Family Migration XVIII

After a long Thanksgiving break, I'll put the wraps on the migration theme with two final families:Tinker and St. John.

Tinker: Mary Merwin Tinker Collins probably arrived in New England with her son John about 1636. Mary's first husband Robert Tinker was the father of Mary Tinker, who came to America with her husband, Mathias St. John, about 1633/4. They settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The family moved to Windsor, Connecticut by 1640, then to Wethersfield and Hartford before settling in Norwalk in 1654. Mary Tinker St. John died in Norwalk about 1670. England, Massachusetts, Connecticut

St. John: The St. John surname rivals Cawby for over 100 spelling variations appearing in the records. The origins of the immigrant Mathias St. John/Sension are currently in limbo. Two theories currently exist, (1) The St. John family originated in the Spanish Netherlands, with Mathias' father, Christopher being born in/near Antwep [now Belgium]. (2) The St. Johns arrived in England with William the Conqueror in 1066 and took part in the conquest of Wales. Christopher considered himself a Norman, rather than a Welshman. Mathias was born in London in 1601 and sailed for New England in 1633/4. He called Dorchester, Massachusetts and the Connecticut towns of Windsor, Windsor, Wethersfield, Hartfor and Norwalk home. Son Mathias Jr. was rooted in Norwalk as well. Samuel, the third generation, moved to Ridgefield, Connecticut and later to Cortlandt Manor, Westchester, New York. Samuel's son, Job resided in Westchester Co. until moving to New Marlborough, Ulster Co., New York in 1768/9. Son, John packed up his family about 1795 and headed for Ohio. John settled in the part of Hamilton Co. that became Warren Co. in 1803. John's daughter, Bethiah married Othniel Hurin before the Ohio move. Bethiah's daughter, Rebecca married Joseph Faucett and migrated to Indiana. (Spanish Netherlands or Normandy, Wales) England, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Ohio, Indiana

More on the origins of the St. John family in January. I will be tackling that problem at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy [Jan. 13-18]. I also have the honor of presenting my program on "Researching Collateral Ancestors" on Tuesday, January 14 at 7:00 P.M.