While helping my students do some research for their family history projects, I found this source. While scrolling through and perusing the names, I happened on the family of John & Sarah (Winslow) Morrell. They were Quakers and had eighteen children born between 1758 and 1784. I know large families were common in colonial times and I don't even bat an eyelash at twelve to fourteen children but at fifteen or more with one wife is pretty rare in my research. I start to look at the names of the children and notice the ones at the end seem to take a turn - or is it just my quirky sense of humor?
- Abigail
- Kesiah
- Peter
- Joseph
- Benjamin
- William
- Sarah (Twin)
- John (Twin)
- (Unnamed, stillborn)
- Hope - hmm...as in "I hope this is the last one?"
- Hope - born two years after the previous Hope
- Joseph
- Enoch - as in "enough already?"
- Hannah
- Peace - as in "For the love of God, I just need some peace!"
- Content - as in "In case you didn't understand, I am content with what I have!"
- David - (Twin)
- Thankful - as in "I am so thankful that I will not be having any more children?" (Twin)
Sarah died in 1793 at the age of 52. At that point her children would span ages 9-35 if they all were living. She was 17 when her first child was born and 43 when the final twins were born.
