Genealogy By the States – Week 5 – Connecticut

I have so many Connecticut ancestors, I don’t know where to start!  The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about colonial Connecticut is that I have at least two family members who served as governor for the Colony of Connecticut. 

First is my 11th great-grandfather, John Webster, who served as governor from 1656 to 1657.  He was also the deputy governor from 1655 to 1656.  Before and after these roles, he served as a magistrate from 1639 to 1655 and from 1657 to 1659.

Robert Treat, my 10th great-granduncle, served as governor from 1683 to 1698.  He served in other capacities as well, including deputy governor from 1676 to 1683 and again from 1699 to 1709.  The interesting thing about Robert’s term as governor was that in late 1687, the government of the colony seized to exist and was not reinstated until 9 May 1689.  It’s also interesting to note that Robert’s grandson, Robert Treat Paine, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence (I’ve written about that here).

Not only are John Webster and Robert Treat related to me, they are related to one another by marriage.  John’s son, Robert, married Susannah Treat, who is Robert Treat’s sister.

While I know these two men were governors of the Colony of Connecticut, I really haven’t done much research on either of them.  They are both covered extensively in their respective genealogies, History and Genealogy of the Gov. John Webster Family of Connecticut With Numerous Portraits and Illustrations (Webster and Webster, 1915) and The Treat Family: A Genealogy of Trott, Tratt, and Treat, for Fifteen Generations, and Four Hundred and Fifty Years in England and America (Treat, 1893).  And I have seen other references to each as governor in other sources.  So I thought I would compile a list of the sources I was already familiar with and see if I could find some others and share the ones available online in this post.

Before I get into the sources, I thought I’d share something really neat that I found today, while I was poking around.  I found this in The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, Prior to the Union With New Haven Colony, May, 1665 (Trumbull, 1850), which is part of a collection of transcriptions of early public records of the colony and state of Connecticut.  I believe these signatures were obtained on 11 April 1639, when these gentlemen were elected to their respective positions.  It’s pretty neat to see the signature of my 11th great-grandfather!

Now for some resources.

The Connecticut State Library has a few pages dedicated to Connecticut governors, as well as biographies for each governor.

• Roster of Governors of Connecticut – List of governors from 1639 to present, with links to biographies, portraits, and guides to archival records.
• Governors of Connecticut: Resources and Publications – "This Connecticut State Library Pathfinder leads to online and print resources about Connecticut's Governors, past and present."
• John Webster – A biography of Governor John Webster, who served from 1656 to 1657.
• Robert Treat – A biography of Governor Robert Treat, who served from 1683-1698.

There are a set of books that are transcriptions of the public records of the colony and state of Connecticut.  They are digitized and available online.  The one’s below cover the period of time when each served as Governor (or other capacities).  It’s pretty neat to go through and see just what these men were involved with during their service to the colony.

• The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut Prior to the Union With New Haven Colony May 1665
• The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut 1665-1678
• The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut May 1678 to June 1689
• The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut August 1689 to May 1706

Information from Wikipedia:

• List of Colonial Governors of Connecticut
• John Webster (Governor)
• Robert Treat

Miscellaneous resources:

• The Governors of Connecticut (book)
• Robert Treat: Founder, Farmer, Soldier, Statesman, Governor – Paper read before the New Haven Colony Historical Society by General George Hare Ford in 1911.
• History and Genealogy of the Gov. John Webster Family of Connecticut With Numerous Portraits and Illustrations (book)
• The Treat Family: A Genealogy of Trott, Tratt, and Treat, for Fifteen Generations, and Four Hundred and Fifty Years in England and America (book)
• Genealogical and Family History of the State of Connecticut (book)

Genealogy By the States is a theme created by Jim Sanders over at the Hidden Genealogy Nuggets blog.

Resources for Genealogy Research in Connecticut

In September, I wrote about my Link Collection to Various Genealogy & History Resources Online. This collection is my Diigo bookmark library targeted at genealogy. I created a list for each state, as well as a few countries and various topics. There is also a list for general genealogy resources. Over the next week or so, I will highlight some of these lists.

Connecticut Genealogy

Here are some of the Connecticut resources I use all the time in my own research.

“Connecticut Archives,” 1629-1820 – “The ‘Connecticut Archives’ are the papers and correspondence of the General Assembly, the Governor and Council, and other colony or state officials.  Included in this collection are petitions, drafts of bills, acts, resolves, and other early government documents.”  From this website you can access the indexes to this collection.  To access the actual records, you would need to visit the Connecticut State Library or, in some cases, you could borrow the microfilm from the Family History Library.

Connecticut State Library – Tons of useful information about the library’s holdings as well as information about genealogical and historical research in the state.  Be prepared to spend several hours exploring all the nooks and crannies this website has to offer…seriously!

Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford – This is a lineage society, but their website has a list of Hartford founders, each with a short biography.

Connecticut Genealogy – Thousands of links to various resources for Connecticut research.

The Boundary Disputes of Connecticut – Written by Clarence Winthrop Bowen, this book discusses the boundary disputes with New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.  Also includes several maps.

Connecticut History – Lots of useful information about Connecticut towns.  Most listings offer a short history of the town, photos, and additional resources to consult.  There are also a variety of topics covered, including the Revolutionary War, Invention and Technology, Women, Business and Industry, and Architecture.  They even have information on some famous historical figures such as Harriet Beecher Stowe and Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain).

A Digest of Early Connecticut Probate Records – Three volumes of abstracts from the probate records of the Hartford District for the years 1635 to 1750.  The Digest was compiled by Charles William Manwaring.  Each volume is indexed.  The fact that these books are digitized and available online makes my life a heck of a lot easier when working on Connecticut families in the colonial period.

• Volume 1 – Covers 1635-1700
• Volume 2 – Covers 1700-1729
• Volume 3 – Covers 1729-1750

Visit Connecticut Genealogy for the entire list of Connecticut resources, or visit my library to see my entire collection and other lists.

I’m always updating these resources, so be sure to check back regularly. To receive updates to the Connecticut Genealogy list, you can subscribe via RSS. You can also subscribe to my entire collection at for updates to all of my lists.

War of 1812 Ancestors

The Battle at Fort McHenry set the stage for Francis Scott Key’s Star Spangled Banner.

Today, 18 June 2012, marks the bicentennial of the War of 1812.  Two hundred years ago America was once again at war with Britain in what some refer to as our “second war of independence.”  In honor of all War of 1812 patriots, I thought I’d post about two of my ancestors who participated in the war.

Aaron Webster – Aaron Webster, son of Ashbel and Rachel (Price) Webster, was born 28 August 1775 in Hartford, Connecticut.¹  He married Sarah Norton, presumably the daughter of Solomon and Sarah (Rexford) Norton, on 3 January 1797 at either Poultney, Vermont or Washington County, New York.²   According to two different books, Aaron served in the War of 1812 at Sackets Harbor, New York as a minute man.³   Both Aaron and his wife died in 1823 in Oakland County, Michigan.⁴   I have not located any additional information to confirm the assertions made in the two books about Aaron’s military service.

Robert Parks – Robert Parks, son of Robert and Elizabeth (Hall) Parks, was born 12 February 1776 in Voluntown, Connecticut.⁵ He married Mary “Polly” Wheeler Smith about 1800.⁶   Robert died 29 June 1863, probably in Grand Rapids, Michigan.⁷ Several books mention his War of 1812 service, but again, I have not yet found anything concrete.  Following are some excerpts that discuss his military service and provide clues for additional research.

"April 27, 1810, he was commissioned Ensign of a regt. of militia, John Harris, Esq., Lieut. Col. commanding, Cayuga county, N.Y.  On March 2, 1814, he was commissioned Captain in the same regt." ⁸

"March 2, 1810, Captain Parks enlisted in the New York State Militia, and became a member of the 158th Regiment of New York Infantry in the War of 1812.  He was made captain of a company, and served as such until the close of the war." ⁹

You can see how these two contradict one another.  But at least there are many clues here to work with.  In the second reference, there is also a transcription of the Ensign commission, but there is no indication of where the original might be.

I hope one day to have a more complete picture of their.  I have a variety of sources to look at for both Aaron and Robert to hopefully uncover more information.  If you have any suggestions, please leave me a comment or send me an email.

---

1.  William Holcomb Webster and Rev. Melville Reuben Webster D. D., History and Genealogy of the Gov. John Webster Family of Connecticut With Numerous Portraits and Illustrations (Rochester, New York: E. R. Andrews Printing Co., 1915), 401. 

2.  Webster and Webster, History and Genealogy of the Gov. John Webster Family of Connecticut, 401; also Charles Fey, History of Freemasonry in Oakland County, MI (Royal Oak, Michigan: Royal Oak Lodge No. 464, 1949). 

3.  Ibid.

4.  Webster and Webster, History and Genealogy of the Gov. John Webster Family of Connecticut, 401; also Oakland County, Michigan, Probate Records 1822-1911, 1: 52-68, 88, 98-103, 109, 116, 242-244 and 3: 89, 92, 104, 178, 179, 211, 212, 225, 308, 326, 327, 335, Aaron Webster; FHL microfilm 973,902, item 1. 

5.  Frank Sylvester Parks, Genealogy of the Parke Families of Connecticut (Washington, D.C.: Privately printed, 1906), 72. 

6.  Joseph Webster GARRISON membership application, National Society, Sons of the American Revolution, Office of the Registrar General, Louisville. 

7. American Biographical History of Eminent and Self-Made Men with Portrait Illustrations on Steel: Michigan Volume (Cincinnati, Ohio: Western Biographical Publishing Company, 1878), 95.

8.  Parks, Genealogy of the Parke Families of Connecticut, 102. 

9.  American Biographical History of Eminent and Self-Made Men: Michigan Volume, 95.

Image Credit:  The image is from Wikipedia and is in the Public Domain.

Interesting Article on Noah Webster

Ran across the article “Man of Many Words,” by Chris Goodrich of the Brookfield (CT) Patch.  It’s a pretty interesting article about Noah Webster, creator of the dictionary.

As you may recall, I am related to Noah, although he is not a direct ancestor.  Instead, he is my third cousin eight times removed.

Researching Solomon Norton – Part 2

In Part 1 of this post, I presented a short background relating to my research on Solomon NORTON.  This post outlines my research plan as I continue to pursue Solomon and his family, to ultimately determine if he is the father of my fifth great-grandmother, Sarah NORTON Webster.

Research Plan

Before I get into the details, I just want to preface this by saying it is not a comprehensive plan.  These are simply the records that I plan to start with.  As research is conducted and new information is learned, the plan will be revised.

Because Solomon was in at least five different places during his lifetime, I used a timeline to prepare this research plan.  The dates in the timeline are estimated, so any searches conducted will cover that period, plus another five or so years on either end of the range as necessary.  Following is the timeline as presented in the last post:

Estimated Timeframe	Residence
1751 to ??	Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut
?? to 1778	Canaan, Albany, New York
1778 to 1781	Poultney, Bennington, Vermont
1781 to 1823	Poultney, Rutland, Vermont (county formed in 1781)
1823 to 1836	Shoreham, Addison, Vermont
1836 to 1844	Villenova, Chautauqua, New York

Land & Census Records

1836-1844 – Villenova, Chautauqua, New York (was living with another family in 1840, may not have owned land here)

• FHL #479631 – New York State Census, Chautauqua Co., 1835 and 1845 (can't hurt to look; may be in the Aldrich household as he was in the 1840 federal census; list of state census questions)

1823-1836 – Shoreham, Addison, Vermont

• FHL #865018 – Addison Co. Land Records, Index
• FHL #865019 – Addison Co. Land Records, Vol. 4-5, 1811-1830
• FHL #865020 – Addison Co. Land Records, Vol. 6-7, 1831-1870
• FHL #28954 – Shoreham Land Records, Grantee and Grantor index, Vol. 1-18
• FHL #28958 – Shoreham Land Records, Vol. 7, 1822-1829
• FHL #28959 – Shoreham Land Records, Vol. 8-9, 1829-1851

1781-1823 – Poultney, Rutland, Vermont

• FHL #28780 – Rutland Co. Land Records, Index and Vol. 1-4, 1773-1785
• FHL #28781 – Rutland Co. Land Records, Vol. 5-7 and 9, 1781-1822
• Newberry #F842.944 v.2 (Gen. Col. 2^nd Fl.) – State Papers of Vermont, Petitions for Grants of Land, 1778-1811
• Newberry #F842.944 v.8-11 (Gen. Col. 2^nd Fl.) – State Papers of Vermont, General Petitions, 1778-1799
• Vermont Archives #SE118 – State Papers of Vermont, Petitions to the General Assembly, Governor and Council and to the Council of Censors
• Solomon Norton listed in index for Petition, 48876, 1792-10-13, Vol. 18, p. 405
• Solomon Norton listed in index for Petition, 48877, 1797-10-16, Vol. 18, p. 405
• Solomon Naughton listed in index for Petition, 48306, 1784-10-16, Vol. 19, p. 178
• Jonah Norton, Petition, 48856, 1794-10-16, Vol. 19, p. 176 (description/location similar to those of Solomon's)

1778-1781 – Poultney, Bennington, Vermont (Included in Rutland Co. records? Rutland became a county in 1781 and the records above pre-date this.)

??-1778 – Canaan, Albany, New York

• FHL #464900 – Albany Co. Land Records, Index, Grantors M-Q, 1630-1894 (deeds also available)
• FHL #466373 – Index, Grantees N-S, 1630-1894 (deeds also available)

1772-?? – Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut (1772 is about when he would have turned 21 years old, check a few years prior in case estimate is wrong; also not sure what legal age was there at that time)

• FHL #4508 – Hartford, CT Land Records, General Index 1639-1839 (deeds also available)

Wills/Probate

1836-1844 – Villenova, Chautauqua, New York

• FHL #588087 –Chautauqua Co. Probate Records, Index to Records, A-Z 1811-1913

1823-1836 – Shoreham, Addison, Vermont

• May have filed a will here; haven’t located any tangible sources and may have to hire a researcher.

1781-1823 – Poultney, Rutland, Vermont

• May have filed a will here; haven’t located any tangible sources and may have to hire a researcher.

??-1778 – Canaan, Albany, New York (although he was young, he was involved in ARW and many soldiers filed wills; it's possible he did when he enlisted)

• FHL #463364 – Albany Co. Wills, 1691-1835 (includes partial index)

Tax Records

Haven’t located any tangible sources and may have to hire a researcher.

Revolutionary War Resources

Already have pension file and final payment voucher.  It doesn’t not appear that any of the service records for him survived.  The resources below may provide additional insight into his service and will certainly provide a historical context during his service.

• Newberry #F12.A3 C76 (Gen. Col. 2^nd Fl.) – The Old Albany and the American Revolution, by James A. Crowley
• NY Archives Series #A0200 (Education Dept.) – New York State Comptroller's Office Revolutionary War Accounts and Claims, Albany County Militia, 17^th Regiment, Vol. 7-20

Misc. Resources

• MCGS NY MAR NEW – New York Marriages Previous to 1784
• FHL #27641 – General Index to Vital Records of Vermont, Early to 1870, Nicholson –Norton, H
• FHL #27642 – General Index to Vital Records of Vermont, Early to 1870, Norton, I – Nye
• DAR A#92198 – Vermont DAR GRC Report, Series 1, Vol. 52 (Nortons on p. 68 and 69)
• DAR A#42810 - New York DAR GRC Report, Series1 Vol. 200, Unpublished Cemetery, Church and Town Records (Nortons on p. 95)
• Newberry #F846 H32 W449b – Births, marriages, and deaths returned from Hartford, Windsor, and Fairfield, and entered in the early land records of the colony of Connecticut : volumes I and II of land records and no. D of colonial deeds
• Newberry #F846 H32 H328h – Historical catalogue of the First Church in Hartford. 1633-1885
• Vermont Archives – There are many records in the State Papers of Vermont (full listing). Only the 18^th century records are indexed.
• Vermont Archives – There are several inventories of archives and records that were done for WPA. Vermont Archives has all of these inventories. Below are ones relevant to this research:

• Vermont Archives #PRA-01218 – Unpublished inventories of archives Rutland County: Ira-Poultney
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01207 – Unpublished inventories of archives, Addison County: New Haven - Whiting, and for Bennington County: Arlington - Manchester
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01232 – Unpublished surveys of church archives (Adventist, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Universalist and misc.) for Rutland and Washington Counties: Benson – Windham
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01229 – Unpublished surveys of church archives (Adventist, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Universalist and misc.)’ for Addison and Caledonia Counties: Addison - Wheelock
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01234 – Pamphlets containing surveys of church archives (Catholic, Congregational and misc.)
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01236 – Inventories of Congregational archives: Middlebury – Underhill
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01235 – Inventories Congregational archives: Addison - Marshfield

Since Ashbel WEBSTER is also a research focus, and researching him and his whereabouts could help strengthen the case for Solomon and Sarah’s relationship, that research will be done in conjunction with the research listed above.

Researching Solomon Norton – Part 1

Solomon NORTON (aka NAUGHTON) is allegedly my sixth great-grandfather, although I don’t have much in the way of “proof” indicating the father/daughter relationship between him and my fifth great-grandmother Sarah.  Right now, that “proof” consists of a compiled genealogy [1] stating Sarah is the daughter of Solomon, three DAR applications for Solomon through a daughter Sarah (wife of Aaron Webster), [2] and a handwritten transcription of a biography for Solomon found among my family papers. [3]

Because of the time and place, it is unlikely that a birth record exists for Sarah, other than a baptism record, which may be hard to find.  Instead, I will have to investigate Solomon more closely, along with his wife and children, in order to see if Sarah really belongs in this family.  There is some evidence that suggests this is the right family, which I will get into a little later in this post.

Research Background

Derivative sources (aforementioned) indicate that Sarah NORTON is the daughter of Solomon.  Sarah was born about 1780, [4] likely in Poultney, Rutland, Vermont.  She married Aaron WEBSTER on 3 January 1797, [5] probably in Poultney, or perhaps Washington County, New York.  Sarah died on 18 August 1823 in Auburn Oakland, Michigan, the day after her husband. [6]

Solomon was born about 1751 in Hartford or Farmington, Connecticut. [7]  According the aforementioned DAR applications, he married Sarah Rexford on 17 April 1774 in Canaan, Albany, New York. [8]  A short biography in A History of the Town of Poultney, Vermont lists Solomon’s children as Solomon, John, Hannah (married Zimri Howe), James R, Joel, Aaron, and Amos; there is no mention of a daughter Sarah. [9] 

The pension file for Solomon, along with censuses and other sources, helped to create a timeline for Solomon, resulting in the following residences:  [10]

Estimated Timeframe	Residence
1751 to ??	Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut
?? to 1778	Canaan, Albany, New York
1778 to 1781	Poultney, Bennington, Vermont
1781 to 1823	Poultney, Rutland, Vermont (county formed in 1781)
1823 to 1836	Shoreham, Addison, Vermont
1836 to 1844	Villenova, Chautauqua, New York

Using this timeline, I was able to see some similarities between times and places for Sarah’s husband’s father, Ashbel WEBSTER.  His timeline was compiled using a variety of sources:  [11]

Estimated Timeframe	Residence
1733 to 1775	Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut
1775 to 1785	??
1785 to 1790	Poultney, Rutland, Vermont (before 1781, was Bennington Co.)
1790 to 1801	Hampton, Washington, New York

Although Ashbel’s timeline is far more estimated than Solomon’s, it is clear that they resided in the same area at the same time, particularly when their children were presumed to have married.  Although it is not clear, Ashbel and Solomon could have been acquaintances while in Hartford.  And although Ashbel later relocated to Hampton, it is right across the state line from Poultney, so they were still very close to one another until Ashbel’s death in 1801.  [12]

Unfortunately, just because they were in the same place at the same time, doesn’t mean that Ashbel’s son married Solomon’s daughter.  More research is needed to see if Sarah is really the daughter of Solomon.  Part 2 of this post will go in depth on the research avenues I plan to pursue in order to find more information on Solomon’s family, and hopefully the link that ties Sarah to this family.

Sources

1.  William Holcomb Webster and Rev. Melville Reuben Webster D. D., History and Genealogy of the Gov. John Webster Family of Connecticut With Numerous Portraits and Illustrations (Rochester, New York: E. R. Andrews Printing Co., 1915), 401.

2.  National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, "Ancestor Database," database, membership no. 886958, 352593, and 333048, Genealogical Research System (services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search). 

3.  Handwritten transcription of Solomon Norton biography, McMahon Family Artifacts; privately held by Julie (Cahill) Tarr, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Normal, Illinois.  The author later learned that the biography came from the following source:  J Joslin, et al , A History of the Town of Poultney, Vermont, From Its Settlement to the Year 1875, With Family and Biographical Sketches and Incidents (Poultney, Vermont: Journal Printing Office, 1875), 315-316. 

4.  Aaron Webster Cemetery (Auburn, Oakland, Michigan), Sarah Webster marker; photograph in McMahon Family Papers, privately held by Julie M Cahill Tarr, ca. 1940s. 

5.  Charles Fey, History of Freemasonry in Oakland County, MI (Royal Oak, Michigan: Royal Oak Lodge No. 464, 1949). 

6.  Aaron Webster Cemetery (Auburn, Michigan), Sarah Webster marker. 

7.  "Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files," digital images, Footnote (www.footnote.com : accessed July 5, 2010), Solomon Naughton, pension no. S21897; imaged from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, M804 (Washington, D.C.:  National Archives [n.d.]).

8.  National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, "Ancestor Database," database, membership no. 886958, 352593, and 333048.

9.  Joslin, et al, A History of the Town of Poultney, Vermont, 315-316. 

10.  "Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files," digital images Solomon Naughton, pension no. S21897.  Also, 1790 U.S. census, Rutland, Vermont, p. 245 (written) 14 (written), col. 2, Solomon Norton; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M637, roll 12.    Also, 1800 U.S. census, Poultney, Rutland, Vermont, p. 195, line 4 (from bottom), Solo Norton; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M32, roll 52.  Also, 1810 U.S. census, Poultney, Rutland, Vermont, p. 105, line 6, Solomon Naughton; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M252, roll 65.  Also, 1820 U.S. census population schedule, Poultney, Rutland, Vermont, p. 567, line 14, Solomon Norton; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M33, roll 126.  Also, 1830 U.S. census, Shoreham, Addison, Vermont, p. 194, line last, Solomon Norton; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M19, roll 184.  Also, 1840 U.S. census, Villanova, Chautauqua, New York, p. 307 (stamped) 610 (written), line 8, G B Aldrich (Solomon Norton is listed as a Vetaran in this household); digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M704, roll 307.  Also, Solomon Naughton, Final Payment Voucher 1832; Box 21, Vermont, Mu-O; Third Auditors Office; Selected Final Payment Vouchers, 1818-1864; RG 217, Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of Treasury; National Archives and Records Administration, Washington.

11.  Webster and Webster, History and Genealogy of the Gov. John Webster Family of Connecticut, 88, 189-190.  The book indicates “that he paid taxes in that place [Poultney, Rutland Co., Vt.] in the years 1785 and 1787.  Also, "Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files," digital images, Footnote (www.footnote.com : accessed June 11, 2011), Ashbell Webster, pension no. W18313; imaged from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, M804 (Washington, D.C.:  National Archives [n.d.]). This is the file for Ashbel’s son.  1790 U.S. census, Washington, New York, p. 215, line 37, Asbell Webster; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 9, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M637, roll 6.  Also, 1800 U.S. census, Hampton, Washington, New York, p. 555, line 6 (from bottom), Ashbel Webster; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 9, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M32, roll 26. 

12.  New York Gravestones, digital images (http://newyorkgravestones.org : accessed December 11, 2009), Ashbel Webster (Hampton Hill Cemetery, Washington County).

My Revolutionary War Patriots

In honor of Independence Day, I thought I’d write a post about my ancestors who are Revolutionary War patriots.

Robert Parks

Robert PARKS is the patriot I went in under for membership to National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR).  His service is listed as a private serving under Captain Benager Leffingwell.  Below is a muster roll from 1777; it is the only one I have found for him.

Robert is my sixth great-grandfather.  He was born 4 December 1737 in Voluntown, Connecticut and died in 1810 in Windham, Connecticut.  Following is my direct line to him (in bold):

1. Me
2. Joseph CAHILL (1945-1989), m. Jean MILLER (living)
3. Joan Garrison McMAHON (1927-1980), m. John Francis CAHILL (1922-1984)
4. Emma Jane GARRISON (1901-1970), m. John Ward McMAHON (1902-1962)
5. Sarah Jane MULLIGAN (1870-1947), m. James Manly GARRISON (1861-1909)
6. Sarah Norton WEBSTER (1828-1894), m. James MULLIGAN (1812-1879)
7. Betsey PARKS (1801-1856), m. Calvin Price WEBSTER (1802-1856)
8. Robert PARKS (1776-1863), m. Mary “Polly” Wheeler SMITH (1781-1844)
9. Robert PARKS (1737-1810), m. Elizabeth HALL (?-?)

Jonathan Webster

Jonathan WEBSTER took the Oath of Fidelity in October 1777 at Glastonbury, Connecticut.  Jonathan in my seventh great-grandfather.  He was born 5 October 1705 in Hartford, Connecticut and died 14 November 1781 in Glastonbury.  Following is my direct line to him (in bold):

1. Me
2. Joseph CAHILL (1945-1989), m. Jean MILLER (living)
3. Joan Garrison McMAHON (1927-1980), m. John Francis CAHILL (1922-1984)
4. Emma Jane GARRISON (1901-1970), m. John Ward McMAHON (1902-1962)
5. Sarah Jane MULLIGAN (1870-1947), m. James Manly GARRISON (1861-1909)
6. Sarah Norton WEBSTER (1828-1894), m. James MULLIGAN (1812-1879)
7. Calvin Price WEBSTER (1802-1856), m. Betsey PARKS (1801-1856)
8. Aaron WEBSTER (1775-1823), m. Sarah NORTON (1780-1823)
9. Ashbel WEBSTER (1733-1801), m. Rachel PRICE (1737-1813)
10. Jonathan WEBSTER (1705-1781), m. Mabel RISLEY (1718-1871)

Solomon Norton

Solomon NORTON is apparently my sixth great-grandfather, although I have not been able to prove this through actual records.  According to NSDAR, he is a patriot, having served as a private under Captain Bostwick in New York.  There are three members listed that have gone in under his supposed daughter Sarah, but again, I have not proven this connection through any records.  By all accounts, Solomon was born 12 May 1751 in Farmington, Connecticut and died after 1837 probably in Villanova, New York.  Following is my direct line to him (in bold), assuming Sarah is his daughter:

1. Me
2. Joseph CAHILL (1945-1989), m. Jean MILLER (living)
3. Joan Garrison McMAHON (1927-1980), m. John Francis CAHILL (1922-1984)
4. Emma Jane GARRISON (1901-1970), m. John Ward McMAHON (1902-1962)
5. Sarah Jane MULLIGAN (1870-1947), m. James Manly GARRISON (1861-1909)
6. Sarah Norton WEBSTER (1828-1894), m. James MULLIGAN (1812-1879)
7. Calvin Price WEBSTER (1802-1856), m. Betsey PARKS (1801-1856)
8. Sarah NORTON (1780-1823), m. Aaron WEBSTER (1775-1823)
9. Solomon NORTON (1751-after 1837), m. Sarah REXFORD (1757-?)

A big salute to all those who have served or are currently serving our country.

Also, a reminder that anyone can access the NSDAR’s Genealogical Research System to search for patriots.   Celebrate the 4th of July by doing a little research on your Revolutionary War patriots.

Friday Finds – 06/11/10

Weekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve learned or found.

Researching my World War I Ancestor’s Records and Story – Jen posted this great article on her Chicago Family History blog.  If you have any family members who served in WWI, you really need to read this!

Personal Past Meditations – A Genealogical Blog – This is a new-to-me blog that’s been around for almost a year, authored by Daniel Hubbard.

The Public Record of the Colony [State] of Connecticut – This is a series of books containing transcriptions of various public records.  The link is to my blog post about the series containing examples and a list of books available online.

Dating a Cabinet Card – Kimberly Powell posted a brief article about dating cabinet cards.  There is a link in the article to a lengthier discussion of clues to use in order to date a cabinet card.

Friday Finds – 06/03/10

Weekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve learned or found.

Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford – This organization’s main purpose is to preserve the history of Hartford, Connecticut.  It’s membership is made up of those who descend from any of the 164 founders of Hartford.  What’s really nice is that there are short biographies on each of the 164 founders.

1901 Ireland Census – The 1901 Ireland census is now available online, in addition to the 1911 census previously available, via the National Archives of Ireland.

Family of John Webster – This 30-page book, written by Noah Webster, was recently added to the Internet Archives collection.  To keep track of what’s been added to Internet Archive courtesy of the Allen County Public Library, you can add their feed to your RSS reader.

Research Finds via the Connecticut Archives

Yesterday, I wrote about the Connecticut Archives collection available at the Connecticut State Library.  Today I thought I’d share with you some of the gems I was able to retrieve.

I spent all day Wednesday looking through all of the collection indexes online, looking in particular for my Parks and Webster families (there are many other lines in CT, but these are my focus right now).   Although the collections are held at the Connecticut State Library, many of them are also available through the Family History Library.  There were a bunch of records I wanted, and since everyone was hanging out at the FHL this week, I asked my Facebook friends if anyone could pull a few for me. 

The short list of must-haves initially consisted of 10 films, and about 20 or so records.  Seeing as my research isn’t a priority for someone visiting SLC, I pared it down, creating a must-must-have list of eight records (four films).  Donna Pointkouski, who author’s the blog What’s Past is Prologue, was kind enough to obtain those few records for me.  As for the others, I will deal with them another time (one film has several, so I may order that one the next time I’m at the FHC).

Two collections are of extreme importance, as I am trying to figure out if my seventh great-grandfather, Joseph Parks, actually served in the Revolutionary War.  The DAR has “red-marked” him indicating that the Joseph Parks who served was a younger gentleman; I tend to agree with this.  Joseph’s son, Robert (my sixth great-grandfather), did serve, and it’s possible that Joseph’s son, Joseph, is the other one who served (I have no information on this Joseph at this point, to know whether he was alive at the time of the war, or in the area).  Given Joseph’s age, I thought perhaps he served in the French & Indian War and perhaps King George’s War.

Joseph was indexed in the Revolutionary War Series 1 Index, covering 1763-1789.  The document I had pulled appears to be a petition relating to the reinstating of a tavernkeeper.  Joseph Parks, was one of the signers, as was Robert and John.  I have no idea at this time what this has to do with anything, nor whether it’s my Joseph.  I’m pretty sure that the Robert listed is Joseph’s son.  Both were alive and by all accounts in Voluntown, Connecticut where the document was signed on 5 October 1775.  The only other listing for a Joseph Parks in this index is for a Joseph jr. “priv. Norwich, half days training, 1775.”  Norwich is in the right area of the state, but the indication of “jr.” in the index makes me seriously think this is not my Joseph (mine would have been about 67 years old in 1775).

Moving on to the other collection, Militia Series 1 (1678-1757), there were five documents I had pulled, related to what I believe are Joseph and his father Robert.  The earliest record for Robert in this series is dated 1733, in Voluntown, indicating Lieutenant Robert Parks was from Plainfield.  This seems to line up with other research.  A document dated 1742, includes both a Robert and a Joseph Parks.  Without doing a full analysis, I suspect that Robert in this case, is perhaps Robert’s son, Robert.  A Joseph is found in two other documents, in 1756 and 1757.  In the 1756 document, Lieutenant Joseph Parks was voted Captain of the Eleventh Company in the Eleventh Regiment of the Colony of Connecticut. 

Connecticut, "Connecticut Archives: Militia records selected papers, series 1-3, 1678-1820," Vol. 5, p. 370; Connecticut State Library, Hartford; FHL microfilm 3,604. 

If Joseph is the same person through all the documents in the Militia Series 1 Collection, it would seem that he was part of the militia in 1742 and perhaps fought during both King George’s War and the French & Indian War.  The next step is to determine if it’s the same person, and if it’s my Joseph.  I also need to obtain the other military documents from the collections.

A very special thanks to Donna Pointkouski for obtaining these records for me.

Friday Finds – 04/30/10

Weekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve learned or found.

Note:  Some of these are from last week, but I forgot to post them.

List of NARA Microfilm Publications and Original Records Digitized by Our Digitization Partners – This is list of records that have been digitized and are available via Ancestry or Footnote, as of March 2010.  They will update the list as more records become digitized.

Preparing for a Genealogy Research Trip – Elyse wrote a great article about getting ready for your next research trip.  She even includes a list of items to bring with you

52 Weeks of Online American Digital Archives and Databases: Iowa – Miriam delivers again in this series, this time focusing on Iowa.  I can’t wait to dig further into these sources for my Linn and Muscatine County families.

Non-Population U.S. Census Schedules Online – Kimberly Powell writes about the non-population schedules (agricultural, industry/manufacturing, and social statistics) that are being added to Ancestry.  She notes, “Not all available schedules are online as of yet. The states covered include California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington Territory. Some states may have one type of non-population schedule online, but not others.”  Since Michigan was on the list, I spent the better part of the day collecting the agricultural schedules for my folks in Oakland County!

Connecticut Archives, 1629-1820 – According to the Connecticut State Library’s website, “The ‘Connecticut Archives’ are the papers and correspondence of the General Assembly, the Governor and Council, and other colony or state officials. Included in this collection are petitions, drafts of bills, acts, resolves, and other early government documents.”  Most of them are indexed, and the indexes are available online.  More on this is a separate blog post.

The Source:  A Guidebook to American Genealogy – The third edition, edited by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves is available online through the Ancestry.com Wiki.  It’s nice to see this online, as I do not own this book.

Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources – The third edition of this book, edited by Alice Eichholz, is also available online through the Ancestry.com Wiki.  Although I own this book, it’s nice to have an online version for the times I need it when I’m away from home.

The Federation of Genealogical Societies to Digitize War of 1812 Pension Files – I’ve know about this for awhile now, but keep forgetting to post about it.  Running across Dick Eastman’s post, I figured now was as good a time as any.  The post also includes some general information about the War of 1812 and pension files.  I made three seperate donations:  one in honor of Marsha Hoffman Rising, and the other two for my fifth great-grandfathers who served in the war, Robert Parks and Aaron Webster.

FamilySearch Record Search – Tons of new records available this week!

Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army (1789-1903) – This book, by Francis B. Heitman, is available via Google Books.  Various details, particularly about officers.

List of Officers of the Navy of the United States and of the Marine Corps from 1775 to 1900 – This book, edited by Edward W. Callahan, is available via Google Books.

Friday Finds – 02/19/10

Weekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve learned or found.

Article – Miriam, over at AnceStories, posted an article on digital sources for the state of Connecticut entitled, 52 Weeks of Online American Digital Archives and Databases: Connecticut.  Thanks for the resources, Miriam!!

Friday Finds – 01/29/10

Weekly column sharing genealogy-related things that I’ve learned or found.

Article – Apple, over at Apple’s Tree, posted a perfect example of why it’s important to seek out the original record, even if you have a transcription of it from another source.  Read about her important discovery in, Finding the Original Pays Off!

Website – The Connecticut State Library has a wonderful website providing a great deal of information to their historical and genealogical holdings.  I found two research guides particularly helpful:  Research Guide to Probate Records at the Connecticut State Library and Research Guide to Connecticut Land Records.

Research – It turns out, there is an entry in the Cook County Circuit Court records index for a divorce proceeding for Emil and Hulda Miller.  This is a huge find, and the file is being ordered to find out more.  Thanks to Cynthia of Chicago Genealogy for providing this lookup service on Genlighten.

Saturday in the Attic – 01/23/10

I really do wish this item was in the attic, as opposed to where I actually found it.  It would be so neat to have an artifact this old in my personal collection.

It’s a letter written by John Hopkins to Gov. John Winthrop.  It was found at the beginning of the book John Hopkins of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1634 and Some of His Descendants (by Timothy Hopkins, Palo Alto, CA, 1932).

While the letter is in great condition, it is mounted on a page in the book and is bound with the pages of the book.  While the artifact is a wonderful addition to the book, the way it’s preserved, mounted, and bound is less than desirable. 

John Hopkins was born about 1613 in England and died about 1654 in Connecticut.  He and his wife, Jane Goody Strong, are my eleventh great-grandparents.  It is debatable as to whether or not John is the son of Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower.  John left England and settled in Massachusetts, where he was made a freeman on 4  March 1634/35.  He later removed to Hartford, Connecticut.

Family Events – August 23 to August 31

This post completes an entire year of the Family Events column, and is therefore the last post for this column.

Alyssa MILLER – Happy birthday to my cousin Alyssa on August 23rd.

Margaret Elizabeth MULLIGAN – Margaret is my second great-grandaunt, who was born on 24 August 1873 in Michigan.  She died on 6 February 1886 in Flint, Michigan at the age of 12.

Anna BASSETT – Anna is my tenth great-grandmother, who was born in 1618 in New Haven, Connecticut.  She died on 26 August 1667 in Northampton, Massachusetts.*

Aaron WEBSTER – Aaron is my fifth great-grandfather, who was born on 28 August 1775 in Connecticut.  He died on 17 August 1823 in Auburn, Michigan.

 Richard TREAT – Richard is my eleventh great-grandfather, who was born on 28 August 1584 in England.  He died on 14 February 1669 in Connecticut.*

Agnes SMITH – Agnes is my eleventh great-grandmother, who was born on 29 August 1585 in England.  She died on 15 July 1655 in Hartford, Connecticut.*

Amos Parks COFFINGER – Amos is my second great-granduncle, who was born on 30 August 1856 in Pontiac, Oakland, Michigan.  He died on 22 November 1922.*

Charles L STOFFEL – Charles is my great-granduncle, who was born on 30 August 1890 in Chicago, Illinois.  He died on April 1976 in Illinois.

Johanne BRIXTON – Johanne is my thirteenth great-grandmother, who was born about 1529 in England.  She died on 31 August 1572 in England.*

Nicholas GAYLORD – Nicholas is my fourteenth great-grandfather, who was born in 1500 in England.  He died on 31 August 1546 in England.*

Robert WRASKE – Robert is my thirteenth great-grandfather, who was born about 1518 in England.  He died on 31 August 1584 in England.*

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

Family Events – Week of August 16 to August 22

Edward PARKS – Edward is my fourth great-granduncle, who was born on 17 August 1825.  He died on 21 January 1866.*

Aaron WEBSTER – Aaron is my fifth great-grandfather, who was born on 28 August 1775 in Connecticut.  He died on 17 August 1823 in Auburn, Michigan.

Sarah NORTON – Sarah is my fifth great-grandmother.  She was born about 12 August 1780 in Vermont.  Sarah died on 18 August 1823 in Auburn, Michigan, just one day after her husband, Aaron WEBSTER (above) died.

William LEWIS – William is my tenth great-grandfather, who was born on 19 August 1620.  He died on 18 August 1690 in Connecticut.  He married Mary HOPKINS on 19 August 1644 in Massachusetts.*

Betsey PARKS – Betsey is my fourth great-grandmother, who was born on 7 December 1801 in New York.  She died on 20 August 1856 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Alexander WEBB – Alexander is my twelfth great-grandfather, who was born on 20 August 1559 in England.  He died in 1629 in Boston, Massachusetts.*

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

Family Events – Week of August 9 to August 15

Mary BRAUN – Mary is my second great-grandmother, who was born on 19 November 1855 in Germany.  She died on 9 August 1936 in Chicago, Illinois.

Edward P MULLIGAN & Sarah RALPH – Edward is my second great-granduncle, who married Sarah on 9 August 1891 in Chicago, Illinois.

Gov. John WEBSTER – John is my eleventh great-grandfather, who was born on 9 August 1950 in England.  He died on 15 April 1661 in Massachusetts.*

Mary LEWIS – Mary is my ninth great-grandmother, who was born on 6 May 1645 in Connecticut.  She died on 10 August 1722 in Connecticut.*

Dorothy E TRAPP & George J MAZZUCA – Dorothy is my second cousin twice removed.  She and George married on 11 August 1939 in Chicago, Illinois.

Sarah NORTON – Sarah is my fifth great-grandmother.  She was born about 12 August 1780 in Vermont.  Sarah died on 18 August 1823 in Auburn, Michigan.

Richard TROTT (TREAT) & Joanna – Richard and Joanna are my thirteenth great-grandparents.  They both died on 14 August 1577 in England.*

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

Family Events – Week of August 2 to August 8

William LEWIS – William is my eleventh great-grandfather, who was born on 3 January 1594.  He died on 2 August 1683 in Connecticut.*

Joseph BELLUOMINI – Happy birthday to Uncle Joe on August 3rd.

Harold Leslie MILLER – Harold is my grandfather, who was born on 4 August 1918 in Chicago.  He died on 15 June 1982.

Sarah Norton WEBSTER – Sarah is my third great-grandmother, who was born on 14 September 1828 in Michigan.  She died on 5 August 1894.

Elmer W F TRAPP – Elmer is my second cousin twice removed, who was born on 7 August 1919 in Illinois.  He died on 27 September 1968 in Chicago, Illinois.

Theresa “Tessie” CAHILL – Tessie is my first cousin three times removed, who was born on 8 August 1895 in Illinois.  She died on 17 May 1986 in Ohio.

Jerimiah “Jerry” William McMAHON – Jerry is my second great-granduncle, who was born on 8 August 1883 in Illinois.  He died on 20 February 1928 in Illinois.

Emil MILLER & Hulda WACH – Emil and Hulda are my second great-grandparents, who were married on 8 August 1886 in Chicago, Illinois.

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

Family Events – Week of July 26 to August 1

Maida “Meta” HOFFMANN – Meta is my great-grandaunt (by marriage), who was born on 22 June 1906 in Germany.  She died on 28 July 1997 in Arizona.

Thomas PARKE – Thomas is my ninth great-granduncle, who was born on 13 February 1615 in England.  He died on 30 July 1709 in Connecticut.*

Ida MILLER – Ida is my great-grandaunt, who was born on 31 July 1891 in Illinois.  She died in December 1970 in Wisconsin.

Elizabeth “Nettie“ VLIET & Charles Rosseau LAMBERT – Nettie is my first cousin four times removed.  She and Charles were married on 1 August 1885.*

Ashbel WEBSTER – Ashbel is my sixth great-grandfather, who was born on 12 March 1733 in Hartford, Connecticut.  He died on 1 August 1801 in Hampton, New York.*

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

Family Events – Week of July 19 to July 25

Bridget ( ) Ward – Bridget is my third great-grandmother, who was born in January 1838 in Ireland.  She died 19 July 1912 in Chicago, Illinois.

Marie Ethel ROTTMAN – Marie is my grandmother, who was born on 29 April 1920 in Chicago, Illinois.  She died on 20 July 1989 in Bensenville, Illinois.

Mildred SCHULTZ & Gottlieb KUNBERGER – Mildred is my second great-grandaunt, who married Gottlieb on 20 July 1901 in Chicago, Illinois.

Joseph Webster GARRISON – Joseph is my great-granduncle, who was born on 4 January 1898 in Chicago, Illinois.  He died on 23 July 1930 in Chicago.

Frances HILLS – Frances is my eleventh great-grandmother, who was born on 23 July 1605 in England.  She died about 1690 in Farmington, Connecticut.*

Margaret RYAN – Margaret is my third great-grandmother, who was born about 1846 in Ireland.  She died on 23 July 1928 in Illinois.

Henry August LEPPIN – Henry is my great-granduncle, who was born on 24 July 1898 in Chicago, Illinois.  He died on 26 March 1958 in Illinois.

Hannah JOHNSON – Happy 20th birthday to my niece on July 25th.

Harry Henry Adolph TRAPP – Harry is my first cousin three times removed, who was born on 25 July 1895 in Chicago, Illinois.  He died on 4 February 1972 in Antioch, Illinois.

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.