Tombstone Tuesday - Samuel Akley

Samuel Akley (name is also spelled Akeley or Ackley) was a Revolutionary War veteran. In 2014, I wrote about his military service. He is buried in the Rumford Center Cemetery in Maine and he is my 5th great-grandfather. Here are some pictures from my recent visit to the cemetery.

Grave with marker & flag

Grave with marker

Grave with decoration moved

Epitaph

The epitaph is difficult to read as the stone needs to be cleaned. I believe it is a variation of this phrase. It seems to match except for the first two words. 

Remember me as you pass by

As you are now, so once was I

As I am now, so you must be

Prepare for death and follow me

Samuel Ackley

William Ackley

Sarah (Ackley) Abbott

Mary Jane (Abbott) Capen

Edward Abbott Capen

Fannie (Capen) Carter

T. Richard Carter - my grandfather

Joseph & Tryphenia (Hancock) Spurr

Joseph Spurr, Jr. was the son of Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spurr and the brother of my 4X great-grandfather, Enoch Spurr. Joseph Jr. was born on January 6, 1759 and died on December 5, 1825. On February 1, 1797, he married Tryphenia Hancock, daughter of John & Martha (Bragg) Hancock. She was born on July 22, 1761 and died on December 17, 1830. They are buried in the Cedar Crest Cemetery in Otisfield. His brother, Samuel, and sister, Sarah, lived with him in Otisfield. 

Children of Joseph & Tryphenia (Hancock) Spurr

1. Sarah "Sally" Spurr was born on March 4, 1799 and died on August 28, 1889. She never married. 
2. Susan "Sukey" Spurr was born on October 25, 1801 and died on July 25, 1893. She married James Weston on November 24, 1825. 
3. Milly Spurr was born on May 4, 1807 and died on November 6, 1894. She married Joseph Knight on June 5, 1832. 

Joseph & Miriam (Lyon) Spurr - parents of Joseph, Jr.
Enoch Spurr
Roxanna (Spurr) Stanley
Mary Frances (Stanley) Carter
Edward Mellen Carter
T. Richard Carter - my grandfather

Immigrant Ancestor Jasper Blake

Three of my grandparents connect back to Jasper Blake's family, making Jasper and his wife, Deborah, my 9th great-grandparents on one line and my 10th great-grandparents on two other lines. The most direct is that of my grandfather, Clayton L. Blake.

Jasper & Deborah (Everard) Blake were one early settlers of Hampton, New Hampshire. He probably came to America in 1639-1640. Jasper died there on January 4, 1674 and Deborah died there on December 20, 1678. A 1661 deed for a house, barn, and house lot was transferred between Thomas Warde and Jasper Blake, both of Hampton, calls Jasper a fisherman. Jasper was one of several local men chosen to lay out house lots and roads and locate a meetinghouse and a block house for protection. Jasper's will and other documents were signed with his mark. His will was dated on July 18, 1673 and named his wife as executrix. He left land, given to him by Timothy Dalton, to his sons, Timothy & Israel. His son, John, was to have the lot where he currently lived, and son, Jasper, was given other land in Hampton. The inventory of his estate was taken by Samuel Dalton and Christopher Hussey on January 21, 1673/4. His personal property was only ￡59, 5s and his real property totaled ￡206, 5s.


Jasper and Deborah had seven sons and three daughters; Deborah, Timothy, Israel, Jasper, John, Sarah, Joshua, Samuel, Dorothy, and Philemon. One source lists another daughter, Maria, born in 1673.

Line to Blake - Generations 2-10

John, son of Jasper and Deborah (Everard) Blake, was born in 1656 and died in 1716. He married Frances ________.

John, son of John & Frances (___) Blake, was born at Hampton on September 2, 1689 and married Mary Dearborn. He moved to Sanbornton, New Hampshire.

Benjamin Blake
David Blake
Micajah Blake
Galon Blake
Charles G. Blake
Harriett May Blake
Clayton L. Blake - my grandfather

Line to Yates - Generations 2-11

Timothy, son of Jasper & Deborah (Everard) Blake was born in 1649 and married Naomi Sleeper. Timothy died in 1718. Timothy & Naomi had five sons and four daughters; Moses, Israel, Timothy, Aaron, Deborah, Martha, Naomi, Ruth, and Samuel.

Israel, son of Timothy & Naomi (Sleeper) Blake married Leah Smith. He lived in Nottingham, New Hampshire and died in April 1753. Israel & Leah (Smith) Blake had four sons and three daughters; Deborah, Sarah, Eliza, Jedidiah, Joseph, Israel, and Benjamin.

Deborah (Blake) Tucker
Hannah (Tucker) Rowe
William Rowe
Stephen B. Rowe
Charles H. N. Rowe
Anna (Rowe) Hayes
Eva D. (Hayes) Yates
Linona Alice Yates - my grandmother

Line to Cotton - Generations 2-11

Ruth, daughter of Timothy & Naomi (Sleeper) Blake was born on November 3, 1693 and died on June 6, 1717. She married Oliver Smith.

Mehitabel (Smith) Lyford
Oliver Smith Lyford
Nancy (Lyford) Philbrick
Oliver Smith Philbrick
Benjamin Perley Philbrick
Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Philbrick) Cotton
Ray Everett Cotton
Fern Lyndell Cotton

Some Blake Sources

Cogswell, Rev. Elliott C. "History of Nottingham, Deerfield, and Northwood." Google Books. John B. Clarke, 1878, Original from Columbia University, 10 Mar. 2009. Web. 10 July 2016.

Cutter, William Richard. "Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of the State of Massachusetts; : Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, Ed : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive." Internet Archive. Google, 2008. Web. 10 July 2016.

"History of Merrimack and Belknap Counties, New Hampshire." Google Books. Ed. D. Hamilton Hurd. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 July 2016.

Hurd, Charles Edwin. "Genealogy and History of Representative Citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts : Hurd, Charles Edwin, 1833-1910 : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive." Internet Archive. Boston Public Library, 2008. Web. 10 July 2016.

For information on Deborah (Everard) Blake and her relationship to the Dalton family, see the article published in 2000, by George F. Sanborn, Jr., F.A.S.G. and Melinde Lutz Sanborn, F.A.S.G.,  in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database:AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2013.) Volume 154, beginning on p. 259.

A Patriotic Family

Thomas Freeland, my 6X great-grandfather, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Responding to the alarm at Lexington on April 19, 1775, Thomas and all seven of his sons joined the Patriot cause. Thomas Freeland served as a private in Col. Jonathan Ward's regiment. His sons' service records are listed below:

• Dr. James Freeland served as a surgeon in the United States army. He is listed with the regiments of Col. Ebenezer Learned and Col. Jonathan Holman. 
• John Freeland served as a private in Col. Samuel Bullard's regiment and later in Capt. James Mellen's company, Col. Jonathan Ward's regiment (the same regiment as his father). Later he took part in the expedition to capture Fort Ticondergoa and Crown Point in the company of Capt. Thomas Marshall Baker, regiment of Col. James Denny. He and his wife later moved with other Hopkinton families to Clavarack and formed the settlement of Mellenville, New York. 
• William Freeland served as a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War.
• Joseph Freeland enlisted in 1775 and served as a Sargent in the regiment of Col. Jonathan Ward (with his father and brothers, John and Thomas). 
• Thomas Freeland, Jr. served as a private in the regiment of Col. Jonathan Ward. 
• Abraham & Asa Freeland are also said to have served in the Revolutionary War.

James and John have lineages approved by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Since neither Abraham or Asa is supposed to have married it makes sense that they are not included in the DAR index. 

Children of Thomas & Mary (Nutt) Freeland:

1. James was born in Hopkinton in December 1743. He was baptized on Christmas Day, 1743. He became a doctor and married Mehitable "Hetty" Mellen of Hopkinton on October 31, 1770. She was the daughter of Capt. Thomas & Elizabeth (Wood) Mellen. 
2. Elizabeth was baptized on March 24, 1745 in Hopkinton. The History of Sutton says she married a man named Graves. The Sutton Freelands says that she married Nathan Hall and lived in Sutton. This may be a confusion with her sister who did marry a Nathaniel Graves. 
3. John was baptized in Hopkinton on September 28, 1746. He married Mary Mellen, widow of _____ Gibbs. They settled in Claverack, near Hudson, New York. 
4. William was baptized in Hopkinton on September 18, 1748 and married Lucy Claflin. They lived in Hopkinton. 
5. Joseph was baptized in Hopkinton on July 18, 1750 and married Judith Gibson. He was a merchant in Hopkinton.
6. Mary was baptized in Hopkinton on September 24, 1750 and married John Holland, Jr. on April 6, 1775. He was from Sutton. They moved to Dixfield, Maine. 
7. Anna was born in Hopkinton on January 20, 1754 and Nathaniel Graves on November 4, 1774, according to The Sutton Freelands. However, The History of Sutton says she married a Mr. Hall. 
8. Thomas, Jr. was baptized in Hopkinton on June 13, 1756 and married Anna Barrett. They lived in Hopkinton. 
9. Sarah was baptized in Hopkinton on November 26, 1759 and married Joshua Park of Sutton on June 9, 1779. They lived in Hopkinton and later in Milford.  
10. Abraham was baptized in Hopkinton on October 19, 1760 and never married. He lived in Hopkinton. 
11. Asa was born and lived in Hopkinton. Neither the History of Sutton or The Sutton Freelands lists any marriage information for him. 

Thomas Mellen died at the home of his son, Dr. James Freeland. 

History of the Town of Sutton, Massachusetts

The Sutton Freelands: Legends and Letters