Funny Friday - Hungry Burglar - Ready

While researching my ancestors, I come across interesting stories that have nothing to do with my genealogy but they make me chuckle. This is one of those small stories. I guess the man must have been craving sandwiches since he stole bread and meat. Of course, he needed something to wash it all down and luckily, there was some beer handy.

Newspapers.com; Accessed April 26, 2015, p. 2

Biddeford-Saco Journal, Thursday, September 4, 1975

Don't Be A Dirty Bird - Friday Funny

I found this funny snippet while searching for my ancestors. It is from the Portland Press Herald on Wednesday, November 23, 1949.

"Milwaukee. (UP) - Mrs. Frances Sweet was puzzled when her automatic washer splashed soap suds over the basement floor, even though she had the lid down. When she lifted the lid, a very clean pigeon emerged." 

Newspapers.com, 

Funny Friday - Not My Ancestor - Second Installment

There are certain names in my family tree that always give me pause when I see them because they are shared by much more famous people.

Nicholas Edgecomb is my 9th great-grandfather. His grandson, John Edgecomb (my first cousin, 9 times removed) married a woman named Grace Kelly. Since the woman married to my cousin died in 1738, I'm fairly certain she never had a glamour shot like this one.

"Kelly, Grace (Rear Window)" by Paramount publicity photographer. - Dr. Macro. 
Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Samuel Morse is my 10th great-grandfather through two lines. However, he was not the inventor of the telegraph. Still when I hear his name, I think of the more famous Samuel Morse.

"Samuel Morse 1840" by Unidentified photographer - Smithsonian Photography Search. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons 

James Joseph "Jim" Parsons aka Dr. Sheldon Cooper is not my relative (as far as I know). However, James Parsons, born in 1658, is my 9th great-uncle. Son of Jeffrey & Sarah (Vinson) Parsons. I wonder if the Jim Parsons in my tree was quirky, inventive or had great comedic talents.

"Jim Parsons at PaleyFest 2013" by iDominick - http://www.flickr.com/photos/82924988@N05/15863660249/.
 Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Nicholas Edgecomb - Robert Edgecomb - Thomas Edgecomb - Gibbins Edgecomb - Thomas Edgecomb - Mary Edgecomb - Benjamin Philbrick - Elizabeth "Lizzie" Philbrick - Ray Everett Cotton - Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

Samuel Morse - John Morse - Joseph Morse - Priscilla Morse - Priscilla Grant - Abigail Ware - Abigail Wight - Roxanna Spurr - Mary Frances Stanley - Edward Mellen Carter - Thomas Richard Carter - my grandfather - Second line: Samuel Morse - Mary Morse - Elizabeth Bullen - Mary Wheelock - Nathaniel Ware (father of Abigail in line #1). 

Jeffrey Parsons - Jeffrey Parsons - Jonathan Parsons - Abigail Parsons - William Rowe - William Rowe - Stephen B. Rowe - Charles H. N. Rowe - Anna J. Rowe - Eva D. Hayes - Linona Alice Yates - my grandmother

Here is a link to the first installment of Not My Ancestor.

The Long & Short Of It - 52 Ancestors #5

I've deviated from the blog theme suggested for this week because I couldn't come up with a good story for "plowing through."

Robert Long, my 10th great-grandfather, was born about 1621 and died at the age of 68 in Newbury, Massachusetts on December 27, 1690 of small pox.
This seems to be the beginning of an outbreak because the History of Newbury, states that "on March 10, 1691, the selectmen were ordered to see that all persons infected with small-pox were removed to some isolated place, and provided with nurses and attended. They were also ordered to supply food and clothing to persons so removed, and to the families of those who were unable to take care of themselves." Robert's wife, Alice died during this time period also but I haven't found any notation on her cause of death. She died on January 17, 1691.



There is really very little information that I have found about this ancestor. However, his marriage is interesting because...

In 1647, Robert Long married Alice Short!

 

Children of Robert & Alice (Short) Long:

1. Mary b. 24 Feb 1648
2. Abiel b. 19 Feb 1649
3. Rebecca (uncertain birthdate) m. Nicholas Rawlins
4. Susanna b. 14 Nov 1656
5. A daughter b. 26 Mar 1659 and d. 4 April 1659
6. Shubael b. 14 April 1661
7. A son b. 16 April 1664; may have died young
8. John (uncertain birthdate); living in 1691
9. Martha b. 20 May 1669

My Line:
Robert Long
Rebecca Long
Rebecca Rawlins
Rebecca Rogers
Stephen Blaisdell
Susannah Blaisdell
Stephen Blaisdell Rowe
Charles H. N. Rowe
Anna J. Rowe
Eva Delphinia Hayes
Linona Alice Yates

Sources
Old Families of Amesbury & Salisbury

Friday Funny - 18 Kids & No Reality Show!

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? 

1. Abigail
2. Kesiah
3. Peter
4. Joseph
5. Benjamin
6. William
7. Sarah (Twin)
8. John (Twin)
9. (Unnamed, stillborn)
10. Hope - hmm...as in "I hope this is the last one?"
11. Hope - born two years after the previous Hope
12. Joseph
13. Enoch - as in "enough already?"
14. Hannah
15. Peace - as in "For the love of God, I just need some peace!"
16. Content - as in "In case you didn't understand, I am content with what I have!"
17. David - (Twin)
18. 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. 

Friday Funny - Not My Ancestor - First Installment

One comes across a lot of names when researching one's family tree. Occasionally, those names ring a bell or bring certain image to mind and it makes me smile. Here are a few from my tree to start you off.

Isaac Hayes, son of William & Olive (Garland) Hayes, was born in 1774 and died in 1812. Not be be confused with Isaac Hayes, the musician, although I feel certain my 5th great-grandfather had a lot of soul!

Robert Barker, my 10th great-grandfather, was born about 1616 in England and died between February 18, 1689 and March 14, 1692, in Duxbury, Massachusetts. He came to Plymouth in 1632 and worked as a ferryman and innkeeper. I wonder if he ever went by "Bob" Barker or if his price was right?

Mary Buckett was the wife of Pilgrim George Soule and my 10th great-grandmother. Of course, her mother was Mrs. Buckett or was her mother a Mrs. Bouquet, like Hyacinth?

William Wallis was the husband of my first cousin 9X removed, Comfort Cotton (can't make this stuff up). I wonder if he was brave like William Wallace or looked like Mel Gibson?

Funny Friday - The Monkey Was Too Popular

I was searching GenealogyBank newspapers for articles about my first cousin 4 times removed, Freeman Yates. He was a temperance advocate who traveled the country speaking for the cause. Apparently his name was the same as the one adopted by an Italian organ grinder because I came across this snippet in the Kansas City Star from Sunday, May 15, 1910.







"The Monkey Was Too Popular"
"And an Organ Grinder Was Arrested for Obstructing Traffic"
"Freeman Yates, an Italian organ grinder with an Americanized name, was arrested yesterday afternoon at Eighth Street and Grand Avenue because the crowd that gathered to hear his music and watch his monkey interfered with traffic.
When he was searched at police headquarters the jailers found $13.85. Yates and the monkey were placed in the holdover until the money was counted and then released on a bond of $11."

                                                   

Friday Funny - Mr. Adam Eve

While looking records of the Eveleth family in an ancestry.com database of Torrey's New England Marriages Prior to 1700, I saw this record where the groom is named Adam Eve.....

Image © Graphics Factory.com

Ancestry.com. U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2012. Original data: Torry, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.

Friday Funny - Squirrel Hunt Challenge

I found this on Genealogy Bank

Thursday, November 15, 1866
Daily Eastern Argus (Portland, ME)
Vol: 34   Issue: 266   Page: 2

--- A Squirrel hunt match came off in Bethel a few day since between two of the Bethel Nimrods, J. E. Ayer and C. C. Keith. The latter was the winner, having killed 1250 to the former's 875. Ayer paid for the oyster supper in Bethel.

Friday Funny - Too Much For Her

I found this while searching on Genealogy Bank for articles about my relatives in Bethel, Maine. I'm not sure why it showed up in by search but the story is too interesting not to share. I can't imagine a hen laying an egg that is 8"X6"! No wonder she died in the process!

Friday Funny - Sales Marries Buys

I found this while looking for information on one of my ancestors. John Sales was born in Little Waldingfield, Suffolk, England and migrated to Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1630. In 1632, he was convicted of stealing corn, fish, and clapboards from a variety of people. He was sentenced to forfeit his estate to pay double restitution to those he "hath wronged," and to be whipped & bound as a servant for three years. His daughter was also bound for fourteen years to Mr. Coxeshall, the same man to whom her father was bound. He was married twice, first to Phillip Soales. There are no records of her in New England or New Netherlands. His second wife was Maria Sloofs, widow of Jan Sloofs. 

His children with his first wife were:
1. Phebe Sales, baptized in England May 1, 1626. 
2. Sarah Sales, baptized in England, July 27, 1628. 
There is no further record of Sarah but Phebe married twice. Her first husband was Theunis Nyssen. Her second husband was Jan Cornelison Buys. So Phebe Sales married Jan Cornelison Buys. 

Source: 
Robert Charles Anderson. Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-33 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
Original data: Robert Charles Anderson. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-33. Vol. 1-3. Boston, MA, USA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995. 

Funny Friday - Harry Head

This is not a relative but I came across this World War I registration card while searching someone else. The name of the emergency contact made me chuckle. 

Love Thing

 

My 8th great-grand uncle, Thomas Wentworth, married a woman named Love. He was a mariner and probably remained at sea most of his life since his inventory shows no property other than real estate. After his untimely death at the in August of 1719, his widow married John Thing.

She became Love Thing!


How would you like to go through life with that name?

Ezekiel Wentworth & Elizabeth (possibly Knight)
Tamsen Wentworth & John Hayes - Tamsen was the sister of Thomas Wentworth
Hezekiah Hayes & Margaret Cate
William Hayes & Olive
Isaac Hayes & Alice Garland
Richard Hayes & Rebecca
Sydney Hayes & Aphia Delphina Cole
George H. Hayes & Anna J. Rowe
Eva Delphinia Hayes & Estes Yates
Linona Alice Yates

Image Source: http://shopisabel.com/viewcategory.php?groupid=8

What's in a Name?

Okay, we've all heard those Puritan names like Temperance, Prudence, Deliverance and Patience usually given to women. Occasionally men get named for values like Wrestling Brewster, son of Governor William Brewster. One of the funniest I came across was a family that married into one of my lines who had a string of three generations of men named Hate-Evil Hall. I wonder what the future generations will make of current names like McKayla or Jerrick. 

Occasionally there are names that just send me into a fit of giggles. I have a fourth great grandfather named...are you ready??? Soranus! Soranus Shaw - it's nice to have some alliteration. So I decided to try to figure out the origin of such an unfortunate name and discovered that Soranus was a Greek physician who practiced in Rome and Alexandria during the late first and early second century. He wrote a treatise on gynecology and advocated hot tubs for treating stress among other things...So getting back to my ancestor, his brothers are named Joel, Abner and Eaton. How did he get so lucky to be named after a Greek physician and couldn't his parents (Gilbert and Silence) have chosen Hippocrates? It's odd but at least most people have heard of him. 

The Greek Physician

Soranus Shaw & Eliza Jackson
George Shaw & Esther Rowe
Lillie Shaw & Francis Llewellyn Cotton - Lillie is the step-mother of my great-grandfather Ray Everett Cotton

Sources:
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/doctorsphysicians/g/Soranus.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soranus_of_Ephesus