions will be a week before, on Thursday, November 15th. That gives everyone two months to find (or write) and share their poem or song. If you find one long before that deadline (as I have) you can post it on your blog now, but don't forget to send me the link to it before November 15th!
These are the Challenge rules:
1. Find a poem by a poet, famous or obscure, about the region
one of your ancestors lived in. It can be about an historical event, a
legend, a person, or even about some place (like a river)or a local
animal. It can even be a poem you or one of your ancestors have written.
0r, if you prefer, post the lyrics of a song or a link to a video of someone
performing the song.
2. Post the poem or song to your blog (remembering to cite the source
where you found it.). If you wish to enter an older post, you may as long
as it has not appeared here in an earlier Poetry Challenge.
3.Tell us how the subject of the poem or song relates to your ancestor's
home or life, or the area of the country where they lived.
4.Submit your post's link here to me by midnight Thursday, November 15th
and I'll publish all links to the entries on Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd!
5. If you submit a humorous poem or song that will be entered under the
"Willy Puckerbrush" division. Willy was the late geneablogger Terry
Thornton's alias for some humorous posts and comments.
There you have it. You have two months to find your poem and post it to your
blogs. I will be waiting to see what you come up with this year!
Friday, August 31, 2018
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 34:THE BRIGGS LINES
Elizabeth (Briggs)Benson was my 6x great grandmother and through her I am connected to three families of early settlers of Plymouth and Cape Cod.
Her grandfather was immigrant ancesor John Briggs and her father was Samuel Briggs.
Through her mother Elizabeth Ellis she was descended from immigrant ancestors John Ellis and Edmond Freeman.
I haven't much information on them. Most of what I know about the Ellis family comes from a copy of an article from The Mayflower Descendant written by Robert Griffith. ( the copy was sent to me by I believe Martin Slovik; I've lost the email it was attached to several hard drives ago.)
I've found the most out about Edmond Freeman, including a reference to s land purchase with a most unusual clause.
I'll blog about what I've learned about these lines but I'm afraid the posts will be brief in a few cases.
Her grandfather was immigrant ancesor John Briggs and her father was Samuel Briggs.
Through her mother Elizabeth Ellis she was descended from immigrant ancestors John Ellis and Edmond Freeman.
I haven't much information on them. Most of what I know about the Ellis family comes from a copy of an article from The Mayflower Descendant written by Robert Griffith. ( the copy was sent to me by I believe Martin Slovik; I've lost the email it was attached to several hard drives ago.)
I've found the most out about Edmond Freeman, including a reference to s land purchase with a most unusual clause.
I'll blog about what I've learned about these lines but I'm afraid the posts will be brief in a few cases.
Monday, August 27, 2018
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 33: CALEB BENSON OF ROCHESTER MA. PT2
 | |
| Plymouth County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1686-1881tion Case 1873Page 3 |
In the name of God Amen .....
I Caleb Benson of Middleborough in the County of
Plymouth and Common Wealth of Massachusetts in America
being weak of body but of sound mind and memory blessed be
God therefor and knowing it is appointed unto all men once to die
Do make and ordain this my last will and Testament .....
In the first place I commit my spirit into the hand
of the Lord god of truth, believing and hoping he hath
redeemed me; and that at my death my soulshall im-
mediatly pass into glory: and my body to the dust, to be buried
in a decent Christian manner hoping and believing that tho'
after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall
see god; and that I shall with them that rise firsst have a
resurrection to life my vile being changed and fashion-
ed like to the gloriousbody of Christ--
And as touching the portion of worldy estate which God
in his providence has been pleased to bless me with, I dispose
of in the following manner....
imprimus, I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife the one
third of my whole Estate both real and personal to be
improvedby her during her Natural life, and over and above
the one third two milch Cows, ten Sheep, and all my house-
hould furniture forever. ...
Item I give and bequeath unto my two daughters, Ruth Landers ,
and Hannah Tinkham three pounds Each, to be paid out of
my personal Estate, besides what I gave them at the time of their
begining to keep house.-
Item I give and bequeath unto my other three daughters viz.-
Priscilla Combs, Deborah Canady, and Content Barrows
all the rst of my personal Estate consisting of money at
Interest, Live stock on my farm etc.excepting whay is dis-
posed of above, to be equally divided between them as soon
as it can be collected by my Executor and paid to them.
 | |||
| Plymouth County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1686-1881 case 1833 page4 |
Item I give and bequeath unto my two grand-children
Priscilla Washburn and ManasehWashburn six
shillings a peice to be paid by my beloved wife. ...
Item I give and bequeath unto my only son Caleb
Benson all the rest of my Interest consisting of
Lands and meadow Lying in Middleborough, Plymton
and Wareham being all real Estate. ...
Finely my will is that my well beloved wife and my son
Caleb Benson be the joint Executors of this my
Last Will and Testament, .....
and furhermore I do hereby revoke and
renounce all & Every other and former
Testaments by me any way made; and ratify and
Confirm this to be my Last Will and Testament.
Caleb Benson
Signed Sealed pronounced and
Declared this 27th day of November 1782
in Presence of
Asa Hunt
Elisha Benson
Stephen Washburn
The estate was valued at over 670 pounds, most of that in real estate.
Sunday, August 26, 2018
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 33: CALEB BENSON OF ROCHESTER MA.
My 5x great grandfather Caleb Benson was born in Rochester, Ma. on 29 Jan 1704, the tenth child of John Benson the 3rd and Elizabeth Briggs. He was only 7 years old when his father died, so he probably grew up in the custody of a legal guardian. Caleb married Deborah Barrows on 11 Jan 1732 in Rochester and they had a family of six daughters and one son:
Ruth Benson b.25 Mar 1733 Plymouth
Hannah Benson b 20 May 1736 Middleborough
Mary Benson b 20 Feb 1738 Middleborugh
Deborah Benson b 1749 Middleborough
Priscilla B 1751 Plymouth
Caleb b 22 Nov 1755 Middleborough
Content b 1761 Plymouth, Ma
I know he was a farmer and judging from the value of his estate a successful one. But he was also a Deacon of a Baptist church in Middleboro, Ma. and at some point was involved in some controversy within the congregation. I've found a reference to a letter that he and six others sent to church authorities but haven't found a copy of it as yet, so I don't jnow what it was about.
I've found some land transactionslisted on FamilySearch that I haven't explored yet, as well as a copy of his will and estate inventory, which I will discuss in the next post.
Ruth Benson b.25 Mar 1733 Plymouth
Hannah Benson b 20 May 1736 Middleborough
Mary Benson b 20 Feb 1738 Middleborugh
Deborah Benson b 1749 Middleborough
Priscilla B 1751 Plymouth
Caleb b 22 Nov 1755 Middleborough
Content b 1761 Plymouth, Ma
I know he was a farmer and judging from the value of his estate a successful one. But he was also a Deacon of a Baptist church in Middleboro, Ma. and at some point was involved in some controversy within the congregation. I've found a reference to a letter that he and six others sent to church authorities but haven't found a copy of it as yet, so I don't jnow what it was about.
I've found some land transactionslisted on FamilySearch that I haven't explored yet, as well as a copy of his will and estate inventory, which I will discuss in the next post.
Friday, August 24, 2018
JOSEPH BENSON, ABIGAIL MUXOM AND "TALKING OF BALDERDASH STUFF" CONCLUSION
The scandal over Abigail Muxom's alleged affair with Joseph Benson now became even wider as Parson Everett invited outsiders to help judge her:
From the neighboring towns six ministers were then summoned to the inquest. They came and made a holiday; the six ministers on horseback, and the village idlers, to whom the spicy story was familiar, crowding around them and believing that justice must reign though the heavens fell.
Again there was a meeting of the church; Abigail Muxom stood in the sovereign presence of the six ministers, while the floor and galleries of the meeting-house were crowded by curious spectators attracted by what was to them "the greatest show on earth." The evidences were read aloud from the records: the accused woman again denied their truth; the six ministers were requested "to give their opinion what particular immodest conduct our sister is guilty of, and how this church ought to proceed with her." They, "having conversed with the Brethren of the church and heard what said Abigail had to say in her own defence," consulted together, and declared that her "immodest conduct in former years with one Doct. Joseph Benson was forbidden by the 7th commandment," and that it was her duty "to make a penitent and public confession of her sin ;" and "if she refuse or neglect to do it," the church "to proceed after other suitable forbearance to excommunication." The church then "Voted that Abigail Muxom is guilty of immodest conduct according to the opinion of the Revd Pastors," and it appointed three stern-visaged men to converse with her in the hope of obtaining a confession of the alleged sin. Their mission, as they reported, "appeared to have no good effect." Then, after another delay indicating a reluctance to pass such a terrible judgment upon "this unhappy sister," the church came together and the men "Voted that Abigail Muxom be rejected and excommunicated from the communion of this church, as being visibly a hardened and impenitent sinner out of the visible Kingdom of Christ, one who ought to be viewed and treated by all good people as a heathen and a publican in imminent danger of eternal perdition. Praying that this separation of hers from christian fellowship may not be eternal, but a means of her true and unfeigned repentance that her soul may be saved in the day of the Lord.-pp156-159
Colonial Times on Buzzard's Bay Houghton, Mifflin, Cambridge, Ma 1888
Notice that in all this there is no mention of what Doctor Joseph Benson had to say for himself. Perhaps he had died earlier, or maybe, like other members of the family, he had moved north to Maine or New Hampshire.
I don't know if Abigail Muxom ever reconciled with her church.
And that's where the story ends.
From the neighboring towns six ministers were then summoned to the inquest. They came and made a holiday; the six ministers on horseback, and the village idlers, to whom the spicy story was familiar, crowding around them and believing that justice must reign though the heavens fell.
Again there was a meeting of the church; Abigail Muxom stood in the sovereign presence of the six ministers, while the floor and galleries of the meeting-house were crowded by curious spectators attracted by what was to them "the greatest show on earth." The evidences were read aloud from the records: the accused woman again denied their truth; the six ministers were requested "to give their opinion what particular immodest conduct our sister is guilty of, and how this church ought to proceed with her." They, "having conversed with the Brethren of the church and heard what said Abigail had to say in her own defence," consulted together, and declared that her "immodest conduct in former years with one Doct. Joseph Benson was forbidden by the 7th commandment," and that it was her duty "to make a penitent and public confession of her sin ;" and "if she refuse or neglect to do it," the church "to proceed after other suitable forbearance to excommunication." The church then "Voted that Abigail Muxom is guilty of immodest conduct according to the opinion of the Revd Pastors," and it appointed three stern-visaged men to converse with her in the hope of obtaining a confession of the alleged sin. Their mission, as they reported, "appeared to have no good effect." Then, after another delay indicating a reluctance to pass such a terrible judgment upon "this unhappy sister," the church came together and the men "Voted that Abigail Muxom be rejected and excommunicated from the communion of this church, as being visibly a hardened and impenitent sinner out of the visible Kingdom of Christ, one who ought to be viewed and treated by all good people as a heathen and a publican in imminent danger of eternal perdition. Praying that this separation of hers from christian fellowship may not be eternal, but a means of her true and unfeigned repentance that her soul may be saved in the day of the Lord.-pp156-159
Colonial Times on Buzzard's Bay Houghton, Mifflin, Cambridge, Ma 1888
Notice that in all this there is no mention of what Doctor Joseph Benson had to say for himself. Perhaps he had died earlier, or maybe, like other members of the family, he had moved north to Maine or New Hampshire.
I don't know if Abigail Muxom ever reconciled with her church.
And that's where the story ends.
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
JOSEPH BENSON, ABIGAIL MUXOM AND "TALKING OF BALDERDASH STUFF" PT2
One would think that after thirty years the scandalous behavior of Joseph Benson and Abigail Muxom would have faded from memory and been replaced by something else for the townspeople of Wareham to gossip about. But apparently Abigail flaunted her husband with it. And then a new minister came to town and really stirred things up. Again, this is from William Root Bliss' Colonial Times on Buzzard's Bay:
The first action of Parson Everitt was to propose a season of fasting and self-examination. The members of the church, declaring themselves to be "sensible of our coldness and lukewarmness in religion," voted to renew "our covenant with God and with one another," and they appointed a committee "to converse with brethren and sisters who are or may be guilty of public offence according to the rule given Mat. 18." These cleansing explorers brought to light an old scandal which had been forgotten. Thirty years had elapsed since Abigail Muxom was disciplined. Now an old woman, she was again called up to listen to the reading of the complaint recorded against her in 1753, the evidences written in 1750, and to the statements of new witnesses as to her conduct "upwards of twenty years ago :" —
"John Benson of Middleborough testifieth that upwards of 20 years ago he was at the house of Edmund Muxom the husband of said Abigail, sometime in the afternoon before sunset, he saw said Abigail on bed with Joseph Benson, in the easterly part of the house. He also saith that at another time he was at work near Edmund Muxom's house and heard him repeatedly bid his son Lem. go and fetch the horse and on refusal corrected him. Abigail came to the door and said — What do you whip that child for? it is none of yours, upon which John Benson said I always thought so, at which she went into the house and said no more. April 11th, 1783."
"Hannah Besse testifieth that sometime about 20 years ago or upward she went to Edmund Muxom's house late in the evening and there saw Abigail his wife on bed by the fire with Joseph Benson. April 11th, 1783."
The accused woman, having listened to these statements, positively declared, in presence of the assembled church, that "the evidences of John Benson and Harriet Besse are false." There was no friend or attorney to represent her before this self-righteous tribunal; and, without cross-examining the unsworn witnesses, the church voted (men only were allowed to vote) that she "is guilty of the charge." Then there was a pause in the proceedings, and the people went home as if to think over the matter. After some weeks had elapsed, she was again summoned before the church, and was "admonished by the pastor" of the perilous position in which she stood. Some of the sinful brethren who had voted her to be guilty," labored" with her; and sympathizing women conversed with her. But she refused to confess that she was guilty of the alleged sin, and resolutely maintained that the witnesses were liars.-pp155-157
Colonial Times on Buzzard's Bay Houghton, Mifflin, Cambridge, Ma 1888
Luckily for Abigail Muxom things had progressed a bit in Massachusetts from the century before. But things were about to get worse.
To be continued.
The first action of Parson Everitt was to propose a season of fasting and self-examination. The members of the church, declaring themselves to be "sensible of our coldness and lukewarmness in religion," voted to renew "our covenant with God and with one another," and they appointed a committee "to converse with brethren and sisters who are or may be guilty of public offence according to the rule given Mat. 18." These cleansing explorers brought to light an old scandal which had been forgotten. Thirty years had elapsed since Abigail Muxom was disciplined. Now an old woman, she was again called up to listen to the reading of the complaint recorded against her in 1753, the evidences written in 1750, and to the statements of new witnesses as to her conduct "upwards of twenty years ago :" —
"John Benson of Middleborough testifieth that upwards of 20 years ago he was at the house of Edmund Muxom the husband of said Abigail, sometime in the afternoon before sunset, he saw said Abigail on bed with Joseph Benson, in the easterly part of the house. He also saith that at another time he was at work near Edmund Muxom's house and heard him repeatedly bid his son Lem. go and fetch the horse and on refusal corrected him. Abigail came to the door and said — What do you whip that child for? it is none of yours, upon which John Benson said I always thought so, at which she went into the house and said no more. April 11th, 1783."
"Hannah Besse testifieth that sometime about 20 years ago or upward she went to Edmund Muxom's house late in the evening and there saw Abigail his wife on bed by the fire with Joseph Benson. April 11th, 1783."
The accused woman, having listened to these statements, positively declared, in presence of the assembled church, that "the evidences of John Benson and Harriet Besse are false." There was no friend or attorney to represent her before this self-righteous tribunal; and, without cross-examining the unsworn witnesses, the church voted (men only were allowed to vote) that she "is guilty of the charge." Then there was a pause in the proceedings, and the people went home as if to think over the matter. After some weeks had elapsed, she was again summoned before the church, and was "admonished by the pastor" of the perilous position in which she stood. Some of the sinful brethren who had voted her to be guilty," labored" with her; and sympathizing women conversed with her. But she refused to confess that she was guilty of the alleged sin, and resolutely maintained that the witnesses were liars.-pp155-157
Colonial Times on Buzzard's Bay Houghton, Mifflin, Cambridge, Ma 1888
Luckily for Abigail Muxom things had progressed a bit in Massachusetts from the century before. But things were about to get worse.
To be continued.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
JOSEPH BENSON, ABIGAIL MUXOM AND "TALKING OF BALDERDASH STUFF" PT1
While researching my Benson line, I came acrossa bit of scandal involving some Benson cousins and a case of hanky -panky. It took place in Wareham, Massachusetts and the couple involved was Joseph Benson abd Mrs. Abigail Muxom. This account is from William Root Bliss' book Colonial Times on Buzzard's Bay:
A troublesome case of discipline was that of Abigail Muxom, who in 1750 became the subject of a town scandal which was probably relished by the gossips as thoroughly as similar scandals are relished now. Three years later the church took notice of it on the complaint of four members, the gist of which was that "this our sister has been guilty of immodest conduct." It met to consider the evidences on which the complaint rested. These were three old and unsworn statements, running as follows :—
"Elisha Benson Saith That he was at Edmund Muxoms house some time since & saw sd Muxoms wife very familiar with Joseph Benson by talking of balderdash stuff & kissing & hugging one another in the absence of her husband. At another time I saw them coming out of the house together & discovered none but they two. Middleborough, Octr. 1750."
"Caleb Cushman & his wife do Testify & say That we some time since have seen Joseph Benson & Abigail Muxom at our house & their behaviour was uncommon for married people; she fawning about him & sometimes in his lap or upon his knee & he haleing of her, running his face up to hers, & as we suppose kissing of her or aiming to do so & talking & joacking like young people.—Plymton, Octr. 1750."
"Jedidah Swift wife to Ebenr Swift Junr Saith that she was at the house of Edmund Muxom four times the summer past & his wife Abigail Muxotn did several times call her child to her & ask the child who its father was, & the child would answer Doctor Jo's at which she would laugh & make sport of. — Wareham, Decern'. 3. I7SO-"
The records, written by Parson Thacher, state that the complaint and "the above evidences were read to the church in the presence of this our sister. She denyed the two first evidences as having no truth in them, but the last she owned to be true." She was then, by a vote, "suspended from the communion table till she give a christian satisfaction ;" and soon the matter was forgotten.-pp142-144
Colonial Times on Buzzard's Bay Houghton, Mifflin, Cambridge, Ma 1888
But it didn't stay forgotten. The matter would resurface to cause controversy twenty years later.
To be continued.
A troublesome case of discipline was that of Abigail Muxom, who in 1750 became the subject of a town scandal which was probably relished by the gossips as thoroughly as similar scandals are relished now. Three years later the church took notice of it on the complaint of four members, the gist of which was that "this our sister has been guilty of immodest conduct." It met to consider the evidences on which the complaint rested. These were three old and unsworn statements, running as follows :—
"Elisha Benson Saith That he was at Edmund Muxoms house some time since & saw sd Muxoms wife very familiar with Joseph Benson by talking of balderdash stuff & kissing & hugging one another in the absence of her husband. At another time I saw them coming out of the house together & discovered none but they two. Middleborough, Octr. 1750."
"Caleb Cushman & his wife do Testify & say That we some time since have seen Joseph Benson & Abigail Muxom at our house & their behaviour was uncommon for married people; she fawning about him & sometimes in his lap or upon his knee & he haleing of her, running his face up to hers, & as we suppose kissing of her or aiming to do so & talking & joacking like young people.—Plymton, Octr. 1750."
"Jedidah Swift wife to Ebenr Swift Junr Saith that she was at the house of Edmund Muxom four times the summer past & his wife Abigail Muxotn did several times call her child to her & ask the child who its father was, & the child would answer Doctor Jo's at which she would laugh & make sport of. — Wareham, Decern'. 3. I7SO-"
The records, written by Parson Thacher, state that the complaint and "the above evidences were read to the church in the presence of this our sister. She denyed the two first evidences as having no truth in them, but the last she owned to be true." She was then, by a vote, "suspended from the communion table till she give a christian satisfaction ;" and soon the matter was forgotten.-pp142-144
Colonial Times on Buzzard's Bay Houghton, Mifflin, Cambridge, Ma 1888
But it didn't stay forgotten. The matter would resurface to cause controversy twenty years later.
To be continued.
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 32: JOHN BENSON 3RD. OF ROCHESTER MA.
My 6x great grandfather John Benson 3rd seems to have lived a quiet life in Rochester, Ma. Here's what William Winfield Scott says about him in his History of Pasaic and Its Environs:
III) John (3) Benson, son of John (2) Benson, was known as “John, junior.” He lived at Rochester, Massachusetts. In 1708 and again in 1709 his father conveyed to him certain lands in Middleboro, Massachusetts. Some time before 1688 he married Elizabeth Briggs, daughter of Samuel Briggs. They were both living in 1725. Among his sons was William, of whom further.-p150
History of Passaic and Its Environs Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922 - Clifton (N.J.)William was the ancestor of the New Jersey Bensons.
William Richard Cutter has a bit more information:
III) John (3), son of John (2) Benson, was born about 1660. He settled in Rochester,Massachusetts, and married Elizabeth . Children, born in Rochester: 1. Mary, March 10, 1689. 2. Sarah, July 15, 1690. 3. Ebenezer, March 16, 1693. 4. John, July 10, 1696, settled perhaps at Newport, Rhode Island. 5. Joseph, March 16, 1697. 6. Benjamin, twin, March 16, 1697; married, March 17, 1714-15, Elizabeth Bryant, of Plympton. 7. Bennet,September IO, 1698. 8. Martha, March 5, 1703- 9- Joshua, January 29, 1705. 10. Caleb, twin with Joshua. 11. Samuel, March 22, 1707-p1864
New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 4 Lewis historical publishing Company, New York 1914
Interesting that there were two sets of twin sons among John's children. Caleb Benson is my 5x great grandfather. I need to see if I can find any of the land sale records in Middleborough mentioned in Scott's book.
III) John (3) Benson, son of John (2) Benson, was known as “John, junior.” He lived at Rochester, Massachusetts. In 1708 and again in 1709 his father conveyed to him certain lands in Middleboro, Massachusetts. Some time before 1688 he married Elizabeth Briggs, daughter of Samuel Briggs. They were both living in 1725. Among his sons was William, of whom further.-p150
History of Passaic and Its Environs Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922 - Clifton (N.J.)William was the ancestor of the New Jersey Bensons.
William Richard Cutter has a bit more information:
III) John (3), son of John (2) Benson, was born about 1660. He settled in Rochester,Massachusetts, and married Elizabeth . Children, born in Rochester: 1. Mary, March 10, 1689. 2. Sarah, July 15, 1690. 3. Ebenezer, March 16, 1693. 4. John, July 10, 1696, settled perhaps at Newport, Rhode Island. 5. Joseph, March 16, 1697. 6. Benjamin, twin, March 16, 1697; married, March 17, 1714-15, Elizabeth Bryant, of Plympton. 7. Bennet,September IO, 1698. 8. Martha, March 5, 1703- 9- Joshua, January 29, 1705. 10. Caleb, twin with Joshua. 11. Samuel, March 22, 1707-p1864
New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 4 Lewis historical publishing Company, New York 1914
Interesting that there were two sets of twin sons among John's children. Caleb Benson is my 5x great grandfather. I need to see if I can find any of the land sale records in Middleborough mentioned in Scott's book.
Thursday, August 16, 2018
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 31: JOHN BENSON JR. OF HULL & ROCHESTER MA.
My 7x great grandfather John Benson Jr.'s wife isn't mentioned in the following selections.Some sources give her name as Elizabeth Marsh but no record of the marriage has been found,
First, from William Richard Cutter's book:
(II) John (2), son of John (1) Benson, was born in England, about 1630. He settled at Hingham and Hull, Massachusetts. Children: 1. John, mentioned below. 2. Joseph, married _____ Prince; (second) Mary Curtis, of Scituate; (third) Alice Picketts, daughter of Nathan, of Scituate; John Benson, of Bridgewater, was doubtless his son.-p1864
New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 4 Lewis historical publishing Company, New York 1914
William Winfield Scott has a bit more on John Jr. and his mother in his History of Pasaic and Its Environs:
(II) John (2) Benson, eldest son of John (1) and Mary Benson, was brought to this country with his parents, as evidence by t'he ship’s list. He became one of the executors of his mother’s estate and filed an inventory at her death in 1681 showing that among her “movables” she possessed one half dozen napkins with broad work; one half dozen napkins with narrow work; a silk grasse bed; seven pewter plates; four pewter porringers; five spoons; a gun and a sword to the value of £64. John (2) Benson resided first at Hull and later at Rochester, on the western shore of Buzzard’s Bay, and according to the town records, in which he is frequently mentioned, he took a prominent part in the affairs of the town. He died March 10, 1711, leaving no will, probably having divided his estate before ‘his death.--p.150
History of Passaic and Its Environs Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922 - Clifton (N.J.)
Actually, Rochester is one town inland from the shoreline. I haven't been able so far to find the details of John Jr.'s involvement in the town government or affairs.
I am descended from John Jr.'s son John.
First, from William Richard Cutter's book:
(II) John (2), son of John (1) Benson, was born in England, about 1630. He settled at Hingham and Hull, Massachusetts. Children: 1. John, mentioned below. 2. Joseph, married _____ Prince; (second) Mary Curtis, of Scituate; (third) Alice Picketts, daughter of Nathan, of Scituate; John Benson, of Bridgewater, was doubtless his son.-p1864
New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 4 Lewis historical publishing Company, New York 1914
William Winfield Scott has a bit more on John Jr. and his mother in his History of Pasaic and Its Environs:
(II) John (2) Benson, eldest son of John (1) and Mary Benson, was brought to this country with his parents, as evidence by t'he ship’s list. He became one of the executors of his mother’s estate and filed an inventory at her death in 1681 showing that among her “movables” she possessed one half dozen napkins with broad work; one half dozen napkins with narrow work; a silk grasse bed; seven pewter plates; four pewter porringers; five spoons; a gun and a sword to the value of £64. John (2) Benson resided first at Hull and later at Rochester, on the western shore of Buzzard’s Bay, and according to the town records, in which he is frequently mentioned, he took a prominent part in the affairs of the town. He died March 10, 1711, leaving no will, probably having divided his estate before ‘his death.--p.150
History of Passaic and Its Environs Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922 - Clifton (N.J.)
Actually, Rochester is one town inland from the shoreline. I haven't been able so far to find the details of John Jr.'s involvement in the town government or affairs.
I am descended from John Jr.'s son John.
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 30: JOHN BENSON SR. OF HINGHAM & HULL, MA.
My 4x great grandparents Asa Barrows and Content Benson were first cousins 1x removed. Content's mother was Patience Barrows. She was also related ti the Briggs, Ellis, and Freeman families through her father Caleb Benson.
John Benson Sr. was my 8x great grandfather. William Richard Cutter has a short entry about him in Volume 4 of his New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial:
(I) John Benson, immigrant ancestor of the American family of Benson, was born in England, doubtless at Coversham, Oxfordshire, whence he came in 1638, in the ship "Confidence," to Boston. He gave his age at that time as thirty, indicating he was born in 1608. He settled in Hingham, Massachusetts, where he had his first grant of land in 1638,He married Mary . Children: John,mentioned below; Mary, came with her parents.-p1864
New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 4 Lewis historical publishing Company, New York 1914
But at some point one of his descendants moved to New Jersey because I found this short piece in William Winfield Scott's History of Passaic and Its Environs:
(I) John (Binson) Benson was one of more than 20,000 Puritans, most of whom came from the eastern counties of England to New England between 1630 and 1640, their principal reason for leaving their native country being to escape the religious persecution then being carried on by King Charles I through the Earl of Strafford and Archbishop Laud of Canterbury.
John Benson settled with his little family in Hingham, Massachusetts, receiving a grant of land from the proprietors in the autumn of 1638. He continued to live there until 1657, when he sold his lands and moved his family to Hull, Massachusetts. In 1662 he was chosen one of the selectmen to manage the town's affairs. On April 16, 1678, "being weake and decaying in bodily strength," he made his will, and died soon thereafter. According to the ship's list, he was now about 70 years old. He signed his will with his mark, an old English "I" instead of a cross, evidence that before he fell ill and lost his strength he had been able to sign his name. The signature was witnessed by his pastor, Zachariah Whitman, who appeared in court March 26, 1679, and swore to the signature.-pp149-150
History of Passaic and Its Environs Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922 - Clifton (N.J.)
I'm descended from John Benson Jr.
John Benson Sr. was my 8x great grandfather. William Richard Cutter has a short entry about him in Volume 4 of his New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial:
(I) John Benson, immigrant ancestor of the American family of Benson, was born in England, doubtless at Coversham, Oxfordshire, whence he came in 1638, in the ship "Confidence," to Boston. He gave his age at that time as thirty, indicating he was born in 1608. He settled in Hingham, Massachusetts, where he had his first grant of land in 1638,He married Mary . Children: John,mentioned below; Mary, came with her parents.-p1864
New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 4 Lewis historical publishing Company, New York 1914
But at some point one of his descendants moved to New Jersey because I found this short piece in William Winfield Scott's History of Passaic and Its Environs:
(I) John (Binson) Benson was one of more than 20,000 Puritans, most of whom came from the eastern counties of England to New England between 1630 and 1640, their principal reason for leaving their native country being to escape the religious persecution then being carried on by King Charles I through the Earl of Strafford and Archbishop Laud of Canterbury.
John Benson settled with his little family in Hingham, Massachusetts, receiving a grant of land from the proprietors in the autumn of 1638. He continued to live there until 1657, when he sold his lands and moved his family to Hull, Massachusetts. In 1662 he was chosen one of the selectmen to manage the town's affairs. On April 16, 1678, "being weake and decaying in bodily strength," he made his will, and died soon thereafter. According to the ship's list, he was now about 70 years old. He signed his will with his mark, an old English "I" instead of a cross, evidence that before he fell ill and lost his strength he had been able to sign his name. The signature was witnessed by his pastor, Zachariah Whitman, who appeared in court March 26, 1679, and swore to the signature.-pp149-150
History of Passaic and Its Environs Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1922 - Clifton (N.J.)
I'm descended from John Benson Jr.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
SEEKING CALEB BENSON 2
Before I go on one of cemetery tours I usually check Find A Grave to see if
there are any relatives listed as being buried in towns I planned to visit. I
don't care if someone has already taken pictures; I want to take my own,
and if there isn't a picture, then I plan to post the one I've taken.(although
I'm woefully behind that at the moment). I usually just look at the list of
interments, print out the list of photo requests, and then write the names of
relatives to look for at the bottom of the list. But I'd left the list at home when I'd
set out for Middleboro.
When I got back here to my apartment and sure enough, I'd written Caleb
Benson on the South Middleboro Cemetery. I hadn't spotted it on my own so
now I cheated and looked at the Find A Grave photo. No wonder I hadn't
spotted it: it wasn't a headstone, but one of those small ground level markers.
The next day I went back, found the stone and took my own picture.
That night when I shared the picture with Ellingwood cousin Mary Ennis, she
commented on the title "Rev." Neither one of us had known he was a clergyman,
nor was there any indication of it in cousin Florence O' Connor's book on the
Ellingwoods. A Google search turned up a reference in Michael J. Maddigan's
South Middleborough: A History to a dispute in the Third Baptist Church between
Deacon Caleb Benson and a new minister. I also discovered other facts about Caleb
One was that he had a twin brother named Joshua.
The second and more fascinating was that several of Caleb's children were Loyalists
and were among the New Englanders who fled to Canada during the American
Revolution. Meanwhile, his daughter Content Benson was married to my 4x great
grandfather Asa Barrows who was a Minuteman and supporter of the Revolution.
As to Caleb's own sentiments, I have no clue as yet.Since he stayed in Massachusetts
I would think he was not a Loyalist but I could be wrong.
It's another thing to add to my list Family history questions to be answered!
there are any relatives listed as being buried in towns I planned to visit. I
don't care if someone has already taken pictures; I want to take my own,
and if there isn't a picture, then I plan to post the one I've taken.(although
I'm woefully behind that at the moment). I usually just look at the list of
interments, print out the list of photo requests, and then write the names of
relatives to look for at the bottom of the list. But I'd left the list at home when I'd
set out for Middleboro.
When I got back here to my apartment and sure enough, I'd written Caleb
Benson on the South Middleboro Cemetery. I hadn't spotted it on my own so
now I cheated and looked at the Find A Grave photo. No wonder I hadn't
spotted it: it wasn't a headstone, but one of those small ground level markers.
The next day I went back, found the stone and took my own picture.
That night when I shared the picture with Ellingwood cousin Mary Ennis, she
commented on the title "Rev." Neither one of us had known he was a clergyman,
nor was there any indication of it in cousin Florence O' Connor's book on the
Ellingwoods. A Google search turned up a reference in Michael J. Maddigan's
South Middleborough: A History to a dispute in the Third Baptist Church between
Deacon Caleb Benson and a new minister. I also discovered other facts about Caleb
One was that he had a twin brother named Joshua.
The second and more fascinating was that several of Caleb's children were Loyalists
and were among the New Englanders who fled to Canada during the American
Revolution. Meanwhile, his daughter Content Benson was married to my 4x great
grandfather Asa Barrows who was a Minuteman and supporter of the Revolution.
As to Caleb's own sentiments, I have no clue as yet.Since he stayed in Massachusetts
I would think he was not a Loyalist but I could be wrong.
It's another thing to add to my list Family history questions to be answered!
Monday, August 13, 2018
FINDMYPAST FRIDAY RELEASES FOR 10AUGUST 2018
The 10August Findmypast Friday record releases are:
Irish Officers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919
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Honourable Women of the Great War, 1914-1918
Discover your female ancestor who served during the First World War. Learn about the wartime activities your ancestor was involved in as well as her pre-war life. You may also find a photograph of your ancestor.Each search result includes both a transcript and an image of the original document.
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British Subjects Who Died In The Service Of The Indian Empire
Uncover the stories of British subjects who died in the service of the Indian Empire.This collection contains over 1,100 records and each result includes both a transcript and an image of the original document. Records will reveal a combination of the individual's name, birth and death years, rank, regiment, and service history.
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Airmen Died in The Great War, 1914-1919
Discover your relative in this index of airmen who died during the First World War. Discover your relative's name, birth and death years, cause of death, rank, and more.
These records come from the Naval & Military Press. The service branches designated in this collection are as follows: Australian Flying Corps, Miscellaneous Airmen Casualties, Pre-War Casualties, Royal Air Force, Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service, United States Air Service Casualties Attached to the Royal Fighting Corps/Royal Air Force, US Navy Casualties, and Women's Royal Air Force.
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Over 58,000 additional records have been added to the collection. The new additions cover recipients of the Military Cross, Distinguished Flying Medal, Distinguished Conduct Medal, Distinguished Service Order and Commando Gallantry awards.
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British Newspapers
This week we've added 144,026 pages to our archive of British newspapers, tipping the total to over twenty-seven million pages. Additional years have been added to five of our existing titles, including:- Liverpool Echo - 1989-1990
- The Newcastle Journal - 1992
- The Music Hall and Theatre Review - 1908-1909, 1912
- The Scottish Referee - 1893, 1895-1896, 1899
- The Wicklow People - 1914, 1917-1929, 1931-1976, 1986-2001
SEEKING CALEB BENSON
((I'm about to start on some posts about my Benson ancestors, so I am preceding those with these
two posts from 2011 about my search for the grave of my 5x great grandfather Caleb Benson.))
After my success finding relatives in the cemeteries along Rte 58 in
Carer and Plympton, Ma., I decided next to search in the nearby towns
of Middleboro and Rochester. I was especially hoping to find the grave
of my 5x great parents Caleb Benson and Deborah (Barrows) Benson.
The day I set out to search, though, I left my list of cemeteries in the towns
at home. When I realized it, I decided it was a nice day for a ride and I'd
just wing it. I took the roundabout route, driving down Rte 58 and then
across to drive up Rte 105 in Middleboro and watching for cemeteries
along the way until I spotted the South Middleboro Cemetery by the
South Middleboro United Methodist Church.
The moment I got out of the car and walked through the entrance
into the cemetery I spotted a number of Benson headstones. Since
the Benson branch of my family tree has a lot of blanks I didn't recognize
most of the family members buried there so I made sure I took pictures
of every Benson grave.
The church was founded in 1748, which was the same period that my
ancestor Caleb Benson had lived. Yet I hadn't found his headstone there.
So where was Caleb Benson's grave?
two posts from 2011 about my search for the grave of my 5x great grandfather Caleb Benson.))
After my success finding relatives in the cemeteries along Rte 58 in
Carer and Plympton, Ma., I decided next to search in the nearby towns
of Middleboro and Rochester. I was especially hoping to find the grave
of my 5x great parents Caleb Benson and Deborah (Barrows) Benson.
The day I set out to search, though, I left my list of cemeteries in the towns
at home. When I realized it, I decided it was a nice day for a ride and I'd
just wing it. I took the roundabout route, driving down Rte 58 and then
across to drive up Rte 105 in Middleboro and watching for cemeteries
along the way until I spotted the South Middleboro Cemetery by the
South Middleboro United Methodist Church.
 |
| My third cousin 4x removed. |
 |
| I'm not sure how I'm related to these folks yet. |
 |
| Benson Burial Plot |
 |
| The gate to the plot. |
into the cemetery I spotted a number of Benson headstones. Since
the Benson branch of my family tree has a lot of blanks I didn't recognize
most of the family members buried there so I made sure I took pictures
of every Benson grave.
 |
| Grave of Consider Benton, brother of my ancestor Caleb Benton |
The church was founded in 1748, which was the same period that my
ancestor Caleb Benson had lived. Yet I hadn't found his headstone there.
So where was Caleb Benson's grave?
Sunday, August 12, 2018
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 29: GEORGE MORTON OF PLYMOUTH, MA.
For many years when I worked in the bookstore one of the books I sold every Thanksgiving was Sarah Morton's Day, a picture book about a young girl living at Plimoth Plantation. So it came as a pleasant surprise when I found out Sarah Morton was my ancestress.
Her father was my 9x great grandfather George Morton. He was a merchant who arrived in Plymouth from Leiden, Holland in 1623 on the ship Anne, but because he died only a year later he didn't have much of a chance to leave his mark. With him came his wife Julianna Carpenter (whom he had married in Leiden on 22July 1612) and their five children.
Julianna (Carpenter)Morton was related to many of the most prominent Pilgrims, one of whom was Governor William Bradford. He took in young Nathaniel Morton as secretary to himself and the colonial government and Nathaniel eventually wrote a history of early Plymouth. In it, he wrote this about his father George Morton:
The latter of the two forenamed, namely, Mr. George Morton, was a pious, gracious servant of God, and very faithful in whatsoever public employment he was betrusted withal, and an unfeigned well willer, and, according to his sphere and condition, a suitable promoter of the common good and growth of the plantation of New Plimouth ; laboring to still the discontents that sometimes would arise amongst some spirits, by occasion of the difficulties of these new beginnings ; but it pleased God to put a period to his days soon after his arrival in New England, not surviving a full year after his coming ashore. With much comfort and peace he fell asleep in the Lord, in the month of June, anno 1624. -p.65
New-England's Memorial Congregational Board of Publication, Boston, Ma., 1855
Her father was my 9x great grandfather George Morton. He was a merchant who arrived in Plymouth from Leiden, Holland in 1623 on the ship Anne, but because he died only a year later he didn't have much of a chance to leave his mark. With him came his wife Julianna Carpenter (whom he had married in Leiden on 22July 1612) and their five children.
Julianna (Carpenter)Morton was related to many of the most prominent Pilgrims, one of whom was Governor William Bradford. He took in young Nathaniel Morton as secretary to himself and the colonial government and Nathaniel eventually wrote a history of early Plymouth. In it, he wrote this about his father George Morton:
The latter of the two forenamed, namely, Mr. George Morton, was a pious, gracious servant of God, and very faithful in whatsoever public employment he was betrusted withal, and an unfeigned well willer, and, according to his sphere and condition, a suitable promoter of the common good and growth of the plantation of New Plimouth ; laboring to still the discontents that sometimes would arise amongst some spirits, by occasion of the difficulties of these new beginnings ; but it pleased God to put a period to his days soon after his arrival in New England, not surviving a full year after his coming ashore. With much comfort and peace he fell asleep in the Lord, in the month of June, anno 1624. -p.65
New-England's Memorial Congregational Board of Publication, Boston, Ma., 1855
Monday, August 06, 2018
FINDMYPAST FRIDAY RELEASES FOR 3AUGUST 2018
These are the new record releases for the 3August Findmypast Friday:
The 1939 Register now contains more than 33.9 million searchable records. Each record includes the names of inhabitants at each address, their date of birth, marital status and occupation. A wealth of contextual information, including period photographs never before seen online, infographics, region-specific newspaper articles and historical and contemporary maps, are personally tailored to each record, offering a rich and unique user experience unrivalled by any other family history research tool to date.
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Published in 1878, the title consists of 111 pages. The preface notes that 'the whole of these inscriptions were copied with great care, and the same care has been extended to the printing of them; it is therefore hoped that no errors of an important character will appear in any portion of the work'. Brigham is a village dating back to Neolithic times, and Bridekirk is a parish and township.
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The Brave Men of Eyam, 1665-1666 – Or A Tale of the Great Plague Year, by Edward N Hoare, rector of Acrise, consists of 265 pages. Eyam is a civil parish and village in the Derbyshire Dales district. The village is particularly known for the 1665 outbreak of bubonic plague and the villagers' response to it: isolating themselves to prevent further spreading of the plague. The preface of this title attempts to explain the extent to which this work is factual and fictional. It is stated that the statistics regarding deaths, dates, and some leading incidents are historical, and 'the object of the book is to tell, in a popular form, the tale of a "mighty woe"'.
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Parish Registers of Hemyock, 1635-1837 was published in 1923. Included in this title are 282 pages of baptisms, marriages, and burials, as well as bishop's transcripts from 1602, 1606, 1609-11, 1617, 1625, 1626, 1633, and 1636. Additionally, a list of the parish's rectors and chaplain priests is included. Hemyock is a civil parish and village. The production of wool was the village's main source of wealth from the 1500s to the 1800s. It is said that the Cadbury family originated in Hemyock.
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Currently, there are five titles within this collection:
This week we have added 143,678 pages to The Archive. We have added one new title, the Oxfordshire Weekly News, and we have continued to augment our Irish collection, with updates to three of our Irish titles. We have also added more pages to the Liverpool Echo, with titles now spanning the years 1879 to 1988 for this particular newspaper.
The coverage years added to the collection this week include;
Explore British & Irish Newspapers
1939 register update
Over 37,000 additional 'open' records have been added to the 1939 Register. Since the Register was launched, Findmypast has matched more than four million 'closed records' to multiple data sources to correctly confirm the date and location of death for individuals recorded.The 1939 Register now contains more than 33.9 million searchable records. Each record includes the names of inhabitants at each address, their date of birth, marital status and occupation. A wealth of contextual information, including period photographs never before seen online, infographics, region-specific newspaper articles and historical and contemporary maps, are personally tailored to each record, offering a rich and unique user experience unrivalled by any other family history research tool to date.
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Cumberland Registers & Records
Explore registers and records from the English county of Cumberland. This collection currently comprises one title: Monumental Inscriptions in the Graveyards of Brigham & Bridekirk, 1666-1876.Published in 1878, the title consists of 111 pages. The preface notes that 'the whole of these inscriptions were copied with great care, and the same care has been extended to the printing of them; it is therefore hoped that no errors of an important character will appear in any portion of the work'. Brigham is a village dating back to Neolithic times, and Bridekirk is a parish and township.
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Derbyshire Registers & Records
Explore registers and records from the English county of Derbyshire. This collection currently comprises one title: The Brave Men of Eyam, 1665-1666.The Brave Men of Eyam, 1665-1666 – Or A Tale of the Great Plague Year, by Edward N Hoare, rector of Acrise, consists of 265 pages. Eyam is a civil parish and village in the Derbyshire Dales district. The village is particularly known for the 1665 outbreak of bubonic plague and the villagers' response to it: isolating themselves to prevent further spreading of the plague. The preface of this title attempts to explain the extent to which this work is factual and fictional. It is stated that the statistics regarding deaths, dates, and some leading incidents are historical, and 'the object of the book is to tell, in a popular form, the tale of a "mighty woe"'.
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Devon Registers & Records
Explore registers and records from the English county of Devon. This collection currently comprises one title: Parish Registers of Hemyock, 1635-1837.Parish Registers of Hemyock, 1635-1837 was published in 1923. Included in this title are 282 pages of baptisms, marriages, and burials, as well as bishop's transcripts from 1602, 1606, 1609-11, 1617, 1625, 1626, 1633, and 1636. Additionally, a list of the parish's rectors and chaplain priests is included. Hemyock is a civil parish and village. The production of wool was the village's main source of wealth from the 1500s to the 1800s. It is said that the Cadbury family originated in Hemyock.
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Cheshire Registers & Records
Explore registers and records from the English county of Cheshire. This collection currently comprises five titles, including parish registers and histories and funeral certificates.Currently, there are five titles within this collection:
- Cheshire Funeral Certificates, 1600-1678 – This title was published in 1882 and is the sixth volume published by The Record Society. This volume was edited by John Paul Rylands, fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
- Gawsworth Church and Parish – This title was published in 1924 and written by Reverend H E Polehampton, rector of the parish. The preface was written by the Lord Bishop of Chester, Henry Luke. The book includes chapters on the church's exterior and interior, churchwardens and parish clerks, and church life. Gawsworth is a village and civil parish.
- History of the Parish of Eastham, 1871-1920 – This title was written for the Parish Magazine, 1874-76, by Isabel Tobin. Included are notices of the church restoration by Reverend H J Storrs. This edition was published in 1920, with the permission of the author.
- Notes on the Parish of Burton in Wirral – This title was published in 1908 and authored by F C Beazley. Illustrated by Graham Johnston, the book includes seven plates and numerous coats of arms. The village of Burton is located on the Wirral Peninsula.
- Parish Registers of Holy Trinity, Chester, 1532-1837 – This volume was transcribed, indexed, and edited by L M Farrall. Biographical and genealogical notes are included in the indexes on this title.
British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we have added 143,678 pages to The Archive. We have added one new title, the Oxfordshire Weekly News, and we have continued to augment our Irish collection, with updates to three of our Irish titles. We have also added more pages to the Liverpool Echo, with titles now spanning the years 1879 to 1988 for this particular newspaper.
The coverage years added to the collection this week include;
- Oxfordshire Weekly News - 1869-1895, 1898-1926
- Irish Independent - 1995-1997, 2000
- Belfast Telegraph - 1995-1997, 2000
- Liverpool Echo - 1987-1988
- Evening Herald (Dublin) – 2002
Explore British & Irish Newspapers
Sunday, August 05, 2018
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 28: GEORGE BONHAM. OF PLYMOUTH, MA.
My 8x great grandfather Richard Willis Jr had, it would seem, an unfortunate life. His father died in 1642, the same year as Richard Jr's birth. Like his father, he died young at the age of 36 in 1676. The most notable event in his short life was his marriage to Patience Bonham, daughter of one of the more prominent citizens of Plymouth Plantation, my 9x great grandfather George Bonham.
George Bonham was one of the colonists who did a lot of buying and selling of land and one of those deals was the purchase of some land from Richard Willis Sr. along the Eel River. A few years later he married Sarah Morton on @0 Dec 1644 and they raisecd a family of four children. He was active in the colony and was a grandjuror. George had business and personal dealings with several other of my ancestors: he bought more land along the Eel River from John Barnes and "stood surety" for John Dunham.
I have a double descent from George Bonham. Besides Patience's marriage to Richard Willis Jr., his eldest daughter Ruth is my 7x great grandmother through her marriage to Robert Barrows.
George Bonham was one of the colonists who did a lot of buying and selling of land and one of those deals was the purchase of some land from Richard Willis Sr. along the Eel River. A few years later he married Sarah Morton on @0 Dec 1644 and they raisecd a family of four children. He was active in the colony and was a grandjuror. George had business and personal dealings with several other of my ancestors: he bought more land along the Eel River from John Barnes and "stood surety" for John Dunham.
I have a double descent from George Bonham. Besides Patience's marriage to Richard Willis Jr., his eldest daughter Ruth is my 7x great grandmother through her marriage to Robert Barrows.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
FINDMYPAST FRIDAY RELEASES FOR 27JUL 2018
Britain, Royal Navy, Navy Lists 1827-1945
Search for your ancestor in official lists of Royal Navy Officers. The collection consists of 147 publications spanning the 1824 to 1945. The collection consists of digital images of original lists presented in PDF format.
The amount of information available will vary from volume to volume. Some details you may be able to discover include an individual's name, rank, seniority, and place of service.
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British Army Service Records
Over 34,000 new Scots Guards records have been added to our collection of British Army Service records. The new additions consist of Enlistment Registers spanning the years 1642 to 1939.
The records include bot transcripts and images of the original documents. The Register cover both officers and other ranks and will reveal the place, date, and age of the soldier at the time of attestation. You may also find the soldier's birth place, spouse's name, marriage date, and trade prior to joining the army. The books also recorded if the individual received medals or was wounded during service, as well as the individual's rank at the time of discharge.
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Scotland, Edinburgh Marriages 1595-1800
Did any of your relations marry in Edinburgh, Scotland? Discover their names, occupations, residences, spouses and dates of marriage, former marriages, and more in this collection of records from parish registers collated throughout the city.
The collection consists of over 2,400 PDF images of printed marriage registers
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Scotland, Testaments 1514-1800
Did your ancestors die in Scotland? Discover details of their property, relatives, and more in records of their last will and testaments. The collection contains over 2,800 PDF images of original documents
The detail in these records may vary but most will include a combination of the names of those who died, their marital status, their occupations, the names of close relatives, residences and the date of testament.
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Scotland, Edinburgh Apprentices 1583-1700
Did any of your ancestors learn their trade in Edinburgh? Discover details of their apprenticeships and occupations in this collection of almost 120 years of documents from the capital of Scotland.
The information contained in these records varies. Records may include the names and occupations of relatives, locations of birth and residence, occupations and trades, details of close relations and notable life events.
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The latest additions to our newspaper collection
This week we have added 114,026 new pages to The Archive. We have updated three of our Irish titles, and there are also updates to titles covering the city of Liverpool, the county of Gloucestershire and one of our Scottish titles.
This week's new additions include;
Irish Independent 1989-1990, 1993-1994
Peeblesshire Advertiser 1880-1882, 1887-1892
Cirencester Times and Cotswold Advertiser 1869
Evening Herald (Dublin) 1986-1987, 1990
Music Hall and Theatre Review 1890
Belfast Telegraph 1913-1914, 1920
Liverpool Echo 1984, 1986
Explore British Newspapers
Thursday, July 26, 2018
THE BARKER FARM NORTH ANDOVER, MA,
Last week I was watching Chronicle, a program on Boston tv channel WCVB. They were doing a show about the oldest businesses in Massachusetts and one segment was on Barker Farm, the oldest continuously owned & operated family farm. It's located in North Andover, Ma. and was established in 1642.
Now this got my attention right away. My 8x great grandfather Richard Barker was one of the original settlers of the town of Andover in the 1630's so he was the first owner of the farm, and hearing it has stayed in the Barker family amazed me. I mentioned the story on my Facebook page and discussed it with my genealogy friends, saying that I'd have to visit the farm someday.
My distant cousin Heather Wilkinson Rojo of the Nutfield Genealogy geneablog beat me to it and took some pictures while there. She's kindly given me permission to use them here:
I still hope to visit the farm myself sometime in the next few months. Thank you Heather for taking the pictures!
Now this got my attention right away. My 8x great grandfather Richard Barker was one of the original settlers of the town of Andover in the 1630's so he was the first owner of the farm, and hearing it has stayed in the Barker family amazed me. I mentioned the story on my Facebook page and discussed it with my genealogy friends, saying that I'd have to visit the farm someday.
My distant cousin Heather Wilkinson Rojo of the Nutfield Genealogy geneablog beat me to it and took some pictures while there. She's kindly given me permission to use them here:
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| There's a farmstand along with a working farm. |
 |
| While the farm has been operated since 1642 the original buildings are long gone. |
 |
| Inside the farmstand. |
Monday, July 23, 2018
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 27: RICHARD WILLIS SR. OF PLYMOUTH, MA.
My 9x great grandfather Richard Glass Sr. seems to had a run of bad luck. He arrived in Plymouth sometime in the early 1630's and was a servant of my ancestor John Barnes, Then for some reason he changed masters going to work for Thomas Prence. He left Prence in 1638, acquired 6 acres of land and married Amy Glass in 1639. And that's where the bad luck really kicked in.
Apparently Richard fell ill, and was unable to finish paying for a bed he had bought from a man named Richard Derby. To make matters worse, it appears he was taken advantage of by Derby. The case was taken to Plymouth Court in January, 1642/43:
Whereas Richard Willis is endebted vnto Richard Derby the sum of
fourty shillings for a bedd, the which bed not being seene by the said Willis,
but taken vpon the said Derbys word, and it now appeareing, by the oath of
Willm Nelson, that the said bed was not answerable to that goodness the
said Derby aflirmed it to be of, nor of such waight by sixteene pounds as he
aflirmed also it was, and that the tick of the said bed was full of patches, for
w°" the said Willis was to haue payd three pounds fiue shillings, whereof xxv‘
is payd,-—now, the Court doth order that twenty shillings more shalbe payd
in full satisfacéon for it, & no more. -p50
Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, in New England: Court orders [being the proceedings of the General Court and the Court of Assistants], 1633-1691 Vol 1, 1633-1640, from the Press of William White, Boston, 1855
But by September Richard was in bad health and the town went so far as to take up a collection for him. His wife Amy was pregnant with their first child, but I am not sure if he lived long enough to see it born, since Amy Glass Willis remarried in the following year. I am descended from their only child, Richard Willis, Jr.
Apparently Richard fell ill, and was unable to finish paying for a bed he had bought from a man named Richard Derby. To make matters worse, it appears he was taken advantage of by Derby. The case was taken to Plymouth Court in January, 1642/43:
Whereas Richard Willis is endebted vnto Richard Derby the sum of
fourty shillings for a bedd, the which bed not being seene by the said Willis,
but taken vpon the said Derbys word, and it now appeareing, by the oath of
Willm Nelson, that the said bed was not answerable to that goodness the
said Derby aflirmed it to be of, nor of such waight by sixteene pounds as he
aflirmed also it was, and that the tick of the said bed was full of patches, for
w°" the said Willis was to haue payd three pounds fiue shillings, whereof xxv‘
is payd,-—now, the Court doth order that twenty shillings more shalbe payd
in full satisfacéon for it, & no more. -p50
Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, in New England: Court orders [being the proceedings of the General Court and the Court of Assistants], 1633-1691 Vol 1, 1633-1640, from the Press of William White, Boston, 1855
But by September Richard was in bad health and the town went so far as to take up a collection for him. His wife Amy was pregnant with their first child, but I am not sure if he lived long enough to see it born, since Amy Glass Willis remarried in the following year. I am descended from their only child, Richard Willis, Jr.
Sunday, July 22, 2018
FINDMYPAST FRIDAY RELEASES FOR 20JUL 2018
Here are the Findmypast Friday records released for 20 July:
Discover your ancestor in in over 1.1 million baptism register records from Lancashire. Learn when and where your ancestor's baptism took place, as well as your ancestor's parents' names. The registers span the years from 1538 to 1917 and cover 191 parishes across the county. View the full list of places included in our parish list, linked to in the Useful links and resources section.
Each result will provide you with a transcript and an image of the original register, provided by Lancashire Archives. Some records may contain additional details such as your ancestor's religious denomination, residence and father's occupation.
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Discover your ancestor in banns and marriage registers from the Lancashire Archives. The registers contains over 713,00 records, span the years 1538 to 1932 and cover 194 Lancashire parishes.
Each result will provide you with a transcript and an image of the original register. Each transcript will reveal a combination of the couples' birth years, occupations, marriage date, marriage location, parents' names, father's occupations and the names of any witnesses. Images may offer additional details, such as if your ancestor was married by banns or licence.
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Discover your ancestor in burial registers from Lancashire. Learn when and where your ancestor's burial took place, as well as your ancestor's age at the time of death. The registers, provided by Lancashire Archives, span the years from 1538 to 199, cover 123 parishes and contain over 712,000 records.
Each result will provide you with a transcript and an image of the original register. Images may provide additional details.
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Our new collections of Lancashire parish baptisms, marriages, banns and burials are also available to browse.
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Find your relative in over 90,000 obituary index cards taken from the Pekin Times, spanning the years from 1914 to 2007. This collection has been provided by FamilySearch.
This obituary card index, from the Pekin Public Library, pertains to obituaries published in the Pekin Times and covers the years from 1914 to 2007. The paper was founded in 1881 and is published in Pekin, Illinois.
From this index, you may discover an individual's full name, birth date, death date, and burial place.
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Discover your ancestor in this index of over 14,000 records compiled from the inquest files created by the Justice Department for the period 1859 to 1897. Each result will provide you with a transcript including a combination of your ancestor's name, alias, and inquest year, any additional notes, their file number, reference and item ID.
Some records only include a first or last name. Others only include a known name, like Greasy Jack. Occasionally, no name is provided, either where it is unknown (e.g. South Sea Islander of Pentecost, sometimes with a location transcribed in the last name field) or where the incident does not pertain to an individual (e.g. fire at Abbott Street, Cairns).
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This week we have added 134,662 new pages to The Archive. We have updated five of our existing titles, covering the county of Kent and the city of Liverpool. We have also updated three of our Irish titles, with titles covering the latter half of the twentieth century, and the Evening Herald (Dublin) now covering the twenty-first century, with pages added for 2001.
This week's new additions include:
The years 1925, 1951, 1994-1995, 2001 have been added to the Evening Herald (Dublin)
1857 has been added to the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser
The years 1968, 1978, 1981-1983 have been added to the Liverpool Echo
The years 1920 - 1921 have been added to the Freeman's Journal
The years 1912 and 1999 have been added to Irish Independent
Search historical newspapers
Lancashire Baptisms
Discover your ancestor in in over 1.1 million baptism register records from Lancashire. Learn when and where your ancestor's baptism took place, as well as your ancestor's parents' names. The registers span the years from 1538 to 1917 and cover 191 parishes across the county. View the full list of places included in our parish list, linked to in the Useful links and resources section.
Each result will provide you with a transcript and an image of the original register, provided by Lancashire Archives. Some records may contain additional details such as your ancestor's religious denomination, residence and father's occupation.
Search these records
Lancashire Banns & Marriages
Discover your ancestor in banns and marriage registers from the Lancashire Archives. The registers contains over 713,00 records, span the years 1538 to 1932 and cover 194 Lancashire parishes.
Each result will provide you with a transcript and an image of the original register. Each transcript will reveal a combination of the couples' birth years, occupations, marriage date, marriage location, parents' names, father's occupations and the names of any witnesses. Images may offer additional details, such as if your ancestor was married by banns or licence.
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Lancashire Burials
Discover your ancestor in burial registers from Lancashire. Learn when and where your ancestor's burial took place, as well as your ancestor's age at the time of death. The registers, provided by Lancashire Archives, span the years from 1538 to 199, cover 123 parishes and contain over 712,000 records.
Each result will provide you with a transcript and an image of the original register. Images may provide additional details.
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Lancashire Parish Registers Browse
Our new collections of Lancashire parish baptisms, marriages, banns and burials are also available to browse.
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Illinois, Tazewell County, Obituary Card Index From The "Pekin Times" 1914-2007 Image Browse
Find your relative in over 90,000 obituary index cards taken from the Pekin Times, spanning the years from 1914 to 2007. This collection has been provided by FamilySearch.
This obituary card index, from the Pekin Public Library, pertains to obituaries published in the Pekin Times and covers the years from 1914 to 2007. The paper was founded in 1881 and is published in Pekin, Illinois.
From this index, you may discover an individual's full name, birth date, death date, and burial place.
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Queensland, Inquests 1859-1897
Discover your ancestor in this index of over 14,000 records compiled from the inquest files created by the Justice Department for the period 1859 to 1897. Each result will provide you with a transcript including a combination of your ancestor's name, alias, and inquest year, any additional notes, their file number, reference and item ID.
Some records only include a first or last name. Others only include a known name, like Greasy Jack. Occasionally, no name is provided, either where it is unknown (e.g. South Sea Islander of Pentecost, sometimes with a location transcribed in the last name field) or where the incident does not pertain to an individual (e.g. fire at Abbott Street, Cairns).
Search these records
New additions to our newspaper collection
This week we have added 134,662 new pages to The Archive. We have updated five of our existing titles, covering the county of Kent and the city of Liverpool. We have also updated three of our Irish titles, with titles covering the latter half of the twentieth century, and the Evening Herald (Dublin) now covering the twenty-first century, with pages added for 2001.
This week's new additions include:
The years 1925, 1951, 1994-1995, 2001 have been added to the Evening Herald (Dublin)
1857 has been added to the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser
The years 1968, 1978, 1981-1983 have been added to the Liverpool Echo
The years 1920 - 1921 have been added to the Freeman's Journal
The years 1912 and 1999 have been added to Irish Independent
Search historical newspapers
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2018 WEEK 26:STEPHEN HOPKINS OF PLYMOUTH, MA.
Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower is my 10x great grandfather through his daughter Constance (Hopkins)Snow. With some of my ancestors I've been unable to find much information to write a blogpost about them. I have the opposite problem with Stephen Hopkins. There is so much out there on him I could find enough for a half-dozen blogposts. But for the purposes of not falling too far behind on the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge, I've chosen an excerpt from Annie Arnoux Haxtun's Signers of the Mayflower Compact, Volume 1. It was first published in 1869 and is written in florid style common to that period:
STEPHEN HOPKINS'S POSITION.
Stephen Hopkins's power and position are always shown by his being called "Mister," a title applied as Master.
"Only twelve people have the prefix Mr. in the whole list of the passengers on the Mayflower, Fortune and Little James."
Mr. Stephen Hopkins was a man of great enterprise, and in the present day would have been a very acceptable and appreciative companion at all athletic sports, whether on sea or land. At his place, near Eel River (Plymouth), which he sold in 1637, there was a wharf which gave evidence of age, and was the first one spoken of in the colony. His yacht is not mentioned, though he was part owner of the first ship built in Plymouth, but it was on hand if he could materialize matters to his liking, and there were sure to be "chips" on board for a time of need, though he never carried a "chip on his shoulder."
Not to give precedence to his allegiance to old Neptune, he owned the first horse on record (1644), when a mare belonging to the estate of Stephen Hopkins was appraised at £6 sterling.
Its rate of speed has not come to us, but nothing slow flourished under this master.
His otticeholding was continuous—of the Governor's Council from Plymouth, 16234-5-6; in 1637 one of the volunteers in aid of Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut in their war with the Pequods, when the colony concluded to send them assistance, and then was of the committee appointed to levy an assessment to pay the charges of the expedition; then in 1642 was chosen to the Council of War from Plymouth,
No desire could make a narrow-minded Puritan of Mr. Stephen Hopkins; he was broad enough for the methods of the present day. It was not in the blood to live up to the requirements of that early "Vigilance Committee," who were a law unto themselves, with a "single eye" to the faults of others.-p25
Signers of the Mayflower Compact, Volume 1, The Mail And Express Publishing Company, New York, New York, 1896
I expect to write more posts about Stephen Hopkins in the future,
STEPHEN HOPKINS'S POSITION.
Stephen Hopkins's power and position are always shown by his being called "Mister," a title applied as Master.
"Only twelve people have the prefix Mr. in the whole list of the passengers on the Mayflower, Fortune and Little James."
Mr. Stephen Hopkins was a man of great enterprise, and in the present day would have been a very acceptable and appreciative companion at all athletic sports, whether on sea or land. At his place, near Eel River (Plymouth), which he sold in 1637, there was a wharf which gave evidence of age, and was the first one spoken of in the colony. His yacht is not mentioned, though he was part owner of the first ship built in Plymouth, but it was on hand if he could materialize matters to his liking, and there were sure to be "chips" on board for a time of need, though he never carried a "chip on his shoulder."
Not to give precedence to his allegiance to old Neptune, he owned the first horse on record (1644), when a mare belonging to the estate of Stephen Hopkins was appraised at £6 sterling.
Its rate of speed has not come to us, but nothing slow flourished under this master.
His otticeholding was continuous—of the Governor's Council from Plymouth, 16234-5-6; in 1637 one of the volunteers in aid of Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut in their war with the Pequods, when the colony concluded to send them assistance, and then was of the committee appointed to levy an assessment to pay the charges of the expedition; then in 1642 was chosen to the Council of War from Plymouth,
No desire could make a narrow-minded Puritan of Mr. Stephen Hopkins; he was broad enough for the methods of the present day. It was not in the blood to live up to the requirements of that early "Vigilance Committee," who were a law unto themselves, with a "single eye" to the faults of others.-p25
Signers of the Mayflower Compact, Volume 1, The Mail And Express Publishing Company, New York, New York, 1896
I expect to write more posts about Stephen Hopkins in the future,
Monday, July 16, 2018
FINDMYPAST FRIDAY RELEASES FOR 13JUL 2018
Over 122,000 new records were added in Findmypast Friday for July 13:
Berkshire Registers & Records
Explore over 600 registers and records from the English county of Berkshire. Discover your ancestor in parish registers from Leckhamstead and St Mary, Reading.This collection currently holds two titles presented in PDF format; Parish Registers of Leckhamstead, 1558-1812 and Parish Registers of St Mary, Reading, 1538-1812. The Registers of Leckhamstead include baptisms, marriages, and burials for Leckhamstead in north Berkshire. Entries will include names and event dates but may also include fathers' names or additional details. The Registers of St Mary include baptisms, marriages and burials as well as a list of vicars with brief biographies.
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Durham Registers & Records
Learn more about your Durham ancestors with our collection of more than 2,800 registers and records from the North Eastern County.There are 16 titles included in this collection including a 1904 guide to the "Antiquities of Sunderland and Its Vicinity" as well as baptisms, marriages and burials covering the parishes of St Nicholas, St Margaret's, St Mary in the South Bailey, Bishop Middleham, the Ancient Chapel of Esh in Lanchester, St Mary le Bow, Winston, Whickham, Whitburn, Ryton, Coniscliffe, Stanhope, Whorlton, and Ebchester as well as Dalton-Le-Dale, Seaham & Sherburn Hospital.
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Scotland, Jacobite Histories 1715-1745
Discover more about the Jacobites and the Jacobite Risings with this collection of historical publications. These documents are presented in a PDF format and can be searched by name, conflict, publication title and year, and keyword.This rich collection consists of 23 titles covering a variety of topics related to the risings. It includes a range of detailed histories, song books, estate papers, lists, historical papers and memoirs written by those who participated.
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Greater London Burial Index
Over 109,000 new additions covering 27 Middlesex parishes have been added to the Greater London Burial Index. The records consist of transcripts that may reveal a combination of your relative's name, age, occupation, religious denomination and where they were buried.The greater London Burial index now contains over 1.7 million records spanning the years 1399 and 1992 and includes Middlesex Burials & Memorial Inscriptions, The South London Burials Index 1545-1905, City of London Burials 1754-1855 and Middlesex Burials 1538-1992.
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British & Irish Newspapers
This week we have added 111,538 new pages to our collection of historic British Newspapers. We have added one new title – the Witney Express and Oxfordshire and Midland Counties Herald – and updated seven of our existing titles. We have added pages to four of our Irish titles, including the incredibly influential Freeman's Journal, as well as adding to our Liverpool and Dover titles, and also to the Music Hall and Theatre Review.The new additions include;
Witney Express and Oxfordshire and Midland Counties Herald (new title) - 1869-1887
Evening Herald (Dublin) - 1897, 1899, 1901, 1907, 1996
Irish Independent - 1913, 1915
Freeman's Journal - 1912-1919, 1922-1924
Sligo Champion - 1983, 1988-1995
Liverpool Echo - 1973, 1979-1980
Music Hall and Theatre Review - 1910-1911
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