Giving Thanks

"Let supplication and Prayer and Thanksgiving bee made for all men...Remembrance of the good done to us...Confessing God to be the Author and giver of it...Cheerfulnesse, being glad of an occasion to praise him, and doing it gladly, with joy"  ~ Thomas Wilson

Thomas Wilson, minister at St. George of the Martyr Church in Canterbury never came to the colonies, but his ideas reflected the ideals of the early New England immigrants. 

Wilson was the author of A Christian Dictionarie. The dictionary has been used to provide clues regarding the Pilgrim's religious motives and it allows scholars to have some idea of how Pilgrims interpreted the Bible and used its words.The dictionary is listed in inventories of the estates of famous Pilgrims - William Bradford, Samuel Fuller and Myles Standish. Thomas Shingleton, John Kemble, and Robert Cushman were members of Wilson's congregation in Canterbury and later moved to Leiden and joined the Pilgrim Leiden Church. The Pilgrims were serious about studying the Bible and used a variety of books to help them in their studies. Wilson's dictionary was a best-seller and Dr. Ian Green called it the most popular Bible study aid. Given the importance of Bible study in the daily lives of the Pilgrims, this dictionary must have been highly regarded. 

So what does all of this have to do with Thanksgiving? Well, Wilson used his own definitions of everyday words and included quotes from the Scriptures to provide examples. Wilson's dictionary offered a religious definition of thanksgiving that included “An acknowledgement and confessing with gladnesse of the benefits and deliverances of God…to the praise of his Name" along with the quote that starts this post. The Pilgrims make repeated references to thanksgiving and it's pretty cool that one of my ancestors had such influence on their worship and daily lives. 

Robert Cushman (a member of the Pilgrim group in Leiden) called him "a very excellent preacher in Canterbury, who was both a lover of goodnesse and good men." 

Historian Peter Clark wrote the Thomas Wilson was "probably the most distinguished preacher in early Jacobean Kent [who preached] themes from middle-of-the-road Calvinism." 

10th Great-Grandfather

Rev. Thomas Wilson & Christian Ower

Theophilus Wilson & Elizabeth

Seaborn Wilson & David Fiske

Anna Fiske & Timothy Carter

Benjamin Carter & Sarah Stone

Timothy Carter & Sarah Walker

Timothy Carter & Frances Freeland

Elias M. Carter & Rebecca Williamson

Augustus M. Carter & Mary Frances Stanley

Edward M. Carter & Fannie May Capen

T. Richard Carter & F. Lyndell Cotton

Mayflower Lines (Maybe)

I will begin this post with a major caveat; I have not gone through the process to prove my connection to these lines with the Mayflower Society in an official way. Furthermore, some lines are still in the preliminary research stages when new evidence could easily break the connection I believe is present. It is interesting that both of my grandmothers have significantly more Mayflower ancestors than my grandfathers.

Maternal Lines: Yates & Blake

John Alden - Yates - Elizabeth Alden - Mary Pabodie - Mercy Southworth - Alice Soule -Diman Perry - Abigail Perry - Betsy Judkins - Apphia Delphinia Cole - George Hayes - Eva Delphinia Hayes - Linona Alice Yates

William Mullins - Yates - Priscilla Mullins - Elizabeth Alden (See Above)

George Soule - Yates - John Soule - Moses Soule - Alice Soule (See above)

Edward Doty - Yates - Mary Doty - Mary Churchill - Mary Stevens - Eleazer Cole - Calvin Cole - Calvin Cole - Apphia Delphina Cole - George Hayes - Eva Delphinia Hayes - Linona Alice Yates

William Bradford - Blake - William Bradford - Hannah Bradford - Hezekiah Ripley - Joshua Ripley - Joshua Ripley - Nancy Ripley - Galen Blake - Charles G. Blake - Harriet Blake - Clayton L. Blake 

Paternal Lines: Cotton & Carter

Isaac Allerton - Cotton - Remember Allerton - Abigail Maverick - Martha Ward - Martha Tuthill (Tuttle) - Martha Haskell - Ruth Safford - Martha Haskell - Mary "Sally" Houghton - Florilla Dunham - Nina K. Ellingwood - Annie Florilla Gibbs - Fern Lyndell Cotton 

Stephen Hopkins - Cotton - Constance Hopkins - Elizabeth Snow - Eleazer Rogers - Experience Rogers - Deborah Totman - Asa Alden Barrows - Rachel Barrows - Asa Freeman Ellingwood - Nina K. Ellingwood (See Above) 

Thomas Rogers - Cotton - Joseph Rogers - Thomas Rogers - Eleazer Rogers (See Above) 

Richard Warren - Cotton - Ann Warren - Hannah Little - Mary Tilden - John Thomas - Mary Thomas - James Dunham - James Dunham - Florilla Dunham (See Above) 

James Chilton - Cotton - Isabella Chilton - Sarah Chandler - Moses Simmons (Simonson) - Moses Simmons - Patience Simmons - Moses Barrows - Deborah Totman (See Above) 

Billy Boy - Traditional Folk Song

In honor of my grandmother, Fern Lyndell (Cotton) Carter, I submit this for Bill West's Sixth Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge.  I can still hear her singing this song when I read the lyrics and see the smile on her face and the twinkle in her eye. She married young, at fifteen, and was a wonderful cook so I think this song spoke to her. She loved little children and her eyes twinkled most when she was with them. Here she is with my son, Josh. 



I found a folk singer, Ed McCurdy, with his rendition on Youtube for those who don't know the tune. 

Oh, where have you been,
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Oh, where have you been, Charming Billy?
I have been to seek a wife,
She's the joy of my life,
She's a young thing
And cannot leave her mother.

Did she ask you to come in,
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Did she ask you to come in, Charming Billy?
Yes, she asked me to come in,
There's a dimple in her chin.
She's a young thingAnd cannot leave her mother.

Can she make a cherry pie,
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Can she make a cherry pie, Charming Billy?
She can make a cherry pie,
Quick as a cat can wink an eye,
She's a young thing
And cannot leave her mother.

How old is she,
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
How old is she, Charming Billy?
Three times six and four times seven,
Twenty-eight and eleven,
She's a young thing
And cannot leave her mother.

Fern Lyndell Cotton was born March 22, 1922 and died October 31, 2002. She is greatly missed by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Boy
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/games/songs/childrens/billyboymp3.htm

The Bounty of New England

William Hilton came to New England in the Fortune,  November 11, 1621. William sent the letter transcribed below to his cousin in England. It was first printed in Capt. John Smith's "New England Trials," edition of 1622. William's wife and two children came to New England in the Anne, in the summer of 1623.

Louing cousin, at our ariuall at New Plimmoth in New England, we found all our friends and planters in good health, though they were left sicke and weake with very small meanes, the Indians round about us peaceable and friendly, the country very pleasant and temperate, yeelding naturally of it self great store of fruites, as vines of diuers sorts in great abundance; there is likewise walnuts, chesnuts, small nuts and plums, wiht much varietie of flowers, rootes, and herbs, no lesse pleasant then wholsome and profitable: no place hath more goose-berries and straw-berries, nor better, Timber of all sorts you haue in England, doth cover the Land that affoords beasts of diuers sorts and great flocks of Turkies, Quailes, Pigeons and Partriges: many great lakes abounding with fish, fowle, Beuers and Otters. The sea affoords us as great plenty of all excellent sorts of sea-fish, as the riuers and Iles doth varietie of wilde fowle of most usefull sorts. Mines we find to our thinking, but neither the goodness nor qualitie we know. Better grain cannot be then the Indian corne, if we will plant it upon as good ground as a man can desire. We are all free-holders, the rent day doth not trouble us, and all those good blessings we haue, of which and what we list in their seasons for taking. Our companie are for most part very religious honest people; the word of God sincerely taught euery Sabbath: so that I know not any thing a contented mind can here want. I desire your friendly care to send my wife and children to me, where I wish all the friends I haue in England, and so I rest

Your louing kinsman  William Hilton

I have Hilton's in my ancestry but I haven't linked any of them to this immigrant. I came across this while looking for my Hilton ancestors and liked the description.

Sources:
Ancestry.com. Genealogies: the Hassam family, the Hilton family, the Cheever family. [database on-line]. Provo, UT: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005.

http://www.plimoth.org/media/pdf/hilton_william.pdf

Thanksgiving in Paris?

Last week, I wrote about winning an Ebay auction of letters written by my 3X great-grandfather, Elias Mellen Carter. Here is the transcription and some context for the oldest of the two letters. I have retained the spelling of the original. 

Letter folded - no stamp - appears to have been hand delivered

Main text of letter - one line continued on the inside of the paper 

Wax remaining from seal on the letter

Date & signature of Elias Mellen Carter

Back or outside of paper
East Bethel Nov 19

Timo J Carter Esq.
Paris Me

Bethel Nov. 18, 1832   - Wax from seal

Front or inside of paper
East Bethel Nov 18, 1832

Dear brother,
Yours of the 13 came safe to hand in due time. I received one likewise by the hand of Capt. Hastings from you. As it respects the note for the colt, I called on Mr. Kimball and he got another of his sons to sign, which I suspose to be good for that amount, and I have made inquire and have been informed that the old man's note is good without any other security. I have likewise ben told that Virgin has settled up his affairs and that he is better off now than he was before and I have no doubt but what it is true. Father has not ben to Portland yet & I have not heard him say anything about going, but I should think he would not go till after sleighing.

I have consulted Frances about going to Paris to Thanksgiving and she has concluded to go if I do & if Father is willing and the going will permit I think we shall go, but it is very uncertain but should we not come then I come out before long. We are all well - in haste from your affectionate brother.
Mellen

Timo J Carter Esq.

Elias Mellen Carter is writing to his brother, Timothy Jarvis Carter. It sounds like this letter is in response to one from Timothy that was written on the 13th of the month. Elias was twenty-two years old and unmarried. Timothy J. Carter was six years older and had married, Harriet Rawson in 1828. They had a young son, Samuel Rawson Carter, born in 1829. Kimball and Hastings are two surnames of families who are among the earliest settlers of this area of Bethel. Virgin is a surname that is commonly found in the Rumford area, only a few miles away. The father of both men was Dr. Timothy Carter and his wife, Frances (Freeland) Carter. Their mother died when they were young and their step-mother was Lydia (Russell) Carter. In 1833, there were still five young children from the second marriage living at home, Lydia (age 10), Sarah (age 9), Abigail (age 8), Theodore (age 6), and Benjamin (age 1). The Frances referenced in the letter is the sister of both men. She was twenty-four and not yet married. She would marry Robert Chapman on March 28, 1833. She and Elias were the youngest children of Dr. Timothy & his first wife. While going to Paris for Thanksgiving sounds very exciting, the Paris referred to in the letter is Paris, Maine where Timothy J. and Arabella lived - a distance of about 21 miles. I wonder if the Bethel family made it to Paris for Thanksgiving.

East Bethel to Paris Hill

"Let...Thanksgiving Bee Made For All Men"

"Let supplication and Prayer and Thanksgiving bee made for all men...Remembrance of the good done to us...Confessing God to be the Author and giver of it...Cheerfulnesse, being glad of an occasion to praise him, and doing it gladly, with joy"  ~ Thomas Wilson

Thomas Wilson, minister at St. George of the Martyr Church in Canterbury never came to the colonies but his ideas reflected the ideals of the early New England immigrants. 

Wilson was the author of A Christian Dictionarie. The dictionary has been used to provide clues regarding the Pilgrim's religious motives and it allows scholars to have some idea of how Pilgrims interpreted the Bible and used its words.The dictionary is listed in inventories of the estates of famous Pilgrims - William Bradford, Samuel Fuller and Myles Standish. Thomas Shingleton, John Kemble, and Robert Cushman were members of Wilson's congregation in Canterbury and later moved to Leiden and joined the Pilgrim Leiden Church. The Pilgrims were serious about studying the Bible and used a variety of books to help them in their studies. Wilson's dictionary was a best-seller and Dr. Ian Green called it the most popular Bible study aid. Given the importance of Bible study in the daily lives of the Pilgrims, this dictionary must have been highly regarded. 

So what does all of this have to do with Thanksgiving? Well, Wilson used his own definitions of everyday words and included quotes from the Scriptures to provide examples. Wilson's dictionary offered a religious definition of thanksgiving that included “An acknowledgement and confessing with gladnesse of the benefits and deliverances of God…to the praise of his Name" along with the quote that starts this post. The Pilgrims make repeated references to thanksgiving and it's pretty cool that one of my ancestors had such influence on their worship and daily lives. 

Robert Cushman (a member of the Pilgrim group in Leiden) called him "a very excellent preacher in Canterbury, who was both a lover of goodnesse and good men." 

Historian Peter Clark wrote the Thomas Wilson was "probably the most distinguished preacher in early Jacobean Kent [who preached] themes from middle-of-the-road Calvinism." 

10th Great-Grandfather

Rev. Thomas Wilson & Christian Ower

Theophilus Wilson & Elizabeth

Seaborn Wilson & David Fiske

Anna Fiske & Timothy Carter

Benjamin Carter & Sarah Stone

Timothy Carter & Sarah Walker

Timothy Carter & Frances Freeland

Elias M. Carter & Rebecca Williamson

Augustus M. Carter & Mary Frances Stanley

Edward M. Carter & Fannie May Capen

T. Richard Carter & F. Lyndell Cotton