left their home for America

William Stephens Mockford b 1842

/ Kirstin Miller

William Stephens Mockford 2nd great uncle of Elizabeth Speedy who married Stanley Roose Sr.

William was born in Cornwall England April 1842, the younger brother of Henry Mockford. William arrived in America about 5 years after his brother Henry in 1859 and lived for a time with Henry and Philippa Mockford. In 1862 he joined the Civil War for the Union: New York Infantry, 140th Regiment, Company A. He enlisted as a Private, left as a Corporal. William was a farmer and postmaster. A photo of William is shared on Ancestry with this written on back: William Stevens Mockford. Picture taken in his flower garden at the age of 86, 1928 by Mrs Warthington, the driver of the Traveling Library.

William Mockford 1841-1932, brother of Henry Mockford 1831-1905
Richard John Mockford 1856-1910
Philippa Flood Mockford 1891-1979
Elizabeth Matilda Speedy 1917-2005 m. Stanley Joseph Roose 1915-2004

Sources:
Civil War service: National Parks Soldiers and Sailors Database, William’s info and more details on 140th Regiment, New York Infantry and the NPS Civil War Main Page 

1851 England Census Cornwall, Falmouth, Mylor at The National Archives of the UK

John Field b. 1616

/ Kirstin Miller

John Field 8th great grandfather of Elizabeth Speedy who married Stanley Roose Sr.

John Field b. 1616 in Yorkshire, England to William and Jane Sotwell Field. John Field was in Providence, Rhode Island before August 1637 and was one of the young crowd. He and his young crowd were looking for the same rights as the older settlers: Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, William Arnold, etc. So the old and young worked together and created the 1637 Providence Civil Compact. Pages of details here, summarized here.

“We, whose names are hereunder, desirous to inhabit in the town of Providence, do promise to subject ourselves in active or passive obedience to all such orders or agreements as shall be made for public good of our body, in an orderly way, by the major assent of the present inhabitants, master of families, incorporated together into a town fellowship, and others whom they shall admit unto them only in civil things.”

By 1640 citizens of Providence needed a more precise civil compact so a committee of representatives (Robert Coles, Chad Browne, William Harris, John Warner) met and wrote up the 1640 Providence Agreement.

Providence agreement 1640
The representatives took their task seriously “in all differences amongst us, being so betrusted, we have seriously and carefully endeavored to weigh and consider all these differences, being desirous to bring them to unity and peace.”

They were modest: “although our abilities are far short in the due examination of such weighty matters, we have gone the fairest and equallest way to produce our peace.” Page 40 of Annals of the Town of Providence.

39 Citizens old and young signed the new compact including John, his brother William and his daughter’s future father in law Thomas Angell. The Angell, Arnold, Fields, Olney, Powers and Williams families are direct ancestors of Elizabeth Speedy Roose.

John Field stayed involved in town services with meetings at his home. “Meet at John Fields home: Ordred yt a declaration be set up under the hand of ye Towne Clerke to give notice to all ye Creaditors of John Smith, (deceased) to repaire on Munday ye 19th: instant, unto the house of John ffield about 9: or 10: of the Clock there to receive theire dues of ye said Estate.” Volume 6, page 117 of The Early Records of the Town of Providence.

John Field (1616 – 1686)
Ruth Field (1649 – 1726)
Hope Angell (1685 – 1759)
Oliver Angell (1717 – 1799)
Israel Angell (1740 – 1832)
Asa Angell (1771 – 1842)
Dexter Angell (1794 – 1854)
Delia Viola Angell (1839 – 1916)
Matilda Flood (1858 – 1940)
Philippa Flood Mockford (1891 – 1979)
Elizabeth Speedy (1917 – 2005) m. Stanley Roose (1915 – 2004)

Hilka Frerichs b. 1875

/ Kirstin Miller

Hilka Frerichs, 3rd great aunt on RootsMagic tree.

Hilka Frerichs was born March 24, 1875 in Germany, the youngest child of Casjen and Kunna Janssen Frerichs. At age 9 in 1883, she and her family sailed on the ship America to Baltimore, Maryland. The Frerichs family journeyed straight to Iowa, on train then maybe in a carriage or wagon, with horses? no idea. In 1855 trains went as far as Cedar Falls, by 1902 they criss-crossed most of Iowa. Historical maps at the Iowa DOT.

In 1890 Hilka, 15, and her sister Entje, 19, were confirmed at the Parkersburg Bethel Lutheran Church. March 14, 1894 Hilka married Ernest Hahn, they had children including a daughter: Delight. I don’t have a photo of Hilka and Ernest’s farm but it probably looked something like the ‘Modern 1920s Iowa Farm’ at the Library of Congress. Hilka was a widow at 82 and died 5 years later age 87 in 1962. She and her husband are buried at Lynwood Cemetery in Clarksville, Iowa.

A modern Iowa farm 1920 Library of Congress

A modern Iowa farm ca 1920

Lena Wisbar b. 1871

/ Kirstin Miller

Lena Wisbar, my 2nd great grandma on RootsMagic tree.

Lena Wisbar was born in Germany on May 27, 1871, the 2nd daughter of Martin and Mary Walters Wisbar. In 1872 her family sailed from Bremen, Germany to New York, USA. They were in NY on August 17, 1872, then went on to Ela, Lake County, Illinois where on the 1880 census Lena was 9 years old and lived on a farm. By 1885 Lena and family farmed in Parkersburg, Iowa.

On March 14, 1888 Lena married John Roose. Lena and John farmed in Butler County, Iowa. They had seven children and many grandchildren. After farming for 37 years, Lena and John moved to town in 1925. They lived in Allison, Iowa with their youngest daughter Lela, age 18. John died in 1926.

In 1938 and probably other years too, Lena entered her crochet in the Butler County Fair and won ribbons for dining room and bedroom linens. 

Lena died on January 19, 1948, she was 76. Her funeral was at St James Lutheran Church in Allison. She is buried in the Allison cemetery.

Sources

  • 1938 Sep 14 Iowa Recorder, Greene Public Library Digital Resources
  • 1948 Feb 16 Lena’s obituary, Waterloo Daily Courier at Ancestry.com
  • US census at FamilySearch
  • New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1891 at FamilySearch.org

Thomas Tracy b. 1610

/ Kirstin Miller

Thomas Tracy 10th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree.

Thomas Tracy was born in 1610 in England.  Thomas sailed for New England and arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1636.  Thomas was a carpenter and ship builder. He held many community posts including leader of the Train Band (militia company of early America), member of the Colonial Assembly and Lieutenant of the New London County Dragoons.

The Tracy family was one of the first to settle in Norwich CT where Thomas died Nov. 7, 1685, age 76. His estate included 5000 acres of Norwich land, he left this to his children. 

Some Tracy family history books state that “No family can claim armorial bearings more ancient than the Tracys, for they were handed down from the middle of the twelfth century”. This may or may not be proven.  Thomas Tracy has a memorial at Find A Grave with more information and a huge headstone erected by ancestors after his death. Find a Grave is generally completely unverified but still has good information.  Thomas Tracy Find a grave memorial 21945755

Philippa Johns b. 1828

/ Kirstin Miller

Philippa Johns 3rd great grandmother on RootsMagic tree.

MylorParishChurchCornwallPhilippa Johns was born in Cornwall England, September 1828 and was baptized November 2, 1828 in the Mylor parish church. In 1851 Philippa was a servant in the home of Richard and Elizabeth Green Mockford. Richard and his son Henry were millers or flour makers: Richard a foreman, Henry a journeyman. Philippa married Henry Mockford in 1853 in the same Mylor church.

Henry sailed to America in 1854 on his own as husbands did, to set up a home, then once established send for Philippa. In the summer 1855 census Henry was a border in Clarkson, New York. On November 19, 1855 Philippa and oldest son 2 year old William arrived. The family lived in northern and northwestern New York: Batavia and Clarkson. When Philippa died in 1903 her husband, four sons and three daughters lived on. Philippa’s name like her granddaughter’s name is spelled different ways.

Philippa Johns (1828 – 1903) > Richard John Mockford (1856 – 1910) > Philippa Flood Mockford (1891 – 1979) > Elizabeth Matilda Speedy (1917 – 2005) m. > Stanley Roose Sr. (1915-2004)

Sources

  • England births and christenings 1538-1975 database at FamilySearch

  • Newspapers.com, Democrat and Chronicle, 1903 Feb 6, Rochester, New York

  • Cornwall online parish clerks OPC, click MORE on the bottom right to see the rest of the record.

John Henrichs b. 1864

/ Kirstin Miller

John G. Henrichs on RootsMagic tree

John Gerhard Henrichs was born October 9, 1864 in Germany. He sailed to America in 1882 at age 18. His sister Annie married Enno Frerichs, John married Enno’s sister Entje. John and Entje had a family and farmed. In 1917 John owned about 125 acres of farm land in Butler County, Iowa. On the 1930 US Census he was 65 and living on Main Street in Allison, Butler County, Iowa. He owned his home but didn’t have a radio set.

Henrich, John 1930On March 26, 1930 John celebrated Entje’s birthday with a party at their home for family and friends. This is in the Iowa Recorder, April 2, 1930 and directly below is grandniece Viola Roose entertaining 16 high school friends on March 29.

John was a widow in 1936 and lived with his daughter Flora and her family on the 1940 US Census. John’s obituary is in the Mason City Globe Gazette of December 22, 1943. John and Entje are buried in the Butler Center Cemetery. There are 21 Henrichs and 12 Frerichs memorials in this cemetery.

Sources

Michael Metcalfe b. 1587

/ Kirstin Miller

Michael Metcalfe 10th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

Michael Metcalfe was b.1587 into a long line of Metcalfs. He lived in Tatterford and Norwich, England, was a weaver and married Sarah Ellwyn. Michael was a Puritan in England which led to trouble in the 1630s when he felt persecuted by Archbishop Laud and Bishop Wren. Both bishops were eventually charged with various crimes and locked in the Tower of London. Wren was let go and Laud was executed.

Michael wrote a letter, “I was persecuted in the land of my fathers’ sepulchres for not bowing at the name of Jesus and observing the ceremonies inforced upon me at the instance of Bishop Wren of Norwich, and his Chancellor Dr. Corbet, whose violent measures troubled me in the Bishop’s court, and returned me into the High Commissioner’s Court. Suffering many times for the cause of religion, I was forced for the sake of the liberty of my conscience to flee from my wife and children to go into New England; taking ship for the voyage at London, 17th Sept., 1636, and being by tempests tossed up and down the seas till the Christmas following; and then veering about to Plymouth in Old England. Leaving the ship I went down to Yarmouth, in Co. Norfolk, whence I finally shipped myself and family to come to New England; sailed April 15, 1637, and arrived three days before Midsummer with my wife, nine children, and a servant, Thomas Comberbach, aged 16.”

In April 1637 the Metcalf family got ready to sail to America: The examinacion of Michill Metcalfe of Norwich, Dornix weauer, aged 45 yeares and Sarrah his wife, aged 39 yeares, with 8 Children, Michill: Thomas: Marey: Sarrah: Elizabeth: Martha: Joane: and Rebeca: and his Saruant Thomas Comberbach, aged 16 yeares, are desirous to passe to boston in New England to inhabit. 

The family with Michael, Sarah, 9 kids and a servant landed in Boston on or about June 24, 1637. The Metcalfs settled in Dedham, Connecticut. Michael was a townsmen, a selectman and on the committee to create the meeting house. His will left various possessions and money amounts to his 2nd wife Mary, children and grandchildren with one grandchild getting the ‘Largest gray Horsmann’s coate’ and son John getting all the books.

Michael Metcalfe (1587 – 1664)
Jane Metcalfe (1632 – 1701)
Samuel Walker (1655 – 1712)
Timothy Walker (1687 – 1745)
Eunice Walker (1728 – 1772)
Cynthia Hill (1763 – 1830)
Dexter Angell (1794 – 1854)
Delia Viola Angell (1839 – 1916)
Matilda Flood (1858 – 1940)
Philippa Flood Mockford (1891 – 1979)
Elizabeth Speedy (1917 – 2005) m. Stanley Roose (1915 – 2004)

Sources

  • Excerpts from a letter written in Plymouth England January 13, 1636 the New England Historical and Genealogical Register NEHGR Volume 6 page 171 at Archive.org
  • New England Historical and Genealogical Register NEHGR Volume 14 page 325 at Archive.org

Jeremy Adams b. 1605

/ Kirstin Miller

Jeremy Adams 11th great grandfather on RootsMagic tree.

Jeremy Adams was born in England, parents unknown. He sailed to America on the Griffin, maybe he was associated with Puritan minister Thomas Hooker. Jeremy married twice, both his wives were widows named Rebecca. Jeremy’s jobs included: minister, farmer, innkeeper and liquor distributor. As an official innkeeper for the Colony he was famous and his inn was the main meeting site in the area. At Jeremy’s funeral the colony paid for 3 gallons of wine.

In the early days of Connecticut Jeremy was also a scout: “On 5 April, 1638, it was ordered that six men be sent to the Warranock Indians to trade; and moreover to knoe the reasons why they saide they are affraide of us, and if they will not come to us willingly then to compell them to come by violence, and they may leave 2 of the English as pledges in the meane time. Jeremy Adams was one of the six.” 

Jeremy Adams (1605 – 1683) John Adams (1637 – 1670) Rebecca Adams (1658 – 1716) Samuel Risley (1679 – 1756) Richard Risley (1709 – 1792) Prudence Risley (1735 – 1816) Joseph Gaines (1756 – 1841) Obed Gaines (1793 – 1877) William Newcomb Gaines (1825 – 1907) Mary Ella Gaines (1855 – 1917) William Earl Miller (1879 – 1949) Faber W Miller (1905 – 1957) m. Gladys Mae Cable (1913 – 1991)

Sources: 

Philip Walker b. 1628

/ Kirstin Miller

Philip Walker was born in Weymouth, Dorset, England in 1625. He was about fifteen when he came to Plymouth Colony with his mom around 1640. His mom is known as Widow Walker. She owned land in 1644. Bliss, Leonard, jr.The History of Rehoboth, Bristol County, Massachusetts. Boston: Otis, Broaders, and company, 1836.

Philip was an early deacon of the Congregational Church and a weaver and/or farmer. He was also a soldier in King Philip’s War, and helped to finance the war. Philip wrote one of the first American epic poems: Captan Perse & his coragios Company.  The poem was probably written in 1676, and Walker is writing about his personal experience. This 37 page PDF includes the poem, an introduction and context notes.

Captain Pierce’s battle  details at Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Men%27s_Misery.

The Plymouth Colony Archive Project has a bio on Philip. http://www.histarch.illinois.edu/plymouth/Walker.html

7th great grandfather of Elizabeth Matilda Speedy who married Stanley Roose Sr.

  • Philip Walker (1628 – 1679)
  • Samuel Walker (1655 – 1712)
  • Timothy Walker (1687 – 1745)
  • Eunice Walker (1728 – 1772)
  • Cynthia Hill (1763 – 1830)
  • Dexter Angell (1794 – 1854)
  • Delia Viola Angell (1839 – 1916)
  • Matilda  Flood (1858 – 1940)
  • Philippa Flood Mockford (1891 – 1979)
  • Elizabeth Speedy (1917 – 2005) m. Stanley Roose (1915 – 2004)