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

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.

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. 

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

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. 

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.

Virginia House of Burgesses Member — Walter Chiles

B. about 1630 In Bristol, England¹
M. (1) before 1665 in (probably) Jamestown, Virginia^1,2
Wife: ______ Page
M. (2) before 15 Feb 1671 in (probably) Jamestown, Virginia¹
Wife: Susanna ______
D. before 15 May 1672 in (probably) Jamestown, Virginia¹

The earliest settlers of the Virginia colony included many who took on a ruling class status. One man was Walter Chiles, who followed in his father’s footsteps.

Walter’s parents were Walter and Elizabeth Chiles, and they were from Bristol, England, where young Walter was born in about 1630.¹ Not much is known about the family in England, except that there was one other son named William.¹ Walter’s father first went to Virginia by himself in 1636, and two years later, he migrated there with his wife and young sons.¹ They took advantage of the headright system, which offered 50 acres to a man for each person who he brought with him. The Chiles family got 400 acres in Charles City County on the Appomattox River,³ and this was young Walter’s first home in America.

In 1642, Walter’s father became a member of the brand new House of Burgesses,³ an elected body set up to handle colony issues on a local level. At some point, this put the family in Jamestown, and from 1649, they lived in a place known as Kemp House; it had been built in 1638 and is thought to be the first ever brick house in Virginia.³ Walter Sr. died just five years later,³ and he passed the house on to son Walter, who added “a brick house 37 feet in length” to the property.¹

Kemp House. (AI-generated image)

Walter was married twice. His first wife was the daughter of John Page,¹ but there is uncertainty about her first name. Some say it was Elizabeth and others believe it was Mary. In either case, John Page was another prominent man in Jamestown, and a marriage to his daughter would further indicate Walter’s status. His first wife gave birth to at least two children during the 1660s, a daughter and son, but she died not long after,⁴ and Walter remarried to a woman named Susanna.¹ The second marriage brought one son.

After the death of his father, Walter became a member of the House of Burgesses, serving in 1653, 1658, 1659 and 1660.¹ In 1660, Governor William Berkeley appointed him and others to “act during the recess of the Assembly.”¹ Walter also was a justice in Jamestown for a time.¹

Walter made out his will on November 15, 1671, and it was probated May 15th of the following year, so he passed away between those dates.¹ His widow Susanna remarried to Reverend James Wadding,¹ who later became an important figure in Bacon’s Rebellion. Through Walter’s daughter Elizabeth, he was the ancestor of President John Tyler.⁵

Children by _____ Page:
1. Elizabeth Chiles — B. before 24 Feb 1665, Jamestown, Virginia;² D. 19 Jan 1703, Williamsburg, Virginia;² M. Henry Tyler, about 25 Jun 1684, York County, Virginia²

2. John Chiles — B. about 1669, (probably) Jamestown, Virginia;⁶ D. before 5 May 1723, King William County, Virginia;⁶ M. (1) Mary ______, before Sep 1693, Virginia;⁶ M. (2) Eleanor Webber⁶

Child by Susanna _______:
1. Henry Chiles — B. before 4 Apr 1671, Jamestown, Virginia;¹ D. after 29 Apr 1718, Hanover County, Virginia;⁷ M. Mary _____⁷

Sources:
1    WikiTree listing of Walter Chiles Jr.
2    WikiTree listing of Elizabeth (Chiles) Tyler
3    WikiTree listing of Walter Chiles Sr.
4    The approximate date of death is based on the fact children Elizabeth and John were known to be grandchildren of her father John Page (per his will).
5    FamousKin.com listing of Walter Chiles Jr.
6    WikiTree listing of John Chiles
7    Tidewater Virginia Families, pp. 224-227, 2004

Link From His Father to His Son — Joseph Sutherland

B. about 1680 in (probably) New Kent County, Virginia¹
M. before about 1718 in (probably) New Kent County, Virginia²
Wife: _______ Chiles
D. before June 14, 1739 in King William County, Virginia¹

There are few surviving records from colonial King William County, Virginia. During the late 19th century, a courthouse fire destroyed nearly everything, making it impossible to track many families. In the case of Joseph Sutherland, only two documents record him by name: a 1699 record regarding his father’s probate, and a 1701 ruling for the same case. With this, we know the name of his father and his two brothers.

Joseph was born in about 1680 in colonial Virginia, likely in the county of New Kent.¹ He seems to have been a third-generation American of Scottish and English descent. Joseph’s parents were George and Elizabeth Sutherland (his mother’s maiden name is thought to be Norment),¹ and he was their oldest surviving son. New Kent County was tobacco country, and just about everyone who lived there either grew it, or traded it. Joseph’s father had acquired a vast amount of land from the Pamunkey Indians between two small rivers,³ and this was likely where Joseph grew up. 

On a tobacco farm. (AI-generated image)

George Sutherland died by June of 1699, leaving behind Joseph and two younger brothers, Phillip and George.³ None of them were of age, and their situation seemed ominous: the courts were questioning the legality of their father’s property title. Basically the authorities said that since it had been acquired directly from the Indians, the Sutherlands had no right to it because only the King of England or his representative could grant land in the colony. The issue was appealed, with Joseph Norment serving as the boys’ guardian, and on September 4, 1701, this order was made by the Virginia House of Burgesses:

Resolved: That it is the opinion of this house that no patents be issued to any persons claiming land within the bounds assigned the Pamunkey Indians, and for this reason no patents to be issued unto Joseph Norment in behalf of Joseph Sutherland, Phillip Sutherland and George Sutherland, orphan sons of George Sutherland, deceased, for 300 acres.³

The issue of ownership of this land was mentioned again on October 28, 1702 when a grant of 312 acres was now approved for the “orphans of George Sutherland,” but only Phillip and George were mentioned, not Joseph.¹ Researchers believe that this indicated Joseph had come of age, thus establishing a rough birth year of 1680. They also think that as an adult, he had received his land separately.

In January 1705, Phillip and George were paid money for their claim on land they inherited.³ Later that year, another document used the phrase “heir of George Sutherland, deceased,”³ and this exact wording was repeated in a grant dated June 14, 1739. The recipient of the grant was Fendall Sutherland, grandson of George.¹ Unfortunately, the generation between George and Fendall wasn’t named, but since Phillip and George had sold out, this would leave Joseph as the father of Fendall.

Some have inferred from the uncommon name of “Fendall” that Joseph had a wife with that surname, but this does not seem to be true. Instead, evidence suggests that Joseph’s wife was the daughter of John Chiles (~1666-~1723). The case is made for this because of son Fendall’s later connection to the Chiles family in probate and land records,³ and a document saying that John Chiles had two daughters, one of whom married a Sutherland.⁴ Besides Fendall, three other children have been tied to Joseph, all born between about the years 1718 and 1734; this age range fits with a John Chiles daughter being the wife of Joseph.

The June 1739 land grant does have one conclusive fact about Joseph: he was deceased by that date. Most likely his death occurred earlier that year, although the timing of the grant may also be linked to his son Fendall coming of age and Joseph may have died up to about 5 years earlier.

Children:
1. Fendall Sutherland — B. about 1718, King William County, Virginia;¹ D. before 24 Aug 1789 in King William County, Virginia;¹ M. (1) UNKNOWN, about 1740;¹ (2) Mary Coleman (?-1818), about 1757¹

2. John Sutherland — B. about 1720, (probably) King William County, Virginia;⁵ D. before 21 Mar 1771, Carteret, Virginia;⁵ M. Ann _______, 1745, Virginia⁵

3. Elizabeth Sutherland — B. 2 Feb 1726, Prince George County, Virginia;⁶ D. about 1819, Amelia County, Virginia;⁶ M. Thomas Whitworth (1726-1801), 1745, Virginia⁷

4. Joseph Sutherland — B. about 1734, (probably) Virginia;⁸ D. 16 May 1807, Louisa, Virginia;⁸ M. Grissell Mallory (1744-1807)⁸

Sources:
1    Sutherlands and Their Tangled Branches, Robert J. Walsh, 1985
2    Approximate marriage date based on estimated birth year of oldest child. See paragraph 7 for explanation of his wife’s surname.
3    “Southerland Family of King William County, Virginia,” Winston of Virginia and Allied Families, Clayton Torrence, 1927, pp. 390-396
4    Reports of Cases in the General Court of Virginia, 1829, p. 133
5    WikiTree listing of John Southerland
6    Find-a-Grave listing of Elizabeth (Southerland) Whitworth
7    WikiTree listing of Elizabeth (Southerland) Whitworth
8    Geni.com listing of Joseph Sutherland

A Highborn Pedigree in Frontier America — Martha Strode

B. about 1697 in (probably) England or Netherlands¹
M. (probably) 1719 in Chester County, Pennsylvania²
Husband: Morgan Bryan
D. 29 Aug 1762 in Rowan County, North Carolina¹

Martha Strode and her husband Morgan Bryan each brought a lofty heritage to the American backwoods. And while some researchers doubt his pedigree is accurate, hers has been fully verified through records, although a few sketchy details remain.

Martha’s story begins with her parents Edward Strode and Joanna Hatchett having to leave England because he wouldn’t swear loyalty to King William.³ They fled to the continent where some of their children were born in France, and the youngest of these was Martha whose birth year was about 1697.¹ When she was still a baby, the family decided to settle in America, and boarded a ship bound for Philadelphia.³ Then both of Martha’s parents died — it isn’t clear from records if this happened at sea or shortly after landing.³ What is certain is that Martha and her three older brothers suddenly became orphans in a strange new place.

Who raised Martha and her brothers? Unfortunately, we don’t know. It’s believed that people took the children in, perhaps those who had traveled on the same ship. Martha seemed to have had a good upbringing, and was told about who her parents were. In 1719, Martha was said to have married her husband, Morgan Bryan.² He was much older than she was (born in 1671),² which would have made him about 47 when they married. Like Martha, Morgan was a high-born immigrant of English, Dutch and Irish descent, but was said to have been born in Denmark because his parents were in exile.² The couple made their home in Chester County and began a family;² by 1737, Martha gave birth to at least eight children. 

Raising a family on a colonial farm. (AI-generated image)

There were two times during her married life that Martha moved with her family to a more remote location. The first venture was in about 1730 when Morgan joined a group who bought a massive amount of land in Frederick County, Virginia.² For the next several years, the Bryan family lived a pioneer existence in the backwoods of Virginia, moving at least three times. Typically this meant building a log cabin each time they settled, where Martha kept house and looked after her children.

The second major move happened in 1748, and this time Martha’s family settled in the piedmont of North Carolina.² It’s been written in many places that Martha died in Virginia before they migrated south, but records and a grave stone have disproved this.² The 1748 trek was described as a “dangerous” route, where Morgan had to sometimes disassemble part of the wagon because the road was too narrow.² It took three months to reach their destination at the forks of the Yadkin River and the Bryans were said to be the first family to reach it.²

As he had done in Virginia, Morgan acquired as much land as he could, and the place where they lived was called Bryan’s Settlement.² Within a few years, other families moved into the area, including the father of Daniel Boone;⁴ Martha’s son William married Boone’s sister Mary, and in 1756, her granddaughter Rebecca married Boone himself.⁴

Martha died on August 29, 1762;¹ her husband Morgan survived her by a short time, dying in April 1763.⁵ Years later, Martha’s tombstone was uncovered by workers who were building a road. The stone is now in a museum in Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Martha’s gravestone on display. (Source: Find-a-Grave)

Because of Martha’s granddaughter, all descendants of Daniel Boone are also descendants of Martha; this includes Major League Baseball players Ray Boone, Bob Boone, Brett Boone and Aaron Boone.⁶

Children (many birth years are rough estimates):
1. Joseph Bryan — B. about 1720, Chester County, Pennsylvania;⁷ D. before Mar 1805, Jefferson County, Kentucky;⁷ M. (1) Hester ______ (~1720-1741), (probably) Virginia;⁷ (2) Aylee Linville (1722-1805), about 1741, Winchester, Virginia⁷

2. James Bryan — B. about 1723, Orange County, Virginia;⁸ D. 14 Aug 1807, St. Charles, Missouri;⁸ M. Rebecca Enochs (1732-1768), 1756, North Carolina⁸

3. Samuel Bryan — B. about 1726, Chester County, Pennsylvania;⁹ D. 1798, Rowan County, North Carolina;⁹ M. (1) Masmilla Simpson;⁹ (2) Elizabeth McMahan (1737-?), 1755, North Carolina⁹

4. Mary Bryan — B. about 1728, Chester County, Pennsylvania;¹⁰ D. 25 Feb 1742, Orange County, Virginia;¹⁰ M. Thomas Curtis, about 1740, Virginia¹⁰

5. Elenor Bryan — B. about 1729, Chester County, Pennsylvania;¹¹ D. 21 Oct 1792, Madison County, Kentucky;¹¹ M. William D. Linville (1710-1766), about 1745¹¹

6. Morgan Bryan — B. 20 May 1729, (probably) Chester County, Pennsylvania;² D. before 4 Jul 1804, Fayette County, Kentucky;¹² M. Mary Forbis (~1731-~1794), about 1747, Rowan County, North Carolina¹²

7. John Bryan — B. about 1730, (probably) Frederick County, Virginia;² D. before 5 Nov 1800, Rowan County, North Carolina;¹³ M. Sarah ______, about 1750, (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina¹³

8. William Bryan — B. 10 Mar 1734, (probably) Frederick County, Virginia;² D. 30 May 1780, Bryan’s Station, Kentucky;¹⁴ M. Mary Boone (1736-1819), 1755, Rowan County, North Carolina¹⁴

9. Thomas Bryan — B. about 1737, (probably) Frederick County, Virginia;¹⁵ D. about 1777, Kentucky;¹⁵ M. Sarah Hunt¹⁵

Sources:
1    Find-a-Grave listing of Martha (Strode) Bryan
2    Morgan Bryan (1671-1763) A Danish-born “Irish Immigrant” and some of his antecedents and descendants, David C. McMurtry, David R. Bryan and Kathryn H. Weiss, 2007
3    In Search of the Strode Orphans: The Ancestry of Edward Strode, Jeremiah Strode, Samuel Strode, and Martha (Strode) Bryan, David C. McMurtry, Michael L. Kallam and Kerry Ross O’Boran, 1998
4    The Boone Family: A Genealogical History of George and Mary Boone who Came to America in 1717, Hazel A. Spraker, 1974
5    Find-a-Grave listing of Morgan Bryan
6    Ray Boone (Wikipedia article)
7    WikiTree listing of Joseph Bryan Sr.
8    WikiTree listing of James Bryan
9    WikiTree listing of Samuel Bryan
10  WikiTree listing of Mary (Bryan) Curtis
11  WikiTree listing of Elenor (Bryan) Linville
12  WikiTree listing of Morgan Bryan Jr.
13  WikiTree listing of John Bryan
14  WikiTree listing of William Bryan
15  WikiTree listing of Thomas Bryan

A Wise Puritan Settler — William Learned

B. before about 1581 in (probably) Bermondsey, Surrey, England¹
M. (1) 22 Apr 1606 in St. Olave, Southwark, England²
Wife: Goodith Gillman
M. (2) after 1632 in (probably) Massachusetts²
Wife: Jane _______
D. 1 Mar 1645 in Woburn, Massachusetts²

During the 1630s, shiploads of Puritans came over from England to populate Massachusetts. Among them were men above 50 years of age who played leadership roles in their towns, and William Learned seems to fit this description.

As with many immigrants in the 17th century, little is known of William’s life in England. He was likely born by 1581 in a place called Bermondsey.¹ Although described as being in Surrey, today it’s a part of London, and just south of the Thames; the Tower of London was a short distance away. It was in Bermondsey that William first turned up in records with his marriage to a woman named Goodith Gillman on April 22, 1606.² The unusual name Goodith was not a alternate spelling of Judith, nor was it the Puritan “Goodwife” — it was her real name. William and Goodith had at least six children by 1624, with the youngest being their only surviving son. 

William’s signature.

At some point, William became a follower of the Puritan movement, and because he was so near London, he seems to have been enlisted into the Winthrop Fleet. This is known because his name turned up in Charlestown by the end of 1630, and so he must have been on a ship that year.² He and his wife were on the list of founding members of the church in Charlestown. “1632, 10 mo. day 6, William Learned and Goodeth, his wife, were admitted.”² The fact their names were at the top of the list is an indicator he was seen by others as having some status, and in fact he was made selectman in 1636.²

William’s Charlestown property was described in 1638 as being seven parcels of land: “three acres of arable land and meadow … with a dwelling house,” “four acres of arable land … in the East Field,” three and three-quarters cow commons,” “two acres of meadow … in Mystic Marshes,” “five acres of woodland in Mystic Field,” “fifteen acres of woodland … in Mystic Field,” and “forty acres of land … in Rock Field.”² But soon he left this behind to make his home in the new community of Woburn.

The town of Woburn, Massachusetts was first settled in 1640 and incorporated two years later, and William was said to be one of its earliest men. “He was a subscriber to the town orders for Woburn, drawn up at Charlestown, Dec. 18, 1640; [he] was one of the seven original members of the church in Woburn which was gathered Aug. 14, 1642…”⁴

Ordaining the first minister of Woburn in 1642. (AI-generated image)

Sadly, William didn’t live much longer than Woburn’s founding. He served in Woburn as selectman in 1644,⁵ and as constable (who also collected the taxes) in 1644 and 1645,⁵ but he died just before he would have been elected for a third year.⁵ His son Isaac had to settle the accounts he had managed as constable.⁵ William was the ancestor of Abigail Powers Fillmore, Eli Whitney, Clara Barton, Sir Robert Laird Borden (Prime Minister of Canada), George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, John Ritter, Billie Jean King, Treat Williams and Elon Musk.⁶

Children (all by Goodith Gillman):
1. Sarah Learned — B. before 18 Jan 1607, (probably) Bermondsey, Surrey, England;⁷ M. (1) Thomas Ewer (1593_1638), 13 Jan 1624, Bermondsey, Surrey, England;² (2) Thomas Lothrop, 11 Dec 1639²

2. Bethiah Learned — B. before 29 Oct 1612, Bermondsey, Surrey, England²

3. Mary Learned — B. before 15 Sep 1615, Bermondsey, Surrey, England;² D. about 26 Jul 1625, Bermondsey, Surrey, England²

4. Abigail Learned — B. before 30 Sep 1618, Bermondsey, Surrey, England²

5. Elizabeth Learned — B. before 25 Mar 1621, Bermondsey, Surrey, England;² M. John Hall, before 21 Sep 1645⁸

6. Isaac Learned — B. before 25 Feb 1624, Bermondsey, Surrey, England;² D. 27 Nov 1657, Chelmsford, Massachusetts;⁹ M. Mary Stearns, 9 Jul 1646, Woburn, Massachusetts²

Sources:
1    WikiTree listing of William Learned
2    Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Robert Charles Anderson, 1995 
3    William Learned: Winthrop’s Fleet Woburn, Mass. Settler (website)
4    The History of Woburn, Middlesex County, Mass. from the grant of its territory to Charlestown, in 1640, to the year 1680, Samuel Sewall, 1868
5    Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, Henry Bond, 1855, p. 333
6    FamousKin listing of William Learned
7    “Updated from English Records for some Great Migration immigrants who came by 1635,” NEHGR, V. 172, 2018
8    WikiTree listing of Elizabeth (Learned) Hall
9    Death record of Isaac Learned, Vital Records of Chelmsford Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, 1914