left their home for America

Ephraim Child b. 1593

/ Kirstin Miller

Ephraim 11th great uncle on RootsMagic tree.
Ephraim was born in 1593 in Nayland, Suffolk, England. At age 13 he was a tailor apprentice. Snap shot shows A Register of the Scholars Admitted Into Merchant Taylor’s School, Volume 1 page 50, list 1605 at HathiTrust.

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On February 8, 1624 at age 31 he married Elizabeth Bond, a widow, hey didn’t have children and lived in Nayland, England until 1630 when they sailed for America with the Winthrop Fleet, on Wikipedia. “The Winthrop Fleet was a well-planned and financed expedition that formed the nucleus of the Massachusetts Bay Colony”. Letters of Ephraim and John Winthrop survive in the volumes of Winthrop Journals.
Pages 165-168 Ephraim’s letters to John Winthrop.

Ephraim and the 700 other passengers of the fleet landed in Salem. Ephraim went to Watertown where he was a freeman in 18 May 1631. He was actively involved in the new colony as a commissioner to end small causes, keeper of the town books, auditor and selectmen. He held selectmen meetings at his home. He owned lots of lands: uplands, marsh, lowland, Remote Meadow, Hither Plain, Great Dividend and more.

His will was dated 20 November 1662, proved 2 April 1663. He left lands, money and possessions to his widow and his Bond and Child nephews. To the Watertowne schoolmaster he left 40 shillings annually. His inventory was dated 12 February 1662. The inventory included all his lands, livestock, farm buildings, tools, wearing apparel, 2 silver cups, 12 silver spoons and a lot more.

Volume 1 page 50. A register of the scholars admitted into Merchant Taylor’s School, from A.D. 1562 to 1874, list 1605 Oct. Ephraim Child s. of Wolston cit. and cordwayner, decd., b. Feb 1596. Merchant Taylors School on Wikipedia- it’s like Hogworts with houses and colors- opened in 1551, and is still a private day school in a different location from when Ephraim was a student.

Volume 1 fifth series page 165. Winthrop, Adam. The Winthrop Papers Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Massachusetts Historical Society, 1871

John Smith b. 1598

/ Kirstin Miller

John Smith 11th great grandfather on RootsMagic Tree

John Smith was born in England, around 1598. In England he married Alice her last name unknown. John was in Dorchester, Massachusetts by 1634 and by 1635 he was ordered to leave because ‘dyvers dangerous opinions’. At about the same time in Salem, Massachusetts Roger Williams had the same contrary views that didn’t align with the people in power. Roger had to return to England and maybe have a trial or meeting with superiors.

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The story is Roger escaped in the night in a canoe and with 4 others they made their way to a spot, connected peacefully with the native people and founded Providence, Rhode Island. The seal of Providence shows this event. In 1636 John and the others had built their homes and begun organizing. John was a miller and given a land to build a mill. He operated the mill agreeing that every 2nd and 5th day of the week the mill was reserved to grind corn for the town. John was a town clerk in 1641 so his name is on deeds and wills and laws passed. He probably died in 1648 and his will (not yet found) leaves the mill to his son and widow. The town council OKed this as long as Alice and John Jr provided good service, as John Sr. had, they did.

The history of the state of Rhode Island and Providence volume 1 page 144

Seal of the city of Providence Rhode Island at Wikipedia 

Records of the Governor and company of the Massachusetts Bay Volume 1 page 159 John Smith banished 2 Sep 1635

Joanna Arnold b. 1615

/ Kirstin Miller

Arnold, Joanna 10th great grandmother on RootsMagic tree.

Joanna was born February 27 1615 in Ilchester, Somerset England. At age 18 she and her family sailed to America. With the Arnolds were Frances and Thomas Hopkins, cousins of Joanna, kids of her aunt and namesake Joane Arnold who stayed in England. The Arnolds and Hopkins cousins were in Hingham Massachusetts near Plymouth for awhile then left for Providence, Rhode Island.

“A family census of Moshassuck and Pawtuxet, for September 1, 1636, would contain the following names: William Arnold, age 49. Christian Arnold, wife of W. A.. Benedict Arnold, son of W. A., 21. Joanna Arnold, daughter of W. A., 18. Stephen Arnold, son of W. A., 14. Thomas Hopkins, nephew of W. A. Frances Hopkins, niece of W. A.”

Map Providence original home lots

Original home lots (annotated)  in The history of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations by Bicknell.

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Joanna’s mark or seal on husband’s will.

In Providence on June 29,1647 Joanna married Zachariah Rhodes. Zachariah drowned in 1665 and Joanna married Samuel Reape and they stayed in Providence. Joanna and Zachariah had at least 7 children. 4 sons and three daughters who were living when Joanne made her will on January 28 1667. She gifts each of her children 20 pounds.

Joanna is most likely descended from Charlemagne, the King and conqueror. There is a book and a society “Some colonial dames of royal descent” with a pedigree line for Joanne. The book is considered a legitimate source.

Volume 1 page 29. The early records of the town of Providence

Volume 1 page 158 Providence It’s Beginnings. The history of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Map page 172b

Page 15 Pedigree 2. Some colonial dames of royal descent. Joanna is 3 on this list, the beginning of the pedigree starts on page 11 with: Charlemagne Emperor of the West, King of the Franks and his third wife Lady Hildegarde and so on …

English Origins of New England Families, Second Series, Vol. I [online database] Early Records of the Arnold Family p 2.
Written by William Arnold about his family, Joanna’s brother Benedict was Governor of Rhode Island.

Roger Williams 1638 land deed

/ Kirstin Miller
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Rhode Island Roots volume 5 page 1 a snapshot of the referenced deed

In 1636 Boston courts decided  Roger Williams had to return to England. He was creating problems in the colony, accused of having diverse thoughts. Roger encouraged freedom of religion, ‘soul liberty’, a separation of church and state. He would ask the courts and churches to explain how stealing lands from the native Americans fit in with the beliefs of the new colony. As the colony prepared to export him, Roger Williams fled in the night. He headed down river to present day Providence, Rhode Island. With help from the Narragansett tribe he founded a colony based on his beliefs. March 24, 1638 the first land deeds were signed by the native people selling the lands and witnessed by Roger Williams and Benedict Arnold (Gov’r not American Revolution soldier).

Years later Roger’s son Daniel said, “Can you find such another now alive or in this age? He gave away his lands.” It is pretty amazing for those times and anytime: Roger owned all that land, legally and he thought, ethically purchased, but he didn’t keep the lands he shared them. He wanted the new Providence Plantation to succeed so he started deeding land to his friends and followers and they all started working on building a place built on Roger’s ideas.

Rhode Island Roots. Warwick, RI: Rhode Island Genealogical Society, 1975–. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2018.)

 

Joseph Jenckes b. 1628

/ Kirstin Miller

Joseph Jenckes 10th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

Joseph was born and baptized October 1628 in England. In his 20s, by 1650 he was working at his dad Joseph Sr’s iron forge in the new colony of Lynn, Massachusetts. In 1660 Joseph is tried for treason after he said he wanted to turn King Charles’s head in to a football. He said this probably in a tavern, drinking, after work with friends, was overheard and turned in to the courts. There was some kind of trial, Joseph was jailed, then he wrote a long letter to the court, he was released and the charges were dropped.

In 1663 Joseph lived through the earthquakes in Lynn. The first one was January 27, “chimneys fell, people were forced to seize upon supports to prevent falling. On the evening of the fifth of the next month another earthquake; in some places doors opened and shut, walls split, bells rang, and floors fell. Between that time and July, thirty shocks took place, the earth seemed to undulate, as if upon stupendous waves, rolling from the northwest. In some instances ponds were dried up, the courses of streams changed, trees torn up, and hills riven”.

March of 1669 Joseph had left Lynn for Pawtuxet, Rhode Island. He built and ran a sawmill and iron forge. He and his family were some of the first settlers and Joseph held different town, civil positions.

In 1689, with the governor of Rhode Island and others, Joseph signed the ‘Petition from the Governor and Council of Rhode Island, to their Majesties William and Mary, of England’ congratulating the new King and Queen of England and the colonies. “Most dread Sovereign : We your Majesties’ most humble subjects and supplicants of your Collony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, having received the joyful tidings of both your Majesties’ safe arrival in England, after your so great and hazardous undertaking, for the good of the nation, to relieve them from Popery and arbitrary power; as also Concerning your accessions to the Crown”.
Annals of Lynn 1660 page 251: tried for treason

On Wikipedia with sources: Joseph Jenckes, Jr.

Annals of Lynn 1663 page 252: earthquakes

1663 Charlevoix earthquake

Records of the colony of Rhode Island and Providence plantations
Volume 3 page 258: a letter to  William and Mary

Thomas Judd b. 1608

/ Kirstin Miller

Thomas Judd 10th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

judd, thomas landThomas Judd was born in England, about 1608. He landed in Cambridge, Massachusetts Bay in 1634. In Cambridge he was admitted to the church and made a freeman in May of 1636. Thomas left Cambridge for Connecticut, first Hartford, probably with Puritan minister Thomas Hooker. Both Hooker and Thomas Judd were landowners on a map of Hartford in the 1640s, these were original settlers. The map was “prepared from the original records by vote of the town” and created in the 1800s. Thomas Judd is in the bottom left corner No. 154. Other Miller ancestor landowners on this map in this same area in 1640 are Jeremy Adams, Thomas Bliss and Richard Risley.

UCONN libraries provides a digital copy of this map and details.
A list of the landowners ‘freeholders’ here
More details on the map here.

Thomas left Hartford for Farmington where he held lots of town service positions including, in August of 1658, “to communicate the mind of the court to the Indians”. The church records of Farmington, Connecticut name Thomas as the second Deacon of the church. “The number of such as are in full communion in the church in Farmington March 1 1679/80. Deacon Judd. Benjamin Judd and his wife. John Judd and his wife. William Judd and his wife”. Finally Thomas moved to Northampton, Massachusetts where he is buried and has a headstone credited to a descendant: Sylvester Judd of 1858.

Thomas didn’t leave a will at his death but there is a probate record, 15 pages, handwritten mostly land deeds and an inventory.

judd, thaoms estateThis page from the will lists the children and their inheritance, Benjamin Judd 4th on the list is the Miller ancestor through Mary Ella Gaines, grandma of Faber Miller who married Gladys Cable.

Sources

Anna Roos b. 1854

/ Kirstin Miller

Anna Roos, 3rd great aunt on RootsMagic tree

Anna Christina was the 2nd child of Garbrand and Catharina Renistra Roos, born in 1854 probably in the Netherlands, near north western Germany where her parents were married. In 1862 the Roos family sailed to New York on the Adler, Anna was 9 years old. Her family lived in Ogle County, Illinois until she was about 18. roos, anna and devries marraigeThen by 1872 the family lived in Grundy County, Iowa. In Grundy County on May 2, 1880 Anna married Ippe Devries whose family came to America from Germany in 1866 when Ippe was 15. Anna and Ippe started a family (at least 7 kids) and farmed. They’re on the census in Butler County in 1880 and 1900. On the 1910 census, the family was in Seneca, Illinois and owned a dairy farm. The older sons were farm hands, the oldest daughter a trained nurse.

roos, j devries, i landBy August 1912 they were back in Iowa and featured in the Butler County Tribune and Aplington newspapers along with Anna’s brother John. “Allison: John Roos one of the wealthiest land owners of Jefferson township has sold out his land holding in Nobles County, Minnesota and has bought the Ippe De Vries quarter in section 26 of Bennezette township. John says Iowa land is good enough for him”. Anna lived to age 88, Ippe to age 86, both are buried in Pleasant View Cemetery in Aplington, Iowa.

Sources:

The Aplington News, 1912 Aug 29 page 1 column 6 top John Roos selling his Nobles, Minnesota land

Iowa, County Marriages 1838-1934 database, Roos, Anna and Ippe Devries 1880 marriage with license, return and marriage date of May 2, right side 3rd from bottom

1880, 1900, 1910 US census at FamilySearch.org

Find a Grave memorial 

Charles Fries b. 1820

/ Kirstin Miller

Charles Fries, my 2nd great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

Charles Fries was born about 1822 and probably came to America from Baden, Germany around 1840. Charles married Emma. On the 1860 census, they lived in Kenton, Kentucky and had 4 kids. Charles was a teamster, in 1860 Teamsters drove a team of animals: ox, horses, mules.  By the 1880 census, Charles was a widow and married to Mary Moore, also a widow. Charles and Mary lived in Cave In Rock, Illinois, across the Ohio River from Kentucky. Charles and Mary, along with a hired man to help out on the farm, Charles’ youngest son, Mary’s son and daughter and their shared 4 daughters, were a family of nine.

Charles’ farm is on the 1880 US agricultural census. The Hardin County, Illinois farm was owned- not rented, with 60 acres tilled land, 20 acres meadow, 15 acres woodland and 10 mown acres. The farm value was $2000 total, with $20 machinery, $400 of livestock, $30 spent on buildings and repairs. $80 is the total amount paid for wages for 25 weeks hired labor. $1135 is the total value of all farm productions which are: 8 tons of hay, 2 mules on hand, 2 working oxen, 2 cows, 1 other cow, 1 cow born, 2 cows sold, 1 cow purchased. And 175 lbs. of butter, 100 pigs, 20 chickens with 175 dozen eggs, 20 acres of Indian corn produced 800 bushels, 20 acres of oats produced 150 bushels, 5 acres of wheat produced 160 bushels, 7 acres of Irish potatoes produced 1200 bushels. 3 acres of apple trees had 60 fruit bearing trees and 25 cords of wood were cut.

Charles probably lived to age 70 or so and died around 1890.

Sources

  • 1860 and 1880 United States census database at FamilySearch.org
  • Illinois Agricultural Census 1850-1880 at FamilySearch.org

David Wheeler b. 1627

/ Kirstin Miller

David Wheeler 9th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

David was born in Wiltshire, England around 1627. He has 2 arrival dates. One theory is he sailed on the Confidence with a family friend and was listed as a servant. Another theory is he sailed on the Mary and John with his family in 1634, the 2nd theory is more likely. David also has two marriage dates: May 11 1650 and June 18 1650, both with Sarah Wise, both from reliable sources. Most likely the May date was an intention of marriage and the actual marriage was in June. Old Town Meeting House, Newbury MA

David’s older sister Ann married Aquila Chase, the two couples lived near each other in Essex County of the Massachusetts Bay colony. Aquila was a sailor and often gone for long stretches of time. In 1646 the three David, Ann and Aquila were fined or charged for gathering peas on a Sunday. “A curious instance of Sabbath breaking occurred … Aquila Chase and his wife and David Wheeler were presented at Ipswich Court for gathering peas on the Sabbath. They were admonished. The family tradition has it that Aquila returned from sea that morning and his wife, wishing to supply a delicacy for dinner, fell into grave error in thus pandering to his unsanctified appetite.” Page 207 of Every Day Life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony Ebook at Project Gutenberg .

Old Town Meeting House, Newbury MA
A sketch of the history of Newbury, at HathiTrust Preface page iii

Francis Bushnell b. 1609

/ Kirstin Miller

Francis Bushnell 10th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

Francis was born in 1609 probably in Sussex England. On June 27, 1631 he married Mary Grombridge in Horsham Parish, Sussex, England. Page 46 The parish register of Horsham at HathiTrust.

April 10, 1635 Francis and Mary sailed from London on The Planter and landed in Boston on June 7. On the ship were farmers, curriers, servants, shoemakers, tailors, glovers. From Boston the Bushnells went to Saybrook, Connecticut – now called Old Saybrook. Francis was a carpenter and a miller. He built the first gristmill in Saybrook and received land in exchange for running the mill. Francis was a deacon in the Saybrook Church. Page 75 The First Church of Christ (Congregational), Old Saybrook, Conn.

Frances and Mary had 8 children. Francis’s death is recorded, “ Deacon Francis Bushnell deceased this life December 4th, 1681” he was 72.

StMaryHorshamSt Marys Horsham image at The History of St. Marys 2015