Ryan's Dead Ancestors

into the mind of a teenager ... 100 years ago

2012-02-19T16:55:00.000-08:00

Odin in 1906, from his high school year book

My great-grandfather Odin Wadleigh was born in 1888 in Cannonsville, New York. He spent his youth in Buffalo, Deposit and Binghamton, New York. He kept a diary for the entire year 1906, which has been passed down in the family and survives as a priceless heirloom.

The diary was written when he was 17 and 18 years old. It describes - among other things - the end of his senior year in high school, applying to college, moving away for his first job, his relationship with his girlfriend and his appendicitis.

If interested, you can read the entire diary on my website.

The following are some excerpts from his diary:

On his girlfriend Eva ...

January 17, 1906: "This noon I went over to speak with Eva and she did not speak. I felt pretty much put out and was mad for a while."

February 11, 1906: "Eva is as prim as ever. I wish she would come down just a little and let me kiss or hug her just once. I don't see what harm it would do for I am no stranger to her."

February 14, 1906: "I as usual acted up and Eva was rather disgusted."

March 2, 1906: "I wrote a note to Eva and apologized for my conduct. She would not answer. I was on the anxious seat all day for E is too good a girl to lose."

July 28, 1906: "Eva was a little cross all the morning. In the PM, I plagued her until she cried. Then she was mad the rest of the day. So was I. It was mostly my fault anyway."

December 25, 1906: "I cuddled Eva some and teased (and stole) 4 dandy kisses. I like Eva better all the time. I could love her if I don't already."

(Odin and Eva continued to date until they were married 6 years later in 1912. They had two sons, Eric and Gerald. Sadly, Eva committed suicide in 1921.)

On high school ...

February 19, 1906: "Studied like all, all day long and went to bed with a raging headache."

March 9, 1906: "We had a trig review and although I knew the proofs perfectly, I hurried so I only got 71. It made me mad."

June 22, 1906: "Graduation exercises this evening. They went off fine. Got my diploma and now I am an alumnus."

(In his senior year of high school Odin took English, Trigonometry, German, Chemistry and History. In his diary he mainly mentioned his Trigonometry and German classes.)

Odin, Eva (center) and an unknown friend, in about 1912.

On applying to college ...

February 9, 1906: "I got a letter from Cornell in which I found that I can not enter with my present subjects. So I decided to give up Cornell and work for Syracuse. Between my disappointment and my temper I had no dinner nor breakfast."

June 28, 1906: "Well I got a letter from Syracuse this a.m. which said my scholarship was not good for engineering. It broke me all up. I could not work all day."

(Although Odin did not get into Cornell University or Syracuse University, he did not give up. He eventually attended the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where he graduated in 1910 with a degree in electrical engineering.)

On working ...

August 31, 1906: "Went down to the G. E. Works. Mr. Whimple gave me a place in the testing room at $7 a week to start with. I am much pleased. There were about 100 waiting for a job."

September 14, 1906: "Got my first pay from G.E. today, $5.57. After paying my board I had $1.25 left, $2.00 on hand, making $3.75."

September 17, 1906: "Worked until 9:30 today and got 15 hrs."

(Odin worked for General Electric for about two years. He then moved to New York City and worked as an engineer for a railway company. Then in 1912 he moved to Indianapolis and became an engineer for the Sanborn Electric Company, and eventually became its president.)

On family ...

September 1, 1906: "After supper Mother and I went out shopping and got some things for me. This is the last time we will poke around together. I kinda hate to go."

September 3, 1906: "Mother, Gerald and I had a little cry together. Father went to the train with me."

(Gerald was his little brother. Odin was moving to Schenectady for his new job.)

On visiting relatives ...

February 17, 1906: "We are all glad Inez has gone. Benjamin Franklin said fish and visitors stink in 3 days. He got it right."

(Inez was his aunt from New Hampshire.)

On current events ...

April 18, 1906: "There was a terrible earthquake in San Francisco this A.M. It killed 3,000 persons and destroyed many buildings. Fire broke out and because the water works and pipes were destroyed, could not be stopped. They are having an awful time. We do not know all about it yet."

On food ...

February 24, 1906: "Had some grape fruit for breakfast, the first I ever ate."

July 31, 1906: "Menu for the day. Breakfast: sliced bananas and cream. fried eggs. coffee. Supper: boiled potatoes, cold ham, black berries, lettuce, ice coffee, bread.

On quitting smoking ...

June 30, 1906: "Eva would not tell me to stop smoking, but said she wished I would. I will smoke once more and quit for as long as I can."
one of the pages from Odin's diary
on his 18th birthday

July 6, 1906: "Stop smoking makes my head ache."

On losing his temper ...

March 10, 1906: "I have become so in the last six months that if I am beat or bested or disappointed in any way it makes me mad. It is foolish I know but I am trying to overcome it."

On an appendicitis ...

January 20, 1906: "About two AM I awoke with terrible cramps in my stomach. Nothing did any good and I was in agony the rest of the night. About 9 mother sent for the doctor. He gave me two hypodermics of morphine. I went to sleep and slept till 2 in the PM. When I woke I felt fine and the pain was gone."

November 26, 1906: "Sometime in the night my old ache back back to me and it is the worst yet. I had Dr MacDuval and he called it appendicitis and recommended an operation as soon as I was able."

December 2, 1906: "Had a little pain in my side. It scared me so I had to come home. Said good bye to Eva because I may never see her again."

December 4, 1906: "This morning Dr. Beardsley gave me chloroform and I did not know anymore until 11:30. The operation was over and I was very sick to my stomach, which pained me very much due to the ether gas."

pioneer feminist

2012-01-09T18:41:00.000-08:00

Josephine Martin Plymale in the 1870s, at the time
she was most active as a Women's Suffrage Activist.
Photo courtesy Southern Oregon Historical Society

My great-great-grandmother Josephine Martin was a fascinating woman and an early feminist. She was born in 1845 in Missouri and crossed the Oregon Trail with her family in 1846, spending the formative age of 10 months to 15 months living in a covered wagon. The family settled in Oregon where they lived in Lafayette (1846-1851), Winchester (1851-1859), Roseburg (1859-1861) and Myrtle Creek (1861-1862). In about 1862 (at about 17 years old), Josephine left her family and moved to Jacksonville, Oregon, where she became a school teacher. She was married to William Plymale in 1863. They lived on a farm in what is now Medford, Oregon from 1863 to 1875. Between 1875 and her death in 1899, they lived in Jacksonville, Oregon, where they owned and operated a livery stable.

Josephine was first and foremost a wife and mother of 12 children. She was also a Women's Suffrage activist, a Temperance activist, a newspaper writer and journalist, a noted speech giver, a candidate for political office, an orchardist, a farmer's advocate, a school teacher, a member of various civic organizations, and a town clerk employee.

Women's Suffrage Activist

Josephine was documented as being an activist of the Women's Suffrage movement, but her specific contributions are not known. In 1879, she was described as "one of the most active workers in the Women Suffrage field whom we have met anywhere." At some point during the 1870s, Josephine had acquired use of her church (Methodist) for use as a meeting for women's suffrage activists, but was later locked out by her pastor who got wind of the scheme. Later, a scene was described where Josephine and her husband were too afraid to leave their house because of a violent mob in the street that was protesting against women's rights. Most of Josephine's involvement in the women's suffrage movement probably took place in the 1870s, when the movement began to gain momentum in Oregon. Women did not gain the right to vote in Oregon until 1912, many years after Josephine had died.

Josephine was also an activist of the Temperance movement, which was against the excessive consumption of alcohol. In 1885 and 1886 she was treasurer of the local branch of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. In 1885 she was described as "has always been an active and able advocate of the temperance cause." Apparently, the Temperance and Women's Suffrage movement went hand-in-hand during that time period. Interestingly, her husband had at one time been given a license to sell liquor.

Her later actions also show that Josephine was a dedicated advocate for farmers, journalists and educators.

Politics

Josephine was born into, and married into, families that were heavily involved in politics in Oregon. Her father, William Martin, served as representative in the Oregon Provision Legislature from 1848-1850 and then as a representative in the Oregon Territorial Legislature from 1850-1852. Later, he had the political offices of Indian Service Agent (early 1850s) and Receiver of the Land Office (1856-1861). Josephine's husband, William Plymale, was an elected member of the House of Representatives of the Oregon State Legislature from 1874-1875. He also had the political office of Jackson County Surveyor (1865-1873), Deputy County Clerk (1860s-1880s), and Justice of the Peace (1880s-1904).

The surviving records infer that Josephine held the opposite political values of both her father and her husband. Through most of her adulthood, her father and husband were Democrats whereas Josephine was a Republican (which tended to be the more liberal and progressive party of the time). In August 1888, Josephine named her youngest son after Benjamin Harrison, a Republican who was elected president of the United States three months later.

In 1892, Josephine entered the candidacy under the Republican ticket for election as Jackson County Recorder. Apparently, the suggestion that she would consider running for office was unprecedented. In a newspaper article, her candidacy declaration was responded to with: "That is right, Sister Plymale; if you never ask for an office you will never be refused one." Apparently she dropped out of the race (or was denied inclusion) before the election took place.

In 1898, Josephine performed the duties (copying records) of the Town Clerk of Jacksonville, while the clerk was absent.

Josephine Martin Plymale, c. 1880s
Photo courtesy Southern Oregon Historical Society

Journalism and Writing

Most sources agree that Josephine was a gifted writer. She put her talent to use as a journalist. From the 1870s until the late 1890s, Josephine was a correspondent and writer for at least two newspapers: the Ashland Tidings (in Ashland, Oregon) and the Oregonian (still the major newspaper of Portland, Oregon). Her newspaper writing that I have seen includes editorials and obituaries. In 1885, she was hired as an editorial writer for The Prohibition Star newspaper. She was also a vice president of the Oregon Press Association and a member of the National Press Association. Her dedication to the newspaper industry must have rubbed off on her family because two of her sons (William and Louis) also became journalists and worked for newspapers.

Aside from her journalism, Josephine was also a gifted writer in other ways. She did a large amount of freelance work; writing essays and tributes.

Public Speaker

Josephine has been described in contemporary records as a noted speech giver and public speaker. A few of her documented speeches are: In 1875 she gave the inaugural address to the Grange. In 1877, she gave the annual address to the Siskiyou County Agricultural society in Yreka, California. In 1879 she gave a speech at the Teacher's Institute in Jacksonville. In 1880, she gave a speech at an event for the Legion of Honor in Jacksonville. In 1896, she gave the "occasional address" for the reunion of the Oregon Pioneer Association. Clearly, Josephine must have had a charismatic and dynamic quality that allowed her to be continually used as a public speaker.

Farming

Josephine was raised on farms for the entirety of her childhood and youth. When she married William Plymale in 1863, she immediately moved with him to his family's farm and ranch. Southern Oregon is famous for its fruits (notably pears) and the Plymales had some kind of fruit orchard along with their stock farm and ranch. On the family farm, it appears that her husband was the better stock raiser while Josephine was the better orchardist. Although they only farmed for about 12 years, Josephine remained a lifelong advocate of farmers and agriculture.

Josephine was a faithful member of the Grange and the Jackson County Agricultural Society. At various times she was publically thanked for delivering pears to fellow citizens.

Other Involvements

Josephine was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church. She was also a dedicated member of various civic organizations including the Madrona Lodge (Order of the Eastern Star) and the Ruth Rebekah Lodge (female version of the I.O.O.F. - the "Odd Fellows"). Josephine was prominent in the Rebekah Lodge, and served as its General Secretary, which required her to travel throughout Oregon state. In 1890, she was elected as a delegate to the organization's national convention in Topeka, Kansas; but it is unknown if she made the trip. Additionally, she was a member of the Southern Oregon Pioneer Association.

For a short time period in her youth (from about 1862 to about 1863), she taught school in Jacksonville. Although she only taught for a short time period, the stint must have made its mark on her students, because more than 30 years later she was said to have "rendered very valuable service to the young people who were growing up around her."

In 1875, when Josephine and her family moved to Jacksonville, Oregon, they took over the Excelsior Livery Stable business, located in the city center (the business has previously been owned and operated by William's brother Sebastian Plymale). They successfully operated the business for about 15 years, where they essentially served as transportation for fellow citizens by driving and renting out horses and buggies to paying customers. Josephine assisted with this business enterprise and must have been quite good with horses. She herself even drove horse teams for clients on occasion. She was described on one occasion by a customer as a "gallant lady pilot proving efficient and successful at her business."

Tragedies

In the summer of 1882, a scarlet fever epidemic struck the area and three of Josephine's children were infected with the dangerous disease. Sadly, her youngest son, McDonough, aged 17 months, died from the dreaded disease, but her other children recovered.

In Jacksonville, Josephine and her family lived next to a furniture factory. At 3:30 am on September 18, 1888, a fire erupted in the furniture factory and soon engulfed the Plymales' home and it burned to the ground. Josephine and her large family (which included one-month old baby Benjamin) managed to escape in the middle of the night with only the clothes on their back. After this, they purchased a house across the street that had been owned by the owner of the furniture factory.

The surviving sources suggest that despite all of Josephine and William's civic involvement and accomplishments, they were never very wealthy and suffered from financial hardship. When her husband William died in 1904, their house was nearly repossessed because of nonpayment of their mortgage.

Josephine became ill in December 1898 and suffered from an undocumented illness for 6 months until her death on June 16, 1899, at the age of 54. Her illness was described as "weeks and months of the most intense suffering."

Personality

The Plymale Cottage in Jacksonville, Oregon, where
Josephine lived from 1890 to 1899.
Clearly, Josephine must have possessed a high amount of energy, motivation, passion and courage. She defied the standards of her day which required women to be meek and subservient. In her time, she went up against her father, her husband, her pastor and her community, while still managing to maintain respect and dignity.

In spite of all of her above achievements, Josephine was first and foremost a wife and mother. Surely, the domestic duties of a housewife and mother of 12 children required huge amounts of energy and devotion. She and her husband were also dedicated to the education of all of their children. Even though they were Methodists, they sent their children to Catholic school, which they considered to be the best school in town. At least 6 of their children eventually went to college.

In 1884, when her mother died, Josephine paid for a headstone for her mother's grave, even though her father and most of her siblings lived much closer than she did.

Josephine must have had a fiery and charismatic personality. In 1879 she was described as "sharper than lightning." Descriptions at her death in 1899 included; "she was always ready with a pleasant or witty expression under the most irritating circumstances," "the vexations incident to rearing a large family never soured her naturally cheerful disposition," "she was always indulgent and affectionate," and "she had a kind word for every child that she met." In spite of all that, she was described by her granddaughter (who was born many years after she died) as merely "a bad mother." She must not have been too bad of a mother though, because three different granddaughters were named after her.

My descent from Josephine:
Josephine L. Martin md. William J. Plymale
- Benjamin H. Plymale md. Vera V. Merriman
-- Ben T. Plymale md. Patricia J. Bixby
--- Barbara Plymale md. Randy Wadleigh
---- Ryan Wadleigh

the leaning tower of ... Norwich

2011-12-23T16:26:00.000-08:00

The Augustine Steward House in Norwich
(built c. 1530). From British Listed
Building's website.

My ancestor, Augustine Steward, was a three-time mayor of Norwich, England. His house, built in the early 1500's is still standing to this day.

Augustine Steward was born in about 1491 in Norwich, Norfolkshire. He was the son of Geoffrey Steward, an alderman and merchant grocer, who died in 1504, when Augustine was about 13. Augustine's mother Cecily remarried to a wealthy merchant named John Clerk. She later traded under her own registered merchant's mark as Cecily Clerk.

Augustine Steward became a successful merchant and grocer in Norwich. The house where he lived in Norwich is still standing to this day. Some sources indicate the house was built in 1530, yet other sources suggest that he was actually born in the house (in about 1491). Perhaps he was born in a structure that stood at that location, but it was later torn down and replaced in 1530 by the structure which can be seen today. Apparently because of its uneven foundation, the house has shifted over its 500 years and is noticeably leaning. It has since been used as a butcher's shop, a broker's shop, an antique dealer's shop, a bookshop and a coffee house. It is said to be haunted by a 1578 plague victim known as the "Lady in Grey."

Augustine Steward's portrait from the
Norwich Civic Portrait Collection

Augustine was the mayor of Norwich in 1534, 1546 and 1556 and sheriff in 1526. He was also a Norwich councillor from 1522 to 1525, an alderman from 1526 to 1570, M.P. (member of parliament) in 1542 and a Burgess in Parliament in 1547. In 1540, Augustine purchased the monastery of Black Friar's Church (St. Andrew's Hall) for the city of Norwich.

In 1549, Augustine was instrumental in leading peace negotiations during Kett's Rebellion. He had been appointed deputy mayor during the uprising. During the rebellion, Augustine also entertained and housed the King's representative, the Marquis of Northumberland (William Parr, brother of Henry VIII's wife Katherine Parr). The house was also used by the Earl of Warwick as a base from which to squash the rebellion.

In addition to his own service as mayor of Norwich, Augustine's stepfather John Clerk was also a mayor of Norwich. Additionally, his son-in-law Thomas Sotherton (also my ancestor) was a Norwich mayor, as well as Thomas' father Nicholas Sotherton and various other Norwich men connected by marriage. Augustine died in 1571.

My descent from Augustine:

Augustine Steward md. Elizabeth Read
- Elizabeth Steward md. Thomas Sotherton
-- Augustine Sotherton md. Ann Peck
--- Elizabeth Sotherton md. Thomas Warner
---- Augustine Warner md. Mary Towneley
----- Augustine Warner md. Mildred Reade
------ Elizabeth Warner md. John Lewis
------- Charles Lewis md. Mary Howell
-------- Anne Lewis md. Edmund Taylor
--------- Mary Taylor md. John Brodie
---------- David Brodie md. Susan M. Sthreshley
----------- Ethalinda E. Brodie md. Thomas A. Jones
------------ Thomas A. Jones md. Lee P. Whitlock
------------- Louetha Jones md. Newell B. Brown
-------------- Bettye B. Brown md. Paul C. Wadleigh
--------------- Randy Wadleigh md. Barbara Plymale
---------------- Ryan Wadleigh

the first Muslim in America?

2011-10-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

My possible* ancestor Anthony Jansen Van Salee was the first known Muslim to live in what is now New York City. Others have suggested that he could have been the first Muslim in the entire New World.

Anthony was born in about 1607 at an unknown location. Anthony's parentage has not been definitively proven. It is generally accepted though that his father was an infamous Dutch pirate named Jan Janszoon van Haarlem. The identity of his mother has never been established, but she is usually believed to be of North African descent, the most prevalent theories being that she was from Morocco or Spain.

The places where Anthony supposedly lived in his youth.
1. Sale, Morocco, 2. Fez, Morocco
3. Algiers, Algeria, 4. Cartagena, Spain

What we do know is that because he used the name Jansen, Anthony acknowledged being the son of someone named Jan. Also, as an adult he used the toponymic last name "Van Salee", indicating that he was from Salé, Morocco. In later adulthood, he also indicated that he was from Fez, Morocco. When he married in 1629, he was listed as being from Cartagena, Spain. Many people have accepted this to mean that he was born in Cartagena, and raised in Salee. Perhaps he was born in neither place, but had spent time living in both.

Contemporary records also indicate that Anthony was of a mixed-ethnic background. The most common term used to describe him was "Turk." Other terms were: "Mulatto", "Swarthy" (dark-skinned), "semi-Dutchman", and "Tawny". There is also a story that when his wife gave birth to one of their children, she asked the midwife whether the baby looked like Anthony or another man (she was apparently having an affair). The midwife supposedly told her that since the baby was a bit brown in color, that it was likely Anthony's child.

Still, other researchers have proposed that Anthony was actually white and that contemporary records indicating otherwise was simply slander or an indication that he had lived in Morocco and was not literally mixed-race. They also propose that mixed-race theory is not possible because of the timeline. Jan apparently worked for the Dutch until becoming a Moroccan pirate in the late 1610's, apparently indicating that Anthony could not have been the son of a Moroccan mother. Of course, that does not prove that Jan did not have children by a non-white mother beforehand. Also, as is stated above, we do not know for sure that Jan was even his father.

As far as I know, Anthony was never identified directly as being a Muslim, but there is a lot of circumstantial evidence which points to it being likely. 1) Anthony was raised in Morocco, where Islam was practiced, and it is unlikely he would have practiced Christianity. 2) There is apparently proof that Jan Janszoon Van Haarlem (who was probably Anthony's father) had converted to Islam, after being captured by Muslim pirates. 3) He was frequently described as "Turk" in contemporary records, which some researchers indicate is a designation of religious affiliation and not necessarily of ethnic origin. 4) An old Qu'ran (Koran) had been passed down in the family for many generations, the story being that it was from a Dutch pioneer of New York who was Muslim. After researchers had discovered Anthony's probable Muslim origins, they identified the Qu'ran as belonging to him. 5) Anthony was frequently involved in disputes with the church in New Amsterdam and was often fined by them.

Anthony was probably raised in Salee, Morocco and also lived at times in Algeria and perhaps in Spain. In the late 1620's, he moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands, where he joined the Dutch West India Company and sailed to America in 1630. Anthony was married to a woman named Grietje Reyniers in or after December 1629, either in Amsterdam or on board the ship en route to New York. Grietje (or Margaret in English) was an acknowledged prostitute. Grietje has herself become a legend of American colonial history and has been dubbed "the first lady of the night" of Manhattan and "Manhattan's first and most famous prostitute."

In 1630, Anthony and Grietje settled in New Amsterdam (now Manhattan in New York City). During the next nine years, Anthony and his wife had many legal disputes with the church and the town authorities and they were finally banished from New Amsterdam in 1639. In that year, they settled on 200 acres in what is now Brooklyn (in the Gravesend neighborhood). Because of this, he is acknowledged by some as the first European settler of Brooklyn. The farm he settled in Gravesend was called "Turk's Plantation." Because his farm apparently butted up against what is now called Coney Island, it was for many years called "Turk's Island." Anthony died in 1676.

* It has not been proven that Anthony Van Salee is actually my ancestor. My proven ancestor Jacques Barkelow was married to a woman named Jannetje. It has been suggested (because of Dutch naming customs) that because their second known son was named Barent, Jannetje was the daughter of a man named Barent. If that is true, one of the strongest candidates for her father is Barent Johnson, the great-grandson of Anthony Van Salee.

My possible descent from Anthony:
Anthony Jansen Van Salee md. Grietje Reyniers
- Cornelia Van Salee md. Willem Janse Van Borkulo
-- Jannetje Van Borculo md. Jan Barentsen Van Driest
--- Barent Johnson md. Maria Stillwell
---- Jannetje * md. Jacques Barkelow (*it is not proven who Jannetje's parents were)
----- William Barkelow md. unknown
------ James Barkelow md. Elizabeth
------- Flora A. Bartlow md. James Murray
-------- Mary E. Murray md. George F. Merriman
--------- Vera V. Merriman md. Benjamin H. Plymale
---------- Ben T. Plymale md. Patricia J. Bixby
----------- Barbara Plymale md. Randy Wadleigh
------------ Ryan Wadleigh

shotgun weddings?

2011-10-19T20:54:00.000-07:00

From what I can yet discover, all of my known ancestors were born from parents who were married, but that does not mean that all of their children were conceived after marriage.

This blog post is the results of my investigations into possible cases of premarital sex resulting in pregnancies and weddings. I went through my family tree and compared the documented dates of marriage with the documented dates of birth of their first children. The below examples include just some of the instances when children were born before marriage, or when they were born up to 7 months after the marriage. All of these oldest children listed below were born alive and survived to adulthood (so it is not likely they were premature births).

It is of course possible for a surviving child to be born after only 7 months gestation, although that would have been less likely in the 1800's or earlier. The most likely scenario is that these were all examples of conception before marriage.

Minnie Thurston Hopkins, mid-1880s

My great-great-grandmother's sister Minnie Thurston was married to Edgar Hopkins on August 18, 1881 in Chariton County, Missouri. Their first child, Harry, was born two months later on October 17, 1881.

Minnie was from Minnesota, but had moved by herself to Wisconsin in her youth to work as a servant. It was in that situation that she became pregnant by a traveling salesman from a nearby town. They decided to get married and eloped to Missouri, where Minnie had some relatives.

My great-great-grandmother's sister, Mary Kling, gave birth to an illegitimate son on February 27, 1881 in Mankato, Minnesota. The father of the child is unknown. The baby was named Fred Kling, and was raised by Mary's parents, Christian and Dora Kling.

My great-great-great-grandparents William Brown and Amanda Stephens were married on December 15, 1859 in Montgomery County, Tennessee. Their first child, Jesse, was born 7 months later, on July 26, 1860. Then, in the 1860 census, William, Amanda and Jesse were living in the household of William's parents, suggesting that perhaps they were not prepared to be married.

My great-great-great-great-grandparents Jeremiah Tilton and Abigail Freese were married on December 30, 1840 in Deerfield, New Hampshire. Their first child, Austin, was born 7 months later on July 28, 1841. Jeremiah later became a Baptist minister.

My great-great-great-great-grandparents Isaiah Custer and Elizabeth Salehamer were married on June 5, 1825 in what is now Berkeley County, West Virginia. Their first child, Charles, was born 7 months later, on January 10, 1826.

My great-great-great-great-grandparents James Stephens and Nancy Head were married on March 26, 1823 in Sumner County, Tennessee. Their first child, Elizabeth, was born 2 months later, on May 26, 1823.

My great-great-great-great-grandparents Antoni Kling and Maren Damm were married on July 13, 1822 in Rise, Denmark. Their first child, Hans, was born 3 months later, on October 13, 1822.

My great-great-great-great-grandparents Thaddeus Bixby and Hannah Worrick were married on December 6, 1802 in Guilford, Vermont. Their first child, Oliver, was born 4 months later, on April 21, 1803.

There is a story about how their daughter Annis Bixby, came to be married in 1830. One day, she was outside hanging clothing on a line when a laborer was out working the field. His gaze found the beautiful red-headed woman, and he decided on the spot that he would come back and win her. He did. Perhaps Thaddeus and Hannah met in a similar way?

My great-great-great-great-great-grandparents John Hill and Dorothy Allen were married on December 26, 1796 in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Their first child, Margaret, was born 4 months later, on April 26, 1797.

My great-great-great-great-great-grandparents Carl Lilienthal and Engel Kahl were married on November 9, 1792 in Lutjenburg, Germany. Their first child, Hans, was already 2 years old when they married.

My great-great-great-great-great-grandparents Manassah Bixby and Elizabeth Dunsmore were married on November 12, 1765 in Lancaster, Massachusetts. Their first child, Manassah Jr, was already 10 months old and Elizabeth was pregnant with their second child, Joseph, who was born 2 months later, in January 1766.

My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents Peter Helm and Christina Schieffer were married on November 17, 1757 in Claverack, New York. Their first child, Elizabeth, was born 4 monts later, in March 1758.

My great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents Moses Thurston and Hannah Johnson were married on May 29, 1744 in Andover, Massachusetts. Their first child, Hannah, was born 4 months later, on September 10, 1744.

My ancestors Steven Flanders and Abigail Carter were married on December 28, 1670 in Salisbury, Massachusetts. Their first child, Thomas, was born 2 months later, on February 17, 1670/1.

Things to consider:
1) It is possible for infants to be born alive after a gestation of 7 months or less.
2) It is possible that the documented dates of marriages or births are incorrect.
3) Even if all of the documented dates are correct, it is does not necessarily mean the couples in question were not married at an earlier date. There could have been different civil and religious ceremonies, or they could have lost the documentation of the original marriage and been required to officially remarry.

fun at the beach or pool

2011-09-17T15:24:00.000-07:00

With the summer drawing to a close, I've decided to look back on warmer weather by putting together this photo collection of my ancestors enjoying themselves in the water.

My great-grandmother Vera Merriman swimming in Lake Michigan
in about 1915, while attending college in Chicago.

The Wadleigh family swimming at an unknown location about 1929. Back row, left to right: Mabel Wadleigh
(great-great-aunt), Louise Custer Wadleigh (great-grandmother), Gerald Wadleigh (great-great-uncle). Middle row, left to right: Gerald M. Wadleigh (great-uncle), Eric Wadleigh (great-uncle), Charlotte Wadleigh (cousin). Bottom row, left to right: Paul Wadleigh (grandfather), Gerald T. Wadleigh (cousin).

My great-grandfather Odin Wadleigh and my grandfather Paul Wadleigh, 1930's, at
an unknown location.

My grandmother Patricia Bixby burying her sister Evelyn Bixby in the sand on the Oregon Coast, about 1944.

My grandmother Patricia Bixby at the Oregon Coast, 1940's.

My grandfather Paul Wadleigh (far right) and my great-uncle Eric Wadleigh (far left), with two unidentified friends, 1940's, at an unknown beach.

My great-aunt Shirley Bixby (right) and a friend, on the Oregon Coast, 1940's.

My great-aunt Evelyn Bixby, Oregon Coast, 1940's.

My grandmother Bettye Brown Wadleigh, early 1950's, Long Beach, CA?

Left to right: my dad Randy Wadleigh, uncle Mark Wadleigh, aunt Karen Wadleigh, 1953, Long Beach, CA

My great-grandmother Louise Custer Wadleigh (seated on the right) and unknown friends. Vacationing in Hawaii in the 1950's.

My aunt Catherine Plymale and uncle George Plymale enjoying some Pepsis on the Oregon Coast, 1955.

My great-grandparents Odin and Louise Wadleigh, in Hawaii, 1950's.

My uncle Deane Plymale (left), my aunt Catherine Plymale (middle) and my mom Barbara Plymale (right), at the beach in Port Angeles, WA, in 1960.

My grandmother Bettye Brown Wadleigh at an unknown pool, 1950's.

Left to right: my uncle Deane Plymale, mom Barbara Plymale, uncle George Plymale, aunt Catherine Plymale, in 1964.

My uncle Deane Plymale and my aunt Catherine Plymale jumping into the pool, 1967.

At the beach in Port Angeles, early 1970's. Left to right: Deane Plymale, Catherine Plymale, Barbara Plymale, Doug Wilks, George Plymale.

My grandmother Patricia Bixby Plymale (far right), with a group of her friends at the beach in Port Angeles, 1983.

Left to right: me, my brother Trevor, my brother Odin and my mom, at a beach near Los Angeles in 1992.

me, my brother Trevor and my brother Odin jumping in the pool in San Diego, 1994.

my connection to Abraham Lincoln

2011-09-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

My great-great-great-great-grandparents Reuben and Betsy Merriman were born and raised in Connecticut. They married in 1812, and immediately moved out west, settling in Kentucky. They remained in Kentucky for 17 years and in 1829, moved to Sangamon County, Illinois, where they remained. Years later, some family members stated that the move to Illinois was because they did not approve of slavery which was legal at the time in Kentucky.

This story of the Merriman family is similar to Abraham Lincoln's family story. Abraham was born and raised in the state of Kentucky and in 1816, moved north to the non-slave state of Indiana. The Lincoln family's decision to move was partially because of their objections to slavery. Eventually, in 1836, Abraham Lincoln moved to what is now Sangamon County, Illinois (where the Merrimans lived), to practice law.

My great-great-great-grandfather
William Merriman, who was 16 years old
when his parents died.

In February 1842, Reuben and Betsy Merriman died within a day of each of from winter fever (pneumonia). They left a large estate of 830 acres and no will to properly divide their assets. Also left were seven children to mourn their loss: Lucinda (aged 29), Lavinia (24), George (23), John (20), my great-great-great-grandfather William (16), and twins Francis and Robert (11).

In June 1842, the older children filed a lawsuit in Sangamon County Circuit Court to equitably divide the estate. The case was titled Merriman et al vs. Merriman et al, as it was the adult children (Lucinda, Lavinia and George) jointly suing their minor brothers (John, William, Francis and Robert). The lawyers hired to represent the family's case were none other than Abraham Lincoln and his partner Stephen Logan. Eventually, all of the family's real estate holdings were ordered sold and the proceeds equitably divided between the children (although the oldest son George did purchase 360 acres from the estate). The four minor children were also placed under legal guardianships until they attained majority.

Years later, Reuben and Betsy's oldest son George Merriman had become a wealthy and successful farmer, who had a professional presence in the county seat (and state capital) of Springfield, where Lincoln lived and worked. George "had the honor of Abraham Lincoln's friendship."

My great-great-great-grandfather's wife Artinecia Riddle lived in Sangamon County, Illinois from about 1836 until 1851. Years later, her son said that she was a "personal acquaintance" of Abraham Lincoln during those years and "she recalled memories of the homely barrister who later became one of America's greatest presidents and one of the outstanding human characters in all history."
My descent from Reuben and Betsy Merriman:

Reuben Merriman married Betsy Bennett
- William H. Merriman married Artinecia Riddle
-- George F. Merriman married Mary E. Murray
--- Vera V. Merriman married Benjamin H. Plymale
---- Ben T. Plymale married Patricia J. Bixby
----- Barbara Plymale married Randy Wadleigh
------ Ryan Wadleigh
Sources:

1. Merriman et al v. Merriman et al (June 29, 1842), B, 328-329, Illinois Regional Archives Depository, University of Illinois at Springfield.
2. Portrait and Biographical Album of Sangamon County, Illinois. Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1891.
3. Newspaper Article, The Picket-Journal [Red Lodge, MT], Dec. 21, 1933

pets in my family tree

2011-08-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

Often, families include more than just biologically related people. They also include those furry (or feathery, scaley, spiney, etc.) animals that occupy the cherished positions of family pets. My family tree is no different, and is filled with animals that were doted on and loved. The following is a short list and photo collection of just some of the pets in my family tree.

In 1867, my great-great-great-grandfather's brother, Albert Jones, died. His probated estate included an inventory of his personal possessions and assets. As was usual, the inventory included his livestock holdings. What was unusual though, is that all of his livestock were individually named in the inventory. He had cows named: Lucky, Mary, Smith, Julia, Sally, Maria, Lizzie, Jane, Bully, Mollie, Blacky, Aggy and Nora. He had mules named: Mollie, Beck, Sofa, Cola, Pat, Kit, Dinah, Tiger, Peter, John, and Collie. He had horses named: Charlie, Jennie, Lightfoot and Billy.

My great-great-grandmother Julia Thurston Bixby had a pet goat that she particularly loved. Although the pet goat was something that many family members remembered, nobody had the common sense to record its name or take its picture.

Wadleigh family gathering in about 1903 with their pet dog pictured in the front. (My great-great-grandfather Oscar Wadleigh is standing on the far left. His mother Abbie Wadleigh is seated on the far left and his father John Wadleigh is standing third from the right.)

My great-great-great-grandmother Abbie Tilton Wadleigh and her dog, c. 1910's.

Buster Brown

My grandmother Bettye Brown and her family had a pet Boston Terrier in the 1940's. He was aptly named Buster Brown.

Buster Brown with my grandmother Bettye Brown

and my great-grandmother Louetha Brown.

Mickey

My other grandmother, Patricia Bixby, also had a pet Boston Terrier during the 1940's.

My grandmother Patricia Bixby (right) and an unidentified friend or cousin, holding Mickey.

My great-aunt Evelyn Bixby holding Mickey, with a cat standing nearby (name of cat unknown).

Mickey at home.

Mike and Josh

During the 1940's and 1950's, my great-grandparents Odin and Louise Wadleigh had a succession of bulldogs. I only know the names of two of them, Mike and later Josh.

Odin Wadleigh and a bulldog.

Louise Wadleigh and a bulldog.

Odin Wadleigh and two bulldogs.

two more of the bulldogs.

Odin Wadleigh holding a baby bulldog.

Lover and George
During the 1950's, my dad and his family had two pet monkeys. One of them, a Spider Monkey, was named Lover. The other, a Cabuchin monkey, was named George.

My great-grandmother Louetha Jones Brown holding the spider monkey Lover.

Chipper
During the 1960's, my mother and her family had a black standard poodle named Chipper.

My mom and Chipper in 1964 (the white dog was

a neighbor's dog).

My grandmother Patricia Bixby Plymale and Chipper.

Various pets

My dad and the family's poodle, 1960's.

My uncle George Plymale with the family's pet Parakeet, early 1960's.

My great-aunt Mary Jo Plymale Brown and her cat (Snowball?) in 1972.

My grandmother Patricia Bixby Plymale and her dogs Gus (left) and Ozzie (right), 1970's.

My dad's dog Simone (Shneemyoon?) on top of his car, late 1970's.

My Mom and her pet rat, 1971.

My brother Odin and three of our dogs, Fanny, Fred and Barney.

My cousin Ira (left) and my brother Odin with
two of our Basset Fanny's puppies, 1984.

My grandmother Patricia Plymale's cat Candy, found as an orphan kitten in the 1980's.

My mom with one of our Pygmy Goats, early 1990's.

Some more of our Pygmy Goats (including Bill, Bob and Charleen).

Three more of our pets: Fanny (the Basset Hound), Havoc (the Irish Setter) and Minnie (the cat).

My brother Trevor riding our pony Rocket.

My mom holding our pet caiman alligator, Frank, late 1980's.

My grandmother Bettye Brown Staley playing with my aunt Karen's dog Nelly. (Photo stolen from Leslie Moe.)

a slap in the face

2011-08-13T11:58:00.000-07:00

My ancestors Theiss (Matthew) and Nesgen (Agnes) Doors were Mennonites who suffered from persecution because of their religious beliefs. They were married in the late 1630's and lived together in the village of Kaldenkirchen in what is now western Germany, directly bordering what is now The Netherlands. There, Matthew worked as a shoemaker and had a shop and house near the village wall. Apparently, Matthew (and perhaps Agnes) were born as Catholics, but became Anabaptists (Mennonites) some time in their adulthood. Although the area where they lived was comparatively tolerant to their religious views, they still faced persecution. It has also been described with accuracy that they were "tolerated at best", and were even forced to pay special tax so that they could remain in the country and continue to practice their religion.

In 1655, Matthew was fined for failing to obey a submission. It was apparently just an excuse though to expel him from the country because of his beliefs, which would happen if he failed to pay the fine. The Duke of Julich then sent a bailiff (another source says it was the Governor of Bruggen) to the Doors' house to issue the decree requiring the payment and collect the fine. Matthew was away from home when the bailiff arrived and the bailiff instead met his irate wife Agnes, who was about 9 months pregnant. The bailiff explained that he had an official decree and came to collect the fine. In response, Agnes quarreled with the bailiff and tried to rip the decree from his hands. At some point during their brawl, she was struck in the face.

Matthew had still not paid the fine so his shop goods were seized and sold. They were also pressured to abandon their Mennonite beliefs. In the subsequent trial, Matthew testified that his wife Agnes had wanted to be a Catholic, so when the child was born several days later (a daughter named Margarita), she was baptized in the Catholic church. The family though did not remain Catholics and by the following year, they had all joined the Calvinist (Reformed) church, probably so that they could remain in the area. Matthew and Agnes did apparently spend the rest of their lives in the Kaldenkirchen area, where they were officially members of the Reformed church.

Religious persecution aside, it has also been suggested that some of the family (including Agnes) suffered from some kind of mental illness, which might explain Agnes' brawl with the bailiff. Their daughter Gertrude Doors, who was married to Paulus Kusters, had a severe attack of mental illness in 1674, after giving birth to her 4th child Reiner. The baptism record indicated that she was "unable to use her mental faculties", so her parents (Matthew and Agnes) cared for the child until she recovered. It is assumed now that she suffered from postpartum depression. Gertrude eventually did recover and had five more children and eventually moved to Pennsylvania with her family in the 1680's so that they were free to practice their Mennonite religion.

My descent from this couple:
Theiss Doors md. Nessgen
- Gertrude Doors md. Paulus Kusters
-- Arnold Kuster md. Rebecca
--- Paul Custer md. Sarah Martha Ball
---- Jonathan Custer md. Hannah Peters
----- Benjamin Custer md. Margaret Bell
------ Isaiah Custer md. Elizabeth Salehamer
------- Charles Custer md. Mary Jane Custer
-------- John W. Custer md. Elizabeth R. Taylor
--------- Louise E. Custer md. Odin F. Wadleigh
---------- Paul Wadleigh md. Bettye Brown
----------- Randy Wadleigh md. Barbara Plymale
-------------Ryan Wadleigh

ugliest man in the county

2011-07-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

Tom Jones, not quite the ugliest
man in the county

In 1903, my great-great-grandfather Tom Jones was a contestant for the title of "ugliest man" in Christian County, Kentucky. The contest was hosted by the Hopkinsville Kentuckian newspaper and was wildly popular. People voted for their favorite ugly man by buying subscriptions to the newspaper or by returning ballots that were clipped from the newspaper.

All of the contestants, including Tom Jones, were nominated for the honor (and accepted the nominations) in March of 1903, and the race was off! The voting concluded in August of 1903. During the 5-month election, over 25,000 votes were cast for ugly men. Fortunately (or unfortunately) Tom Jones lost the election. Out of the 9 men who remained in the contest until the end, Tom finished second to the last with just 131 votes. It could be said then that he was the eighth ugliest man in Christian County.

Charlie Smithson, winner of the title of
ugliest man in Christian County

The winner of the honor of Ugliest Man in Christian County was a man named Charlie Smithson, who received over 10,000 votes. His prize was a gold watch and also honor and prestige.

From what I've been able to tell, these "ugliest man" competitions were phenomenons particular to Kentucky. They went hand-in-hand with corresponding elections for "prettiest lady" (or "Most Popular Young Lady" in Christian County). For all intents-and-purposes, it seems that the goal of the election was really to elect ugly men. These men, though ugly, were supposed to be pleasant and good-natured about their appearance and were usually "jokesters" in their communities. Although the candidates were originally nominated by other people, they could not be included in the race unless they accepted the nomination. At least 5 men dropped out of the race during its 5-month duration, perhaps because their feelings really did get hurt?

a ballot and advertisement for the
election from the Hopkinsville Kentuckian

In reality, the election was a fundraiser of sorts put on by the newspaper in order to increase newspaper circulation.

"The contest is to be conducted in a spirit of pleasantry and not to hurt people's feelings. Candidates who enter the contest in good faith will be expected to furnish a photograph, if one can be taken without breaking the camera."

My descent from Tom Jones:

Thomas A. Jones md. Lee P. Whitlock
- Louetha Jones md. Newell B. Brown
-- Bettye Brown md. Paul Wadleigh
--- Randy Wadleigh md. Barbara Plymale
---- Ryan Wadleigh

witchcraft runs in the family

2011-07-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

Part of the original examination/testimony of Mary Lacey
during her interrogations for witchcraft, July 21, 1692
(Click to enlarge)

The Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692 was a period of mass hysteria in colonial Massachusetts. The outbreak began in Salem Village (now Danvers), but soon spread to other towns and villages in the colony. Witches were accused in other towns and were brought to Salem Village for their incarcerations, interrogations, trials and in some cases, executions.

The Witches
I have four known ancestors who were accused or convicted witches during this period:

Mary Lacey (18) of Andover, MA - accused, interrogated and tortured, but never tried or convicted
Mrs. Mary Foster Lacey (40) of Andover, MA - convicted and sentenced to death, but eventually released
Mrs. Ann Foster (about 75) of Andover, MA - convicted and sentenced to death, but died in prison
Mrs. Mary Perkins Bradbury (77) of Salisbury, MA - convicted and sentenced to death, but supposedly escaped from prison

Sometime in 1692, Mrs. Elizabeth Phelps Ballard of Andover, Massachusetts (who also happens to be my ancestor) began to suffer from a mysterious fever and illness that baffled her doctors. She eventually died in July of 1692. Considering the witch hunt going on in nearby Salem Village, her husband Joseph naturally assumed that witchcraft or sorcery was the cause of his wife's demise. Several "afflicted" girls were brought from Salem to Andover to identify the witches that were responsible. Their identifications fell on three of my direct ancestors; a teenage daughter (Mary Lacey), her mother (Mary Foster Lacey) and her grandmother (Ann Foster).

The grandmother, Mrs. Ann Foster (aged about 75) was the first to be arrested and taken for questioning. On July 15, 1692 she was taken to Salem and at first denied all charges of witchcraft, but then confessed. She explained that the devil had first appeared to her in the form of a white bird. Then on, July 20, 1692, her daughter Mrs. Mary Foster Lacey (aged 40) was arrested and taken to Salem, where she immediately confessed. Following her confession, an arrest warrant was issued for Mary's daughter Mary Lacey (aged 18). They arrested the younger Mary in Andover and searched her belongings for puppets, quills and rags (assumed paraphernalia of witches) and apparently found some. Once in custody in Salem, all three women were then interrogated together and separately. Some sources also indicate that they were tortured. Aside from afflicting Elizabeth Ballard, all three were accused of afflicting various other people through their witchcraft. Mrs. Mary Lacey is also accused of afflicting her husband, Lawrence Lacey.

Interestingly, the transcriptions of some or most of these interrogations have survived and reveal very colorful stories. Mrs. Ann Foster confessed that on one of her broomstick rides from Andover to Salem, her broomstick broke in mid-air and to save herself she clung to the neck of Martha Corey (another flying witch), hurting her leg in the process. Both the younger Mary Lacey and her mother had no trouble in implicating each other or the grandmother. The grandmother though, Ann Foster, was the only holdout in accusing her family members. She was accused of making her daughter Mary a witch and when asked about this, she responded: "I know no more of my daughter's being a witch than what day I shall die upon."

The younger Mary Lacey was not ever charged or tried for being a witch and was eventually pardoned. It is not explicitly stated why, but it is inferred that it was because she was young and under "parental control." (Although she was 18 years old, the court records refer to her as being about 15 years old. Perhaps she or her family lied about her age to make her less culpable?) It was probably though because while in prison, Mary testified against a variety of other accused witches, claiming to be afflicted by them in the courtroom. She was kept in prison though until October 1692, when some neighbors put up a bond for her release. Meanwhile, both Mrs. Mary Lacey and Mrs. Ann Foster were convicted of witchcraft in September 1692 and were sentenced to death by hanging. Fortunately, the sentences were delayed indefinitely. The elderly Ann Foster languished in prison and eventually died in December 1692 in her Salem jail cell. The records indicate she had been incarcerated for 21 weeks (since July). Afterwards, her son had to pay for her upkeep before they would release her dead body to him for burial. Mrs. Mary Lacey was apparently kept in prison until she was eventually pardoned and released, probably sometime in 1693.

My descent from Ann, Mary and Mary:

Ann md. Andrew Foster
- Mary Foster md. Lawrence Lacey
-- Mary Lacey md. Zerubbabel Kemp
--- Zerubbabel Kemp md. Abigail Lawrence
---- Mary Kemp md. John Brooks
----- Nathan Brooks md. Sarah Morse
------ Mary M. Brooks md. Reuben H. Thurston
------- Irvin H. Thurston md. Lydia E. Dunham
-------- Julia M. Thurston md. Henry W. Bixby
--------- Neil F. Bixby md. Bertha Hoffman
---------- Patricia J. Bixby md. Ben T. Plymale
----------- Barbara Plymale md. Randy Wadleigh
------------ Ryan Wadleigh

The fourth witch in my family tree is Mrs. Mary Perkins Bradbury of Salisbury, aged 77sources indicate that she remained in prison until she was pardoned and released (probably in 1693). Another source indicates that she escaped and fled to Maine. Still another source indicated that her husband bribed her jailer and fled with her to Maine, where they waited until the hysteria died down.

My descent from Mary:
Mary Perkins md. Thomas Bradbury
- Jane Bradbury md. Henry True
-- William True md. Eleanor Stevens
--- Benjamin True md. Judith Morrill
---- Abraham True md. Sarah French
----- Sarah True md. Josiah Tilton
------ Josiah Tilton md. Sarah Dearborn
------- Jeremiah D. Tilton md. Abigail Freese
-------- Abigail R. Tilton md. John Wadleigh
--------- Oscar S. Wadleigh md. Charlotte Winters
---------- Odin Wadleigh md. Louise Custer
----------- Paul Wadleigh md. Bettye Brown
------------ Randy Wadleigh md. Barbara Plymale
------------- Ryan Wadleigh

The Accusers

As mentioned above, my ancestor Joseph Ballard of Andover assumed that his wife's illness and death was caused by witchcraft. After convincing the "afflicted" girls from Salem to come and identify witches in Andover, he specifically accused Mrs. Ann Foster. After she had been arrested, he then demanded the arrest of her daughter and granddaughter, Mary Lacey Sr and Mary Lacey Jr, and even put up a bond on condition that they were prosecuted against. He eventually accused a variety of other people as being responsible for his wife's death.

My descent from Joseph:
Joseph Ballard md. Elizabeth Phelps
- Elizabeth Ballard md. George Abbott
-- Uriah Abbott md. Sarah Mitchell
--- Sarah Abbott md. Josiah Stearns
---- John Stearns md. Sarah Lane
----- Ruth Stearns md. Dudley Freese
------ Abigail S. Freese md. Jeremiah Tilton
------- Abigail R. Tilton md. John Wadleigh
-------- Oscar S. Wadleigh md. Charlotte Winters
--------- Odin Wadleigh md. Louise Custer
---------- Paul Wadleigh md. Bettye Brown
----------- Randy Wadleigh md. Barbara Plymale
------------ Ryan Wadleigh

Another witch accuser is my ancestor, Mrs. Hannah Chandler Bixby of Andover (aged about 35). In September 1692, Hannah testified that an accused witch, Mary Ayer Parker, had tortured her with witchcraft. Mary Parker was then convicted and was executed on September 22, 1692. Hannah Bixby may have just been in a frenzy like everyone else, but it has also been proposed that her family, the Chandlers, had some kind of feud with Mary's family, the Parkers.

My descent from Hannah:
Hannah Chandler md. Daniel Bixby
- Mephibosheth Bixby md. Mary Emmons
-- Samuel Bixby md. Mary Buck
--- Manassah Bixby md. Elizabeth Dunsmore
---- Thaddeus Bixby md. Hannah Worrick
----- Henry A. Bixby md. Mary Palfrey
------ Henry W. Bixby md. Julia Thurston
------- Neil F. Bixby md. Bertha Hoffman
-------- Patricia Bixby md. Ben Plymale
--------- Barbara Plymale md. Randy Wadleigh
---------- Ryan Wadleigh

Perhaps most ironically, another accuser in my family tree is none other than Lawrence Lacey of Andover, the husband of Mrs. Mary Lacey, the convicted witch (above). Lawrence Lacey was said to have been afflicted by a young woman named Elizabeth Johnson of Andover, who apparently sat on his stomach (the inference is that he experienced some sort of unidentifiable pain and attributed it to her.) Although he did not directly accuse her, others indicated that his wife Mary Lacey had also afflicted him. Because other people eventually paid for the release of his wife and daughter, it can be surmised that Lawrence might have been estranged from his family.

Sources:
Boyer, Paul and Nissenbaum, Stephen. The Salem Witchcraft Papers. Verbatim transcriptions of the court records in three volumes. De Capo Press: New York, 1977.
Roach, Marilynne K. The Salem Witch Trials: a day-by-day chronicle of a community under siege. Taylor Trade Publishing, Larnham, MD, 2002.

American Revolution patriots

2011-07-04T12:55:00.000-07:00

On this Independence Day holiday, I decided to honor my ancestors who served in the military during the American Revolution. Most of the men below had service that is acknowledged by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) or the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR). In addition to these soldiers, I also have a variety of other ancestors who had acknowledged "patriotic service" by providing various aid to the war cause.

The following is an alphabetical listing of 41 of my direct ancestors who had known military service in the American Revolutionary War:

James Barkelow - was a private and fifer out of New Jersey in 1776 and 1777. Was a member of the "flying camp" (acknowledged by SAR)

Jonathan Bell - was a private out of Pennsylvania (acknowledged by DAR)

Thaddeus Bennett Sr - was a captain of a "train band" out of Connecticut and defended New York City against the British in 1776 (Battle of Long Island). He died in 1777 after his first campaign was over, apparently of an illness contracted during the campaign (his ranks were apparently decimated by dysentery). (acknowledged by DAR)

Thaddeus Bennett Jr - was a private out of Connecticut from 1776 to 1779, first under his father and then under a variety of other commands. (acknowledged by DAR)

Manassah Bixby - served with his brothers as a sergeant in 1777 out of Vermont (acknowledged by DAR)

John Brodie - was a surgeon/doctor to troops out of Virginia (acknowledged by DAR)

Joseph Cannon - was a private out of Massaschusetts between 1775-1777. Was a minuteman in 1775 and later in 1777 was on a "secret mission" to Rhode Island. (acknowledged by DAR)

Arnold Custer - was a private out of Virginia (acknowledged by SAR and DAR)

Jonathan Custer - was a private out of Pennsylvania (acknowledged by DAR)

Jeremiah Dearborn - was a corporal out of New Hampshire in 1775 (acknowledged by SAR and DAR)

Anthony Dibrell - said to have been a fifer out of Virginia

Johannes Faust (John Foust) - was a private out of North Carolina (acknowledged by DAR)

John Ferguson - was a private out of Virginia and North Carolina between 1777 and 1781, was at the Battle of Camden (1780) and Battle of Eutaw Springs (1781) (acknowledged by DAR)

Robert Field - was a soldier out of Pennsylvania

Andrew Freese - was a soldier out of New Hampshire (acknowledged by DAR)

Matthew French - was a private out of Virginia, was at the battles of Wetzell's Mill and Guilford Court House (both in 1781) (acknowledged by SAR and DAR)

Diskin Grant - was a soldier out of Virginia

James Grant - was a soldier out of North Carolina (acknowledged by DAR)

David Halliburton - was a private out of Virginia between 1781 and 1784, was at the battle of Yorktown (1781) (acknowledged by SAR)

Andrew S. Hatfield - was a captain out of Virginia (acknowledged by SAR and DAR)

Isaac Hatfield - was a soldier in the Virginia militia (acknowledged by DAR)

Isaac Huyck - was a soldier out of New York

Thomas Jameson - was a private out of Virginia (acknowledged by SAR and DAR)

Michael Jones - was a private out of Virginia (acknowledged by DAR)

Amos Merriman - was a private out of Connecticut in 1779 (acknowledged by DAR)

Daniel Morse - was a private out of New Hampshire (acknowledged by DAR)

John Owen - was a private out of Connecticut between 1775 and 1777, was involved with the Capture of Fort Ticonderoga and apparently in a variety of other battles (acknowledged by DAR)

Ambrose Ross - was a private out of Kentucky and Virginia (acknowledged by DAR)

Nicholas Seilhamer - was a private out of Pennsylvania between 1777 and 1781

John Stearns - was a private out of New Hampshire between 1778 and 1780, and served in Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. He began service when he was 16 years old. (acknowledged by SAR and DAR)

Thomas Sthreshley - was a captain, then major, of the militia out of Virginia between 1776 and 1782 (acknowledged by SAR and DAR)

Christopher Strother - was a soldier out of North Carolina (acknowledged by DAR and SAR)

Johnathan Taylor - was a private in New Hampshire (acknowledged by DAR)

Josiah Tilton - was an ensign in New Hampshire (acknowledged by DAR)

Moses Thurston - was a private in New Hampshire in 1775 and 1777, was at the Siege of Boston in 1775 (acknowledged by SAR and DAR)

Peter Thurston - was a private in New Hampshire, was said to be at the Battle of Lexington in 1775

John Turner - was a private out of Virginia (acknowledged by DAR)

James Wadleigh - was a private and corporal out of New Hampshire in 1777 and 1778, was at the Battle of Saratoga (acknowledged by SAR and DAR)

John Allen Wallace - was a private out of Virginia

Joseph Wheless - was a private out of North Carolina between 1777 and 1779, served in Georgia and South Carolina and was at the Battle of Stono Ferry (1779)

Jesse Worrick - was a private out of Massachusetts, in 1775

10 years later, same clothes

2011-06-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

The two photos below are of my great-great-great-great-grandparents, William Riddle and Maxamillia Bouseman Riddle. They were both raised in central Ohio and moved together to Illinois during the 1830's. They crossed the Oregon Trail in 1851 and settled in southern Oregon. The tiny city of Riddle, Oregon is named after their family.

William and Maxamillia were hardworking and courageous people. They were farmers (Maxamillia primarily ran the farm) and William was a blacksmith. When they moved to southern Oregon, they were befriended by the local Cow Creek Indian tribe. While most of the white settlers were hostile towards the Indians, the Riddles were on friendly terms with them. The tribe even gave members of the Riddle family their own names. William was called "Lomtu" (which means "old man") and Maxamillia was called "Mulagolan" (which means "mother").

William and Maxamillia Riddle in the 1850's
(when they were both in their 40's)
Photo from Douglas County Museum

William and Maxamillia Riddle in the 1860's
(when they were both in their 50's)
Photo from Southern Oregon Historical Society

My descent from William and Maxamillia:

William Riddle md. Maxamillia Bouseman
- Artinecia Riddle md. William Merriman
-- George Merriman md. Mary Murray
--- Vera Merriman md. Benjamin Plymale
---- Ben Plymale md. Patricia Bixby
----- Barbara Plymale md. Randy Wadleigh
------ Ryan Wadleigh

held captive for 20 years

2011-06-22T20:34:00.000-07:00

My ancestor William Custer and his wife (whose name was probably Mary) lived in the Greenbrier River area of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia in the 1750's and 1760's. The area is today along the border between Virginia and West Virginia, and at the time was on the frontier of the American colonies. It was a dangerous time to be living in that area, as it was frequently the site of wars and skirmishes. The French and Indian War of 1754-1763 was fought mainly in frontier regions of the British colonies. It was followed shortly by another armed conflict, Pontiac's War (1763-1765), which was waged between the British and Native American tribes unhappy under British rule. One of the hallmarks of the war was frequent Native American raids of frontier settlements, in which they would kill or capture British settlers.

William Custer was at the time fighting in the militia to protect his colony and his family. His wife (probably named Mary) was left at home to care for their six small children. Sometime during that time period, Mrs. Custer had traveled by herself to warp [weave] a piece of cloth at a neighbor's house. On her way home, she was kidnapped by a group of raiding Indians and was carried away. Apparently, they passed so near her cabin that she could hear her baby crying in his cradle. She was carried all the way to Canada, where she was held captive for a long time. Most sources indicate that she was held captive in Canada for about 20 years, apparently with a variety of other people who had been kidnapped in the British colonies. Eventually, Mrs. Custer and a group of other captives were sold as slaves to a French doctor, who promptly released them in Montreal. This was in about 1783.

Mrs. Custer then began the more than 800-mile journey from Canada to her old home in Virginia. Meanwhile, her family back at home was somehow notified of her release. William Custer then left his children at home and went by himself north to meet her. He apparently died not long after beginning his journey (apparently of natural causes). Mrs. Custer then arrived back at home to find her children were fully grown and that her husband had recently left to find her. She then backtracked north to find him, eventually arriving at a settlement where a funeral was in process. After telling her that they were indeed burying a William Custer from Virginia, she was allowed one last look at his face. She then returned to her home in Virginia and spent the rest of her life living with the family of her oldest child Arnold Custer. She later moved with the family to Kentucky in the late 1780's, and died at an unknown date.

None of the above is corroborated by contemporary records. But, given the historical realities of the area and the era, the story is mostly plausible. The story has been handed down in the family for many generations and has been recorded (with slight changes in details) in different branches of the family. Because of that, although some of the story is likely embellished, much of it is likely true.

My descent from William Custer and his wife:

William Custer md. probably Mary
- Arnold Custer md. Elizabeth Scholl
-- James Custer md. Catherine Ross
--- Mary Custer md. Charles Custer
---- John Custer md. Elizabeth Taylor
----- Louise Custer md. Odin Wadleigh
------ Paul Wadleigh md. Bettye Brown
------- Randy Wadleigh md. Barbara Plymale
-------- Ryan Wadleigh

fathers

2011-06-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

In honor of Father's Day, I have thrown together this small sampling of photographs of fathers and their children in my family tree. Enjoy!

me, my dad and Odin, about 1985

my paternal grandfather Paul Wadleigh in about 1956 with
his three children: Mark, Karen, and Randy (my dad)

my grandfather Paul Wadleigh (left) with his brothers
Gerald and Eric (right) holding each of their firstborn children:
Karen (Paul), Susan (Gerald) and Penny (Eric), 1948

my maternal grandfather Ben Plymale in 1960 with his
four children: Catherine, Deane, Barbara (my mom) and George

My paternal grandmother Bettye "Moe" Brown
with her dad, Newell Brown, early 1930's

My grandfather Paul Wadleigh with
his father Odin Wadleigh, 1930's

My great-grandfather Neil Bixby and his son
Deane Bixby, who was going off to WWII, about 1942

My great-great-grandfather George Merriman and his wife
Mary with their daughter Vera Merriman, when she was going
away to college in 1915. Apparently whoever was taking the
photo told George to take his hat off for the photo, and his
humorous response was to put it on the bush next to him.

run ins with Jesse James and Native Americans

2011-06-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

In 1876, the celebrated outlaw Jesse James and his gang attempted a bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota. The bank robbery was unsuccessful, but they managed to kill two innocent people before Jesse James and his brother fled with their lives; south to Missouri or Nebraska.

My great-great-great-grandmother Sophia Hoffman was then living on a farm near Mankato, Minnesota, which was apparently along the James' escape route south. Sophia had a hired farmhand who wanted to go after and kill or capture Jesse James on his way by. Sophia had to forbid him from going after James because she was scared that James or the rest of his gang would harm her family (She had just given birth to her 10th child.)

Earlier, in about 1858 after having been in America for only about one year, 17-year old Sophia was working as a hired farmgirl for a family near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was told by her employers that if Indians ever came by asking for food, she was supposed to give them some. One day, she was by herself and a lone Indian came by the farmhouse asking for food. She gave him some food, but before he ate any of it, he made her taste it first to make sure she wasn't trying to poison him.

My descent from Sophia:

Sophia Streu md. Henry Hoffman
- Henry Hoffman md. Christina Kling
-- Bertha Hoffman md. Neil Bixby
--- Patricia Bixby md. Ben Plymale
---- Barbara Plymale md. Randy Wadleigh
----- Ryan Wadleigh

death by lightning

2011-06-10T18:18:00.000-07:00

Susanna's headstone in the Pine
Grove Cemetery, Hampton, NH

On June 12, 1680 in Hampton, New Hampshire, my ancestor Mrs. Susanna Smith (about 71 years old) was struck and killed by lightning, or, as it was listed in the town records: "slaine with thunder."

My descent from Susanna:

Susanna md. Robert Smith
-Jonathan Smith md. Mehitabel Holdridge
--Leah Smith md. Israel Blake
---Jedediah Blake md. Mary Rowe
----Molly Blake md. James Wadleigh
-----John Wadleigh md. Sally Taylor
------John B. Wadleigh md. Abigail Tilton
-------Oscar S. Wadleigh md. Charlotte Winters
--------Odin F. Wadleigh md. Louise Custer
---------Paul C. Wadleigh md. Bettye Brown
----------Randy Wadleigh md. Barbara Plymale
-----------Ryan Wadleigh

Abigail's headstone in the Center
Cemetery, Wallingford, CT

On August 4, 1758 in Wallingford, Connecticut, the house of Eliasaph and Abigail Merriman (my direct ancestors) was struck by lightning. Several people within the house, including Eliasaph and Abigail, were "struck down and lay senseless some time" but recovered. Their youngest daughter though, 10-year old Abigail Merriman, was standing in the doorway and was killed instantly. Eliasaph died two weeks later, it is said from grief over the death of his child, but probably from the effects of the strike.

My descent from Eliasaph:

Eliasaph Merriman md. Abigail Hull
-Eliasaph Merriman Jr md. Jerusha Mattoon
--Amos Merriman md. Abigail Williams
---Reuben Merriman md. Betsy Bennett
----William H. Merriman md. Artinecia Riddle
-----George F. Merriman md. Mary Murray
------Vera V. Merriman md. Benjamin Plymale
-------Ben T. Plymale md. Patricia Bixby
--------Barbara Plymale md. Randy Wadleigh
---------Ryan Wadleigh

In about 1740 in Hampton, New Hampshire, the house of Joshua Lane was struck by lightning and although there were several people within the house, nobody was hurt but the house did sustain damage. Then 26 years later, on June 14, 1766, there was a similar thunder storm at the same house. Joshua Lane then observed that it was much like the thunder storm decades earlier and went to the doorway to get a better look. At that moment, the house was struck by lightning at the chimney and the bolt traveled through to the doorway where Joshua was standing and killed him instantly. He was 70 years old.

My descent from Joshua:

Joshua Lane md. Bathsheba Robie
-Joshua Lane md. Ruth Batchelder
--Sarah Lane md. John Stearns
---Ruth Stearns md. Dudley Freese
----Abigail S. Freese md. Jeremiah Tilton
-----Abigail R. Tilton md. John Wadleigh
------Oscar S. Wadleigh md. Charlotte Winters
-------Odin F. Wadleigh md. Louise Custer
--------Paul C. Wadleigh md. Bettye Brown
---------Randy Wadleigh md. Barbara Plymale
----------Ryan Wadleigh

Moral of the story: don't stand in the doorway during a lightning storm.

the earliest map of Manhattan

2011-05-31T19:44:00.000-07:00

The "Castello Plan", the earliest known map
of what is now New York City, drawn by
Jacques Cortelyou in 1660.

My ancestor Jacques Cortelyou was half-French and half-Dutch and was born and raised in the city of Utrecht, in what is now the Netherlands. In his youth, he studied at the University of Utrecht. He spoke French, Latin and Dutch, and was a mathematician, land surveyor, and was well-grounded in medicine.

In 1652, Jacques (aged about 27) crossed the Atlantic and settled in the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (now Manhattan). In 1657, Jacques was appointed Surveyor General for the colony of New Netherlands (in 1670, after the colony had been acquired by the English and renamed New York, he was again appointed Surveyor General). As Surveyor General, Jacques founded and laid out two new towns. First, in 1657, after buying the land from local Indians, Jacques surveyed and platted the town of New Utrecht (now in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of southwest Brooklyn). Then in 1660, Jacques laid out the townsite of Bergen (now Bergen Square in Jersey City, New Jersey). Jacques was also instrumental in helping to build the wall in New Amsterdam to guard against Native American attacks, for which the present day Wall Street derives its name.

Jacques is most famous for his 1660 map and survey of New Amsterdam, which details what is now the southern tip of Manhattan. His survey is the earliest known surviving map or plan of what is now New York City. In 1667, the map was sold to Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and it remained in Italy for several hundred years. The map is today called The Castello Plan because it was discovered in the Villa de Castello near Florence, Italy in 1900.

It has been argued that the lands Jacques surveyed and platted are today among the most expensive real estate in the world.

Interestingly, both Ormond and I are descendants of Jacques. I descend from Jacques' daughter Maria, who married Willem Barkeloo; whereas Ormond descends from Jacques' daughter Helena, who married Hendrick Hafte (which makes us 9th cousins, once removed).

My descent from Jacques:

Jacques Cortelyou
-Maria Cortelyou
--Jacques Barkeloo
---William Barkelow
----James Barkelow
-----Flora A. Bartlow
------Mary E. Murray
-------Vera V. Merriman
--------Ben Plymale
---------Barbara Plymale
----------Ryan Wadleigh

atheism and liberalism in the 1800's

2011-05-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

My great-great-great-great-grandfather Reuben Thurston was born in 1806 in Vermont. As a child, he moved with his family to Ohio, where he later married and began raising his family. In 1856, he moved to Minnesota, where he remained until his death in 1880. Throughout his adulthood, he was a successful farmer.

Reuben's parents were devout Methodists (his father, Peter, was a deacon in the church). The religious upbringing of Reuben and his siblings apparently did not bide well for all of them. Several of them remained with the Methodist church, but others rebelled against the teachings. Reuben's brother Thomas Thurston became a Mormon in the 1840's and later a polygamist and a pioneer of Utah.

Reuben's religious beliefs went the opposite way, and he became what could today be called an atheist, agnostic or spiritualist. He was referred to by his contemporaries as a "free thinker" and "independent." Specifically, he "discredited the Bible as a revelation but held to the great first cause, God, as revealed in nature only." He and his family attended no church and identified with no particular Christian denomination, a position that might be unremarkable today but in the mid-1800's would have been controversial and peculiar. Instead of religion, Reuben advocated morality.

While living in Ohio, Reuben was a member (or at least a supporter) of the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society, which was intent on not only abolishing slavery in the United States but also establishing laws to protect African-Americans after they were free. This particular stance required courage and conviction, since most Ohioans were against them. On one occasion in 1836, the group was having its annual meeting in Granville, Ohio (near where Reuben lived) but they were refused to have the meeting in the town, so instead held it in a barn outside the town limits, which was subsequently mobbed and attacked. Members of the group were over time killed by mob violence.

Reuben was acknowledged as peculiar and liberal by his contemporaries, but in spite of disagreements on issues, he was well-respected. He apparently excelled at debating and upholding his moral positions. It was later said that "in the days of his full mental power, there were few indeed who cared to encounter his keen logic."

My descent from Reuben:

Reuben H. Thurston
-Irvin H. Thurston
--Julia M. Thurston
---Neil F. Bixby
----Patricia J. Bixby
-----Barbara A. Plymale
------Ryan J. Wadleigh

Nashville gangsters

2011-05-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

My great-grandmother Louetha Jones was raised on a farm near Hopkinsville, Kentucky but decided to leave her family and become a nurse. In about 1919, she moved by herself to Nashville, Tennessee and began working as a nurse in St. Thomas Hospital. In the early days of January 1920, a man named Manlius Hosse was admitted to the hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound and Louetha was his nurse. The nurse and patient soon developed a “whirlwind romance” and were married within weeks, on January 26, 1920.

Manlius "Scutter" Hosse

Little did she know (or perhaps she did), Louetha had just married a notorious gangster. Manlius Hosse was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee and came from an established crime family that became even more successful during Prohibition. The Hosse family owned various speakeasies, brothels, and gambling houses in Nashville and Louisville. They also had a large business of smuggling (bootlegging) alcohol in Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. Manlius controlled the family’s business interests in Nashville. His gang included various relatives and in-laws, a judge, a lawyer, a newspaper reporter, a firefighter, and two black “laborers.”

Manlius owned a popular speakeasy in Nashville (which was probably the legitimate “soft drink stand” that had been busted for selling contraband whiskey). Perhaps more dangerous than their illegal activities, Manlius and his gang were involved with political racketeering in Nashville. They competed with rival gangs to elect and “buy” their own corrupt mayors or city politicians, the process of which earned them many enemies. Manlius, nicknamed “Scutter”, and was said to be relatively brutal. A former Nashville police officer once said “If crossed, Scutter would shoot you as soon as look at you.” That apparently did happen on multiple occasions.

Louetha Jones Hosse

Louetha apparently took well to the gangster lifestyle and was happily married. It was said that she and Manlius “were very much in love, and liked to laugh a lot.” Despite their wedded bliss, their exciting life together was cut short. On January 30, 1921 (4 days after their first anniversary), Manlius was shot and killed by a police officer hired by his one of his political enemies. He was 28-years old.

Louetha had no children during her brief marriage to Manlius. After her husband’s murder, Louetha moved to Louisville to live with Manlius’ mother Carrie Hosse (who was the real head of the crime family). There, she met her second husband (my great-grandfather) Newell Brown and they were married in 1922. Louetha’s second marriage was much less criminal and probably even normal. They were happily married until they died 13 days apart in 1963. Louetha apparently rarely talked about her first marriage to any of her family.

Most of the above information comes from Paul Hosse, Manlius' great-nephew.

My descent from Louetha:

Louetha Jones
->Bettye Brown
--->Randy Wadleigh
----->Ryan Wadleigh

armpit hair and fainting

2011-05-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

Vera at about the time she
began shaving her armpits

The practice of women shaving their armpits came into vogue in the mid-1910's in the US. My great-grandmother Vera Merriman of Medford, Oregon was then a teenager and began to follow the trend. She started to shave her own armpits but was unsuccessful because she would faint whenever she tried to do it herself. Her remedy was to have her younger brother Sharon (then about 12) shave her armpits for her. Thankfully, her brother shaving her armpits kept her from passing out.

Vera's propensity for fainting was apparently a genetic trait that she passed to both of her children, and several of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her son Ben (my grandfather) was apparently diagnosed at one point with "borderline epilepsy" because of his fainting problems. Our family has a variety of humorous stories of family members fainting at inopportune times, such as when Vera's daughter Mary Jo fainted onto the steering wheel while sitting in the driver's seat of her (parked) car, thus continually compressing the horn; or, multiple occasions when my mom or her sister would faint during Catholic church services and had to be dragged or carried out out of the
building.

Most of the above comes from Vera's granddaughter Maggie.

My descent from Vera:

Vera Merriman
->Ben Plymale
--->Barbara Plymale
----->Ryan Wadleigh

The Scarlet Letter

2011-05-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

In 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter, a work of historical fiction that has since been acclaimed as a classic and has been taught in many American schools. The story is set in 1642 in Massachusetts and focuses on the character of Hester Prynne, who has a child as a result of an adulterous affair and is sentenced to wear a scarlet-colored letter "A", to publicly denote her sin and her shame.

The character of Hester Prynne and many of the elements of the book are said to be based (loosely) on the life of Mrs. Mary Batchelder, who was the fourth wife of Rev. Stephen Batchelder, my direct ancestor. Stephen moved to New England in 1632 and was a prominent pioneer and minister in what is new Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. (I descend in 6 different ways - all on the Wadleigh side - from Stephen Batchelder, see below.) Stephen married his fourth wife, a widow named Mary Beedle, in 1650, when he was very old (probably in his 80's) and she much younger (perhaps in her 20's or 30's). In 1651, she was discovered to have had an affair with a man named George Rogers and to have become pregnant by him. In October 1651 in York, Maine, both were tried and convicted of adultery. Mary was sentenced to have 40 lashes and to be literally branded (probably on her forehead) with the letter "A". Her sentence was carried out about 6 weeks later, after she had given birth to her child.

At the time of the trial, both Stephen and Mary tried to obtain a divorce, but were denied one and were told to live together as husband and wife. Instead, Stephen fled to England and never returned. In 1656, Mary was finally granted a divorce by claiming that Stephen had taken another wife while in England. (Ironically, Stephen died a week or two later in England.) Mary later remarried and apparently led a respectable, married life.

Interestingly, in 1641 (long before his marriage to Mary and the subsequent adultery and trial) in Hampton, New Hampshire, Stephen ran into his own scandalous trouble. At that time, he was married to wife #3 (Helena) who was described as a "lusty, comely woman". Stephen apparently was not interested in his wife and instead solicited his neighbor's wife for sex. She refused and told her husband. Stephen then complained to the town magistrates that the woman and the husband were slandering him, but when the church got involved, he confessed. Stephen received no punishment, except to be excommunicated by the church. He was reinstated into the church a few years later.

Source:
http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/biog/bachilerscarletletter.htm

I descend from Stephen Batchelder in 6 different ways, all through his first wife Ann. All 6 lines of descent from Stephen are on my father's side of the family, the Wadleighs. Specifically, my great-great-grandfather Oscar Wadleigh is the descendant of all 6 of these lines.

My lines of descent from Stephen to me:

#1 Stephen Batchelder Ann Batchelder William Sanborn William Sanborn John Sanborn Anna Sanborn Mary Dearborn James Wadleigh James Wadleigh John Wadleigh John B. Wadleigh Oscar S. Wadleigh Odin F. Wadleigh Paul C. Wadleigh Randy Wadleigh Ryan Wadleigh	#2 Stephen Batchelder Ann Batchelder William Sanborn Mehitabel Sanborn Samuel Tilton Josiah Tilton Josiah Tilton Josiah Tilton Jeremiah D. Tilton Abigail R. Tilton Oscar S. Wadleigh (see #1)	#3 Stephen Batchelder Theodate Batchelder Mary Hussey Mary Page Bathsheba Robie Joshua Lane Sarah Lane Ruth Stearns Abigail S. Freese Abigail R. Tilton (see #2)
#4 Stephen Batchelder Nathaniel Batchelder Nathaniel Batchelder Samuel Batchelder Mary Batchelder Jeremiah Dearborn Sarah Dearborn Jeremiah D. Tilton (see #2)	#5 Stephen Batchelder Nathaniel Batchelder Nathaniel Batchelder Mercy Batchelder Nathaniel Dearborn Jeremiah Dearborn (see #4)	#6 Stephen Batchelder Nathaniel Batchelder Nathaniel Batchelder Nathaniel Batchelder John Batchelder Ruth Batchelder Sarah Lane (see #3)