Live Long and Prosper - 52 Ancestors #31

Gilbert William Yates was my 2X great-grandfather. When looking for an easy to research ancestor for this week's theme, The Yates Book,  by Edgar Allan Poe Yates came to mind. Not only did Mr. Yates compile this genealogy of my grandmother's family, he also included his own memories of many of the people.

From The Yates Book, published in 1906.

To go off on a Pacific whaling voyage and return with a whale tooth pipe and wings from a flying-fish, certainly makes it sound like he had an adventurous spirit. Curious about the pipe, I went looking online to see what I could find. The British museum has an example here though I doubt Gilbert's pipe was this fancy. I hope that driving around Boston was a little easier in the 19th century, but I wouldn't bet on it. He was back in his hometown of Greenwood, Maine by 1863 when his name is recorded as a man eligible for the Civil War draft.

Flying fish taking off
photographer unknown,
public domain, via WikiMedia Commons

Civil War Draft - I don't have any record that he served in the war.
However, his cousin, O.K. Yates, did and witnessed Lincoln's
assassination. I wrote about that last year. 

In the end, he returned to Maine, married a local girl, and raised his family on a farm. That is more typical of my ancestors. His 6th child, Estes Gilbert Yates, was my great-grandfather. Gilbert lived until 1925 (about age 90), Estes lived until 1977 (age 93), and my grandmother, Linona Alice "Peggy" (Yates) Blake is going strong at 95 and recently announced her intention to make it to 100.

1920 Gilbert is living with daughter, Linnie Cole and her family

The Travels of John Tuttle - 52 Ancestors #28

Ringstead, St. Albans, Ipswich, Southampton, Carrickfergus

John Tuttle came to Massachusetts in 1635 on the Planter and settled at Ipswich. The Planter set sail around April 10 and arrived in Boston on July 7. He made the journey as part of a large family group that included his wife and mother-in-law, both named Joan, five children (two from his wife’s first marriage).  John had two brothers who also came to Massachusetts in 1635; Richard Tuttle settled in Boston and William Tuttle settled in Charlestown. He was the step-father to the Lawrence immigrants who also came to Massachusetts in 1635; John Lawrence, Thomas Lawrence, William Lawrence, Mary Lawrence (m. Thomas Burnham), and Jane (Lawrence) Giddings.

John Tuttle was born about 1596, son of Simon & Isabel (Wells) Tuttle of Ringstead, Northamptonshire, England. He married the former Joan Antrobus, daughter of Walter and Joan (Arnold) Antrobus and widow of Thomas Lawrence. As with many on the Planter, John is said to be from St. Albans, Hertfordshire. 

John was a mercer (textile dealer) who was involved in the import and export business between England, Massachusetts, and Barbadoes. While in Massachusetts, he was active in town affairs. He served as Deputy for Ipswich to the Massachusetts Bay General Court and on a variety of committees to lay out highways and determine town boundaries.

About 1650, he was living in Boston and sailed for England. John left to straighten out some business dealings that had not gone well. On February 16, 1649/50, an agreement was signed between John Tuttle, William Stanley, and Peter LeGay. Stanley and Legay, merchants from Southampton, agreed to furnish John Tuttle with goods having a value of £1200. In return, John Tuttle would make payment with goods for which Stanley & LeGay had orders in Barbadoes. Unfortunately, John did not have the goods on hand. He also had received thirty pieces of broadcloth and couldn't meet his installment payment without mortgaging his Ipswich home and lands. 

By 1651, he did satisfy his creditors but he never returned to New England and lived out the rest of his life in Carrickfergus, Ireland. The letters of Joan Tuttle show she had considerable skill and took an active part in assisting her husband with his business affairs. His wife, Joan, who also left Massachusetts in 1654 and joined him in Ireland. 

After John's death, Joan would continue to write to those in Massachusetts who were supposed to be working on her behalf. The letters she wrote express a deep disappointment in the lack of communication and the failure to have her wishes followed regarding her husband's estate. She was especially disappointed by her son, Simon, who was dealing with the business in Barbadoes and appears to have been pocketing the proceeds rather than distributing them as his mother wished. 

John Tuttle

Simon Tuttle (yes, the one who was stealing his mother's money)

John Tuttle

Martha (Tuttle) Haskell

Martha (Haskell) Safford

Ruth (Safford) Haskell 

Martha (Haskell) Houghton

Mary "Sally" (Houghton) Dunham

Florilla (Dunham) Ellingwood

Nina (Ellingwood) Gibbs

Annie (Gibbs) Cotton

Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

52 Ancestors #45 - The Interesting Life of Abishag Walton

Abishag Walton must have married mariner Robert Taprill between 1659 and 1663. In 1672 the Taprills were living in a house in Boston that belonged to Mr. William Waldron. The house was purchased by Mr. Waldron's brother, Alexander and when Alexander Waldron died in 1676, he willed the house, land and two gold rings to Mrs. Taprill. The house and land was to revert back to William Waldron after the death of Abishag Taprill. 

The name Abishag comes from the Bible where Abishag was a young woman who tends to King David in his old age. Another site describes her role as "a bed companion to David in the hope that her fresh beauty might induce some warmth in the old man." 

Abishag seems to have been the primary support for her family and her husband, Robert, was often at sea and contributed very little, it at all, to the family's support. One time Abishag even had to borrow money to keep Robert out of jail. 

Eventually she moved back to Great Island where her father built a home and a shop for her. Robert Taprill died in November 1678 while on a voyage on the "Providence." Unfortunately, Abishag died in January 1679 and it's possible she hadn't even received word of her husband's death at that point. Before he died he told some of his crew that he hoped his wife would find a better husband and that she had maintained and clothed him. Alice's father, George Walton, took care of her children until he did in 1685. 

Children of Robert & Abishag (Walton) Taprill:

1. Alice appears in her grandfather's will and in the local records in 1685 when she was suspected of having had an illegitimate child. 
2. Priscilla appears in her grandfather's will and married Francis Caswell and died before 1714 when her husband married again. 
3. Grace appears in her grandfather's will and inherited her mother's house on Great Island. She was presented for having an illegitimate child in 1700. She fled the jurisdiction of the court and when she returned a year later, she named John Tomson of Kittery as the child's father and was fined £2:10. She later married Israel Hoyt. 

Robert & Abishag (Walton) Taprill - 10th great-grandparents
Israel & Grace (Taprill) Hoyt
Sampson & Dorothy (Hoyt) Babb
John & Alice (Babb) Waterhouse
Richard & Lydia (Waterhouse) Garland
Isaac & Alice (Garland) Hayes
Richard & Rebecca (Greenwood) Hayes
Sydney & Apphia (Cole) Hayes
George & Anna (Rowe) Hayes
Estes & Eva (Hayes) Yates
Linona Alice Yates - my grandmother

52 Ancestors #42 - Isaac Cousins

Isaac Cousins was the 7th great-grandfather of Clayton Leonard Blake. He seems to have been a wanderer. I don't have any other colonial era ancestors who lived in as many places as he did. His occupation is listed as gunsmith and locksmith. Tracing his steps we find him in: 

Rowley in 1651, Haverhill in 1652, Ipswich about 1654, Boston in 1656, Portsmouth in 1659, Great Island in 1661, Boston in 1668, North Yarmouth, Maine in 1678, Dorchester in 1691, Boston in 1696-1702

Isaac Cousins married three times. His first wife was named Elizabeth and we don't know her maiden name. His second wife was Ann Hunt, whom he married in 1657. His third wife was Martha Priest. He seems to have been seeking to better his lot in life as he moved around and perhaps his best chance was when he became associated with the proprietors in North Yarmouth in Maine. However, Indian attacks doomed this settlement and the he moved back to the Boston area. In 1691 he was warned out of Dorchester and in 1696 he stated in a lawsuit against Richard Priest that he was "an ancient inhabitant of this country...fallen much into decay and waxen so poore." He claimed Richard Priest was withholding his household goods. By the time he died on July 23, 1702 he was a ward of the town. 

Isaac & Elizabeth Cousins

Thomas & Hannah (Goodale) Cousins

George & Hannah (Cousins) Jacobs

Joshua & Priscilla (Jacobs) Bartlett

Joshua & Lydia (Bartlett) Ripley

Micajah & Nancy (Ripley) Blake

Galen & Dolly (Moody) Blake

Charles & Isabelle (Brown) Blake

Harriet May Blake

Clayton Leonard Blake - my grandfather 

Thanks to the research of Walter Goodwin Davis, The Ancestry of Lydia Harmon, for the basic information in this post. 

52 Ancestors #24 - Rev. Joshua Moody

Rev. Joshua Moody was the son of immigrant, William Moody and his wife, Sarah. His family came from England to Newbury, Massachusetts when he was about a year old. He is my ninth great-grandfather on two different lines. He was educated at Harvard College and graduated in 1653. He married twice - first to Martha Collins, sister of Rev. John Collins of London, and second to widow, Ann (Wall) Jacobs of Ipswich. 



In 1658, he went to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and started the First Congregational Church. His time in Portsmouth came to an end when he came into conflict with the Lt. Governor, Mr. Cranfield in 1684. After refusing to administer the sacrament (in the manner of the Church of England rather than in the manner of the Puritans) to Lt. Gov. Cranfield, Rev. Moody was indicted on February 5, 1684 and spent thirteen weeks in jail. His sentence was for six months but his supporters appealed and gained his freedom but if he started preaching again, he would be put back in jail. He moved to Boston and preached under Rev. Cotton Mather at the Old Church (First Church) in Boston until 1692. Rev. Josiah Moody was elected President of Harvard College on July 2, 1684. He declined, however, in favor of continuing his post as assistant minister of the First Church. 



During the witchcraft hysteria in 1692, Rev. Joshua Moody did not support the measures being taken to identify, try, and execute the alleged witches. He did all he could to support and free Philip & Mary (Hollingsworth) English - both accused witches. He helped them flee to New York in defiance of the popular sentiment. He was very lucky that he was not arrested for his actions and in the end, he also chose to leave Massachusetts and return to Portsmouth. He had remained in contact with his congregation there and the contentious Lt. Gov. Cranfield was gone. Rev. Josiah Moody died on July 4, 1697 at the age of 65 after a brief illness. Dr. Cotton Mather preached at his funeral. Two of his daughters married ministers and his son, Samuel was for several years a preacher at New Castle (Great Island), New Hampshire. 

Published works: 
" A Practical Discourse concerning the Choice Benefit of Communion with God in his house, witnessed unto by the experience of saints as the best improvement of time, being the sum of several sermons on Psalms 84:10, preached at Boston, on Lecture Days." Printed in Boston by Richard Pierce in 1685. 
"Sin of Formality in God's Worship, or the Formal Worshipper proved a liar and deceiver, preached on the weekly lecture in Boston, from Hos. 2:12." Published in 1691. 

The library of the Massachusetts Historical Society has 93 volumes of his sermons. The last is numbered 4070 and dated 30th September 1688. That is an average of two and a half sermons a week for thirty years! He had more sermons after that in Portsmouth. 

Rev. Joshua Moody
Rev. Samuel Moody
Joshua Moody
William Moody
Elizabeth Moody
William Ackley
Sarah Ackley
Mary Jane Abbott
Fannie May Capen
Thomas Richard Carter - my grandfather

Rev. Joshua Moody
Rev. Samuel Moody
Joshua Moody
Houchin Moody
Josiah Moody
Hezekiah Moody
Dolly Estes Moody
Charles Galen Blake
Harriet May Blake
Clayton L. Blake - my grandfather

52 Ancestors #4 - Thomas Howlett

Thomas Howlett was born about 1606 based on a deposition taken in 1658 but his English origin is unknown. He died in Ipswich between Nov 4, 1677 and Sept 10, 1678 - the dates when his will was written and when it was proved and his inventory taken. He is my 9th great-grandfather through my grandmother, Linona (Yates) Blake. He came to Boston in 1630 and his emigration date can be estimated as late in that year based on his admission to the Boston church as member number 51. In 1633, he moved to Ipswich and became a freeman on March 4, 1633/4. He served on juries in 1645, 1657, and 1665 and on the Essex grand jury in 1650, 1654, 1659, 1666, and 1667. 

Like many, he was primarily a farmer but he seems to have done a considerable amount of surveying as seen by these events.       

-       On a surveying expedition up the Merrimack in June 1639

-       Committee to determine bounds between Salem and Ipswich in 1643

-       Committee to lay out bounds between Haverhill and Salisbury 1650

-       Committee to lay out six hundred acres to Major Daniel Dennison in 1654

-       Committee to settle the line between Rowley and Newbury in 1655

-       Committee to settle the bounds between Hampton and Salisbury in Nov 1656

-       Committee to lay out land for Governor John Endicott in May 1656

-       Committee to consider the claim to Jeffrey’s Creek 1660

-       Committee to determine bounds between Ipswich and Wenham in 1669

Thomas Howlett married Alice French about 1637. She was the daughter of Thomas French and was baptized April 9, 1610 at Assington, Suffok, England. She was the mother of all his children. After her death, he married Rebecca, widow of Thomas Smith. Rebecca outlived him and died Nov 1, 1680 at Newbury.

Children with Alice

1.     Thomas born about 1637; married Lydia Peabody.

2.     Sarah born about 1639; married John Cummings

3.     John born about 1643; married Susanna Hudson.

4.     Mary born about 1645; married John Perley

5.    Samuel born about 1646; married Sarah Clark

6.     William born about 1650; married Mary Perkins

7.     Nathaniel died April 28, 1658.

Thomas Howlett

Samuel Howlett

Mary Howlett

Jacob Wildes

Ephram Wildes

Molly Wildes

Jacob Emmons

Laura Emmons

Estes Gilbert Yates

Linona Alice Yates - my grandmother

The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010), (Originally Published as: New England Historic Genealogical Society. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols., 1995).

Surname Saturday - Ackley of Boston

On March 20, 1760, a great fire swept through the city of Boston. According to this site, the 1760 fire was called the "Second" Great Fire of Boston. It destroyed 349 buildings and left 220 families homeless. Many businesses were lost and the Quaker Meeting House on Congress Street was consumed by the flames. It even destroyed some ships in the harbor. My 6X great-grandfather, Francis Ackley was among those who unsuccessfully petitioned the House of Commons for relief after the fire.

Francis Ackley participated in the Boston Tea Party. There are several online accounts that say Francis Ackley was killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill but I have not seen enough proof to elevate this story out of the realm of folklore. If anyone has a source for this information, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Francis married Tabitha Bull on June 8, 1751. They are the parents of Samuel Ackley. He was born on July 17, 1763.

Samuel Ackley served three years in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He enlisted in Boston on the day he turned eighteen and joined his regiment at West Point and served until the army was disbanded and he was discharged, again at West Point. His pension was filed while he was living in Halifax, Vermont but in 1830, he moved to Rumford, Maine and was still living in 1855, aged 93. Samuel married Elizabeth Moody on November 18, 1791. They were the parents of William Ackley. 

William Ackley married Deborah Capen on March 4, 1814. They were the parents of Sarah Ackley. 

Ancestry.com. Rumford, Oxford County, Maine: Town History [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001. 

Sarah Ackley married John Abbott and they were the parents of Mary Jane Abbott. Mary Jane married Edward Abbott Capen and they were the parents of Fannie May Capen - my great-grandmother. Fannie married Edward Mellen Carter and they were the parents of my grandfather, Thomas Richard Carter.

If You're Not With Us, You're Against Us!

In 1776, Hopestill Capen was arrested and thrown in a Boston jail. He is my second cousin, 8X removed and I stumbled upon his story while looking for a different Revolutionary War ancestor and it is too good not to share. Being a teacher of American history means being a student of American history. No matter how much I think I know, I'm constantly finding new twists that show history is never cut and dried, black and white. 


So when is a Loyalist not a Loyalist? When you are a Sandemanian. Yup, it's a real word and one I had to research to understand the story of Hopestill Capen. At first glance the Sandemanians seem to be pacifists but further exploration reveals that while they did not believe in taking up arms in rebellion, they did not discourage taking up arms to defend a government. While Hopestill Capen made it clear that he disagreed with British policies and favored a new government, he would not take up arms in the Patriot cause. Many Sandemanians, like other Loyalists, left the country when the British were driven out of Boston. Hopestill refused to go and wanted to ride out the war remaining neutral. His silk & dry-goods shop is now the Union Oyster House - called the oldest continuously operating restaurant in America. 

His own words: "But as to the charge of my being an enemy to my country, no accusation can be more unjust...had I not been check'd by the command of God...to be subject to the Higher Powers...I should have been one of the foremost in opposing the measure of the British Parliament...neither do I think myself in any way bound in conscience to become an informer against my country...but to be subject to all the laws that are made that are not contrary to the laws of my Maker."  And "...whenever it shall appear to my conscience that a change in government has taken place, and is so established that the power is of God, I shall know myself to be as tenaciously bound to adhere to God's law respecting being subject to that power, and to what I am from its support with cheerfulness" (Casey). In plain terms, I will be happy to support the Patriots at the point where they are clearly in charge of the government.


In October 1776 Capen's wife, Patience (Stoddard), petitioned for his release. She expressed that she and her children had suffered greatly because of Hopestill's confinement. More than 80 citizens of Boston signed the appeal and attested to the fact that he was an honest and peaceable man. The sheriff complained that this petition and a second appeal from Hopestill in December was insulting and asked for protection from Mr. Capen's insults. The petitions did not change things for Hopestill and ..."was summarily denied, as the Patriots tended to look upon even the vaguest hints of neutrality or loyalism as a threat to their authority. Capen's persecutors were concerned he and all the other Sandemanians were no different. He was held for over two years and finally released in October 1778, when he decided that emigration to Nova Scotia would be the only option if he wished to live in peace" (Smith 143). It is ironic that he was denied the basic right of habeas corpus espoused by the founding fathers. He never got a chance to defend his position in front of a judge or jury. 

Hopestill's appeal to his jailer, Mr. Wm. Greenleaf

Recently a 1776 broadside with notes in Capen's own hand sold for $7500 on icollector.com. The description of this item includes Capen's notes in the margin which say "I was liberated from prison twentieth of June on a fryday evening at 8 o'clock 1777 after suffering three hundred & 19 days...imprisonment in felons appartments all the time...July 1778 I was called on to abjune the King of England which I dare not in confidence do, for which I was again imprisoned to the day of noon following." This seems to be a bit different from Smith's account but quibbling how much time he spent in jail misses the point that he was held without a hearing or trial until he agreed to leave the country. 


It is unclear to me when or if Hopestill returned from Nova Scotia but he and his wife have headstones in Copps Burying Ground in Boston. His headstone reads "memorial" which leads me to believe he may have been buried elsewhere. These photos are from findagrave.com.

Patience Capen

Hopestill Capen

Sources & further reading on Sandemanians and Hopestill Capen

• http://boston1775.blogspot.com/search/label/Hopestill%20Capen
• The Stone-Campbell movement: an international religious tradition. Edited by Michael W. Casey, Douglas Allen Foster. University of Tennessee Press 2002
• The perfect rule of the Christian religion: a history of Sandemanianism in the eighteenth century. John Howard Smith. SUNY Press. 2008 p. 143
• Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution, With an Historical Essay, Volume 1 by Lorenzo Sabine. Little, Brown & Company. 1864. pg 293
• http://www.williamreesecompany.com/catalogs/cat270.pdf

Bernard Capen (immigrant) - my 10th great-grandfather - line to Hopestill Capen
John Capen (1612-1692) - my 9th great-grandfather                           
Bernard Capen (1650-1691) - brother of James Capen - my 8th great-grandfather
John Capen (1685-1733) - cousin of James Capen 2nd - my 7th great-grandfather
Hopestill Capen (abt 1731-1807) - 2nd cousin of James Capen 3rd - my 6th great-grandfather


The rest of my Capen line:
Thomas Capen (1739- ) - 5th great-grandfather
Thomas Capen (1762-1808) - 4th great-grandfather
Timothy Capen (1793- ) - 3rd great-grandfather
Edward Abbott Capen (1838-1936) 2nd great-grandfather
Fannie May Capen (1878-1961) great-grandmother
T. Richard Carter (1914-2005) grandfather