Surname Saturday - Rev. Thomas Carter of Woburn

I have already written a bit about my immigrant Carter ancestor, Rev. Thomas Carter of Woburn. He was the first minister of Woburn. Under his ministry the church grew and flourished. In Johnson's "Wonder-working Providence" (published in 1654), he is described as a "reverend godly man, apt to teach the sound and wholesome truths of Christ" and "much encreased with the encreasings of Christ Jesus, of whose labours in the Lord as followeth."

The Ordination of Rev. Thomas Carter

Carter, Christ hath his wayes thee taught, an them [thou]
Hast not with-held his Word, but unto all
With's word of power dost cause stout souls to bow, 
And meek as Lambs before thy Christ to fall:
The antient truths, plain paths, they fit thee best, 
The lowly heart, Christ learns his lovely hest, 
Thy meekness shews thy Christ to thee is nigh; 
Yet must thou shew Christ makes his bold to be
As Lions, that none may his truths tread down, 
Pastoral power he hath invested thee
With, it maintain, least he on thee do frown:
Thy youth thou hast in this New-England spent, 
Full sixteen years to water, plant, and prune
Trees taken up, and for that end here sent; 
Thy end's with Christ, with Saints his praises tune.

When he died, the town paid for his funeral expenses. Among the charges is one for fourteen gallons of wine. According to The History of Woburn, the custom of the day was to bury their paupers with rum and their wealthy men and ministers with wine.

Rev. Thomas Carter and his wife, Mary Parkhurst had eight children.
1. Samuel was born August 8, 1640 and graduated from Harvard College in 1660. He held a number of   town offices and married Eunice Brooks. They had eight children.
2. Judith married first Dea. Edward Converse and second Giles Fifield.
3. Mary was born July 24, 1648 and married John Wyman, Jr. He was killed by the Indians at the Swamp Fight, December 19, 1675. She married as her second husband, Nathaniel Bachiler (Batchelder) of Hampton, N.H. She had eight children with her second husband. Mary & Nathaniel are the 7th great-grandparents of Clayton Blake who married Linona Yates, my mother's mother. 
4. Abigail was born January 10, 1649/50 and married John Smith.
5. Timothy was born June 12, 1653 and married Anna Fiske, daughter of David Fiske of Cambridge (Lexington) on May 3, 1680. They had thirteen children, three of whom died before their parents. Timothy and his brother, Thomas, were husbandmen and proprietors of "several considerable tracts of land."
6. Thomas was born June 8, 1655 and married Margery Whitmore (Whittemore).

Timothy, son of Rev. Thomas and Mary (Parkhurst) Carter and wife Anna had:
1. David born October 17, 1681 and died May 22, 1736.
2. Timothy born July 12, 1683 and died the same year.
3. Anna born July 17, 1684.
4. Timothy born October 17, 1686.
5. Theophilus born October 20, 1688.
6. Thomas born August 14, 1690.
7. Abigail born March 18, 1692.
8. Sarah born November 24, 1694.
9. Elizabeth born August 27, 1696 and died June 26, 1709.
10. Benjamin born March 22, 1699 and died soon after.
11. Mary born June 23, 1700.
12. Martha born July 22, 1702.
13. Benjamin born November 8, 1704. Benjamin married Sarah Stone.

Timothy, son of Benjamin & Sarah (Stone) Carter, married Sarah Walker. Their son, Dr. Timothy Carter married Frances Freeland and moved to Bethel, Maine. Elias Mellen Carter, son of Dr. Timothy & Frances (Freeland) Carter married Irish immigrant, Rebecca Williamson and their son, Augustus Mellen Carter fought in the Civil War. Augustus married Mary Frances Stanley and had Edward Mellen Carter. Edward Mellen Carter married Fannie May Capen and they are the parents of my grandfather, Thomas Richard Carter.

Thomas Richard Carter - my grandfather

The History of Woburn, Middlesex County, Mass., from the grant of its territory to Charlestown, in 1640, to the year 1680. by Rev. Charles C. Sewall.
Johnson's Wonder-Working Providence, 1628-1651 ed. by J. Franklin Jameson

The Eccentric Moulton Twins

From The History of Hampton, New Hampshire (p. 862) by Joseph Dow, comes the following story about the twin daughters of John Moulton. They were the sisters of my 10th great-grandmother, Mary Moulton. They never married, were inseparable, and died on the same day, March 19, 1698/9.

"The twins, Jane and Bridget, for many years lived in a small house built for them by the roadside, near the site of Mr. Joseph Johnson's barn. Anecdotes illustrative of some peculiarities in their temperament and character have been handed down by tradition. There is also preserved (N.H. Hist. Soc. Col. III:122) a letter of Rev. Cotton Mather, to a gentleman of London, in 1716, wherein he says of them:
'At Hampton, a Town about Fifty miles from this place (Boston), there were Twin sisters, whose names were Bridget and Jane Moulton. The perpetual Harmony and Sympathy between the sisters was the observation of the neighborhood. They were never contented except they were together. If the one were desirous to go abroad, the other would be impatient of staying at home. If the one were merry, the other would be airy. If the one were troubled, the other would be chagrin [ed]. When one was for carding, the other was for spinning. For their Dispositions and Satisfaction there was a strange Agreement betwixt them. The particulars wherein every body with pleasure and wonder saw how they were agreed, and how like your famous Twins of Hippocrates, which you tell us would Fiere et Ridere simul (weep and laugh at the same time), were numberless. They lived a Virgin life, and in this good accord, reached about three-score years. Then Death after a short sickness arrested the one of them. The other grew full of pain, and bid her friends not be in a hurry about her sister's funeral for her's mus accompany it. By dying within a few hours after her sister, she answered their expectations. Mr. John Cotton, the worthy minister of the place, preached a Funeral sermon for this occasion on those words, 2 Samuel 1:23 'In their Death they were not divided.'"

Society Saturday - Piscataqua Pioneers

While attending NERGC, I stopped by a table showcasing the Piscataqua Pioneers Historical and Genealogical Society. I knew I had a fairly large number of ancestors from this region so the name caught my eye. They were offering a discount on their book: Piscataqua Pioneers: Selected Biographies of Early Settlers in Northern New England. It is regularly $40 and I got it for $30 - either way it is a bargain! It includes a cd of  the entire book in a searchable pdf! The maps and history of the area are very interesting and then the book goes on to provide short biographies of the early families. I've been neglecting my blog because I'm spending every minute I can with the book. I've found some great stories for future blog posts. I am in LOVE! 

As with any of the early colonial settlements, the families intermarried frequently making an complex web of relationships. I have ancestors on all four of my grandparents' lines in the book and I've been adding large amounts of information to my tree! I think I will be applying for membership in the society this year. The big question is which of the many families will I use for the basis of my membership...

Here are just the A and B surnames in the book that are direct ancestors. 

Dad's Side: 
John Alcock
William Berry
Nathaniel Boulter

Mom's Side:
Walter Abbott 
John Bean - Scottish prisoner - I wondered if I had one of these in my tree! 
Ralph Blaisdell
Anthony Brackett

Both: 
Rev. Stephen Bachiler/Batchelder
Jasper Blake


The web site: http://www.piscataquapioneers.org/index.html
To purchase the book: http://www.piscataquapioneers.org/bookPP.html

My Scottish Prisoner of War Ancestor

On September 3, 1651, the Battle of Worcester became the final battle in the English Civil War. On that day the forces of Oliver Cromwell defeated the Royalist forces of Charles II. Most of those fighting for Charles II were Scottish. About 3,000 men were killed during the battle and as many as ten thousand taken prisoner. The actual number of prisoners varies from one source to another. Many of these prisoners, at least those who survived long enough, were deported to New England, Bermuda, and the West Indies. Upon arrival, they were sold as indentured servants to repay the cost of their transport. Many who arrived in Massachusetts worked in the Saugus Iron Works. Heather Rojo wrote a post about the passengers on the John & Sara recently and I thought it was a very interesting story. She does a good job explaining the names got spelled phonetically and in the case of my ancestor, John MacBean/Bean became John Beme. With the help of the Piscataqua Pioneers book that I bought recently, I was able to confirm that this prisoner was my ancestor. 

http://www.henley-in-arden.org/history.html

John Bean (Bane, Baine, MacBean) was sold to Nicholas Lissen and taken to New Hampshire to work at the saw mills co-owed by Lissen and some other New Hampshire businessmen. He married Hannah Lissen, his master's daughter and they had three children before she died in childbirth. Their oldest child, Mary was born June 18, 1655. She was only about four years old when her mother died in childbirth. John married a second time to a woman named Margaret (last name unknown). He had nine children with his second wife. 

In 2004, colonial historian, Diane Rapaport, wrote an article called Scots For Sale for New England Ancestors Magazine. She included the following description of how three daughters of Nicholas Lissen married Scotsmen. 

John Bean & Hannah Lissen
Mary Bean & Joel Judkins
Samuel Judkins & Abigail Harriman
Joel Judkins & Mehitable Elkins
Joseph Judkins & Rebecca Sanborn
Moses Judkins & Abigail (or Apphia) Perry
Betsy Judkins & Calvin Cole
Apphia Cole & Sydney Hayes
George Hayes & Anna Rowe
Eva Hayes & Estes Yates
Linona Alice Yates - my grandmother

Sources:
Battle of Worcester - Wikipedia
Scottish Emigration to Colonial America, 1607-1785
Passenger List of the John and Sara

Military Monday - Affidavit for Widow's Pension Request

Peter C. Virgin testifying on behalf of Harriet C. (Bean) Brown as she filed for a pension following the death of her husband, Simeon F. Brown, in Louisiana. He was serving with the 12th Maine Infantry, Company D.

     I Peter C. Virgin of Rumford

In the County of  Oxford and State of Maine on oath

state, that I was well acquainted with Simeon F. 

Brown late of Co. D 12th Maine Regiment, who is

reported to have died at New Orleans January 9th 1863, 

and am also well acquainted with Harriet C.

(cross-out) Brown his former wife, and that she has 

not remarried since the reported death of her said

husband, and that said Simeon F. Brown left

but his children and their names are Isabel C. 

Brown who is aged six years, and Phebe

K. Brown aged one years + ten months. 

    These facts I state from knowledge + belief 

derived from intimate personal acquaintance with the 

family of said Simeon F. Brown. 

    I further state that I have no interest in 

any claim of said Harriet C. Brown against the

United States. 

Peter C. Virgin

Oxford (?) Subscribed and sworn to this fourth

day of March 1863. I further certify that the

officiant is a (cross-out) respectable and credible person 

and that I have no interest in the subject matter

hereof. 

Sidney Perham Justice of the Peace

NERGC Wrap-Up

By Saturday my head was spinning! Between starting the week with a nasty cold, the dreadful and cowardly bombing at the Boston Marathon and the ensuing manhunt, and my first genealogy conference, it's been an intense week! By Saturday there was a lot to be thankful for, my cold was reduced to a minor annoyance, the Boston bombers were identified and either dead or captured, and I was having a great time with all the wonderful people attending NERGC. 

Friday Night, Heather Rojo hosted a special interest group for bloggers. It was very well attended and I think everyone had a great time. It was a diverse group of experienced bloggers (some with multiple blogs), relative newbies, and a few who are considering starting their first blogs. Heather created a list of blog posts about the conference that can be accessed at Nutfield Genealogy. I noticed that several only have a day or two and I expect a few more posts will trickle in as people recover and write about the last day or write a wrap-up post. 

Saturday, I attended several very interesting talks and a workshop. The first talk was given by Craig Scott of Heritage Books. They specialize in histories and genealogies including reprints of hard to find older titles. I've purchased a number of their books but this talk was not about promoting the business. The topic was "Getting Ink on Paper: Publishing Your Material in a Digital Age." Craig shared his experience to help the audience understand what makes a quality genealogy book. He is one of the most entertaining speakers I've seen. 

Next I went to see F. Warren Bittner for a second time. This talk was supposed to be following the writing theme but his computer was hit by a virus and he lost his presentation. Being a class act, he politely told participants that they were free to leave without offending him but he would be giving a different talk than what was advertised. I chose to stay and learned all about courtship rituals, the guild system, Bavarian government, illegitimacy, and marriage laws in 19th century Germany - a great history lesson illustrated by the story of one family - "The Bittner Bastards of Bavaria." I highly recommend attending any talk he gives - you won't be disappointed! 

Then Donna Boumenot and I had just sat down to lunch when Heather and Vincent Rojo showed up at the same pub and we ended up all having lunch together. After lunch, I attended a workshop by Elissa Scalise Powell to learn how to write research reports. I wasn't sure I needed to do this but by the end of the workshop, I was convinced of the value to even the most casual genealogist. 

Next it was off to learn about "Symbolism on New England Gravestones" by Donna E. Walcovy. She had a few technical difficulties but once she got that fixed, "Oh Boy!" She is a character! She is also a highly intelligent and skilled preservationist who is passionate about New England cemeteries. She shared many photos of graves to discuss the changes in artwork over time. I laughed more in her presentation than in any other. 

Donna calls this common image from Puritan times "Lightbulb Head" for obvious reasons

Phew! Are you tired yet? I know I was. I had a quick break to call Bill and then a glass of wine before heading into Saturday's banquet. I shared a table with more interesting people. A man named Ivan from Connecticut who is a retired journalist but still an avid writer of fiction. He wanted my thoughts on high school students and disciplinary infractions so he could add realism to his latest short story. Fellow bloggers, Heather Rojo and Jennifer Zinck, were at my table. 

The dinner talk was "Cold Case Unit: Adventures of a Forensic Genealogist" by Milli Knudsen. It was fascinating to hear her journey from a teacher to a genealogist and indexer to working with the state police in New Hampshire on their cold cases. Although the stories of the girls she used to illustrate her work were sad and disturbing, it was interesting to see how solving a genealogy puzzle is like doing police work. Her skills at organizing information so it could be easily analyzed proved to be just what the cold case unit needed. Click here for a news article about her experiences. 

Then it was time to say goodbye to my new friends and head back to Maine...and I got home about 11:15 pm. Clearly I need to be better about taking pictures to use in my blog posts but if you check out the other blog posts from Nutfield Genealogy, you'll see that others have learned that lesson already. It was an awesome experience and I can't wait to see everyone again. I certainly got my money's worth out of this conference! 

NERGC Day 2 Highlights

Today was my second day at the conference. I've gotten even more great information! The speakers are wonderful and I enjoy getting to meet even more bloggers. Our blogging area was set up in the exhibit area and after the morning sessions about ten of us gathered and spent some time getting to know each other. 

Photos are courtesy of Heather Wilkinson Rojo's Facebook posts. Heather's blog is Nutfield Genealogy. Beside me are Midge Frazel of Granite in My Blood and Lori Thornton of Smoky Mountain Family Historian. 

Heather and I had lunch together and listened to Laura Prescott talk about  "Jousting With the Gatekeepers."  She highlighted the challenges of accessing records and gave some tips for finding success. She also talked about the importance of preserving access for future generations. We live in a privacy-obsessed society and it threatens to undermine the work of future generations.

I heard talks on using the Library of Congress web site, finding records for soldiers in the French and Indian War, and finding information about farming ancestors. Blogger Lori Thornton gave the talk titled "Digging Up the Dirt on Your Farmer." She offered a wealth of resources for getting more details about the life of a farmer. I'm in a bit of an information coma but I know I'll benefit when I get back home and start putting it into practice with my own genealogy. 

Tonight is a Special Interest Group session for bloggers. Heather has identified about 18-19 who are attending the conference. Some have other commitments and won't be there tonight though so I expect a small casual gathering. Then tomorrow I'll be at it again.