From Grandma Violet Pierce Mattson's Photo Albums. 2

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
I'm posting more photographs from Grandma Violet's recently discovered photo albums. If anyone has memories of the events and would like to send a description they would be welcome.
I'll caption each photo with what I know. (Click on each picture to enlarge).

Relationship Chart

Walter Mattson and Violet Pierce
to
Luella, Linda, John, Marvin

Marvin and Pam
to
Shelley and Shane

Marvin and Cindy
to
Luke and Hallie

Aunt Pam and Uncle Marvin's Wedding. September 11, 1965 (?)

Pam and Marvin's wedding. Aunt Pam's sister Carole.

Pam and Marvin's children. Shane (left) and Shelley (Right. Taken in 1971.

Shane and Shelley. Spring 1971.

Shane Mattson. Date unknown.

Shelley Mattson

Hallie and Luke Mattson by Uncle Marvin's Second Wife, Aunt Cindy.

Hallie Mattson

Marvin and Cindy with children Hallie and Luke. Black Hawk, South Dakota

From Grandma Violet Pierce Mattson's Photo Albums.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,

In an earlier post I talked about cleaning out the master bedroom closet and finding Grandma Mattson's old photo albums in a box of her things not looked at since her death. I'm working my way through them, and sadly enough, there are pictures of people I don't know and neither does Luella. That is one of the reasons for this family history blog. I working on this to insure our family's old photos are properly recorded and identified (if possible) so the collection is available to everyone. You future generations of Williamsons and Mattsons can thank me by saying a few prayers in my behalf. Your prayers for my soul will (or so I'm told) shorten my sentence in Purgatory :)

And now, a rather random assortment from Grandma Violet's albums. Please click on each picture to enlarge them.


There are two identifiable people in the photograph above. Grandma Violet is the little girl on the far left. Her brother Walter is the fifth child to the right. The rest of the people are a mystery. This would have been taken in the mid 1920's.


Here is the same group with a better view of Grandma's face. She is looking toward the baby in the man's arms. Her brother Walter is standing beside her separated by a dog.


This is the best picture we have of Great Grandpa Walter Pierce. He was Grandma Violet's father. Their early life was a tragedy (as written about in many earlier posts). He divorced Violet and Walter's mother when Violet was a very young girl.

This is written on the back of Walter Pierce's picture.


A picture of Grandma Violet


A picture of Grandpa Walter Mattson


Grandma Violet had two copies of this photograph. In the picture you see
Grandpa and Grandma Mattson (Walter and Violet). On the left is
Linda. Luella is in the middle. John is being held by Grandma.



Two pictures taken in 1962. John Mattson was visiting his Grandmother Vesta (Violet's Mother) in California




A picture of Luella's brother John Mattson while serving an LDS mission in Southern California.
The photo was taken in June 1966.


A picture of Kirk Mattson, John and Beverly's oldest child, when he was 6 months old. This picture was taken in the Mattson home in Spearfish, South Dakota.


Kirk Mattson and his sister Gina. Gina was 2 weeks old. Taken at Spearfish S.D.



Kirk Mattson and his sister Gina. Gina was 8 weeks old. Taken at Spearfish S.D.


Grandma Violet spilled something on this photo of Gina. Gina is 8 months old.

Our final picture today. Kirk Mattson at 2 years old.

A Short History of our Cantwell Ancestors 6th Great Grandparents to Us. (Mattson - Pierce lines)

6th Great Grandfather William Cantwell's headstone at Mansfield Cemetery, Mansfield Ohio

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Everyone!
I'm taking some time and pushing our family line out a bit more along Grandma Violet's lines through the Pierce family to the George's and finally to the Cantwells. I've posted about our 4th Great Grandmother's brothers and the action they saw in the Civil War in an earlier post in April. This post will talk more about their service.

We will also discover our family's history extends to Ireland through the O'Brien Family of Dublin (6th Great Grandmother Margaret O'Brien).

I extracted much of this information from a Cantwell family history written in 1911. I did not change the language or grammar so you will read it the way it was written. Please note the beautifully written obituary's of our 5th Great Grandparents, William and Nancy Ann.

I realize this looks like a long read, but well worth your time to discover the loves and sacrifices made by the people who's blood flows through your veins.

And now, our Cantwell Family History:

Relationship Chart

6th Great Grandparents. William Cantwell and Margaret O'Brien
to
William Cantwell and Nancy Ann Williams
to
Martha Cantwell and Jacob George (our post below will also discuss Martha's two brothers James and Jacob Cantwell, our 5th Great Uncles)
to
Francis George and Henry Fiddler
to
Eldora Fiddler and Edwin Sherman Pierce
to
Walter Edwin Pierce and Vesta Dennis
to
Violet Pierce and Walter Mattson
to
Luella, John, Linda and Marvin
to
Us.

The Cantwell family has always been characterized by the pioneer spirit. William Cantwell's Father (William) not only came to this country when it was new, but almost immediately pushed out into the "panhandle" of Virginia along the Ohio river when it was "Away out west."

Our family has also rendered great and valiant service in time of war. In the civil war we equipped a regiment with officers and furnished enough privates for a small company. Many of these soldier were severely wounded, but only one, Col. James Cantwell was killed in battle. I have a letter from John Sherman in which me mentions with great commendations the large contributions of our family to the Union cause.

If we seek in William Cantwell and Ann Williams their most valuable contribution to their posterity, I think we will find it in their Godliness.

William Cantwell was the son of William Cantwell and Margaret O'Brien. Margaret was a native of Ireland and was probably born near Dublin. It is not certainly known whether William Cantwell was a native of Ireland, Scotland or England. Some older members of the family remember hearing that he was a native of Ireland. Others remember he was born in Scotland.

Margaret O'Brien was the daughter of a family of great wealth, that William Cantwell was a journeyman shoemaker, that owing to parental objection, the young couple ran away, took passage for America and were married on shipboard by the captain. When the O'Brien estate was settled between 1820 and 1830, it was impossible to prove marriage on account of the death of the captain and the loss of the ship's log. This migration to the U.S. must have taken place about 1770-1776. Different attempts were made to obtain a share of the O'Brien estate, but they all ended in failure.

William and Margaret's first child (William Jr.) was born in Baltimore County, MD. When William Jr. was a boy the family moved to Brooke Co. Virginia, now in West Virginia. Margaret Cantwell is remembered as a woman of great beauty, with small and perfect hands.

William Cantwell Jr. was married in 1797 in Brooke Co. Virginia to Nancy Ann Williams. Nancy Ann was a woman of strong character and had extraordinary intellectual acquirement's for a woman of pioneer days.

William Jr and Nancy Ann had a total of 12 children. William and Ann Cantwell joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in Jefferson Co. Ohio in 1804.

Obituary of Nancy Ann Williams Cantwell.

January 4, 1850. Nancy Cantwell, wife of William Cantwell, in the seventy-first year of her age. In her usual health she retired to rest in the evening, and, after a moment's conversation with her aged companion, assumed an easy posture of the body and soon fell asleep. In the morning she was called to breakfast, but could not be awakened - she had slept the sleep of death; apparently, without a struggle, the spirit left the body and passed to its long sought rest. Forty six years had she been a worthy member of the militant Church: and, though her seat in the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mansfield, Ohio, is now vacated, and her aged companion, with a large circle of relatives, is left to mourn, she has, without doubt, reached her home in heaven. Calmness, firmness and consistency, marked her Christian course: and the sweet expression left on the cold clay, taken in connection with the uniformity of her life, satisfies all who knew her that her end was peace.

Obituary of William Cantwell. February 18, 1858.

Father Cantwell was emphatically one of the fathers. He was born in Baltimore County, Maryland, November 22, 1776. While he was quite young his father moved to Brooke County, Virginia where he was married to Miss Nancy Williams. November 30, 1797, with whom he lived more than fifty two years, she having departed this life in great peace and good hope of eternal glory on January 4, 1850. In the spring of 1801 Father Cantwell removed into Jefferson County, Ohio whence he came to, or near Mansfield Ohio, where he continued to reside till his death on February 18, 1858 in holy hope of immortal life, having been more than fifty-four years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which he was attached with the ardor of a life - love. He was pre-eminently a working man. Since the death of Mother Cantwell in 1850, his bible has been peculiarly his companion and his religion the solace of his heart. His strength gradually failed, till his benumbed and enfeebled body so affected his mind as to nearly, and in some cased, entirely efface from his memory the recollection of his former friends. But in his most debilitated state, when I visited him, I would introduce the name of Jesus, and immediately his mind would rally, and his soul evince that upon its altar the living fire of God's saving love continued to glow with inextinguishable flame; and thus, in the 82nd year of his natural life, he fell asleep in Jesus and has gone to live with him forevermore.

Martha Cantwell (daughter of William and Nancy) married Jacob George
Marth born September 8, 1802 at Steubenville Ohio. Died February 27, 1879 at Iowa Falls. Married on March 1, 1821.
Jacob George b. November 4, 1800 at Elkton Md. died November 22, 1869 at Iowa Falls.

The Washington Monument in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood in Baltimore Md.
Our 5th Great Uncle helped lay the Foundation.

In his boyhood Jacob George went to Baltimore and learned masonry. He helped lay the foundation for the Washington Monument at Mr. Vernon Place, Baltimore (see photo above) with Sater Stevenson as Master Mason. Later he learned shoe making with his brother at Harrisburg, PA. He came to Ohio about 1820.

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. George lived on a farm near Spring Mills, just across the road from Wm. Cantwell's place. In the fall of 1853 they moved wth all of their family in covered wagons to Iowa, spending the winter at Crawfordsville. In the spring of 1854 they settled on a large farm near Iowa Falls. Mr. and Mrs. George and their family were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. When they came to Iowa Falls there were no Methodists and no church building of any kind. Mr. George organized his own family into a class, and with the help of his boys and his son-in-law, Henry Fiddler (who married his daughter Francis), built a church at Iowa Falls and gave it to the Methodists. Martha and Jacob had 11 children.

Henry Fiddler and Francis George's daughter Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler , b. Feb. 22, 1859 at Eldora Iowa. Married Edwin Sherman Pierce, stockman. Cascade Springs S.D.
Eldora and Edwin had the following children:

• Walter Edwin. Our Great Grandfather. born August 23, 1885
• Ora Joslyn born June 2, 1887
• Francis Herbert born Feb. 27, 1889
• Mattie May Belle born Feb, 23 1891
• Henry Raymond born Dec. 11, 1892
• Dallas Glenn born Sept. 17, 1894
• Eldora Rose born Feb. 17, 1901

Additional Information on Jacob Young Cantwell, brother of Martha Cantwell. Son of William and Nancy Ann.

J.Y. Cantwell read medicine with Dr. J.W. Chandler of Mansfield and graduated in medicine in 1847. He practiced in Mansfield. On April 15, 1861 he entered the medical department of the Union army as surgeon of the 4th Reg't O.V.I. When his brother, Col. James Cantwell, organized the 82nd regiment, he was made surgeon. He was shot through the thigh at the battle of Cross Keys, VA on June 8, 1862. He was in active service in the field until December 1863, filling the office of Brigade, Division and Crops surgeon. He participated in more than 20 battles, in all of which he officiated as operating surgeon. In January, 1864, he was commissioned by President Lincoln as surgeon of the U.S. Volunteers and was assigned to duty by the Surgeon General as inspector of hospitals with headquarters at Washington. By recommendation of the Surgeon General he was brevetted Lt. Col. for Meritorious Service.

Addition Information on James Cantwell, brother of Martha Cantwell. Son of William and Nancy Ann.

James Cantwell was born near Steubenville Oh in December 1811.
Immediately after his marriage, James Cantwelllived on a farm 4 miles northwest of Mansfield Ohio, near Spring Mills. Later he lived in Mansfield. In 1845 he volunteered for service in the Mexican War. He was elected and served as First Lieut. of the company of which McLaughlin was captain. After the war he represented Richland County in the state legislature, and also represented the district in the Ohio senate.
The second day after Fort Sumpter was fired upon he raised a company of volunteers and went to Columbus, the state capital, April 16, 1861. He was assigned to the 4th Reg't O.V.I and elected Lt. Colonel. Later when the call for volunteers for 3 years was made he organized the 82, Reg't O.V.I of which he was commissioned colonel in October, 1861. His brother Dr. J.Y. Cantwell, was surgeon of this regiment. The regiment was assigned to service in the Army of the Potomac. It is reported that Gen. McClellan said Col. Cantwell was the best drill master in the Army of the Potomac. He was killed at the second battle of Bull Run on August 29, 1862. The ball striking him below the left eye and passing out through the back of his head.

The Mattson in the 1950's. Luella Goes to Prom, Uncle John and Marvin's Sports Pictures and a Picnic

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Yesterday we spent some time with young Charles Ray in the late 1940's. Today we move in time to the 1950's, Spearfish, South Dakota.

I'm on summer break until August 17th. This gives me a chance to clean closets. In one closet I found boxes which hadn't seen the light of day in 18 years. A few of the old dusty boxes had photo albums belonging to Grandma Violet. I'll post pictures from those albums over the next several weeks.

Today we start with a photo of Luella Mattson (the Queen Mother).

Luella is 14 years old and dressed for Prom. The date, April 18, 1953. She was a Sophomore at Spearfish High School.


This picture was taken in October 1955 (Click on the pictures to enlarge). Uncle John played on the Spearfish 7th grade football team. He is 12 years old in this picture. He is sitting on the front row, third from the left.



This is a picture of the Spearfish Spartan Basketball Team. (Click on the picture to Enlarge). Who is that fella, front row far right? Yes, its Luella's brother - Uncle John. This picture was taken in March 1956. Uncle John was 13 years old.


The Spearfish Spartans Football Team (Click to Enlarge). Perhaps 1957. Uncle John is on the top row, far right. Just look for #1. He looks like an 9th grader perhaps. Look at the uniforms. Interesting.....At least they had pads.


Uncle John is #45 in this picture. Second row from the bottom, third from the left. Perhaps a Junior or Senior. This would be 1959 or 1960 perhaps.


Look closely at the young man wearing #3 on the front row. Does he look familiar? It's Uncle Marvin. Once again taken in the late 50's at Spearfish, South Dakota. (Click to enlarge).

Finally, we have a picture taken on July 4, 1956 (click to enlarge). Charles and Luella married a few weeks earlier. Laying down on the far right is Grandpa Walter Mattson. I believe Marvin Mattson is seated next to him. Linda Mattson is in the dark suit kneeling. They're on a picnic with some friends of the family in the Black Hills.

More pictures from the albums to follow in upcoming posts. Please feel free to comment and add information.

Victor

The Letters of Charles Ray Williamson to his father, Charles.

Charles Ray Williamson

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
I was searching through the endless papers that surround the chair I sit in when scanning papers and photos and found the following three letters from young Charles Ray Williamson to his father, Charles Williamson. As far as I know, these are the only surviving letters from Charles Ray to Charles. They communicated by letter because long distance telephone calls were expensive in the late 1940's.

Charles Ray's parents (Charles Williamson and Elda Vercellino) divorced when Charles Ray was 10 years old. Charles Ray and Elda lived in Lead. Grandpa Charles moved to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and taught school for a few years before moving back to Deadwood to work as a salesman for the Nash Food Company.

The first letter was written the day after Christmas, 1946. Charles Ray's parents were newly divorced. He was ten years old. The letter is faded and difficult to read. I typed it below the document for ease in reading. The "?" indicated words I can't make out.

December 26, 1946
Lead, South Dakota

Dear Dad I had a very nice xmas. I got the skis and the two dollars. I'll tell you what I got for xmas. I got a bow and some steel pointed arrows from Uncle Maruice and Aunt Joe. I got a "?" dollar football from Uncle Ed. A Mickey Mouse film viewer from mother, a fourteen dollar coat from mother, 5 dollar sweater from mother a flashlight from "?" and some money, a "?" socks, book, 16 dollars for my bike and only 18 more dollars before I can get one. Mother has never told me not to write you or to see you.

Love Charles.

The last sentence of the letter above is very typical for divorced families. The child was caught between parents.

The story of the bike continues in this letter. Charles Ray saved for the bike since Christmas. It is now April, 1947.





Elda and Charles Ray had the bike picked out from the Firestone store. The following letter was written in May 1947. Charles promised to help his son purchase the bike referred to in the letter above. The money hadn't arrived.


The story ends happily. Grandpa Charles sent Charles Ray the $20.00. Charles Ray had his first bike. He remembers it was red. He and his buddies rode their bikes all over Lead.

The last letter was written almost a year after the first, December 1947. Charles Ray was eleven years old. It seems Grandpa Charles was going to send his son a watch. Charles Ray already had one. I find it interesting the way Charles Ray signs these letters. The first one is "Love Charles". The second and third letters are signed "Your Son Charles". This final letter is signed simply "Charles".



Tomorrow, Luella's handwritten story of her life.

Simply,

Victor

Major General Abraham Wood. Williamson Line

From the Fortress of Solitude

Pleasant Grove

Hello Williamsons,
I'm enjoying the extra time I have to add to a few more names to our family history. In our virtual gathering today we are going to talk about our 8th Great Grandparents Major General Abraham Wood and Margaret Llewellyn. This is a long read but well worth your time, especially the section on the great sea battle he witnessed as a young 10 year old crossing the Atlantic.

Remember, with 100% certainty we know the Williamson line back to our 3rd Great Grandparents Matthew Williamson and Selina Jeffries. From that point on that certainty level drops to 90%. It is my firm belief that Matthew Williamson is a descendant of Cuthbert Williamson and Elizabeth Allen (see relationship chart below). I'm not 100% certain that relationship goes through Cuthbert Williamson Junior and Susanna White.

Relationship Chart
8th Great Grandfather Major General Abraham Wood and Margaret Llewellyn
to
Mary Wood and Thomas Chamberlayne
to
Rebecca Chamberlayne and John Williamson
to
Cuthbert Williamson and Elizabeth Allen
to
Cuthbert Williamson and Susanna White
to
Matthew Williamson and Selina Dandridge Jeffries
to
George Matthew Williamson and Margaret Willis
to
William Jonathan Williamson and Effie Helen Victor
to
Vennie, Ima, Inez, Lille, Josie, Emmett, Walt, Charles and Maurice
to
US

How Abraham might have looked on the sea crossing. Ten years old
crossing without family, coming to Jamestown as an indentured servant.

In 1620 Thomas Osborne paid the fare for 10-year-old Abraham Wood (our 8th Great Grandfather) to come to Virginia on the ship Margaret and John, commanded by Capt. Anthony Chester. On March 14, 1620 the ship was attached by two Spanish war ships. Although they mortally wounded Dr. Lewis Bohun, a Virginia surgeon, Abraham and the ship escaped unhurt. Ten year old Abraham came to Jamestown, American as an indentured servant to Capt. Samuel Matthews.

An Account of the Sea Battle our Great Grandfather Survived in March 1620.

The Spaniards deeply resented the settlement of the English on the North American continent, and would, if they had dared, have made an attempt to wipe out the colony at Jamestown. They, however, kept a constant lookout for the vessels of the Virginia adventurers. The sea fight of the Margaret and John caused much excitement in England, and the English were very proud of the exploits of the ship, which was small and not well provided. In the latter part of March 1621 (1620, O.S.) this vessel had a severe battle with two Spanish men-of-war in the West Indies, in which she was fortunate enough to come out the victor. Two accounts were published. One is given below:

VOYAGE OF ANTHONY CHESTER on the Margaret and John. To Virginia in the year 1620, as narrated by a distinguished passenger; translated into Dutch and published by Peter Vander Aa, bookseller at Leyden, in 1707.

In the beginning of February 1620 I left England in the ship Margaret & John, our ship was of 160 ton burden, our Captain was Anthony Chester a brave seaman. Besides the crew we had on board a good many passengers of whom I was one, our ship carried 8 cannon with a valconet, our destination was Virginia where we hoped to transact some profitable business. About the 14th of March we came in about 20 miles off Mettalina; the next day we passed Dominica and neared Guadaloupe where we intended to take in fresh water. Nearing this place we observed two vessels lying at anchor which we took to be Hollanders, not only because the ships were built after the model of that nation, but more so because the Admiral had the Dutch flag flying from the mizzenmast.

Expecting no harm we kept straight on & anchored in their immediate vicinity; but so as not to be taken by surprise we sent some sailors in a boat towards the Admiral's ship to reconnoitre, who returned in a very short time with the report that they were two Spanish men of war. Notwithstanding this we sent the boat out a second time to make a more thorough investigation while we commenced busying ourselves to make things ready in case it should come to a fight. But our ship was so full of household goods that we could not place our cannon as we wanted to, and so we had to make out the best we could. Upon our boat reaching the Vice Admiral's ship our men inquired from whence the ship, but instead of receiving a polite reply the Spaniards demanded their surrender which of course our men declined and rowed back to our ship as rapidly as possible.

Meanwhile several shots were fired at them striking and breaking some of their oars, but not a man of them was hurt. When within about a musket shot frm our ship, there were fired at from a big cannon, and as soon as our men were on board of our ship, the Spaniards hoisted sail preparatory to attack us. We on our part anticipated a bloody encounter and were much troubled by our inability to properly place our guns for reason mentioned above. The Spanish Admiral took down the Dutch flag and hoisted the Spanish colors weighed anchor and sailed towards us, but before firing upon us they spoke us enguiring what nationality we were, we replied we were English and had no intention of harming them unless we were forced to do so and that it was our desire to proceed peacefully on ourvoyage. Hereupon, the Spaniard demanded that we take down our mainsail which according to him was required by the rights of the King of Spain and marine usage, whereupon our Captain replied that he could not subject himself to any such rights nor did he intend to harm the subjects of the King of Spain.

While friendly relations existed between ther respective sovereigns he wished the same to exist between their subjects. After exchanging a few more words, our Captain went down in the cabin, tired of listening any longer to the unjust demands of this Spaniard, but at the request of the Admiral our Captain came again on deck and was ordered to come on board the Admiral's ship to show his papers, but this our Captain refused to do saying if they wished to see them they could come on board his ship and he would show them his papers. But what happens? Instead of answering by word of mouth, they saluted us with two pieces of cannon and a hail storm of musket balls, drew their swords, threatened to cut us to pieces, and calling us dogs, grappled us and thought they had subdued us already, when, at a sign previously agreed upon, our men sprang forward with their muskets and received them so well, supported by our 4 pieces of cannon, that they had to retreat. It was not long though before they returned attacking us with a loud noise, grappled us again, and began to come on board our ship but our men led by our brave and courageous Captain received them so well with their muskets, spears, and grappling axes that we drove them off a second time sending many of them to a watery grave. This, however, did not satisfy the Spaniard, they attacked and grappled us a third time and during the fierce hand to hand fight, which now ensued, we had the good luck to shoot their Admiral down upon which they raised such a hue and cry that it astonished all of us, and they immediately took to flight leaving us the victory.

In this fierce and bloody encounter we, for reasons mentioned before, could not bring but 4 of our 8 cannon into use, but these were handled so rapidly and skillfully that several times the Spaniard would have gotten away from us but for their ship being lashed to ours until finally one of our men, with orders from our Captain, cut the ropes with his grappling axe upon which they immediately took flight giving us several volleys from their big and small guns as they retreated. The Vice Admiral, seeing we did not pursue his Admiral, acted as if he wanted to fight us again, but we did not mind him much, and set to work to face them both if they were so inclined. But the admiral's ship held off and we now attacked the Vice Admiral so furiously that we disabled his ship to such an extent that the whole crew had to take to shore to save themselves from a watery grave.

The night following this battle, all on board our ship, passengers as well as crew, were busy filling cartridges, cleaning cannons and muskets repairing damages etc. so as to be ready in case the Spaniard should feel inclinced to attack us again, and by dawn of day it looked as if we had not been working all night in vain, the Spaniards seemingly preparing to attack us again. However, after looking at each other for about two hours with frowning faces, the Spaniard hoisted sail and took their course towards the nearest island, their movements being such that it was plain that they must have had a good many dead and wounded.

On our side we had 8 dead,* and of the 16 wounded 2 died afterwards; how many of the Spaniards were killed we never knew but certain it is that during the encounters we saw many of them fall and not a few find their grave in the water which was actually red with their blood. Among the dead was Dr. Lawrence Bohun, who was educated "among the most learned surgeons and physitians in the Netherlands." He came to Virginia with Lord Delaware in 1610. December 13, 1620, being in London, he was appointed by the London Company physician general to the colony; and soon after he sailed for Virginia on the Margaret and John with Captain Anthony Chester. During the battle Dr. Bohun received a mortal wound. Capt. Chester embraced him and exclaimed, "Oh! Dr. Bohun, what a disaster is this." The noble Doctor replied, "Fight it out, brave man, the cause is good, and Lord receive my soul." (Brown's Genesis U. S., II., p. 830.) The Amiral's ship was also of 300 ton burden and carried 16 big guns with a correspondingly ample supply of men and ammunition; on the other hand ours was a small ship, as stated before, with 8 big guns of which we could only use 4, notwithstanding which we were so fortunate as to come out victorious. We now proceeded on our voyage and landed without further accidents in Virginia. Soon thereafter Captain Chester obtained a return cargo and set sail again for England.

Abraham rose rapidly to public prominence. He was a justice of Charles City County. He was a member of the House of Burgesses (1644-46, 1652, 1654-56) and a member of the Council of Virginia (1657-80). In 1646 they made him captain of Fort Henry, at the site of today’s Petersburg, and by 1658 he was colonel of the militia of Charles City and Henrico counties. The land at Fort Henry, and all the houses, boats, and ammunition there were granted to Capt. Wood for keeping a garrison there for three years to defend the Colony. In 1671 he was one of four major generals commanding the military establishment of Virginia.

A Phamplet Written and Published by Abraham Wood

In 1671 Abraham sent out expeditions westward to explore the country and sent the first expedition known to have crossed the Appalachian Mountains led by Thomas Batte and others. The men of this expedition crossed the Allegheny Mountains 45 years before the expedition of Governor Spotswood in 1716. In 1680 Wood negotiated a treaty with the Indians.
in 1671, Batts and Fallam

Fort Henry was built in 1646 to mark the legal frontier between the white settlers and the Native Americans, and was near the Appomattoc Indian tribe with whom Abraham Wood traded. It was the only point in Virginia at which Indians could be authorized to cross eastward into white territory, or whites westward into Indian territory, from 1646 until around 1691. This circumstance gave Wood, who commanded the fort and privately owned the adjoining lands, a considerable advantage over his competitors in the "Indian trade".

Several exploration parties were dispatched from Fort Henry by Wood during these years, including one undertaken by Wood himself in 1650, which explored the upper reaches of the James River and Roanoke River.

The first English expeditions to reach the southern Appalachian Mountains were also sent out by Wood. In 1671, explorers Thomas Batts (Batte) and Robert Fallam reached the New River Valley and the New River. The New River was named Wood's River after Abraham Wood, although in time it became better known as the New River. Batts and Fallam are generally credited with being the first Europeans to enter within the present-day borders of West Virginia.

In 1673 Wood sent his friend James Needham and his indentured servant Gabriel Arthur on an expedition to find an outlet to the Pacific Ocean. Shortly after their departure Needham and Arthur encountered a group of Tomahitan Indians, who offered to conduct the men to their indian village across the mountains. After reaching the Tomahitan village Needham returned to Fort Henry to report to Wood. While en route back to the Tomahitan village Needham was killed by a member of the trading party with whom he was traveling. Shortly thereafter, Arthur was almost killed by a mob in the Tomahitan settlement, but was saved and then adopted by the village's chief. Arthur lived with the Tomahitans for almost a year, accompanying them on war and trading expeditions as far south as Spanish Florida and as far north as the Ohio River.

Other accomplishments of Abraham Wood:

• Served as Justice of Charles City.
• Commanding officer of the "trained bands" of Charles City and Henrico.
• Member of the House of Burgesses from Henrico 1644-1646 and from Charles City 1652-1656.
• With Edward Bland, Sacheverell Brewster and Elias Pennant, he undertook in 1650 a voyage of discovery along the Chowan and Nottaway Rivers, which was documented by Bland in "The Discovery of New Brittaine."Source: Extracted from "Adventurers of Puse and Person, page 362-363
  

Read a letter written by our 8th Great Grandfather:

Our 8th Great Grandfather, A Founder of Portsmouth Mass. and an Interesting Connection to Benedict Arnold.

Portsmouth Compact, March 7, 1638 Signed by our 8th Great Grandfather.

Hello Williamsons,
It's been awhile since we gathered around the digital fire here in the Great Hall for another of our historical expeditions into our shared past. Today we are going to learn about our 8th Great Grandfather, Samuel Shadrach Wilbore and his grand daughter Abigail. Let's start with the Relationship Chart so you can see how we are related. I stop the chart with my Grandfather Charles and his brothers and sisters. It is from them most of us descend. You can easily see your relationship.

Relationship Chart

8th Great Grandparents. Samuel Shadrach Wilbore and Ann Smith
to
Shadrach Wilbur (Wilbore) and Mary Deane
to
Mary Rebecca Wilbore and Abraham Hathaway
to
Benjamin Hathaway and Abigail Hathaway
to
Rebecca M. Hathaway and Isaac Morris
to
Isaac Morris and Sarah ?
to
Nancy Morris and Whitty Victor
to
Effie Victor and William Jonathan Williamson
to
Vennie, Ima, Inez, Lille, Josie, Emmett, Walt, Charles and Maurice
to
US

Samuel Wilbore (born 1595 - died 1656) originated in Sible Hedingham, Essex, England, where he was married to Ann Smith in January 1620, and where all five of their children were baptized from 1622 to 1631. His two sons Arthur and William died in infancy in England. Around 1633 he, his wife, and his three surviving sons, Samuel, Joseph, and Shadrach, sailed to New England.

The Wilbore family arrived in Boston in the where he was made a freeman in March 1633. He and his wife Ann were both admitted as members of the Boston church in December 1633, and the following November he was an assessor of taxes. In 1636 a major theological rift arose in the colony, often called the Antinomian controversy, and Wilbore became attracted to the preachings of the dissident ministers John Wheelwright and Anne Hutchinson. He signed a petition in support of Wheelwright. Following the banishment of these two individuals from the Massachusetts colony, Wilbore and many other followers were disarmed when on 20 November 1637 he and others were ordered to deliver up all guns, pistols, swords, powder and shot because the "opinions and revelations of Mr. Wheelwright and Mrs. Hutchinson have seduced and led into dangerous errors many of the people here in New England."

Portsmouth, Mass

Scores of the followers of Wheelwright and Hutchinson were ordered out of the Massachusetts colony, but before leaving, a group of them, including Wilbore, signed what is sometimes called the Portsmouth Compact, establishing a non-sectarian civil government upon the universal consent of the inhabitants, with a Christian focus. Planning initially to settle in New Netherlands, the group was persuaded by Roger Williams to purchase some land of the Indians on the Narragansett Bay. This they did, settling on the north east end of Aquidneck Island and establishing a settlement they called Pocasset, but in 1639 changing the name to Portsmouth. William Coddington was elected the first judge (governor) of the settlement.

Wilbore was in Portsmouth by May 1638 when he was present at a general meeting, and the following month he was given the military role as clerk of the Train Band. The following January he was selected as constable, and a month later he was allotted about two acres of land in the Great Cove. In 1641 he became a freeman of Portsmouth, and in 1644 was selected as Sergeant.

In May 1639 Wilbore repudiated his signature to the Wheelwright petition, and was thereafter allowed to return to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. About 1645 he returned to Boston, where his second wife, Elizabeth, was received into the Boston church in November. In May 1648 he was called of Taunton (in the Plymouth Colony), and continued to own land there, in Portsmouth, and in Boston. In 1655 he was again in Portsmouth, but when he wrote his will in April 1656 he was living in Taunton. His death, however, on 29 November 1656, was recorded in Boston.

Wilbore's son Samuel was named in Rhode Island's Royal Charter of 1663; he married Hannah Porter, the daughter of John Porter, another signer of the Portsmouth Compact. His son Samuel had a daughter Abigail, who married Caleb Arnold, the son of colonial governor Benedict Arnold.

General Benedict Arnold, Revolutionary War Traitor

Abigail was our 1st cousin, 8 times removed. She married Caleb Arnold. Caleb's father was Governor Benedict Arnold, the Great Grandfather of General Benedict Arnold, Revolutionary War Traitor. Abigail was therefore General Benedict Arnold's Great Great Aunt through marriage.

King David I and Queen Maud of Scotland. Our 26th Great Grandparents (Mattson / McCrillis Lines)

King David (on the left) and his grandson Malcolm IV

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
It has been a quiet week at the Fortress. The Space Center is closed for two weeks. This gives me time to once again work on family history (something I've had very little of lately). It's hot outside so what better place to be than indoors researching our history as we continue to discover the people who's blood flows through our veins.

Today we read about our 26th Great Grandparents, King David and Queen Maud of Scotland.

David was the last of the four sons of Malcolm Canmore and Queen (later Saint) Margaret to become King of Scotland, David was sent (together with his sister) to the Norman English court of William II at the age of nine and spent over 30 years there. In 1100, his sister (Maud in Scotland but Matilda in England) married William II's son Henry, who became king in the same year.

When David's brother Edgar died in 1107, David became king of Southern Scotland (below the line of the Forth and Clyde). His brother Alexander I was unhappy at this arrangement but David had more knights than Alexander with which to defend his inheritance. After all, King Henry I had given David the "Honour of Huntingdon" (country manors in eleven counties), made him prince of Cumbria and married him to a widowed heiress of Northumberland.

When Alexander I died in 1124, David set off for Scotland, accompanied by many knights and courtiers from Norman England - many of whom became the future aristocrats and even kings of Scotland - including Bruce, Balliol and FitzAlan (who later became the Stewart kings).

David established a feudal system in Scotland and introduced many novel ideas such as silver coinage, promoting education and giving audiences to rich and poor alike. Stirling, Perth and Dunfermline were made royal burghs which meant that they could engage in foreign trade. David also founded 15 religious houses, including the abbeys at Jedburgh, Kelso and Melrose.

His was a long and largely peaceful reign though he did have to deal with rebellions by the Earl of Moray in 1130 and the Bishop of the Isles in 1140. He also decided to take advantage of the death of Henry I and attempted to push the Scottish border further south. In 1138, at the Battle of the Standard near Northallerton, he did not follow up an attack by the Scottish knights and decided to leave the field of battle. While it was by no means a rout, the English army had clearly won the day. However, in 1139, under the Treaty of Durham, King Stephen of England not only recognised Scotland as an independent kingdom, but also ceded Northumbria.

King David died peacefully on 24 May 1153, in Carlisle at the age of 69. He had ended his days gardening and tending orchards below Edinburgh Castle and in Haddington. His only son Henry had died in 1152, so he was succeeded by his 12-year-old grandson, Malcolm IV.

The ilustration above is of King David (on the left) and his grandson Malcolm IV. It is from a decorated charter of 1165, granted to Kelso Abbey. The charter is now in the possession of the Duke of Roxburghe (though this photo is of a copy on display at Jedburgh Abbey).

Relationship Cart

26th Great Grandparents
King David I "The Saint" King of Scotland and Matilda "Maud" Huntington
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Henry Prince of Scotland and Ada De Warenne
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David Earl of Huntingdon and Maud de Meschines
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Ada De Huntingdon and Henry Hastings
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Henry Hastings and Joane De Cantelou
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John Hastings and Isabel Le Despenser
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Hugh Hastings and Margery Foliot
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Sir Hugh De Hastings Knt. and Margaret De Everingham
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Hugh De Hastings Knt and Anne Le Despencer
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Edward Hastings Knt. and Muriel Dinham
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John Hastings Esq. and Ann Morley
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Hugh Hastings 10th Baron Hastings and Anne Gascoigne
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Hugh Hastings and Anne Gascoine
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Bryan Hastings and Anne Portington
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Francis Hastings and Jane Restwold
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Bridget Hastings and Robert Swift
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William Swift and Joan Sisson
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William Swift and Ruth Tobey
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William Swift and Elizabeth Tomson
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Ebenezer Swift and Abigail Gibbs
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Ebenezer Swift and Jedidah Benson
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Judah Swift and ?
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Phineas Swift and Deborah Dearborn
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Elmira Swift and Joseph McCrillis
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Isabel McCrillis and John Mayberry Dennis
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Vesta Dennis and Walter Pierce
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Violet Pierce and Walter Mattson
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Luella Mattson and Charles Williamson

A New Family is Created in our American Dynasty

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
I'm pleased to announce to our extended family that Chandler Burrows, daughter of Janice Williamson Burrows and Steven Burrows married Cort Johnson on July 29, 2011 in Sacramento, California. Both Chandler and Cort are students at Brigham Young University's Idaho campus (Rexburg) where Chandler is studying social work.

Relationship Chart

Charles Williamson and Elda Vercellino.............Walter Mattson and Violet Pierce
to......................................to
Charles Williamson and Luella Mattson

to their 8 children
Kim, Victor, Kevin, Janice, Jon, Jilane, Lisa and Annette

Janice Williamson married Steven Burrows
to
Chandler Burrows now married to Cort Johnson

Chandler and Cort

Janice Williamson Burrows (far right) and her six of her seven daughters. Missing in this picture is daughter Sierra and husband Steve. The Burrows family live in Lincoln, California (just outside of Sacramento).

Congratulations to Chandler and Cort. We welcome them as the newest family in this American Dynasty!

Simply,
Victor