A Puritan Preacher in Demand — John Miller

B. before 21 Oct 1604 in Ashford, Kent, England¹
M. (1) about 1630 in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, England²
Wife: Lydia
M. (2) before 27 May 1662 in Massachusetts³
Wife: Mary Ward
D. 12 Jun 1663 in Groton, Massachusetts⁴

During the 17th century in Puritan New England, communities were spreading out all over the region, each needing a qualified preacher to serve them. And men like John Miller were at a premium.

John came from Ashford, England, a town in Kent that was known for its nonconformism. He was born there, the fifth of nine children, to Martin Miller and Susan Hicks. John was baptized on October 21, 1604,¹ but his exact date of birth is unknown. His father made a living as a weaver,¹ so the family wasn’t wealthy, yet John managed to attend Gonville and Cauis College at Cambridge, receiving a BA in early 1628.⁵

At some point, John broke away from the established church in England, becoming a follower of Puritanism. He settled for a time in Bishop’s Stortford in Herfordshire, where he married a woman named Lydia in about 1630.² This was during a time of religious persecution, and like many others, John made the decision to leave England. John and Lydia sailed to Massachusetts in 1634 along with one young son.⁶ In America, they would add another seven children to their family, all daughters.

The first place John lived in New England was the town of Roxbury and he took on the role of “ruling elder.”⁷ In the hierarchy of the Puritans, a ruling elder ranked below a minister, and was defined as a man who saw to the administrative aspects of the congregation; he made sure everyone attended services, and kept people in line if they were disorderly. In John’s case, he seems to have also done some preaching. His status as a man with a college degree was a rarity in the colony, and this likely made him valuable to the religious leaders.

Sunday worship in Puritan New England was quite different from those of other Christian religions of the time. Rather than being ritual-based, the service centered around two or more sermons, with one session in the morning and another in the afternoon. Sitting in a cold, drafty meetinghouse for that many hours was difficult, and for that reason, having a speaker who could keep the audience engaged was important to the community. 

A typical Puritan meetinghouse was centered on an elevated pulpit where the preacher delivered his sermons.

 

It would seem that John must have been skilled at what he did. By 1639, he served as a preacher and town clerk in the town of Rowley, assisting Reverend Ezekiel Rogers.⁷ Other towns wanted him to come to their congregations to preach; when Woburn asked about his availability, Reverend Rogers was said to have been “loathe to part with him.”⁷ In September 1642, John was “nominated” with two other ministers to preach in a Puritan settlement in Virginia, but he begged off saying he wasn’t physically up to it.⁷

Not long after that, John left Rowley to preach in the Plymouth colony at Sandwich,⁶ and he eventually got assigned to the church at Yarmouth.⁷ He stayed in that post until about 1661, when he became the minister at Groton.⁷ John’s wife Lydia died in Boston on August 7, 1658, and he remarried to a widow named Mary Cutting, whose maiden name was Ward. The wedding took place by May 27, 1662;³ on that date, Mary was identified on a document with the last name Miller.

John was in his late 50s when he died at Groton on June 12, 1663.⁴ He didn’t leave a will, and the inventory of his estate showed he was far from wealthy, his most prized possessions seeming to be his books. One man said of him, “He was a man of low stature, but high literary attainments."⁷ John may have been of “low stature,” but one of his descendants was Sir Winston Churchill. He was also an ancestor of Dick Van Dyke.⁸

Inventory of John's estate in 1663. (Source: FamilySearch.org)

Children (all by Lydia):
1. John Miller — B. 2 Mar 1631, Ashford, Kent, England;⁹ D. 9 Jun 1711, Yarmouth, Massachusetts;¹⁰ M. (1) Margaret Winslow (1640-1698), 24 Dec 1659, Marshfield, Massachusetts;⁹ (2) Sarah ________ (~1635-1719), 28 Apr 1703, Yarmouth, Massachusetts¹⁰

2. Mehitable Miller — B. 12 Jul 1638, Roxbury, Massachusetts;¹¹ D. 23 Feb 1715, Yarmouth, Massachusetts;¹² M. John Crowell (~1639-1689), about 1654, Yarmouth, Massachusetts¹³

3. Lydia Miller — B. 2 Feb 1640, Rowley, Massachusetts;¹⁴ D. about 1729, Sandwich, Massachusetts;¹⁵ M. Nathaniel Fish (1619-1694), about 1656, Sandwich, Massachusetts¹⁵

4. Hannah Miller — B. about 1643, Massachusetts;¹⁶ M. Joseph Frost (1639-1692), 22 May 1666, Charlestown, Massachusetts¹⁷

5. Faith Miller — B. about 1645, Sandwich, Massachusetts;¹⁸ D. 9 Nov 1729, Marshfield, Massachusetts;¹⁹ M. Nathaniel Winslow (1639-1719), 3 Aug 1664, Marshfield, Massachusetts¹⁹

6. Susanna Miller — B. 24 Aug 1647, Roxbury, Massachusetts;²⁰ D. 14 Oct 1669, Charlestown, Massachusetts²¹

7. Elizabeth Miller — B. 13 Oct 1649, Yarmouth, Massachusetts;²² D. before 1718, Billerica, Massachusetts;²³ M. Samuel Frost (1638-1718), before 30 Apr 1674, (probably) Cambridge, Massachusetts²⁴

8. Mary Miller — B. about 1651, Yarmouth, Massachusetts;²⁵ D. 28 Aug 1731, Watertown, Massachusetts;²⁶ M. John Whittemore (1638-1694), 8 Nov 1677, Charlestown, Massachusetts²⁷

Sources:
1    Ashford, Kent – Index of all known births, marriages and burials from c. 1570 - late 1800s (website)  
2    Estimated marriage date of John & Lydia based on age of oldest child
3    Mary first mentioned as the wife of John on a deed dated 27 May 1662, Massachusetts Land Records, 1620-1986, FamilySearch.org
4    Early Church Records of Groton, Massachusetts, 1761-1830, Samuel Abbott Green, p.186, 1896
5    Alumni Cantabrigienses: A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, Part 1, Issue 3, 1924
6    Wikitree listing for John Miller (1604-1663)  
7    New England Historical & Genealogical Register, V. 31, pg. 69-70, 1877
8    FamousKin.com listing for John Miller 
9    “Miller, Cook, Clark, Hall, Crosby and Smith,” New England Historical & Genealogical Register, V. 51, 1897
10  Vital Records of Yarmouth, MA to the year 1850, 1975
11  Vital Records of Roxbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, Vol. 1, 1926
12  Vital Records of Yarmouth, Massachusetts to the year 1850, Vol. 1, 1975
13  New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Clarence Almon Torrey
14  Vital Records of Rowley, Massachusetts to the year 1849, 1928
15  Wikitree listing for Lydia (Miller) Fish (1640 - abt. 1729) 
16  Estimated birth year for Hannah Miller based on age at marriage
17  Marriage record of Joseph Frost and Hannah Miller, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
18  Estimated birth year for Faith Miller based on age at marriage
19  Vital Records of Marshfield, Massachusetts to the year 1850, 1975
20  Birth record of Susanna Miller, Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, FamilySearch.org
21  Death record of Susanna Miller, M., T. C., V. and T. R.
22  Birth record of Elizabeth Miller, M. B. and C.
23  Estimated death year for Elizabeth (Miller) Frost based on death of husband on 7 Jan 1718 (he had remarried by time of his death)
24  Estimated marriage date of Samuel Frost and Elizabeth Miller based on birth of their first child, M., T. C., V. and T. R.
25  Estimated birth year of Mary Miller based on age at death
26  Vital Records of Watertown, 1630-1825, Vol. 2, p. 99, 1894-1906
27  Marriage record of John Whittemore and Mary Miller, M., T. C., V. and T. R.

Following his Father — Thomas Lothrop

B. before 21 Feb 1612 in Eastwell, Kent, England
M. 11 Dec 1639 in Boston, Massachusetts
Wife: Sarah Learned
D. 1707 in Barnstable, Massachusetts

Thomas Lothrop was the son of a Puritan minister who followed his father to America, and then to a town on Cape Cod. 

Thomas was baptized in Eastwell, Kent, England in about February of 1612, the oldest child of Reverend John Lothrop and Hannah House. Reverend Lothrop started out as a Church of England minister, but became involved in the Puritan movement as Thomas grew up, and this would have an effect on the lives of the whole family.

By the late 1620s, Thomas’ family relocated to London where his father preached to a Puritan congregation that met in secret. In 1632, Reverend Lothrop was arrested and sent to prison; when he was released two years later, the decision was made that the family would move to New England. On August 1, 1634, Thomas, his father (who was now widowed), and his five surviving siblings boarded the ship the Griffin. Also on the ship were a group of congregants from Reverend Lothrop’s church. They landed at Boston on September 18th and soon after, settled in Scituate, a town in Plymouth Colony. Thomas, who was an adult now, was accepted as a member of his father’s church on May 4, 1637. 

Going to America. (AI-generated image)

But Reverend Lothrop wasn’t happy with the quality of the land in Scituate, and was having disagreements with some of the congregants over theology, so with the permission of the governor of Plymouth, the family picked up and moved again in 1639, this time to a new settlement on Cape Cod that would become Barnstable. Once again, Thomas followed his father. After marrying a woman named Sarah Learned on December 11th in Boston, Thomas set up a household in Barnstable. Sarah was the widow of a man who recently died and she brought several children into the marriage, including some that were from her husband’s previous marriage. In 1640, Thomas and Sarah had a child together, and this was followed by four more by 1649. Unfortunately, she passed away in 1652; Thomas never remarried.

Location of Barnstable on Cape Cod.

Thomas took on several civic duties during his years in Barnstable. In 1641, he worked with another man to measure out the lands that had been assigned to each settler, using stakes to mark the boundaries. On June 7, 1642, he was appointed constable, and again in 1665. He also served as a “surveyor of highways” in 1642, and in 1656, he was a member of the “Grand Enquest,” which was similar to a Grand Jury.

The exact date of Thomas’ death is unknown, but the year was said to be 1707, meaning he was well into his 90s. Thomas’ descendants include Eli Whitney, J.P. Morgan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Jeb Bush and Elon Musk.

A note about the name
Another variation of the surname Lothrop is Lathrop, and many descendants used that spelling, but the Barnstable records of the family seemed to favor the name Lothrop.

Children:
1. Mary Lothrop — B. 4 Oct 1640, Barnstable, Massachusetts; M. (1) John Stearns (~1630-1669), 20 Dec 1656, Barnstable, Massachusetts; (2) William French (~1603-1681), 6 May 1669, Billerica, Massachusetts; (3) Isaac Mixer, 1684

2. Hannah Lothrop — B. 18 Oct 1642, Barnstable, Massachusetts; D. 1715, Barnstable, Massachusetts

3. Thomas Lothrop — B. 7 Jul 1644, Barnstable, Massachusetts; D. 1697

4. Melatiah Lothrop — B. 22 Nov 1646, Barnstable, Massachusetts; D. 6 Feb 1711, Barnstable, Massachusetts; M. Sarah Farrar (1648-1712), 20 May 1667, Barnstable, Massachusetts

5. Bethiah Lothrop — B. 22 Jul 1649, Barnstable, Massachusetts; D. 10 Jul 1697, Barnstable, Massachusetts; M. John Hinckley (?-1709), Jul 1668, Barnstable, Massachusetts

Sources:
John Lothropp (Wikipedia article) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lothropp
A Genealogical Memoir of the Lo-Lathrop Family in this Country, Elijah Baldwin Huntington, 1884
Find-A-Grave

In the Footsteps of His Puritan Father — Samuel Whiting

B. 25 Mar 1633 in Skirbeck, Lincolnshire, England¹
M. 12 Nov 1656 in Wethersfield, Connecticut²
Wife: Dorcas Chester
D. 28 Feb 1713 in Billerica, Massachusetts¹

In a couple of ways, Samuel Whiting was born to become a Puritan minister in a newly founded town. Firstly, he came from in East Anglia, which supplied more than half of the religious elite to the Massachusetts colony. And secondly, his father became the first minister of the town of Lynn, so Samuel followed the same path.

Samuel was born on March 25, 1633 to Samuel Whiting and Elizabeth St. John in the town of Skirbeck, Lincolnshire, England,¹ where his father was the parish pastor. He was one of four children, and also had a half-sister from his father’s first marriage. Samuel Whiting Sr. was forced out of his church because of his “non-conformist” views,³ and when young Samuel was three-years-old, the family migrated to New England. They arrived in Boston on May 26, 1636.³ Later that year, they relocated to the town of Saugus,³ later renamed Lynn, and this is where Samuel grew up.

When Samuel came of age, he set his sights on becoming a minister like his father. In about 1649, he entered Harvard College, earning a degree in 1653.³ In the early days of Harvard, the school was primarily for training young men to enter the clergy. The handful of graduates each year supplied the surrounding towns with ministers. After graduating, Samuel continued at Harvard for another year and began his career in 1656.³ That same year, he got married. His wife was Dorcas Chester, a 19-year-old woman from Wethersfield, Connecticut, where the wedding took place on November 12th.² Between 1660 and 1682, Samuel and Dorcas had eleven children, but the youngest four died as infants.

In about 1658, Samuel moved his family to Billerica, Massachusetts,³ likely because the new community had a need for a minister. The town had no meetinghouse yet, but they agreed to pay him £40 for per year for his services.⁴ The deal also came with a house on 10 acres of land “comfortably finished with the accommodations belonging to it.” If he stayed in Billerica for the rest of his life, his heirs would inherit the property. His salary increased to £50 the third year, and eventually to £70. 

Plaque at the site of Billerica's first meetinghouse.

On 11 Nov 1663, when Billerica’s church was properly established, Samuel was ordained as its first minister.³ He remained in that role for almost 50 years. The first meetinghouse was built in 1660, and was 30’ by 40’ with a thatched roof.⁴ A larger one was constructed in 1694.⁴ As a member of the clergy, Samuel gained respect amongst his peers in Massachusetts. Cotton Mather once said he was “a reverend, holy, and faithful minister of the gospel.”³

Cotton Mather

During the late 1660s, Samuel became one of 17 ministers in New England who opposed the appointment of Reverend John Davenport to be the leader of the First Church in Boston.³ Davenport was an advocate of strict requirements for membership into the church. Ministers like Samuel saw the need to loosen up the rules so that congregations kept a strong influence in the colony.

Samuel served his community in other ways. During King Philip’s War, his house was used as a garrison, and was considered the most important of the 12 garrisons in Billerica.⁴ And town records show that in 1675, it was ordered that every child age 8 and older would be given religious lessons by Samuel.

Two records give clear indication that Samuel owned a slave, a fairly common practice in parts of colonial New England. The man was called Simon Negro, and he was Simon’s “servant” from the age of 9 until he was 40.⁵ To his credit, Simon did grant him his freedom on October 30, 1693, but the former slave would not have any resources or place to go. Sixteen years later, Simon gave him 17 acres of land, but shortly thereafter, the man died, and he willed the land to the children of Simon “in consideration of the respect I have and do bear to my Master’s family.” While this does suggest Simon treated his slave decently, there is also the sad fact that being enslaved and isolated for most of his life left the man with no one else to leave his estate.

Samuel continued in his duties into his old age, but in 1703, a young minister was appointed to help him.⁴ Another minister was formally assigned to work side-by-side with him in 1707,⁴ and presumably, Samuel cut back his work around that time. His wife Dorcas died just 13 days before he did (they had been married 57 years).⁶ Samuel was said to have died “an hour before sunset” on February 28, 1713.⁴ Samuel’s descendants include Calvin Coolidge and Bette Davis.⁷

Samuel's death record.

Children:
1. Elizabeth Whiting — B. 6 Oct 1660, Billerica, Massachusetts;⁸ M. Thomas Clark (1652-1704), 15 Dec 1700, Lexington, Massachusetts⁹

2. Samuel Whiting – B. 19 Jan 1663, Billerica, Massachusetts;¹⁰ D. 8 Mar 1715, Billerica, Massachusetts;¹¹ M. Elizabeth Patten, 27 Jan 1687, Woburn, Massachusetts¹²

3. John Whiting – B. 1 Aug 1664, Billerica, Massachusetts;¹³ D. 11 Sep 1697, Hartford, Connecticut;⁴ M. Alice Cooke (1674-1714)¹⁴

4. Oliver Whiting — B. 8 Nov 1665, Billerica, Massachusetts;¹⁵ D. 22 Dec 1736, Billerica, Massachusetts;¹⁶ M. Anna Danforth (1667-1737), 22 Jan 1690, Billerica, Massachusetts¹⁷

5. Mary Whiting — B. 28 Apr 1667, Billerica, Massachusetts;¹⁸ D. 13 Nov 1740, Lexington, Massachusetts;¹⁹ M. John Henry Burchstead (1657-1721)²⁰

6. Dorothy Whiting — B. 23 Aug 1668, Billerica, Massachusetts;²¹ D. 10 Jan 1740, Billerica, Massachusetts²²

7. Joseph Whiting — B. 7 Feb 1670, Billerica, Massachusetts;²³ D. 6 Aug 1701, Billerica, Massachusetts²⁴

8. James Whiting — B. 1671, Billerica, Massachusetts;²⁵ D. 1 Sep 1671, Billerica, Massachusetts²⁶

9. Eunice Whiting — B. 6 Sep 1672, Billerica, Massachusetts;²⁷ D. 20 Sep 1672, Billerica, Massachusetts²⁸

10. Benjamin Whiting — B. 26 Sep 1675, Billerica, Massachusetts;²⁹ D. before 5 Nov 1682, Billerica, Massachusetts³⁰

11. Benjamin Whiting — B. 5 Nov 1682, Billerica, Massachusetts;³¹ D. 20 Nov 1682, Billerica, Massachusetts³²

Sources:
1    Find-a-Grave listing of Samuel Whiting
2    Marriage record of Samuel Whiting and Dorcas Chester, Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Ancestry.com
3    Memoir of Rev. Samuel Whiting, D.D., and of his wife Elizabeth St. John, William Whiting, 1873
4    Biographical Sketches of Graduates of Harvard University, Volume 1, Charles William Sever, 1873
5    “The Lost History of Slaves and Slave Owners in Billerica,” Christopher M. Spraker, Historical Journal of Massachusetts Volume 42, No. 1, 2014
6    Find-a-Grave listing of Dorcas (Chester) Whiting
7    FamousKin.com listing of Samuel Whiting
8    Birth record of Elizabeth Whiting, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
9    WikiTree listing of Elizabeth (Whiting) Clark
10  Birth record of Samuel Whiting (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
11  Death record of Samuel Whiting (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
12  Marriage record of Samuel Whiting and Elizabeth Reed, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
13  Birth record of John Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
14  WikiTree listing of John Whiting
15  Birth record of Oliver Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
16  Death record of Oliver Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
17  Marriage record of Oliver Whiting and Anna Danforth, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
18  Birth record of Mary Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
19  Death record of Mary Burchstead, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
20  Find-a-Grave listing of Mary (Whiting) Burchsted
21  Birth record of Dorothy Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
22  Death record of Dorothy Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
23  Birth record of Joseph Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
24  Death record of Joseph Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
25  Birth record of James Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
26  Death record of James Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
27  Birth record of Eunice Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
28  Death record of Eunice Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
29  Birth record of Benjamin Whiting (older), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
30  Death record of Benjamin Whiting (older), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
31  Birth record of Benjamin Whiting (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
32  Death record of Benjamin Whiting (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.

First Minister of Lynn, Massachusetts — Samuel Whiting

B. 20 Nov 1597 in Boston, England¹
M. (1) (probably) about 1623 in England¹
Wife: unknown
M. (2) 6 Aug 1629 in Boston, England¹
Wife: Elizabeth St. John
D. 11 Dec 1679 in Lynn, Massachusetts¹

Reverend Samuel Whiting was one of the most important Puritan ministers in New England, and the first to head the congregation at Lynn, Massachusetts. Such men were early leaders in colonial America, and in a way, they were among the seeds which led to the founding of the United States.

Samuel was born in Boston, England on November 20, 1595, to John and Isabel Whiting, one of six children.¹ His father was a merchant and town council member who was voted as mayor in 1600 and 1608.¹ Because of his father’s position, Samuel grew up around people like Reverend John Cotton, who was the church rector in Boston and an outspoken Puritan. It's very likely that Reverend Cotton influenced Samuel to pursue a career in the ministry.

Samuel attended Emanuel College at Cambridge, where he received a bachelor’s degree in 1616 and a masters degree in 1620; he later earned a doctorate as well.¹ Emmanuel College was considered “the hotbed of Puritanism.”¹ The religion Samuel was indoctrinated in believed that kings had no “divine right” to oversee church matters.¹ This basic belief guided him throughout his life.

In 1617, Samuel’s father died, and left him £120 in his will,¹ a large sum of money for the time. After he finished college, Samuel’s first assignment was as chaplain to a family in Norfolk consisting of “five ladies and two knights.”¹ He was said to have met “distinguished personages” during those years. Three years later, he took an assignment at Kings Lynn, but after another three years, he was forced out due to complaints from his parishioners about his Puritan preaching.¹ Samuel was fearful of losing some of his estate because of the dismissal, but was saved by the fact that King James I died, and the authorities were more focused on the transition to a new king.¹

The church at King's Lynn.

Samuel had gotten married during the time he was in Kings Lynn, but his wife, whose name is unknown, died within a few years.¹ There were three children born to his wife, only one of which, a girl, survived. After the end of his time at Kings Lynn, Samuel took a rectorship at Skirbeck, a town near Boston.¹ In 1629, he married Elizabeth St. John,¹ a woman he had known since his time in Norfolk. They had a son named Samuel, born in 1633.¹

At the time Samuel preached in Skirbeck, Reverend Cotton was still the rector at Boston, and Samuel’s brother John was mayor.¹ Complaints of non-conformity were made against both ministers. Reverend Cotton left for America first, escaping in disguise in 1633.¹ Samuel continued longer, partly because of his brother’s position. He was advised by friends to modify his preaching, but this went against his honest nature. Although he wanted to remain there, he made the decision to move to New England so that he could be true to his beliefs without “a life of humiliating submission to the bishops” in England.¹ He sold all of his property and prepared to move. He said, “I am going into the wilderness to sacrifice unto the Lord, and I will not leave a hoof behind me.”¹

On the ship, Samuel was very seasick and managed to deliver only one sermon during the voyage. He later said, “I would much rather have undergone six weeks’ imprisonment for a good cause than six weeks of such terrible sea-sickness.”¹ He arrived in Boston, Massachusetts on May 26, 1636, and spent the first month with a friend, Atherton Hough.¹ Then later that year, he went to Saugus to become the first minister there.¹ Soon after, Saugus was renamed in his honor as Lynn, after the town of Kings Lynn, where he served in England.¹ Samuel was formally made pastor on November 8, 1636, and he established his home with his wife and two children across from the meetinghouse.¹ Their garden was said to be known for its variety of fruit and vegetables, and for the apple cider produced by its trees. He also was given 200 acres of land in 1638.¹ The first year he was settled there, a son named John was born.¹ He would have two more children: Joseph in 1641 and Elizabeth in 1645.¹

Samuel was said to be greatly respected by his community, and was “peculiarly amiable.”² When among groups of people, he would “kiss all the maids” and “he felt all the better for it.”¹ They were said to “hug their arms around his neck and kiss him right back.” Samuel was described as being “a man of middle size and straight fine hair.”¹ He thought it was important to be well-dressed when he preached, saying that “his hearers should not be made to have their eyes upon an unseemly object, lest the good instruction might be swallowed up in disgust.”¹

A story was told that happened during one of Samuel’s sermons: A young man had the job of poking those who nodded off during services with a foxtail attached to a stick. One day in 1647, a man named Tomlins was jolted awake and cursed loudly at an imaginary woodchuck, not realizing where he was. This caused Samuel to say to the congregation that he seems to be preaching to “sacks of straw with men sitting here and there among them.”¹ Samuel was also known to sometimes interrupt his sermon and grab his hat as if to leave if too many of his audience had nodded off.¹

Reacting to a sleepy congregation. (AI-generated image)

In 1649, Oliver Cromwell, who had just taken control of England, sent a request that Samuel and other prominent ministers in New England be sent to Ireland as missionaries to convert the Catholics there. The ministers including Samuel responded to Cromwell by letter, but nothing ever came of the plan.¹

Samuel was a teacher to his children, including his daughters.¹ His sons all went on to attend Harvard and later became ministers; Samuel himself was appointed as “overseer” at Harvard in 1654.¹ He also educated others in the community, offering religious instruction and language lessons to children in Lynn.¹ And in about 1646, Samuel took an Indian girl into his household given over by her mother. He gave her an education and she became a part of his family for a time and, but eight years later, she ran away back to her tribe. Samuel was said to be heartbroken when she left.¹

In 1656, Samuel was one of 12 ministers appointed to a board representing all the New England colonies making decisions on matters of religion.¹ He was known to have opinions favorable to the liberty of the citizens, even if their practice differed with his own.¹ During the 1660s, when others were whipping and giving other cruel punishments to Quakers, Samuel wouldn’t condone it.¹ He was firmly in favor of separation of church and state, and petitioned against the authority of the General Court over religious matters several times.¹

Samuel's signature.

Samuel authored books on religion and a volume of sermons. In 1664, he published a book called,  “A Discourse of the Last Judgment,” about his views regarding Judgment Day. In the book, he wrote, “What is it to draw nigh to God in prayer? It is not to come with loud expressions when we pray to him. Loud crying in the ears of God is not to draw near to God. They are nearer to God that silently whisper in his ears and tell him what they want, and what they would have of him.”¹ During his career, it was said that he knew Hebrew and “he was elegant with Latin.”¹

Samuel’s wife died on March 3, 1677 in Lynn,³ and after that, his health deteriorated rapidly. He was said to be suffering from “a grinding and painful disorder,” and “scarce enjoyed a day of perfect ease,”¹ though this didn’t stop him from his service to the community. About six months before he died, he submitted a claim to the General Court for 600 acres of land in return for money that he had arranged to be given to the colony in its early days. The deed of land was granted and was passed on to his heirs.¹

He died on December 11, 1679 at his home in Lynn.¹ He was given a funeral attended by many in the town and beyond, and buried in the churchyard. Samuel was the ancestor of Calvin Coolidge, Bette Davis, Orson Bean, Kyra Sedgwick and John Kerry.⁴

Children (by first wife):
1. Dorothy Whiting — B. before 14 May 1627, Skirbeck, England;⁵ D. 31 Jul 1694, Roxbury, Massachusetts;⁶ M. Thomas Weld (1626-1683), 4 Jun 1650, Roxbury, Massachusetts⁷

Children (by Elizabeth St. John):
1. Samuel Whiting — B. 25 Mar 1633, Skirbeck, England;¹ D. 28 Feb 1713, Billerica, Massachusetts;⁸ M. Dorcas Chester (1637-1712), 12 Nov 1656, Wethersfield, Connecticut⁹

2. John Whiting — B. 1637, Lynn, Massachusetts;¹ D. 11 Oct 1689, Leverton, England;¹ M. Esther _______ (1639-1689), 1653, Salem, Massachusetts¹

3. Elizabeth Whiting — B. about 1640, Lincolnshire, England;¹⁰ D. 1733, Hartford, Connecticut;¹ M. Jeremiah Hobart (1630-1715)¹;

4. Joseph Whiting — B. 6 Apr 1641, Lynn, Massachusetts;¹ D. 7 Apr 1723, Southampton, New York;¹ M. (1) Sarah Danforth (1646-?);¹ (2) Rebecca Bishop (1663-1726)¹

Sources:
1    Memoir of Rev. Samuel Whiting, D.D., and of his wife Elizabeth St. John, William Whiting, 1873
2    The American Biographical Dictionary, William Allen, 1857, p. 851
3    Death record of Elizabeth Whiting, Massachusetts Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910, FamilySearch.org
4    FamousKin.com listing of Samuel Whiting  
5    Christening record of Dorothy Whiting, England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, FamilySearch.org
6    Death record of Dorothy Weld, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, FamilySearch.org
7    Marriage record of Thomas Weld and Dorothy Whiting, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
8    Death record of Samuel Whiting (younger), M., T. C., V. & T. R.
9    Marriage record of Samuel Whiting and Dorcas Chester, M., T. C., V. & T. R.
10  WikiTree listing for Elizabeth (Whiting) Hobart 

Puritan Minister in Elizabethan Times — Edward Bulkeley

B. about 1540 in Woore, Shropshire, England¹
M. about 1566 in England¹
Wife: Olive Irby
D. Jan 1621 in Odell, Bedfordshire, England¹

If Edward Bulkeley had lived a generation later, he might have been one of the colonists of New England, but instead he was a Puritan preacher in England. He was born in about 1540 to Thomas Bulkeley and Elizabeth Grosvenor in the village of Woore in Shropshire, England,¹ and he was one of five children. His parents both had pedigrees that can be traced back hundreds of years and his father was a direct descendant of King Henry II.¹ Thomas Bulkeley was the steward of Drayton Manor and a man who owned a substantial amount of property.¹

Edward entered St. John’s College at Cambridge at about age 15 and studied theology.¹ He earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1560, a master of arts degree in 1663, and a bachelor of divinity degree in 1569.¹ He went on to receive a doctor of divinity degree in 1578.¹

Edward got married in about 1566 to Olive Irby, who was from Lincolnshire.¹ They had 11 children together between about 1567 and 1583 — 8 girls and 3 boys. In 1571, Edward became rector of All Saints Church in the town of Odell,¹ which was not far from Cambridge, and he settled there with his family. During the period 1578 to 1582, Edward was the vicar of St. Mary’s Church in Shrewsbury, but for the rest of his career as a minister he preached at the church in Odell.¹

 

All Saints Church in Odell, England.

During the years Edward was a minister, the Church of England was splintering into various interpretations of religion. After the reign of “Bloody Mary” ended in 1558 and Elizabeth I took the throne, theologians had different views as to how much their religion should deviate from Catholicism. Edward was said to be a “moderate Puritan,”¹ meaning that he believed in reforming the Church of England from within, not separate from it. Moderate Puritans wanted to have less emphasis on ceremony and focus more on preaching. They also wanted to make the practice of religion more democratic rather than being run by higher authorities. But they didn’t want to split off and form their own church.

Edward stepped down from his post as rector of All Saints Church in Odell in 1609, which was then taken over by his son Peter, who had followed in his footsteps and become a minister.¹ Edward continued as a theologian, and in 1610, edited an edition of Foxe's Book of Martyrs,² a book that was first published in 1563 which told of the persecution of Protestants by Catholics.

Title page of the Book of Martyrs, 1610 edition, 

Edward’s wife Olive passed away on March 10, 1615. Edward lived another six years, dying in January of 1621,¹ and was buried in the All Saints Churchyard in Odell. His son Peter continued on as the rector in Odell, then migrated to Massachusetts in 1635, founding the church at Concord.¹ Edward’s daughters Elizabeth and Martha migrated to Massachusetts in 1633, and some of Edward’s grandchildren through other daughters migrated there as well¹.

Edward Bulkeley was the direct ancestor of John Hancock, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Norman Rockwell, Calvin Coolidge, Katharine Hepburn, Alan Shepard, Dick Clark, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, Sarah Palin, John Kerry, Bette Davis, Matt Damon, Harry Chapin, Kyra Sedgwick, Anna Gunn, Linda Hamilton and Edward Norton.²

Children:
1. Mary Bulkeley — B. about 1567, England¹

2. Frances Bulkeley – B. about 1568, Moulton, Lincolnshire, England;¹ D. before 7 Jun 1610, Moulton, Lincolnshire, England;⁴ M. Richard Welby, 4 Jun 1595, Whaplode, Lincolnshire, England⁵

3. Judith Bulkeley – B. 1570, England¹

4. Martha Bulkeley — B. 1572, Odell, Bedfordshire, England;¹ D. about 1639, Charlestown, Massachusetts;¹ M. Abraham Mellowes (1570-1639), about 1595, Odell, Bedfordshire, England¹

5. Nathaniel Bulkeley — B. about 1574, Odell, Bedfordshire, England;¹ D. before 4 Dec 1602, London, England¹

6. Deborah Bulkeley — B. 1575, Odell, Bedfordshire, England¹

7. Dorcas Bulkeley — B. about Aug 1577, Odell, Bedfordshire, England;¹ D. 21 Oct 1616, Fishtoft, Lincolnshire, England;⁶ M. Anthony Ingoldsby (1560-~1627), 10 Dec 1598, Odell, Bedfordshire, England¹

8. Elizabeth Bulkeley — B. about 1579, Odell, Bedfordshire, England;¹ D. 14 Oct 1643, Boston, Massachusetts;¹ M. (1) Richard Whittingham (~1575-~1618);¹ (2) Attherton Haugh (~1593-1650), 9 Jan 1618, Boston, England¹

9. Sarah Bulkeley — B. about 1580, Odell, Bedfordshire, England;¹ D. before 1611, Keysoe, Bedfordshire, England;¹ M. Oliver St. John (~1575-1626), about 1597¹

10. Peter Bulkeley — B. 31 Jan 1583, Odell, Bedfordshire, England;¹ D. 9 Mar 1659, Concord, Massachusetts;¹ M. (1) Jane Allen (`1587-1626), 12 Apr 1613, Goldington, Bedfordshire, England;¹ (2) Grace Chetwood (~1602-1669), England¹

11. Paul Bulkeley — B. before 21 Jan 1584, Odell, Bedfordshire, England;⁷ D. before 19 Oct 1610, Odell, Bedfordshire, England¹

Sources:
1    The Bulkeley Genealogy, Donald Lines Jacobus, 1933
2    Tudor Times: The Book of Acts and Monuments, Chapter 3: Editions after Foxe’s Death (website) 
3    Famous Kin listing of Edward Bulkeley
4    Burial record of Frances (Bulkeley) Welby, Moulton, Lincolnshire, England Records, FamilySearch.org
5    Marriage record of Richard Welby and Francis Bucklye, England, Lincolnshire Parish Registers, 1538-1990. FamilySearch.org
6    Find-a-Grave listing of Dorcas (Bulkeley) Ingoldsby 
7    WikiTree listing of Paul Bulkeley 

English Vicar Turned Puritan — William Worcester

B. about 1601 in (probably) Rugby, England
M. (1) 11 Feb 1627 in Olney, England
Wife: Sarah
M. (2) 22 Jul 1650 in Salisbury, Massachusetts
Wife: Rebecca Swayne
D. 28 Aug 1662 in Salisbury, Massachusetts

William Worcester was a 17th-century minister in the Church of England, but his non-conformist views caused him to be ousted from his post, and he founded a family in America as a result.

William's origins are unknown, though some feel he was the son of Joseph Worcester of Rugby, England. He was born in about 1601, and he attended St. John's College at Cambridge in 1620. William was ordained as a deacon at Peterborough Cathedral on December 21, 1622, and during the summer of 1624, he was made vicar of Olney (in Buckinghamshire). He got married in Olney to a woman named Sarah on February 11, 1627. They eventually had 13 children, of which 8 died young.

Interior of church in Olney where William served as vicar. (Source: Robin Drayton)

In telling the story of William’s work as a minister, it’s helps to understand the times in which he lived. Puritans were extremists in England who developed their views after the break with the Catholic Church in the 16th century. Certain people felt the Church of England kept too many traditions of Catholicism, and wanted to practice their religion more like the Calvinist sects which were in other parts of Europe. Some tried to stay within the official church by advocating to reform it, and William was an example of this. But after Charles I became king in 1625, authorities sought to crack down on such dissenters, and it became much harder for him to preach to his congregation.

Those working for Charles I passed new rules to keep non-conformists in line. One Sunday in 1636, all ministers in the Church were ordered to read from "the King's book," telling their congregations that they were allowed to participate in sports and recreation after church service was over. This was something William believed was wrong, and for refusing to read the passage, he was reprimanded and stripped of his office as vicar.

Within two years, William migrated to America with his family and he was welcomed as a minister in the Massachusetts Bay colony. Sometime between 1638 and 1639, he became pastor of the church in Salisbury, where he was now able to preach according to his beliefs. His status as minister made him one of Salisbury's early prominent men. As a member of the community, William received land when a new tract was acquired by the town in 1640, and also in 1654.

William's wife Sarah passed away on April 23, 1650, and on July 22 of that year, he married Rebecca Hall, a widow whose maiden name was Swayne. He continued as Salisbury's minister until he died on August 28, 1662.

William left a large number of descendants, and among them was Bette Davis.

Children (all by Sarah):
1. Patience Worcester — B. 1630, Olney, England; D. 19 Nov 1630, (probably) Olney, England

2. Susanna Worcester — B. 2 Jan 1631, Olney, England; D. 23 Jul 1690, Ipswich, Massachusetts; M. Thomas Stacy (1622-1689), 4 Oct 1653, (probably) Massachusetts

3. Mary Worcester — B. about 1632, (probably) Olney, England; D. young, (probably) Olney, England

4. Samuel Worcester — B. 20 Nov 1634, Olney, England; D. 20 Feb 1681, Lynn, Massachusetts; M. Elizabeth Parrat (1640-1690), 29 Nov 1659, Rowley, Massachusetts

5. John Worcester — B. 1636, Olney, England; D. Mar 1637, Olney, England

6. Sarah Worcester — B. 1636, (probably) Olney, England; D. young, (probably) Olney, England

7. William Worcester — B. 6 Mar 1638, (probably) Olney, England; D. 1683, Boston, Massachusetts

8. Sarah Worcester — B. 4 Apr 1641, Salisbury, Massachusetts; D. 4 Apr 1641, Salisbury, Massachusetts

9. Timothy Worcester — B. 14 May 1642, Salisbury, Massachusetts; D. about 1672, Salisbury, Massachusetts; M. Susanna (~1647-1730), before 12 Mar 1667, Salisbury, Massachusetts

10. Moses Worcester — B. 10 Nov 1643, Salisbury, Massachusetts; D. after 1731, Kittery, Maine; M. (1) Elizabeth Start (1652-?); (2) Sarah Soper (~1650-?)

11. Sarah Worcester — B. 22 Apr 1646, Salisbury, Massachusetts; D. about 9 Jan 1648, Salisbury, Massachusetts

12. Elizabeth Worcester — B. 9 Apr 1648, Salisbury, Massachusetts; D. before 9 Jan 1649, Salisbury, Massachusetts

13. Elizabeth Worcester — B. 9 Jan 1649, Salisbury, Massachusetts; D. before 1662, Salisbury, Massachusetts

Sources:
The Worcester family; or the descendants of Rev. William Worcester, W.W. Kellogg, 1856
The Life and Labors of Rev. Samuel Worcester, D.D., Samuel Melancthon Worcester, 1852
WikiTree
The Worcester Family (website) John P. Worcester, Aspen Colorado, 2004
Puritans (Wikipedia article)

Famous Kin (website)
History of the Puritans in North America (Wikipedia article) 

Traveling Minister and Abolitionist — James Riddle French

B. 18 Jun 1809 in Prospect, Maine¹
M. (1) 13 Sep 1832 in Bedford, New Hampshire²
Wife: Nancy Riddle French
M. (2) 7 Aug 1849 in Nelson, New Hampshire³
Wife: Sophia Newell Kittredge
D. 23 Mar 1857 in Stockton Springs, Maine⁴

During the mid-19th century, religion played a heavy part in the lives of many people, in some cases, entirely shaping their lives. James Riddle French was a good example of this — he dedicated his life to the ministry, and used his platform to apply his Christian beliefs to the issue of slavery.

James was born in Prospect, Maine on June 18, 1809, the oldest child of William French and Agnes Riddle.¹ It was a large family of four brothers and four sisters, and most of the children were given “Riddle” as a middle name. While James was brought up surrounded by the culture of Puritan New England descendants, through his mother, he was actually half Scots-Irish. From about 1816 on, the family lived in a spacious farmhouse on the Maine coast, a place that survives today as part of a destination wedding site.⁵

James decided on a career in the church and attended a Congregational seminary in Gilmanton, New Hampshire.⁶ He graduated and began a career as a minister, moving to the town of Bedford, New Hampshire, where his parents were from. During his time there, he became acquainted with his first-cousin, Nancy Riddle French, and after a courtship, married her on September 13, 1832.²

As Reverend French established himself as a minister, he was devoted to his work. Many of his handwritten sermons still survive. On a Sunday in May of 1844, he roused his audience with, “If you, my hearer, had correct ideas of the future, if you believed the revelation, you would awake! Is Christianity easier learned that you should give so little attention to it? That you should treat it with inconstancy and neglect? What the Bible soon read, soon understood, are its doctrines comprehended, then connection soon perceived!”⁷

A handwritten sermon of Reverend French.

Reverend French's time together with his wife Nancy was filled with sadness. The young couple produced five sons and four died young. Only Austin, born in 1842, grew up a normal healthy child. It's likely that Nancy never recovered from the birth of her last baby, and she died on September 26, 1848.⁸

After Nancy’s death, Reverend French threw himself even more into his work. He became involved with the American Seaman’s Society (an organization offering religious guidance to sailors) and he was sent to Havana, Cuba on a mission.⁶ He returned to New England and continued preaching there.

Reverend French needed someone to help raise his son Austin. On his travels throughout New Hampshire, he met a young woman of a strong religious mind and he fell in love with. Her name was Sophia Kittredge, and she was 14 years younger than he was. They married August 7, 1849,³ but they spent the first few years of their marriage living apart as he went from town to town in New England as traveling preacher.⁹

During his life on the road, Reverend French wrote many letters to his wife. In one he wrote, “My dear Sophia… I hope you have not melted in this hot weather. Perhaps it may not be so hot in the hills of Nelson as it is here. This is the third day of extreme heat. Monday I found it warm & very dusty on my way to -----bury, Vt., 20 miles of which I rode on a stage. Tuesday was still warmer, a fine day however for our meeting. In the evening I was permitted to make a short speech & a poor one it was. Wednesday was hot & about half past twelve, I left for Concord, N.H. where I arrived in the evening tired & dirty. But I soon found a good bath & after thoroughly washing away my outside pollution, I lay myself on a good bed & enjoyed a refreshing sleep.”⁹

One of James' letters to Sophia

Sometime in 1851, Reverend French was offered a position as a minister at the Bethel Church in Portland, Maine.⁶ He accepted, and Sophia joined him there with Austin. A year later, she gave birth to a healthy boy, James, in October of 1852.¹⁰

One Sunday Reverend French used the pulpit to speak on the issue of slavery, and took a strong stand in favor of abolitionism. To make his case, he presented a logical argument: “We are told that the slaves are contented and happy, faring better than the northern laborers and would not leave their masters if they could. At the same time, we see southern papers filled with advertisements of runaway slaves, offering great rewards for their apprehension. Strange indeed, that they should make such attempts and run the hazard of being shot down or whipped to death to get away from contentment and happiness.”⁷

He further gave his views on what was happening in the South. “Slavery is a sin, a violation of the law of God. An outrageous infraction of the dictates of national justice because it recognizes human beings as property, degrading them to the condition of cattle, robbing them of their just earnings, annihilating the law of marriage, tearing asunder those endearing relations of domestic and social life which God has established, introducing a state of universal concubinage, breaking up families, neutralizing the authority of the parent over the child, forcibly separating parent and children, husband and wife, exposing them to be sold to a returnless distance from each other, and finally excluding them from the means of moral and intellectual improvement, dooming them to perpetual ignorance, and cutting them off legally and systematically from all consolations of religion and the hope of heaven.”⁷ Whether Reverend French participated in the abolitionist movement beyond this sermon isn't known.

Reverend French's abolition sermon.

Reverend French became a father one more time with the birth of a girl in September of 1856, who was named Nancy.¹¹ By this time, though, he suffered from a serious illness. Just before Nancy was born, his condition forced the family to move back to his hometown of Prospect (now called Stockton Springs), where he preached at a church there. He pushed himself to great physical extremes; only when his throat became so strained that it caused great pain to speak, did he skip a Sunday at the pulpit.¹²

In early 1857, Reverend French reached a point where he was too weak to work. A detailed account of his last few weeks of life has been passed down in the form of a letter written by his wife Sophia. She described that in mid-February, he was “seized with hemorrhage of the lungs.” The bleeding lasted a few hours, and kept him in bed for over a week. He missed one Sunday in church, but the following week wanted to find the strength to preach for a final time. He said to Sophia on that day, “My dear wife, are you not going to hear me preach my last sermon?” To get out of his sickbed when he wasn’t well enough upset Sophia, and she replied, “If this is your last effort, is it wise to make this attempt?” “Yes,” he said emphatically. “If I knew I should never preach again, I should do it. If God spares my life, I will deliver it.”¹²

Only known photograph of Reverend French.

Reverend French did speak at church that day, and as Sophia had feared, paid a price for it. That night he was awakened with a severe bleeding in his lungs. Sophia observed that he appeared as if not to be breathing for a few minutes, then jumped to his feet screaming in pain. It was impossible to get a doctor at that hour; a winter storm was raging outside and snow was “flying in every direction.”¹² When the attack subsided, he said, “My dear Sophia, you must make up your mind to give me up. I feel that I must leave you, indeed I have long thought so, and in preparing for my sermons, have felt that each one might be my last. No physician can help me, but I wish to have you satisfy yourself and do for me what you think is best.”¹²

The nearest doctor was 12 miles away and he was able to come to the house the next day. Reverend French was diagnosed with “congestion of the heart and brain, partial paralysis of the brain, and typhoid fever.” Whether or not this matches modern medical descriptions of his condition, it was clear that he was dying. He suffered more as weeks went by, but Sophia observed a calmness, as he settled his affairs “with as much composure as though he was going on a journey.”¹²

Towards the end, Reverend French reassured Sophia that death was not the end by saying, “It matters not which goes first, the separation will not be long. Although the clouds and darkness are sometimes round about me, yet the prospect of the approach brightens and the dark valley appears very narrow. All the beauties and glories of the upper temple are but just within the vail. I never expected to have such joyful anticipations. I am a poor sinner, saved by grace. Oh, what a plan of salvation! How full, how free, how perfect.”¹²

In his final days, Reverend French could no longer communicate with the people around him. At intervals, he would simply exclaim, “Blessed Jesus, I want to be with Jesus!”¹² Sophia described that his mouth and tongue had turned black from being burned up from fever, and his hands and feet were covered in sores where he had pounded them in spasms of pain. He died on March 23, 1857.³ Sophia had him buried the following Thursday. Sophia went on to become a city missionary in Boston. She died in 1900.¹³

Children by Nancy Riddle French:
1. Lucius Thurston French — B. 30 Apr 1836, Bedford, New Hampshire;¹⁴ D. 6 Apr 1837, Bedford, New Hampshire¹⁵

2. George William French — B. 25 Jul 1838, Gilmanton, New Hampshire;¹⁶ D. 10 May 1839, Bedford, New Hampshire¹⁷

3. Austin Bradford French — B. 14 May 1842, Peterborough, New Hampshire;¹⁸ D. 12 Aug 1914, Stockton Springs, Maine;¹⁹ M. Sarah Jane French (~1846-?), 22 Aug 1865, (probably) Stockton Springs, Maine²⁰

4. James Riddle French — B. 26 Jan 1845, Peterborough, New Hampshire;²¹ D. 28 Jan 1845, Peterborough, New Hampshire²²

5. William Henry French — B. 26 Mar 1847, Peterborough, New Hampshire;²³ D. 11 Oct 1848, Bedford, New Hampshire²⁴

Children by Sophia Newell Kittredge:
1. James Riddle French, AKA Frank Emerson — B. 12 Oct 1852, Portland Maine;¹⁰ D. 13 Jun 1913, Los Angeles, California;²⁶ M. Mary Augusta Peacock (1849-1924), 25 Aug 1878, San Bernardino, California²⁶

2. Nancy Sophia French — B. 21 Dec 1856, Stockton Springs, Maine;¹¹ D. 12 Jul 1916, Berkeley, California;²⁷ M. George Henry Hewes (1853-1923), 17 Jul 1879, Boston, Massachusetts²⁸

Sources:
1    Birth record of James Riddle French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
2    Marriage record of James Riddle French and Nancy Riddle French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
3    Marriage record of James Riddle French and Sophia Newell Kittredge, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
4    Death record of James Riddle French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
5    “A Brief History of French’s Point,” 2011, French’s Point (website)  
6    The History of Bedford, New Hampshire, 1903
7    Sermons of Reverend James Riddle French
8    Death record of Nancy Riddle French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
9    Letters of James Riddle French to Sophia (Kittredge) French, 1849-1852
10  Birth record of James Riddle French (younger son), Family Bible of James and Sophia French
11  Birth record of Nancy Sophia French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
12  Letter from Sophia French to Abel Kittredge, 31 Mar 1857
13  Death record of Sophia N. French, California County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994, FamilySearch.com
14  Birth record of Lucius Thurston French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
15  Death record of Lucius Thurston French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
16  Birth record of George William French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
17  Death record of George William French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
18  Birth record of Austin Bradford French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
19  Death record of Austin Bradford French, Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921, FamilySearch.org
20  Marriage record of Austin Bradford French and Sarah Jane French, M.V.R.
21  Birth record of James Riddle French (older son), Family Bible of James and Sophia French
22  Death record of James Riddle French (older son), Family Bible of James and Sophia French
23  Birth record of William Henry French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
24  Death record of William Henry French, Family Bible of James and Sophia French
25  Death record of Frank Emerson, C.C.B. & D.R.
26  Marriage record of Frank Emerson and Mary Augusta Lynch, California County Marriages, 1850-1953, FamilySearch.org
27  Death record of Nancy Sophia Hewes, C.C.B. & D.R.
28  Marriage record of George Henry Hewes and Nancy Sophia French, Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925