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

Pigs & Bacon - 52 Ancestors #38

One of my favorite stories about an ancestor because it is so funny to know that someone named Bacon got in trouble for stealing pigs. 

I bought a copy of Diane Rapaport's, New England Court Records, which is primarily a source book detailing repositories of early court records. Near the back of the book she recounts several interesting stories. One she originally wrote as a magazine article caught my eye. She calls this story "The Case of the Purloined Pigs." The story itself was interesting enough but even better to find my ancestor was the one doing the purloining (if that isn't a word, it should be). 

Michael Bacon, (you have to smile at the irony), showed up at the house of William Munro, of Cambridge Farms, after a late November snowstorm looking for his pigs. He was known for letting his pigs wander and this time they had traveled a considerable distance from his home in present-day Bedford. After separating Bacon's pigs from those of the Munro family, the Munros went about their business. Bacon's pigs did not seem to take kindly to being told where to go and soon returned to the Munro's. This time Michael did not take the time to sort them out. He just started herding them all away, toward his home. Martha Munro yelled for him to stop but he ignored her, prompting William to put on some snowshoes and go after him. 

Today this is about 4.5 miles on a nice road ~ 9 minutes by car, but it was over the meadow and through the woods in 1662.

William Munro was a tough Scotsman who had worked his way from Scottish prisoner of war to indentured servant to landowner. His livestock were valuable for food and income and he wasn't about to let even one of them be taken. Bacon's reputation left a lot to be desired. He showed up often in court records for multiple offenses: letting his livestock run free and causing damages to the crops of others, land disputes, slander, forgery, breaches of contract, and a paternity case. 

When Munro caught up with Michael Bacon, he found that one pregnant sow was missing and another was too "tired and spent that shee could not come back" so he had no choice but to leave her with Bacon. He gathered up the other pigs and returned home. The next day he want to the local constable's deputy and told him what happened. They went to Bacon's home and as in the past, Michael denied any of it had happened. When he couldn't convince them that nothing had happened, Bacon admitted that he had Munro's pigs with him the day before but said that he didn't have them anymore. "If Row [Munro] lost them, he must go look for them." Bacon did not offer to help. 


The next day Munro and two of his neighbors searched for his missing pigs and found one stuck in a drift but still alive. They brought her home but were still missing the other pregnant sow. Fed up, he took a trip to the nearest magistrate, Thomas Danforth's house, in Cambridge, and filed a claim against Michael Bacon. Because the amount was small, the matter did not need to go to court and Danforth issued a warrant ordering Michael Bacon to appear at Danforth's home to answer the complaint made by William Munro. Michael Bacon did not show up to answer the warrant but Munro appeared with several other witnesses to testify and Bacon lost the case. The penalty was for the constable's deputy to take a "branded steere" from Michael Bacon to make sure the damages were paid to William Munro. 

However, before Munro could collect on the judgment, his missing sow mysteriously appeared. She was delivered by a man claiming he "found" her and was asked by Bacon to bring her back. The sow was "lamed and went but upon three legs." William Munro was not impressed and demanded the judgment be paid. Michael Bacon asked for a rehearing and ended up owing, not only the original judgment but also the added costs of witness time and constable's fees. 

Still Bacon refused to pay and appealed to the Middlesex County Court. He hired a lawyer to draw up a petition with a number of technical arguments. The April 2, 1672, trial was held at the Blue Anchor Tavern. It appears that Munro also hired an attorney. The result was the same as before, Munro prevailed and more court charges were added to what Michael Bacon now owed. Rapaport says this is where the court records for this case end and based on that she concludes that Michael Bacon paid the judgment. So ends the case of Mr. Bacon and his purloined pigs. 

Illustration from - http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/2009/01/from-pig-to-alien.html
http://www.electricscotland.com/familytree/magazine/febmar2005/story35.htm

Michael Bacon - 11th great-grandfather
Mary Bacon - 10th great-grandmother
Mary Lakin - 9th great-grandmother
Joseph Willard - 8th great-grandfather
Sybel Willard - 7th great-grandmother
Samuel Haskell - 6th great-grandfather
Martha Haskell - 5th great-grandmother
Sally Houghton - 4th great-grandmother
Florilla Dunham - 3rd great-grandmother
Nina Ellingwood - 2nd great-grandmother
Annie Florilla Gibbs - great-grandmother
Fern Lyndell Carter - grandmother

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

An Independent Streak - 52 Ancestors #27

Memorial Stone for John Emery in the Newbury First Settlers Burying Ground

John and his brother, Anthony, came to America in 1635 on the James. He settled at Newbury, where he worked as a carpenter and an innkeeper. John was married twice. His first marriage was to Alice Grantham of West Dean, Wiltshire, England. There is no record of Alice in New England. In Newbury, on October 29, 1647, John married for a second time. His second wife was Mary (Shatswell) Webster, widow of John Webster. Mary had three siblings who had immigrated to Ipswich, Massachusetts - brothers John and Theophilus Shatswell and sister, Margaret (Shatswell) Curwen, wife of Matthias Curwen.

Despite the fact that he sometimes got in trouble (often for standing up for his beliefs), he also contributed his service to the local officials in a number of different offices. He was a member of quite a few petit juries and grand juries over the years. He was the Newbury constable in 1655 and clerk of the market in 1656. 

His independent streak is well documented through the court system. 

His first recorded brush with the law makes one question whether his first wife was still alive since he seems to have gotten a little fresh with a married woman. The part at the end makes me wonder if she was a willing participant in the interaction. On September 29, 1646, "John Emery, for miscarriage with the wife of Henry Travers, fined £3 or to be whipped, and pay witness fee to Christopher Bartlett. Bound to good behavior and not to frequent the company of the wife of Henry Travers. 

In 1654, John joined with other town leaders to sue John Merrill for selling the town's lands without order. Also in 1654, there was a controversy regarding a petition in support of Lt. Robert Pike of Salisbury. That is a story for another blog post. All of his dealings on behalf of his step-children will also be told later. 

In 1658, John, his son John Jr., his step-son John Webster, and Solomon Keyes were admonished by the court for disturbing the peace and acting disrespectully. They were told to "beware of the like sinful practices for time to come, which this Court will not bear; and that they pay the several charges of their neighbors the last Court & this, in coming for relief from such under courses."

On May 5, 1663, John Emery appeared before the court for entertaining Quakers. 

In another church controversy in 1669, John Emery was one of those opposing Rev. Mr. Parker. He appears on a 1671 list of Newbury church members presented as part of this discontent. 

In 1678, John submitted a bill to the local militia for "a new saddle & bridle" 28s.; a "sword & belt," 12s; 2 pounds powder & bullets," 4s.; and "saddle & cloth," 23s. 

John died on November 3, 1683 and was buried in the First Burying Ground in Newbury. 

For more on John Emery - 

John Emery - lists his children and some testimony about his entertaining Quakers. 

Connections to the TV show Downton Abbey - Maps the areas in England where the family lived near the town of Downton. 

John Emery

Eleanor (Emery) Bailey

Sarah (Bailey) Cheney - Sister of Rebecca Bailey (below)

Eleanor (Cheney) Safford

John Safford

Ruth (Safford) Haskell

Martha (Haskell) Houghton

Mary "Sally" (Houghton) Dunham

Florilla (Dunham) Ellingwood

Nina King (Ellingwood) Gibbs

Annie Florilla (Gibbs) Cotton

Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

Rebecca (Bailey) Brown

Ruth (Brown) Rogers

Isaac Rogers

Rebecca (Rogers) Blaisdell

Stephen Blaisdell

Susannah (Blaisdell) Rowe

Stephen Blaisdell Rowe

Charles H. N. Rowe

Anna J. (Rowe) Hayes

Eva Delphinia (Hayes) Yates

Linona Alice Yates - my grandmother

Stormy Weather - 52 Ancestors #10

Surf at Pemaquid - 2014 

I've written before about the hurricane that struck in 1635 and destroyed the Angel Gabriel off the coast of Pemaquid, Maine. For this week's prompt regarding stormy weather, I thought I would highlight another family who was on the same ship and add a bit more information. 

Surf at Pemaquid 2014

An interesting tidbit is that the Angel Gabriel was commissioned by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1617 for a voyage to Guiana. Five ships set out from England. The three were headed to Newfoundland were smaller and faster and landed before the hurricane struck. The James and the Angel Gabriel traveled together were caught by the storm. The James weathered the storm off the Isle of Shoals on the Maine-New Hampshire border and the Angel Gabriel stopped to ride out the storm at Pemaquid. When the ship was dashed against the rocks and destroyed, it was fortunate that only a few people lost their lives. Most of the passengers and crew escaped with their lives although they lost their possessions.

Surf at Pemaquid - 2014

John Bailey was a weaver. He settled with his son, also named John, in Salisbury and had a fishing grant in the Powwow River. When he and John sailed for New England, they left behind the rest of the family assuming they would return and fetch them later. However, the violence of the storm scared him enough that he would never agree to make the ocean crossing again. His wife and other children were also too afraid to make the crossing to join him. 




Couples were not supposed to live apart in Puritan society and the court had ordered him to reunite with his wife. Finally in 1649, the court decided that he "having used sufficient means to procure his wife over from England, and she utterly refusing to come," should not be required to go back to England. However, he was expected to continue to try to persuade her to come live with him. 

When he died in 1651, he left money for his wife and children in England but they would only get the full amount if they came to New England. The executor was to pay for the passage of those who would come to New England. His legacy to his wife was 6 pounds per year, to his son, Robert, 15 pounds, to his daughters, 10 pounds each. However, if they stayed in England, they would only receive 5 shillings each. We only know the name of one of his daughters, Joanna, who married William Huntington, came to New England. 

Surviving A Hurricane

Pemaquid Museum

John Bailey - my 11th great-grandfather

John Bailey, Jr. 

Sarah Bailey

Eleanor Cheney

John Safford

Ruth Safford

Martha Haskell

Mary "Sally" Houghton

Florilla Dunham

Nina K. Ellingwood

Annie Florilla Gibbs

Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother

52 Ancestors #50 - Conflict Among Ancestors

William Longley is my mother's 10th great-grandfather. He seems to have problems with his neighbors, the related families of Haven and Newhall. Richard Haven and his wife, Susanna (Newhall) Haven are my father's 8th great-grandparents. Susanna's husband and brothers, Thomas, Jr., and John, share their stories about altercations with William Longley in the excerpts below from The Essex Genealogist, Vol. 15. 

First Richard Haven threatened William Longley with a cudgel and accused Longley of harming his hogs. After grabbing his beard and threatening to spill his blood, Haven mocked Longley's cries and said he was foaming at the mouth. 


"The Longley and Haven families lived next to each other and had frequent altercations. In February of 1662 William Longley sued Richard Haven for coming on his land...and abusing him in words and deeds. Mary Longley, aged about 19 years, deposed: "Last summer Richard Haven came to me and asked where my father was; and I perceived that he was angry by his countenance and by his carriage. I told him I would not tell him where he was, and said Haven said I will find him and went over the rails into our lot. I saw him break off a great cudgel and go at a great pace up the lot. Fearing he would do my father some mischief, I followed him, and then I met Daniel Mathews and requested him to go with me til we came near to my father sowing turnip seed in his own lot. Haven said to my father why dids't thou lame my hogs,' and I saw Haven take my father by the beard and said 'I could find in my heart to spill thy heart blood upon the ground thou rogue thou.' My father answered...'the Lord will avenge my wrongs one day,' and the said Haven said 'Hark how he cries aloud to his God, and foames at the mouth.'"

About a year later, William Longley accused Thomas Newhall, Jr. of striking Longley's wife. Thomas Newhall, Jr., was the brother-in-law of Richard Haven. There appears to be enough blame on both sides as Longley's daughters and wife attacked Newhall with stones and a broad axe. The jury appears to have believed Longley's account that Longley's wife was struck with the pole after a tussle between the Longley women and the Newhall men. 

"In March of 1663, William Longley sued Thomas Newhall, Jr. for striking his (Longley's) wife. Thomas had been asked to hold a pole in running the boundary line between the property of William Longley and John Newhall (Thomas's brother). Longley's two daughters were said to have thrown stones at him and one of the daughters struck him with a pole, while Longley's wife struck at him with a broad axe. If he had not slipped he would have been wounded if not killed. The adverse testimony set forth that Newhall was holding one end of a long pole, with Longley's wife and daughters the other end, "and the women were too hard for the man in pulling so much that the said Newhall called his brother John and they two together pulled the pole from the said women, and then Thomas Newhall struck Longley's wife with the pole. A verdict against Newhall was brought in."

William Longley - 11th great-grandfather
Hannah Longley
Thomas Tarbell
Elizabeth Tarbell
Sybil Willard
Samuel Haskell
Martha Haskell
Mary "Sally" Houghton
Florilla Dunham
Nina King Ellingwood
Annie Florilla Gibbs
Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother - Dad's side

Richard Haven - 9th great-grandfather
Mary Haven
Nathaniel Tarbox
Benjamin Tarbox
Jedidiah Tarbox (female)
Patience Smith
Sarah Shepard
Laura E. Emmons
Estes Gilbert Yates
Linona Alice Yates - my grandmother - Mom's side

Thomas Newhall, Jr. - brother of my 9th great-grandmother, Susanna Newhall. Susanna Newhall was married to Richard Haven (above). 

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 - #2 Isaac Allerton

Isaac Allerton is one of those ancestors where you just don't know where to start to tell his stories. He is my 12th great-grandfather through my great-grandmother, Annie Florilla (Gibbs) Cotton. He came on the Mayflower from Holland and was involved in so many things in the early days of the Plymouth colony. He has a wikipedia page and is well documented by a large number of sources. This post will cover the basics. 

In 1620, Isaac arrived in Plymouth but he would also live in Marblehead, Massachusetts, New Amsterdam (NY), and New Haven, Connecticut. As a merchant, he made frequent trips to England on both personal and colony business. Allerton was chosen as the assistant to Governor William Bradford and served for many years starting in January 1633/4. 

Based on his deposition in 1639, it is calculated that he was born about 1586 and he died in New Haven between the first and the twelfth of February 1658/9. He was in court on the first and his inventory was taken on the twelfth. 

The precarious health situation of those times is seen in Isaac's life story. He was married three times because his first two wives died fairly young and he lost two children in 1620. His first wife, Mary Norris died, along with many others, during the first winter in Plymouth. Isaac married Fear Brewster, daughter of Pilgrim William Brewster, but she died within a few years in 1634. His third wife was the widow, Joanna Swinnerton and they married by 1644. 

With his first wife, Isaac had five children but only three survived.
1. Bartholomew b. abt. 1613. He returned to England and became a minister. 
2. Remember b. abt 1615; married Moses Maverick, son of Rev. John Maverick. 
3. Mary b. abt 1617; married Thomas Cushman, son of Robert Cushman. Interesting to note that she was the last of the Mayflower passengers to die - November 28, 1699. 
4. Child, buried in Leiden, Holland, February 5, 1620.
5. Son, stillborn aboard the Mayflower, December 22, 1620 in Plymouth Harbor.

With his second wife, Isaac had two children, one of whom has no further record so was possibly another early death. 
6. Sarah, b. abt. 1626, nfr.
7. Isaac b. abt. 1630; married twice, 1st to Elizabeth, 2nd in Virginia to Elizabeth (Willoughby) (Overzee) Colclough, daughter of Thomas Willoughby and widow of Simon Overzee and George Colclough. 

Isaac's sister, Sarah Allerton was married three times; 1st to John Vincent, 2nd to Degory Priest (Pilgrim), and third to Godbert Godbertson. 

The Great Migration summary of Isaac Allerton by Robert Charles Anderson notes that he was "one of the busiest and most complicated men in early New England..." and "records for Allerton may be found in virtually every colony on the Atlantic seaboard, and in the Caribbean, including Newfoundland, New Netherland, New Sweden, Virginia, Barbadoes, and Curaçao. 

Isaac Allerton
Remember Allerton
Abigail Maverick
Martha Ward
Martha Tuthill (Tuttle)
Ruth Safford
Martha Haskell
Mary "Sally" Houghton
Florilla Dunham
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. 

Surname Saturday - Gawkroger of Platts

One of the more interesting names in my family tree is Gawkroger. Depending on which source one finds, it means something along the lines of "awkward or clumsy" Roger or "left-handed" Roger. Tracking down the Gawkrogers gets interesting as some of the family of immigrants used the surname Platts. Heather Wilkinson Rojo wrote a post about the family last July. Platts is a place name and evidently used to distinguish my ancestors from those of another "awkward/clumsy/left-handed Roger."

Names and History: People, Places, and Things by George Redmond uses the Gawkroger surname to demonstrate the linguistic and social development of a surname (p. 38-39). "In a roll of 1545, for example, six individuals were taxed in Sowerby and two more in Hartshead and Liversedge. It was not a prolific surname but probably more numerous than these figures suggest, for there would be some families who were not sufficiently well off to be included." He goes on to trace the evolution of the name to various aliases that different branches started to use. The name Platts came from a property and the family was said to be "of Platts" and some eventually took Platts as their surname. Another branch of the family lived near Sowerby Bridge and took the surname Brigge. Yet another became Barker - possibly from the northern England word for a tanner. He concludes "The lesson for genealogists is clear, for while they would probably accept that Gaukroger might have such variants as Gawkroger and Gaukrodger, or even Corkroger and Cockroger, they would find it more difficult to to come to terms with aliases such as Barker, Platts, Brigg, Ro(d)gers, Gawke, and even Cockrobin."

Mary Gawkroger was the daughter of Abram and Martha (Riley) Gawkroger. She married John Prescott on April 11, 1629 in Sowerby, Yorkshire, England. The couple went first to Barbadoes and then became one of the first families of Lancaster, Massachusetts.

Mary Prescott married Thomas Sawyer and had a daughter, Mary.
Mary Sawyer married James Houghton and I descend from two of their sons, Ephraim & Thomas.

Ephraim Houghton & Hannah Sawyer
Elisha Houghton & Meriah Pierce
Moses Houghton & Martha Haskell
Sally Houghton & James Dunham
Florilla Dunham & Asa Freeman Ellingwood
Nina Ellingwood & George Gibbs
Annie Florilla Gibbs & Ray Everett Cotton
Fern Lyndell Cotton

Thomas Houghton
Hannah Houghton & John Pierce
Meriah Pierce & Elisha Houghton (first cousins, once removed)

Names & History: People, Places, and Things

Surviving A Hurricane

http://bangordailynews.com/2011/06/23/living/trunk-that-survived-1635-shipwreck-on-display-at-colonial-pemaquid/

John Cogswell came to America hoping to start a business. The ship he sailed on was the Angel Gabriel and was headed for Massachusetts. The ship anchored at Pemaquid and was caught in a sudden storm (no National Hurricane Center to provide warnings). The strong storm sank the ship but fortunately most of the passengers had gone ashore to camp for the night near modern-day Bristol, Maine. John Cogswell recovered some of his goods but most of the barrels of items he brought to start his business were lost in the waves. He did manage to retrieve a small trunk that contained his personal belongings. The trunk has been passed down in the Cogswell family and last year, it was loaned to the Pemaquid museum. Visitors can view the trunk and a model of the Angel Gabriel.

This shipwreck has been well-documented by some other geneabloggers. Cousin Heather Wilkinson Rojo has written 4 posts about the Cogswell family and they are linked below. One includes a very amusing story about how a young girl saved the life of a cow who was choking on a potato. 

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/r/o/j/Heather-W-Rojo/PHOTO/0047photo.html
http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Angel%20Gabriel

John Cogswell & Elizabeth
Sarah Cogswell & Simon Tuttle
John Tuttle & Martha Ward
Martha Tuttle & Mark Haskell
Martha Haskell & John Safford
Ruth Safford & Samuel Haskell
Martha Haskell & Moses Houghton
Sally Houghton & James Dunham
Florilla Dunham & Asa Freeman Ellingwood
Nina Ellingwood & George Gibbs
Annie Gibbs & Ray Everett Cotton
Fern Lyndell Cotton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_Gabriel_(ship)

Simpler Times

The ready availability of Revolutionary War pension records online gives us a glimpse of life in the early 19th century. Pension applicants were required to submit an inventory of their belongings and show they had no other sources of income. One thing I find quite striking is the limited amount of personal possessions these pensioners list in their inventories. My 6th great-grandfather owned 7 things other than the clothes on his back and possibly some bedding. The inventory of Elisha Houghton equals $43.38 in 2012 dollars! He was awarded a pension of $48 semi-annually and back pension pay of $31.76.  The semi-annual amount is $893.72 in 2012 dollars. 

So how did Elisha Houghton earn his pension? He fought in the Revolutionary War and was at Bunker Hill and Stillwater. Then he re-enlisted for three years in the 15th Massachusetts (Bigelow's regiment) under the command of Capt. Joshua Brown. He took part in the battles of Monmouth and Newport and was at Valley Forge. The Battle of Monmouth is where Molly Pitcher gained fame. 

Engraving of Molly Pitcher at the Battle of Monmouth

Apparently he lost his gun at Bunker Hill because it is reported that he petitioned for remuneration for loss of a gun taken from him while assisting wounded men from the field June 17, 1775. I have no idea if he got the money for the gun or not. 

"And I do solemnly swear, that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner disposed of my property, or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it, as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress entitled "An Act to provide for certain persons, engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the Revolutionary war," passed on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities, contracts or debts, due to me, nor have I any income, other than what is contained in the schedule, hereto annexed, and by me subscribed - schedule of property, necessary clothing and bedding excepted to wit: 1 Tub .33; 1 Iron pot .75; 1 salt mortar .12; 1 teakettle .75; 1 sugar box .19; 1 tin tumbler .6; and 1 old Pail .13 = 2.33.

That I am by occupation a labourer that I am not able to labour that the number of my family residing with me is none

Bunker Hill Monument

Battle of Monmouth

Battle of Bunker Hill

Elisha Houghton - 6th great-grandfather

Moses Houghton - 5th great-grandfather

Sally Houghton - 4th great-grandmother

Florilla Dunham - 3rd great-grandmother

Nina King Ellingwood - 2nd great-grandmother

Annie Florilla Ellingwood - great-grandmother

Fern Lyndell Cotton - grandmother

Black Sheep Sunday - Slaves in the Family

Usually I find the blogs of other genealogists intelligent, thoughtful and interesting. Yesterday I found one that disturbed me. The blogger offered a critique of the PBS show Finding Your Roots, hosted by Henry Lewis Gates, Jr. The author of this critique found the show "boring" and speculates that it would not appeal to a wide audience because it seems Gates has an "agenda" to make every show about slavery or find black ancestry of white people or vice versa. I do agree that the show could focus more on how the information is found but I suspect more people tune in for the family stories than the how-to's of genealogy. 


As a historian, I find this idea that connecting New England families to slavery is "digging up dirt" or connotes the bias of Gates disturbing because the author doesn't seem to understand that slavery is not just about the South and not just about black people. Slavery is deeply intertwined in the history of New England and white people. Slavery was legal in all colonies and tied to the occupations of shipbuilders, merchants, and sea captains, key components of the New England economy. As a U.S. history teacher in Maine, I struggle every year to convince students that slavery is part of the history of New England. In addition, I find the show fascinating because it shows that race is not clearly defined and, pardon the pun, history is not black and white - rather we are all human no matter what color our skin may be. As a genealogist, I wonder why one would expect that Gates would not showcase his area of expertise, the ancestry of African-Americans. Personally, I find it fascinating to see how a genealogist works to put together information about a group of people who are difficult to document. 


So far, I have found several indirect links between my New England ancestors and slavery. Today I present two of those stories. 

Samuel Maverick was born in 1602 and is the brother of my 11th great-grandfather. Their father was Rev. John Maverick who brought his family from Beaworthy, Devonshire, England in 1630 and became the one of the first ministers in Dorchester, MA. Samuel settled at Noddle's Island (currently part of Logan Airport after the strait separating it from the mainland was filled in the 1940s). Samuel purchased several slaves who were natives of Tortuga. My cousin and fellow genealogist, **Bill West, wrote about an appalling incident describing how Samuel, wishing to breed more slaves, ordered a male slave to force himself on one of the female slaves. Then one has to consider the contrast of the account by John Winthrop commenting on Samuel's kindness to Indians during a smallpox epidemic. "Among others, Mr. Maverick of Winnesemett is worth of a perpetual remembrance. Himself, his wife, and servants went daily to them, ministered to their necessities, and buried their dead, and took home many of their children." He reportedly buried 30 Indians in one day and took in many orphaned children. Now the question becomes, did he take in those orphans as slaves? 

Noddle's Island

**Bill's post includes information about another interesting story of slavery and the Upton family in New England. 


Ebenezer Ellingwood Jr. (6th great-granduncle) and his brother William were business partners. They were sea captains who sailed to Barbados among other places. Tax records reveal the brothers suffered some losses in their business and in the 1750s he was a hogreeve (overseer of pigs) for Beverly and applied for a license to operate a tavern and inn. Later court records and his estate list him as a yeoman suggesting he had retired from operating a tavern and inn shortly before his death at the age of 53. This is condensed from a posting at dougsinclairarchives.com. A longer explanation of Ebenezer's life with additional sources can be found at his site as well as information on other Ellingwood relatives. Part of the information he shares are stories about the slaves of Ebenezer Ellingwood. 


Ebenezer was abated part of his taxes for the "loss of his negro" in 1758, who is undoubtedly the unnamed slave of Ebenezer in Rev. Hale's Beverly death records who drowned in that year. Those records also mention the death of a slave infant in 1757. The tax list for 1760 includes two slaves. One may have been Jethro, who is known to have been with Ebenezer in 1763. Jethro is the only slave named in Ebenezer's estate inventory. It is very likely Jethro who was beaten by Thomas Diall in 1764. Ebenezer brought him to court for the offense and for trespass and won a judgement of 9 shillings and court costs.

Grave of Ebenezer Ellingwood 

While neither of these are in my direct line of ancestors, they are close relatives of my many times great-grandparents and it is likely that they had contact with each other. I can't help but wonder what others in the family thought about slavery, equality, and the humanity of native and African people. 


http://www.celebrateboston.com/disasters/smallpox-epidemics.htm
http://dougsinclairsarchives.com/ellingwood/ebenezerellinwood.htm


Rev. John Maverick (father of Samuel) - 12th great-grandfather
Moses Maverick (brother of Samuel) - 11th great-grandfather
Abigail Maverick - 10th great-grandmother
Martha Ward - 9th great-grandmother
Martha Tuttle/Tuthill - 8th great-grandmother
Martha Haskell - 7th great-grandmother
Ruth Safford - 6th great-grandmother
Martha Haskell - 5th great-grandmother
Sally Houghton - 4th great-grandmother
Florilla Dunham - 3rd great-grandmother
Nina King Ellingwood - 2nd great-grandmother
Annie Florilla Gibbs - great-grandmother
Fern Lyndell Cotton - grandmother


Ebenezer Ellingwood (father of Ebenezer Jr) - 7th great-grandfather
Joseph Ellingwood (brother of Ebenezer Jr) - 6th great-grandfather
John Ellingwood - 5th great-grandfather
John Ellingwood Jr - 4th great-grandfather
Asa Freeman Ellingwood - 3rd great-grandfather & husband of Florilla Dunham (above)