Our Early Life in Rapid City

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Just returned from visiting mother (Luella) at the American Fork Hospital. She was admitted for surgery on Friday (multiple hernias - "Comes from lifting and caring for eight children," she reminds me when I visit). She is doing well I'm happy to report and will return home on Tuesday. She has a nice room with a view of a field with horses, surrounded by tall trees dressed in their finest Autumn colors.

She's been upgraded to oatmeal. The liquid diet was not to her liking. To celebrate this milestone in her recovery, I stopped at Walkers Gas Station and bought her favorite - a 32 ounce gut buster diet Mountain Dew with one squirt of cherry flavoring. Once she discovered I was out and about she called and mentioned how much she enjoyed her Sunday crossword puzzle found in her favorite magazine "Woman's World" purchasable only at our local WalMart. What's a good son to do? I agreed to make an additional stop.

She called me in the WalMart check out line to ask me to purchase an erasable pen with the magazine. I stopped her as she was explaining where in the football field sized Walmart the erasable pens were located. "I'm already in the parking lot heading your way," I lied.
"Never mind then," she replied.
"You could use a pencil," I suggested.
"Yes, you're right. I just like my erasable pens."

When I got to the hospital I found her sitting in the room's recliner. She told me the gruesome story of getting out of the bed and into the chair. The hero of the tale was the large 'burly' orderly that 'hoisted' her up with the help of a 'trapeze' - a hoisting device over her bed.

"I'm slightly embarrassed," she mentioned while she nursed her Diet Mountain Dew. "He saw my back side in all its glory." The twinkle in her eye was noticeable.
"They tell me I'll be up and walking later this morning," she added.

"Well, he won't be the only one that sees your 'backside' then will he?" I said while conjuring up a vision of my 70 something year old mother parading up and down the hospital hall, clutching a walking frame and IV with full moon in sight. I started laughing. She knew what I was thinking and joined in. The pain from the stitches brought the laughter to a quick end but it was entertaining for a moment or two.

She asked if there was anything new with me. I tried to think if anything extraordinary happened to me since I visited the previous day.
"Nope" I replied - my mind was drawing a blank. A nurse came in to swap her pain meds. A moment after that the physical therapist popped his head in.
"Are we ready to take that walk?" he asked.
"Can we give the pain meds a chance to kick in," she answered.
"I'll come back in 30 minutes then, shall I?" He disappeared.
Mother seemed concerned.
"Do you have something to cover up by backside for that walk?" she asked. I chucked again with the vision's return. The nurse told her they had a gown that would do the job. Mother went back to her Diet Mountain Dew content in the knowledge her backside would remain a private affair.

I tracked down a pencil at the nurses station for her crossword puzzle and bid adieu. I left her happy in her chair with magazine, crossword puzzle, pencil and drink. What more could a person want?

________________________________

Today I have a short slideshow with pictures from our family's early years in Rapid City. It's set to a piece of music I enjoy - the Lord's Prayer sung in Aramaic. Have a great Sunday.

Simply,
Victor

P.S. Mother was afraid I might post something about her hospital stay in this blog and made me promise not to do so. I promised with fingers and eyes crossed then quickly changed the subject to her automatic foot inflaters. They inflate every fifteen seconds or so and assist in circulation. She loves them and loves to describe how they work.

So, let's keep this post a secret between us - shall we :)

The Fine Print.
Automatic Curse. And if you rat me out, may you be infested with the fleas from a thousand camels.

Great Great Grandfather Whitty Victor's Obituary

Obituary, March 1903
Click to Enlarge.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
A short post today displaying the obituary of our Great Great Grandfather, Whitty Victor. Whitty and Nancy are the parents of our Great Grandmother Effie Helen Victor who married William Jonathan Williamson. This is the Relationship Chart:

Whitley "Whitty" Victor was born 18 Feb 1818 in Delaware, and died 17 Mar 1903. He is buried in Methodist Grove, Nodaway, Adams county, Iowa. He married Nancy Morris on 6 Nov 1845 in Indiana. Nancy Morris was born 22 Feb 1822 in Ohio, and died 22 Apr 1886. She is buried in Methodist Grove, Nodaway, Adams county, Iowa.

Children of Whitley Victor and Nancy Morris are:

• Labitha Eunice Jane Victor
• Benjamin C. Victor
• Amanda A. Victor
• Sarah Emily Victor
• Effie Helen Victor

The Pierces at Cascade Springs, South Dakota. Violet's Father

The Pierce family in 1909 at Cascade Springs, South Dakota (near Hot Springs).

Great Great Grandmother Dora is Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler. Violet's Grandmother. She and Edwin Sherman Pierce divorced leaving her with the children. The family is pictured above with a few friends.

Great Grandfather Walter Edwin Pierce was the first born child of Eldora and Edwin Sherman Pierce. He is "Edd" in the picture above. Edd was Violet's father, making him my Great Grandfather.

Great Great Uncle Ora Joslyn Pierce was the second born. He is "Ora" in the picture above.

Great Great Uncle Frances Herbert Pierce was the third. He is "Bert" in the picture above.

Great Great Aunt Mattie May Pierce was the fourth. She is "May" in the picture above.

Great Great Uncle Henry Raymond Pierce was the fifth. He is "Ray" in the picture above.

Great Great UncleDallas Glenn Pierce was the sixth. He is "Glenn" in the picture above.

Great Great Aunt Eldora Rose Pierce was the seventh. She is "Nelle" in the picture above.

In this Pierce family photo taken in 1909. Top left is our Great Great Aunt May (sister of Walter Edwin Pierce). Bottom left is our Great Great Great Aunt Mattie Fiddler Simpson. She is a sister of our Great Great Grandmother Dora Fiddler Pierce (Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler), Violet Pierce's Grandmother. Our Great Great Aunt Nelle (sister of Walter Edwin Pierce) is seated in the lower center. Top right is Dora Simpson, a first cousin to our Great Grandfather Walter Edwin Pierce. Eldora (Dora) died in 1912 so this is the last known photography we have of her.

Aunt Mattie Fiddler Simpson and our Great Great Grandmother Dora were sisters and children of Henry Fiddler and Frances George.

Walter, Violet and Family. Over the Years

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Everyone,
I just returned from a celebration at Autumn and Derrick Turley's home in American Fork. Their new baby Lydia was blessed earlier in the afternoon and what better reason to gather and feast than a baby blessing?

The family grows every year with new arrivals. And with each new arrival another chapter is added to the story of this American family. Today we celebrated the chapter named "Lydia" daughter of Autumn and Derrick, grandchild of Kim and John, Great Grand Daughter of Charles and Luella. Charles is the son of Charles and Elda. Luella is the child of Violet and Walter and so on and so forth.

It is the circle of life.

I've returned to the Fortress overlooking Utah Valley. The sun is low in the sky. It will be dark soon with the return of standard time. In an hour or so I'll drive up the mountain to Jilane's home for another celebration. Her son Brayden returned on Wednesday from doing missionary work in Argentina for the past two years. He is taller and thinner than when he left. He speaks perfect Spanish and has a maturity about him we didn't see before.

Before I say goodnight, I'd like to post this collection of photographs of Walter, Violet and family, parents of Luella.

And, as Always.

Simply,
Victor

Welsh Culture. Suo Gan. Traditional Welsh Lullaby

The recent discovery of our Pierce family history resulted in the addition of the Welsh flag in this blog's sidebar. I visited Wales several years ago. It is a beautiful part of the United Kingdom, green with tree covered hills and very interesting road signs (referring to the Welsh language).

Today we begin exploring our Welsh culture by listening to this traditional Welsh lullaby sung by the King's College Choir, Cambridge England.

The Marriage Certificate of our Great Great Grandparents.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Williamsons,
Something for the Williamson side of our family tonight. Let us begin with a Relationship Chart.

Tonight I'd like to share the document that contributed to the creation of this family we call Williamson. I'd like to show you the Marriage Certificate of our Great Great Grandparents Whitley and Nancy Morris. They were the parents of our Great Grandmother Effie Helen Victor. Effie married William Jonathan Williamson and of course - here we all are.

Please click on the image to enlarge.

You've noticed the posts to this family blog are not as frequent as they once were. The cause is understandable. Up until recently I've been posting the 'easy' family history. Think of it as the low hanging fruit on the family tree. It is becoming more difficult to find information the higher (or further back) we go. This means that instead of spending 30 minutes to one hour gathering information for a post, I'm now spending hours and hours - resulting in a few posts per week instead of one per day as I was doing.

Regardless, please rest assured that although the frequency of my posting has diminished, the enthusiasm is still there. I'm researching and searching every possible lead and will continue to do so until this American story is told.

Perhaps a goal that will never be reached but well worth the effort.

Simply,
Victor

Our 14th Great Uncle. Sir Edward Lake (Pierce Line).

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
The exploration of the Pierce family line continues. Be sure to check out the additions to yesterday's post on our 6th Great Grandfather, Nathan Pierce (Pearce) Jr. You'll learn more about the attack on his person and his brother's revenge.

Today we go back further in history along the Pierce line and meet an interesting 15th Great Uncle, Sir Edward Lake. Our blood runs thick with English history. Have a great week!

Simply,
Victor

Sir Edward Lake

Sir Edward Lake was born in 1600 or 1601 and was baptized on February 22, 1600 or 1601 in Tetney, Lincolnshire.

• He died on July 18, 1674 and was buried in Lincoln Cathedral.
• He married Anne Bibye a daughter of Simon Bibye (or Biby or Bybye).
• He received the degree of B. A. at Oxford in 1627.
• He was an eminent lawyer, becoming advocate general for Ireland.

On the outbreak of the English Civil Wars, he both fought and wrote on the King’s side. At the battle of Edgehill he received sixteen wounds, and having lost the use of his left hand by a shot, he placed his horses bridle between his teeth and fought with his sword in his right hand.

He was promised as his reward a barony and an augmentation to his arms by King Charles I, in 1643. But since the King was beheaded and the period of the Commonwealth intervened, nothing was done until 1661. King Charles II then made him Chancellor of the Diocese of Lincoln, and the augmented coat of arms promised by King Charles I was in 1661 formally authorized by the College of Arms.


From Burke’s Peerage and Baronetage (1905) comes the following:

"Edward Lake, L.L.D. Chancellor of the diocese of Lincoln, was a devoted adherent of Charles I, for whom he fought at the battle of Naseby and received no less than sixteen wounds. He was by Charles I, in consideration of his zeal and loyalty, given a coat of augmentation, and an additional coat, and was named a baronet, with the privilege of nominating his successor to the title, but no patent was taken out at the time. Sir Edward, dying without issue in 1674, was succeeded by his grandnephew."

The will of Sir Edward Lake is dated April 8, 1665. In the will he leaves a bequest to the Church at Normanton near Pontefract in Yorkshire, because it was the home of his paternal ancestors. He mentions his kinsman and servant Christopher Lake, his brother John Lake (Our Great Grandfather), his nephew Francis Lake of Hatcliffe, the eldest son of his brother Luke Lake, and Stephen, eldest son of his brother Thomas Lake. He named his half-brother Thomas Lake, Jr. executor.

Relationship Chart

14th Great Grandparents. Richard Lake and Anne Wardell
to
13th Great Grandparents John Lake and Elizabeth Sandell 14th Great Uncle Sir Edward Lake
to
John Lake and Margaret Reade
to
Hannah Lake and John Gallop
to
Elizabeth Gallop and Henry Stevens
to
Elizabeth Stevens and Maurice Tucker
to
Elizabeth Tucker and Daniel Pearce
to
Nathan Pearce Sr. b. 22 April 1705 d. 15 March 1789/ 90. married Abigail Spink b. 1704. d. 7 Jan. 1790/91.
to
Nathan Pearce Jr. b. 17 Jan 1740/41 d. 19 Dec. 1781. married Elizabeth Culver b ? d. 30 March 1832.
to
Robert Gilbert Livingston Pearce b. 1771 married Eunice Worden b. 1777 d. 20 Jan. 1840.
to
William Pearce b. 1805 d. 2 Apr. 1889 married Catherine Morse b. 1811 d. 14 Dec. 1885.
to
Andrew Jackson Pearce b. 1835 New York. d. ? married Isabella Pearce b. 1842 New York
to
Edwin Sherman Pierce married Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler
to
Walter Edwin Pierce married Vesta Althea Dennis
to
Violet Mae Pierce married Walter Albert Mattson
to
Luella, Linda, John, Marvin
to
US

More on the Early Pearces of New England (Violet Pierce Line)

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
It is a lovely Saturday in Pleasant Grove. The leaves are turning and the temperatures mild. We're expecting rain later today.

I'm excited about the new information coming in on the Grandma Violet's ancestors. As you know, Grandma's maiden name was Pierce. Up until a few weeks ago we knew her father's and grandfather's names. The line went stone cold after that. Well, thanks to cousin Angie's work, and the extraordinary assistance of Leonard Pierce, a cousin from Minnesota, we can now push that family tree back to the 1600's to Wales.

Today I spent a bit more time on the earliest Pearces (the spelling of the name changed with Violet's grandfather - reasons unknown) and am happy to share information gleaned from various individuals and collective histories of New England.

So, its time to relax and visualize these newly discovered ancestors. Imagine who they were and what they may have looked like. For me, its sobering to realize that these peoples entire lives is summed up with a sentence or two written in some obscure book. This blog is dedicated to our historical past so they will never again be forgotten.

Simply,
Victor

RELATIONSHIP CHART.
PIERCE (PEARCE) FAMILY TREE

John Pearce. b. 1600 England d. 1660
to
John Pearce b. 1632 in Wales. d. 1692 Prudence Island. Portsmouth Twp. Newport Co. RI
married Mary Makepeace b. 1636 d. 1711
to
Daniel Pearce b. 1662 d. 15 March 1730/31. married Elizabeth Tucker. b. 17 Apr. 1677 d. 1728.
to
Nathan Pearce Sr. b. 22 April 1705 d. 15 March 1789/ 90. married Abigail Spink b. 1704. d. 7 Jan. 1790/91.
to
Nathan Pearce Jr. b. 17 Jan 1740/41 d. 19 Dec. 1781. married Elizabeth Culver b ? d. 30 March 1832.
to
Robert Gilbert Livingston Pearce b. 1771 married Eunice Worden b. 1777 d. 20 Jan. 1840.
to
William Pearce b. 1805 d. 2 Apr. 1889 married Catherine Morse b. 1811 d. 14 Dec. 1885.
to
Andrew Jackson Pearce b. 1835 New York. d. ? married Isabella Pearce b. 1842 New York
to
Edwin Sherman Pierce married Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler
to
Walter Edwin Pierce married Vesta Althea Dennis
to
Violet Mae Pierce married Walter Albert Mattson
to
Luella, Linda, John, Marvin
to
US

The Pearce's

The earliest Pierce settler in America was our 9th Great Grandfather John. It is believed he came from Wales in 1660. In the minutes of the Portsmouth, Rhode Island town meeting, dated, July 5, 1666, it records:

"John Pearce, admitted this day a free inhabitant of this town"

(of course the spelling was changed by his descendants from Pearce to Pierce). John Pearce may have been one of the Baptist congregation of John Myles, of Swansea, Wales. They came from Wales to Rehoboth, Massachusetts, in 1666-67, as a result of religious persecution. According to one document, it appears John Pearce was born in 1632 and was a mason by trade.

John Pearce was made a freeman of the colony of Portsmouth. On October 31, 1677, John Pearce was included by the general assembly in the list of grantees of the lands at East Greenwich. On August 20, 1691 John Pearce and Mary his wife deeded land to their loving son Daniel. John Pearce Sr. made his will September 23, 1689, and it was proved in Portsmouth, April 26, 1692. In this will he calls himself John Pearce Sr., of Prudence Island. The will makes his wife Mary sole executrix after dividing small legacies between his three children—John Pearce Jr., Daniel Pearce, and Mary, wife of Robert Hill.

The widow Mary Pearce made her will September 17, 1711, and the same was proved October 15, 1711. She left first

"forty shillings to the poor brethren of the Church of Christ to whom I doe belong."

The remainder she divided amongst her three children, John Pearce, Daniel Pearce and Mary Sweet.

The Children of John Pearce and his wife, as far as we known:

1. John, born about 1658; married Martha Brayton.
2. Daniel. (More information below) Our 8th Great Grandfather
   
3. Mary, born about 1666; married (first) Robert Hill, (second) James Sweet.

John Pearce died about 1692, and his wife Mary passed away in 1711.

Our 8th Great Grandfather Daniel, son of John and Mary Pearce. was born about 1662, and died sometime after 1744. Few family records can be found of him, and the names of his children have been recovered from deeds and other legal papers. The records of his public services are quite full and cover the period from 1694 to 1731.

He was made freeman of the town of Portsmouth on June 6, 1692. He resided there up to 1720. He took up permanent residence at North Kingstown in the summer of 1723. In 1694-5-7 he was constable in Portsmouth. Between 1698-1701 he was deputy to general assembly from Portsmouth. In 1707 he was justice of the peace in Portsmouth. In 1720 he was grand juryman and deputy for Kingston.

On March 16, 1726, Daniel and Elizabeth, sold land to sons Daniel and John, of Prudence Island. On March 17, 1726, Daniel and John Pearce gave a bond to their brothers, our 7th Great Grandfather Nathan and William Pearce, that they would give them a part of their fathers estate when they came of age.

Daniel Pearce was married twice, but the name of his first wife is unknown. His second wife was Elizabeth Tucker, of Prudence Island. The marriage took place on December 13, 1733. His children by first wife:

1. Daniel Jr.
2. Margaret, born about 1689; married (first) Ephraim Smith, (second) Immanuel Clark.
3. John, born about 1691; married Martha Sweet.
4. Mary, born about 1693; married John Moss, in 1715.

Children by second wife.

1. Benoni, born about 1704; married Sarah Rhodes.
2. Nathan, born 1706; married Abigail Spink. (Our 7th Great Grandparents)
3. William, born about 1709.

The Pearce family has a tradition from their ancestors that the first John Pearce came from Wales to Boston with his family, among whom were three sons. Soon after the vessel arrived, the father fell down the hatchway and broke his neck. The sons afterward separated, one settling in Conn., one in Mass., and one in R. I.

Our 7th Great Grandfather Nathan Pearce was the Great Grandson of this first John Pearce. He was born on Mar. 15, 1706, at Providence, R. I., and had 4 sons.

1. Benoni. b. , 1730, North Kingston R. I. He was a self-educated man noted for his wit and great learning, particularly in languages and mathematics.
2. Ephraim. b. , 1733, Providence, R.I was remarkable for great physical strength.
3. Nathan (Our 6th Great Grandfather) b. , 1739, Pawling, N. Y. Nathan was a Captain in the Revolution and a terror to Tories. He was finally decoyed into an ambush, taken prisoner by Tories and robbers and whipped to death.
4. William. b. , 1745, Pawling, N. Y.

Our 7th Great Uncle William was angry at the murder of his brother Nathan. He obtained assistance and pursued the gang. He finally succeeded in locating them among the rocks on Quaker Hill. He killed the leader and broke up and dispersed the gang. He afterward raised a company of volunteers and served as captain during the Revolution. He was in the battles of L. I., White Plains, Yorktown, and was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. After the war he returned to Pawling and lived to a good old age, a much respected citizen.

There are other references to our 6th Great Grandfather in other records of the time period. I'll include them here:

THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Continental Line.

THE first Provincial Congress of New York met May 22, 1775,
in New York City, to devise measures for the general safety,
and to authorize the recruiting of men. County Committees
of Safety were formed and their duties were numerous and important.
The following gentlemen composed the Dutchess Committee: Egbert
Benson (Chairman), John Collen, Samuel Dodge, Elnathan Gregory,
Jacob Grifiin, Herman Hoffman, Frederick Jay, Nathan Pearce, James
Weeks. Precinct Committees were also formed, and one of their first
duties was to visit the Tories in the county, and request in a friendly
manner that they surrender their firearms for the use of the Con-
tinental forces, at a reasonable price. In case of refusal the firearms
were taken forcibly. A considerable number of guns were thus ob-
tained, a total of 431 being delivered to the State by the Committee
of Rombout Precinct alone, in 1776-'77.

The Provincial authorities of New York in 1775, authorized the
organization of four regiments, known as the Continental Line, to
serve for six months, and thus designated: First New York, Second
Albany, Third Ulster, Fourth Dutchess. The regiments were com-
manded respectively by Alexander McDougal, Goose Van Schaick,
James Clinton, and James Holmes. Zephaniah Piatt, Gilbert Liv-
ingston and Melancthon Smith constituted the Military Committee for
Dutchess county, and received the warrants for raising men for the
Fourth or Dutchess regiment, which, when organized, June 30th,
1775, had the following field and company officers:

James Holmes, Col. (from Westchester dounty) ; Philip Court-
landt, Lieut. Col.; Barnabas Tuthill, Major; Benjamin Chapman,
Quarter-Master.^

1. C<4.>And this is a more detailed telling of the story of the attack on Nathan Pearce.

The residence of a Quaker by the name of Birch in the south end
of Quaker Hill was robbed during the Autumn of 1778, by some sol-
diers. On his promise not to follow them that night, they offered him
no bodily harm. This promise, though made under duress, he kept
on the honor of a Quaker, but at the hour the time hmit expired he
was on their track with a posse. He traced them to the army lines,
where he recognized the villains, and identified his property on the
person of one of them. The evidence was so conclusive, that the cul-
prit was convicted before court-martial, and hung despite the pro-
tests of Birch, who had no desire to push the matter to that extremity.

Nathan Pearce, Jun., who lived in the house standing, at the time
of the Revolution, but since razed, on the bank nearly opposite the
residence of O. A. Dykeman, was collector of military fines, — an
office that was as distasteful to the public as could well be imagined.
One night some robbers broke into the house, struck him with the
butt of a musket, beat and kicked him into insensibihty, and finally
suspended him, lacerated and bleeding, by his thumbs to the chamber
floor. Then after rummaging the house, they left him to be rescued
by the family. He never saw a well moment thereafter, and survived
the ordeal but six weeks. Some nights subsequent to this, his brother,
Capt. William Pearce, with some followers, surprised this robber gang
at their rendezvous in a cave on Quaker Hill. The robber chief,
Vaughn by name, had on his person the clothes taken from his brother
Nathan, and William had the satisfaction of running a sword through
the body of his enemy in revenge for the murder of his brother.

Another Great Grandfather and the Revolutionary War. (Pierce Line)

Our Pierce Family Coat of Arms (Wales)

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Family,
Exciting news tonight. Thanks to cousin Angie Mattson's research we have a new family line that opened to research.

Grandma Violet's maiden name was Pierce. Up until a few weeks ago we new her father and her grandfather, then the line went stone cold. Tonight we know a great deal more.

Angie Mattson has spent a great deal of time researching the Pierce name both here in Utah and in South Dakota and tonight we are happy to present the Pierce Genealogy to the 1600's. So, without further pause, The Pierce's.....

RELATIONSHIP CHART. PIERCE (PEARCE) FAMILY TREE

John Pearce. b. 1600 England d. 1660
to
John Pearce b. 1632 in Wales. d. 1692 Prudence Island. Portsmouth Twp. Newport Co. RI
married Mary Makepeace b. 1636 d. 1711
to
Daniel Pearce b. 1662 d. 15 March 1730/31. married Elizabeth Tucker. b. 17 Apr. 1677 d. 1728.
to
Nathan Pearce Sr. b. 22 April 1705 d. 15 March 1789/ 90. married Abigail Spink b. 1704. d. 7 Jan. 1790/91.
to
Nathan Pearce Jr. b. 17 Jan 1740/41 d. 19 Dec. 1781. married Elizabeth Culver b ? d. 30 March 1832.
to
Robert Gilbert Livingston Pearce b. 1771 married Eunice Worden b. 1777 d. 20 Jan. 1840.
to
William Pearce b. 1805 d. 2 Apr. 1889 married Catherine Morse b. 1811 d. 14 Dec. 1885.
to
Andrew Jackson Pearce b. 1835 New York. d. ? married Isabella Pearce b. 1842 New York
to
Edwin Sherman Pierce married Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler
to
Walter Edwin Pierce married Vesta Althea Dennis
to
Violet Mae Pierce married Walter Albert Mattson
to
Luella, Linda, John, Marvin
to
US

And new the first story from our the Pierce family tree. Tonight I'd like to tell you a few things about our 6th Great Grandfather, Nathan Pierce Jr.

Nathan Pierce Jr. was a Captain and Major of the 25th Regiment of Infantry of New York. According to one source he was murdered in 1781. That is a story I'll need to search out.

The following is taken from a source familiar with our Pierce family in New York. In it you'll read about our Grandfather Nathan.

In the war of the Revolution the cause of the Colonies found ardent supporters in what is now the town of Pawling, Among those who rendered efficient aid in that struggle for National independence, none are more worthy of honorable mention that the family of Nathan PEARCE. This family can trace their origin to John PEARCE, a Welshman, who, with his three sons, emigrated to this country about the year 1660. The first one of this name of whom anything definite is known, was Nathan PEARCE, Sr., a grandson of the John above mentioned, from who was descended the family of that name in this town. He was born in Providence, in the Colony of Rhode Island, in the year 1706. He first settled in North Kingston, Washington county, Rhode Island, where four of his children were born. From there he went to Prudence Island where he lived some years, as three of his children were born there. He then removed to Providence where his two youngest children were born. About the year 1760 he came to Pawling, his youngest son, Colonel William PEARCE, being then fifteen years old. (His other sons were Benoni, Ephraim, and Nathan.) He first located on the place since owned by O. S. DYKEMAN, and in the year 1767 he purchased the place now owned by Nathaniel PEARCE, where he lived through all the turbulous period of the Revolution.
In 1778, when Pawling was formed as a town, Nathan PEARCE, Jr., was elected the first Supervisor, which office he filled with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his townsmen. He died in 1790, at the age of eighty-four.
Captain William PEARCE, towards the close of the war, received a Colonel’s commission. After the war he held the office of Supervisor, and was a Justice of the Peace from 1785 to 1801. About that time he was elected to the Legislature, where he served two terms. He died in January, 1813.
The descendants of this family are quite numerous in the town, and still rank among its ablest citizens. To Nathaniel PEARCE, a grandson of Col. William, we are indebted for much valuable assistance in this history of Pawling. A man of letters by nature, he has taken more than an ordinary interest in local and general historical events, and the results of his labors, both published and unpublished, were kindly placed at our disposal. Mr. Pearce was born in Pawling in 1809, on the farm on which he lives, and which has been in his family since 1767.

Once again, many more stories to tell about this new line. Great Job Angie!

Simply,
Victor

John Allerton, Our 11th Great Uncle.

Isaac Allerton (1586 – April 1, 1659) was one of the original Pilgram fathers who came on the Mayflower to settle the Plymoth Colony in 1620. He is believed to have been born in London, about 1585 or 1586 and was raised to become a tailor. A religious non-conformist, he apparently followed the Scrooby exiles to Leiden, Holland as a young man. There he married his first wife, Mary Norris (b. 1590), in November 1611. The couple had three children; Bartholomew, Remember and Mary.

Accompanying Isaac and Mary on the Mayflower were their three children and a 14 year old servant boy named John Hooke. Allerton's wife and John Hooke died aboard the Mayflower while it was still achored in Plymouth Harbor during the first winter. Both were buried in Cole’s Hill. Mary died from the effects of childbirth, after giving birth to a stillborn son on February 25, 1621. Because of this birth, Mary was the first woman to give birth in the New England Colonies.

Allerton, a Bronx neighborhood, was named in honor of Isaac Allerton.

Isaac Allerton the Businessman

While serving as the colony's business agent, Allerton began many business ventures of his own, relying on the colony's credit for collateral.. These ventures failed, thus leaving his colleagues back in Plymouth saddled with a greatly increased debt. Also, Allerton was asked to bring over trade goods to sell to the natives, however, Allerton brought over retail goods to sell to the colonists and fishermen who came over every year. Later on Allerton did not mark which goods were his and which belonged to the colony. When the goods were unloaded, Allerton took the most expensive items leaving the Plymouth colonists with the cheaper goods. In 1629 Allerton brought Thomas Morton back to New England, and allowed him to live in his house; this got the Plymouth colonists very upset. This rendered Allerton permanently persona non grata in Plymouth.

Isaac Allerton was one of the more active and prominent members of early Plymouth. He was elected as Governor Bradford's assistant in 1621, and continued as an assistant into the 1630s. In 1627, he was sent to negotiate the Plymouth Colony's buyout of the Merchant Adventurers, the investors who had originally funded (and had hoped to profit from) the Colony. The Colony was about 2500 pounds in debt; a small group of Plymouth's residents, including Bradford, Brewster, Standish, Fuller, and Allerton, sought to assume the debt themselves in return for the rights to profit from the company.

Allerton was sent to England to negotiate further, and would return to England on several more occasions. Unfortunately for the others, Allerton began to use his "free" trips to England to engage in some private gains, purchasing goods and selling them in the Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth. He also used his capacity as Plymouth's designated negotiator to engage the Colony in a number of unapproved money-making schemes: he went so far as to purchase ships (which he partially used for his own private trading), and to attempt to negotiate grants and patents for trade--all at great cost to the company and none of it approved by the others back at Plymouth. When his trading schemes failed, the Company found itself in far greater debt than it ever started out with.

When Allerton's 2nd wife died at Plymouth about 1634, and with the general ire of the Colony against him, he had little reason to stay. He moved to the New Haven Colony, and by 1644 had remarried to his third wife, Joanna Swinnerton. Isaac Allerton remained an active trader, and did regular business with the Dutch at New Netherland in modern-day New York. Records of his trading can be found in numerous other colonies as well, including Virginia and Barbados.

Governor Bradford wrote of Mr. Allerton:

"Mr. Allerton played his own game and ran a course not only to the great wrong and determent of the Plantation... but abused them in England also in prejudice against the Plantation," and later on he wrote

"Concerning Mr. Allerton's accounts. They were so large and intricate as they could not well understand them, much less examine and correct them without a great deal of time and help and his own presence, which was hard to get," and also "he screwed up his poor father in law's account".

Relationship Chart for 11th Great Uncle Isaac Allerton
Brother to 10th Great Grandmother Sarah Allerton

10th Great Grandparents, Degory Priest married Sarah Allerton.
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Sarah Priest married John Combs
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Anthony Coombs married Dorcas Wooden
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Anthony Coombs married Ruth Getchell
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Ruth Coombs married Nathaniel Toothacre
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Mary Toothacre married Nathaniel Evans Jr.
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Hannah Evans married John K. McCrillis
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Joseph E. McCrillis married Almiria Swift
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Isabel Deanora Helerson McCrillis married John Mayberry Dennis
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Vesta Althea Dennis married Walter Edwin Pierce
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Violet Mae Pierce married Walter Albert Mattson
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Luella, Linda, John, Marvin
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Us