The Possessions of Lt. John Ellis - 52 Ancestors #48

What did people own in the 17th century? I know from looking over inventories that possessions varied greatly from family to family, much like today.

Here is the inventory of one of my ancestors, Lt. John Ellis, my 9th great-grandfather. He lived in Sandwich, Massachusetts from the 1640s until his death. His inventory was presented to the court by his widow, Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis on March 23, 1677. The fact that he was a soldier, the date of his death, and some other evidence led the authors of a 1965 article in the New England Historic Genealogical Register to hypothesize that he may have been a casualty of King Philip's War.

Clothing: £5
Furniture: £10 13s.
Household Items £6 23s. & Books 12s.
Powder, bullets, etc.:  £1 10s.
Livestock: £20 10s.
Corn & iron: 5 s.
Timber for a 30'X18' home: £3


I'm not sure what a cobber is or why it would be at Mr. Freeman's house.

Lt. John Ellis

Elizabeth Ellis

Elizabeth Briggs

Caleb Benson

Content Benson

Rachel Barrows

Asa Freeman Ellingwood

Nina K. Ellingwood

Annie F. Gibbs

F. Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

For more information, see NEHGR volume 119.

John & Rachel (Barrows) Ellingwood - Tombstone Tuesday

John Wesley Ellingwood, Jr., son of John Wesley & Zerviah (Abbott) Ellingwood, was born on June 12, 1798, and died on January 25, 1835. He married Rachel Barrows, daughter of Asa Alden & Content (Benson) Barrows. Rachel was born on August 3, 1795, and died on May 9, 1832. They are buried in Riverside Cemetery in Bethel, Maine. They were my 4X great-grandparents.

John & Rachel (Barrows) Ellingwood
Asa Freeman Ellingwood
Nina K. (Ellingwood) (Gibbs) Cotton
Annie Florilla (Gibbs) Cotton
Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

2015 Veterans in my Family Tree

I started this list last year, inspired by Bill West. I think I will try to do an update each year. If you're looking for your veteran ancestors, check out the Honor Roll Project by Heather Wilkinson Rojo. 

Happy Veterans Day! A heartfelt thank you to all who are currently serving and all who have served our country! 

Francis Ackley - My 6X great-grandfather - Boston Tea Party Participant
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/08/surname-saturday-ackley-of-boston.html
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-real-tea-party.html


Samuel Ackley - My 5X great-grandfather - Revolutionary War Artillery
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2014/06/52-ancestors-22-samuel-ackleyakley.html

Asa Alden Barrows - My 5X great-grandfather - Revolutionary War - Responded to alarm at Lexington and Concord
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-shot-heard-round-world.html

Eleazer Cole - My 6X great-grandfather - Revolutionary War Drummer
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2015/07/drummer-eleazer-cole-52-ancestors-29.html

Samuel Dennen - My 6X great-grandfather - Revolutionary War Privateer
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2015/09/prisoner-exchange-samuel-denning.html

Dr. James Freeland - My 5X great-grandfather - Revolutionary War Surgeon
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2014/09/52-ancestors-35-revolutionary-war.html

Enoch Spurr - My 4X great-grandfather - Revolutionary War - Discharged by General Henry Knox
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/03/military-monday-enoch-spurr.html

Elisha Houghton - My 6X great-grandfather - Revolutionary War - Was at Bunker Hill
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/05/simpler-times.html

Lazarus Rand - My 5X great-grandfather - Revolutionary War
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-wall-of-fire.html

Dominicus Smith - My 5X great-grandfather - Revolutionary War - Crossed the Delaware with Gen. George Washington
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/04/holy-history-jackpot.html
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/04/remembering-our-veterans.html

Uriah Thayer - My 4th cousin, 7X removed - Revolutionary War Minuteman
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/04/aftermath-of-shot-heard-round-world.html

Oliver Philbrick - My 4X great-grandfather - Aroostook War
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/04/aroostock-war.html

Simeon Brown - My 3X great-grandfather - Civil War - Died in Louisiana
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/06/military-monday-he-died-easy-and-happy.html
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/04/military-monday-affidavit-for-widows.html
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/02/tombstone-tuesday-where-is-body.html
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/02/surname-saturday-simeon-f-brown.html

John H. Cotton - My 3X great-grandfather - Civil War - Lost an Arm at the Battle of the Wilderness
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/01/surname-saturday-john-h-cotton-wounded.html

Asa Freeman Ellingwood - My 3X great-grandfather - Civil War - Injured at First Battle of Bull Run But Returned to Serve
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/04/first-battle-of-bull-run-or-first.html

Octavius Yates - My 1st cousin, 4X removed - Civil War - Witnessed Lincoln's Assassination
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2014/04/witness-to-assassination.html

William Kilborn Yates - My 1st cousin, 4X removed - Civil War - fatally wounded at Antietam
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2015/05/fatally-wounded-at-antietam.html

Julia F. Carter - My 3rd cousin, 2X removed - World War I - Worked for Red Cross in France & Germany
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/09/obituary-sunday-julia-f-carter.html

Guy Morrison Cotton - My 1st cousin, 3X removed - World War I - Teamster
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2015/08/mystery-guy-52-ancestors-30.html

Carroll Estes Yates - My great-uncle - World War II
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2014/06/tombstone-tuesday-carroll-e-yates.html

Rebecca Williamson Carter Bailey - My great-aunt - WAVE in World War II

http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/03/strong-women-part-1.html


Link to a list of my Revolutionary War veterans that includes many of whom I haven't yet their story.
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2015/07/celebrating-independence-day.html

Colonial Wars
Robert Dutch, My 9X great-uncle & Joseph Balch, My 8X great-uncle - King Philip's War
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2015/09/left-for-dead-at-bloody-brook.html

Philip Huntoon - My 9X great-grandfather - Queen Anne's War
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/03/danger-on-new-hampshire-frontier.html

Zaccheus Perkins - 1st cousin, 9X removed - King Philip's War
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2015/05/branded-thief-black-sheep-52-ancestors.html

William Wentworth - 9X great-grandfather -  King Philip's War
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/06/case-of-barking-dog-that-saved-garrison.html

The Odds of Survival - 52 Ancestors #37

James & Mary (Cogan) Glass were my 11th great-grandparents. They never came to America, but their surviving children did make the trip across the ocean. Mary gave birth to twelve children, but only four lived to adulthood, Amy, James, Roger, and Henry. It is hard to imagine the loss of eight children. James and Mary also died relatively young. James was deceased by February 22, 1638 and his wife was also deceased, so his children were left to make their own way in the world.

The boys are listed as servants or apprentices of various Great Migration immigrants. It seems likely that Amy was also a servant to another family when she made the voyage to Massachusetts.

The children of James & Mary (Cogan) Glass.

1. Henry was baptized on August 11, 1614 and likely died before a second Henry was baptized in September 1624. 
2. Mary was baptized on February 2, 1618 and there are no further records - see below. 
3. Amy was baptized on December 10, 1618 and lived to adulthood. 
4. James is tentatively identified as belonging to this family and was probably born about 1620 based on the pattern of births. He lived to adulthood and was listed as a servant to his uncle, Henry Cogan and also a servant of Manasseh Kempton. Manasseh Kempton was my 10th great-granduncle. 
5. Roger was baptized on August 7, 1623 and lived to adulthood.  Roger was apprenticed to John Crocker and later to John Whetcombe. 
6. Henry (the second of that name) was baptized on September 26, 1624 and lived to adulthood.  He was a servant of Henry Phelps and later Nicholas Phelps. 
7. Joan was baptized on January 28, 1627 and buried on July 12, 1627. 
8. Unnamed daughter was buried on October 10, 1628 (possibly Mary above). 
9. Joane (the second of that name) was baptized on April 2, 1629 and buried on May 1, 1640. 
10. Richard was buried on August 24, 1629. 
11. Peter was baptized on August 28, 1631 and buried on August 10, 1637. 
12. Thamazen was baptized on January 26, 1635 and there are no further records.

Burials

July 12, 1627 - Joan #1

October 10, 1628 - Unnamed daughter

August 24, 1629 - Richard

August 10, 1637 - Peter

May 1, 1640 - Joan #2

No records of death for Henry, Mary, Thamazen.




Amy Glass married Richard Willis in Plymouth, Massachusetts on October 11, 1639. Richard died before 1645 and they only had one child, Richard Willis, Jr. He was born between 1641-1642. She married Edward Holman after Richard's death. At the age of 7, Richard Willis, step-son of Edward Holman was apprenticed to Giles Rickard, a weaver. Amy and Edward do not appear to have had any children and she is presumed to have died by 1648 when the apprenticeship was arranged.

James & Mary (Cogan) Glass
Amy (Glass) Willis
Richard Willis, Jr.
Ruhamah (Willis) Rogers
Experience (Rogers) Totman
Deborah (Totman) Barrows
Asa Alden Barrows
Rachel (Barrows) Ellingwood
Asa Freeman Ellingwood
Nina K. (Ellingwood) Gibbs
Annie F. (Gibbs) Cotton
Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

Sources:
George E. McCracken, "Early Cogans English and American," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 111 (1956), online images, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 10 August 2015), 172-173.

Charles Henry Pope, compiler, The Pioneers of Massachusetts: A Descriptive List, Drawn from Records of the Colonies, Towns, and Churches, and other Contemporaneous Documents (Boston, Mass.: self-published, 1900), ; digital images, Open Library, archive.org (https://archive.org : accessed 1 February 2015.

The Crime of Fornication

John Ellis first shows up in Sandwich, Massachusetts in 1643 on a list of those between the ages of 16 and 60 and able to bear arms.

The next time he shows up in the records is on August 20, 1644, when he is charged with fornication with his then wife, Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis. They are my 9th great-grandparents. It would be great to know what the witnesses said in their testimony. It is interesting that part of the sentence was that his wife had "to stand by" while the whipping was carried out.

"A warrant [was] set forth to bring in the bodies of Jonathan ffish & Mary his wife; Nathaniel ffish; Jane the wife of William Wood; Rose the wife of Joseph Holly; the wife of Richard Kerby; the wife of Michael Turner & Joanna Swyft, widdow, to give evidence in John Ellis and his wife's case..." 

Then on June 4, 1645:
"John Ellis of Sandwich...and his now wife...is censured to be whipt at publicke post and Elizabeth his wife to stand by whilst execucon of the sentence is pformed; which was accordingly done. And the said John Ellis for his long and tedious delayes occasioning much trouble and charge to the countrey, for that he would not confess the truth untill the present, is fyned 5 li." 

The first child of Elizabeth Freeman was born around August 20, 1644, and it was about this time that John Ellis married Elizabeth. However, no record has been found that names that child. The first Ellis child recorded would seem to be "Benet Elles " (no parents listed) in 1648-49. So what happened to that first child of Elizabeth? It appears that the first child was Elizabeth, my 8th great-grandmother. She married Samuel Briggs. John and Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis went on to have nine more children together.

Children of John & Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis

1. Elizabeth
2. Bennett
3. Mordecai
4. Deborah
5. Joel
6. Matthias
7. Manoah
8. Freeman
9. Gideon
10. William

John & Elizabeth (Freeman) Ellis
Elizabeth (Ellis) Briggs
Elizabeth (Briggs) Benson
Caleb Benson
Content (Benson) Barrows
Rachel (Barrows) Ellingwood
Asa Freeman Ellingwood - nice tribute with his middle name
Nina K. (Ellingwood) Gibbs
Annie F. (Gibbs) Cotton
Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

See the New England Historical Genealogical Register Vol. 119 for more information.

2014 Veterans Among My Ancestors

I have more that I haven't written about yet but here are some of my ancestors who served our country. A heartfelt thank you to all who have served our country! 

Francis Ackley - Boston Tea Party Participant
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/08/surname-saturday-ackley-of-boston.html
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-real-tea-party.html

Dominicus Smith - Revolutionary War - Crossed the Delaware with Gen. George Washington
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/04/holy-history-jackpot.html
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/04/remembering-our-veterans.html

Asa Alden Barrows - Revolutionary War - Responded to alarm at Lexington and Concord
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-shot-heard-round-world.html

Samuel Ackley - Revolutionary War Artillery
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2014/06/52-ancestors-22-samuel-ackleyakley.html

Dr. James Freeland - Revolutionary War Surgeon
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2014/09/52-ancestors-35-revolutionary-war.html

Enoch Spurr - Revolutionary War - Discharged by General Henry Knox
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/03/military-monday-enoch-spurr.html

Elisha Houghton - Revolutionary War - Was at Bunker Hill
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/05/simpler-times.html

Uriah Thayer - Revolutionary War Minuteman
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/04/aftermath-of-shot-heard-round-world.html

Oliver Philbrick - Aroostook War
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/04/aroostock-war.html

Asa Freeman Ellingwood - Civil War - Injured at First Battle of Bull Run But Returned to Serve
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/04/first-battle-of-bull-run-or-first.html

Simeon Brown - Civil War - Died in Louisiana
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/06/military-monday-he-died-easy-and-happy.html
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/04/military-monday-affidavit-for-widows.html
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/02/tombstone-tuesday-where-is-body.html
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/02/surname-saturday-simeon-f-brown.html

John H. Cotton - Civil War - Lost an Arm at the Battle of the Wilderness
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/01/surname-saturday-john-h-cotton-wounded.html

Octavius Yates - Civil War - Witnessed Lincoln's Assassination
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2014/04/witness-to-assassination.html

Julia F. Carter - World War I - Worked for Red Cross in France & Germany
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2013/09/obituary-sunday-julia-f-carter.html

Carroll Estes Yates - My great-uncle - World War II
http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2014/06/tombstone-tuesday-carroll-e-yates.html

Rebecca Williamson Carter Bailey - WAVE in World War II

http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2012/03/strong-women-part-1.html

52 Ancestors #35 - The Price of Desertion

William Hedges married first in England and the name of his first wife is unknown. He emigrated to America and settled first in Lynn, where he was made a freeman on May 14, 1634. He moved to Sandwich and then to Yarmouth. He was involved in a number of court cases during his lifetime involving everything from keeping a hog unringed to letting an Indian have a gun. His will was dated June 30, 1670 and his executor, son Elisha, was called to appear at Plymouth to prove the will on July 5, 1670. 

When Captain William Hedges of Yarmouth, MA drew up his will, he left his second wife only 12 pence. It seems that Blanche, widow of Tristram Hull, had deserted Captain Hedges. His inventory estimated the value of his estate at four hundred eighty-seven pounds and sixteen shillings, of which, Blanche was given twelve pence! All other beneficiaries start with "To my beloved..." but here is the part referring to Blanche.  

"And whereas Blanche my Wife hath dealt falcly with mee in the Covenant of Marriage in departing from mee, therefore I doe in this my Last Will and Testament give her twelve pence, and alsoe what I have Received of hers my will is shal be Returned to her againe." 

William Hedges & First Wife
Elizabeth Hedges & Jonathan Barnes
Mary Barnes & John Carver
Mary Carver & Moses Barrows
Moses Barrows & Deborah Totman
Asa Alden Barrows & Content Benson
Rachel Barrows & John Ellingwood, Jr. 
Asa Freeman Ellingwood & Florilla Dunham
Nina King Ellingwood & George Gibbs
Annie Florilla Gibbs & Ray Everett Cotton
Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

52 Ancestors #21 - George Morton

I am related to the Great Migration immigrant, George Morton, through three of his five children. George came to Plymouth Colony on the Anne in 1623 and unfortunately died less than a year after that. He was a merchant in England.

The book, New England Memorial, written by Nathaniel Morton, son of George, describes the immigrant in very flattering terms. Of course he may have been a bit biased.

"Two of the principal passengers that came in this ship were Mr. Timothy Hatherly and Mr. George Morton... The latter of the two forenamed, namely Mr. George Morton, was a pious, gracious, servant of God, and very faithful in whatsoever public employment he was betrusted, withal, and an unfeigned well willer, and according to his sphere and condition, a suitable promoter of the common good and growth of the plantation of New Plimouth; laboring to still the discontents that sometimes would arise
amongst some spirits by reason of difficulties of these new beginnings but it pleased God to put a period to his days soon after his arrival in New England, not surviving a full year after his coming ashore. With much comfort and peace he fell asleep in the Lord, in the month of June, anno 1624."

George Morton - 11th great-grandfather
Patience Morton
Mary Faunce
Mary Harlow
Ebenezer Dunham
John Dunham
James Dunham
Florilla Dunham
Nina K. Ellingwood
Annie Florilla Gibbs
Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

George Morton - 11th great-grandfather
Sarah Morton
Ruth Bonum
George Barrows
Moses Barrows
Asa Alden Barrows
Nina K. Ellingwood - see above

George Morton - 11th great-grandfather
Sarah Morton
Patience Bonum
Ruhamah Willis
Experience Rogers
Deborah Totman
Asa Alden Barrows - see above

George Morton - 12th great-grandmother
Nathaniel Morton
Mary Morton
Eleazer Dunham
Mercy Dunham
Mary Kempton
Rebecca Burbank
Hannah Keene
Timothy Cox
Christiana Cox
Francis Llewellyn Cotton
Ray Everett Cotton
Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

52 Ancestors #19 & #20 - The Interesting Deaths of Thomas & Mary (Parker) Totman

Thomas & Mary (Parker) Totman are my 9th great-grandparents. They died about twelve years apart but both deaths were unusual enough that a coroner's inquest was called to investigate the causes.

Mary Parker was born to William & Mary (Rawlins) Parker on January 1, 1639 and died shortly before April 10, 1666. Her death was determined to have been caused by accidentally ingesting a poisonous root. The Plymouth Court issued the following verdict on her death:
"5 Jun 1666 The Verdict of the Corroners Enquest concerning the sudden death of Mary, the wife of Thomas Totman of Scituate: Wee whose names are under-subscribed, being impanelled on a jury by the Constable of Scittuate, the 10th day of April 1666, to enquire after the death of Mary the wife of Thomas Totman, and haveing viewed the corpse and heard that evidence can speake doe give in this following as our verdict: - That Mary, the wife of Thom Totman gathered, dressed, and did eate a root, which we judge she mistakeing it, thinking it to bee the same which she had formerly often eaten of, but the root, being of a poissonous nature, eating of it, wee judge, was the sole cause and occation of her death and that wee all agree hereunto, witness our hands this 24 of April 1666."

Thomas Totman and Mary Parker were married about March 7, 1665. This is deduced by the court records of March 7, 1665 which include this information: "Thomas Totman appeared att this Court to answere his presentment for haveing carnall copulation with his now wife before marriage and affirmed that it was after contract; which not being cleare to the Court, hee was sentenced to pay a fine of ten pounds; if not cleared by further testimony; but if soe cleared to pay but five pounds." The records show he paid five pounds so he must have been married between the first and second court appearances.

Thomas Totman died just before May 6, 1678 and the Plymouth Court called a Coroner's inquest to determine his cause of death: "5 June 1678: Wee whose names are hereunto subscribed, being, this sixt of May 1678 impanelled upon the coroners enquest to make inquiry and true presentment of the cause and manor of the death of Thomas Totman, doe declare, that we find noe other thing or cause but onely his own wilfull absenting himselfe from food to be the cause and meanes of his death."

The only child of Thomas & Mary (Parker) Totman appears to be Stephen Totman who was born about 1665 and is mentioned in the will of his grandfather, William Parker, and in the will of his uncle, Thomas Rawlins. Stephen married Dorothy Stoddard about 1690. Dorothy was the daughter of Anthony Stoddard and his third wife, Christian.

Thomas & Mary (Parker) Totman
Stephen Totman
Samuel Totman
Deborah Totman
Asa Alden Barrows
Rachel Barrows
Asa Freeman Ellingwood
Nina King Ellingwood
Annie Florilla Gibbs
Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

52 Ancestors - #1 George Allen

I'm coming late to the party on this challenge but needed to take a brief respite from blogging as life got in the way. I decided that documenting some of my Great Migration ancestors would be a great motivator for this challenge.

George Allen is my 10th great-grandfather in the line of my great-grandmother, Annie Florilla (Gibbs) Cotton. It is not known where George and his family were in England before they sailed for America but it is believed that he arrived in Weymouth, Massachusetts in 1635. He later moved to Sandwich, Massachusetts. George had his name put forward for freeman of Plymouth Colony on March 5, 1638/9 and was admitted on September 3, 1639. He held a few offices including constable of Sandwich, surveyor of highways and served as deputy for Sandwich to the General Court in Plymouth in the years 1640, 1641, 1642, and 1644.

George Allen married twice and had five children with each wife for a total of nine sons and 1 daughter. The name of his first wife is unknown and the name of his second wife was Katherine.

1. John Allen b. abt. 1610, married Christian. My line descends from this couple. 
2. Robert Allen b. abt. 1614 and d. bef. 1661, does not appear to have married.
3. Ralph Allen b. abt. 1617, married possibly Susanna.
4. George Allen b. abt. 1619, married Hannah.
5. Rose Allen b. abt. 1621, married twice - Joseph Holway (Holloway, Holley), and William Newland.
6. William Allen b. abt. 1627, married Priscilla Browne.
7. Mathew Allen b. abt. 1629, married Sarah Kirby.
8. Henry Allen b. abt. 1631, married Sarah Hill.
9. Samuel Allen b. abt 1633, nfr.
10. Gideon Allen b. abt 1635, m. Sarah Prudden, daughter of Rev. Peter Prudden.

George Allen
John Allen
Deborah Allen
Lydia Bucklin
Deborah Barrows
Content Benson
Rachel Barrows
Asa Freeman Ellingwood
Nina King Ellingwood
Annie Florilla Gibbs
Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

Great Migration 1634-1635, A-B. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume 1, A-B, by Robert Charles Anderson, George F. Sanborn, Jr., and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1999.

Surname Saturday - Ellingwood

What's in a name? Well, my Ellingwood immigrant ancestor is variously recorded as Ralph Elwood, Ellwood, Ellenwood and then his descendants have continued the variations with Ellinwoods and Ellingwoods. To continue the confusion his second wife is recorded as Ellen or Eleanor or even Helen...surname Lyn or Lynn. Ralph came to America in 1635 on the Truelove. His occupation is listed as planter. He was married twice - first to Elizabeth (last name unknown) - by whom he had at least one child, Josiah, who was baptized in Salem on May 26, 1644. No one has found a record of the death of his first wife or any further records for Josiah. The first child of Ralph and Eleanor (Lynn) was baptized on March 16, 1655/56 in Salem. Eleanor was almost thirty years younger than her husband. As you will see below, I have a double line of descent from this immigrant.

Line 1:

Ralph Ellingwood II was born on March 18, 1656/57 and married Martha Rowlandson. His first wife, Katherine, had their marriage annulled for "insufficiency." How embarrassing! Bill West wrote about Ralph's troubles - pointing out that Ralph and Martha had seven children so his problem was limited to his marriage with Katherine. 

Ebenezer Ellingwood married Sarah Tuck. He received an allotment of land because of his father's service in King Philip's War and the moved to Souhegan West, later called Amherst, New Hampshire. Three of his sons, James, Jedidiah, and Joseph, served in the Revolutionary War. 

Joseph Ellingwood married Sarah Herrick (Bill West has been documenting the estate settlement of Joseph in a series of blog posts that started here.)

John Ellingwood married Zerviah Abbott. They lived in Bethel, Maine, my hometown. (Bill West has been transcribing his estate in a series of posts that started here.) His occupation is listed as shoemaker. He is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Bethel, Maine - Findagrave memorial.

John Ellingwood, Jr. married Rachel Barrows. (Rachel's ancestors also came on the Truelove) He is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Bethel, Maine - Findagrave memorial.

Asa's Signature from Pension File

Florilla's Signature from Pension File

Asa Freeman Ellingwood married Florilla Dunham. Asa served in the Civil War and was injured in the First Battle of Bull Run. His pension file makes very interesting reading! After he was injured he enlisted in the Veterans Reserve Corp and served as a cook. Bill West did a great job transcribing the long pension file. They are buried in the Wayside Cemetery in West Paris, Maine - Findagrave memorial.

Signature from Asa's Pension File

Nina King Ellingwood - my 2nd Great-grandmother married George Albert Gibbs.

Grave of George & Nina (Ellingwood) Gibbs - photo used by permission of DJ Larson

Annie Florilla Gibbs married Ray Everett Cotton

Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother 

Line 2

Mary Ellingwood was born on April 3, 1664 and married John Smith. 

Abigail Smith married Ebenezer Dunham

John Dunham married Mary Thomas

James Dunham married Cynthia Packard

James Dunham married Mary "Sally"Houghton

Florilla Dunham - see above

The descendants of Asa Freeman & Florilla (Dunham) Ellingwood have been holding family reunions since the early 1900s. I remember attending some of these as a child. Recently, I reconnected with the reunion organizers and hosts through a Facebook page. Although it is primarily focused on the descendants of Asa Freeman Ellingwood, anyone who is related to the Ellingwoods (and its various spellings) is welcome to join and participate in the discussions. The reunion is still held every year on the second Saturday in August - rain or shine. If you have Ellingwood connections, we hope you join the page and try to attend the reunion. 

The Shot Heard 'Round the World

Asa Alden Barrows was born 28 July 1751 to Moses Barrows and Deborah Totman. He married Content Benson 19 November 1774.  He was a private in Capt. William Shaw's Company which responded to the alarm of April 19, 1775. He only served three days in that capacity but would re-enlist for eight months during the siege of Boston and in December 1776 he joined a militia company commanded by Joshua Perkins and marched to Barrington, R.I. where he remained for six weeks. In July 1780 he enlisted for a fourth time and served in the militia company commanded by Perez Churchill that marched to Tiverton, R.I. 

In 1832 at age 81, he submitted a pension form. He was awarded a pension of $33.33 per annum and received $66.66 in back pension pay. According to an inflation calculator, the pension would be $921.90 per year in 2012 dollars. His last pension payment was in 1850, meaning he was 99 years old (if he died after July 28). 

Asa's Signature on his application

Pension calculation sheet

Asa Alden Barrows - 5th great-grandfather

Rachel Barrows - 4th great-grandfather

Asa Freeman Ellingwood - 3rd great-grandfather

Nina King Ellingwood - 2nd great-grandmother

Annie Florilla Gibbs - great-grandmother

Fern Lyndell Cotton - grandmother

Blacksheep Sunday - Frequent & Abominable Drunkenness!

John Barnes is my 10th great-grandfather. He came to Plymouth in 1632 and was a yeoman and merchant. John Barnes shows up frequently in the court records; often engaged in some practices which the General Court deemed illegal or at least unfair. He was also in court a few times for slandering his neighbors and also for his drunkenness. It got so bad that he was disenfranchised (his right to vote was revoked) for "frequent and abominable drunkenness." Finally in 1661 the court ordered that "ordinary keepers of the town of Plymouth are hereby prohibited to let John Barnes have any liquors, wine, or strong drink at any time" under penalty of 50s. fine. An ordinary is a tavern. 

Plymouth court records show that on 5 March 1671/2 a coroner's jury viewed "the corpes of Mr. John Barnes" and stated that "being before his barn door, in the street, standing stroking or feeling of his bull, the said bull suddenly turned upon him and give him a great wound with his horn on his right thigh, near eight inches long, in which his flesh was torn both broad and deep, as we judge, of which would together with his wrench of his neck or pain thereof (of which he complained) he immediately languished, after about 32 hours he died."

I have to wonder if he was drunk when he was gored by the bull.

DO NOT PET THE BULL!

In 2007, cousin Bill West put his spin on the story and adds some details.

John Barnes & Mary Plummer
Jonathan Barnes & Elizabeth Hedge
Mary Barnes & John Carver
Mary Carver & Moses Barrows
Moses Barrows & Deborah Totman
Asa Alden Barrows & Content Benson
Rachel Barrows & John Ellingwood, Jr.
Asa Freeman Ellingwood & Florilla Dunham
Nina King Ellingwood & George Gibbs
Annie Florilla Gibbs & Ray Everett Cotton
Fern Lyndell Cotton

Sources:
http://www.histarch.uiuc.edu/plymouth/BARNES2.htm
http://www.plimoth.org/media/pdf/barnes_john.pdf

A Truelove Connection

Two of my immigrant ancestors on my father's side came on the ship, Truelove, in 1635. I didn't realize this until today. The ship, captained by John Gibbs, left London in September 1635. Ralph Ellwood, whose last name morphed over time to Ellingwood, was 28 years old. William Barstow, who is listed as "Beeresto", was 23 and he was traveling with his brother, George, who was 21. William started out in Watertown and moved to Dedham in 1637, Hingham in 1645 and Scituate by 1650. George was in Scituate around the same time and then moved on to Cambridge by 1652. The Barstows came from Halifax, Yorkshire, England. The Barstow and the Ellingwood families intermarried a few generations down the line. William lived an interesting life and I hope to write a bit more about him in the future but for now I will start with the story of his brother's death and the ensuing slander case against William.

William accused Rev. Chauncy of Scituate of blocking the admission of his brother, George, to the church in Cambridge. He alleged that this act, which denied communion to his brother, hastened his death by causing excessive grief. 

George died in 1653. On 9 June 1653, "William Barstow of Scituate" acknowledged that whereas "a suit hath been commenced against me the said Will[i]am Barstow, by Mr. Charles Chauncy, pastor of the church of Christ at Scittuate, for slandering him, the said Mr. Chauncy, in saying that he was the  cause of the death of my brother, G[e]orge Barstow, late deceased; also in saying that he, the said Mr. Chauncy, sent his bulls abroad to the church at Cambridge, whereby my said brother was hindered from communion with the said church, which was the cause of my brother's death, through excessive grief; in all which expressions and sayings I do humbly and freely acknowledge that I have done the said Mr. Chauncy manifest wrong." Within a year, George's wife, Susanna, was also dead; leaving their children orphaned.

Ralph Ellwood & Eleanor Lynn - William Barstow & Anna Hubbard
Ralph Ellingwood & Martha Rowlandson - Patience Barstow & Moses Simmons
Ebenezer Ellingwood & Sarah Tuck - Patience Simmons & Moses Barrows
Joseph Ellingwood & Sarah Herrick - Moses Barrows & Mary Carver
John Ellingwood & Zerviah Abbott - Asa Barrows & Content Benson
Asa Freeman Ellingwood & Rachel Barrows
Nina Ellingwood & George Gibbs
Annie F. Gibbs & Ray E. Cotton
Fern Lyndell Cotton