That Depends on Fiona

 

Uncle Peg’s Chronicles

September 22, 2022

“That Depends on Fiona”

Number of pages in Outline Descendant Report: 120 (up from 119 last chronicle)

Number of pages in basic Descendant Report: 177 (up from 174 last chronicle)

 

Francis Holmes is # 1. I am now # 285. # 281, where I was last week, is now Ellen Middleton Leaman.

Matthew Williams, Jane William’s grandson, is last at # 398, up from # 393, and his son is # ii.

This should change weekly, if I’m doing my job.

 

 

 Busy, busy, busy . . . I have joined the choir. We practice Thursday evening and sing on Sunday morning, and as I do believe that you should challenge yourself in retirement, I certainly have challenged myself. Most of the people in the choir know most of the songs, so I’m at a disadvantage. I am grateful for Youtube, which I play in the background as I do my work on the computer.

Cousin Doug Holmes – my actual first cousin – has worked on creating an index for CCC. Actually, he has worked on the how to – I will be doing the actual creating with the instructions and the offer of assistance any time I need it. I have not begun it yet but I will soon. I hope to have an index shortly for those of you who have made a paper copy of “Yorkshire.” And, once I know how to do it, I may work on the index for “Fairfield” as I go. I’ll see if it’s easier to do it at the time, or when I’m done.

My brother and sister, Paul and Pat, arrive on Friday for a few days. I look forward to that visit in which we will conclude some business and enjoy the company. We will be going to Nova Scotia – Pat for a few days and Paul and I on Saturday, where we will see our first cousins, Cindy and Jennifer. (Later in the week: that depends on Fiona.)

~

I am frustrated. I have found an abstract for the inventory and disposal of Mercy Bell Holmes Hait/Hoyt Ferris Barnum, dated 1747, but I can’t find the original. Oh well. If I decide it is worth it for CCC, I’ll have to send for it.

~

This week, I have continued on with John’s story. If you didn’t read the start of it in last week’s chronicle, you should read that first. I hope to conclude it next week so I can get it proofread and sent off to Jeff. I’ll also copy and paste it into CCC. One thing is for certain: it is too long.

y^e = the

y^t = that

s^d = said                                       

Without further ado:

John Holmes was born, according to Ancestry trees but with no sources, c. 1675. The time seems about right. As his father, Stephen Holmes Sr., lived and died in Stamford, Connecticut, it is probable that John was also born and lived his entire short life in Stamford. His wife, Marcy Bell, also known as Mercy, was born in Stamford on November 5, 1675 to Jonathan Bell and Susanna Pierson, as recorded in the Stamford Town Records. His son, Jonathan, who was renamed John after his father’s demise, was also born in Stamford.

Mariage, John Homes & Marcy Bell was maryed y^e 15^th of Jenuary 1701/2. John, John, son to John & Marcy Homes, borne y^e 21^st of May 1703, because of his fathers deth named John. Deth John Homes dyed y^e 6^th of July 1703.[1]

https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/352317/?offset=0#page=45&viewer=picture&o=search&n=0&q=%22Holmes%22    Page 45

Given that the article is too long, I will probably delete this. But, the actual transcription of the records says “John, John . . .” The author of this book, Rev. E B Huntington, had access to the original records, I do believe.

~

Legal Documents Relating to the Estate of John Holmes

I have tried to transcribe the documents accurately. When I leave a line, I do not know the word. When I use [square brackets], I think it is right but I am not sure. I may have made errors. Note that they often wrote “Stanford” rather than “Stamford.”

Document 1

Stanford Jan^r: 7: 27: 1703

John Holmes late of Stanford being dec’d dieing Intestate and as yet no person is in care  on s^d Estate and ye difficulties of ____ ____ being so great y^t at present y^e Widow Relict of y^e s^d Holmes namely Marcy Holmes cannot make personal application to y^e Prerogative Court for  power of [adm^et] and therefore In Stanford being so for my Selfe & Capt. Jonathan Selick y^e s^d Widow doth ask acknowledge her selfe bound to y^e s^d Court  in y^e Recognizance of one ____ first & fully to Administer on y^e estate of her deceased Husband according to whatever y^e s^d Court Shall give her and to make or Cause to be made a True and perfect Inventory of y^e s^d Holmes his Estate and Exhibiting same to y^e s^d Court as soon as Conveniently She may.

                                                                                                                Nathan Gold Judge of ye S^d Court[2]

This document was probably written in 1704. Up until 1751, the British used the old Julian calendar, in which the new year began on March 25^th. It changed to the new Gregorian calendar on January 1, 1752, ‘the day after 31 December 1751.”[3] It could not have been written in 1703, because John did not die until July of 1703. It is the first statement that I find in regards to the intestate situation, by Nathan Gold, Judge of the Prerogative Court, and a request for an inventory to be made. It brings to my mind several thoughts. First of all, it confirms that John died intestate. It acknowledges that the Widow Holmes suffered after this tragedy. Marcy Holmes recognizes her obligation to administer on the estate, and she is willing to accept whatever the Court is pleased ask of her or to give her, and is willing to provide an inventory of the belongings of her late husband.

Document 2

Widow Holms Power of Administration upon the Estate of her Husband John Holmes.

Recorded ____ ____

John Holmes of Stanford being deceased and dieing Intestate and Marcy Holmes widow Relict of s^d Holmes having given bond in order to adm^et on y^e Estate of her deceased Husband Wherefor y^e Prerogative Court held In Fairfield Feb^e: y^e 7 1703/4 do grant unto y^e s^d Marcy Holmes Widow Power of Admin She to make or Cause to be made a True and perfect Inventory of y^e Estate of her s^d deceased Husband and Exhibiting Same to y^e Court as soon as She with Conveniently may according to bond given.[4]

This document states that Marcy Holmes has given bond in order to administer the estate of her deceased husband. The Prerogative Court granted her the power of Administration, also requesting again that she make an inventory to exhibit to the court as soon as is conveniently possible.

Document 3

The Inventory of John Holms deceased his Estate taken Feb^y 18^th 1703/4

Rather than write it out, I have organized the items by category. The father of John, Stephen Holmes, Sr, and the father of Marcy, Jonathan Bell, took the inventory. In wills from the 1700s that I have studied, the townsmen took the inventories.

To view the actual inventory, go to either or both:

 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-892K-TR82?cat=359148

https://www.ancestry.ca/imageviewer/collections/9049/images/007628167_00843?pId=1252049

Moveable Estate

·         Animals: 2 oxen, 1 horse, 2 cows, 3 heifers, 3 yearlings, 4 sheep, 8 swine. Unfortunately, it appears that a yearling, 3 swine, and 1 sheep were “lost by Causality.”

·         Barn: 1 plow chain, a chain, 1 saddle, 1 share [plowshare], 1 whipple tree chain.

·         Food and Crops: 30 bushels corn, 20 bushels oats, 8 bushels barley, and flax.

·         Furniture: 1 looking glass, 1 lamp, 1 candlestick, 7 chairs and 6 cushions, 2 [spinning] wheels, 1 bed, 1 bedstead, 1 table, 3 chests, 1 box, 1 loom and gears. [Why was there no cradle for an infant?]

·         Hearth: 3 brass kettles, 1 iron kettle, 2 iron pots, 1 frying pan, 1 pair tongs, 1 tramill.

·         Kitchen: 21 pounds pewter, 6 porringers, earthenware, 2 casks, 3 pails, woodenware, glass bottles.

·         Linens: Bedding, curtains 8 pair sheets, 5 pair pillowbeers [pillowcases], 6 tablecloths, 3 dozen napkins. [Why so many tablecloths and napkins? Notice, there is no cutlery.]

·         Miscellaneous: 1 Bible, 1 carpit, 8 ½ yards tow cloth [cheap linen] wearing clothes, silver buckles.

·         Tools: 1 narrow ax, 1 hoo [hoe?].

·         Weapons: 1 gun, 1 sword, belt, and ammunition.

Real Estate

1 house, 1 barn, and homestead; 4 acres land at Shiphand; 3 acres meadow; 1 piece of land in woods; 11 acres of land at Flat Ridge; the 6^th part of Capt. Bell’s out land.

Document 4

 (A work in progress)

From Familysearch:

John Holmes of Stanford deceased he dieing Intestate an Inventory of his Estate being Exhibited to the Prerogative Court held in Fairfield March the 15^th: 1704/5 in order to A Settlement ­­­­____ Inventory being proved is by the Court approved and ordered to be recorded And the Court do appoint and empower Samuel Hait who married the Widow Relict of the deceased Holms to administer on the Said Estate to pay & recieve all Just debts due from and to the Estate and to preserve the Estate and an amount [or account] of debt Credit and  ____ of y^e Estate in Stock with what the Court allows the said Relict for bringing up the Child of s^d Holms being exhibited to the Court by which amount [or account] it appears to the Court there is Cleare estate amounting to the Sum of: 197^lb:  8^s: 2^d: of which the court being moved for distribution do order as followeth that the said Relict of y^e s^d deceased Holms Shall have her dowry in the housings and Land according to law during natural life and one third part of the Moveable Estate as her own proper Estate forever and the rest of y^e Estate to be the Son of the s^d Holms namely John and the s^d Relict to have the use of the whole Estate till the Child arrives at 7 years of age to Inable her to the bringing up of it with what is allowed over and above to the same and which is 42^lb and it is to be understood that if y^e s^d Child Shall ____ before it arives at the age afores^d that there Shall be A proportionable abatement for the time remaining according to the rate of 6^lbs p^r annum for the 7 years also the use of y^e Estate to Cease.

And the s^d Sam^ll Hait acknowledgeth himself bound to the Court in the recognisance of fifty pounds for A faithfull discharge of his Administrations according to the above order or when Called for by the Court.

                                                                                                                Nathan Gold Clerk[5]

 This is the decision of the court after John Holmes died intestate. A person takes a chance, not making a will, for they know not what will happen to their estate upon their death. As I understand it, the court will decide how to distribute the estate and who will raise the child or children. That is an issue that varies by place and likely, by time; much too complicated for me to delve into. I know it is complex.

 In John’s specific case, first comes a bit of a surprise, especially if you haven’t done the genealogy. There was no mention of Samuel Hait, also known as Samuel Hoit, prior to February 7, but on March 15^th, Marcy married Samuel and he played an important part in the court’s decision. Marcy received one third of the moveable estate, which was typical. She was permitted to “have the use of the whole Estate till the child arrives at 7 yeas of age,” I was confused about the age of 7. I went back and looked at it several times to ensure I had read it correctly. I can read the document in both Ancestry and Familysearch, and it looks like 7 to me. Samuel Hait has obligations as well, and must be prepared to carry out faithful Administrations of his duties. The Court can call upon him at any time to ensure he is faithful to his duty.

~

On September 21, 1921, a century ago, Floyd and Minnie (Colpitts) Holmes gave birth to their second child, a daughter, Mary Margaret Holmes. She had three siblings: Bryce, Jim, and Nancy. Margaret grew up and married Donald Malcolm Moore in 1949, and had three children: Peggy, Paul, and Pat. Dad passed away on my birthday in 2005. Margaret died at the age of 99, in February of 2022. I took the header photo in December. She was listening and singing along to Christmas carols at the manor.

Stay tuned for the rest of John’s story. Depending on how busy I am with Paul and Pat, there may not be a Chronicle next week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] Familysearch. Stamford Town Records. Image 234, page155.

[2] Ancestry. Probate of John Holmes. # 844.

[3] Old Style and New Style Dates. Wikipedia.

[4] Ancestry. Probate of John Holmes. # 845 and 846.

 

[5] Familysearch. Town of Fairfield, Connecticut, Register of Probate Records, Vol 5. Image 706, page 190. Accessed September 13, 2022.

May Flights of Angels Sing Thee to thy Rest

 

Uncle Peg’s Chronicles

September 15, 2022

“May Flights of Angels Sing Thee to thy Rest”

Having some issues with my data, as I purchased access to the cloud for my Family Tree Maker program and well, it's complicated. I need to work on it sometime, but not right now.

In the header photo is my daughter, Julie, representing Nature Conservancy of Canada, with Prince Charles, now King Charles III.

~

I am quite frustrated. I see King Charles III’s wife mentioned as the Queen Consort. In my recent research, I came upon a wife named as the consort of her husband. I looked the word “consort” up in the dictionary – in this case, it means the husband or wife of a ruler; or at another dictionary, a wife or husband, especially of a ruler. As a verb, its meaning is not savory.

I am positive that our Holly cousins were not royalty. I haven’t found that they were unsavory characters, although a couple of them took the side of the British in the battle for independence, with the blessing of their father, Ebenezer Holly. Depending on how you look at it, you might say he consorted with the enemy.

But who was the consort mentioned in our tree? Now I can’t find her.

~

At choir practice, we sang, on the evening of the day of death of Queen Elizabeth, “God Save the King.” This was a first for me and probably most of us. With a group of fine singers, in a small room with good acoustics, it sounded awesome. Most Canadians admired and respected the Queen, although many do not support the monarchy, and in Canada, the reigning monarch is now a figurehead. I found the Facebook scroll interesting and for the most part, positive. I feel sad at her passing. I knew it was not possible, but it really seemed to me that she and my mother would live forever. Mum loved the Queen, and was looking forward to receiving a special card from her for her 100^th birthday, the anniversary of which is coming right up. Instead, they passed seven months apart.

~

It is now Saturday, and I have accomplished very little except to decide that I didn’t have enough evidence that one Marcy Holly married Samuel Lines and bore five children. I deleted them all. There were several Mercy, Marcy, and Mary Hollys, and one died in the year that this particular Marcy was born. She was listed as a daughter of Eliphalet and Mercy (Penoyer) Holmes, so they must have had two Marcys. I had to put them (and all their sources) back in. Silly me. I now begin at Martha Holly and Cary Leeds. They are done so this is a review.

Being September, and being a member of the newly formed Program Committee of our branch of the NB Genealogical Society, I have some work to do for them. Should you care to join us on Saturday, I’ll be one of the ten speakers. Each of us has five minutes. I have a rough draft done but must pull it together and make sure of my time, so I don’t get muted. So far, I have five speakers lined up. Hoping five more will volunteer so I don’t have to twist arms. (Later – we are ten, but I’m waiting for one confirmation.)

I’ve also spent some time scrolling. This morning, I laughed at the queens ten witty remarks post and sniffled a bit at King Charles’ speech about his memories of his Mama and promise for the future. I loved his concluding quote, taken from Hamlet I believe: “May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”

Without further ado, I will take a few minutes to work on Cary and Martha.

~

As promised to Jeff to give him seven articles for News and Notes, on the theme “Where There’s a Will,” I have sent him a copy of my Israel Smith article that I shared with you last week. I am now working on John Holmes, son of Stephen Holmes, and grandson of our immigrant ancestor, Francis Holmes.

Here’s my start – tentative – subject to several revisions. What shows up in red is a note to self.

WHERE THERE’S A WILL

John Holmes

- 1703

“. . . any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind,

and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”[1]

 

“Mariage, John Homes & Marcy Bell was maryed ye 15^th of Jenuary 1701/2.”[2]

Hopefully, after a hearty breakfast at their cozy hearth that July morning, Marcy sent John off with an embrace and he hugged his infant son.  Their sparsely furnished house held few belongings, but there were pots and kettles a’plenty, and enough furnishings that they wanted for little. The young family had no idea of the tragedy that awaited them. Had John had an inkling, he no doubt would have penned his will, but what strong, healthy young man in colonial New England gave much thought to his imminent demise? Weren’t wills for men like his father,[3] and his grandfathers before him? I wondered what would happen to someone who died intestate [without a will] in the early eighteenth century.

Like John and Marcy’s fathers and grandfathers, John did his share in caring for the meeting house. Long had the congregation desired a new, bigger building for their Stamford meeting house. The time was nigh to raise the heavy bell into the belfry, and he volunteered his services. Perhaps he was to be paid; that I do not know.

 The story is told by Rev. Huntington, in his History of Stamford. Pages 125, 126.

The way was now clear for a new house, and without needless delay, it was doubtless completed. It must have been a great improvement upon the old one, in size at least, if not in architectural proportions . . . For more than half a century it was the only house of worship in the town. In it, six ministers . . . none of them unworthy the sacred trust, made proof of their fitness for their work. About two generations of the entire town, and four of the congregation of the first church of Christ in Stamford, here received their spiritual training, and from its training went to their final account.                               

It must have been in this meeting house that the first bell in Stamford was hung. There is no record, I think, of this transaction now existing, but tradition is very distinct as to an accident which occurred at the hanging of the bell. It hung over the center of the house and had to be raised up through the building. Just as it had reached the frame which was to support it, the rope which held it gave way and the bell fell to the floor, killing instantly Mr. John Holmes . . .[4]

John Holmes was born, according to Ancestry trees but with no sources, c. 1675. The time seems about right. As his father, Stephen Holmes, lived and died in Stamford, Connecticut, it is probable that John was also born and lived his entire short life in Stamford. His wife, Marcy, also known as Mercy, was born in Stamford on November 5, 1675, as recorded in the Stamford Town Records. So was his son, Jonathan, renamed John after his father’s demise. Footnote Huntington.

Now I’m doing the grunt work – transcribing old documents.

One of the items in John Holmes’ inventory was a porringer. I had to look it up. See it on the left.

Antique Early New England American Colonial Primitive Pewter Porringer Bowl Dish. Cost on ebay - $195.

Here’s a link to a history of porringers. https://www.acsilver.co.uk/shop/pc/History-of-the-Silver-Porringer-d124.htm

~

And now, for my final piece . . . my mini-presentation for our Saturday genealogy society meeting. It’s to take no longer than five minutes, a zoom presentation. There will be ten speakers. I am delighted with the response; one I’m wait on for confirmation.

LEARNING TO READ ALL OVER AGAIN

I.        During the pandemic, I decided to go for my dream to do a descendant chart from my immigrant ancestor, Francis Holmes, down to us. Francis was born in England, about 1600, and died in Connecticut about 1675. He wrote his will in 1671; the probate was dated 1675.The youngest that I know of is a baby named Charlie, who was born in August. There are 393 descendants in my program so far, which by default does not number spouses and their offspring who have no children.

II.      The descendant chart is the skeleton of my project that I call, “A Colossal Collection of Cousins.” It’s a tongue-twister taken from a letter written by a late cousin, in which he stated to his recipient, “You and I have a colossal collection of cousins.” I divided it into counties and eras. The completed introduction is called “Yorkshire,” as in England, and is 18 pages. It has been distributed to my family. They are welcome to print it if they wish.

I am now working on “Fairfield,” as in Connecticut. It is many rough draft pages, some organized and some an information dump, and covers the 1630s to the 1770s, ending with the American Revolution. My direct line were Loyalists, although most in collateral lines were not. I cannot possibly write stories for everyone – I choose those individuals for whom I find interesting stories to share.

Still to come are “Westchester”, as in New York; “Cumberland,” as in Nova Scotia; “Westmorland,” as in New Brunswick; “Jefferson,” as in New York; “Cattaraugus,” as in New York, and, because I cannot pin us down to a specific location any more, “All Over the World.” I took that last title from an eight-year-old boy, Nathan, who attended our 2016 Holmes family gathering and sent me a hand-written thank you card afterwards. He wrote: “Thank you for making the reunion so we can have family all over the world.”

III.      In the process of doing this genealogy and project, I found old colonial wills, testaments, inventories, and distributions that were on line but not transcribed. For some, there are abstracts, but those are just there to tease me. Actually, they are a great help; you just need to be careful with them. I undertook the self-study of paleography, the study of old handwriting, which, for me, goes back to the 1600s.

It has been a rewarding work in progress and learning curve. I love doing it – I must be a sucker for punishment. Old handwriting is so different than the cursive we know and the current use of printing rather than writing. The journals contain ink blots and tears galore.

IV.      These three things make up my project. I wrote about the wills and testaments and how I learned to read and transcribe these old legal documents in the 2022 Spring and Summer issues of Generations. I have promised Jeff seven articles for News and Notes called “Where There’s a Will.” It’s based on a play on words of the cliché, “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” I’ll choose seven examples, some for their typicalness and some for their uniqueness. Watch for the first one in October.

I might need to live until I am 157 in order to finish my project. That is the reason for doing the genealogy as I go – in case someone who comes after me must complete my work.

---

[1] Donne, John. Meditation XVII. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/23772/23772-h/23772-h.htm

[2] Familysearch. Stamford Town Records. Image 234, page 155.

[3] Note: His father, Stephen Holmes, wrote his will on September 6, 1707, at the approximate age of 75.

[4] Huntington, Rev. E B. History of Stamford . . . . Pages 125, 126.

Where There's a Will

 

Uncle Peg’s Chronicles

September 8, 2022

“Where There’s a Will”

Number of pages in Outline Descendant Report: 119 (up from 118 last chronicle)

Number of pages in basic Descendant Report: 174 (up from 171 last chronicle) 

Francis Holmes is # 1. I am now # 281.

Matthew Williams, Jane William’s grandson, is last at # 393, and his son is # ii.

This should change weekly, if I’m doing my job.

If I made a Descendant Chart today, it would take 336 pages of 11 x 8.5” pages of paper

and I don’t know how many rolls of scotch tape.

 

 I read this quote this week and it gave me pause.

 

“But who? When? Why? Whence? Wither? Was it some fisherman? Was it an explorer? Was it, perchance, the man who called Cape Split Capo Fendu and thus gave rise to that mysterious name of the Bay of Fundy?” “Blomidon Rose” by Esther Clark Wright.

That’s a different take (to me, anyway) on the 5 Ws.

From whence is this photo?  I took this photo on the edge of the Bay of Fundy in 2018.

 

Alma, on the Bay of Fundy.

 

On Friday, I took my dear friend, Rossanne, on a driving tour of my haunts – Portage Vale, Petitcodiac, Cornhill and Hill Grove. We couldn’t have asked for a better day – nice, crisp, breezy, and sunny. She is obviously not a country girl, not even a part-time country girl like me. She doesn’t share my love of cemeteries, so we went directly to the stones of our ancestors. She worried about ticks, so I didn’t dilly-dally when we got out of the car and into the grass. Before we stopped at the Cedar Café for lunch, I took her to the Cornhill Farmhouse. This is a 19th century salt-box style farmhouse. It’s rough, but safe and cozy. Heather, the owner, sells by consignment all manner of crafts and baked goods from people of the area or somewhere in New Brunswick.

Rossanne purchased a pair of earrings and some baked goods. I purchased Plum ­­­­Chutney and brown bread so fresh and warm that it could not be packaged in a plastic bag.

We dined al fresco, which she didn’t appreciate as much as I’d hoped. She didn’t care for the soup she ordered (but did enjoy the sandwich) and hornets were attracted to her, moreso than to me. We headed down to “the farm,” and as we climbed into the car she said, “smell that.” It was my raisin brown bread. What smells take you back? I have to say, it tastes as good as it smells. I haven’t opened the chutney yet.

I wanted to check out our two-tree orchard. Rossanne started out with me, but the grass is in need of a mow and she soon returned to the car. Nary an apple – not one. This worries me somewhat. The August apples are not endangered, but not even Bob from the Cornhill Nursery knew about the Peters. However, if memory serves me, I think the Peters are a biennial producer, and the tree was well-laden last year. Did Mum tell me that? I hope so, and Pat thinks so. When I returned, Rossanne had her nose in my book about Uncle Billy and Aunt Maggie. Being a musician, I thought she’d enjoy it as she knows my violin, and here was the story of Uncle Billy’s fiddle. She borrowed it.

No photos of our adventure, but here’s a photo of our orchard in 2020 – nary an apple. I look forward to a Peters apple crisp next fall. Tree on the right is the Peters tree.

~

I wanted something for this month’s News and Notes, the newsletter of my genealogy group. I know I’m late, and I don’t know if it will get there in time for the September issue. I wrote it based on my last week’s chronicle. I have been trying to think of a theme for this year’s eight articles, and I chose this:

“Where There’s a Will.”

It will be based on odd or helpful things I’ve found in old wills. They are so descriptive, some of them. Next month, maybe I’ll choose John Bell who was killed by the church bell. Or, the short, sad, hastily written wills of Thomas Stevens and the ancestor of many of us, Simon Hoyt, who probably died in an epidemic of sorts. I’ll have to be on the watch for five four more. Oops, too late for the September issue.

It's out for editing now. Here’s an update. Sometimes what I say is clear as Petitcodiac River mud. Thanks to Jeanni for reading and sharing your thoughts and pointing out my faux pas. It looks much different than it did.

I think it is polished enough, but if you see something amiss, let me know. You get a preview. Here it is, ready to submit to the editor of News and Notes.

 

WHERE THERE’S A WILL

Israel Smith

1733 - 1774

The names Smith and Holmes are thick on the ground. [This means they were plentiful.] They appear in my family tree, not as direct ancestors but in a collateral line – many times grand-uncles and aunts. In this first of a series, I will introduce you to Israel Smith and his two wives. My aim was to prove that I had found the correct second wife for Israel Smith. The proof was not in obvious bold print, but tucked into a Distribution Agreement and an old will.

I am working on creating a five-generation descendant chart for my immigrant ancestor, Francis Holmes (c. 1600 – c. 1675). He came to the American colonies from England c. 1635, and settled in Connecticut some time before 1648. Israel Smith entered the fifth generation of the Holmes family when he married Abigail Holly in 1757.

·         Abigail Holly – Elisha Holly and Rebecca Bishop – Elisha Holly and Martha Holmes – Stephen Holmes and Martha MNU (maiden name unknown) – Francis Holmes and unknown wife.

Abigail Holly (1736 – 1758) was born and died in Stamford, Fairfield County, Connecticut; she married Israel Smith of Stamford. She gave birth to their daughter, Abigail, in Stamford in 1758, and died there shortly thereafter.

Israel Smith (1733 – 1774) was born in Stamford to Ezra Smith and Mary Weed. At the approximate age of twenty-five, he was a widower with an infant to raise, a common enough issue in that era. In 1762, he married, in Stamford, Deborah Holmes. I am always on the lookout for Holmes family members in Connecticut, especially in the pre-Revolutionary war era. This Deborah was in the lineage of our immigrant ancestor, Francis Holmes, through his son, Stephen Holmes.

·         Deborah Holmes – John Holmes and Rebecca Bell – John Holmes and Mercy Bell – Stephen Holmes and Martha MNU – Francis Holmes and unknown wife.

Deborah Holmes was one of six children and heirs mentioned in a Distribution Agreement of the Estate of John Holmes of Stamford, dated 1785.

“. . . & Deborah Smith of Poundridge in West-Chester County & State of New York . . . the said John Mercy Deborah Rebecca Martha & Hannah, all being children & Heirs of Mr. John Holmes late of Stamford dec^d . . .”[1]

I generally start with Ancestry and branch out from there in my research.  I was particularly interested in any Israel Smiths of Connecticut, and I found several. Times were changing, however, and I must keep an open mind. Perhaps, like many individuals of that time and place, they ended up in another location. I found birth and marriage records in Connecticut Town Records (Barbour Collection) for Israel and Abigail, and a marriage record for Deborah. Although those are generally accurately transcribed in index format, there are so many individuals with the same name that we must be careful. At Find A Grave, I found five Israel Smiths who died in Connecticut. Of interest to me at first was an eighty-four-year-old Israel Smith who died in Hartford County, husband of Sarah. Did our Israel marry a third time? His dates were 1715 to 1799, so I didn’t think so, but I did a brief follow-up before setting him aside.

In Ancestry hints, I located a Last Will and Testament of an Israel Smith who died in Pound Ridge, Westchester County, New York. The will intrigued me. I knew that we had descendants who removed to Westchester County, so he looked promising. He left a wife, Deborah. Was she the same Deborah as the daughter of John Holmes? Her parents were not mentioned in Israel’s will, of course; only eight children. Not finding much information on any of his children, I still could not definitely tie these individuals together, although I was at the point of believing I had found my connection. I needed to prove it.

Near the end of the will: “. . . I make ordain my Loving Wife Deborah Smith and my loving Brother Ebenezer Lockwood Esq. to be my lawfull Executors of this my last Will and Testament . . .”[2]

I now knew from John Holmes’ will that he had a daughter, Deborah. But, why did Smith have a brother named Lockwood? Could I connect Ebenezer Lockwood to the Smith family? If so, I felt I could clinch my case.

I recalled reading that often, in the colonial era, people didn’t use the “in-law” term. Those who married in were often just referred to as family members. Perhaps Israel had a sister who married a Lockwood?

Indeed, he did. Israel’s parents, Ezra and Mary Smith, had a daughter, Hannah, born in Stamford in 1742. She married Major Ebenezer Lockwood, born at Stamford, in 1737. He died at Pound Ridge, New York, in 1821. The source I used, “North America, Family Histories, 1500 – 2000,” states that Ebenezer Lockwood, who was born in Stamford and died at Poundridge, married Hannah Smith of Stamford on February 16, 1761. She died in 1787 at age 45. This compares to the Stamford Town Records (Barbour Collection) date of birth for Hannah. Some Stamford records, such as town and probate, have been faithfully transcribed. They are not as readily available for Westchester County.

Dates, places, and families of all individuals line up to convince me that Israel Smith married both Abigail Holly and Deborah Holmes, who are in my collateral lines. I am confident that these three individuals are paper proven to belong in my Francis Holmes Family Tree.

·         Israel Smith, son of Ezra and Mary Smith and husband of Abigail Holly and Deborah Holmes, was born and married twice in Stamford, CT. He died in Pound Ridge, NY.

·         Abigail Holly, daughter of Elisha and Rebecca Holly and first wife of Israel Smith, was born, married, and died in Stamford, CT.

·         Deborah Holmes, daughter of John and Rebecca Holmes and second wife of Israel Smith, was married in Stamford, CT, and was a resident of Pound Ridge, NY, at the time of her husband’s death, as well as her father’s. Her date and place of death is unknown to me.

·         Hannah Smith, daughter of Ezra and Mary Smith, sister of Israel Smith, and wife of Ebenezer Lockwood, was born in Stamford, CT. Although I have the date of her marriage, I do not have the place. She died in Pound Ridge, NY.

·         Ebenezer Lockwood, son of Joseph and Sarah Lockwood and husband of Hannah Smith, was born in Stamford, CT, place of marriage unknown to me, and died in Pound Ridge, CT.

All sources I used for this article can be found at Ancestry. I used Israel Smith’s Last Will and Testament; John Holmes’ Distribution Agreement; Stamford Town Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection); Connecticut, US, Church Record Abstracts, 1630 – 1920; Find A Grave; “North America, Family Histories, 1500 – 2000;” Tombstone Records of eighteen cemeteries in Poundridge, Westchester County, N.Y.”; and “Connecticut, U.S., Hale collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629 – 1934.”

~

I spent the rest of my research week working on the genealogy. The family of the week was Eliphalet Holly and Rebecca Bishop: their children and grandchildren. I am getting there, slowly but surely. I found a Loyalist in the Stephen Holmes line – our many generations ago cousin, Ebenezer Holly. There aren’t many; most of the Loyalists were in our ancestral John Holmes line.

Eliphalet Holly – Elisha Holly and Martha Holmes – Stephen Holmes and Martha MNU – Francis Holmes, our immigrant ancestor.

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[1] Ancesry.com. “Distribution (an Agreement), Est. John Holmes, Stamford – 1785. https://www.ancestry.ca/imageviewer/collections/9049/images/007627982_01294?pId=1582128

[2]Ancestry.com. “Last Will and Testament of Israel Smith.” https://www.ancestry.ca/imageviewer/collections/8800/images/005512806_00071?pId=4698787