b. 1700

Mathias Harter and Anna Shuler b. 1737

/ Kirstin Miller

Mathias Harter and Anna Shuler 7th great grandparents on RootsMagic tree.

Mathias Harter was born June 5, 1737 in Baden, Germany, the Kingdom of Prussia at that time. HIs parents were Andreas and Anna Zahner Harter. The whole family sailed to America on September 24, 1742 when Mathias was 5 years old. It wasn’t a luxurious journey. Gottlieb Mittelberger, wrote ‘Journey to Pennsylvania 1756’. The book is a “firsthand historic account of the misery and exploitation of German immigrants”. The trip was about 3 months long. There’s a chance Mathias was an indentured servant his first few years in America, he would have worked to pay off his passage.

Anna Mary Shuler was born around 1737 probably in Germany, her parents aren’t known.  Anna and Mathias married September 9, 1759  in New Holland, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They had 9 children. 

Mathias was in the American Revolution, Second Battalion of Cumberland County Pennsylvania Militia and possibly guarded British prisoners of war. Mathias is on a list of Captain Holderbaum’s company on December 25, 1781 and 1782.  “Roll of the Second Battalion of Cumberland County Militia between the Ages of Eighteen and Forty-five Years taken from the Returns made to me on Oath by the Officers Commanding Companies Given under my hand this 4th Day of July A. D. 1783. JNO. ALEXANDER, Lieut. Cumbd. County” Mathias Harter is number 226 on a list of 445 men.

Tax lists of 1779 show Mathias owned and paid taxes on 140 acres, 2 horses and 2 cows. Mathias, Anna  and children were members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Warwick. Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 at Ancestry

Mathias died in January 1790 in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Anna died in March 1816. Mathias signed his will October 29, 1789,  ‘sick and weak in body’. He gave Anna “the east room of their home, use of the garden and forage and stable room for her cows and calf”, furniture and “household goods and kitchen furniture as she might need”. Mathias stated at Anna’s death the real estate would be appraised then sons, starting with the oldest could have the land, whoever owned the land would give mortgage to his brothers, if no one wanted the land, it would be sold, the money would be split between sons and daughters. The will was proved on January 26, 1790.

Mathias and Anna’s 3rd great granddaughter Fiana Druckenbrod married William Miller, they were in Iowa by 1876, their daughter Lola Miller was born there in 1880. Lola married another William Miller, their son is Faber Miller, born in 1905.

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Anne Davis b. 1715

/ Kirstin Miller

Anne Davis, 7th great grandma on RootsMagic tree.

Anne Davis was born on May 2, 1715 in Westerly, Washington, Rhode Island. Her mom Mary Shorey and dad Peter Davis both came, at different times, to America from England. Her dad was a Friends [Quaker] minister, well known in Colonial America and he may have come up with the phrase ‘honesty is the best policy’, [stated in sources].

Anne married John Witter on September 7, 1740 in Westerly, Rhode Island. Ann and John had 2 sons and 2 daughters. In 1774 John Witter and family are on the census in Hopkinton, Rhode Island.

1774 census, John Witter and family, additional Witter families

Ann was a widow in 1793 moved 265 miles northwest to Brookfield New York, she lived with her son and his family. “In the 1790s Samuel Witter Sr. and his family (including his widowed mother (Ann Davis) and his married son, Samuel Witter Jr.) migrated from Hopkinton, RI and established a farm in the area that later became known as Witter Hill.” Anne died in April 1803. She’s buried at Witter Hill Farm Cemetery in Brookfield. The small family cemetery was part of a Witter family farm, long gone, no gravestones or markers remain. It’s on Davis Road, surrounded by state forests: Beaver Creek, Brookfield Railroad, Gorton Lake, Mt Hunger, and Plainfield, in the middle of New York State.

Sources

Abigail Wheeler b. 1732

/ Kirstin Miller

Abigail Wheeler 8th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Abigail was born on February 2, 1655 in Newbury, Massachusetts. Her grandparents, John & Anne Yeoman Wheeler and Humphrey & Susan Pakeman Wise, migrated to America around 1636 with their young children. Abigail’s mom Sarah Wise and dad David Wheeler married in 1650 and had at least 10 children, all born and raised in Newbury, MA. Abigail married Samuel Hills on May 20, 1679 and they stayed in Newbury too. They had 14 verified children. Samuel fought in King Philips War.

Abigail was a widow in 1732, Samuel in his will left lands to Abigail and their sons. On a map of 1729 Abigail and her sons homes are drawn, along with the rest of the town of Newbury. The house of Widow Hill is number 102, John is 109, Samuel Jr. is 110, Benjamin is 123, Joseph is 125. Abigail, John and Samuel have houses on Crane Hille Road, Benjamin and Joseph’s houses are a block or two south west on Holman Lane. The Merrimack River runs along the east edge.

Widow Hill, A plan of the west parish or Newbury new town, map
Widow Hill house no. 102

Abigail died April 14, 1742, 10 years after Samuel. Both are buried at Bridge Street Cemetery, also known as Rock Bridge Cemetery in West Newbury, Massachusetts, USA. Their gravestones, 279 and 289 years old, are still right there, handcrafted art. Abigail’s gravestone is inscribed: Here lies buried the body of Mrs. Abigail Hills wife of Mr. Samuel Hills died April 13 1742 in 82 [or 87] year of her age.

Abigail’s 3rd great granddaughter Delia Angell b. in 1849 was in Iowa by 1856. Delia’s great granddaughter is Elizabeth Speedy b. 1917.

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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.

Sources

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

Julius Howard and Susanna Moss b. 1760

/ Kirstin Miller

2020 March 13 Julius Howard and Susanna Moss, 6th great grandparents on RootsMagic tree

Julius Howard and Susanna Moss were born between 1756-60. Julius was probably born in North Carolina, Susanna was probably born in Virginia. They married around 1780 and had 11 children.

Julius’s dad John died in 1772, John Howard’s will put Julius in charge of the estate, “This is an inventory of the good and chattels of the estate of Joh Howard … returned by Elisha Simms & Julius Howard his executors on 4th and ordered to be recorded.

Early records of Georgia, Wilkes County book, PDF at FamilySearch

Julius Howard is on more records, it’s likely there was more than one Julius Howard in the area at the time. A 1784 Revolutionary War land deed could be for Julius, showing he fought with Georgia in the war. A 1787 land deed is more certain with Susanna Moss Howard and a William Moss, on the record. A 1790 Georgia tax record is more certain, Julius paid taxes on 1550 acres of land in Wilkes County.

The US census records are definite and show Julius, Susanna and family in 1810 in Knox, Kentucky and in Lawrence, Indiana in 1820. Two Howard children married a ‘McNeil’. Elbert married Phebe McNeil, Drucilla married James McNeil. Howard children lived in Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri. Elbert Howard is the 3rd great grandpa of Faber Miller and was in Floyd County, Iowa by 1855 in a tiny town called Howardville.

Sources

  • Parents ? Boston Evening Transcript: Genealogy Pages, 1911-1940.
  • John Howard’s will, North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979 at FamilySearch
  • Early records of Georgia, Wilkes County book, PDF at FamilySearch
  • US Census 1810 and 1820 at FamilySearch
  • Revolutionary War Bounty Land Grants at Ancestry

David Dewey b. 1721

/ Kirstin Miller

David Dewey 7th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

David Dewey was born January 3, 1721 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut. His parents were Jabez and Deborah York Dewey.

On July 5, 1741 David and his brother Jabez were baptized in the First Congregational Church, “David Dewe and Jabez Dewe, adult bretheren”. In the same church David married Deborah Tracy on September 28, 1741. They had 4 sons and 7 daughters.

David was in a few court records of the time. In 1753, at his dad’s death younger brother Israel, “petitioned to have brother David appointed his guardian.” And “At the General Assembly of Connecticut in May, 1773, David Dewey, of Stonington, being unable to pay his debts, prays to be freed from arrest.” He was appointed administrator of the estate of “Rebecca Dewey, late of Stonington”. Rebecca’s identity isn’t known, most likely a sister in law or distant Dewey cousin.

A sketch of New London & Groton … British troops 1781 [British Fleet at the bottom, Road to Stonington mid top, right.]

David lived through the American Revolution, 2 of his sons were soldiers. British ships were in the harbor, New Londoners saw many battles. The Battle of Groton Heights was the biggest with Benedict Arnold commanding the British. When the revolution was won, President Washington in 1789 spent the night in New London. The President toured New England states to “become better acquainted with the principal Characters & internal Circumstances of the states, as well as to be accessible to number of well-informed persons, who might give him useful information and advices on political subjects.”

Sources

Isaac Tracy b. 1716

/ Kirstin Miller

Isaac Tracy 5th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

Isaac Tracy was born on November 9, 1716 in New London Connecticut. Isaac’s parents were Francis and Elizabeth Parrish Tracy. The Tracy great grandparents arrived from England and Parrish great grandparents came from Scotland.

Isaac married Mehitable Rude in New London on July 13, 1742. They had at least 12 children, maybe more. By 1770 the Tracy family was in the town of Goshen, New York.

Isaac wrote his will on January 10, 1784, he died in Goshen, New York in 1786. His will was presented in court on April 5, 1786. “We the people of the state of New York by the grace of god freed and independent to all to whom these are present shall come or may concern Send Greeting”, America as a free country was still so new it was part of the court’s reading.

Isaac’s will provides for his widow and his children were given lands and money, “the land that I claim in the Susquehanna purchase in Westmoreland … a right in the Dellaware purchase that I claim to him, his heirs and assigns forever”.

Isaac’s lands were part of the Walking Purchase, “an alleged 1737 agreement” between the Penn family, Pennsylvania, the native Lenape nation and the King of England. William Penn’s “sons were less interested than their father in cultivating a friendship with the Lenape”. There’s a book of 11 volumes related to the purchase, pages and pages of letters. Isaac Tracy was one of many letter writers, maybe called memorialists.

The Susquehannah Company papers at HathiTrust

Sources

Samuel Connable b. 1717

/ Kirstin Miller

Samuel Connable 6th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

Samuel Connable was born April 7, 1717 in Boston, Massachusetts and died December 3, 1796 in Bernardston, Massachusetts. His parents were Samuel and Mary Wilson Connable and he was the 2nd generation of his family born in America, his grandparents came from England. Samuel married Mary English in 1740, they had 2 sons, 5 daughters and stayed in Bernardston.

Samuel was an inventor, engineer, mechanic and bridge, church and mill builder. Books of family and local history state that Samuel invented a method to pull maple syrup from trees, “The process in Bernardston … a large tree, they box it … prepare a trough extending from the trunk … obtained thirty gallons in a day … produces a sugar equal to the Jamaica sugar, as pleasant to the taste; and the makers insist that it is as medicinal”.

The annual register, or, a view of the history at HathiTrust

Samuel designed and built in Bernardston the meeting house, his house which ‘shows the ingenuity of the builder’; first bridge ‘in 1741 over Fall River, another in 1750, one in 1760 over the river at the saw mill’. He was a private in the Lexington Alarm (Paul Revere’s ride) and took care of his sisters when their husbands were away at war, “At the blockade in Boston Mr. Connable went to get his sisters”.

Samuel was a widow in 1791. He died in 1797. Samuel and Mary are buried at Old Cemetery in Bernardston, Franklin County, Massachusetts. Their spectacular hand carved headstones are still right there.

Sources

Deborah Tracy b. 1722

/ Kirstin Miller

Deborah Tracy 7th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Deborah was born on April 20, 1722 in New London County, Connecticut. Deborah’s mom and dad were Christopher and Lydia Parish Tracy. Deborah had 11 siblings. The Tracy family came to New London, CT around 1670.

History of the First Congregational Church Stonington, Conn. 1674-1874 at Archive.org

Deborah was admitted to the First Congregational Church of Stoningtonin in New London, “Admissions during the ministry of Rev. Nathaniel Eells, Full Communion Aug 2 1741 … Deborah Tracy” with others. A few weeks later, in the same church Deborah married David Dewey on September 28, 1741. The Deweys had 11 children, all born in New London. Three sons were in the Revolutionary War: David Jr was a minuteman, Jabez was in the Battle of Harlem Heights and died in battle, and Christopher was a fife-major in the War of 1812.

Deborah was a widow in 1790 and in that same year was on the first US federal census. On the 1790 census she was head of the home with 3 males 16 and older, 2 males under 16, 3 females. New London County’s total population in 1790 was about 33,000. Deborah is also on the 1800 and 1810 US censuses. The 1810 census is her last record, her death date and burial place are unknown.

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