Ancestor Biographies

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Arranging a Prenup in 1641 — Mary ______

B. about 1621 in England¹
M. (1) before 1638 in unknown place¹
Husband: Thomas Horton
M. (2) after 7 Aug 1641 in Springfield, Massachusetts¹
Husband: Robert Ashley
D. 19 Sep 1683 in Springfield, Massachusetts²

This is the story of a woman whose life before her marriage is completely unknown, but her later life is somewhat well-documented. Her name was Mary and she came from England in the 1630s to settle in the Connecticut River Valley.³ It isn’t known if she arrived with her parents, or if she was already married to her husband, Thomas Horton.¹ He was one of the earliest settlers of Springfield, Massachusetts, and was there by 1636. Mary had two sons with him, one born in about 1636, and the other in about 1640.³

Thomas died in 1640,³ and Mary was on her own with two small children, so she needed to marry another man. But her husband didn’t leave her penniless; she had their house and 15 acres of land.⁴ While offering this to a new husband, she wanted to make sure that her sons were the beneficiaries of the inheritance, so she had her wishes put in writing in what we would consider today as a prenuptial agreement. By August 7th, she became engaged to Robert Ashley, an unmarried settler of Springfield, and the prenup was recorded in town records.⁴

The founder of Springfield, William Pynchon, recorded the arrangement and signed his name to it. In it, Mary agreed to give Robert possession of the house, property and all of her goods in return for the promise to pay her sons £15 when they each came of legal age. In addition, Robert was to use the profits from the farm to provide educations for the boys, and apprenticeships if they wanted to learn a trade.

William Pynchon.

Before her marriage, Mary appeared again in town records, cited for having sold a gun to an Indian.⁵ Such transactions were strictly forbidden in New England towns because of the potential danger of arming people who might turn hostile. When Mary was brought before authorities, she said she didn’t know she had broken the law and promised to get the gun back. The court told her if she didn’t retrieve the gun, she would be punished. Presumably she was able to get her gun back because there was no further record of the case.

Mary married Robert Ashely probably in the fall of 1641, and the following June, she gave birth to twins, one of whom didn’t survive.⁶ She went on to have four more children with the youngest born in 1652.⁷ Mary and Robert ran a tavern from about 1646 to 1660.⁶ On June 27, 1655, the town leaders issued an order that they not sell “wine or strong waters” to the Indians. At the time they didn’t even have a license to sell liquor, but the order authorized them to serve alcohol to “English” patrons only.⁶

A woman working in a New England tavern. (AI-generated image)

Mary was often mentioned in town records alongside her husband, so it’s likely she played an active role in their business. It was also noted that although Robert couldn’t sign his name, Mary could write “fairly well.”⁸ She got involved in financial matters, too. Robert used his own labor to pay for transactions at the town store, a not uncommon practice in the days before there was formal currency. On October 10, 1656, Mary disputed a transaction with the man who ran the store, sending one of her boys to say that two days of labor from her 11-year-old son were not accounted for.⁸

Decades before the Salem witch trials, Springfield had some witch trials of its own, and the people who were accused were among the Ashley tavern’s clientele: Hugh and Mary Parsons. During one of the hearings on February 27, 1650, Mary Ashley gave testimony, reporting about a conversation she had with Mary Parsons when she had visited the Ashley tavern recently.⁶ The case centered around the death of one of the Parsons children and whether the parents were guilty of witchcraft. As in Salem, the accusations started amongst townspeople who judged their behavior to be strange and suspicious. The Parsons were eventually acquitted.

After 1660, Mary and Robert built a new house on the western bank of the Connecticut River in a location that was more protected from flooding than where they had been living.⁸ They remained at their new home for the rest of their lives; Robert died in 1682,⁹ and Mary passed away on September 19, 1683.²

Mary’s descendants include Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Rutherford B. Hayes, J.P., Morgan, Clint Eastwood, Bess Truman, and Bob Barker.¹⁰

Children by Thomas Horton:
1. Jeremiah Horton — B. about 1638, (probably) Springfield, Massachusetts;³ D. 18 Aug 1682, Springfield, Massachusetts;¹¹ M. (1) Ruth Ely (1641-1662), 3 Aug 1661, Springfield, Massachusetts;¹² (2) Mary Gibbard (1644-?), 5 May 1664, New Haven, Connecticut¹³

2. Thomas Horton — B. about 1640, Springfield, Massachusetts;³ D. 8 Mar 1716, Rehoboth, Massachusetts;¹⁴ M. (1) Sarah Harmon (1652-1693);¹⁴ (2) Susannah Keney, 25 Dec 1693, Milton, Massachusetts¹⁵

Children by Robert Ashley:
1. David Ashley — B. 3 Jun 1642, Springfield, Massachusetts;¹⁶ D. 8 Dec 1718, Springfield, Massachusetts;¹⁷ M. Hannah Glover (1646-1722), 24 Nov 1663, New Haven, Connecticut¹⁸

2. _____ Ashley — B. 3 Jun 1642, Springfield, Massachusetts;¹⁹ D. 3 Jun 1642, Springfield, Massachusetts¹⁹

3. Mary Ashley — B. 6 Feb 1643, Springfield, Massachusetts;²⁰ D. 9 Mar 1701, Farmington, Massachusetts;²¹ M. John Root, 18 Oct 1664, Springfield, Massachusetts²²

4. Jonathan Ashley — B. 25 Feb 1645, Springfield, Massachusetts;²³ M. Sarah Wadsworth (1649-1705), 10 Nov 1669, Springfield, Massachusetts²⁴

5. Sarah Ashley — B. 23 Aug 1648, Springfield, Massachusetts;²⁵ 18 May 1698, Connecticut;²⁶ M. Philip Lewis (~1646-1724), 1669, Hartford, Connecticut²⁶

6. Joseph Ashley — B. 6 Jul 1652, Springfield, Massachusetts;⁷ D. 18 May 1698, Springfield, Massachusetts;²⁷ M. Mary Parsons (1661-1711), 16 Oct 1685, Springfield, Massachusetts²⁸

Sources:
1   WikiTree listing of Mary (unknown) Ashley
2   Death record of Mary Ashley, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
3   WikiTree listing of Thomas Horton
4   The Ashley Genealogy, Francis Bacon Trowbridge, 1896
5   “The Examination of Widdow Horton about selling of her husbands peice to the Indians,” puritanism.online.fr
6   Robert Ashley – 1682 and Mary (–––) Horton – 1683, C,S. Ashley, 2013, FamilySearch.org
7   Birth record of Joseph Ashley, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
8   Geni.com listing of Robert Ashley
9   Death record of Robert Ashley, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
10  FamousKin.com listing of Robert Ashley
11  Death record of Jeremiah Horton, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
12  Marriage record of Jeremiah Horton and Ruth Ely, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
13  Marriage record of Jeremiah Horton and Mary Gibbard, Connecticut, Marriages, 1630-1997, FamilySearch.org
14  Find-a-Grave listing of Thomas Horton II
15  Marriage record of Thomas Horton and Susannah Keney, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
16  Birth record of David Ashley, Massachusetts, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
17  Find-a-Grave listing of David Ashley
18  Marriage record of David Ashley and Hannah Glover, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
19  Birth and death record of ______ Ashley, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
20  Birth record of Mary Ashley, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
21  Find-a-Grave listing of Mary (Ashley) Root
22  Marriage record of John Root and Mary Ashley, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
23  Birth record of Jonathan Ashley, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
24  Marriage record of Jonathan Ashley and Sarah Wadsworth, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
25  Birth record of Sarah Ashley, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
26  WikiTree listing of Sarah (Ashley) Lewis
27  Find-a-Grave listing of Joseph Ashley
28  Marriage record of Joseph Ashley and Mary Parsons, Massachusetts, Marriages, State Vital Records, 1638-1927, FamilySearch.org

Monday, May 14, 2018

Bridging a French and Indian Culture — Agnes Richard

B. 5 May 1719 in Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France¹
M. (1) about 1735, New France²
Husband: François Godere
M. (2) 8 Aug 1756 in Post Vincennes, New France³
Husband: Jean-Baptiste Vaudry
D. before 24 Jul 1778 in Post Vincennes⁴

During the 18th century, the waterways of colonial Canada drew many of its French people deep into the West, and in the process created a mixed culture of both European and Indigenous influences. It also brought the mixing of blood, and one person who embodied both of these things was Agnes Richard.

Agnes was born in Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France on May 5, 1719 to Jean-Baptiste Richard and Marie-Anne You.¹ Her father was an interpreter of Native American language who spent time in the Illinois country,⁵ and her mother was half-French and half-Native American. They had married in Montreal and already had a one-year-old girl when Agnes was born; later, they had a son.

Agnes' baptismal record.

When Agnes was about three-years-old, her father went to Fort Ouiatenon to work as a blacksmith.⁶ Men didn’t usually bring their families to such places, but Agnes’ mother wanted to return to her people, so special permission was granted.⁷ The family loaded up canoes and made the journey up the St. Lawrence, across the lengths of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, and up the Maumee River, finally arriving at the fort on the Wabash River. Typically such a journey took at least 2 months. Parts of the trip required portages where the family traveled on foot; it’s likely that young Agnes had to walk for at least some of the distance. She spent the rest of her life in the Illinois country, and probably never again visited the Montreal area.

Agnes’ new home was a fur trading outpost that was set up next to the Indian village (it's possible that this was where her mother had grown up). A small fort was built in 1717 by a group of French men that included Agnes’ father,⁶ and during the time the family settled there, it was a lively place. There were houses within the fort and many more just outside of it. Every year, French men and Indians from other places would gather at Ouiatenon to trade furs and goods. The population grew to as much as 3,000 people during the 1740s, and was said to be made up of French, Indians and people of mixed blood. Agnes likely received no education, as she was unable to sign her name as an adult.

When she was still a teen, Agnes married a French man named François Godere.² There is no record of her marriage, or of the births of her children, but later records of her children as adults establish a timeline. Between about 1736 and about 1752, she gave birth to five sons and five daughters, with two of the girls dying young. One of the girls drowned in the Wabash River in 1750, “15 leagues” from Post Vincennes, and she was buried at the church there.⁸ Agnes and her husband were described in the burial record as being residents of Ouiatenon, but at some point soon after, the family relocated to Vincennes.

Wabash River near Vincennes.

During the mid-1750s, Agnes’ husband François died, and on August 8, 1756, she married Jean-Baptiste Vaudry at St. Francis Xavier church in Vincennes.³ She must have been far along in a pregnancy at her wedding since she gave birth to a daughter two months later.⁹ Agnes had two more children, with the youngest born in 1761. Jean-Baptiste served as an interpreter at a meeting with Indian tribe leaders in 1775, and he was one of the signers of the Vincennes oath of allegiance to America in 1778,¹⁰ but Agnes had died by that time.⁴

Children by François Godere:
1. Pierre Godere — B. about 1735, Ouiatenon, New France;¹¹ D. 24 May 1789, (probably) Northwest Territory;¹² M. Susanne Bolon (1740-?), 5 May 1760, Post Vincennes, New France¹³

2. Rene Godere — B. about 1736, Ouiatenon, New France;¹⁴ D. 9 Feb 1793, (probably) Northwest Territory;¹⁴ M. Catherine Campeau, 3 Mar 1761, Vincennes, New France¹⁵

3. Marie-Anne Godere — B. about 1738, Ouiatenon, New France;¹⁶ D. 31 May 1792, Vincennes, Northwest Territory;¹⁶ M. Louis Boyer, 12 Jan 1758, Post Vincennes, New France¹⁶

4. Louis Godere — B. 14 May 1739, Ouiatenon, New France;¹⁷ D. 15 Jun 1794, Vincennes, Northwest Territory;¹⁷ M. Barbe-Elizabeth Levron (1748-1798), 8 Feb 1770, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory¹⁸

5. François Godere — B. about 1740, Ouiatenon, New France;¹⁹ D. after 12 Jul 1779, (probably) Vincennes, Virginia Territory;¹⁹ M. Marie-Therese Campagnot (~1745-1803), 18 Jan 1773, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory²⁰

6. Marie-Louise Godere — B. about 1745, Ouiatenon, New France;²¹ D. 18 Jul 1774, Prairie du Rocher, Illinois Territory;²² M. Antoine D’Amours de Louvieres (1744-1801), 4 Feb 1766, Prairie du Rocher, Randolph, Illinois²³

7. Agnes Godere — B. about 1749 (probably) Ouiatenon, New France;⁸ D. 6 Dec 1750, Illinois Territory, New France⁸

8. Ursule Godere — B. about 1750, (probably) Ouiatenon, New France;²⁴ D. 12 Nov 1756, Post Vincennes, New France²⁴

9. Toussaint Godere — B. about Nov 1751, (probably) Ouiatenon, New France;²⁵ D. 30 Oct 1792, Vincennes, Northwest Territory;²⁶ M. Barbe Chapart (1758-?), about 1775, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory²⁶

10. Marie-Josephe Godere — B. about 1752, (probably) Ouiatenon, New France;²⁷ D. 1 Jan 1796, Lawrence County, Illinois, Northwest Territory;²⁸ M. Amable-Charles Bolon (~1750-?), 26 Jan 1773, Post Vincennes, Illinois Country²⁹

Children by Jean-Baptiste Vaudry:
1. Marie-Louise Vaudry — B. 17 Oct 1756, Post Vincennes, New France;⁹ D. 3 Sep 1796, Vincennes, Northwest Territory;³⁰ M. Antoine Richardville (1759-?), 14 Jul 1779, Vincennes, Northwest Territory³¹

2. Marie-Ursule Vaudry — B. 20 Apr 1759, Post Vincennes, New France;³² D. 23 Oct 1813, Vincennes, Indiana Territory;³³ M. Pierre Gamelin, 24 Jul 1778, Post Vincennes, Illinois Territory³⁴

3. Jean-Baptiste Vaudry — B. 18 Feb 1761, Post Vincennes, New France;³⁵ D. 10 Jul 1793, Vincennes, Northwest Territory;³⁶ M. Marie-Claire Chappard (1761-1801), 20 Jun 1785, Vincennes, Virginia Territory³⁷

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Torture Death by Iroquois — Guillaume Richard

B. about 1641 in St-Leger, Charente-Maritime, France¹
M. 26 Nov 1675 in Montreal, New France²
Wife: Agnes Tessier dite Lavigne
D. 2 Jul 1690 in Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France³

Towards the end of the 17th century, the Montreal area was often a dangerous place to live. Guillaume Richard dit LaFleur not only made his home there, he sought to defend it from the Iroquois, and in the process, he lost his life in a most brutal way.

Guillaume was born in about 1641 to Jean Richard and Anne Meunier in St-Leger, Charente-Maritime, France.¹ Guillaume’s father was a grain merchant,³ and nothing else is proven about his family, but some descendants claim that his ancestor was a Welshman named John Richards, who helped King Charles IX to escape a 1572 massacre.³

In 1664, Guillaume joined the Carignan-Saliéres Regiment,³ a company of soldiers recruited to help deal with Iroquois aggression in New France. He shipped out on May 13, 1665, and after a terrible voyage, arrived in Quebec on August 19th.³ His assignment was for two years, but like many Carignan-Saliéres soldiers, he opted for staying in New France. He was raised to sergeant and went to a place on the eastern end of Lake Ontario that became Fort Frontenac.³ He eventually was put in charge of the post and remained in that position until 1675.³

On November 26, 1675, Guillaume married Agnes Tessier dite Lavigne in Montreal;² she was the daughter of Urbain Tessier, an early settler of Montreal. They had eight children born between 1676 and 1690. In 1677, Guillaume served as “sergeant of the garrison” at Montreal, and in 1684, was a lieutenant.³ Then he was captain of the militia at Pointe-aux-Trembles, where he had moved with his family in 1679. In addition to his military role, he pursued the fur trade, and he was said to operate a thriving business.⁴

The Iroquois tribes living south of Montreal continued to be a threat to French settlers. From the beginnings of Quebec, the French had allied with the Huron tribes to the north and west, who were enemies of the Iroquois. This and other factors led to Iroquois raids on towns near Montreal during the late 17th century, notably Lachine in August of 1689, where many French settlers were massacred. Militias in Montreal sought to fight back against the Iroquois.

It was in this effort that Guillaume was killed. On July 2, 1690, he was part of a group of 25 men who found themselves overwhelmed by party of about 100 Iroquois warriors at a ravine on the end of the island of Montreal.³ Some were killed in the fight, but Guillaume was one of the unlucky ones who were captured alive. In the Iroquois culture, prisoners of war were executed in slow, painful ways. It was said that Guillaume was burned alive, which likely was carried out in a ritual that kept victims alive for hours. When the Iroquois were done, they quickly buried the bodies of Guillaume and three other prisoners in a makeshift grave. Four years later, the bodies were recovered an reinterred in the cemetery at Pointe-aux-Trembles.³

Example of Iroquois torture of Frenchmen in the 17th century.

Guillaume’s widow Agnes remarried,⁵ and she had five more children, and she died in 1733.⁶ Given that Guillaume died at the hands of Indigenous people, it’s interesting that his son Jean-Baptiste went on to become an interpreter of Native American languages,³ and he married the daughter of a woman from the Wea tribe (part of the Miamis).³ The children from this marriage continued Guillaume's bloodlines in Vincennes, Indiana.

Children:
1. Agnes Richard — B. 23 Aug 1676, Montreal, New France;⁷ D. 4 Apr 1757, Repentigny, New France;⁸ M. Jean Moreau Duplessis (~1664-1735), 1 Dec 1703, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France⁹

2. Pierre Richard — B. 8 Aug 1678, Montreal, New France;¹⁰ D. 12 Jan 1744, L’Assomption, New France;¹¹ M. Catherine Larrivee (1686-1759), 11 Oct 1706, Boucherville, New France¹²

3. Guillaume Richard — B. 26 Feb 1680, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France¹³

4. Jean-Baptiste Richard — B. 19 Mar 1682, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France;¹⁴ M. Marie-Anne You, 15 Aug 1718, Montreal, New France¹⁵

5. Claude Richard — B. 30 Jan 1684, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France¹⁶

6. Marie-Anne Richard — B. 10 Apr 1686, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France;¹⁷ D. 17 Jul 1710, Contrecoeur, New France;¹⁸ M. Mathieu Coitou (1681-1752), 23 Nov 1705, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France¹⁹

7. Marie-Madeleine Richard — B. 14 Mar 1688, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France;²⁰ D. 7 Oct 1726, Varennes, New France;²¹ M. (1) Pierre Lambeye Larose (1681-1721), 22 Nov 1706, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France;²² (2) Pierre Desjardins (~1700-1767), 24 May 1723, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France²³

8. Urbain Richard — B. 25 Mar 1690, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France;²⁴ D. 10 Aug 1760, St-Sulpice, New France;²⁵ M. (1) Marguerite Fleuricourt (1697-1740), 23 Jan 1719, Riviére-des-Prairies, New France;²⁶ (2) Marie-Catherine-Collet (1695-?), 19 May 1749, St-Sulpice, New France²⁷

Sources:
1   Birth record of Guillaume Richard, Canada, Quebec, Quebec Federation of Genealogical Societies, 1621-1865, FamilySearch.org
2   Marriage record of Guillaume Richard and Agnes Tessier, Quebec, Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3   “Richard dit Lafleur, Guillaume,” Dictionary of Canadian Biography
4   WikiTree listing of Guillaume Richard
5   Marriage record of Claude Du Conge and Agnes Tessier, Q., C. P. R.
6   Burial record of Agnes Tessier, Q., C. P. R.
7   Baptismal record of Agnes Richard, Q., C. P. R.
8   Burial record of Agnes Richard, Q., C. P. R.
9   Marriage record of Jean Moreau Duplessis and Agnes Richard, Q., C. P. R.
10  Baptismal record of Pierre Richard, Q., C. P. R.
11  Burial record of Pierre Richard, Q., C. P. R.
12  Marriage record of Pierre Richard and Catherine Larrivee, Q., C. P. R.
13  Baptismal record of Guillaume Richard (younger), Q., C. P. R.
14  Baptismal record of Jean Baptiste Richard, Q., C. P. R.
15  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Richard and Marie-Anne You, Q., C. P. R.
16  Baptismal record of Claude Richard, Q., C. P. R.
17  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Richard, Q., C. P. R.
18  Burial record of Marie-Anne Richard, Q., C. P. R.
19  Marriage record of Mathieu Coitou and Marie-Anne Richard, Q., C. P. R.
20  Baptismal record of Marie-Madeleine Richard, Q., C. P. R.
21  Burial record of Marie-Madeleine Richard, Q., C. P. R.
22  Marriage record of Pierre Lambeye Larose and Marie-Madeleine Richard, Q., C. P. R.
23  Marriage record of Pierre Desjardins and Marie-Madeleine Richard, Q., C. P. R.
24  Baptismal record of Urbain Richard, Q., C. P. R.
25  Burial record of Urbain Richard, Q., C. P. R.
26  Marriage record of Urbain Richard and Marguerite Fleuricourt, Q., C. P. R.
27  Marriage record of Urbain Richard and Marie-Catherine-Collet, Q., C. P. R.

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Ambitious Man in Early New England — Benjamin Lyman

B. 10 Aug 1674 in Northampton, Massachusetts¹
M. 27 Oct 1698 in Northampton, Massachusetts²
Wife: Thankful Pomeroy
D. 14 Oct 1723 in Northampton, Massachusetts³

Benjamin Lyman was an example of what was possible in colonial America — a man could work hard and perhaps rise a few rungs up the economic ladder.

Benjamin was a third generation member of one of the founding families in the Connecticut River valley. He was born in Northampton, Massachusetts on August 10, 1674 to John Lyman and Dorcas Plumb,¹ one of 10 children. Benjamin’s father served as a captain in King Philip’s War.⁴ His father died in 1690, and at some point, Benjamin inherited his house in Northampton. It was considered the family homestead; the house passed down in the family for several generations.

On October 27, 1698, Benjamin married Thankful Pomeroy,² the daughter of church deacon Medad Pomeroy in Northampton. Between 1699 and 1722, they had 12 children, only one of whom died young.

Benjamin was a lieutenant and he served in Queen Anne’s War; his name was in a list of 25 soldiers from Northampton who served from 1704 to 1713.⁵ Queen Anne’s War was a conflict between France and England that affected their colonies during the years 1704 to 1723. Northampton was brought into the fighting by virtue of being on the western frontier of Massachusetts. The French operating out of Quebec allied with Indian tribes to perform raids on communities in the vicinity. With such a threat, the men of Northampton enlisted in fighting the French and their Indian allies. It isn’t known exactly what fighting Benjamin was involved in; some sources claim he was in a scouting party that fought Indians on May 20, 1709, but his name isn’t on the list of the men who were there.⁶

Fighting in Queen Anne’s War. (AI-generated image)

After the war was over, Benjamin was said to be “an enterprising and thriving man.”⁶ Along with the house in Northampton, he acquired many other tracts of land, including 500 acres in what was described in his probate record as "Bedford."⁶ He also owned an African-American slave named Nancy;⁶ during the early 18th century, there was a substantial slave population in Massachusetts. In 1721, Benjamin was one of three men appointed to lend government money to individuals.⁵ The “public bank” was a system of dealing in paper currency in colonial New England. On the local level, trustees were authorized to distribute currency as loans to individuals in the community as they saw fit, so Benjamin's position was one of some authority.

Benjamin died on October 14, 1723 at the age of 49,³ leaving behind his wife and large family. His estate was valued at £1,147, which was a decent amount of wealth.⁶ His widow Thankful remarried a man named Nathaniel Lewis, and she died in 1773 at the age of 94.⁶ Considering his financial success in life, it seems appropriate that among Benjamin’s descendants are Franklin Delano Roosevelt, J.P. Morgan, Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper.⁷

The third page of the inventory of Benjamin's estate.

Children:
1. Joseph Lyman — B. 22 Aug 1699, Northampton, Massachusetts;⁸ D. 30 Mar 1763, Northampton, Massachusetts;⁶ M. Abigail Lewis (1701-1776), before 30 May 1728, (probably) Northampton, Massachusetts⁶

2. Benjamin Lyman — B. 19 Dec 1701, Northampton, Massachusetts;⁹ D. before 4 Jan 1703, Northampton, Massachusetts¹⁰

3. Benjamin Lyman — B. 4 Jan 1703, Northampton, Massachusetts;¹⁰ D. 1 May 1792, Easthampton, Massachusetts;⁶ M. Mary Mosley (1707-1782)⁶

4. Aaron Lyman — B. 1 Apr 1705, Northampton, Massachusetts;¹¹ D. 12 Jun 1780, Belchertown, Massachusetts;¹² M. Eunice Dwight (~1708-?), 12 Dec 1733⁶

5. Eunice Lyman — B. May 1707, Northampton, Massachusetts;¹³ D. Jun 1720, Northampton, Massachusetts¹⁴

6. Hannah Lyman — B. 14 Jul 1709, Northampton, Massachusetts;¹⁵ D. 25 Dec 1792, Belchertown, Massachusetts;¹⁶ M. Nathaniel Dwight (1712-1784), 2 Jan 1735, Northampton, Massachusetts¹⁷

7. Caleb Lyman — B. 8 Aug 1711, Northampton, Massachusetts¹⁸

8. Susannah Lyman — B. 18 Jul 1713, Northampton, Massachusetts¹⁹

9. William Lyman — B. 12 Dec 1715, Northampton, Massachusetts;²⁰ D. 13 Mar 1774, Northampton, Massachusetts;²¹ M. Jemima Sheldon (1721-1785), about 1751, Northampton, Massachusetts⁶

10. Daniel Lyman — B. 18 Apr 1718, Northampton, Massachusetts;²² D. 16 Oct 1788, New Haven, Connecticut;²³ M. (1) Sarah Whiting (1725-1751), 6 Jun 1748, New Haven, Connecticut;²⁴ (2) Sarah Miles (1731-1768), 25 Jun 1752, New Haven, Connecticut;²⁵ (3) Eleanor Fairchild (1730-1825), 1768⁶

11. Elihu Lyman — B. 10 Jul 1720, Northampton, Massachusetts;²⁶ D. 1758⁶

12. Medad Lyman — B. 20 Mar 1722, Northampton, Massachusetts;²⁷ M. Mary Bassett (1732-?), 8 Jan 1751, New Haven, Connecticut²⁸

Sources:
1   Birth record of Benjamin Lyman, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
2   Marriage record of Benjamin Lyman and Thankful Pomeroy, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
3   Death record of Benjamin Lyman, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
4   Find-a-Grave listing of John Lyman
5   History of Northampton, Massachusetts: From its Settlement in 1654, V. 1, James Russel Trumbull, Seth Pomeroy, 1898
6   Genealogy of the Lyman Family in America and Great Britain, Lyman Coleman, 1871
7   FamousKin.com listing of Benjamin Lyman
8   Birth record of Joseph Lyman, Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
9   Birth record of Benjamin Lyman (older son), M., B. & C.
10  Birth record of Benjamin Lyman (younger son), M., B. & C.
11  Birth record of Aaron Lyman, M., B. & C.
12  Death record of Aaron Lyman, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
13  Birth record of Eunice Lyman, M., B. & C.
14  Death record of Eunice Lyman, Massachusetts, Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910, FamilySearch.org
15  Birth record of Hannah Lyman, M., B. & C.
16  Death record of Hannah Dwight, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
17  Marriage record of Nathaniel Dwight and Hannah Lyman, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
18  Birth record of Caleb Lyman, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
19  Birth record of Susannah Lyman, M., B. & C.
20  Birth record of William Lyman, M., B. & C.
21  Death record of William Lyman, M., D. & B.
22  Birth record of Daniel Lyman, M., B. & C.
23  Find-a-Grave listing of Daniel Lyman
24  Marriage record of Daniel Lyman and Sarah Whiting, Connecticut, Marriages, 1630-1997, FamilySearch.org
25  Marriage record of Daniel Lyman and Sarah Miles, C., M.
26  Birth record of Elihu Lyman, M., B. & C.
27  Birth record of Medad Lyman, M., B. & C.
28  Marriage record of Medad Lyman and Mary Bassett, C., M.

Thursday, May 10, 2018

To America From 18th-Century Ireland — Michael Clifford

B. (probably) 1720s in Ireland¹
M. (1) (probably) 1740s in Ireland^1,2
Wife: _______ Painter
M. (2) (probably) 1750s in New Jersey³
Wife: Sarah Gray Moffatt
M. (3) (probably) 1760s in Maryland²
Wife: Elizabeth _______
D. after 16 Dec 1785 in Rowan County, North Carolina

During the early 18th century, the lure of America attracted many to leave Europe and settle in the English colonies. It was people like Michael Clifford who began populating the frontiers, although in his case, it took a few moves to ultimately land where he made his life.

Michael was born somewhere in Ireland, likely during the 1720s.¹ Some researchers have identified his parents without citing any sources, so those names won’t be considered here. It’s almost certain that Michael’s family was of Scots-Irish descent because Irish Catholics didn’t come to America in any great numbers until 100 years later. After Michael came of age, he married a woman who is believed to have had the surname “Painter,”² and they had three children together.

Sometime during the 1750s, Michael bought passage for his family aboard a ship bound for the American colonies.² An 18th-century voyage could be a hazardous trip, and sadly his wife seemed to have become sick and died onboard the ship.² He must have been devastated to have her body buried at sea, facing an unknown future with three young children to look after.

Dying wife onboard the ship to America. (AI-generated image)

Philadelphia was his likely port of entry; from there he went to New Jersey for a time. There he met and married a woman named Sarah Gray Moffatt,³ and it’s believed that they had three children together before moving on to Frederick County, Maryland.³ On February 20, 1766, Michael acquired 12 acres of land near present-day Woodsboro.³ Sarah seems to have died while he lived there, and he married a third wife, Elizabeth.² He had another two children, although it isn’t certain which woman was the mother of them because exact marriage and birth years are unknown.

Around 1775, Michael took his family to North Carolina, settling in what was Rowan County. Perhaps he found that land was cheaper there because he bought 230 acres on February 18, 1778,³ then another 640 acres on June 7th of the same year.³ The location was on Dutchman’s Creek in an area that later became Montgomery County. In 1783, Michael sold 50 acres to his son-in-law Richard Haines for the small amount of 25 shillings.⁴ He did the same for his son John in August of 1784.⁴

Dutchman's Creek today is still a wilderness. (Source: Google Maps)

It’s likely that Michael’s health was failing by 1784, because he wrote his will on December 16th,² and it was probated the following year.² Michael was survived by his wife Elizabeth and his eight children. From North Carolina, his descendants fanned out all across the United States — the deep South, the Midwest, the prairie lands, and the Far West. Today, tens of thousands of people can trace their roots to Michael Clifford.

Children by ______ Painter:
1. John Clifford — B. about 1746, Ireland;⁵ D. about Nov 1826, Rowan County, North Carolina;⁶ M. (1) Rachel Gray;² (2) Alsey Galloway (~1755-?)²

2. Eleanor Clifford — B. (probably) 1740s, Ireland;⁷ D. after 1789, Lincoln County, Tennessee;⁷ M. Charles Westerman (1750-~1820)²

3. Sarah Clifford — B. (probably) 1740s, Ireland;² M. (1) Isaac Wilcoxson;² (2) Richard Haines²

Children by Sarah Gray Moffatt:
1. Jacob Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey;² M. Nancy Ann Boone (1762-1829), Rowan County, North Carolina²

2. Catherine Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey;² M. _____ Pippins²

3. Elizabeth Ann Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey;² M. (1) James Woods;² (2) John Jennings²

Children by Sarah Gray Moffatt or Elizabeth ________:

1. Eve Clifford — B. about 1756, Rowan County, North Carolina;⁸ M. Ebenezer Eaton (?-1810), 1777, Rowan County, North Carolina²

2. Michael Clifford — B. about 1759, New Jersey;² D. 30 Jul 1835, Sangamon County, Illinois;² M. (1) Phoebe Eaton (?-~1810), 18 Mar 1781, Frederick County, Maryland;² (2) Elizabeth Webb (~1782-?), 1811, Woodford County, Kentucky²

Sources:
1 Estimated birth and marriage dates based on rough age of his oldest child.
2 “Michael Clifford, Sr. and Descendants,” A.E. Collier, The Heritage of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1991

3   WikiTree listing of Michael Clifford
4   Michael Clifford and His Family, James Monroe Clifford and Frank Powers, 1993
5   John Clifford in the U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Ancestry.com
6   Probate file of John Clifford, North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Ancestry.com
7   Find-a-Grave listing of Eleanor (Clifford) Westerman
8   Eve Clifford in the U.S. & International Marriage Records, 1560-1900

Poor Creole in Indiana — François Louis Ravellette

B. 14 Sep 1819 in Vincennes, Indiana¹
M. 23 May 1842 in Vincennes, Indiana²
Wife: Susanne Gaile
D. 26 Dec 1863 in Vincennes, Indiana³

Many of the descendants of the original French settlers of Vincennes became second-class citizens of the town their ancestors founded. This was true of François Louis Ravellette; he owned little and left no mark on the community. But perhaps his wealth was in the Creole heritage he passed on to his children.

François (also known as Francis or Frank) was born in Vincennes, Indiana on September 14, 1819 to François Ravellette and Elizabeth Turpin,¹ one of seven children. Both of his parents traced back to the 18th century French fur traders who were the first European inhabitants of the middle of North America. His parents also each had Native American heritage, another characteristic of being Creole. There are no photos of François, but the indigenous ancestry can be seen in images of some of his descendants.

Details about François’ life are unfortunately sketchy. He grew up on a farm in the Vincennes area and he likely lived his entire life in the same area. On May 23, 1842, he married a 15-year-old girl, Susanne Gaile, at St. Francis Xavier Church in Vincennes.² Their first child was born in 1844, and died young,⁴ but they went on to have ten more. Two of the children were twins, born in 1850.^5,6

On an Indiana farm. (AI-generated image)

Most of what we know about François comes from the 1860 census.⁷ The value of his property in 1860 was $340, which was well below average for the people in the area. He and his wife were illiterate and none of his children ages 10 to 14 attended school. It’s also safe to say that French was spoken in the home, likely a Creole dialect spoken in that region of America; later generations passed down the story that one of his daughters could speak French.⁸

François didn’t live to a ripe old age — he was 44-years old when he died on December 26, 1863.³ His wife Susanne was pregnant with their final child, and she gave birth the following February.⁹ She remarried in 1866,¹⁰ but passed away in October 1869.¹¹

Children:

1. Joseph Ravellette — B. 5 Mar 1844, Vincennes, Indiana;⁴ D. 7 Sep 1845, Vincennes, Indiana⁴

2. Elizabeth Ravellette — B. about 1845, Vincennes, Indiana;¹² D. 1880, St. Francisville, Illinois;³ M. Jacob Charles Valle (1845-1899), 30 Dec 1872, St. Francisville, Illinois¹³

3. François Ravellette — B. 2 Apr 1848, Vincennes, Indiana;¹⁴ D. 20 May 1913, St. Francisville, Illinois;¹⁵ M. (1) Mary Channet (1848-1871);³ (2) Josephine Elizabeth Greemore (1853-1921), 15 Feb 1872, Knox County, Indiana¹⁶

4. Mary Louise Ravellette — B. 3 Oct 1850, Vincennes, Indiana;⁵ D. 2 May 1918, Vincennes, Indiana;¹⁷ M. (1) William L. Edeline (1848-1876), 24 Nov 1868, Knox County, Indiana;¹⁸ (2) Robert James Wilhite (1850-1938), 3 Sep 1880, Vincennes, Indiana¹⁹

5. William Ravellette — B. 3 Oct 1850, Vincennes, Indiana;⁶ D. 10 Dec 1929;²⁰ M. Melissa Gharst (1870-1952)²⁰

6. Angelique Ravellette — B. 1 Dec 1853, Vincennes, Indiana;²¹ D. 24 Apr 1860, Vincennes, Indiana²¹

7. Rosanna Ravellette — B. 11 Mar 1855, Vincennes, Indiana;²² D. 10 Apr 1855, Vincennes, Indiana²²

8. Suzanne Archange Ravellette — B. 20 Oct 1856, Vincennes, Indiana;²³ D. 17 Apr 1860, Vincennes, Indiana²³

9. Andrew Ravellette — B. 13 Oct 1858, Vincennes, Indiana;²⁴ D. 28 Mar 1931²⁴

10. Eliza Ravellette — B. 26 Jun 1861, Vincennes, Indiana;²⁵ D. 23 Feb 1941, Vincennes, Indiana;²⁶ M. (1) Robert Baker (~1842-?), 15 Nov 1880, Vincennes, Indiana;²⁷ (2) William H. Erton (1865-1940), 31 Aug 1919, Vincennes, Indiana²⁸

11. Marguerite Helene Ravellette — B. 10 Feb 1864, Vincennes, Indiana;⁹ D. 22 Sep 1908, Lawrenceville, Illinois;²⁹ M. Oliver Levi Stangle (1859-1923), 2 Apr 1883, Vincennes, Indiana³⁰

Sources:
1   Birth record of François Louis Ravellette, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Parish Records, Baptisms, 1749-1838
2   Marriage record of François Louis Ravelette, Indiana, Marriages, 1780-1992, FamilySearch.org
3   “Ravellettes from Indiana Roys, Griffith, etc.,” Genealogy.com
4   Birth record of Joseph Ravellette, Indiana, Births and Christenings, 1773-1933, FamilySearch.org
5   Christening record of Mary Louise Ravellette, I., B. & C.
6   Christening record of William Ravellette, I., B. & C.
7   1860 U.S. Census, Knox County, Indiana
8   Family stories told by François’ great-granddaughter, Marjorie Bartholomai (1917-2016)
9   Birth record of Marguerite Helene Ravellette, I., B. & C.
10  Marriage record of Charles Moyse and Susanne Ravellette, Illinois, Diocese of Belleville, Catholic Parish Records, 1729-1956, FamilySearch.org
11  Find-a-Grave listing of Susanne (Guielle) Moyes
12  Birth record of Elizabeth Ravellette, I., B. & C.
13  Marriage record of Jacob Charles Valle and Elizabeth Ravellette, I., D. of B. C. P. R.
14  Birth record of François Ravellette, I., B. & C.
15  Death record of Francis Ravellette, I., D. of B. C. P. R.
16  Marriage record of Frank Ravellete and Josephine Gremore, I. M.
17  Death record of Mary Wilhite, Indiana Death Index, 1882-1920
18  Marriage record of William Edeline and Mary Edeline, I. M.
19  Marriage record of Robert Wilhite and Mary Edeline, I. M.
20  Find-a-Grave listing of William Ravellette
21  Birth record of Angelique Ravellette, I., B. & C.
22  Birth record of Rosanna Ravellette, I., B. & C.
23  Birth record of Suzanne Archange Ravellette, I., B. & C.
24  Birth record of Andrew Ravellette, I., B. & C.
25  Birth record of Eliza Ravellette, I., B. & C.
26  Find-a-Grave listing of Eliza (Ravellette) Erton
27  Marriage record of Robert Baker and Elizabeth Ravellette, I. M.
28  Marriage record of William H. Erton and Eliza Baker, I. M.
29  Find-a-Grave listing of Marguerite Helen (Ravellette) Stangle
30  Marriage record of Oliver Stangle and Ellen Ravellette, I. M.

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Digging a Home Into a River Bank — Josiah Richardson

B. 7 Nov 1635 in Charlestown, Massachusetts¹
M. 6 Jun 1659 in Concord, Massachusetts²
Wife: Remembrance Underwood
D. 22 Jun 1695 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts³

Josiah Richardson was one of the early settlers of Chelmsford, Massachusetts. He was born in Charlestown on November 7, 1635 to Ezekiel and Susannah Richardson,¹ the third of their six children. When Josiah was 5-years-old, the family moved to Woburn as some of the founding members of that town.⁴ His father died when he was 12.⁴

Sometime during the 1650s, Josiah arrived in Chelmsford with his younger brother James.⁴ He was a young man and had to rely on his skills to make a start. It was said that his first home in Chelmsford was a crude structure “partly formed by digging in the bank” of the river;⁵ during the first few years, almost all of the homes in the town were made of logs. Chelmsford had close proximity to Native American villages, and on May 17, 1658, Josiah signed a petition to the General Court asking that the settlers be given permission to trade with the Indians. The petition was said to be signed by every adult male in town.⁶

A dugout home in early New England. (AI-generated image)

On June 6, 1659, Josiah married Remembrance Underwood,² a woman whose family also lived in Chelmsford, but they traveled to Concord for the wedding. Over the next 16 or so years, they had eight children. As the years passed, Chelmsford became more established, and Josiah played a part in its development. In 1663, he and another man were chosen to help lay out the main road going from town to town and into Boston.⁴ Then in 1669, he built a saw mill with William Fletcher and Thomas Henchman.⁶ It was the second sawmill in Chelmsford and was badly needed to produce wood for building new houses.

Josiah eventually settled at a place described as on “the road leading from Westford to Lowell.”⁶ His property was handed down in the Richardson family to an Edward F. Richardson who lived into the 20th century. Josiah was said to have been a militia captain at one time,⁴ but sources aren’t clear as to when this was. He was also town clerk from 1690 to 1694.⁷

On June 22, 1695, Josiah died in Chelmsford.³ He likely passed away suddenly because he didn’t leave a will. He was only 60-years-old. His estate was valued at £697, a large amount of money at the time.⁴ Josiah’s descendants include Franklin Pierce.⁸

Children:
1. Sarah Richardson — B. 25 Mar 1660, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;⁹ D. 30 Jan 1748, Tyngsboro, Massachusetts;¹⁰ M. William Fletcher (1657-1712), 10 Sep 1677, Chelmsford, Massachusetts¹¹

2. Mary Richardson — B. 14 Apr 1662, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;¹² M. Thomas Colburn (~1648-1728), 17 Sep 1681, Chelmsford, Massachusetts¹³

3. Josiah Richardson — B. 18 May 1665, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;¹⁴ D. 17 Oct 1711, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;¹⁵ M. Mary Parish (1668-1743), 14 Dec 1687, Dunstable, Massachusetts¹⁶

4. Jonathan Richardson — B. 8 Oct 1667, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;¹⁷ D. 21 Feb 1753, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;¹⁸ M. (1) Elizabeth Bates (1671-1722), 8 Nov 1692, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;¹⁹ (2) Elizabeth Bunker (~1673-1752), 18 May 1724, Charlestown, Massachusetts²⁰

5. John Richardson — B. 14 Feb 1670, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;²¹ D. 13 Sep 1746, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;²² M. Elizabeth Farwell (1672-1729), 31 Jan 1694, Chelmsford, Massachusetts²³

6. Samuel Richardson — B. 21 Feb 1673, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;²⁴ D. 28 Apr 1754, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;²⁵ M. Rachel Howard (1682-1727), 27 Jan 1703, Chelmsford, Massachusetts²⁶

7. Susanna Richardson — B. 3 Sep 1677, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;²⁷ M. Henry Farwell (1674-1738), 23 Jan 1696, Chelmsford, Massachusetts²⁸