Sunday, October 27, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Surname Saturday: DICKINSON
Stories and History:
Ahnentafel #8960 - William DICKINSON (1570 - 1628) - born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, he married Sarah STACY (dates unknown) in 1594. He died in Ely, Cambridge, England. Although I have seen information taking William's line back another thirteen (!) generations, I do not know the accuracy of this. William's descendancy has been well-documented by genealogists, including those of the New England Historic and Genealogical Society, so I am beginning my family tree with him.
Ahnentafel #4480 - Nathaniel DICKINSON, I (c. 1600 - 1676) - born in Ely, Cambridge, England, he married Anna [--?--] (d. bef. 29 May 1676) in January 1629/30 in East Bergholat, Suffolk, England. She was a widow of [--?--] GULL, and had one son, William GULL. The Dickinsons immigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where the first three of their eleven children--nine sons and two daughters--were born in Watertown, Middlesex County. Later, they moved to Wethersfield, Hartford County in the Connecticut Colony, where their remaining children was born. Wethersfield is the oldest European settlement in Connecticut. Nathaniel was probably a part of a discontented Puritan group of families from Hartford and Wethersfield who petitioned to start a new colony after controversy over local church doctrine. These families removed to Hadley, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts Bay Colony. When Nathaniel died, he was buried in the Old Hadley Cemetery, but apparently has no marker. Tradition has it that since he died during the days of frequent raids by Native Americans, he was buried at night with no marker. This was common at that time, so that the Natives would not know how many colonists had been killed.
During Nathaniel's lifetime, the King Philip's War greatly affected not only his own generation, but his children's and grandchildren's as well. This was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day New England, and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675-8. King Philip was the English name of the main leader on the Native American side, Metacom(et). He was the second son of Cheif Massasoit, who had been a friend to the Pilgrims and Puritans. A fifty-year treaty that the Pilgrims and Massasoit had agreed upon was broken, as the Natives became alarmed at the expansion of the colonists upon their land. In less than a year, twelve of the region's towns were destroyed and many more damaged, the colony's economy was all but ruined, and much of its population was killed, including one-tenth of all men available for military service. About 30 years later, another conflict, Queen Anne's War, occurred between the French and their Native allies and the English colonists. This was the second of four major conflicts between the French and the British in North America. The most destructive event during this war was probably the sacking of Deerfield, Massachusetts on 29 February 1704. The third of the French and Indian Wars is referred to as King George's War (1744-8); this also affected my DICKINSON family.
Nathaniel and Anna's oldest child, John (1630 - 1676) was killed 19 May 1676 in the Battle of Turner's Falls during the King Philip's War. John's daughter, Hannah, married Samuel GILLETT, who was also killed the same day as his father-in-law. Hannah then married Stephen JENNINGS. On 19 September 1677, Hannah and two of her step-children were captured by the Natives and taken to Canada when Hatfield, Massachusetts was sacked. While in captivity, Hannah had a daughter, whom she named Captivity JENNINGS. Captivity grew up to marry Abijah BARTLETT. During Queen Anne's War, Abijah was killed by Natives on 13 October 1708 at Brookfield, Massachusetts. John DICKINSON's sons, Stephen and Benjamin, were killed by Natives on 22 July 1710, also at Brookfield. John's daughter, Sarah, married a widower, Martin KELLOGG. During the sacking of Deerfield, Martin, his son Martin, Jr. from his first marriage, and three of Martin and Sarah's children, Joseph, Joanna, and Rebecca, were captured and forced to mark 300 miles to Canada. Sarah hid her youngest son Jonathan and herself in the cellar. The Natives heard her son crying, found and killed him, and set fire to the house. Sarah escaped with her step-daughter, Anna KELLOGG. In 1706, Martin KELLOGG, Sr. returned to Deerfield. After his capture, Joseph DICKINSON spent two years with the Natives and eight years with the French. He spent the rest of his life as an interpreter between the Natives, French, and English. Joanna DICKINSON married the chief of the Cahnassaga tribe of Mohawks and remained with them for life. Rebecca DICKINSON chose to stay with the Natives until 1728; she devoted the rest of her life to work among and advocate for the Natives, chiefly at Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
Nathaniel and Anna's second child, Joseph (1632 - 1675) served in Captain Beer's Company in the King Philip's War and was killed on 5 September 1675 while trying to relieve the fort at Northfield, Massachusetts.
Nathaniel and Anna's fourth child, Hannah (1636 - 1712/3) married John CLARY. He was killed by Natives on 16 August 1688 at Northfield, as well as their daughter, Sarah. Earlier, Hannah and John's son, John CLARY, Jr., had been killed by Natives on 3 April 1671. Hannah and John's daughter, Mary CLARY, married Moses HUTCHINSON. Moses and their son Moses, Jr., were both killed by Natives on 13 May 1704 at Deerfield.
Nathaniel and Anna's sixth child, Obadiah (1641 - 1698) married Sarah BEARDSLEY. He was a sergeant during the King Philip's War. In the same 19 September 1677 raid on Hatfield in which Obadiah's niece, Hannah and her two step-children were captured, Obadiah's house was burned, and Sarah was wounded and left for dead. She did escape. Obadiah and one of their children (possibly a daughter, also named Sarah) were taken captive and forced to march to Canada. They were eventually ransomed and returned to Hatfield in the spring of 1678. There is no death record for daughter Sarah; it is believed she died in 1677 during captivity. In the 1680's, Obadiah and Sarah had another daughter, whom they also named Sarah; a common practice in those days.
Finally, Nathaniel and Anna's tenth child, Azariah (1648 - 1675) was killed by Natives on 25 Aug 1675 in Hatfield. His grandson, Obadiah FRARY, was killed by Natives near Fort Edward, Massachusetts.
Ahnentafel #2240 - Nathaniel DICKINSON, II (1643 - 1710) - born in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut, he was the seventh child of Nathaniel DICKINSON, I and his wife, Anna [--?--]. He was married three times; his first wife was my ancestor, Hannah BEARDSLEY (1642 - 1679), whom he married in 1662 in Hatfield, and with whom he had six children. His second wife, Elizabeth HAWKS (d. c. 1684), whom he married in 1680, was the widow of Joseph GILLETT. His third wife, Elizabeth BURT, whom he married in 1684, was the widow of Samuel WRIGHT, Jr. Both Joseph GILLETT and Samuel WRIGHT were killed by Natives on different days in September of 1675. Nathaniel DICKINSON, II died in Hatfield
Nathaniel and Hannah's third child, John (1667 - 1761) married Hepzibah WELLS, who in 1693 was tomahawked by Natives and left for dead, but survived to a ripe old age.
Nathaniel and Hannah's third child, John (1667 - 1761) married Hepzibah WELLS, who in 1693 was tomahawked by Natives and left for dead, but survived to a ripe old age.
Ahnentafel #1120 - Nathaniel DICKINSON, III (1663 - 1751) - born and died in Hatfield, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts Bay Colony. He married Hepzibah GIBBS (1664 - 1713), who was from Windsor, Hartford Co., Connecticut Colony. They had nine children.
On 15 July 1698, a small group, including Nathaniel and oldest sons Nathaniel IV and Samuel, were hoeing corn in the Hatfield meadow when they were fired upon by Natives. Nathaniel IV was killed and Samuel was taken captive but later rescued (more in next paragraph). Nathaniel III's horse was shot from under him, but he escaped. Later, Nathaniel III and Hepzibah had another son, whom they also named Nathaniel.
Nathaniel and Hepzibah's second son Samuel (1687 - 1761) was captured as mentioned above. He was recovered in the Pomeroy Pursuit. He was captured again 11 October 1723 at Northfield, Massachusetts and taken to Canada. He returned in June 1724. Samuel's wife, Hannah FIELD, and their daughter Hepzibah, were drowned 3 September 1740 while fording the Dearfield River on horseback.
Nathaniel and Hepzibah's sixth child and second son to bear the name Nathaniel (1698 - 1747) was scalped and killed by Natives at Northfield, Massachusetts on 15 April 1747, as part of King George's War. A monument commemorating the victims of the attack of 1747 was erected on Patchogue Hill in Northfield in 1872.
Nathaniel and Hepzibah's youngest child Catherine (b. 1706) married Caleb CHAPIN. He was killed at Lake George, New York by Natives on 8 September 1775, along with two of their sons, Joel and Hezekiah.
On 15 July 1698, a small group, including Nathaniel and oldest sons Nathaniel IV and Samuel, were hoeing corn in the Hatfield meadow when they were fired upon by Natives. Nathaniel IV was killed and Samuel was taken captive but later rescued (more in next paragraph). Nathaniel III's horse was shot from under him, but he escaped. Later, Nathaniel III and Hepzibah had another son, whom they also named Nathaniel.
Nathaniel and Hepzibah's second son Samuel (1687 - 1761) was captured as mentioned above. He was recovered in the Pomeroy Pursuit. He was captured again 11 October 1723 at Northfield, Massachusetts and taken to Canada. He returned in June 1724. Samuel's wife, Hannah FIELD, and their daughter Hepzibah, were drowned 3 September 1740 while fording the Dearfield River on horseback.
Nathaniel and Hepzibah's sixth child and second son to bear the name Nathaniel (1698 - 1747) was scalped and killed by Natives at Northfield, Massachusetts on 15 April 1747, as part of King George's War. A monument commemorating the victims of the attack of 1747 was erected on Patchogue Hill in Northfield in 1872.
Nathaniel and Hepzibah's youngest child Catherine (b. 1706) married Caleb CHAPIN. He was killed at Lake George, New York by Natives on 8 September 1775, along with two of their sons, Joel and Hezekiah.
Ahnentafel #560 - Ebenezer DICKINSON (1690 - 1774) - born in Hatfield, he married his first cousin, Sarah DENSLOW (b. 1694) in 1716 in Hatfield. Ebenezer's and Sarah's mothers were the GIBBS sisters. They had nine children, probably all born in Hatfield. Later they removed to Litchfield, Litchfield Co., Connecticut Colony.
Ahnentafel #280 - Elisha DICKINSON, Sr. (c. 1730 - aft. 1790) - born in Hatfield, he married Elizabeth BARNES in 1769 in Cornwall, Litchfield Co., Connecticut Colony. They had five known children. Elisha served in the Revolutionary War from Cornwall.
Ahnentafel #140 - Philip DICKINSON (1770 - 1859) - born in Cornwall, he married Phoebe HUTCHINSON (1772 - 1858) in 1791. They had 14 children! Philip served in the U.S. Marines during the War of 1812. Later, he and his wife and most of their children settled in Trumbull Co., Ohio, which was part of the Connecticut Western Reserve, land claimed by Connecticut Colony, originally granted by King Charles II. Philip and Phoebe both died in Fowler, Trumbull County.
Ahnentafel #70 - Ezra DICKINSON (1800 - 1886) - a Civil War veteran; read his AnceStory here
Ahnentafel #35 - Lucy May DICKINSON (c. 1842 - 1873) - one of the youngest of 12 children, Lucy was born in Hicksville, Defiance Co., Ohio. She apparently migrated with her adult brothers to Western Michigan. There she married Benjamin Henry KIMBALL (1845 - 1924) in 1863 in Newaygo County. Her husband enlisted in the Union Army. After his return from war, they had four children. Lucy passed away shortly after the birth of her youngest child, Mary.
Ahnentafel #17 - Mary May KIMBALL (a.k.a. Lula WEAVER) (1873 - 1950) - when her mother died shortly after childbirth, Mary was raised by her maternal aunt. I have written a detailed AnceStory for her on my website here.
Ahnentafel #8 - William Bryan ROBBINS, I (1896 - 1972) - served during WWI in North Russia as a Polar Bear. Read more here. I've also written extensively about his experiences in North Russia on this blog.
Ahnentafel #4 - Robert Lewis ROBBINS (1920 - 2003) - a WWII veteran, and you can read all about him here. I remember how well he could ride a unicycle!
Ahnentafel #2 - my father (living)
Ahnentafel #1 - myself
More About the DICKINSON Family:
1. Online database (I update this at least once a month): DICKINSON ancestors and relatives (no info on living persons available)
3. Some scanned DICKINSON photos
4. Some scanned DICKINSON documents
5. My DICKINSON Virtual Cemetery on Find A Grave
My DICKINSON Immigration Trail:
Cambridgeshire, England > Suffolk, England > Massachusetts > Hartford Co., CT > Hampshire Co., MA > Litchfield Co., CT > Trumbull Co., OH > DeKalb Co., IN > Defiance Co., OH > Newaygo Co., MI > Muskegon Co., MI > Ottawa Co., MI > AK > Stevens Co., WA > Spokane Co., WA
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Scanfest is Coming
What is Scanfest? It's a time when geneabloggers, family historians, and family archivists meet online here at this blog to chat while they scan their precious family document and photos. Why? Because, quite honestly, scanning is time-consuming and boring!
Scanfest is a great time to "meet" other genealogists, ask questions about scanning and preservation, and get the kick in the pants we all need on starting those massive scanning projects that just seem too overwhelming to begin.
To get started, you need to know the basics about scanning:
1. Don't use commercial glass cleaners (i.e. Windex) or paper towels to clean your scanner's glass plate. Use a soft, clean cloth, preferably microfiber. If you must use a liquid, use water sprayed directly onto the cloth and make sure to let the plate dry thoroughly before placing photos or documents on it.
2. Wear cotton gloves (available at many art and/or photography supply shops) when handling photos and old documents.
3. Don't slide the photos around on the glass plate. Place them exactly where you want them. Photos should NEVER be scanned by a scanner that feeds the document through the machine, but ALWAYS on a flat-bed scanner.
4. Set your scanner to scan at no smaller than 300 dpi (dots per inch). Many experts recommend 600 dpi for photographs.
5. Photographs should ALWAYS be scanned and saved as .tif files. Use "Save As" to reformat the .tif file to a .jpg file for restoration and touchups, emailing, or uploading to an online photo album. ALWAYS retain the original scan as a .tif file.
6. Documents can be scanned as .pdf files or .tif files.
7. When you are done scanning your photos, don't put them back in those nasty "magnetic" photo albums. Place them in archival safe albums or boxes found at websites such as Archival Products or Archival Suppliers. Do NOT store any newsprint (articles, obituaries, etc.) with the photos. The acid from the newspaper will eventually destroy the photograph.
Now about the chatting part of Scanfest:
We will be using Blyve, a live blogging platform that you access right here at AnceStories. On Sunday at 11 AM, PDT, come right here to AnceStories and you'll see the Blyve live blog/forum in the top post. It's not really a "chat room," per se, it's more like a live forum and anyone visiting this site can read and see what is happening in the forum.
You will not need to download any software.
We look forward to having you participate with us!
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Surname Saturday: OLIVER
Stories and History:
Ahnentafel #528 - John OLIVER (dates unknown) - earliest known OLIVER ancestor, he was born in St. Paul's Parish, Stafford Co., Virginia and married a woman by the name of Margaret or Elizabeth. They had seven known children, most of whose names are unknown, except for the eldest, John and George (below) and the youngest, Rebecca.
Ahnentafel #264 - George OLIVER (1728 - 1786) - also born in St. Paul's Parish, he married Jemima REAGAN (b. bet. 1720-9 - d. c. 1770) there in 1745. They had nine known children. Their fifth child was born in Albemarle Co., Virginia in the 1750s, while the next few were born in Prince Edward County. The youngest was born in Guilford County in 1770, the same year Jemima died. George then married Martha WHITWORTH (b. bet. 1740-50 - d. c. 1814) in 1772 in Guilford County, and had at least four more children with her. About 1773 they moved to Rockingham Co., North Carolina, where George died.
Ahnentafel #132 - John OLIVER (b. bet. 1750-55 - d. bet. 1826-30) - not much is known about his ancestor, other than he was born in Virginia and married Mary [--?--], probably about 1786. Their first of their eight children was born in 1787 in Jones Co., North Carolina.
Ahnentafel #66 - William OLIVER (b. bet. 1784-7 - d. 1841) - William was born in North Carolina. He married Elizabeth EDGING (d. bef. 1812) in 1806 in Rockingham County and had four known children. After Elizabeth's death, William married Nancy PAINTER (dates unknown) in Franklin Co., Alabama. Their one child was named after his late wife. They eventually made their way to Lincoln Co., Tennessee, settling in the part of the county that later became Moore County.
Ahnentafel #33 - Ellender "Nellie" OLIVER (c. 1807 - c. 1849) - born in Rockingham Co., North Carolina, she married Franklin Preston MIDKIFF (c. 1800 - c. 1839) about 1825 in Lincoln (now Moore) Co., Tennessee. They had seven known children, at least one of whom did not survive childhood, and another is currently unaccounted for. Franklin died fairly young, and when Nellie died, her youngest son, Charles Anderson MIDKIFF, was only 10 years old.
Ahnentafel #16 - Charles Anderson MIDKIFF, I (1839 - 1919) - emigrated from Tennessee to Cooke and Grayson Counties in Texas with three of his four older siblings. He later lived in Oklahoma Territory, Colorado, and eventually, Butte County, California. You can read more about him in a biographical sketch here on my website, as well as a sketch on his military service in the Confederacy that I posted n 2008 on this blog.
Ahnentafel #8 - John Franklin MIDKIFF, I (1870 - 1926) was married twice. He had four children with his first wife and three with his second. His daughter from his first marriage married his second wife's brother, making their children double and half cousins with my father-in-law!
Ahnentafel #4 - John Franklin MIDKIFF, II (1910 - 1957) - I've written a bit about John on this blog in one of my best posts, "Every Eleven Miles."
Ahnentafel #2 - My children's paternal grandfather (living)
Ahnentafel #1 - My children's father (living)
More About the OLIVER Family:
1. Online database (I update this at least once a month): OLIVER ancestors and relatives (no info on living persons available)
3. The Oliver Reunion Association
My Children's OLIVER Immigration Trail:
Stafford Co., VA > Albemarle Co., VA > Prince Edward Co., VA > Guilford Co., VA > Rockingham Co., VA > Jones Co., VA > Rockingham Co., VA > Lincoln (now Moore) Co., TN > Grayson Co., TX > Cooke Co., TX > Cleveland Co., OK Territory > Pottawatomie Co., OK > Delta Co., CO > Butte Co., CA > Custer Co., ID > Yakima Co., WA > Clark Co., WA > Spokane Co., WA
Saturday, October 05, 2013
Surname Saturday: PECK
There are a number of meanings for the surname, PECK. In English, where it is found mostly in East Anglia, it was an occupational name for someone who dealt in weights and measures, as a peck was an old measure of dry goods equivalent to eight quarts or a quarter of a bushel. The surname could also be an English or Irish variant of the name Peak, or a South German variant of Beck. Similar to the East Anglia occupational name, in North Germany and the Netherlands, it could be an occupational name fo someone who prepared or sold pitch (Pek, Pec, or Pic). Finally, it could also be a Dutch nickname (Pec, Pick) for someone in difficult circumstances or with a gloomy disposition.
Stories and History:
Ahnentafel #66 - Nelson H. PECK (c. 1819 - 1849) - Probably born in New York, although one unreliable source states England as his birthplace. He married Lura Ann JACKSON (1826 - 1894) about 1847, probably in Potter Co., Pennsylvania. There are a number of PECK families that lived in Potter County, but so far, I've been unable to connect my Nelson to them. This is partially because he died young, at the age of about 30, probably in Coudersport, in Potter County. We know he was listed as a carpenter and joiner in 1848 in the Early History of Coudersport; Pioneer Families of Coudersport, as well as being mentioned as a carpenter in a newspaper extract about his death, filed with the Potter County, Pennsylvania Historical Society. There was another man by this name in the same area, quite possibly a relative, who served in the Civil War.
Ahnentafel #33 - Viola Gertrude PECK (1848 - 1918) - Born in Coudersport, Potter Co., Pennsylvania, she was the only known child of her parents. After her father's death when she was an infant, her mother remarried to a widower, the eccentric Reverend John CRAPSEY, Jr. She was raised with her step-brother, Angelo M. CRAPSEY, as well as four younger half-siblings. The family removed to nearby Liberty Township, McKean Co., Pennsylvania. Shortly after the Civil War, Viola married her neighbor, Charles H. ROBBINS (1844 - 1934), who was a fellow soldier and best friend of her step-brother, Angelo. Viola and Charles were married by her step-father in 1864, probably in her parents' home in Liberty Township. The Robbinses moved to Hesperia, Oceana Co., Michigan with Charles' parents and siblings the following year. Their second child was born in Minnesota in 1867, probably on a visit to Viola's parents in Cottonwood County. About 1873, the family moved from Hesperia to Southbrook Township in Cottonwood County and lived there about 10 years. Charles and Viola returned to Hesperia with their children to live out the rest of their years in that community. Viola's obituary stated that when they first moved to Michigan, "their early neighbors were Indians, among whom they won many friends, and as the white people came she was a friend to all and loved by all in return."
Ahnentafel #16: Viola's son Angelo Merrick ROBBINS (1874 - 1923) was a schoolteacher who died young due to a ruptured appendix. You can read his story here .
Ahnentafel #8: Angelo's son, William Bryan ROBBINS (1896 - 1972), served during WWI in North Russia as a Polar Bear. Read more here . I've also written extensively about his experiences in North Russia on this blog.
Ahnentafel #4: My beloved paternal grandfather, Robert Lewis ROBBINS (1920 - 2003), was a WWII veteran, and you can read all about him here . I remember how well he could ride a unicycle!
Ahnentafel #2: My dad, living.
Ahnentafel #1: Myself.
Ahnentafel #33 - Viola Gertrude PECK (1848 - 1918) - Born in Coudersport, Potter Co., Pennsylvania, she was the only known child of her parents. After her father's death when she was an infant, her mother remarried to a widower, the eccentric Reverend John CRAPSEY, Jr. She was raised with her step-brother, Angelo M. CRAPSEY, as well as four younger half-siblings. The family removed to nearby Liberty Township, McKean Co., Pennsylvania. Shortly after the Civil War, Viola married her neighbor, Charles H. ROBBINS (1844 - 1934), who was a fellow soldier and best friend of her step-brother, Angelo. Viola and Charles were married by her step-father in 1864, probably in her parents' home in Liberty Township. The Robbinses moved to Hesperia, Oceana Co., Michigan with Charles' parents and siblings the following year. Their second child was born in Minnesota in 1867, probably on a visit to Viola's parents in Cottonwood County. About 1873, the family moved from Hesperia to Southbrook Township in Cottonwood County and lived there about 10 years. Charles and Viola returned to Hesperia with their children to live out the rest of their years in that community. Viola's obituary stated that when they first moved to Michigan, "their early neighbors were Indians, among whom they won many friends, and as the white people came she was a friend to all and loved by all in return."
Ahnentafel #16: Viola's son Angelo Merrick ROBBINS (1874 - 1923) was a schoolteacher who died young due to a ruptured appendix. You can read his story here .
Ahnentafel #8: Angelo's son, William Bryan ROBBINS (1896 - 1972), served during WWI in North Russia as a Polar Bear. Read more here . I've also written extensively about his experiences in North Russia on this blog.
Ahnentafel #4: My beloved paternal grandfather, Robert Lewis ROBBINS (1920 - 2003), was a WWII veteran, and you can read all about him here . I remember how well he could ride a unicycle!
Ahnentafel #2: My dad, living.
Ahnentafel #1: Myself.
More About the PECK Family:
1. Online database (I update this at least once a month): PECK ancestors and relatives (no info on living persons available)
2. Some PECK obituaries [on website]
3. Posts about PECK ancestors and relatives on this blog
My PECK Immigration Trail:
NY > Potter Co., PA > McKean Co., PA > Oceana Co., MI > Cottonwood Co., MN > Oceana Co., MI > Newaygo Co., MI > Muskegon Co., MI > Ottawa Co., MI > AK > Stevens Co., WA > Spokane Co., WA
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