They Aren’t Genealogy Rabbit Holes they are Gopher Networks
Posted on November 7, 2021 8 Comments
We’ve had it wrong. Genealogists who go off on tangents who hop from this to that chasing rabbits back to their dens, we have the wrong metaphor. I have both hares and gophers in my backyard so I am surprised I did not figure this out earlier. But here goes…you know the drill you are looking for anything you can find on great-great-granny Emeline Jones and before you know it you are looking at her brother’s, Civil War pension file (he died in the Civil War), which reminds you, that you need to look for that Revolutionary War record for another ancestor. Then while you are at it before long, you are looking up historic maps of the area to see how close they lived to the battlefield, when you realize there’s a diary about a neighbor to your ancestors who wrote about the battle and off you go searching for a copy… and so forth and so on.
This method of research has been dubbed by my friend, George Sheldon, as Kelly’s rabbit hole Genealogy. But yesterday I had to correct him. It really is the gopher method. And the metaphor is perfect. You “go for” one thing and end up with lots of things you weren’t even looking for. You dig, and dig and dig and sometimes run in to stones and even a brick wall or concrete foundation and you just keep digging. Did you know a gopher can move up to 2 1/2 tons of soil a year? I am pretty sure I visit at least 5,000 web pages this year alone, if not this month.
Well I want to tell you about some heavy digging I did this past week. I started off working on my last blog post about the Fleur de lis, but that got me thinking very far afield. Asking “why” is all the enticement a gopher needs to start digging. But the why did John Shelden choose a Fleur de Lis embellished initials for a sheep brand in Colonial America was not a simple rabbit hole it led to a network of intertwined passageways back in time. And where did I end up? Two very interesting records. First, The register of the guild of Knowle in the county of Warwick, 1451-1535. Look at the beautiful pages of the illuminated manuscript here. And this is a black and white version of one of the pages :
So you might be wondering why would she be looking in the 1400-1500’s record of the town of Knowle? Because I can is the short answer. But before I truly answer the question I must share with you my research question. My question is a deceptively simple one: Where did the two early SHELDONs in America come from in England? This question has been asked hundreds of times in the past three hundred plus years and still there has been no answer. The best research was accomplished by E.Hortense Sheldon in her treatise Sheldon’s Prior to 1700 published in 1961. I have worked on this question in earnest with Dale SHELDON over the past 6 years including two research trips to England together.
A gopher can dig 6 feet deep and have a network of tunnels covering 200 to 2,000 square feet. That’s more than 1/5 of an acre and in my yard it’s closer to 1/2 acre overall. That’s because gophers are social animals. They move in, they bring their friends and family.
Again a perfect metaphor. We are researching the origins of two SHELDON men whose DNA has revealed they are closely related. One is an Isaac SHELDON who appears to have come to Windsor, Connecticut in 1639. The other is a John SHELDON who first appears in Newport RI in 1652 and ends up in Kingstown, Rhode Island. We do not know the exact relationship of the two men, they could be father and son or cousins but we know they share the same YDNA signature. To date the SHELDON DNA Project has sponsored a dozen YDNA kits for those with recent English ancestry and to date not a single one has matched the descendants of Isaac and John (of which 41 have tested and they all match each other). So where does one turn?
My answer to that question was two-fold. First, I decided to focus on all the early settlers of Windsor, Connecticut. And also of Kingstown, Rhode Island with a nod to early associates of John SHELDEN there and in Newport, Rhode Island (but I am not including them in this post). So what did I do? I worked backwards from these founders first sifting through to find any that either were from Warwickshire, England or did not have a place of origin identified or the identification was sketchy at best. And that’s what led to one Reverend Ephraim HUIT (HEWITT) who came to Windsor in 1639. And he is incredibly important because he arrives in Windsor about the same time that Isaac SHELDON shows up in the records and some have Isaac as being a part of a contingent who came from England with HUITT. The others arriving about this time in Windsor came from Dorchester, Massachusetts. By looking at the origins of these early settlers I can place them in two groups. Those who likely came with Rev. Huit and those that came from Dorchester. (The Dorchester group have origins in Somerset, Devon and Dorset , England.)
And second was to work forward from the records back in England. We are lucky that we know a bit about Rev. HUIT from the historical record. He studied at Cambridge and matriculated in 1611. He married Isabel OVERTON the 22nd of April, 1622 at Tarvin, Cheshire, England. It has been estimated he was born about 1592 but this is based on current age at graduation. During this time frame he might have been between 14-16 at graduation, so an estimate would more like be 1593-1597. Based on his marriage date of 1622 this might have been closer to 1697. He was first a curate at Knowle and then a Chaplain at Wroxall. He ran afoul of William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury with his Puritan teachings and ends up robbed of his livelihood, he immigrates to America.
So where would one look for records of Wroxall? Well perhaps in the Records of Wroxall Abbey and Manor, Warwickshire John William Ryland London 1903. And we can find many things there but of note is the lack of parish registers between 1604-1641, except for one critical page from 1634. Please note: “Sarah Huitt the daughter of Ephraim Huit & Isabel his wife bapt. at Wroxall August the 10 1634.” It does not get any better than that! ALso note there is a GRESWOLD (aka GRISWOLD) on the page.
So my list of early settlers of Windsor filtering out those that came with the Dorchester group looks like this:
- Rev Ephraim HUIT bc 1597 prob Warwickshire. Definitely at Knowle and then Wroxall
- Daniel CLARK b 1639 said to be of Wroxil. We find a Daniel Clarke bpt 1608/9 at Wolston, Warcs.
- John BISSELL bc 1590 & alleged brother Thomas 1589. We find John BYSSEL bpt 16 Nov 1590 Sheldon, Warcs. ao of William and one Thomas BYSSELL bpt 24 Feb 1588/89 son of John
- John DRAKE Known to have married at Hampton in Arden, Warcs. to Lettice SHAXSPEARE 25 Jun 1615
- Francis GRISWOLD bpt 10 Jan 1605 at Wootton Wawen, Warcs; son of Clement
- Edward GRISWOLD bpt 26 Jul 1607 at Wootton Wawen, Warcs; Son of George
- John MASON bc 1605 We find a John Mason bpt 21 Oct 1607 at Ladbroke son of Thomas & Joice (he did not have a Thomas or Joyce)
- George PHILIPS bc 1592 NO ISSUE We find George bpt 29 Dec 1583 at Eastham, Warcs. son of Nicholas PHILLIPS
- John PORTER bc 1610 We find bpt 13 Dec 1612 John Porter at Sutton Coldfield son of John PORTER
- Isaac SHELDON bc 1610 We find no baptisms for an Isaac SHELDON in this time frame anywhere in England.
- John TAYLOR bc 1605 uncertain he died at sea abt 1645. There are many possibilities for John in Warcs. But an interesting one is John TALOR bpt 6 Nov 1604 at Whichford, son of William
- William TILTON bc 1586 we find bpt 15 feb 1586 at Wolston, Warcs son of John. William we know had sons Peter, Abraham, Samuel and Daniel. We also find a bpt for a Peter 2 Apr 1620 at Wolston son of William
Twelve men. Of those, seven are solidly from Warwickshire: HUITT, CLARKE, BISSELL, DRAKE, GRISWOLD & TILTON And four are a bit more speculative: MASON, PHILIPS, PORTER & SHELDON.
Which leads me back to The register of the guild of Knowle in the county of Warwick, 1451-1535. and the early Visitations of Warwickshire. Why you may be asking. To see how long these families had been in the area. All twelve surnames are represented in the Guild of Knowle. All are very well represented except Tilton that has only one mention. The Guild of Knowle covered a very large geographic area which included parts of Worcestershire. These guilds often had a religious affiliation, provided for the poor and were a network of clergy, gentry, craftsmen and merchants. It was a fraternal association that fostered relationships be they personal or business. So they are an excellent way to find families before parish registers are to be found. And unlike the Visitation books they include the merchant and craftsperson classes.
There’s of course more to this story but here’s several RESEARCH POINTS
- When you can’t find something about your ancestor look at who his friends and associates are, track every last one down looking for clues
- Chase down every lead—every gopher hole
- Pay attention to surnames that pop up frequently when you are looking at your own
- Work backwards and forwards in time
- Don’t be persuaded by someone else’s sloppy research or speculations—they may be wrong (this is certainly the case with Ephraim Huit whose family goes back in Warwickshire for many centuries and is not of Cheshire as some speculate.)
When we are working in the 17th century backwards the records are often missing or incomplete so we have to search for every tidbit we can. That means unearthing lots of dirt hoping for a few diamonds in the rough. To be continued…
Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved.
The Mystery of the Fleur-de Lis: Why would John SHELDEN / SHELDON use this symbol in his sheep brand?
Posted on November 6, 2021 9 Comments
You just never know what mysteries you will be presented with in your research and how sometimes there is very little to be found about them. Such is the case of John SHELDEN’s [John of Kingstown] sheep brand as registered in South Kingstown, Rhode Island in 1705. You might think why does it matter—and perhaps it doesn’t. However John SHELDEN and his origins are a long standing conundrum—so faced with such a dearth of information one (at least this one) has a tendency to follow any possible lead.
Before further exploring John SHELDEN’s brand, I want to point out the Brand above his, is for a James PERRY which may seem curious as his brand has a S imposed on a P. I suspect that this is because his father Samuel PERRY of Sandwich, MA would have been required to have a “S” for Sandwich and added the “P” and when James moved to South KINGSTOWN he took his father’s brand with him. This would not have been unusual as brands tended to be hereditary or passed through families.
Below is the brand of John Sheldon: “John Shelden his Marke is A slit in the Right Eare And A Crop on the Left Eare and A Afore Gad in the Same Eare his brandes JS on the Neare Buttuck”. When a J was used on other brands they also didn’t have the hook and did have a line through the center, but only John’s is topped with a fleur-de-lis.
ON BRANDING
It is claimed that on February 5, 1644, Connecticut enacted the first branding law in the colonies. The act called for livestock owners to ear-mark or brand their cattle, sheep, and swine that were over 6 months of age by May 1, 1644, and to register their marks in the town book. Livestock owners would be fined if found in violation “thirty-four cents a head,” with half allocated to the complainer and the other half to the town treasury. Earlier on the 7th of June 1637 the New Plymouth Court pg 118 “It is also agreed by the bench that all that have not brought in their eare marks of their cattle betwixt this and the next court shall be fyned in default thereof at the descretion of the bench.” In 1658 a copy of Plymouth Colony Laws appears in the Rehoboth Book of Law’s and it proscribes “the Markes for horses for Distinctions of the Townes ffor Plymouth a P on the neer buttocke, ffor Duxburrow a D on the nere buttocke” and so forth…. Rehoboth Book of Laws pg 84. May 7 1662 Massachusetts records Vol 112 pg 138 General Court Order Approving proposed nrand mark and referring the Selectmen to the Law for the ordering and raising of taxe in each town. Kingstown records sheep brands beginning in July of 1696. As livestock became more prevalent in an area the need for branding or ear marking obviously became more necessary.
BACKGROUND
The John SHELDEN of the brand above is the son of John SHELDEN Sr. bc 1630, who died between 1697 and August of 1704 when his son John Jr wrote his will [at South Kingstown, RI] and mentioned his “late father”. What we know of the Eldest John SHELDEN is actually not very much. The first evidence is 13 October 1652 when John Sheldon [Sr.] and Richard Knight witness a covenant between Peter Easton and Henry Stevens, both of Newport, RI. So we can first place him in America is in 1652. When and wherefore he came from is a long standing question. That little Fleur de Lis, just another in an endless list of possible clues as to his origins.
MEANING of the FLEUR de LIS
A possible list of associations
- Symbol of the Virgin Mary
- Symbol of Purity
- Symbol of the Holy Trinity
- Symbol of Catholicism in Protestant England
- Symbol of French Royalty
- Heraldic Symbol
- Makers Mark Symbol
I cannot shake the idea that the fleur- de-lis was used on the sheep brand of John SHELDEN for a reason and not because it was just a random symbol that he liked. The intricacy and skill at executing such a brand was beyond any of the others recorded. As a mark is a “symbol” of the owner it suggests in of itself a specific meaning and almost all the marks contained the initials of their owner. So why the fleur- de-lis?
WAS THERE A CATHOLIC CONNECTION?
We know that prior to the reformation under King Henry VIII all of England was Catholic. And afterward except for the brief period under his daughter Mary I “Bloody Mary” (1553-1558) Catholicism in England was either persecuted or barely tolerated. Then came James IV of Scotland who became a Catholic in 1670 and the King of England as James II in 1685-1688. [The date of the brand registration is 1705.] We know that the SHELDONs of Beoley and Broadway were devout Catholics. We know that a Robert GRISSOLD (GRESWOLD), son of John and Isabel GRISSOLD of Rownington, Warwickshire became a martyr to his faith in 1603 when he and a Catholic priest by the name of John SUGAR were arrested. John Sugar had been ministering to Catholics in the area [on foot] and had been saying mass at Baddesley Clinton. More about Baddesley Clinton shortly. At this time Robert GRISSOLD was described as a husbandman and servant to a Mr SHELDON of Broadway. Both John SUGAR and Robert GRISSOLD were sentenced to death. Robert GRISSOLD was given the opportunity to renounce his faith, but he would not and was hung, a slightly better fate than John Sugar who was hung and quartered. Robert GRISSOLD was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1987. Mr SHELDON of Broadway was likely William SHELDON, Lord of the Manor, who died in 1626. Broadway and Rowington lie a good 25 miles apart so an interesting association that a servant to Mr SHELDON of Broadway should be living in Rowington and attending to the priest John SUGAR. William SHELDON’s wealth came in large part from his uncle Ralph SHELDON.
The monks of Pershore owned the parish of Broadway for hundreds of years. In 1533 a disagreement between the Abbot of Pershore and his tenant farmers ensued. Ralph SHELDON was a representative of the tenants to the then Abbot John STONYWELL. They seemed to have had a long standing civil, if not contentious relationship. Three years later with King Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries Ralph SHELDON became the first lessee and later the land owner of much of the Catholic church’s previous land holdings through Pershore Abbey. In 1539 leases of 80 years each were granted by the Abbot of Pershore to Ralph SHELDON for the Manors at Abberton and Broadway.
When Ralph SHELDON wrote his will 28 March 1545 he wrote “oure souveraigne Lord Henry the eight by the Grace of God, King of Englande, Fraunce and Irelande as Defender of the Faith and in the Church of Inglonde and also of Irelande in erth the Supreme Head” and that he bequeaths his “soull unto Almightie God and our Lady Saint Mary and to all the Holy Company”, and he directed that “every priest that shall be at my dirge and mass to have 12d, And every clerk that can sing to have 4d, and to other that cannot sing 2d. I will that a priest shall sing for me, my father and mother, my brother William and Baldwin Heath and Agnes Heath’s souls and all expired souls, Immediately after my decease five years in our Lady Chapel at Beoley or Abberton at the discretion of my wife and William Sheldon my son.” December 25 1570. His remains lie at the Lady Chapel [now known as the SHELDON Chapel] at Beoley and the latin marble ledger reads in part:
“To God, the best and greatest
This marble covers the body of William Sheldon, esquire, whose flame aroused by death returned to Heaven and there amid its kindred stars it burns and shines. He, devoted to his aged father, faithful to an unhappy King, loyal to the religion of his sires, succeeded late in life to a rich estate. Suddenly deprived of it on account of his inviolable loyalty to his King, he never mourned for it, but with equanimity bore its loss during his life. He pleased God by his uprightness; his contemporaries by his courtesy; the poor by his generosity; the world by his goodness.“
Of further note is a meeting that occured in Broadway in June 1644 when King Charles I rode through to Worcester to secure the Royalist garrison. He travelled back through Broadway en route to his base at Oxford and spent the night at the home of Mr SAVAGE, a Royalist supporter. [Mr Savage’s daughter Ann married William SHELDON’s son William about 1619.] In May 1645 King Charles I again was in Broadway and spent the night at the “Lygon Arms” where he met with William SHELDON, the Lord of the Manor. There was a pronounced connection between the gentry of Worcestershire and Warwickshire and the Catholic Church that may have been as much political as ecclesiastical, as seen above. It was not always easy to discern what side one was on and could have dire consequences if not on the correct side.
Due to DNA evidence we know that Isaac SHELDON of Windsor, Connecticut and John SHELDEN of Newport and Kingstown, Rhode Island are closely related and possibly father and son. We highly suspect that Isaac SHELDON immigrated in 1639 with Rev Ephraim HUITT, [perhaps with two sons Isaac Jr and John, both born in England]. Rev Ephraim HUITT was a curate at Knowle and later settled at Wroxhall as rector in 1626. In 1638 he incurred the displeasure of William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury (appointed by King Charles I). In 1638 Laud commented in a report on Huit: “He hath taken upon him to keep fasts in his Parish by his own appointment and hath contemned [reject with disdain] the decent ceremonies commended by the Church. My Lord the Bishop of Worcester proceeds against him and intends to either reform or punish him.” This likely precipitating his immigration to the American colonies where he joined the Rev. John Wareham in Windsor.
Wroxhall would be at the location of the former Benedictine Abbey and Priory. Just 5 miles to the north is Knowle. where we find the Guild of St Anne where we find many of the prominent families of the area. The Guild was a religious & charitable association founded in 1413. At its peak it had over 3,000 members, including senior clergymen and local gentry including the LUCY’s of Charlecote, the FERRER’s of Baddesley Clinton, the FETHERSTONE’s of Packwood, the THROCKMORTON’s of Coughton. Walter Cook founded in 1416 the College of Knowle, a religious institution providing a communal life for its resident priests. Both Guild and College were dissolved at the Reformation in 1547 and their property confiscated. The second Guild register (1451-1535) survived is at the Birmingham Reference Library. Here we find “Willffi Sheldon et vi eius de Beley” in 1486 [trans William Sheldon and his wife of Beoley.] Then in 1514 “Thomas Sheldon of Warwick,” in 1520 “Richard Sheldon & catryn“
BADDESLEY CLINTON
Returning to Baddesley Clinton the manor originally belonged to the BROME family but at the time of GRISSOLD’s arrest it would have passed from Nicholas BROME to his daughter, Constania, who married Sir Edward FERRERs. The FERRERs were Catholic recusants and there were three priest holes [hiding places] at Baddesley Clinton. One off the Moat Room, one leading into a ceiling space and a third in an old privy.
From the Reformation forward most Catholics considered it too risky to keep records. The earliest extant non-London Catholic register is a priest’s notebook for Baddesley Clinton which begins in 1657, but for most places registers do not begin until the late 1700’s. Looking closely at the map you can see that Wroxall lies in the province of Wroxall Abbey which was a Nunnery but further back there was a Benedictine Priory of St Leonard going back to 1135.
Here is a window from Baddesley Clinton showing the FERRER arms halved with that of the HEXSTALL. Notice anything interesting?
So putting these things together we have these curiosities:
- Ralph SHELDON of Broadway benefits from the Dissolution of the monasteries
- The Dissolution also impacts the Priory of St Leonard, a nunnery which was supported by the BROME and Ferrer’s families
- Mr [William] SHELDON of Broadway’s servant Robert GRISSOLD of Rowington is arrested and hung in 1603 for being unwilling to renounce his Catholic faith and his association with the priest John Sugar who was conducting mass at Baddesley Clinton. [Distance from Broadway to Rowington about 26 miles–somewhat a curious connection]
- Rev. Ephraim HUITT of Knowle and then Wroxall emigrates to America in 1639 after being condemned by William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Isaac SHELDON who appears in the Windsor records in 1640 may have come with Rev. HUITT. others that “appear” to have come with him from Warwickshire are Edward GRISWOLD, John BISSEL, Daniel CLARK, Peter TILTON & perhaps John PORTE
- William SHELDON of Broadway meets with King Charles I in 1645
- Earliest extant Catholic records outside of London are for Baddesley Clinton beginning in 1657
- John SHELDEN of Newport is arrested for drunkenness and talking badly of the Lord Protector (Lord Oliver Cromwell) January 6, 1657.
- 1705 a Fleur-de-lis adorns the brand of John SHELDEN of South Kingstown, Rhode Island
So at this point we cannot say for certain the meaning of the Fleur de Lys of the SHELDEN brand found in South Kingstown, but one thing we can see are there are some strong Catholic connections and we have lots more to come on early founders of South KIngstown and Windsor Connecticut.
Further References
Hallmarks, Touchmarks and Guilds
SIlversmith Jeremiah Dummer of Newbury MA used a heart with his initials inside and a fleur de lys
Guildford-Saybrook Chests commonly used ROse, thistle and Fleur de Lis.
Colonial clay pipes were often stamped with a Fleur de lis
EUROPEAN CLAY PIPE MARKS FROM 17TH CENTURY ONONDAGA IROQUOIS SITES
Hallmarks on Gold and Silver Plate
Thanks to Dale SHELDON who did all the driving on our previous research trips to England and his help with this research. This is also published as a blog post over at SheldonGenealogy.org
Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All Right Reserved.
Drunkards & Lunatics: The Case for Original Records & Research
Posted on October 29, 2021 1 Comment
I cut my teeth in genealogy back in the early 1970’s when I spent many a day in the Prothonotary’s Office of Cameron County Pennsylvania in Emporium. Emporium is the county seat and its population has averaged between 2,000-3,000 for most of its last 150 years. So not a very big place and when I was visiting the courthouse back in the day—I very rarely shared the room, where all the records were kept, with anyone. There were row after row of MARRIAGE, DEATHS, BIRTHS, DEEDS and ORPHANS COURT Dockets. But there was one Docket that always piqued my interest: the LUNATICS and DRUNKARDS Docket. After several months visiting regularly I got up my courage to ask the Prothonotary the purpose of the LUNATICS and DRUNKARDS Docket. Ah she says, “the only way you could get a divorce, back in the day, was if your spouse was a LUNATIC or a DRUNKARD.” So that is how I learned about the DIVORCE docket. I also eventually ventured down into the musty basement where old tax lists and naturalizations resided. You never know unless you ask.
Sometimes the best research is just sticking your nose wherever you can. I am currently doing some research on King Philip’s War and my research into several Massachusetts and Rhode Island towns is informing my research in a way that is somewhat surprising even to me. In 1899 , Carolyn Hazard in her monograph The Narragansett Friends’ meeting in the xviii century, with a chapter on Quaker beginnings in Rhode Island wrote about the Friends Meeting House located on the ridge of Tower Hill on the Old Pequot Trail in present day South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Furthermore she states it was destroyed in December 1675 and many were killed inside when it was attacked by the Narragansett natives. Then in 1902 in The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the End of the Century: A History Vol I we read: “On the 15th of December 1675, the garrison house of Jireh Bull…was attacked and fifteen persons killed, the house was destroyed and only two of the inmates succeeded in escaping.” Ms Hazard states “It was the destruction of this house which was the actual incitement to the Great Swamp Fight, which practically exterminated the Indians, putting an end to King Philip’s War.” And yet in two thesis papers and 6 books I read on King Philip’s War published in the past 25 years, none mentioned this at all. And while not justification for the slaughter of the Narragansett that ensued it is an important part of the story. I do wish to recommend two books with original sourced scholarship. Richard Le Baron Bowen’s 4 Vol Early Rehoboth published in 1948 and Our Beloved Kin: A New History of King Philip’s War by Lisa Brooks from 2018. Ms. Brooks adds one more piece to the puzzle. Three months before the Narragansett attack of the meeting house its owner Jeriah Bull was encouraging settlement in the Pettaquamscutt Purchase. This was the native answer to the ever increasing English takeover of Narragansett lands. The original records matter more than a thousand recitations of the victor’s justification for the way things turned out and a wholesale whitewashed of history. [Pun intended.]
Which brings me to another deep dive and observation. There are records, never published, that reside in courthouses and archives that add much to the personal stories of our ancestors. In my brief visit to the South Kingstown, Rhode Island Town Records Office I turned up a list of sheep marks and brands beginning in 1697. There are a total of 84 listed for the period from 1697-1722. Most are simply the initials of the recorder. One of the persons that interested me is for John SHELDEN. Here is the listing for his marke.
“John SHELDEN his Marke is a Slit in the Right Eare and a Crop on the Left Eare and A for Gad in the Same Eare his brand is JS on the neare Buttuck.” What immediately stood out to me was the Fleur-de-lis at the top of the J. [Please note the Capital “I” with a cross hatch is actually a “J”]. I only took a photo of the whole page and this closeup but it really struck me that this was how unusual this was. So I decided to take a longer look at all the registrations so I visited my local Family Search Library affiliate and copied all the pages of brands.
John SHELDEN is the first to be recorded with the initials “JS” so the Fleur-de-lis does not appear to be an embellishment to distinguish his brand from John SMITH [but it effectively does] as seen above whose brand is on the neare Buttuck. Or from John SEGER who brand was on the Left Buttuck. You will also note that most of the brands including those on these two pages are simple initials. We have a couple more creative ones.
William BROWN combines his B on top of the W. Robert KNOWLES uses a backwards R with a K and finally William Mumford has a circle with a cross. But no other has a Fleur-de-lis or the intricacy of John SHELDEN’s brand. I will have a future blog post on the possible meaning or implications, but this bit of detail is lost if you do not look at the original records. And as I have previously mentioned the color photo I took in person is far more appealing than the black and white images. And if you are so inclined try doing a Google search on Animal Branding in the colonies—someone wanting to do a book could significantly add to what is out there…
My point is that unless you look at records in person or chase down every possible angle of a historical event or family history you will miss so much of the story, your ancestors invite you to tell. Looking at the records from the viewpoint of the Narragansett, the Wampanoag and the Sakonnet as well as that from the residents of the towns of Seekonk, Little Compton, Providence, Swansea, Rehoboth, Kingstown, Newport and Portsmouth and from the various religious perspectives: Quakers, Puritans, Congregationalists, Baptists etc. gives a much fuller picture of the context of our ancestors lives. Do not assume that everything that can be discovered or written has already been done. It hasn’t and you can do it.
Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All RIghts Reserved.
Location, Location, Location: Finding Records Look EVERYWHERE Part 2
Posted on October 20, 2021 1 Comment
In my last post on locations I failed to mention a few things that caused me some frustration today. I only had a couple of hours to photograph records when I was in South Kingstown RI. While I was there the clerk mentioned the earliest records were actually in North Kingstown which I did not have time to visit. So today I went to my local Family Search Library affiliate to see what I could find in North Kingstown Records. It was very frustrating to say the least. I also mentioned in my last post that Family Search had finished digitizing their microfilm records—wonderful. But their records, are digitizations of old microfilms, and there may be many items on the same film and they are not always in order, nor are they intuitive. I could not find several records I had looked at in person! I will have to go back and look through page by page. There is an advantage in looking at records page by page as I did in person, as sometimes records you don’t expect are found in odd places.
But here is a happy accident. The records for North Kingstown were badly burned and water damaged in 1870. However much earlier in when South Kingston began their records they copied the united Kingstown records (held in North Kingstown) into their ledgers. So this record is the Will and Inventory of John Sheldon from the South Kingston Record Book 1.
Looks like this in North Kingstown where it was originally recorded:
So if you are looking for early records of Kingstown you are better off looking in South Kingstown rather than North Kingstown even though the records are supposed to go further back in North Kingstown! I don’t know about you but I think the South Kingstown is more complete and easier to read! This also points out the difference between Photographing the original records versus looking at a copy online!
Which brings me to another issue which I have seen many times (especially in Massachusetts) there are often many copies of early records and/or transcriptions. Sometimes it’s good to use both originals and later transcriptions. Sometimes it is hard to figure out which is the oldest. So here are some things to keep in mind while researching early records
FINDING & COPYING EARLY RECORDS
- Visit in person when at all possible
- Photograph records rather than scanning old records (less handling & less chance of harm)
- Look in nearby communities—records aren’t always where you think they might be
- Look in every old record you can find—Births can be recorded in Town Meeting Records books or in Probate Records. Land Records may be in Probate books etc.
- Later Indexes do not always refer to the page numbers of the original records (especially early ones)
- Digitizations in black and white are harder to read than the originals
- If you photograph records you can later adjust exposure and contrast to make the records easier to read
- Be persistent, if you have time look at every record page by page
- Photograph front covers and first pages when possible
Happy hunting!
Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Amid the company of Happy Maidens: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 21
Posted on October 18, 2021 Leave a Comment
July 23 1917 Since noting the past events a number of things have happened. I finished Fannies things $6.00 also a dress for Mrs Fish $6.00 a skirt and waist for myself w white dress for E. [Eilene] and other things. On the 16th E. [Eilene] was sick and I had all the work to do for a week which put off our trip. At last we are on the way, got started last night on July 22. Frank made a present of a handsome black Cathy suitcase, Frank [Hoffman] is one of the most generous souls I have ever met.
We are rocking along at a lively clip. The long train giving the huge engine plenty to do is belabored throbbing and choo-chooing comes back to us in our superheated Pullman set 13, and its heated breath blows in our little screen window making the atmosphere almost unbearable. We have stripped the baby down to the limit. All day long through Montana and the Milwaukee road have passed the sage brush and are going through rocky hills covered with scrub pines green grass and alfalfa in the little valleys with occasionally a cultivated field, a stream of water and trees, cotttonwoods and willows. More sage bushes which I thought we had passed, train is balanced hand an hour or so and trying to make it up. Will be glad when we cross the Rockies. Lavina [Montana] a pretty village with several pretentious buildings. A place [illegible] Large gray hay barn set in the [Illegible] a old of its with great [Illegible] Field. All aboard suffering from the heat.
Harlowton end of division, beginning of electric line odd comfort, for with the steam engine gone there is no smoke or cinders so we open up the windows right and left and the relief is truly grateful. The scenery has changed to broad ? And alfalfa and other folds, a densely wooded stream occupies til middle distance beyond which are slow rolling hills while far against the evening sky looms the cool purple mountains. Supper over sun nearly done, cooler.
Just left Ringling a scattered hamlet with comfortable buildings , a good schoolhouse, a Catholic church etc. A splendid herd of cattle and the most magnificent string of mountain peaks I have yet seen off to the South East.
Deepening disk. Magnificent scenery pure covered Hanglets[?] rise to the sky so close they it tires the neck to gase [gaze] at their summits. Rock bordered pools reflecting the green trees on their banks.
Tuesday July 24 Dewey’s birthday. En route just passed St Marys, Idaho. The river has broadened the pines are larger and thicker and greener than back in Montana, the beautiful hills and streams and tiny valleys infold to our view in an entrancing panorama.
Plummer Idaho Railroad Junction de Lux Rocks and Rills and wooded Hills. Mica with its brick and tile factory and now Spokane pronounced with a “can’. We are on the Western slope. The Reapers are busy cutting grain. Kelley S Garden paved streets and other first signs of the big city. What a trolley Car! Spokane the once green city with ?? residence parks are behind.
We leave now passed the lumbered Hills and come to the barren sage covered rolling lands with ….a field to show…..regrows to carve a livelihood. The conductor has ….up order Some today. I was real cold last night I had on two woolen blankets. It has grown quite warm again. Ellensburg and 4 oclock. Clouding over and wind rising. Everything green and growing prosperously. Irrigation as transformed the barren waste fields into wheat, flax, alfalfa and wild hay. Fruit orchards in and on thru tunnels over trestles cuts and fills and every other form of road building. Lofty mountains looming snow crowned high, tiny rivulets cascading down the cedar slopes telegraph poles in the making right where they grow stretches of stumpage where they have been cut down gaunt stark trees that perished in the forest fires and a blue huge front are now raging, this all and much more we pass as we near Seattle.
Dec 8, 1917 At home in San Francisco. It seems strange to me that after writing those last lines before arriving at Seattle, I should become so averse to writing in my diary. Or the least thought of it even that I should neglect willingly and contentedly until this moment, when I feel impelled to record a few of the happenings that have grouped themselves around me. From that cold foggy day in July until this beautiful sunny Dec day.
The seasons seemed reversed. Every thing bears a strange exotic impression. The mysteries of life and death and the details of existence in between weigh heavily upon my soul. The Eternal questions went I and what for? have insistently intruded their unanswered presence upon me. I seek the solution. Such wonderful thoughts come crowding in upon me that it is inhospitable to record them. Some day I trust, pray, the Lord will clearly show the way that leads from darkness unto day to even me.
And thus it is and so it will ever be when mortals attempt to think out the unthinkable, explain the unexplainable. Trite staid phrases fail utterly to convey an impression of the state I’m plunged into by the sudden death of my sweet dear young friend, My almost daughter Lois Fryer. [Lois died 4 Dec 1917 daughter of George and Irene Shoup Fryer]
I have mentioned her often in these pages the last few years. I have revelled in her glorious vitalizing personality. I have gloried in her very evident musical talent and proudly showed her much sewing and dressmaking. A quaint old fashioned way she had that at 15 or less she could cook and serve a full course dinner. She had a full powerful voice which rang true. She loved music and learned it without effort, playing at recitals music from Peer Gynt, the Erl King etc.
Full of the joy of life she pressed it every where the baths, the ice place, the beach and automobile tours. Often she would run into my humble room that was glorified by her presence and throwing arms around me would pipe out in her high keen voice O I am so happy. And glowing fair, bubbling over she would tell me how she was going to see Aida and her Alice Gentle sine and then she would sigh and wish she were 17 when the great voice trainer Anthony Juro had promised to take her as a pupil.
O my Lois girl that fate should be so cruel. On your 17th birthday you took sick and less than a week after that you lay a beautiful waxen image of yourself in your white coffin. And so swiftly the harrowing events followed each other after that. Till all that was mortal of you my hearts delight, my pride and pet was consigned to the inexorable fate of the crematory.
Surrounded by heart broken friends, covered by beautiful flowers, the rarest flower of them all, you passed out an angel too heavenly for earth, a spirit of joy and love too fine for this gross planet. They needed you in Heaven with your glorious gift of song to complete the heavenly angel’s choir. Your loving adorable nature soul to pour out anthems of love and adoration to the God of love.
I can see you, my vanished joy, amid the company of happy maidens gathering exotic flowers in the gardens of paradise. Thou are but just gone ahead. We’ll follow soon and join you in the realms if joy forever secure in this love and can never again know the anguish of parting.—–
Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Location, Location Location: Changing Names and Jurisdictions & Finding Records
Posted on October 18, 2021 1 Comment
My recent trip back to Massachusetts underscored the SUPREME importance of understanding a Town’s history. It is not just the names that often changed, but their jurisdictions and sometimes their ACTUAL location.
What do I mean by knowing a Town’s history. Specifically nothing will serve your genealogy research and your family history writing more than understanding the broad historical outlines of a Town’s past. The older the town the more this matters and this is true of European as well as North American Town’s. And one must realize that we sometimes have both civil and ecclesiastical jurisdictions and within those we have different levels of jurisdiction.
I live in California and yet even with a seemingly shorter written history it was a part of Spanish holdings, then Mexico, before becoming part of the United States. Then within California we have Federal, State, County and Town records. In New England and elsewhere we have the addition of Townships in between Counties and Towns. All of these entities have changing jurisdictions and sometimes overlapping ones.
I am going to write about two Town’s I recently visited to give you an idea of why knowing a Town’s history is imperative. First off we have the Town of Rehoboth which currently resides in Bristol County, Massachusetts. Before the arrival of European settlers the area was known to the Wapanog natives as Seaconcke now spelled Seekonk. It was claimed by the Plymouth Colony and the Plymouth Colony included the Southeast part of what later became Massachusetts. So if you are looking for the earliest records of Rehoboth they would be in the Plymouth Colony records. In 1643 the “township” of Rehoboth was organized. So as of 1643 most records were kept by the town of Rehoboth and those records are found at the Rehoboth Town Hall. The formation of Bristol County Massachusetts in 1685 means that Land and Probate records then moved to the County Courthouse in Taunton, Massachusetts; while vital records (births, deaths and marriages) and Town Meeting records remained in the Rehoboth Town Hall.
However the Town of Rehoboth and its Town Hall are not even in the same state or location as the “original” Rehoboth. Furthermore the original township of Rehoboth has been divided into several new Townships including Seekonk, Swansea, East Providence, Attleborough, Cumberland and Pawtucket. The location of the original Seekonk/Rehoboth was the small circled 2 on the above map. The current location of the Town offices are in that little tab in the Northeast corner (adjoining Taunton); a distance of about ten miles as the crow flies. So if you were, as I did many years ago, to take a trip to Rehoboth and did not know its history you might miss the Ring of Green which is the center of the original Rehoboth and it is located in Rumford, Rhode Island ( a part of the township of East Providence) and not in Massachusetts!
Where to find records for REHOBOTH:
- Before 1643: The Plymouth Colony (transcriptions) original in Plymouth (some images here)
- After 1643: Rehoboth Town Hall Rehoboth for Land, Vital, Probate, Town Meetings etc
- After 1685: Probate and Land records move to Taunton, MA
- For that part of Rehoboth that became Swansea, Proprietor’s Records begin in 1667 and Town records begin in 1670 and and so forth for each town that broke off from the original Rehoboth
- After 1862 for records of the original lands on which the “original Rehoboth” resides including Deeds, probate, lands, and town meetings will be found in East Providence
So if you want to make a search of any of these original early records you are going to be visiting many places. However with the completion of the digitization of Family Search’s collection from microfilm you can see the filmed records at any Family Search library or affiliate.
Showing locations of places mentioned in this Blog post.
The second Town, is that of South Kingstown as it is now known, but was originally known as Kings Towne before it was split in half into North and South Kingstown in 1722. And before that it was part of Narragansett Country, the name taken from the tribe who lived their. The Township of Narragansett was carved out of South Kingstown first as an enclave in 1888 and incorporated in 1901. The Township of Kings Towne was founded in 1641 but the records do not begin until 1692. The Town Hall for South Kingston is located in the village of Wakefield, in the township of South Kingstown (sometimes spelled Kingston). Are we confused yet? When it comes to locations and jurisdictions it can get very complicated.
Where to find records for South Kingstown
- Earliest records for the area are going to be in Providence which was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams who purchased land from the Narragansett tribe.
- Next area to be populated that has records pertaining to South Kingston is Portsmouth. Roger Williams helped Anne Hutchinson and followers to purchase Aquidneck Island, where Pocasset (later Portsmouth) was founded in 1638. Portsomouth’s vital records began in 1636 and Town Records in 1638
- In 1639 William Coddington (Quaker) & eight other prominent families left Portsmouth to found Newport. Some of the early inhabitants of South Kingston were from Newport but their early records start about 1647, So before that check Portsmouth.
- The records of the united “Kings Towne” before its split in 1722 are located in North Kingstown. Although founded in 1641 the records do not begin until 1692 for Town records and probates and for vitals 1700. So again you’ll need to check Newport or Portsmouth.
- And finally Land Records begin in 1696 in South Kingstown, Town Meetings in 1704. Within the Land Evidence book are some vital records in the 17th C.
Rather than go into every detail of every place that your ancestors lived please consider taking a deep dive into the history of several places your ancestors lived. I promise you it will be rewarding, especially in terms of writing with more understanding of your ancestors lives.
Please note that early records may contain more than what it says on the title. As above they often contain vitals and other miscellaneous records so if you have the time read through all the earliest records. You may find some gems as in my early post.
PART two of this post is here.
Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Foxes, Wild Cats, Crows & Woodchucks – Negros, Indians & Servants: The Battle for Control in Early Rhode Island as reflected in South Kingstown Records
Posted on October 17, 2021 1 Comment
The joy and horror of reading original colonial town records is the discovery of everyday life in the Colonies. On a recent visit to South Kingston, [Originally named for the Naragansett Indians and later known as Kings town], Rhode Island Town Record office I stumbled upon these records, which were both illuminating and disturbing. What comes through is the constant fear of survival and the need to subjugate others who they feared, whether they be man or beast. Placing our ancestors in context is important to telling the full story. That means sometimes confronting the uncomfortable truths.
American Crow by John J. Audubon courtesy of Brooklyn Museum 
Woodchuck Wikipedia Commons courtesy LadyCamera
1723/24
“Voted that any parson or parsons befound brenging of any heads of any part of the head of either of foxes, wildcats woodchucks or Crowes to any officer in town in order to have a receipt or note for the same denoted to the town treasurer and if it should appeare be done any assist. or Justice of the Peace of this town that the sd heads ware killed in other town that then it shall be Lawfull for the asst or Justice or any of them to cause any person or persons so offending to payment of twenty shillings with cost of prosecution and any person or persons that shall informe against any person so offending and make [illegible] shall have ten shillings out of the fine and the other half shalll be put in to the town treasury and so this town meeting is disolved.”
1726
As much as I might be unsettled by the killing of wildlife the following view into early colonial life is a reminder of man’s inhumanity to man and the brutality with which judgement was rendered.
“Whereas it hath been A Custom For Several Years Past for Indians and Negroes servants and others to Meet to Gather on the Third Week in June Annually In this Town Under the Pretence of Keeping a Sort of Faires, Which hath Proved V ery Prejudicial to the Owners of Such Servants as well as other people , It is therefore voted and enacted by this Town Meeting that For the Future If any such Indians, Negroes Do Meet to Gather in and place in the Town On any of the Days of sd Weack Under a pretence to uphold sd Faire or scandalous Meeting that it shall be Lawfull For any constable to sease such offenders and Carry them before Authority for sd offences Shall be Publick whipd and any One Justice of the Peace May order such offenders to be whipt at his discretion Not exceeding Twenty Stripes, And the offenders to Pay ye Lawfull charge of free persons and if slaves then their Masters to Pay sd charge. ”
“At a Quarter Meeting held at the house of Ichabod Potter Sheffield in So. Kings Town by adjournment of the 13 day of June 1726.“
1739
“In a Town Meeting held at the County House in South Kingstown On our last Tuesday in August being the 28th day of said month Annon Dom. 1739. Ephraim Gardner Esq chosen moderator of said Meeting...
“Voted that Isaac Sheldon Esq. and Wm. Jeffrey Watson be chosen Deputys to sit in the Govt. Assembly to be held in said County House within and for the Colony of Rhode Island on the last Wednesday in October next...”
“Whereas the inhabitants of South Kingstown have suffered great Damage by having their corn pulled up and destroyed by the large sort of Black Birds, which are called Crow Black Birds. And in order to further prevent their doing such vast damages as herefores For the future the Freeman of said Town, have thought proper to endeavour to have them destroyed. Therefore it is voted and enacted by the Freeman of said Town, at their meeting and by the Authority of the town it is enacted, That from and after the first day of March next, And untill the Twentieth day of June next after, And yearly between the said times of the first day of March, and until the Twentieth day of June, if any Person or Persons being inhabitants of said Town, shall kill any of the old Birds of the aforesaid Black Birds, shall receive as a Reward therefor the Sum of three pence pur head for every such old Black Bird as they shall kill as aforesaid in said Town in the aformentioned times, To be paid out of the town treasury os said South Kingstown. Provided the Fact be proved by the Oath or Engagement of the party or otherwise to the satisfaction of the Asistant or Justice of the Peace of said Town. And that such Birds were killed in said time and within said times, And upon its being proved the Asistant or one of the Justices of the Peace shall give a certificate to the Town Treasurer of said Town of the Number of them, which shall be sufficient for him to pay the same Reward.”
“Whereas the Woodchucks is found to be very prejudicial to the inhabitants of South Kingston by eating and tangling their grasp for the preventing weherof for the future Be it voted and Enacted by this Town meeting, And by the Authority of the same, It is voted and enacted that any Person or Persons of South Kingstown that shall kill or destroy any of said Woodchucks as above said, Shall have Six Pence pur head for same. To be paid out of the Town Treasury of said South Kingstown, They first producing a Certificate from some of his majesty’s Justices of the Peace in said Town, And that said person or Persons shall carry said heads of said Woodchucks as they shall Kill, to the Justices as abovesaid, And then make Oath, that they was killed in said Town or some legal Proof equivalent to said Oath or to the satisfaction of said Justice or Justices that the abovesaid Justices shall give a Certificate to the Town Treasurer or as abovesaid in order to receive their pay, And that the Certificate shall be affidavit for him to pay the same. This Town Meeting is disolved. God Save the King.”
The date specific sanctioned killing of crows is interesting as it reflects the days that newly planted corn would be most vulnerable, but also shows a curious acknowledgement that their intention was not to kill all crows, only those that had the misfortune of being caught between the first day of March and the Twentieth day of June. The poor woodchuck had no such reprieve and the bounty was twice as much as that of a crow (3 vs 6 pence) and year round. I would suppose they were a bit harder to find too!
[Note: The Isaac SHELDON3 (1686-1752) noted above was of John1, John2 SHELDON. He is my 7th great grandfather. More on this family in the future]
Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All RIghts reserved.
The Very Best 50th Wedding Anniversary Gift of All
Posted on October 14, 2021 2 Comments
Sometimes we must tell our own family stories.
Back in February of 2021 after we received our first Covid-19 vaccines, we began talking about a trip to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary. I did lots of research and came up with 20 or so places we might go. They ranged from Vancouver Island, BC to Bar Harbor, Maine, as well as places in between like Glacier National Park or a return to the Tetons. I bookmarked many places and to my surprise my husband picked the same place I was thinking I would most like to go, although I didn’t tell him so; a lovely house in the woods in Swansea, MA.
I was a bit surprised, but then I thought we have lived together so long that we like the same sort of places. I was surprised because he usually likes places by the ocean or water. There was a bonus in going back to this area as we both have early roots in Rehoboth and Swansea. I even got an invitation to speak at the Rehoboth Antiquarian Society at the Carpenter Museum and I said, ” I will be back in your area in October if that would work.” I spoke on the YDNA of the Rehoboth Proprietors.
We had a lovely trip visiting Cape Cod on our first full day. I had gone back and forth about visiting the Hall Family Cemetery in North Dennis. The reason being, there are no stones for my particular ancestors but it is likely located on the lands of one of my two William ALLENs. Find a Grave had the wrong location but a friendly walker pointed the way. (Across the Street, down a driveway to a footpath in the woods.) A charming cemetery in a very lovely area of Cape Cod). Mushrooms everywhere. We had lunch on Mayflower Beach, not by plan but by happy accident.
Then we made our way out to Provincetown where the Pilgrims first landed. And to Herring Cove Beach, all under sunny skies, a mild breeze and warmer than usual autumn weather. We saw native blueberry and cranberries growing in the abundant sand dunes which to my surprise were rather wet and sometimes swampy. Lots of mosquitos.
During our trip we wandered through graveyards and I spent a couple of hours at the Carpenter Museum doing a tad bit of research. My husband has always enjoyed the gravestone hunting and we agreed it takes us to some beautiful, out of the way places. However he does not enjoy museums, libraries and such so I tried to limit my time there, remembering it was “our” anniversary! We visited the Blithewold Estate in Bristol, RI where we ate lunch while gazing across at Bristol Bay and Hog Island.
He dutifully drove me to Anawan Rock and Sabin’s Plain and to Greenwood Ave and Wheaton Ave where we scouted out Robert Wheaton’s originally land holdings. (Both of us are descended from Robert.)
On the very last day, when I had an appointment with the Town Clerk for South Kingston (Kingstown, originally Narragansett) I had the greatest gift of all. I again remarked that I was surprised that of all the places he had decided to come here and he softly said, “I did it for you. This is what brings you joy. This is what you love.” He said we can go to the other places anytime. A man I married at seventeen, knows me so well, and he kept that secret since February, is the man who still has my heart. Thank you Michael. Here’s to as many more years as Providence sees fit to give us.
Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Once Seen & Heard, Never Forgotten: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 20
Posted on September 30, 2021 Leave a Comment
Mar 17 Cut Agnes’ black satin skirt. Started “Jane Eyre”. Cleaned up the house and finished a successful day tired but satisfied. [Transcriber’s note: this was the favorite novel of my youth so I found it delightful that my great grandmother was reading it.]
Sun Mar 18 Agnes had to work at the telephone exchange so I did not get to go to service which made me rather bitter towards conditions that did not give me at least one day in 7. Allie was rather inclined to resent my attitude and hinted at me being the cause of all his troubles both marital and business. O! Adam Wilt thy seed the like Abraham’s live forever. Allie is a good boy and I love him but he is apt to be too optimistic and it leads him into trouble sometimes. He and I went to the Baptist Church in the evening and enjoyed a sermon on Rest by Dr. Haynes and a concert by Muriel Anderson’s class of a young girls and boys orchestra. The ‘sing smile slumber’ on the organ was very good but hardly appropriate, I thought. But the opera music seems to be invading the church and indeed how many of us would ever get to hear it all but for that. Miss Shain shook hands with me after church and seemed gland to renew old acquaintance. The day ended happily.
Mon Mar 19 I hemmed the skirt and got the machine ready for the man, who took it out later. It was rented. I finished Jane Eyre by Charlot Bronte. It is a quaint tale of Old English life told in a ready forcible style many of the words and phrases of which are now obsolete. Jane Eyre narrates the history of her life from a despised and abused orphan through charity school days to respected governess teaching. Through bitter sorrow—in finding her “Master Mr Rochester a married man at the alter on her wedding day, her flight, her rescue from death from starvation and exposure by kind people who later prove to be her cousins. Her access to a fortune by the death of her uncle and the return to the Hall to find it burned by Mr Rochester’s mad wife and him blinded by the fire in his vain efforts to save her life. Free at last to love legally and morally they marry and enjoy such happiness in mutual regard and peace through perfect understanding. That under its genial glow sight is restored to one eye and he is able to behold his little plain wife made beautiful through devotion and the lovely son he gave him as an added bond to their happiness. Adele the little French protege is not forgotten and the story comes to a satisfactory end.
Tuesday 20 I got a letter announcement from Royce of his marriage on the 13 to Miss Sara Alta Howard of North bend. I met her when I was in Neb and liked her very much.
The fire is out and it is rather cold. But think Spring is on the wing. O am baking bread and other work. Allie has commenced work nights and is now sleeping soundly is is 11 oclock in the forenoon.
Wed Mar 21 Sunny and warm. Snow Melting fast. Agnes gone to visit her mother. Allie asleep in bed. I have just been reading a book called Music and Culture by Karl Merz. It is composed of essays on different subjects and their relation to music. He valiantly defends music from every foe on every point. He urges a through musical education for the masses. Went to choir practice. Enjoyed it very much and learning much. Agnes came home with me.
Thu Washed clothes etc.
Friday 23 Spent the day reading psychological works by Atherton and Larson. They lay great stress on the power of the Will.
Sat Mar 24 Agness is in a huff because Allie and I discuss the war situation. She won’t be home this evening and maybe not the next week either she says. So it seems as if I’m to be the goat and stay home and be good and do the work. We’ll see. I’ve written to Jessie, Eilene and Jessie K and intend to start for Cal. Or rather Eilenes by the 7 or 8 of April if I can get the money by that time to go on .
Sun Mar 25. I went to church on the morning. Agnes came and got some things and went home to her mother intending to stay until Allie came after her.
Mon Mar 26 Allie got good kind brotherly letter from Leo. Also one came for an me under same cover.He is still in Fargo working nights and perhaps his being tired accounted for its being so quiet at 4 oclock in the morning.
27 Walked over to Lake St and mailed a birthday parcel to Jessie and a letter to Leo. AM baking bread.
Mar 31 The last few days of mo were spent at very quiet hum drum tasks. Nothing of importance happened.
Apr 1 Sund Went to church to hear Riley preach and sang in choir morn and eve.
“The Seven Last Words of Christ.”
Apr 2 Went downs town and bought goods for white dress.
Apr 3 Worked on dress and other work about house.
Wed Apr 4 Last rehearsal before Cantata
The Apr 5 Sewed on dress etc.
April 6 Good Friday Went over to Newmans and stitched white dress in aft– went down town and bought a pair of white shoes and silk stockings and a hat and gold Lavalier chain. Came home and dressed and went to church to sing in the Cantana. The seven last words of Christ by Dubois. It went off with a great swing and they took in nearly $100.00.
April 10 Went over to Mrs Newmans and sewed and crocheted in morning and in afternoon called on Hilda in her pretty bungalo at 20 Pilsbury. Mer her husband Mr Jesse Rowland. Afterwards we came back and got Frances and Vincent and we went out for a pleasant drive in North Minneapolis hills. Returned to Allies and washed up dishes while they went down where he works for his tools and came back about 11 oclock.
Apr 11 Wed Day cool and cloudy in contrast to pleasant day yesterday. My head aches and I am depressed I must go to Mrs Newmans and finish up my work there.
Apr 15 1917 On board the Chicago Milwauke to St Paul train “Chieftain” Enroute from Minneapolis to Ipswich S Dak. To visit my daughter Eilene Hoffman and family. On April 12 visited Mrs Spain in Col. Heights [Columbia Heights in Minneapolis] had a pleasant times. On Fri Apr 13 visited Larkin Fashion Show with Mrs Newman. On 14 I stayed home and got ready to go west and on Sunday morning Allie and Agnes saw me off. Here I am.
5 clock Just discovered that we are in S Dak. The place is Milbank eastern S. Dak and Western Minnesota are beautiful farming regions. It is early evening. I am anxious to get to Ipswich which we are due to reach at 9.
[No posts in interim]
May 19, 1917 Ipswich So Dak at the station waiting for the train to take me to Fargo to see Leo. Eilene will accompany me as far as Aberdeen. I had been at her home in Ipswich So Dak for a mo and 4 days and too busy to write a word in my diary. This interval was filled by boarding train and changing at Aberdeen . I had a very busy and happy visit at Eilenes. The baby is a lovely child. I went to church once and met some nice people. I went to a class play which was well acted by the high school scholars. I visited Mrs Smilovich and Mrs Stevens in their homes and enjoyed it very much. The people are very hospitable and kindly. My son-in-law Frank Hoffman is a grand good boy sober industrious honest and faithful to a degree not often attained. In all the time I was there I never saw him lose his temper. I was sorry to say good bye to Eilene and Aberdeen but couldn’t help it. I was also glad to be on my way to see my dear son Leo. We are too scattered. It breaks me all up to have the family so widely separated. The time is gliding smoothly along in the cool spring evening. The sun just setting a ball of red behind untold miles of cultivated farming lands just showing their first blades of spring.
Ladonia? Park is a peculiar little town situated in a ? of low thickly growing trees. They are a wash of the most fresh and a vivid green, and grow in a long narrow park on either bank of a small river. A most ideal spot in this rather monotonous region of level fields.
Fargo N.D. May 20 Arrived at 4 oclock and remained snug in my berth sound asleep until morning when I peeped out of the window and I spy a Fargo sign on a building when I knew I had safely arrived. Leo is somewhere in this town unawares of my close proximity. How surprised and delighted he will be when I come in and how sad all this war news will both he and Albert—will have to register [for the draft].
1 oclock I got up and made my toilet in the sleeper inquired my way of the attentive porter and came out on the street and took a street car for Leos. I found the place with the aid of a little girl and found them both so sound asleep in bed that it took me nearly an hour to get them up. I stood in the hall outside about 30 min. or so no less and read the Fargo Daily Courier News. Finally the janitor came up for the garbage and I explained matters to him and he knocked on the door with the earnestness of purpose that Carrie came to the door when a request to know who’s there. I said Mrs Mosier, Leo’s mother which doubteth she repeated and mingled ? of incredulity and astonishment at the same time opening the door apologizing for her appearance in a hastily donned boudoir cap and bath robe. I was joyously welcomed by her and Leo who got up presently Awakened out of his sound sleep (for he works nights). We spent a most pleasant Sunday. Several people called. Mervin who I met in Minneapolis several years ago when Jessie was cashier in the Minneapolis Dry Goods Store and Leo brought him in to introduce him to her as I was there. Leo and him have remained fast friends ever since and also Paul Wiggan who is the son of the man worked for in Wadena. He is a fine looking young man with a very sad expressions who is ambitious to be come a singer and is disappointed at not being able to continue the cultivation of his voice.
Later in the day Leo went to work and Carrie and I went to the Methodist church which has a very large congregation. Rev. Frank Hullet gave us an interesting sermon.
May 26 I have spent a very pleasant week at Leo’s. Carrie and I have walked out daily going in different directions exploring the city. One evening we crossed the river the red river of the north in Moorehead, Minn. Last evening we walked down town and dropped in to a fee lecture by a reformed socialist David Goldstein who was introduced by Judge Pollock, a pillar of the Methodist Church. The lecture was supposed to be on peace and war. His harangue soon veered around to the family, to the strife therein with resulting divorce and offered is the solution of all evils the Catholic Church, and its teachings. What nonsense.
This morning is cold and windy and the steam heat is very welcome. Leo is sleeping in bed and Carrie is getting breakfast, We has three messes [meals] Of dandelion greens this week. We parboiled them in plain water which extracted the bitterness. They were the best dandelions I ever ate. The town is infested with them. Every lawn is blazing yellow.
May 27 Memorial day. Accompanied by Leo’s wife Carrie I attended the large mass meeting at the armory in Fargo. The speech by Rev Frost of the Methodist Church was of a high order of patriotism. In the afternoon Leo accompanied us and we snapped some pictures in the park. In the evening Mrs. Wigham, stopped in and Carrie played while we sang some lovely sacred solos.
May 28 Morning like all others since my arrival in Fargo. Leo and Carrie are not up yet. He worked last night and it is now 9 oclock.
29 Later in the day I went down town and bought some embroidery for a collar and to meet Leo which I failed to do through a misunderstanding came home tired and found him there. I might as well say in writing this en route to Fargo to Ipswich Nice to Oaks to Aberdeen. It is now nearly noon at Lisbon which seems to be quite a little town . All morning we have flew along smoothly thru fields of spring wheat beautifully green in the light showers while fell this forenoon. Leo and Carrie & I got up and after a light breakfast, we walked to the N.P. Station where Leo left us to chase after some apples. He got back just before the train started to say good Bye, O! Yes we had to say it—my Leo I wish I could have you nearer. He thinks may be he’ll come out West to see me very soon may be in a year but I do not dare hope such joy. Carrie is a good daughter and will make him happy even as he does her.
The last I saw of them as the train pulled out they were standing on the platform talking soberly together. I had a very pleasant trip to Aberdeen. Changed cars at Lamour and at Oakes also at Aberdeen bane of traveling North and south. The through lines seem to run in an easterly and westerly direction with the exception of the shore line. At Aberdeen I carried to [two] heavy cases nearly a run from one station to another and waited from 4 oclock in the afternoon til 8:18 in the evening to take the train for Ipswich. Arriving there saw Fanny Ingrtice? And Joyce who helped me up at Eilene’s with my girls. She was not looking for me but I was glad to be back.
June 1 This is the day Leo starts to travel selling his adding machine.
June 3 Got a letter from him saying he had been having real good success but would have to wait Awhile for returns.
June 4 Audry Kendrick’s wedding day. She is to be married tie Roland Hamilton. I sent mother some wild Minnesota ferns to plant.
June 5 Registration day So many of my dear boys have to register today. Allie, Leo, Frank, and Sylvester and O but all the others. I hope the was will end before they are called out.
June 6 Eliene bought herself a new mustard color poplin dress or suit in addition to some muslin for longerie [lingerie] and some gingham for the baby and two silk for her waist. I’m very busy all the time sewing ——–no end and never done. But there is a respite for I have written home for money to go back on and Eilene is going with me I guess.
June 7, 8, 9 Busy sewing and caring for Leo Arnold [grandson] who is anything his false eye teeth (what a stupid blunder) and has begun threatened with convulsions again. We had a splendid rain all which filled up all our utensils. Everything is fresh and green at this late date in Spring. Lilacs are in bloom.
June 10 Was awakened by the sound of heavy teaming looked out the window in time to see the elephants and the dromedaries go by. Hooray for the circus has come to town and I have a grandson to take to see the animals what more could mortals want. The day is very hot and windy and dust flying, clouds promising rain.
Frank [Hoffman] drove up in a spanking new machine and took Eilene up to Mrs Smilovich I didn’t like to take the baby out so stayed at home with him.
June 17 Spent the past week at Eilene’s place very much at home and hard at work. Frank took us auto riding out into the country. Met Mrs Fish who went along. Also Mr Smilovich at who’s place we stopped upon on our return and the supper. Spent a pleasant evening during which time a heavy wind came up followed by rain. Frank [Hoffman] came up about 10 oclock and carried his little son Leo home.
June 18 First day of the Chautauqua. Frank [Hoffman] had bought season tickets for Eilene and me and we attended every day during the week. The programs were filled by new talent each day and it was all of a high order, very entertaining and uplifting, amusing and edifying . I have a detailed list of programs in another book. The week ended on Sat night with a performance by the Kiltie band in full regimentals whose star performer was Wee Jamie Clark bag pipe major once seen and heard never forgotten.
Sun 24 Stayed at home and rested up.
Mon 25 At it again harder than ever.
Tues 26 Got a nice letter from Lolita who is glad we are coming home soon. Fannie Smilovich brought me material for a new coat.
Wed 27 Working and sewing hard.
Thu 28 Got a letter from Leo with $20.00 enclosed. Wrote to him and Mrs Newman , Fannie is very pleased with her new coat. Eilene is buying new things right and left for her trip. [Lulu and daughter Eilene are going to San Francisco] Frank [Hoffman] is very generous. She made me a present of silk for a new waist.
[Editor’s NOTE: I will be on holiday and Lulu’s Diary will return mid October. Coming up her trip back to California and the close of 1917]
Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All Rights Reserved.
A Fairy Land of Snow Embroidered Dreams: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 19
Posted on September 27, 2021 Leave a Comment
Jan 1 1917 Monday Came back to Allie’s this morning and accompanied him to see Mr & Mrs. Jacobson where we will live for a few mo. Allie having rented it furnished.
We were received very graciously by them both and I think will be satisfied out there for the winter mo.
Came back to the room at the Stratford and Allie and Agness went out to see her mother. I remained to change my clothes post up my diary and write some letters.
Jan 2 Tuesday Packed up trunks and traveling bags and went out 2 Jacobsons. Found the house deserted, had a key, walked in and made ourselves at home.
Jan 2 Wed. My slight cold worse. Busied myself with becoming acquainted with the place. Picked up our wash.
Jan 4 Thu. Cold and especially the fever came to a climax last night. I was burning up alive. Finally I broke out in a sweat and felt better. (O me I see I can’t write good today) sick through and through. Seems to be the grip [flu].
5 Fri. Albert and Agnes got breakfast. I cough terribly am consoling myself by reading Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables. Oh what a wonderful story and oh wonderfully told. and Oh but the misery of God’s poor world. This night I wept bitter tears for Fantine! No for myself because I did no get to see Leo, and Fantines unsatisfied longing to see her daughter Cosette brought it all back to me poinently [poignantly].
Sat Jan 6 Still weak, hot and cold and sweating by turns an weak and have a very bad cough. Got up at 10 Al some breakfast, swept and dusted the whole house, washed and wiped the dishes, took a bath and went to bed. Had a good nap, Agnes called up and later Allie who had down to meet her. I have to get supper for them yet. The movers have come in and another day has gone. Tomorrow will be my third Sunday here and through no fault of my own, I have not been to church.
Jan 21 The biggest snowstorm for 40 years.
Jan 22, at 3240 Harriet Ave. so. This is Alberts 27th birthday we celebrated by having the home made bread. The first he had had in a long time. He spent the day shoveling snow. The sidewalks resemble marble tunnels.
Since the last time I wrote in this book, I have been staying at home not going out at all excepting one day last week when I went down with Agnes to pick out a sewing machine. I am over my bad cold but feel under the weather. My heart beats tumultuously and I am homesick in a submissive sort of way. The mail didn’t come today every sort of traffic is snowed in. On the 18 I mailed letters to all my folks and more anxiously awaiting replies. The storm dominates all conversation. The city of Minneapolis had a fall of 17 inches yesterday which broke all records. It drifted badly in places and men shoveled hard all day yesterday trying to clear away paths to get to and from their places in. Give me the rains of my California.
Jan 28 During the week last, I remained at Allies home at 3240 Harriet and so doing all the housework except sometimes the roomers breakfast. I was unwell during the week. I got a letter from Jessie K encouraging me in my musical aspirations. I made Agnes blue dress which she likes very much. I answered the letter from J. K. [Jessie Kendrick her sister] Agnes got a letter from Jessie Fri they are doing well at home, I guess . I went downtown to meet Allie and do a little shopping for Agnes on Sat. in the morning they went to her mothers Mrs Daveys. This Sunday morning it was so much warmer that Allie and I decided to go to church. We went to hear Dr Riley. He spoke on covetousness and miserlyness and selfishness denouncing them bitterly. The sermon was a masterly one. He preaches in a straight forward style with a splendid choice of words spoken rapidly with few gestures and no grimaces or acting . The direct opposite of Billy Sunday. We walked around after church. The snow was melting and the mud was getting pretty bad so we came home and had dinner ready for Agnes when she came home at 5 o’clock. It is now bedtime and I am going to bed.
Feb 8 I am still at Alberts and have been since my last entry. The weather has been and is cruelly cold. The sun shines warmly today and it has been thawing some in places out of the wind which is bitterly cold.
Today I walked over to Lake and Violet and mailed letters to mother, Frank and Jessie also a photo to mother. I got lost as usual and retraced my steps several blocks only to find I was right and had to go back again making 6 or 8 blocks more of a walk than necessary. I shouldn’t have minded on a pleasant day but the sidewalks were so slippery, I had to go in the street and the wind was so stinging cold, I came nearly freezing my cheeks. To enjoy this climate one should have warm furs.
Feb 9-10 Fri to Sat Usual routine.
Sunday Feb 11 We had Agnes relations over for dinner. I love to see the 3 sisters of them. Josephine, Minnie and Agnes all sitting on the same stool at the piano paying and singing. We had a very pleasant time. Mrs and Mr Davy and Minnies husband was with them. Minnie has lately undergone an operation for cancer of the breast. I sincerely trust it will prove successful.
Mon Feb 12 Lincolns birthday. I was pleased today to see so many American flags displayed. The majority seems to stand by the president in this crisis. I got a letter from Jessie and Lolita in S. F. and Allie got one from Les in Fargo. This is a very cold day. I turned the heat in the dining room and studied the Etude (back numbers for several years) for 5 hours. In the evening I answered my letters.
Tues Feb 13 It is much warmer today. I was feeling depressed and nervous also a little anxious from waiting for word from Rogers, Neb. I forgot to mention that last Sat I received a package containing a tray from Lolita and handkerchief’s for all of us from Jessie and Grandma Mosier for our belated Christmas.
Feb 14 Spent quietly at home thinking of my last years Valentine in California.
Feb 21 Nothing much in importance has happened since my last entry. Agnes sent a pretty cap to Eilene all crocheted and pink beribboned and lined with sheer white organza and she sent a beautiful picture of the baby Hoffman. I had a letter from Jessie Mosier and today and the 21[st]. One from Jessie Kendrick. I have answered them all. And tonight if it isn’t too cold I think I will go to the Baptist prayer meeting and see if I can get into the choir that has been work on a cantata called the “Seven last words of Christ.”
Sat Feb 24 I did not go to the prayer meeting Wed eve, it was so cold and cheerless out and it looked so lonesome to go alone. Then I was tired and Fri I went down town , payed some bills for Allie and selected a set of civet furs at the Leader store. Today, Sat, I am doing housework and will iron the clothes I washed then when the mail came and nothing in it for me I headed to the bookcase for something to read and on my knees before it-the better to see the titles, I read them over Hugo and Dumas and Eugene Sue. O but life is too short—I would love to read The Wandering Jew by the latter. So as a compromise I selected the Inside of the Cup by Churchill. Was my choice a good one! I will wait until I have read it and will know.
Sunday March 4 My Lolita’s birthday 16 think of that! Soon now she’ll be grown up and taking her place in the world. I wish all you wish for . Could I wish you more. I should wish you might always wish the best.
This is Dr. Riley’s 20th anniversary here [First Baptist Church of Minneapolis].
I was at church this morning to hear his sermon which was very good and Rileyesque like the fine efforts of John Haddon who so nobly graces the pages of the inside of the copy which I have. finished and which so coincided with many views I have always held that it was almost startling . Much of it was along lines that were bitterly thrashed out in Ministerial circles in S. F. several years ago when Dr Aked [Dr. Aked spent much of his life advocating for peace; he was a founder of the Passive Resistance League] preached his views on the Virgin birth. I hope I may know the truth some day.
Last Wed eve on the last day of Feb. I attended choir practice and got started on some very hard music which I think I can learn. It will try my mettle and I’m glad it’s difficult for then I will have to work all the harder which will be good practice.
Tue March 6 Just finished the house work. Made a pretty thorough job of it too. I opened up all the windows and doors for a good airing. How delightful to feel the fresh purity of it after being hermetical sealed in the house so long. Yesterday the 5th was the most disharbingering day of the winter. I was short of coal and the wind blew relentlessly all day chilling me to the marrow. I kept the furnace with sifted ashes, waste Paper and coal and had the house warm when the folks came home at night. This morning I ordered coal and it was not yet arrived hope it will be warm soon. It has clouded up but still warm and yesterday Allie got a letter from the dear ones in S.F. saying uncle was there and that they were all glad. Indeed so are we. I worried about the poor old [Horace?]
John McCormak sang to a record breaking house last night at the auditorium. I wanted to hear him so very much. Why is it that some have so much and some so little? I may desert the politics of my fathers and be a socialist yet. Who knows.
Sat March 10 Colder and cloudy but not so bad at that for the icicles are growing longer and that’s a sign its above freezing. I just wrote to Jessie, Leo and mother. I didn’t go to choir practice Wed for it was storming and I had a splitting headache. 11 in. of soggy snow fell covering the city into a fairy land of snow embroidered dreams. But that same city is wondering in dismay where it is to get the money to hire that afore said “beautiful” off the down town streets which have already, in two months cost the city 2000.00 dollars.
March 11 Got letter from Frank which I will keep and let it speak for itself. It was very unkind Blaming me for staying so long at Albert’s and telling me of Milo’s sick spell. I ans the letter also wrote to Milo. Am worried about him. I am reading the French novel called The Wandering Jew by Eugene Sue to keep my mind off of things which I cannot help or alter in the least by worrying. The story is a strange tale of the intrigues of the Jesuit church in the year 1830. And the mysterious appearances and disappearances of a man and woman who meet once in a 100 years at the extreme points of North America and Asia and exchange silent greetings across the Bering Straight. Then onwards and onwards doomed wander to expiate their sins. The Wandering Jew, for refusing the tired Savior to rest on his bench outside his cobblers shop. The print of the nails in the soles of his shoes leaves this mark wherever he goes. [That of the cross]
The woman’s sin was demanding the head of John the Baptist and they both try by all their power to make Reparations forever for their sins by doing all the good they can while they are allowed to remain in one place.
March 12 Just a year since Frank and I went to see K.C.B in the Christian Church in S.F. its snowing again here in wintry Minneapolis.
March 13 Still snowing steadily.
“ 13 I was reading away while outside the snow fell in steadily persistently, Piling up more on top of much. The phone rang and called for Mrs. Mosier. I ans’d the person said it doesn’t sound like you. I assured her it was indeed and in truth it was myself. I said who do you think is speaking. I collected my wandering wits and said slowly gaining time to think. O Mrs Newman.
Mrs Mosier said she now could you tell and I replied I knew your voice. I haven’t forgotten you. She was tickled to death and asked me over at once and I went. I was walking distance and I went in all that snow. I was greeted joyously and entertained royally and I came back in all that snow and more which had fallen in time to let Agnes in. She was more upset than I was I had walked about 8 long blocks and she 1. The Newmans have adopted a boy Vincent. They bought a place at 27201 Aldrich and are very nicely situated. She is anxious for me to reenter the lodge.
March 14 The morning is clear and windy. Tonight is choir practice night. I hope to go.
March 15 Last night I went to choir practice and enjoyed very much. I seem to get along as well as any of them. today is cloudy, cold and dreary to an extreme. I have not had much fire and that of course adds to the cheerlessness of the lonely day. I have bread rising slowly. My washing is hanging to dry in the basement and the groceries are ordered for dinner. Agnes will go out to see her folks and so Albert & I will dine alone. I watch with amusement the growth of the ice crystals on the eaves of the house next door. It is now fully 4 feet long and the top is composed of a mass of smaller ones run together into a solid sheet of ice aft across. Water is trickling down by the points of them showing that it is thawing but I am very cold here in the house. No letter again today.
March 16 1917 Minneapolis Minn 3240 Harriet Ave. A blizzard is raging. The air is filled with fine particles of snow driven by a high wind. It is cold and dreary. Here on this residence street everything is quiet—no body passes and silence reigns supreme save for the howling if the wind and the rattle of the storm windows and the clicks of ticking sounds loudly through the deserted rooms.
I am alone with my household duties my sewing and reading writing and thoughts, the latter hardest perhaps of all. No letters came for me in the mornings mails to brighten my solitude. A glance out of my window at the writing prospect. My icicle has stopped growing. It almost reaches the top of the first floor window below it. More snow to shovel, more coal to shovel and a railroad strike threatened which will boost prices again and reduce our already reduced supplies. May the Lord temper the wind to the shorn lamb. I must now see after the furnace fire.
Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All RIghts Reserved.
Wheaton Wood 