I'm Back! My long awaited return to blogging and genealogy updates.

 Hello readers,

It has been about 14 months since my last post. Events about that time brought my focus on blogging to a screeching halt. A few weeks earlier I had submitted DNA samples to Living DNA & Ancestry DNA. The results came in about early July.

The results shows regional results similar to what I would have expected. Heavily based in the British Isles and northwestern Europe, with a scattering of northern Europe. Ancestry DNA results included surnames related to my DNA results. Other than a few common surnames, none matched what I already had recorded in 30 years of research. Investigation led to the only logical conclusion - the DNA results were wrong! 

JUST KIDDING!

In talking to two of my cousins, I learned what I suspected, I had indeed been adopted. Mom and Pop just never got around to telling me! My folks learned that a young woman was planning to give her baby up for adoption. Lawyers were secured and arrangements were made. On 8 April 1951, the day after my birth, I was turned over to my new family.

I was born in a Jefferson County, IN farmhouse that no longer stands. I was delivered by my maternal grandmother. 

I was extremely lucky in drawing my adoptive parents! Both were quite supportive and did a good job of raising me. I grew up an only child. Mom passed in 2000 and Pop in 2007.

Forward to 2020. After learning I was adopted, I was contacted by a paternal cousin who helped narrow down candidates for my birth father. Cousins on the maternal side whom I was able to correspond with, fleshed out my story. I was not an only child, I was one of six! A younger sister had died a few years earlier. A sister and three brothers were still living. It seems that several cousins new about me from their parents. No one knew what had become of me 

A meeting with my older sister was arranged in October and I was invited to meet two of my brothers in January. Unfortunately, I was not able to meet my other brother [also adopted] until February at our sister's funeral service.

So, here I am, now the oldest of four brothers. It is really weird getting used to new family members. The upside, everyone has welcomed me into the fold and my "adopted" cousins won't give me up.

And, as my better half pointed out, "This is God's way of telling you that you're not done with your genealogy research."

My "new " DNA results: 45% British Isles & NW Europe, 35% Scotland, 15% Ireland, 5% Norway. Maybe that 35% explains why I like bagpipe music! 

St. John update and new floors

Last first: We had new flooring installed, so putting the house back in order trumps genealogy, for the moment. [I'm on break for a few minutes.]

St. John update: It appears that I was misinformed about the termination of the theory that Christopher and Matthias Sension / St. John were of "Dutch" heritage. That idea is dormant, but alive and kicking. So, I'm back to square one or near to it.

Were the St. Johns from Highlight, Glamorgan, Wales or Antwerp, Spanish Netherlands [Belgium]?

Stay tuned, there may eventually be an answer!

John Simmons Jr.: Three wives mentioned

Several sources have mentioned that the only reference to all three of John Simmons Jr.'s three wives is in the DAR files. It is. One supporting document lists all three Mrs. Simmonses:
1. Mary Nelson
2. Lucy Cunningham
3. Margaret Harbison Moffat

John Simmons: Tavern keeper

Supporting documents suggest that John may not have left New York City when the Redcoats arrived.
It was noted that John Simmons provided food for American prisoners in 1777.

John may also have been the scourge of small children. Local kids appeared to have been terrified of him and called John "Old Simmons." [Maybe ol' John just enjoyed scaring the local urchins in good-natured fun! [A 400 pounder cold have done a lot of scaring!]

DC heating up for 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11

We were in Washington DC over the weekend. It was HOT. The capital city is ramping up for the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. Sound systems, screens and other elements are being set up on the Mall for the celebration. It should be a spectacular event!

On the junket this weekend were Ford's Theater and the Peterson House, Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Museum, the Spy Museum and the Smithsonian Castle. While my better half attended a conference, I took in the WWII Memorial and conducted a bit of research at the DAR Library.

For those of you planning on a trip to DC, several displays at the Air and Space Museum will be shut down while the facility undergoes renovation. Many of the items at A&S are being moved to Udvar-Hazy. [Udvar-Hazy is part of the Smithsonian and holds planes, spacecraft, etc. not on display at A&S, or, like Space shuttle Discovery - too large for A&S. It's located near Dulles Airport.]

The Spy Museum is quite an experience! It covers the history of spy craft and has a ton of interactive displays. The gift shot has an interesting variety of books, gizmos, attire, games and such. [The beverage cooler is labeled "truth serums."]

The research session at the DAR Library was worth the effort. I was able to fing a gem or two on my Revolutionary War ancestors. More on that later!

St. John Conclusions for now, maybe

Here is what I think may be the lineage for my St. John line to Samuel. This is subject  to reevaluation  at any time!

1) Christopher Sension / St. John: [button maker]

b. by 1581 - location to be determined, possibly Highlight, Glamorgan, Wales.*

m. before 1601 possibly St. Olave, Silverstreet, London, England

d. [buried] 19 June 1629 St. Olave, Silverstreet, London, England

Joan / Jone  _______ [midwife]

b. unknown - England
d. after 1653 London, England

2) Matthias Sension / St. John I: [chandler]

bp. 9 Aug 1601 St. Olave, Silverstreet, London, Englang

m.1 Nov 1627 New Windsor, Berkshire, England

d. 19 Oct - Nov 1669 Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut, British America

Mary Tinker

bp. 6 Aug 1606 New Windsor, Berkshire, England

d. aft Jan 1670 prob. Norwalk, Fairfield, CT

3) Matthias Sension / St. John II:

bp. 30 Nov 1628 New Windsor, Berkshire, England

m. c1656 Norwalk, Fairfield, CT


d. Dec 1728 Norwalk, Fairfield, CT

Elizabeth _______

b. c1636 unknown

d. unknown

4) Samuel Sension / St. John

b. 1672 -77 Norwalk, Fairfield, CT [no later than 1680]

m. c1702 Norwalk, Fairfield, CT

d. c1752 Cortland Manor, Westchester, New York

Rebecca Olmstead

b. c1681 Norwalk, Fairfield, CT

d. aft 1755 Cortland Manor, Westchester, NY

*The Returns of Aliens in London for 1617 show Christian Santken in Silverstreet, his wife, English, five children, bottonmaker - dwelt here 36 years. Based on this information, Christopher's wife was born in England, while he was foreign born. Christopher had been in England since 1581. He either arrived shortly after his birth or was an infant when his family arrived, suggesting a birth earlier than 1581.

Alternate Lineage: [suggested by current research]

Matthew Sension [1590-1670] & Sarah [d. 1647] - Matthias Sension [1635-1712] & Rachel Button [1667-unk] - Samuel Sension [1685-1752] & Rebecca Olmstead [1681-aft1755]

St. John Issues

The time line presented in the previous post presents, for me, some issues:

[1] Matthew St. John, as a resident of London, has a relatively complete time line there. A date for his marriage is missing, but a wife Sara/Sarah is named in baptismal records. Births and deaths for children are recorded, A burial is recorded for Matthew. Missing is a burial or second marriage record for wife Sarah.

[2] Events taking place in Connecticut, that involve Matthew coincide with events taking place in London. Baptisms are being held in England at times that it would have been difficult for Matthew to have been there at the time of the child's conception.

[3] Toby St. John was baptized on 5 April 1646 and buried on the 13th. Would his mother have boarded a ship shortly thereafter to join her husband in Connecticut, where she died the following year?

[4] There is no record, to date, of a death in Norwalk, CT for Matthew St. John.

In defense of the Matthew theory:

[1] Matthew St. John's name appears on the Norwalk Founders Monument and Norwalk records.

[2] The names of Matthew and Matthias were used interchangeably in CT records at times. [The sketch on Matthias in the Great Migration 1634-34 discusses Matthias, but is entitled Matthew Sension.]