07th

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.

Sources

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

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.

Sources

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

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.

Sources

Mehitable Rude b. 1725

/ Kirstin Miller

Mehitable Rude 7th great grandma on RootsMagic tree.

Mehitable Rude was born on April 23, 1725 in New London County, Connecticut. Mehitable’s parents were John and Mary Lester Rude. Her great and 2nd great grandparents migrated from England and had been in New London for at least one generation.

Mary married Isaac Tracy in New London on July 13, 1742. They had 12 kids. The Tracy and Rude families of New London were connected through marriages: Mehitable Rude m. Isaac Tracy, Esther Rude m. Francis Tracy, Nathan Rude m. Thankful Tracy. All these Tracys are on the maternal [mom] side of my tree. A Tracy cousin, Deborah is on the paternal [pop] side of my tree.

By 1770 Mehitable and her family were in Goshen, New York, about 20 miles west, in southern New York farm county. There Isaac died in 1786. As a widow Mehitable moved 100 miles northwest to Chemung County, New York, probably to live with one of her children, grandchildren. Mehitable wrote her will on April 26, 1814. She died March 19, 1820, she was 94 years old and is buried in the Wellsburg Baptist Cemetery. Her gravestone is inscribed, “Memory of Mehetable Tracy Died March 19t 1820 Et 94 Yrs 10 m & 26 d.”

At Find a Grave, snapshot of gravestone photo “Added by: whitepaper on 14 Apr 2014”.

Mehitable’s will was presented in court on December 6, 1820. “In the name of God Amen I Mehatable Tracy … being weak in body but of sound mind calling to mind the uncertainty of Life … make this my last will and testament … what little property or estate that I have left after all my debts are fully paid I give to my daughters Bethsheba, Mehitable, Lois, Keturah and Betsy”.

Sources

  • New York, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999 at Ancestry
  • Find a grave memorial 9931034 gravestone photo “Added by: whitepaper on 14 Apr 2014”.
  • Connecticut, Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 at Ancestry

Mary Wilson b. 1690

/ Kirstin Miller

Mary Wilson 7th great grandma on RootsMagic tree.
Mary was born November 4, 1690 in Boston, Massachusetts. Her parents were William and Mary Pearce Wilson, they were both from Boston. Mary’s first husband was John Diamond in 1709, he died within 3 years. Mary’s 2nd husband was Samuel Connable, he was also a widow, they married July 23, 1713 in Boston at the Second Church. Cotton Mather was the pastor on the record, famous for his actions in the Salem witch hysteria and promoting the new smallpox vaccine.

Mary and Samuel had 6 sons and 4 daughters, all born in Boston. Samuel had a business, probably a distillery at Distal House Square now Bowker Street. The Connable family lived on Cross Street a couple city blocks east, all in the North End area. Businesses, houses and meadows are long gone. The Old Statehouse is still there, a couple city blocks south of the Connable home. The original statehouse from 1657 burned in the Fire of 1711, this one was built in 1712-13.


Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 at FamilySearch.org

Maybe this courthouse is where Mary presented her husband’s estate in 1746. Samuel died without a will. Mary with children made an agreement, “I Mary Cunnabell widow of Samuel Cunnabell as Exspressed in the foregoing Instrument do hereby Concent and agree to all that my Cheldren have agree’d upon in the afore written Instrument Relateing to my Decaced Husband and their Deceaced Fathers Estate In witness whereof I do hereunto Sett my hand and Seal this Ninteenth day of November anno domini 1746 In the twentyeth veair of his majestys Reigne.”

When Mary died in 1759 her and Samuel’s inventory were in the court, Their inventory included brass and iron kettles, a pestle and mortar, a frying pan, a ‘number of old books’, a featherbed and a chest of drawers, an old trunk, 4 swords and 3 silver spoons.

Sources

Samuel Hill b. 1680

/ Kirstin Miller

Samuel Hill 7th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree.
Samuel was born February 16, 1680 in Newbury, Massachusetts. His parents were Samuel and Abigail Wheeler Hill, they came to Newbury before 1679, Samuel’s grandparents came from England to America around 1638.

Painting at Wikipedia, Sunlight and Shadow: The Newbury Marshes, by Martin Johnson Heade.

Samuel grew up in Newbury, MA on the Atlantic Coast know for its ‘marshes’. In 1708 Samuel bought or was given land in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, 80 miles south of Newbury and 10 miles west of Plymouth, Massachusetts. In Rehoboth he married Ann Brown and they had 9 children.

Samuel died July 27, 1732, at age 53, within a month of his dad’s death. Estate papers in Rehoboth are dated August 15, 1732 and include an inventory. In the inventory were money, books, pewter, linen, sheep’s wool, flax, cotton, a cart and plows, livestock and lands with “a piece of meadow”.

Most of Samuel’s information comes from his wife Ann Brown, the great granddaughter of Elizabeth Tilley and John Howland who both sailed on the Mayflower. Elizabeth Tilley and John Howland had 10 children who all survived to adulthood, a rare thing in the 1600s. They had more than 88 grandkids, “As a result, they likely have more descendants living today than any other Mayflower passengers” about 3,000,000. The Mayflower’s 400th Anniversary was in 2020, but minimized, because of the global pandemic. (Proving Elizabeth Speedy Roose’s Mayflower connection requires a couple more notarized records- then done. I’ve written an informal ‘proof’ here)

Sources

Nathaniel Gaines and Elizabeth b. 1705

/ Kirstin Miller

Nathaniel Gaines and Elizabeth b. 1705, 7th great grandparents on RootsMagic tree

Nathaniel was born in Galstonbury, Connecticut around 1705. His mom and dad were Samuel and Rebecca Couch Gaines. His grandparents Henry and Jane Partridge Gaines migrated to American in 1637. In 1728, Nathaniel married Elizabeth, her last name, parents aren’t known. Elizabeth was probably born around the same time. Nathaniel and Elizabeth had 4 sons and 1 daughter. The family stayed in Glastonbury, right in the middle of Connecticut, near the Connecticut River.

On June 9, 1749 Nathaniel is mentioned in his dad Samuel’s will, “for love and affection” to “my son Nathaniel Gaines of Glastonbury” 22 acres “the land whereon I now dwell.”

photo via Waste Not, Want Not: The Colonial Era Midden
“Various personal items from the Goodsell site: a plain brass shoe buckle, a fragment of a silver shoe buckle frame with a repair, a 1746 George II halfpenny, a child’s small thimble, and part of a brass jackknife handle with a rococo design – AHS, Inc., Storrs”

Nathaniel died in 1755. Elizabeth wasn’t in Nathaniel’s will so she died before. In 1755 they were both in their 50s. Nathaniel’s will was presented in court, with an inventory of his estate, on April 28th. The inventory was a page and a half and included an old great coat, a Holland shirt, a pair of shoe buckles, 2 blankets, a chest of drawers, 9 wooden plates, 2 forks and 2 knives, an iron pot and a frying pan, an axe, a pitch fork, livestock and land. Older sons Nathaniel Jr and Joseph Gaines oversaw the estate and made an agreement with their siblings on July 3 1759 when the youngest sibling was still a minor. Middle son David moved to Vermont where grandson Obed Gaines was born in 1793. Obed and his family went west to Iowa where granddaughter Mary Ella Gaines married James Miller- they were grand parents of Faber Miller born in 1905.

Sources