Although I thought the show was fascinating, I never thought about actually looking at the diary as I just assumed it had nothing to with my family. However in 2005, while working on my Dad's Cottle's ancestral family, I had come across a reference to Martha Ballard's diary. I was quite surprised to see that Martha Ballard had mentioned my ancestors more than once and she had attended the births of at least 3 of my family member's births. It revealed the birth of an unknown child in which the diary is the only record of this birth. This connection was not the only interesting part of my ancestor's life, but as I dug deeper in the family history, the final years of my ancestor's life was also mired in legal paperwork and fighting among the children over their mother's care and estate.
Rhoda
Manchester, my 5th great-grandmother, was born about 1758 in Tisbury, Massachusetts as the first child of Thomas Manchester and Eunice Norton, When she was 18, she married Isaac Cottle, on 25 August 1776 in Tisbury, Massachusetts. They resided in Tisbury until 1785, when the family moved to Hallowell, Maine. They would have 16 children together. Martha Ballard, the area midwife recorded her trips the Cottle household for the births of three children. Despite the fact that it was Rhoda Cottle having the babies, Martha still recorded them as the children of Mr. Cottle.
The first mention was for the birth Rhoda’s 5th daughter and 9th
child on April 27, 1791 [named Jane].
The diary recorded that Martha was called at 10am in the morning and
arrived there at 1pm and Mrs. Cottle was unwell, and remained “poorly” on the
26th and then on the 27th she left Mrs. Cottle after the birth “of a fine daughter.” Ten years later Martha Ballard was called for the birth of Mr.
Cottle's 15th child and 6th son on June 4 1801 [named
Charles].
The
last child of Isaac and Rhoda Cottle had never been recorded except in Martha
Ballard’s diary. On October 31, 1803, Martha recorded the birth of Mr. Cottle’s
10th daughter and 16th child. Martha “tarrid” all night and received a “9/”
for a reward. At the time, Rhoda Cottle was 45 years old and it was her last known child. Sadly her diary recorded
the fate of this last child. She was
informed “Mr. Cottle’s youngest child was interred this day, 17 November
1804." No cause of death was recorded.
In 1814, Rhoda's husband died on January 31st, The probate of his estate named his widow, Rhoda and their 15 children which almost all family histories list as their only children.
In
1838, when Rhoda was about 80 years old, she began to suffer both
physically and mentally and so began a legal process of finding guardianship
for her and her estate. This would also begin a
dispute between her children with accusations of mismanagement by guardians
including two of her sons. The following
are excerpts from Kennebec County Probate, docket C-15:
On September 10, 1838, Charles Cottle, John Shed Jr., Sewall Longfellow, Wm R.
Sanford, Samuel Cottle, Seguin Lyon and Josiah Shed, petitioned the Probate
judge that "Rhoda Cottle of Augusta is a very aged person and by reason of
her infirmities of mind and body incapable of taking care of her herself"
and that a guardian be appointed to take of herself and estate. Rhoda Cottle requested that Eliab Lyon be her
guardian, this was signed by herself and witnessed by Abner Cottle and Ananias
Cottle.
September 13, 1838, Rhoda Cottle requested that Eliab Lyon be her appointed her
guardian. On September 14, 1838, a decree was issued that Rhoda was a person
non-compos mentis and a guardian be appointed for her which was Eliab Lyon.
On
the 17th of September 1838, Isaac Cottle of Augusta, yeoman
petitioned that Eliab Lyon of Readfield who has been appointed guardian for
Rhoda Cottle, widow, and without knowledge of even suspicion of the
undersigned as one of her sons, who is under contract in relation to her support
as appears by the entry itself, that said Lyon is not satisfactory to the
undersigned and wholly unsuitable for the trust and ought not to be continued
in the office of guardian. Your
petitioner therefore prays that the said Eliab Lyon Jr, may be dismissed from
said office and trust and that other suitable person may be appointed.
Almost
2 years later on April 7, 1840, the undersigned request that John Cottle of
Windsor be her guardian as she had made choice for him for that purpose, signed
by Rhoda Cottle herself. On April 8, 1840,
John Cottle was appointed guardian of Rhoda Cottle. Charles Cottle and Francis
Davis were sureties.
Within
a month on May 30,1840 at Mount Vernon, "Roddy Cottle" had asked that John Cottle
be removed as guardian. The petition was signed by Isaiah Cottle, Annanias Cottle, Thomas
Cottle, Isaac Cottle, Charles Cottle, Abner Cottle, John Rollins, Joshua
Bartlett, and Bela Gilman. None of the daughters of Rhoda signed this document.
Then
on May 31,1840 at Augusta, The undersigned children of Rhoda Cottle represent
that John Cottle, her son was appointed guardian of Rhoda Cottle, non compos
mentis, without knowledge of and against the wishes of all her children except
himself and Charles Cottle with whom she lives and who exercises over her
complete and absolute control, that said John Cottle since taking upon him that
trust has misspent and wasted her estate and has been improvident and careless
of the same having leased to himself the farm for a small sum of ten dollars
when more than five times that sum could have been obtained. That said, John Cottle is intemperate and
wholly unsuitable to discharge the trust upon him, that therefore pray that
John Cottle be dismissed from said office and trust and Cyrus Gould of Augusta
or Adam Wing of Sidney or Deacon Shadrach Rollins of Belgrade or some other
suitable person may be appointed in his stead.
Signed by Abner Cottle, Isaac Cottle, Annanias Cottle, Nancy Bowman,
David Bowman, Isaiah Cottle and Sarah Richardson.
On June 9. 1840, John Cottle was summoned to appear in court in regards to the
petition for his removal as guardian of Rhoda Cottle.
On
the 31st of May 1841, The undersigned state that an application by
Abner Cottle and others for the removal of John Cottle as guardian of Rhoda Cottle
was signed May 31, 1840 and presented to the Probate Court on the 2nd Tuesday
in June 1840, that same specific the reason upon which the removal was
requested - that a full hearing not having been had, the undersigned requests
the subject may be furthered considered and a final disportion made thereof as
soon as may be. Signed by Abner Cottle
and Isaac Cottle. The Judge ordered a
special court be held in Augusta on the 17th of June 1841.
In
December 1842. James McCobb was appointed guardian of Rhoda Cottle. Then after four years in April 1846, another
petition appears as James McCobb, guardian of Rhoda Cottle had moved from the
county and he requested he be discharged and that Ephraim Ballard be appointed
in his stead. James McCobb submitted his
account of debts he incurred while guardian of the estate of Rhoda Cottle
totaling $32.50.
April 25, 1846, Rhoda Cottle requested that the selectman of Augusta be made her
guardians, witnessed by Charles Cottle.
On April 27, 1846, Ephraim Ballard was appointed guardian of Rhoda
Cottle. Ephraim was the grandson of
Martha Ballard, the midwife who had attended the births of 3 of Rhoda’s
children. Ephraim being of the same name of his
grandfather, husband of Martha Ballard.
In
1850, Rhoda Cottle, age 94 was living in Augusta, Maine in the household of
Charles and Louisa Cottle, her son and daughter-in-law.
An
account of expenses of Ephraim Ballard as guardian of Rhoda Cottle was
submitted covering the dates between 27 April 1846 to July 1850. Charles Cottle was paid for support of his
mother for two years 1848 and 1849 as per agreement with the selectman of
Augusta. A final account of Ephraim
Ballard, guardian of Rhoda Cottle, late of Augusta, deceased covered the rent
for the farm from May 1, 1850 to Sept. 19, 1851 and expenses paid.
Her
death was recorded in the Kennebec
Journal on 2 October 1851 “In Kennebec, Mrs. Rhoda Cottle, aged 95.” Kennebec being the area now part of
Manchester, Maine. However it appears that Rhoda had passed before the newspaper account of her death.
