Francis Standfield and Grace Achelly our 8th Great Grandparents (Williamson / Willis Line)

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Williamsons!
It's a fine Spring like day in Pleasant Grove. Here's hoping our families living in the east are having better weather.

In our last gathering we talked about our 6th Great Grandparents Joseph Bennett and Rebecca Fincher. Today we meet to learn about the grandparents of Joseph Bennett, our 8th Great Grandparents, Francis Standfield and Grace Achelly. We begins with a climb up the Family Tree.

1. Click on Charles Williamson
2. Click on Margaret Willis, my Dad's Great Grandmother.
3. Follow the Tree up from Jonathan Willis to Bennett Willis to Phebe Bennett and up to Edward Bennett
4. Click on Sarah Standfield and climb up to Francis and Grace.

Biography of Francis Standfield and Grace Achelly

Francis Standfield arrived at Philadelphia on July 29, 1683, aboard the ketch “Endeavor” of Liverpool, George Thorpe was Master of the ship. The Endeavor was one of the ships that brought many of the original Quaker settlers to the Pennsylvania Province beginning in 1682. William Penn made at least one voyage on the Endeavor, when he returned to England in 1684. Francis and his wife, Grace, brought with them five children:

James, Mary, Sarah, Elizabeth, Grace and Hannah; and eight servants, Daniel Browne, Thomas Massey (Marsey), Isa. Brookesby, Robert Sidbotham, John Smith, Robert Bryan, William Rudway and Thomas Sidbotham. A sixth child, Deborah, seems to have been born after the arrival in Pennsylvania.

Francis Standfield married Grace Achele (Achelly) at the Worcester England Quakers (Friends) Monthly Meeting, about 1661. On June 3, 1678 Mary Achelly (almost certainly a sister of Grace) married Francis Fincher of the City of Worcester. This was a second marriage for Francis Fincher. The Achelly family may have been related to Grace Ashall of Up Holland near Liverpool, where one of the Lancashire Fisher families lived.

The Standfields are usually described as Cheshire (England) people, but they were among a group of Quaker families from around Worcester who came early to Pennsylvania and were associates in Chester County. In 1670, Francis Fincher had all his goods consficated at Grafton-Flyford near Worcester, for attending a Quaker meeting at the house of George Maris. George Maris spent time in prison, and in 1683 came to Pennsylvania and settled in Springfield Township, Chester County.

Francis Standfield had also been subjected to religious persecution in England, and was arrested in 1670 for attending a meeting at “Cartop” in Berkshire, which was almost certainly the village of Cutthorpe in the parish of Brampton near Chesterfield. Others who were arrested with Francis Standfield were from Brampton. Brampton is about 15 miles southeast of Marple (in Cheshire near Manchester), where Grace Standfield Jr. was born in 1673. In August of 1682 James Standfield, son of Francis and Grace, signed a certificate of removal for a group leaving the Congleton meeting in Cheshire with intent to emigrate to Falls Monthly Meeting in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Brampton is a little over 20 miles east northeast of Congleton.

Our Great Grandfather Francis Standfield, a Quaker, was listed as “husbandman” (farmer) when he arrived in Pennsylvania. The Standfields were listed as immigrants from “Garton in Cheshire,” although no village of that name has ever been listed. This may have referred to Gorton near Manchester (then Lancashire,) being very near the Cheshire line. It may be a mistake for Garston, a village on the Mersey River southwest of Manchester, at the lower end of Lancashire (now Merseyside). They had lived at Marthill and Marple, Cheshire, and possibly at Cutthorpe in Brampton Parish, Berkshire, as well as places in Worcester.

Francis Standfield may have been descended from the Yorkshire Stansfield family, who were early Quakers in and around Halifax Parish, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The Stansfield manor house still stands, in the village of Stansfield near Halifax.

The Standfields were among the earliest settlers of the township of Marple PA, just west of Philadelphia between Darby Creek and Crum Creek. Their land was not far from that of Francis Fincher of Springfield Township, presumed brother-in-law of Grace Standfield, and their friend George Maris from Cheshire. Thomas Achele, across the Delaware at Burlington, was a probable relative.

Francis and a son had numerous land holdings and were active in the community. Francis was an assemblyman for Chester County in 1685, and son James gained wealth and prominance until his untimely death in the 1699 yellow fever epidemic. Grace died in 1691 and Francis followed a year later.

Our 9th Great Uncle, James Standfield joined William Penn’s Free Society of Traders and began a career as a merchant trader. He had a two-masted brigantine, the “Betsy,"

A two masted Brigantine

In 1693 Griffith Jones, a Philadelphia merchant, sold part of his Delaware bank lot in Philadelphia to our Great Uncle James Standfield, also a merchant of Philadelphia. It was a narrow lot on Front Street and extending to the east into the river. It lay about 200 feet north of High Street, and was probably the berth for the Standfield brigantine, the “Betsy.”

In 1697 he bought a similar frontage from William Jenner on the opposite side of Front Street, extending to the west instead of east. The lot is shown on the map made by Albert Cook Meyer’s committee in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the first arrival of William Penn.

In 1699 Great Uncle James Stanfield of Philadelphia, son of Francis and Grace (Achele) Standfield of Marple in Chester County, left a detailed will and estate accounting that mentioned business in Maryland and Boston, his brigantine two-master the “Betsy,” Jerimiah Collett and the names of various sea captains.

Land records of Chester County reveal that during the 1690’s James Standfield laid out, for the heirs of Francis Standfield, a large tract of land in Kennett, Chester County. The land was abandoned with no survey when James died in 1699.

Our 7th Great Grandparent Edward Bennett married Sarah Standfield, daughter of Francis and Grace.

It has been reported that Samuel Atkins took our 9th Great Uncle James Standfield as an apprentice to learn the shipping trade. (Source unknown.) He bought land near the original Standfield estate in Marple. Samuel divided his time between Sussex County and Philadelphia, and arranged leases of whaling vessels for companies such as that of John McGiver. Samuel’s business sometimes took him on return trips to England.

In 1699, Samuel Atkins sold his land in Marple to John Worral, who was the Standfield’s neighbor to the north, where the present-day “Worral Estates” are located. James Standfield and Samuel Atkins may have died together at their shared house on the Philadelphia waterfront.

Other possible family ties: The Standfield (Stansfield) family seat in Halifax Parish, West Yorkshire, was only a few miles from Clitheroe in Lancashire, where John Fisher and the Hindles lived before their emigration. The Standfields brought a crate of window glass when they came, which would have been needed by the glazier John Fisher. The Standfields had an active trading company, and had large acreage in Sussex County where the John Fishers family lived. The ship-building supplies and artisans mentioned in the John Fisher family tradition could have been associated with the two-masted ship, the brigantine “Betsy,” owned by the trading company. A “carpenter’s shipyard” was located on one of the Fisher tracts in Sussex County.

The Holmes map of the Marple area shows the Francis Standfield estate house in the north-east end of the Standfield 600-acre tract. The site has been identified with two different homesites which can be located today. A house on Crum Creek Road near Marple Road has been discovered to have been built around a two-story log structure. Another residence, a two-story brick house on McClarie Street nearby is also sometimes considered to be on the site of a Standfield house.

For further details concerning the Standfields, see “The Francis Standfield Family of Colonial Pennsylvania” by this author, and “Marple Township, the First 100 Years.”

Original Sources Mentioning Francis Standfield

At a Quarterly Meeting of Friends held 3 mo 3 1686 it was

“Agreed yt a meeting be kept at John Bolters (Bowater’s) upon ye same first day it was used to be at Bartholomew Coppocks, for ye ease of such yt live westerly in ye woods and ye rest of friends living ye other way, upon yt same day, to meet at ffrancis Stanfields until further consideration.”

At a Quarterly Meeting held 6 mo 2 1683, it was

“Agreed yt ye meeting at Francis Stanfields, upon fresh consideration be Removed to Bartholomew Coppock’s ye younger, to begin ye next first day and ye following 4th day untill friends se cause to remove it.”

Francis Stanfield was a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly from Chester County in 1685. He died in 1692. His wife died a year earlier.

Children of Francis and Grace Stanfield

1. James Stanfield, d. 1699; m. Mary Hutchinson, of Burlington, New Jersey, 1689.
2. Mary Stanfield, m. William Huntly, 1692 and had children, 1 Elizabeth, 2 Francis, 3 Deborah, 4 Mary, 5 Sarah. She married, 2nd, Richard Fletcher, 1713.
3. Sarah Stanfield, m. 1st, William Clows or Clews, of Bucks County. She m. 2d, Edward Bennett, of Thornbury, and had children, 1 Edward, 2 Sarah, 3 Joseph, 4 William, 5 Elizabeth.
4. Elizabeth Stanfield, m. 1st Thomas Hope, 1697. He died 1708. She married, 2d, William Horne, 1709. He died 1743. No children.
5. Grace Stanfield, m. 1st Francis Chads, 1695, and had children, 1 Sarah, 2 John, 3 Grace, 4 Betty, 5 Ann, 6 Francis. She m. 2d Guyon Stevenson, 7 mo 16, 1714. She died 1728.
6. Hannah Stanfield, m. Isaac Few, 1699.
7. Deborah Stanfield, m. Richard Woodward, Jr., 1701. She was the second wife of Richard Woodward, (who was four times married) and was the mother of most if not all his twelve children.

Joseph and Rebecca Bennett. Our 6th Great Grandparents. Williamson / Willis Line.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Williamsons,
Tonight we take a moment to learn about the lives of our 6th Great Grandparents, Joseph and Rebecca Bennett.

They were faithful Quakers (Friends) as were many of our other descendants. We start by referencing you to the Family Tree to see their relationship with us. Click on my father's name Charles. Follow his line through to George Matthew Williamson and Margaret Willis. Click on Margaret Willis and follow the line through Phebe Bennett who married John Willis.

I'm curious about Quakers, after having discovered the role in played in our early family history. I'll reasearch Quakerism and report back soon.

And now, information on our 6th Great Grandparents.

Joseph and Rebecca Bennett

About 1738, Joseph and Rebecca Bennett moved with other Quakers and settled in Newberry Township, in what is now York County PA, as appears by the following extract from the Minutes of Salisbury's Monthly Quaker (Friends) Meeting, which until the founding of Warrington Meeting, in 1747, included the meetings on the west aide of the Susquehanna River;

At our Monthly Meeting of Sadsbury held at Leacock [Lancaster Co., Pa.], ye 7th of 3 rao. 1739 The Representatives being Called all appeared. There being Divers families of friends of late Settled on the west side of Susquohanno some of them have produced Certificates to this Meeting from Kenet Meeting where they formerly Dwelt their being four mentioned In one Certificate bearing Date ye 18th of ye 2 mo: 1738 viz. Nathan Hussey, Ann his wife, John Garrison & Content his wife, Christopher Husy & Ann his wife & another Certificate from the Same place bearing date ye 4th of ye 5 mo: 1738 Recommends Joseph Bennett & Rebecca his wife all wch this meeting receives in membership with us. The Friends of that Settlement [Newberry] being desirous of a Toleration from this Meeting to keep Meetings of worship Every first day and fourth day of ye week for Six months time wch request Is Granted."

Joseph Bennett purchased land in Newberry and gave his name to the largest stream of the neighborgood, still called Bennett's Run. He served as overseer of the Friends Newberry Meeting from October 21, 1751, to August 20, 1757.

Joseph and Rebecca (Fincher) Bennett had ten children as follows:

1. William, b. 12 mo. 19, 1727-28, was married by a "priest" to Lydia , in the early part of 1753. Children : Enoch, b. 1 mo. 23, 1754; Itebecca, b. 4 mo. 6, 1756; William, b. 11 mo. 27, 1757; Joseph, b. 8 mo. 19 1759.
2. Sarah, b. 4 mo. 29, 1733; m. 4 mo. 22, 1756, at Newberry, to John Day, son of John.
3. Rebecca, b. 10 mo. 29, 1734; m. circa 1756, Rankin, and from her probably descended the Nankins of Newberry, celebrated as Tories in the Revolution.
4. Mary, b. 7 mo. 19, 1736; disowned from Friends in 1756.
5. Phebe, b. 1 mo. 30, 1738; m. 4 mo. 27, 1757, at Newberry Mtg., to John Willis, son of Henry.
6. Joshua, b. 2 mo. 15, 1741; m. 10 mo. 25, 1780, at 8adsbury Mtg., to Mary Brogan, dau. of James, deceased, of Sadsbury Twp., Lancaster Co. Children: Joseph, b. 8 mo. 15, 1781; James, b. 5 mo. 2, 1783: d. 8 rao. 21, 1784; Rebecca, b. 1 mo. 4, 1785; Joshua, m. Sarah Wain, dau. of Nathan and Sarah Thomas, at Newberry, 11 mo. 6, 1833; Marv.
7. Elizabeth, b. 12 mo. 25, 1742-43. A certificate to Sadsbury Mo. Mtg. was signed by Warrington Mo. Mtg., 12 mo. 12, 1761.
8. Edward, b. 5 mo. 7, 1744.
9. Hannah, b. 10 mo. 19, 1745; ra. 9mo. 8, 1767, at York Town, York Co., Pa., William Kersey, of York Town, son of William and Elizabeth, both deceased. He produced a certificate of removal, dated 5 mo. 31, 1766, from New Garden Mo. Mtg., North Carolina. It is supposed that he was born in Pennsylvania. A William Kersey was a witness to a marriage in Chester county, Pa., 8 mo. 18, 1738, and Possibly he was the father of William, who married lannali Bennett.

Jesse Kersey, the eldest child of William and Hannah (Bennett) Kersey, became an eminent minister in the Society of Friends. A biographical narrative of his life has been published in book form (p. 288). He was born 8 mo. 5, 1768, at York. In the spring of 1784 he went to Philadelphia to learn to be a potter. In 1789, having completed his apprenticeship, he left Philadelphia, and opened a school in East Cain township, Chester county, in the autumn. He was married, 5 mo. 26, 1790, to Elizabeth Coates, daughter of Moses Coates, and removed to York, engaging in his trade. In 1794 he removed again. About 1824 he removed to West Chester, Pa., where he was a conveyancer and postmaster. He died 10 mo. 26, 1845, and was buried in Friends' graveyard at West Chester.

The Quest (Williamson Line)

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Researching our family history is a very rewarding hobby. The satisfication of breaking through a barrier and opening up a new branch of the family tree motivates me to keep looking.

In tonight's digital family gathering I've decided to invite you into the search and witness a sampling of the detective work required to gather and paste a family history together from the tattered remnants of records time forgot to wipe from history.

First, the genealogical problem.....

Look at the family tree (click on the family tree link at the top of the right side bar). Click on my Dad, Charles Williamson. His line will appear. Click on his father Charles. Click on his father William. Click on his mother Margaret Willis. Follow her line until you get to this entry "John Willis and Phebe Bennett". You'll notice the question mark. The question mark signifies a point in the tree I'm unsure about. The "?" was added after spending hours trying to determine if Phebe Bennett and John Willis were the actual parents of the Great Grandfather I was sure about - Bennett Willis.

The frustration comes from a conflict in the records found online and on various genealogical sites. Some records state that Bennett Willis was the son of John Willis and Sarah Jones. Other records indicate Bennett was the son of John Willis and Phebe Bennett. Now you understand the problem. Which record is correct? How does one make such a determination?

I've spent hours on this problem, searching for a link that might definitively solve the mystery. Finally, taking into account all evidence at hand, I choose Phebe Bennett as Bennett Willis' mother and placed the "?" in front of her name because the doubt I could be wrong was still present. Over the last several months I revisited the issue at least once or twice a week, always looking for enough evidence to removed the question mark.

Tonight I spent more time on the issue. Here are my evening's findings:

1. I reasoned that if Bennett Willis lived in Franklin County Virginia in the early 1800's then any other Willis in that county might be related. If they were related, then that relationship might point me in the right direction.

2. I pulled the records for the 1810 Census, the last taken before Bennett Willis died in the War of 1812. I found Bennett living in Franklin County Virginia. I discovered my hunch was right. Near Bennett's name was a certain Mark Willis.

1810 Census. Click to Enlarge

3. In 1810 the Census recorded the heads of households only. So Mark might be Bennett's father, cousin, brother or none of the above.

4. I started looking for information on Mark Willis and found the following:


John Willis and Phebe Bennett are the parents of Mark Willis and Mark Willis appears on the same page of the 1810 Census as Bennett Willis.

5. I went back and pulled more information on John Willis and Phebe Bennett and found the following:


You'll notice that this entry lists Bennett as the eldest child. Looking further down you'll see that Mark Willis is listed as Bennett's younger brother.

6. Therefore, the 1810 Census provides another missing piece to the puzzle and solidifies the case for Phebe Bennett as being the mother of our Great Grandfather Bennett.

Am I convinced enough to remove the question mark from Phebe's name? Perhaps.

And so you have it. A sampling of the process it takes to trace our history.

Thanks for reading and thanks for joining me in remembering and honoring those who came before.

Simply,
Victor

Our Cousins Who Fought for the Confederacy at Gettysburg. (Williamson Line)

The Battle of Gettysburg

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
It’s been a full week since my last addition to the family history. Don’t think me a slacker. If you don’t see a daily post to the blog, then you would be right to assume I’m researching. I’m sorry to say that the easy stuff is posted. I call it the low hanging fruit. Our easily found ancestors are found, posted and their stories told. Now comes the hard part. Instead of a few hours per post, I’m spending days researching to find new information. It is a fact of life that the further back you go the fewer historical resources there are.

I will solider on with your help. If there are stories to tell, they will be told, even if the information is one sentence long. I’m committed to the proposition that this will be an all inclusive story our our American Dynasty. Our ancestor will not be forgotten as long as there is information on them. We will find it and it will be posted.

By the way, much of this week was spent fleshing out our new family tree. You can access it anytime by clicking on the picture of the family tree at the top of the right side bar. Only a fraction of the tree is visible at any one time. To see a person’s ancestry, click on that person’s name. Their ancestors will appear above them.

I need pictures. If you have a picture of an ancestor please send it.

And now, a bit of information on for the Williamsons. We knew we had strong Southern roots. Today we learn about our cousins who fought to defend the Confederacy during the Civil War. We begin with the relationship chart.

Hans George Pfluger (1703-1754) and Eve Franzisk Jost
to
Georg Friedrich Pfluger (Phlegar) (1735-1791) married Maria Margretha Kieffer
to
Hans Jacob, Christine, George Frederick, Hans, Marie Christine, Marie Margaret, Abraham, Hans Michael, Henry.

Abraham Phlegar (1776 - 1865) married Margaret Goodykoontz
to
Arabella Phlegar (1809-1865) married Jonathan Willis
to
George Matthew Williamson and Margaret Ann Willis
to
Selina, William, Abraham, James, Samuel, George, Ella, Walter, Glen, Bertha, Ralph.

William married Effie Helen Victor
to
Vennie, Ima Della, Inez, Lillie Ethel, Josie, Emmett, Walt, Charles, Maurice.
to
US

Tonight we discover the following grandsons of our 4th Great Grandfather Abraham Phlegar served in the Confederate Army (Our first cousins four times removed).

Archer A. Phlegar
Abraham Hogan
Addison Epperly
Headen Epperly
David Willis
Bennet Willis
Samuel Willis
Thomas Willis
James Willis
Peter Willis.

We also learned that five of Abraham Phlegar’s Great Grandsons were commissioned officers in World War One. (2nd cousins, three times removed).

Seven of our 5th Great Uncle George Frederic Phlegar's grandsons served in the Confederate Army (all our 2nd cousins, four times removed).

Benjamin Phlegar’s sons:
George Phlegar was killed in the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863,
Andrew Phlegar
Gideon Phlegar (also killed in battle)
Simon Phlegar

Joseph Phlegar’s son:
Calvin Phlegar

Isaac Phlegar’s sons:
Joseph Phlegar
George Phlegar

World War I Marine Recruiting Poster

At least seven of George Phlegar's descendants were in the World War I. Hagan Phlegar, was with the Marines, first of the American forces sent into battle.

Simply,
Victor

A Essay on Where We've Been and Where our Descendants will Venture.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

I ponder on what our ancestors accomplished as I research, write and post this history of our family. I marvel at the valleys, mountains, oceans and prairies they crossed and the lands they tamed to give us this land we call home. Then I wonder where our descendants will travel. I think of the challenges they will face.

Who will be the first in our family to venture into the darkness of space? Who will be the first to step foot on a distant planet? Will they remember us? Will they pause and thank us for the gift of life and knowledge as they search their night sky looking for a pale blue dot called Earth?

Please take a moment with Carl Sagan and think of those yet to come that will carry your name and genes to the stars.

Simply,
Victor

Sunday's Photo Album

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Today I spent time on the new family tree (look at the top of the right side bar on the blog. Click on the photo of the family tree to be taken to the site). I'm adding photographs to go with the names. My goal is one photo per name. I'll need some help. I'll use whatever photo I have handy for the tree. If you'd like a different photo please send it to me and I'll swap them.

Williamson relatives, If you have better photos than the ones I'm using please send them. This tree will eventually include all cousins etc, so please send the photos.

Today, in addition to the work done on the tree, I've scanned a few pictures for you to enjoy.

Simply,
Victor

This is my brother Jon with his wife Lisa, stepson A.J. and son Jet.


This is picture of my Step Grandfather Emmerson Leissman standing at the grave of my Grandmother Elda Vercellino in Bismarck North Dakota.

Yes, we are in total random mode. This is my sister Annette taken in our home at 2214 38th Street, Rapid City, South Dakota. Ah memories.....

Finally today we have my Step Grandfather Emmerson Liessman with Caden Williamson, Lisa's Williamson Coronado's Oldest son. He recently turned 18 years old. Happy Birthday Caden.

Newly Discovered Photograph of our Great Great Grandmother Catterina.

Our Great Great Grandmother Catterina Camerlo

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
I'm spending much of my available family history time on the new family tree. I'd like to get that caught up with everything I've posted in the blog. It will take some time, so while I work on that there will be fewer historical posts.

Tonight I'd like to share a newly discovered family picture found in material our cousin Jared Peterson (Karen Vercellino's son) posted to his Ancestry.com site.

Her name was Catterina Camerlo. This is the relationship chart:

Great Great Grandmother Catterina Camerlo b. 26 Feb. 1853 married Giovanni Viano
Their Children

Joseph Camerlo, Eleanora Viano, Maria Maddalena Gertrude, Julia, Dolph, Frances Delfina, Aurelia

Great Grandmother Maria Maddalena Gertrude married Great Grandfather Giovanni (John) Vercellino.

Their Children
Great Uncle Ray, Grandma Elda, and Great Uncle Ed.

Grandma Elda married Charles Williamson
to
Charles Ray Williamson married Luella Mae Mattson
to
Kim, Victor, Kevin, Janice, Jon, Jilane, Lisa, Annette

Great Great Grandmother Catterina was born in Courgne, Torino, Piedmont Italy. She died on February 1, 1918 in Coal City, Ill.

Simply,
Victor

Our Family Tree Ready for Examination

Our Family Tree, A Work in Progress

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
You may be wondering why its been nearly one week since my last post. If you haven't been wondering then I ask, why? Why aren't you rushing home every day, breaking speed limits along the way, bypassing the welcoming embrace and kiss of a loved one, in a hurry to get to your computer and discover what new ancestor I've unearthed to study? If you haven't, then shame on you. Might I also add a suggestion that you reprioritize your priorities and put long dead ancestors first, at the expense of work, home and family :)

To quash rumors spread through family circles, let me say that I've not fallen off the face of the Earth, or spirited away by Somali Pirates or gray extraterrestrials. The Space Center had a few staffing problems last week caused by a staff that refused to take my suggestion and get a yearly flu shot. When I don't have subs I need to muck in with the troops to get the job done.

What time I had for family history was spent doing something I've know I had to do ever since I started this project. I had to take all these ancestral names and family lines I've discovered and get them into a proper family tree for all of you to study and enjoy.

Well, after hours of work, I've got a family tree that is accessible to everyone. The Williamson line is nearly entered (although I don't have all the dates etc yet). The Mattson line is waiting and will get done this week.

To access our family tree please click on the following link, then bookmark the page for future reference. AN AMERICAN DYNASTY FAMILY TREE.

There are a few things you should know about this site.
Family trees are very large and take up hideous amounts of room. So, family lines are cut off. To access cut lines look for the following:


You know the family line continues if you see a vertical line exiting the name boxes. Click on the person's name and the line will continue on the screen.

If you click on a person's name, information on that person will appear in the left side bar.

These family lines are the result of over one year's research. There is always the chance the information I have might be incorrect. If you see an error please tell me so I can get it corrected.
Remember, these lines may change as additional information is discovered.

You'll also notice a question mark in front of some names ? A question mark means that this line represents my best guess based on all evidence available. I will not add a branch to our tree is I'm not at least 90% - 100% sure it is correct. If I'm between 70%-89% sure then I'll add a question mark before the name. The question mark will stay there until I'm sure, or almost sure it is correct based on the evidence I find.

Please let me know any dates I can add in people's biography.

Simply,
Victor

Our 12th Great Uncles and the Quaker Missionaries

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
A sad tale tonight about the persecution of Quaker missionaries by our Roberts Great Uncles. It begins with our 11th Great Grandparents, Gov. Thomas Roberts and our grandmother Rebecca Hilton.

Thomas Roberts was born in England about 1600. The Rev. Dr. Everett S. Stackpole wrote that Thomas Roberts was apprenticed to a fishmonger of London, as "son of John Roberts, of Woolaston, Co. Worcester 29 April 1622, and probably came to America as an apprentice to Edward Hilton, and lived within a stone's throw of Hilton's house, on Hilton Point. He was not married at the time of coming over, but probably was married in 1627 to Rebecca Hilton.

We begin our story with the Relationship Chart.

Relationship Chart

11th Great Grandparents Gov. Thomas Roberts married Rebecca Hilton

to
William Roberts married Elizabeth Daniels
to
John Harmon Sr. married Sarah Roberts
to
Samual Harmon married Mercy Simpson
to
John Harmon b. 1716 and Mary Hasty b. 1721
to
Martha Harmon b. 1740 and William Williams B. 1740 Prince George Maryland.
to
Nancy Ann Williams and William Cantwell
to
Martha Cantwell and Jacob George
to
Frances George and Henry Fiddler
to
Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler Edwin Sherman Pierce
to
Walter Edwin Pierce and Vesta Althea Dennis
to
Violet Mae Pierce and Walter Albert Mattson
to
Luella Mae Mattson and Charles Ray Williamson
to
US

In 1640 Thomas Roberts succeeded Capt John Underhill as the fourth Governor of the Dover colony. Roberts served until the Massachusetts Bay colony achieved its ambition of annexing, in 1642, the Piscataqua River settlements, Dover, Strawberry Bank and Exeter, also Hampton, and making them a part of Norfolk County.

Thomas had a leading part in the formation and establishment, in 1640, of “The Dover Combination,” an improved scheme of local self-government. He was one of 21 of the 42 signers of the Combination agreement in 1641, a protest against annexation to Massachusetts.

Thomas was not an orthodox Puritan. He thinking was more liberal, which led him 20 years later to embrace the teachings of the Quaker missionaries, who had come here early in the 1660s, and obtained a following from among the orthodox Church people. The Quaker missionaries were driven out of Dover in mid-Winter under harrowing conditions in accordance with Massachusetts laws against Quakers.

While Thomas sympathized with the missionaries and was fined by being deprived of his cow for attending their meetings and staying away from public worship, his two sons, our 12 Great Uncles John and Thomas, both constables, zealously executed their appointed part of Massachusetts’ order expelling the missionaries from its jurisdiction and participated in their whipping.

The Fate of The Quakers


The three female Quaker missionaries, Anne Coleman, Mary Tomkins and Alice Ambrose, were led out of Dover Dec 22, 1662, with ropes to the tail of an ox cart. According to the warrant issued by Maj Richard Walderne, the women were stripped to their waists and whipped on their naked backs “not exceeding 10 stripes apiece” as they passed from one town’s jurisdiction to another.

This process of expulsion was repeated until the Merrimack River was reached at Salisbury, where Maj Pike in pity forbade further whipping and arranged with Dr Walter Barefoot of Dover, a sympathizer , who had accompanied them all the way, to take charge of them and get them out of Massachusetts’ jurisdiction. The doctor took them in a boat to Kittery, Me, and to the home of another sympathizer, Maj. Nicholas Shapleigh.

Recuperating there from their ordeal, these missionary women returned to Dover and resumed their preaching. They were not again driven from town, but constable Roberts, who, a contemporary Quaker writer declared had administered to the women 11 strips for good measure instead of 10, undertook a project of some of the more illiberal members of the community, that of taking the missionaries down river and out of Dover bound in an Indian dugout.

According to the Quaker narrative, the women were taken from a house and were dragged through the deep snow to the river, Alice Ambrose was plunged into the icy water and made to swim beside the boat to escape drowning. A sudden storm rising prevented this attempt to rid the community of the women from succeeding.

Quakers eventually became numerous in Dover and established a church and the Roberts family down through the generations have been divided between the Quaker and Orthodox faiths.

Our Cousin Jessey Kersey, a Prominent Quaker Minister and Author.

A Quaker Minister From the 18th Century

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Williamsons,
Many of our ancestors on the Williamson / Willis lines were strong Quakers. They left England in a quest for religious freedom. Tonight I continue on the Quaker theme by introducing you to Jesse Kersey (b. 1768), a well know Quaker minister until the end of his life in 1845. Jesse was the son of our 6th Great Aunt Hannah Bennett and her husband William Kersey, making him our 1st cousin, six times removed.

We begin our study of Cousin Jesse Kersey's life with a Relationship Chart (Click to Enlarge):


The following is a description of his early life from a book titled The Early Life, Travel, and Labours of Jesse Kersey.

He was the son of William and Hannah Kersey, of Yorktown, Pennsylvania. Was born on the 5th of 8th month, 1768. In his childhood and early youth, he was much exposed to the corrupting influence of vain and vicious company ; but through the guardian care and religious concern of his parents, and the restraining influence of the Divine gift in himself, he was preserved in a great degree from the contamination of guilty compliance with the customs and manners of the time, by which he was surrounded. In a manuscript found among his papers, he says of himself: " I have frequently looked back with gratitude and wonder, that I should have wholly escaped the crime of using profane language, notwithstanding it was common among my play-fellows. This preservation, I am aware, was without any merit in me, still I cannot reflect on it without a real satisfaction; and I fully believe that those who have children under their care, cannot be too watchful in keeping them from that "hardihood of mind and manners, which is always attendant, when an early habit of using wicked words, is allowed or acquired." It appears that among the first temptations that beset him to disobey his parents, was to accept the invitations of his youthful companions, to wander about with them on the first day of the week; and although he was at a loss to imagine why he should be restrained from this, yet he says, "in every instance, such indulgence rendered him very unhappy afterwards." It seems that on looking back upon the scene of his juvenile sports and pastimes, he was ready to believe that the regrets he had felt for having disobeyed his parents, might have been occasioned more by his affection for them, than from any clear conviction, at the time, of the evil of the practice.

Among the influences that operated to restrain him, he mentions, that " his mother's tears were not soon forgotten." About the fourteenth year of his age, he had frequent convictions for his follies, which induced him often to think it was necessary to be more guarded. Yet he continued to join with his acquaintances in their diversions, until at length those feelings of conviction seemed to be much worn off, and his taste for cheerful company to have left but little relish for serious things. "My parents," he continues, " carefully kept me to meetings, and the frequent reading of the Scriptures."

Our Cousin Jesse worked tirelessly for the abolition of slavery in the United States. The following is taken from the same book mentioned above.

About the year 1804, he visited England and Ireland; and was afterwards extensively engaged in the ministry within this and other Yearly Meetings; and in the

year 1814, again visited the South under a concern, in especial relation to the cruel and unrighteous system of American Slavery, and the mode of deliverance from its terrible consequences, having opportunities with the President of the United States, and other distinguished men, and holding meetings among the people of color and others. On his return, it appears his mind was oomforted in the belief, that way would yet be made safely to remove what he describes as " one of the greatest evils that ever the Spirit of delusions has succeeded in imposing upon mankind."

Cousin Jesse visited President Madison in 1814 to discuss slavery.

Friends Intelligencer,, xiv, 1858, 412, quoting the New Bedford Standard, which quotes the Fall River News. As Madison married Dolly Payne, a Quakeress, he was probably used to plain Quaker speech. Another Quaker, Jesse Kersey, who visited President Madison in 1814, reports that the latter "had thought of the plan to removing the slaves to Africa, as contemplated by Paul Cuffe." (Narrative of Jesse Kersey, 1851, p. 74.)

Jesse Kersey was an accomplished author and poet. The following is an example of his work - a poem on the death of his wife.

JESSE KERSEY, ON THE DEATH OF HIS WIFE.

Ah ! whither, sainted spirit, art thou gone.
And left thy tender spouse now all alone ?
Our time together sweetly passed away,
While we were partners, each returning day.
But now, my love, no more can I behold

Those brilliant eyes that oft thy kindness told.

No ; dearest partner,—thy blest race is run,

And thou art told that all thy work is done.

While we were passing through this world of care,

How oft thy counsel bid me not despair.

When storms and tempests seem'd on ev'ry side.
In thee I found (however greatly tried)

A mind superior to the darkest hour,

Whose trust was firm in the Almighty's power.

Thy gentle spirit, govern'd by the Truth,

Maintain'd with constancy the vows of youth.

Nor did thy soul e'er separated stand

From thy all-wise Creator's blest command.

But, being faithful to " the Light within,"

Was thereby kept from each besetting sin.

And having known a heart that was sincere,

Thy end was peace,—thy future prospects clear.
Thus pass'd the partner of my life away,

The blessed subject of eternal day.

No sorrows, griefs, nor clouds of dark despair,

But joy and peace forever centre there.

Oh! may her offspring, guided as she was,

By principles Divine, and holy laws,

Enjoy with her the pure reward of peace,

Nor from the beauty of her life e'er cease.

Then will they ever prove themselves to be

Examples from all vice and folly free.

Thus wisely meeting ev'ry task assign'd,

In ev'ry trial they will be resign'd.

And when their race on earth shall have an end,

Jehovah God will be their lasting Friend.

Another examples of Jesse Kersey's writing:

But, adored forever be the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls; - his arm is not shortened that it can not save, nor his ear grown heavy that it cannot hear. By the blessed interference of his adorable goodness, wisdom, and power, deliverance was miraculously furnished, and a way made for me to rise again into the glorious liberty of the ever blessed Truth. This I acknowledge with gratitude to have been nothing short of a Divine work. And having witnessed that my God is indeed a God of mercy and long-suffering kindness, I am humbly bound to speak well of his excellent name, and to magnify the arm of his power. Oh! how wonderful is his loving-kindness to the children of men! When, by his Spirit my mind is opened to take a view of his marvellous kindness, long-suffering, and forbearance with transgressing mortals, - no language is sufficient to do the great subject justice. Sometimes the query arises, how is it, that he permits transgressing mortals to go on year after year, in a state of rebellion against the clear impressions of his Spirit, and lengthens out the opportunity for such to return to him, and enjoy his favor? Thus he even extends his call to the eleventh hour of the day; evident ly not willing that any should perish in their sins, but that all should return, repent, and live.

Click to read a sermon delivered by Jessey Kersey

And finally, Jesse Kersey wrote the following book on the Fundamentals of Being a Quaker. Click for the Book on the Fundamentals of being a Quaker

Simply,
Victor