James Maxwell and Susan Austin of Nova Scotia

A brick wall on the Moore side is James Maxwell, husband of Susan Austin and father of Susan Maxwell who married Charles Henry Howe. I just found James and Susan's marriage certificate in the Nova Scotia Archives. Witnesses were James Maxwell (father?) and Alexander Wallace. It's just a tiny step closer to finding more about James. He died before 1846 when his wife and children migrated to Braintree, Massachusetts.

Susan Austen Maxwell was the daughter of Thomas Austen, a Nova Scotia merchant and his wife, Elizabeth Letson. The Austen's originally came from Cork, Ireland. Elizabeth's father, Robert, was a Loyalist emigre who came to Nova Scotia from New York during the Revolutionary War.

Charles Henry Howe

Charles Henry Howe was employed by the B&M Railroad as a machinist. When his two sons, Charles Herbert and Frank Emmons were aged 3 and 1, their mother, Susan passed away. Their father remarried in 1867 to Lucy Sarah Brown, but apparently the new family didn't have room for Susan's two sons.  In 1870 the  two boys were living with their Howe grandparents in Ipswich.

Susan Maxwell

I've always love this picture of Susan Maxwell. She is so sweet and I find it so sad that she died so young, only 24 years old. I think she would have been sad to leave her babies. The younger son, Frank, became a farmer in Ipswich. The older son, Charles Henry, the Moore line ancestor went to Dartmouth College and became the principal of Wakefield High School in Wakefield, Massachusetts.

Abram Williams,

Abram Williams is the farthest back I've gotten on my Williams line. However, thanks to a cousin Pauline who contacted me with handwritten notes from her great-grandmother, I've gotten some new information. Abram was married to Sarah Cronk or Cronkhite and he had a brother, Thomas, who married Sarah's sister Rachel. To make it very Lannister-like, Thomas's son, Solomon, married his cousin, Abram's daughter, Rachel. Whew!
Our line actually comes down from Abram and Sarah (Cronk) Williams thru their son Squire (he's mentioned in the document that Minnie (Solomon and Rachel's daughter) wrote and passed down to Pauline.
The Williams line still ends with Abram and Thomas, but there's a Francis mixed in there also who moved to Indiana (DNA matches with our line).
Sarah Cronk or Cronkhite's line goes much further back to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam and on her great-great-grandmother's side to Captain John Conklin who came from New Haven and settled the town of Southold, Long Island. He was originally from Nottingham, England and his line can be traced back even further.

John Concklyne's heavy flat-topped tomb at Southold is in an excellent state of preservation. It's inscription reads: "Here Lyeth the Body of Captain John Conkelyne borne in Nottinghamshire in England who departed this life the Sext Day of April att Southold on Long Island in the Sixty fourth year of his age. Anno Dom 1694."

Sophia Cowling Bailey, wife of John Bailey

Sophia Cowling has long been one of my brickwalls. She is the mother of Calista Bailey, who was the wife of Richard Williams, my father's great-grandparents. All I knew was that her mother's name was Peggy and that she is buried with most of her family in the Methodist Cemetery in Brewster. There was a David Cowling and a G.W.Cowling buried near John Bailey's parents, but I couldn't find a connection.

Recently, I was able to find out that David Cowling's wife's name was Margeret (or Peggy). Using this information I was able to determine that David was Sophia Cowling's father. I still don't know who G.W. Cowling is, but I'm working on it.

Apparently, only in Putnam county is the name spelled Cowling. David was probably born in Barnstable, Mass. as David Cowen or MacCowen, the son of James MacCowen and Priscilla Robbins. James MacCowen was Scottish and married Priscilla, from an old Barnstable family, in 1736. 

Priscilla was the daughter of Samuel Robbins and Desire Chase. On her father's side she goes back to the early settlers of Cape Cod. On her mother's side she goes back to illustrious Quakers, including the Rev Francis Marbury. Priscilla is descended from his daughter, Katherine, who married Richard Scott, who were adherents of Roger Williams and settled Rhode Island. Katherine's sister, Anne Hutchinson, is more famous as she was put on trial as a Quaker by the Massachusetts Colony. Eventually, she moved to New Amsterdam with her family where she and most of her family were killed by Indians. The Hutchinson Parkway is named after her.

The Marbury family tree is well documented and goes back to William the Conqueror.

William Henry Chellis - updated with new son

HENRY WILLIAM CHELLIS was born on 15 Mar 1838 in Goshen, Sullivan, New Hampshire. He was the son of William and Nancy (Bartlett) Chellis. By 1860

he was living in Windham, New Hampshire and working as a shoemaker.

He married HELEN E FREEMAN, daughter of Daniel H Freeman and Pamelia on 14 Dec 1863 in Lawrence, Middlesex, Massachusetts. He married (1) FRANCES ABIGAIL GUBTAL, daughter of Amos Currier Gubtal and Harriet N Davis on 29 Mar 1871 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts, United States of America. She was born about 1853 in Massachusetts. She died on 18 Nov 1942 in Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States of America. He married HELEN E FREEMAN, daughter of Daniel H Freeman and Pamelia on 14 Dec 1863 in Lawrence, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States of America.

He fought in the Civil War and enlisted in Company I, New Hampshire 13th Infantry Regiment on 20 Sep 1862. He was promoted to Full Corporal on 24 May 1864. He mustered out on 21 Jun 1865 at Richmond, VA.

On his return he and his wife Helen had a son, Arthur F, born about 1866 who died on 5 Mar 1867 of lung congestion, age 9 months. Helen was next pregnant with twin boys who were born 7 Sept 1867 and died on 10th and 13th respectively. Helen died on 12 Sep 1867 in Lawrence, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States of America.

By 1870 he was living in Haverhill, Massachusetts and boarding at the home of Harriet Gubtal. Fannie's daughter apparently caught his eye and they married on 29 Mar 1871 in Haverhill. Their daughter Maude Gubtal Chellis was born on 26 Oct 1873 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts. Her sister Bertha Davis Chellis was born 28 Jul 1875 in Haverhill. The youngest sister, Edith Ann, was born on 6 Jun 1884 in Groton, Grafton, New Hampshire where the family had moved.

By 1900 the Chellis family was living in the Greenwood section of Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts where the girls grew up and lived for the rest of their lives.

Henry was respected in town and served as a past commander of the Carleton Post of GAR of Farmington, N.H. He was an attendant at the Congregational Church.

He died on 26 Oct 1925 in 6 Francis Ave, Greenwood, Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts, aged 88 years. He was buried in Linwood Cemetery, Haverhill, Massachusetts.

Thomas Betts of Norwalk, Connecticut

Thomas Betts, the son of John and Mary (Bigge) Betts, was born in 1618 at  West Peckham, Kent, England.  He emigrated in 1639 and came to New England.  He married Mary, possibly Mary Raymond, daughter of George Raymond and Jane Aylett.  He was one of the founders of Guilford, Connecticut and given a home lot of an acre and a half in the first division of land, one of the most desirable lots in the town, being situated next to that of the minister. He had also seven other tracts of land containing about fifty acres in 1640 at Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut. He took the freeman's oath on 14 Aug 1645. He sold his "out lands" to Henry Kingsnorth, and three days later he sold his home lot to George Highland on 17 Nov 1657.

  

He lived at Milford, New Haven, Connecticut until 1660. Thomas Betts bought "house and home lot of Ralph Keeler" and Nathaniel Eli on the east side of

the Norwalk river, later selling half of it. He is called a planter circa

1660 at Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut.  He was admitted a freeman and received 

a grant of land on 13 Oct 1664 at Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut.  He was one

of the petitioners for the town pf Wilton, but may have never lived there in 1672.  

He appears in the census as having the largest family in the town in Feb 1672 at Norwalk,

Fairfield, Connecticut. He occupied the "Round seat" in the meeting house. 

  

His name is prominent in certain church controversies. Appealing to the general 

court to decide for them on the location of the new meeting house, they being unable to

settle the matter, the court recommended that they "solemnly commit the

decision of this controversy to the wise dispose of the Most High, by a

lott" in 1678. 

  

He left a will on 4 May 1688; "To all Christian people To

whom these prsents shall come Greetings. I Thomas Betts of ye Towne of

Norwalke: aged seventy years or thereabout beinge by ye hands of God at

prsent infirme and weake of body, yet thro the mercy of ye most High: of

prfect understandinge & memory Doe make appoint manifest & declare this to

bee my last will & Testament. Imprimis I doe Comit my soule into ye hands

of God my Creator that hath made it And my Deare Redeemer Jesus Christ that

hath brought it; And my body I bequeath unto ye Dust from whence it was to

be Decently Interred & buried In hopes of a happy & glorious Resurrection

At ye Last Day, And as for ye Temporall Estate which God hath pleased to

bless mee withall I will & dispose as followeth, vizt. I doe will &

bequeath unto Mary Betts my Dearly beloved wife my now dwelling house (viz)

ye south end thereof, halfe my home lott both plowinge Land & pasture Land

And halfe my orchard with all the Immunities as fences & ye like, And also

half my household goods & at her decease to dispose of all her estate unto

her owne Children & her grandchilde Hannah Camp, also I doe give unto her

one Cow & five pound pr Annum, Dureinge ye terme of her Life, which I doe

appoint my Sons to pay equally, unto her Annually, Also I doe give &

bequeath unto my Son Thomas Betts Besides what I have heretofore given him,

my meadow which lies at Charles Creeke, Also all yt my meadow which I have

Lyinge at Sacatock River, also a third pte of my Land at [primpawalke?], As

also pte of my Lot at Calfe pasture from ye Lott of John Beldin, on ye west

side of ye Cart path, to ye narrow of ye Lands betweene ye path & ye

Creeke. Also I doe give & bequeath unto my Son John Betts my second

homelott which lyeth upon Dryhill, Allso my pine hill Lott, which Lyeth

betweene two Lotts of John Bouton Senr. Also my Cove Lott Lyinge betweene

Richard Holmes & Christopher Comstock And my meadow at Rocky Springe. Allso

I doe give and bequeath unto my son Daniell Betts ye rest of my Calfe

pasture Lot not Given to Thomas Betts, also one third pte of my Land at

primpawalke, also my second division of meadow on ye other side of norwalke

river. Allso I doe give and bequeath unto my Sonn Samuel Betts one halfe

halfe of my Gratuety Lott, also my second Division of Six Acres to ye

hundred: also my pasture Lott, also my meadow which Lyeth betweene ye home

lott of Samuel Reeber & ye Cove also a third pte of my Land at primpawalke.

Allso I give & bequeath unto my Son James Betts ye other halfe of my now

dwellinge house & halfe my homelott arrable & pasture Land, also halfe my

orchard not given to my wife also my first Division of meadow on ye other

side of Norwalke river, also all my Land neare Strong Brooke, also halfe my

gratuity Lott, also my Lotts at Sacetock Brooke Lyinge on both ends of

mathias Sention Senr Lott, also one acre & halfe of my Land Lying neare ye

boggy meadow brooke. Also I doe appoint my five sons Thomas John Daniell

Samuel & James to pay to my dearly beloved wife twenty shillings a peice pr

Annum dureinge her widdowhood And also I doe appoint my sons all of them to

provide for & winter my wives Cow & any young Cattle yt shee may have. Also

I doe give and bequeath unto my Daughter Mary ye wife of John Raymond ten

pounds besides what I have given her: which I doe give to her children,

Shee to have ye improvement of it dureinge her life, & at her decease to

returne to her Children. Also I doe will & bequeath unto my daughter Sarah

Betts yt other halfe of my household goods, & ten pounds to bee paid her in

Currant Country pay. Also I doe will & bequeath unto my five sons all my

twenty acres to ye hundred & estate of commonadge equally to bee divided.

Allso I doe make & appoint my dearly beloved wife my whole & sole Executrix

& [administratrix?] of this my last will & Testament and I doe Request my

friends James olmsted & John olmstead to be ye overseers of this my will to

assist & advise in ye distributing. In Confirmation of ye prmises I have

set to my hand & seale this tenth day of may in ye yeare of our Lord one

thousand six hundred eighty & eight And in ye fourth yeare of our Soverain

Lord ye King James ye Second."

  

He died in 1688; aged seventy years.  His estate was inventoried on

4 Dec 1688; The inventory of the estate, dated 4 December 1688, included: 

"Impprimus one pre of oxen, one Cow & 2 heifers, 2

Calfs one horse, two swine 5 pigs, four Beds with ye Coveringe, 3 Boulsters

pillows & pillow Cases, five pre of sheets & other Linen, wearinge Clothes,

one great brass kettle & 2 kettles & one skillet, two iron potts & one Iron

[Betle?], one warminge pan 2 frying pans, pewter & Spoons, woollen yarne &

flax, Cart Irons Hows [?] [Luispins?] [?] & pin, plow irons & chaines,

wedges & [Betle?] rings & one Ax 3 Augres hand saw, one Tramell Tongs

[fireshise?] bellows, Six bags 3 Candlesticks, one Table one Chest 3 boxes

& Books, 30 bushell of wheate 60 bush of Indian, 12 bushell of pease 8

bushells of oates, Hows Lumber Barrellls & Casks." The total was £45.05.06.

  

Thomas Betts is my 8th great grandfather on my grandmother Martha Fairchild's 

side throught his son James who married Hannah Bouton.

John Blunt, Revolutionary War soldier

Battle of Bunker Hill

John Blunt was born on 31 Jan 1756 at Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, the son of Isaac Blunt and his wife, Mary Abbott.  He was at the battle of Bunker Hill on 17 Jun 1775.  He enlisted in military service on 30 Sep 1777 in Capt John Abbott's company that went to Ticonderoga. He was at the surrender of Burgoyne.  He ended military service on 6 Nov 1777.  He married Sarah Eames, daughter of Caleb Eames and Mary Harvey, on 26 Oct 1780 at Wilmington, Middlesex, Massachusetts.

 He and Sarah Eames moved circa 1789 to Amherst, Hillsborough, New Hampshire. He died on 27 Nov 1836 at Amherst, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, at age 80.  From a letter for Sarah's pension application, signed by citizens of Amherst, "we have never heard their characters impeached but know that they were honest, respectable persons esteemed by all their neighbors and acquaintances, and that entire truth may be placed in their truth and veracity" on 6 Apr 1854.

Their son Ainsworth Emery Blunt was a Congregational missionary who moved to Dalton, Georgia to preach to the Cherokee. He went with them on the Trail of Tears. My mother-in-law,

Connie, is descended from John Blunt through his oldest daughter, Sally, who married Daniel Howe.

letter from pension file

Pension Application

Rhoda Glover Fairchild

Rhoda Glover was born on 25 Feb 1769 at Newtown, Fairfield,

Connecticut, the daughter of Henry Glover and Ann Sanford. The family home was

across from what is now old Town Hall on Main Street.

She married Joseph Fairchild Jr,

son of Joseph Fairchild and Mary Botsford, on 8 Sep 1793 at

Huntington Congregational Church, Huntington, Fairfield, Connecticut.

She and Joseph Fairchild Jr appeared on the census of 1800

at Huntington, Fairfield, Connecticut. They appeared on the census of 1810 at Sherman,

Fairfield, Connecticut.

They received a receipt of heirs for Rhoda and Joseph Fairchild from her father's

bequest on 8 Mar 1815. They are identified in the codicil to Henry Glover's will.

They appeared on the census of 1820 at Roxbury, Litchfield, Connecticut. Joseph died

30 Sep 1829 at Roxbury.

They had four children together: Sally baptized 8 Sep 1793, Glover (our ancestor) baptized 31 Jul 1796

in Huntington, Anna baptized 26 Jul 1801 in Huntington, and Mary Ann.

Rhoda moved west with her daughter Anna who had married Samuel Weller. The last we know of her

is that she appeared on the census of 1850 in the household of Samuel

Sherman Weller at Orange, Cuyahoga, Ohio.

Her son Glover is my 4th great grandfather. He settled in Roxbury and Sherman and married Anna Beardsley.