On the Trail of Johnny Appleseed

August 23, 2013, 3:00 am

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This spot, with the historical markers and miniature log cabin, marks the birthplace of Johnny "Appleseed" Chapman, in Leominister, Massachusetts

Every time I drive to my Mother’s house we drive down Route 13 through Leominster, Massachusetts.  Along the way we pass a “Welcome to Leominster” sign that says “Home of Johnny Appleseed”, a  Johnny Appleseed school , Appleseed plaza, and lots of other references to the mythical hero.  But he was a real man, and his actual name was John Chapman.  He was my 2^nd cousin, five generations removed.   His mother was Elizabeth Simonds, the niece of my 5^th great grandfather, Caleb Simonds (1720 – 1811).

One day last month when we were passing though Leominster I said to my husband, “Let’s find the historical marker for his birthplace”.  Of course, it was located on Johnny Appleseed Lane, next to the Johnny Appleseed State Park.  It was easy to find with an iPhone using Google and a mapping app, or GPS.   The memorial was small and solemn, and easy to drive past if you don’t go slowly and keep your eyes open on Johnny Appleseed Lane.   There is no space to park and pay your respects, so we pulled over on the side of the road and took a few quick photos out the car window.

NEAR THIS SITE WAS BORN JOHN CHAPMAN KNOWN AS JOHNNY APPLESEED SEPTEMBER 26, 1774          MARCH 18, 1845 LEOMINSTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY 1963

My fellow genealogists are gathering in Fort Wayne, Indiana this week for the Federation of Genealogical Societies conference.  This is near where Johnny Appleseed lies buried at the Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park.  You can see photos of this at FindAGrave.com at this link: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=1848 Or here are a few from my fellow blogger Carol A. Bowen Stevens. Thanks, Carol!

"JOHNNY

APPLESEED"

HE LIVED FOR OTHERS

HOLY BIBLE

1774 - 1845

IN FOND MEMORY OF

JOHN CHAPMAN, ENDEARLY KNOWN AS "JOHNNY APPLESEED"

THESE GRAVESITE IMPROVEMENTS WERE PROVIDED BY

THE MEN'S GARDEN CLUBS OF AMERICA

AND

THE JOHNNY APPLESEED NATIONAL MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, INC.

SEPTEMBER 25, 1965

Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park Fort Wayne, Indiana photo courtesy of Carol A. Bowen Stevens

In a funny coincidence, my ancestor Caleb Simonds, mentioned above,  had a first cousin married to Colonel Loammi Baldwin (1744 – 1807), who was a renaissance man - an engineer, inventor, politician and an officer in the American Revolution.  Loammi Baldwin has a statue in his hometown of Woburn, Massachusetts, and is widely remembered as the cultivator of the Baldwin apple among all his other acomplishments. He is the husband of my 2^nd cousin six generations removed.   I wonder if Johnny “Appleseed” Chapman took Baldwin apple seeds with him on his journey to the midwest?   

This Johnny Appleseed statue is in the Londonderry Leach Library, next to the Children's Room. It was sculpted by Pat Verani of Londonderry.

Johnny Appleseed’s genealogy:

Generation 1:  John Chapman, born 26 September 1774 in Leominster, Massachusetts, died on 18 March 1845 in Fort Wayne, Indiana; unmarried.

Generation 2:  Johnny “Appleseed”’s parents were Nathaniel Chapman, born 13 September 1746 in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, died 18 February 1807 in Salem, Massachusetts; married as his first wife  on 9 August 1769 in Leominster to Elizabeth Simonds.  She was born 2 July 1748 in Ware, Massachusetts, died 18 July 1776 in Leominster.  

Generation 3: James Simonds, born 10 March 1717 in Woburn, Massachusetts, died in Leominster; married as his first wife on 12 May 1740 in Woburn to Anna Lawrence, daughter of John Lawrence and Elizabeth Stone.  They are my 5^th great uncle and aunt.

Generation 4: James Simonds, born 1 November 1686 in Woburn, died 30 June 1775 in Woburn; married on 17 June 1714 in Woburn to Mary Fowle, daughter of James Fowle and Mary Richardson.  She was born 18 June 1689 in Woburn, died 9 March 1762 in Woburn.  They are my 6^th great grandparents.

Generation 5: James Simonds, born 1 November 1658 in Woburn, died 15 September 1717 in Woburn; married 29 December 1685 in Woburn to Susannah Blodgett, daughter of Samuel Bloggett and Ruth Eggleton.  She was born 17 February 1663 in Woburn, and died 9 February 1715 in Woburn.  My 7^thgreat grandparents

Generation 6: William Simonds, born about 1612 in Winchester, Hampshire, England, died 7 June 1672 in Woburn; married on 18 January 1644 in Woburn to Judith Phippen.  She was born about 1619 and died 3 January 1690 in Woburn.  My 8^th great grandparents.

For more information:

The Chapman Family Association, www.chapmanfamilies.org

From the Chapman Family Association website, the Johnny Appleseed page at this link: http://www.chapmanfamilies.org/BIO/j_appleseed.html

New England’s Insomniac Theater visits the Johnny Appleseed Birthplace, on YouTube at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ofihZVnBG8

A story from the Worcester Telegram, 3 July 2011 “Johnny Appleseed Tale Grew Tall in Leominster” by Karen Nugent at this link:  http://www.telegram.com/article/20110703/NEWS/107039793

Johnny Appleseed Country website, sponsored by Massachusetts Visitor Center on Route 2 westbound, located between exits 35 and 36 in Leominster, Massachusetts.      http://www.appleseed.org/

Carol A. Bowen Stevens blog "Reflections from the Fence" http://www.reflectionsfromthefence.com/

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

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Surname Saturday ~ Lyons, Loyalists from Connecticut to Nova Scotia?

August 24, 2013, 3:00 am

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Isabella Lyons (1806 - 1872) unknown date

Isabella Lyons (1806 - 1872) wife of Rev. I. E. Bill

LYONS

This is another brickwall line, and I was reluctant to post it as a Surname Saturday name until I realized that someone out there in cyber space may have the answer to my lineage problems.  So here is the story…

My line begins with David Lyons.   He appears in Nova Scotia records for the first time when he purchased land from Thomas M. Beckwith near the Pereau River on 6 April 1803.   He appears in the 1790 Federal Census of Stratford, Connecticut.   According to an article in Connecticut Ancestry“Connecticut Loyalists Who Went to Canada” 1974, Volume 17, No. 2, a “Daniel Lyon” was granted land in Canning, Nova Scotia.  Is this the same man?

On 25 May 1779 in Cornwallis, Kings County, Nova Scotia David Lyons married Elizabeth Ratchford, the daughter of Thomas Ratchford and Desire Gore, other new Nova Scotia planters from New England.  I know little else about Thomas and Elizabeth. David Lyons and his family are listed in the Cornwallis Township book, which gives the names and some dates for the twelve children’s births.

My line continues through their son, Thomas Ratchford Lyons, who married twice. His first wife, and my 4^th great grandmother, was Ann Skinner.  She gave him seven children.  I only know a little about this generation from vital records in the Cornwallis Township Book and from a journal written by a son-in-law.  Their daughter, Isabella Lyons, married the Reverend Ingraham Ebenezer Bill, who wrote extensively about his life, his family and his conversion to the Baptist faith.  There is also some information about the Lyons family in the family sketches chapters of The History of King’s County, Nova Scotia by Arthur Wentworth Hamilton Eaton, 1910 (available to read online at archive.org at this link http://archive.org/details/historykingscou00eatogoog).

Other LYONS researchers have uncovered information about a Patrick Lyons in Nova Scotia.  This Patrick Lyons lived previously in Connecticut, where he witnessed a will.  Patrick Lyons left a will mentioning his father’s burial in County Monaghan, Ireland, and a brother Edmund in Castleblaney.  Could he be the father, brother or kinsman of David Lyons? Was the family of Irish descent?  Were they Loyalists?

My LYONS lineage:

Generation 1:  Patrick Lyons?

Generation 2: David Lyons, born about 1759 in Connecticut? Died May 1812 in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia; married on 25 May 1779 in Cornwallis to Elizabeth Ratchford, daughter of Thomas Ratchford and Desire Gore.  She was born about 1764 and died on 18 March 1845 in Nova Scotia.

Generation 3: Thomas Ratchford Lyons, born 3 March 1780 in Cornwallis, died 1859 in Sackville, Nova Scotia; married first on 30 September 1802 in Cornwallis to Ann Skinner, daughter of Charles Skinner and Sarah Osborn.  She was born 9 March 1786 in Cornwallis and died 19 October 1815 in Cornwallis.  He married second to Anne Griffin.

Generation 3: Isabella Lyons, born 28 January 1806 in Cornwallis, died April 1872 in Carleton, New Brunswick; she married on 20 April 1826 in Cornwallis to Reverend Ingraham Ebenezer Bill, son of Asahel Bill and Mary Rand.  He was born on 19 February 1805 in Billtown, Cornwallis and died 4 August 1891 in St. Martin’s, New Brunswick.

Generation 4: Caleb Rand Bill m. Ann Margaret Bollman

Generation 5: Isabella Lyons Bill m. Albert Munroe Wilkinson

Generation 6: Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my grandparents)

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

The Sneaker King, Marquis Mills Converse

August 26, 2013, 3:00 am

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Kristen Stewart wearing Chuck Taylor sneakers on the red carpet in Hollywood UP photo 2009

When I was just a teen aged kid, I started tracing our genealogy.  I had some help from a night class I took, and then I was on my own in the genealogy stacks of the reading room at the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts.   I was lucky because it was the mid-1970s, and I had interviewed my grandparents, who had been born in the 1890s.  They knew all about their own parents and grandparents, which took me right to the “Tan Books”.  In those days (pre-internet), anyone doing Massachusetts ancestry used the Tan books, which are the published vital records for most of the towns in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.   The Tan books cover from the beginning of vital records in the early 1600s up to 1850.

I was also lucky because the AAS had, and still has, a great collection of compiled genealogies.  I was able to find a book on my MUNROE ancestors, and my EMERSONs, and then the CONVERSE family.  I carefully compared all the notes and dates to vital records.  I was sure that I was on the right track. However, the CONVERSE family had information on the family going back into the eons of time in England.  I took it all for granted and added it to my family tree.  There was no way of checking information pre-1620 in the Massachusetts Vital Records.

Still on the hunt for proof of my CONVERSE line led me to check the information I previously found with some books on heraldry and peerages.  All the Converse information matched, except for the leap from England to Massachusetts in the 1600s. Which is exactly where I found my first case of “trimming the family tree” a few years later.  As I advanced in my genealogy research experience, I learned about genealogy journals and using the latest available research.  The CONVERSE book I had read was published in the 1800s. Newer information in the NEHGS Register later in the 20thcentury straightened out the line and trimmed off my noble CONVERS line which had led to the knight Sir Roger de Coigneries, companion to William the Conqueror. 

Fast forward  - in the year 2001 a book was published called The Name’s Familiar II, a second volume of a book by Laura Lee which gives biographies and family histories on the inventors or historical figures who lent their names to brands, inventions, and other commonly used words.  This is the book for you if you are curious about the people and names behind CliffsNotes,  Bunker Hill, or Converse athletic shoes.   You can read this book online at Google Books.

The very first line of the sketch on Marquis Mills Converse, founder of the Converse athletic shoe company,  states “…was born October 25, 1861 into a family that traces its lineage all the way back to Edward III of England…”.   I wondered if they used his noble heritage in any early advertising.  And hey, that CONVERSE name sounded familiar?  Marquis Mills Converse turned out to be a relative. To me.  Not to any noble King in England.  If a fifteen year old could figure out that family history, why couldn't a book author?  (Did his parents name him "Marquis" after a mythical royal lineage?)

Did you ever wear a pair of Chuck Taylor basketball shoes? This is the same Converse shoe company, founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts.  Our common ancestor, the Puritan Deacon Edward Converse first came to the New World and settled in Charlestown, and then Woburn, Massachusetts.  Malden was a great place for this famous sneaker factory since it is right in between the two towns where Deacon Converse lived in the 1600s.  These shoes are probably now made in China, but I don't know for sure.  Converse sneakers were wildly popular with both basketball players and teenagers in the 1950s and 1960s, until designer athletic shoes became the rage in the 1970s and 1980s.  The company is still making athletic shoes, and they are more popular today with skateboarders and red carpet actresses in Hollywood than with NBA athletes.

Here’s the real story!

The Converse Family genealogy:

          Richard Convers d. 1542 in Navestock, Essex, England m. Margaret Unknown

                                                               I

                                         John Convers m. Joan Fuller

                                                               I

                                         Anthony Convers m. Clemence Spady

                                                               I

                                         Deacon Edward Converse m. Sarah Parker

                                         b. 1590 Stanford Rivers, Essex, England

                                         d. 10 August 1663 Woburn, Massachusetts

                              I                                                                   I

James Converse m. Anna Long                                     Samuel Converse m. Judith Carter

                              I                                                                   I

James Converse m. Hannah Carter                              Samuel Converse m. Dorcas Pain

                              I                                                                   I

Robert Converse m. Mary Sawyer                                Thomas Converse m. Abigail Fay

                              I                                                                   I

Susanna Converse m. Caleb Simonds                           Joel Converse m. Elizabeth Bixby

                              I                                                                   I

Ruth Simonds m. Andrew Munroe                               Marquis Converse m. Electa White

                              I                                                                   I

Luther Simonds Munroe m. Olive Flint                        Peter Mills Converse m. Mary Spear Clement

                              I                                                                   I

Phebe Munroe m. Robert W. Wilkinson         Marquis Mills Converse m. Alice Houghton Sargent
                             I                                                   Founder of the Converse Shoe Company

Albert M. Wilkinson m. Isabella L. Bill                         

                              I

Donald M. Wilkinson m. Bertha L. Roberts

                (my grandparents)

Slightly inaccurate source:

The Name’s Familiar II, by Laura Lee, Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing Company, 2001.  (See pages 83-84 for the sketch on Marquis Mills Converse)

Better sources for CONVERSE genealogy:

NEHGS Register, Volume 146, pages 130 -132

NEHGS Register, Volume 153, pages 81 - 96

Great Migration Begins, Volume 1, pages 459 - 463

Internet resources:

Converse History   http://www.insidehoops.com/converse-history.shtml

Converse Shoes official website    www.converse.com

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Rock of Ages Quarry in Barre, Vermont

August 27, 2013, 3:00 am

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This is where a large number of tombstones and memorials are made by the Rock of Ages Granite company in Barre, Vermont.  You might have seen the logo on a gravestone in a cemetery near you.  The granite mined here is also used for statues and memorials, such as the new World War II monument on the National Mall in Washington, DC.  At the visitor's center you can watch a film about the quarry, take a tour of the quarry, or visit the manufacturing plant next door where the granite is carved by artists into memorials and monuments.

This part of the granite quarry is over 600 feet deep, and the granite is a beautiful light gray color.

 

"In the late 1950's Rock of Ages

experimented with making lanes out of

granite for use in commercial bowling alleys.

Although a few such alleys were created

the concept never caught on.  This prototype

was used for many years by employees

and visitors alike, but then was neglected and

fell into disrepair.  We have restored the old

lane with a few exceptions.  We left the gutters

as they are to demonstrate how the reinforced

concrete has weathered, while the granite alley

is virtually untouched by the passing years.

There is no automation here. Step back in time

with your family to an era when "pin boys"

reset pins and returned balls.  Take turns as the

designated "pin person" and have a ball."

Carving gravestones and memorials is serious business, so I'm sure the artists had fun creating this granite bowling alley. Visitors sure had fun trying it out!

Rock of Ages, Barre, Vermont visitor information http://www.rockofages.com/en/gift-shop-a-tourism 

Rock of Ages video from YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efpmGLNcBZM

----------------------
Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Weathervane Wednesday ~ A horse and sulky

August 28, 2013, 3:00 am

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Every Wednesday for almost a two years I've been posting photographs of weather vanes located in or near the Nutfield area (the former name for the land where Londonderry, Derry and Windham, New Hampshire are now located). Most are historically interesting or just whimsical and fun weather vanes. Today's weathervane can be seen on the Maine coast. Have fun guessing where you may have seen this weather vane.

 

Do you know the location of weather vane #111? Scroll down to see the answer....

Today's weather vane was photographed at the Hotel Pemaquid, 3098 Bristol Road, New Harbor, Maine.  The three dimensional horse and sulky weather vane is atop the carriage house, across the street from the main part of the hotel.  This hotel was originally a farmhouse, and was converted to a hotel on 4 July 1888.  It is located only 150 yards from the ocean coastline, and is near the historic Pemaquid Lighthouse.  There is a weather vane of a sailing ship on top of the main hotel building, too, if you look closely.

Click here to see a blog post about Pemaquid Lighthouse and the 1635 Angel Gabriel shipwreck:
http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/07/not-so-wordless-wednesday-pemaquid.html

Hotel Pemaquid website http://www.hotelpemaquid.com

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Some Thoughts about Cindy Crawford on "Who Do You Think You Are?"

August 29, 2013, 3:00 am

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On 27 August 2013, TLC aired an episode of WDYTYA? starring  supermodel Cindy Crawford as the featured celebrity.  She discovered that she had a colonial lineage that traced back to Thomas Trowbridge, her 10^thgreat grandfather.  He was involved with the Siege of Taunton, England during their civil war in 1645.  She met with professional genealogists who presented her with impressive scrolls that outlined her lineage to Trowbridge, and ultimately a very fancy scroll that traced back about 30 generations to Charlemagne and early kings of Europe.

According to Matthew Deighton of Ancestry.com, the research team at WDYTYA? spent more than 1000 hours of research on Cindy Crawford’s story.  Imagine how many hours this would take amateur genealogists to research?  Most viewers watching this show have never done any family history research.  Do they believe that they can walk into a repository or archive and be handed generations of genealogy? Does this support the myth that you can connect online at Ancestry.com and immediately find an impressive lineage back to someone famous?

I’ve been at the Nashua Family History center and witnessed folks walking in off the street demanding to see their family history.  At the reading room at the NEHGS library in Boston I overheard a man requesting to see specifically “The last six generations of my family tree in book form, not microfilm, please”.  The ensuing discussion with the genealogist behind the desk was quite humorous. 

Although I am descended of too many farmers, paupers and simple laborers to count, I have found links between several colonial ancestors and royal lineages.  It took me hundreds of hours to reach that colonial immigrant ancestor, and then I relied on books such as Gary Boyd Roberts’ book The Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants to the American Colonies, or websites such as  William Addams Reitwiesner’s http://wargs.com/ databases of European royalty and nobility.  Using these resources is the closest thing I know to being handed an impressive lineage scroll.   Someone else has done the work, and you need to verify your connection.   Just go to the NEHGS website at www.americanancestors.organd try the library catalog search using the subject “families of royal descent” and you will find over 150 books and manuscripts. 

Never forget the hundreds, or thousands of hours it took to get to this point. And take this gift with a grain of salt.  I’ve pored over these genealogies and found many semi-mythical ancestors such as the Scandinavian descents from Odin, or ancient British king like Arthur or Beli Mawr, who also connect to biblical descents according to some genealogies (including Adam and Eve).  You must remember that historically the royalty maintained these written genealogies to prove they had “the blood of the gods” or inherited privilege.  Google the “Stone of Scone” to see how this tradition and myth is still perpetuated in the British Monarchy.

This episode seemed be about name collecting, which is something Ancestry.com and other websites are blamed for promoting.  There was no mention of the 1000 hours I learned from Matthew Deighton.  As a spokesperson for Ancestry.com, it would have been nice if the viewers knew that the verification of those many, many generations of Cindy Crawford's lineage took a long, long time and an entire team of researchers.Someone had to spend hours verifying this documentation. You can read all about this process at the ProGenealogist blog post here:
http://www.progenealogists.com/whodoyou.htm

Some resources for working with royal and noble descents

Europe:

The Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants to the American Colonies, by Gary Boyd Roberts, Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2008

Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700, by Frederick Lewis Weis, Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2004.

American Ancestors and Cousins of the Princess of Wales by Gary Boyd Roberts, Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1984

Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists Who Came to New England between 1623 and 1650: The lineage of Alfred the Great, Charlemagne, Malcolm of Scotland, Robert the Strong, and some of their descendants, by Frederick Lewis Weis, Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co, 1982.

Ancestry of Catherine Middleton: Who Will Marry Prince William of Wales 29 April 2011, compiled by William Addams Reitwiesner,  edited by Christopher Challender Child  and Scott Campbell Steward, NEHGS, 2011.

The Magna Charta Sureties, 1215, The Barons Named in the Magna Charta, and some of their Descendants, by Arthur Adams, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1964.

Medieval English Ancestors of Certain Americans: Many of the English Ancestral Lines Prior to 1300, by Carl Boyer, Santa Clarita, CA, 2001.

Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, Douglas Richardson, Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2011

Royal Families: Americans of Royal and Noble Ancestry, by Marston Watson, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 2004

William Addams Reitwiesner  http://wargs.com/

Directory of Royal Genealogical Data by Brian Tompsett, University of Hull, UK

http://www.hull.ac.uk/php/cssbct/genealogy/royal/

Genealogical Gleanings http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~royalty/

The Official Website of the British Monarchy http://www.royal.gov.uk/Home.aspx

Royal Genealogies http://ftp.cac.psu.edu/~saw/royal/royalgen.html

Polynesian:

Native Hawaiian Genealogy Society website

https://sites.google.com/site/nativehawaiiangenealogygroup/

Royal Lineages of Hawaii  http://www.keouanui.org/Menu.html

See the Brian Tompsett website above for other places in Oceania

Other places in the world:

Islamic Dynasties by Brian Tompsett , see above

Genealogical Gleanings http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~royalty/(includes Africa, Asia, Oceania, Near and Far East, including India)

The Royal Ark website for the Royal and Ruling Houses of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas

http://www.royalark.net/

Of special interest:

Papal Genealogy: The Families and Descendants of the Popes by George L. Williams, 2004

-------------------------

Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

September 2013 Genealogy and Local History Event Calendar

August 30, 2013, 3:00 am

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Local Genealogy Club Meetings:

Barrington, NH Genealogy Club, meets the first Wednesday of the month at 6pm at the Barrington Public Library, 105 Ramsdell Lane, Barrington, NH http://barringtongenealogy.weebly.com/  or email Wendy at genealogyclub@gmail.com

Chelmsford Genealogy Club, at the Chelmsford, MA Public Library, first Tuesday night of the month at 7PM in the McCarthy Meeting Room, contact Judy Sylvia http://www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/programs/programs/genealogy_club.html 978-256-5521

Genealogy Roundtable, at the Derry Public Library, 64 East Broadway, Derry, NH  http://www.derry.lib.nh.us/  every first Tuesday of the Month, at 1 – 2:30 PM.  Contact: 603-432-6140 for more information.

Greater Lowell Genealogy Club, http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maglgc/ meets at the Pollard Memorial Library, Lowell, MA 10AM to 1PM once a month. 

Hudson Genealogy Club, at the Rogers Memorial Library, 194 Derry Road, Hudson, NH http://www.rodgerslibrary.org/  every 2^nd Friday of the Month, at 1:30 PM contact 603-886-6030 for more information.  (on summer hiatus until September)

Meredith NH, Genealogy Club  http://www.meredithlibrary.org/genealogy.html

Newton, NH Genealogy Club- Gale Library, Newton, NH, 603-382-4691, 3PM on the third Wednesday of the month. 

North Hampton, NH Genealogy Club, at the North Hampton Public Library, 237A Atlantic Avenue, North Hampton NH 603-964-6326   http://nhplib.org/?p=1386

Rye Genealogy Club, at the Rye Public Library, first Tuesday of the month at 2PM.  http://ryepubliclibrary.org/

RISE Genealogy Group at the Nashua Public Library, Hunt Room, on the first Friday of the month at 1pm http://www.nashualibrary.org/  (Rivier College Institute for Senior Education, see http://www.rivier.edu/rise/default.aspx?id=1619)

Southborough, MA Genealogy Club, at the Southborough Library, 25 Main Street, Southborough, MA  508-485-5031 or info@southboroughtlib.org   Third Thursday of the Month.  See the website www.southboroughlib.org for a schedule

Shrewsbury, Massachusetts Genealogy Club, meets third Monday of the month at the Shrewsbury Public Library, contact George C. Brown at 508-841-8531 or gbrown@cwmars.org

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Events:

August 30, 9am – 5pm, Free Fun Friday at Plimoth Plantation, 137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth, Massachusetts, sponsored by the Highland Street Foundation, the museum, grist mill and Mayflower II (open until 7pm) will be FREE all day. http://www.plimoth.org/

September 4, 10am, New Visitor Welcome Tour, at the New England Historic Genealogical Society Library,  99 – 101 Newbury St. Boston, MA.  A FREE orientation and tour of the resources available at NEHGS with over 15  million artifacts, books, manuscripts, microfilms, journals, photographs, records and expert staff.  For more info 617-536-5740

September 5, 12-1pm, Shoulder Your Arms: Colonial Militias in Early Plymouth Colony, a “Lunch & Learn” lecture at Plimoth Plantation Museum, Plymouth, Massachusetts, Free for members, $8 non-members.  Learn the role of famous military figures (such as Capt. Myles Standish), and the importance of Colonial arms and armament in early New England.  Bring a lunch or buy one at the Patuxet Café. Please pre-register here http://pplunchandlearnseptember2013.eventbrite.com/

September 7, Saturday, 12:30pm Tell Your Life Story with Eddie Adelman, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at 29 Ocean House Road, Cape Elizabth, Maine, sponsored by the Greater Portland Chapter of the Maine Genealogical Society.  Social Hour at 12:30pm and speaker at 1pm.  Business meeting to follow at about 2:10.

September 7, Saturday, Family Natutical Night at Battleship Cove, Fall River, Massachusetts.  Spend the night on a WWII battleship.  Sleep in the bunks, eat meals in the chow line, and rise and shine to the sound of reveille.  Guests will enjoy all day admission, two meals and the opportunity to participate in shipboard activities.  www.battleshipcove.com

Further afield in Salt Lake City - for those with Hispanic ancestry
September 9 - 14th, Conferencia Iberoamericana de Genealogia, at 345 W. North Temple,  Brigham Young Salt Lake Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.  Free classes to the public Friday September 13th and 14th and preceding the conference will be a four day gathering of genealogists, archivists, and professionals in the field of Hispanic research from September 9th to 12th.  This portion costs $90, register at the website http://genealogia2013.org 

September 9, 7pm, Monday, Digging into Native History in New Hampshire, at the Stratham Fire House (Morgera Mtg. Room), 2 Winnicut Road, Stratham, NH, contact the Wiggins Library for more info 603-772-4346.  Abenaki history presented by Robert Goodby who reveals archaeological evidence that shows their deep presence here in New Hampshire.

September 10, 7pm, Tuesday, Harnessing History: On the Trail of New Hampshire’s State Dog, the Chinook, at the Hampstead Public Library, 9 Mary E. Clark Drive, Hampstead, NH.  Contact 603-329-6411 for more information.  FREE to the public.  Bob Cottrell covers the history of Arthur Walden and his Chinooks.  Inquire whether the speaker’s dog will accompany him. 

September 11, 7pm, Wednesday, The Founding Fathers: What were they Thinking?  At the Wadleigh Memorial Library, 49 Nashua St., Milford, NH, contact 603-673-2408 for more information.  FREE to the public. Richard Hesse presents the cast of characters called “founders”, the problems they faced, and the solutions they fashioned.

September 12, 7pm, Thursday, New Hampshire Towns and the Civil War, at the Brentwood Historical Society Museum, 140 Crawley Fall Road, Brentwood, NH, contact 603-679-8635 for more information.  FREE to the public. Jere Daniell discusses the home front during the war, responses to the Civil War, with specific examples from the history of Brentwood.

September 12, 7pm, Thursday, The Capital Crime of Witchcraft:  What the Primary Sources Tell Us, at the Rochester Historical Society, 58 Hanson Street, Rochester, NH, contact 603-330-3099.  Margo Burns presents an array of witch craft prosecutions in 17^th century New England, using facsmiles of primary source manuscripts, and cases from Salem as well as New Hampshire, Boston and Connecticut.

September 13, Friday, 1pm All Aboard the Titanic, Rye Congregational Church, 580 Washington Road, Rye, New Hampshire, contact 603-964-6281 for more information. FREE and open to the public.  Ted Zalewski explores the personal experiences of selected passengers and crew, including those with New Hampshire affiliations.

September 14, Saturday, 2pm African American Soldiers and Sailors of the New Hampshire during the American Revolution, at the Discover Portsmouth Center, 10 Middle Road, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, FREE and open to the public, call 603-380-0193 for more information. 

September 15, Sunday, 11:30am, World War II New Hampshire, Deering Community Church, 763 Deering Center Road, Deering, New Hampshire,  A documentary about life in New Hampshire during the war, with interviews, news reel footage, photos and radio reports from the battlefields, with a discussion facilitated by John Gfoerer.  Call 603-529-7764 for more information. FREE and open to the public.

September 19, Thursday, 6:30pm, A Woman That Keeps Good Orders: Women, Tavern Keeping and Public Approval, at the American Independence Museum’s Folsom Tavern, 164 Water Street, Exeter, New Hampshire, 603-772-2622.  A discussion on the regulations, licensing, handing drunks, controlling the flow of information- why would the Colonial era government allow women to run a tavern? Why would a woman want to keep one?  FREE and open to the public.

September 20 -21, First New York State Family History Conference, Holiday Inn and Conference Center, Liverpool, New York (just outside of Syracuse)  For complete details see the website at http://www.nysfhc.org/  Jointly produced by the Central New York Genealogical Society and the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society for the first ever statewide genealogical conference in New York State.

September 21, Saturday, Wyman Family Association Meeting and Reunion, at the Francis Wyman House, built in 1666, at 56 Francis Wyman Road,  Burlington, Mass., see www.wyman.org for more information

September 21, Saturday, Maine Genealogical Society 2013 Fall conference, at Jeff’s Catering, 15 Littlefield Way, Brewer, Maine.  Featured speaker will be Laura Prescott with a keynote address “How the Internet Makes Us Sloppy Genealogists”.  There will be a number of breakout sessions on a variety of topics. Registration is $40 for MGS members, $50 for non-members (Register before August 23 and enter a chance to win a $50 LL Bean gift card).   For more info see the website http://conference.maineroots.org/

September 28, Saturday, American Canadian Genealogical Society’s 40^th Anniversary Celebration.  Speakers will be Dick Eastman, Lucie LeBlanc Consentino, Joe Manning. Stay tuned for details.  www.acgs.org

September 28, Saturday, New Hampshire Historical Society Museum will offer free admissionas part of the 9^th annual Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day.  Visitors must present a Museum Day ticket to gain free admission for two.  9:30 am to 5pm at 6 Eagle Square, Concord, New Hampshire.  For more information visit www.smithsonian.com/museumday.  Regular admission is $5.50 adults, $4.50 seniors, $3 children 6 -18, $17 family maximum.  Call 603-228-6688 for more information.

September 30, Monday, 7:30pm Runaway Wives: When Colonial Marriages Failed, at the Riverwoods, 7 Riverwoods Drive, Exeter, New Hampshire, 603-658-3049, A lecture exploring how 18^th century wives tired of the marriage contract could run, but they could not hide. FREE and open to the public.

October 11 and 12, Polish Genealogical Conference, at Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, Connecticut.  $80 early bird, $90 late registration, single day admission also available.  For info see http://www.pgsctne.org/Conference%202013/List%20of%20Documents.aspx

October 19, 2013, Saturday, 8:45 am – 1pm, Family History Day “Update Your Family History Toolbox”, LDS church, 90 Clinton St, Concord, New Hampshire.  This 6^th annual conference is FREE to the public, recommended for ages 12 and over.  For more information contact Martha Methot  603-668-2958. Registration at EventBrite online http://concordfamilyhistoryconference-zvents.eventbrite.com/   You will have a choice of four class sessions, 50 minutes each, from a large conference schedule. 

October 19, Saturday, 1pm – 5pm, Open House to Benefit the Hollis Hisotrical Society, 19 Main Street, Hollis, New Hampshire, across from the Wheeler House Museum.Visit the recently restored Whiting/Poole/Hackett House.  Nine rooms available for the tour after a boiler explosion in 2008 damaged much of the main floor. 603-465-3935, Tickets at $20 per person may be purchased ahead of time. 
October 22, Tuesday, 6:30pm  A Soldier’s Mother Tells her Story, Brookline Public Library, 16 Main Street, Brookline, New Hampshire, with Sharon Wood portraying Betsey Phelps, FREE and open to the public.  Contact Erin Kennedy at 603-673-3330 for more information.

November 7, Thursday, Our National Thanksgiving: With Thanks to President Lincoln & Mrs. Hale, portrayed by Steve and Sharon Wood as Lincoln & Hale, at the Ridge at Riverwoods, 10 White Oak Drive, Exeter, New Hampshire, FREE and open to the public, contact 603-658-1510 for more information.

November 7, Thursday, noon – 1pm, Native Foods, a “Lunch & Learn” lecture at Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth, Massachusetts, Free for members, $8 non-members.  Carol Wynne, the Wampanoag Foodways Manager at Plimoth Plantation will discuss Wampanoag foods and how they were grown, used and stored in the 17^th century.  Bring a lunch or buy one at the Patuxet Café.  Please pre-register here http://pplunchandlearnnovember2013.eventbrite.com/

November 10, Sunday, 2pm Our National Thanksgiving: With Thanks to President Lincoln & Mrs. Hale, portrayed by Steve and Sharon Wood as Lincoln & Hale, at the Deerfield Community Church, 15 Church Street, Deerfield, New Hampshire, FREE and open to the public, contact Jeanne Menard at 603-463-9869 for more information.

November 12, Tuesday, 6:30pm Our National Thanksgiving: With Thanks to President Lincoln & Mrs. Hale, portrayed by Steve and Sharon Wood as Lincoln & Hale, at the Deerfield Community Church, 15 Church Street, Deerfield, New Hampshire, FREE and open to the public, contact 603-362-5234 for more information.

December 7, Pearl Harbor Day at Battleship Cove, Fall River, Massachusetts. Commemorate the 72^ndanniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor with a brief ceremony at 12:55pm- the exact hour of the Japanese strike.  The service includes a wreath casting with remarks. Open to the public. www.battleshipcove.com

NOTE FOR THANKSGIVING
(never too early to plan ahead!)

Tickets are now on sale at Plimoth Plantation for the annual Harvest Dinner with the Pilgrims.  The 2013 dates are Saturdays October 13 – November 23^rd, Sunday November 24, Wednesday November 27, Friday November 29 and Saturday November 30.  Tickets go fast!  For reservations and more information please see the webpage: http://www.plimoth.org//dining-functions/thanksgiving-dining-special-events/harvest-dinner-pilgrims

Also, there is a Thanksgiving Day Buffet on Thursday, November 28^th, at four seatings, and a traditional American Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, November 28^th and Friday, November 29^th at several seatings.  See this webpage for reservations and more information: http://www.plimoth.org/dining-functions/thanksgiving-dining-special-events/thanksgiving-dining

Tickets are also on sale for Thanksgiving at Old Sturbridge Village.  The Thanksgiving Dinner Buffet http://www.osv.org/event/thanksgiving-dinner-buffetand the more traditional Thanksgiving Dinner at the Bullard Tavern http://www.osv.org/event/thanksgiving-dinner-at-bullard-tavern.  Just like at Plymouth, tickets sell out fast and there are limited seatings.

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Surname Saturday ~ Ratchford of Massachusetts and Nova Scotia

August 31, 2013, 3:00 am

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RATCHFORD

This lineage begins with James Radsford, who was born about 1719 and married Margaret Ball on 26 December 1738 in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts.  This couple is a true brick wall to my genealogy research, since I do not know the origins or parents of either one.  The name Radsford is often spelled as Ratchford in the Bridgewater records, and it is the spelling adopted by the descendants.  They had five sons, no daughters, in the vital records. 

I descend from Thomas Ratchford, the second son.   He married Desire Gore on 1 December 1760 in Groton, Connecticut.  She was the daughter of Moses Gore and Desire Burris/Burrows/Burroughs.   About 1763 he settled in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia.  He was part of the New England Planter movement, who came to Nova Scotia for the free land given away after the Acadian expulsion.  Records of his family can be found in the Township Book of Cornwallis.

Their daughter, Elizabeth Ratchford, is my 5^thGreat Grandmother.  She married David Lyons on 25 May 1779 in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia.  He was a recent settler from Connecticut to Nova Scotia.  They had twelve children in Cornwallis, and left many, many descendants.  My branch came back to New England.  I found much information about this lineage of Ratchfords in my ancestor, Reverend I. E. Bill’s, journals.  The Rev. Bill married Isabella Lyons Bill, the granddaughter of Elizabeth Ratchford and David Lyons.

I haven’t found any further Radsford or Ratchford records in Plymouth County, Massachusetts to trace this lineage back further than James Radsford, my 7^th Great Grandfather.

My Ratchford genealogy:

Generation 1:  James Radsford, born about 1719; married on 26 December 1738 to Margaret Ball.  They had five sons in the Bridgewater, Massachusetts Vital Records.

Generation 2: Thomas Ratchford, born 19 June 1741 in Bridgewater, died 27 December 1813 in Horton, Kings County, Nova Scotia; married on 1 December 1760 in Groton, Connecticut to Desire Gore, daughter of Moses Gore and Desire Burris.  She was born 20 September 1740 in Groton, and died 11 April 1813 in Horton.  Three children.

Generation 3: Elizabeth Ratchford, born about 1764 and died 18 March 1845 in Nova Scotia; married on 25 May 1779 in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia to David Lyons.  Twelve children.

Generation 4:  Thomas Ratchford Lyons m. Ann Skinner

Generation 5: Isabella Lyons m. Ebenezer Ingraham Bill

Generation 6: Caleb Rand Bill m. Ann Margaret Bollman

Generation 7: Isabella Lyons Bill m. Albert Munroe Wilkinson

Generation 8: Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my grandparents)

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

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Liliuokalani's Birthday

September 1, 2013, 4:40 pm

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Lili'uokalani born Lydia Lili'u Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamaka'eha on 2 September 1838 was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii.  Her married name was Lydia Kamaka'eha Dominis.  She became cron princess in 1874 when her brother David Kalakaua was elected to the throne.  Lili'uokalani inherited the throne in 1891. The Hawaiian Kingdom was overthrown and she was forced to abdicate the throne in 1895 while under arrest and imprisoned in Iolani Palace.  She died on 11 November 1917.

Sept. 2

A Mele for Lili'uokalani



from Youtube by Manuhaokalani  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfSGABiKQLc&list=UUhRteQP2rNsyk6KY6cAfmtA&index=2

Mysterious Mrs. Grout Strikes Again!

September 2, 2013, 3:00 am

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Last month I posted a story about my cousin finding a stash of family papers.  These papers have led to a few new discoveries, but also led to many new questions.  Who are some of the people mentioned in these documents? I didn't have them in my own research.  But the biggest question to me is “Who wrote these papers?”

It took me some time to figure this out.  The clues were limited to a few dates on the papers, several handwriting samples, a set of initials that appeared over and over, and some internal clues like “my grandfather  Andrew Munroe”.  This helped to narrow down what generation made the documents,  and perhaps which grandchild wrote the papers.

One paper scroll, with beautiful handwriting, was signed by Albert Munroe Wilkinson (1860 - 1908).  He is my great grandfather.  I was able to separate out all the papers with his handwriting, and then I was left with two other handwriting samples and some typed papers.  All the typed papers were done on the same typewriter with carbon paper.   Several of these reports had the initials “A. M. G.”.

This paper was signed by Albert Munroe Wilkinson

I was confused, because I don’t have any ancestors with a surname that starts with the letter G, at least not on this branch of the family.  After examining all the daughter’s marriages I found Olive Adeline Munroe’s (1836 - 1905) marriage to John Henry Grout in 1855.  This is the mysterious Mrs. Grout that I have blogged about previously.  In an earlier post, I found out that she was the family member who gave Albert Munroe Wilkinson a set of silver spoons.  These spoons all had the initial of his Munroe forebears, back to William Munroe who came from Scotland in 1650. Obviously Auntie Grout had a love of genealogy!

At the top is the section written by Albert, and the bottom is a section in pencil (different script) signed A. M. G.

This is a sample page, typed with carbon paper and signed A. M. Grout, Oct. 11th 1889

I have a feeling that Albert and his Auntie Addie Grout worked together to compile much of this stash of genealogy documents.  The typed documents were obviously from Mrs. Grout, and Albert had done the handwritten reports and charts.  Some of his charts were corrected or added to by Mrs. Grout, and she had initialed her penciled in remarks.  Bingo!  My mystery was solved!

Before seeing these papers, I did not know much about my great grandfather Albert Munroe Wilkinson. He died rather young of septicemia following a gall bladder operation at a Boston hospital in 1908.  I can’t imagine how horrible this was in the years just before the discovery of penicillin.  My grandfather, Donald Munroe Wilkinson (1895 - 1977), was left fatherless at age twelve.  But now I know that Albert and I were kindred spirits. Is the love of genealogy inherited? 

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Hope Cemetery, Barre, Vermont

September 3, 2013, 3:00 am

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Hope Cemetery is located on Maple Avenue in Barre, Vermont.  It is famous for the beautiful and unusual memorials, gravestones, monuments and mausoleums carved by the artists who worked for the granite quarries.  Many of these artisans were Italian immigrants.  It seems they were almost competing with each other for the most beautiful and most unique gravestones.  Many of the artists carved their own stones ahead of time, in preparation for their own funerals.

The cemetery is a great tourist attraction, and there are guided tours, cell phone tours, and all sorts of printed guides to the cemetery.  We decided to just wander through and take photos of a few of the monuments that caught our eye...

This one was extremely odd... the figure of a woman in the smoke of his cigar?

The little red convertible is visible in the window of this mauseoleum

There were many lines of scripture on each face of these pyramid shaped memorials

I thought the artist must have had a lot of skill to carve this chain, all the children's names are on the links

This one was poignant, with the two figures in their pajamas...

For information about Hope Cemetery call 1-802-476-6245

A guide and map of Hope Cemetery http://www.central-vt.com/web/hope/

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Weathervane Wednesday ~ An Equestrian Conundrum?

September 4, 2013, 3:00 am

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Every Wednesday for over two years I've been posting photographs of weather vanes located in or near the Nutfield area (the former name for the land where Londonderry, Derry and Windham, New Hampshire are now located). Most are historically interesting or just whimsical and fun weather vanes. Today's weather vane can be seen in just over the Derry line in Chester, New Hampshire. Have fun guessing where you may have seen this weather vane.

Do you know the location of weather vane #111? Scroll down to see the answer....

Did you notice that each weather vane points a different direction?  

Which way does the wind blow at Senator Bell Farm?

Today's weather vanes were photographed at the Senator Bell Farm in Chester, New Hampshire.  This is a local equestrian school.  This is the farm to which Senator Samuel Bell retired after he left the US Senate .  .  

Samuel Bell, son of John Bell and Mary Ann Gilmore, born 9 February 1770 in Londonderry, New Hampshire, died 23 December 1850 in Chester, New Hampshire.  He is buried at the Chester Village Cemetery.  Senator Bell was married to Mehitable Bowen Dana and had six children.  His second wife was Lucy G. Smith, and they had four children.  One of these was Louis Bell, who was born in Chester in 1837 and was a General during the Civil War.  General Bell died on 16 January 1865  at Kure Beach, North Carolina during the assault on Fort Fisher. 

Senator Samuel Bell graduated from the New Ipswich Academy and Dartmouth College, class of 1739. He was elected twice to the New Hampshire House of Representatives, and Speaker of the House in 1806. Senator Bell was a member of the New Hampshire Senate from 1807 to 1811, elected Governor of New Hampshire in 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822.  He was elected to the United States Senate in 1823, and re-elected in 1829.   His nephew Charles Henry Bell was the governor of New Hampshire from 1881 to 1883. 

Senator Bell Farm School

156 Derry Road  (Route 102)

Chester, NH    http://www.senatorbellfarm.com/

 

Click here to see the entire collection of Weathervane Wednesday posts!

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Phebe's Sampler, 1844

September 5, 2013, 3:00 am

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This sampler hangs in my cousin’s house.  We have tried several times to take photographs of this sampler, and it’s not easy through the glass. The sampler is much too fragile to risk handling it or taking it from its frame, so this is the best we could do for an image.

Phebe Cross Munroe (1830 – 1895), my great great grandmother, sewed this sampler when she was 13 years old, starting on 30 August 1844.  But it is unfinished. I have searched the family tree for a reason why she never finished the sampler.  Perhaps there was a death in the family (the verse is from a very depressing hymn about death)?  But she hadn’t lost a parent, sibling or grandparent in 1844.  Her namesake, Aunt Phebe Upton Munroe who married William Cross in 1828, didn’t die until 1891. Her father died of diabetes, very young at age 46 in 1851. Was he first diagnosed with this fatal disease in 1844? 

On the brighter side, perhaps Phebe tired of this mournful verse, and tossed this sampler aside for another one with a less depressing hymn or poem.  I don’t know what happened to any other sampler.  This is all we have to remember Phebe.

Family Sketch:

Phebe Cross Munroe, daughter of Luther Simonds Munroe and Olive Flint, was born 28 October 1830 in Danvers, Massachusetts, died 31 January 1895 in Salem, Massachusetts; married on 24 November 1853 to Robert Wilson Wilkinson, son of Aaron Wilkinson and Mercy F. Wilson.  He was born 26 May 1830 in Salem, and died 23 March 1874 in Peabody, Massachusetts.  They had three children born in Danvers:

     1. Robert Henry Wilkinson, born 14 January 1855, married Eliza Harris Poor

     2.  Walter Wilkinson, born 3 November 1856, died 2 April 1858

     3.   Albert Munroe Wilkinson, born 7 November 1860, married  on 18 October 1894 in Salem 

           to Isabella Lyons Bill (my great grandparents)

The full lyrics of the verse on Phebe’s sampler:

When youth and age are snatched away

By Death’s resistless hand,

Our hearts the mournful tribute pay,

And bow at God’s command.

While love still prompts the rising sigh,

With awful pow’r impressed,

Let this dread truth “I too must die!”

Sink deep in every breast!

May this vain world o’ercome no more

Behold the opening tomb!

It bids us use the present hour;

To-morrow death may come.

The voice of this instructive scene

Let every heart obey!

Nor be the faithful warning vain

Which calls to watch and pray.

O let us fly, to Jesus fly,

Whose pow’rful arm can save!

Then shall our hopes ascend on high,

To triumph o’er the grave!

From A Selection of Psalms and Hymns, with many new Compositions, adapted to Public Worship,  by Richard Whittingham, Vicar of Potton,  1835, pages 144 – 145

A closeup of the stitching on Phebe Munroe's sampler.

Her name is on the top, in faded thread.

It is all worked in tiny cross stitches.

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Planning a Genealogy Photo Trip to Ipswich, Massachusetts

September 6, 2013, 3:00 am

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Last week we took a trip to Ipswich, Massachusetts.  I had four goals four this trip:

1. )      Visit the Historical Society to learn about their genealogy resources

2. )      Visit the Whipple House, built by an ancestor

3. )      Visit the 1640 Hart House restaurant, built by someone in my family tree

4. )      Photograph lots of ancestral gravestones at the Old North Burial Ground

This is what I learned…  It pays to use the internet before going on a little trip like this… Or to pick up the phone and ask questions.  Did I meet my four goals? 

1.)    Ipswich Historical Society has a museum you can learn more about at http://www.ipswichmuseum.org/to find the hours and days it is open.  It operates tours of both the Whipple House and the Heard House.  Also, it is right next door to the Ipswich Visitor Center (bonus points for visitors). You can get a lot done here in one place, but they also have a staff genealogist who just happened to meet me at the door.  I didn’t have an appointment, this was just serendipity.  She prefers appointments for genealogy questions (this is stated on the website!), so you need to call ahead.  Or queries are answered for $20 per hour, one hour minimum.   Her best advice to me was to explore the historical records at the Ipswich Public Library.  I'll have to make a special research trip to Ipswich at some other date.

This is only a partial view of the map of Ipswich, Mass

with houses and early land grants marked by surnames.

It was a large map hanging just inside the entrance to the Ipswich Museum

Also, at the entrance to the museum was this great map of the original proprietors of Ipswich, Massachusetts.  You just might find your ancestor on this map.  The society does not have copies of this map on a poster or brochure.  Just inside the front foyer was the gift shop, where I bought this great book about Ipswich, too.

American Town: The History of Ipswich, Massachusetts

by Alan Pearsall,  Ipswich, Mass: Ebsco Publishing, 2009

2.)    So, we had a great tour of both houses, but the Whipple House was first.  It was a private tour since it was a Friday morning and we were the only patrons.  This was wonderful and I was able to ask lots of questions.  Photos were allowed without flash.  Perfect!

Above is the back of the Whipple House, and below is the front door 

Whipple House web page:

http://ipswichmuseum.drupalgardens.com/exhibitions-collections/whipple-house

Captain John Whipple (1595 – 1669) built the Whipple House.  He is my 10^thgreat grandfather.  His daughter Sarah Whipple (1641 – 1681) is my 9^th great grandmother, married to Joseph Goodhue.  As you can see, I don’t have a long line of Whipple ancestors in Ipswich!

If you are interested in photographing First Period Homes (before 1725) or your ancestor's home in Ipswich, you can pick up the following brochure at the Visitor Center or at the Historical Society. It was produced by the Ipswich Historical Commision:

3.)    After the Historical Society we found the 1640 Hart House restaurant.  http://1640harthouse.com/  It wasn't dinner time, so we didn't go inside.  This is something else to add to the agenda for trip number 2 to Ipswich.   I took some photos of the outside, and we’ll save the fancy dinner for the next time we are in town.  It was built by Thomas Hart, who was an indentured servant in Boston until 1637.  He came to Ipswich and built this home, which was passed down in the family for generations, and added onto over the years.   Some of the original Keeper’s Room was removed from the interior and installed as an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.   So does that make it a good excuse for Trip number 3?

Thomas Hart (1611 – 1674) had a son named Thomas Hart (about 1640 – 1717), and a grandson named George Hart (1669 – 1753) who married Martha Ward (1672 – 1723), my first cousin 9 generations removed.

4. )    The best information for Ipswich History and cemetery guides is at the website of the Ipswich Historical Commission (not the Historical Society) at www.historicipswich.org   The page for cemeteries is at this link: http://www.historicipswich.org/ipswich-cemeteries/

On this cemetery web page, there are links to each of the old cemeteries in Ipswich.  You can print them out (or download them).  I did both, so I could use my iPad mini or my paper copy in the cemetery.  Actually the paper copies worked out best because I could circle the spots on the map where my ancestors were buried, and I could write notes as to who was buried where.  There is also an eBook version.

For the Old North Burying Ground there is a database of graves I saved as a text document.  I used this to see who was buried here, and (thank goodness!) there is a list of epitaphs for those stones that are now almost illegible.   I printed out all the maps.  The cemetery is divided into eight sections, and all the graves are numbered according to the database of graves in the text document.

This was a very easy system.  I had TWELVE pages of graves to find and photograph.  I had highlighted all the direct ancestors, and we found all of the directs, and many, many of the other graves.  I will have to go back to find them all.  We spent about an hour and took over 150 photographs of WHIPPLE, TREADWELL, WARD, HASKELL, and other surnames.  Jackpot!

Above is my paper version of the Old North Burying Ground sections C and D map

and below is the downloaded version from the website onto my iPad Mini

Below I made a text document of the locations and epitaphs, 

cut and pasted from the version on the website.  

Direct ancestors were highlighted. 

I checked them off as we photographed each gravestone. 

I would recommend this system to anyone exploring the Old North Burying Ground.  Bring your hiking boots, since it is very large and built on a very steep hill. Hopefully your ancestors aren't buried at the top of the hill or you’ll have to climb a scary set of granite steps.  Don’t ask me how they carried coffins up there 250 years ago.  I don’t know the answer to that!

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Surname Saturday ~ Gore of Roxbury, Massachusetts

September 7, 2013, 3:00 am

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GORE

After several Surname Saturdays with brick wall ancestors, or ancestors with little information to tell, the Gore family has too much information to fit into a blog post!  I’ll try to summarize this lineage as best as I can…

The immigrant ancestor in this line was John Gore, born about 1606 in England, educated at Queen’s College in Oxford, and graduated on 24 January 1627/8.  He has English origins going back generations, and was from a wealthy family.  When John came to Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1638 he brought his entire family with him.  In 1644 he sent letters back to England to act as executor of his father’s will and estate.   He had 188 acres of land in Roxbury by 1643, and was a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 1638.  He was town clerk for many years, and so was his son, John Gore, junior.  When I look at the early records of Roxbury, Massachusetts, I am reading my ancestor’s handwriting.

John Gore had ten children, and I descend from his son, Samuel.   He was a carpenter and selectman in Roxbury, and married Elizabeth Weld, the granddaughter of Captain Joseph Weld (1599 – 1646), one of the founders of Roxbury.  Joseph Weld was supposed to be the richest men in Massachusetts, and one of the first donors to Harvard College.  The Welds were financially well off for many, many generations in Massachusetts.

John Gore’s inventory of his estate showed over 812 pounds of real estate and buildings.  His will names all his living children.   The widow Rhoda Gore, was left 188 acres, out of the 4,000 acres left to the children.  During the second and third of her four marriages, she was still negotiating for some of that land, and there were several letters of administration filed as late as 1693, after her death.

There are many sources for information on the Gore family.  I would suggest that the first place to read up on this family is the book Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634 -1635, Volume III, pages 114 – 120, by Richard Charles Anderson, NEHGS, 2009 for a sketch of the first generation.   The article “The Gore Family of Roxbury: New Evidence and Suspected Connections” in the NEHGS Register 1994, Volume 148, pages 61 – 65 show some of the English origins of the Gore family.

There are many compiled genealogies of various lineages descended of John Gore.  I have used The John Gore Family by Mary Walton Ferris, 1943, and A Brief Genealogy of the Gore Family: especially in the line of Gov. Christopher Gore by William H. Whitmore, Boston, 1875. 

Despite what many New England Gore descendants believe, Vice President Al Gore is NOT a descendant of John Gore of Roxbury, Massachusetts.

My Gore genealogy:

Generation 1: John Gore, son of Richard Gore and Elizabeth, born about 1606 in England, died 2 June 1657 in Roxbury, Massachusetts; married before 1632 in England to Rhoda Unknown.  Ten children.

Generation 2: Samuel Gore:  born about 1647 in Roxbury, died 26 July 1692 in Roxbury; married on 28 August 1672 in Roxbury to Elizabeth Weld, the daughter of John Weld and Margaret Bowen.  She was born 14 November 1655 in Roxbury, and died in 1725. Seven children.

Generation 3: Samuel Gore, born 20 October 1681 in Roxbury, died 27 May 1756 in Norwich, Connecticut; married before 1704 to Hannah Draper, daughter of Moses Draper and Hannah Chandler.  She was born 8 April 1686 in Roxbury, died 11 July 1741 in Norwich. Nine children.

Generation 4: Moses Gore, born 23 September 1709 in Roxbury, died in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia;  married on 27 May 1740 in Preston Connecticut to Desire Burris, daughter of John Burrows and Lydia Hubbard. Eight children.

Generation 5: Desire Gore, born 20 September 1740 Groton, Connecticut and died 11 April 1813 in Horton, Kings County, Nova Scotia; married on 1 December 1760 in Groton to Thomas Ratchford.  He ws born 19 June 1741 in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, died 27 December 1813 in Horton.

Generation 6: Elizabeth Ratchford m. David Lyons

Generation 7: Thomas Ratchford Lyons m. Ann Skinner

Generation 8: Isabella Lyons m. Rev. Ingraham Ebenezer Bill

Generation 9: Caleb Rand Bill m. Ann Margaret Bollman

Generation 10: Isabella Lyons Bill m. Albert Munroe Wilkinson

Generation 11: Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my grandparents)

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

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Amanuensis Monday ~ The Will of William Munroe, 14 Nov. 1716

September 9, 2013, 3:00 am

≫ Next: Tombstone Tuesday ~ Jonathan Burnham, Essex, Massachusetts

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Among the family papers my cousin found earlier this year was a typed transcription of our 7^th great grandfather’s last Will and Testament.  William Munroe (1625 – 1718) was born in Scotland.  As a young man he fought on the side of the crown at the Battle of Worcester, during the English Civil War.  Many Scots warriors at this battle were captured by the Puritan forces of Cromwell, and sold into servitude in the New World. 

William not only survived his forced march to London, but also survived the voyage to Boston.  He was sold as an indentured servant and eventually gained his freedom and settled in Lexington, Massachusetts.  He outlived three wives and had fourteen children!   In his will he names all of the children who had lived until 1716 (only missing Susanna), the year he wrote the document.  He died on 27 January 1718, a very aged man for his time.

I did not transcribe this will.  It was transcribed and typed up by my 2^ndgreat grand aunt Olivia Adeline Munroe (1836 – 1905).  I recognized her typewriter, and her carbon paper ink color used on this transcription as the same type as some of the other documents she had signed.   On most of the documents she had put her married initials A. M. G, for Addie Munroe Grout. 

There are three witnesses who signed this document.  One is John Hancock.  This is not the famous John Hancock who signed the Declaration of Independence, but is his grandfather John Hancock (1671- 1752), a resident of Lexington and the local minister.   Another witness, Benjamin Muzzy 3^rdis a 1^st cousin to me, 8 generations removed and closely related to the MOOERS family of Rowley.  Three of the MOOERS sisters married three of William Munroe’s sons!

I love the line in this will that is a warning to his children.  He demands that there will be no quibbling about this last will and testament with the words "... if any of my children are contentious about their portions; they shall forfeit the same unto their brethren".  Great idea, Great Grandpa!  If I had several children I would be tempted to put those same words into my own will.

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In the name of God Amen.  I William Munroe of Lexington

in the County of Middlesex in the Province of the Massachu-

setts Bay in New England being at present writing herof

of a sound disposing mind thro’ divine goodness, but sensible

of my mortality, do therefore make this my last Will, & Test-

ment in manner & form as followeth.

                And first I do Command my precious and Immortall Soull

Into the hands of Christ Jesus my Lord, hopeing in his merits

alone for the Salvation of it; and my body I commit to the

dust by a decent burial at the discretion of my executors

in hopes of a Joyfull Resurrection to life eternal.  And as

for that temporal estate which it hath pleased Allmighty God

to bestow upon me & which is yet in my hands undisposed of,

my will and pleasure is to dispose thereof as followeth.

                Impr: I do give and bequeath unto my beloved sons

John Munroe, William Monroe, George Munroe, Daniel Munroe, David

 Munroe, Joseph Monroe, & Benjamin Monroe to each & everyone of

them ten Shillings a piece, besides what I have already

bestowed upon them.

                Item.  My Will and pleasure is; that my beloved daughter

Eleanor Burgess shall have the Sole use of my mansion house,

& a priveledge in the barn dureing the whole term of her

 widowhood, and that upon her decease or marriage my son

George Monroe shall have all my buildings; he paying unto the

said Eleanour Burgess the sum of three pounds.  And I do also

(page two)

give & bequeath unto the sd: Eleanour Burgess the one half

of my moveable household stuff.

                I do also give & bequeath unto my beloved daughters,

Martha Comee, Hanah Peirce, Elizabeth Rugg, Mary Phassett,

Eleanour Burgess, & Sarah Blanchard to each and every one of

them ten pounds apiece.

                And after all my Just debts, & funeral charges be de-

frayed, my Will & pleasure is, that all the rest and residue

of my estate both reall & personal be equally divided among

all my children.  & that my son George Monroe shall have the

first tender of all my Lands at the price of four pounds

pr. Acre;  And if any of my children are contentious about

their portions; they shall forfeit the same unto their

brethren, that shall abide by my will.

                I do also make & ordain my well beloved sons John Monroe,

& George Monroe to be executors of this my Last Will & Testa-

ment. And that this is my Last Will & Testament.  And that I

do hereby revoke and Disanul all other & former Wills and Testa-

ments by me at any time made; I do putt my hand & seal hereto.

November the fourteenth Anno Domi; one thousand Seven hundred

& sixteen – In the third year of his Maje: Reign –

                                                William Monroe   (seal)

                                                His mark               X

Signed, sealed & declared to be my Last Will in presence of

 Elezar Kendall    Benjamin Muzzy Tertius                John Hancock

A true copy

                Attest , J. Hozler Register

William Munroe Family Sketch:

William Munroe, son of Robert of Aldie, born 1625 near Inverness, Scotland, died 27 January 1718 in Lexington, Massachusetts; married first to Martha George in 1665, daughter of John George and Elizabeth Unknown, born about 1636 in Charlestown, Massachusetts and died about 1672 in Lexington; married second to Mary Ball about 1672, daughter of John Ball and Elizabeth Pierce, born about 1651 and died August 1692 in Lexington; married third to Elizabeth Johnson, widow of Edward Wyer, and daughter of William Johnson and Elizabeth Story, born about 17 March 1640 in Charlestown and died 14 December 1715 in Lexington.

Children with Martha George, born in Lexington:

1.    John , born 10 March 1666, married Hannah Mooers and Rachel Unknown

2.  Martha, born 2 November 1667, married John Comee

3.  William, born 10 October 1669, married Mary Cutler and Joanna Russell

4.   George, born about 1672, married Sarah Mooers (my 6^th great grandparents)

Children with Mary Ball, born in Lexington:

5.  Daniel, born 12 August 1673, married Dority Mooers (yes, three brothers married three sisters!)

6.   Hannah, born 1674, married Joseph Pierce

7.   Elizabeth, born about 1676, married Thomas Rugg

8.    David, born 6 October 1680, married Deborah Howe

9.    Eleanor, born 24 February 1683, married William Burgess

10.   Sarah, born 18 March 1684, married George Blanchard

11.   Joseph, born 16 August 1687, married Elizabeth Unknown

12.   Benjamin, born 16 August 1690, married Lydia Stone

13.   Susanna, born about 1691, died young?

14.   Mary, born 28 June 1678, married Joseph Fassett

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Jonathan Burnham, Essex, Massachusetts

September 10, 2013, 3:00 am

≫ Next: Weathervane Wednesday ~ Seen by the beach!

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This tombstone was photographed at the Ancient Burying Ground in Essex, Massachusetts.

ERECTED

in Memory of Capt.

JONATHAN BURNHAM

who died April 3d

1773: In the 87th

year of his 

age.

Captain Jonathan Burnham is my 7th great grand uncle.  He was the brother of TWO of my 7th great grandfathers, Thomas Burnham (1673- 1748) and David Burnham (1688 - 1770).  The parents of all these men were John Burnham (1648 - 1704) and Elizabeth Wells (1646- 1731), who had a total of nine children.  Jonathan Burnham was married twice.  He married first to Mary Perkins on 17 March 1710 in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and then he married second on 18 May 1730 to Martha Foster.  Mary Perkins was the great grand daughter of of John Perkins (1583 - 1654) and Judith Gater (1589 - 1654), my 10th great grand parents.

According to the book Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, Volume 2, by William Richard Cutter, 1908, "Captain Jonathan Burnham, seventh son and child of John Burnham and Elizabeth Wells, his wife, born October 10, 1685, died April 3, 1773.  The scene of his life was laid during the years which followed King Phillip's war and those which preceded the American revolution, a period during which the colonists knew very little of the blessings of peace; and Captain Jonathan himself, as had his ancestors before and his descendants after his time, saw service in the wars with the French and Indians, and held a commission as captain."

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Weathervane Wednesday ~ Seen by the beach!

September 11, 2013, 3:00 am

≫ Next: An Amusement Park Ride Patent by my Great Great Grandfather

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Every Wednesday for two years I've been posting photographs of weather vanes located in or near the Nutfield area (the former name for the land where Londonderry, Derry and Windham, New Hampshire are now located). Most are historically interesting or just whimsical and fun weather vanes. Today's weather vane can be seen in along the New Hampshire coastline. Have fun guessing where you may have seen this weather vane.

Do you know the location of weather vane #113 and #114? Scroll down to see the answer....

Today's weather vanes were seen along Ocean Boulevard in Hampton, New Hampshire.  This is a coastal road that winds past summer cottages and vacation residences on the beachfront.  I noticed that there were many weather vanes here that were missing their figures and vanes, leaving only the four cardinal points behind.  I don't often see so many missing vanes, so I imagine some were lost in recent hurricanes and winter storms.

I loved seeing these fun weather vanes in Hampton.  Here are a nice big three dimensional whale and a two dimensional mermaid silhouette.  And the mermaid is even peering at herself in a mirror! Wonderful!

Click here to see the entire collection of Weathervane Wednesday posts!

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

An Amusement Park Ride Patent by my Great Great Grandfather

September 12, 2013, 3:00 am

≫ Next: Hudson, New Hampshire Genealogy Club Resumes Tomorrow

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This is another post on "20th Century Americana". My Great Great Grandfather Peter Hoogerzeil (1841 - 1908) was an inventor.  He patented many inventions for improving household items such as wheelbarrows, stove ovens, and baking pans.  While researching his patents, I found this amusing design:


It seems that Peter was trying to come up with a clever ride for an amusement park. I can only think that perhaps he was inspired by Salem Willows Park, in Salem, Massachusetts.  Peter Hoogerzeil lived in Beverly, Massachusetts on Bartlett Street, just a short walk from the harbor.  Across the water he would have been able to see Salem Willows.  It was lit up at night, and featured fireworks.  I'm sure that since he was obviously a creative man, he spent some time thinking of an invention he might be able to sell to an amusement park.

Don't you love the 1907 figures drawn on this ride? It was patented on 12 March 1907 under Number 847,002.  These are the actual sketches given as part of his patent application.  Peter Hoogerzeil died on 10 May 1908, just a little more than a year after his invention was patented.  Several toys and some exercise equipment have used his patent, as you can see on a Google Patent search.

If you suspect that an ancestor might own a patent, you can search under www.google.com/patents by name or a patent number. There are more than 7 million US patents on this database, and the applications and technical drawings and sketches will come up in the results.

Salem Willows Park was first planted in 1801 as part of a public smallpox hospital on the grounds.  Later the area was developed into a public park in 1858, and then an amusement park in the early 20th century. Salem Willows is still open with free parking and no admission charge.  The historic 1866 merry-go-round is still operating, as well as kiddie rides and an arcade with vintage pinball machines.

A modern version of the "Seesaw" ride

is the Pirate Ship at Canobie Lake Park, Windham, New Hampshire

Salem Willows Park website   http://www.salemwillowspark.com/

More blog posts about Peter Hoogerzeil's inventions and patents

A wheelbarrow   http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/01/peter-hoogerzeils-wheelbarrow.html

Several  patents  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/08/not-so-wordless-wednesday-peter.html

Google Patents   http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/01/perusing-google-patents.html

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Hudson, New Hampshire Genealogy Club Resumes Tomorrow

September 12, 2013, 3:00 am

≫ Next: The Clam Box, Ipswich, Massachusetts

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The Hudson, New Hampshire Rodgers Memorial Library Genealogy Club will be starting up again this month after taking a break in July and August. On September 13 at 1:30 we have a special program, a visit from Aimee Fogg, author of “The Granite Men of Henri-Chapelle".  NH Author Aimee Fogg's journey to discover what happened to her uncle who perished while fighting in Europe during World War II became a mission to tell the stories of all 38 of New Hampshire's men who are buried at the Henri-Chapelle cemetery in Belgium.  She will be the featured speaker this month at the Genealogy Club meeting, discussing the research she  undertook to tell the stories of these NH men who gave their lives for our country so long ago. 

The Genealogy club meets the second Friday of each month at 1:30. Everyone is welcome. 

Local genealogist Janice Conway will be helping to facilitate Genealogy Club meetings now that librarian Gayle St. Cyr has retired. Laurie Jasper will be the staff representative to the club. They want to know what you are interested in, programs & speakers, classes, informal help sessions and discussions etc.

Janice will be sending out information about genealogy events throughout New England and perhaps beyond. If you do not want to receive information about other genealogy events, let Janice know when she sends out a mailing and she will take you off that list.

Hills Memorial Library 3rd Thursday Open House—Finding Your Ancestors

This program on genealogy  is presented by long-time Hudson resident Rich Guillmette, facilitator at the RISE Program at Rivier University since 2007 and a  regular volunteer at the American-Canadian Genealogy Center in Manchester. Rich is also  a frequent presenter the library Genealogy Club meetings.

 The Trustees of the Rodgers Memorial Library present monthly open house programs at the historic Hills Memorial Library Building, 18 Library Street  on the third Thursday of each month from 6-8 PM. Check the library website for upcoming programs.

Secondhand Prose used book sale will be open in the Hills Library basement from 5-8 on the night of the open house

We look forward to seeing you at genealogy club meetings,

Amy Friedman, Adult Services Librarian

Rodgers Memorial Library, 886-6030