Non-Genealogy: Exotic Meats

Ever since I was in 9th Grade, I've been an aficionado of the niche hobby of trying rare and unusual meats, or just "exotic meats" to many. I grew up in a household where this hobby wasn't exactly encouraged, but not really condemned either. My maternal grandfather, for example, once consumed turtle soup and as a former duck farmer, has quite a bit of experience with poultry, but he isn't a fan of consuming ostrich, for example. So, where does one go about embracing this hobby? 

One of the best places to obtain rare and unusual meat is Anshu Pathak's Exotic Meat Market. His market has glowing reviews among many foodies, and is a great place to obtain many different types of meat, in different cuts and flavor. 

To learn about the hobby and explore what it is like, I highly recommend the blog "Cannundrums", written by Bob Cannon. I have found that Cannon is a great source of information on niche foods, and his library of articles spans from grilled Alligator to grilled Zebra ribeye. If you're interested in the hobby, but don't want to jump right in immediately, looking at some of his articles might help you decide whether this is the hobby for you. 

Meats I've Tried: 

• Venison- I bought some Venison at Earl's Meats, a local butcher shop, a few years ago, although I don't remember the taste too well. I consumed some Venison Jerky from Meijer recently too, although it wasn't great. 
• Goat- Same as Venison, I bought some at Earl's Meats but don't remember the taste. 
• Mutton- Same as Venison and Goat. 
• Duck- I've ordered Crispy Duck a couple of times at China Inn, a local Chinese American restaurant. When eaten at the restaurant, it has been one of my all time favorite dishes. I have found Duck to be very meaty and oily, which is a delicious taste. My mother consumed duck when she was a child and also found that it was very greasy, although unlike me that's not something she likes. I recently ordered the dish on DoorDash and it was a disappointment. I guess it's better at the restaurant. 
• Bison- One of my mother's friends once gave us a large amount of Bison, leftover from a hunting trip of her husbands. I remember that it was very good. 
• Frog Legs- I once bought some frog legs and my aunt grilled them on a summer holiday. I did not enjoy the taste. 
• Quail- I don't remember eating too much of it when I had gotten it, but it wasn't very good. Very small. I will soon be preparing quail again. 
• Rabbit- My family's pastor, who grew up in the Deep South, cooked some rabbit for us that I had bought at Earl's Meats. I did not like the preparation, although I look forward to eventually trying Rabbit again, in a different cut. I bought some Newport Rabbit Jerky and tried that too- it was ok, but not great. The smell was atrocious, but the taste was sweeter because of the sauce. 
• Ostrich- I recently consumed a pair of Ostrich steaks that I had bought from Fossil Farms. I found them to be very good, although their taste reminded me of turkey liver. 
• Hammerhead Shark- My mother bought me a bag of Hammerhead Shark jerky for either Christmas or my Birthday 2019. It wasn't very good, but I think it was the preparation. I'm not a huge jerky guy, when it's coated in sauces. 
• Veal- Like several other meats on this list, I had bought some Veal at Earl's Meat's a few years ago. I don't remember it too well, but I believe I liked it. 
• Turkey Liver- I've had turkey liver at a couple of Thanksgiving dinners, that we have obtained from the van Kampen family. It is usually pretty good, although it has a very strong flavor and has a metallic taste to it, probably from blood. 
• Chicken Liver- I've had chicken liver a couple of times, prepared with onions by the local pastor. It was very good, better then turkey liver. 
• Alligator- I've had alligator jerky a couple of times, that my paternal grandmother has brought me from Florida. It was good, but all jerky usually is, when prepared that way. I am looking forward to eventually trying alligator meat in different preparations. 
• Wild Boar- I had a couple Wild Boar burgers, and they had a very unique taste. It's not a great one though- they are ok, but very different and I don't think I'd order burgers again. Maybe a Wild Boar steak is down the road, though. 
• Reindeer- I tried some Reindeer Jerky mixed with Beef recently. It was absolutely awful and I ended up throwing most of it away. It was the most atrocious Jerky I'd ever had. The taste, smell, everything- terrible. I am interested in trying Reindeer again one day, but as steak or back strap or something real. 
• Camel- I have tried Camel Jerky, and Camel Milk Chocolate. I remember the chocolate was alright. 
• Python- I recently tried Python Jerky- it is very tough. 
• Pork- I frequently eat pepperoni on pizza and sausages, but recently I consumed a pork tenderloin. It was good and moist, but there wasn't too much flavor to it. Christmas ham is also an excellent dish. 
• Swordfish- I tried Swordfish Jerky recently. It was very fishy, both in smell and texture. 
• Kangaroo- 

I have multiple exotic meats currently shipping to me, specifically: Alligator, Bison, Camel, Elk, Emu, Guinea Hen, Nilgai antelope, Pheasant, Squab, Venison, and Yak. I have currently some roast Eel, Quail eggs, and imitation Crab, that will be tried at a later date. Some of the meats shipping to me, I have already tried, but these are different cuts- for example, a Bison Sirloin Steak instead of burgers. I have also recently received some ground Venison from my mother's pastor, and that will be tried as well. 

A lot of people object to this hobby on either moral or personal grounds. Personally, I find most objections to be quite baseless. What exactly is the difference between a cow and a kangaroo, other then what we personally find to be a cute animal? Both of them can be consumed, in very flavorful and healthy preparations. As a committed Socialist, I of course support increased animal welfare measures. I do not support the torture or mistreatment of animals, and support many measures to reduce suffering, such as minimum amounts of space for animals, abolishing factory farming, ending fur farming, and banning live export of animals for slaughter. That is part of the reason why I support increased consumption of exotic meats. If I shoot a black bear or a bobcat while hunting and harvest it for its meat and fur, that is definitely more humane then eating beef that has been slaughtered on an enormous industrial farm. 

External Links: 

• http://cannundrum.blogspot.com/    Cannundrums 
• https://www.exoticmeatmarkets.com/     Exotic Meat Market 
• https://www.fossilfarms.com/    Fossil Farms 

The Seize Quartiers of my Maternal Grandmother

1. Albert Verhoef (1832-1910) of Doornspijk, Netherlands and Holland, Michigan. Descendant of various Gelderland families. 

2. Lubbertje Veldhoen (1833-circa 1875) of Doornspijk, Netherlands and Holland, Michigan. Descendant of various Gelderland families. 

3. Marten Karsten (1821-before 1900) of Doornspijk, Netherlands and Holland, Michigan. Descendant of various Gelderland families. 

4. Jannetje Veldhoen (1820-1901) of Doornspijk, Netherlands and Holland, Michigan. Sister of number 2, so also a descendant of various families of Gelderland. 

5. Jan Harmsen* (1811-1887) of Lage, Germany. Roots lie in the Bentheim, but ancestry largely untraced. 

6. Geerdjen Biester* (1818-1891) of Halle, Germany. Descendant of various Bentheim families. 

7. Gerrit Jan Vos* (1835-unknown) of Höcklenkamp, Germany. Roots lie in the Bentheim, but ancestry largely untraced. 

8. Zwenne Hülshuis* (1832-1859) of Grafschaft Bentheim, Germany. Roots lie in the Bentheim, but ancestry largely untraced past her grandparents. 

9. Abraham Wise (1822-1896) of Leesport, Pennsylvania. Ancestry largely unknown past his parents, but it's very likely his ancestors were among the Pennsylvania Dutch. 

10. Clara Harter (circa 1824-1854) of Alsace, Pennsylvania. Origins are unknown, but it's very likely she was of German descent. 

11. James C. Saxton (1809-after 1860) of New York and Jefferson, Michigan. Grandson of Jasper Saxton, Revolutionary War Patriot of the Saratoga Campaign, and descendant of various Massachusetts and Connecticut families from the Puritan Great Migration. 

12. Roxany Moon (1818-1903) of New York and Holland, Michigan. Ancestry largely unknown past her parents, but it is likely her ancestors had been in New England since the Puritan Great Migration. 

13. Reiner Harkema (1850-1943) of Holland, Michigan and Zillah, Washington. Descendant of various Groningen families. 

14. Jansje Stephan (1855-1890) of Harderwijk, Netherlands and Holland, Michigan. Descendant of a host of Gelderland families, with some possible ancestors from Echzell, Germany. 

15. Jan Hendrik Grote (1835-1915) of Grafschaft Bentheim, Germany and Fillmore, Michigan. Roots lie in the Bentheim, but ancestry largely untraced past his parents. 

16. Geertje Laarman (1845-1922) of Grafschaft Bentheim, Germany and Fillmore, Michigan. Roots lie in the Bentheim, but ancestry largely untraced past her parents. 

The Seize Quartiers of my Maternal Grandfather

1. Gerrit ter Vree (1798-after 1850) of Almelo and Zwolle, Netherlands and Holland, Michigan. Descendant of a host of Almelo families. 

2. Gesiena Kamferbeek (1796-after 1960) of Zwolle, Netherlands and Holland, Michigan. Daughter of Zwolle residents whose ancestry hasn't been traced further. 

3. Frederik Jan van Lente (1801-1874) of Zwolle, Netherlands and Holland, Michigan. Descendant of the van Lente family which supposedly entered Zwolle in 1734, when Rutger van Lente paid the city 35 guilders. 

4. Maria Horning (1798-1869) of Zwolle, Netherlands and Holland, Michigan. Daughter of a Hessian-born Catholic musician who deserted the Dutch Army, and a thrice-married Zwolle native, great-granddaughter of the sailor Carel Lavia, employed by the Dutch East India Company. 

5. Frens Roelofs Strik (1807-1849) of Smilde, Netherlands. Father born in Staphorst, Overijssel, and earliest trace of his ancestors in the Staphorst Municipality was in the 1670s. Paternal grandmother born in Hilversum, Noord-Holland, ancestry untraced beyond parents due to the loss of the town DTB registers. Mother born in Westerbork, Drenthe, to farming parents, whose ancestry has not been traced. 

6. Rensje Jacobs de Vries (1800-1849) of Smilde, Netherlands. Origins lie in Drenthe, but ancestry largely untraced. 

7. Tede Ulberg (1804-1890) of Friesland, Netherlands and Jamestown, Michigan. Origins lie in Friesland, but ancestry largely untraced. 

8. Akke Piebes Posthumus (1815-1901) of Friesland, Netherlands and Jamestown, Michigan. Descendant of a host of Frisian families. 

9. Quirinus Huyser (1790-1864) of Zoetermeer, Netherlands. Descendant of a Zuid-Holland family supposedly descended from the Huguenots. 

10. Adriana Noteboom (1789-1823) of Pijnacker and Zoetermeer, Netherlands. Descendant of various Zuid-Holland families through her father, although her origins lie in Noord-Brabant on her mother's side. 

11. Dirk Kok (1813-1888) of Hoogwoud, Netherlands and Zeeland, Michigan. Origins lie in Noord-Holland, but ancestry largely untraced. 

12. Grietje de Vries (1811-1881) of Wervershoof, Netherlands and Zeeland, Michigan. Descendant of various Noord-Holland families. 

13. Hendrik Otte (1816-1874) of Zaandam, Netherlands and Chicago, Illinois. Origins lie in Noord-Holland, but ancestry largely untraced past his grandparents. 

14. Neeltje Smits (1808-1888) of Zaandam, Netherlands and Chicago, Illinois. Origins lie in Noord-Holland, but ancestry largely untraced past her grandparents. 

15. Jan François Joseph Fredrik Goossen (1817-unknown, probably circa 1891) of Goes, Netherlands and Chicago, Illinois. While his father had deep roots in Zeeland, his mother was a Roman Catholic from Brussels, and descended from various Flemish families. 

16. Ariaantje Scheele (1817-1854) of Terneuzen, Netherlands. Descendant of various Zeeland families. 

The Seize Quartiers of my Paternal Grandmother

1. Joseph Franklin Winn Sr. C.S.A (circa 1834-circa 1877) of Laurens, South Carolina, and Pulaski, Georgia. Descendant of the Fuller and Avent families of North Carolina and Virginia. 

2. Frances Emily Hart (1834-circa 1875) of Pulaski, Georgia. Descendant of the DeShazo family of France that immigrated to Virginia, as well as the probably Scottish Collum family. 

3. Noah Gideon Pittman C.S.A (1847-1926) of Tattnall and Toombs, Georgia. Descendant of the Reverend Hawte Wyatt of Jamestowne, a documented gateway ancestor, as well as various other North Carolina families. 

4. Elizabeth Partin (1843-1911) of Tattnall and Toombs, Georgia. Of mostly unknown heritage, but her ancestors seem to have been settlers of Tattnall from North Carolina. 

5. James F. Benton C.S.A (1822-1907) of Colleton, South Carolina, and Tattnall, Georgia. Origins unknown. 

6. Caroline E. Bowen (circa 1845-1915) of Tattnall, Georgia. Descendant of the Bowen family of Rehoboth, Massachusetts and Cohansey, New Jersey. 

7. John W. Eason (circa 1847-1902) of Tattnall and Toombs, Georgia. Grandson of the Reverend William Eason, the "Father of Methodism" in Tattnall County and great-grandson of Michael McKenzie Mattox (prominent early Tattnall settler). Also descended from John MacKinzie of Anne Arundel, Maryland. 

8. Sarah Strickland (circa 1845-1922) of Tattnall, Georgia. Descendant of the Strickland and Braswell families of Isle of Wight, Virginia and North Carolina. 

9-12 are unknown

13. William James Humphreys C.S.A (1837-1907) of Fayette and Haywood, Tennessee, Holly Springs, Mississippi, and Navarro, Texas. Origins unknown. 

14. Tennessee Martha Smith (1840-1923) of Fayette and Haywood, Tennessee, Holly Springs, Mississippi, Navarro, Texas, and Gracemont, Oklahoma. Origins largely unknown. 

15. Thomas Jefferson Freels (1846-1919) of Hardeman and Haywood, Tennessee, and Tippah, Mississippi. Origins largely unknown, but probably a descendant of the Friels family of Ulster Scots origin. 

16. Lumarah Anne Crump (1846-1922) of Tippah, Mississippi and Haywood, Tennessee. Descendant of Ancient Planter Alexander Mountney and various other Virginia/North Carolina/Maryland families. 

The Seize Quartiers of my Paternal Grandfather

1. Jacob Sadler (1794-after 1870), of Frederick, Maryland, Pulaski, Virginia, and Rock, West Virginia. Grandson of Michael Sadler (circa 1741-1831), who came to the Province of Pennsylvania in 1751 with his family from Germany. 

2. Mary Crowell (circa 1800-?), of Pulaski, Virginia. Descendant of the Grauel and Fulmann families of Heuchelheim bei Frankenthal, Germany, who immigrated to the Colony of Pennsylvania in 1736. 

3. Achilles White, of Virginia. Origins and life mostly unknown. 

4. Elizabeth, of Virginia. Origins and life mostly unknown, but maiden name possibly Mawles. 

5. Elkanah Champ (circa 1821-after 1880), of Tazewell, Virginia. Origins unknown. 

6. Nancy B. Carter (circa 1827-after 1880), of Tazewell, Virginia. Origins unknown. 

7. John Gilman (circa 1810-after 1880), of Wythe, Virignia. Descendant of the Krieger family of Germany, that migrated to Pennsylvania, Maryland, and eventually Wythe County (among its original settlers). 

8. Susan Corvin (circa 1818-after 1880), of Wythe, Virginia. Origins unknown. 

9. Nicholas Morris (circa 1823-1895) of Nelson, Virginia. Maternal grandson of Richard Lee and Anna Dodd, his earliest known ancestors. 

10. Martha Ann Wood (circa 1825-after 1880), of Nelson, Virginia. Origins unknown. 

11. Bartholomew Kidd Bragg C.S.A. (1814-1889), of Louisa, Albemarle, Augusta, and Nelson, Virginia. Origins mostly unknown, but probably a descendant of Thomas Bragg, an early Virginia colonist. 

12. Martha A. Tyler (circa 1822-after 1860), of Louisa, Albemarle, and Augusta, Virginia. Possibly a descendant of John Punch, widely regarded as the first Slave in the USA. 

13-16 are unknown. 

Indentured Servants in my Ancestry

According to Nathan Murphy MA, AG, of FamilySearch International, "The gateway to Europe are the indentured servants". In Colonial America, indentured servants were those who agreed to act as servants, without pay, to an owner for a set period of time. The indentured servant often entered to receive a specific benefit, for example, free passage to America, or to meet legal obligations. Once their contract was complete, they received their freedom, and occasionally some land. 

The institution of indentured servitude was brutal- many servants died before their contracts expire. The practice is outlawed by the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as a form of Slavery. 

The practice, however, was very common in the British Colonies of North America. Between one-half and two-thirds of all Europeans who came to the Colonies between the 1630s and the American Revolutionary War, were indentured servants. Because of this, many Americans with Colonial ancestry can trace at least a couple of lines back to indentured servants. So far, I have found three, two in the South and one in New England: 

• John Blandford, Massachusetts- Came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638 on the "Confidence", as a 27 year old servant of Walter Hayne. Hayne was a linen weaver of Sutton Mansfield, county Wiltshire, and that is probably where the English roots of Blandford are. The details of his life as a servant are unknown, but he ended up settling in Sudbury, Massachusetts where he lived out his life until his death in 1687. 
• Alexander Mountney, Virginia- Came to the Colony of Virginia in 1610 on the "Mary James", as a servant, around the age of 19, “at company charges”, on the company lands of the Virginia Company. Servants on the company lands were the lowest social class in old Virginia, and their mortality rate was the highest of any group. Eventually however, he earned the title of Ancient Planter, and received 100 acres of land. On the strength of his character, he built his life, and rose from a mere servant to a prominent citizen of Accomack/Northampton County, Virginia. He served on the vestry, was referred to as Mr., and was Keeper of the Community Store. 
• Richard Tydings, Maryland- Although his origins are obscure, it is clear that he was an indentured servant, as on June 20, 1659, he claimed 50 acres from William Blay on completion of his indentured service in Maryland. It is possible that Tydings was contracted with Blay back in England, but his roots are unknown. While he didn't become as prominent as Mountney did, he certainly raised his social status- he served on the jury in Anne Arundel County and witnessed wills. 

I also have a couple of ancestors who owned indentured servants: 

• Thomas Brigham- In his estate inventory, the Puritan of Cambridge is listed as owning a "Daniel Mykene" as an asset of the estate worth £15. He is also listed as owning a female indentured servant. 

Other ancestors, such as Andrew Warner, are referred to as having servants in their biographies, but there is very little information. This is to be differentiated between my many ancestors who owned african slaves. A few others, such as Thomas Welles of Evesham, Worcestershire, apparently had servants who helped them. And of course, my many Royal and Noble ancestors also had servants. 

A source for some of my information: 

https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/ancestor-colonial-america-indentured-servant/   My Ancestor Came to Colonial America as an Indentured Servant

My Descent from the Royal House of Plantagenet

1. Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou and Empress Matilda had:

2. Henry II, King of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine had:

3. John, King of England and Isabella of Angoulême had:

4. Henry III, King of England and Eleanor of Provence had:

5. Edward I, King of England and Eleanor of Castile had:

6. Joan of Acre, Countess of Hertford and Gloucester and Ralph de Monthermer, 1st Baron Monthermer had: 

7. Thomas de Monthermer, 2nd Baron Monthermer and Margaret de Brewes had: 

8. Margaret de Monthermer, 3rd Baroness Monthermer and John de Montacute, 1st Baron Montagu had: 

9. John Montagu, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, K.G., favorite of King Richard II, and Maud Francis, Countess of Salisbury had: 

10. Lady Anne Montacute and Sir Lewis Johan had: 

11. Elizabeth FitzLewis and Sir John Wingfield had:

12. Elizabeth Wingfield and Francis Hall had: 

13. Francis Hall, Esq. of Grantham, Lincolnshire, and Ursula Sherington had: 

14. Jane Hall and Henry Skipwith, MP for Leicester 1584 and 1586 had: 

15. Sir William Skipwith and Margaret Cave had: 

16. Sir Henry Skipwith, 1st Baronet Skipwith of Prestwould, Cavalier, and Amy Kempe had: 

17. Diana Skipwith and Major Edward Dale, Cavalier, Gentleman of Lancaster County, Virginia had: 

18. Katherine Dale and Captain Thomas Carter of Barford had: 

19. James Carter and Mary Brent had: 

20. Catherine Carter and William Davis had: 

21. Elizabeth Davis and James Carter of Tazewell County, Virginia had: 

22. Nancy B. Carter and Elkanah Champ, Confederate Veteran had: 

23. James Henry Champ and Cosby Crockett Gilman had: 

24. Virginia B. Champ and Wiley Winton Sadler had: 

25. Luther Allen Saddler Sr. and Mary Roberta Morris had: 

26. Luther Allen Saddler Jr. and LIVING had: 

27. Brian Keith Winn and LIVING had: 

28. Me! 

Updated May 28, 2024, to reflect my discovery of a much stronger link to a gateway ancestor

That nirvana of genealogical research, demonstrated descent from a royal family- Steve Olson 

My Descent from Alexander Mountney of Elizabeth City and Northampton, Virginia

1. Alexander Mountney, of Elizabeth City and Northampton, Virginia; baptized 1591 in Shipdham, England; came to the Colony of Virginia in 1610 as an indentured servant; Yeoman and Ancient Planter; Vestryman; frequently appeared in court; and Keeper of the Community Store at King's Creek; married Hannah, daughter of Richard Boyle, stationer, of Blackfriars, England; and they had: 

2. Frances Mountney, married William Crump, of Lancaster, Virginia, and Talbot, Maryland; frequently cast in an unfavorable light in the colonial records, and they had: 

3. Robert Crump I, of Queen Anne's, Maryland; married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Tydings, Planter of Anne Arundel, Maryland; and they had: 

4. Robert Crump II, of Queen Anne's, Maryland, and Halifax and Pittsylvania, Virginia; married Jane, daughter of Charles Lowder, of Queen Anne's, Maryland; and they had: 

5. Robert Crump III, of Pittsylvania, Virginia, Surry and Stokes, North Carolina, and Franklin, Georgia; rendered Patriotic Service during the American Revolutionary War, furnishing supplies; married Mary, daughter of John Parr Sr., of Halifax, Henry, and Patrick, Virginia; Constable for Halifax; Captain in the Pittsylvania Committee of Safety; swore the Oath of Allegiance in 1777; rendered Patriotic Service during the American Revolutionary War, furnishing supplies; and they had: 

6. John Crump, of Pittsylvania, Virginia, Stokes, North Carolina, and St Clair, Alabama; early settler of St Clair, Alabama; married an unknown woman, possibly a daughter of Thomas Markham, of Stokes, North Carolina; and they had:

7. James D. Crump, of Tippah, Mississippi; farmer; married Melissa, maiden name unknown, who long outlived him and was illiterate and blind by 1910; and they had: 

8. Lumarah Anne Crump, of Tippah, Mississippi, and Haywood, Tennessee; married Thomas Jefferson Freels, of Hardeman and Haywood, Tennessee, and Tippah, Mississippi; farmer; and they had: 

9. Onie Adaline Freels, of Haywood and Dyer, Tennessee, Navarro, Texas, and Abilene, Oklahoma; lived over a grocery store in her later years; married William W. Humphreys, of Fayette and Haywood, Tennessee, and Navarro, Texas; farmer listed as employer in 1910; son of William J. Humphreys, Confederate veteran; and they had: 

10. Cordie Missouri Humphreys, of Navarro and Houston, Texas, Haywood, Tennessee, and Winter Haven, Florida; crippled by polio in childhood; married Frank C. Clemons, orphaned farmer of Haywood, Tennessee; and they had: 

11. Ethel Clemons, of Haywood, Tennessee, Winter Haven, Florida, and Bloomingdale and South Haven, Michigan; married John Washington Winn Jr., of Tattnall County, Georgia, Winter Haven, Florida, and Bloomingdale, Michigan; decorated WWII Veteran who fought at D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, and the liberation of a concentration camp; stereotypical Southerner; and hard worker; and they had: 

12. LIVING had a relationship with Luther Allen Saddler Jr. of Princeton, West Virginia and Kalamazoo, Michigan; WWII Veteran and workaholic of multiple jobs; and they had: 

13. Brian Keith Winn, of Holland, Michigan, Carpet Cleaner, married LIVING and they had: 

14. ME: Hunter Ryan Winn. 

My Descent from Edmund Rice of Sudbury and Marlborough, Massachusetts

1. Edmund Rice, of Stanstead and Berkhamsted, England, and Sudbury and Marlborough, Massachusetts; Churchwarden of St. Peter's Church, Berkhamsted; overseer of the poor; one of the founders of Sudbury, Massachusetts; one of the 13 petititioners for the founding of Marlborough, Massachusetts; Puritan Deacon; Selectman for Sudbury and Marlborough; Judge of Small Causes for Sudbury; Deputy of the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; married Thomasine, daughter of Edward Frost of Stanstead, England; and they had: 

2. Henry Rice, of Sudbury and Framingham, Massachusetts; Freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; one of the 13 petititioners for the founding of Marlborough, Massachusetts; Selectman for Sudbury; original member of the Church at Framingham; married Elizabeth, daughter of John Moore of Sudbury, Massachusetts; and they had: 

3. Mary Rice, of Marlborough, Massachusetts; married Thomas Brigham of Marlborough, Massachusetts; son of Thomas Brigham the Puritan; one of the purchasers of the old plantation Ockoocangansett; and they had: 

4. Jonathan Brigham, of Marlborough; Massachusetts; known as the "Indian Warrior"; Selectman, Tythingman, Constable, and Moderator for Marlborough; married Mary, daughter of John Fay of Marlborough, Massachusetts; and they had: 

5. Keziah Brigham, of Marlborough and New Marlborough, Massachusetts; married Elias Keyes, of Marlborough, Shrewsbury, and New Marlborough, Massachusetts; one of the 16 founders of the Church in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts; and they had: 

6. Martha Keyes, of Shrewsbury and Sheffield, Massachusetts, and East Bloomfield, New York; married Jasper Saxton of Sheffield; Massachusetts; Revolutionary War Patriot in Ashley's Regiment of Militia, fought in the Saratoga Campaign, marched with his company to Kingsbury and the Northward; and they had: 

7. Philander Saxton, of Sheffield, Massachusetts, and East Bloomfield and Cambria, New York; early settler of Bloomfield, New York; Lieutenant and Captain in the Ontario County Militia; married Cynthia Cole; and they had: 

8. James C. Saxton, of New York, and Hillsdale, Michigan; farm laborer in Jefferson, Michigan; married Roxany, daughter of Reuben Moon of Ontario County, New York; who read through the Bible completely as a young girl; and they had: 

9. Lucy Saxton, of Jefferson, Grand Junction, and Holland, Michigan; married John Harter Wise, of Reading, Pennsylvania, and Grand Junction and Holland, Michigan; Private in the American Civil War for various Pennsylvania units, wounded at the Battles of Antietam and Cold Harbor, taken prisoner at the Battle of Chancellorsville, fought at various other battles including the Siege of Petersburg; one of the last three surviving Civil War Veterans of Holland, Michigan; member of the Grand Army of the Republic and honorary member of the United Spanish War Veterans; possibly a Methodist; later pensioner for his Civil War service; and they had: 

10. Fred Edwin Wise Sr., of Holland, Michigan; electrician for the Holland Board of Public Works and lineman for the Citizens Telephone Co.; electrocuted above the city power lines; married Jeanette, daughter of William Reiner Harkema, furniture worker and divorcee of Holland, Michigan; and they had: 

11. Gertrude Alyce Wise, of Holland, Michigan; graduate of Holland High School and Holland Business School; bookkeeper for Holland Furnace Company; employee of Fafnir Bearing Company and A & P Food Stores, member of First United Methodist Church; Sunday School Teacher; member of the Philathea Class, United Methodist Women, and the American Legion Auxilliary; married Marvin John Ver Hoef, of Holland, Michigan; graduate of Holland High School; employee of Louis Padnos Iron and Metal; member of the National Guard; bought back the childhood home his family lost during the Great Depression; Church Treasurer and Elder of First United Methodist Church; hunter and fisher; later member of Central Wesleyan Church; and they had: 

12. Phyllis Jean Ver Hoef, of Holland, Michigan; graduate of Holland High School and Bronson Nursing School; member of First United Methodist Church and later Fellowship Reformed Church; Sunday School Teacher; excellent mother and grandmother; married LIVING; and they had: 

13. LIVING married Brian Keith Winn, of Holland, Michigan; Carpet Cleaner; and they had: 

14. Me: Hunter Ryan Winn, of Holland, Michigan. 

This lineage through the centuries, which traces through our roots in Merry Old England of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth, to the religious persecutions of King Charles I which caused the Great Migration of which Edmund Rice bore witness, to the early settlement of this country among the colonies, most specifically of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, to the growing country of colonies, which later gained its independence from the Crown in the Revolutionary War of which Jasper Saxton saw service for his country, to the new USA of the early 1800s, to the American Civil War in which John Harter Wise labored out of love to put down rebellion, to the America of the 1900s and the Great Depression, after which Marvin John Ver Hoef, grandson of 1800s Dutch immigrants, triumphantly purchased back the family home, to the faithful religious roots of the family going back to the Puritans of old England and colonial Massachusetts to the Methodists of the 1900s, does bear its triumphant witness through my blood, which lives on in me. 

This lineage intermingles with other heroic lineages, to the German settlers of colonial Pennsylvania which later became known as "Pennsylvania Dutch", bearing witness through John Harter Wise, to the Antebellum Southern roots of Brian Keith Winn, to the Dutch immigrant roots of Marvin John Ver Hoef and Jeanette Harkema. May we always bear good memory and holy tribute to our victorious and triumphant ancestors. 

My Descent from Richard Bowen of Rehoboth, Massachusetts

1. Richard Bowen, of Rehoboth, Massachusetts; early settler of Rehoboth, Selectman for Rehoboth, Deputy to Plymouth General Court, and signatory of the Rehoboth Compact, had 

2. Obadiah Bowen, of Rehoboth and Swansea, Massachusetts, yeoman, early member of the Swansea Baptist Church, contributor to King Philip's War, and Selectman for Swansea, married Mary, maiden name unknown, also an early member of the Swansea Baptist Church, and they had: 

3. Samuel Bowen, of Rehoboth and Swansea, Massachusetts, and Cohansey, New Jersey; early settler of of Cohansey, New Jersey, leader of the Sabbatarian (Baptist) Church at Bowentown, married Elizabeth, daughter of John Wood "the Mariner" of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and they had: 

4. Clifton Bowen Sr., of Duplin County, North Carolina, participant in the inquiry into the death of John Register along with his son Clifton Jr., married Elizabeth, possibly a daughter of Nathaniel Harris, an early settler of Hopewell Township, New Jersey, and they had: 

5. Clifton Bowen Jr., of Duplin County, North Carolina, and Effingham County, Georgia; participant in the inquiry into the death of John Register along with his father Clifton Sr., Lieutenant in the Duplin County Militia during the American Revolutionary War, signatory of a petition to divide Duplin, Bladen, and New Hanover Counties; and planter of Duplin County, married Martha, maiden name unknown, and they had: 

6. Elijah Bowen, of Duplin County, North Carolina, and Tattnall County, Georgia; Revolutionary War Patriot under Colonel Kenan, drafted 1782 and a volunteer, who marched against the Tories and stood guard over prisoners; drew Cherokee land in the Georgia Land Lottery of 1832; pensioner for his Revolutionary War service; married Sabry Little, and they had: 

7. Alexander Bowen, of Tattnall County, Georgia, farmer, registrant in the 1864 Census for Re-Organizing the Georgia Militia, married Elizabeth, maiden name unknown but possibly Harden, and they had: 

8. Caroline Elizabeth Bowen, of Tattnall County, Georgia, married James F. Benton, of Colleton County, South Carolina, and Tattnall County, Georgia; slaveholder in old Colleton; Private in the 3rd South Carolina Cavalry during the American Civil War, fought in small skirmishes with and pursued Union soldiers, later deserter; pensioner for his Civil War Service; faithful Methodist; and they had: 

9. Byron Montreville Benton, of Tattnall County, Georgia, and Cayce, South Carolina, farmer, possibly a Baptist, married Della, daughter of John W. Eason, farmer of Tattnall County, Georgia, and they had: 

10. Lula Lavene Benton, of Tattnall County, Georgia, Cayce, South Carolina, and apparently Highlands County, Florida, supposedly a patient in a mental hospital, married John Washington Winn Sr. of Tattnall County, Georgia and Winter Haven, Florida; farmer and carpenter, Southern Baptist Deacon, and staunch Southern Democrat, and they had: 

11. John Washington Winn Jr., of Tattnall County, Georgia, Winter Haven, Florida, and Bloomingdale, Michigan; decorated WWII Veteran who fought at D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, and the liberation of a concentration camp; stereotypical Southerner; and hard worker; married Ethel, daughter of Frank C. Clemons, orphaned farmer of Haywood County, Tennessee, and Winter Haven, Florida; and they had: 

12. LIVING had a relationship with Luther Allen Saddler Jr. of Princeton, West Virginia and Kalamazoo, Michigan; WWII Veteran and workaholic of multiple jobs; and they had: 

13. Brian Keith Winn, of Holland, Michigan, Carpet Cleaner, married LIVING and they had: 

14. ME: Hunter Ryan Winn, Cashier of the Holland Menards Front End who knows the Service Desk. 

Book Spotlight: "The Two Johan Michael Grauels" by Gail Komar

My 7th great grandfather, Johan Michael Grauel, was an immigrant to the Colony of Pennsylvania from Germany, specifically the town of Heuchelheim bei Frankenthal, which is currently in the German State of Rhineland-Palatinate. In the 1700s, what is now known as Germany was a collection of small territories, although generally they made up the Holy Roman Empire. Johan Michael Grauel came to America with his family, including his wife's parents, in 1736 aboard the Harle, which arrived in Philadelphia on September 1st of that year. He settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania soon after his arrival, like many other so-called "Pennsylvania Dutch" did. 

The complicated thing for Grauel descendants to unravel, is that there was another man named Johan Michael Grauel who settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania around the same time. He came from Langenselbold, Hesse in 1733, and his family is unrelated to the Grauel's of Heuchelheim. Many internet sites frequently confuse the two separate Grauel families, making it impossible to do much research on the family. 

Gail Komar, seeing this, has done us all a service with the publication of "The Two Johan Michael Grauels". This book attempts to unravel the Grauel families, and provide a genealogy of the two families. It traces the descendants of the two Johan Michael Grauels up to around the 1850s. It also includes great biographical information on the families, providing well sourced and well documented information that i've never seen before. It is also color coded, allowing you to know immediately which family you are reading about. 

If you are a descendant of either Johan Michael Grauel, I highly recommend this book. 

MY LINEAGE 

1. Johan Michael Grauel, master carpenter of Heuchelheim, married Sybilla Elisabeth Fulmann, daughter of Johan Jacob Fullman, and they had: 

2. Johan Heinrich Grauel married Margaretha Bader and they had: 

3. Henry Crowel Sr. married Rachel, maiden name unknown, and they had: 

4. Mary Crowell married Jacob Sadler (maternal grandson of generation 2), and they had: 

5. Henry C. Sadler married Araminta White, daughter of Achilles White, and they had: 

6. Wiley Winton Sadler married Virginia B. Champ, daughter of James Henry Champ, and they had: 

7. Luther Allen Saddler Sr. married Mary Roberta Morris, daughter of George Alexander Morris, and they had

8. Luther Allen Saddler Jr., had a relationship with (LIVING), and they had: 

9. Brian Keith Winn married (LIVING), and they had: 

10. Hunter Winn, me. 

Ancestral Discoveries: The Battles of John Harter Wise Sr. (1846-1932)

Today, I visited the Herrick District Library for the first time in several months, now that it has re-opened. I checked out some books about Genealogy, printed an SF-180 form to request military documents on my paternal grandfather, etc. Before I left though, I decided to check out the cabinet in the back of the Library that contained obituaries, death records, etc. for people in our city. I have used this cabinet before- it's how I discovered my 2nd great grandfather committed suicide, by finding his obituary. I noticed three interesting drawers however, containing newspaper clippings about family reunions that were published in the city newspaper. I decided to look for the usual family surnames in the files: TerVree, Huyser, Harkema, Wise, etc., but did not find much, except for some Huyser family reunion stuff. For example, that my 2nd great grandfather, Jan Peter Huyser, was the president of an assocation that organized a reunion for the many descendants of his father, Pieter Huyser Sr., an immigrant from Zoetermeer, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands, and an original settler of Dutch West Michigan. But the most interesting discovery was about my 3rd great grandfather, John Harter Wise Sr., born in 1846 in Reading, Pennsylvania, to Abraham Wise and Clara Harter.

When he was only 16, Wise enlisted in the Pennsylvania Infantry. Wise's service is pretty well documented, he applied for and received a pension for his service, and he is listed in the 1890 Veteran's Schedules. Wise led a fascinating life- he was a teenager in the Union Army who fought in vicious battles when he was younger then I am now. Can any of us imagine fighting in brutal battles as teenagers? We may not, but he lived through it for the unity of his country. And not to mention the fighting, he was wounded and also captured during the war. In 1869 he married Lucy Saxton, a maiden of rich New England heritage, in Toledo, Ohio. By 1880 he was an engineer in Grand Junction, Michigan, the father of three children at the time. Wise died in 1932, a much respected man. He was even an honorary member of the United Spanish War Veterans.

The newspaper clipping that I came across was headlined "Veteran J. Wise Celebrates 85th Birthday" and was published on May 14, 1931. It would have just been an interesting clipping if not for this passage: "Among the battles in which he fought were South Mountain, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and Petersberg."

Previously, it was known that he had fought at the Battle of Antietam where he was wounded, at the Battle of Chancellorsville where he was captured, and at Cold Harbor. The additional four battles listed are completely new to me, especially the Siege of Petersburg, which was also a battle that I have been always interested in. To find an ancestor who fought there, laboring out of love for his country, which was being torn asunder by rebellion, is a truly beautiful thing.

Let us always remember the human side of Genealogy, and ponder and reflect upon our discoveries. Let us put ourselves in the shoes of John Harter Wise Sr., and imagine fighting battles, being wounded, and even captured as a teenage boy. Many of us could never imagine that, could never match his patriotism, and could never live the life that this brave teenage soldier experienced, my great-great-great grandfather.

My Revolutionary War Ancestors

In honor of the Fourth of July, I have compiled a list of my known ancestors who served in the American Revolutionary War, either as Patriots on the battlefield or as faithful citizens who rendered patriotic service. Lists like these are always incomplete, because tracing all of your ancestral lines to the late 1700s is truly a challenge.

• Clifton Bowen Jr, North Carolina- While his service is well spoken of, the details are little. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant, and served in the Duplin County Militia (NC) under Captain Aaron Williams, and eventually resigned his commission due to illness. Other then these facts, what is often told are stories, without any sources that I know of. For example, that he was a minuteman, and that he fought at the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge. Supposedly in 1781, he received an honorary discharge, due to a pulmonary ailment, supposedly from a British musketball, that made him too weak to carry on. 
• Elijah Bowen, North Carolina- The son of Clifton, his service is better known because of existing pension information. He was drafted in 1782, in Duplin County, North Carolina, under Captain Robert Merritt and Colonel Kenan, and proceeded to march against the Tories on Black and South Rivers. He was then put as a guard over some Tories, and marched to Halifax on Roanoke River, from where he went back to Duplin County, joined Colonel Kenan, and stood guard over prisoners for 2-3 months. Then he was marched to the Mulberry Grove in New Hanover County, and joined General Rutherford, and they marched into Wilmington, then back into Duplin County, where they stood guard until peace was proclaimed. He was discharged by Captain Merritt after having served 6 or 8 months. Interestingly, when he was interviewed during the process of applying for a pension, he stated that his discharge documents were burnt, and that his house was burnt down during the "troublesome times of the Indians". Possibly the Creek War? His house would have to have been burnt between 1783 and 1832 (the time of his testimony). He was later pensioned, although the specifics are contradictory. 
• James Bullard, North Carolina- A resident of Robeson County, North Carolina for much of his life, the service of Bullard is well known due to his wife receiving a widow's pension based on his service. They had married before the war began and were lifelong partners. He entered the service around 1777 under Captain John Cade and served for a few months. He again entered under Captain Robeson or Ervin, and served several more months. And he again entered and served a number of months under various different officers. He performed other services in the US Army which his widow had forgotten due to her advanced age when she testified about his service. He served in the Army in the Carolinas and in Georgia under General Green, Colonel Brown, Captain McKissick, Captain McRee and others. He fought at the Battle of the Slipery Bridge and some others. His widow was pensioned at the rate of $63.33 per annum beginning March 4th, 1831, and ending June 27, 1843. 
• Robert Crump III, North Carolina- Rendered patriotic service, furnishing supplies. 
• Robert DeShazo, North Carolina- According to "My Eighty Years in Texas" by William Physick Zuber, he supported the Patriotic cause from his lands in North Carolina. His son Louis served as a soldier, but he stayed at home to take care of his family and property. However, he did serve for short terms as a volunteer soldier, and sometimes participated in battles. Most of his neighbors were Tories, and tried to persuade him to join them. Then they threatened to kill him, and robbed him of his property and hunted him, leaving him to hide in swamps. The Tories drove away all his horses and cattle, and then kidnapped and sold 12 of his Slaves. Another time, some British and Tories surrounded his house and threatened his wife with death if she did not give up his location, however she heroically resisted and they later left. When the war ended, his Tory neighbors tried to mend their friendship, but he was tortured by their presence, and he moved to South Carolina.
• Johan Heinrich Grauel, Maryland: Born in the German Palatinate in 1729, Johan came here with his family in 1736 at the age of seven. When the Revolution broke out, like many other "Pennsylvania Dutch", he supported the Patriot cause. He rendered patriotic service, as a member of the Committee of Observation, and an associator in Frederick County in 1775. In 1778 he was a juror to the Oath of Allegiance. According to "The Two Johan Michael Grauels": "Henry Crowle of Burnt Woods Hundred was appointed by the Committee of Correspondence to solicit subscriptions in 1775 to purchase arms and ammunition". 
• James Joyce, South Carolina- According to the DAR, he rendered patriotic service, furnishing beef for use of the Army. 
• Michael McKenzie Mattox, South Carolina- An early pioneer of Tattnall County, Georgia, and a prominent local citizen and slaveholder, he was first a resident of Colleton County, South Carolina. Record is found of payment to him for 104 days of service in the South Carolina Militia during the Revolution. His grave is inscribed "Michael McKenzie Mattox, SC Militia, Continental Line, Rev War, 1745-1815", although this grave was probably placed a long time after his death. 
• John Parr Sr, Virginia- Rendered patriotic and civil service, furnishing supplies and serving as Surveyor of the Road in 1779. He took the Oath of Allegiance in 1777 in Henry County, Virginia. 
• Michael Sadler Sr, Pennsylvania- Born in Germany, his parents came to the Province of Pennsylvania in 1751, when he was a small boy. By the time of the Revolution he was a married man with several children. Not much is known about his service in the Revolution, except that he served in the Pennsylvania Militia. According to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), he rendered Patriotic service, paying the supply tax in 1781, 1782, and 1783. His grave references his service in the PA Militia. 
• Jasper Saxton, Massachusetts- The first Patriot ancestor that I discovered, back at the beginning of my Genealogical research, the only Northern Patriot in my ancestry. Born in Massachusetts to a family of well documented descent in New England back to the time of the Great Migration, his service is possibly the best documented in my tree. He was a Sergeant in Lieut. Jeremiah Hickocks Company of Colonel John Ashleys Regiment from July 6, 1777 to July 27 of the same year. He marched with his Company to Kingsbury at the request of Maj. General Schuyler. He also served in Captain John Spoor's Company of Colonel John Ashley's Regiment from September 19 to October 19, 1777. He marched with his Company to Stillwater, and is listed as a participant in the Saratoga Campaign. His roll was certified at Sheffield by Brigadier General John Fellows. He also served in Captain Enoch Noble's Company of Colonel John Ashley's Regiment from Octopber 15-17 of 1780. He marched to the Northward by the order of Brigadier General fellows on an alarm, around the time the British took Forts George and Ann. 
• Simon Smith, Georgia- According to a certificate given to him by General Elijah Clarke on 20 April 1784, he was a Sergeant in a Georgia battalion of Minutemen. He was granted bounty land for his service and later also drew land in the 1827 Georgia Land Lottery. According to the certificate, he was not a resident of Georgia at the time of his enlistment in 1777, nor had he been for at least six months prior thereto. Thus, we can deduce that he moved to Georgia during the Revolution. 
• Joshua Stafford, South Carolina- A resident for many years of North Carolina, he had moved to South Carolina before the Revolution and served with the South Carolina Militia in 1780-1. Record of payment is found to him for 176 days service, 7 Apr 1785. He also served as a petit juror and furnished supplies. He later moved to Georgia, where he died.
• Daniel Winn, Virginia: Rendered patriotic service, by furnishing supplies and by paying the supply tax in 1783. Prior to the Revolution, Winn was a Lieutenant in the Lunenburg County Militia. He likely did not serve in combat during the Revolution due to his age.  

One person I did not mention is the Reverend Nathan Grantham, because my descent from him is lacking hard proof at this point. If it can be established that I am a descent of the Reverend, I will later speak of his service.

Have a good Independence Day. 

Sources:

• https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A028279   Henry Crowell, Daughters of the American Revolution 
• https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/default.cfm?action=full&p_id=A028365   Robert Crump, Daughters of the American Revolution 
• https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A063231   James Joyce, Daughters of the American Revolution
• https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A088047   John Parr, Daughters of the American Revolution
• https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A108082   Joshua Stafford, Daughters of the American Revolution
• https://sarpatriots.sar.org/patriot/display/295792   Joshua Stafford, Sons of the American Revolution
• https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A128552   Daniel Winn, Daughters of the American Revolution 

The Spirit of '76 

The Surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga, where Jasper Saxton fought 

Will Wednesday: Jonathan Brigham (1675-1768) of Marlborough, Massachusetts

Jonathan Brigham, my 8th great grandfather, was born in Marlborough, Massachusetts in 1675, and died there in 1768. He was the son of Thomas Brigham Jr. and Mary Rice. His father was the son of Thomas Brigham Sr., a Puritan immigrant, possibly from Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, Yorkshire. His mother was a granddaughter of Edmund Rice, a noted figure in 1600s New England, and of Thomasine Frost, who was of well established roots in Glemsford, Suffolk.

WILL

In The Name of God Amen this 28th day of December 1757 I Jonathan Brigham of Marlborough in ye County of Middlesex in his Majesties Province of ye Massachusetts Bay in New England Gent'm Considering my age In these my declining years: though at present in helth as to my Body mind and Memory thanks be given to God therefor: But calling to minde ye Mortallity of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Die Do ordain & Make this my Last Will and Testament (viz) principally & first of all I give and Recommend my Soul into ye hands of God y't gave it: And my Body I Recommend to ye Earth to be Buried in a decent Christian burial at ye Discretion of my Exe'tors hereafter Named: Nothing Doubting but at ye General Resurrection I Shall Receive ye Same by ye Mighty Power of God: And as touching such Worldly Estate as it hath pelased God to Bless me with in this Life: I Give Demise and Dispose in ye following order manner & forme:

Imprimis: I Give and bequeth unto my Beloved Sons Jesse Brigham & Joel Brigham whom I appoint Constitute make & ordain to be my Sole Executiors [sic] of this my Last Will & Testament as followeth

Item I Will & give to my Beloved Son Jonathan Brigham Eaight Shillings Lawfull money: having heretofore given him a Settelment by Deed

Item I Will and Give to my Beloved Son Joel Brigham the one half of all my Stock of Cattle Sheep and Swine: And Likewise all my utensels for Husbandry And Likewise a deed of ye half of ye home place which I Now possess Being Now in ye hands of James Brigham [obscured]: And Likewise all my Hogsheds and Barrils

Item I Will and give to my Beloved Son James Brigham Eaight Shillings Lawfull money Having heretofore given him a Settelment by Deed

Item I Will & give to my Beloved Daughter Keziah Keys and to her Heirs thirteen pounds Six Shillings & Eaight pence Lawfull money

Item I will & give to ye Children (of my Beloved daughter Zerviah Brag who is deceased) thirteen pounds Six Shillings * Eaight pence Lawfull money to be Equally devided amongst them

Itme I Will & give to ye Children (of my Beloved Daughter Mary Bruce who is deceased) thirteen pounds Six Shillings & Eaight pence Lawfull money to be Equally devided amongst them

Item I Will & give to my Beloved [D]aughter Ruth How & to her Heirs Thirteen pounds Six Shillings & Eaight pence Lawfull Money

Item I Will & Give to my Beloved daughter Thankfull Brigham & to her Heirs all my Beding which is for 8 beds with all ye furnituer belonging to ye Same: Likewise all my chests which are five and all my Lining with all my Brass Pewter and Iron which are Indoor Utensells and Likwise thirteen pounds Six Shillings & Eaight pence Lawfull money allso Two cows and fouer Sheep Ews Such as She shall Chuse: and the free use and Improvement of ye west Room and Bed-room as Longe as She Lives or Remains Single and allso my great Bible and her Equal Share in my other Books & Allso three meat-tubs & what meat shall be Left at my deceas with part of ye crop of corn which should be mine for that year in which I deceas

I Allso give unto her all ye Remainder of my money which shall be Left if any their be after the Legacies to my sons are paid and funerall charges and all other Nessary Charges that may arise: and allso ye purchasing of two pare of Midling Grave-Stones the one pair for my selfe & the other for my Wife

Item My Will is that all my wearing Cloths bouth woolling Lining & Leather be Equally devided between my fouer Sons: And allso that my Books (which are not allready disposed of by this will) be Equally devided amongs my Nine chilldren

Item I Constitue apoint & ordain my two Sons Jesse Brigham and Joel Brigham to be ye Sole Executiors of thks my Last Will & Testament as Before Specifyed: and my Will is y't they be Reasonabelly paid out of my money for their time & trouble in gathering it in: and if any part thereof cannot be Recovered by Reason of ye poverty of ye debtor or debtors said money shall not be demanded of s'd Executors by ye other Heirs

Item my Will is that my son Joel one of my Exe'tors pay out of my money to his three brothers y't money bequeth'd to them as affore s'd at ye End of one year after my deceas: and Allso that he pay to his Sister Keziah Keys or her Heirs the whole Legacy bequeth'd to her in this Will at ye End of five years after my decease: And that he pay to Each of his other Sisters or their Heirs one pound Six Shillings & Eaight pence L. M. apeace at ye End of one year after my decease and so one pound six shillings & Eaight pence apeace yearly untill ye whole of all their Legacys be paid And allso that he finds his Sister Thankfull a hors & tackling to Ride to meeting and other Where when she has a mind to Ride

Item my Will is y't if there be any of my Stock of Cattle or Sheep Left after my decease which is not dispos'd of before in this Will y't they shall be equally devided amongst my fouer Sons their Sister Thankfull having an Equal Sheair with them

Item My Will is y't if any of these my Heirs afore mentioned Shall Contend or quarril about ye disposition of my Estate in this my Last Will & Testament y't he she or thay shall be finally cut of[f] from having any right to any Legacy or any part thereof which in this Will is bequethed to them

And I do hereby utterly disalow revoke & Disanul all & Every other former Testament will Legicies Bequest & Exe'tors by me in any ways before Named willed & Bequethed: Rattifying & Confirming this & no other to be my Last will and Testament: in Wittness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal y day & year above Written:

[signed] Jonathan Brigham

Signed Sealed Pronounced & Declared by the s'd Jonathan Brigham as his Last Will & Testament In the presence of us Wittnesses and Subscribers: Benja Brigham, Jonathan How, Tho's Goodenow

ADDITIONAL CODICIL

Be it known to all men by these presents that whereas I Jonathan Brigham of ye Town of Marlborough in ye County of Middlesex in ye Province of ye Massachusetts Bay in New England Gen't: Have made & declared my Last Will and Testament in writing bearing Date ye 28th day of December 1757 I the S'd Jonathan Brigham by this present Codicil do Ratify & Confirme my Last Will & Testament in every Respect; Except what is hereafter specified & altered in this Codicil; N.B. I utterly Revock & disanul ye thirteeth Item in my s'd Last Will & Testament & dispose of it as follows: I Will & bequeath unto my Loving Son Joel Brigham my mear & all my Live Stock of Every Sort That shall be left at my deceas; he paying all my Funeral Charges my Doctring & Nursing if any there be; & all other Chares y't may Nessesarily arise upon my account: Furthermore my Will is that my son Joel Brigham one of ye Exe'tors of my Last Will & Testament do pay ye several Legaces to my Several daughters or their Heirs: Via: Kezia Keys & ye Heirs of Zerviah Brag & ye Heirs of Mary Bruce; & to Ruth How & Thankfull Brigham out of ye Estate or Effects of what I have given him by deeds & Will allready. I Will & bequeath to my daughter Thankfull Brigham all my Shoo Leather Bouth uper & Sole Leather y't Shall be Left at my decease. I forgot to Insert it in ye Will: And my Will & meaning is: Y't this Codicil or Schedule be & be Adjudged to be part & parcel of my Last Will & Testament as that [obscured word] things herein mentioned and Contained be faithfully & truly performed, and as fully & amply in every Respect, as if ye same were so declared and set down in my Last Will and Testament In Wittness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this twenty-third day of January 1762.

[signed] Jonathan [his mark] Brigham

Signed Sealed Delivered & Declared in presence of us Wittnesses & Subscribers: Benj'a Brigham, Benajmin Brigham Jr, Tho's Goodenow

Darker History: The Institution of Slavery in my Family

The blood-soaked institution of African chattel Slavery did not escape my family, in fact, far from it. As much of my ancestry is from the Antebellum South, it can be expected that Slavery would show up in my research. However, I was surprised by how much Slavery impacts my family tree.

First of all, let us remember that Slavery was not always illegal in New England. My first discovery of Slaveholding ancestry was actually on one of my New England lines. My 11th great grandfather, James Rogers of New London, Connecticut (circa 1615-1687), seems to have owned a few Slaves. The Inventory of his Estate includes the following references: "Indian servant and his wife, a negro woman, Adam, a Molotta Servant, a negro woman deaf and dumb". What can we deduce from this? It appears that the Rogers household included a Native American servant, who had a wife of African descent, as well as a Mulatto servant named Adam and another Slave, an African woman who was apparently deaf, and suffered from an unknown mental illness. This amounts to Rogers likely having owned 4 Slaves at the time of his death in 1687. The issue of Slavery in the Rogers family deserves a separate blog post, as one of the Rogers Slaves, a woman named Maria, appears to have been fathered by a white member of the Rogers family.

On my Antebellum Southern lines, Slavery appears to have been much more common. Prior to the taking of the 1790 Census, much of what we know about Slave ownership in Genealogy comes from Wills and Property Records, since Slaves were treated like property. For example, my 9th great grandfather, Colonel Thomas Avent of Virginia (circa 1671-1757) died decades before the first Census was taken, however, we know that he was a prominent slaveowner because of his will, in which leaves "one negro girl named Sue" to Athaliah Casiah Norris, as well as his estate accounting which contained references to 44 slaves. The will of my 7th great grandfather, Michael McKenzie Mattox of Tattnall County, Georgia (circa 1750-1815) leaves 9 Slaves to his surviving family, as well as his plantation. The will of my 6th great grandfather, Simon Smith of Tattnall (now Evans) County, Georgia (circa 1758-1827) references 23 Slaves. Both Mattox and Smith had served as Patriots during the Revolution, showing that committment to American liberty did not extend to liberty for all who resided in the new nation. In addition to wills and estate records, it is also possible to find evidence of slave ownership in deeds and property sales. For example, my 7th great grandmother, Elizabeth Joyce, is recorded as selling slaves to her daughter Elizabeth on November 25, 1816, in Tattnall County, Georgia. Once Census records began to be taken, it becomes much easier to identify which ancestors owned Slaves, and how many. Sadly, the names of Slaves themselves were not recorded in the Censuses, since they were treated like property, just the same as the many cows, horses, and hogs our ancestors owned. From 1790 to 1840, no information was recorded other then the number of Slaves an ancestor owned. Some examples in my family:

• Solomon Fuller of Laurens County, South Carolina, 1810 USA Census, recorded as owning 78 Slaves. This is rather interesting as Fuller is reported as owning 10 Slaves in the 1790 USA Census and 13 in the 1820 USA Census. In 1790 he was living in Randolph County, North Carolina, so it is possible that he acquired more Slaves upon his migration to South Carolina, and by 1820 had sold many of them. It is noteworthy that in his 1816 will he makes reference to 31 Slaves. (7th great grandfather).
• John Pittman of Tattnall County, Georgia, 1840 USA Census, recorded as owning 5 Slaves. (5th great grandfather). 
• The Reverend William Eason of Tattnall County, Georgia, 1830 USA Census, recorded as owning 2 Slaves and living with 3 free colored persons. It is unknown why there were free colored persons living in the Eason household, however it is possible that they were former Slaves who were freed by the Reverend. (6th great grandfather). 

Researching Slave ownership in Genealogy becomes even easier in 1850 and 1860. For those two Censuses, Slave Schedules were taken, which identify the number of Slaves owned, as well as their age, sex, race, and a couple of other questions. The 1860 Slave Schedule asked how many Slave Houses the owner had as well. The Slave Schedules can really show the horrors of Slavery first hand, when you can see your ancestors listing children as property. Some examples in my family: 

• James F. Benton of Colleton County, South Carolina, 1860 USA Slave Schedules, recorded as owning 5 Slaves: a 25 year old black male, a 12 year old black female, an 18 year old mulatto male, a 17 year old mulatto female, and a 2 (!) year old mulatto male. The Schedule also records that he owned 2 slave houses. Reflecting on what life was like for those 5 Slaves on the Benton property is truly something else, especially considering that Benton would soon enlist in the Confederate States Army and serve as a Confederate Soldier (his widow later received a Pension for his Confederate service). (4th great grandfather). 
• George Washington Winn of Laurens County, South Carolina, 1860 USA Slave Schedules, recorded as owning 3 Slaves: a 30 year old black female, a 3 year old black male, and a 2 year old black female. If I am reading the Schedule properly, it also records that he owned 1 slave house. Some reflections are in order. It is not entirely clear that these 3 Slaves were purchased or inherited by G.W Winn himself, because he did not own any Slaves in 1850, and in the will of his father-in-law, William Fuller Sr., written circa 1859, multiple Slaves were left to George's children. However, the will also names William's son, also named William, as the trustee for these Slaves, so it does not necessarily follow that these Slaves were obtained from the Fuller estate. It is also possible that Winn purchased these Slaves himself, possibly at an auction. Looking at the ages of the Slaves in the Schedule, a few questions arise. It is possible that these Slaves are one family, a mother and her two children, but no father is included. Was the father dead? Was the father sold away from the family, as was a common practice in those barbaric times? Or did G.W Winn possibly buy these Slaves separate from the father, if these Slaves were all a family? We may never know, apart from finding a deed of sale or property records. And also, what was the role of these Slaves in the Winn household? He was a farmer, and it is possible that his adult Slave did farm work, but it is also possible that the Slaves were kept as house Slaves for the Winn family. (5th great grandfather). 
• William Fuller Sr. of Laurens County, South Carolina, 1850 USA Slave Schedules, recorded as owning 18 Slaves: black males of 41, 42, 37, 30, 28, 10, 8, 6, and 7; black females of 32, 28, 14, 12, 7, 4, 2, and 75; and a mulatto male of 8. Analyzing the Slaves of William Fuller, some assumptions can possibly be made. It is possible that the oldest Slave, a 75 year old black female, was the spiritual leader of the Fuller slaves. It is possible that the Slaves made up one or more families, and that she was the matriarch of one of these families. (6th great grandfather). 
• Aaron B. Strickland of Tattnall County, Georgia, 1860 USA Slave Schedules, recorded as owning 19 Slaves: black males of 32, 25, 22, 16, 6, 6, 4, 3, and 1; black females of 47, 35, 28, 22, 18, 7, 2, 2, and 2, and a mulatto female of 25. The number of slave houses owned is sadly not recorded. (5th great grandfather). 
• Mourning Collum of Twiggs County, Georgia, 1860 USA Slave Schedules, recorded as owning 2 Slaves: black females of 31 and 2. The amount of slave houses is not recorded, because there were only two slaves and she lived alone, it is possible that the two Slaves, possibly mother and daughter, lived as house servants inside of her home. It is interesting to ponder the dynamic between the elderly widow living alone, and her two Slaves. (6th great grandmother). 

It is impossible to know what life was truly like for those individuals who endured the brutal institution of Slavery at the hands of my ancestors. As of this moment I have never seen any Slave narratives written by any former Slaves of my ancestors, I know of no Slaves who tried to escape north or on the Underground Railroad, and I have never seen any other information on Slavery in my family other then the type of information mentioned above. I do not know if my ancestors had overseers for their Slaves, for example. On my DNA Matches, I have come across multiple individuals of African American descent, which of course leads to the brutal truth that sexual assault existed on plantations owned by my ancestors. This is an inescapable truth of American Slavery, and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in general, but to connect such a thing to your ancestors leads one to truly realize the extent of the institution. And it also leads to another realization, if sexual assault did occur on my ancestor's plantations, it is also likely that some of the more barbaric aspects of the institution, such as whippings, beatings, separation of families, etc., also occured on my ancestor's plantations. The institution of Slavery was widespread in the Antebellum South, and just because your recent ancestry may be composed of poor farmers, carpenters, or miners, does not mean that you will not find Slaveowners when tracing your ancestry back. 

I have included multiple links to additional resources on Slavery in the United States, and Slavery in Genealogy, for those interested in further exploring this dark subject: 

• https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2018/11/28/my-ancestor-owned-41-slaves-what-do-i-owe-their-descendants My ancestor owned 41 slaves. What do I owe their descendants?
• https://www.archives.gov/files/calendar/genealogy-fair/2018/2-kluskens-handout.pdf Federal Records that Help Identify Former Slaves and Slave Owners
• https://www.reclaimingkin.com/suggestions-for-the-descendants-of-slaveholders/ Suggestions For the White Descendants of Slaveholders
• https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/confronting-slavery-family-history.pdf  Confronting Slavery in Your Family’s History
• https://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-frank-harris-whites-family-tree-0905-20190905-phdvsqnl6fcdhjf7eb4k7vmpke-story.html Frank Harris III: To the white members of my family tree
• https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a12021048/my-ancestors-owned-slaves/ I Am a Descendant of Slaveholders. Charlottesville Demands My Honesty About White Supremacy.
• https://www.statesman.com/opinion/20190719/opinion-beto-orourke-and-shame-of-ancestry Opinion: Beto O’Rourke and the shame of ancestry
• https://blog.eogn.com/2019/05/31/ancestry-com-adds-online-1850-u-s-federal-census-slave-schedules/ Ancestry.com Adds Online 1850 U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedules
• https://blog.familyhistoryfanatics.com/descendantofslaveholders/ What Responsibilities Does a Descendant of Slaveholders Bear?
• https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/article_996926ae-579c-11e7-9d36-13d23afca32d.html Unspeakable cruelty: Former slaves tell their stories in Southern University online listings
• https://www.ushistory.org/us/27b.asp Slave Life and Slave Codes
• https://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/ North American Slave Narratives
• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/civil-war-era/sectional-tension-1850s/a/life-for-enslaved-men-and-women Life for enslaved men and women
• http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/expref/slavery/ Pre-Civil War African-American Slavery
• http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=3042 Slave Family Life 

This is the true face of what that blood soaked institution was like which darkens my family tree and blackens the memory of my ancestors. "Peter or Gordon, a whipped slave, photo taken at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1863; the guilty overseer was fired."

Slaves on a South Carolina plantation (The Old Plantation, c. 1790)

Slave auction block, Green Hill Plantation, Campbell County, Virginia, Historic American Buildings Survey

May the memories of those who were enslaved in America be never forgotten. 

Tombstone Spotlight: Samuel Gilbert (1687-1760) of Hebron, Connecticut

Samuel Gilbert, my 8th great grandfather on my mother's side, was born on February 5, 1687 in Hartford, Connecticut, to Samuel Gilbert and Mary Rogers (Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870, Barbour Collection). His mother was a granddaughter of James Rogers and Thomas Stanton, both of whom led very interesting lives in New England. His father's family, while maybe less prominent in New England, had more established roots in the old country of England, tracing their roots to Yardley and Evesham, both of Worcestershire. Samuel married, circa 1709, Mercy Warner, a granddaughter of Andrew Warner, a Puritan from Great Waltham, Essex.

From "The descendants of Andrew Warner" by Lucien C. Warner and Josephine Genung Nichols: "He probably resided early at Colchester; December 11, 1718, he made his first purchase of land in Hebron. His will, made September 20, 1754, probated June 16, 1760, mentions 5 sons and 5 daughters. The first children were probably born at Colchester, others were recorded at Lebanon, and the last five in Hebron".

Samuel Gilbert died in Hebron on May 1, 1760 (Connecticut Town Death Records, pre-1870, Barbour Collection), and is buried at the Gilead Cemetery.

The grave of Samuel Gilbert has always been one of my favorites, and in my opinion one of the most beautiful I've come across in my research. It is my contention that the Puritans were some of the best grave designers. Funerary art in Puritan New England displayed a practical attitude towards death, since mortality rates were much higher at the time. The grave of Samuel Gilbert may not have Death's Head or Cherubs, but it does display a somewhat confused looking face. I am not presently aware of what the meaning of this symbol might be, especially what it may have meant to the residents of 1760's Connecticut, a mere 16 years before the beginning of the Revolution.

Inscription on the Grave:

IN MEMORY
OF MR. SAMUEL
GILBERT WHO
DIED MAY (?)
1760 IN Y(?) 78TH
YEAR OF HIS
AGE

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