was an American pioneer

Samuel Newcomb b. 1794

/ Kirstin Miller

Samuel Newcomb 1st cousin 6 generations away or 6 times removed on RootsMagic tree. Samuel was also the adoptive dad of William Newcomb Gaines, great grandpa of Faber Miller.

Samuel was born January 8, 1794 in Bernardston, Massachusetts to William and Elizabeth Connable Newcomb. The Connable and Newcomb families were pioneers, long time residents of Berndardston. At age 18 Samuel fought in the War of 1812 and received a pension and 160 acres of land as payment. After the war he had a farm next to his brother Obadiah. Samuel married Jemima Hunting on Oct 13, 1822. Samuel and Jemima had a son William, who died before age one.

In 1826 Samuel adopted William N Gaines, son of Samuel’s cousin Leydia Connable Gaines. Samuel joined the Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), even though ‘he believed Brigham Young was an imposter’. In 1832 in Onondaga, NY Orson Pratt, an early LDS Church leader baptized Samuel and Jemima. Samuel, his wife and adopted son William moved to Kirtland, Ohio the early home of the Latter Day Saints and home of the first Mormon temple.

A sketch of Salt Lake city in 1860By 1850 Samuel and his family were in Great Salt Lake, Utah Territory. Samuel was a widow in 1851. He wrote his will in 1855 leaving all to “William Newcomb Gaines my adopted son”. Samuel lived to age 85, he died in Janesville, Iowa and was living with William and family in his later years. “He was treated kindly in his old age by Mr. and Mrs. Gaines, and he died at their home”. Samuel is buried in Oakland Cemetery near Janesville, Iowa with William Gaines and his family.

Sources

  • “History of Orson Pratt,” Deseret News, 9 June 1858, 65. John Tanner or the Bolton Branch mentioned in December 20, 1832 and February 2, 1833 entries shared on FamilySearch
  • Will in Iowa, Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997 at Ancestry
  • Early members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Volume 4 page 592 image 594 of 920
  • At Wikipedia ‘Utah’ page, may be from Richard F. Burton’s City of the Saints, Public Domain
  • Bernardston Births, Marriages and Death image 40 of 233 handwritten, right page Samuel and Jemima 2nd on list. “Samuel Newcomb Gaines and Jemima Hunting both of this town October 13, 1822”

James Hill b. 1726

/ Kirstin Miller

James Hill 6th great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

James was born in Rehoboth, Massachusetts on April 26, 1726. He was the youngest of 8 kids of Samuel and Ann Brown Hill. James married Eunice Walker, “James and Eunice Walker, both of Rehoboth, married by Rev. John Greenwood May 11, 1749. Int. April 13, 1749” is recorded in Vital Record of Rehoboth. James was a farmer and a blacksmith. He was a widow in 1772 and fought in the American Revolution from 1775 to 1779.

James’s first battle was on April 19, 1775 that was the day Paul Revere and others rode through the countryside warning towns and soldiers that the British Army was on the move. A Sons of the American Revolution SAR application was completed and verified in 1930 and lists the details of James’s service. Horace Hills completed this SAR application in 1930, verified as correct because of James’s Hill(s) age and location. Horace Hills lived at the same time as Philippa Mockford Speedy, they were 5th cousins.

Hills, James 1802 will with signature

Signature on 1802 will

James Hills left a will with all his children listed including Cynthia Hill Angell 3rd great grandma of Elizabeth Speedy. In 1802, the year he died, “My daughter Cynthia wife of Asa Angell …all my estate both real and personal not herein before disposed … after paying my just debts … equally divided.” Some of James’s inventory: 1 black straight woolen coat, waistcoats and breeches, hat, mittens, caps and glove, bedstead, flannel sheets, tablecloths, linen sheet, 1 sword and belt, butter mold, ladle, candle stand, bible, silver drinking cup, iron teaspoons, teapot, crockery, chairs, tables, farming tools, blacksmith tools, livestock, dwelling house, corn barn, 10 acres of land.

Sources

Sarah Witter b. 1743

/ Kirstin Miller

Sarah Witter 6th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Sarah was born in 1743 to John and Amey Davis Witter. In Westerly, Rhode Island on January 12, 1768 she married David Dewey. Sarah was 26 David was 29. Both the Dewey and Witter family have published genealogies that show the family’s arrival from England and the generations that settled in America. Sarah was the 5th generation of her family in America. Both the Witter and Dewey books have typos in the marriage of Sarah and David, first or last names incorrect, A Crandall family history book and the Daughters of the American Revolution DAR book show Sarah Witter and David Dewey’s marriage, no typos. Sarah and David had 7 kids. David Dewey fought in the the American Revolution from 1776-1777. Sarah would have kept up the family home, probably a farm, and visited the town for supplies and church.

John Witter 1640 will

Sarah in her dad’s will

Sarah’s dad John Witter mentions her family in his will, “His will was made on March 5, 1790, and proved November 7, 1793. In it he mentioned his beloved wife Anne Witter, beloved son Samuel Witter, beloved daughter Sarah Dewy, beloved Grand Children,”.

Sarah died in 1804, her husbanding 1839, both their burial places are unknown.

Sources

  • North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, Lineage Book NSDAR Volume 099, 1913 p 144 98456 at Ancestry.
  • Marriage in Vital record of Rhode Island 1636-1850, a family register for the people at FamilySearch.
  • Witter genealogy; descendants of William Witter at HAthiTrust. Sarah Witter page 49 . John Witter’s will page 33
  • Life of George Dewey, Rear Admiral, U.S.N. Page 738  .

Fianna Druckenbrod b. 1854

/ Kirstin Miller

Fianna Druckenbrod, my 2nd great grandma on RootsMagic tree.

Fianna Druckenbrod photo

Fianna Druckenbrod photo

Fianna was born in Stark County, Ohio the 2nd of 12 kids of Samuel and Elizabeth Bair Druckenbrod. Fianna grew up in Stark, where her parents’ families were pioneers, and well known: Bair, Harter, Druckenbrod, Malone. At age 16 in 1870 Fiana lived with her grandparents George and Margaret Malone Bair, she’s listed as a ‘servant’ on the census.

On September 5, 1857 Fianna married William Miller, also from a family of pioneers and well known in Stark, Ohio but recently moved to Bremer County, Iowa. William and Fianna were married in Stark, then moved to Bremer County. They farmed and had 7 kids. Fianna and her father in law Peter Miller would travel to Stark, Ohio in the summers for their family reunions. By 1905 Fianna and William moved to Amery, Wisconsin near their grown sons Frank and Sam. Fianna died in 1923 and is buried in Andrews Cemetery outside Waverly about 3 miles east of Cedar Bend County Park and the Cedar River, right in between Horton and Waverly, Iowa.

Druckenbrods visit GreeneFianna had a brother Ivy Druckenbrod who married Elta and they had a son Faber Druckenbrod. Elta and Faber Druckenbrod, with Faber’s finance Grace, all from Stark, Ohio visited Greene, Iowa on September 29, 1939. In Greene, the Druckenbrods stayed with Fianna’s daughter Lola and her husband Willam Miller. Lola and William’s son Faber and his wife Gladys Cable Miller would have visited with their Druckenbrod relatives, probably a dinner on Friday night.

Sources

Richard Mockford b. 1856

/ Kirstin Miller

Richard Mockford, my 2nd great grandpa on RootsMagic tree

Richard Mockford was born September 21, 1856 in Monroe County, New York about 10 minutes south of Lake Ontario, 30 minutes or so east of Niagara Falls. He lived in the area until his 20s . At age 24 he was in Dubuque, Iowa, a mail carrier. At age 26 on March 2, 1883, he married Matilda Flood in Butler County, Iowa. He and Matilda had 2 daughters Lucy and Philippa and a son Harley who died at age 1. Richard farmed through his 50s.

Richard Mockford photo

Richard Mockford photo

February 28,1907 maybe as a birthday party for Matilda born on February 26, “Mr. and Mrs. Mockford were completely surprised Friday evening, when a party of their neighbors and friends dropped in on them in a body to spend the evening. Though surprised, they were equal to the occasion, and very gladly joined in to make the evening a most enjoyable one. After participating in games and various amusements for a time, a dainty lunch was served and when tho guests departed for their several homes, we can say on good authority that it was not a very early hour.”

In June, 1908 Richard and his brother in law George Flood with their families attended the Decoration Day services at Lowell Cemetery in Clarksville. William Flood, the dad of George and Matilda and father in law of Richard, was buried at Lowell and was a soldier in the Civil War.

In 1909, at age 52 Richard was hired as janitor and groundskeeper at the courthouse in Allison, county seat of Butler County. In addition to keeping up the building and grounds he was also the jailer, bailiff and more. In 1909 a man Win Bucknell of Greene was arrested for murder. Bucknell was in love with his housekeeper, she threatened to leave, he killed her then shot himself but the bullet was stopped by his watch chain. The gun fell to the floor, his wife picked up the gun, threw it out the window and screamed for help. Bucknell was sent to the Butler County Jail, Richard’s jail. While waiting for his trial Bucknell worked with Richard on the courthouse grounds.

The Clarksville (Iowa) Star newspaper on July 1 1909, ” R.J. Mockford has trimmed the trees leading to the court house and they present a beautiful and uniform appearance.” The postcard shows his skills.

Butler County Courthouse Courthousehistory.com

Butler County Courthouse via Courthousehistory.com

Richard returned to NY a couple times, once in 1901 to visit his family, “nineteen years have made a great change in his home state”. Will Angell, cousin of Matilda Flood Mockford, helped with chores while Richard was away. In April of 1905, Richard was called to NY, his dad Henry was very ill. Henry died in 1905, Richard was there in NY for the funeral.

Richard died in 1910 and is buried at Lowell Cemetery. His obituary was in the Clarksville Star newspaper October 10.

“Allison Citizen Dies. Well Known Citizen of Lowtown at One Time. Richard J. Mockford, a prominent resident of Allison and for a long time a resident of Lowtown, died on October 8, 1910, after having been ill for about six weeks. He was born near Camden, N. Y., Sept. 21, 1856, being a few days over 54 years of age at the time of his death.
On March 20th, 1883 he was united in marriage with Miss Tillie Flood and shortly afterwards they engaged in farming just south of Clarksville where they continued to reside until about five years ago when they moved to Allison. Two daughters were born to this family [Lucy] Mrs. Robt. Smith of near Allison, and Miss Philippa who with the wife are left to mourn the death of husband and father. Mr. Mockford was custodian of the court house and grounds and had in this way established a very wide acquaintance throughout the county. His circle of friends included all his acquaintances.
The funeral was held at the Congregational church at Allison on Monday Oct. 10th, at ten o’clock, conducted by Rev E. Chapman of Owatonna, Minn who in years gone by had been a neighbor of the deceased. The Woodsmen order were in charge of the services and observed the ritualistic rights. The body was brought to the Lowell Cemetery south of town for interment.”

Sources

  • Clarksville (Iowa) Star Newspaper via Clarksville, Iowa public Library Digital Archives. June 4, 1908 page 4 of 8 column 1 mid top Decoration Day services at Lowell  January 17, 1901 returned from NY visit . October 13, 1910 obituary . July 1, 1909 Nicely trimmed trees at the courthouse
  • 1875 New York Census
  • US Censuses
  • Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934
  • Courthousehistory.com a historical look at our nation’s county courthouses through postcards. Courthouse History is a website maintained by Keith Vincent who collects postcards of courthouse across the county and takes photos of courthouses across the country. There are 5 photos of the courthouse in Allison, Iowa, Richard Mockford’s workplace including those trees out front. Vincent, Keith. Courthousehistory.com, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2016. Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved, used with permission. http://courthousehistory.com/gallery/states/iowa/counties/butler

Sarah Ann Davis b. 1819

/ Kirstin Miller

Sarah Davis, my 3rd great grandma on RootsMagic tree.

Sarah Davis was born in Virginia, probably to Pleasant and Sarah Horton Davis, the 6th of 7 kids. On April 18, 1833 in Jackson, Ohio Sarah married Jacob Miller. Sarah’s siblings were in Jackson, Ohio too, and possibly her mom. Sarah and Jacob had one child Mary, in Ohio, then moved to Elkhart, Indiana. They farmed and had 9 more kids.

Miller, Jacob and Sarah Ann Davis
Jacob and Sarah Davis Miller, public photo on Ancestry

Sarah’s husband Jacob died in 1854, the same year their 9th child was born. On the 1860 Sarah lived and farmed in Elkhart, Indiana, a widowed mom, 46 years old with 5 younger kids at home. Jake was the oldest, he farmed, the younger kids, aged 14 to 8 years old attended school.

On the 1870 census Sarah and children lived in Black Hawk County, Iowa, near Janesville and the Cedar River, closer to older daughter Mary and her family in Nashua, Iowa. On the 1880 census Sarah had real estate, a farm, valued at $1700, her son William and granddaughter Ellen Mitchell lived with her. Sarah’s neighbors were farmers, carpenters, a physician, a teacher and day laborers; born in New York, California, England, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Sarah died April 8, 1888 at age 74 and is buried at Oakland Cemetery in Janesville, Iowa.

Sarah Horton Davis, Sarah’s mom has a published family history, A tabulation of the descendants of Joseph Horton : a soldier of the American Revolution. Sarah is not mentioned in this book, her siblings are. The book was published in 1873 then updated in 1929. It’s a leap, but I think probable that this Sarah and her sons named Pleasant and Horton in the same locations, same time, is a daughter of Pleasant and Sarah Horton Davis. I think it’s not a proven fact, but probable.

Sources

Mary Barnard b. 1609

/ Kirstin Miller

Mary Barnard 10th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Mary was born September 1609 in Nottinghamshire, England. Mary was a ladies maid to an acquaintance of Roger Williams. Mary and Roger married December 15, 1629 in High Laver, Essex England at All Saint Parish, still there. Their marriage record, “is recorded in the parish register of High Lever, Co. Essex, as follows: 1629 Roger Williams and Mary Barnard were married the 15th day of Decern: anno dom 1629”.

Williams Roger, Mary Barnard children screenshot

Mary and Roger Williams, children

Mary and Roger left England in December of 1631. They had 6 kids, all born in America: Mary, Freeborn, Providence, Mercy, Daniel and Joseph. Mary and family were living in Salem where Roger was a minister until he was banished, asked to leave. He had issues with the church, was a friend to the Indians, critical of the colonies taking land with no payment, Roger and family had to leave the area. With a small group Roger founded Rhode Island in 1636. A census on September 1, 1636 shows 25 people including Mary and her family.  John Winthrop, governor of Plymouth visited Providence and left a gold coin with Mary during his visit, “Governor Winslow, of Plymouth. The guest was touched by the hardship and poverty which his old friends were enduring, and at his departure put into the hands of Mrs. Williams a piece of gold for her relief. Williams acknowledges with respect and gratitude the welcome gift”.

Sources

Martha Olney b. 1707

/ Kirstin Miller

Martha Olney 7th great grandma on RootsMagic tree

Martha was born in Providence, Rhode island on May 16, 1707. She was a great granddaughter of Thomas Olney, John Whipple and Roger Williams, all migrated from England and all original settlers in 1635, Rhode Island. Martha married Stephen Angell a great grandson of Thomas Angell, John Smith and Thomas Clemence, who also migrated from England and were original Rhode Island settlers. Martha and Stephen had 9 sons and 2 daughters. They were Quakers or Friends (Religious Society of Friends).

Angell Bible

Angell family bible at FamilySearch.org

Martha’s generation lived through the colonies turning into independent states. She was 53 when tax issues began, 68 when the Revolutionary War started, 76 when the war ended and 82 when General Washington was President. Martha’s son John and son in law Israel were both Colonels of Rhode Island regiments in the revolution.

Martha was a widow in 1772 and when her husband’s will was read she objected to it. In the Angell genealogy book, “she was dependent upon Daniel and William for her comfortable support … left to their discretion”. A part of the will “Item. I Give to my True and Loveing wife Martha Angell, one cow and one mare … Together with other household furniture sufficiant to keep house with at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter named, and also one good feather bed and furniture, all which to be at ther Disposal as She Thinks Proper”. The Court upheld the will and with no additional issues recorded.

Sources

Elizabeth b. 1614

/ Kirstin Miller

Elizabeth 10th great grandma on RootsMagic tree.

Elizabeth was born in about 1614, her last name isn’t known. In 1630 she married Thomas Judd. The birth and marriage places of Elizabeth and Thomas aren’t known. The Judds were part of the 1620-1640 ’Great Migration’ documented by genealogist Robert Charles Anderson, he’s written volumes. Elizabeth and family left England for America in 1634, this is shown in a land grant in Cambridge on August 4, 1634, “lots granted in Westend, To Tho: Judd 4 Ackrs”. Elizabeth and family stayed in the Massachusetts colony for awhile, then with Reverend Thomas Hooker, left to start a new settlement in the Connecticut Colony, fort called New Towne then called Hartford. Elizabeth and Thomas had 9 children, 3 daughters and 6 sons. Two daughters married Loomis brothers. two sons and one daughter married a Steele sibling, one son married Mary Howkins. One son, Benjamin married Mary Lewis, their 7th great grandson was Faber Miller.

1636 Hartford map

At Kenyon Street AngelFire website, an annotated map.

The single available record with Elizabeth’s name is Dr John Winthrop’s medical notebook, “8 July 1669, John Winthrop Jr. treated -Jud Elis[abeth] above 60 years wife of [blank] Jud Senior of Farmington-“. Elizabeth lived until about 1678. Her burial place is unknown.

Sources

Mary Walters b. 1848

/ Kirstin Miller

Mary Walters 3rd great grandma on RootsMagic tree.
Mary was born July 4, 1848 in Hanover, Germany. On August 17, 1872 she sailed to America, landed in New York with her husband Martin Wisbar and 2 daughters Anna and Lena. The Wisbar family was in Illinois for a few years then in Butler County, Iowa by 1895. The Plat book of Butler County, Iowa 1895 shows the Wisbar land, Mary and Martin lived in Monroe Township on 148 acres. Next to their farm was a cemetery, still there, Monroe Township Cemetery. The nearby German Lutheran Church and schoolhouse are most likely gone.

Wisbar, M 1895 land

Mary and Martin’s land 1895

Mary and Martin had 8 children, 4 boys and 4 girls. Martin died in 1912 Mary lived until 1918. She had moved to Waterloo and was living with her son Louis. Mary’s obituary was in the November 4, 1918 Waterloo Evening Courier and provides detail on her marriage, arrival in America and Lutheran Church membership. The obituary also lists her daughters- by their married names: [Anna] Mrs. F. J. Meyer, Farnhanville, Ia.; [Lena] Mrs. John Roose, Allison, [Sophia] Mrs. I. C. Parker, Miss Emma; her son Louis, and a “sister. Mrs. William Pohlman” no further details on the sister. Mary is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Parkersburg, there is a group of Wisbar headstones and about 20 feet away Casjen and Kuna Frerichs. Mary’s grandson George Roose married the Frerichs’s granddaughter Mary and had a son Stanley Roose.

Wisbar, Lena and Roose grandchild

Lena Wisbar and Roose grandchild

Sources

  • Newspaper Archive, Cedar Rapids Public Library, 1918 Nov 4 Waterloo Evening Courier page 7 of 10 column 4 bottom 5 top. CR Library card required to view.
  • Plat book of Butler County, Iowa 1895 at University of Iowa Digital Libraries, page 27, image 18 of 37 square 1
  • 1895 Iowa census database at FamilySearch.
  • New York passenger lists 1820-1891 database at FamilySearch.
  • Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/180799561 .