Before continuing on with some of the more serious stories concerning my
Willard family relations and the Indian wars in New England, there's one
story about how a Sawyer cousin escaped death.
Deacon Josiah Sawyer was the son of William Sawyer and Hannah Houghton
(also related to me from my Houghton line) and grandson of Thomas Sawyer.
He was born in Lancaster, Ma. in 1714 but at the time of this story in 1735
he was living in Bolton, Ma. with his father. He would later go on to be a
Deacon of the church in Berlin, Ma.
I'll let author William Richard Cutter describe the incident:
"While returning home one evening afoot, as was his custom, an Indian
waylaid him, just as he was descending the hill north of the Quaker
meeting-house. Sawyer dodged the upraised tomahawk and took to his
heels. Fortunately for him, he was a good runner, for he was unarmed.
The savage soon saw that he was outclassed, and gave up the pursuit.
By measurement the next day it was found that one of the leaps, as the
footprints showed, was sixteen feet. That leap is famous in Berlin history."
(William Richard Cutter, Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and
Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts
N.Y., N.Y., Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1908 p 1379)
Now two things about this tale makes me smile. One is the wording of the first
sentence. On a first casual reading, it might make you think it was poor Josiah's
habit to be waylaid by Indians while walking home.
The second is the image of the leap measuring. It must have occurred while a
party of Josiah's neighbors were looking for the Indian and following the
tracks of the chase. I wonder how they measured the jump, did they actually
measure it? And was it actually 16 feet, or did it grow in the retelling?
Finally, did his escape from his Indian pursuer and his miraculous leap perhaps
inspire Josiah Sawyer's calling to the clergy?
For if it did, then I suppose we could call it a leap of faith!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
KREATIV BLOGGER AWARD
I'm honored to have been been awarded the "Kreativ Blogger Award"
by Colleen at CMJ Office , Gena Philibert Ortega at Gena's Genealogy
and the author of Taylorstales-Genealogy .
Thanks very much to all three of you and I might I add that the
feeling is mutual. I have enjoyed reading your blogs!
The Rules:
1. Copy the award to your site.
2. Link to the person for whom you received the award.
3. Nominate 5 other bloggers.
4. Link to those sites on your blog.
5. Leave a message on the blogs you nominate.
I'm going to have to do some looking around and see who I
can give this award to who hasn't already received it!
Monday, February 23, 2009
MY ANCESTOR NUMBER 21
Randy Seaver over at Genea-musings has a weekly feature called Saturday Night
Fun. This past Saturday it was "Who's Number 21?" Because the date was Feb. 21st,
Randy asked us which of our ancestors was number 21 on our Ahnentafel list. Now
that would be one of our eight great great grandmothers, and in my case, she would be
Elizabeth Coburn (or Colburn). Unfortunately, she belongs to a branch of my
family where I know somethings about when but not a lot about where.
Elizabeth was born in Oxford County, Maine, possibly in the town of Newry, on 10
Aug, 1842 to Wesley(Westley) Coburn and Lucinda Stow. She is often referred to
as Lucy Elizabeth Coburn so it's possible her first name was actually Lucinda,perhaps
after her mother. She was the youngest of four children. She married Nathaniel
S. Barker, the son of Nathaniel Barker and Huldah Hastings. I don't have a date of
marriage as yet but it would have to be sometime before 1862 when Elizabeth's
oldest daughter Huldah Barker was born.
Nathaniel S. Barker died in 1884, but Elizabeth lived on another twenty years, dying
on 15 Nov 1904 in Bethel, Maine where she was living with her son, my great
grandfather Frank W. Barker.
Not much information compared to some of my other ancestors but more than I have for
John Cutter West!
Fun. This past Saturday it was "Who's Number 21?" Because the date was Feb. 21st,
Randy asked us which of our ancestors was number 21 on our Ahnentafel list. Now
that would be one of our eight great great grandmothers, and in my case, she would be
Elizabeth Coburn (or Colburn). Unfortunately, she belongs to a branch of my
family where I know somethings about when but not a lot about where.
Elizabeth was born in Oxford County, Maine, possibly in the town of Newry, on 10
Aug, 1842 to Wesley(Westley) Coburn and Lucinda Stow. She is often referred to
as Lucy Elizabeth Coburn so it's possible her first name was actually Lucinda,perhaps
after her mother. She was the youngest of four children. She married Nathaniel
S. Barker, the son of Nathaniel Barker and Huldah Hastings. I don't have a date of
marriage as yet but it would have to be sometime before 1862 when Elizabeth's
oldest daughter Huldah Barker was born.
Nathaniel S. Barker died in 1884, but Elizabeth lived on another twenty years, dying
on 15 Nov 1904 in Bethel, Maine where she was living with her son, my great
grandfather Frank W. Barker.
Not much information compared to some of my other ancestors but more than I have for
John Cutter West!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
THE INDIAN ATTACK ON RUTLAND,MASSACHUSETTS, 14 AUGUST,1723
It seems as though my Willard and Sawyer relations had more than their share of
adventurous and sometimes fatal encounters with Indians well into the 18th century.
As I mentioned previously, Cyprian Stevens had married Mary Willard, one of
Simon Willard's daughters, and their family was prominent in the continuing
settling of the New England wilderness. Their son Joseph Stevens and his
family were living in Rutland, Ma. on the morning of 14 Aug, 1723
when tragedy struck:
"... after family devotions and breakfast, he and his four sons went to Meeting
and were surprised by five hostile Indians. While Captain Stevens made his
escape in the bushes, two sons, Samuel and Joseph, were slain and scalped,
and the other two Phineas and Isaac, carried away prisoners to Canada. The
pluck of Phineas, who carried his younger brother on his back when he was
exhausted, saved him from being slaughtered to get him out of the way or left
to die alone in the forest. It was more than a year before the boys were
redeemed. A subscription was taken in the Framingham church, where the
Stevens family had been members, April 19, 1724. The father made two trips
to Canada and returned finally with Isaac August 19, 1725. Isaac was much
attached to his Indian foster mother and would have preferred to stay with
her, it is said. The cost of this ransom and other misfortunes impoverished
Captain Stevens and he died in want, Nov. 15, 1769."
((Ellery Bicknell Crane, Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical
and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts N.Y. N.Y,
Lewis Publishing Company,1907 p 277 ))
Meanwhile their cousin, Reverend Joseph Willard, the minister of Rutland,
was out hunting when he was attacked by other members of the
Indian war party:
"Being out with his gun on August 14th, hunting, or to collect fodder for
the coming winter, he was surprised by two Indians, — one of the Indians'
guns missed fire, the other did no execution. Mr. Willard returned the fire and
wounded one of them, it is said, mortally ; the other closed in with Mr. Willard ;
but he would have been more than a match for him, had not other three come
to his assistance. And it was some considerable time before they killed Mr.
Willard. "
((Jonas Reed and Daniel Bartlett, A History of Rutland: Worcester County,
Massachusetts, from Its Earliest Settlement, with a Biography of Its First Settlers
Worcester, Ma, Mirrick & Bartlett, Printers, 1836))
Another account says the young Stevens boys witnessed his cousin's death before
being taken to Canada. Phineas was 16 years old and during his captivity learned
much about the Indian's methods of war and hunting, and in his adulthood would
become, as we'll see, one of the leading Indian fighters of the colony.
adventurous and sometimes fatal encounters with Indians well into the 18th century.
As I mentioned previously, Cyprian Stevens had married Mary Willard, one of
Simon Willard's daughters, and their family was prominent in the continuing
settling of the New England wilderness. Their son Joseph Stevens and his
family were living in Rutland, Ma. on the morning of 14 Aug, 1723
when tragedy struck:
"... after family devotions and breakfast, he and his four sons went to Meeting
and were surprised by five hostile Indians. While Captain Stevens made his
escape in the bushes, two sons, Samuel and Joseph, were slain and scalped,
and the other two Phineas and Isaac, carried away prisoners to Canada. The
pluck of Phineas, who carried his younger brother on his back when he was
exhausted, saved him from being slaughtered to get him out of the way or left
to die alone in the forest. It was more than a year before the boys were
redeemed. A subscription was taken in the Framingham church, where the
Stevens family had been members, April 19, 1724. The father made two trips
to Canada and returned finally with Isaac August 19, 1725. Isaac was much
attached to his Indian foster mother and would have preferred to stay with
her, it is said. The cost of this ransom and other misfortunes impoverished
Captain Stevens and he died in want, Nov. 15, 1769."
((Ellery Bicknell Crane, Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical
and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts N.Y. N.Y,
Lewis Publishing Company,1907 p 277 ))
Meanwhile their cousin, Reverend Joseph Willard, the minister of Rutland,
was out hunting when he was attacked by other members of the
Indian war party:
"Being out with his gun on August 14th, hunting, or to collect fodder for
the coming winter, he was surprised by two Indians, — one of the Indians'
guns missed fire, the other did no execution. Mr. Willard returned the fire and
wounded one of them, it is said, mortally ; the other closed in with Mr. Willard ;
but he would have been more than a match for him, had not other three come
to his assistance. And it was some considerable time before they killed Mr.
Willard. "
((Jonas Reed and Daniel Bartlett, A History of Rutland: Worcester County,
Massachusetts, from Its Earliest Settlement, with a Biography of Its First Settlers
Worcester, Ma, Mirrick & Bartlett, Printers, 1836))
Another account says the young Stevens boys witnessed his cousin's death before
being taken to Canada. Phineas was 16 years old and during his captivity learned
much about the Indian's methods of war and hunting, and in his adulthood would
become, as we'll see, one of the leading Indian fighters of the colony.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
FACEBOOK, TERMS OF SERVICE AND ALL THAT JAZZ
By now I don't think there's anyone in America who hasn't heard about the
Facebook Terms of Service controversy. NBC Nightly News even did a segment
on it today. I'm not good at legalese but I believe it boiled down to anything we
posted would still be archived there even if we should discontinue our memberships.
Due to the reaction that followed, Facebook has gone back to the previous Terms
of Service but the damage has been done and some of my fellow Genea-bloggers
have left Facebook.
The question has been asked why there has there not been as fierce a reaction by
the genealogy blogging community to Facebooks action as there was to Ancestry
last year when contents of blogs turned up on Ancestry? I think the reason is that
there is a bit of difference in what Ancestry did from Facebook. As I recall(and if
I'm wrong, folks, please correct me.) the Ancestry incident involved using the
cached blog entries in a "Internet Biographical Collection " that only paying
subscribers to Ancestry.com could view. The authors had not given permission for
this and felt their copyright notices had been violated. Genealogy bloggers protested
vigorously, and Ancestry removed the material from Ancestry.com.
Now with Facebook, we have posted whatever information about ourselves we wish.
It's our choice to share with this with others but sometimes we find out we have shared
with more "others" than we intended, because what we share with our Friends is also
shared with their Friends who may not know. So privacy is an issue. And if we post
research to Facebook, either by Notes or by a blog feed, we're also sharing, but in most
cases its information we already posted on our blogs, so it could just as easily be found
by someone Googling "genealogy blogs" even if we leave Facebooks and all our posts
there were deleted.
Yahoo has a similar TOS to the one Facebook tried to change to and a message board
I've been on for years discussed it because there were some folks posting stories to it
who worried about copyright matters. I decided I had no problem with it because I
wanted to share my stories with my friends. I have the same viewpoint on sharing my
genealogical research so I wasn't as upset with Facebook as I was with Ancestry.
In the past week because of information I posted on Facebook, I've come into contact
with two West cousins, one I didn't know about and one I haven't had contact with in
years. They might have eventually found my blog online, or maybe not. Perhaps if and
when I leave Facebook, someone else might stumble across my Notes there and contact
me, the same way I've found people through years old posts on Genforum message
boards. And I've had people from family, high school, college, and work "Friend" me
as other reasons to stay on.
So, speaking only for myself, that's why I was not as angry about Facebook as I was
about the Ancestry incident.
Besides, who'd take care of my Lil' Green Patch if I left?
Probably not the most coherent discussion of the matter you folks will read about the
whole affair, but it's the best I could do.
Facebook Terms of Service controversy. NBC Nightly News even did a segment
on it today. I'm not good at legalese but I believe it boiled down to anything we
posted would still be archived there even if we should discontinue our memberships.
Due to the reaction that followed, Facebook has gone back to the previous Terms
of Service but the damage has been done and some of my fellow Genea-bloggers
have left Facebook.
The question has been asked why there has there not been as fierce a reaction by
the genealogy blogging community to Facebooks action as there was to Ancestry
last year when contents of blogs turned up on Ancestry? I think the reason is that
there is a bit of difference in what Ancestry did from Facebook. As I recall(and if
I'm wrong, folks, please correct me.) the Ancestry incident involved using the
cached blog entries in a "Internet Biographical Collection " that only paying
subscribers to Ancestry.com could view. The authors had not given permission for
this and felt their copyright notices had been violated. Genealogy bloggers protested
vigorously, and Ancestry removed the material from Ancestry.com.
Now with Facebook, we have posted whatever information about ourselves we wish.
It's our choice to share with this with others but sometimes we find out we have shared
with more "others" than we intended, because what we share with our Friends is also
shared with their Friends who may not know. So privacy is an issue. And if we post
research to Facebook, either by Notes or by a blog feed, we're also sharing, but in most
cases its information we already posted on our blogs, so it could just as easily be found
by someone Googling "genealogy blogs" even if we leave Facebooks and all our posts
there were deleted.
Yahoo has a similar TOS to the one Facebook tried to change to and a message board
I've been on for years discussed it because there were some folks posting stories to it
who worried about copyright matters. I decided I had no problem with it because I
wanted to share my stories with my friends. I have the same viewpoint on sharing my
genealogical research so I wasn't as upset with Facebook as I was with Ancestry.
In the past week because of information I posted on Facebook, I've come into contact
with two West cousins, one I didn't know about and one I haven't had contact with in
years. They might have eventually found my blog online, or maybe not. Perhaps if and
when I leave Facebook, someone else might stumble across my Notes there and contact
me, the same way I've found people through years old posts on Genforum message
boards. And I've had people from family, high school, college, and work "Friend" me
as other reasons to stay on.
So, speaking only for myself, that's why I was not as angry about Facebook as I was
about the Ancestry incident.
Besides, who'd take care of my Lil' Green Patch if I left?
Probably not the most coherent discussion of the matter you folks will read about the
whole affair, but it's the best I could do.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
THE 2008 iGENE GENEALOGY AWARDS
Well, it's that time of year again! It's the Carnival of Genealogy's Second
Annual iGene Awards, when geneabloggers choose the best posts from
their blogs for 2008 in five categories. This took me longer than I thought
it would because I had 214 posts last year and I found myself going through
them with a critical eye as to the writing. Alas, this left me no time to come
up with a comedy routine or a medley of song parodies about each winner
such as the ones Billy Crystal used to do for the Oscars.
But here, at last, are my award winners.
Best Picture goes to the postcard photo of my grandfather Floyd E West Sr.
in his World War 1 uniform. My Aunt Dorothy gave me this
during our visit last August.
Best Screenplay is awarded to the Pursuit of David Robbins series. I'd cast
Harrison Ford as Sheriff Lewis Loomis, Liam Neeson as David
Robbins, and perhaps Tobey Maguire as young Daniel Ellingwood.
Best Documentary for 2008 goes to the Levi Ames series about his trial and
execution. I almost gave this Best Screenplay but I couldn't come
up with an actor that I could "see" as Levi.
Best Biography winner is the autobiographical Granduncle Clarence Remembers
series. You can't beat a firsthand account, and it's a good fit with the
previous year's memories from my Aunt Dorothy.
Best Comedy has to be A Flutaphone Lullabye which concluded the epic search for
49 Genealogical Uses for a Flutaphone, a quest given me by Janice
Brown of Cow Hampshire. (Janice, we miss you!). Click on the
flutaphones label at the end of the post to see all 49 uses, if you dare!
And that concludes this year's West in New England iGene Awards. Goodnight,
and Good Luck!
Written for the 66th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.
Annual iGene Awards, when geneabloggers choose the best posts from
their blogs for 2008 in five categories. This took me longer than I thought
it would because I had 214 posts last year and I found myself going through
them with a critical eye as to the writing. Alas, this left me no time to come
up with a comedy routine or a medley of song parodies about each winner
such as the ones Billy Crystal used to do for the Oscars.
But here, at last, are my award winners.
Best Picture goes to the postcard photo of my grandfather Floyd E West Sr.
in his World War 1 uniform. My Aunt Dorothy gave me this
during our visit last August.
Best Screenplay is awarded to the Pursuit of David Robbins series. I'd cast
Harrison Ford as Sheriff Lewis Loomis, Liam Neeson as David
Robbins, and perhaps Tobey Maguire as young Daniel Ellingwood.
Best Documentary for 2008 goes to the Levi Ames series about his trial and
execution. I almost gave this Best Screenplay but I couldn't come
up with an actor that I could "see" as Levi.
Best Biography winner is the autobiographical Granduncle Clarence Remembers
series. You can't beat a firsthand account, and it's a good fit with the
previous year's memories from my Aunt Dorothy.
Best Comedy has to be A Flutaphone Lullabye which concluded the epic search for
49 Genealogical Uses for a Flutaphone, a quest given me by Janice
Brown of Cow Hampshire. (Janice, we miss you!). Click on the
flutaphones label at the end of the post to see all 49 uses, if you dare!
And that concludes this year's West in New England iGene Awards. Goodnight,
and Good Luck!
Written for the 66th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.
Friday, February 13, 2009
THE ELLINGWOOD FAMILY REUNION ANNOUNCEMENT.
ATTENTION: DESCENDANTS OF ASA F ELLINGWOOD (1830-1921) & FLORILLA DUNHAM (1832-1917)! MARK YOUR CALENDARS ! INVITE A RELATIVE !
The annual Ellingwood Reunion will be held at Jerry Ellingwood's home, August 8th from 10 am until everyone has left, rain or shine. Each family should bring their own meat and something to share such as salads, desserts, veggie plates etc. Whatever your specialty may be, we will enjoy it. Since this a family event, please do not bring alcoholic beverages. There will be games for the young and young-at-heart, a display table of family genealogy, memorabilia, and articles and pictures. We are always looking to add to this so check your closets for something from your family branch. We want everyone to be represented. Copies of the “Ellingwood & Dunham” book by Florence E. O’Connor will be available to purchase (at cost). They have been put in notebook style so that individuals can add their own lines and other information to the book. Be sure you have written down things you and your family have experienced this year (births, marriages, achievements, etc.) as we want to keep our information updated. What seems to be insignificant to you now, may one day be important to someone generations ahead. The annual news letter will be available. If you have something you'd like to have in the Ellingwood Newsletter, please contact Lori Grippo at G1738@msn.com. Come with new ideas as to what can be added to make this event fun for everyone. Weather permitting, there will be party boat rides on Norway Lake, and families can use the Norway Beach for swimming. Hosts, Jerry and Linda have had, in the past, bushes full of blackberries they have generously shared. Some people have been known to "get lost" in the bushes! Grills and drinks are provided. See you there!
Here is the reunion “board.”
Jerry Ellingwood, President
12 Harrison Road
Norway, Maine 04268
(207) 743-5927
E-mail: jerilin@megalink.net
Brady Ellingwood, Vice President
Bonnie (Ellingwood) Akinson, Treasurer/ Secretary
Al Akinson, Website Management
Http://www.atkinson.ca/
Http://www.facebook.com/group.
Http://groups.myspace.com/
Julie Dyck & Melody Gammon, Activities Leaders
Lori Grippo, Family Historian / Newsletter Editor
9 Vienna Court
Burnt Hills, New York 12027
Phone: (518) 884-4077
Fax: (518) 884-4077 (Call first)
Email: G1738@msn.com
Thursday, February 12, 2009
MORE BENEFITS OF GENEA-BLOGGING!
I've had a very interesting few weeks thanks to my online genealogy research!
I'm going to discuss them in the order in which they happened, but I won't give
full names unless or until I have these folks permission.
The first contact was from a collector of items related to the history of Groton.
He has documents and items related to my Prescott ancestors and as soon as
I have talked with him and have his permission to talk about those, I'll have more
to tell you about that.
The second was from Lori Grippo, a cousin from my Ellingwood line who is a
direct descendant of my ancestors Asa Freeman Ellingwood and his wife Florilla
Dunham. Lori publishes the newsletters and brochures that are given out at the
yearly Ellingwood Family Reunion and I will give the information for that in my
next post. She included some Ellingwood Family links in her email and last night
while following them I discovered a picture of Asa and Florilla that I'd never seen
before!
Way back when I first started blogging, I mentioned how a nice lady named Gayle Nee
had helped me with some information about my White Family. The other day I got an
e-mail from her saying she had found my blog and my mention of her. Gayle was one
of the first folks that gave me a helping hand and I've tried to follow her (and others')
example by sharing what I've found with others. Thanks again, Gayle!
And finally, just last night I was contacted on Facebook by a fellow descendant
of John Cutter West. He's descended from Leonidas West, the younger brother of
my ancestor Jonathan Phelps West. We've already shared some files today!
So once again genealogy blogging and networking have brought me in touch with
relatives and other great people!
I'm going to discuss them in the order in which they happened, but I won't give
full names unless or until I have these folks permission.
The first contact was from a collector of items related to the history of Groton.
He has documents and items related to my Prescott ancestors and as soon as
I have talked with him and have his permission to talk about those, I'll have more
to tell you about that.
The second was from Lori Grippo, a cousin from my Ellingwood line who is a
direct descendant of my ancestors Asa Freeman Ellingwood and his wife Florilla
Dunham. Lori publishes the newsletters and brochures that are given out at the
yearly Ellingwood Family Reunion and I will give the information for that in my
next post. She included some Ellingwood Family links in her email and last night
while following them I discovered a picture of Asa and Florilla that I'd never seen
before!
Way back when I first started blogging, I mentioned how a nice lady named Gayle Nee
had helped me with some information about my White Family. The other day I got an
e-mail from her saying she had found my blog and my mention of her. Gayle was one
of the first folks that gave me a helping hand and I've tried to follow her (and others')
example by sharing what I've found with others. Thanks again, Gayle!
And finally, just last night I was contacted on Facebook by a fellow descendant
of John Cutter West. He's descended from Leonidas West, the younger brother of
my ancestor Jonathan Phelps West. We've already shared some files today!
So once again genealogy blogging and networking have brought me in touch with
relatives and other great people!
Sunday, February 08, 2009
THOMAS SAWYER JUNIOR AND THE INDIANS
King Phillip's War was but the first of a series of conflicts between the
New England colonists and the Indians but those that followed were often
extensions of the wars between England and France. The first of these
was part of the Nine Year's War in Europe and was known in the colonies
as King William's War, because it began when William of Orange drove
the last Stuart king from the throne of England in 1689. William joined with
other European rulers in a "Grand Alliance" against France, war ensued,
and eventually the hostilities spread to the American colonies.
Both the English and French made use of Indian allies and the fighting
stretched from Canada to New England and New York. By this time
many of the families who'd evacuated their homes during King Philip's
War had returned to their towns to rebuild, including my Houghton, Willard,
Prescott, and Sawyer ancestors, and once more their lives were touched
by warfare.
One of the more interesting stories of my ancestors in this period
is that of Thomas Sawyer, Jr. He was born on 2 Jul 1649, the son of Thomas
Sawyer, Sr. and Marie Prescott, and was the first white child born in Lancaster,
the town his grandfather John Prescott had founded. As noted in Cyprian Steven's
letter to the Governor in 1676, he was one of those who'd taken shelter in the
Lancaster garrison houses during the Nipmuc Indian attack of March. By that time
he was married to Hannah Lewis (21 Sep 1672). After the war he and his family
returned to the town where Thomas had a sawmill where the Sawyer family had
another close encounter with Indians. The story is told in William Richard
Cutter's Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs
Relating to the Families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts (Lewis historical
publishing company, 1908) and you can view it on Googlebooks here:
"On October 16, 1695, Thomas Sawyer Jr., his son Elias, and John Bigelow of
Marlborough, were at work in his saw mill when they were surprised and captured
by the Indians. The Indians took their captives to Canada, and turned Bigelow
and young Sawyer over to the French to ransom. The Indians kept the other Thomas
Sawyer to put to death by torture. Sawyer proposed to the French governor that he
should build a saw mill on the Chamblay river, in consideration of saving his life
from the Indians, and giving the three captives their freedom. The French needed
the mill and were glad of the opportunity. But the Indians had to be reckoned with.
They insisted on burning Thomas Sawyer at the stake. They knew him and knew
he was a brave man, not afraid of torture and death. The crafty French governor
defeated their purpose by a resort to the church. When Sawyer was tied to the stake,
a Fench friar appeared with a key in his hand, and so terrible did he paint the tortures
of purgatory, the key of which he told them he had in his hand ready to unlock, that
they gave up their victim. Indians fear the unseen more than the real dangers, and
doubtless the friar took care not to specify what he would do in case the auto-de-fe
was carried on. Sawyer built the mill successfully, the first in Canada, it is said.
He and Bigelow came home after seven or eight months of captivity. Elias Sawyer
was kept a year longer to run the mill and teach others to run it. The captives were
well treated after the French found them useful to them."
It's certainly an interesting story. My only question about it is the part about Elias
Sawyer being left behind to run the mill, since he was born in 1689 and would only
have been 6 or at most 7 years old at the time. But there were three older Sawyer
sons andperhaps it was one of them instead of Elias taken in the raid. At any rate,
it was a better outcome than might have been expected in such a situation.
Other relatives of Thomas Sawyer Jr. would not be as fortunate.
New England colonists and the Indians but those that followed were often
extensions of the wars between England and France. The first of these
was part of the Nine Year's War in Europe and was known in the colonies
as King William's War, because it began when William of Orange drove
the last Stuart king from the throne of England in 1689. William joined with
other European rulers in a "Grand Alliance" against France, war ensued,
and eventually the hostilities spread to the American colonies.
Both the English and French made use of Indian allies and the fighting
stretched from Canada to New England and New York. By this time
many of the families who'd evacuated their homes during King Philip's
War had returned to their towns to rebuild, including my Houghton, Willard,
Prescott, and Sawyer ancestors, and once more their lives were touched
by warfare.
One of the more interesting stories of my ancestors in this period
is that of Thomas Sawyer, Jr. He was born on 2 Jul 1649, the son of Thomas
Sawyer, Sr. and Marie Prescott, and was the first white child born in Lancaster,
the town his grandfather John Prescott had founded. As noted in Cyprian Steven's
letter to the Governor in 1676, he was one of those who'd taken shelter in the
Lancaster garrison houses during the Nipmuc Indian attack of March. By that time
he was married to Hannah Lewis (21 Sep 1672). After the war he and his family
returned to the town where Thomas had a sawmill where the Sawyer family had
another close encounter with Indians. The story is told in William Richard
Cutter's Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs
Relating to the Families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts (Lewis historical
publishing company, 1908) and you can view it on Googlebooks here:
"On October 16, 1695, Thomas Sawyer Jr., his son Elias, and John Bigelow of
Marlborough, were at work in his saw mill when they were surprised and captured
by the Indians. The Indians took their captives to Canada, and turned Bigelow
and young Sawyer over to the French to ransom. The Indians kept the other Thomas
Sawyer to put to death by torture. Sawyer proposed to the French governor that he
should build a saw mill on the Chamblay river, in consideration of saving his life
from the Indians, and giving the three captives their freedom. The French needed
the mill and were glad of the opportunity. But the Indians had to be reckoned with.
They insisted on burning Thomas Sawyer at the stake. They knew him and knew
he was a brave man, not afraid of torture and death. The crafty French governor
defeated their purpose by a resort to the church. When Sawyer was tied to the stake,
a Fench friar appeared with a key in his hand, and so terrible did he paint the tortures
of purgatory, the key of which he told them he had in his hand ready to unlock, that
they gave up their victim. Indians fear the unseen more than the real dangers, and
doubtless the friar took care not to specify what he would do in case the auto-de-fe
was carried on. Sawyer built the mill successfully, the first in Canada, it is said.
He and Bigelow came home after seven or eight months of captivity. Elias Sawyer
was kept a year longer to run the mill and teach others to run it. The captives were
well treated after the French found them useful to them."
It's certainly an interesting story. My only question about it is the part about Elias
Sawyer being left behind to run the mill, since he was born in 1689 and would only
have been 6 or at most 7 years old at the time. But there were three older Sawyer
sons andperhaps it was one of them instead of Elias taken in the raid. At any rate,
it was a better outcome than might have been expected in such a situation.
Other relatives of Thomas Sawyer Jr. would not be as fortunate.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
DANCE WITH THE CARNIVAL OF GENEALOGY!
The 65th Carnival of genealogy is up over at Becky Wiseman's
kinnexions blog and the subject this time around is the
Genealogy Happy Dance, that moment when we discover something
in our research that makes us want to stand up and cheer. There's
50 interesting articles from my fellow genea-bloggers. They're
well worth the read and you'll never know what you might learn
from them. This time around, I discovered another distant cousin,
Cathy Palm at Detour Through History who is another descendant
of Stephen Hopkins!
Thanks Becky for the great job!
And now the call for submissions for the 66th Carnival of Genealogy:
The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, to be hosted
by Jasia at Creative Gene, will be: iGene Awards, The Best of The
Best! It's Academy awards time... time for the Academy of Genealogy
and Family History, aka AGFH, to honor their best blog posts of 2008*
in the following 5 categories:
There is no nomination process. You just need to announce your winning blog posts for the 5 categories mentioned above in an article on your blog and submit it to the Carnival of Genealogy. Please act as your own "award presenter" by writing an introduction and include it in the "Remarks" box on the BlogCarnival submission form.
The deadline for submissions is February 15, 2009.
*We're going to define "2008" to include any posts written in 2008 as well as those written Jan. 1-Feb. 15, 2009 as well (so that new bloggers can participate).
Submit your posts here.
This was fun last year and I'm looking forward to this years edition.
Hmm. It also means I better get started reviewing my blog !
kinnexions blog and the subject this time around is the
Genealogy Happy Dance, that moment when we discover something
in our research that makes us want to stand up and cheer. There's
50 interesting articles from my fellow genea-bloggers. They're
well worth the read and you'll never know what you might learn
from them. This time around, I discovered another distant cousin,
Cathy Palm at Detour Through History who is another descendant
of Stephen Hopkins!
Thanks Becky for the great job!
And now the call for submissions for the 66th Carnival of Genealogy:
The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, to be hosted
by Jasia at Creative Gene, will be: iGene Awards, The Best of The
Best! It's Academy awards time... time for the Academy of Genealogy
and Family History, aka AGFH, to honor their best blog posts of 2008*
in the following 5 categories:
- Best Picture - Best old family photo that appeared on your blog in 2008. Tell us which you liked best and why.
- Best Screen Play - Which family story that you shared in 2008 would make the best movie? Who would you cast as your family members?
- Best Documentary - Which was the best informational article you wrote about a place, thing, or event involving your family's history in 2008?
- Best Biography - Which was the best biographical article you wrote in 2008?
- Best Comedy - Which was the best funny story, poem, joke, photo, or video that you shared on your blog in 2008?
There is no nomination process. You just need to announce your winning blog posts for the 5 categories mentioned above in an article on your blog and submit it to the Carnival of Genealogy. Please act as your own "award presenter" by writing an introduction and include it in the "Remarks" box on the BlogCarnival submission form.
The deadline for submissions is February 15, 2009.
*We're going to define "2008" to include any posts written in 2008 as well as those written Jan. 1-Feb. 15, 2009 as well (so that new bloggers can participate).
Submit your posts here.
This was fun last year and I'm looking forward to this years edition.
Hmm. It also means I better get started reviewing my blog !
Sunday, February 01, 2009
DOING THE GENEALOGY HAPPY DANCE
I think most genealogists have at one time or another experienced the Genealogy
Happy Dance, that moment when you find some long looked for information or when
you discover something you didn't know at all about your ancestor(s). Reactions
range from exclamations of "Wow!" or "YESSSS!" to outright cheers. In my case,
it's usually a "Wow" while inwardly I'm doing a mental Snoopy Happy Dance, because
truthfully, if I actually danced it would be a sight so dreadful to behold, Western
Civilization as we know it would come to an end.
My first Happy Dance occurred the night I discovered a treasure trove at Footnotes.com
of Revolutionary War Pensions Files for John Ames and Asa Barrows which led to
even more files for my Barker, Coburn, Upton, Hastings and Houghton ancestors. It
was the first time I'd found records that contained written memories of my ancestors.
My Aunt Dot has been the provider of my two biggest Happy Dances. First there was
the folder she gave me with pictures of my Grandfather and Great Grandfather West
and pictures of Great Grandmother Lottie Barker and her four sisters. There was also
Pop’s WWI discharge papers from the Army and a copy of a certified abstract of Arvilla
Ames' and John C (Cutter) West’s marriage record. The best part for me were the thirteen
handwritten pages with memories of her and my father's childhood in Maine, stories I'd
never heard before.
That Happy Dance was surpassed last August when Cheryl and I visited Dot and her
family in Ohio and they surprised me by giving me the West Family Bible. This on top
of the photographs of Pop in uniform and of the Barker Family reunion. That was my
Biggest Happy Dance moment.
My latest Happy Dance has involved the information I've found about Simon Willard
and just last night something I discovered over on Googlebooks about Thomas Sawyer
Junior which I'll be posting later.
Of course, being that they were from the Puritan era, the Happy Dances I did for those
were danced deep in my subconscious. I don't want them spinning over in their graves,
after all, over their descendant's outrageous behavior. (Bad enough I was born a Papist!)
But when I find something more about my Mom's Irish ancestors, you can bet my Happy
Dance will be an Irish jig!
Written for the 65th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.
Happy Dance, that moment when you find some long looked for information or when
you discover something you didn't know at all about your ancestor(s). Reactions
range from exclamations of "Wow!" or "YESSSS!" to outright cheers. In my case,
it's usually a "Wow" while inwardly I'm doing a mental Snoopy Happy Dance, because
truthfully, if I actually danced it would be a sight so dreadful to behold, Western
Civilization as we know it would come to an end.
My first Happy Dance occurred the night I discovered a treasure trove at Footnotes.com
of Revolutionary War Pensions Files for John Ames and Asa Barrows which led to
even more files for my Barker, Coburn, Upton, Hastings and Houghton ancestors. It
was the first time I'd found records that contained written memories of my ancestors.
My Aunt Dot has been the provider of my two biggest Happy Dances. First there was
the folder she gave me with pictures of my Grandfather and Great Grandfather West
and pictures of Great Grandmother Lottie Barker and her four sisters. There was also
Pop’s WWI discharge papers from the Army and a copy of a certified abstract of Arvilla
Ames' and John C (Cutter) West’s marriage record. The best part for me were the thirteen
handwritten pages with memories of her and my father's childhood in Maine, stories I'd
never heard before.
That Happy Dance was surpassed last August when Cheryl and I visited Dot and her
family in Ohio and they surprised me by giving me the West Family Bible. This on top
of the photographs of Pop in uniform and of the Barker Family reunion. That was my
Biggest Happy Dance moment.
My latest Happy Dance has involved the information I've found about Simon Willard
and just last night something I discovered over on Googlebooks about Thomas Sawyer
Junior which I'll be posting later.
Of course, being that they were from the Puritan era, the Happy Dances I did for those
were danced deep in my subconscious. I don't want them spinning over in their graves,
after all, over their descendant's outrageous behavior. (Bad enough I was born a Papist!)
But when I find something more about my Mom's Irish ancestors, you can bet my Happy
Dance will be an Irish jig!
Written for the 65th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.
CYPRIAN STEVEN'S LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL
I found a few more things during my research on Simon Willard that
touched on some of my ancestors. One of them is this transcription at
Genealogy.com by Janice Farnsworth of "Lancaster in Philip's War:
The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts 1643 - 1725 Edited by
Henry S. Nourse, A.M. Lancaster, 1884 (page 107)
"Lancaster March 11, 1675/6 - Letter to the Governor and Counsell -"A
humble Petition of the poor distressed people of Lancaster (excerpt)
"...many of us heare in this prison, have not bread to last us one month &
our other provisions spent & gon, for the genrallyty, our Town is drawn
into two garisons - sixteen soulders....we areseartaynly a bayt (bait) for
the enemy. We are sorrowful to leave the place but hoplesse to keep it
unlesse mayntayed by the Cuntrey....our women cris dus daily...which dus
not only fill our ears but our hearts full of Greefe and makes us humbly
Request yo'r Hon'rs to send a Gard of men & that if you please so comand
we may have Carts about fourteen will re-move the whool eight of which has
presed long at Sudbury but never came for want of a small gard of men, the
whooll that is, all that are in the Garison, Kept in Major Willards house
which is all from y're Hon'rs most humble servants & suplyants -
Lancast'r March 11, 1675/6 Jacob FFarrar
John Houghton Sen'r
John Moore
John Whittcomb
Job Whittcomb
Jonathan Whittcomb
John Houghton Jun'r
Cyprian Steevens
The other garrison are in like distresse & soe humbly desire yo'r like
pitty & ffatherly care, having widows & many fatherless children - the
number of carts to Carey away this garison is twenty carts. Yo'r Hon'rs
Humble pettisioners
John Prescott Sen'r
Tho. Sawyer Sen'r
Tho. Sawyer Jun'r
Jonathan Prescott
Tho Willder
John willder
Sarah Wheeler, Wid.
Widow Ffarbanks
John Rigby
Nathaniell Wilder
John Rooper
Widow Rooper
The whole is in the handwriting of Cyprian Steevens.
[Massachusetts Archives, LXVII, 156.] "
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
What struck me reading this was the names of those in the garrison. They include my
direct ancestors John Prescott, Thomas Sawyer, Senior and Thomas Sawyer, Junior
in the second garrison two of my Houghton relatives in the first. It reminded me again
of how many of my ancestors were so close to a violent death during the Indian wars
of New England. Some, as I've mentioned in earlier posts, did not escape it. One of
those things that historians sometimes ponder is "What If?" If more of my colonist
ancestors had died, I and many more of their descendants wouldn't be around to
trace our ancestry.
As it was, Thomas Sawyer Junior was to have another encounter with Indians
some years later, and I'll be telling that story soon.
Thank you to Janice Farnsworth for granting me permission to use her transcription!
touched on some of my ancestors. One of them is this transcription at
Genealogy.com by Janice Farnsworth of "Lancaster in Philip's War:
The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts 1643 - 1725 Edited by
Henry S. Nourse, A.M. Lancaster, 1884 (page 107)
"Lancaster March 11, 1675/6 - Letter to the Governor and Counsell -"A
humble Petition of the poor distressed people of Lancaster (excerpt)
"...many of us heare in this prison, have not bread to last us one month &
our other provisions spent & gon, for the genrallyty, our Town is drawn
into two garisons - sixteen soulders....we areseartaynly a bayt (bait) for
the enemy. We are sorrowful to leave the place but hoplesse to keep it
unlesse mayntayed by the Cuntrey....our women cris dus daily...which dus
not only fill our ears but our hearts full of Greefe and makes us humbly
Request yo'r Hon'rs to send a Gard of men & that if you please so comand
we may have Carts about fourteen will re-move the whool eight of which has
presed long at Sudbury but never came for want of a small gard of men, the
whooll that is, all that are in the Garison, Kept in Major Willards house
which is all from y're Hon'rs most humble servants & suplyants -
Lancast'r March 11, 1675/6 Jacob FFarrar
John Houghton Sen'r
John Moore
John Whittcomb
Job Whittcomb
Jonathan Whittcomb
John Houghton Jun'r
Cyprian Steevens
The other garrison are in like distresse & soe humbly desire yo'r like
pitty & ffatherly care, having widows & many fatherless children - the
number of carts to Carey away this garison is twenty carts. Yo'r Hon'rs
Humble pettisioners
John Prescott Sen'r
Tho. Sawyer Sen'r
Tho. Sawyer Jun'r
Jonathan Prescott
Tho Willder
John willder
Sarah Wheeler, Wid.
Widow Ffarbanks
John Rigby
Nathaniell Wilder
John Rooper
Widow Rooper
The whole is in the handwriting of Cyprian Steevens.
[Massachusetts Archives, LXVII, 156.] "
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
What struck me reading this was the names of those in the garrison. They include my
direct ancestors John Prescott, Thomas Sawyer, Senior and Thomas Sawyer, Junior
in the second garrison two of my Houghton relatives in the first. It reminded me again
of how many of my ancestors were so close to a violent death during the Indian wars
of New England. Some, as I've mentioned in earlier posts, did not escape it. One of
those things that historians sometimes ponder is "What If?" If more of my colonist
ancestors had died, I and many more of their descendants wouldn't be around to
trace our ancestry.
As it was, Thomas Sawyer Junior was to have another encounter with Indians
some years later, and I'll be telling that story soon.
Thank you to Janice Farnsworth for granting me permission to use her transcription!
Friday, January 30, 2009
SIMON WILLARD'S LETTER TO HIS DESCENDANTS
While researching the posts on Simon Willard, I found this posted on the
Willard Family Genealogy Forum on Genealogy.com by Lynnea Dickinson.
Since then I've found it posted on other sites. It's purported to be a letter
from Simon Willard to his descendants, but reading it, I got the feeling that
it was not written by him at all.
"To my children, for so I call you, though belonging to different generations, -
listen to my words of instruction, warning, and advice.
It is my privilege and my duty to hold converse with you, as I have been
constituted by our heavenly Father, the founder of a numerous race on these
Western shores. Born before the settlement of Jamestown and Plymouth,
and of an age to remember the voyage of the 'Mayflower,' - the news whereof
was brought even to my retired village of Horsmonden, - I was permitted
to live through an important epoch, when great principles were in discussion,
the settlement of which would affect future generations in the establishment
of justice and right, or the perpetuation of wrong under the forms of law.
The death of my mother, of blessed memory, when I was too young to know
the extent of my loss, and that of a father in my early youth, not, indeed, before
remembered words of counsel and affection, but when I needed his protection
and guidance, left me exposed to the temptations which invade the humble
village as well as the larger resorts of men.
But, though assailed, through God's mercy I was saved from falling; and trusting
in Him whom I had been in youth taught reverence, I was brought safely through.
My early training was in the church of England; and in the ancient parish church
I received in my infancy, the waters of baptism by the hands of the rector, Rev.
Edward Alchine, from whose instructions and catechetical teachings, when I came
of age to understand them, I trust that I received spiritual benefit. But my
religious preferences were in another direction, and I yielded to their persuasions.
I well remember, even with the dawn of reason and reflection, the great controversy,
which was then beginning to range with unwonted heat, even to the dividing of
families.
I had none to aid me in shaping my future course; and though I was prospered in
business and very happy with the wife of my choice, and might have borne my part
in my native village, the feeling increased, that this was not my proper sphere.
Neighbors and friends, the men of Kent, in various quarters, were preparing to
remove to the New World, where success had attended the Plymouth settlers, and
the larger and more imposing colony composed of those who lined the shores of
this beautiful bay. I was in sympathy with these Christians, while still loving the
church from which I had separated, and the 'tender milk' drawn from her breasts.
I saw the day approaching when sharp trials would begin, and I should be excluded
from the few religious privileges which remained for those who already were
stigmatized as schismatic. I determined to join those who were seeking a home in
the wilderness, where we might worship God in a way which we thought was of his
appointment. But how was this to be accomplished with a young family? Measures
of detention, which had now well-nigh reached their culminating point, were daily
becoming more stringent, requiring certificates of uniformity, and oaths of allegiance
and supremacy, of all who purposed embarking for the New World. Vessels were
carefully watched; and none could leave the realm, and take passage for New England,
without special permission, and having submitted to various orders exacted by authority.
I closed up my business in Horsmonden, made my preparations diligently and silently
in connection with a married sister and her husband, and bidding an affectionate adieu
to those of the family left behind, reached the coast in safety, where we found a boat
in readiness to take us to the vessel which was to bear us to our coveted retreat.
I cannot describe to you my sensations on forsaking my native land. Scarce ever beyond
the bounds of my little village, I was leaving home, with all its fond ancestral
associations, never to return. My emotions, on taking the last view of dear Old England,
were such as almost to over power me. All of love, all of memory, returned; and I felt
for the moment a doubt, whether I was in the way of duty in my removal. But it was
only for a moment. When the last speck of Kentish shore disappeared below the horizon,
I girded myself to the undertaking; cast no more lingering looks behind, but looked
forward over the wide waste of waters towards my detained abode; addressed myself
to all that belonged to its duties and obligations; and never at any one moment afterwards,
until the day that God called me hence from earthly scenes, did I regret the resolution I
had taken. We were favored in our passage, and our little fleet reached these shores in the
beautiful noontide of May, when all nature was bursting into life, as if to give us a glad
and smiling welcome to the new home of our pilgrimage.
I look around me; but all is changed that is under the power or control of man. In the
populous towns and cities which have sprung up, I cannot recognize the little hamlets,
once my familiar acquaintance. Even my ancient dwelling places - peaceful and humble
abodes in Cambridge, Concord, Lancaster, and Groton - can no longer be traced or
divined, except by those marks which God himself has established in the flowing waters
of the Charles, the Assabet, and the Nashaway. Strange sights and sounds salute my
senses; mysterious agencies of motion on land and water are all around me; and I
almost feel as if man was in communion with forbidden spirits.
Descendants, - Here I planted my stakes; here I made my home, nor wished to return to
the scenes of my youth. My venture here in new and untried existence, and I loved it.
God favored me with health, friends, and beloved children; while, by his will and the
love of the brethren, I trust I was helpful to the Commonwealth, at least in some humble
measure, in military, legislative, and judicial service, through a long period, until my death.
For all that I was enabled to do I was truly grateful, while conscious of my shortcomings,
and lamenting that my success did not equal my intentions.
It was my earnest wish to train up my children to walk in paths of virtue and usefulness,
and to educate them in human learning according to their capacities, that they might serve
their generation with fidelity. Herein I was aided and blessed in the schools, open to all,
which our honored magistrates and deputies caused to be established, that 'learning might
not be buried in the grave of our fathers, in church and commonwealth; 'and by the
teachings and instructions of worthy Mr. Bulkeley and Mr. Rowlandson. By their regular attendance on public worship, by observing the ordinances, by worship in the family, my
sons and daughters were in the sure way of preparation for good service in life and
becoming examples to their own children.
And now, if, in the day of small things, when we were few in number and weak in power,
surrounded by the savage, with none under God to help us save our own right arm, I was
of any service to church or commonwealth, I desire to first of all thank God, and give
him praise. I will not offer myself as an example for imitation, or commend myself for
having done aught, but only say that I have endeavored.
Consider what God has done for you. The wilderness and the solitary place have been
made glad for you; and the desert rejoices, and blossoms as the rose, as in the days of
Isaiah for the chosen people. Indeed, the little one has become a thousand; and the smal
beginnings, which I witnessed, have widened out to a powerful commonwealth, filled
with comforts, privileges, and blessings, countless in number and leaving little to be
imagined or desired. Think not that your own right hand has wrought out this your happy
condition; but give thanks to Him to whom they belong, and believe that never was a
people more highly favored.
You would honor my memory, and are very free in expressing veneration: but if you
would honor me aright, if you feel the veneration you express, show it by your deeds;
by reverence of that which is higher and holier; by doing all your duty actively and earnestly
in your generation; by adhering to the old paths of justice, faithfulness, and holy trust;
by sincerity in belief, abandoning all Antinomian heresies as you would the other extreme
of dead formalism; by being bold for the right, modestly and firmly maintaining your
opinions, whether called to public station or in the more private walks; following no
man and no cause because of popularity, shunning no man and no cause you believe to
be right because of unpopularity or reproach; but avoiding the parasite and self seeker,
and standing bravely by your own convictions. Thus did my son, even Samuel, in the
time of his pilgrimage, when he set himself in opposition to the greatest delusion that
ever visited this land, subjecting himself to great trial in the coldness of friends, and
the harsh judgment of an entire community; but, unmoved in his purpose, sustained by
his conscientious view of the right, calmly awaited that revolution in sentiment which at
once was the earnest and reward of his long and patient suffering.
Farewell !
Simon Willard
[Born 1605 Died 1676]"
One of the things that caught my attention was the reference to the trials of his
son, Samuel Willard, and a quick look up on Wikipedia showed that the Rev.
Samuel Willard had strongly opposed the Witchcraft trials. But the "greatest
delusion" had taken place nearly twenty years after the death of Simon Willard!
With a bit of digging I found "The Willard Memoir: Or, Life and Times of
Major Simon Willard " written by Joseph Willard in 1858. The full text was not
available on Googlebooks. I did, however, find the table of contents for the
book on Digital Editions and found my answer . There, listed under the Conclusion,
was this:
"The Voice of Warning and Instruction in the supposed Words of the
Subject of this Memoir, addressed to his Descendants, pp. 441-452."
Joseph Willard had imagined and written a letter from his ancestor. no doubt
to express his own view, but also unintentionally misleading future generations of
Willard descendants into thinking it had really been written by Simon Willard!
Willard Family Genealogy Forum on Genealogy.com by Lynnea Dickinson.
Since then I've found it posted on other sites. It's purported to be a letter
from Simon Willard to his descendants, but reading it, I got the feeling that
it was not written by him at all.
"To my children, for so I call you, though belonging to different generations, -
listen to my words of instruction, warning, and advice.
It is my privilege and my duty to hold converse with you, as I have been
constituted by our heavenly Father, the founder of a numerous race on these
Western shores. Born before the settlement of Jamestown and Plymouth,
and of an age to remember the voyage of the 'Mayflower,' - the news whereof
was brought even to my retired village of Horsmonden, - I was permitted
to live through an important epoch, when great principles were in discussion,
the settlement of which would affect future generations in the establishment
of justice and right, or the perpetuation of wrong under the forms of law.
The death of my mother, of blessed memory, when I was too young to know
the extent of my loss, and that of a father in my early youth, not, indeed, before
remembered words of counsel and affection, but when I needed his protection
and guidance, left me exposed to the temptations which invade the humble
village as well as the larger resorts of men.
But, though assailed, through God's mercy I was saved from falling; and trusting
in Him whom I had been in youth taught reverence, I was brought safely through.
My early training was in the church of England; and in the ancient parish church
I received in my infancy, the waters of baptism by the hands of the rector, Rev.
Edward Alchine, from whose instructions and catechetical teachings, when I came
of age to understand them, I trust that I received spiritual benefit. But my
religious preferences were in another direction, and I yielded to their persuasions.
I well remember, even with the dawn of reason and reflection, the great controversy,
which was then beginning to range with unwonted heat, even to the dividing of
families.
I had none to aid me in shaping my future course; and though I was prospered in
business and very happy with the wife of my choice, and might have borne my part
in my native village, the feeling increased, that this was not my proper sphere.
Neighbors and friends, the men of Kent, in various quarters, were preparing to
remove to the New World, where success had attended the Plymouth settlers, and
the larger and more imposing colony composed of those who lined the shores of
this beautiful bay. I was in sympathy with these Christians, while still loving the
church from which I had separated, and the 'tender milk' drawn from her breasts.
I saw the day approaching when sharp trials would begin, and I should be excluded
from the few religious privileges which remained for those who already were
stigmatized as schismatic. I determined to join those who were seeking a home in
the wilderness, where we might worship God in a way which we thought was of his
appointment. But how was this to be accomplished with a young family? Measures
of detention, which had now well-nigh reached their culminating point, were daily
becoming more stringent, requiring certificates of uniformity, and oaths of allegiance
and supremacy, of all who purposed embarking for the New World. Vessels were
carefully watched; and none could leave the realm, and take passage for New England,
without special permission, and having submitted to various orders exacted by authority.
I closed up my business in Horsmonden, made my preparations diligently and silently
in connection with a married sister and her husband, and bidding an affectionate adieu
to those of the family left behind, reached the coast in safety, where we found a boat
in readiness to take us to the vessel which was to bear us to our coveted retreat.
I cannot describe to you my sensations on forsaking my native land. Scarce ever beyond
the bounds of my little village, I was leaving home, with all its fond ancestral
associations, never to return. My emotions, on taking the last view of dear Old England,
were such as almost to over power me. All of love, all of memory, returned; and I felt
for the moment a doubt, whether I was in the way of duty in my removal. But it was
only for a moment. When the last speck of Kentish shore disappeared below the horizon,
I girded myself to the undertaking; cast no more lingering looks behind, but looked
forward over the wide waste of waters towards my detained abode; addressed myself
to all that belonged to its duties and obligations; and never at any one moment afterwards,
until the day that God called me hence from earthly scenes, did I regret the resolution I
had taken. We were favored in our passage, and our little fleet reached these shores in the
beautiful noontide of May, when all nature was bursting into life, as if to give us a glad
and smiling welcome to the new home of our pilgrimage.
I look around me; but all is changed that is under the power or control of man. In the
populous towns and cities which have sprung up, I cannot recognize the little hamlets,
once my familiar acquaintance. Even my ancient dwelling places - peaceful and humble
abodes in Cambridge, Concord, Lancaster, and Groton - can no longer be traced or
divined, except by those marks which God himself has established in the flowing waters
of the Charles, the Assabet, and the Nashaway. Strange sights and sounds salute my
senses; mysterious agencies of motion on land and water are all around me; and I
almost feel as if man was in communion with forbidden spirits.
Descendants, - Here I planted my stakes; here I made my home, nor wished to return to
the scenes of my youth. My venture here in new and untried existence, and I loved it.
God favored me with health, friends, and beloved children; while, by his will and the
love of the brethren, I trust I was helpful to the Commonwealth, at least in some humble
measure, in military, legislative, and judicial service, through a long period, until my death.
For all that I was enabled to do I was truly grateful, while conscious of my shortcomings,
and lamenting that my success did not equal my intentions.
It was my earnest wish to train up my children to walk in paths of virtue and usefulness,
and to educate them in human learning according to their capacities, that they might serve
their generation with fidelity. Herein I was aided and blessed in the schools, open to all,
which our honored magistrates and deputies caused to be established, that 'learning might
not be buried in the grave of our fathers, in church and commonwealth; 'and by the
teachings and instructions of worthy Mr. Bulkeley and Mr. Rowlandson. By their regular attendance on public worship, by observing the ordinances, by worship in the family, my
sons and daughters were in the sure way of preparation for good service in life and
becoming examples to their own children.
And now, if, in the day of small things, when we were few in number and weak in power,
surrounded by the savage, with none under God to help us save our own right arm, I was
of any service to church or commonwealth, I desire to first of all thank God, and give
him praise. I will not offer myself as an example for imitation, or commend myself for
having done aught, but only say that I have endeavored.
Consider what God has done for you. The wilderness and the solitary place have been
made glad for you; and the desert rejoices, and blossoms as the rose, as in the days of
Isaiah for the chosen people. Indeed, the little one has become a thousand; and the smal
beginnings, which I witnessed, have widened out to a powerful commonwealth, filled
with comforts, privileges, and blessings, countless in number and leaving little to be
imagined or desired. Think not that your own right hand has wrought out this your happy
condition; but give thanks to Him to whom they belong, and believe that never was a
people more highly favored.
You would honor my memory, and are very free in expressing veneration: but if you
would honor me aright, if you feel the veneration you express, show it by your deeds;
by reverence of that which is higher and holier; by doing all your duty actively and earnestly
in your generation; by adhering to the old paths of justice, faithfulness, and holy trust;
by sincerity in belief, abandoning all Antinomian heresies as you would the other extreme
of dead formalism; by being bold for the right, modestly and firmly maintaining your
opinions, whether called to public station or in the more private walks; following no
man and no cause because of popularity, shunning no man and no cause you believe to
be right because of unpopularity or reproach; but avoiding the parasite and self seeker,
and standing bravely by your own convictions. Thus did my son, even Samuel, in the
time of his pilgrimage, when he set himself in opposition to the greatest delusion that
ever visited this land, subjecting himself to great trial in the coldness of friends, and
the harsh judgment of an entire community; but, unmoved in his purpose, sustained by
his conscientious view of the right, calmly awaited that revolution in sentiment which at
once was the earnest and reward of his long and patient suffering.
Farewell !
Simon Willard
[Born 1605 Died 1676]"
One of the things that caught my attention was the reference to the trials of his
son, Samuel Willard, and a quick look up on Wikipedia showed that the Rev.
Samuel Willard had strongly opposed the Witchcraft trials. But the "greatest
delusion" had taken place nearly twenty years after the death of Simon Willard!
With a bit of digging I found "The Willard Memoir: Or, Life and Times of
Major Simon Willard " written by Joseph Willard in 1858. The full text was not
available on Googlebooks. I did, however, find the table of contents for the
book on Digital Editions and found my answer . There, listed under the Conclusion,
was this:
"The Voice of Warning and Instruction in the supposed Words of the
Subject of this Memoir, addressed to his Descendants, pp. 441-452."
Joseph Willard had imagined and written a letter from his ancestor. no doubt
to express his own view, but also unintentionally misleading future generations of
Willard descendants into thinking it had really been written by Simon Willard!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
SIMON WILLARD PART 3
The pace of the war picked up as the Summer of 1675 drew to a close. In September,
the New England colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut and New Haven
formally declared war on 9 September. The Indians countered with attacks on
the towns of Deerfield, Hadley, and Brookfield, followed by Springfield and Hatfield
in October. While Simon Willard did the best he could to bolster defenses and
protect the towns, he didn't have enough manpower to be effective. Most of the troops
were deployed in the south to protect the more populous areas of Massachusetts and
Connecticut.
Matters worsened after the colonists attacked the Narragansett Indian settlement in
Rhode Island in the Great Swamp Fight which brought that tribe into a more active
role in fighting the colonists. Numerous settlements were destroyed or damaged
so badly that their inhabitants were forced to evacuate them and move back towards
the safety of the coastline. Among these were Simon Willard's own family. In
February 1676 the town of Lancaster was abandoned after an attack. Most of the
survivors of the attack had sheltered in a blockhouse owned by Cyprian Stevens,
Simon's son-in-law, which probably had been Simon's before his move to Groton.
The following month, it was Groton that fell and Willard's home was burned to the
ground. Like so many other colonists, the Willard family moved back to the safety of
Charlestown.
Even after that, the 70 year old kept up his busy work load, as this letter to
his superiors shows about his activities in the month of March, 1676:
" A short narrative of what I have attended unto by the Councill of late, since I
went to relieve G-roatton. The 21:1: 75-76, I went to Concord, and divided the
troope committed unto me from Essex & Norfolke into three pts one to garde
the carte, pressed from Sudbury, one pt for ye carte pressed from concord, both
to Lancaster, one pt for ye carte that went from Charlestowne & Wattertowne that
went vol- iiitiers or wear hiered when I had sent them to their severall places I
came downe being the 22: 1: 75-6 : & went to concord the 25 : 1: 75, when I
came there & inquired how it was with Lancaster the answer was they weare in
distresse, I prsently sent 40 horse thither to fetch awaye corne, and I went that
night to Chellmsfoord to se how it was with them, they complayned, Billerikye
Bridge, stood in great need of beinge fortified, I ordered that to be don, allso
they told me, that the Indians made two great rafts of board & rayles, that they
had gott, that laye at the other syd of the river, I ordered 20 souldiers to go
over & take them, & towe them downe the River, or prserve them as they se
cause, the 27 of this instant I went from Chellmsford to concord agayne when
I came there, the troopers that I sent to Lancaster last had brought away all the
people there, but had left about 80 bushells of wheat & Indian corne, yesterday
I sent: 40: horses or more to fetch it away, & came down from concord, this
day I expect they will be at concord, Some of the troope I relesed when this
last worke was don, the other I left order to scout abroad untill they heare
from me agayne, I thought it not meet to relese men, when we stand in need
of men, my desire is to know what I shall do herin in, concord & chelmsford
look every day to be fired, and wold have more men but know not how to
keepe them, nor paye them,
your humble servant.
Simon Willard 29:1:76. "
(from Mass State Archives vol 68 page 186, quoted in "Soldiers in King
Philip's War" by George Madison Bodge, Leominster, Ma, 1896.)
Simon Willard had returned to Charlestown on the same day he wrote this letter
and was performing his duties as part of the legislature when he came down with
what probably was the influenza. Perhaps he had already been weakened by
the stress on his health that such an active life in cold weather had put upon his
septuagenarian body. He died on 24 April,1676 and six military companies
took part in his funeral procession when he was buried on 27 April.
Simon Willard's family remained prominent in New England. Two of his
descendants were Presidents of Harvard University and ironically, the
name Simon Willard is better known because of another descendant, the
inventor of the Willard "banjo" wall clock. It's not surprising since
most of the heroes of the King Philip's War have been overshadowed by the
better known heroes of the French and Indian Wars and The American
Revolution.
But in the earliest days of the New England colonies when their existence was
threatened, it was men like Simon Willard who helped ensure their survival.
the New England colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut and New Haven
formally declared war on 9 September. The Indians countered with attacks on
the towns of Deerfield, Hadley, and Brookfield, followed by Springfield and Hatfield
in October. While Simon Willard did the best he could to bolster defenses and
protect the towns, he didn't have enough manpower to be effective. Most of the troops
were deployed in the south to protect the more populous areas of Massachusetts and
Connecticut.
Matters worsened after the colonists attacked the Narragansett Indian settlement in
Rhode Island in the Great Swamp Fight which brought that tribe into a more active
role in fighting the colonists. Numerous settlements were destroyed or damaged
so badly that their inhabitants were forced to evacuate them and move back towards
the safety of the coastline. Among these were Simon Willard's own family. In
February 1676 the town of Lancaster was abandoned after an attack. Most of the
survivors of the attack had sheltered in a blockhouse owned by Cyprian Stevens,
Simon's son-in-law, which probably had been Simon's before his move to Groton.
The following month, it was Groton that fell and Willard's home was burned to the
ground. Like so many other colonists, the Willard family moved back to the safety of
Charlestown.
Even after that, the 70 year old kept up his busy work load, as this letter to
his superiors shows about his activities in the month of March, 1676:
" A short narrative of what I have attended unto by the Councill of late, since I
went to relieve G-roatton. The 21:1: 75-76, I went to Concord, and divided the
troope committed unto me from Essex & Norfolke into three pts one to garde
the carte, pressed from Sudbury, one pt for ye carte pressed from concord, both
to Lancaster, one pt for ye carte that went from Charlestowne & Wattertowne that
went vol- iiitiers or wear hiered when I had sent them to their severall places I
came downe being the 22: 1: 75-6 : & went to concord the 25 : 1: 75, when I
came there & inquired how it was with Lancaster the answer was they weare in
distresse, I prsently sent 40 horse thither to fetch awaye corne, and I went that
night to Chellmsfoord to se how it was with them, they complayned, Billerikye
Bridge, stood in great need of beinge fortified, I ordered that to be don, allso
they told me, that the Indians made two great rafts of board & rayles, that they
had gott, that laye at the other syd of the river, I ordered 20 souldiers to go
over & take them, & towe them downe the River, or prserve them as they se
cause, the 27 of this instant I went from Chellmsford to concord agayne when
I came there, the troopers that I sent to Lancaster last had brought away all the
people there, but had left about 80 bushells of wheat & Indian corne, yesterday
I sent: 40: horses or more to fetch it away, & came down from concord, this
day I expect they will be at concord, Some of the troope I relesed when this
last worke was don, the other I left order to scout abroad untill they heare
from me agayne, I thought it not meet to relese men, when we stand in need
of men, my desire is to know what I shall do herin in, concord & chelmsford
look every day to be fired, and wold have more men but know not how to
keepe them, nor paye them,
your humble servant.
Simon Willard 29:1:76. "
(from Mass State Archives vol 68 page 186, quoted in "Soldiers in King
Philip's War" by George Madison Bodge, Leominster, Ma, 1896.)
Simon Willard had returned to Charlestown on the same day he wrote this letter
and was performing his duties as part of the legislature when he came down with
what probably was the influenza. Perhaps he had already been weakened by
the stress on his health that such an active life in cold weather had put upon his
septuagenarian body. He died on 24 April,1676 and six military companies
took part in his funeral procession when he was buried on 27 April.
Simon Willard's family remained prominent in New England. Two of his
descendants were Presidents of Harvard University and ironically, the
name Simon Willard is better known because of another descendant, the
inventor of the Willard "banjo" wall clock. It's not surprising since
most of the heroes of the King Philip's War have been overshadowed by the
better known heroes of the French and Indian Wars and The American
Revolution.
But in the earliest days of the New England colonies when their existence was
threatened, it was men like Simon Willard who helped ensure their survival.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
SIMON WILLARD PART 2
In 1661 Massasoit,Sachem of the Pokanoket and the Wampanoag Confederacy
died. He'd had good relations for the most part with the settlers of Plymouth
Colony and a good case can be made that without his help, the settlement might
not have survived. But forty years of peace ended with his death. He was succeeded
first by his son Wamsutta, who felt his father had given the settlers too much
land and was seeking an alliance with the rival Connecticut colony when he died
under questionable circumstances in 1662. Massasoit's other son Metacom, now
became the grand sachem of the Wampanoags. He was better known to the
English as "King Philip."
Tensions mounted between the colony and the Indians as Philip sought to make
alliances with other tribes against the colonists and finally came to a head in1675.
John Sassamon, an Indian convert who'd gone to Harvard, warned the leaders
at Plymouth about Metacom's latest attempts to persuade the other tribes to
join in attacks on the settlers. A short while later Sassamon was murdered and
three Wampanoag Indians were arrested, tried, and convicted for the crime.
They were hung on 8 Jun 1675 . Two weeks later on 20 June, the town of Swansea
was attacked by Indians and destroyed five days later. The conflict that historians
call "King Philip's War" had begun.
Even though Simon Willard was now seventy years old, he was still in charge of
the defense of Middlesex County and despite his age went about it vigorously.
He led a small force of militiamen and friendly Indians and went from town to
town checking their fortifications and preparedness for attacks. At first these
were limited to the southern part of the colony but on 2 August a band of Nipmuc
Indians attacked the small town of Brookfield. The settlers took shelter in the
strongest building in town and held off the Indians for three days and made
attempts to send out messengers to find help.
Around noon on 5 August one found Simon Willard who was leading a mounted
force of 47 men from Lancaster to Groton. He immediately started out for
Brookfield which was about thirty miles from where the message had found him
and arrived at the besieged town shortly after dark. The Indians retreated at the
sudden arrival of Willard and his men and the Brookfield settlers were saved.
Four days later, the Indians attacked Lancaster, Simon Willard's previous place of
residence. Could it have been because of his rescue of Brookfield and his
prominence in the defence of the colony? Whether coincidental or deliberate,
the attack was one of many more to come.
It would be a busy fall and winter for Simon Willard.
died. He'd had good relations for the most part with the settlers of Plymouth
Colony and a good case can be made that without his help, the settlement might
not have survived. But forty years of peace ended with his death. He was succeeded
first by his son Wamsutta, who felt his father had given the settlers too much
land and was seeking an alliance with the rival Connecticut colony when he died
under questionable circumstances in 1662. Massasoit's other son Metacom, now
became the grand sachem of the Wampanoags. He was better known to the
English as "King Philip."
Tensions mounted between the colony and the Indians as Philip sought to make
alliances with other tribes against the colonists and finally came to a head in1675.
John Sassamon, an Indian convert who'd gone to Harvard, warned the leaders
at Plymouth about Metacom's latest attempts to persuade the other tribes to
join in attacks on the settlers. A short while later Sassamon was murdered and
three Wampanoag Indians were arrested, tried, and convicted for the crime.
They were hung on 8 Jun 1675 . Two weeks later on 20 June, the town of Swansea
was attacked by Indians and destroyed five days later. The conflict that historians
call "King Philip's War" had begun.
Even though Simon Willard was now seventy years old, he was still in charge of
the defense of Middlesex County and despite his age went about it vigorously.
He led a small force of militiamen and friendly Indians and went from town to
town checking their fortifications and preparedness for attacks. At first these
were limited to the southern part of the colony but on 2 August a band of Nipmuc
Indians attacked the small town of Brookfield. The settlers took shelter in the
strongest building in town and held off the Indians for three days and made
attempts to send out messengers to find help.
Around noon on 5 August one found Simon Willard who was leading a mounted
force of 47 men from Lancaster to Groton. He immediately started out for
Brookfield which was about thirty miles from where the message had found him
and arrived at the besieged town shortly after dark. The Indians retreated at the
sudden arrival of Willard and his men and the Brookfield settlers were saved.
Four days later, the Indians attacked Lancaster, Simon Willard's previous place of
residence. Could it have been because of his rescue of Brookfield and his
prominence in the defence of the colony? Whether coincidental or deliberate,
the attack was one of many more to come.
It would be a busy fall and winter for Simon Willard.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
SIMON WILLARD PART 1
Simon Willard is one of those figures in American history that played an important
part in the foundation of the colonies but who are largely unknown today. He
was born in 1605 in Horsmonden, Kent, England and emigrated to the Massachusetts
Bay Colony with his family in May, 1634 and became a fur trader. A year later he
and several other settlers purchased land from Indians that eventually became the
town of Concord. Reverend Peter Bulkeley was one of these settlers and so the group
met the requirements for a "'covenant town." Simon would serve as the town's
representative in the General Court from 1635 until 1654.
His good relations with the Indians did not go unnoticed by the colonial government
and he was given positions of authority in the militia, which might also indicate he'd
had some sort of military experience in England before he'd left for America. In 1653
he was made a Major in the Middlesex Militia and a year afterwards led an expedition
against the Narraganset Indians. Somehow he also managed to make time to also work
as a surveyor and in that line of work traveled as far north as Lake Winnipesaukee in
1652.
In 1658 the town of Lancaster invited him to take up residence there, citing a need for
a “controlling mind” or leader. But I wonder if perhaps this was also an attempt to gain
some respectability in the eyes of the colonial government by a town whose founder,
my other ancestor John Prescott, had not been looked upon favorably. And Willard’s
experience dealing with the local Indians might also have prompted the invitation by
the town on the western edge of the colony.
Whatever the town’s reason, Simon Willard accepted the offer and moved his family
from Concord to Lancaster in 1658. Twelve years later he moved again to the nearby
town of Groton where one of his sons was minister.
Simon Willard was now in his mid-sixties, an advanced age in a time where the average
lifespan was around thirty or forty years. He might have expected to live out the rest of
his life uneventfully, but that was not to be the case.
part in the foundation of the colonies but who are largely unknown today. He
was born in 1605 in Horsmonden, Kent, England and emigrated to the Massachusetts
Bay Colony with his family in May, 1634 and became a fur trader. A year later he
and several other settlers purchased land from Indians that eventually became the
town of Concord. Reverend Peter Bulkeley was one of these settlers and so the group
met the requirements for a "'covenant town." Simon would serve as the town's
representative in the General Court from 1635 until 1654.
His good relations with the Indians did not go unnoticed by the colonial government
and he was given positions of authority in the militia, which might also indicate he'd
had some sort of military experience in England before he'd left for America. In 1653
he was made a Major in the Middlesex Militia and a year afterwards led an expedition
against the Narraganset Indians. Somehow he also managed to make time to also work
as a surveyor and in that line of work traveled as far north as Lake Winnipesaukee in
1652.
In 1658 the town of Lancaster invited him to take up residence there, citing a need for
a “controlling mind” or leader. But I wonder if perhaps this was also an attempt to gain
some respectability in the eyes of the colonial government by a town whose founder,
my other ancestor John Prescott, had not been looked upon favorably. And Willard’s
experience dealing with the local Indians might also have prompted the invitation by
the town on the western edge of the colony.
Whatever the town’s reason, Simon Willard accepted the offer and moved his family
from Concord to Lancaster in 1658. Twelve years later he moved again to the nearby
town of Groton where one of his sons was minister.
Simon Willard was now in his mid-sixties, an advanced age in a time where the average
lifespan was around thirty or forty years. He might have expected to live out the rest of
his life uneventfully, but that was not to be the case.
Monday, January 26, 2009
BUT I STILL CAN'T PAHK MY CAH IN HAHVERD YAHD
I've mentioned before, I think, my practice of occasionally picking the
name of one of my ancestors and doing a Google web and Google Books
search to see if I can find some new information on them. This has had some
good results for me and provided me with material for blog posts as well. A
few weeks back I mentioned I was planning a post about Simon Willard (it's
coming soon). But first I want to discuss his relative by marriage, Henry
Dunster, the first President of Harvard College.
After the death of his first wife Mary Sharpe, Simon Willard married Elizabeth
Dunster, one of Henry Dunster's sisters, but she died shortly after their marriage.
Simon then married Mary Dunster. There seems to be some confusion as to
whether she was another of Henry Dunster's sisters or a cousin but it is agreed
that she was related to him. What interests me about this connection is not so
much that Henry Dunster was Harvard's first President, but how he came to
be so and how I first learned the story behind it.
Harvard's first professor was a man named Nathaniel Eaton who from all
accounts was a great believer in the "spare the rod, spoil the child" school of
education and frequently beat his students. In 1639 he apparently went too
far and injured a student badly enough to spark an investigation into his
methods and into his handling of the school funds. Among other accusations,
it was charged that he and his wife had skimped on the food allowance. Mrs.
Eaton was supposed to have confessed that she'd added goat dung to the
hasty pudding! In the face of this scandal, Eaton left Boston for Virginia and
Harvard was closed for a year until 1640 when Henry Dunster was appointed
to take his place.
Ironically, it appears I am also related to Nathaniel Eaton through my ancestor
Peter Eaton, who might have been his brother.
Now when I saw all this on my Google search, I had to smile. I'd already read
about it several years ago in a novel "Harvard Yard" by William Martin. I've
mentioned it before as a book that involves genealogy as part of a mystery and
I highly recommend all of William Martin's books. Better still, if he stops in
our bookstore again to autograph his books as he's done many times in the past,
I'll tell him about my ancestor's connection to his novel!
name of one of my ancestors and doing a Google web and Google Books
search to see if I can find some new information on them. This has had some
good results for me and provided me with material for blog posts as well. A
few weeks back I mentioned I was planning a post about Simon Willard (it's
coming soon). But first I want to discuss his relative by marriage, Henry
Dunster, the first President of Harvard College.
After the death of his first wife Mary Sharpe, Simon Willard married Elizabeth
Dunster, one of Henry Dunster's sisters, but she died shortly after their marriage.
Simon then married Mary Dunster. There seems to be some confusion as to
whether she was another of Henry Dunster's sisters or a cousin but it is agreed
that she was related to him. What interests me about this connection is not so
much that Henry Dunster was Harvard's first President, but how he came to
be so and how I first learned the story behind it.
Harvard's first professor was a man named Nathaniel Eaton who from all
accounts was a great believer in the "spare the rod, spoil the child" school of
education and frequently beat his students. In 1639 he apparently went too
far and injured a student badly enough to spark an investigation into his
methods and into his handling of the school funds. Among other accusations,
it was charged that he and his wife had skimped on the food allowance. Mrs.
Eaton was supposed to have confessed that she'd added goat dung to the
hasty pudding! In the face of this scandal, Eaton left Boston for Virginia and
Harvard was closed for a year until 1640 when Henry Dunster was appointed
to take his place.
Ironically, it appears I am also related to Nathaniel Eaton through my ancestor
Peter Eaton, who might have been his brother.
Now when I saw all this on my Google search, I had to smile. I'd already read
about it several years ago in a novel "Harvard Yard" by William Martin. I've
mentioned it before as a book that involves genealogy as part of a mystery and
I highly recommend all of William Martin's books. Better still, if he stops in
our bookstore again to autograph his books as he's done many times in the past,
I'll tell him about my ancestor's connection to his novel!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
MY BRICKWALL ANCESTOR, JOHN CUTTER WEST 1802-1862 Part 2
Negative Searches: Back in November of 2007 I posted "The Search Goes On"
and told about how those of us researching John Cutter West have so far had
no luck in finding any record of his birth in either Plymouth County or the
town of Plymouth, Ma. So far that still remains the case. Randy Seaver kindly
tried his hand at it and found several leads but so far none of those have panned
out as well. I've also searched at the NEHGS website for any reference but
that has not been successful either nor have the several visits to the local
FHC center in Hingham.
Resources to check: I need to get into Boston to the NEGHS and the State
Archives so that I can follow up on Randy's suggestions about looking into
the probate records for Plymouth Ma. and Oxford County, Maine. I also
need to look further into purchasing a copy of John Cutter West's death
certificate if it is available. More trips to the FHC also, since I'm well
aware that it might take quite a bit of searching before I find what I need
there.
I've also begun looking into the families that first settled Canton and Sumner
Maine. I recently found a brief history of Sumner from George Varney's
"Gazetteer of the State of Maine"(1886) that gives a list of the early
settlers there and says most came from Plymouth County and were
Revolutionary War veterans. I'll widen the search out to the neighboring
towns as well since many New England towns broke off from each other
and it's possible there is a record of John Cutter West's family in one of
the newer towns that might once have been part of Canton.
Of course, if he didn't come to Maine with his family but came on his own as
a worker of a bachelor seeking to make his way in the world, then I may not find
a record of his parents in Maine at all!
But in any case, as I've said before, the search goes on!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
TWO YEAR BLOGIVERSARY
The second part of my post on my brickwall ancestor John Cutter West
will be posted Saturday night. But I wanted to make note that it's now
been two years since I began this blog on January 23,2007 and to thank
all my readers and fellow geneabloggers for visiting "West in New England".
Your comments and help in my research have been greatly appreciated and
I've had a blast writing here!
Thanks again!
will be posted Saturday night. But I wanted to make note that it's now
been two years since I began this blog on January 23,2007 and to thank
all my readers and fellow geneabloggers for visiting "West in New England".
Your comments and help in my research have been greatly appreciated and
I've had a blast writing here!
Thanks again!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
MY BRICKWALL ANCESTOR, JOHN CUTTER WEST 1802-1862 Part 1
Miriam over at Ancestories has proposed that those of us with
brickwall ancestors write a detailed post on them with what
we know, what we want to know, results of what we have searched
and where we think we should research next. So here's my first,
John Cutter West. I've used the format Miriam suggested but I'm
breaking this into two parts because of the length:
Name: John Cutter West
What I want to Know: His place of birth and the names of his parents.
Known Information:
Born 8 Oct 1802 in Plymouth, Ma. (But no record of his birth has yet
been found there by myself or by other descendants searching for it.)
Married Arvilla Ames 23 Sept 1827 in the town of Sumner, Oxford,
Maine. (I have a copy of the marriage certificate from the town clerk but
there is no information on it about his parentage)
1830 Census, Canton, Oxford, Maine. He appears as head of household
with following notations on family:
1 male under age 5 (oldest son, Asa Atwood West, born in 1830)
1 male of 10 and under 15 years of age (person not known)
1 male of 20 and under 30 years of age.(John would have been 28.)
1 female under age 5 (daughter Ann Matilda West was born in 1828.)
1 female of 20 and under 30 years of age (wife Arvilla Ames West was 20.)
1837 Special Federal Census. Township Letter B, Oxford County, Maine. Head of
household with following notations on the family:
2 persons under 4 years old (probably Jonathan Phelps and Vienna Ames West)
3 persons between 4 and 21 years old (Ann Matilda, Asa Atwood and John West )
3 persons over 21 years old (John ,his wife Arvilla and an unknown person)
1840 Federal Census Township Letter B, Oxford County, Maine.
Head of household
with following notations on family:
2 males under 5 years old (Hiram Ferdinand West and unknown)
2 males between 5 and 10 years old (John West and Jonathan Phelps West)
2 males between 10 and 15 years old( Asa Atwood West and unknown)
1 male between 40 and 50 years old (John Cutter West?)
1 female under fiver years old (Vienna Ames West)
1 female between 10 and 15 years old (Ann Matilda West)
1 female between 40 and 50 years old (Arvilla Ames West)
1850 Federal Census for Township Letter B, Oxford County, Maine.
Head of Household, Age 47,
Occupation blacksmith
"value of real estate owned" $800. Born in Massachusetts.
Household includes:
Arvilla West, age 40
Asa A. West, age 20, occupation farmer.
John C. West Jr., age 18, occupation farmer.
Jonathan P. West , age 16, occupation farmer.
Viana (sic) West, age 14
Hiram F. West,. age 12
Clarinda B. West, age 9
Arvilla A, West, age 6
Leonidas West , age 3
1860 Federal Census, Upton(Formerly Letter B), Oxford County, Maine
Head of Household, age 57, occupation farmer & blacksmith,
"value of real estate" $1000.
"personal estate," $500.
Household includes:
Arabella (sic) West age 50
Jonathan West age 26
Clarinda West, age 19
Hiram F. West, age 21
Arabella (sic) E. West, age 16
Leander(sic) West, age 12
Ruth E West, age 9 (listed as idiot)
David P West, age 6
Orpha Reynolds, age 19
Died 24 Jul 1862 . Death recorded in West Family Bible.
brickwall ancestors write a detailed post on them with what
we know, what we want to know, results of what we have searched
and where we think we should research next. So here's my first,
John Cutter West. I've used the format Miriam suggested but I'm
breaking this into two parts because of the length:
Name: John Cutter West
What I want to Know: His place of birth and the names of his parents.
Known Information:
Born 8 Oct 1802 in Plymouth, Ma. (But no record of his birth has yet
been found there by myself or by other descendants searching for it.)
Married Arvilla Ames 23 Sept 1827 in the town of Sumner, Oxford,
Maine. (I have a copy of the marriage certificate from the town clerk but
there is no information on it about his parentage)
1830 Census, Canton, Oxford, Maine. He appears as head of household
with following notations on family:
1 male under age 5 (oldest son, Asa Atwood West, born in 1830)
1 male of 10 and under 15 years of age (person not known)
1 male of 20 and under 30 years of age.(John would have been 28.)
1 female under age 5 (daughter Ann Matilda West was born in 1828.)
1 female of 20 and under 30 years of age (wife Arvilla Ames West was 20.)
1837 Special Federal Census. Township Letter B, Oxford County, Maine. Head of
household with following notations on the family:
2 persons under 4 years old (probably Jonathan Phelps and Vienna Ames West)
3 persons between 4 and 21 years old (Ann Matilda, Asa Atwood and John West )
3 persons over 21 years old (John ,his wife Arvilla and an unknown person)
1840 Federal Census Township Letter B, Oxford County, Maine.
Head of household
with following notations on family:
2 males under 5 years old (Hiram Ferdinand West and unknown)
2 males between 5 and 10 years old (John West and Jonathan Phelps West)
2 males between 10 and 15 years old( Asa Atwood West and unknown)
1 male between 40 and 50 years old (John Cutter West?)
1 female under fiver years old (Vienna Ames West)
1 female between 10 and 15 years old (Ann Matilda West)
1 female between 40 and 50 years old (Arvilla Ames West)
1850 Federal Census for Township Letter B, Oxford County, Maine.
Head of Household, Age 47,
Occupation blacksmith
"value of real estate owned" $800. Born in Massachusetts.
Household includes:
Arvilla West, age 40
Asa A. West, age 20, occupation farmer.
John C. West Jr., age 18, occupation farmer.
Jonathan P. West , age 16, occupation farmer.
Viana (sic) West, age 14
Hiram F. West,. age 12
Clarinda B. West, age 9
Arvilla A, West, age 6
Leonidas West , age 3
1860 Federal Census, Upton(Formerly Letter B), Oxford County, Maine
Head of Household, age 57, occupation farmer & blacksmith,
"value of real estate" $1000.
"personal estate," $500.
Household includes:
Arabella (sic) West age 50
Jonathan West age 26
Clarinda West, age 19
Hiram F. West, age 21
Arabella (sic) E. West, age 16
Leander(sic) West, age 12
Ruth E West, age 9 (listed as idiot)
David P West, age 6
Orpha Reynolds, age 19
Died 24 Jul 1862 . Death recorded in West Family Bible.
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