Sunday, October 25, 2015

#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.

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