B. about 1836 in (probably) Apidia, Lakonia, Greece
M. (1) about 1856 in (probably) Lakonia, Greece
Wife: UNKNOWN
M. (2) 15 Feb 1864 in Geraki, Lakonia, Greece
Wife: Kyriakoula Maroudas
M. (3) before 1886 in (probably) Lakonia, Greece
Wife: Eleni _______
D. before 6 Jun 1914 in (probably) Apidia, Lakonia, Greece
Piecing together a life of someone who lived in a place that hardly preserved records can be challenging. But for Ioannis K. Bouloucheris of Lakonia, Greece a few key documents help to tell his story.
Ioannis was born in about 1836, likely in the village of Apidia, where the Bouloucheris family seems to originate from (Greek spelling: Μπουλουχέρης). His father was called Konstantinos, but his mother’s name is unknown. Based on Greek tradition, she may have been Athanasia since that was the name of Ioannis’ oldest known daughter. There is no evidence that Konstantinos had any children besides Ioannis.
Apidia is in the southernmost region of Greece, a mountainous area where for generations, people have scraped a living off the land. Ioannis was born at a time just after the Greek War of Independence, and people were just recovering from that. After he came of age, it’s likely that he made a living as either a goatherd or olive grower. Life centered around family, the church and the village, which formed a tight-knit community, and we can assume Ioannis practiced all the customs of the Greek culture.
The farmers’ census of 1856 is the first place Ioannis is recorded. His father is shown as a married man living in Apidia with only two household members. Since the two would have to be Konstantinos and his wife, it suggests that Ioannis was already on his own. And this is backed by the listing of what appears to be Ioannis right below his father. He was also a married man in a household of two people, so it seems that Ioannis took a wife when he was about 20.
Ioannis’ first wife is a complete unknown, but she was deceased by February 6, 1864 when he applied for a license to marry a second one. Her name was Kyriakoula Maroudas, an 18-year-old girl from the nearby village of Geraki, where the wedding took place on February 15th. They seem to have had four children together, with the first born in about 1867; there may have been others who died young. Noticeably missing are sons honoring each of their fathers, which would follow a certain order in the naming tradition. A child named Konstantinos may have been born to Ioannis first wife, then died young. If that’s so, their first son would have been named Dimitrios after Kyriakoula’s father, but that baby must have also died.
One other place where Ioannis was recorded was on lists of voters in his village. In Greece, when a priest needed to be replaced (often because they died), that parish would have an election among its eligible citizens for a new one. On such occasions, a list was made of the men of that village, and for Apidia, this happened in 1868 and 1879. Ioannis appears to be on both of these lists. The one from 1868 also shows his father Konstantinos, who is gone by 1879 (he probably passed away). Only the 1879 voters list has the ages of the men, and it suggests a birth year for Ioannis of about 1837 — a close match to the age given on the 1864 marriage record.
Although it hasn’t been firmly proven, Ioannis married a third wife only known as Eleni. They had a son born in 1886, so Kyriakoula must have died sometime before that date. While there has been no record of this third marriage, the weddings of two daughters of Ioannis are documented. The first was for his oldest surviving child Athanasia on July 14, 1884, and the second was for daughter Stamata. That marriage took place in Apidia on April 6, 1896, and we know that Ioannis was in attendance. Interestingly, the groom’s parents were the great-grandparents of David and Amy Sedaris, and the descendants of this marriage were referenced in the show Finding Your Roots.
The wedding of Stamata was the last known record of Ioannis, so he died some time after that date. When his daughter Eleni was listed on a ship arriving at Ellis Island on June 6, 1914, she identified her closest relative back in Greece as her sister Athanasia, so it can be assumed that Ioannis was deceased by then.
Child by unknown mother:
1. (supposed) Konstantinos Ioannou Bouloucheris — B. (probably) Apidia, Lakonia, Greece; D. young
Children by Kyriakoula Maroudas:
1. (supposed) Dimitrios Ioannou Bouloucheris — B. (probably) Apidia, Lakonia, Greece; D. young
2. Athanasia Ioannou Bouloucheris — B. about 1867, (probably) Apidia, Lakonia, Greece; D. after 6 Jun 1914, Greece; M. Peter A. Parthenios, after 14 Jul 1884, Myrtia, Lakonia, Greece
3. Stamata Ioannou Bouloucheris — B. about 1873, (probably) Apidia, Lakonia, Greece; M. Spyridon Illia Sideras (1870-?), 6 Apr 1896, Apida, Lakonia, Greece
4. George John Bollhan — B.1876, Apidia, Lakonia, Greece; D. 11 Jan 1927, Birmingham, Alabama; M. Mildred Holotz (1886-1962), 19 Jan 1920, Chicago, Illinois
5. Eleni Ioannou Bouloucheris — B. 1877, (probably) Apidia, Lakonia, Greece; D. after 1939, Greece; M. Andrew Hiotis (1867-1940), after 6 Jun 1914, (probably) St. Paul, Minnesota
Children by Eleni _________:
1. James John Bolheres — B. 1886, Apidia, Lakonia, Greece; D. 11 Jul 1941, Minneapolis, Minnesota; M. Minnie Louise LaBrie (1893-1950), 17 Jun 1918, St. Paul, Minnesota
Sources:
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
A Dangerous Place to Settle — Jonathan Franklin
B. before about 1657 in (probably) England1
M. before 21 Dec 1687 in (probably) Massachusetts2
Wife: Sarah _______
D. 19 Mar 1693 in Haverhill, Massachusetts3
Many settlers in colonial America were victims of Indian raids — the random killing of civilians by indigenous warriors. Very often this happened in frontier settlements. Such was the case for Jonathan Franklin, who lived too near the edge of his colony, and too near territory that was under dispute with the French.
About Jonathan’s origins, nothing is known. Since there seems to be no record of his parentage in New England, it’s assumed he was born somewhere in England. Based on the age of his oldest known child, his birth year was before about 1666. There was also a record in Charlestown dated 1677 naming a man who was a glove maker,1 a profession that appears on a later document tied to Jonathan.4 If that was him, then the assumption is that he was at least age 20, and this pushes his birth year back before 1657.1
Jonathan married a woman named Sarah,1 and they had three sons born between 1687 and 1692. Jonathan moved to the town of Haverhill by June 15, 1689, as a deed shows he was living there.4 He bought 11 acres of land where he was residing from a Boston widow for £14. The deed also mentioned that he worked as a “skinner and glover,” occupations that involved making leather from animal skins.
Haverhill was on the northern border of Massachusetts, and was surrounded by raw wilderness. Jonathan’s home may have been close to the town’s boundaries and not within any sort of stockade. In Haverhill, it was said that “the Indians for some time past had been hovering over the town in such a manner as kept the inhabitants in continual alarm. Small parties were almost daily seen traversing the adjacent woods and slyly approaching the farm houses in search of plunder.”5
The Indian raid that took Jonathan’s life happened on March 19, 1693,3 but the town records didn’t make note of any of the details. Typically in such an attack, a small group of warriors would choose a time when a man was unready to defend himself, like breaking into a house before daybreak. Another way they would strike at settlers was to find someone alone outside their house. It was said that Jonathan’s death was the only aggression that year at Haverhill, so it was an isolated incident.
A year later, Jonathan’s widow Sarah remarried,6 and she moved down to the Boston area with her new husband and sons. Sarah passed away in about 1708.7
Children:
1. John Franklin — B. 21 Dec 1687, Boston, Massachusetts;8 D. before 1729;9 M. Lydia Tower (1687-), 15 Mar 1712, Hingham, Massachusetts10
2. Jonathan Franklin — B. about 1690, (possibly) Hingham, Massachusetts;11 M. Esther Parmalee (~1698-1788), 3 Dec 1718, Killingsworth, Connecticut12
3. David Franklin — B. 4 May 1692, Haverhill, Massachusetts;13 D. before 11 Sep 1739, (probably) Massachusetts;14 M. Elizabeth Ayers (~1691-1752), 18 Jun 1713, Boston, Massachusetts15
Sources:
1 Notes and queries column about the Franklin family, Boston Evening Transcript, 1905
2 Marriage year based on birth date of his oldest son
3 Vital Records of Haverhill, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, V. 2, p. 402
4 Deed of Sarah Leverett to Jonathan Franklin, 15 Jun 1689, Essex Deeds 1701-1705, FamilySearch.org
5 History of Haverhill, Massachusetts, George Wingate Chase, 1861
6 Marriage record of John Field and Sarah Franklin, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
7 Guardianship record of David Franklin, 8 Jun 1708
8 Birth record of John Franklin, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
9 Probate file of John Smith of Roxbury, Massachusetts, Suffolk County, Probate and Family Court Records, FamilySearch.org
10 Marriage record of John Franklin and Lydia Tower, Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Ancestry.com
11 Estimated birth of Jonathan is based on it being a date between the recorded births of John and David.
12 Marriage record of Jonathan Franklin and Esther Parmalee, Connecticut, Vital Records Prior to 1850, FamilySearch.org
13 Birth record of David Franklin, Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
14 Sep 11, 1739, Suffolk County MA, letters of administration of the estate of David Francklyn to Elizabeth Francklyn, unindexed probate files of Massachusetts, FamilySearch.org
15 Marriage record of David Franklin and Elizabeth Ayers, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
M. before 21 Dec 1687 in (probably) Massachusetts2
Wife: Sarah _______
D. 19 Mar 1693 in Haverhill, Massachusetts3
Many settlers in colonial America were victims of Indian raids — the random killing of civilians by indigenous warriors. Very often this happened in frontier settlements. Such was the case for Jonathan Franklin, who lived too near the edge of his colony, and too near territory that was under dispute with the French.
About Jonathan’s origins, nothing is known. Since there seems to be no record of his parentage in New England, it’s assumed he was born somewhere in England. Based on the age of his oldest known child, his birth year was before about 1666. There was also a record in Charlestown dated 1677 naming a man who was a glove maker,1 a profession that appears on a later document tied to Jonathan.4 If that was him, then the assumption is that he was at least age 20, and this pushes his birth year back before 1657.1
Jonathan married a woman named Sarah,1 and they had three sons born between 1687 and 1692. Jonathan moved to the town of Haverhill by June 15, 1689, as a deed shows he was living there.4 He bought 11 acres of land where he was residing from a Boston widow for £14. The deed also mentioned that he worked as a “skinner and glover,” occupations that involved making leather from animal skins.
Haverhill was on the northern border of Massachusetts, and was surrounded by raw wilderness. Jonathan’s home may have been close to the town’s boundaries and not within any sort of stockade. In Haverhill, it was said that “the Indians for some time past had been hovering over the town in such a manner as kept the inhabitants in continual alarm. Small parties were almost daily seen traversing the adjacent woods and slyly approaching the farm houses in search of plunder.”5
A family being watched. (AI-generated image)
The Indian raid that took Jonathan’s life happened on March 19, 1693,3 but the town records didn’t make note of any of the details. Typically in such an attack, a small group of warriors would choose a time when a man was unready to defend himself, like breaking into a house before daybreak. Another way they would strike at settlers was to find someone alone outside their house. It was said that Jonathan’s death was the only aggression that year at Haverhill, so it was an isolated incident.
A year later, Jonathan’s widow Sarah remarried,6 and she moved down to the Boston area with her new husband and sons. Sarah passed away in about 1708.7
Children:
1. John Franklin — B. 21 Dec 1687, Boston, Massachusetts;8 D. before 1729;9 M. Lydia Tower (1687-), 15 Mar 1712, Hingham, Massachusetts10
2. Jonathan Franklin — B. about 1690, (possibly) Hingham, Massachusetts;11 M. Esther Parmalee (~1698-1788), 3 Dec 1718, Killingsworth, Connecticut12
3. David Franklin — B. 4 May 1692, Haverhill, Massachusetts;13 D. before 11 Sep 1739, (probably) Massachusetts;14 M. Elizabeth Ayers (~1691-1752), 18 Jun 1713, Boston, Massachusetts15
Sources:
1 Notes and queries column about the Franklin family, Boston Evening Transcript, 1905
2 Marriage year based on birth date of his oldest son
3 Vital Records of Haverhill, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849, V. 2, p. 402
4 Deed of Sarah Leverett to Jonathan Franklin, 15 Jun 1689, Essex Deeds 1701-1705, FamilySearch.org
5 History of Haverhill, Massachusetts, George Wingate Chase, 1861
6 Marriage record of John Field and Sarah Franklin, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
7 Guardianship record of David Franklin, 8 Jun 1708
8 Birth record of John Franklin, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
9 Probate file of John Smith of Roxbury, Massachusetts, Suffolk County, Probate and Family Court Records, FamilySearch.org
10 Marriage record of John Franklin and Lydia Tower, Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Ancestry.com
11 Estimated birth of Jonathan is based on it being a date between the recorded births of John and David.
12 Marriage record of Jonathan Franklin and Esther Parmalee, Connecticut, Vital Records Prior to 1850, FamilySearch.org
13 Birth record of David Franklin, Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
14 Sep 11, 1739, Suffolk County MA, letters of administration of the estate of David Francklyn to Elizabeth Francklyn, unindexed probate files of Massachusetts, FamilySearch.org
15 Marriage record of David Franklin and Elizabeth Ayers, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
Sunday, February 15, 2026
Brooklyn Family Patriarch — Coert Stevense Van Voorhees
B. about Apr 1637 in Drenthe, Netherlands1
M. before 1665 in (probably) New York1
Wife: Marretje Gerritse Van Couwenhoven
D. after 1702 in (probably) Flatlands, New York1
By virtue of being one of several siblings who migrated from Europe, Coert Stevense Van Voorhees became one of the earliest generations of a great American family.
Coert came from Drenthe, a region of the Netherlands, and he was born there about 1637 to Steven Coerts Van Voorhees and Aaltjen Wessels, one of their three known children.1 His mother died when he was a child and his father remarried, producing six half-siblings.2
Coert was an adult when his 60-year-old father took the family to America, settling in Flatlands, part of present-day Brooklyn. His father purchased a large tract of land on November 29, 1660,3 and presumably Coert received part of it, or bought a farm of his own nearby. There’s no record of Coert’s marriage, but by about 1665, he wed Marretje Gerritse Van Couwenhoven,1 daughter of one of the earliest Dutch settlers of Flatlands. Between about 1667 and 1683, they had five sons and four daughters.
As a large landowner in Flatlands, Coert held many offices. In 1677, he was a deacon of the Dutch Reformed Church,1 and in 1689, he was captain of the militia.1 He was also a representative of Flatlands at an assembly held in New Amsterdam on April 10, 1664;1 presumably this was in regard to the English takeover of the colony which happened that year. And he was a delegate to “The Convention at New Orange” on March 26, 1674,1 which took place after New Netherland formally ceased to exist. Coert was also a church elder in 1679 and 1684.1
On March 8, 1692 Coert purchased property at Gravesend, New York, which he transferred to his son Albert on June 20, 1699.1 Coert was last known to be alive in 1702, but it isn’t known when he died.1 It’s believed that his wife Marretje was deceased by 1709. They were both the ancestors of Howard Dean, Paul Giamatti and Thomas Kean.4
Coert had four half-brothers, and the Van Voorhees family grew to a tremendous size over the years, leading the family association website to claim they are “the largest Dutch Family in America.”5
Children:
1. Gerrit Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. before 1666, (probably) Flatlands, New York;6 D. before 23 Sep 1704, New Utrecht, New York;6 M. (1) Mensje Janse;6 (2) Willemptje Pieterse Luyster (~1665-?), 26 Apr 1685, Flatlands, New York6
2. Aeltie Coertse Van Voorhees — B. before 1666, Flatlands, New York;7 D. 12 Nov 1746;7 M. Joost Rutgerz Van Brunt (?-~1746), 16 Apr 1687, Flatbush, New York7
3. Stephen Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. about 1667, Flatlands, New York;8 D. 16 Feb 1724, Gravesend, New York;8 M. (1) Eegje Jans;8 (2) Eva ______8
4. Albert Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. about 1670, Flatlands, New York;9 D. before 14 Apr 1748, (probably) Flatlands, New York;9 M. (1) Sara Willemse Cornel (?-1736), before 1695;9 (2) Willempje Suydam, 15 May 1743; (3) Ida Suydam (1678-?), 1 Dec 17449
5. Marretje Coertse Van Voorhees — B. about 1675, Flatlands, New York;10 M. Jacob Remsen10
6. Neeltje Coertse Van Voorhees — B. 30 Jun 1676, (probably) Flatlands, New York;11 D. 4 Aug 1750, (probably) Monmouth County, New Jersey;11 M. Garret Roelfse Schenck (1671-1745), Flatlands, New York11
7. Cornelis Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. before 23 Jun 1678, (probably) Flatlands, New York;12 M. Antje Remsen (1681-?)12
8. Annetie Coertse Van Voorhees — B. before 5 Dec 1680, Flatlands, New York;13 M. Jan Rapalje (1673-?)13
9. Johannes Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. 20 Apr 1683, Flatlands, New York;14 D.10 Oct 1757;14 M. (1) Barber Achyase Van Dyck (1682-1743), 19 Nov 1703;14 (2) Sarah Van Vliet (1694-?), 2 May 174414
Sources:
1 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Coert Stephense Van Voorhees
2 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Stephen Coert Van Voorhees
3 Steven van Voorhees (Wikipedia article)
4 FamousKin.com listing of Coert Stevense Can Voorhees
5 History of the Van Voorhees Family (website)
6 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Gerrit Coertsen Van Voorhees
7 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Aeltie Coertse Van Voorhees
8 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Stephen Coertsen Van Voorhees
9 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Albert Coertsen Van Voorhees
10 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Marretje Coertse Van Voorhees
11 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Neeltje Coertse Van Voorhees
12 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Cornelis Coertsen Van Voorhees
13 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Annetje Coertse Van Voorhees
14 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Johannes Coertsen Van Voorhees
M. before 1665 in (probably) New York1
Wife: Marretje Gerritse Van Couwenhoven
D. after 1702 in (probably) Flatlands, New York1
By virtue of being one of several siblings who migrated from Europe, Coert Stevense Van Voorhees became one of the earliest generations of a great American family.
Coert came from Drenthe, a region of the Netherlands, and he was born there about 1637 to Steven Coerts Van Voorhees and Aaltjen Wessels, one of their three known children.1 His mother died when he was a child and his father remarried, producing six half-siblings.2
Coert was an adult when his 60-year-old father took the family to America, settling in Flatlands, part of present-day Brooklyn. His father purchased a large tract of land on November 29, 1660,3 and presumably Coert received part of it, or bought a farm of his own nearby. There’s no record of Coert’s marriage, but by about 1665, he wed Marretje Gerritse Van Couwenhoven,1 daughter of one of the earliest Dutch settlers of Flatlands. Between about 1667 and 1683, they had five sons and four daughters.
Arriving in New Amsterdam. (AI-generated image)
As a large landowner in Flatlands, Coert held many offices. In 1677, he was a deacon of the Dutch Reformed Church,1 and in 1689, he was captain of the militia.1 He was also a representative of Flatlands at an assembly held in New Amsterdam on April 10, 1664;1 presumably this was in regard to the English takeover of the colony which happened that year. And he was a delegate to “The Convention at New Orange” on March 26, 1674,1 which took place after New Netherland formally ceased to exist. Coert was also a church elder in 1679 and 1684.1
On March 8, 1692 Coert purchased property at Gravesend, New York, which he transferred to his son Albert on June 20, 1699.1 Coert was last known to be alive in 1702, but it isn’t known when he died.1 It’s believed that his wife Marretje was deceased by 1709. They were both the ancestors of Howard Dean, Paul Giamatti and Thomas Kean.4
Coert had four half-brothers, and the Van Voorhees family grew to a tremendous size over the years, leading the family association website to claim they are “the largest Dutch Family in America.”5
Children:
1. Gerrit Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. before 1666, (probably) Flatlands, New York;6 D. before 23 Sep 1704, New Utrecht, New York;6 M. (1) Mensje Janse;6 (2) Willemptje Pieterse Luyster (~1665-?), 26 Apr 1685, Flatlands, New York6
2. Aeltie Coertse Van Voorhees — B. before 1666, Flatlands, New York;7 D. 12 Nov 1746;7 M. Joost Rutgerz Van Brunt (?-~1746), 16 Apr 1687, Flatbush, New York7
3. Stephen Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. about 1667, Flatlands, New York;8 D. 16 Feb 1724, Gravesend, New York;8 M. (1) Eegje Jans;8 (2) Eva ______8
4. Albert Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. about 1670, Flatlands, New York;9 D. before 14 Apr 1748, (probably) Flatlands, New York;9 M. (1) Sara Willemse Cornel (?-1736), before 1695;9 (2) Willempje Suydam, 15 May 1743; (3) Ida Suydam (1678-?), 1 Dec 17449
5. Marretje Coertse Van Voorhees — B. about 1675, Flatlands, New York;10 M. Jacob Remsen10
6. Neeltje Coertse Van Voorhees — B. 30 Jun 1676, (probably) Flatlands, New York;11 D. 4 Aug 1750, (probably) Monmouth County, New Jersey;11 M. Garret Roelfse Schenck (1671-1745), Flatlands, New York11
7. Cornelis Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. before 23 Jun 1678, (probably) Flatlands, New York;12 M. Antje Remsen (1681-?)12
8. Annetie Coertse Van Voorhees — B. before 5 Dec 1680, Flatlands, New York;13 M. Jan Rapalje (1673-?)13
9. Johannes Coertsen Van Voorhees — B. 20 Apr 1683, Flatlands, New York;14 D.10 Oct 1757;14 M. (1) Barber Achyase Van Dyck (1682-1743), 19 Nov 1703;14 (2) Sarah Van Vliet (1694-?), 2 May 174414
Sources:
1 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Coert Stephense Van Voorhees
2 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Stephen Coert Van Voorhees
3 Steven van Voorhees (Wikipedia article)
4 FamousKin.com listing of Coert Stevense Can Voorhees
5 History of the Van Voorhees Family (website)
6 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Gerrit Coertsen Van Voorhees
7 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Aeltie Coertse Van Voorhees
8 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Stephen Coertsen Van Voorhees
9 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Albert Coertsen Van Voorhees
10 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Marretje Coertse Van Voorhees
11 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Neeltje Coertse Van Voorhees
12 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Cornelis Coertsen Van Voorhees
13 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Annetje Coertse Van Voorhees
14 Brouwer Genealogy Database listing for Johannes Coertsen Van Voorhees
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Over 100 Living Descendants — Dorothy “Dolly” Coburn
B. 10 Jun 1754 in Dracut, Massachusetts1
M. 7 Jan 1773 in Dracut, Massachusetts2
Husband: Stephen French
D. 13 Oct 1835 in Bedford, New Hampshire3
Dorothy Coburn came from a small family in colonial America, but she made up for that by producing her own large family, one that substantially boosted the population of Bedford, New Hampshire.
Dorothy, who went by the name Dolly, came from Dracut, Massachusetts, the town where her great-great grandfather, Edward Colburn, first settled in 1654. She was born 100 years later on June 10, 1754 to Ebenezer Coburn and Sarah Whiting,1 the second of their three children. Older brother Phineas and younger brother Leonard were both soldiers in the American Revolution, serving as Minutemen in 1775.4 Phineas died in Boston early in the war; Leonard, who served on several campaigns, died in 1785.4
On January 7, 1773, Dolly married Stephen French,2 a tanner who lived in New Hampshire. The wedding took place in Dracut, but soon after they settled in Bedford, New Hampshire, where they spent the rest of their lives. Dolly’s first child was born in April 1774;5 she was said to have had 14 children with the youngest born in 1801. Only 11 of the children are known by name, so presumably the other three died young.
One-by-one, Stephen and Dolly’s surviving children married (only son James did not), and most produced large families. A couple of the children moved out of the area, but eight stayed in Bedford. Dolly’s husband built a house big enough for two families to live in, and eventually sons Leonard and Daniel did so.6 It’s easy to imagine Dolly having much contact with her grandchildren as they grew up. At some point, Dolly’s parents also moved from Dracut to Bedford; her father died in 1799,7 and her mother was well into her 90s when she passed away in 1825.8
By 1830, Dolly and her husband seemed to have moved into the household of their son Stephen. In his old age, Stephen Sr. had a “protracted and distressing illness,”9 but it isn’t known if Dolly also had any serious health issues. He passed away first on November 16, 1832,10 and Dolly followed three years later on October 13, 1835. She left behind a numerous family of 10 children, 71 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren — a total of 102 living descendants. Dolly was buried alongside Stephen at Bedford Center Cemetery.
Children:
1. Ebenezer French – B. 28 Apr 1774, Bedford, New Hampshire;5 D. 20 Nov 1846, Bedford, New Hampshire;11 M. Rhoda Coburn (1780-1853), 16 Nov 1697, Merrimack, New Hampshire12
2. Stephen French – B. 7 Nov 1775, Bedford, New Hampshire;13 D. 4 Sep 1850, Bedford, New Hampshire;14 M. Hannah Swett (1777-?), 1800, Bedford, New Hampshire15
3. Dolly French – B. 9 Nov 1778, Bedford, New Hampshire;16 D. 12 Nov 1858, Bedford, New Hampshire;17 M. Gawn Riddle (1777-1837), 20 Feb 1800, Merrimack, New Hampshire18
4. William French — B. 24 Mar 1781, Bedford, New Hampshire;19 D. 1 Mar 1847, Prospect, Maine;20 M. Agnes Riddle (1781-1852), 9 Feb 1807, Bedford, New Hampshire21
5. Sarah French – B. 10 Apr 1782, (probably) Bedford, New Hampshire;22 D. 29 Sep 1823;22 M. William McDole McPherson (1778-1869), 15 Mar 1804, Bedford, New Hampshire23
6. Leonard Coburn French – B. 10 Feb 1785, Bedford, New Hampshire;24 D. 23 Feb 1868, Bedford, New Hampshire;25 M. Nancy Hutchinson (1787-1870), 26 Jan 1808, Bedford, New Hampshire26
7. Elizabeth French – B. 28 Apr 1789, Bedford, New Hampshire;27 D. 2 Apr 1877, Bedford, New Hampshire;27 M. William Bursiel (1780-1857), 12 Feb 1807, Bedford, New Hampshire28
8. Phineas French – B. 14 Dec 1791, Bedford, New Hampshire;6 M. (1) Hannah Cutler (1792-1845), Dec 1813;6 (2) Mary Patten, 8 Apr 184729
9. James French – B. 22 Nov 1794, Bedford, New Hampshire;30 D. 3 Mar 1878, Bedford, New Hampshire30
10. Reverend Daniel L. French – B. 28 Jan 1796, Bedford, New Hampshire;31 D. 20 Jul 1860, Hudson, New Hampshire;31 M. Polly Riddle (1797-1880), 10 Oct 1820, Bedford, New Hampshire32
11. Robert W. French – B. 31 Oct 1801, Bedford, New Hampshire;6 D. Feb 1880, Bedford, New Hampshire;33 M. Harriet Parker (1812-?), 24 Apr 1832, Bedford, New Hampshire34
Sources:
1 Birth record of Dolly Coburn, Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Stephen French and Dolly Coburn, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
3 Find-a-Grave listing of Dolly (Coburn) French
4 Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, Vol. 3, 1897
5 Birth record of Ebenezer French, New Hampshire, Births and Christenings, 1714-1904, FamilySearch.org
6 The History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737, Rumford Printing Company, 1903
7 Find-a-Grave listing of Ebenezer Coburn
8 Find-a-Grave listing of Mrs. Sarah Coburn
9 Obituary of Stephen French, The Farmers’ Cabinet, 7 Dec 1832
10 Find-a-Grave listing of Stephen French
11 Find-a-Grave listing of Ebenezer French
12 Marriage record of Ebenezer French and Rhoda Coburn, New Hampshire Marriages, 1720-1920, FamilySearch.org
13 Birth record of Stephen French (younger), N. H. B. & C.
14 Find-a-Grave listing of Stephen French (younger)
15 Marriage record of Stephen French and Hannah Swett, N. H. M.
16 Birth record of Dolly French, N. H. B. & C.
17 Death record of Dolly Riddle, New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947, FamilySearch.org
18 Marriage record of Gawn Riddle and Dolly French, N. H. M.
19 Birth record of William French, N. H. B. & C.
20 Death record of William French, Maine Deaths and Burials, 1841-1910, FamilySearch.org
21 Marriage record of William French and Agnes Riddle, N. H. M.
22 Find-a-Grave listing of Sarah W. (French) McPherson
23 Marriage record of William McFerson and Sally French, N. H. M.
24 Birth record of Leonard Coburn French, N. H. B. & C.
25 Death record of Leonard Coburn French, N. H. D. & B.
26 Marriage record of Leonard C. French and Nancy Hutchinson, N. H. M.
27 Find-a-Grave listing of Betsey (French) Bursiel
28 Marriage record of William Bursiel and Betsey French, N. H. M.
29 Marriage record of Phineas French and Mary Patten, M., T. C. V. & T. C.
30 Find-a-Grave listing of James French
31 Find-a-Grave listing of Daniel L. French
32 Marriage record of Daniel L. French and Polly Riddle, N. H. M.
33 Find-a-Grave listing of Robert W. French
34 Marriage record of Robert French and Harriet Parker, N. H. M.
M. 7 Jan 1773 in Dracut, Massachusetts2
Husband: Stephen French
D. 13 Oct 1835 in Bedford, New Hampshire3
Dorothy Coburn came from a small family in colonial America, but she made up for that by producing her own large family, one that substantially boosted the population of Bedford, New Hampshire.
Dorothy, who went by the name Dolly, came from Dracut, Massachusetts, the town where her great-great grandfather, Edward Colburn, first settled in 1654. She was born 100 years later on June 10, 1754 to Ebenezer Coburn and Sarah Whiting,1 the second of their three children. Older brother Phineas and younger brother Leonard were both soldiers in the American Revolution, serving as Minutemen in 1775.4 Phineas died in Boston early in the war; Leonard, who served on several campaigns, died in 1785.4
On January 7, 1773, Dolly married Stephen French,2 a tanner who lived in New Hampshire. The wedding took place in Dracut, but soon after they settled in Bedford, New Hampshire, where they spent the rest of their lives. Dolly’s first child was born in April 1774;5 she was said to have had 14 children with the youngest born in 1801. Only 11 of the children are known by name, so presumably the other three died young.
Marriage record of Stephen and Dolly.
One-by-one, Stephen and Dolly’s surviving children married (only son James did not), and most produced large families. A couple of the children moved out of the area, but eight stayed in Bedford. Dolly’s husband built a house big enough for two families to live in, and eventually sons Leonard and Daniel did so.6 It’s easy to imagine Dolly having much contact with her grandchildren as they grew up. At some point, Dolly’s parents also moved from Dracut to Bedford; her father died in 1799,7 and her mother was well into her 90s when she passed away in 1825.8
By 1830, Dolly and her husband seemed to have moved into the household of their son Stephen. In his old age, Stephen Sr. had a “protracted and distressing illness,”9 but it isn’t known if Dolly also had any serious health issues. He passed away first on November 16, 1832,10 and Dolly followed three years later on October 13, 1835. She left behind a numerous family of 10 children, 71 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren — a total of 102 living descendants. Dolly was buried alongside Stephen at Bedford Center Cemetery.
Dolly’s gravestone.
Children:
1. Ebenezer French – B. 28 Apr 1774, Bedford, New Hampshire;5 D. 20 Nov 1846, Bedford, New Hampshire;11 M. Rhoda Coburn (1780-1853), 16 Nov 1697, Merrimack, New Hampshire12
2. Stephen French – B. 7 Nov 1775, Bedford, New Hampshire;13 D. 4 Sep 1850, Bedford, New Hampshire;14 M. Hannah Swett (1777-?), 1800, Bedford, New Hampshire15
3. Dolly French – B. 9 Nov 1778, Bedford, New Hampshire;16 D. 12 Nov 1858, Bedford, New Hampshire;17 M. Gawn Riddle (1777-1837), 20 Feb 1800, Merrimack, New Hampshire18
4. William French — B. 24 Mar 1781, Bedford, New Hampshire;19 D. 1 Mar 1847, Prospect, Maine;20 M. Agnes Riddle (1781-1852), 9 Feb 1807, Bedford, New Hampshire21
5. Sarah French – B. 10 Apr 1782, (probably) Bedford, New Hampshire;22 D. 29 Sep 1823;22 M. William McDole McPherson (1778-1869), 15 Mar 1804, Bedford, New Hampshire23
6. Leonard Coburn French – B. 10 Feb 1785, Bedford, New Hampshire;24 D. 23 Feb 1868, Bedford, New Hampshire;25 M. Nancy Hutchinson (1787-1870), 26 Jan 1808, Bedford, New Hampshire26
7. Elizabeth French – B. 28 Apr 1789, Bedford, New Hampshire;27 D. 2 Apr 1877, Bedford, New Hampshire;27 M. William Bursiel (1780-1857), 12 Feb 1807, Bedford, New Hampshire28
8. Phineas French – B. 14 Dec 1791, Bedford, New Hampshire;6 M. (1) Hannah Cutler (1792-1845), Dec 1813;6 (2) Mary Patten, 8 Apr 184729
9. James French – B. 22 Nov 1794, Bedford, New Hampshire;30 D. 3 Mar 1878, Bedford, New Hampshire30
10. Reverend Daniel L. French – B. 28 Jan 1796, Bedford, New Hampshire;31 D. 20 Jul 1860, Hudson, New Hampshire;31 M. Polly Riddle (1797-1880), 10 Oct 1820, Bedford, New Hampshire32
11. Robert W. French – B. 31 Oct 1801, Bedford, New Hampshire;6 D. Feb 1880, Bedford, New Hampshire;33 M. Harriet Parker (1812-?), 24 Apr 1832, Bedford, New Hampshire34
Sources:
1 Birth record of Dolly Coburn, Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Stephen French and Dolly Coburn, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
3 Find-a-Grave listing of Dolly (Coburn) French
4 Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, Vol. 3, 1897
5 Birth record of Ebenezer French, New Hampshire, Births and Christenings, 1714-1904, FamilySearch.org
6 The History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737, Rumford Printing Company, 1903
7 Find-a-Grave listing of Ebenezer Coburn
8 Find-a-Grave listing of Mrs. Sarah Coburn
9 Obituary of Stephen French, The Farmers’ Cabinet, 7 Dec 1832
10 Find-a-Grave listing of Stephen French
11 Find-a-Grave listing of Ebenezer French
12 Marriage record of Ebenezer French and Rhoda Coburn, New Hampshire Marriages, 1720-1920, FamilySearch.org
13 Birth record of Stephen French (younger), N. H. B. & C.
14 Find-a-Grave listing of Stephen French (younger)
15 Marriage record of Stephen French and Hannah Swett, N. H. M.
16 Birth record of Dolly French, N. H. B. & C.
17 Death record of Dolly Riddle, New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947, FamilySearch.org
18 Marriage record of Gawn Riddle and Dolly French, N. H. M.
19 Birth record of William French, N. H. B. & C.
20 Death record of William French, Maine Deaths and Burials, 1841-1910, FamilySearch.org
21 Marriage record of William French and Agnes Riddle, N. H. M.
22 Find-a-Grave listing of Sarah W. (French) McPherson
23 Marriage record of William McFerson and Sally French, N. H. M.
24 Birth record of Leonard Coburn French, N. H. B. & C.
25 Death record of Leonard Coburn French, N. H. D. & B.
26 Marriage record of Leonard C. French and Nancy Hutchinson, N. H. M.
27 Find-a-Grave listing of Betsey (French) Bursiel
28 Marriage record of William Bursiel and Betsey French, N. H. M.
29 Marriage record of Phineas French and Mary Patten, M., T. C. V. & T. C.
30 Find-a-Grave listing of James French
31 Find-a-Grave listing of Daniel L. French
32 Marriage record of Daniel L. French and Polly Riddle, N. H. M.
33 Find-a-Grave listing of Robert W. French
34 Marriage record of Robert French and Harriet Parker, N. H. M.