The Signs of Poverty — Thomas Hughes

B. before 28 Nov 1790 in Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England¹
M. 2 Jan 1811 in Bristol, England²
Wife: Hester Keen
D. 15 Jun 1835, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England³

Throughout the life of Thomas Hughes, every record had some indication of his social status: he was born into poverty and he died in it.

Thomas was the fourth son of John Hughes and Betty Morris of Almondsbury, England. The family lived in Almondsbury, England, which was just east of Bristol. Thomas was christened at St. Mary’s Church on November 28, 1790, likely as an infant.² Since he later signed his name with an X, we can assume he had little or no education.¹ Like many in the village, Thomas’ family received handouts from the community. Records show that his mother was sometimes given cloth, which she presumably turned into simple garments for her children. 

St. Mary’s Church in Almondsbury.

In early 1800, Thomas’ father received money to put towards the building of a house.⁴ Likely it was a very modest structure, but the record suggests that John Hughes was constructing it. Thomas, age 9, may have picked up a few carpentry skills because after he came of age, he also received one pound towards the building of his own house. This was noted in the Almondsbury vestry order book on May 31, 1816.⁴ The meager amount of money donated to them would suggest that the houses built by Thomas and his father were little more than wooden shacks, although this is speculation.

By this time Thomas had gotten married. On January 2, 1811, he wed Hester Keen at St. Stephen Church in Bristol.² Between 1813 and 1831, they had eight children, of whom at least two died young. The records of St. Mary’s Church in Almondsbury show that there was a gap of over 9 years between Thomas bringing children into the church to be baptized. Although he had a son born in 1819, and another born in 1823, he waited until the last day of 1826 before having them baptized along with their newborn sister.⁵ Perhaps he didn’t have the money for the service when the boys were born.

Thomas’ adulthood was a time of widespread unemployment in England. In the aftermath of the Napoleonic wars starting in 1815, ex-soldiers returning from the battlefield created a situation where there were more men looking for work than there were jobs. The Industrial Revolution was also a factor in the evolution of the workforce. These things likely affected Thomas as he struggled to find employment as a laborer.

The hardships of Thomas’ life may have contributed to his early death at age 45. When he died on June 15, 1835,³ he left behind several underaged children, and his widow Hester remarried in 1838.⁶ Although she was widowed again, none of the surviving children ended up in the poor house (one son migrated to Canada), so the cycle of poverty seems to have died with Thomas.

Children:
1. George Hughes — B. before 31 Oct 1813, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England;⁷ D. 6 Feb 1814, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England⁸

2. George Hughes — B. before 11 Apr 1815, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England;⁹ D. after 1891, (probably) England;¹⁰ M. (1) Mary, before 1861;¹¹ (2) Elizabeth, before 1881¹²

3. James Hughes — B. before 10 Aug 1817, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England;¹³ D. before 4 Jan 1829, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England¹⁴

4. Charles Hughes — B. about 1819, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England;⁵ D. before 1864;¹⁵ M. Maria Bevan (1820-1888), 15 Jun 1842, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island¹⁶

5. Thomas Hughes — B. about 1823, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England;⁵ D. after 1861;¹¹ M. Mary Ann Wither (~1823-?), 7 Sep 1845, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England¹⁷

6. Rachel Hughes — B. before 31 Dec 1826, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England⁵

7. James Hughes — B. before 4 Jan 1829, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England¹⁴

8. Selina Hughes — B. before 31 Jan 1831, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England;¹⁸ M. William Cardin (1831-?)¹¹

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Thomas Hughes, Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, Ancestry.com
2    Marriage record of Thomas Hughes and Hester Keen, England, Marriages, 1538-1973, FamilySearch.org
3    Death record of Thomas Hughes, England, Bristol, Parish Registers, 1538-1900, FamilySearch.org
4    Overseers order books, 1797-1817, England, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, FamilySearch.org
5    Baptismal record of Charles, Thomas and Rachel Hughes, E., B., P. R.
6    Marriage record of Jonathan Horler and Hester Hughes, England & Wales Marriages, 1538-1988, Ancestry.com
7    Baptismal record of George Hughes (older), E., B., P. R.
8    Death record of George Hughes (older), E., B., P. R.
9    Baptismal record of George Hughes (younger), E., B., P. R.
10  1891 U. K. census, Almondsbury, England
11  1861 U. K. census, Almondsbury, England
12  1881 U. K. census, Almondsbury, England
13  Baptismal record of James Hughes (older), E., B., P. R.
14  Baptismal record of James Hughes (younger), E., B., P. R.
15  Hutchinson’s Prince Edward Island City Directory, 1864, which shows Maria Hughes as a widow
16  Marriage record of Charles Hughes and Maria Baird, Canada, Prince Edward Island Marriage Registers, 1832-1888, FamilySearch.org
17  Marriage record of Thomas Hughes and Mary Ann Wither, Bristol, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935, Ancestry.com
18  Baptismal record of Selina Hughes, E., B., P. R.

Survivor of Childhood Tragedies — Marie-Thérèse Maillot

B. 3 Mar 1708 in Montreal, New France¹
M. 11 Aug 1730 in Montreal, New France²
Husband: Antoine Mallet
D. after 25 Oct 1753 in (probably) Post Vincennes, New France³

By the time Marie-Thérèse Maillot had reached her 14th birthday, she had seen the death of both parents and eight of her ten siblings, plus her home was destroyed in a fire. But she survived, and wound up making a life far from where she started out.

Thérèse was born on March 3, 1708 in Montreal to Guillaume Maillot and Marie-Anne Massé.¹ Her father and grandfather were both blacksmiths,^4,5 a vital part of the growing settlement on the St. Lawrence. When she was a child, Thérèse watched as her parents buried infants, one-by-one. Then in 1718, her father died at age 47.⁶

Thérèse’s mother remarried to merchant from France named Pierre Courault de LaCoste,⁷ who became her step-father even though he was just 12 years older than she was. The family continued to live in the house owned by Thérèse’s father, said to be two stories tall and measuring 33 feet by 45 feet.⁸ Unfortunately, it was made of wood, which would come into play one fateful day during 1721.

That June 19th, the people of Montreal had gathered on the streets in celebration of the feast of Corpus Christi, one of many special dates on the Catholic calendar. It’s easy to imagine Thérèse and her sister Marie-Anne joining in the excitement. But then someone fired a gun in the air, with sparks landing on and igniting the roof of a church building. Before anyone could stop it, lower Montreal was engulfed in flames.⁹ The house where Thérèse lived was on Rue Saint-Paul,¹⁰ and wasn’t far from the church. The blaze ended up destroying about 150 homes, and hers was one of them. For the next several months, the family was forced to take refuge in a house located outside of the fire zone.¹¹ 

Map of the 1721 Montreal fire.

Things got worse for Thérèse that year. In September, her mother went through her final labor, delivering a stillborn child — and then she died.¹² Thérèse and Marie-Anne were left under the care of their young step-father, who remarried to someone even younger in March 1722.¹³

It may have been because Pierre Courault de LaCoste was a fur trading merchant¹⁴ that Thérèse ended up moving to the West. Certainly she came into contact with many people in Montreal who had dealings with her step-father, such as Antoine Mallet, a man from Detroit. They were married on August 11, 1730 at Notre Dame de Montreal with Courault de LaCoste in attendance.² Not long after that date, she left the St. Lawrence River area, never to return.¹⁵ Thérèse was able to sign her name on the marriage document, an indicator that she had received some education. 

Signature of Therese.

After a long trek by canoe and foot, Thérèse and Antoine set up their household at Detroit.¹⁵ Established in 1701, the French outpost was already a lively place of fur trading leading to places further west. Thirty years after its founding, it still was a rough existence, and of the ten children Thérèse gave birth to, only four survived. Her child-bearing spanned the years 1731 to 1743.

Thérèse moved one more time in her life. In 1750, her 15-year-old daughter was married at Post Vincennes,¹⁶ which is in present-day Indiana. Thérèse’s name was on a Post Vincennes baptism dated October 25, 1753, and she was described as a widow.³ Most likely, Antoine had died after they both moved there, but there is no record of his death. The baptism was the last mention of Thérèse, and she probably passed away during the 1750s.

Children:
1. Marie-Therese Mallet — B.about 3 May 1731, Detroit, New France;¹⁵ D. Jan 1734, Detroit, New France¹⁵

2. Marie-Catherine Mallet — B. about 22 Oct 1732, Detroit, New France;¹⁵ D. Oct 1732, Detroit, New France¹⁵

3. Marie-Therese Mallet — B. about 12 Apr 1735, Detroit, New France;¹⁵ D. 19 Sep 1763, Post Vincennes, New France;¹⁶ M. Jean-Baptiste Renaud dit Deslauriers (1708-?), 26 Oct 1750, Post Vincennes, New France¹⁷

4. Jacques-Louis Mallet — B. about 15 Apr 1736, Detroit, New France;¹⁵ D. 14 Jun 1794, Vincennes, Indiana Territory;¹⁸ M. Marie-Louise Crepeau (1758-1825), about 1778, Post Vincennes, Illinois Country¹⁸

5. Joseph Mallet — B. about 26 Aug 1737, Detroit, New France;¹⁵ D. Apr 1739, Detroit, New France¹⁵

6. Jean-François Mallet — B. about 11 Oct 1738, Detroit, New France;¹⁵ D. before 25 Jul 1806, Vincennes, Indiana Territory;¹⁹ M. Marie-Charlotte Levron dit Metayer (1756-1814), 30 Jan 1770, Kaskaskia, Illinois Territory¹⁹

7. Marie-Timothea Mallet — B. about 6 Sep 1739, Detroit, New France;¹⁵ D. Dec 1739, Detroit, New France¹⁵

8. Angelique Mallet — B. about 9 Dec 1740, Detroit, New France;¹⁵ D. Dec 1740, Detroit, New France¹⁵

9. Antoine Mallet — B. about 12 Feb 1742, Detroit, New France;¹⁵ M. Catherine Bordeleau (1759-1818)²⁰

10. Augustin Mallet — B. about 12 Apr 1743, Detroit, New France;¹⁵ D. Apr 1743, Detroit, New France¹⁵

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Marie-Therese Maillot, Quebec, Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Antoine Mallet and Marie-Therese Maillot, Q., C. P. R.
3    Baptismal record of Marie-Therese Renaud dit Deslauriers, “Records of the Parish of St. Francis Xavier,” Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, Vol. 12, 1901, p. 209
4    Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Martin Masse
5    Our French-Canadian Ancestors, Vol. 6, Gerard Lebel (translated by Thomas J. Laforest), 1990
6    Burial record of Guillaume Maillot, Q., C. P. R.
7    Marriage record of Pierre Courault de LaCoste and Marie-Anne Massé, Q., C. P. R.
8    Montreal Fire 1721, Google Groups
9    Torture and the Truth: Angélique and the Burning of Montreal (website)
10  Property sale record, 9 Jul 1721 to 30 Jan 1722, BAnQ
11  Inventory of property of Pierre Courault de LaCoste, 23 Sep to 16 Oct 1721, BAnQ
12  Burial record of Marie-Anne Massé, Q., C. P. R.
13  Marriage record of Pierre Courault de LaCoste and Marguerite Aubuchon, Q., C. P. R.
14  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Pierre Courault de LaCoste
15  Genealogy of the French Families of the Detroit River Region, 1701-1936, Christian Dennison, 1987, p. 783
16  Burial record of Therese Mallet, “Records of the Parish of St. Francis Xavier,” Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, Vol. 12, 1901, p. 325
17  Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française listing of Therese Mallet
18  WikiTree listing of Jaques Louis Mallet
19  WikiTree listing of Jean François Maillet
20  WikiTree listing of Antoine Maillet

On Land Between Two Muddy Rivers — George Sutherland

B. about 1660 in (probably) New Kent County, Virginia¹
M. about 1680 in (probably) Virginia¹
Wife: Elizabeth (possibly) Norment
D. before June 1699 in (probably) King and Queen County, Virginia²

To tell the story of George Sutherland, what we know is almost entirely contained in a series of documents about his estate after he died. But by putting the established facts into the context of history and geography, it’s possible to understand a little more about who he was.

George is thought to have been born in Virginia in about 1660 to Alexander Sutherland (also spelled Southerland), a man from Scotland;¹ George’s mother is completely unknown. Many researchers have claimed that Alexander’s pedigree connects to Scottish royalty, and this seems to be fraudulent, or at the very least unlikely. More probable is that Alexander came from more humble roots that are impossible to trace — his only appearance on a document is in a passenger list for a ship that arrived in York County, Virginia on November 1, 1654.¹ That puts him near the land his supposed son George later claimed. This fact, plus that the name Sutherland is less-than-common, makes a case that Alexander was the father of George.

After George came of age in around 1680, he married a woman named Elizabeth (her last name is thought to be Norment).¹ The couple had at least three sons, and possibly other children. Sometime during the 1680s or 1690s, George acquired land from some Indians, apparently giving them money or goods in return. This wasn’t a valid transaction in the eyes of the colony because legally, the King of England owned the land, and only he or his representatives could grant it to an individual. The title wasn’t disputed, though, until after George died.⁴

George’s land was located in a place described as Pamunkey Neck,² which was a geographic feature formed by two small rivers (the Pamunkey and Mattaponi) coming together to form a larger river (the York). It was these inland waterways that gave the Virginia Tidewater its climate, which in turn gave the colonists their livelihood. The rivers wide enough to be navigable supplied a way for planters to transport their tobacco to the ports where it could be shipped around the world. Deposits of the rivers made the soil very rich along the riverbanks, and this was the land granted to the wealthier settlers who came over from England.⁵ 

Map of where George had his land.

Places that weren’t along the water’s edge weren’t nearly as good for growing tobacco. “Neck” land was described as being “thin and barren.”⁵ This is probably the type of acreage George got in his deal with the Indians. Land of this type was said to be worth as low as “5 shillings an acre,” compared to the “rich bottom land” typically valued at £5 an acre.⁵ Perhaps this is why even without proper documentation, the courts posthumously cleared up the title and allowed his sons to inherit the land.

Since the single known record identifying George seems to suggest that he died at age 40 or younger, it leads to the question of how he died. The answer may lie in the climate of the region. The heat and the swampy nature of the Virginia Tidewater meant that mosquitos were a huge presence, and with that came diseases like malaria, typhoid fever and dysentery.⁵ This is pure speculation, but George may have been the victim of one of these illnesses. His death date is unknown, but it was before June of 1699.² It’s unknown when his wife Elizabeth died.

Children:
1. Joseph Sutherland — B. about 1680 in (probably) King and Queen County, Virginia;¹ D. about 1739, King William County, Virginia;¹ M. _____ Chiles, before about 1718, (probably) Virginia⁶

2. Phillip Sutherland — B. before June 1799 in (probably) King and Queen County, Virginia²

3. George Sutherland — B. before June 1799 in (probably) King and Queen County, Virginia²

Sources:

1    Sutherlands and Their Tangled Branches, Robert J. Walsh, 1985, pp. 12-13
2    English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records, 1958, p. 62
3    “Southerland Famiy of King William County, Virginia,” Winston of Virginia and Allied Families, Clayton Torrence, 1927, pp. 389-394
4    Journal of the House of Burgesses, Vol. 3, page 283
5    Albion’s Seed: Four British Folkways in America, David Hackett Fischer, 1989
6    There is a string of evidence that points to a Miss Chiles being the wife of Joseph. (1) In 1763, Fendall was executor to the probate of a man named Walter Chiles, implying a close relationship. (2) Walter Chiles had two sisters, one of whom married a Mr. Sutherland (Reports of Cases in the General Court of Virginia, 1829, p. 133). (3) The age of Walter Chiles and his sisters would put them on the generation of Fendall’s father, Joseph.

A Widow Taken to Court — Marie-Louise Chalifour

B. 13 Sep 1661 in Quebec City, New France¹
M. 18 Apr 1678 in Quebec City, New France²
Husband: Joseph Vandandaigue
D. 29 May 1735 in Quebec City, New France³

When Marie-Louise Chalifour was in her old age, she was charged with an unusual offense — building a channel from a waterway that affected community interests downstream.

Marie-Louise was born in Quebec City, New France on September 13, 1661.¹ Her parents were Paul Chalifour (also spelled Chalifou) and Jacquette Archambault, the daughter of early Montreal settler Jacques Archambault. Louise became part of a very large family, which was typical for New France — she was the 7th of 14 children. All of her older siblings were girls, which placed a burden on her father to marry them off, and most of them were brides at a very young age. This was true for Louise who got married at age 16.

Louise’s husband was Joseph Vandandaigue, who was a carpenter that constructed buildings — this was the same occupation as her father, so it’s possible they had worked together on projects. Joseph had the unusual distinction of having been born in Brussels, Belgium; his name was originally Josef Van den Dyck when he arrived in the colony. Their wedding took place on April 18, 1678 at Notre-Dame in Quebec City,² and Louise brought a large dowry of 2,500 livres into her marriage, which included land and a house. By the end of the year, she gave birth to her first child;⁴ she had six more born by 1693, with two dying as infants.

Louise and Joseph made their home in Beauport, and in 1681, both were witnesses to an altercation between two of their neighbors, Jean de Rainville and Charles Turgeon.⁵ It was de Rainville’s wife who seems to have struck and injured Turgeon, and Louise and her husband must have been there because they were called to testify in court. The men involved ended up settling out of court.

After a long marriage together, Joseph passed away in January 1725.⁶ Louise was left to handle her farm on her own, and later that year was hit with a lawsuit coming from the seigneur of Notre-Dame-des-Anges, Jacques Pinguet de Vaucourt, claiming that she had rerouted a stream.⁷ It’s likely that the offender was really her husband, and that she was forced to take responsibility for it now that he was dead. The charge stated that de Vaucourt could no longer operate his grist mill, something that affected an entire community. Louise was ultimately fined 40 sols, a considerable amount of money. 

Map showing Joseph and Louise’s property in 1709.

Louise lived another 10 years, dying on May 29, 1735 in Quebec City.³ She was buried at Saint-Charles Borromée Cemetery in Charlesbourg.

Children:
1. Jaquette Vandandaigue — B. 27 Dec 1678, Quebec City, New France;⁴ D. 24 Apr 1714, Quebec City, New France;⁸ M. Pierre Boutillet (~1676-1715), 5 Oct 1699, Beauport, New France⁹

2. Marie-Anne Vandandaigue — B. 12 Jan 1680, Quebec City, New France;¹⁰ D. 31 Mar 1752, Montreal, New France;¹¹ M. (1) Antoine Bourg dit Lachapelle (~1662-1729), 26 Nov 1696, Beauport, New France;¹² (2) Pierre Thibault Leveilé (1688-1747), 6 Oct 1732, St-Laurent, New France¹³

3. Claude Vandandaigue — B. 2 May 1682, Quebec City, New France;¹⁴ D. 10 Mar 1752, St-François-de-Sale, Ile Jésus, New France;¹⁵ M. Marie Brideault (1691-?), 5 Nov 1708, Beauport, New France¹⁶

4. Jeanne Vandandaigue — B. Mar 1684, Quebec City, New France;¹⁷ D. 11 Sep 1684, Quebec City, New France¹⁸

5. Marie-Charlotte Vandandaigue — B. 29 Jun 1685, Beauport, New France;¹⁹ D. 8 Oct 1727, Montreal, New France;²⁰ M. Jean-Baptiste Dugas (~1670-1758), 9 Jan 1708, Beauport, New France²¹

6. Louise Vandandaigue — B. 23 Mar 1687, Beauport, New France;²² D. Oct 1725, Montreal, New France;²³ M. (1) Jacques Gervais (~1677-1708), 17 Nov 1704, Beauport, New France;²⁴ (2) Jean Étienne Boutin (1684-?), 14 Nov 1712, Beauport, New France;²⁵ (3) François Lefebvre (1679-1727), 17 Jan 1718, La Pairie, New France²⁶

7. Marguerite Vandandaigue — B. 7 Apr 1693, Beauport, New France;²⁷ D. 1693, Beauport, New France²⁸

Sources:
1    Baptismal record of Marie-Louise Chalifour, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2    Marriage record of Joseph Vandandaigue and Marie-Louise Chalifour, Q., C. P. R.
3    Burial record of Marie-Louise Chalifour, Q., C. P. R.
4    Baptismal record of Jacquette Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
5    Court record of case between Charles Turgeon and Jean Rainville, 1 Sep 1681 to 10 Sep 1681, BAnQ
6    Burial record of Joseph Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
7    Court record of case between the seigneury of Notre-Dame-des-Anges and Louise Chalifour, 28 Jun 1725, BAnQ
8    Burial record of Jacquette Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
9    Marriage record of Pierre Boutillet and Jacquette Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
10  Baptismal record of Marie-Anne Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
11  Burial record of Marie-Anne Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
12  Marriage record of Antoine Bourg Lachapelle and Marie-Anne Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
13  Marriage record of Pierre Thibault Leveilé and Marie-Anne Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
14  Baptismal record of Claude Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
15  Burial record of Claude Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
16  Marriage record of Claude Vandandaigue and Marie Brideault, Q., C. P. R.
17  Baptismal record of Jeanne Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
18  Burial record of Jeanne Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
19  Baptismal record of Marie-Charlotte Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
20  Burial record of Marie-Charlotte Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
21  Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Dugas and Marie-Charlotte Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
22  Baptismal record of Louise Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
23  Burial record of Louise Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
24  Marriage record of Jacques Gervais and Louise Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
25  Marriage record of Jean Étienne Boutin and Louise Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
26  Marriage record of François Lefebvre and Louise Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
27  Baptismal record of Marguerite Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.
28  Burial record of Marguerite Vandandaigue, Q., C. P. R.

The Paid and the Poor — John Hughes

B. before 19 Mar 1755 in Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England¹
M. 26 Jun 1780 in Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England²
Wife: Betty Morris
D. before 1 Aug 1818 in Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England³

For centuries, a system of charity existed in England where the needy were taken care of by the community. A person was evaluated by their parish council — they were either able to pay the local rate, or they were considered to be poor. And if they were poor, they received regular handouts distributed at the town church.

During most (if not all) of his adult life, John Hughes was one of the poor. He was born in the village of Almondsbury, England, baptized at St. Mary’s Church on March 19, 1755.¹ John’s parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Hughes, but nothing else is known of the family. At age 25, John was married at Almondsbury to Betty Morris; the wedding took place on June 26, 1780,² and John was able to sign his name to the parish register, indicating that he may have had a basic education. The couple were known to have had six children, with the first baptized on March 22, 1781.⁴ Their youngest was baptized in 1798,⁵ but this isn’t always proof of a birth year because some waited a few years to bring their children to the church.

The conditions John’s family lived in were likely desperate, and by 1799, he began making visits to the church for assistance. That November, a line formed outside the vestry room at St. Mary’s for an effort called “clothing the poor.” Over 40 people were there to receive what the community could offer. John was allowed 7 yards of cloth, while other people got shirts, shifts, jackets or blankets (one woman was even given a petticoat that day).⁶

A few weeks later on January 29, 1800, John returned to the vestry room with a request for money: he wanted to build a house.⁶ So they gave him 1 pound and 1 shilling, the equivalent of about $100 in today’s money. The meager amount didn’t go far enough, and he asked for more in February; this time he was awarded 1 pound,11 shillings and 6 pence. Presumably John then built his family a dwelling where they could live, but there are no details about the house itself. He likely did much of the work along with his older sons, which gives the impression that John and his family were hard-working people. 

Donation to John in 1800 Almondsbury vestry book.

Between 1801 and 1811, John didn’t appear in the vestry records. This may have meant he moved out of the area, but because he just built his house, that doesn’t seem likely. More plausible was that John was able to support his family during those years, and therefore didn’t seek the community’s help. In November 1811, his name was back on the list at clothing-the-poor day, and he received another length of cloth for his family.⁶

John was only about 63-years-old when he died, and his funeral took place at St. Mary’s on August 1, 1818.³ His wife Betty had passed away only a couple of weeks earlier,⁷ which suggests they may have died of the same illness, although there is no evidence of this. Within a generation, the vestry system was phased out in England because too many unemployed people overwhelmed it. New laws were passed during the 1830s requiring those getting public assistance to live in workhouses, which were essentially prisons for the poor. For that we can say that John was lucky to have lived at an earlier time.

Children:
1. George Hughes — B. before 4 Mar 1781, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England;⁴ M. Ann Gastrell (?-1812), 22 Mar 1806, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England⁸

2. Sarah Hughes — B. before 8 Feb 1784, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England⁹

3. John Hughes — B. before 22 Apr 1787, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England¹⁰

4. Thomas Hughes — B. before 28 Nov 1790, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England;¹¹ D. 15 Jun 1835, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England;¹² M. Hester Keen (~1790-1868), 2 Jan 1811, Bristol, England¹³

5. William Hughes — B. before 26 Jan 1794, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England¹⁴

6. Hannah Hughes — B. before 25 Mar 1798, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England;⁵ D. about 23 Apr 1821, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England;¹⁵ M. Stephen Bracey (1794-1872), 11 May 1816, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, England¹⁶

Sources:

1    Baptismal record of John Hughes, Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812, Ancestry.com
2    Marriage record of John Hughes and Betty Morris, Bristol, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938, Ancestry.com
3    Burial record of John Hughes, England, Bristol, Parish Registers, 1538-1900, FamilySearch.org
4    Baptismal record of George Hughes, B., E., C. of E. B., M. & B.
5    Baptismal record of Hannah Hughes, B., E., C. of E. B., M. & B.
6    Overseers order books, 1797-1817, England, Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, FamilySearch.org
7    Burial record of Betty Hughes, E., B., P. R.
8    Burial record of George Hughes, E., B., P. R.
9    Baptismal record of Sarah Hughes, B., E., C. of E. B., M. & B.
10  Baptismal record of John Hughes (younger), B., E., C. of E. B., M. & B.
11  Baptismal record of Thomas Hughes, B., E., C. of E. B., M. & B.
12  Burial record of Thomas Hughes, E., B., P. R.
13  Marriage record of Thomas Hughes and Hester Keen, E., B., P. R.
14  Baptismal record of William Hughes, B., E., C. of E. M. & B.
15  Burial record of Hannah Bracey, B., E., C. of E. B.
16  Marriage record of Stephen Bracey and Hannah Hughes, B., E., C. of E. M. & B.

A Doctor in Colonial Maryland — Samuel Berry

B. before about 1670 in (probably) Charles County, Maryland¹
M. before 1700 in (probably) Charles County, Maryland¹
Wife: unknown
D. after 30 Nov 1734 in Charles County, Maryland²

At a time when anyone with basic knowledge could practice medicine, Samuel Berry was described as a doctor and a surgeon. His birthdate is estimated as before about 1667, and he was likely born in Charles County, Maryland.¹ This was a region of tobacco plantations, and many people named Berry lived in the area. Most were thought to be descended from a James Berry who arrived from Devonshire, England by 1652.³ With a lack of records aside from wills and land transactions, it’s impossible to piece them together.

Samuel’s name first appeared in a lawsuit suing a man named John Wilder in 1690 for an unknown reason;³ unfortunately the original source for this is lost. Also unknown was the name of the woman Samuel married, likely sometime during the 1690s.¹ They had at least six children, born between about 1700 and about 1718, and probably there were others. It’s possible Samuel was married more than once.

On October 2, 1704, Samuel bought 100 acres of land in Charles County, a plantation called “Hull,” and some adjacent property called “Hopewell.”⁴ The seller was Samuel Cawood, and the price was 3,000 pounds of tobacco. The land was located near the Mattawoman Creek, northwest of the present-day town of Waldorf; Berry Road runs through the area and was likely named after his descendants. Most interesting in the transaction record was that Samuel was referred to as “Doctor Samuel Berry,” suggesting that while he operated a tobacco plantation, he was also practicing medicine, a fact confirmed in other documents.

What did being a doctor mean in early 18th-century Maryland? It’s almost certain Samuel didn’t have any medical schooling in his background. He likely learned how to treat patients in some other way, such as an apprenticeship to another man serving as a doctor. By picking up the basics of how to care for the sick, Samuel could offer his services to those who had no other options. A doctor like Samuel made very little money from this, and his primary income would be from his tobacco farm.

Samuel’s name, sometimes written as Dr. Berry, appeared in other records as witness to transactions, or as someone who was owed money in a probate document.¹ The latter seems to suggest he may have been treating the person in their final illness, although this is speculation. As for the plantation he bought in 1704, there’s no reason to believe he ever moved from there, remaining until near the end of his life.

By 1732, Samuel seemed to be living in poverty. That year he filed for an exemption from paying taxes, and his request was granted.³ It’s likely that his wife had died by this time and he may have been physically unable to work. On November 30, 1734, he sought help from a son-in-law named John Robey, signing over all of his possessions in return for being taken care of in his old age.² The document specified that Robey was to receive “a feather bed and furniture, a wooden cupboard, two iron pots, an iron skillet and four pewter basins.” This seems to indicate that Samuel only owned some very basic items at that point in his life. His date of death is unknown, but he may have survived for another 10 or 15 years.³  

1734 document involving Samuel and his son-in-law, John Robey.

Connection to son-in-law John Robey (~1714-1804)
The only document linking Samuel Berry to John Robey who died in 1804 is the statement he made signing over his possessions in 1734. Two things suggest that this is accurate. One is that there were no other men named John Robey living in the region where Samuel was. The other is that one of John Robey’s sons was given the first name Berry.⁵ While neither of these proof points are solid genealogical evidence, the two of them together make the conclusion strong.

Children:
1. Elizabeth Berry — B. about 1700, Charles County, Maryland;¹ D. before 7 Apr 1794, Charles County, Maryland¹

2. Anne Berry — B. about 1701, Charles County, Maryland;¹ D. after 7 Sep 1775, (probably) Charles County, Maryland¹

3. William Berry — B. about 1703, Charles County, Maryland;¹ D. 19 Feb 1733, Charles County, Maryland;¹ M. Esther Wakefield (~1706-1753), before 1729, (probably) Charles County, Maryland¹

4. Humphrey Berry — B. about 1705, Charles County, Maryland;¹ D. before 22 Jan 1772, Charles County, Maryland;³ M. (1) Mary Smallwood (~1710-~1731), before 1729, (probably) Charles County, Maryland;¹ (2) Anne Lovejoy (~1712-1798), about 1732, (probably) Charles County, Maryland¹

5. (supposed) Mary Berry — B. about 1715, Charles County, Maryland;¹ D. before 1802, (probably) Charles County, Maryland;¹ M. John Robey (1714-1804), before 11 Dec 1734, (probably) Charles County, Maryland²

6. Samuel Berry — B. about 1718, Charles County, Maryland;³ D. before 18 Mar 1776, Charles County, Maryland;³ M. Anne Thomas (~1722-?), about 1738, (probably) Charles County, Maryland³

Sources:
1    Samuel Berry listing, Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia’s Northern Neck Counties (website)
2    Document signing over property to John Robey, Charles County, Maryland Land Records, 1733-1743, Book O#2, p. 65
3    “Berry Family of Charles County,” Arthur L. Keith, Maryland Historical Magazine, 1906
4    1642-1753 Rent Rolls Charles County, Maryland, Hundred – Port Tobacco: Rent Roll page/sequence: 314/84
5    Mary Berry listing, Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia’s Northern Neck Counties (website)

East Hampton, New York Founder — John Stratton

B. about 1620 in England¹
M. before 1645 in (probably) Massachusetts²
Wife: Sarah _______
D. before 16 Mar 1685, East Hampton, New York²

By virtue of being one of the first to settle at the eastern end of Long Island, John Stratton (also spelled Stretton) had the status of a founder of East Hampton. John’s origins are cloudy, and it’s unproven who his parents were, or where in England he was born. The only fact that’s known is that he had a brother named Richard who later also turned up in East Hampton.²

It’s believed that John came to the Massachusetts colony in 1638, and he may have been in Charlestown, then Lynn, before moving to Long Island.³ John likely came to Southampton in around 1644, when he purchased land there,² then he moved to East Hampton by 1649.⁴ He was said to be listed as number 5 on the list of people who first settled in the village.²

Location of Southampton and East Hampton.

John was married by about 1645, the estimated year if his oldest son’s birth.² His wife was named Sarah, possibly with the last name Bancroft, but this isn’t proven. They were the parents of nine known children born between about 1645 and 1654.

East Hampton seemed to function like any other New England Puritan town, except that its location made it somewhat different. John and the other original inhabitants came from the Massachusetts colony, but geography would tie their settlement to the Connecticut colony. It was said that East Hampton took its laws from Connecticut, but also that they were largely self-governing through town meetings presided by three judges, a clerk and a constable. John served as a townsman in 1666,⁵ and an overseer in 1681.⁴

John was a delegate at the Hempstead Convention in February 1665,⁴ which met to declare loyalty to the British government. Each town on Long Island was asked to appoint two men who were “the most sober, able and discrete persons,”⁶ suggesting that John was very well-respected among the men of his community.

John wrote his will on August 30, 1684, and it was probated on March 16th of the following year.² He was said to be one of the few people to own slaves in East Hampton, which unfortunately wasn’t that unusual in many Puritan towns. At the time of his death, his probate inventory listed “two negro and child.” The child was a girl named “Hager,” and John left her to his daughter. Assuming the other two slaves might be her parents, this suggests that he ordered her to be taken away from them.

Because John was a direct ancestor of Cornelius Vanderbilt, he has many notable descendants including Gertrude Whitney, Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper.⁷

Children:
1. John Stratton — B. about 1645, (probably) Southampton, Long Island;² D. 19 Feb 1736, East Hampton, New York;² M. Mary James (1653-1718)²

2. Sarah Stratton — B. about 1647, (probably) Southampton, Long Island;² D. before 1684, (probably) East Hampton, New York;² M. Stephen Hand (~1635-1693), about 1660, Essex County, Massachusetts^2,8

3. Joseph Stratton — B. about 1648, (probably) East Hampton, Long Island;² D. 23 Dec 1722, East Hampton, New York;² M. (1) Unknown;² (2) Sarah _______²

4. Hannah Stratton — B. about 1649, (probably) East Hampton, Long Island;⁹ D. 21 Jan 1710, East Hampton, New York;¹⁰ M. Stephen Hedges (1635-1734)⁹

5. Stephen Stratton — B. about 1649, (probably) East Hampton, Long Island;² D. 12 Apr 1699, East Hampton, New York;¹¹ M. Hannah Reeves²

6. Abigail Stratton — B. about 1650, (probably) East Hampton, Long Island;² D. before 26 Mar 1705, Elizabethtown, New Jersey;¹² M. Henry Norris (~1645-1706), about 1665, Elizabethtown, New Jersey²

7. Cornelius Stratton — B. about 1653, (probably) East Hampton, Long Island;¹³ D. 27 Mar 1704, East Hampton, New York;¹³ M. Martha Hull (~1660-1727), about 1695¹³

8. Rebecca Stratton — B. about 1651, (probably) East Hampton, Long Island;¹⁴ D. 14 May 1703, Saybrook, Connecticut;¹⁵ M. William Bushnell (1648-1711), 17 Oct 1673, Saybrook, Connecticut¹⁴

9. Ruth Stratton — B. about 1654, (probably) East Hampton, Long Island;¹⁶ D. about 1740, East Hampton, New York;¹⁶ M. (1) James White (1650-1694), 24 Nov 1675, East Hampton, New York;² (2) John Mowbray (1669-?), 1702, Islip, New York¹⁶

Sources:
1    John’s birth year is a rough estimate based on other events in his life.
2    A Book of Strattons, Vol. 1, Harold Russell Stratton, 1908, pp. 117-125
3    WikiTree listing of John Stratton Sr.
4    A history of the town of East-Hampton, N.Y., Henry Parsons Hedges, 1897  
5    The Ancestry of Lorenzo Ackley & his wife Emma Arabella Bosworth, Donald Lines Jacobus, 1960, p. 73
6    Hempstead Convention (Wikipedia article)
7    WikiTree listing of Cornelius Vanderbilt
8    Estimated marriage date based on age of oldest child
9    East Hampton History Including Genealogies of Early Families, Jeannette Edwards Rattray, 1953, p. 370
10  Death record of Hannah Hedges, Records of the Town of East Hampton, Long Island, Suffolk Co., New York, Vol. 5, 1905
11  Death record of Stephen Stretton, Records of the Town of East Hampton, Long Island, Suffolk Co., New York, Vol. 5, 1905, p. 554
12  Probate record of Henry Norris, Calendar of New Jersey Wills, administrations, etc., Vol. 1, 1901, p. 341
13  Find-a-Grave listing of Cornelius Stretton
14  Find-a-Grave listing of Rebecca (Stretton) Bushnell
15  Death record of Rebecca Bushnell, Vital Records of Saybrook, 1647-1834, 1952, p. 19
16  WikiTree listing of Ruth (Stratton) Mowbray

Mother of Concord’s Colonial Inn — Rebecca Wheeler

B. about 1666 in Concord, Massachusetts¹
M. about 1684 in (probably) Concord, Massachusetts²
Husband: James Minot
D. 23 Sep 1734 in Concord, Massachusetts¹

In the historic New England town of Concord, Massachusetts, sits a landmark house now known as the Colonial Inn. The place has seen much over the years, but it began as a home belonging to James Minot and his wife Rebecca Wheeler.

Rebecca was born in Concord in about 1666 to Timothy Wheeler and Mary Brooks,¹ the third of their three girls; she also had a half-sister from her father’s first marriage. As one of Concord’s founders, Rebecca’s father was prominent in the town, serving as the captain of the militia.³ He also owned vast amounts of property in and around Concord. By early 1684, Rebecca married James Minot,² an accomplished man from Dorchester who worked as a physician and teacher in Concord. They began a family with the birth of a daughter in February 1685,⁴ and over the next 21 years their family grew to having ten children. During Rebecca’s childbearing years, James held many offices in Concord including justice of the peace, and like her father, he became captain of the militia.⁵

At the time Rebecca’s father passed away in July 1687, all three of her older sisters were deceased, and she became his primary heir along with her mother. In his will, Timothy Wheeler wrote, “To my Daughter Rebecca Minot, I give & bequeath after thee decease of my beloved wife, viz. my Homestead in Concord that is my house & Barn, with all thee appurtenances 'that' is joined to it, & also all my meadow in 'ye Great meadow', also I give to my Daughter Rebecca, my Mill in Concord, with all thee privileges of thereunto pertaining.”³ When Rebecca’s mother wrote her will in 1691, she specified that her daughter would receive “one silver cupp without letters, a standing cupp and a bible with silver clasps.”³ She left “land at the east end of town” to Rebecca’s three oldest children, girls who were born by the time the will was written. The old woman also gave 23 acres of land in Charlestown to Rebecca’s oldest son who was not yet born.

Some of the property described in Rebecca’s father’s will was in the heart of Concord, and at some point, likely after 1700, she and her husband James built a house there which survives to this day as part of the Colonial Inn.⁶ The earliest record of the building came when James and Rebecca deeded the house to their son James in 1716,⁶ and this is often credited with when it was built, but it may have been before that year. While the exact year of the house’s construction isn’t established, it’s likely that James and Rebecca lived there; the transfer of it to their son seems to have come at the time of his marriage.⁷

The house in Concord went on to have some notoriety. Rebecca’s son James passed it along to his son Ephraim, then to a cousin Timothy Minot, who worked as a doctor.⁶ On April 19, 1775, the “shot heard ‘round the world” marking the beginning of the American Revolution happened nearby, and Dr. Minot treated the wounded who were brought into the house.⁶ An addition to the house was said to have been used to store ammunition supplies, which was the reason the British marched into Concord. A generation or so later, the house came into the possession of the Thoreau family, and Henry David Thoreau lived there for a time in the mid-19th century.⁶

The Colonial Inn.

In 1897, the house was converted to what became known as the Colonial Inn.⁶ By then, a neighboring house was joined to the original Minot house with its addition to make a decent-sized hotel that’s still in operation today. Famous guests over the years have included John Wayne, Arnold Palmer, Jackie Kennedy, and F.D.R.⁸ The Colonial Inn is also known for having a ghost problem; over the years many have reported strange sightings in the rooms believed to have been used for wounded soldiers during the American Revolution.⁹

Rebecca passed away on September 23, 1734,¹ and she was buried with a gravestone that has a long inscription: “Rebeckah Minott ye vertuous Consort of James Minott Esq'r. A daughter of Capt. Timothy Wheeler, she was a person of serious piety and abounding charity, of great usefulness in her day, a pattern of patient Holy submission under a long confinement & resigned her Soul with Joy in death Sept. 23d 1734.”¹ James survived her by one year, dying in September of 1735.¹⁰

Rebecca’s grave. (Source: Find-a-Grave)

Children:
1. Rebecca Minot — B. 9 Feb 1685, Concord, Massachusetts;⁴ D. 23 Jun 1738, Concord, Massachusetts;⁴ M. Joseph Humphrey Barrett (1678-1763), 27 Dec 1701, Concord, Massachusetts¹¹

2. Lydia Minot — B. 12 Mar 1687, Concord, Massachusetts;¹² D. 14 Feb 1743;¹² M. Benjamin Barrett (1681-1728), 3 Jan 1705, Marlborough, Massachusetts¹³

3. Mary Minot — B. 16 Nov 1689, Concord, Massachusetts;¹⁴ D. 3 Sep 1760, Concord, Massachusetts;¹⁴ M. Ebenezer Wheeler (1682-1748), 26 Sep 1706, Concord, Massachusetts¹⁵

4. Timothy Minot — B. 18 Jun 1692, Concord, Massachusetts;¹⁶ D. 30 Nov 1778, Concord, Massachusetts;¹⁶ M. (1) Mary Brooks (1699-1760);¹⁶ (2) Beulah Brown¹⁷

5. James Minot — B. 17 Oct 1694, Concord, Massachusetts;¹⁸ D. 6 Feb 1759, Concord, Massachusetts;¹⁸ M. (1) Martha Lane (~1695-1735), 14 Nov 1716, Concord, Massachusetts;⁷ (2) Elizabeth Merrick (~1694-1746), 1736¹⁸

6. Elizabeth Minot — B. 29 Jan 1697, Concord, Massachusetts;¹⁹ D. 12 Nov 1764, Lincoln, Massachusetts;¹⁹ M. Daniel Adams (1690-1780), 23 Apr 1715, Concord, Massachusetts²⁰

7. Martha Minot — B. 3 Apr 1699, Concord, Massachusetts;²¹ D. 18 Jan 1738, Bedford, Massachusetts;²² M. James Lane, 30 Apr 1719, Billerica, Massachusetts²³

8. Mercy Minot — B. 15 Apr 1702, Concord, Massachusetts;²⁴ D. 25 Jul 1793, Sudbury, Massachusetts;²⁵ M. Samuel Dakin (1700-1758), 13 Dec 1722, Concord, Massachusetts²⁶

9. Love Minot — B. 15 Apr 1702, Concord, Massachusetts;²⁷ D. 21 Oct 1772, Lincoln, Massachusetts;²⁷ M. John Adams, 13 Dec 1722, Concord, Massachusetts²⁸

10. Samuel Minot — B. 25 Mar 1706, Concord, Massachusetts;²⁹ D. 17 Mar 1766, Concord, Massachusetts;²⁹ M. (1) Sarah Prescott (1712-1737);³⁰ (2) Dorcas Prescott (1714-1803), 1738³¹

Sources:
1    Find-a-Grave listing of Rebecca (Wheeler) Minot
2    Estimated marriage date based on birth of oldest child Rebecca
3    The genealogical and encyclopedic history of the Wheeler family in America, Albert Gallatin Wheeler, 1914, pp. 134-141
4    Find-a-Grave listing of Rebecca (Minot) Barrett
5    A History of the town of Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Lemuel Shattuck, 1835
6    Historic Buildings of Massachusetts: Concord’s Colonial Inn (1716)
7    Marriage record of James Minot and Martha Lane, Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
8    New England’s Colonial Inns & Taverns: Centuries of Yankee Fare and Hospitality, Maria Olia, 2016, p. 8
9    The Ghosts of Concord’s Colonial Inn
10  Find-a-Grave listing of James Minott
11  Marriage record of Joseph Barrett and Rebecca Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
12  Find-a-Grave listing of Lydia (Minot) Stow
13  Marriage record of Benjamin Barrett and Lydia Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
14  Find-a-Grave listing of Mary (Minot) Wheeler
15  Marriage record of Ebenezer Wheeler and Mary Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
16  Find-a-Grave listing of Timothy Minot
17  Marriage record of Timothy Minot and Beulah Brown, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
18  Find-a-Grave listing of Col. James Minot
19  Find-a-Grave listing of Elizabeth (Minott) Adams
20  Marriage record of Daniel Adams and Elizabeth Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
21  Birth record of Martha Minot, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1815, FamilySearch.org
22  Find-a-Grave listing of Martha (Minott) Lane
23  Marriage record of James Lane and Martha Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
24  Birth record of Mercy Minot, Concord Births – Massachusetts Vital Records Project
25  Death record of Mercy (Minot) Dakin, Concord Deaths – Massachusetts Vital Records Project
26  Marriage record of Samuel Dakin and Mercy Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
27  Find-a-Grave listing of Love (Minott) Flint
28  Marriage record of John Adams and Love Minot, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
29  Find-a-Grave listing of Deacon Samuel Minott
30  Marriage record of Samuel Minot and Sarah Prescott, M.T.C., V. & T.R.
31  Marriage record of Samuel Minot and Dorcas Prescott, Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925, FamilySearch.org

A Bedfordshire Gentleman — Oliver St. John

B. about 1575 in Keysoe, England¹
M. (1) about 1597 in (probably) Keysoe, England¹
Wife: Sarah Bulkeley
M. (2) 16 Aug 1611 in (probably) Keysoe, England¹
Wife: Alice Haselden
D. before 23 Mar 1626 in (probably) Keysoe, England²

Some of the Puritan families who settled in New England came from English nobility. The father of one settler, Oliver St. John, had no title himself, but he had connections to both royalty and non-conformists. He was known to his contemporaries as a gentleman, and his son who was named after him became a prominent figure in Cromwell’s England.

In Oliver, we see an example of how nobility sometimes diminished in a few generations. He was born in Keysoe, England, a village in Bedfordshire, in about 1575 to Henry St. John and Jane Neale.¹ Oliver’s father was from a long line of knights,³ and his 3G grandmother was the grandmother of King Henry VII, which made Queen Elizabeth a third cousin once removed of Oliver. But even the low rank of knighthood had not passed down to Oliver or his father. His status in life seems to have come only through his connections.

Bedfordshire was loosely considered to be a part of East Anglia, which was a major center of Puritanism. In fact, 60% of the Massachusetts colony’s settlers would come from one of the eastern counties of England.⁴ This region also supplied most of the prominent ministers of early New England. Oliver became acquainted with many of them later in his life.¹ 

East Anglia map showing Keysoe.

In about 1597, Oliver married Sarah Bulkeley, the daughter of Reverend Edward Bulkeley,¹ and between 1598 and 1609, they had five children. Sarah’s brother was Reverend Peter Bulkeley (1583-1689), who later became a prominent New England Puritan minister.¹ Sarah died in about 1611,¹ and Oliver then married a woman named Alice Haselden;¹ and they had three children together.

One acquaintance of Oliver was Reverend John Cotton, an important figure in both Puritan England and New England. He once wrote of Oliver that he was “a Bedfordshire gentleman,” and “a person of incomparable breeding, virtue and piety.” He also said that “he was one of the completest gentlemen, without affection, that he ever knew.”¹ It’s evident from these words that Reverend Cotton must have known Oliver pretty well, and this wasn’t just a token compliment.

Oliver passed away before he could be a part of the Great Migration to New England. He made out his will on March 13, 1626, and it was proved on May 1st,² so he was likely very sick when he wrote it. One of Oliver’s legacies was in his children. Daughter Elizabeth married Puritan minister Samuel Whiting, and settled in Massachusetts in 1636.¹ And son Oliver rose to fame during the years that the Cromwells were in power, becoming Lord Chief Justice of England.⁵ 

Oliver’s son, Oliver St. John.

There were numerous famous descendants of Oliver St. John, including Calvin Coolidge, Bette Davis, John Kerry, Orson Bean, and Kyra Sedgwick.⁶

Children by Sarah Bulkeley:

1. Oliver St. John — B. about 1598, (probably) Keysoe, England;¹ D. 31 Dec 1673;¹ M. (1) Johanna Altham;¹ (2) Elizabeth Cromwell, 21 Jan 1638;¹ (3) Elizabeth Oxenbridge, 1 Oct 1645¹

2. Dorothy St. John — B. about 1602, (probably) Keysoe, England;¹ M. Richard Westland (?-1646), 13 Jun 1625, Keysoe, England¹

3. Elizabeth St. John — B. before 12 Jan 1604, Keysoe, England;⁷ D. 3 Mar 1677, Lynn, Massachusetts;¹ M. Samuel Whiting (1597-1679), 6 Aug 1629, Boston, England¹

4. Edward St. John — B. before 20 Jul 1606, (probably) Keysoe, England¹

5. Judith St. John — B. about 1607, (probably) Keysoe, England;¹ D. Jul 1607, (probably) Keysoe, England¹

6. Judith St. John — B. about 1609, (probably) Keysoe, England;¹ M. John Percival, 25 Sep 1633, Odell, England¹

Children by Alice Haselden:
1. Mary St. John — B. before 12 Jul 1612, (probably) Keysoe, England¹

2. Anne St. John — B. before 10 Dec 1613, (probably) Keysoe, England;¹ M. John Knapp, about 1637, England¹

3. John St. John — B. before 13 Sep 1615, (probably) Keysoe, England¹

Sources:
1    The Bulkeley Genealogy, Donald Jacobus, 1933, pp. 29-33
2    Will of Oliver St. John, Gentleman of Keysoe, Bedfordshire, The National Archives (U.K.)
3    Memoir of Rev. Samuel Whiting, D,D., and of his wife, Elizabeth St. John, William Whiting, pp. 38-39
4    Albion’s Seed: Four British Folkways in America, David Hackett Fischer, 1988, p. 33
5    Oliver St. John (Wikipedia article)
6    FamousKin.com listing of Oliver St. John
7    Christening of Elizabeth St. John, England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, FamilySearch.org