From Fornicator to Witch Trial Accuser, life of Elizabeth (Hudson) Eastman

 While doing some research on my ancestor, Mary (Perkins) Bradbury and her trial of being accused of witchcraft.  The names of local people in Salisbury who signed a petition to have her arrested on the ground of being a witch were also my ancestors, Nathaniel Eastman and his wife, Elizabeth (Hudson) Eastman.  It was surprising to see Elizabeth’s name as she was familiar with the puritan courts herself, having been charged in her early years of fornication.  In the History of Salisbury and Amesbury is this little notice at the bottom of the page relating to Elizabeth Hudson.

Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury bu David Webster [1883] p. 142

Elizabeth Hudson was born in Lynn, Massachusetts about 1648, the daughter of Jonathan and Elizabeth Hudson.  When she was 23 years old, she married Nathaniel Eastman of Salisbury, Massachusetts on April 30, 1672, at Salisbury.  He was a farmer.  There are no accurate dates, but relatively soon after their marriage, Elizabeth gave birth to a daughter Marah (or Mara). 

From Wikipedia:

"Early in colonial history, men took more responsibility for an act of fornication or a bastardy charge. Women before the courts claimed that they engaged in sexual activity with men and explained to the courtroom that if somehow, they ended up pregnant, the man would marry them, thus preventing the birth of a bastard child.   A child being born out of wedlock automatically resulted in a trial to determine who the father was and who and how the bastard would be cared for. To catch fornicators, one had to find either the couple committing the act, or the couple had to confess their sin immediately. Someone seeing a pair engaged in fornication was rare. Thus, court cases often relied on confessions to bring about charges in a case of bastardy.  By 1668, in the Massachusetts colony and others, the government enforced the practice of having midwives interrogate women during childbirth. It was believed that women endured so much anguish during birth that they would not lie and would truthfully confess to their sin of fornication and reveal who the baby's father was. Either the pregnant women would willingly tell someone that she had a bastard son, and then she would name the father, or a midwife would ask the mother to tell whether her child was legitimate. Bastardy cases in the colonies involved women of high, low, and middle standing, like England.   Once a bastard child was born, women could not deny a charge of adultery or, more commonly, a charge of fornication."

In October 1672, a court case was filed against Joseph Hall of Lynn, Massachusetts as being the father of her child with Elizabeth being charged with the crime of fornication.

Deposed October 7, 1672, was Elizabeth Osgood, midwife, who said Elizabeth told her that Joseph Hall of Lynn was the father of her child.  Hannah Brown, wife of Nathaniel Brown deposed the same as did her in-laws, Roger Eastman and his wife, Sarah, all on the same date.

The case went to court and appeared in The Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, p. 103:

No record of Elizabeth receiving any lashes and probably a fine was paid for her crime.  As for her daughter Mara, she was raised as an Eastman.  Her father was probably the same Joseph Hall who married Elizabeth Rand in 1673 in Lynn, Massachusetts and had other children with his wife.  It is not known if Mara suffered being a product of a relationship between her mother and another man and not the man who was considered to be her legal father.  On August 13, 1693, "Mara, daughter of Nathaniel Eastman" was admitted with full communion to Church of Salisbury, Massachusetts and eventually married Samuel Joy and raised a large family of children of her own.

As the years went on, other children were born to Nathaniel and Elizabeth Eastman including my ancester, Sarah Eastman.  The Church and Courts may have condiered the matter closed.  Whether Elizabeth's neighbors faithful puritans really never spoke or whispered about Elizabeth's "fornication" before her marriage, is unknown, but being human nature, I bet there probably was some gossip which may have caused Elizabeth to join others in a petition against Mary Bradbury if she thought she may have thought less of or spoken against her at some time.  

The arrest of Mary Bradbury and her accusers

In 1692, Elizabeth and her husband, Nathaniel Eastman as well his parents signed a petition against Mary Bradbury, who  was indicted for (among other charges): "Certaine Detestable arts called Witchcraft & Sorceries Wickedly Mallitiously and felloniously hath used practiced and Exercised 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 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 Afflicted Consumed Pined Wasted and Tormented..." [see my blog post from September 2023 on Mary (Perkins) Bradbury]

Petition aginst Mary Bradbury as a witch

Elizabeth Eastman died on June 10, 1716 in Salisbury, Massachusetts at the age of 68 years.  

Despite my ancestor’s attempt to have another ancestor hung as a witch, several generations later their descendants would marry and join the family lines together with the marriage of William Southard and Maria Ambrose on January 4, 1837 in Corinna, Maine.  William Southard being the 7^th generation descendant of Mary Bradbury and his wife, Maria being the 5^th generation descendant of Elizabeth (Hudson) Eastman. Maybe all was fogiven.  

Elder Israel Damon and our family connection to the 7th Day Adventist Church

 

Many on my grandmother Buzzell’s side are probably not aware of our family’s connection to the early founders of the 7^th Day Adventist Church.  I also never knew of any connection outside of growing up in Gorham and hearing that Ellen HarmonWhite had been born there.  It was talking to my cousin, Nancy Battick, about our Damon ancestry that she mentioned that a writer had contacted her family about our ancestor, Rebecca (Damon) Woodward’s brother, Israel Damon while researching their church’s history.  They were surprised that no one knew of his early connection and a little disappointed our family had not placed the importance on him with the 7^th Day Church founding as they felt he deserved.

(Israel Damon on the right)

Israel Damon was born in 1811 in Sebec, Maine, the son of Seth and Margaret (Douglass) Damon.  He was the younger brother to our ancestor Rebecca Damon (1805-1868).  He was raised in Sebec, Maine where his parents lived between 1806-1840.  Little is known of his early life until he married Lydia Rich on June 4,1838 in Exeter, Maine, the daughter of John Rich and Betsey Dearborn.

(Sidenote: My Skinner cousins also have a connection to Israel Damon through his wife, Lydia Rich who had a sister, Eliza Ann Rich.  Eliza married Albana Pease and had a son, John Lawson Pease who was the adopted father of our ancestor, Edna (Southard) Skinner.  This makes Israel and Lydia Damon the great uncle and aunt of Edna.)

Israel and his wife, Lydia had three children: Mary, Elizabeth and Allen Damon in Exeter between 1840-1845.  It was in 1845, that Israel a former Millerite Adventist became associated with Ellen Harmon, a 17-year-old girl from Portland who had religious visions; her future husband, James Springer White; and chaperone, Dorinda Baker of Orrington, Maine.

(Rev. William Miller on the left)

Millerites or Millerism was the term for the belief that Jesus was to return to Earth on October 22, 1844, as predicted by Rev. William Miller who claimed to have worked out the date of the 2^nd advent or return of Jesus by using dates he felt were reflected in the bible and ancient calendars.  Miller had predicted it before but claimed to have erred with his calculations.  As the day came and went without Jesus’ return, it became known as the “Great Disappointment” to his followers which Israel had been.

Ellen White’s family had also been Millerite and her travels took her to central Maine where the trio traveled around to towns, like Garland and Exeter and meeting Israel who came to believe in the truth of Ellen’s visions.  On February 17^th and 18^th, Israel oversaw a worship meeting at James Ayer’s house in Atkinson, Maine with about 50-60 Millerite Adventists.  Ellen Harmon was joined by Dorinda Baker, James White, Simeon Hall and Elder Wood.

Someone complained to the authorities about the meeting and the Sheriff Deputy, Joseph Moulton and 3 others arrived at the Ayer house, but were not allowed to enter.  Moulton and his men broke down the door and entered the house to arrest Israel.  But several women according to court records jumped on him and his men and stopped him from arresting Damon.  Moulton then sent for more help and eventually Israel Damon was arrested and taken to jail in Dover, Maine.  Where according to testimony, he stayed up all night singing and preaching and saying prayers.  Israel was charged as a “vagabond and idle person” going to the town of Atkinson, place to place begging and “being a common railer or brawler.”

In March, a courthouse trial began which was covered in detail by the Piscataquis Farmer, in the March 7, 1845, issue.  It seems to be the only record found covering Israel “Dammon’s” trial.  There were 38 witnesses called on both sides which gave details of the meeting.  It was said to be loud and boisterous.  There were trances and visions, shouting, crawling and rolling on the floor, washing and kissing of feet as well as spiritual or holy kissing.  Some of those in attendance were told they were going to hell unless baptized which was done in a nearby frigid stream.  Dorinda Baker was said to have gone into another room alone with men, but nothing was said to gave occurred between them.  One witness who arrived said that so much commotion was occurring it was worse than a drunken Brawl. 

                                Drawing of the Atkinson Meeting with Israel Damon

In the end, Israel Damon was found guilty and sentenced to 10 days in prison.  His attorney appealed the decision, and the case was later dropped and Israel never served anytime for his participation in the event.  A year later, Ellen Harmon married James White, and she went on to have more than 2000 visions and founded with her husband the 7^th Day Adventist Church.

James and Ellen (Harmon) White in 1864

Israel remained a minister and Elder Advent preacher.  In 1850, he and his wife, and children were living Corinna, Maine where he was a laborer (1850 census, p. 65a).  By 1860, he had moved to Sangerville, Maine where his occupation was listed as carriage builder (1860 census, p. 175).  In 1870 he had returned to Corinna, Maine where he was listed as a clergyman (census, p. 284).  He was living in Corinna as late as 1878 when the Portland, Maine paper covered an advent meeting in Alton, New Hampshire and named Elder Israel Damon as one of the preachers and who did a baptism at the meeting (Portland Daily Press, issue of August 27. 1878). 

By 1880, Israel and his wife had settled in Newburg, Maine where he was called an “advent minister.” (1880 census, p. 337C).  Israel died on 27 October 1886, probably in Newburg, Maine.  He was buried at Morse’s Corner Cemetery in Corinna, Maine. His widow, Lydia then moved to live with their son, Allen Damon in New Bedford, Massachusetts.  Allen had followed in his father’s footsteps and was an Advent Christian minister.  Lydia died on July 5, 1893 in New Bedford, Massachusetts where the death records state she was buried in Corinna, Maine, likely next to her late husband.  Only the gravestone for Elder Israel Damon is found today if the family even purchased her a monument.

Although, the beginning of the 7^th Day Church did not begin in February 1845, our relative, Israel was affiliated with the founders of the Church early on.  Online, sources such as Wikipedia cover the event and debates on the role it played early in the Church’s history as well as possibly the fairness of the press coverage in the local newspaper. 

Israel was a deeply regilous man throughout his life and his trial is still mentioned in the Adventist Church history.  

The Importance of keeping up with current genealogical research

 

As more and more research is done and available either in publications or on-line, it is important to keep up with all the latest news in Genealogy and DNA research.  Recently The American Genealogist or TAG published a series on the Sanborn or Samborne family’s English ancestry.  The three brothers who immigrated to America were John, Stephen and William Samborne.  For years, it seems like tracing my paternal line resulted in several ancestors with medieval royal ancestors going back to William the Conqueror and Charlemagne.  Sadly, I had never found a connection to my maternal ancestry.  It was not a surprise that two of the Samborne brothers were ancestors on my paternal line with more than one line of descent to myself.   However, my maternal line also had one of these Samborne brothers as my ancestor and at last gave my Mom a connection to European medieval royal ancestry.  Now any of my cousins who are related on my maternal line through the Moulton side can claim this line as well. Below is the line of descent from John Samborne to my grandmother, Myrtle (Moulton) Buzzell.

1.    John Samborne was baptized on 2 December 1619 in Wells, Somerset, England as the first child of Richard Samborne and Ann Bachilder. He died on 20 October 1692 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA. He immigrated to America in 1632 with his brothers, Stephen and William.  When he was 29, he married Mary Tuck, daughter of Robert Tuck and Joan Collins, about 1648 In Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA. When he was 53, he married Margaret Page, daughter of Robert Page and Lucy, before 1672 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA. 

2.    Abigail Samborne was born on 23 February 1653 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA as the ninth child of John Samborne and Mary Tuck. She died on 3 January 1743 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA. When she was 23, she married Ephraim Marston, son of Thomas Marston and Mary Estow, on 19 February 1677 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA.

3.    John Marston was born on 17 December 1680 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA as the seventh child of Ephraim Marston and Abigail Samborne. He died after 1752 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA. When he was 22, he married Bethiah Tuck, daughter of John Tuck and Berthia Hobbs, on 4 November 1703 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA. 

4.    John Marston was born on 24 July 1713 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA as the fourth child of John Marston and Bethiah Tuck. He died before October 1770 in Falmouth, Cumberland, Maine, USA. When he was 22, he married Susanna Blake, daughter of Jasper Blake and Susanna Brackett, on 23 June 1736 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA.  He settled in Falmouth (now Portland, Maine) in 1742. 

5.    Jasper Marston was baptized on 16 July 1738 in Hampton, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA as the first child of John Marston and Susanna Blake. He died after September 1813 in North Yarmouth, Cumberland, Maine, USA. When he was 20, he married Patience Mayo, daughter of Isaac Mayo and Patience Rogers, on 23 November 1758 in Falmouth, Cumberland, Maine, USA.

6.     Simeon Marston was born about 1765 in Falmouth, Cumberland, Miane, USA as the ninth child of Jasper Marston and Patience Mayo. He died after 1820 in North Yarmouth, Cumberland, Maine, USA. When he was 22, he married Mary Lord on 29 November 1787 in North Yarmouth, Cumberland, Maine, USA. When he was 40, he married Rebecca Roberts on 15 March 1805 in North Yarmouth, Cumberland, Maine, USA. 

7.     Anna Marston was born on 7 December 1795 in North Yarmouth, Cumberland, Maine, USA as the seventh child of Simeon Marston and Mary Lord. She died on 15 August 1870 in Dover Foxcroft, Piscataquis, Maine, USA. When she was 17, she married Thomas Paine, son of Thomas Paine and Anna Haskell, on 18 February 1813 in Pownal, Cumberland, Maine, USA. When she was 47, she married William Meade Robinson, son of Gideon Robinson and Hannah Mead, on 12 March 1843 in Dover Foxcroft, Piscataquis, Maine, USA.  She was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Dover Foxcroft, Maine.

8.    Jacob Paine was born on 20 August 1823 in Pownal, Cumberland, Maine, USA as the fourth child of Thomas Paine and Anna Marston. He died on 18 October 1908 in Atkinson, Piscataquis, Maine, USA. When he was 23, he married Hannah H. Robinson, daughter of John Robinson and Zelphia Plummer, on 22 November 1846 in Guilford, Piscataquis, Maine, USA. When he was 34, he married Elizabeth J. Smith, daughter of James Smith and Abigail Chase, on 9 January 1858 in Guilford, Piscataquis, Maine, USA.  He was buried in Rural Grove Cemetery, Dover Foxcroft, Maine. 

9.     Henry Bragg Paine was born on 10 November 1848 in Guilford, Piscataquis, Maine, USA as the first child of Jacob Paine and Hannah H. Robinson. He died on 26 July 1933 in Atkinson, Piscataquis, Maine, USA. When he was 36, he married Elsie Leona Woodward, daughter of Benjamin Jordan Woodward and Mary Emily Thurston, on 8 November 1885 in Atkinson, Piscataquis, Maine, USA. When he was 45, he married Iva Beatrice Moulton, daughter of Orrin D. Moulton and Emma L. Thompson, on 27 May 1894 in Atkinson, Piscataquis, Maine, USA. He was buried in Gould Cemetery, Atkinson, Maine.

10  Emma Leona Paine was born on 20 September 1886 in Atkinson, Piscataquis, Maine, USA as the first child of Henry Bragg Paine and Elsie Leona Woodward. She died on 12 September 1951 in Lagrange, Penobscot, Maine, USA. When she was 17, she married Charles Prescott Moulton, son of Orrin D. Moulton and Emma L. Thompson, on 11 April 1904 in Atkinson, Piscataquis, Maine, USA.  She was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Dover Foxcroft, Maine.

11  Myrtle Evelyn Moulton was born on 26 August 1908 in Garland, Penobscot, Maine, USA as the third child of Charles Prescott Moulton and Emma Leona Paine. She died on 20 October 1980 in Newport, Penobscot, Maine, USA.  When she was 22, she married Walter Dean Buzzell, son of Royal Albana Buzzell and Emma Beatrice Ellis, on 29 Aug 1930 in Charleston, Penobscot, Maine, USA.  Shew as buried in Puddledock Cemetery, Charleston, Maine.

Next is our descent from William the Conqueror of England.  Many of the maternal lines for the first several generations provide connections to the royal houses of Scotland, France, Spain, Hungary, Italy and other countries that have since been absorbed into these larger European countries. I have used a volume of books by Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, [2013] vols. 1-5 to document our line as well many of them appear on Wikipedia. 

1.      William the Conqueror, King of England, Duke of Normandy, was born in September 1028 in Falaise, Basse-Normandie, France as the first child of Duke Robert I of Normandy and Harlette of Falaise. He died on 9 September 1087 in Rouen, Haute-Normandie, France. When he was 22, he married Countess Matilda of Flanders, daughter of Count Baldwin V of Flanders and Adele of France, about 1051 in Eu, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France.  He claimed the throne of England in 1066.  King William the Conqueror of England was buried in Caen, France.

2.      King Henry I of England was born in 1068 in Selby, Yorkshire, England as the ninth child of King William the Conqueror of England and Matilda of Flanders. He died on 1 December 1135 in Rouen, Haute-Normandie, France. When he was 32, he married Matilda of Scotland, daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland and Margaret of England, on 11 November 1100 in Westminster Abbey, London, England. When he was 53, he married Adeliza of Louvain, daughter of Duke Godfrey I of Lower Lorriane and Ida of Chiny, on 29 January 1121 in Windsor, Lincolnshire, England.

3.      Matilda of England, Holy Roman Empress, was born on 7 February 1102 in Winchester, Hampshire, England as the third child of King Henry I of England and Matilda of Scotland. She died on 10 September 1169 in Rouen, Haute-Normandie, France. When she was 11, she married by contract to King Heinrich V of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor, son of King Henry IV of Germany and Bertha of Savoy, on 7 January 1114 in Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. When she was 25, she married Count Geoffrey V Plantagenet, son of Count Fulk V of Anjou and Eremburge of Maine, on 22 May 1127 in Le Mans, Sarthe, Pays de la Loire, France. Matilda of England was known sometimes known as Lady of the English. She was buried in Rouen, Haute-Normandie, France.

4.      King Henry II of England was born on 5 March 1133 in Le Mans, Sarthe, Pays de la Loire, France as the first child of Geoffrey V Plantagenet and Matilda of England. He died on 6 July 1189 at Chinon Castle, Indre-et-Loire, Centre, France. When he was 19, he married Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine, daughter of Duke William X of Aquitaine and Eleanor of Chaterault, on 18 May 1152 in Bordeaux, Gironde, Aquitaine, France. King Henry II of England was buried in Fontevrault, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France in Fontevrault Abbey, France.

5.      King John of England was born on 24 December 1167 in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England at Beaumont Palace as the second child of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He died on 19 October 1216 in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, England. When he was 21, he married Lady Isabella of Gloucester, daughter of William Fitz Robert and Hawise de Beaumont, on 29 August 1189 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England at Marlborough Castle. When he was 32, he married Isabella of Angouleme, daughter of Count Aymer of Angouleme and Alice de Courtenay, on 24 Aug 1200 in Bordeaux, Gironde, Aquitaine, France. King John of England was buried in Fontevraud Abbey, Pays de la Loire, France.

6.      King Henry III of England was born on 1 October 1207 in Winchester, Hampshire, England as the fourth child of King John of England and Isabella of Angouleme. He died on 16 November 1264 in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. When he was 27, he married Jeanne de Dammartin, daughter of Simon de Dammartin, in 1235 (By Proxy). When he was 28, he married Eleanor of Provence, daughter of Count Ramon Berenguer IV of Provence and Beatrice of Savoy, on 14 January 1236 in Canterbury, Kent, England at Canterbury Cathedral.  He was buried in London, London, England at Westminster Abbey.

7.      Edmund, Earl of Lancaster and Leicester, was born on 16 January 1245 in London, London, England as the seventh child of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. He died on 5 June 1296 in Bayonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Aquitaine, France. When he was 24, he married Aveline de Forz on 8 April 1269. When he was 31, he married Blanche of Artois, daughter of Count Robert I of Artois and Matilda of Brabant, on 3 February 1276 in Paris, Île-de-France, France.

8.      Sir Henry, Earl of Lancaster and Lord of Monmouth, was born about 1281 in England as the third child of Edmund of Lancaster and Blanche of Artois. He died on 22 September 1345 in England. When he was 10, he married by contract to Lady Maud de Chaworth, daughter of Sir Patrick de Chaworth and Lady Isabel de Beauchamp, after 30 December 1291 in England.

9.      Eleanor of Lancaster, Countess of Arundel and Warenne, was born on 11 September 1318 in England as the fifth child of Sir Henry of Lancaster and Lady Maud de Chaworth. She died on 11 January 1371/72 in Arundel, Sussex, England. When she was 12, she married Sir John de Beaumont, 2^nd Lord Beaumont, son of Sir Henry de Beaumont and Lady Alice Comyn, on 16 November 1330 in England. When she was 26, she married Sir Richard de Arundel, Count of Arundel, son of Sir Edmund de Arundel and Alice de Warenne, on 5 February 1344/45 in Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, England (Ditton).   She was buried in Lewes, Sussex, England at Lewes Priory.

10  Sir Henry de Beaumont, 3^rd Lord Beaumont, was born about 1340 in England as the first child of Sir John de Beaumont and Countess Eleanor of Lancaster. He died on 25 July 1369 in England. When he was 23, he married Lady Margaret de Vere, daughter of John de Vere and Maud de Badlesmere, before 15 February 1363 in England.  Sir Henry de Beaumont was buried in Sempringham, Lincolnshire, England.

11  Sir John Beaumont, 4^th Lord Beaumont, was born about 1361 in England as the first child of Sir Henry de Beaumont and Margaret de Vere. He died on 9 September 1396 in Stirling, Stirlingshire, Scotland. When he was 19, he married Lady Katherine Everingham, daughter of Sir Adam de Everington and Lady Joan d'Eiville, before 1380.  He was buried in Sempringham, Lincolnshire, England.

12  Lady Elizabeth Beaumont was born about 1390 in England as the second child of Sir John Beaumont and Lady Katherine Everingham. She died after 1426 in England. When she was 21, she married Sir William Botreaux, 3^rd Lord Botreaux, son of Sir William de Botreaux and Elizabeth de Saint Loe, before 14 November 1411 in England.

13  Lady Margaret Botreaux was born about 1409 in England as the first child of Sir William Botreaux and Lady Elizabeth Beaumont. She died on 7 February 1478 in England. When she was 11, she married Sir Robert Hungerford, 2^nd Lord Hungerford, son of Sir Walter Hungerford and Lady Katherine Peverell, on 7 July 1420 in Aller, Somerset, England. 

14  Lady Eleanor Hungerford was born about 1435 in England as the fourth child of Sir Robert Hungerford and Lady Margaret Botreaux. She died before 1489 in England. When she was 21, she married John White, Gentleman, son of Robert White and Alice, before 1456 in England. When she was 35, she married Sir William Tyrrell before 30 June 1470 in England. When she was 40, she married Sir Henry Fitz Lewis before 1475 in England. When she was 45, she married Thomas Garth, Esquire, after 1480. 

15  Robert White was born about 1456 in England as the first child of John White and Lady Eleanor Hungerford. He died in 1512 in South Warnborough, Hampshire, England. When he was 4, he married by contract to Margaret Gainsford, daughter of Nicholas Gainsford and Margaret Sidney, about 1460. 

16  Anne White was born about 1480 in England as the first child of Robert White and Margaret Gainsford. She died on 24 February 1519/20 in Tichborne, Hampshire, England. When she was 25, she married Nicholas Tichborne, son of John Tichborne and Margaret Martin, about 1505 in Hampshire, England.

17  Dorothy Tichborne was born about 1510 in England as the third child of Nicholas Tichborne and Anne White. She died in 1572 in England. When she was 17, she married John Samborne, son of Nicholas Samborne and Elizabeth Brocas, about 1527 in Tichborne, Hampshire, England.

18  Richard Samborne was born on 8 May 1544 in Itchen Abbas, Hampshire, England as the eighth child of John Samborne and Dorothy Tichborne. He died in 1609 in Wells, Somerset, England. When he was 31, he married Anne Milborne, daughter of George Milborne and Julian Gerard, about 1576 in England. Richard Samborne was buried on 25 May 1609 in Wells, Somerset, England at St. Cuthbert Church. 

19  Richard Samborne was baptized on 21 February 1579/80 in Timsbury, Hampshire, England as the second child of Richard Samborne and Anne Milborne. He died before 1631 in England. When he was 39, he married Ann Bachilder, daughter of Rev. Stephen Bachiler and Anne Bate, about 1618 in England. 

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.