Arriving With the Winthrop Fleet — Ryse Cole

B. about 1589 in England¹
M. 7 Jun 1612, in Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England²
Wife: Arrold Dunnington
D. 15 May 1646 in Charlestown, Massachusetts³

When English Puritans made their historic 1630 migration to Massachusetts, Ryse Cole was among them. Ryse, also called Ryce, Rice or Rise, was born about 1589.¹ His parents may have been Isaac Cole and Jane Meryot, but this isn’t proven. His birthplace was said to be Norwich, England, but by 1612, he was living in Great Bowden, a village in Leicestershire where on June 7, he married a woman named Arrold Dunnington.² They were known to have five children born from about 1616 to 1625.

Ryse and his wife were among the thousands of people living in England who became non-conformists of the officially sanctioned church, and they sought to live in a place where they could freely practice their religion. It had been ten years since a colony had been established in America at Plymouth, and settlers had been trickling into the region ever since. Then in 1630, Puritan leaders in England organized an effort to bring over a larger number of people.

The migration was led by John Winthrop, and it totaled about 700 people on 11 ships.⁴ The first four ships left Yarmouth, England on April 8th, landing at Massachusetts Bay in June. Other ships followed soon after carrying more passengers, plus the supplies to set up a new colony. Ryse and his family were on one of ships, but there are no records identifying which one. The colonists landed at the site of present-day Charlestown, where a small number of English people already lived. The intention was to build their settlement there, but after a few months of sickness and hardship, most of the people relocated across the bay, and this became Boston.

Arrival of the Winthrop Fleet in Massachusetts.

A few of the settlers stayed behind in Charlestown, though, and it’s believed that Ryse and his family were among them. By the end of 1632, enough additional arrivals allowed them to form their own congregation. The founding of the Charleston church took place on November 2nd, and both Ryse and Arrold were listed as original members.⁵

Ryse’s two oldest children had an interesting connection to a man named Samuel Fuller, who had arrived on the Mayflower years earlier. Fuller lived in the Plymouth colony, but he went to Charlestown at the time the Winthrop Fleet landed in 1630, and offered his medical skills to treat their illnesses. Three years later, it was noted in Fuller’s will that he had taken in Ryse’s daughter Elizabeth in order to educate her, and that Ryse’s son Robert was also taken in as a servant.⁵ This was a practice among some Puritans known as “sending out” — they believed that placing their children in another household provided preparation for life that they wouldn't get at home. It’s unknown if the two children went to live with Fuller in 1630 or later, but it’s likely their relationship was established during the summer of 1630.

As was typical in early colonial New England towns, Ryse was granted plots of land scattered in the surrounding area. While he lived with his wife and children in a community clustered near the water, he owned eight other tracts outside of town, the largest of which was described as “50 acres in Water Field.”⁵ Within a few years, some of this land would be inside the boundaries of new towns that split off from Charlestown.

In May 1646, Ryse wrote his will, and he died on the 15th of that month.³ The will wasn’t probated until his widow Arrold passed away in 1662.² Ryse and Arrold were ancestors of Franklin Pierce, George W. Bush, Barbara Bush, Jeb Bush and James Spader.⁶

Children:
1. Robert Cole — B. about 1616, (probably) Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England;⁵ M. Phillip⁵

2. Elizabeth Cole — B. about 1619, (probably) Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England;⁵ D. 5 Mar 1688, Woburn, Massachusetts;⁷ M. Thomas Peirce (~1608-1681), before 1639, Charlestown, Massachusetts⁵

3. Mary Cole — B. about 1621, (probably) Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England;⁵ D. 7 Oct 1683, Charlestown, Massachusetts;⁸ M. Richard Lowden (~1612-1700), about 1640, Charlestown, Massachusetts⁵

4. John Cole — B. about 1623, (probably) Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England;⁵ D. about 1673, Charlestown, Massachusetts;⁵ M. Ursula ______, before 1655⁵

5. James Cole — B. about 1625, (probably) Great Bowden, Leicestershire, England;⁵ M. Ruth _______, before 28 Aug 1655⁵

Sources:
1    Estimated birth year of Ryse Cole based on date of his marriage
2    “Colonists from Great Bowden, Leicestershire — Rice Cole of Charlestown, Massachusetts,” Leslie Mahler, The American Genealogist, Vol. 78, July 2003
3    Death record of Rice Cole, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
4    John Winthrop (Wikipedia article)  
5    Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Vols. I-III, Robert Charles Anderson
6    FamousKin.com listing for Rice Cole
7    Find-a-Grave listing for Elizabeth Cole Pierce  
8    Death record of Mary Lowden, M., T. C., V. & T. R.

An Illegitimate Daughter — Jean Royer

B. before 29 Mar 1634 in Saint-Cosme-de-Vairais, France¹
M. 22 Nov 1663 in Château-Richer, New France²
Wife: Marie Targer
D. before 17 Feb 1676 in Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France³

In New France records, out-of-wedlock children were sometimes openly identified in baptisms, and in this way we know that Jean Royer fathered a baby with a woman who wasn’t his wife. Jean was a recent migrant to the colony from Perche, France; he had been baptized there in the village of Saint-Cosme-de-Vairais on March 29, 1634.¹ His parents were Jean Royer and Marie Pais, and he had at least two younger sisters.

Jean was mentioned in New France records for the first time when he was confirmed on August 10, 1659.⁴ On that day, François de Montmorency-Laval administered the sacrament at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec to 177 people. How and why Jean arrived in the colony is unknown.

François de Montmorency-Laval, who confirmed Jean in 1659.

The next time Jean appeared in records was on January 3, 1661 when he received a concession of land at Ste-Famille on Île d’Orleans.¹ It was sometime during that year that he became involved with a single woman who was newly arrived in the colony. Her name was Madeleine Dubois, and in about late spring or early summer, she became pregnant with Jean’s child. The details of their relationship are a mystery, but it didn’t result in a trip to the altar, and during her pregnancy, Madeleine married another man. She gave birth to the baby, a healthy girl, on February 7, 1662.⁵ Jean was likely not present at her baptism, and the child later took her step-father’s name. Madeleine went on to raise a large family with her husband in the seigneury of Beauport.

In September 1663, the very first ship of women who were later called Filles du Roi landed at Quebec City, and from this small group, Jean found a wife. She was Marie Targer, who was born in LaRochelle in 1642, and the couple married in Château-Richer on November 22nd.² They seemed to have lived there for a couple of years, having two children born during that time. Then Jean and his family moved to Île d’Orleans for good, and five more children were born. Sadly, four of their seven children seem to have died as infants.

Not long after his youngest child’s funeral on March 4, 1675, Jean passed away.³ There’s no burial record for him which may indicate he drowned, but this is speculation. His widow Marie remarried on February 17, 1676;⁶ she died in 1712.⁷ Among Jean's descendants is Tom Bergeron.

Child by Madeleine Dubois:
1. Marie-Madeleine Baugis — 7 Feb 1662, Quebec City, New France;⁵ D. 23 Mar 1743, Beauport, New France;⁸ M. Jacques Menard dit Deslauriers (~1653-1716), 28 Nov 1680, Beauport, New France⁹

Children by Marie Targer:
1. Jean Royer — B. 28 Sep 1664, Château-Richer, New France;¹⁰ D. before 6 Nov 1671, New France¹¹

2. Marie-Anne Royer — B. 21 Aug 1665, Château-Richer, New France;¹² D. 11 May 1746, Repentigny, New France;¹³ M. René Alaire (1635-1709), 14 Apr 1681, Neuville, New France¹⁴

3. Madeleine Royer — B. 18 Oct 1666, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁵ D. (probably) young

4. Pierre Royer — B. 6 Nov 1667, (probably) Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁶ D. (probably) young

5. Isabelle-Elisabeth Royer — B. 14 Sep 1669, St-Jean, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁷ D. 22 Jun 1715, Montreal, New France;¹⁸ M. (2) Pierre Blais (1639-1700), 5 Jun 1689, St-Jean, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁹ (2) Robert Pepin (1678-1754), 16 Nov 1700, St-Jean, Île d’Orleans, New France²⁰

6. Jean Royer — B. 6 Nov 1671, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹¹ D. 5 Apr 1743, St-Jean, Île d’Orleans, New France;²¹ M. Catherine Dumont (1675-1757), 19 Oct 1694, St-Jean, Île d’Orleans, New France²²

7. Therese Royer — B. 21 Feb 1675, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France;²³ D. 4 Mar 1675, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans²⁴

Sources:

1    Perche-Quebec.com
2    Marriage record of Jean Royer and Marie Targer, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Jean Royer, Q.C.P.R.
4    Confirmations à Percé et Québec en 1659 (blog), Guy Perron, 2015  
5    Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Royer, Q.C.P.R.
6    Marriage record of Robert Tournerouche and Marie Targer, Q.C.P.R.
7    Burial record of Marie Targer, Q.C.P.R.
8    Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Baugis, Q.C.P.R.
9    Marriage record of Jacques Menard and Marie-Madeleine Baugis, Q.C.P.R.
10  Baptismal record of Jean Royer (older son), Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Jean Royer (younger son), Q.C.P.R.
12  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Royer, Q.C.P.R.
13  Burial record of Marie-Anne Royer, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of René Alaire and Marie-Anne Royer, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Madeleine Royer, Q.C.P.R.
16  Baptismal record of Pierre Royer, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Isabelle-Elizabeth Royer, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Isabelle-Elizabeth Royer Royer, Q.C.P.R.
19  Marriage record of Pierre Blais and Isabelle-Elizabeth Royer Royer, Q.C.P.R.
20  Marriage record of Robert Pepin and Isabelle-Elizabeth Royer Royer, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Jean Royer (younger son), Q.C.P.R.
22  Marriage record of Jean Royer and Catherine Dumont, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Therese Royer, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Therese Royer, Q.C.P.R.

The Signature of a New France Habitant — Pierre Savari

B. 22 Nov 1685 in Neuville, New France¹
M. 2 May 1707 in Quebec City, New France²
Wife: Marie-Madeleine Mingou
D. 2 Jan 1750 in Neuville, New France³

Pierre Savari left his mark on the world by fathering 18 children, and in the way he signed his name on many records. He was the oldest son of François Savari (also spelled Savary) and Catherine Pluchon, born on November 22, 1685 in Neuville, New France.¹ Pierre had seven younger siblings, and he was the only son who lived to adulthood to carry on his father’s name.

On May 2, 1707, Pierre married 17-year-old Marie-Madeleine Mingou at Notre-Dame church in Quebec.² It was in the parish register record for his marriage that Pierre’s distinct signature first appeared. Unlike the script others used when signing their name, Pierre wrote in large, careful block letters, much larger than anything else in the register book. It looked similar to the way a child would write; more than likely Pierre’s formal education had been very brief. It’s also possible that he never attended school and learned to write his name from a parent or relative.

Pierre's signature on his 1707 marriage record. (Source: FamilySearch.org)

The newlyweds settled in Quebec City, and in December of that year, their first child was born. Unfortunately the baby died two days later. Another was born in November of 1708, a healthy girl. The family then moved to St-Pierre on Île d’Orleans where three more children were added to their household. By the spring of 1712, Pierre was living on the south shore of the St. Lawrence and another daughter was baptized at Lauzon. Between 1716 and 1720, the family was back in Quebec City for the births of four more children. Finally in 1721, Pierre settled for good in the seigneury of Neuville, and over the next decade, another eight children were born. Of his eighteen children, only half were known to survive childhood, four boys and five girls.

When Pierre lived at Neuville, he became owner of the seigneury’s mills, which used wind and water power to grind wheat into flour. Records show that he operated the mills as early as 1730.⁴ Several times during the next ten years, other men in Neuville had disputes with him over payments. In 1733, Intendant Gilles Hocquart sent men to inspect Pierre’s facilities because of perceived issues with the way he measured things.⁵ Afterwards, Hocquart issued an order that Pierre should hire a “professional miller.” Whether this was done isn’t reported in the records.

Pierre continued writing his name in the Neuville parish register in baptisms, and later, the marriages of his children. On the marriage of his daughter Marie-Madeleine, her cursive signature appears side-by-side with his big block-lettered one.⁶

Signatures on Pierre's daughter's marriage record. (Source: FamilySearch.org)

The final appearance of Pierre's signature is for his daughter Marie-Louise’s wedding on March 4, 1737 when he signed with only his initials. He died at Neuville on January 2, 1750.³ His widow Marie-Madeleine lived many more years, and passed away in 1764.⁸

Children:
1. Marie Savari — B. 9 Dec 1707, Quebec City, New France;⁹ D. 11 Dec 1707, Quebec City New France¹⁰

2. Marie-Madeleine Savari — B. 4 Nov 1708, Quebec City, New France;¹¹ D. 4 May 1782, Neuville, Quebec;¹² M. Antoine Bordeleau (1701-1735), 4 Nov 1727, Neuville, New France⁶

3. Louise Savari — B. 7 Nov 1709, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹³ D. 30 Jan 1710, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France¹⁴

4. Jean Savari — B. 7 May 1711, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁵ D. 30 May 1711, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France¹⁶

5. Marie-Therese Savari — B. 5 Apr 1712, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁷ D. 15 Jul 1799, Cap-Santé, Quebec;¹⁸ M. Ignace Giroux (1708-1769), 5 Feb 1731, Neuville, New France¹⁹

6. Marie-Josephe Savari — B. 15 Feb 1714, Lauzon, New France;²⁰ D. 10 Nov 1767, Cap-Santee, New France;²¹ M. Jean-François Arbour (1705-1749)²²

7. Marie-Louise Savari — B. 12 Mar 1716, Quebec City, New France;²³ D. 20 Mar 1778, Yamachiche, Quebec;²⁴ M. Jean-Baptiste Deveau (1709-?), 4 Mar 1737, Neuville, New France⁷

8. Marie-Angelique Savari — B. 30 Nov 1717, Quebec City, New France;²⁵ D. 26 Dec 1717, Quebec City, New France²⁶

9. Elisabeth Savari — B. 10 Feb 1719, Quebec City, New France²⁷

10. Pierre Savari — B. 18 Jan 1720, Quebec City, New France;²⁸ D. 8 Apr 1797, Neuville, Quebec;²⁹ M. Elisabeth Bossu (1721-1793), 4 Jun 1742, Neuville, New France³⁰

11. Louis-Joseph Savari — B. 4 Nov 1721, Neuville, New France³¹

12. Marie-Felicite Savari — B. 3 Feb 1723, Neuville, New France;³² D. 1 Mar 1723, Neuville, New France³³

13. Jean-Baptiste Savari — B. 26 Mar 1724, Neuville, New France;³⁴ M. Marguerite Bougret (1728-?), 19 Jan 1749, St-Charles-sur-Richelieu, New France³⁵

14. François Savari — B. 3 Mar 1726, Neuville, New France;³⁶ M. Marie-Catherine Cadoret (1743-?), 15 Sep 1780, L’Assomption, Quebec³⁷

15. Françoise Savari — B. 17 Jul 1727, Neuville, New France;³⁸ D. 6 Oct 1805, Neuville, Quebec;³⁹ M. Joseph-Antoine Harnois (1710-1781), before 1756⁴⁰

16. Charles Savari — B. 4 Sep 1728, Neuville, New France;⁴¹ D. 23 Oct 1728, Neuville, New France⁴²

17. Angelique Savari — B. 21 Sep 1729, Neuville, New France;⁴³ D. 30 Sep 1729, Neuville, New France⁴⁴

18. Augustin Savari — B. 23 Oct 1730, Neuville, New France;⁴⁵ D. 29 Jan 1787, Cap-Santé, Quebec;⁴⁶ M. Marie-Louise Lefebvre (1725-1799), 5 Mar 1764, Cap-Santé, Quebec⁴⁷

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Pierre Savari, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Pierre Savari and Marie-Madeleine Mingou, Q.C.P.R.
3    Burial record of Pierre Savari, Q.C.P.R.
4    Order of Gilles Hocquart regarding Neuville’s mills, BAnQ  
5    Order of Gilles Hocquart condemning Pierre Savary for how he measured grain, BAnQ  
6    Marriage record of Antoine Bordeleau and Marie-Madeleine Savari, Q.C.P.R.
7    Marriage record of Jean Baptiste Deveau and Marie-Louise Savari, Q.C.P.R.
8    Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Mingou, Q.C.P.R.
9    Baptismal record of Marie Savari, Q.C.P.R.
10  Burial record of Marie Savari, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Savari, Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Savari, Q.C.P.R.
13  Baptismal record of Louise Savari, Q.C.P.R.
14  Burial record of Louise Savari, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Jean Savari, Q.C.P.R.
16  Burial record of Jean Savari, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Marie-Therese Savari, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Marie-Therese Savari, Q.C.P.R.
19  Marriage record of Ignace Giroux and Marie-Therese Savari, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Marie-Josephe Savari, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Marie-Josephe Savari, Q.C.P.R.
22  Marriage record of Jean-François Arbour and Marie-Josephe Savari, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Savari, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Marie-Louise Savari, Q.C.P.R.
25  Baptismal record of Marie-Angeleique Savari, Q.C.P.R.
26  Burial record of Marie-Angelique Savari, Q.C.P.R.
27  Baptismal record of Elisabeth Savari, Q.C.P.R.
28  Baptismal record of Pierre Savari (younger), Q.C.P.R.
29  Burial record of Pierre Savari (younger), Q.C.P.R.
30  Marriage record of Pierre Savari and Elisabeth Bossu, Q.C.P.R.
31  Baptismal record of Loius-Joseph Savari, Q.C.P.R.
32  Baptismal record of Marie-Felicite Savari, Q.C.P.R.
33  Burial record of Marie-Felicite Savari, Q.C.P.R.
34  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Savari, Q.C.P.R.
35  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Savari and Marguerite Bougret, Q.C.P.R.
36  Baptismal record of François Savari, Q.C.P.R.
37  Marriage record of François Savari and Marie-Catherine Cadoret, Q.C.P.R.
38  Baptismal record of Françoise Savari, Q.C.P.R.
39  Burial record of Françoise Savari, Q.C.P.R.
40  Marriage record of Joseph-Antoine Harnois and Françoise Savari, Q.C.P.R.
41  Baptismal record of Charles Savari, Q.C.P.R.
42  Burial record of Charles Savari, Q.C.P.R.
43  Baptismal record of Angelique Savari, Q.C.P.R.
44  Burial record of Angelique Savari, Q.C.P.R.
45  Baptismal record of Augustin Savari, Q.C.P.R.
46  Burial record of Augustin Savari, Q.C.P.R.
47  Marriage record of Augustin Savari and Marie-Louise Lefebvre, Q.C.P.R.

Ties to the Early Days of New France — Pierre Gagné

B. before 27 Mar 1647 in Cap-Tourmente, New France¹
M. after 28 Oct 1668 in New France²
Wife: Louise Faure
D. before 24 May 1714 in Cap-St-Ignace, New France³

The story of Pierre Gagné is different than many of his generation in New France: while the majority were natives of France, he was born in the colony. Pierre’s parents were Louis Gasnier and Marie-Madeleine Michel (Gasnier was a variation of Gagné), and they had met and married in the Perche region of France.⁴ After having two children in France, they were recruited by Noël Juchereau to help populate New France.⁴ A third child was born around the time of their arrival at Quebec in about 1644. Then Louis agreed to work a farm at Cap-Tourmente, a remote place to the east of Quebec City, and it was here that Pierre was born.

Cap-Tourmente, where Pierre was born. (Source: Sébastien Savard / CC BY-SA)  

The parish register of Quebec City recorded that Pierre’s baptism took place on March 27, 1647.¹ Usually a child was baptized as soon as possible after birth, but since there was no church near where his family lived, Pierre may have been several weeks old. The location of the event isn’t written in the record, but the document has some interesting details. Pierre's godfather was Olivier Le Tardif, who had first come to Quebec in about 1620, and was seigneur of the farm Pierre’s father leased. And his godmother was Hélène Martin, daughter of another very early settler, Abraham Martin. Each of Pierre's godparents had close relationships with Samuel de Champlain at some point in their lives.

Pierre’s family lived at Cap-Tourmente until he was about 5-years-old, then the family moved closer to Quebec in the settlement of Beaupré.⁴ Their land had 5 arpents of river frontage and a small house built by Pierre’s father.⁴ The family grew with the births of five younger siblings. Then tragedy struck in June of 1661 when his father was apparently captured, tortured and killed by raiding Iroquois.⁴ Pierre was just 14 and the oldest surviving son, so until his mother remarried five years later, he was the man of the house.

At age 21, Pierre found a bride among the Filles du Roi who arrived in Quebec that year. Her name was Louise Faure, and both agreed to a marriage contract on October 28, 1668.² Pierre was unable to sign his name, indicating he was illiterate. Their wedding record is missing, and likely took place outside of Quebec City. They settled in Beaupré for the first few years, then in about 1675, they moved to Cap-St-Ignace on the south shore of the St. Lawrence.² Between 1670 and 1683, Pierre and Louise had six children. The 1681 census showed that he operated a farm with 14 arpents of cultivated land and had ten cattle.⁵

Pierre seems to have lived the rest of his life in Cap-St-Ignace, but his death record is missing. The records of that parish are somewhat sketchy during the years he likely died. On August 5, 1711, he donated some property to his son Louis-Augustin.⁶ There is no record of Pierre after that date, and he was certainly deceased at the time of his wife’s death on May 14, 1714.³ He was the 8G grandfather of Celine Dion.⁷

Children:
1. Pierre Gagné — B. 3 Nov 1670, Ste-Anne-de Beaupré, New France;⁸ D. 25 Apr 1748, St-Michel, Bellechasse, New France;⁹ M. Louise Proulx (1679-?), 22 Jun 1700, St-Thomas, Montmagny, New France¹⁰

2. Jean Gagné — B. 17 Jul 1672, Ste-Anne-de Beaupré, New France;¹¹ D. 8 Apr 1731, Montmagny, New France;¹² M. Marie-Madeleine Langlois (1678-1741), 11 Jan 1699, Cap-St-Ignace, New France¹³

3. Marie-Anne Gagné — B. 17 Feb 1674, Ste-Anne-de Beaupré, New France;¹⁴ D. 17 Apr 1751, Montmagny, New France;¹⁵ M. Denis Proulx (1676-1749), 17 Nov 1699, Cap-St-Ignace, New France¹⁶

4. François Gagné — B. 17 Nov 1677, (probably) Cap-St-Ignace, New France;¹⁷ D. 22 Oct 1758, St-Pierre, Rivière-du-Sud, New France;¹⁸ M. Elisabeth Langlois (~1687-1768), 7 Jan 1709, L’Islet-sur-mer, New France¹⁹

5. Louis-Augustin Gagné — B. 1 Feb 1680, Cap-St-Ignace, New France;²⁰ D. 25 Feb 1748, Cap-St-Ignace, New France;²¹ M. (1) Elisabeth Charland (1687-1721), 21 Nov 1707, Montmagny, New France;²² (2) Marie Boudeau (1697-1736), 13 Apr 1722, Montmagny, New France²³

6. Elisabeth Gagné — B. 24 Aug 1683, Cap-St-Ignace, New France;²⁴ M. Joseph Fournier (1685-?), 17 Nov 1710, Cap-St-Ignace, New France²⁵

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Pierre Gagné, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, Peter Gagne, 2000
3    Burial record of Louise Faure Q.C.P.R.
4    Our French Canadian Ancestors, Vol. 12, Gérard Lebel, translated by Thomas Laforest, 2001
5    Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
6    Deed of donation from Pierre Gagné and Louise Faure to son Louis-Augustin, BAnQ  
7    FamousKin.com listing for Pierre Gagné  
8    Baptismal record of Pierre Gagné (younger), Q.C.P.R.
9    Burial record of Pierre Gagné (younger), Q.C.P.R.
10  Marriage record of Pierre Gagné and Louise Proulx, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of Jean Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
12  Burial record of Jean Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
13  Marriage record of Jean Gagné and Marie-Madeleine Langlois, Q.C.P.R.
14  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
15  Burial record of Marie-Anne Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Denis Proulx and Marie-Anne Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of François Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of François Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
19  Marriage record of François Gagné and Elisabeth Langlois, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Louis-Augustin Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Louis-Augustin Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
22  Marriage record of Louis-Augustin Gagné and Elisabeth Charland, Q.C.P.R.
23  Marriage record of Louis-Augustin Gagné and Marie Boudeau, Q.C.P.R.
24  Baptismal record of Elisabeth Gagné, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Jospeh Fournier and Elisabaeth Gagné, Q.C.P.R.

Maybe at a 1689 Massacre — Marie-Charlotte Jolivet

B. about 1648 in Andrésy, France¹
M. (1) 12 Oct 1671 in Quebec City, New France²
Husband: Leonard Girardin
M. (2) 18 Oct 1688 in Lachine, New France³
Husband: Simon Trilaut
D. before 15 Nov 1699 in New France or France⁴

There is a curious story around Marie-Charlotte Jolivet which may indicate that she was present during an Iroquois massacre. She was born in about 1648 in the village of Andrésy, France,¹ located on the Seine River northwest of Paris. Her parents were Louis Jolivet and Louise Bellemanière, and her father made a living as a ship’s carpenter.⁵

When Charlotte was in her early 20s, she signed up to become a Fille-du Roi during one of the last years of the program, agreeing to become the wife of a man living in New France in return for passage and a dowry. At the end of June 1671, she boarded the Saint Jean-Baptiste, which sailed out from Dieppe loaded with about 120 other prospective brides.⁶ After she arrived at Quebec City on August 15th, the process began to make a match with a husband.

Two months later, Charlotte became engaged to settler Leonard Girardin, and they were married at Notre-Dame-de-Quebec on October 12th.² She soon gave birth to a daughter and a son, the second of whom was baptized at Quebec City in 1675.⁷ After that date, the family seems to have moved to the west, because Charlotte was named as a witness in a criminal case at Trois-Rivières.⁸ The trial involved a married couple named Michel Gauron and Marguerite Robineau who were accused of illegal behavior, perhaps stealing some goods. Charlotte gave a deposition concerning the case in March 1677, along with several others that included René Maillot dit Laviolette of Grondines, and this may have been where she lived.

By the following year, Charlotte’s family moved upriver to the Montreal area, settling in Lachine, where five more children were born. At some point, Leonard passed away, and on October 18, 1688, Charlotte remarried to a man named Simon Trilaut.³

After the event of Charlotte’s second wedding, her whereabouts are uncertain. Some sources say she died in 1689, and that Simon moved back to France in 1691. Others claim she was alive at the time of her son Hilaire’s marriage contract on January 10, 1699, and deceased by her daughter Catherine’s marriage on November 15th of that year.⁴

However, something that happened to Hilaire may provide a clue as to Charlotte’s fate. He reported that when he was age 14 in November of 1689, he had been captured in an Iroquois attack that took place in the settlement of Lachenaie.⁹ Similar to what happened at Lachine a few months earlier, it was a surprise attack that took the lives of many settlers. Hilaire said he was marched to a distant camp with others, and witnessed brutal torture, with some of his fellow prisoners burned alive. One woman had her baby taken from her arms by one of the Iroquois, who grabbed the infant by its feet, smashed its head open, and threw it into a fire. The woman was later burned to death as well.

Sites of two Iroquois attacks in 1689.

So it’s possible that Charlotte was also at Lachenaie, and may even have been killed by the Iroquois. Of course her son Hilaire may have been working on a farm away from his family during the massacre, and she simply moved back to France with her second husband two years later. The lack of further records of her youngest sons Michel and Louis suggest that they may have left with her, spending the rest of their lives in France, but this is speculation. Charlotte’s third youngest son Joseph moved to Poste Mobile (present-day Alabama) in 1708; he later was one of the earliest settlers of New Orleans, spending the rest of his life in that area. 

Charlotte was the ancestor of Dan Aykroyd and Rudy Vallée.

Children (all by Leonard Girardin):
1. Anne-Jeanne Girardin — B. about 1673, New France;¹⁰ D. 28 Apr 1760, Ste-Anne-Bellevue, New France;¹¹ M. Hubert Ranger dit Laviolette (~1681-?), 30 Jul 1686, Lachine, New France¹²

2. Hillaire Girardin — B. 21 Jul 1675, Quebec City, New France;⁷ M. (1) Nicole Salois (1681-?), 26 Jan 1699, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹³ (2) Anne-Marguerite Dupuis (1705-1767), 16 Aug 1729, La Prairie, New France¹⁴

3. Charles Girardin — B. 9 Mar 1678, Lachine, New France;¹⁵ D. before 30 Jan 1682, (probably) Lachine, New France¹⁶

4. Catherine Girardin — B. 16 Feb 1680, Lachine, New France;¹⁷ D. 24 Feb 1724, Ste-Anne-Bellevue, New France;¹⁸ M. Joseph Lamadeleine (1673-1750), 15 Nov 1699, Lachine, New France⁴

5. Joseph Girardin — B. 30 Jan 1682, Lachine, New France;¹⁹ D. about 1756, Louisiana²⁰

6. Michel Girardin — B. 28 Jan 1684, Lachine, New France²¹

7. Louis Girardin — B. 8 May 1687, Lachine, New France²²

Sources:
1    King’s Daughters and Founding Mothers—1663-1673, Peter Gagne, 2000
2    Marriage record of Leonardin Girardin and Charlotte-Catherine Jolivet, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Marriage record of Simon Trilaut and Charlotte-Catherine Jolivet, Q.C.P.R.
4    Marriage record of Joseph Lamadeleine and Catherine Girardin, Q.C.P.R.
5    Migrations.fr listing for Charlotte-Catherine Jolivet  
6    Navires venus en Nouvelle France (website)  
7    Baptismal record of Hillaire Girardin, Q.C.P.R.
8    Summons for Charlotte Jolivet to appear as a witness, BAnQ  
9    The Lachenaie Massacre November 1689 (website)  
10  Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique français listing for Anne-Jeanne Girardin 
11  Burial of Anne-Jeanne Girardin, Q.C.P.R.
12  Marriage of Hubert Ranger and Anne-Jeanne Girardin, Q.C.P.R.
13  Marriage record of Hillaire Girardin and Nicole Salois, Q.C.P.R.
14  Marriage record of Hillaire Girardin and Anne-Marguerite Dupuis, Q.C.P.R.
15  Baptismal record of Charles Girardin, Q.C.P.R.
16  Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
17  Baptismal record of Catherine Girardin, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Catherine Girardin, Q.C.P.R.
19  Baptismal record of Joseph Girardin, Q.C.P.R.
20  Wikitree listing for Joseph Girardy  
21  Baptismal record of Michael Girardin, Q.C.P.R.
22  Baptismal record of Louis Girardin, Q.C.P.R.

A Life of Hardship — François-Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie

B. 3 May 1743 in La Pocatiére, New France¹
M. (1) 23 Oct 1769 in St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec²
Wife: Marie-Marthe Fortin
M. (2) 12 Jan 1779 in St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³
Wife: Marguerite Chouinard
D. 9 May 1805 in Lauzon, Quebec⁴

François-Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie seems to have suffered more than his share of tragedy during the second half of the 18th century. He was born on May 3, 1743 to Michel Mignault dit LaBrie and Ursule Soucy,¹ the second youngest of their 8 children. François was baptized at St-Anne-de-La-Pocatière parish on the Côte-du-Sud (south shore of the St. Lawrence River). His grandfathers had been pioneers to the area, but by the time François came along, many families were struggling economically, and threats from the English were brewing.

François’ mother passed away in March of 1754.⁵ His father remarried,⁶ but died soon after,⁷ leaving François orphaned before his 13th birthday. Right around the same time, war was declared between England and France, an act that would have devastating consequences for the people of New France. The British controlled the seas and prevented French ships from delivering goods to the colony. Meanwhile, some men were called upon to abandon their farms to serve in the military. Both situations produced severe food shortages, and eventually, famine. Then in 1759, everything got much worse because the English arrived on the St. Lawrence with a large invading force.

That year, François was 16-years-old. French forces were in disarray and many settlers were left to fend for themselves. So young men did what they could to fight the invaders by forming bands of resistance fighters. It was said that many of the fighters came from the Côte-du-Sud. Was François one of them? Perhaps yes. The people of the Côte-du-Sud paid dearly for their effort to defend their colony because General Wolfe decided to punish them by sending in one of his units to destroy their homes. The habitants of La-Pocatière fled inland, but when they returned after the invasion, most of the village had been burned to the ground.⁸

British forces burning a farm in 1759 invasion.

Slowly, things were rebuilt along the Côte-du-Sud, and François and the others got on with their lives. On October 23, 1769, he married Marie-Marthe Fortin at St-Jean-Port-Joli.² They settled there, having three children born between about 1770 and 1775, then Marthe died.⁹ François married again on January 12, 1779 to Marguerite Chouinard,³ and she soon produced three healthy children. But then followed nine more who all died as infants, most of them not living for even a single day. A sadness must have hung over their home as they buried one baby after another at the St-Jean-Port-Joli cemetery; some of the infants were not even baptized and may have actually been stillborn.

After Marguerite’s last tragic pregnancy in 1798, François lived only a few more years. He passed away on May 5, 1805 in Lauzon, Quebec.⁴ His widow remarried two years later, and lived until 1828.¹⁰

Children by Marie-Marthe Fortin:
1. François Mignault dit LaBrie — B. 2 Sep 1773, St-Jean-Port Joli, Quebec;¹¹ D. 31 Oct 1852, St-Anselme, Quebec;¹² M. Therese Canac (1765-?), 7 Oct 1799, Lauzon, Quebec¹³

2. Marie-Marthe Mignault dit LaBrie — B. about 1774, Quebec;¹⁴ D. 6 Jun 1827, Cacouna, Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec;¹⁵ M. Joseph Pelletier (1770-?), 3 Jun 1794, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec¹⁶

3. Josephte-Theotiste Mignault dit LaBrie — B. 6 Apr 1775, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;¹⁷ D. 19 May 1811, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;¹⁸ M. Charles Chouinard (1768-1840), 19 Nov 1793, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec¹⁹

Children by Marguerite Chouinard:
1. Jean-François Mignault dit LaBrie — B. 26 Oct 1779, St-Roch-des-Aulnaies, Quebec;²⁰ D. 26 Aug 1807, Lauzon, Quebec;²¹ M. Marie-Anne Fortier (1778-1858), 16 Feb 1801, Lauzon, Quebec²²

2. Joseph (or Jean-Baptiste) Mignault dit LaBrie — B. 21 Jul 1781, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;²³ D. 15 Jul 1846 in St-Norbert, Quebec;²⁴ M. Marie-Charlotte Dubois (1797-?), 19 Oct 1812, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec²⁵

3. Marguerite Mignault dit LaBrie — B. 12 Sep 1783, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;²⁶ D. 26 Dec 1812, Lauzon, Quebec;²⁷ M. Ambroise Bedard (1781-1876), 3 Aug 1801, Lauzon, Quebec²⁸

4. Antoine Mignault dit LaBrie — B. 9 May 1787, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;²⁹ D. 18 Nov 1788, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³⁰

5. Noël Mignault dit Labrie — B. 11 Nov 1788, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;³¹ D. about 10 May 1792, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³²

6. Baby Mignault dit Labrie — B. 19 Apr 1790, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;³³ D. 19 Apr 1790, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³³

7. Baby Mignault dit Labrie — B. 21 Dec 1790, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;³⁴ D. 21 Dec 1790, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³⁴

8. Baby Mignault dit Labrie — B. 21 Dec 1790, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;³⁴ D. 21 Dec 1790, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³⁴

9. André Jérémie Mignault dit Labrie — B. 22 Jan 1792, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;³⁵ D. 22 Jan 1792, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³⁶

10. Baby Mignault dit Labrie — B. 6 Aug 1793, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;³⁷ D. 6 Aug 1793, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³⁷

11. Baby Mignault dit Labrie — B. 11 May 1796, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;³⁸ D. 11 May 1796, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec³⁸

12. Marie-Adelaide Mignault dit Labrie — B. 23 Mar 1798, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec;³⁹ D. 28 Mar 1798, St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec⁴⁰

Sources:


1    Baptismal record of François-Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of François-Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie and Marie-Marthe Fortin, Q.C.P.R.
3    Marriage record of François-Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie and Marguerite Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
4    Burial record of François-Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
5    Burial record of Ursule Soucy, Q.C.P.R.
6    Marriage record of Michel Mignault dit LaBrie and Angélique-Rosalie Morin, Q.C.P.R.
7    Burial record of Michel Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
8    The French and Indian War and the Conquest of New France, William R. Nestor, 2014
9    Burial record of Marie-Marthe Fortin, Q.C.P.R.
10  Burial record of Marguerite Chouinard, Q.C.P.R.
11  Baptismal record of François Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.  

12  Burial record of François Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.  
13  Marriage record of François Mignault dit LaBrie and Therese Carnac, Q.C.P.R.
14  Généalogie du Québec et d'Amérique français listing for Marie-Marthe Mignault dit LaBrie  
15  Burial record of Marie-Marthe Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
16  Marriage record of Joseph Pelletier and Marie-Marthe Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
17  Baptismal record of Josephte-Theotiste Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
18  Burial record of Josephte-Theotiste Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
19  Marriage record of Charles Chouinard and Josephte-Theotiste Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
20  Baptismal record of Jean-François Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
21  Burial record of Jean-François Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
22  Marriage record of Jean-François Mignault dit LaBrie and Marie-Anne Fortier, Q.C.P.R.
23  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
24  Burial record of Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
25  Marriage record of Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie and Marie-Charlotte Dubois, Q.C.P.R.
26  Baptismal record of Marguerite Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
27  Burial record of Marguerite Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
28  Marriage record of Ambrose Bedard and Marguerite Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
29  Baptismal record of Antoine Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
30  Burial record of Antoine Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
31  Baptismal record of Noël Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
32  Burial record of Noël Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
33  Burial record of unnamed baby Mignault dit LaBrie, 19 Apr 1790, Q.C.P.R.
34  Burial record of 2 unnamed babies Mignault dit LaBrie, 21 Dec 1790, Q.C.P.R.
35  Baptismal record of André Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
36  Burial record of André Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
37  Burial record of unnamed baby Mignault dit LaBrie, 6 Aug 1793, Q.C.P.R.
38  Burial record of unnamed baby Mignault dit LaBrie, 11 May 1796, Q.C.P.R.
39  Baptismal record of Marie-Adelaide Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.
40  Burial record of Marie-Adelaide Mignault dit LaBrie, Q.C.P.R.

A Puritan Preacher in Demand — John Miller

B. before 21 Oct 1604 in Ashford, Kent, England¹
M. (1) about 1630 in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, England²
Wife: Lydia
M. (2) before 27 May 1662 in Massachusetts³
Wife: Mary Ward
D. 12 Jun 1663 in Groton, Massachusetts⁴

During the 17th century in Puritan New England, communities were spreading out all over the region, each needing a qualified preacher to serve them. And men like John Miller were at a premium.

John came from Ashford, England, a town in Kent that was known for its nonconformism. He was born there, the fifth of nine children, to Martin Miller and Susan Hicks. John was baptized on October 21, 1604,¹ but his exact date of birth is unknown. His father made a living as a weaver,¹ so the family wasn’t wealthy, yet John managed to attend Gonville and Cauis College at Cambridge, receiving a BA in early 1628.⁵

At some point, John broke away from the established church in England, becoming a follower of Puritanism. He settled for a time in Bishop’s Stortford in Herfordshire, where he married a woman named Lydia in about 1630.² This was during a time of religious persecution, and like many others, John made the decision to leave England. John and Lydia sailed to Massachusetts in 1634 along with one young son.⁶ In America, they would add another seven children to their family, all daughters.

The first place John lived in New England was the town of Roxbury and he took on the role of “ruling elder.”⁷ In the hierarchy of the Puritans, a ruling elder ranked below a minister, and was defined as a man who saw to the administrative aspects of the congregation; he made sure everyone attended services, and kept people in line if they were disorderly. In John’s case, he seems to have also done some preaching. His status as a man with a college degree was a rarity in the colony, and this likely made him valuable to the religious leaders.

Sunday worship in Puritan New England was quite different from those of other Christian religions of the time. Rather than being ritual-based, the service centered around two or more sermons, with one session in the morning and another in the afternoon. Sitting in a cold, drafty meetinghouse for that many hours was difficult, and for that reason, having a speaker who could keep the audience engaged was important to the community. 

A typical Puritan meetinghouse was centered on an elevated pulpit where the preacher delivered his sermons.

 

It would seem that John must have been skilled at what he did. By 1639, he served as a preacher and town clerk in the town of Rowley, assisting Reverend Ezekiel Rogers.⁷ Other towns wanted him to come to their congregations to preach; when Woburn asked about his availability, Reverend Rogers was said to have been “loathe to part with him.”⁷ In September 1642, John was “nominated” with two other ministers to preach in a Puritan settlement in Virginia, but he begged off saying he wasn’t physically up to it.⁷

Not long after that, John left Rowley to preach in the Plymouth colony at Sandwich,⁶ and he eventually got assigned to the church at Yarmouth.⁷ He stayed in that post until about 1661, when he became the minister at Groton.⁷ John’s wife Lydia died in Boston on August 7, 1658, and he remarried to a widow named Mary Cutting, whose maiden name was Ward. The wedding took place by May 27, 1662;³ on that date, Mary was identified on a document with the last name Miller.

John was in his late 50s when he died at Groton on June 12, 1663.⁴ He didn’t leave a will, and the inventory of his estate showed he was far from wealthy, his most prized possessions seeming to be his books. One man said of him, “He was a man of low stature, but high literary attainments."⁷ John may have been of “low stature,” but one of his descendants was Sir Winston Churchill. He was also an ancestor of Dick Van Dyke.⁸

Inventory of John's estate in 1663. (Source: FamilySearch.org)

Children (all by Lydia):
1. John Miller — B. 2 Mar 1631, Ashford, Kent, England;⁹ D. 9 Jun 1711, Yarmouth, Massachusetts;¹⁰ M. (1) Margaret Winslow (1640-1698), 24 Dec 1659, Marshfield, Massachusetts;⁹ (2) Sarah ________ (~1635-1719), 28 Apr 1703, Yarmouth, Massachusetts¹⁰

2. Mehitable Miller — B. 12 Jul 1638, Roxbury, Massachusetts;¹¹ D. 23 Feb 1715, Yarmouth, Massachusetts;¹² M. John Crowell (~1639-1689), about 1654, Yarmouth, Massachusetts¹³

3. Lydia Miller — B. 2 Feb 1640, Rowley, Massachusetts;¹⁴ D. about 1729, Sandwich, Massachusetts;¹⁵ M. Nathaniel Fish (1619-1694), about 1656, Sandwich, Massachusetts¹⁵

4. Hannah Miller — B. about 1643, Massachusetts;¹⁶ M. Joseph Frost (1639-1692), 22 May 1666, Charlestown, Massachusetts¹⁷

5. Faith Miller — B. about 1645, Sandwich, Massachusetts;¹⁸ D. 9 Nov 1729, Marshfield, Massachusetts;¹⁹ M. Nathaniel Winslow (1639-1719), 3 Aug 1664, Marshfield, Massachusetts¹⁹

6. Susanna Miller — B. 24 Aug 1647, Roxbury, Massachusetts;²⁰ D. 14 Oct 1669, Charlestown, Massachusetts²¹

7. Elizabeth Miller — B. 13 Oct 1649, Yarmouth, Massachusetts;²² D. before 1718, Billerica, Massachusetts;²³ M. Samuel Frost (1638-1718), before 30 Apr 1674, (probably) Cambridge, Massachusetts²⁴

8. Mary Miller — B. about 1651, Yarmouth, Massachusetts;²⁵ D. 28 Aug 1731, Watertown, Massachusetts;²⁶ M. John Whittemore (1638-1694), 8 Nov 1677, Charlestown, Massachusetts²⁷

Sources:
1    Ashford, Kent – Index of all known births, marriages and burials from c. 1570 - late 1800s (website)  
2    Estimated marriage date of John & Lydia based on age of oldest child
3    Mary first mentioned as the wife of John on a deed dated 27 May 1662, Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986, FamilySearch.org
4    Early Church Records of Groton, Massachusetts, 1761-1830, Samuel Abbott Green, p.186, 1896
5    Alumni Cantabrigienses: A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, Part 1, Issue 3, 1924
6    Wikitree listing for John Miller (1604-1663)  
7    New England Historical & Genealogical Register, V. 31, pg. 69-70, 1877
8    FamousKin.com listing for John Miller 
9    “Miller, Cook, Clark, Hall, Crosby and Smith,” New England Historical & Genealogical Register, V. 51, 1897
10  Vital Records of Yarmouth, MA to the year 1850, 1975
11  Vital Records of Roxbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, Vol. 1, 1926
12  Vital Records of Yarmouth, Massachusetts to the year 1850, Vol. 1, 1975
13  New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Clarence Almon Torrey
14  Vital Records of Rowley, Massachusetts to the year 1849, 1928
15  Wikitree listing for Lydia (Miller) Fish (1640 - abt. 1729) 
16  Estimated birth year for Hannah Miller based on age at marriage
17  Marriage record of Joseph Frost and Hannah Miller, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
18  Estimated birth year for Faith Miller based on age at marriage
19  Vital Records of Marshfield, Massachusetts to the year 1850, 1975
20  Birth record of Susanna Miller, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
21  Death record of Susanna Miller, M., T. C., V. and T. R.
22  Birth record of Elizabeth Miller, M. B. and C.
23  Estimated death year for Elizabeth (Miller) Frost based on death of husband on 7 Jan 1718 (he had remarried by time of his death)
24  Estimated marriage date of Samuel Frost and Elizabeth Miller based on birth of their first child, M., T. C., V. and T. R.
25  Estimated birth year of Mary Miller based on age at death
26  Vital Records of Watertown, 1630-1825, Vol. 2, p. 99, 1894-1906
27  Marriage record of John Whittemore and Mary Miller, M., T. C., V. and T. R.

Disputed Land Sale in His Old Age — Richard Wicom

B. about 1609 in (possibly) Rowley, England¹
M. about 1633 in England²
Wife: Ann
D. before 26 Jan 1664 in Rowley, Massachusetts³

The way land was bought and sold by the original colonists of New England was often messy, and the story of Richard Wicom illustrates this. Richard was likely born in about 1609¹ in Rowley, England, a village in Yorkshire (if he wasn't born in Rowley, he certainly lived there later on). It’s been speculated that his brother was Thomas Wickham, a man who ended up in the Connecticut colony.⁴ In about 1633, Richard married a woman known only as Ann, and they had a young son named Daniel born about two years later.

Rowley, England was one of a few places in the north that supplied many settlers to the New England colonies. This was because the vicar of Rowley's church was Reverend Ezekiel Rogers, a Puritan from Essex, which had a large population of non-conformists. It may be assumed that Reverend Rogers' influence led to Richard and his family becoming Puritans, and then to join him in migrating to America. A ship called John of London, which sailed in December 1638, carried many of the followers, but the Wicom family wasn't on the passenger list, so they might have come over on another vessel.

The group brought by Reverend Rogers carved out a new community on the Massachusetts coast north of Ipswich, and they named it Rowley, after their home in England. Richard and Ann settled there and two more children were born, both of them boys. Richard didn’t seem to play much of a civic role in the town, and for the most part, his name only turned up in divisions of common land. Only once was he mentioned in town records as being owed money for taking care of the town’s cattle.⁵

As for receiving his share of land, this happened several times in the first 20 years of Rowley’s existence; whenever the town was granted a large tract of land, it was portioned it out to everyone settled there. This led to each man owning small plots scattered all over the area. As described in the inventory of Richard’s estate, his land included his home lot in Rowley, land on Bradford Street, land in “pollipod lots,” land in the “new plain,” one acre of meadow, 3 acres of upland and meadow at his farm, 3 acres of marshland, 107 rods of upland at his farm, 4 acres of upland in the common, and a lot referred to as “land called the village land.”⁶ It must have been difficult to make use of this many lots, and as Richard got older, it's likely most of the land laid dormant.

Map of Rowley, Massachusetts in 1639 showing Richard's house.

Richard died in Rowley and was buried on January 26, 1664,³ but his name came up in a lawsuit just a couple of months later. The case was between a man named Robert Swan who sued John Todd for stealing his corn crop.⁷ The story was that each man said they were the owner of the property, which had recently belonged to Richard. Robert Swan said he acquired it from a man named Peter Nash, who testified that he had a deed to it signed over by Richard in 1660.

But John Todd claimed he made a deal with Richard a couple of years later for the same land, explaining that Richard had told him Swan had never paid him. Todd further said that the original contract was burned, and he went back to get a new contract verifying the original sale. This happened very late in Richard’s life, and another witness said that he was so weak at that point, he didn’t know what he was signing. The final ruling was that Swan had title to the land, and Todd’s claim was rejected.

Children:
1. Daniel Wicom — B. about 1635, England;⁸ D. 15 Apr 1700, Rowley, Massachusetts;³ M. (1) Mary Smith (1642-1691), 14 Oct 1658, Rowley, Massachusetts;³ (2) Lydia Bailey (1644-1722), 11 Nov 1691, Rowley, Massachusetts³

2. Thomas Wicom — B. about 1643, Rowley, Massachusetts;⁹ D. before 6 Jul 1660, Rowley, Massachusetts³

3. John Wicom — B. about 1647, Rowley, Massachusetts;¹⁰ D. 1 Apr 1715, Rowley, Massachusetts;¹¹ M. Abigail Kimball (~1652-1693), 14 May 1673, Rowley, Massachusetts³

Sources:
1    Based on rough birth year in Richard Wicom’s Wikitree listing  
2    Estimated marriage year based on birth year of his oldest known child
3    Vital Records of Rowley, Massachusetts to the end of the year 1849, 1928
4    Genealogies and Biographies of Ancient Wethersfield, Volume 2, p.788, Sherman W. Adams and Henry R. Stiles
5    Town meeting records of Rowley, Massachusetts, 1648-1872, FamilySearch.org
6    Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts: 1635-1664, 1916
7    Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Volume III, 1912
8    Find-a-Grave listing for Daniel Wicom  
9    Based on rough birth year in Thomas Wicom’s Wikitree listing  
10  Early Settlers of Rowley, Massachusetts, p. 409, George Brainard Blodgette, Amos Everett Jewett, 1981
11  Find-a-Grave listing for John Wicom