Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas blog readers! Most families have their Christmas traditions. I thought I'd relate my own from many ages past.

In the days before Christmas, I had visited at least one Santa and sent off a letter to the North Pole. Bob Steele's Hobby Shop in Irvington and Sears Toy Department at Eastgate Mall were two of my favorite stops to add to my wish list.

Christmas Eve: We would open presents from family and friends. I would get to open the presents Mom and Pop got me. I'd set out Coke and cookies for Santa and go to bed.

Christmas Day: I would get up early and tie into the presents that Santa left. For a few years my grandmother and her sister and brother-in-law would come over for the turkey dinner.

[Footnote: Pop was up until the wee hours Christmas Eve assembling various forts and such. Odd that Pop and Santa liked Coke and cookies.] :)-

A Look at My World Travel Wish List

The states are under wraps on Christmas Eve. :)- After Christmas, I'll take a look at the countries I'd like to visit.

Great Britain: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland are all on the list. The Netherlands, Belgium [old Walloon and Flemish territory], Baden [Germany], Switzerland, Sweden, and Normandy [France].

Some of the trips would be brief, others, like England, would be quite lengthy. So sit back and enjoy the journey. Great Britain will be first. That could take a year to complete!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Rhode Island: Small State, Big Project

First stop in Rhode Island, the Historical and Genealogical Societies. From there, as needed Newport, Pawtuxet, Portsmouth and Kingston. Of course, the Roger Williams Family Association and  any monuments, memorials or museums concerning the colony's founder. With so many families [Arnold, Rhodes, Williams, Waterman, Holden, Dungan, Greene, Remington, Wall, Gorton, Goddard] it will be a long trip with tons of research and seeing a lot of historical sites dedicated to the most famous members of those families.

Virginia: A Lot of Ground to Cover

I have several ancestral families that spent time in Virginia. Richmond and the Library of Virginia would have to be the first stop to see what records are available for these families.

My Quaker families settled in Frederick Co. and I have done a fairly thorough job there with the Rogers and the non-Quaker Rinkers.

After Richmond, if onsite research is necessary, then the following counties are on my wish list: Orange, Culpepper, Hanover, Caroline, Louisa, Lower Norfolk, Princess Ann, and Prince William. Many of these counties were formed out of others on the list, which makes that stop in Richmond crucial. [Families: Gulley, Franklin, Barlow, Sumter, Land, Keeling, Bonney.]

Local museums and historical sites would help tell the stories of the families. A return to Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown would also be in order.

Return to Pennsylvania

One area of research that I have neglected in Pennsylvania is that of my Quaker ancestors. The Quaker records collection at Swarthmore College is a potential goldmine. In Philadelphia, return trips to the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania and Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

Since I recently visited the historic district, that would be on the back burner. I would like to take in Historic Rittenhouse Town and Washington's Crossing.

Western PA would call for a return trip to Fayette County. The library and court house in Uniontown are primary repositories. My Faucett, Crousore, Simmons and possibly Hostetler families. As there was some overlap, Washington County repositories would be on the trip itinerary. That would include the Genealogical Society of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Side trips? Perhaps revisiting the local sites covering 1753-1781? I've seen them before, but it has been awhile. Maybe find the location of the tavern operated by my Simmons family.

North Carolina Visitation

Lincoln Co., NC would be my destination for a difficult research junket. My Cawby ancestors settled there, Unfortunately, Cawby has a couple of hundred spelling variations! The local genealogical and historical libraries, as well as the court house would be stops on the trip. Getting a feel for southwestern NC will be good too.

There are a few Revolutionary War sites within a decent drive. Although it would be out of the way, I'd like to see Lake Baden again. That's where my folks and I spent time with Mom's aunt and cousins at their "vacation getaway."

A New Ancestral Link?

I received an email from a fellow researcher a couple of days ago that could well take my Clark - Miller - Hostetler line back a generation!

The info comes from Descendants of Jacob Hochsteller the Immigrant of 1736.

Nicholas Hostetler and his brothers Christian and Ullerich arrived in Philadelphia on 15 September 1749 aboard the Phoenix. Nicholas was born in Glaurus, Glaurus Canton, Switzerland in 1725 and died on his farm near McClellandtown, Fayette Co., PA on 19 December 1795. His wife was Anna _______. Children: Nicholas, Cattey [Riffle], Margaret [Miller], Ann and Jacob.

Margaret married a Mr. Miller. Their children: Lewis, Catherine [Isaac Clark], Sarah [Benj. Miller], Mary [Alexander Sickles], Isaac, Eliza [Daniel Griffis], Ann.

My records have Ellen Hostetler as the wife of Henry Miller. It looks like that was an error. Of course, more research needs to be done, but it looks promising.

West Virginia's Greenbrier Valley

Greenbrier Co., WV - home to John Faucett - is on my list. Research facilities at Lewisburg would hopefully have some info on those early Indian raids that terrorized the area during the French and Indian War.

The North House Museum, and home to the historical society, looks like an interesting stop for research and site-seeing.

Since old Greenbrier County became 14 counties, it might be a challenge! Greenbrier was Augusta Co. when John was a youngster.

New York: Where to go?

I should visit the NY Public Library, see the site of John Simmons' tavern at the corner of Wall and Nassau Streets and visit the Old Stone House Museum [Battle of Brooklyn], but I'm not sure I could afford 2-3 nights in a NYC hotel!!

I do need to visit Chenango County, where John Simmons Jr. relocated to serve as his father's land agent. The court house and historical association need to be searched. Any historical museums would be on the "to visit" list. The Major League Baseball Hall of Fame is not too far away!

Maryland Wanderings

I have taken in Maryland before, but there are a few repositories that need revisiting and places to see.

Harford County: The historical society is a good place to look for records; better if you schedule visits when all of its departments are open! I would also like to see the painting of the signing of the Bush Resolves in the court house.

Baltimore: The Baltimore Gen. Society and Maryland Genealogical and Historical Society library would be necessary stops to refresh my research. Quaker records and maritime records would top the list. Going back to see the Fells Point neighborhood where my Rhodes-Cunningham family lived and Fort McHenry would be fun.

Time permitting: The Maryland State Archives.

On to Missouri

Missouri, the lead mining area around Madison County in the SE part of the Show-me State.  The regional library and court house are research destinations. Hopefully, records exist for the Wagner and Laubscher families. The State Historical Society at Rolla would offer a look at mining and numerous family history records.

Kansas City would also be on my Missouri list. The KC library and other repositories might shed some more light on Treasury Agent David Nolan.

Illinois Trip

My trip to Illinois would primarily focus on Jo Davies County in the NW corner of the state.  The county historical society would be the target destination. My McHughs made a brief [2-3 years] stop before heading across the Wisconsin state line to Gratiot and Shullsburg. The county court house would also be a necessary stop for a check of vital and land records.

I would like to spend a little more time checking out the area, especially U.S. Grant's home.

Visiting Massachusetts

I was able to visit the NEHGS Library in Boston during a FGS Conference, I believe, in 2006. I also took in a handful of Revolutionary War sites as part of a Freedoms Foundation teacher workshop in 1998.

I really need a return trip to Massachusetts since so many ancestral families first set foot in America by way of Plymouth or Boston.

Plymouth, of course, would be high on the list: Plimoth Plantation, the Mayflower II, Plymouth Rock, Pilgrim Museum, and other sites related to the 1620 landing.

Boston: The Freedom Trail, Tea Party Ships and Museum, Old South Meeting House, and other Revolutionary War-related sites, including Lexington and Concord.

Salem and Danvers: Sites related to the 1692 witch trials, especially the Nurse House [home to Francis and Rebecca [Towne] Nurse.]

The families relocated to towns outside of Plymouth and Boston over the years: Sutton, Marshfield, Scituate, Taunton, Topsfield and others. Historical sites in those towns would be worth a visit.

The Lynn/Saugus Iron Works would be a must-see in honor of Scotsman Malcolm MacCallum. The Adams National Historical Park in Quincy also fits into the tour.

Research? A return to the NEHGS Library is at the top of the list. Historical and genealogical society research libraries in Barnstable, Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Plymouth, Sussex and Worcester Counties also fit the bill.

The problem is that this trip would probably require about three months!!

Genealogy Adventures to be Taken

Over the past 25 years, I have visited 14 states and one country for genealogical purposes. Florida [Tampa, Sarasota, Ft. Myers] and Utah [Salt Lake - FHL] have been strictly for research. Massachusetts [NEHGS Library while attending an FGS Conference] and Illinois [Galena, the historical society was closed - poor planning!] were very limited. My visits to other states have focused on certain locales for both research and site-seeing. [CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, VA, WI, KY, OH, IN] Scotland was an adventure.

Still there are several states and countries that I would like to visit or revisit, focusing on new regions.

States on the list: Massachusetts, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia [return trips]. Rhode Island, North Carolina, West Virginia, Missouri [new stops].

Countries: England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland [again], Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland.

Those are for starters. The trips would include research and culture. Details as we proceed.

Massachusetts will begin the journey.......

Last Word on Historical Ties of Ancestors

I left out a small group of historical figures that were a bit of a reach, even for me. Here the are:

The Earp Brothers: [Virgil, Wyatt and Morgan] The link to the so-called "Gunfight at the OK Corral" is the farthest reach. If you aren't familiar with the Earps, their greatest claim to fame came in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. Political and personal grudges led to a showdown on 26 October 1881 in a vacant lot next to Fly's Photographic Studio. Lawmen Virgil, Wyatt and Morgan Earp, along with gambler-dentist Doc Holiday faced off against Ike and Billy Clanton and Frank and Tom McLaury.Ike fled the scene, while Billy and the McLaurys were killed. Virgil and Morgan received serious wounds. Doc was grazed. Over the ensuing months the Earp faction was tried and acquitted on murder charges, Virgil was ambushed and crippled. Morgan was ambushed and murdered. Earp allies went on a vendetta ride, thinning out the ranks of those who ambushed Morgan and Virgil. Ike Clanton was killed while cattle rustling. Doc died of tuberculosis. Wyatt and Virgil lived into the 20th century. connection? One of the brothers of Martin Cawby married an Earp. The common ancestor was the immigrant Earp.

George Washington: OK, technically all of our Revolutionary War ancestors served under Washington. Inn-keeper Hans Casper Rinker played host to Washington when he was on a surveying job. My Simmons family lived across the street from Federal Hall in NYC and had the opportunity to witness the Presidential Inauguration. connection? The Rinker and Simmons families were direct line.

Al Capone: The Chicago crime boss was taken down by the Treasury Department. My grandmother, Bess Crail McHugh, had a cousin who worked as an investigator in that department. Agent David Nolan helped collect evidence used to convict the gangster. connection? collateral on my mother's side.

Historical Ancestors Return and Bow Out

SUMTER: William [c1700-1752] and Elizabeth [????-????] Sumter were the parents of South Carolina partisan leader General Thomas Sumter, who became known as the "Gamecock." He served from 1776-1778, then retired. After the fall of Charleston, SC, Sumter came out of retirement to command a militia unit that would help General Greene's regular army defeat Lord Cornwallis in the Southern campaign, along with the likes of Francis Marion, Andrew Pickens and Daniel Morgan. After the war, Sumter served as a state senator and assemblyman, as well as US Congressman and Senator. [collateral]

CUNNINGHAM: Irishman Robert Cunningham [????-1791], a sea captain, married Lucinda Morris [1760-c1822]. Their grandson, Robert W. Cunningham was born in NY and resided in southern Indiana, before choosing a career as a riverboat man. He elected to move to Texas in 1835. Robert served with the Texican army at San Antonio de Bejar in December as an artillery sergeant. Cunningham stayed on as a volunteer in Captain Carey's artillery unit at the Alamo, where he gave his life on 6 March 1836. [collateral] Note: Robert's grandmother's 2nd husband was John Simmons Jr. and his mother, Anna Jennison was the sister-in-law of John's son, John William Simmons, who married Dolly Jennison.]

JERRELL: Henry [1821-1884] and Serepta [1823-1862] Jerrell had eight children. The eldest, Henry, joined the Reno Brothers Gang after the Civil War. The gang robbed trains and  banks. In 1868. Henry and other gang members were arrested near Marshfield, Indiana. Vigilantes overpowered the posse and took the outlaws. They were lynched. Younger brother, William ended up in New Mexico. He was enlisted as a deputy sheriff to bring in an outlaw. While riding in a stagecoach near San Angelo, Texas, Jerrell and a Texas Ranger foiled a hold-up attempt. Deputy Jerrell was wounded and died in San Angelo. [collateral]

More Historical Connections

MAVERICK: Reverend John Maverick [1578-1635/6] was the first of his line to set foot in America arriving with the Winthrop Fleet in 1630 and setting in Dorchester, Massachusetts Bay. Eldest son, Samuel, had arrived in 1624. It is from Samuel that a key figure in the history of Texas descends, Samuel Augustus Maverick. He moved to Texas in 1835. Maverick was elected by the Alamo defenders as their representative at the Texas Convention and signed the Texas Declaration of Independence on 2 March 1836. Samuel became one of the largest landowners in Texas before his death in 1870. Because of the Texas pioneer's independent mindedness, the term "maverick" was born. The term also became applied to unbranded cattle, which roamed the Maverick range. [collateral]

NURSE & TOWNE: Francis Nurse [1618-1695] married Rebecca Towne [1621-1692] in 1644 Salem, Massachusetts Bay. The couple became embroiled in the legendary Salem Witch Trials in 1691. The Nurses were among the Salemites that opposed recently hired Reverend Parris. As the story unfolded, many of those who opposed the reverend were charged with witchcraft. Among those arrested and later hanged was Rebecca Towne Nurse. [Rebecca's parents were William Towne and Joanna Blessing.] [direct]

A Brief Tribute

I would like to take a break from the blog posts to pay tribute to those US service men and women who were stationed at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Likewise, a tribute to those who gave their time and, in many cases, their lives over the next four years in Europe and the Pacific. Also to the British and other allies who gallantly held out against the Nazis and Imperialist Japan until the US until the conflict. Thank you!!

More Historical Ancestral Connections

BREWSTER: Elder William Brewster [1565-1644] was one of the Mayflower passengers and leaders of the Separatist movement. Although Brewster could not deliver sacraments, he served as the religious leader of the early Plymouth Colony. [direct]

REMINGTON: John Remington [1599/1600-1667] was the ancestor of Eliphalet Remington, founder of  Remington Arms. The Remington Arms Company has produced firearms since its founding in 1816. [collateral]

Ancestral Links to History

GORTON: Samuel Gorton [1592/3-1677] fled Plymouth Colony for what became Warwick, Rhode Island due to his religious convictions. Gorton's followers became known as Gortonites and
believed Jesus Christ was divine, but did not believe in the Trinity. [direct]

PRENCE: Thomas Prnce [c1600-1672/3] arrived in Plymouth in 1621. He quickly married into the Brester family and was elected governor of the colony three times. Only William Bradford and Edward Winslow served as governor during Prence's lifetime. They were Mayflower passengers. Prence's terms were marred by his hatred for Quakers, including Arthur Howland, Jr., married the governor's daughter Elizabeth. [direct]

Family Connections to Famous Relatives

GREENE: John Greene [1590-1658/9] was a noted surgeon and physician in Rhode Island. One of his great-great-grandsons gave the family its notoriety. Major General Nathanael Greene [1742-1786] was born a Quaker, but patriotism took front stage as the Revolutionary War broke out. He served as Quartermaster General of the Continental Army from 1778-1780. After presiding over John Andre's courts martial[Benedict Arnold's British contact], then took command of West Point. Following Horatio Gates' debacle at Camden, SC, Greene, long Washington's choice for the position, was finally appointed commander of the Southern Continental Army in October 1780. Greene held Cornwallis at bay until the siege of Yorktown in March of 1781. His motto: "We fight, we get beat, we get up and fight again." [collateral]

LATHAM: Frances Latham Dungan Clarke Vaughn [1610-1677] was known as the "Mother of Governors." Nine direct descendants became governors into the 21st century [eight from Rhode Island and one from Washington], three deputy or lieutenant governors. and six related by marriage - including 2nd husband Jeremy Clarke. [collateral]

Family Lines with Famous Connections

The next few posts will deal with direct-line and collateral ancestors who held a role in history.

ARNOLD: Immigrant William Arnold's [1587-1675] son was a Rhode Island governor, but it was the governor's great-great-grandson who holds down the "honor" for the most prominent famous member of the family: Brigadier General Benedict Arnold [1740/1-1804]. He was a hero at Ticonderoga and the Canada campaign. Arnold should have received the lion's share of the credit for the Continental Army's victory at Saratoga that went to General Gates. But it was striking a deal with John Andre and the British government to sell the plans to strategic West Point in 1780 that Arnold will be best remembered for. [collateral]

WILLIAMS: Following his banishment from Massachusetts for his religious convictions and views on dealing with the Indians, Roger Williams [c1605-1683] fled to Narragansett territory. There he was given a tract of land on the Seekonk River that became Providence Plantation and eventually part of Rhode Island. [direct]

500th Post!

It's hard to believe that this is post #500! Part of my original focus was to post Prall Family Association news. That's taken a bit of a back seat. If you do have Prall ancestors, let me know and I'll give you info on the PFA.

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy has gotten a lot of coverage. The 2016 SLIG has a few slots left open. If you are interested contact www.info@uga.org. I'll post my MacCallum research progress during the Problem Sulving track at the institute, as well as any new or informative items that come along.

I have covered a variety of topics since beginning the blog. If there's a topic you'd like to see me address, drop me a note. Otherwise, you are at my mercy! :)- I'll try not to miss weeks at a time.

Now I have to pick a topic for post #501.......

The list and frequency of occupations

farmer / planter: 102 - from 1600s through 1800s; full-time or  with another profession.
grist mill owner: 10
tavern or inn keeper: 8
carpenter: 6
mariner: 5
minister: 4
merchant: 4
tanner: 3
teacher: 3 [one 20th century]
iron worker: 3
coastal trader: 3
saw mill owner: 3
farmstead manager: 2
clerk: 2
stone mason: 2
teamster: 2 [late 1800s as urbanization set in]
blacksmith: 2
doctor: 2
cooper: 2
farm laborer: 2

One time jobs:

wheelwright                      papermaker
coal miner                         hunter
tailor                                  attorney
sales agent                         farrier
lead miner                         housewright
land agent                         cattle tender
distiller                              tray maker
chandler                            vintner
supercargo                        livestock dealer
brickmaker                       turpentine maker

The majority of the above professions covered the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. A shift came during the last half of the 19th century as farmers sold their land to look for opportunities in America's growing cities.

Four of the above occupations were tied to the sea from about 1600-1815: mariner, chandler, supercargo and coastal trader. 10 total.

For those of you with Huguenot or Walloon ancestry: The majority of the male immigrants were tied to the cloth or fabric trades. Weaver, threadtwister, camletmaker and other jobs found in that business will show frequently as careers in The Netherlands as the Huguenots and Walloons prepared for trips to New Netherland, Virginia, the Carolinas, etc. These people became farmers, planters, merchants, traders, etc. in the colonies.

Almost exclusively 20th century:

tool and die maker: 2
solicitor: 2, collector, canvasser: 1 each [probably the same job]
cornice maker: 1
genealogist: 1 [of course, a few other family members kept records, but most were lost]
janitor: 1
secretary: 1
veterinarian:1
federal meat inspector: 1
night watchman: 1

As you utilize city directories for your research, beware of occupational terminology. City directories cover about 1865 - present in most cases. Some large cities [NY, Philly, etc.] may date back much earlier.

The directory entry will give the person's occupation and may give the place of work. Lookout for generic terms such as mechanic or laborer. Those two cover a lot of territory. A mechanic works with his hands or machinery [carpenter, painter, smithy, etc.] Generally an auto mechanic will be listed as such. Laborer could cover almost any job. Look at entries for 4-5 years: laborer, mechanic, carpenter, carpenter, laborer - focus on the specific career: carpenter.

Ancestral Occupations Glossary

Some of these, hopefully, will be obvious. Others may be new to you.
attorney: A person who is legally qualified and licensed to represent a person in a legal matter, such as a transaction or lawsuit.

brick-maker: the act, process, or occupation of making bricks.

blacksmith: One that forges and shapes iron with an anvil and hammer or makes, repairs, and fits horseshoes.

carpenter: A skilled worker who makes, finishes, and repairs wooden objects and structures.

collier / coal miner: one who works in coal mines.

collector: in this case, probably a person who gathers information for city/county directories.

clerk: a person employed, as in an office, to keep records, file, type, or perform other general office tasks or a salesclerk.

cornice-maker:  a person who makes the decorative strip of wood [or some other material] used at the top of the walls in a room.

canvasser: see collector

coastal trader: a person who traded goods along the coast or other waterway.

chandler: a dealer in supplies and equipment for ships and boats.

cooper: a maker or repairer of casks and barrels.

cattle tender: one who looks after cattle for the owner or manager.

doctor:  person licensed to practice medicine.

distiller: a person or company that produces strong alcoholic drinks (such as whiskey) by distilling them.

farmstead manager: a person who runs a farm for another person or company.

farmer / planter: a person who owns a farm or plantation.

federal meat inspector: a person who inspects meat for the federal government; usually at a slaughterhouse or meat-packing plant.

farm laborer: one who is employed to work on a farm.

farrier: person who shoes horses.

grist miller: a person who operates a mill for grinding grain. [also flouring miller]

genealogist: do I really need a definition here? :)-

hunter: one who hunts for a living; sometimes for bounty.

housewright: a builder of wooden houses.

iron worker: a worker in iron or a person employed in an ironworks.

janitor: a person employed in an apartment house, office building, school, etc., to clean the public areas, remove garbage, and do minor repairs; caretaker.

lead miner: one who works in a lead mine.

livestock dealer: a person who deals in, trades, and sells livestock.

land agent: a person who acts as an agent for the sale of land.

minister:  a person whose job involves leading church services, performing religious ceremonies (such as marriages), and providing spiritual or religious guidance to other people : a member of the clergy in some Protestant churches.

mariner: a person who navigates or assists in navigating a ship. [I have included ship's captains here as well.]

merchant: person who buys and sells commodities for profit; dealer; trader; a storekeeper; retailer,
etc.

night watchman: Also called: night watch; a person who keeps guard at night on a factory, public building, etc.

papermaker: one that makes paper.

saw miller: a person who operates a mill in which timber is sawed into planks, boards, etc., by machinery.

solicitor: see collector

stone mason: a person who cuts, builds with or dresses stone.

sales agent: one who is authorized or appointed by a manufacturer to sell or distribute his products within a given territory but who is in business for himself, takes title to the goods.

secretary: a person employed by an individual or in an office to assist with correspondence, keep records, make appointments, and carry out similar tasks.

supercargo: a merchant-ship officer who is in charge of the cargo and the commercial concerns of the voyage.

tanner: a person who tans animal hides, especially to earn a living.

tool and die maker: someone who makes dies.

teacher: a person who teaches, especially in a school.

tailor: a person whose occupation is making fitted clothes such as suits, pants, and jackets to fit individual customers.

teamster: a person who drives a team of horses or a truck for hauling, especially as an occupation.

tavern or inn keeper:  person who owns or manages an inn or tavern.

tray maker: a person who makes flat, shallow containers, used for carrying or displaying articles, from wood or metal.

turpentine maker: one who makes turpentine [a type of oil with a strong smell that is used to make paint thinner and to clean paint brushes].

veterinarian: a person who is trained to give medical care and treatment to animals : an animal doctor.

vintner: a wine merchant; a wine maker [in some cases, dealt in other liquors, like beer].

wheelwright: a person who makes or repairs wooden wheels.

A Note on Female Ancestors at Work

I imagine the ladies reading the job lists have asked, "What about female ancestors?"

I only have a handful of references on "regular jobs" taken on by my female ancestors.
Catherine O'Neil came from Ireland in 1852 and taught local Central Indiana farmers to read.
My grandmother, Mayme Faucett, clerked at Vonnegut's Hardware before she got married in 1911.
My mother, Ruthjane McHugh worked as secretary and bookkeeper for her father's tool and die business, spent a few years working at the Naval Ordinance Plant in Indy and handled the paper work for my Dad's Van All Tool and Die.
My great-grandmother, Elizabeth June Cawby Faucett co-owned a millenary shop in Indy for a couple of years.

Otherwise?

Wives and daughters handled the household chores of cooking, cleaning, gardening, soap-making, making and mending clothes and often working in the fields or shops with their husbands. There was also a little item of raising children. Many families had a half-dozen to a dozen kids. Mothers were giving birth about every two years through the late 1800s.

Work? Women? When did they have time?

The post-WWII years changed the women's role in the workplace. Now many share the bread-winning role or have it all to themselves.

Ancestral Occupations: the final families

PEABODY:

John Peabody: planter in Duxbury, Plymouth [1637-1667].

Francis Peabody: grist miller in Norfolk and Essex Co., MA [1672-1692]; also a farmer.

GRANT:

Thomas Grant: probably a farmer in Rowley, MA [1639-1643].

LAND:

Francis Land: planter in Lower Norfolk Co., VA [c1630 - c1659].

Renatus Land: planter in Prince William Co., VA [c1661-1681].

Robert Land: probably a planter in Prince William Co., VA [c1685-1726].

Edward Land: probably a planter in Prince William Co., VA [c1730 - aft 1785].

Thomas Land: planter in Louisa Co., VA and Wilkes Co., NC [c1745-1790].

John Land: planter/farmer in Virginia and Fayette and Madison Co., KY [c1775-1804].

That's it folks! Tomorrow a note on women at work, then a glossary of the occupations mentioned. Then a wrap-up with a tally sheet for the jobs and job shifts between the 1600s and 20th century.

Ancestors at Work

KEENEY:

WilliamKeeney: trader based in New London Co., CT [1660s].

John Keeeney: farmer in New London Co., CT [c1661-1715] and trader [1669]

DOUGLAS:

William Douglas: cooper and farmer in Boson, MA and New London Co., CT [1640-1682]

TURNER:

Humphrey Turner: tanner and farmer in Sciutate, Plymouth Colony [1634-1673].

John Turner "the elder": tanner Scituate[c1641-1687].

Ezekiel Turner: mariner/trader based in New London Co., CT [c1675-1703]

Ancestral Jobs: Mayflower & Thanksgiving Edition

In honor of our Pilgrim ancestors:

BREWSTER:

William Brewster: [of Mayflower fame] farmer and long-time leader of the Plymouth Colony settlement. [1620-1644].

Jonathan Brewster: surveyor, attorney, ferry operator and mariner in Plymouth and Duxbury, Plymouth Colony [1621-1649].  Indian trading post operator in Pequot/New London, CT [c1649-1659].

Enjoy your Thanksgiving!!!

Ancestral Jobs - 10 or so to go!

FRENCH:

Thomas French: probably farmed briefly in Essex Co., MA [1638-1639].

OLMSTEAD:

Richard Olmstead: farmer in Hartford and Norwalk, CT [c1636-1686].

John Olmstead: farmer in Norwalk, CT [c1670-1705].

BENEDICT:

Thomas Benedict: operated a grist mill at Southold, Long Island, NY [c1641-1657], also made turpentine and was a brick-maker.

Ancestor Occupational Countdown continues

GARRISON:

Garrit Jansen van Oldenburg: farm manager on Manhattan and Long Island [1632-1661].

Jan Gerritsen: farmer on Long Island [1662 - c1692].

Johannes Gerritsen: farmer on Long Island [1699-1714].

John Garrison: farmer in Hunterdon Co., NJ [1730-1774].

HOWELL:

Thomas Howell: farmer in Gloucester/Camden Co., NJ [1682-1687].

Daniel Howell: farmer in Bucks Co., PA [c1702-1739].

HOWLAND:

Arthur Howland Sr.: planter in Plymouth Colony [1640-1675].

Arthur Howland Jr.: planter in Plymouth Colony [c1667-1726].

PRENCE:

Thomas Prence: farmer in Plymouth Colony [c1623-1673]; governor of Plymouth Colony [1634, 1638, 1657-1672].

Ancestral Occupations: a couple of dozen, or thereabouts to go

BILLIOU:

Pierre Billiou: a camletmaker in Leiden, Holland, The Netherlands, was probably a farmer on Staten Island [1661-1701].

SWART:

Teunis Cornelis Swart: farmer in Schenectady and Kingston, NY [1664-1677].

TITSOORT:

Willem Abraham Titsoort: blacksmith in Schenectady and Poughkeepsie, NY [1664-1721].

WHITTAKER:

Edward Whittaker: probably a livestock dealer in Ulster Co., NY [1665-1695].

James Whittaker: merchant or businessman in Kingston, NY [c1695-1745]; farmer in Hunterdon Co., NJ [1745-death].

WAKEMAN:

Samuel Wakeman: probably a merchant in Massachusetts and Hartford, CT [c1632-1645 death at sea].

CHRISTOPHER:

Hans Christopher: farmer on Long and Staten Islands, NY [c1669-1690].

BLOM:

Barent Jansen Blom: farm laborer on Long Island, NY [1641-1652]; farmer on Long Island [1652-1665].

Occupational Therapy

More NE occupations......

NEWCOMB:

Francis Newcomb: probably a farmer at Braintree, MA [c1639-1692].

MAVERICK:

John Maverick: minister in Dorchester, MA [1631-1635.]

Elias Maverick: no occupation given.

WEBB:

Richard Webb: farmer in New Haven and Fairfield Co., Connecticut [1649-1676]; operated flouring [grist] mill in Fairfield Co., CT [1651-1676].

Joseph Webb: inherited flouring mill in Fairfield Co., CT [1676-1684].

SCOFIELD:

Richard Scofield: leather presser in Essex Co., MA and Fairfield Co., CT [1641-1671].

SCOTT:

Thomas Scott: farmer in Essex Co., MA [1639-1654].

New England at Work

More NE jobs..............

TWISS:

Peter Twiss, Sr.: farmer and farrier in Essex Co., MA [c1677-1743].

Peter Twiss, Jr.: farmer and housewright in Essex Co., MA [c1699-1757].

MACCALLUM/CALLUM:

Malcolm MacCallum: indentured to Saugus Iron Works, Essex Co., MA [1651 - c1655], either as an iron worker or tending cattle for the company farm. Thereafter, occupation unknown. [Hopefully more on Malcolm after the Salt Lake Institute in January.]

NOURSE/NURSE:

 Francis Nurse: tray maker and farmer in Essex Co., MA [c1644-1695] Accused of witchcraft in 1692; wife Rebecca was last of the alleged witches to be hanged.

TOWNE:

William Towne: farmer in Essex Co., MA [1651-1672/3].

VARY/VERRY:

Samuel Very: farmer in Essex Co., MA [c1657-1683].

THOMAS:

Evan Thomas: sea captain [by 1635-1640] Wales and Massachusetts; vintner in Boston, MA [1640-1661].

George Thomas: no career mentioned.

The New England Job Market

Here are some early New England families and their occupations for the next few posts.....

SINGLETARY:

Richard Singletary: planter in Essex Co., MA [1639-1687].

Nathaniel Singletary: farmer in Essex Co., MA [c1662-1689].

John Singletary: cooper in Essex Co., MA [c1695-1720]; farmer and grist miller in Worcester Co., MA [c1720-1747].

Amos Singletary: farmer and grist miller in Essex and Worcester Co., MA [c1741-1806]. Served with the provincial congress during the Revolution and opposed the ratification of the Constitution as an Anti-Federalist.

GREELEY:

Andrew Greeley: grist and saw miller in New Hampshire and Massachusetts [1640-1697].

Andrew Greeley, Jr.: unsure, but probably farmed in Essex Co., MA [c1666-1736].

CURTIS:

Zacheus Curtis: farm laborer in Esex Co., MA [c1635-1682].

John Curtis: farmer in Essex Co., MA [c1669-1718].

Samuel Curtis: farmer [c1718-death] and innkeeper [1749-1751] in Essex Co., MA.

DODGE:

Richard Dodge: farmer in Essex Co., MA [1638-1671].

Edward Dodge: farmer in Essex Co., MA [c1670-1727].

The Jobs Keep on Coming

Here are a few more......

GORTON:

Samuel Gorton: Spent much of his time in Massachusetts, Plymouth and Rhode Island in jail because of his religious beliefs, He became the leader of the Gortonites in Kent Co., RI from about 1649-1677. Not sure if he could rightly be called a minister by profession.

John Gorton: He was a mariner based in Kent Co., RI. John also held considerable tracts of land from 1668-1714.

Samuel Gorton: farmer in Kent Co., RI [c1694-1722.]

DALLY:

Jean Dally: a mariner in New York and Virginia [c1644-1675], a farmer on Staten Island [1676-1691].

Jan Dally: farmer and carpenter in VA and NY [c1670-1708].

Nicholas Dally: no information jobwise

Henry Dally: merchant in Middlesex Co., NJ [c1736-1756].

OBEE:

Hendrick Obee: recorded as an attorney in 1668 in NY.

GIFFORD:

John Gifford: merchant in Perth Amboy, NJ [c1717-1743].

JENNISON:

Robert Jennison: farmer in Watertown, MA [c1637-1690]

Samuel Jennison: most of his time was spent in public office, but owned considerable land in Watertown, MA [c1666-1701].

Robert Jennison: farmer in Auburn, MA [1726-1779].

Joseph Jennison: no details on Joseph, but probably farmed near his father in Auburn, MA.

Peter Jennison: probably considered more of a planter than farmer, as he owned a number of slaves in Sutton, MA [c1769-1812] and Chenango Co., NY [1812-1816]

Employment Opportunities Galore

Jobs, jobs, jobs....

HOLDEN:

Randall Hoden: probably too busy in local affairs to hold down a job!

Charles Holden: he was busy in politics as well

GREENE:

John Greene: doctor/surgeon in Salem, MA and Providence and Kent Co., RI in 1635 to 1658/9.

John Greene: farmer in Kent Co., RI [1643-1708]

REMINGTON:

John Remington: carpenter and school teacher in Essex Co., MA and Kent Co., RI [c1649-1709]

Thomas Remington: farmer in Newport and Kent Co., RI [1692-1710]

Daniel Remington: ship's carpenter in Kent Co., RI [c1712-1787]

More Ancestral Employment

 RHODES:

Zachariah Rhodes: farmer in Providence and Newport Co., RI [1646-1666]

John Rhodes: farmer in Providence and Kent Co., RI [c1670-1716]

John Rhodes: farmer in Kent Co., RI [c1733-1776]

Holden Rhodes: unknown in RI

Holden Rhodes: mariner from Kent Co., RI [at least 1776-1809]; served as US privateer during Rev War.

Zachariah Rhodes: mariner/sea captain from Baltimore,MD, possibly Kent Co., RI [at least 1810-1815]

WATERMAN:

Richard Waterman: hunter and farmer in MA [1629-1637] and farmer in Providence Co., RI [1638-1673]

Resolved Waterman: unknown in RI.

WILLIAMS:

Roger Williams: minister in MA and Providence, RI [1631-1683]

Ancestors at Work continues

More jobs:

Rittenhouse:

Wilhelm Rittenhouse: paper maker in Germantown, PA [c1690-1708] and Mennonite minister/bishop [c1701-1709]

Gerhard/Garrett Rittenhouse: farmer and grist mill operator in Cresheim, PA. [c1694-1742/3]

William Rittenhouse: farmer and saw mill operator in Hunterdon Co., NJ [c1718-1767]; also operated the 'Crosskeys' tavern [dates unknown].

Isaac Rittenhouse: farmer, innkeeper and part-owner of a fishery in Hunterdon Co., NJ [c1756-1809]

Howell:

Thomas Howell: farmer in Gloucester Co., NJ [c1683-1687]

Daniel Howell: evidently a planter, he resided in Philadelphia and Bucks Co., PA and deeded his land to heirs in 1734.

How They Made Their Living

Back to the non-Quaker ancestors:

CUNNINGHAM:

Clotworthy Cunningham: farmer in Baltimore/Harford Co., MD [c1745-1780]

James Cunningham: supercargo [cargo master/overseer on board ship] based out of Baltimore/Harford Co., MD [1770s-1799]

TREADWAY:

Thomas Treadway: tavern keeper [c1741 - c1757] in Baltimore Co., MD ; planter in Baltimore Co., MD [c1757-1782]

WALL:

William Wall: farmer in Newport and Washington Co., RI [by 1720 - 1742]

John Wall: unknown, Kent Co., RI

More on the Quaker Job Market

I thought I'd wrap up the Quaker families that eventually migrated to Virginia....

BALLINGER:

Henry Ballinger: farmer in Burlington Co., NJ [early 1680s - 1733]

Josiah Ballinger: farmer in Frederick Co., MD [c1725 - c1736]; planter in Frederick Co., MD [c1736-1748].

WRIGHT:

James Wright, Sr.: Quaker minister and farmer in East Nottingham, Chester Co, PA/Cecil Co., MD [c1707-c1730], Orange and Frederick Co., VA [c1730-1759]

HARDING:

Thomas Harding: farmer in Burlington Co., NJ [1681-1708]

DAVIS or BOWATER: There is some question as to the maiden name of  James Wright's wife. Therefore this family will be omitted.

Welsh Quaker and Swiss Lutheran Occupational Study

Narrow focus today!

ROGERS:

Roger ap Robert: farmer in Chester Co., PA [c1700-1723]

John Rogers: farmer in Montgomery Co., PA [c1710-1742] and Back Creek Valley, Frederick Co., VA [1742-1763]

Evan Rogers: farmer in Hampshire and Frederick Co., VA [c1742-1805]

John Rogers: farmer in Hampshire and Frederick Co., VA [by 1777-1826]


PUGH:

Robert ap Hugh/Pugh: farmer in Montgomery Co., PA [1698-1717]

RINKER:

Hans Casper Rinker: farmer in Germantown, PA [c1743-1757]; farmer and inn-keeper in Frederick Co., VA [1757-1804]

Families at Work

To continue:

MAHURIN/HURIN:

Hugh Mahurin: iron worker [c1690-92] and farmer [c1693-1718] in Taunton, MA.

Ebenezer Mahurin: collier [c1710-1730] and farmer [1731-1755] in Taunton, MA and Hunterdon/Morris Co., NJ.

Seth Hurin: farmer in Morris Co., NJ, Ulster Co., NY and Hamilton/Warren Co., OH [c1750-1815] (Provided provisions for Morristown encampment during Rev War.)

Othneil Hurin: farmer in Morris Co., NJ, Ulster Co., NY and Warren Co., OH [c1779-1814]

ST. JOHN/SENTION/SENSION:

Mathias St. John I: chandler, baker and farmer in Dorchester, MA, Windsor, Wethersfield, Hartford and Norwalk, CT. [c1633-1669]

Mathias St. John II:  farmer [c1650-1677] in Massachusetts and Connecticut and inn-keeper [1678-1728] in Norwalk, CT.

Samuel St. John: farmer in Norwalk and Ridgefield, CT and Westchester Co., NY [c1692-1752]

Job St. John: farmer in Westchester and Ulster Co., NY [c1741-1788]. Served as an exempt [on guard duty] during Rev War.

John St. John: farmer in Westchester and Ulster Co., NY and Hamilton/Warren Co., OH. [c1770-1819] Served with Westchester militia and NY Line during Rev War.

HAZEN:

Edward Hazen: farmer [c1634-1669] and inn-keeper at [1670-1683] in Rowley, MA.

Thomas Hazen: farmer in Rowley and Boxford, MA and Norwich, CT [c1677-1735]

John Hazen: farmer in Boxford, MA, Norwich, New London and Old Lyme, CT. [c1708-1772]

LOCKWOOD:

Edmund Lockwood: farmer in Stamford, CT [c1650-1692]

Joseph Lockwood: farmer in Stamford, CT and Westchester Co., NY [c1686-1750]

James Lockwood: farmer in Stamford, CT and Westchester Co., NY [c1741 - c1778]

Ancestors' Job Resumes

And still more:

CROUSORE/KRAUSHAAR:

Nicholas Crousore/Kraushaar: farmer in Fayette Co., PA [1785-1813] (probably farmed in eastern Pennsylvania c1753 - c1784)

John Crousore: farmer in Fayette Co., PA, Clinton Co., OH, Rush, Delaware and Howard Co., IN [c1793-1850s]

Jacob Crousore: farmer in Clinton Co., OH, Rush, Delaware, Madison and Howard Co., IN, and McPherson Co., KS. [c1820-1877]

SMITH:

Henry Smith: farmer in Henry and Franklin Co., VA. [c1780-1735] Served with Virginia troops during American Revolution.

William Smith: farmer in western Virginia, Clinton and Highland Co., OH, Delaware Co., IN [c1798-1849]

HUBBARD:

Levin Hubbard: farmer in Dorchester Co., MD, Delaware, Clinton Co., OH [c1789-1849]

CLARK:

Isaac Clark: farmer in Butler Co., OH and Hendricks Co., IN [c1807-1874]

More Ancestral Work

The job market for:

WAGNER:

John Wagner: lead miner in Madison Co., Missouri and Lafayette Co., Wisconsin [c1845 - early 1850s]

LAUBSCHER:

Catherine Laubscher: farmer in Lafayette Co., WI [c1850 - c1882]

O'NEIL:

Catherine O'Neil: taught local central Indiana farmers to read [c1853-1857]

SIMMONS:

John Simmons, Sr.: tavern keeper in New York City [1770-1776; 1784-1795]; served with provisional NY troops during Revolutionary War.

John Simmons, Jr.: land sales agent [for father] and farmer in Montgomery/Chenango Co., NY [1793-1814], farmer in Dearborn Co., IN [c1815-1822]; tavern keeper in Canonsburgh, PA [c1823 - c1830]; served with NY militia during Revolutionary War/

John William Simmons: carpenter and farmer in Chenango Co., NY, Switzerland, and Henry Co., IN, Butler Co., OH and Campbell Co., KY [1801 - 1857]

James Morris Simmons: carpenter in SW Ohio and Central Indiana [c1826-1883].

John T. Simmons: farmer and sawmill worker [c1849-1909]

Ancestors at Work

Jobs continue:

GULLEY:

Thomas Gulley: planter in Orange and Culpepper Co., VA [c1750-1783]

Enoch Gulley: farmer in Orange and Culpepper Co., VA [c1770-1801], Elbert Co., GA [1802-1810?], Davidson Co., TN [1811-c1814], Madison Co., KY [c1814-1827] and Shelby Co., IN [1827/8] Probably served with the 3rd Virginia Regiment during the Revolutionary War as George Gulley.

Willis Gulley: farmer in Elbert Co., GA, Davidson Co., TN and Madison Co., KY [1802-1827], Shelby, Decatur and Hendricks Co., IN [1828-1879]

SUMTER:

William Sumter: farmer and grist mill owner in Hanover - Louisa - Albemarle Co., VA [1730-1752]

BARLOW:

Thomas Barlow: planter in Hanover - Albemarle Co., VA [c1719-1778]

Henry Barlow:  planter in Albemarle Co., VA [c1747-c1789], farmer in Fayette, Woodford and Scott Co., KY [1789-1814]

More Occupations

We continue with ancestral jobs:

CRAIL:

James B. Crail, Jr.: I really wish I knew!

Aaron S. Crail: farmer [c1857-1868] in Marion and Hamilton Co., IN. Served with the 124th Indiana Infantry [1864/5] during the Civil War.

James Crail: blacksmith [late 1870s - early 1890s] Miami, Marion, Howard and Tipton Co., IN; veterinary surgeon [c1895-1920] in Shelbyville, IN, Chicago, IL and Indianapolis,  IN; federal meat inspector [1908-1920] in Chicago and Indianapolis.

WOLARY / ULLERY:

Henry Wolary: farmer in Frederick Co., VA and Clinton Co., OH [c1800-1849]

William Wolary: farmer in Grant Co., OH and Clinton, Shelby, Auglaize, and Fayette Co., OH [c1840-1894].

CAWBY:

Johannes/John Cawby: farmer in Lincoln Co., NC and Jessamine Co., KY [1789-c1820] (possibly Maryland as well, prior to 1789)

Martin Cawby, Sr.: farmer in Lincoln Co., NC and Jessamine Co., KY [1805-1824] (possibly Maryland as well) Served in the 17th Kentucky militia during the War of 1812.

Martin Cawby, Jr.: farmer in Jessamine Co., KY, Johnson, Hendricks and Decatur Co., IN, [c1840 - c1880], night watchman in a sawmill and teamster in Indianapolis [c1880 - 1898].

TRISLER:

Peter Trisler: physician in Hagerstown, MD and Jessamine Co., KY

Occupations 2

The job market continues:

MCHUGH:

John McHugh: coal miner, Schuylkill Co., PA [c1833 - c1843], stone mason and farmer [c1845 - 1887] Galena, IL and Gratiot, WI.

James McHugh: stone mason and farmer, Lafayette Co., WI [c1865-1896]

Charles Joseph McHugh, Sr.: machinist/tool and die maker [c1904-1954] Chicago and Indianapolis.

Ruthjane McHugh/Prall: secretary for father [late 1930s - early 1940s], worked at Naval Ordinance Plant [mid-1940s] Indianapolis, IN

FAUCETT:

John Faucett: farmer [1770s - 1838] Fayette and Washington Co., PA, Hamilton/Warren Co., OH and Marion Co., IN. Ranger and spy during Revolutionary War [1777-1781]

Joseph Faucett: tailor [c1810 - ????], farmer [c1817 - 1871] Warren Co., OH and Hendricks Co., IN.

Benjamin Franklin Faucett: farmer [late 1840s - c1882] Hendricks Co., IN; carpenter [c1882-1885] Indianapolis, IN.

Charles Elmer Faucett: teamster, sales agent and janitor [mainly for Kingan & Co.], [c1882-1934]Indianapolis, IN.

Mayme Faucett: clerk at Vonnegut's Hardware [late 1900s - early 1910s] Indianapolis, IN.

Ancestors and Occupations: How those that came before made a living

I'm going to take a few posts to look at how my ancestors made their living. Right off, I'd say that farmers and millers will  rank 1st and 2nd, but you never know. I'm going to go family by family, generation by generation. I thought about chronological order, but decided the other would be easier. Some folks will have more than one occupation listed. When in doubt, I'll skip on to the next person. I will try to include the time frame for each person [1650-1675, for instance] and will include the females, if I have anything specific on them. Several ancestors were involved in local politics; unless politics became the person's primary job, I'll not include office holding.

For those of you who equate planter and farmer as the same occupation, I'm differentiating the two by land holdings [plantation: large farmstead; farm: smaller farmstead] and whether the property is referred to as a plantation or farm in records.

PRALL:

Jan Arentsen van Heerde: bouw meester [bowery master] or the head, manager, of a farmstead on Staten Island. [c1650 - c1658] (no record of Jan after 1658)
 
Arent Jansen Prall: wheelwright in Kingston and on Staten Island [c1663 - 1725] and farmer/planter on Staten Island [c1675 - 1725]

Pieter Prall: farmer and planter on Staten Island [by 1697 - 1748] (Pieter began with a 40 acre farm, but later established a homestead that was called "Morning Star.")

Aaron Prall: businessman, probably a tanner  in Hunterdon Co., NJ and Kingston, NY [c1716 - at least early 1730s], farmer [c1716 - 1757] in Hunterdon Co., NJ.

Cornelius Prall Sr.: farmer, operator of a sawmill and gristmill at various times in Hunterdon and neighboring counties in New Jersey [mid-1750s - 1813]

Cornelius Prall Jr.: farmer in New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania [by 1791 - 1834].

Isaac Rittenhouse Prall: farmer in Harford Co., MD and York Co., PA [mid-1820s - 1865] (The 1870 Clinton Co., OH census shows him as an 'ex-farmer.')

Hugh McDonald Prall: carpenter in Ohio [1870s], farmer in Grant Co., IN [1880s], thereafter listed as a solicitor/canvasser, collector, clerk and cornice-maker [1890s-1907] in Grant Co., IN. (The solicitor and canvasser jobs were apparently collecting data for the city/county directories or pollster. Collector may have been the same.)

William Marshall Prall: solicitor [1895/6], candy maker [1897 -1900] in Marion, IN, [1901-1906] in Cincinnati, OH and [1907-1839] in Indianapolis, IN.

Hugh Charles Prall: tool and die maker [1939-1977] Indianapolis, IN.

Terry Dean Prall: elementary and middle school teacher, Nocatee, FL [1973-1979], Arcadia, FL [1979-2003], Arcadia, FL;  genealogist [1990-current], Arcadia, FL and Avon, IN.

Quirky Ancestors Finale

I'm sure that I've missed more than a handful of quirky folks, but I have decided to put the wraps on the topic.

Basically all of my ancestors [or anyone's for that matter] had to be a bit quirky. To leave home, be it England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, German States, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium [Wallonia or Flanders], Normandy, wherever], with no guarantee of survival or safety, venturing onto a new continent made you a bit quirky. Facing shipwreck, starvation, perils of the wilderness, inhospitable natives or neighbors, or other dangers was risky, at best.

Later arrivals may have had it a little better than those who arrived during the early 1600s. Yet it was likely those later arrivals that were starting the cycle all over, but farther west then their predecessors.

Religious and ethnic persecutions followed some of the immigrants wherever they went. Others assimilated nicely over a generation or two.

Of course staying in their native countries may have made most of our ancestors even quirkier!

Quirky Ancestor or Quirky Research?

For a long time my Hazen line was Hazen - Dart - Douglas line. At least one researcher claimed that the Hazens were a family with Mayflower ancestry.

That idea became the focus of a Salt Lake trip. Elizabeth Dart [1696-aft. 1736], wife of John Hazen [1687-1772] was the key to the solution. Good old-fashioned research turned up two marriages for Elizabeth. The first, as Elizabeth Turner to Thomas Dart. The second as Elizabeth Dart to John Hazen. An assortment of records confirmed that Elizabeth Dart Hazen was, indeed, Elizabeth Turner.

That changed the picture and confirmed the rumor. Elizabeth Turner Dart Hazen was the daughter of Ezekiel Turner and Susanna Keeney. Ezekiel was the son of John Turner "the elder" and Mary Brewster. Mary was the daughter of Jonathan Brewster and Lucretia Oldham. Jonathan was the son of the Mayflower's William Brewster. Ta-da!

Susanna Keeney was the daughter of John Keeney and Sarah Douglas. Sarah was the daughter of William Douglas Sr. and Ann Mattle. Sarah's brother, William Jr. was Thomas Dart's grandfather. Even with all of the ancestor juggling, I managed to keep my Douglas line in the fold!

Quirky Ancestor: Sounding more American

Seth Mahurin was descended from either Scots or Ulster Scots. His grandfather, Hugh Mahurin, had arrived in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay by 1692. Hugh may have been drawn by the iron works in the colony.

Seth was advised at some point to drop the Ma from Mahurin so that his name would sound more "American." Tradition holds that it was a Yale College professor who made the suggestion, but I contacted the university and there was no record of Mahurin ever attending.

So, Seth became Hurin or Huron, while most of the family kept Mahurin. One brother refused to change the name, because he didn't want it to sound like an Indian tribe. [Huron Indians]

If you have a Hurin/Huron line and/or a Mahurin line, chances are they are descended from Hugh.

SLIG 2016 Update / Return to Quirky Ancestors

I submitted my summary, report, research log, family group sheet and pedigree chart for Malcolm MacCallum over the weekend. That sets up things up for the consultants to evaluate my material and prepare a "plan of attack" for January 11-15.

My quirky ancestor theme has been neglected for awhile. This one isn't a case of quirky ancestors as much as quirky filing by the US government, I guess.

2nd great-grandfathers Willis Gulley and Martin Cawby Sr. both served in Lt. Col. John Franciso's regiment of the 17th Kentucky militia. Gulley filed for a pension, which was granted. Cawby did not. Or so it seemed.

Martin Cawby died in 1824. His wife, Susanna, applied for a widow's pension in 1852, but it was never granted. Susanna's application was filed with those from the Revolutionary War rather than the War of 1812.

And you thought the bureaucracy only got out of hand recently!

Things get curiouser and couriouser....

I have been working on my girlfriend's Finnell family. It is turning into quite an adventure!

1st generation in America [Virginia] - The wife's parents turn out to be about the same age as their daughter! BUT - the parents could be a couple with the same given names. The alleged wife is supposed to be, Jane, the daughter of an English lord, but goes by Bridget in Virginia.

2nd generation: There are three kids as of 1677, but names are in question. There could be 3 boys or 2 boys and a girl.

3rd generation: Well documented from here on, but the parents are a mystery.

You gotta love genealogy!

Update on the Land Family

I recently posted that I may have a few additional generations of Land ancestors. While in Ft. Wayne, I did some research at the Allen Co. Public Library's Genealogy Center.

Most of what I found dealt with Francis, the immigrant, and his son Renatus. The Land Family of Lower Norfolk and Princess Ann Counties by Sadie Scott Kellam provided some answers and left a few questions unanswered.

Francis was the father of Renatus, this confirmed by various records. Renatus was the father of Edward and Robert according to his will. Unfortunately, the author was concerned with Edward's line and I'm concerned with Robert's.

Family trees posted on numerous sites lack documentation, but are relatively consistent with the aforementioned Edward being the father of Thomas Land, who married Anna Sumter - my line.

Edward is shown with wife Eleanor McClanahan in the vast majority of trees. A few have a Thomas Land as Eleanor's husband and still the mother of my Thomas. This line is shown going back to a series of Curtis Lands. I feel that the Curtis Land line doesn't pan out. I dealt with that tree about 15 years or so back.

Needed? Proof that Edward [Robert-Renatus-Francis] married Eleanor McClanahan [or another woman] and fathered Thomas, who married  Anna Sumter. Simple, huh?

Quirky Surname

CAWBY, easy spelling, simple to research - YEAH, RIGHT!

The Cawby surname probably holds my personal record for number of spelling variations. As I recall, before I took off to Salt Lake City to search for Cawby origins about 6-7 years ago, a fellow researcher had mentioned that he come across 80 or so spelling variations. Leaders were Cawby, Caubey, Cauvey, Cavvy, Corvey, Cawey, and Causey, mostly from Kentucky tax records.

Martin Cawby Sr.'s first marriage bond had two spellings of the name in one document.

I was extremely lucky in finding a gold mine of family info early in the week at SLC. Background information from a book on German settlers in the Catawba Valley in North Carolina and deeds provided most of the details. Those sources also upped the number of spelling variations considerably.

Most of the previous variants made an appearance along with Cabi, Cavi, Caby and similar forms. To top it off most of the new spellings also had a G-factor: Cabi = Gabi, Cauvy =Gauvy, etc.

All totaled up, I think there were over 120 spellings combining Maryland, NC, Kentucky and Indiana sources. Incredible!

Have I mentioned that when researching a surname you need to think of every possible spelling imaginable? After that, go for the unimaginable.

Quirky Quakers!

Quakers are/were expected to marry their own. Of course, my Quaker ancestors just couldn't seem to get the hang of the concept.

John Rogers married Maria Magdelene Rinker Allemong in 1787. He was a Welsh Quaker, she a Swiss Lutheran. The family eventually became Methodists.

James Prall married Quaker Deborah Whitson, who was excommunicated. Deborah's parents were condemned for allowing their daughter to marry contrary to discipline. They presented a paper at meeting condemning their own actions.

Elizabeth Prence, daughter of anti-Quaker Plymouth governor Thomas Prence, married Quaker Arthur Howland Jr. In a twist, Elizabeth became a Quaker. Papa was not a happy camper!

#2 Quirky Ancestor

Yes, Edward Whittaker. He arrived as a soldier in the Duke of York's Brigade when the English took over New Netherland in 1664 and ended up in Kingston.

Whittaker was frequently in court over disputes with neighbors, some violent. He argued with neighbor Kit Davis and they ended up in a sword fight. He beat another man with a stick. The beating put the man in bed. There were at least two other incidents involving sword play over the years.

Several times, Whittaker and his servant, Hannah Hackleton, appeared in court. He was accussed of mistreating and beating her. Hannah held her own, telling Whittaker off on several occasions with some colorful language. In 1670, he got Hannah pregnant and was ordered to take care of her. They did eventually marry.

The Whittakers were involved in a witchcraft case in 1673.

There was seldom a dull moment where Edward and Hannah were concerned.

#1 Quirky Ancestor

I have written about Hannah Wakeman Hackleton Whittaker in the past, but she fits right at the top of the quirky list!

Hannanh married Francis Hackleton in Hartford, CT and bore him two children by 1661. Shortly thereafter she had an affair with a man named Henry Fraser or Frost and became pregnant. Hannah was abandoned by Fraser/Frost and ended up giving birth to the child on her own. The infant died not long after birth. Hannah was too weak to care for or feed the baby. She buried the child in the woods.

Hannah was brought up on charges of murder and adultery. Not one to hold her tongue, even in court, blasphemy charges were later added. The adultery and blasphemy charges stuck and Hannah was sentenced to death. That sentence was later commuted to gaol [jail], 30 lashes and an hour on the gallows with a rope around her neck.

Hannah would find her way to New York, where she would be brought up on charges  with Elizabeth Juwell of residing in the city without a license.  Both were given 8 days to leave town or face fine and corporal punishment.

Edward Whittaker, a foul-tempered, former English soldier, was Hannah's next encounter. Whittaker took in Hannah as a servant. His temper and her temperament made for a bad mix. Edward threatened to kick her out on more than one occasion. The Kingston court intervened when Whittaker got Hannah "with child." The incident was very close to the Hartford case, but with witnesses. The court officers ordered Whittaker to take care of his servant. As fate would have it, the couple married and had two children

It's only quirky because I am!

My paternal great-grandfather was Hugh McDonald Prall. He was born in York Co., PA in 1852, the youngest of 10 children born to Isaac Rittenhouse Prall and Ann Bathia Rhodes. He married in Auglaize Co., OH in 1874 and died in Grant Co., IN in 1907. Hugh and Margaret Jane Wolary were the parents of two children. All-in-all a pretty non-descript story.

My father told me he thought we might be Scottish. McDonald screams Scotland! So I ran with it. Back in 1990, I had learned of a week-long genealogy workshop at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. I attended the workshop.

There were lectures, research opportunities, sight-seeing trips and plenty to do in town. It was a fantastic trip! No Prall links turned up during the research sessions, however.

A couple of years later, I was going back over the 1860 census for York Co., PA and came across a curious entry. A couple of pages from Isaac R. Prall's household was that of a physician, one Hugh McDonald. Had Isaac and Ann decided to name their youngest after the doctor who delivered him?
There's probably no way to find out if that was the case, but it is a possibility.

Talk about quirky researchers......

Quirky Ancestor Stories: A Mix-up with Names?

This one nearly qualified for the Salt Lake Institute.....

Enoch Gulley was of age to have served during the Revolutionary War. Other members of the family did see action. There is no record of service for Enoch, however a George Gulley did serve with Virginia during the war. A descendant of George applied unsuccessfully to the DAR. George's wife was given as Frances Ann "Franky" Franklin, who was Enoch's wife. Descendants listed were also descendants of Enoch. Post-Revolutionary War records consistently use Enoch.

Did Enoch enlisted under the name George? Was his name Enoch George or George Enoch? To date, the answer is - I do not know!

An Ideal Location

This story may have been posted before, but it is short, sweet and a bit quirky.

My great-grandfather, James Crail was a blacksmith in Peru, Indiana and Tipton, Indiana. Evidently, that career wasn't providing sufficiently for a growing family. James decided to become a veterinarian. Not being able to afford schools in Indiana or Chicago, he elected to take a basic veterinary course being offered at the Ontario Veterinary College in Canada. So, the family went to Ontario.

After completing his work in Ontario in 1894, James returned to Indiana. His career as a vet and federal meat inspector would begin in Shelbyville, then to Chicago and finally Indianapolis.

The "fun fact" came in Shelbyville. A local historian compiled the location of city businesses and charted them out. During the early 1900s, Dr. Crail's office was flanked by a meat market and a livery stable. Boy, talk about an ideal location!

Quirky ancestor stories: Big John

He arrived in New York City about 1750 from England, married, started a family [seven children] and operated a tavern at the corner of Wall and Nassau Streets. The tavern achieved as much notoriety as the man, John Simmons.

Simmons Tavern was a meeting place for committees in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War. It was across the street from City Hall [later Federal Hall when NYC became the nation's capital] where George Washington was sworn in as the first President. City leaders met at the tavern in 1783 to plan for the return of Gov. Clinton and Washington's Continental troops. The tavern was the site of the swearing in of Mayor James Duane in 1784.

What makes the story of the tavern and John Simmons unusual has been related in earlier posts. John topped the scales at over 400 pounds. Part of the tavern had to be dismantled to allow for the removal of John's body after his death. That doesn't happen every day!

Pioneer

I view my 4th great-grandfather, John Faucett, as a true pioneer.  English? Irish? Ulster Scot? I don't know where he fits as far as nationality is concerned, but the pioneering spirit was definitely there.

His family had settled in the western Virginia frontier [modern-day Greenbrier Co., WV] during the mid-1700s. Indians, probably Shawnee, raided the homestead, killed most of John's family and took him captive. John was eventually swapped back and ended up in western Pennsylvania. There, he served as a ranger and spy [ scout and guide] for the Continental troops and militia charged with protecting western PA, northern VA and the eastern Ohio territory from British and Indian raids.

At age 46, John decided to head west for Ohio. He packed his belongings and pregnant wife on a flatboat and headed down the Ohio for Cincinnati. The Faucetts spend the next quarter century in the Miami Valley [Warren Co., OH] farming and raising a family. Four of the children married and started their own families.

Then John's pioneer blood kicked in again and he decided to move the family to Indiana. He sold out to son Thomas and bought two tracts of land a few miles west of the new Hoosier capital.

Five children and their families [Thomas stayed in Ohio for a few more years] joined him on the move to Indiana. John was 73!

Quirky details:
Thanks to a somewhat odd boundary drawn by the land office officials, John's adjoining tracts ended up in different counties. John would reside in Marion County and most of the rest of the clan became Hendricks County residents.

Moving to new land at 73 has to be unusual and getting five adult children to agree to tag along? Can you say close-knit family?

John died in 1838 at age 86.

Although the kids pretty much stayed put in Indiana, a few of the grandchildren moved farther west, some to the Pacific Northwest.

Quirky, Revolutionary War style

Three of my collateral Revolutionary War ancestors  fit into the "Quirky" category when lumped together. I have three prominent RevWar collateral ancestors who were not related by blood, but had some interaction.

(1) Benedict Arnold - 4th cousin 6x removed.
(2) Nathanael Greene - 3rd cousin 7x removed
(3) Thomas Sumter - 5th great-granduncle

Arnold and Greene were both favorites of George Washington and were numbered among his most trusted generals. Both were frequently overlooked or underestimated by Congress.

Arnold was an aggressive and talented commander, as was demonstrated at Forts Ticonderoga and Stanwix, Quebec, Valcour Island and Saratoga. Arnold should have received the majority of the credit that went to Gates at Saratoga. Vanity got the better of him. While serving as military governor of Philadelphia, Arnold's business dealing drew the ire of influential Pennsylvanians, as did his marriage to Peggy Shippen, daughter of a loyalist. Arnold received a formal reprimand from Washington in lieu of a courts martial to pacify Arnold's opposition. Rather than accept the field command that he long desired, Arnold requested command of West Point. He then went about planning to turn it over to the British. The plot was foiled and Arnold turned coat to become a British officer. He was active during the Southern campaign.

Greene became the Quartermaster General under Washington, although he longed for a field command. When the war shifted to the South, Congress put Gates in command against Washington's wish for Greene to be in charge. Gates defeat an Camden opened the door for Greene's appointment to Commander of the Southern Army. His strategy in the South kept the army in the field and eventually led to Cornwallis' move to Yorktown.

One of the partisan leaders that Greene relied on was Gen. Thomas Sumter of South Carolina. Greene had to handle Sumter with kid gloves to maintain the "Gamecock's" cooperation. Greene was frequently frustrated with Sumter.

Then there was a British officer that both Greene and Sumter would have loved to have captured - Benedict Arnold.

The Allen Co. Public Library Free Online Databases

A brief break from the quirky ancestor stories.....

While preparing for my Ft. Wayne trip, I checked out the ACPL databases. Their free online databases offer a wide variety of topics from family files to Indiana county databases to other state databases.

Although I didn't hit on any of my own families, I did score on one of my girlfriend's families. I may be able to take the family back another 2-3 generations.

Here are the databases the ACPL offer:

Microtext Catalog	African American Gateway
Allen County, Indiana Resources	Family Bible Records
Family Resources	Genealogy Center Surname File
Indiana Resources	Native American Gateway
Other States Resources	Our Military Heritage
Community Album Here's the link, check it out! http://www.genealogycenter.org/Databases.aspx More quirky stories next time!

Both sides of the law

This one has been mentioned before, but bears repeating.

Henry Jerrell elected to join up with the Reno Brothers gang after the Civil War. The Renos were credited with making the train robbery a popular criminal act. The gang was based in Jackson Co., IN and pulled jobs near home and in neighboring states. Several members of the gang met violent deaths, including lynching.

In 1868, Henry wrote his girlfriend in Louisville, KY about plans and where to meet him. Being unable to read, the young woman had a friend read the letter to her. Unfortunately for all concerned, a Pinkerton agent was within earshot.

Henry and other members of the gang were arrested, but taken from law enforcement officers by vigilantes. The outlaws were lynched.

Henry's brother left Indiana and found his way to New Mexico. There he married and started a family. William dabbled in mining, ran a grocery and a saloon and billiard hall. Following the robbery of a mercantile in 1884, William was enlisted as a deputy sheriff and was sent to Texas to help bring in the thief. The stagecoach which carried him to San Angelo was held up. Jarrell and a Texas Ranger opened fire. Jerrell was shot twice and died from his wounds at the hotel in San Angelo.

One brother hanged, another killed in the line of duty.