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).

Obituary Sunday - Augustus Mellen Carter

The Carter Farm - Middle Intervale, Bethel, Maine

On August 17, 1923, my 2nd great-grandfather, Augustus M. Carter, died at his home at the age of 83. His son, my great-grandfather, Edward M. Carter, had been hit by a car and killed just a few weeks before. It must have been hard for my great-grandmother, Fanny (Capen) Carter to lose her husband and then her father-in-law in such a short time. I found two entries from the Google News Archive in the summer of 1923. The first notes that Augustus had fallen and broken his arm and the second is his obituary.

The Lewiston Daily Sun - Jun. 13, 1923
EAST BETHEL
...Augustus Carter of Middle Intervale had the misfortune to fall and break his arm last Friday...


The Lewiston Daily Sun - Aug. 20, 1923
AUGUSTUS CARTER
Bethel, Aug. 19 - Augustus Carter passed away Friday afternoon at his home on the Middle Intervale road. He had been in ill health for some time. He was 83 years of age. He has been quite a prominent lumber man having had charge of the buying for the Berlin Mills Co., for nearly 40 years, and had also done some logging for himself. He married Mary F. Stanley and to them two children were born, Edward M., and Frances A. Carter. The son, Edward, was hit by an auto a few weeks ago and died from the injuries. The daughter Frances has cared for her father during his long period of ill health. He was a member of the Baptist church. He is survived by his daughter, Frances, one brother, Herbert Carter, a sister, Mrs. Mary Wiley, five grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. The funeral was held from his late home Sunday afternoon, interment in the Middle Intervale cemetery.

Our family is fortunate to have a number of items belonging to Augustus Mellen Carter. I have written about his surveying work before. He also served in the Civil War and my connection to him is that I used his saddle when I was first learning to ride a horse.

 

Augustus Mellen Carter married Mary Frances Stanley.
Edward Mellen Carter married Fanny May Capen.
Thomas Richard Carter - my grandfather

Something Old

The historian in me loves old things and the genealogist in me gets really excited when those old things are directly linked to my family. This is a map of the "Township of Holmes in the County of Oxford and the District of Maine." The pictures below show the map in its entirety, writing that identifies my 2nd great-grandfather, Augustus M. Carter and says it was taken from the surveys of James Eames and Silas Thurlow by Jeremiah Lott and copied by Augustus and an original date on the map of April AD 1811!! There is no date that says when the copying was done but Augustus was born in 1840, served in the Civil War, and became a surveyor after that so probably late 19th century. 

Augustus Mellen Carter - 2nd great-grandfather
Edward Mellen Carter - great-grandfather
T. Richard Carter - grandfather

Workday Wednesday: Surveying the Past

Augustus Mellen Carter was a surveyor for the Brown Company in Berlin, N.H and for railroad companies in Western Maine. He was born and raised in Bethel, Maine and after fighting in the Civil War, he began his surveying career. We are fortunate to have a number of items relating to him still in the possession of family members. This is a compass and case that belonged to him.