Author: Kirstin Miller

Ezra Shattuck b. 1751

/ Kirstin Miller

Ezra Shattuck husband of Rebecca Connable, 3rd great aunt of Faber Miller, my grandpa.

Ezra Shattuck was born August 5, 1751 in Petersham, Worcester, Massachusetts. Ezra was in Leyden, Massachusetts, 20 miles northwest, where he built a mill. He married Rebecca Connable on January 22, 1778 in Leyden. Bernardston, Deerfield and Leyden are all in Franklin County, Massachusetts, within 5 miles. Ezra and Rebecca with other Connable families lived in this area. Ezra was a shoemaker … for the Dorrellites.
William Dorrell was a 6 foot, 300 pound religious leader, founder of the Dorrellites. His religion “spread from neighborhood to neighborhood, respectable people … cast in their lot with their humanitarian leader”. Dorrell preached against killing living things, and didn’t use animal materials for food, clothing, housewares, anything. The majority of his followers wore wooden shoes made by one of their number, Ezra Shattuck.” My sister Angie and nephew Dallas Hobbs on a visit to Deerfield, Massachusetts saw these shoes and shared this photo. The shoes are at Memorial Hall in Deerfield, MA.

Shoes of the Dorrellites at Memorial Hall Museum‘s

Ezra and Rebecca had 10 children, 2 daughters married Dorrell brothers. Ezra died August 8, 1816, Rebecca died in March, 1816. Both are buried at Beaver Meadow Cemetery in Leyden, MA. Ezra’s son Rufus was in charge of his dad’s estate and putting together an inventory. Ezra’s inventory included boots & shoes, 8 earthen plates, an earthen tea set, 4 large and 6 small spoons, 2 flannel shirts, a brown coat and great coat, blankets and an hour glass.

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Christopher and Cicely Pakeman b. 1503

/ Kirstin Miller

Christopher and Cicely Pakeman 13th great grandparents on RootsMagic tree.

Christopher Pakeman was born in 1503 in Wrabness, Essex, England, a tiny village on the River Stour in southeastern England, UK. Cicely was probably born in the same village, her last name is unknown. She and Christopher had 4 sons and 3 daughters. Christopher owned and rented lands, Butlers and Fullers, known as tenements in 1500s England.

Christopher’s will was read November 16, 1557. “My body to be buryed in the churche yeard of Wrabnas … Item I gyve to Cecely my wyff my tenne(men)t called fullers butlers … for the space off iii yeres aftere my deces … aftr I wyll that thomas my sonne have yt to hyme & to hys heyers of hys body lawfully begoten payyng out of the legaces that shal be reheresed hereaft(er)”. Cicely also had to “keep the children w(i)t(h) meat & drynke”. Thomas collected rent and shared that rent with his siblings Annis, Harry, John, Jone, Lawrence and Margaret.

Christopher died in 1557, Cicely lived a few years longer. They’re buried at All Saints’ Church, the oldest building in the village, built around 1100. Their gravestones from the 1550s are long gone.

In the cemetery and churchyard is a bell cage with one church bell. There’s a local story about the bells at All Saints. “The churchyard at All Saints in Wrabness has a bell in a cage as a result of the Devil’s work. When the church tower with its five bells collapsed in the 17th century, the idea was to hang two bells in the wooden cage as a temporary measure. There is only one bell now, dated 1854, but the tower was never rebuilt. Legend, of course, says that every time the village tried to build a new tower, the Devil came along at night and blew it down.”

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Thomas Saunders and Ann Blake b. 1558

/ Kirstin Miller

Thomas Saunders and Ann Blake 13th great grandparents on RootsMagic tree.

Thomas Saunders was born around 1558 in Over Stowey, Somerset, England, southwestern England, UK. Ann Blake was born around the same time, in the same place. They married on August 3, 1573. After their marriage, Thomas and Ann’s church was Lydeard St Lawrence, 20 miles south of Over Stowey’s church. Thomas and Ann had 3 daughters and 4 sons. All the Saunders children were baptized in Lydeard St Lawrence. The church was built in 1350.

Thomas owned land: Preston Close in Woolavington, Northwalk in Chidden Fitzpayne, meadows in Haleswood and land in Chappeoey [Chapel Leigh]. The lands were in Taunton, a town of Somerset[shire] created between the years 500 and 1000 when Saxons divided England into shires with a Shire-reeve or Sheriff. Shires were divided into hundreds, “an area of 100 hides, the ‘hide’ being the amount of land which would support a peasant family, an extended group of several generations, including grandparents as well as married sons and their children”. By Thomas’s time in the 1550s, peasants [not only kings, earls, dukes, etc.] owned and rented out land.

These lands are in Thomas’s will written May 26, 1609. His estate was settled in September 1609, with Ann as executrix and their children named: Agnes, Christopher, Elizabeth, Joan, John, Nicholas, Robert and Thomas. Children and grandchildren received lands and money.

Thomas was buried on June 11, 1609 at Lydeard St Lawrence. Ann probably died shortly after and was buried in the same place.

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John Blake b. 1522

/ Kirstin Miller

John Blake 12th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree

John Blake was born in 1522 in Over Stowey, Somerset, England about 100 miles west of London. His parents were Humphrey and Ann Blake. For most of his life, John’s King was Henry number 8. Henry VIII, “To six wives he was wedded. One died, one survived, two divorced, two beheaded”.

Map of Somerset in 1646 at Wikipedia 

Like his dad, John was a clothier. In 1545 John Blake married Joan, last name unknown, at St Peter and St Paul Churchyard in Over Stowey. They had 6 children, each mentioned in John’s will.

John wrote his will on November 25, 1576. He gave tenements [rental properties] and lands to his sons. He gave money to his daughters and god children. He gave money to the poor of Over Stowey, Nether Stowey and Spraxton, small villages in Somerset. “Item I gyve and bequeath unto the poore of overstowey tenne Shillinges. Item I gyve and bequeath to the poore of Netherstowey tenne Shillinges. Item I gyve and bequeath to the poore of Spraxton tenne Shillinges” John died in Over Stowey and was buried on December 10, 1576 at St Peter and St Paul Churchyard in Over Stowey, Sedgemoor District, Somerset, England.

John Blake’s granddaughter Elizabeth Saunders migrated to America in 1630. His 6th great granddaughter Leydia Connable Gaines and family went all the way to Bremer County, Iowa, arrived there in 1854.

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John Pakeman b. 1470

/ Kirstin Miller

John Pakeman 14th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree


Closeup snapshot, Wrabness is below the “L” in Suffolke

John Pakeman was born in Wrabness, Essex, England in 1470. Wrabness is about 60 miles northeast of London, a tiny village on the River Stour in southeastern England, UK. The oldest building in Wrabness is All Saints Church, built around 1100. The All Saints bell tower collapsed in the 1600s and the bell was moved to a “bell cage”, maybe with plans to fix, but this was never done, the bell in the cage is still there.

John was a landlord, he owned Butlers, a tenement [rental property]. He married, his wife’s name is unknown. John had 2 sons Cristofer and William and probably more children, they’re unknown.

John wrote his will August 18, 1524 and died in shortly after. “In the name of God Amen I John pakemen being in good mynd & memory make my will in this manr… to be buried in the church yard of Wrabness … I bequeath to Thomas Colyn my servaunt a calf … I bequethe to Cristofer my son my howse and my lands called butlers w[i]t{h] all the land[e]s & teneme[n]t(e)s thereto betongyng my dett(e)s paide and my body honestly brought home the residue of all my good(e)s.”

John Pakeman is probably buried at the All Saints cemetery, His gravestone from 1524 is long gone. His 2nd great granddaughter Susan Pakeman married Humphrey Wyeth [Wise] and they sailed to America in 1636. John’s 9th, Susan’s 6th great granddaughter Delia Angell went from Indiana to Iowa around 1856.

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John Angell b. 1677

/ Kirstin Miller

John Angell 8th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

John Angell was born in 1677 in Providence, Rhode Island- then known as Providence Plantations in British Colonial America. John was an English citizen, ruled during his lifetime by Charles 2, James 2, William & Mary, Queen Anne, King George 1 & 2. Georges 1 and 2 were the beginning of the decline of royals as political rulers with the first Prime Minister appointed in 1721.

John’s family were founders of Providence, his grandpa Thomas Angell was one of 5 English founders with Roger Williams. John’s parents were John and Ruth Field Angell, they had at least 8 children.

John married Sarah Clemence on January 2, 1702, in Providence. Sarah’s family were also original settlers. Sarah and John had 7 kids. John was a cooper- he made barrels, casks – timber containers. Coopers and breweries worked together, casks for beer and wine were a big business. John’s brother Thomas Angell owned a tavern in Providence. It’s almost certain John would have made casks and barrels for his brother’s tavern.

The published family history, The Genealogy of Thomas Angell, states ‘meagre detail’ on this Angell’s life.

Genealogy of the descendants of Thomas Angell at Archive.org

John died on December 3, 1744, “”Deaths Angell, John (cooper) Dec 3rd 1744”. He didn’t leave a will, his estate presented in court shows son Stephen appointed and responsible for bringing an inventory by December 24, 1745.

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Hannah Smith b. 1711

/ Kirstin Miller

Hannah Smith 7th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Hannah Smith was born on June 24, 1711 in Glastonbury Connecticut. Her parents were Gershom and Hannah Judd Smith. Hannah had one confirmed brother, Gershom Jr who died at age 14. There may have been other siblings, with no records to show this.

On September 24, 1729 in Glastonbury, Connecticut Hannah married Richard Risley. They had 11 children. There is a pubic shared photo of the youngest child, Richard O. Risley. Hannah and Richard’s children settled in Vermont, New York, most stayed in Connecticut, Benjamin went to Ohio.


Records of births, marriages and deaths 1680-1905 at FamilySearch

When Hannah died on December 2, 1785 she had more than 30 grandkids. She had a tragic death at age 74, “of a fall into ye fire”. Hannah and Richard share a gravestone and are both buried at Quarryville Cemetery in Bolton, CT. The cemetery is off the Boston Turnpike, next to the Bolton United Methodist Church, in the middle of Connecticut. In the same cemetery is Hannah’s daughter in law Sarah Smith Risley, wife of Benjamin. Sarah died in 1777 of ‘child bed fever’ at age 33. Sarah’s headstone is intricate and inscribed with: A mournful sight for to behold. Our dearest friends turned into mould. But when we do think of their? dust? Think it will be so with us.

Sources

  • The New England historical and genealogical register at Archive
  • The American genealogist database at American Ancestors
  • Find a grave memorial 4139815
  • Records of births, marriages and deaths 1680-1905 at FamilySearch
  • Quarryville Cemetery in Bolton, CT on Google maps

Samuel Connable b. 1689

/ Kirstin Miller

Samuel Connable, 7th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

Samuel Connable was born January 16, 1689 in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents were John and Sarah Cloyes Connable. John Connable came from England, sources state all early American Connable’s descend from this guy. Samuel had 2 brothers and 7 sisters. This Samuel is the only son to carry on the Connable name.

Samuel’s first wife was Abigail Treadway they married June 17, 1710. Abigail and their 2 young children died by 1713. Samuel married Mary Wilson 2nd on July 23, 1713 in Boston, she was also a widow. Samuel and Mary had 11 kids.

Mary’s dad William Wilson was a chair maker in Boston and most likely sold Samuel his carpentry shop on January 14, 1714. To Samuel Connable, “housewright, for L45 the west end of their dwelling house and land bounded easterly by their other tenement through the middle of the stack of chimneys which divide the two tenements 17 feet”. The homestead … running from Back Street down to the Mill Pond … had a carpenter shop on Back Street now Salem Street and Cross Street.

In 1715 Samuel with his brother in law Daniel Bell bought more land near Bowker Street, called “Distil House Square”, in a neighborhood of distilleries.

In 1996, there was an archaeological dig about 2 blocks south of Salem and Cross Streets with no specifics on Samuel Connable but some details on the area. “The heyday of artisans on these properties was between 1715 and 1780 when the properties belonged to a joiner, a pewterer, and a goldsmith”. On the map, from the dig, Cross Street is north south, Back Street also Salem Street is east west. Samuel’s shop was a block or 2 from the excavation site, marked by an arrow, image 18 of 260.

Annotated snapshot of map at Arch. dig site, Samuel is pink, dig site is yellow

John, Samuel’s dad, was probably famous for the carpentry skills he brought from London, he left all his tools to Samuel. John’s will of 1724, “my said Son Samuel Cunnabel shall have all my working tools over and above his equal sixth part of my Estate as foresaid and that they be accordingly delivered to him Immediately after my Decease”.

Signatures of Connable kids in Genealogical Memoir at HathiTrust

Samuel died in 1746, age 57, without a will, Mary and children made an agreement to settle the estate. When Mary died in 1759 her and Samuel’s inventory was written up. It included: a small cast brass kettle, a table, a stool and a looking glass, a small picture and hand brush, a number of old books, 4 old swords, 3 silver spoons and “Real Estate consisting of a Tenement or dwelling house & Land in Cross Street near the Mill Pond”. The agreement between the Connable kids was signed, “it was agreed by all the Children that the Estate should be equally [ divided ] among them – that the Widow should have the Income & Improvement of the whole during her Life.

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Sarah Clemence b. 1687

/ Kirstin Miller

Sarah Clemence 8th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Sarah Clemence was born November 11, 1687 in Providence, Rhode Island. Her grandparents were part of a small group of immigrant settlers in Providence. Her parents were Richard and Sarah Smith Clemence, both the first generation born in America. Sarah married John Angell, of another original Providence family, they married in Providence on January 2, 1702. They had 3 daughters and 3 sons.

Sarah was in her dad’s will on November 9, 1723, “To daughter Sarah Angell 20 Shillings.” In her mom’s will, in court October 11, 1725, for Sarah, 15 pounds of paper money, 20 pounds of silver money divided among Sarah and her 2 sisters, Sarah also got her mom’s feather bed, a barrel and a ‘Greene say Apron’.

Sarah’s brother Thomas Clemence Jr. was in Providence courts with several disputes including a disagreement with Sarah’s husband John Angell- over land, that stayed in court from 1745 to 1773, mostly on brother Thomas Clemence’s part.

Sarah’s death is unknown, she’s not mentioned in her husband’s will so died before him, before 1744.

Today in Johnston, Providence County, Rhode Island, is Sarah’s childhood home. Richard Clemence built the house in 1691 on 8 acres of meadow which grew to 300 acres in Sarah’s lifetime. “It is difficult to know for sure the original plan of the house, but the most popular theory, and the basis of the later restoration, was that it was built as a story-and-a-half structure with a rear lean-to, a large stone-end chimney, topped with a steep gable roof. Four small rooms (great room, kitchen, principal chamber, and smaller chamber) were located on the first floor, with a cellar below and a garret chamber above.” Major renovations were done in 1938, the house is a museum today with the stone chimney, floorboards, frame, hardware and artifacts from 1691.

Google maps Clemence Irons house

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Grace Bett b. 1629

/ Kirstin Miller

Grace Bett, 9th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Grace was born in London and baptized January 24, 1629 at St Giles’ Cripplegate church. Originally “without [outside of] Cripplegate”, it’s one of few medieval churches in London, near the remains of the London Wall- an ancient fortress built around the city when it was part of the Roman Empire. St Giles survived “devastating bombing during the Blitz” of Germany in WW2.

London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 at Ancestry 

It’s a mystery when Grace arrived in Boston, the first record in America shows her marriage to Edward Morris on September 20, 1655. From Report of the Record Commissioners of the City of Boston, City Document No. 130, “Edward Morris & Grace Bett were married 20th – 9th month by Richard Bellingham Dept. Govr.” They married in ’Town’ not in the ‘First Church’.

Grace and Edward had 12 children, all born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The family moved to Woodstock, Connecticut, some of the first colonial settlers. Edward died in September 1690, sources say he was the first ‘original’ settler to die in Woodstock. Grace went back to Roxbury where she died June 6, 1705. Grace’s actual burial place isn’t known but there’s a memorial to her and Edward, and Edward’s original gravestone, in Woodstock Hill Cemetery in Woodstock next to their church, the First Congregational Church, established in 1674, the present building is from 1820.

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