With today being Halloween and witches being associated with the holiday, I thought I would take the opportunity to pay tribute to an ancestor.
Rebecca Nurse, daughter of William Towne and Joanna Blessing, and wife of Francis Nurse, was accused of witchcraft on 19 March 1692 at Salem Village in Massachusetts.
Rebecca was one of many innocent victims who found themselves on the wrong side of a community dispute and the irrational actions of a group of teenaged girls. The Nurses and other families had grown dissatisfied with the local minister, Samuel Parris. Among the supporters of Parris were the Putnams.
Parris proclaimed that those who opposed him were in league with the Devil. His niece, Abigail Williams, and daughter, Betty began behaving strangely, with Ann Putnam and other girls following suit. A local slave, Tituba, was charged with being a witch. Other accusations followed, nearly all in the anti-Parris camp. Rebecca, 71 years old, and two of her sisters were among those accused.
On 29 June 1692, Rebecca and others were tried and convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to hang. On the 19th of July, Rebecca and others were hanged for being witches. One of Rebecca's sisters was also hanged.
Those convicted of witchcraft were eventually pardoned, posthumously. Salem Village eventually became Danvers.
Superstition and politics had been the primary factors in the "Salem Witch Trials."
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Monday, October 30, 2017
Crazy discoveries in genealogical research
In addition to my own genealogy and a handful of "for-hire projects" that I've done over the years, I have also worked on my girlfriend's lineage. Her mother's Chew family was extensively researched several years ago. That Chew line has ties to Presidents Madison and Taylor. I have looked into a few of the less researched families in the tree. A little research and some accumulated notes have been made available for her father's side. That's where most of my research has been focused.
A few interesting items have surfaced during the research:
1] We share common Howell lineage on her maternal and my paternal side.
2] We also have ties to the Berry family. Elizabeth Berry is my direct ancestor. The daughter of Elizabeth's brother, Joel, married into my girlfriend's Mullins line.
3] Parts of our families followed the same basic migration route. They settled in Virginia, moved on to Kentucky, then to Indiana.
4] In a real twist, my Thomas AND Elizabeth [Berry] Crail are buried in the same cemetery in Pendleton Co., KY as her Thrasher ancestors. There are only 51 graves in the cemetery!
5] We share some of the same heritage: English, Irish and Huguenot.
6] We both have Mayflower lineage.
I have considerably more instances of New England and Mid-Atlantic settlement, as well as German, Dutch and other Western European ancestry.
A few interesting items have surfaced during the research:
1] We share common Howell lineage on her maternal and my paternal side.
2] We also have ties to the Berry family. Elizabeth Berry is my direct ancestor. The daughter of Elizabeth's brother, Joel, married into my girlfriend's Mullins line.
3] Parts of our families followed the same basic migration route. They settled in Virginia, moved on to Kentucky, then to Indiana.
4] In a real twist, my Thomas AND Elizabeth [Berry] Crail are buried in the same cemetery in Pendleton Co., KY as her Thrasher ancestors. There are only 51 graves in the cemetery!
5] We share some of the same heritage: English, Irish and Huguenot.
6] We both have Mayflower lineage.
I have considerably more instances of New England and Mid-Atlantic settlement, as well as German, Dutch and other Western European ancestry.
Thursday, October 26, 2017
NYC Vital Records at risk of being made inaccesible
The NEHGS recently notified its members that New York City was considering blocking access to vital records. The NEHGS and other family history organizations sent out petitions to be signed in protest of the NYC actions. Responses were overwhelmingly against the NYC proposal. The following is a link to the results of the initial hearings. Several other family history organizations joined forces with NEHGS's effort. The link below offers an update on the hearings.
https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/blog/genealogy-groups-community-members-unite-preserve-access-records?utm_source=Advocacy&utm_campaign=50e807380f-doh_hearing_wrap_up&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_268524e093-50e807380f-58862115
https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/blog/genealogy-groups-community-members-unite-preserve-access-records?utm_source=Advocacy&utm_campaign=50e807380f-doh_hearing_wrap_up&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_268524e093-50e807380f-58862115
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Research Trip Results: Crails in the tax lists 1799-1812
The final installment on my research findings deals with the Pendleton Co. Tax Lists.
Entries for
Thomas Crail [c1743-1809]: 1799, 1801-1808. He is listed as being over 21, generally with 150 acres on the main fork of the Licking River. In 1799 & 1802, he is recorded with a white male 16-21 & another white male over 21 in 1803.
Elizabeth Crail [wife of Thomas]: 1809-1810; with Thomas' 150 acres.
Absalom [son]: 1806, 1811, 1812; over 21, 75 acres on Grassy Creek [1811]
Wilson [son]: 1808-1812; over 21, 140 acres on Grassy Creek [1809-10], 150 acres ['08], 100 acres on Grassy Creek ['11], 100 acres on the Licking River ['12].
James [son]: 1804, 1805, 1807-1812; over 21, 150 acres on Grassy Creek [1811]
John [son]: 1799, 1804; over 21, no acreage
William [probably brother or nephew]: 1811, over 21, 285 acres on Grassy Creek.
Estate Sale Bills turned up interesting items. Rhodam Ellis estate 1817: Wilson Crail & Gabriel Mullins. John Thrasher estate 1818 [father of Nancy Thrasher Mullins]: James Crail & Stephen Mullins.
Payments were made to James Crail from John P. Williams' estate in 1819.
Absalom Crail moved to Campbell Co., KY [1807], Butler Co., OH [1820], Shelby Co., IN [by 1850]
Wilson Crail moved to Cincinnati during the 1840s.
John Crail moved to Cincinnati about 1805.
Elizabeth Crail predeceased her father.
Elizabeth Berry Crail died in the early 1840s at the home of son, Wilson.
James spent most of his life in Indiana after leaving Kentucky about 1811-12. At some point he was in Ohio, where son James was born.
Entries for
Thomas Crail [c1743-1809]: 1799, 1801-1808. He is listed as being over 21, generally with 150 acres on the main fork of the Licking River. In 1799 & 1802, he is recorded with a white male 16-21 & another white male over 21 in 1803.
Elizabeth Crail [wife of Thomas]: 1809-1810; with Thomas' 150 acres.
Absalom [son]: 1806, 1811, 1812; over 21, 75 acres on Grassy Creek [1811]
Wilson [son]: 1808-1812; over 21, 140 acres on Grassy Creek [1809-10], 150 acres ['08], 100 acres on Grassy Creek ['11], 100 acres on the Licking River ['12].
James [son]: 1804, 1805, 1807-1812; over 21, 150 acres on Grassy Creek [1811]
John [son]: 1799, 1804; over 21, no acreage
William [probably brother or nephew]: 1811, over 21, 285 acres on Grassy Creek.
Estate Sale Bills turned up interesting items. Rhodam Ellis estate 1817: Wilson Crail & Gabriel Mullins. John Thrasher estate 1818 [father of Nancy Thrasher Mullins]: James Crail & Stephen Mullins.
Payments were made to James Crail from John P. Williams' estate in 1819.
Absalom Crail moved to Campbell Co., KY [1807], Butler Co., OH [1820], Shelby Co., IN [by 1850]
Wilson Crail moved to Cincinnati during the 1840s.
John Crail moved to Cincinnati about 1805.
Elizabeth Crail predeceased her father.
Elizabeth Berry Crail died in the early 1840s at the home of son, Wilson.
James spent most of his life in Indiana after leaving Kentucky about 1811-12. At some point he was in Ohio, where son James was born.
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Research Trip Results: Stewart
James Berry Crail married Margaret Stewart [Stuart]. Pioneers of Pendleton County gave the Stewarts a mention.
Charles Stewart was taxed in 1799 Pendleton Co. for 262 acres on Crooked Creek. He and wife Elizabeth sold an acre of land on the forks of the Licking River for $1 to the Baptist Church for a site of a meeting house.
Probable children:
1. Robert - m. 16 Nov 1802 Jane Risqué [Charles signed marriage bond]
2. James - m. 9 May 1803 Hannah Risqué [Charles signed marriage bond]
3. Margaret - m. James B. Crail
4. Anne - m. 26 Mar 1810 Robert Nicholson [James gave proof on marriage bond]
Did my Crail ancestors hide their marriage records along with the 1840-70 censuses? None located yet for Thomas & Jane Wilson, Thomas & Elizabeth Berry, James B. & Margaret Stewart or James B. & Mary Ann Jones!
Charles Stewart was taxed in 1799 Pendleton Co. for 262 acres on Crooked Creek. He and wife Elizabeth sold an acre of land on the forks of the Licking River for $1 to the Baptist Church for a site of a meeting house.
Probable children:
1. Robert - m. 16 Nov 1802 Jane Risqué [Charles signed marriage bond]
2. James - m. 9 May 1803 Hannah Risqué [Charles signed marriage bond]
3. Margaret - m. James B. Crail
4. Anne - m. 26 Mar 1810 Robert Nicholson [James gave proof on marriage bond]
Did my Crail ancestors hide their marriage records along with the 1840-70 censuses? None located yet for Thomas & Jane Wilson, Thomas & Elizabeth Berry, James B. & Margaret Stewart or James B. & Mary Ann Jones!
Monday, October 23, 2017
Research Trip Results: Crail
Although there was nothing that jumped out of the Crail information that was earth-shattering, there were bits and pieces that helped add to the story. I found two sources; one, the Pioneers of Pendleton Co. entry and a write-up on the Crails in the vertical family files drawer.
Pioneers had only two sentences on Thomas Crail Sr. One stating that he came from either Scotland or Northern Ireland in the 1700s; the other identifying his wife as Jane Wilson.
Info on Thomas Jr. was a little more detailed: early county pioneer, born about 1750 in Maryland, wife Elizabeth - probably Berry - born 1750-60, Elizabeth died after 1840 while living with son Wilson.
In 1795, Thomas owned 150 acres on the North Licking River in Campbell Co. [part that became Pendleton Co.] He died 23 Apr 1809 and was buried in the Thrasher Cemetery at Grassy Creek. His will named wife, Elizabeth, and children Absalom, Wilson, James, John and Elizabeth.
A brief sketch was given on each of the Crail children.
For James Berry Crail, it states he lived in Pendleton Co. until 1811, then moved to Indiana. Listed are children Thomas J., James B., Robert Ralston, Margaret C. and 3 other daughters and a son, unnamed.
James B. married Mary Ann Jones [1811 OH - 11 Aug 1887], who was buried in Indianapolis, lived in Shelby Co., IN
As I said, nothing really new, but supportive of other sources.
The article from the vertical file fleshed out Thomas Sr. a bit. He may have landed in Virginia in 1765, then on to Maryland and Pennsylvania. Jane Wilson was the daughter of a James Wilson of Chester Co., PA. Tentative list of children: Thomas Jr., John, William, Richard, Peter, James, Mary, Philip, Alice, Jane & Elizabeth.
A Thomas Crail appears as a freeman at London Derry, Chester Co., PA in 1767. Thomas Creal is recorded as a 4th class private in Captain Charles Reed's militia company for Chester Co. in 1781.
Thomas was in Allegheny Co. [formerly part of Washington Co.] PA in 1790 near John. He is on the tax roll in 1791. [A Thomas Crail also served in Washington Co. during the war, not mentioned here.] He was in Campbell Co., KY by 1795.
The 5 Crail children are named. Of special interest is James B[erry?] Crail. Born 1783 Pennsylvania, married Margaret Stuart. They lived in Cincinnati and in Shelby Co., IN.
This is the first record I have seen placing James in Ohio. If James Berry Crail Jr. was born in Ohio as stated by various family members, his parents had to be there for the event - well, at least his mother had to be there.
Pioneers had only two sentences on Thomas Crail Sr. One stating that he came from either Scotland or Northern Ireland in the 1700s; the other identifying his wife as Jane Wilson.
Info on Thomas Jr. was a little more detailed: early county pioneer, born about 1750 in Maryland, wife Elizabeth - probably Berry - born 1750-60, Elizabeth died after 1840 while living with son Wilson.
In 1795, Thomas owned 150 acres on the North Licking River in Campbell Co. [part that became Pendleton Co.] He died 23 Apr 1809 and was buried in the Thrasher Cemetery at Grassy Creek. His will named wife, Elizabeth, and children Absalom, Wilson, James, John and Elizabeth.
A brief sketch was given on each of the Crail children.
For James Berry Crail, it states he lived in Pendleton Co. until 1811, then moved to Indiana. Listed are children Thomas J., James B., Robert Ralston, Margaret C. and 3 other daughters and a son, unnamed.
James B. married Mary Ann Jones [1811 OH - 11 Aug 1887], who was buried in Indianapolis, lived in Shelby Co., IN
As I said, nothing really new, but supportive of other sources.
The article from the vertical file fleshed out Thomas Sr. a bit. He may have landed in Virginia in 1765, then on to Maryland and Pennsylvania. Jane Wilson was the daughter of a James Wilson of Chester Co., PA. Tentative list of children: Thomas Jr., John, William, Richard, Peter, James, Mary, Philip, Alice, Jane & Elizabeth.
A Thomas Crail appears as a freeman at London Derry, Chester Co., PA in 1767. Thomas Creal is recorded as a 4th class private in Captain Charles Reed's militia company for Chester Co. in 1781.
Thomas was in Allegheny Co. [formerly part of Washington Co.] PA in 1790 near John. He is on the tax roll in 1791. [A Thomas Crail also served in Washington Co. during the war, not mentioned here.] He was in Campbell Co., KY by 1795.
The 5 Crail children are named. Of special interest is James B[erry?] Crail. Born 1783 Pennsylvania, married Margaret Stuart. They lived in Cincinnati and in Shelby Co., IN.
This is the first record I have seen placing James in Ohio. If James Berry Crail Jr. was born in Ohio as stated by various family members, his parents had to be there for the event - well, at least his mother had to be there.
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Research Trip Results: Berry
Unfortunately, the Pioneers of Pendleton Co. bio on Joel Berry did not include any information on his parentage. His parents were "not known" according to the article.
The sources used for background [Rev War pension, VA & KY Tax lists, land grants, court records] were not necessarily conducive to identifying parents.
It was Joel's daughter, Rebecca, who married Richard Mullins - brother to Stephen, my girlfriend's ancestor.
The sources used for background [Rev War pension, VA & KY Tax lists, land grants, court records] were not necessarily conducive to identifying parents.
It was Joel's daughter, Rebecca, who married Richard Mullins - brother to Stephen, my girlfriend's ancestor.
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