Removing His Name From a Petition — Ezekiel Richardson

B. about 1604 in Westmill, England
M. 25 Feb 1630 in England
Wife: Susannah ________
D. 21 Oct 1647 in Woburn, Massachusetts

When masses of English people who were united by their religion settled in the colony of Massachusetts, some splintered off when they disagreed with authorities. Ezekiel Richardson was about to go off in that direction, but changed his mind at a critical point.

Ezekiel was born in Westmill, England in about 1602 to Thomas Richardson and Katherine Duxford. He had at least two brothers and one sister. Westmill was located in eastern Hertfordshire, the mill that gave the village its name being long gone by the time Ezekiel grew up there. On February 25, 1630, Ezekiel married a woman named Susannah (whose maiden name is unknown); the wedding may have taken place in Westmill, but this is unproven.

Ezekiel and Susannah were Puritans, and shortly after their wedding, they joined the Winthrop Fleet, a mass migration for those seeking religious freedom in America. The exact ship they sailed on is unknown, but likely by the mid-summer of 1630, they arrived in the Massachusetts colony to start a new life there. They settled first in Boston, then moved to Charlestown by 1632; this is evidenced by their names being on a list of the original members of the church at Charlestown, which was founded on November 2nd. 

The Richardsons started a family, and between about 1632 and 1643, they had seven children. Ezekiel was chosen as a constable by Charlestown’s council in 1633, and served as selectman during 1634-35 and 1637-39. For the years 1634 and 1635, he was Charlestown’s representative to the General Court in Boston. By early 1638, Ezekiel’s brothers Samuel and Thomas also migrated to the colony, and the three were given lots in Malden, Massachusetts on the “mistick side above the ponds.”

Like some of his fellow Puritans, Ezekiel became a follower of Anne Hutchinson and John Wheelwright, two people who ran counter to the leadership in Massachusetts. Wheelwright was judged to be guilty of sedition, and Ezekiel was one of 80 men signing a petition presented to the General Court in 1637 opposing the ruling. But then he presumably had second thoughts when he saw the serious nature of defying colony leadership. Along with many others, he got his name removed from the document in order to save himself from being censured. However, it seems his expression of dissent may have led him to leave Charlestown.

Reverend John Wheelwright.

On May 15, 1640, Ezekiel was among a small group of Charlestown men to explore territory granted by the General Court for a new town. In November, he was on a committee to establish what would become Woburn, Massachusetts. The committee met at the houses of each of the men who served. There were seven members, and Ezekiel hosted the meeting held on February 13, 1641. At that gathering, it was decided that February 16th would be the day all of the new settlers would help lay out the town at the site.

The 1640 expedition to Woburn.

In the next couple of years, Woburn’s settlers built their houses and established a church. Ezekiel and his brothers took up residence on one road which became known as “Richardson’s Row.” The first town council was named in 1644, and Ezekiel was one of the first seven selectmen. He went on to serve for the three years that followed. Ezekiel would have likely continued doing even more in early Woburn, but sadly, he died October 21, 1647 when he was in his early 40s. He left a will naming all of his surviving children and his wife Susannah. The inventory of his estate was valued at £100. Susannah remarried another Woburn man, and died in 1681.

Ezekiel’s descendants include Franklin Pierce, George W. Bush, Barbara Bush, Jeb Bush, Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Mike Love, Katharine Hepburn, former Major League Baseball Commissioner Bartlett Giamatti and actor Paul Giamatti. Today’s Woburn has a street named Richardson, perhaps in his and his brothers’ honor.

Children:
1. Phebe Richardson — B. before 3 Jun 1632, (probably) Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. 13 Sep 1716, Woburn, Massachusetts; M. Henry Baldwin (~1630-1698), 1 Nov 1649, Woburn, Massachusetts

2. Theophilis Richardson — B. before 22 Dec 1633, Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. 28 Dec 1674, Woburn, Massachusetts; M. Mary Champney (1635-1704), 2 May 1654, Woburn, Massachusetts

3. Josiah Richardson — B. before 7 Nov 1635, Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. 22 Jun 1695, Chelmsford, Massachusetts; M. Remembrance Underwood (1640-1718), 6 Jun 1659, Concord, Massachusetts

4. John Richardson — B. before 21 Jul 1638, Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. 7 Jan 1643, Woburn, Massachusetts

5. Jonathan Richardson — B. before 13 Feb 1640, Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. (probably) young

6. James Richardson — B. before 11 Jul 1641, Charlestown, Massachusetts; D. 28 Jun 1677, Scarborough, Maine; M. Bridget Henchman (~1638-1731), 28 Nov 1660, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

7. Ruth Richardson — B. 23 Aug 1643, Woburn, Massachusetts; D. 7 Sep 1643, Woburn, Massachusetts

Sources:
The Richardson Memorial, John Adam Vinton, 1876
Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire, Vol. 1, Lewis Publishing Company, 1908
Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Boston and eastern Massachusetts, Vol. 2, William Richard Cutter, 1908
The History of Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Samuel Sewell and Charles Chauncy Sewell, 1868
WikiTree
Famous Kin (website)

A Child Not Her Husband's — Madeleine Dubois

B. about 1640 in La Rochelle, France
M. 19 Oct 1661 in Quebec City, New France
Husband: Michel Baugis
D. 5 Mar 1721 in Beauport, New France

The records don’t seem to tell the whole story of Madeleine Dubois, who came to the colony of New France on her own, then got pregnant by a man she met after arrival. What caused her to leave France? And why did she have a baby with a man she didn’t marry?

Madeleine was born in La Rochelle, France in about 1640 to Isaac Dubois and Anne Richer. Isaac was a "master wool comber." She had at least two sisters, neither of whom came to America. In 1661, Madeleine traveled on her own to New France, offering herself as a marriageable woman. It’s likely that she was recruited by someone looking to populate the colony; this was a couple of years before the Filles du Roi migration began. Madeleine probably had some challenges in life because this was such a drastic step for a French woman — to leave behind her family, her homeland, and civilization for an unknown future.

Not long after landing at Quebec, she seems to have gotten involved with a man named Jean Royer, and this led to a pregnancy. There is no way of knowing if this was a consensual relationship, but there is no information that it wasn’t. For some reason, her condition didn’t result in a trip to the altar with Royer, and Madeleine decided to marry someone else. Royer went on to marry another woman, Marie Targer, who arrived in New France two years later. He would have seven children with his wife, but died in 1675 at the age of 40.

The man Madeleine did marry was Michel Baugis, and their wedding took place at his home in Beauport on October 19th. Madeleine gave birth to the baby fathered by Royer on February 7, 1662, but the child took the name of her step-father, Baugis. Michel and Madeleine went on to have six children of their own born between 1663 and 1679. They settled in Beauport and were listed in the 1681 census as having "30 arpents of land under cultivation." 

Record of Madeleine's marriage to Michel Baugis.  

A curious lawsuit appeared in the court records of New France naming Madeleine as being accused of slander. Her insults had been supposedly directed at a woman named Marie Leblanc. The ruling went against Madeleine, and she was forced to “ask forgiveness” of Leblanc. Another accusation in the records claimed that the apology wasn’t strong enough, but this charge was dismissed.

In 1711, Madeleine and her husband Michel drew up a document that signed their property over to a grandson in return for having him care for them in their old age. Michel died on November 26, 1717 and Madeleine passed away March 5, 1721. She was the ancestor of Dan Aykroyd and Mark Wahlberg.

Child by Jean Royer:
1.  Marie-Madeleine Baugis — B. 7 Feb 1662, Quebec City, New France; D. 23 Mar 1743, Beauport, New France; M. Jacques Menard dit Deslauriers (~1638-1716), 28 Nov 1680, Beauport, New France

Children by Michel Baugis:
1. Jean Baugis — B. 10 Aug 1663, Quebec City, New France; D. 17 Oct 1720, Beauport, New France; M. Jeanne-Thérèrse Parent (1673-1767), 11 Jan 1689, Beauport, New France

2. Marguerite Baugis — B. 11 Jul 1666, Beauport, New France; D. 22 Apr 1737, Beauport, New France; M. Pierre Parent (1660-1715), 23 Nov 1683, Beauport, New France

3. Marie-Anne Baugis — B. 27 Feb 1669, Beauport, New France; D. 23 Jan 1748, Beauport, New France; M. Pierre Choret (1662-1736), 21 Jan 1686, Beauport, New France

4. Louise Baugis — B. 22 Nov 1672, Beauport, New France; D. 8 Dec 1672, Beauport, New France

5. Jeanne-Marie Baugis — B. about 1675, (probably) Beauport, New France; D. 22 Nov 1760, Quebec City, New France; M. François Langlois (1673-1748), 17 Sep 1696, Beauport, New France

6. Michel Baugis — B. about 1679, Beauport, New France; D. 14 May 1756, Lachine, New France; M. (1) Angélique Senard (1683-1703), 9 Nov 1699, Beauport New France; (2) Marie Miville (1665-1726), 2 Jun 1704, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France; (3) Marguerite Perrier (~1677-1755), 2 Dec 1726, Lachine, New France

Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Before the King's Daughters: The Filles à Marier, 1634-1662, Peter J. Gagné, 2002
Fichier Origine for Madeleine Dubois 
Godbout — Racicot / LeBeauf — LaHaye (website)

Which Edward Bishop Was Witch? — Edward Bishop

B. about 1620 in England
M. before 1646 in Massachusetts
Wife: Hannah (last name unknown)
D. after 1694 in (probably) Salem, Massachusetts

Sometimes an individual is challenging to identify, and such is the case for Edward Bishop of Salem, Massachusetts, who was the father of Mary Colburn. There were three Edward Bishops living in Salem during the 1690s, and it’s important to sort them out because one was accused of being a witch.

The Edward of this biography was born in England in about 1620 (some have given a date as early as 1611). Nothing is known of him until he turned up in Salem, Massachusetts in 1639. He was married to a woman named Hannah (possibly her last name was Moore) and they had at least three children who were baptized in Salem between 1646 and 1651. One of these children was also named Edward.

There is evidence that the elder Edward was living in Salem at the time of the witch trials; he appears along with wife Hannah having signed a petition in defense of one of the accused, Rebecca Nurse. Another of the accused women who was tried before this date was Bridget Bishop, the wife of another Edward Bishop, who seems to be unrelated to the other two Edwards. 

Bridget Bishop became famous as the first person found guilty at the witch trials who was then executed. Several town members, including a group of teenaged girls, claimed she had caused them harm with just a glance, and several people testified that she appeared as a specter in their homes. She denied the accusations, but was found guilty, and was hung from the town gallows.

The execution of Bridget Bishop, who was unrelated to the Edward Bishop of this biography.

Some time after this, Edward's son Edward and his wife Sarah were arrested in a separate case. They ran an inn out of their home in Salem and it was known for serving "drinks to underaged patrons and allowed 'shovel'-board to be played at all hours of the night." A neighbor who complained about their behavior was found a short time later dead from an apparent suicide — a slashed throat from a pair of sewing scissors — and this was thought to be witchcraft caused by Edward and Sarah. They managed to escape jail, though, and were said to have hid until the witch trial craze was over.

It is not known when the elder Edward died; some have said 1694 and others have given dates as late as 1711. There is a record dated June 25, 1695 in Salem charging "Edward Bishop, Senr." with drunkenness (he had to pay a fine of 5 pence), but it isn't known which Edward this is. The relationship between all of the Edward Bishops of Salem can never be proven completely, but the scenario described here seems likely from all of the circumstantial evidence.

Children:
1. Hannah Bishop — B. before 12 Apr 1646, Salem, Massachusetts; M. William Raymond (1637-1709), about 1661

2. Edward Bishop — B. before 24 Apr 1648, Salem, Massachusetts; D. 12 May 1711, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; M. Sarah Wilde (1651-?), 1670

3. Mary Bishop — B. about Aug 1651, Salem Massachusetts; D. after 1742, Concord, Massachusetts; M. (1) Robert Colburn (~1647-1701), 16 Mar 1669, Beverly, Massachusetts; (2) Eliphalet Fox (1644-1711), 15 Apr 1702, Concord, Massachusetts; (3) Joseph Lee (1643-1716), 28 Jan 1713, Concord, Massachusetts; (4) Daniel Hoar (~1650-1742), October 1717, Concord, Massachusetts

Sources:
Wikipedia article on Edward Bishop
Salem Witchcraft with an account of Salem Village and a history of opinions on Witchcraft and Kindred Subjects, Charles Wentworth Upham, 1867
A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, James Savage, 1860

Keeping the Town Records — William Carpenter

B. about 1631 in Wiltshire, England
M. (1) 5 Oct 1651 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts
Wife: Priscilla Bennett
M. (2) 10 Dec 1663 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts
Wife: Miriam Searles
D. 26 Jan 1703 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts

William Carpenter was skilled at using a pen as well as a saw, and during a period of his life, he was appointed as his town’s clerk.

William was born in about 1631 to William Carpenter and Abigail Briant, somewhere near the town of Shalbourne, England, which is in Wiltshire. He was one of eight children. When William was seven years old, the family migrated to America aboard the ship Bevis. The ship's passenger list includes 4 children in the family and one servant, suggesting they weren't poor. The family settled in Weymouth, Massachusetts, then moved to Rehoboth in 1644 as a founding family of that community.

On October 5, 1651, William married Priscilla Bennett. Priscilla died on October 20, 1663 giving birth to their fourth child. William then married Miriam Searles on December 10, 1663. They had nine children born between 1664 and 1687.

William worked as a carpenter and owned a "long Cross cut saw," but his other profession was as town clerk of Rehoboth, a service he performed for almost 35 years, from 1668 until his death. It is said he was noted for his exceptional handwriting. During his time as clerk, he was a deacon in the church, a deputy to the General Court at Plymouth, an overseer of the highways, a constable, and a magistrate. He was also appointed to settle boundary disputes, and helped to hire a schoolmaster.

Example of William's handwriting in Rehoboth records.

William wrote his will on November 10, 1702 and he died on the following January 26th. His will was proved in April with his estate valued at over £215; among his possessions were several books and a compass for surveying land. He was buried at Newman Cemetery, which is in present-day Rhode Island. Descendants of William include Raquel Welch and Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Children by Priscilla Bennett:
1. John Carpenter — B. 19 Oct 1652, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; D. Woodstock, Connecticut; M. (1) Rebecca Readaway; (2) Sarah _______

2. William Carpenter — B. 20 Jun 1659, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; D. 10 Mar 1719, Attleboro, Massachusetts; M. Elizabeth Robinson (1657-?), 8 Apr 1685

3. Priscilla Carpenter — B. 24 Jul 1661, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; D. after 1744, East Greenwich, Rhode Island; M. Richard Sweet

4. Benjamin Carpenter — B. 20 Oct 1663, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; D. 18 Apr 1738, Coventry, Connecticut; M. Hannah Strong (1671-1762)

Children by Miriam Searles:
1. Josiah Carpenter — B. 18 Dec 1664, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; D. 28 Feb 1727; M. Elizabeth Read (1668-1739)

2. Nathaniel Carpenter — B. 12 May 1667, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; M. (1) Rachel Cooper (~1671-1694), 19 Sep 1693, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; (2) Mary Preston (~1674-1706), 17 Nov 1695; (3) Mary (~1675-1712), 8 Jul 1707; (4) Mary Bacon

3. Daniel Carpenter — B. 8 Oct 1669, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; M. (1) Bethiah Bliss (?-1703), 15 Apr 1695; (2) Elizabeth Butterworth (1682-1708), 30 Mar 1704; (3) Margaret Thurston (~1687-1717), 12 Dec 1710; (4) Mary (or Margaret) Hunt (~1698-1719), 15 Oct 1718; (5) Mary

4. Noah Carpenter — B. 28 Mar 1672, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; Apr 1756; M. (1) Sarah Johnson (1677-1726); (2) Ruth Follett (?-1745); (3) Tabithy _______, 29 Nov 1745

5. Miriam Carpenter — B. 16 Oct 1674, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; D. 21 May 1706; Jonathan Bliss (1666-?), 23 Jun 1691

6. Obidiah Carpenter — B. 12 Mar 1678, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; D. 25 Oct 1749; M. Deliverance Preston (?-1767), 6 Nov 1703

7. Ephraim Carpenter — B. 25 Apr 1684, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; D. 20 Apr 1743; M. (1) Hannah Read (~1682-1717), 14 Aug 1704; (2) Martha Ide, 24 Mar 1719

8. Hannah Carpenter — B. 10 Apr 1685, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; M. Jonathan Chaffee, 23 Nov 1703

9. Abigail Carpenter — B. 15 Apr 1687, Rehoboth, Massachusetts; D. 15 Jan 1781; M. Daniel Perrin (1682-?), 12 Nov 1706

Sources:
Representative men and old families of southeastern Massachusetts, J.H. Beers & Co., 1912
A genealogical history of the Rehoboth branch of the Carpenter family in America, Amos Bugbee Carpenter, 1898
Rehoboth Carpenter family (Wikipedia article)
Will and Estate Inventory of William Carpenter, 1702 and 1703

A Poor Wounded Man — John French

B. about Jan 1635 in England¹
M. (1) 21 Jun 1659 in Barnstable, Massachusetts¹
Wife: Abigail Coggan
M. (2) 3 Jul 1662 in Billerica, Massachusetts²
Wife: Hannah Burrage
M. (3) 14 Jan 1668³
Wife: Hannah Rogers
M. (4) 16 Jan 1678 in Billerica, Massachusetts⁴
Wife: Mary Littlefield
D. Oct 1712 in Billerica, Massachusetts⁵

During colonial times in New England, communities looked after those who needed help. And when wounded war veteran John French pleaded poverty, his town came to his aid.

John was born in about January of 1635 in England to William and Elizabeth French, their third child.¹ When he was still a small baby, the family boarded the ship Defence, landing in Boston on October 8th. The family settled in Cambridge, where John grew up.¹ His parents had six more children there.

When John was 18, the family moved to a newly settled region of the colony that was inland from the coast. John’s name was one of 14 men on a petition in October 1654 asking for approval to add a substantial amount of land to their settlement, and to change its name from Shawshin to Billerica.⁵ Both requests were granted by the General Court.

Life was rough in Billerica’s early years, and John suffered the tragedy of losing three wives at a young age. On June 21, 1659, he married Abigail Coggan of Barnstable.¹ She died less than three years later at the age of 23, on April 5, 1662.⁶ He quickly married again on July 3rd of that year to Hannah Burrage of Charlestown.² She bore him two daughters, but died on July 7, 1667 also at the age of 23.⁷ John married a third time on January 14, 1668 to Mary Rogers.³ She had a daughter in 1670, and died on June 16, 1677. Finally, on 16 Jan 1678, he married a fourth wife, Mary (Littlefield) Kittredge,⁴ who had been widowed with five young sons. John and Mary had six children together.

Over the years, John held many offices in Billerica. He was a selectman in Billerica in 1674-1676, 1678-1686, 1691, and 1700-1702.⁵ In 1683, he served on a committee of three men who met with three men from neighboring Andover to decide on the boundary between the two towns.⁵

In 1675, relations with Indigenous people deteriorated into the conflict known as King Philip’s War, and John served as a corporal in the militia in Billerica.⁵ On August 2nd, the English force met up with warriors of the Nipmuck tribe in a swamp near Billerica called Quaboag (or Brookfield) where several settlers were killed. John was in the fight, and after shooting a Nipmuck, he got hit by return fire, which cut off one of his thumbs and seriously wounded his body near his shoulder.¹⁰

At the end of the war, he was one of four Billerica selectmen who wrote a report to the General Court about the terrible effect the war had on their town.⁵ They asked the Court to reduce the amount they were required to pay in annual fees to the General Court because of losses they suffered in the war.

During the years that followed, John petitioned the town for financial help, describing himself as "a poor wounded man."⁵ He was exempted from paying taxes for several years. He was also permitted to sit "at the table with Capt. John Lane and Mr. Crosby" during church services, and his wife Mary was allowed to "sit in the front gallery with Mrs. Foster and those women placed there."¹⁰ John died in October of 1712 at the age of 77.⁵

Notes from a Billerica town meeting on December 26, 1701 regarding John.

Children by Hannah Burrage:
1. Hannah French — B. 14 Dec 1664, Billerica, Massachusetts;¹¹ D. 9 Oct 1745, Tewksbury, Massachusetts;¹² M. John Kittredge (1666-1714), 3 Apr 1685, Billerica, Massachusetts¹³

2. Abigail French — B. 6 Dec 1665, Billerica, Massachusetts;¹⁴ D. 13 Mar 1723, Billerica, Massachusetts;¹⁵ M. Benjamin Parker (1662-?), 10 Nov 1697, Billerica, Massachusetts¹⁶

Children by Mary Rogers:
1. Mary French — B. 4 Mar 1670, Billerica, Massachusetts;⁸ D. 21 Aug 1740, Billerica, Massachusetts;¹⁷ M. Nathan Shed (1669-?)¹⁷

Children by Mary Littlefield:
1. John French — B. 15 May 1679, Billerica, Massachusetts;¹⁸ M. Ruth Richardson (1685-1730), 13 Feb 1707, Billerica, Massachusetts¹⁹

2. Elizabeth French — B. 24 Jul 1681, Billerica, Massachusetts;²⁹ D. 30 Sep 1754, Andover, Massachusetts;²¹ M. Thomas Abbott, 25 Dec 1706, Billerica, Massachusetts²²

3. William French — B. 26 Nov 1683, Billerica, Massachusetts;²³ D. 21 Apr 1685, Billerica, Massachusetts²⁴

4. Sarah French — B. 15 Sep 1685, Billerica, Massachusetts;²⁵ M. (1) ______ Flint;²⁶ (2) Joseph Frost (1683-1737), 5 Apr 1710, Charlestown, Massachusetts²⁶

5. William French — B. 8 Aug 1687, Billerica, Massachusetts;²⁷ D. 25 Feb 1746, Billerica, Massachusetts;²⁸ M. Mehitable Patten (1687-1743), about 1712²⁹

6. Hannah French — B. 18 Feb 1693, Billerica, Massachusetts;³⁰ D. 12 Dec 1769, Billerica, Massachusetts;³¹ M. (1) Jonathan Richardson (1682-1720), 1713, Billerica, Massachusetts;³² (2) Benjamin Frost (1688-1753), 15 Feb 1726, Billerica, Massachusetts³²

Sources:
1    The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Robert Charles Anderson, 1999, pp. 588-593
2    Marriage record of John French and Hannah Burrage, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
3    Marriage record of John French and Mary Rogers, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
4    Marriage record of John French and Mary Kittredge, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
5    History of Billerica, Massachusetts: With a Genealogical Register, Henry Allen Hazen, 1883
6    Death record of Abigail French, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
7    Death record of Hannah French, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
8    Birth record of Mary French (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
9    Death record of Mary (Rogers) French, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
10  Billerica, a centennial oration by the Rev. Elias Nason, July 4, 1876, 1876
11  Birth record of Hannah French (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
12  Death record of Hannah Kittredge, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
13  Marriage record of John Kittredge and Hannah French, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
14  Birth record of Abigail French (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
15  Death record of Abigail Parker, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
16  Marriage record of Benjamin Parker and Abigail French, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
17  Death record of Mary Shed, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
18  Birth record of John French (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
19  Marriage record of John French and Ruth Richardson, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
20  Birth record of Elizabeth French, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
21  Find-a-Grave listing of Elizabeth (French) Abbott
22  Marriage record of Thomas Abbott and Elizabeth French, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
23  Birth record of William French (older), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
24  Death record of William French (older), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
25  Birth record of Sarah French, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
26  WikiTree listing of Sarah French
27  Birth record of William French (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
28  Death record of William French (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
29  WikiTree listing of William French
30  Birth record of Hannah French (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
31  Death record of Hannah Frost, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
32  The Richardson Memorial, James Adams Vinton, 1876, p. 515

A New Life and Religion in Quebec — Marthe Quitel

B. about 1638 in Rouen, France¹
M. 22 Sep 1665 in Château-Richer, New France²
Husband: Barthélemy Verreau
D. 25 Dec 1722 in Château-Richer, New France³

Marthe Quitel was one of a small number of French Protestant women who signed up to be a Fille du Roi, but she had to give up her religion in order to do so.

Marthe came from Rouen, France, born in about 1638 to Denis Quitel and Louise Bénard.¹ Nothing is known of her family except that her parents must have been followers of Calvinism,⁴ a religion that had large numbers of people in southern France, but was a small minority in the north. Protestants in Rouen were mainly of the merchant class, people who were generally wealthier and better-educated than those who were Catholic. It’s known that Marthe could sign her name,⁴ an indication that she had at least some schooling.

Saint-Maclou Church in Rouen, near where Marthe was said to have lived.

When Marthe was in her mid-20s, the French government was seeking to populate New France, so they offered a deal to get young women to marry settlers in return for passage and a dowry. Marthe signed up in 1665, probably because she had no other way to support herself. She boarded the ship Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Dieppe, which carried about 90 Filles du Roi and 30 male indentured servants across the Atlantic, arriving in Quebec City on June 18, 1665.⁵

Marthe foreswore Calvinism in a ceremony the very next day⁴ because Protestants were strictly forbidden to live in the colony. She was then was placed in the home of Nicolas Marsolet;⁵ most Filles du Roi were housed in a convent—not in private homes—as they awaited marriage. Marsolet was a former interpreter and clerk in the fur trade who had been in New France since its beginnings.⁶ He was also from Rouen,⁶ which may be one of the reasons Marthe stayed at his house. Within six weeks, she became engaged to Barthélemy Verreau, a blacksmith, and the contract signing took place in the Marsolet home. On September 22nd, Marthe and Barthélemy were married at the church in Château-Richer.²

Marthe and Barthélemy lived in Château-Richer for the rest of their lives. Between 1667 and 1684, Marthe had nine children. After Barthélemy died on December 17, 1700,⁷ Marthe turned to her son François to take care of her in return for all of her husband’s land.⁵ She died suddenly on Christmas Day of 1722.³ After her death, her son had “25 Masses celebrated for the repose of her soul.”⁵ Among Marthe's descendants is Justin Bieber.⁸

Children:
1. Antoine Verreau — B.13 Jan 1667, Château-Richer, New France;⁹ D. 1667⁴

2. Jeanne Verreau — B. 15 Nov 1668, Château-Richer, New France;¹⁰ D. 22 Oct 1711, Quebec City, New France;¹¹ M. (1) Pierre Cloutier (1667-~1702), 16 Feb 1696, Château-Richer, New France;¹² (2) Jacques-Baptiste Cauchon (1663-1726), 16 Apr 1703, Château-Richer, New France¹³

3. Joseph Verreau — B. 27 Jan 1671, Château-Richer, New France;¹⁴ D. 28 Feb 1671, Château-Richer, New France¹⁵

4. Marie Verreau — B. 18 Mar 1672, Château-Richer, New France;¹⁶ D. 25 Feb 1703, Château-Richer, New France;¹⁷ M. Pierre Dumas dit Langoumois (~1668-?), 16 Feb 1699, Château-Richer, New France¹⁸

5. Marguerite Verreau — B. 26 Apr 1674, Château-Richer, New France;¹⁹ D. 24 Nov 1748, L'Ange-Gardien, New France;²⁰ M. Jacques Boutillet (1668-1749), 12 Jan 1699, Château-Richer, New France²¹

6. Prisque Verreau — B. Sep 1676, Château-Richer, New France;²² D. before 1681⁴

7. Barthélemy Verreau — B. 13 Jul 1678, Château-Richer, New France;²³ D. Jun 1718, Château-Richer, New France;²⁴ M. Marguerite Prieur (1691-1758), 13 Feb 1708, Quebec City, New France²⁵

8. François Verreau — B. 20 Mar 1682, Château-Richer, New France;²⁶ D. 1 Jun 1754, Château-Richer, New France;²⁷ M. Genevieve Gagné (~1707-1743), 20 Jan 1724, Château-Richer, New France²⁸

9. Anne Verreau — B. 10 Jul 1684, Château-Richer, New France;²⁹ D. 1 Dec 1749, Château-Richer, New France³⁰

Sources:
1    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Marthe Quitel
2    Marriage record of Barthélemy Verreau and Marthe Quitel, Quebec, Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Burial record of Marthe Quitel, Q., C. P. R.
4    King’s daughters and founding mothers: the filles du roi, 1663-1672, Peter J. Gagné, 2001, p. 476
5    Navires Venus en Nouvelle-France (defunct website)
6    “Marsolet de Saint Aignan, Nicolas,” Dictionary of Canadian Biography
7    Burial record of Barthélemy Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
8    FamousKin.com listing for Marthe Quitel
9    Baptismal record of Antoine Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
10  Baptismal record of Jeanne Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
11  Burial record of Jeanne Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
12  Marriage record of Pierre Cloutier and Jeanne Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
13  Marriage record of Jacques-Baptiste Cauchon and Jeanne Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
14  Baptismal record of Joseph Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
15  Burial record of Joseph Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
16  Baptismal record of Marie Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
17  Burial record of Marie Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
18  Marriage record of Pierre Dumas dit Langoumois and Marie Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
19  Baptismal record of Marguerite Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
20  Burial record of Marguerite Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
21  Marriage record of Jacques Boutillet and Marguerite Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
22  Baptismal record of Prisque Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
23  Baptismal record of Barthélemy Verreau (younger), Q., C. P. R.
24  Burial record of Barthélemy Verreau (younger), Q., C. P. R.
25  Marriage record of Barthélemy Verreau and Marguerite Prieur, Q., C. P. R.
26  Baptismal record of François Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
27  Burial record of François Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
28  Marriage record of François Verreau and Genevieve Gagné, Q., C. P. R.
29  Baptismal record of Anne Verreau, Q., C. P. R.
30  Burial record of Anne Verreau, Q., C. P. R.

Married her Father's Farmhand — Mary Edith Luckey

B. 18 Jun 1854 in Jersey County, Illinois¹
M. (1) 24 Jul 1872 in Jersey County, Illinois²
Husband: James Ross
M. (2) 9 Aug 1887 in Labette County, Kansas³
Husband: Albert Leonartz
D. 18 Jan 1899 in Labette County, Kansas⁴

When Mary Edith Luckey was widowed at a young age, she desperately needed a husband, and she apparently found one on her father's farm.

Mary’s entire heritage traced back to North Carolina. She was born in Jersey County, Illinois on June 18, 1854 to Samuel Luckey and Mary Jane Davis, the oldest of 10 children.¹ On July 24, 1872, Mary married her first cousin James Ross (Mary's father and James’ mother were brother and sister).² Between 1873 and 1882, they had five children.

In 1879, the Ross family moved to Labette County, Kansas, along with Mary’s parents and most of her siblings.⁵ The two families bought adjoining farms near the town of Parsons. In February 1884, a big storm damaged their roof, and James went up to repair it, exposing himself to the winter chill. He came down with pneumonia, and died 5 days later,⁶ leaving Mary a widow with five children at age 29.

Mary managed the farm for at least a year. In 1885, she had 40 acres valued at $1,000, raising 35 acres of corn and a half acre of potatoes.⁷ About two years later, she became pregnant, and on August 9, 1887, she married her father’s farmhand, Albert Leonartz, at her farm.³ Her baby was born a month later;⁸ presumably, Albert was the child’s biological father, but this isn’t known for certain.

License for Mary's marriage to Albert Leonartz.

It was said that Albert was a rough man.⁹ He was of a German background, illiterate, and strict with her children. Besides the child Mary had in 1887, she had two more children with Albert born in 1890 and 1893.^10,11 By 1895, the family lived on a farm of 160 acres with a cash value of $2,660.¹² They raised corn, oats, and flax; plus they had an orchard of 300 apple trees, and several peach and cherry trees. They also owned six horses, one cow and one dog.

Mary died on January 18, 1899 of “la grippe” (influenza).⁴ The Parsons Daily Sun reported on January 20th, “The funeral services over the remains of Mrs. Albert Leonard [sic], who died at her home near this city on Wednesday, took place from the family residence yesterday afternoon, Rev. J.T. Crawford of the Baptist church officiating.”¹³

Mary’s two daughters, Laura Sheridan and Agnes Leonartz, in about 1910.

Children by James Ross:
1. Laura Ethol Ross — B. 24 Sep 1873, Jersey County, Illinois;¹⁴ D. 17 Mar 1917, Los Angeles, California;¹⁵ M. Howard Milton Sheridan (1871-1951), 6 Mar 1895, Oswego, Kansas¹⁶

2. James Anderson Ross — B. 8 Aug 1875, Jersey County, Illinois;¹⁷ D. 20 Feb 1939, Davenport, Iowa;¹⁸ M. Alberta Louella Goodknow (1883-1956), 12 Sep 1900, Clarksville, Iowa¹⁹

3. Charles Howard Ross — B. 4 Aug 1877, Jersey County, Illinois;²⁰ D. 2 Dec 1918, Los Angeles, California²¹

4. Edward Auguster Ross — B. 23 Jan 1880, Labette County, Kansas;²² D. 4 Jan 1964;²³ M. Ora Itasca Turner (1895-1987), 28 May 1912, Olympia, Washington²⁴

5. John L. Ross — B. 6 Aug 1882, Labette County, Kansas;²⁵ D. 28 Sep 1892, (probably) Labette County, Kansas²⁶

Children by Albert Leonartz:
1. Simon Alexander Leonartz — B. 9 Sep 1887, Labette County, Kansas;⁸ D. 1923²⁷

2. Flora Agnes Leonartz — B. 5 May 1890, Labette County, Kansas;¹⁰ D. 17 Jan 1965, Wenatchee, Washington;²⁸ M. (1) Robert James Malcolm (~1876-?), 26 Jul 1907, King County, Washington;²⁹ (2) Jesse Lee Rader (1885-1968), 16 Apr 1919, Chelan County, Washington³⁰

3. Thomas Jefferson Leonartz — B. 19 Oct 1893, Parsons, Kansas;¹¹ D. Jan 1972, Lone Jack, Missouri;³¹ M. Laura M. [?] (1898-1979), about 1917³¹

Sources:
1    Birth record of Mary Edith Luckey, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
2    Marriage record of James Ross and Mary E. Lucky, Illinois, Marriages, 1815-1935, FamilySearch.org
3    Marriage record of Albert Leonard and Mary E. Ross, Kansas, Marriages, 1840-1935, FamilySearch.org
4    Funeral record of Mrs. Mary Leonard
5    1880 U.S. Census, Labette County Kansas
6    Death record of James Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
7    1885 Kansas State Censuses, Labette County
8    Birth record of Simon Alexander Leonartz, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
9    Stories told to me July 1976 by Thomas Michael Mitchell
10  Birth record of Flora Agnes Leonartz, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
11  Birth record of Thomas Jefferson Leonartz, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
12  1895 Kansas State Censuses, Labette County
13  Death notice of Mrs. Albert Leonard, The Parsons Daily Sun, 20 Jan 1899
14  Birth record of Laura Ethol Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
15  Death record of Laura E. Sheridan, California, Death Index, 1905-1939, FamilySearch.org
16  Marriage record of Howard M. Sheridan and Laura E. Ross, K., M.
17  Birth record of James Anderson Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
18  Death record of James A. Ross, Iowa, Death Records, 1904-1951, FamilySearch.org
19  Marriage record of James A. Ross and Bertha L. Goodnow, Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934, FamilySearch.org
20  Birth record of Charles Howard Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
21  Death record of Charles Howard Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
22  Birth record of Edward Auguster Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
23  Death record of Edward A. Ross, United States Social Security Death Index
24  WikiTree listing of Edward Auguster Ross
25  Birth record of John L. Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
26  Death record of John L. Ross, Edward A. Ross family bible transcript
27  Find-a-Grave listing of Simon Leonartz
28  Find-a-Grave listing of Flora Agnes (Leonartz) Rader
29  Marriage record of Robert James Malcolm and Flora Agnes Leonartz, Washington, U.S., Marriage Records, 1854-2013, Ancestry.com
30  Marriage record of Jesse Lee Rader and Agnes Malcolm, W., U.S., M. R.
31  Find-a-Grave listing of Thomas J. Leonartz

First European Mother in Canada — Françoise Langlois

B. about 1599 in France¹
M. before 1620 in France²
Husband: Pierre Desportes
D. 20 Apr 1632 in Dieppe, France²

The year before the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock, an anonymous French ship brought a handful of settlers to a small enclave on the St. Lawrence River. One of them was Françoise Langlois, who became the first European woman to give birth there.

Little is known about Françoise’s background, though some have said she was born in 1599, the daughter of Guillaume Langlois and Jeanne Millette in Calvados, France,^1,2 which is in Normandy. After marrying a man named Pierre Desportes,² the two were recruited to become pioneer colonists in Canada. Up until 1608, the region had only seen seasonal seasonal visits from men who fished and traded with the Indians. Then explorer Samuel de Champlain decided to make a permanent settlement, building a small wooden enclosure at a bend in the St. Lawrence called Quebec. Part of his plan was to bring over women along with their husbands, and in 1619, Pierre and Françoise, along with her sister Marguerite and husband Abraham Martin, signed on.²

During that first year, Françoise’s daughter Hélène was born. The record of the child’s baptism is lost, but later records for Hélène identified her birth year based on her age. Hélène's godmother was Hélène Boulle, Champlain’s wife, who arrived in Quebec in late July 1620, therefore putting the historic birth during the second half of that year.³ No other child’s birth preceded Hélène, and she was the first to be born in the colony. Françoise seems to have had no other children born to her.

Living conditions in Quebec were challenging because the settlement was isolated, and the winters were bitterly cold. Champlain had intended to have more people migrate to Canada, but very few did, and by 1627, the population was only 55.² Françoise and the other women worked together for their survival, pooling resources and midwifing for each others babies. When supply ships were delayed, the colony experienced periods of starvation, often having to grind peas into soup as their only nourishment.⁴

Françoise was a godmother to a child of another Quebec settler in 1627,² and to another child on May 18, 1629.⁵ Two months later, the colony was invaded by Englishman David Kirke, and most of the French settlers were forcibly taken back to France by way of England. Françoise, Pierre and Hélène ended up in the city of Dieppe.² According the records of the Church of Saint-Jacques, Françoise passed away on April 20, 1632.² It isn’t known when Pierre died, but it was within a couple of years of her death.²

Champlain surrenders Quebec to Kirke in 1629.

After France regained control of the Quebec settlement in 1633, Françoise’s young daughter Hélène returned to Canada. She would go on to marry twice, and giving Françoise many descendants, including Madonna, Céline Dion, Jim Carrey, Angelina Jolie, Bridget Fonda, Julianne Hough, Jack Kerouac. Ricky Gervais, Cliff Arquette, Roseanna Arquette, Patricia Arquette, Emeril Lacasse, June Foray, Leo Durocher, Chloë Sevigny, Pierre Trudeau and Justin Trudeau.⁶

Child:

1. Hélène Desportes — B. 1620, Quebec City, New France;³ D. 24 Jun 1675, Quebec City, New France;⁷ M. (1) Guillaume Hébert (~1614-1639), 1 Oct 1634, Quebec City, New France;⁸ (2) Noël Morin (~1609-1680 ), 9 Jan 1640, Quebec City, New France⁹

Sources:
1    Françoise’ birth is estimated on her age when she came to Canada.
2    Hélène’s World: Hélène Desportes of Seventeenth Century Quebec, Susan McNelley, 2014
3    Généalogie du Québec et d’ Amérique française listing of Helene Desportes
4    Baptismal record of Helene Martin, Q., C. P. R.
5    Baptismal record of Louis Couillard, Q., C. P. R.
6    FamousKin.com listing for Françoise Langlois
7    Burial record of Hélène Desportes, Q., C. P. R.
8    Marriage record of Guillaume Hébert and Hélène Desportes, Q., C. P. R.
9    Marriage record of Noël Morin and Hélène Desportes, Q., C. P. R.

Hard-working Indentured Servant — Joachim Martin

B. about 1636 in Aytré, France¹
M. (1) 5 Nov 1662 in Quebec City, New France²
Wife: Marie Chalifour
M. (2) 16 Jun 1669 in Quebec City, New France³
Wife: Anne-Charlotte Petit
D. 30 Jun 1690 in Saint-Pierre, Île d'Orleans, New France⁴

Joachim Martin was like many of the men who populated New France: he started out as an indentured servant and made a life for himself when his service ended. He was born about 1636 in Aytré, France to Jacques Martin and Luce Chaslut.¹ Aytré was a village on the coastline just south of La Rochelle, a major seaport for ships coming and going to New France. Joachim’s mother died when he was a young boy and his father remarried. The family moved into La Rochelle by 1649.⁵

On April 11, 1656, Joachim signed a contract to become a laborer in New France.¹ The agreement said he was to receive the sum of 75 livres per year for three years. He boarded the ship Le Taureau on April 30th along with 30 other indentured men; the crossing took about six weeks, arriving at Quebec City on June 15th.⁶ Typically, Joachim would have been assigned to work for someone doing labor for their farm, household, or business, but no record survives of who he might have worked for.

Joachim's 1656 labor agreement.

After his term of service was up in February 1660, Joachim bought a farm in L’Ange-Gardien on the Beaupré Coast, but cancelled his purchase the following day.¹ He may have at this point signed another contract of servitude. There was a shortage of women in New France, and on November 5, 1662, Joachim married a 13 year-old girl named Marie Chalifour at Notre-Dame de Quebec.² Her father, Paul Chalifour, offered to build the couple a house 18 by 16 feet, and he promised to feed them “until All-Saints’ Day 1663,”¹ but Marie died within the year.⁷ In 1664, Joachim settled on the Île d’Orleans; he was listed in 1667 as having 9 arpents of land under cultivation.⁸

Joachim married a second wife, Anne-Charlotte Petit on June 16, 1669 in Quebec City.³ Between 1671 and 1689, they had eight children. The family lived on Ile d’Orleans until 1680 when Joachim signed a 3-year sharecropping lease under Pierre Denis.¹ The deal offered workable land with 6 arpents of river frontage in La Canardiére. The land had “a habitable house, barn, stable yards [and] garden.” Joachim was required to share half of his crops with Denis.

The 1681 census shows that Joachim owned a gun and 10 head of cattle, with 15 arpents under cultivation.⁹ In 1683, he was hired by a wealthy woman in Quebec City, Anne Auber, to deliver building materials for her new house; he was paid by the boatload.¹ By 1685, Joachim and his family returned to Île d’Orleans, to the parish of Saint-Pierre, where his last two children were born.^10,11 The house where the family of 10 lived measured 24 by 18 feet.¹

Joachim's land in Saint-Pierre.

In 1690, Joachim spent 9 days in the hospital at Quebec City, but returned home, and he died on June 30, 1690 at the age of 54.⁴ His wife Anne remarried twice and outlived all of her husbands, dying on March 3, 1736 in St-Augustin, New France.¹² They were ancestors of Ricky Gervais and Matt LeBlanc.

Children (all by Anne-Charlotte Petit):
1. Louis Martin — B. 12 Jun 1671, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹³ D. 24 May 1749, Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatiere, New France;¹⁴ M. Louise-Angelique Ratté (1680-1749), 12 Jan 1700, St-Pierre, Ile d’Orleans, New France¹⁵

2. Marie-Anne Martin — B. 4 Apr 1673, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁶ D. 6 Feb 1709, Riviére-Ouelle, New France;¹⁷ M. Pierre Roy (~1669-1734), 12 Feb 1691, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France¹⁸

3. Marguerite Martin — B. 6 Jan 1675, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁹ D. 14 Nov 1751, Quebec City, New France;²⁰ M. (1) Jean-Pierre Jollet (~1670-?), 18 Feb 1692, St-Laurent, Île d’Orleans, New France;²¹ (2) Henri Rémi Picoron (1677-1746), 9 Feb 1705, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France²²

4. Marie-Angelique Martin — B. 4 Mar 1678, Ste-Famille, Île d’Orleans, New France;²³ D. 9 Nov 1758, St-Pierre, Île d'Orleans, New France;²⁴ M. (1) Pierre Chantal dit Lafleur (~1667-1707), 12 Jan 1696, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France;²⁵ (2) Pierre Chatigny dit Lepine (~1681-1731), 26 Nov 1710, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France²⁶

5. Catherine-Françoise Martin — B. 19 May 1680, La Canadiére, New France;²⁷ D. 16 Jan 1747, Kamouraska, New France;²⁸ M. Jean-Baptiste Labouriére (1680-?), 11 Feb 1697, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France²⁹

6. François-Lucien Martin — B. 22 Jun 1683, Quebec City, New France;³⁰ D. 13 Feb 1747, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France;³¹ M. Marie-Françoise Autin (1689-1747), 25 Nov 1710, Riviere Ouelle, New France³²

7. Jean-Baptiste Martin — B. 2 Dec 1686, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹⁰ D. 4 Aug 1761, Kamouraska, New France;³³ M. Marie Genest Labarre (1670-1761), 25 Feb 1710, St-Pierre, Ile d’Orleans, New France³⁴

8. Marie-Charlotte Martin — B.16 Jan 1689, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France;¹¹ D. 3 Dec 1749, St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, New France;³⁵ M. (1) Louis Vernas dit Dufresne (?-1720), 25 Feb 1710, St-Pierre, Île d’Orleans, New France;³⁶ (2) Pierre Raté (1699-?), 14 Oct 1725, Quebec City, New France³⁷

Sources:
1    Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Vol. 26, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
2    Marriage record of Joachim Martin and Marie-Chalifour, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
3    Marriage record of Joachim Martin and Anne-Charlotte Petit, Q., C. P. R.
4    Burial record of Joachim Martin, Q., C. P. R.
5    WikiTree listing of Marie Martin (Joachim’s sister)
6    “Les engagés levés par François Peron pour le Canada en 1656,” Le blogue de Guy Perron
7    Burial record of Marie Chalifour, Q., C. P. R.
8    Recensement de 1667 en Nouvelle-France
9    Recensement de 1681 en Nouvelle-France
10  Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste Martin, Q., C. P. R.
11  Baptismal record of Marie-Charlotte Martin, Q., C. P. R.
12  Burial record of Anne-Charlotte Petit, Q., C. P. R.
13  Baptismal record of Louis Martin, Q., C. P. R.
14  Burial record of Louis Martin, Q., C. P. R.
15  Marriage record of Louis Martin and Louise Angelique Raté, Q., C. P. R.
16  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Martin, Q., C. P. R.
17  Burial record of Marie-Anne Martin, Q., C. P. R.
18  Marriage record of Pierre Roy and Marie-Anne Martin, Q., C. P. R.
19  Baptismal record of Marguerite Martin, Q., C. P. R.
20  Burial record of Marguerite Martin, Q., C. P. R.
21  Marriage record of Jean-Pierre Jollet and Marguerite Martin, Q., C. P. R.
22  Marriage record of Henri Rémi Picoron and Marguerite Martin, Q., C. P. R.
23  Baptismal record of Marie-Angelique Martin, Q., C. P. R.
24  Burial record of Marie-Angelique Martin, Q., C. P. R.
25  Marriage record of Pierre Chantal dit Lafleur and Marie-Angelique Martin, Q., C. P. R.
26  Marriage record of Pierre Chatigny dit Lepine and Marie-Angelique Martin, Q., C. P. R.
27  Baptismal record of Catherine-Françoise Martin, Q., C. P. R.
28  Burial record of Catherine-Françoise Martin, Q., C. P. R.
29  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Labouriére and Catherine-Françoise Martin, Q., C. P. R.
30  Baptismal record of François-Lucien Martin, Q., C. P. R.
31  Burial record of François-Lucien Martin, Q., C. P. R.
32  Marriage record of François-Lucien Martin and Marie-Françoise Autin, Q., C. P. R.
33  Burial record of Jean-Baptiste Martin, Q., C. P. R.
34  Marriage record of Jean Baptiste Martin and Marie Genest Labarre, Q., C. P. R.
35  Burial record of Marie-Charlotte Martin, Q., C. P. R.
36  Marriage record of Louis Vernas dit Dufresne and Marie-Charlotte Martin, Q., C. P. R.
37  Marriage record of Pierre Raté and Marie-Charlotte Martin, Q., C. P. R.

Ship Owner in Early Connecticut — John Plumb

B. before 28 Jul 1594 in Great Yeldham, England¹
M. 27 Mar 1616 in Hitcham, England²
Wife: Dorothy Chaplin
D. Jul 1648 in Branford, Connecticut³

When Puritans migrated to New England during the 1630s, among them were men who had a certain amount of wealth. For John Plumb, this translated into being able to own a boat, which allowed him to make a living along the Connecticut River.

John was christened on July 28, 1594 in Spaynes Hall, Great Yeldham, England,¹ which is in the northern part of Essex. His parents were Robert Plumb and Grace Crackbone and he was one of at least nine children. 

Record of John's birth.

On March 27, 1616, John married Dorothy Chaplin in Hitcham, Suffolk,² and between 1617 and 1635, they had nine children. John and his family lived in Ridgewell Hall,³ a manor house that still survives today (although it was modified in the 18th and 19th centuries).⁴

John is listed on the Essex Visitation of 1634 (a sort of upper class census in England),² but he sold his estate at about that time and it is said that he used the money to buy a ship that he sailed to America. He landed at Dorchester, and moved to the then remote town of Wethersfield, Connecticut,³ the second settlement in Connecticut after Windsor.

In his nine years living in Wethersfield, John held several offices. He was a magistrate in 1643, was named member of the court at Hartford on February 9, 1637, town clerk in 1641, and a collector of customs in 1644.⁵ Starting in 1638, he was a member of Connecticut’s General Court “off and on until 1644.”⁵ And John has been noted to have been the first ship owner in Wethersfield.

John often made voyages up and down the Connecticut River trading with the Indians.³ It is likely that his vessel was used to carry Captain Mason and his men to Narragansett Bay during the Pequot War in 1637.⁶ The Pequots were defeated, and this allowed for settlement of Connecticut to continue. In the aftermath, John was appointed to buy corn from Indians to help feed the people of Wethersfield on April 5, 1638.³

Attack of a fort in the Pequot War.

In 1644, John sold most of his Wethersfield property, consisting of 13 parcels of between 2 and 204 acres,⁵ and moved to the new settlement of Branford,³ which was located on the coast of Connecticut. John was one of its earliest settlers; he was elected town clerk and held this office until his death.³

John died in July of 1648 in Branford,³ and his will was proved a month later with an estate valued at over £3,661.⁷ His wife Dorothy survived him by at least 21 years. Only three of his children were alive at the time of his death; one of them, Samuel, helped found a new settlement that became Newark, New Jersey.⁸

Famous descendants of John Plumb include Franklin Delano Roosevelt, J.P. Morgan, Gloria Vanderbilt, Anderson Cooper, and Helen Hunt.⁹

Children:
1. Robert Plumb — B. 30 Dec 1617, Ridgewell, England;¹¹ D. 12 May 1655, Milford, Connecticut;¹¹ M. Mary Baldwin (1625-1708), 9 Jan 1642, Milford, Connecticut¹²

2. John Plumb — B. 27 May 1619, Ridgewell, England¹³

3. William Plumb — B. 9 May 1621, Ridgewell, England¹³

4. Ann Plumb — B. 16 Oct 1623, Ridgewell, England¹³

5. Samuel Plumb — B. 4 Jan 1626, Ridgewell, England;¹³ D. 22 Jun 1703, Newark, New Jersey¹⁴

6. Dorothy Plumb — B. 16 Jan 1627, Ridgewell, England¹³

7. Elizabeth Plumb — B. 9 Oct 1629, Ridgewell, England¹³

8. Deborah Plumb — B. 28 Jul 1633, Ridgewell, England¹³

9. Dorcas Plumb — B. 12 Jan 1635, Wethersfield, Connecticut;¹⁵ D. 21 Apr 1725, Northampton, Massachusetts;¹⁵ M. John Lyman (1623-1690), 12 Jan 1655, Branford, Connecticut¹³

Sources:
1    Christening record of John Plume, England, Essex, Parish Registers, 1538-1997, FamilySearch.org
2    “John Plumb of Connecticut and His Cousin, Deputy Governor Samuel Symonds of Massachusetts, Clifford L. Stott, The American Genealogist, Vol. 70, 1995
3    McArthur-Barnes ancestral lines, Selim Walker McArthur, 1964, pp. 189-190
4    Ridgewell Hall, Historic England (website)
5    The Plumb Family, H.B. Plumb, 1893
6    The Founders of Saybrook Colony and their descendants, 1635-1985, compiled by the Old Saybrook Founders Committee, 1985 [source about Captain Mason and Dorothy Plumb’s death]
7    History of the Colony of New Haven (website)
8    Find-a-Grave listing of Dorothy (Chaplin) Plumb
9    WikiTree listing of Samuel Plumb
10  FamousKin.com listing pf John Plumb
11  Find-a-Grave listing of Robert Plumb
12  Marriage record of Robert Plumb and Mary Baldwin, New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Vol. II, Clarence A. Torrey, 2011, p. 1205
13  “Chaplin Ancestors of Plumb and Parke of Connecticut,” Clifford L. Stott, The American Genealogist, Vol. 82, 2007, p. 259
14  Find-a-Grave listing of Samuel Plumb
15  Find-a-Grave listing of Dorcas (Plumb) Lyman