A Large Family and a Long Life — Phebe Boynton

B. 23 Nov 1750 in Coventry, Connecticut
M. about 1765 in (probably) Easthampton, Massachusetts
Husband: Benjamin Clapp
D. 30 Nov 1847 in Easthampton, Massachusetts

Phebe Boynton's life began in colonial New England and extended all the way into the mid-19th century. She was born on November 23, 1750 in Coventry, Connecticut to Joshua Boynton and Rachel Carpenter, the oldest of their two children. When Phebe was just two-years-old, her father died, and her mother married a second husband, Ebenezer French. The family moved to a newly settled region near Northampton, Massachusetts, living in a log cabin built by French. Nine half-siblings were born, and as the oldest girl in the family, Phebe was likely given the responsibility of looking after the younger children.

In about 1765, Phebe got married to Benjamin Clapp, the son of a tavern owner in Easthampton. If this marriage date is accurate, she was just 14 or 15-years-old (Benjamin would have been in his late 20s). Phebe's first child was born in 1768, and by 1794, she had a dozen more. Remarkably, all of her children lived to adulthood, giving her an abundance of grandchildren.

As with most who lived in New England during the second half of the 18th century, the American Revolution played a part in Phebe's life. When the war broke out in 1775, Benjamin went off to serve in the militia. After a short stint, though, he chose to come home in order to take care of his sick father, which must have been somewhat of a relief to Phebe.

Many civilians helped the American cause, and it was said that Phebe housed two British officers who had been taken prisoner at Saratoga. In late 1777, after the surrender of British general, John Burgoyne, the forces under his command were allowed safe return to England (about 2,400 men). The prisoners were moved to various locations throughout the colonies, with officers being kept in private homes, a process that ended up taking several years. Phebe had two of the enemy officers in her house, presumably for at least a couple of days, providing food and a place to sleep.

Housing prisoners during the American Revolution. (AI-generated image)

After the war was over, the people of Easthampton decided to form their own church, and Phebe became one of its first members. The church was organized in 1785 at the house of her brother-in-law, Captain Joseph Clapp. Everything was a community effort, and when the first minister was ordained in 1789, Phebe entertained some of the ordaining council at her home. Because she lived such a long life, she would eventually become the last survivor among the original church members.

The founders of the Easthampton Congregational Church in 1785.

Easthampton Congregational Church in 1841. (AI-rendered illustration)

Sometime around 1800, Benjamin became "mentally impaired," which likely meant he developed dementia. It's easy to imagine that Phebe became his caretaker during those years. Sadly, he passed away on November 8, 1815, which began her long period of widowhood.

Phebe reportedly remained fairly healthy in her old age. She was said to have “a very genial disposition” and she “retained activity, both of mind and soul, till the last year of her life.” She probably took great pride in her children and grandchildren. In 1832, one granddaughter said goodbye to the family on her wedding day to become a missionary in Hawaii; Phebe may have been in attendance, although this is speculation.

On November 30, 1847, Phebe died in Easthampton at the age of 97. Many of her children had predeceased her; it is said that she had about 70 grandchildren and 70 great-grandchildren at the time of her death.

Children:

1. Rachel Clapp — B. 28 Feb 1768, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 11 Jul 1868, Northampton, Massachusetts; M. Nathaniel Edwards, 13 Jan 1800, Easthampton, Massachusetts

2. Ocran Clapp — B. 27 Feb 1770, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 16 Dec 1835; M. Sarah Lyman (1769-1829), 6 Jul 1796, Easthampton, Massachusetts

3. Sophia Clapp — B. 9 Dec 1771, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 12 Sep 1840, Nelson, New Hampshire; M. Reverend Gad Newell (1764-1859), 1 Jun 1795, Easthampton, Massachusetts

4. Anne Clapp — B. 21 Nov 1773, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 13 Dec 1802, Charlotte, Vermont; M. Medad Lyman (1770-1813)

5. Clarissa Clapp — B. 22 Feb 1776, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 4 Oct 1867, Ferrisburgh, Vermont; M. Jonathan Lyman (1775-1860)

6. Benjamin Clapp — B. 14 Nov 1778, Southampton, Massachusetts; D. 1 Apr 1821, Easthampton, Massachusetts

7. Sally Clapp — B. 15 Nov 1780, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 9 Jan 1844, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Daniel Lyman (1777-1853), 31 Dec 1806, Easthampton, Massachusetts

8. Solomon Clapp — B. 2 Sep 1782, Massachusetts; D. 25 Nov 1827, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Pauline Avery (1787-1864), 1808

9. Spencer Clapp — B. 15 Aug 1784, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Diana Phelps (~1785-1815), 1 Jan 1805, Easthampton, Massachusetts

10. Phebe Clapp — B. 6 Sep 1786, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 17 Mar 1864, Easthampton, Massachusetts; M. Levi Clapp (1784-1856), 30 Dec 1805, Easthampton, Massachusetts

11. Fanny Clapp — B. 24 Feb 1789, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. after 18 Jun 1870; Jared Clark, 5 Jan 1809, Easthampton, Massachusetts

12. Caroline Clapp — B. 15 Oct 1791, Easthampton, Massachusetts; D. 16 Sep 1881, Huntington, Massachusetts; M. Milton Knight (1791-1977), 20 Jul 1812, Easthampton, Massachusetts

13. George Clapp — B. 24 Apr 1794, Easthampton, Massachusetts

Sources:
Obituary of Phebe Clapp, Northampton Courier, 1847
The History of Easthampton: its settlement and growth, Payson W. Lyman, 1866
The Clapp Memorial: record of the Clapp family in America, Ebenezer Clapp, 1876
The American almanac and repository of useful knowledge, Charles Bowen, 1848
Tombstone inscriptions from Main Street Cemetery, Easthampton, Massachusetts
A History of Nelson, New Hampshire, Parke Hardy Struthers, 1968
The Lyman Family in America, Lyman Coleman, 1872

Living With a Fake Name — Thomas Michael Mitchell

B. 7 Oct 1893 in Oswego, Kansas
M. (1) 11 Nov 1912 in Tacoma, Washington
Wife: Tillie Nack
M. (2) 11 Feb 1921 in Los Angeles, California
Wife: Hazel Laura Elwood
M. (3) 1943 in (probably) Los Angeles, California
Wife: Lillian Johnson
D. 10 Mar 1980 in Monterey Park, California

People change their last names for a variety of reasons. In the case of Thomas Michael Mitchell, he took such an action at a critical point in his life, as he ran from authorities who were trying to find him.

Tom was born on October 7, 1893 in Oswego, Kansas to an unmarried 20-year-old woman named Laura Ross. His mother later told him that the man who made her pregnant was named Thomas Carey, and that he had refused to marry her after he was aware of her condition. In fact, his father wouldn’t even acknowledge Tom, and as a result, they never had any contact with each other.

For the first year and half of his life, Tom lived alone with his mother. Then in March of 1895, she married a man named Howard Sheridan. His step-father could be mean at times, but he accepted Tom as his own son, and gave him the name Sheridan. Tom would eventually have seven younger half-brothers and one half-sister (two of the boys died as a babies). In 1900, the family left Kansas for the state of Washington, moving to the remote town of Lake Kapowsin, near Mt. Rainier. Sheridan worked for the railroad, and the family lived in a small house next to tracks that ran through the woods. After 1905, the family moved to the Tacoma area, and this was where Tom spent the rest of his childhood.

Tom with his half-brothers Forrest and Howard in about 1901

In Tom’s family, higher education was a luxury, and he completed his education when he graduated from the sixth grade. Between the years 1907 and 1915, he worked at various jobs all over the Northwest. Tom traveled as far north as Alaska, and as far south as Portland. One time he got into trouble at a lumber mill, threatening his boss after he fired him. Later, when the boss turned up murdered, Tom was arrested for it. Luckily, a girlfriend he was living with came forward as an alibi and cleared his name. There was also a story that Tom had a very brief career as a prizefighter. These anecdotes suggest that Tom was somewhat of a rough character, at least at this point in his life.

Tom got married around this time, but records suggest he wasn’t ready for such responsibility. His bride was Tillie Nack, a young girl he dated in Tacoma, and their wedding took place before a judge on November 11, 1912. Tillie had a stillborn son the following year, and sometime after that, Tom deserted her. He was arrested in May 1914, and served three days in the county jail. He told a judge he would reunite with Tillie, but she died on August 15, 1915, and the death record used her maiden name, describing her as divorced. The cause of death was Bright’s disease; it was noted that the pregnancy two years earlier caused her illness. 

In about 1916, the entire Sheridan family moved to California, making their home in Los Angeles. Tom was in his early 20s, and decided he liked the area. He took a job working for an ice cream caterer, which gave him the opportunity to see how the other half lived. At one party in the Hollywood hills, he witnessed those in attendance skinny dipping in a pool. But this period of Tom’s life had a very sad event — in March 1917, his mother died in childbirth. This left a huge void in the Sheridan family.

That year also saw the U.S. pulled into World War I, which led to Tom being drafted into the Army in July 1918. He was due to be shipped to fight in the war in Europe, then he was delayed when he contracted the Spanish flu. Tom recovered, but the war ended, and instead of France, he was shipped to a location outside of Newport News, Virginia, where all the returning soldiers were arriving. This was where he spent the bulk of his service.

Tom in about 1918

One evening during the spring of 1919, Tom went with an army buddy named Tex Townsend to meet some girls in the restricted zone of town. On the way out, the two of them got into a fight with some MPs. The next day, Tom heard that one of the MPs had wound up dead, and they were going to be arrested for the crime. Tom knew he would wind up in prison, or even be executed, for something like that. So he got together with Tex, and they decided to go AWOL.

Tom and Tex traveled first to Richmond, then Tex said he knew a lawyer in Washington D.C. When they met with the lawyer, he said they should keep running and change their names. Tom chose the name “Mitchell” more or less at random. The lawyer offered another bit of advice: in order to not get caught, they needed to split up. So they went their separate ways, and Tom never heard from Tex again.

After Tom was on his own, he went to Philadelphia, where he took a job at a Woolworth's store, and on a whim stole $600. His goal was to get back to California, so he boarded a train to St. Louis, and worked there for a few months, trying to earn enough to go further west. By January 1920, Tom had made it to Denver, and next he went to Salt Lake City, where he almost bumped into one of his army officers at a dance. Finally he found himself in the desert town of Caliente, Nevada, working for the railroad. After a short time there, he made a deal with a co-worker for a ticket to Los Angeles.

Tom hoped to reunite with his family in Los Angeles, but he found that the Sheridans were no longer at the same address, and he had no way of finding them. So he took a job as a cook in a YMCA kitchen located downtown. There he met a spirited young woman, Hazel Elwood, who also worked as a cook. He began flirting with her, and after a brief courtship, they got married in Los Angeles on February 11, 1921. Not long after the wedding, Tom found one of his half-brothers while walking down a street, thus re-establishing contact with the family.

Tom holding son Tom in 1922

Tom’s second marriage was a rocky one. During the first couple of years, he and Hazel had two children, and they moved to the city of Oakland. It was there that Hazel took up with one of Tom’s half-brothers, who had come to stay at their house. This fling produced a third child in their household, but Tom somewhat forgave her and they continued as a couple. After a fire destroyed their house, the family moved back to L.A., and they eventually settled in Tujunga near Hazel’s mother. For a short time, Tom operated a restaurant in Hollywood, but he badly injured his knee in an auto accident, and was forced to close it. Hazel decided to move out on her own, and he stayed in Tujunga raising the kids.

During the 1930s, Tom had a hard time finding a way to make ends meet. He tried distilling brandy from grapes growing wild in the neighborhood, then offering it for purchase. He also made donuts which he had the kids sell door-to-door. In March 1934, Hazel had a fourth baby, and even though Tom wasn’t the biological father, he raised the child as his own. By the late 1930s, Tom and the kids moved to the San Gabriel Valley, where he would live for the rest of his life. He settled into a career of cabinet making, a trade he first learned in 1923. In the early 1940s, he bought a storefront property on Garvey Boulevard and opened up a cabinet making shop. Behind the shop, he had a house to live in, and a second house that became used by other family members.

In 1943, Tom finally got a divorce from Hazel and married his third wife, Lillian Johnson, whom he met at a dance. They had a daughter born in 1944, but she had a defective bile duct, and died at 6-months-old. Then in 1946, a son was born whom they named Dennis. He had physical problems that showed up later — dyslexia and epilepsy — and was more or less disabled his entire life.

Tom in his cabinet-making shop in 1953

Tom in his backyard in 1974

In spite of Tom’s lack of formal education, he was an avid reader throughout his life. He took a great interest in nutrition and health, taking vitamin supplements during the 1960s, way before it was common to do so. His taste in music was fairly traditional for his generation: he loved Liberace and Lawrence Welk. As for his religious beliefs, Tom was an affirmed atheist. Whenever he was asked about it, he declared, “I believe in reality.”

In about 1962, Tom moved one last time, to a house a few blocks from his shop. He continued to work until he was 80 years old, when blindness from glaucoma forced him to stop. Then in about 1979, he went into a decline. His wife Lillian moved him into a nursing hospital against his will, and he died there on March 10, 1980.

The name Mitchell was passed down in the family for three generations, but the identity of Tom’s real father was eventually solved. In 2017, DNA evidence proved that this man was Thomas Michael Carey (1864-1937), who for many years owned a fruit wholesaling business in Coffeyville, Kansas. A couple of years after Tom was born, his biological father got married, and had four more children. None of them was ever told about their older half-brother.

A postscript on the army desertion and name change
In October 2021, documents were found showing the timing of Tom’s desertion. An army roster for March 1919 gave the 27th as the date he went missing, and a roster for April named him as a deserter after 30 days had passed.

The army rosters also revealed that Tom’s buddy, Tex Townsend, returned to camp, and seems to have suffered no punishment. I learned that the man kept his name all they way to end of his life in 1975. In addition to this, a thorough search of Newport News newspapers during the week Tom disappeared showed no report of a fight between soldiers and MPs.

This information leads me to believe that no one died in the fight with the MPs. I think that when Tom was told authorities were looking for him, it was just a practical joke being played by others in his unit. It's also possible that the one playing a joke on Tom was Tex Townsend. Why did he go back to camp right after they split up in Washington? Was his lawyer friend in on it, too? Was he even a lawyer?

Assuming it's accurate that the MP didn't die, Tom lived his entire life thinking that he had killed a man in a fist fight, and this wasn’t true. It's interesting to think that if this prank hadn’t happened, my name wouldn't be Mitchell — and most likely, I would have never been born. 

Children by Hazel Laura Elwood:
1. Thomas Milton Mitchell – B. 1 Jul 1922, Los Angeles, California; D. 10 Nov 2007, Winnetka, California; M. Margaret Elizabeth Bolheres (1922-2016), 2 Jul 1949, Pasadena, California

2. Patsy Eleanor Mitchell – B. 23 Feb 1924, Los Angeles, California; D. 27 Apr 2002, Sitka, Alaska; M. James Lawrence Sarvela (1914-1995), 27 Dec 1947, Glendale, California

3. Forrest Leroy Mitchell – B. 21 Sep 1926, Oakland, California; D. 30 Jun 2016, Desert Hot Springs, California; M. Patricia Ann McKenzie (1930-2010), 21 May 1948

4. LIVING

Children by Lillian Myrtle Johnson:
1. Carolyn Lee Mitchell – B. 1 Jul 1944, Los Angeles, California; D. 11 Jan 1945, Los Angeles, California

2. Dennis Clark Mitchell – B. 4 Apr 1946, Los Angeles, California; D. 26 Mar 2005, Cheyenne, Wyoming; M. Judy A. Smith, 21 Jan 1973, Rosemead, California

Sources:
Family Bible of Laura Sheridan
Marriage certificate of Thomas Sheridan and Tillie Nack, Tacoma, Washington, 11 Nov 1912
Marriage certificate of Thomas Mitchell and Hazel Elwood, Los Angeles, California, 11 Feb 1921
Divorce record of Thomas Mitchell and Hazel Mitchell, Los Angeles, 7 Jan 1943
City directories of Tacoma and Los Angeles, 1915-1938
1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 U.S. Censuses in Kansas, Washington, Colorado and California
Interviews of Thomas Michael Mitchell and Thomas Milton Mitchell, 1976-1997
California Birth Index, 1905-1995
Social Security Death Index
California, County Marriages, 1850-1952

Family Killed by Plague — Simon Jansen Van Arsdalen

B. before 27 Feb 1627 in Nukerke, East Flanders
M. (1) 26 Mar 1650 in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Wife: Marritje Baltus
M. (2) 1658 in (probably) Flatlands, New Netherland
Wife: Pieterje Claese Van Schouw
D. Oct 1710 in Flatlands, New York

Simon Van Arsdalen became the founder of a family in America because of a sad event — the unexpected death of his wife and young children. He was born in 1627 to Jan Pauwelsz Van Aersdaele and Geertje Phillipsdr Haelters in Nukerke, East Flanders (which is now Belgium), and was baptized there on February 27th. Simon was one of at least 5 children. The family left Nukerke around 1642, moving to Gouda in what is now the Netherlands; it's been said that they left because of religious persecution. 

When he came of age, Simon followed a different path than his parents and siblings. While the others stayed in Gouda in the Netherlands, he moved to Amsterdam, becoming a potter. There on March 26, 1650, he married Marritje Baltus. In 1653, he left his wife and two young children to go to the colony of New Netherlands; it was to be a venture involving his pottery business, and he intended to return home within a short time. But when he got word that a plague struck Amsterdam in November 1655, killing his wife and children, he decided to stay in America permanently.

1650 Marriage record of Simon and Marritje.

Simon settled in Flatlands (now a part of Brooklyn), where he made his home for the rest of his life. In 1658, he married a second wife, Pieterje Claese Van Schouw, the daughter of a Flatlands farmer, and between 1659 and 1678, they had at least six children. Simon was appointed magistrate in 1661, and in 1686 he became a church deacon. Like all men were required to do in the former Dutch colony, he took the oath of allegiance to England in 1687. Over the years, Simon owned a lot of property in what is now Brooklyn, and sold several lots in Gravesend to his son Cornelis in 1700.

During his life in America, Simon maintained contact with family members back in Holland. On September 9, 1698, he wrote a letter to his brother and sister in Gouda that somehow was saved in an archive, offering a rare personal document of a 17th century immigrant to America:

“My kindest regards be written to my so much beloved brother and sister. I let you know I received your letter from Aendries Wandelaer and that I understand the contents of it, I am pleased to say, however, that the accident your daughter has met with causes us sorrow, however, it is the work of God, that we ought to bear patiently. Farther I let you know, that I, your brother, and my wife and children are in good health yet thank God for His grace and we hope to learn from you the same in due time. I wonder you didn’t write about our niece. Farther I let you know all my children are married and each of them is living in a farmhouse that earns their livelihood. I sold my farm to my eldest son Cornelis, 33 years of age, has got five children, three sons, two daughters. My son Jan, 22 years of age, has got two sons. My daughter Geertje has got eight children. Janneken has got five children; Mettegen has got three children. They are comfortably off but they have to work which God commanded Adam. As for me, I stopped working since I am 71 years old now, my wife is 58 years of age and you, my brother, are, if I remember rightly, 60 years of age. God be pleased to give us a blessed end. I am in receipt of your son Jan’s drawing which pleases me very much. I gather from your letter your daughter’s [?] causes you sorrow and I can well believe it and if I knew you would be pleased I would come to your assistance. Please let me know. I do not know anything more to write. I will send this letter along with Pieter Berrij. He is our son Jan’s (nephew/cousin), who knows us very well. You can send your reply along with him. As for Dries Wandelaer, he is not acquainted with us and for this reason he cannot inform of us. God be with you and be saluted heartily by me, Sijmon Janson van Arsdalen, your brother”

Writing a letter to the family back home. (AI-generated image)

Simon died in October 1710 and was buried in the churchyard of the Flatlands Reformed Dutch Church. It isn't known when his wife Pieterje passed away. His descendants include Georgia O’Keefe and James Spader.

Children by Marritje Baltus:
1. Sylyntje Van Arsdalen – B. Feb 1651, Amsterdam, Netherlands; D. about Nov 1655, Amsterdam, Netherlands

2. Jan Symonsz Van Arsdalen – B. Nov 1652, Amsterdam, Netherlands; D. Nov 1655, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Children by Pieterje Claese Van Schouw:
1.  Geertje Van Arsdalen – B. about 1659, Flatlands, New Netherland; D. about 1731, (probably) Flatlands, New Netherland; M. Cornelis Pieterse Wyckoff (~1660-~1730), 13 Oct 1678, New Utrecht, New York

2. Cornelis Van Arsdalen – B. 1665, Flatlands, New York; D. 19 Apr 1745, New Jersey; M. (1) Tjelltje Rynierse Wizzelpenning; (2) Aeltje Kouwenhoven (1665-1689), 16 Mar 1687, Flatbush, New York; (3) Marretje Dirkse, 2 May 1691, Flatbush, New York

3. Jannetje Van Arsdalen – B. about 1667, Flatlands, New York; D. Dec 1731; M. Gysbert Tunisen Bogaert (~1668-?), 16 Apr 1689, Flatbush, New York

4. Metje Van Arsdalen – B. about 1672, Flatlands, New York; M. (1) Evert Janse Van Wickelen, 27 Feb 1690, Flatbush, New York; (2) Philip Volkertsz (~1670-?)

5. Jan Van Arsdalen – B. 1676, Flatlands, New York; D. 1756, Jamaica, New York; M. Lammertje Probasco (~1675-aft 1736), 1695

6. Maritje Van Arsdalen – B. 1678, Flatbush, New York; D. (probably) young

Sources:
“Remembering Simon Jansze,” Charles R. Vanorsdale, The Vanguard, Vol. VI, No. 1, July 2003
“Symon’s Early New Netherland Days," Charles R. Vanorsdale, The Vanguard, Vol. I, No. 1, July 1998
“Sijmon’s 1698 Letter,” Charles R. Vanorsdale, The Vanguard, Vol. IV, No. 2, December 2001
Famous Kin (website)

First European Born in Canada — Hélène Desportes

B. about 1620 in Quebec City, New France
M. (1) 1 Oct 1634 in Quebec City, New France
Husband: Guillaume Hébert
M. (2) 9 Jan 1640 in Quebec City, New France
Husband: Noël Morin
D. 24 Jun 1675 in (probably) Quebec City, New France

In the same year that the Mayflower landed in Massachusetts, the French colony to the north saw its earliest birth. And that child was Hélène Desportes—thought to be the very first white child born in what is now Canada.

Hélène was born during the second half of 1620 to Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois, two of the settlers that Samuel de Champlain had recruited for his new settlement called Quebec. Hélène was named for Champlain’s wife, Hélène Boullé, who was her godmother. (When Champlain died in 1635, he left Hélène some money in his will, a bequest that she never received.) It's believed that Hélène had no siblings, at least none that survived. Life was rugged during her early childhood, with only a handful of people living in and around the Quebec compound. The colony hardly had a chance to grow when it was taken over by Englishman David Kirke in 1629, and Hélène moved to France with her parents.

Quebec at about the time Hélène was born there. (AI-rendered image)

The Desportes family made their home in the French port city of Dieppe, but within five years, both of Hélène’s parents died. It’s believed she was taken in by her maternal aunt, Marguerite Langlois, who with her husband Abraham Martin had been part of the Quebec settlement. When the French reclaimed the colony in 1634, the Martin family returned there, bringing Hélène with them. Shortly after her arrival, she got married. Hélène's husband Guillaume was the son of Louis Hébert, who had remained in Canada during the English occupation. The wedding took place on October 1st, and at age 14, Hélène began her married life.

Hélène gave birth to a son in November 1636, later followed by two daughters. But tragedy struck when Guillaume suddenly died on September 23, 1639. The settling of his estate showed that their home was in poor condition, forcing Hélène to move into another cottage, which measured 24 by 18 feet "near the church of Notre-Dame." But as a practical matter, she needed a new husband, and on January 9, 1640, she married Noël Morin, a wheelwright, in Quebec City. She received a dowry of 200 livres from her new husband.

Hélène's signature on a 1639 document.

Hélène and Noël settled just outside of the Upper Town of Quebec City. Between 1641 and 1656, they had 12 children. Hélène became a midwife in the colony, likely in part because she had so much experience with her own childbirths. As a midwife, she was authorized to perform baptisms in cases where the infant was about to die, and she was cited in this role on many parish records. Several of Hélène’s daughters would later also become midwives, and it’s likely that she had some influence in this. Another of her daughters, Marie, chose a different path in life by becoming a nun. She spent many years serving at the hospital in Montreal.

Meanwhile in 1653, Hélène’s husband Nöel became a seigneur, a man able to collect rent from others who lived in his seigneury located south of the St. Lawrence River near Montmagny. It was years before he moved his family there, though, and he and Hélène continued living near Quebec City. During this time, they were granted a pew in the Notre-Dame church in Quebec City, a sign of status.

Hélène passed away on June 24, 1675 at age 55, an event that was for some reason not recorded in Quebec parish records. Noël died five years later in 1680. Famous descendants of Hélène include Céline Dion, Madonna, Bridget Fonda, Jim Carrey, Alex Trebek, Ricky Gervais, Cliff Arquette, Roseanna Arquette, Patricia Arquette, Emeril Lacasse, June Foray, Leo Durocher, Chloë Sevigny, and Pierre and Justin Trudeau.

A Personal Note

Hélène Desportes was the only North American-born ancestor of my both of my parents, Thomas Milton Mitchell (1922-2007), and Margaret Elizabeth Bolheres (1922-2016). Unfortunately, I didn't learn this until after both of them had died. They never knew they were blood relatives of each other.

Children by Guillaume Hébert:
1. Joseph Hébert – B. 3 Nov 1636, Quebec City, New France; D. 1661, New France; M. Marie-Charlotte Pothier (~1641-1718), 12 Oct 1660, New France

2. Marie-Françoise Hébert — B. about 23 Jan 1638, Quebec City, New France; D.16 Mar 1716, Montmagny, New France; M. Guillaume Fournier (~1623-1699), 20 Nov 1651, Quebec City, New France

3. Angélique Hébert — B. 2 Aug 1639, Quebec City, New France, D. young

Children by Noël Morin:
1. Agnes Morin — B. 21 Jan 1641, Quebec City, New France; D. 30 Aug 1687, Quebec City, New France; M. (1) Nicolas Gaudry dit Bourbonniere (~1620-1669), 17 Nov 1653, Quebec City, New France; (2) Ignace Bonhomme dit Beaupré (~1645-1711), 12 Jan 1671, Quebec City, New France

2. Germain Morin — B. 14 Jan 1642, Quebec City, New France; D. 20 Aug 1702, Quebec City, New France

3. Louise Morin — B. about 27 Apr 1643, Quebec City, New France; D. 28 Apr 1713, Château-Richer, New France; M. Charles Cloutier (1629-1709), 20 Apr 1659, New France

4. Nicolas Morin — B. 26 Apr 1644, Quebec City, New France; D. about 1667, (probably) Quebec City, New France

5. Jean-Baptiste Morin — B. 22 May 1645, Quebec City, New France; D. 11 Dec 1694, Quebec City, New France; M. Catherine de Belleau (~1639-?), 22 Nov 1667, Quebec City, New France

6. Marguerite Morin — B. 29 Sep 1646, Quebec City, New France; D. 17 Oct 1646, Quebec City, New France

7. Hélène Morin — B. 30 Sep 1647, Quebec City, New France; D. 9 May 1661, Quebec City, New France

8. Marie Morin — B. 19 Mar 1649, Quebec City, New France; D. 8 Apr 1730, Montreal, New France

9. Alphonse Morin — B. 12 Dec 1650, Quebec City, New France; D. 29 Aug 1711, Montmagny, New France; M. (1) Marie-Madeleine Normand (1646-1690), 10 Feb 1670, Quebec City, New France; (2) Angelique Destroismaisons (1670-1744), 24 Nov 1692, Cap-St-Ignace, New France

10. Noël Morin — B. 12 Oct 1652, Quebec City, New France; D. young

11. Charles Morin — B. 29 Aug 1654, Quebec City, New France; D. 4 Oct 1671, Quebec City, New France

12. Marie-Madeleine Morin — B. 28 Dec 1656, Quebec City, New France; D. 22 Jul 1720, Quebec City, New France; M. Gilles Rageot (1642-1692), 29 May 1673, Quebec City, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
A Point in History (website)
One-hundred French-Canadian Family Histories, Philip J. Moore, 1994
Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
Hélène’s World: Hélène Desportes of Seventeenth Century Quebec, Susan McNelley, 2014
Famous Kin (website) 

Widow of a Minister — Sophia Newell Kittredge

B. 22 Nov 1824 in Nelson, New Hampshire
M. 7 Aug 1849 in Nelson, New Hampshire
Husband: James Riddle French
D. 22 Dec 1900 in Los Angeles, California

Sophia Newell Kittredge fell deeply in love with a traveling preacher, but her married life only lasted a brief time, and after he died, she spent over 40 years in widowhood.

Sophia was born November 22, 1824 in Nelson, New Hampshire to Abel Kittredge and Sophia Lyman, their first child. Her middle name was in honor of her great-aunt, Sophia Clapp, who married Gad Newell; they had raised Sophia's mother from the time she was 13. Sophia had three younger brothers, Edward, Samuel Farrington and Charles, but Charles died young, and her mother, who had difficulty with child bearing, died soon after. Abel remarried his wife's sister Anne and gave Sophia three half-brothers: Minot, Henry and another Charles, who also died young.

When Sophia came of age, she was courted by a minister from Maine named James Riddle French. He was an older man and a widower with a young son. His letters to Sophia have been passed down in the family, and many told of the love they had for each other. In June of 1849, he wrote, "Twin spirit of my being, thy heart shall be my resting place through time, & thy caress sheds o’er my soul a perfect blessedness. I would not have it otherwise, nor live without thee, to love & soothe & bless. My heart expanding doth thy love receive, more valued than the world, or all the world can give."

Daguerreotype of Sophia in about 1850

Sophia and James were married in Nelson on August 7, 1849. The first few years of marriage were spent apart as he worked as a traveling preacher throughout New England. It wasn't until 1852 that he secured a steady position at a Congregational church in Portland, Maine. There she gave birth to son James in 1852. It's likely Sophia took an active role in helping her husband with his work, especially as he became sick with a chronic illness that affected his stamina. In about 1856, they moved to his hometown of Prospect, Maine. Reverend James grew weaker and weaker, but continued to preach, even as Sophia encouraged him to rest. At the end of that year, Sophia had a baby girl named Nancy.

Sophia nursed her husband through his final illness, and after he died on March 23, 1857, she wrote about it to her father: “What we so much feared has come upon us. My dearest earthly friend is ‘not,’ for God has taken him. His body now lies in the cold grave, his ransomed spirit is I trust singing the praises of redeeming love.…None but those who have been there can fully sympathize with me in this time of trial.…O, my dear parents, I am all alone with my fatherless children. My health is very poor. I am very weak, feel afraid I shall have to give up and be sick.”

Sophia had this locket made containing real hair, probably her late husband's

Sophia stayed in Maine long enough to settle the affairs of her late husband in probate court, then took the children to her father in New Hampshire. Many women in her situation would look for another husband, but Sophia decided to support herself. Whether she felt too strongly about Reverend French to remarry, or was of an independent mind is not known. In about 1858, she moved to Dorchester, Massachusetts. There she attended school and afterwards found a job teaching in a boarding school. In 1861, Sophia kept a journal, writing about her life away from her children. "Thurs. eve. Stormy, snow and wind, right down-east snowstorm. Nothing special to-day; wrote a letter to Jamie [her son]. Have much to be thankful for, yet my rebellious heart is prone to look on the dark side of the scene, and long for 'forbidden fruit.' I yearn for my children, and the separation seems sometimes unbearable. O' for faith and patience."

A page from Sophia's journal

The journal covers a period of time when Sophia lost her job as teacher and tried to find other ways to earn a living. Most of her family had relocated to nearby Boston, including brothers Edward and Farrington, and her father and step-mother, who cared for James and Nancy. "Have taken a house in Dorchester, the rent is 300 dollars; have fitted it up for boarders. This is probably a risky experiment, but I feel that the providence of God has led me here. The subject has agitated for some time before. I made up my mind to take this step; several times I gave up the idea of going to housekeeping this season, then it would come up again, and after consulting with my brothers Edward and Farrington, I would come out and look at houses and hunt up the boarders. Finally it was thought best for me to make an attempt — to do something if I could." She struggled with the boarding house venture and could only find a handful of people to rent rooms. By the end of the year, she turned to her brothers and a widows' fund at her church in order to have money to buy shoes for the children, who were now living with her.

Sophia during the 1860s in Boston

During the mid-1860s, Sophia settled in Boston, working as a city missionary helping the needy. She continued to work for the city missions all through the years her children grew up. During the early 1870’s, James left home, traveling throughout the West. For a time, he cut off correspondence with his mother and sister, and fell into some trouble that caused him to change his name to Frank Emerson. On December 27, 1875, Sophia was reported to have been injured by some boys on a sled in the neighborhood where she lived. She petition the city’s aldermen to collect money for it, but she later withdrew her claim.

Daughter Nancy stayed close to her mother, and in 1879, married a man named George Hewes, a carriage builder and part-time preacher. The young couple took Sophia into their home, and she retired from the missionary work. Soon there were grandchildren in the household.

In 1882, son-in-law George decided to take the family away from New England and move to the Midwest. Sophia, who was 56, went with them. They moved to the small farming community of Le Mars, Iowa. It was a very difficult climate; a tornado struck their house in June 1885, moving it five feet off the foundation and forcing the family to take refuge in the flooded basement. Sophia notified son Frank, who was living in Los Angeles, and he wrote back suggesting they join him in California, offering to pay their way out, if only he could. Four years later, the family had the money to make the move, and Frank gave advice on the best train fares, then arranged for their tickets through the Southern Pacific Railroad, where he worked.

In November 1889, Sophia, along with Nancy’s family, took a train to Los Angeles. She lived the rest of her life just south of downtown Los Angeles, a part of Nancy and George’s household. Once they got settled, George founded a church and settlement house to help the poor. It can only be speculated how much influence Sophia had on her son-in-law.

Throughout the 1890’s, Sophia continued to write letters, communicating with those relatives still on the east coast. In 1893, her brother Farrington wrote her from New England with news about the family. Farrington ended his letter with, “…my dear Sophia, don’t forget the loved ones in the old Bay State and remember we all think of you and love you just as much as we ever did if thousands of miles separate us from the vision of sight. Did we not all have the same dear father and mother, and how much our dear mother loved Minot and Henry’s mother, and did not our step-mother love us all? Yes my dear sister, think of us all here and pray that each one may so live that we can all meet with the loved ones who have gone before. As well as those to come after we have left this beautiful world for a better and brighter one…”

Sophia lived long enough to see the marriage of her oldest granddaughter, Eleanor, and the birth of her first two great-grandchildren, Mabel and George Elwood. She died of cancer on December 22, 1900 at the house she lived in with Nancy and George. She was buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Children:
1. James Riddle French, AKA Frank Emerson – B. 12 Oct 1852, Portland Maine; D. 13 Jun 1913, Los Angeles, California; M. Mrs. May Lynch (1850-?), 25 Aug 1878, San Bernardino, California

2. Nancy Sophia French – B. 21 Dec 1856, Stockton Springs, Maine; D. 12 Jul 1916, Berkeley, California; M. George Henry Hewes (1853-1923), 17 Jul 1879, Boston, Massachusetts

Sources:
A History of Nelson, New Hampshire, Parke Hardy Struthers, 1968
The Kittredge Family in America, Mabel T. Kittredge, 1936
Family Bible of James and Sophia French
Letters of James Riddle French to Sophia (Kittredge) French 1849-1852
Letter from Sophia French to Abel Kittredge, 31 Mar 1857
1860, 1870, 1880 and 1900 U.S. Censuses, Massachusetts and California
Journal of Sophia Newell French, 1861
"The Wind's Work," The Evening Sentinel, Le Mars, Iowa, 16 Jun 1885
City Directories of Boston, Massachusetts, and Los Angeles, California, 1866-1900
Letters written by Frank Emerson (nee James French) to Sophia French, Los Angeles, California, 1885-1889
Death certificate of Sophia Newell French, Los Angeles, California, 22 Dec 1900
Death certificate of Frank Emerson, 16 Jun 1913, Los Angeles, California
Death certificate of Nancy Hewes, July 1916, Berkeley, California
Marriage certificate of George Hewes and Nancy French, 21 Jul 1879, Boston, Massachusetts

Continuing a Migration to the West — Samuel Luckey

B. 7 Jan 1830 in (probably) St. Charles County, Missouri
M. 7 Apr 1853 in Jersey County, Illinois
Wife: Mary Jane Davis
D. 8 Mar 1884 in Labette County, Kansas

The Midwest of the 19th century was made up of men like Samuel Luckey. He raised crops, farm animals and a large family on a farm he proudly owned. And he followed in the pattern of his father by picking up and moving further west.

Samuel’s parents, Joseph Luckey and Esther Tucker, came from North Carolina, but there is no existing record of their marriage; it’s believed they lived in Tennessee before moving to Missouri around 1829. The family was listed as living in St. Charles County in the 1830 census, and Samuel was born there on January 7th of that year. By 1833, the family relocated back across the Mississippi to Greene County, Illinois (which became Jersey County in 1839). Joseph Luckey died in about 1842, and as his oldest son, Samuel likely played a large role in managing the family farm.

On April 7, 1853, Samuel set off on his own as he married Mary Jane Davis, a young woman whose parents were also from North Carolina. The Luckey and Davis families appeared to be closely related and may have migrated to Illinois together. Samuel acquired a farm in Jersey County, and he fathered a family of ten children, born between 1854 and 1874. 

A Jerseyville wedding in 1853. (AI-generated image)

In 1864, Samuel and his siblings got together to sell their father’s old homestead. Two deeds of sale show the 84 acres divided into two lots of 42 with three owners assigned to one, and three to the other. Samuel was named with his sister Ellen Ann and his brother John; although John was in his 20s, Samuel seemed to represent him on the document, suggesting that the young man had some sort of disability. The price for the land was $137.50, and presumably Samuel received a third of that.

The 1870 census gives us a glimpse of Samuel’s farm. Of his 60 acres, 40 were cleared of trees. That year he harvested 300 bushels of winter wheat, 100 bushels of corn, and 150 bushels of oats, slightly above average from the farms around him. He owned five dairy cows along with two other heads of cattle, and also kept three horses, nine sheep and 40 swine. Samuel paid out $100 in wages to those who worked for him. The total value of his farm was $1,500, and he had $75 worth of farm equipment.

1872 plat map showing Samuel's Jersey County farm.

In 1879, Samuel decided he wanted to move to one of the western states, to newly cultivated territory. So he sold his Illinois property on August 29th for $2,400, and bought a farm in Labette County, Kansas. The entire family moved there, including a married daughter with her family, but unfortunately, Samuel’s health began to fail. On the 1880 census, he was listed as suffering from ague, a lung disease common on prairie farms. He died four years later on March 8, 1884. Mary Jane survived him by over 43 years, passing away in 1927.

Children:
1. Mary Edith Luckey — B. 18 Jun 1854, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 18 Jan 1899, Labette County, Kansas; M. (1) James Ross (1852-1884), 24 Jul 1872, Jersey County, Illinois; (2) Albert Leonartz (1849-?), 8 Aug 1887, Labette County, Kansas

2. Caroline Elizabeth Luckey — B. 29 Nov 1855, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 2 Aug 1887, Labette County, Kansas

3. Eliza Ann Luckey — B. 1858, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 24 May 1862, Jersey County, Illinois

4. Eleanora Luckey — B. 6 Aug 1859, Jersey County, Illinois; D. Jan 1865, Jersey County, Illinois

5. Laura Jane Luckey — B. 2 Apr 1861, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 18 Apr 1954, McMinnville, Oregon; M. John Walter Brown (1852-1919), 23 Oct 1879, Jersey County, Illinois

6. Joseph M. Luckey — B. 23 Feb 1863, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 4 Feb 1941, Parsons, Kansas; M. Rachel Matilda Minder (1864-1953), 2 May 1884, Osage, Kansas

7. Rosa Bell Luckey — B. 30 Sep 1866, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 31 May 1941, Los Angeles, California; M. George Willis Reed (1867-1944), 2 Jan 1889, Parsons, Kansas

8. Margaret Louisa Luckey — B. 24 Dec 1868, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 22 Feb 1952, Parsons, Kansas; M. Alexander Taylor (1857-1940), 25 Dec 1888, Parsons, Kansas

9. John F. Luckey — B. 16 Apr 1870, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 8 Mar 1884, Labette County, Kansas

10. William Anderson Luckey — B. 8 May 1874, Jersey County, Illinois; D. 7 Dec 1935, Sedalia, Missouri; M. Ella Lucinda Mashburn (1880-1959), 23 Dec 1896, Parsons, Kansas

Sources:
Handwritten records of Pefley Cemetery, Parsons, Kansas
1830, 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 U.S. Censuses, Missouri, Illinois and Kansas
Marriage record of Samuel Luckey and Mary Jane Davis, 7 Apr 1853, Jerseyville, Illinois
Family Bible of Mary E. Leonartz
Marriage certificate of James Ross and Mary E. Luckey, 23 Jul 1872, Jerseyville, Illinois
Records of Pefley Cemetery, Parsons, Kansas
Tombstone inscriptions of Keller Cemetery, Jersey County, Illinois
Jersey County, Illinois marriage index
Atlas Map of Jersey County, Illinois, 1872
Death record of John Walter Brown, 29 Mar 1919, Greene County, Illinois
Obituary of Rachel Luckey, Parsons Daily Sun, 1953, Parsons, Kansas
Kansas marriages, 1840-1935
California death records, 1940-1997

Two Brothers in 17th Century Java — Catharina Margetts

B. before 4 Feb 1625 in Amsterdam, Netherlands
M. 7 Mar 1649 in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Husband: Adrian Hegeman
D. before 16 Apr 1690 in Flatbush, New York

Catharina Margetts came from a family whose members weren't afraid to move to far flung places. Catharina was baptized in the New Church in Amsterdam on February 4, 1625. Her parents were Joseph Margetts, an Englishman, and Anna van Weedenburch, a Dutch woman, and she had six sisters and two brothers. As the daughter of a merchant-class man, Catharina received some education, at least enough to be able to sign her name.

Catharina's signature in 1649.

When Catharina was 10-years-old, her mother died, and she was listed with her seven siblings on a document dated May 2, 1635. This was the official business of the Orphan’s Chamber in Amsterdam, which came into play when a parent of minor children died, separating their inheritance in case the surviving parent remarried. The court ordered that the 8 children were to share 500 guilders between them, a significant amount of money, and it would be administered by their uncle. Catharina’s father did remarry that year, giving her two half-sisters.

On March 7, 1649, Catharina married Adrian Hegeman, a silk weaver. At the time of her marriage, she was living in Oudesyts Achterburgwal, which was a neighborhood in the east section of Amsterdam. They had two or three children born in Amsterdam, then in about 1652, the family boarded a ship to the Dutch colony in America. Adrian purchased a large tract of land in Flatbush, and they settled there. Catharina gave birth to the rest of her children on their farm, making for a total of eight, and the youngest was born in about 1665.

While Catharina settled in North America, her two brothers traveled to other parts of the globe. The older of the two, Joris, went to the Dutch colony at Recife, Brazil as a young man. By October 1648, he had ventured on to the East Indies where his name appeared on a petition in the outpost of Bativia (modern-day Jakarta) on the island of Java, but nothing more is known of him. Younger brother Joseph was known to have also spent time in Batavia, and another island, Timor, working for the Dutch East India Company. After he died in 1662, a portion of his estate was left to Catharina, which was noted in a record at New Netherland:

"To-day, the 28th of February 1664, appeared before me, Walewyn van der Veen, Notary Public …, the Worshipful Adriaen Heegeman, Schout of the Villages of Amesfort [Flatlands], Breukelen, Midewout [Flatbush] and Uytrecht on Long Island in this Province, who declared that as husband and guardian of Catharina Margits he constitutes and empowers … as his attorney the worthy Sieur Joseph Margits, his father-in-law, living at Amsterdam, Holland, to demand and receive … from the Lords Directors of the Honble East India Company, Department of Amsterdam, such moneys, as are due to his said wife from the estate of her deceased brother Joseph Margits, who died in East India, according to his testament and other vouchers…"

Batavia in the Dutch East Indies during the 17th century.

Catharina's husband Adrian passed away in 1672. In April 1688, Catharina moved from Flatbush to Manhattan, and joined the Reformed Dutch church there. She died in 1690 and was buried in the Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church cemetery on April 16th.

Children:
1. Hendricus Hegeman – B. about 1649, Amsterdam, Netherlands; D. about 1710; M. Ariaentje Bloodgood, 26 Apr 1685, Flatlands, New York

2. Joseph Hegeman – B. about 1651, Amsterdam, Netherlands; D. about 1725; Femmetje Van der Beeck (1657-?), 21 Oct 1677

3. Jacobus Hegeman – B. about 1652; D. about 1741; M. Jannetje Ariens, 14 Oct 1683

4. Isaac Hegeman – B. about 1656, New Netherland; M. Marytje Roelofse Schenck, 15 Feb 1687

5. Denys Hegeman – B. about 1658, Flatbush, New Netherland; D. about 1702, New York; M. Grace Dollen (1659-1732), about 1680, Maine

6. Benjamin Hegeman – B. about 1660, Flatbush, New Netherland

7. Abraham Hegeman – B. about 1662, Flatbush, New Netherland

8. Elizabeth Hegeman – B. about 1665, Flatbush, New York; M. Tobias Ten Eyck, 12 Apr 1684

Sources:
"The Amsterdam Years of Joseph Margetts, Father-in-law of Adriaen Hegeman of New Netherland," John Blythe Dobson, New York genealogical and biographical record, Vol. 131, 2000
Genealogy website of John Blythe Dobson, which cites many other sources
Batavia, Dutch East Indies (Wikipedia article)