My English Rebels and Favorites of Tudor Royality

This year I was fortunate enough to travel to London, England.  During my stay, I took an afternoon trip to a church called St. Bolloph's without Aldgate (meaning outside the gate of London's old Roman defensive wall).  It is a very old parish located in the White chapel area of East London and where the infamous murders by Jack the Ripper took place.  This church contained the plaques from the burials of my Darcy ancestors.  Their financial support of the church allowed them to be buried very close to the altar of the church.  The original church survived the Great Fire of London in 1666 with only minor damage.  However, the church fell into disrepair afterwards and then rebuilt in 1788-91.  The family Plaques that would have covered their burials were saved and restored.  

I was able to meet with the rector of the church who explained that church had been rebuilt, but the plaques on the wall  did not actually represent their burial locations.  The Church had added a more recent addition to expand the building and bring it into current codes.  This meant digging down to what would have been the roman time period, but in the process many bodies and bones were recovered and reburied under the church with current church ceremonies, despite many were probably Catholic.

The Orginal St. Boloph's without Aldgate.  The entrance to the church was actually facing the left side of the old church, now the entrance is under the tower shown in the photo above.

The rector explained that East London in earlier times had been the home of those who had opposed the changing of Church of England and still looked upon where rebels of the government still reside today.  The rector knew stories of my rebelious ancestors and their fates and some success.

Sir Nicholas Carew

Sir Nicholas Carew was born about 1496 in England.  At the age of six, he was placed in the household of King Henry VIII and shared the King's education. In the early years of King Henry's reign, he came to prominence at court through his skill at jousting, and was renowned for his fearlessness. He was knighted sometime before 1517.  He was a prominent member of the Court and held the position of Master of the Horse, as well as other prominent offices such as Master of the Forests, Lieutenant of Ruysbank (guarding Calais harbour), and Chief Esquire of the King. He was a close friend of the King and was made a Knight of the Garter in 1536.

Carew was popular with King Henry VIII, who sought his company, but was known in his youth for being something of a rake. He was one of a number of King Henry's companions whom Cardinel Wolsey believed had too much influence over the King. In 1518, Wolsey managed to have Carew sent away from court, replacing him with his own protégé. Wolsey finally engineered Carew's dismissal from the privy Chamber in 1526.  After Henry's marriage to Anne Bolelyn, Sir Nicholas resented the way she used her position, first as his mistress and later his wife and was sympathetic to his former wife, Catherine and daughter Mary.  

In late 1538, Carew was already out of favor at court, having responded angrily to an insult made by the king. When Oliver Cromwell treasonous letters which Carew had written were given to King Henry VIII, he believed that Carew had been involved in a conspiracy to depose him and place Cardinel Reginal Pole on the throne. Carew was arrested, put on trial on February 14, 1539, and found guilty of high treason.  He was beheaded at Tower Hill in London on March 3, 1539.  His head was set out on London Bridge and his body was said to have been buried at Crutched Friars, a Catholic religious order, but must have been removed at some point as he is buried at St Boloph's. His widow, Lady Elizabeth (Bryan) Carew's whose brother, Sir Francis Bryan sat on the trial that convicted her husband and reduced her to poverty was also buried with him.

Sir Thomas Darcy or Lord Darcy was born about 1467 in England.  Thomas was knighted and eventually the title of Lord Darcy in 1519.  He opposed the destruction of of the religious Monsateries by King Henry VIII.  1536 began on of the most serious revolts against the King which began in Lincolnshire and spread to other counties called the "Pilgrimage to Grace."  One of the protestant holdouts was Castle Pontefract which Darcy held, but gave up to the rebels.  He was arrested and put on trial and found guilty of treason and beheaded on June 30, 1537.

Sign at Tower Hill Scaffolding location

Sir Arthur Darcy, son of Sir Thomas Darcy and his wife, Dowsabel Tempest and grandson of Sir Nicholas Carew and his wife Lady Eliabeth Bryan through his marriage to Lady Mary Carew.  He was born in 1505 in Brigham, Yorkshire, England.  He was titled Lieutenant of the Tower of London and 10th Baron Darcy.   After his father's conviction, all the family lands were seized and barony degraded.  Although the barony was restored to Arthur's eldest brother, the lands were never restored.  Sir Arthur remained in London and was buried with his parents and grandparents at St. Boloph's.

Plaque at St. Boloph's for Nicholas Carew, his wife and his daughter's inlaws, the Darcys

                                    as well as his grandson, Sir Arthur Darcy in 2024.

Sir Edward Darcy was the son of Sir Arthur Darcy and Lady Mary Carew, born in 1543 in Dartford, Kent, England.  He was educated at Trinity college at Cambridge, England.  In 1579, he was made Groom of the Privy Chamber to Queen Elizabeth I, a title also held by his father-in-law Thomas Astley.  She granted Edward a reversion of the manors of Epsom and Ashtead, both in Surrey, England being the nephew of Sir Francis Carew.  

Queen Elizabeth I of England 1575

In 1598, Queen Elizabeth granted Edward the exclusive patent to manufacture, import, and sell playing cards.  (In Showtime's "The Tudors" King Henry is often shown playing cards with his wives).  This was done as the queen was concerned that card playing was becoming a problem amongst her subjects and better having one person to regulate the activity.  However, Thomas Allin, a haberdasher in London started produce his own playing cards and Sir Edward brought sought against him in 1602.  The Queen's Bench Court decided against Sir Edward as it was a case of one person having a monopoly on a product which tradesman skilled could not produce to make a living, there would no limits on price, no reason to maintain the product quality and that the person in this case knew nothing about making playing cards himself.

The case of Darcy vs Allin is still used to today in English law on Monopolies and competition.  

Sir Edward Darcy died on October 28, 1612 and buried at St. Boloph's Church in London.

Plaque at St. Boloph's for Sir Arthur Darcy in 2024

The tudor era was tumultuous time in my ancestor's lives.  Those who opposed the King, even if they found favor with him, lost their heads, while others supporting the Queen (and not Queen Mary) also found favor and gained back little of what was lost by prior generations.  Sir Edward's daughter, Isabella Darcy (born in 1600) married John Launce, a gentleman (meaning his family had a coat of arms), who held some honor, but little if any property.  After his death in 1639, Isabella married a minister, Rev. Shadrach Simpson in 1640.  Her older brother succeeded to the family manors.  Isabella being one of 12 children inherited little or nothing of what was left of the family's former fortunes.

Isabella's daughter, Mary Launce who was born in 1625, also maried a Reverend, John Sherman of Dedham, Essex, England.  With little to keep them in London, they set sail on the "Elizabeth" for America in 1634 eventually settling in Watertown, Massachusetts. Their descendants would remain New England for generations.  

Ephraim Spaulding, Builder of many buildings of Anson and Madison, Maine

One of my visits to Madison, Maine revealed more about my ancestor, Ephraim Spaulding of North Anson, Maine.  He was a carpenter or a framer as he was sometimes called.  It was recently I realized that some of his buildings as a carpenter still exist today.

Ephraim Spaulding was born on June 3, 1794 in Westminster, Massachusetts.  According to his granddaughter, Hattie (Spaulding) Rand, "Ephraim Spaulding who as a youth came from Westminster, Mass., to the Providence of Maine seeking employment as a carpenter.  He had heard that frame houses where being built in Embden so he came up the valley to what is now Madison, Maine and crossed the Kennebec river in a ferry boat.  On the trail to Embden he became weary and paused for a rest on a hill side overlooking the river.  He was impressed with the amount of cleared land and decided to someday build on the spot, which he did in a few years."

                                                              Ephraim Spaulding colorized

Ephraim became acquainted with the Weston Family across the river in Madison, Maine, boarding with the family while finding work building or framing houses. Benjamin Weston had received a large amount of property from his step-father, John Moor, who had married Benjanmin's mother, Eunice (Farnsworth) Weston, after his father's death and raised Benjamin with a promise to his mother to give him land once he reached the age of 21.  Benjamin settled on the land in Madison which at the time consisted of 200 acres.  A log cabin had been where the family lived and Benajmin hired Ephraim to build his frame house.

                                                
                                                    Benjamin Weston farm in Madison, Maine

The house was finished in 1817 and as with many of the homes Ephraim, Ephraim would build, were based on plans of his grandfather, Ephraim Heald's home in Temple, New Hampshire.  During this time, Ephraim became acquainted with Benjamin's daughter, Mary Weston who he wed in her parent's home in 1820.  Eventually Ephraim bought the land he had discovered several years before and began building his own home which he completed in 1828.  The granite foundations, huge timbers rugged construction and generous dimentions indicate that he thought in terms of large buildings.  The wide planed boards, handmade wood finish, double chritian doors, inside window shutters, were evidence of his accurate work, though most of it with tools that he made himself with handmade nails.  The house had a brick oven and five fireplaces.

                             Undated old photo of Ephraim Sapulding house in North Anson, Maine

                                            The same house in 2011

Another somewhat famous landmark, Ephraim Spaulding is credited to building is the Patterson covered bridge bridge that spanned the Kennebec River between North Anson and Madison, Maine.

                                            Patterson Bridge

The Patterson Toll Bridge as it was called was built by Ephraim Spaulding between 1839 and 1840 and remained in existance until it burned in 1926.

Several other home in Madison and Anson area are credited built by Ephraim Spaulding according to the Madison Historical Society and most are in similar shape to his own home and his father-in-law's.

Ephraim is also credited to building the Union Church in North Anson.

Ephraim left his mark on many homes and buildings of the area.  He died on November 25, 1851 in North Anson, Maine at age 57.

"In Anson, Nov. 25th, Mr. Ephraim Spaulding, aged 57.  An esteemed citizen, a faithful and exemplary Christian, a liberal supporter of the Gospel, the church, of which he was a member; and the community in which he lived, with his deeply affliected family, sustain, in his death, a more than ordinary loss.  But to him, the event is gain.  He honored his Savior in life and in death.  And the Savior honored him.  Favored with reason to the last, and almost to thwe last with the power of speech, he gave to each of his family present, and to numbers of his friends, his parting words of affection and advice.  He repeatedly said, with an aspect of serenity and delight, "I am going to be with Jesus."  A sermon was preached on the occasion, from Pslams 12:1 - "Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men." [Christian Mirror, issue of December 23, 1851]

He was buried in Sunset Cemetery in North Anson, Maine with his wife and two sons.

The death of 3rd Great Uncle, George F. Skinner

My cousin Teresa Lagrange makes yearly calendars combining her artistic talents of artwork and adding lines and quotes from family diaries and letters. This year she used a line from a letter from our 3rd great-uncle, George F. Skinner from 1863 for the month of March. 

I wanted to add to his story and recently discovered his death was covered in a Medical Journal of the time which had been unknown to me. Sadly, I learned more about his death than his life.  His passing Hopefully provided a benefit to medical science for future doctors' knowledge if they came across the same wound.

George F. Skinner was born on November 10, 1833, in Raymond, Maine as the eighth child of Peter Skinner and Sarah Meserve.  He was raised in that part of Raymond that was set off to form the town of Casco, Maine.   He was living at home on the 1850 census of Casco at age 15 and listed as attended school during the year.  

At some point George left home and moved to Dexter, Maine before 1860.  His older brother, Andrew Skinner was also living in Dexter as a wheelwright with his wife, and son and his wife's sister and her family. George, age 25, was also a wheelwright, living with the family of Hannah Luce probably as a boarder.  Hannah was a widow with 6 children and appears to have rented rooms out from her home to make an income. It was likely that Andrew and George worked together as wheelwrights for the same person or in their own business.  Andrew named his first-born son, George which shows they must have been close as brothers.

The following year the Civil War would break out and despite being the youngest son in his family, he was the first to enlist.  His older brothers, John and Andrew Skinner would enlist in 1862 while his other brothers, Elias, Joseph and Frederick would appear on the draft records, but they never volunteered to serve or were called to serve.

George F. Skinner, age 27, enlisted on May 28,1861 as a private in Company H, 6th Maine Infantry; mustered in at Portland, Maine on July 15, 1861, for 3 years.  He was single with a fair complexion; gray eyes; brown hair; and stood 5ft 8in tall.  He listed his occupation as farmer despite being listed as wheelwright on the census the year before.  Born in Casco, but a resident of Dexter, Maine when he enlisted.  

The 6th Maine was involved in many big military battles.  George must have seen a lot by March of 1863.  George had been promoted to Corporal like his older brother, Andrew who entered the War in 1862. However, it was by his own request to that he be made a private from Corporal.  George may have found being a Corporal did not suit him.  He had survived both several battles and disease until this time.  The letter was likely written by George to his sister-in-law, Mary (Brown) Skinner, wife of his brother Andrew.  He may have been close to her as they had all lived in Dexter for him to refer to her as "sister Mary."  He mentions Andrew in his letter who at the time was in Louisiana during the War. The letter had been in the possession of Alice Skinner, his grandniece until her death in 1987 and was passed to her grandniece, Rosie (Walsh) Russell, until it was donated to the Dexter Historical Society August 22, 1991.  The letter being written to Andrew's wife, Mary explains how our family line came into possession of the letter.  There was no punctuation in his letter.

March the 13, 1863, Camp near bell plains [Virginia]

Dear Sister Mary, it is with plisure that I seat myself to rite a few lines to let you no that i am well at present and i hope that these few lines will find you in joying the same blessing  the last time that i hurd from home and that was yestersay the folks was all well at present  i haint hurd from andrew since you rote him after   all is quiet a long the rappahant to day  i don't hear of any movement yet i dont hear of any  i had my minature taken yesterday and i will send it to you to morrow it haint taken vary well it is hard getting a good one out hear  it is a vary fine hear to day and warm  i am going on gard to morrow  i wish that i was down to dexter to day  i don't no of much to rite to you that will interest you  i send my love to you and george and give my my love to An and mary,  An where is Ema Brown now I had a letter from vestia hill the other day, she red that you and she were going up to dexter and she was going to gat a chance to work in the mill.  This is all yours    G. F. Skinner.

No one in the family has ever seen the "miniature picture" of George.  He sent his love to "you and George" which would be Mary (Brown) Skinner and his nephew George Skinner.   His love to "An and Mary" were Mary's sister, Sarah Ann and her daughter Mary, both who were living with Mary in 1860 in Dexter, Maine and Emma Brown was Mary's niece.  

Just two months later, George was wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville.  His wound and eventual death were recorded in The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. Part III, Volume II. [1883]  (3rd Surgical volume) by U.S. Army Surgeon General's Office.

He died on May 17, 1863, in Washington, D.C.   He was buried in Washington, District of Columbia in the Military Asylum Cemetery.  His Company of 207 men would lose 21 to disease and wounds, 35 killed in battle.  

Although no photo of George has been found in the family.  The diagram of his fractured leg bone will continue on.

Eleanor Smith, wife, step-mother, mother, widow and divorcee

Eleanor B. Smith was born aboiy 1814 in Loudon, New Hampshire, the daughter of Jonathan and Hannah (Sleeper) Smith.  Little is known of her childhood in Loudon.  Her father died in 1832, when she was 18 years old.  The entire family appears to left Loudon for Hallowell, Maine by 1838. Several relatives on the Smith side of the family had previosuly settled in Hallowell, Whether it had been the plan for the family to move to Hallowell or parts of Maine, Eleanor arrived with her mother and siblings at that time.

She married 1) John Buswell, November 3, 1839 in Hallowell, Maine as his second wife.  He was born  February 23, 1812 in Hallowell, Maine, the son of Ebenezer and Abigail (Merrick) Buswell.  He was a distant cousin to Eleanor through her great-grandmother, Mehitable (Buswell) Smith.  John Buswell married 1) Mary Tapley, who died in 1839 and they had 5 children with only three living at the time of his marriage to Eleanor.  They would have 5 more children together.  She was now a step-mother and a mother.

In 1850. John Buzzell, age 38, laborer, with a real estate value of $1600 [$63,000 in 2024], was living in Hallowell, Maine with Eleanor Buzzell, age 36; Clara Buzzell, age 9; Albert Buzzell, age 6; Angeline Buzzell, age 4; Elenaor Buzzell, age 2; Laura Buzzell, age 2/12; Hannah Smith, age 63; Olive Blake age 18; Augustus Taylor, age 22, laborer; Charles Runnells, age 19, laborer (USC, p. 203).

John Buswell drowned on November 28, 1850, leaving her a widow.

                                    Kennebec Journal, issue of December 5, 1850

John had accumulated some debts.  Inventory of his estate was taken February 21, 1851.  Guardians were awarded for the four youngest children (Kennebec County Probate).  The Probate of the estate shows that house was sold at public auction, December 2, 1851.  Kennebec County deeds reveal that Eleanor B. Buswell of Hallowell, administrator of the estate of John Buswell, late of Hallowell, deceased, sold for $200 paid by Hannah Smith [her mother] of Loudon, New Hampshire, widow on December 2, 1851 (Kennebec County Deeds vol. 178, p. 267).  Eleanor also sold for $80 paid by Abigail Smith, wife of her brother, Ezra Smith, a lot of land in Hallowell (ibid. vol. 178, p. 373).

Eleanor married 2) Thomas Paine, February 17, 1852 in Hallowell, Maine.  He was born about 1814, son of Joseph and Love Paine.  Ot is not know if she was really in love or if this was a marriage of coveinence.  She was a widow with 5 children under the age of 10 years and 3 step-children and with selling off property to cover herr husband's and family debts, may not have been enough to live a comfortable wife a widow.  

Eleanor B. Paine petitioned for a divorce from Thomas Paine stating that they were married February 18, 1852, but on June 16, 1852, he deserted her and has lived separately from her for more than 5 years, libel dated July 10, 1857.  In the August 1857 term of Court, the divorce was granted (Kennebec County Supreme Judicial Court, vol. 19, p. 569, docket #1250).  She was now a divorcee.

Eleanor B. Paine also petitioned to have her name changed legally by the Maine Legislature to Eleanor B. Buswell on March 18, 1858 (Maine Genealogist vol. 20, [1998] p. 89).

Eleanor died March 13, 1860 in Hallowell, Maine.  The 1860 mortality schedule gives that she died in March 1860 at age 46yrs of consumption.

John and Eleanor are buried in the Village cemetery, Hallowell, Maine.  There are only stones for John Buswell and his daughter Eleanor Buswell in the lot and her mother, Hannah Smith, but burial records show that four people are buried in the lot with Eleanor being there as well.

Andrew Jackson Skinner, a year in the Civil War

 

So often when we are writing about our ancestors beyond our grandparents and no family stories are passed down, we must rely on records to piece together their lives.  Modern technology has helped with so much information being put on line and to easily access records.   These records are only part of the process in creating the stories of ancestors.

I recently received the pension records of my 2^nd great grandfather, Andrew Jackson Skinner and his service during the Civil War.  It provided me with some new information of the various places he lived as well as his health issues later in his life.  The pension and other sources showed me details for almost a year in his life.

Andrew Jackson Skinner was born on March 25, 1828 in Raymond, Maine, the son of Peter and Sarah (Meserve) Skinner.  He remained at home until after 1850.  He removed to Atkinson, Maine where he eventually would become acquainted with his wife, Mary Elizabeth Brown of Exeter, Maine.  They married April 30, 1855 in Bradford, Maine and the birth of their first son, George Washington Skinner followed in 1857 in Stetson, Maine.   By 1860, Andrew was living in Dexter, Maine with his family where he was listed as a carriage maker.  Within a year the Civil War would begin and Andrew would join the cause for the Union.

                                          Bangor Daily Whig, 1862 advertising for volunteers

Andrew enlisted September 10, 1862 as a Corporal in the 22^nd Maine Infantry, Company K.  The duties of corporal were simple and depended on their successful performance mainly on their capacity to control and direct soldiers in the performance of their duty. They took charge of the smaller details for fatigue and police duty in camp and garrison duty; their most important duty was that of "Corporal of the Guard." They frequently succeeded in the responsibilities of sergeants in their absence and should therefore be familiar with their duties.  Andrew must had shown he was able to be a leader before enlistment.  His company consisted of 134 soldiers of various ages; the majority were younger than Andrew’s 34 years of age. Among these young soldiers was an 18-year-old private, John Lawson Pease from Exeter, Maine who was probably familiar with Andrew’s wife’s family, and would play a role in Andrew’s family later in his life.  Andrew would leave his wife and 5 year old son in Exeter and go to War, not knowing if he would return home alive.  

Andrew was mustered in October 18, 1862 for service of 9 months at Camp John Pope in Bangor, Maine under Colonel Simon G. Jerrard.  They left for Washington, D.C on October 21^st and arrived on the 24^th.  They remained at Arlington Heights, Virginia until November 3, 1862.  The 22^nd was ordered to Fortress Monroe in Hampton, Virginia to form part of the expedition to New Orleans.  Andrew who probably never left Maine was now in a part of the country different from New England and going to an area vastly different.   His infantry embarked by boat from Newport News, Virginia on December 4^th to New Orleans. They arrived  on the 15^th at Ship Island and then occupied Baton Rouge, Louisiana by the 17^th.   Andrew remained in Baton Rouge through Christmas on 1862 and well into the new year of 1863.

                                        Harper's Weekly drawing of Ship Island from 1862

His infantry participated in the reconnaissance in the rear of Port Hudson March 13th to 16th, and on March 26th formed a part of the expedition up the Atchafalaya to attack the enemy's works in the rear where they moved to Donaldsville, Louisiana, then moved on to Brashear City, Louisiana (now Morgan City).  His infantry took part in the first Bayou Teche campaign to drive back the Confederate forces from Western Louisiana. 

Andrew’s first fighting experience came on April 14th at the Battle of Irish Bend, Louisiana.  The Union side had overwhelming numbers and the Confederate side retreated, the result was 400 men on the Union side dead or wounded.  They defeated the enemy in a sharp engagement at Irish bend and then were garrisoned at Franklin, Loiusiana until the 25th, when they went on to New Iberia, Louisiana. 

                                    Battle of Irish Bend, drawing of  the 22nd Maine Infantry

On May 6th, the infantry moved toward Port Hudson, where it arrived on June 1st, having marched over 500 miles during the campaign. Over the next month, Andrew would see the most fighting and loss of men. The Battle of Port Hudson began May 22nd and lasted until July 9^th.  His infantry arrived on May 28^th and remained engaged until the surrender of the Port on July 8^th.  They participated in two assaults on the works at Port Hudson, June 9 and 14, and after the surrender of that place was quartered inside the works until July 24th.  The Confederates began with 7500 men with 750 of them being killed during the siege and 250 dying of disease.  The Union side with 30,000-40,000 men had 707 men killed, 3,336 men wounded, 319 men went missing and about 5000 men dying from disease.   The 22^nd lost 180 men with only 9 being killed and 171 dying from disease.  If Andrew didn't witnesses soldiers being killed, he certainly was aware of the desease strking soldiers down.

                                    Port Hudson Battery photo

Andrew’s Col. Simon G. Jerrard disobeyed a command during the attack on Port Hudson when he would not order his men over a wall in battle.  His letter of dishonorable discharge of June 22, 1863 stated they Col. Jerrard in the presence of officers and enlisted men had stated to the effect “rather than attempt to lead or put his command over that parapet (wall), he would relinquish his command and go to the rear.”  It is unclear if Andrew and his company felt the Colonel was being brave to stand up and protect his men or cowardice in a time of battle. 

The 22^nd Infantry was ordered home on July 24, 1863.  They took a boat from Louisiana to Cairo, Illinois.  From Cairo they went by train to Bangor, Maine arriving on August 6^th.  

                            Photo of the river and railroad at Cairo, Illinois 1861

The Company was mustered out on August 15, 1863 at Camp John Pope where they had began almost a year earlier.  Andrew’s company lost 11 men in battle, 9 from disease and only 2 were wounded from 134 who started originally.

No stories were passed down about Andrew’s service in the Civil War.  We can only wonder what he thought about the cause, the parts of the country he saw and was stationed at.  The Battles and loss of life from fighting or from disease he witnessed.  How much did it affect him?  We will never know.

Andrew’s pension does mention the many places he had lived from Casco, Biddeford, Saco, Bangor, Dexter to Exeter, Maine.  In 1870, Andrew was living in Casco, Maine as a wheel maker, where his parents and siblings were living. He had had one more son, Myron Leslie Skinner in 1868. By 1880, Andrew had finally settled in Exeter, Maine where he and his wife, Mary inherited her parent’s farm. 

                                      Andrew Skinner and granddaughter Velma, 1905

His neighbor was John Lawson Pease, the teenager from Exeter, Maine who enlisted with him.  John and his wife Mary adopted a girl, Edna Estelle Pease as a child.  She would marry Andrew's son Myron Skinner in 1891 and have four granddaughters for Andrew.

                                                    Mary and John Lawson Pease

Andrew belonged to the G.A.R. [Grand Army of the Republic] from his receipt of paying his dues to the J. Knowles Post in Corinna, Maine in 1889.  

Andrew applied for a pension on  November 14, 1890 claiming disability due to kidney trouble, rheumatism and heart disease.  He was granted $12 a month pension.  He applied again in March 1907 and was granted a pension of $20 a month.   His wife Mary died August 15, 1907.  Andrew died August 23, 1910 in Exeter, Maine and buried in Chamberlain Cemetery. [For more on his gravesite, see blog  Who is buried in the family lot?]

Who's buried in the Family Cemetery lot?

For the past several years I have been wotking with the Gardiner, Maine Library to document Oak Grove Cemetery.  It the largest cemetery in the city, but the only documentation of the cemetery was from the 1940s when the WPA sent people around to collect data on any American War Veterans buried within each town.  MOCA (Maine Old Cemetery Association never documented the cemetery).  Sadly many mistakes were made by the WPA.  Gravestones that had the title "Captain" were often credited as military titles and not sea captains.  Also if cemetery lot contained a known veteran's burial, the name of the person on the gravestone was listed as the veteran.  This was a case in Gardner were a Civil War soldier was recorded buried in a lot, but the gravestone on the lot was for his son and daughter-in-law.  The soldier's son was listed as the Civil War soldier and would have been four years old when he enlisted.  However, military records matched the father's service and no record of the 4 year old was ever found serving in the war.  

It reminded me of the cemetery lot of my great-grandparents in Exeter, Maine.  The Skinner family lot in Chamberlain Cemetery has 5 gravestones and 1 metal marker on the lot and yet there are more than 8 people in the family lot.  

   Who is actually in the Cemetery Lot?

1. Andrew Jackson Skinner born 23 March 1828 in Raymond, Maine, son of Peter and Sally (Meserve) Skinner.  Andrew served as a Corporal in Company K, 22nd regiment of the Maine Infantry during the Civil War.  He died 23 August 1910 in Exeter, Maine of heart disease. Andrew and his son, Myron purchased the lot in 1903 after Myron's wife's death.  He was the 3rd person to be buried in the lot.

2. Mary Elizabeth (Brown) Skinner, wife of Andrew Skinner and daughter of James and Sarah (Robinson) Brown.  She was born on 30 September 1834 in Exeter, Maine.  She married Andrew Skinner on 30 April 1855 in Bradford, Maine.  She had two sons, George and Myron.  She died on 15 August 1907 in Exeter, Maine of breast cancer.  Her parents are also buried near by in this cemetery.  She was the 2nd person to be buried in the lot.

3. Myron Leslie Skinner, son of Andrew and Mary (Brown) Skinner.  He was born 23 May 1868 in Raymond, Maine.  He purchased the lot with his father after his wife's death on 1903.  Myron died on 23 November 1951 in Dexter, Maine.  He was a saleman in Portland, Maine and then a farmer in Exeter.  He was known to be reclusive later in his life, leading to rumors about him as many did not know he had been married and had 4 daughters who grew up adoring their "Papa."  He was the 5th person to be buried in the Skinner lot.

4. Edna Estelle [Southard] (Pease) Skinner, daughter of Omar and Georgetta (Moore) Southard, was born on 26 April 1872 in Corinna, Maine.  She was adopted by John and Christina (Tibbetts) Pease of Exeter, Maine.  John Pease lived next door Andrew Skinner and served in the same Civil War Comapny as Andrew.  Edna married Myron Skinner on 14 March 1891 in Corinna, Maine.  They had four daughters and her husband moved the family to Portland, Maine in 1893.  Edna died on 30 April 1903 in Portland, Maine from blood poisoning after the birth of her 4th daughter.  Edna was the first person to be buried in the lot.  Her adopted parents have the adjoinung lot.  

5. George Washington Skinner, son of Andrew and Mary (Brown) Skinner, was born on 4 May 1857 in Stetson, Maine.  He moved to Biddeford, Maine a young man and married Clara W. Brown on 20 March 1878 in Saco, Maine.  They moved to Hyde Park, Massachusetts.  George died on 18 September 1936 in Boston, Massachusetts.  For many years, it was not known that George was buried in the lot until 2020 when a newspaper article detailed his burial was discovered.  There is no gravestone for him and it does not appear that neither his brother, Myron or his sons could afford a gravestone for him.  He was the 4th person to be buried in the lot. His wife who survived is said to have been buried with her mother in Biddeford, Maine. 

"Corinna- Roy J. Buxton, funeral director, went to Newport Tuesday to take the body of George Skinner, a former Exeter resident, who died in Massachusetts, to the Chamberlain yard for burial."  [Bangor Daily News, issue of September 28, 1936]

6. Harold Ernest Skinner, the son of George and Clara (Brown) Skinner, was born on 29 April 1883 in Biddeford, Maine.  Although he was raised in Massachusetts, he returned to Exeter, Maine where he was a farmer.  He died on 5 August 1948 in Exeter, Maine.  He was the 5th person to be buried in the lot, but like his father has no gravestone and his death certificate lists his burial in Chamberlain.

7. Inez May (Bragg) Skinner, the daughter of Emanual and Mary (Goss) Bragg, was born on 22 April 1877 in Levant, Maine.  She married Harold Skinner on 3 October 1900 in Exeter, Maine.  They were several stories in regards to her mental health later in life.  After Harold's death, her family placed in the Bangor Mental Hospital where she died on 21 December 1957.  The story goes that same night Inez died, the farm house where she and Harold lived burned to the ground.  Recently, in 2020, stories on facebook surfaced that there was Skinner ghost that roamed the road near the cemetery.  The ghost was blamed on Myron, but in interviews with neighbors from year earlier, claimed it was the ghost of crazy Inez who caused trouble in the area and roamed the road.   Inez was the 7th person to be buried in the lot and does have a metal marker.

8 The last know person buried in the lot in Edward "Eddie" Clark Russell.He was born on 12 July 1911 in Bangor, Maine, son of Henry and Lettie (Clark) Russell.  Eddie was a barber in Bangor, Maine where he met late in life, Velma (Skinner) Burton-Hickson, daughter of Myron and Edna (Southard) Skinner.  Velma's grandchildren feel she was really in love with Eddie as they enjoyed so many things in common.  Eddie was a World Watt II veteran and his gravstone was paid by the government.  

He was the 8th person buried in the Skinner lot. The idea was that there was room in the lot for Eddie and eventually Velma.  Sadly this did noit happen as Velma who died 10 years later 1987 was buried in Bangor, Maine with her sister.  This burial is cited by some in the family as an example to be sure to let your family know your final wishes for burial as it is often looked on sadly that Eddie is buried with his wife's family and not his wife or with his own family.  The comfort is that Eddie and Velma often visited the Chamberlain Cemetery and it may have been his wish as well to be buried there.

So when exploring family lots.  Always try to research the lot with the town to see what records they have for burials if records are kept. Was the lot purchased near the time of a family member's death.  If the lot has single stones, are there gaps where another person could be buried?  Use death records, obituaries and death notuces to track burials or does it make sense for this family member to be in this lot if there is no grave marker.  I have found several family lots with various children buried with their parents with no gravestone marker either because they couldn't afford a stone or they were the last person to to die in the family and no relatives covered the cost to engrave a family stone or buy one.

 

Mary (Perkins) Bradbury, and the Salem Witch Trials

Recently my niece was asking about the Bradbury family and if she was related to her friend whose surname was Bradbury.  I asked if he knew the story of Mary Bradbury who was accused of being a witch during the Salem witch trials.  He was aware that she was his ancestor.   My niece isn't always fond to hear that her parents, grandparents share ancestors and in this case, both of her parents are descendants of Mary Bradbury.

Mary Perkins was baptized on September 3, 1615 at Hillmorton, Warwickshire, England, the daughter of John and Judith (Gator) Perkins.  This is the same church her parents were married in 1608.

Mary's father for whatever reason from lack of property, or to join the puritans in the new world, set sail with family on the ship "Lyon" on October 9, 1830 from Bristol, England and arrived in Boston, Massachusetts on February  5, 1631.  The ship which contained some much needed supplies for colonly also had 20 passengers.  Of twenty passengers, there was John, age 48 and his wife, Judith, and at least 5 of their children including Mary. 

                                            replica of the ship "Lyon"

Mary's family settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts by 1633 and she married Thomas Bradbury of Salisbury, Massachusetts in 1636, who was the land agent for his great-uncle, Sir Fernando Gorges, the colonial proprietor of the State of Maine and backer of the failed colony at Popham in Phippsburg, Maine.  Thomas was considered one town's more distinquished citizens and one of it's earliest settlers.   Thomas and Mary had eleven children together.  

Through the years there had been some disagreements with another early family, the Carr family.  Some of the complaints against Mary were nearly 20 years old or older.  One story was that George Carr had asked for Mary's hand in marriage which she declined in favor of Thomas Bradbury and that had begun a long standing family fued.  As most of Mary's accusers of witchcarft were the Carr family member, namely Ann (Carr) Putnam and their friends, the Endicotts.

On May 26, 1692, Mary Bradbury, who was in her mid 70s, was accused of tormenting Mary Marshall of Reading, and Mary Walcott, Mercy Lewis and Ann Putnam Jr of Salem.  On June 23, 1692, Timothy Swan of Andover fell sick and claimed it was from being attcked by witches who flew into his father's house in Haverhill, Massachusetts and Mary's specter was specifically named as his attacker.  Mary Bradbury was arrested on June 28th and taken to the Salem jail.

Trabscription

Essex in the province of the Massachusetts Bay in New EnglandAnno R R's & Reginae Gulielmi & Mariae Angliae &c Quarto Annoq'e Domini 1692/Ss/ The Juriors for our Sov'r Lord and Lady the King and Queen doe present That Mary Bradbury Wife of Capt Thomas Bradbury of Salisbury -- In the County of Essex Gent upon the Twenty=Sixth day of July

In the yeare aforesaid and divers other dayes and times as well before as after Certaine Detestable arts called Witchcraft & Sorceries Wickedly Mallitiously and felloniously hath used practiced and Ex- ercised At and in the Township of Andivor in the County of Essex aforesaid in upon & against one Timothy Swann of Andivor In the County [#aforesaid] Aforesaid Husbandman -- by which said Wicked Acts the said Timothy Swann upon the 26th day of July Aforesaid and divers other days & times both before and after was and is Tortured Afflic- ted Consumed Pined Wasted and Tormented, and also for Sundry other Acts of Witchcraft by the said Mary Bardbury Comitted and done before and since that time against the peace of our Sov'r Lord & Lady the King and Queen theire Crowne and dignity And the forme Of the Statute In that case made and Provided.
Wittness
Mary Walcott
Ann: Puttnam

( Essex County Court Archives, Salem - Witchcraft vol. 2, no. 69. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives, Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA)

Mary tried to defend herslef in response to the accusations of witchcraft

Transcription:

The Answer of Mary Bradbury in the charge of Witchcraft or familliarity with the Divell I doe plead not guilty.

I am wholly inocent of any such wickedness through the goodness of god that have kept mee hitherto) I am the servant of Jesus Christ & Have given my self up to him as my only lord & saviour: and to the dilligent attendance upon him in all his holy ordinances, in utter contempt & defiance of the divell, and all his works as horid & detestible; and accordingly have endevo'red to frame my life; & conversation according to the rules of his holy word, & in that faith & practise resolve by the help and assistance of god to contineu to my lifes end: for the truth of what I say as to matter of practiss I humbly refer my self, #[my selfe,] to my brethren & neighbors that know mee and unto the searcher of all hearts for the truth & uprightness of my heart therein: (human frailties, & unavoydable infirmities excepted) of which i bitterly complayne every day:/
Mary Bradbury

( Essex County Court Archives, Salem - Witchcraft vol. 2, no. 72, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Judicial Archives, Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, MA )

At the same time 115 residents of Salisbury signed a petition stating her good character and reputation and long standing love of the gospel.  Her husband also testified on her behalf.  At her trail on July 2nd, her accusers were namely the Carr family, the sons of George Carr: Richard, James and their sister Ann (Carr) Putnam.  Her husband, Thomas Putnam recorded all the depositions in his own handwriting.  Mary was accused of everything from making butter turn rancid, causing sickness, tormententing Ann Putnam, to causing the death of her former suitor, George Carr and his son, John Carr, who had been in love her daughter, Jane Bradbury and was  spurned by her love and marriage to Henry True.  Only William Carr gave testimony in favor of Mary's innocence.

                                            Engraving of the witch trials

On September 10, 1692, Mary Bradbury and 5 other women were convicted of being wicthes and sentenced to hang.  On September 22, 1692, four of the women were hung at gallow's hill (now a park).  One woman confessed the night before and was granted another month to her things in order and by then the hangings were over.

                                            Gallows Hill now a park where people were hung

Mary Bradbury with the help of her husband managed to escape the hangman's rope.  With help from her friends and her husband's connection with the Phipps' family, she escaped from jail, but was forced to live as a fugitive for another year possibly in Maine.  She returned to her family in May 1693.

Mary lived several more years dying on December 20, 1700 in Salisbury, Massachusetts and likly buried with her husband in the old Burying ground with their stones lost to time.

In September 1710, Mary's daughter Jane and her husband Henry True petitioned the court for a reversal of the conviction of Mary and restitution. On October 17, 1711, "An Act to Reverse the attainders of George Burroughs et al. for witchcraft was passed.  Mary's name was cleared the family received 20 pounds.

Mary's descendants include many Presidents, authors, actors and actresses, all of whom can be found on the website Famous Kin.

Our family line is

                                            1. Mary (Perkins) Bradbury

                                            2.Jane Bradbury m. Henry True

3. William True                                                                    3. Jabez True

4. Samuel True                                                                     4. Jabez True

5. Dudley True                                                                     5. Sarah (True) Stinchfield

6. David True                                                                       6. Sarah (Stinchfield) Hicks

7.Samuel Trew                                                                     7. Sarah (Hicks) Southard

8. Isabel (Trew) Akerley                                                      8. William Southard

9. Charlotte (Akerley) Corcoran                                          9. Omar Southard

10. Bruce Cororan                                                               10. Edna (Southard) Skinner

11. Carolyn (Cororan) McMann                                         11. Ethelyn (Skinner) Smith

12. Colleen (McMann) Smith                                             12. Glenn Smith

                                                                                            13. Michael Smith