Surname Saturday: New England Ancestors Shared with Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Well. This week brought eight inches of snow with bitter cold temperatures following, a rarity in the Pac NW.  For several days we were housebound here at Heart Lake Farm, waiting for the snowplows to come out our way. So conditions were absolutely perfect for completing genealogical stuff that I had been meaning to do,  but had been distracted from in the past few months by other pressing genealogical stuff--such as documentation for an application to the Society of Mayflower Descendants.

So this week I compared my New England family tree with Heather Wilkinson Rojo's. Heather writes the blog Nutfield Genealogy.

This was a somewhat daunting task, as I had three separate pedigrees of Heather's to compare with two of my pedigrees (which actually turned out to be all four of my pedigrees ).  But I stuck with it. And my work produced some very interesting results!

Here are the ancestors, in no particular order, that Heather & I share in her WILKINSON lineage:

All ancestors shared with my maternal grandmother RUBY BOLTON BROWN

William Chandler & Agnes Bayford
Frances Bayford & Joan unknown
Robert Mayhew & Joan Bridman
Thomas Mayhew & Alice Waterman
Matthew Mayhew & Alice Barter
Thomas Mayhew & Jane Gallion, mayor of Martha's Vineyard
John Howland & Elizabeth Tilley, Mayflower passengers
John Gorham & Desire Howland
Henry Howland & Margaret Aires
John Tilley & Joan Hurst, Mayflower passengers
Ralph Gorham & Margaret Stephenson
James Gorham & Agnes Bennington
Edmund Hawes I & Jane Porter
Edmund Hawes II & unknown wife
John Hawes & Desire Gorham
John Daggett & Alice Brotherton
William Daggett & Alice Lappage
Thomas Daggett & Hannah Mayhew
Thomas Daggett II & Elizabeth Hawes
Nicholas Norton I & unknown wife
Nicholas Butler & Joyce Baker
John Butler & Priscilla Norton
John Butler II & Mary Lynde
Nicholas Norton II & Elizabeth Isaac
Thomas Lynde & unknown wife
Ezekiel Northend & Edna Halstead
John Emery & Agnes Northend
Richard Hutchinson & Alice Bosworth
Thomas Hutchinson & Alice unknown
John Sawyer & Agnes Sharpe
Samuel Platts & Sarah Bates


Here are the ancestors that Heather & I share in the lineage of her grandfather STANLEY ELMER ALLEN:

Ancestors shared with maternal grandmother RUBY BOLTON BROWN

Henry Howland & Margaret Aires
John Howland & Elizabeth Tilley, Mayflower passengers
John Tilley & Joan Hurst, Mayflower passengers
Edmund Gale & unknown wife
Thomas Bray & Mary Wilson
John Swett & Phoebe unknown
John Perkins & Judith Gater
Henry Perkins & Elizabeth Sawbridge
Michael Gater & Isabel Bayley
William Sawbridge & Elizabeth unk
Samuel Graves & Grace Beamsley
Mark Graves & Amy unknown
Henry Kimball & Mary Riddlesdale Wyatt
Richard Kimball & Ursula Scott 


Henry Scott & Margaret Whatlock, shared with both my maternal grandparents
Edmund Scott & Joan unknown, shared with both my maternal grandparents
Thomas Whatlock & Joan unknown, shared with both my maternal grandparents

David Phippen & Sarah Pinckney, shared with my maternal grandfather R B MARTINE
Robert Fitzpen/Phippen & Cecily Jordan, shared with R B MARTINE & both my paternal grandparents ALONZO COX HUBER & MINTTIE MAE BRUTON
Thomas Jordan & Agnes Burte, shared with grandparents R B MARTINE, ALONZO COX HUBER & MINTTIE MAE BRUTON.

Here is a link to one of my previous blog posts about how three out of four of my grandparents share ancestors in the PHIPPEN, JORDAN & REYNOLDS families of England & the US.


Here are the ancestors I share with Heather in the lineage of her grandmother GERTRUDE MATILDA HITCHINGS:

All ancestors shared with my maternal grandmother RUBY BOLTON BROWN

Henry Howland & Margaret Aires

John Howland & Elizabeth Tilley, Mayflower passengers

John Tilley & Joan Hurst, Mayflower passengers

Thomas Crosby & Jane Sotheron

Anthony Crosby & Alison Blanchard

William Sotheron & Constance Lambert

Michael Bacon I & Elizabeth Wyle

Michael Bacon II & Alice unknown

Mary Lynde Butler (married 1st to John Butler, 2nd to William Weeks, Edgartown, Dukes Co MA--Martha's Vineyard)

Thomas Lynde & unknown wife

Richard Holland & Winifred Pierce shared with my maternal grandfather R B MARTINE

I count 111 shared ancestors with Heather Wilkinson Rojo (not counting the Howlands & Tilleys more than once)!

This breaks the record for shared ancestors previously held by my DNA cousin "Stan" who shares 96 ancestors, and Barbara Poole, who shares about 45 ancestors, and writes the blog Life From the Roots! See my previous blogposts about sharing ancestors with them!

And there may be more.  I was suffering from a flu/cold virus when I compared our pedigrees, so in my delirium may have missed a few :)

Phew!  I'd say that was a pretty good day's work, wouldn't you?

Have a great weekend!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2011

A Friend of Friends Friday: African American Slaves Named in the 1783 will of CHARLES CHRISTIAN II of Goochland Co VA

WILL OF CHARLES CHRISTIAN
In the name of God amen. I, CHARLES CHRISTIAN of Goochland County, being
in perfect sence and memory do ordain this my last will & testament. It
is my desire that all my just debts should be paid after my decease.
--Item. I give unto my son WILLIAM CHRISTIAN four hundred Acres of land lying in Amherst County the said land I bought of John Warrin, but if my Son WM. CHRISTIAN should die without Ishew lawfully begotten of his body the said land to be equally divided between my Son WALTER CHRISTIAN and my Son GEORGE CHRISTIAN.
--Item. I give unto my Son WALTER CHRISTIAN two hundred and Fifty Acres of land lying in Amherst County the said land I bought of James London and one Negro Man named WILL.  I give unto him and his Heirs and assigns forever. I like wise do give him one feather bed and furniture and two Cows and Calves forever.
--Item. I give unto my son GEORGE CHRISTIAN the land whereon I now live one Negro Woman named SUCK and her increase from the time forward likewise a Negro Girl named HANNAH one feather bed and furniture, and two Cows and Calves forever.
--Item. I give unto my daughter MORNING CHRISTIAN half the land whereon Benjamin Lacy now lives, to be equally divided, I further give to my said Daughter MORNING one Negro woman named FANNY, one Negro boy named BEN, and a Negro Girl named JUDITH;  one feather bed and furniture, two Cows and Calves forever.
--Item. I give unto JUDITH WOODSON DANIELL, one Shilling Sterling and no more as she hath had her portion likewise before.
--Item. I give the remainder of my Estate after my Just debts be paid, to CHARLES CHRISTIAN, JOHN CHRISTIAN, ELIJAH CHRISTIAN, TURNER CHRISTIAN, WM. CHRISTIAN, WALTER CHRISTIAN, and GEORGE CHRISTIAN, ELIZABETH HUMBER, MARY GRISHAM, JUDY LACY and MORNING CHRISTIAN to be equally divided among them, and I do appoint TURNER CHRISTIAN, WALTER CHRISTIAN, & GEORGE CHRISTIAN, Executors to this my last Will and Testament, in Witness here of I do Sett my hand and Seal the 18th day of Sept. 1783,


Test:William Turner Charles Christian Seal
Josiah Leak and Lucy Leak.
Proved Feb.16, 1784, Recorded in D.B. No. 13, p359


CHARLES CHRISTIAN II, the son of CHARLES CHRISTIAN I and ELIZABETH HUNT,  was born around 1727 in Charles City Co VA, and died Feb 16, 1784 in Goochland Co VA.  He was married 1st) to JUDITH WOODSON, who before her death in 1738  bore him two daughters JUDITH & LUCY; and 2nd) to MARY LEAKE, who was the mother of most of his children.

Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2011

A Friend of Friends Friday: African American Slaves Named in the 1821 will of ARTHUR MOORE of Franklin County, Tennessee

Note: "A Friend of Friends" was a password used on the Underground Railroad.




1821, December 8.  In the name of God Amen. I, ARTHUR MOORE of the County of Franklin, State of Tennessee, being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory blessed be almighty God for the same so make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following, that is to say,


 First I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife, ELIZABETH MOORE, the following property to wit: One negro named SARAH, a girl named HANNAH, a boy the name of GEORGE, a boy the name of DAVID, also one boy by the name of ISAAC. 


Item 2nd - I will that ANNA GRAHAM has a negro girl named DESA during her natural life, then revert to the heirs of her body.


 Item 3rd - I will that my wife as aboved named has the residue and remaining part of my property real and personal at my death to have and hold and enjoy in full and peaceful possession of the same during her natural life and after her decease, the above named property is to be equally divided between the following children to wit: ALEXANDER MOORE, LODAWICK MOORE, ARCHIBALD MOORE, MARTHA JONES, PENELOPE NICHELSON , ANNA GRAHAM, MARY CORIGAN  to be equally divided amongst them. 


I also bequeath unto my beloved daughter, ELIZABETH HARTGROVE, a negro girl by the name of MARY and a negro girl by the name of JANE unto my granddaughter DICY is to be considered their legacy and full share out of my real and personal estate and that they are entitled to no more out of my estate whomsoever. 


I also nominate and apppoint my beloved sons, ALEXANDER MOORE, LODAWICK MOORE and ARCHIBALD MOORE, or any two of them my Executors to this my last Will and Testament disallowing and revoking all former wills by me made ratifying this and only this to be and remain my last Will and Testament the 8th day of December, 1821. ARTHUR MOORE Signed, sealed, published and declared in presence of John Jones, Stephen Wilkinson, James Stanley.


Have a great day!


Betty

© Betty Tartas  2011

Surname Saturday: PILLSBURY, SCOTT, THOMPSON and more: Successful Sharing on 23andMe

Finally, over the last few weeks, new Relative Finder matches have been arriving on 23andMe, stemming from the huge $99 sale in Nov/Dec 2010.

I've been looking forward to this new influx, because, FINALLY, I would be able to compare DNA results with several known cousins--for whom I already have a verified paper trail.

1) First of all, the results for the daughter of my 2nd cousin, "Myra" (not her real name), showed up.  She is the closest of my known relatives to agree to test, my 3rd cousin once removed on the maternal side of both our families (although we have different maternal haplogroups. If you are confused by this, write me and I'll explain).  I really wanted to see how or if she would match up with my other Relative Finder contacts.

"Myra" and I share 1.89% DNA over eight strands.  When I compared her DNA with my other Relative Finder contacts, I found only one match--to a woman born & raised in Germany!! This was a complete surprise, since my known connection to her was entirely English & Scotch Irish. So apparently I may also be related somehow to her father, who had German/Swiss roots--that is, if "Myra"  does indeed share DNA with the woman from Germany.

The other incredibly interesting thing about "Myra's" results is that her maternal haplogroup is A2, indicating Native American origins.  I was baffled at first, as I had personally researched her maternal line back several generations in England. Then I discovered the following article about Native American DNA found in the UK. Turns out that  many of the indigenous Native Americans (including Eskimos & S. American Indians) brought to England in the 1500s-1800s as "specimens" or translators were allowed to stay in England, marry and raise children, thus adding their DNA to the English gene pool.  Who knew? :)

2) My 5th cousin "Sally" was one of the first to sign up for the test, and I was very excited about it!   Her great great grandfather, JOSEPH ALEVIS HUGHES was first cousin to my great grandmother SILOAMA K WHITECOTTON (who married BENJAMIN B BRUTON in Christian Co MO). In fact, JOSEPH & SILOAMA were raised together by an aunt & uncle Mowery in  Christian Co MO. Both were the grandchildren of ISAAC JOSEPH THOMPSON & his wife JANE, who migrated from Burke Co NC to Bradley Co TN to Carroll Co AR to Christian Co MO.  See my Rootsweb online tree "Southern Ancestors of Minttie Mae Bruton"

Unfortunately, when I compared results with "Sally", we did not share any DNA at all!! Such is the capricious nature of recombination.

3) One day my 4th cousin "Sarah B" popped up unexpectedly in my Relative Finder. What a surprise!  I had no idea she had been tested! We had corresponded several years ago, and she had sent me copies of records from Christian Co MO, for which I am very grateful!    Both of us are  descendants of THOMAS SCOTT Sr  b abt 1790 and ELIZABETH JONES, daughter of NICHOLAS JONES & MARTHA "PATSY" MOORE.

THOMAS SCOTT & his wife ELIZABETH JONES were  from VA families who migrated through NC, KY and TN in the 1700s-1800s.  THOMAS & ELIZABETH ended up in McNairy Co TN 1820-1840. After his wife's death, THOMAS SCOTT accompanied some of his children to Missouri in the mid 1840s, and died 1849 in Greene Co MO.  See my Rootsweb online tree "Southern Ancestors of Minttie Mae Bruton"

"Sarah B" does match several of my other Relative Finder matches, and I look forward to finding out if they too are descended from the SCOTT or JONES family. "Sarah B" shares 0.22% DNA with a predicted relationship of 4th cousin--which she is. :)

4) And finally, the piece de resistance.  I was contacted by "Stan" after sending out a sharing invitation. At first, considering just the surnames he listed,  I could see no connection between our families. Then he sent me his online family tree.  I just about fainted. Turns out, "Stan" and I share a whopping 96-and-counting ancestors! Nearly all of them are in the New England ancestry of my grandmother RUBY BOLTON BROWN, and his ancestor CHARLES STINSON PILLSBURY (whose father purchased a flour mill and started the Pillsbury brand in the US). But some are also in the pedigree of my maternal grandfather R B MARTINE.

Previously, Barbara Poole from the blog Life at the Roots held the distinction of sharing the most ancestors with me (< 35). We also share a small amount of DNA, but with the large number of possibilities, it's impossible to say exactly who was the source of our shared DNA.

Also Heather Wilkinson Rojo from the blog Nutfield Genealogy shares a large number of New England ancestors with me.  I don't know if she has been tested on 23andMe, and  I have not yet compared our family trees in depth, but hope to do so in the future!

But for now,  I have to say that "Stan" takes the prize!  Here is a list of our shared ancestors found so far (most settled in MA):

The ancestors who appear in BOTH grandma Ruby's lineage and grandpa Martine's lineage are marked with ** 

WILLIAM PILLSBURY I & AGNES STODDARD (England)
WILLIAM PILLSBURY II & DOROTHY CROSBY

WILLIAM SAWYER & RUTH BITSFIELD

RICHARD KIMBALL & URSULA SCOTT
HENRY KIMBALL & MARY RIDDLESDALE WYATT

**EDMUND SCOTT & JOAN unknown (England)
**HENRY SCOTT & MARTHA WHATLOCK (Henry died England; Martha came to MA)
**THOMAS WHATLOCK & JOANE unknown (England)

WILLIAM SHEPHERD & RUTH or ELIZABETH HATHAWAY

WILLIAM SARGENT I & ELIZABETH PERKINS
WILLIAM SARGENT II & MARY COLBY

JOHN PERKINS & JUDITH GATER

ANTHONY COLBY & SUSANNAH HADDON

JOHN CHENEY & MARTHA PARRAT/PARRATT

JOHN GILL & PHEBE BUSWELL

**ISAAC BUSWELL & MARGARET SCORNA

MOSES COXE & PRUDENCE MARSTON (my line through his 2nd wife ALICE WISE)

EDWARD JEWETT & MARY TAYLOR (England, father of JOSEPH & MAXIMILLIAN)

THOMAS CROSBY & JANE SOTHERON

SAMUEL PLATTS & SARAH BATES (grandparents of HANNAH PLATTS who married JOHN CARLETON)

ROBERT CLEMENT/CLEMENTS & LYDIA DRUMMER

SIMON/SIMEON HOYT & DEBORAH STOWERS
JOHN HOYT & FRANCES TUXBURY/TEWKSBURY

JOHN GREENLEAF & MARY unknown
EDMUND GREENLEAF & SARAH MOORE DOLE

PETER COFFIN & JOAN KEMBER
TRISTAM COFFIN I & DIONIS STEVENS
TRISTAM COFFIN II & JUDITH GREENLEAF
ROBERT KEMBER & ANNE unknown (england)

NATHANIEL PIPER & SARAH EDWARDS (I have two lines of descent from this couple)

CHRISTOPHER OSGOOD & ELIZABETH BROCKWELL (england to MA)
WILLIAM OSGOOD & ELIZABETH CLEER

JOHN EMERY I & ELIZABETH NORTHEND
JOHN EMERY II & MARY SHATSWELL WEBSTER (my line through 2nd wife ALICE GRANTHAM)

THOMAS HALE I & JOAN KIRBY
THOMAS HALE II & THOMASINE DOWCETT
THOMAS HALE III & MARY HUTCHINGSON
THOMAS HALE IV & SARAH NORTHEND
JOHN KIRBY & JOAN CRANFIELD (England)
RICHARD HUTCHINSON & ALICE BOSWORTH (England to MA)
GABRIEL DOWCETTE & MERCY unknown (England)

GEORGE LITTLE & ALICE POOR (England to MA)
JOSEPH LITTLE & MARY COFFIN
GEORGE LITTLE & EDNAH HALE

EZEKIEL NORTHEND I & EDNA HALSTEAD (England to MA)
JOHN NORTHEND I & ALICE unknown (England)
JOHN NORTHEND II & ELIZABETH COLE (England)
NATHAN/NATHANIEL HALSTEAD & ISABEL unknown (England)


PETER JUNE & SARAH Unknown  of Stamford Fairfield Co CT (in lineage of my grandfather only)

Other surnames that we have in common where I was not able to find an ancestral connection:

TUXBURY/TEWKSBURY
POOR/POORE
PARRAT/PARRATT

"Stan" and I share 0.29% DNA with a predicted relationship of 4th cousin. Of course it's impossible to say exactly who was the source of our shared DNA. But what a wonderful discovery!

Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2011

A Friend of Friends Friday: Slaveowners in Northern States

Note: "A Friend of Friends" was a password used on the Underground Railroad.

Over the past ten years of my genealogical research,  I have discovered many interesting things about my ancestors.

As a child I had not known, for instance, that I had a large number of ancestors who settled in colonial Virginia, North Carolina, and many other southern states. My paternal grandparents died when I was quite young, and my maternal grandfather never talked about his family. As far as I knew, my family was from Iowa, California and Washington state, and never set foot in the south!

When I started researching, I discovered that some of my southern ancestors did own slaves, but --surprisingly--a significant number did not.  Some families, such as the BRUTONs,  gave up the practice of slavery early on. Many, such as the FRAZIERs, were Quakers, and either never owned slaves or gave up the practice before 1800.  Several from that family belonged to Quaker congregations that were involved in the Underground Railroad, and eventually moved from North Carolina to Indiana and Iowa.

But I also found that a few of my families in Virginia and Missouri continued to hold slaves until the bitter end of the Civil War.

Only recently did I discover  that there were several slaveowners in my family tree who did not live in the south. Some of them, because of religion & location, were quite unexpected. Here are a few.

1) SIMON SIMONSE VAN ARSDALEN (Van Arsdale) born April 18, 1726 NY, died March 17, 1795 Bucks Co Pennsylvania; married ELSJE KROESEN.  He is listed as a slave holder in 1782 and 1790 tax records in Bucks Co PA.  I have not found a will, but I did find this reference in a book entitled "The American Past: A Survey of American History" by Joseph R Conlin, publ 2010, p 163:

A PENNSYLVANIA SLAVE OWNER


There were plenty of slaves in the North, but few Northerners owned large numbers of Africans. Most commonly, northern farmers (and city people) owned only two, three, perhaps five slaves. The absence of an influential social class with a great deal of money invested in slaves was a major reason why abolition was easy in the northern states.


Simon Vanarsdalen of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a prosperous farmer but by no means a wealthy grandee, owned a large number of slaves by northern standards. Exactly how many is unknown, but when he died in 1770 (note: most likely this is date he wrote will, not actual death date;  records show he died 1795, and he was in tax lists 1782 and 1790), he bequeathed "Black Eve",  "Black Cuff", "Black Henry" and "my negro wench called Poll or Mary" to his children with instructions that they inherit "the remainder of my negroes after the death of my wife".


Ten years later, any of Vanarsdalen's slaves who were 28 years of age were freed by Pennsylvania's emancipation laws. (Conlin, p 163)
(Jan 2013 Errata: I now know that this reference is to the father of SIMON SIMONSE VAN ARSDALEN:  SIMON JANSE VAN ARSDALEN who married JANNETJE ROMEYN.  His will dated 1795 Bucks Co PA lists all the slaves mentioned above. )




2) MICHAEL STUMP I    born about 1715 Schoharie, NY; died 1768 Hampshire Co Virginia; married ANNA CATHARINA NEFF born Nov 27, 1716  Michelfield, Baden, Germany. Very few of my German or Swiss ancestors owned slaves.  Thus I was very surprised to find the following two paragraphs in his will dated 1767 Hampshire Co VA:

Item: and as for my Personal Estate and Negroes I bequeath in manner Following that is to say I give to my son GEORGE one Negroe Named SAMPSON.

Item: I also give to my son LEONARD one Negroe Named DICK and all the residue of my Personal Estate not before mentioned with one Negroe Named SAM to be Equaly Divided Between my said Chilldren Except the twenty Pounds Left to my grandson which said twenty Pounds to be Deducted or taken off his Fathers Share of my Estate and to be aplyed to the use aforesaid. 


3) FREDERICK WILLIAM SHRIVER born Feb 4, 1744 in probably Anne Arundel Co, Maryland; died Feb 27, 1820 Creagerstown, Frederick Co, Maryland; married 1st) MARIA ELISABETH BIERLE born April 16, 1758 Lancaster Co PA, and 2nd) ELIZABETH SEESMAN.  He had three sons by his first wife, and no other children by his second wife. His youngest son was likely my ggg grandfather LEWIS SHRIVER born about 1790 who married SUSANNAH LUCKHART in Maryland, and died in Ross Co Ohio.

While researching  in census records, I discovered that in the 1790 and 1800 census, this family was listed with one slave in the household. I have not yet found a will or other records to verify it. This is the  only other German or Swiss ancestor I have found--so far--that owned a slave.


4) ALEXANDER WALKER born about 1775 Rockbridge Co Virginia, died between 1830-1840 in Clark Co, Indiana**; married JANE TILFORD or TELFORD born March 19, 1777 Rockbridge Co Virginia. This family migrated from Virginia to Kentucky to Indiana, where they can be found in the 1820 and 1830 census in Washington twp,  Clark Co Indiana. 1820 census shows 4 male slaves in the household, and 1830 census shows 6 slaves and at least a couple of free persons of color (census difficult to read). I have not yet found a will or other records to verify this.

**(Note: Several researchers, including published sources,  have indicated that this particular ALEXANDER WALKER died 1838 in McDonough Co IL, but so far I have not found any evidence of this. So far I have only found one of his daughters who moved there: SARAH SALLIE WALKER who married ALEXANDER PROVINE There were several with the name ALEXANDER WALKER from this very large family, so it is possible this was a case of mistaken identity. However, the family of ALEXANDER WALKER who married MARGARET PEGGY COMBS did migrate there. This couple would have been aunt & uncle to ALEXANDER WALKER who married JANE/JEAN TELFORD. A younger ALEXANDER WALKER b abt 1826  also lived in McDonough Co IL.)


5) JAMES OTWELL born about 1772 in Sussex Co Delaware; died Jan 18, 1827 in Guilford Co North Carolina; married ELEANOR REYNOLDS, whose family were devout Quakers, and had migrated from Chester Co PA to Guilford Co NC.  Here is an excerpt from a biography of his son Curtis Otwell, published in the early 1900s, from the book "History of Darke County, Ohio":

--CURTIS OTWELL, physician and surgeon, Greenville, was born in Guilford Co North Carolina March 19, 1806; his father JAMES OTWELL was a native of Sussex Co Delaware, and his mother ELEANOR REYNOLDS of Guilford County; she was of Scotch-Irish parentage, and the descendant of a Quaker who came to this county with William Penn. JAMES OTWELL was a slaveholder, but emancipated his slaves near the beginning of the present century (1800).




6) DAVID LAWRENCE born about 1650 in New Hampshire; died 1710 in Exeter, Rockingham Co New Hampshire; married MARY TAYLOR, who was born Oct 26, 1667 in New Hampshire.

--My will is that my two sons WILLIAM and JOSEPH shall pay my just debts, legacies and funeral charges, and then the rest and residue of my whole estate both real and personal shall be equally divided among them;  only their mother shall have the use of the Negro during life and then return to them to be equally divided between them.


This was the most surprising of all. I had read that slavery did exist in New England, but had never seen it documented in records.

Have a great day!


Betty

© Betty Tartas  2011

Matrilineal Monday: Cruisin' Down the mtDNA highway: AMY,wife of MARK GRAVES of Andover, Essex Co MA

The earliest matrilineal ancestor that I have been able to research is AMY, the wife of MARK GRAVES of  Ipswich and Andover, Essex Co MA.  She was born about 1627, possibly in Massachusetts, and died Feb 20, 1665 in Andover, Essex Co MA.  Her maiden name is as yet unknown, and if anyone has found any clues, I would be extemely happy to hear it!!

AMY married MARK GRAVES about 1654 in Essex Co MA, and had five known children. I am descended from two of them, but my direct matrilineal line comes through daughter EMMA who married JOHN BOND and BENJAMIN HASKELL.

The five children were:

--DORCAS GRAVES born abt 1655 Andover Essex Co MA married GEORGE ABBOTT (my line)
--HANNAH GRAVES born Oct 14, 1657 Lynn, Essex Co MA married TIMOTHY ABBOTT
--EMMA GRAVES born June 20, 1659 Andover, Essex Co MA married JOHN BOND, BENJAMIN HASKELL (my direct matrilineal line)
--RUTH GRAVES born Jan 16, 1661 Andover Essex Co MA
--MARK GRAVES II born Aug 8, 1664 Andover Essex Co MA; died young?

After AMY's death, MARK GRAVES married 2nd to ELIZABETH KNIGHTS, and had three more children:
--MARK GRAVES II b Feb 16, 1671 Andover, Essex Co MA
--MARGARET GRAVES b Jan 15, 1672 in Andover, Essex Co MA
--THOMAS GRAVES b May 7, 1675 in Andover, Essex Co MA

Alas, I have come to the end of my matrilineal mtDNA journey. For now at least! :)

Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2011

A Friend of Friends Friday: African American Slaves Named in the 1750 Will of PETER (PIERRE) GUERRANT "The Huguenot", of King William Parish, Cumberland Co VA

Note: "A Friend of Friends" was a password used on the Underground Railway

Peter (Pierre) Guerrant Sr, my great X 5 grandfather, was born 1697 Saintonge, St Nazaire, France, and died 1750 in King William Parish, Cumberland Co Virginia. He married Magdalene Trabue, daughter of Anthony Trabue & Magdalene Verreuil, about 1732 in King William Parish, Goochland Co VA.

Peter Guerrant Sr emigrated from France in about 1700, probably with his father Daniel Guerrant.  They were some of the first Huguenots (French Protestants) to settle in Virginia. For more information, see the excellent website Huguenot Emigrants on the James River


Will date 1749, proved June 25, 1750 King William Parish, Cumberland County, Virginia
In the name of God , Amen. I,  PETER  GUERRANT  of the parish of King William, in the county of Cumberland, being in health of body and of sound disposing mind and memory, praise be Almighty God for the same, but considering the uncertainty of human life, do make this my last will and testament in manner following. That is to say, my just debts being paid first and satisfied.

Item : I give and bequeath to my eldest son JOHN GUERRANT Four hundred acres of land, lying on Jushua's Creek, one of the branches of Slate river in Albemarie County, for him and his heirs forever. I also give him, my son GUERRANT , a horse called Jockey and my Philadelphia saddle, for him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my son PETER GUERRANT, four hundred acres of land lying and being on Hunt's Creek, one of the branches of Slate river in Albemarie County, for him and his heirs forever. I also give my son PETER GUERRANT one feather bed and furniture for him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my son DANIEL GUERRANT Four hundred acres of land joing on his brother JOHN GUERRANTs line, it being part of an order of Council for six hundred acres of land on Joshua's Creek, one of the branches of Slate river in Albermarle County, for him and his heirs forever . I also give to my son DANIEL GUERRANT one negro boy named CAESAR, for him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give unto my daughter ESTHER GUERRANT Two hundred acres of land on Collier's line--it being part of the four hundred acres of land on Mountain Creek in Amelia County, for her and her heirs forever. I also give my daughter ESTHER GUERRANT the other new bed, with what furniture there is to it, and a rug, and two cows and calves for her and her heirs forever, and two pounds Current money, and the two cows and calves to be delivered when she shall attain the age of twenty one-years or married.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter MAGDALENE GUERRANT the other Two hundred acres of land on Mountain Creek in Amelia County, it being the other part of the four hundred acres, for her and her heirs forever. I also give my daughter MAGDALENE GUERRANT the sum of five pounds Current money to be paid out of my personal estate and two cows and calves, to be delivered after she shall attain the age of twenty - one years or married.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter JANE GUERRANT Two hundred acres of land, it being part of an order of Council for six hundred acres of land lying and being on Joshua's Creek, one of the branches of Slate River in Albemarie County, for her and her heirs forever. I also give to my daughter JANE GUERRANT, the sum of Five pounds Current money, to be paid out of my personal estate, and two cows and calves , to be delivered after she shall attain the age of twenty-one years or married.
Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter JUDITH GUERRANT, the sum of fifteen pounds Current money for her and her heirs forever.

Item: If in case, my beloved wife MAGDALENE GUERRANT should happen to be now with child, and it should be a boy, I give him thirty-five pounds Current money, to be laid out of my personal estate, for him and his heirs forever, but if it should happen that my beloved wife is with child of a daughter, my will is that I give her fifteen pounds Current money, for her and her heirs forever.

Item: I leave to my beloved wife MAGDALENE GUERRANT, the use of the plantation I now live on, with use of three negroes, TOM, SARAH, and MOLL, during her natural life, and my will is that my beloved wife shall have the use of all the negroes , during the time of her widowhood. CAESAR only excepted which is before given to my son DANIEL GUERRANT, but in case that it should happen that there be not moveable estate enough to satisfy the legacies before given, my will is that BETTY shall be sold by way of outcry to satisfy the aforegiven legacies.

Item: My will is that after my beloved wife MAGDALENE 's decease , that all the negroes and all the plantation I now live on shall be sold by way of outcry and the money be equally divided among my beloved children who will be living at that time.

Item: I do constitute and ordain my well beloved wife MAGDALENE GUERRANT to be the whole and sole executrix of this my last will and testament, and I do hereby declare this and none other to be my last will and testament, revoking all other wills and testaments, which may have by me been formerly made.  In witness whereof , I have hereto set my hand and fixed my seal,  this Third day of December , One Thousand Seven hundred and forty -nine.
PETER GUERRANT




Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2011