Looking Ahead...Looking Astern

2015 was, for me,  a year full of wonderful & interesting genealogical discoveries.  Here is some of what I've learned about my ancestors, with some hopes for discoveries in 2016:


--THOMAS FRAZIER, the Quaker, my great x 5 grandfather (born 1725, died 1785), often erroneously referred to as "GEORGE THOMAS FRAZIER",  continues to provide me with the most verifiable DNA matches, and the most interesting genealogical discoveries.

Because of both DNA evidence & genealogical documentation, I firmly believe THOMAS FRAZIER b 1725 was the son of JOHN FRAZIER Sr (born about 1700, died 1744) & MARY FALCONER who lived in  Carteret Co North Carolina.  MARY was born about 1700, was a Quaker, and was the daughter of JOHN FALCONER of Chowan Co North Carolina as per his 1739 will.

After JOHN FRAZIER's death, and with five underage children to support, MARY FALCONER FRAZIER married secondly in Carteret Co  to a CANADAY, likely RICHARD CANADAY Jr, who died 1767 in Craven Co North Carolina.  MARY died sometime before September 1757, when her son JAMES FRAZIER sold the family's land in Carteret Co and moved to Craven County, North Carolina.

THOMAS FRAZIER, son of MARY FALCONER FRAZIER,  lived next door to RICHARD CANADAY Jr in Craven Co North Carolina from 1758 onward, and witnessed RICHARD's will. Above is his signature, from a copy of the original will. THOMAS  lived in Craven Co until 1774, when he moved to Perquimans, then Carteret Co North Carolina (as per Quaker Monthly Meeting records). His brother DANIEL FRAZIER also lived in Craven & Carteret Co North Carolina.

THOMAS FRAZIER's wife, MARY PUGH, was likely related to the FRANCIS PUGH family of Chowan/Bertie Co NC.  This is suggested by both DNA matches & genealogical records, but much more research needs to be done.

I have several DNA matches with descendants of DANIEL FRAZIER Sr (born 1703, d 1778) & MARGARET DAWSON of Chowan/Bertie Co North Carolina, on the same chromosomal locations as descendants of THOMAS FRAZIER. This strongly suggests that THOMAS FRAZIER & DANIEL FRAZIER Sr were related.  I suspect DANIEL Sr was THOMAS' paternal uncle. Again, more research needed here.

--SCOTTISH QUAKERS; my research into the FRAZIER & FALCONER families, who were mostly Quakers, led me to research Scottish Quakers in general.  "The Story of Quakerism in Scotland 1650-1950" by George B Burnet & William H Marwick; and "Scottish Quakers in Early American 1650-1700" by David Dobson are two excellent sources.  Quakerism never really gained a foothold in Scotland, due to the strong influence of the Episcopal & Presbyterian churches. It was often viewed as an "English cult", and members were frequently tormented or imprisoned. Most emigrated; a  Scottish Quaker settlement was established in Perth Amboy, New Jersey in 1683.  The few Quaker Monthly Meetings that remained in Scotland dwindled in membership, all the early members dying off, until the congregations disappeared entirely in about 1850.


--ROBERT SCOTT (born 1750, died 1835). Common surnames are extremely difficult to research, and I had long despaired that I would never be able to prove that ROBERT SCOTT was the father of my great x 4 grandfather THOMAS SCOTT who married ELIZABETH JONES on March 3, 1802 in Pulaski Co Kentucky.  This year, with the help of another SCOTT researcher, I was not only able to prove it, but learned so much more.

ROBERT SCOTT, my great x 5 grandfather, was a settler on Pitman Creek in Pulaski Co and lived there with his wife GRACE from 1799-1815. Previous to 1799 he may have lived in nearby Fayette Co Kentucky. My other great x 5 grandfather NICHOLAS JONES, father of ELIZABETH, also settled on Pitman Creek 1799-1810.

ROBERT SCOTT was a founding member of the White Oak Baptist Church in Pulaski Co Kentucky, and all of his children, including THOMAS SCOTT, were married by pastors from that church.  His two daughters, RACHEL & ANNE "NANCY" SCOTT both married sons of ANDREW WOLVERTON/WOOLVERTON, another settler on Pitman Creek. Both of these two  WOLVERTON/WOOLVERTON sons were Baptist ministers. I now have several DNA matches to descendants of these two WOLVERTON/WOOLVERTON men & their wives.

In 1816, after selling their land on Pitman Creek, ROBERT SCOTT & his wife GRACE accompanied  their son JOHN SCOTT (who had married SUSANNA GREEN) to  Fayette Co Indiana. Both ROBERT & GRACE SCOTT died there and are buried in the Connersville Cemetery, Connersville, Fayette Co Indiana.

--10,000 MATCHES ON ANCESTRY DNA. Yup. you read that right.  As of December 2015, I have 10,000 matches on AncestryDNA.  While a bit overwhelming, this allows me to look at the "big picture" (the VERY BIG picture), and note interesting surnames trends.  I seem to be related to the following individuals & surnames, although in most cases I don't yet know how:

PATRICK HENNESSEE Sr b 1745 Ireland of Burke Co North Carolina (likely one of his daughters married my great x 4 grandfather ISAAC THOMAS THOMPSON of Burke Co);  

NEEDHAM BRYANT of Chowan/Bertie Co North Carolina (I am missing so many women from my Bertie Co families that I would not be surprised to find that  one of them was a daughter or granddaughter of this person);

DANIEL FRAZIER Sr b 1703 & MARGARET DAWSON of Bertie Co North Carolina, as noted above, likely an uncle of THOMAS FRAZIER who married MARY PUGH.

Other surnames that keep popping up, all southern:  HIGHTOWER, LEATHERWOOD, HINES,  PENNINGTON, SHOCKLEY.

(By the way, I sent a request to Ancestry.com for a search function for DNA match usernames.  Their current search engine is only for ancestral surnames or locations.  I have so many matches that if I don't tag a match that I want to return to, I can NEVER find it again.  Sometimes people contact me, giving me only their username.  I have absolutely no way to find them, other than looking at every single match, which is IMPOSSIBLE.  Ancestry.com thought it was a very good idea, but so far  a username search engine has not appeared on their DNA page. )

--HUBER FAMILY DNA PROJECT  Early this fall I convinced four of my relatives from my father's family to get their DNA tested with 23andMe.  Not all results have posted, but when they do, I will look forward to comparing with my other DNA cousins!


Happy New Year, everyone!  May you have a prosperous & productive 2016.


Betty


© Betty Tartas  2015

CALVIN SMITH & RUTH H. MAYNARD Family of Marlborough, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Berkshire Co Massachusetts & Ohio

Recently I have spent quite a bit of time researching an interesting SMITH family who migrated from Massachusetts to Ohio in the 1820s, the ancestors of a dear friend & cousin. While I am still searching for more records to document this family, the circumstantial evidence has certainly begun to pile up!

1) CALVIN SMITH I born May 1, 1770 Marlborough, Middlesex Massachusetts married RUTH H. MAYNARD born Sept 9, 1780 Sudbury, Middlesex Massachusetts , on Dec 29, 1803 in Marlborough, Middlesex Co Massachusetts. One published genealogy shows RUTH as “RUTH HAPGOOD MAYNARD”, i.e. as having been named for RUTH HAPGOOD of Marlborough, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Later records show her as “ANNA”, so it is possible that the “H” stood for HANNAH not HAPGOOD (ANNA frequently being used interchangeably with HANNAH in earlier times).

2) BENJAMIN ROBERTS & LUCINDA E SMITH married Jan 12, 1832 in Butler Co Ohio. They moved after the 1840 census to Carrolton, Carroll Co Kentucky. 1850 Carroll Co KY shows LUCINDA’s place of birth as an “M” with squiggles after it. It has been transcribed on Ancestry.com as "Maryland", but looking at the actual record, could actually be an abbreviation for "Massachusetts".

3) BENJAMIN & LUCINDA named a son named CALVIN ROBERTS, born about 1850 in Carroll Co Kentucky, possibly named for LUCINDA’s father. Another son was named JOSEPH H ROBERTS, which may be “JOSEPH HAPGOOD”, possibly named for JOSEPH HAPGOOD of Marlborough, Middlesex MA (there were 3 of them). JOSEPH HAPGOOD III married SUSANNA MAYNARD, sister of RUTH H. MAYNARD. 

4) In 1840  Ross twp, Butler Co Ohio census shows that BENJAMIN & LUCINDA (SMITH) ROBERTS & BENJAMIN’s mother MARTHA ROBERTS were living very near Dr ALANSON SMITH

5) Dr ALANSON SMITH’s 1890 Butler Co Ohio biography provides a wealth of clues. While the bio states that he was born in Standisfield, Berkshire Co Massachusetts, his obituary states he was born New Marlborough, Berkshire Co Massachusetts, and  some census records show him as born in New York! His birthdate was Aug 21, 1806. The bio & obit don’t show the names of his father or mother, but the clues within them help indicate his family origins (see below...). No actual birth record for ALANSON SMITH can be found in any of the locations mentioned in these documents.
(NOTE: There is a slight possibility that ALANSON SMITH was the nephew of CALVIN SMITH & RUTH H. MAYNARD, and thus the 1st cousin of LUCINDA E. SMITH, rather than her brother, but for the time being, I’m going with the theory that they were siblings.)

6) Bio of ALANSON SMITH also indicates that when ALANSON was still an infant, his father (CALVIN?) traded his farm in Berkshire Co MA for 300 acres at the outflow of Cayuga Lake (Finger Lakes), Ithaca, Tompkins Co, New York State, and then the father (CALVIN?) moved back to Marlborough, Middlesex, MA where he taught school. Unknown if the family ever lived on that 300 acres, or at Ithaca, NY.

7) CALVIN SMITH I & RUTH H MAYNARD family were living in Marlborough, Middlesex Co MA in the 1810 census. Census shows a male 45+ (elderly relative?), female 26-44 (RUTH/ANNA), 2 males 26-44 (CALVIN I & ?), 1 male under 10 (CALVIN II? ALANSON?), 3 females under 10 (CAROLINE, REBECCA & SUSANNA).

8) No others by name of CALVIN SMITH (born 1770) appear to have lived in Marlborough Middlesex Co MA after the 1810 census. Other records show  CALVIN SMITH was living in Berkshire Co Massachusetts after 1810. There were actually several of this name who were born after 1770 and lived in Berkshire Co, so further research needed to winnow out exactly who the other younger CALVINs were.

9) Bio of Dr ALANSON SMITH indicates that his father died when ALANSON was age 8 or 9. Death record from Hinsdale, Berkshire Co Massachusetts shows that CALVIN SMITH  died Aug 15, 1816. ALANSON would have been age 10.

10) Bio of Dr ALANSON SMITH indicates that after his father’s death, ALANSON went to live with his “Uncle JABEZ”. RUTH H. (MAYNARD) SMITH had a brother JABEZ MAYNARD born March 5, 1770 Sudbury, Middlesex, MA; JABEZ MAYNARD lived in Bolton, Worcester Co MA after his marriage to BETTY CLARK.

11) After the death of her husband, RUTH H. “ANNA” (MAYNARD) SMITH married 2nd to the Reverend JESSE HARTWELL on Dec 2, 1819 in New Marlborough, Berkshire Co Massachusetts. I have yet to find their actual marriage record, so this needs to be verified.


12) Bio of Dr ALANSON SMITH indicates that at age 15, and while attending the New Marlborough Institute, he was living with his stepbrother LOVELL HARTWELL. LOVELL HARTWELL born 1797 was the son of Rev JESSE HARTWELL and his 1st wife JERUSHA SHEPHERD. LOVELL HARTWELL married JEMIMA THOMPSON and lived all his life in New Marlborough, Berkshire Co MA, according to census & vital records.

13) According to several sources, the Rev JESSE HARTWELL was a Baptist minister in New Marlborough, Berkshire, Massachusetts. In 1827, he was dismissed from the Baptist church (why?), and moved to the town of Perry in Geuga Co (later Lake Co) Ohio. This is in the N. part of Ohio, near Cleveland, on Lake Erie.

14) Bio of Dr ALANSON SMITH indicates that he taught school in Great Barrington, Berkshire, Massachusetts in 1827, and that in 1829 he moved to the town of Perry, in Geuga Co (later Lake Co) Ohio, where he also taught school. He is not listed alone in the 1830 census in Perry, so likely lived with his mother & stepfather, and sure enough.....

15) 1830 Perry, Geuga Co Ohio census shows household of Rev JESSE HARTWELL, a couple age 50-59 (RUTH/ANNA & JESSE), one elderly woman age 70-79 (unknown), 2 males age 20-29 (one of which could be ALANSON SMITH), 2 females age 20-29 (SUSANNA & LUCINDA SMITH), and one son age 10-14 (unknown son of RUTH/ANNA & JESSE?) Since RUTH & JESSE married in 1819, the adult children listed in the census would have to be from their 1st marriage(s).

16) According to the bio, after moving to Perry, Geuga Co (later Lake Co) Ohio, ALANSON SMITH began studying medicine with a Dr WILLARD (possibly a distant relative?) , and also lived for a time in Cincinnati, Ohio, He supposedly attended Van Doren’s Collegiate Institute in Lexington, Kentucky (but since this was a college for young women, I am guessing he was a teacher rather than a student!)

17) According to the bio, by 1831, ALANSON SMITH moved to Hamilton, Butler Co Ohio, where he taught school. Hamilton is now a suburb of Cincinnati, so quite a long way from Perry, Lake Co Ohio.

18) 1840 census shows ALANSON SMITH living in Ross twp, Butler Co Ohio (right next to town of Hamilton), a young couple age 20-29 (he married NANCY McNIEL in 1833), with a daughter under age 5. As I said previously, ALANSON was living very close to BENJAMIN & LUCINDA (SMITH) ROBERTS and BENJAMIN’s mother MARTHA ROBERTS in Ross twp, Butler Co Ohio.

19) Rev JESSE HARTWELL & his wife  “ANNA” remained in Perry, Lake Co Ohio, and can be found in census up until 1860. They both died there, ANNA in 1858, and JESSE in 1860, and are buried in the Perry Township Cemetery (see Find a Grave) 



Comments appreciated!

Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2015