Clifford Ancestry Notes Part 2 - The Hollingsworths

"Elias Hollingsworth was born in Union Co. SC, probably married in Ohio, and died in Osage Co. Missouri. His wife Elizabeth Curtis was born in Harrison Co VA (Now WVa). There are supposed to have come to Madison Co IN from Clark Co. OH. Clark County was formed in 1818, about four years after the probable year (1814) of their marriage. Some years ago I searched the marriage records of the four counties surrounding Clark, but found no marriage record for Elias and Elizabeth. Her parentage remains unknown to me.

"Benjamin Hollingsworth was born in New Castle Co. DE and married and died in the area which became in 1785 Union District SC. He remained a Quaker in good standing until 26 Feb. 1780, when he was disowned "for taking up arms in a warlike manner". He was in the battle of King's Mountain (7 Oct 1780). According to an account many years later by another participant, "Ben Hollingsworth and myself took right up the side of the mountain and fought from tree to tree...to the summit." Ben was restored to Quaker membership 29 May 1790. He married Phebe Posey, daughter of Francis Posey and Mildred _____.

"The ancestry of Francis Posey has not been determined. It seems quite possible that he was descended from Francis Posey (1615-1654), who came to Virginia in 1637 and later moved to Maryland. The late James Emison of Terre Haute, IN published a book about the Posey family and identified Francis as a French Huegenot who was brought to England as a boy in the 1620s, and as a member of the French family of Poschet of Voyauz (near Cambrai). Our descent from this man remains only a possibility.

"Elias Hollingsworth was born in New Castle Co. DC and died in Union District SC. He married, at New Castle DE, Susannah Pearce. She died in South Carolina before 20 Aug. 1791, because Elias and Dinah ______ were shown on that date as husband and wife in a deed. Elias was disowned by the Quakers at least twice, the first time in 1760 for not paying his just debts. In 1763 Elias and Susannah and four children moved to Louden Co. VA and in 1766 to South Carolina where they lived in the area which in 1785 became Union District. He was reinstated in 1769 as a Quaker. With the onset of the Revolutionary War, he was disowned again 3 March 1776. He served as Quartermaster in the South Carolina militia. Later he became a Justice of the Peace.

"Valentine Hollingsworth was the immigrant ancestor. He was born at Ballyvickcrannel, Seagoe Parish, Co. Armagh, in northern Ireland (now Ulster). His father, Henry Hollingsworth, probably had come to Ireland from England in the 1620s as a part of the first Ulster plantation. Probably at a time not long after his marriage he became a Quaker. When he stopped attending the Church of Ireland services and paying his tithes, he got into trouble with the government. The magistrates began to seize his farm produce in lieu of his tithe. After several years of these losses, he emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1682. Very soon thereafter, he was a member of the first assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania and served in that body at later times."

Clifford Ancestry Notes Part 1 - Jonathon Clifford and Sarah Pierce

I've finished updating my research with information from "Clifford Ancestry", compiled by my great uncle Dick. The back of the book contains several pages of notes on the research, and I thought I'd reproduce them here.

"We have been unable to discover any record of their marriage, but the fact of the marriage is roved by a combination of family tradition, a short biography of Jonathon in the History of Plymouth, New Hampshire, and a quit-claim deed in the land records of Barnet, VT (in the Vermont Archives in Montpelier). The quit-claim deed also proves Sarah's parentage.

According to family tradition, some of Jonathon's sons walked to Indiana and entered land in Fayette County; then the parents and younger children joined them. Jonathan and Sarah are buried in Fairview Cemetery in Rush County, just west of the Fayette County line."

My Puritanical Roots II

In exploring the "Clifford Ancestry" book that I am borrowing from my grandmother, I discovered that I am descended from the Pilgrims on her side of the family as well.

Thomas Rogers was born Before 1572, Watford, Northampton, England, son of William and Eleanor Rogers. He married Alice Cosford, 24 October 1597, in Watford, Northampton, England. She was the daughter of George Cosford. Thomas died in 1620 or 1621, during the first winter after coming over on the Mayflower. He journeyed over with his son Joseph while the rest of the family stayed in Holland. Joseph survived the winter. And Thomas' Son John came to Plymouth about 1630, and there married Anna Churchman, on 16 April 1639. My family is descended from John Rogers.

John Married Anna Churchman on 16 April 1639 and Died in 1691 or 1692. He was a resident of Leiden Holland and of Duxbury MA while he was alive. Anna Rogers, his daughter, married John Tisdale.

Anna died in 1704. John Tisdale was Born in 1642, married Anna Rogers on 23 Nov 1664 and died Dec 1677. He Resided in Taunton MA. Anna and John had a daughter named Abigail.

Abigail Tisdale was born on 15 July 1667. She married William Makepeace (Born 1662 or 1663; Married 2 Dec 1685; Died Dec 1736; Resided Freetown and Taunton MA). They had a son who was in turn also named William.

William was Born in 1704 and married Experience Aldrich on 14 Jan 1724/25. He Died 15 April 1740 and Resided in Norton, MA during his life. William and Experience had a son named Peter.

Peter Makepeace was Born 18 April 1730 and married Abigail Morey on 10 April 1756. He lived in Norton MA and Died 9 Oct 1796. Peter and Abigail had a son named Amasa.

Amasa was born on 29 Nov 1777. On 18 May 1800, he married "Betsey" Babbitt. He lived in Norton MA and Chesterfield IN and died 28 Feb 1848 in Chesterfield. Amasa and Betsey had a son named Alfred.

Alfred Makepeace was Born on 3 Nov 1804 in Norton MA OR Chesterfield, Madison, IN. He Married Hannah Irish on 28 Aug 1828 in Madison Co IN and Died 3 March 1874. He was a resident of Anderson IN. Alfred and Hannah had a daughter, Letitia.

Letitia was Born 21 Aug 1842 in Chesterfield IN and Died 14 March 1926 in Anderson IN. She Resided in both Anderson and Chesterfield IN. She was married to Emery / Emory Watson Clifford on 11 Feb 1864.

Hadley Watson Clifford was Born 26 Aug 1869 in Anderson IN and Married Daisy Leota Hollingsworth on 8 Dec 1891. He Died 8 Oct 1957 in Anderson, Madison Co. IN and Resided Anderson IN while he was alive. Hadley and Daisy were the parents of Harriet Letitia Clifford, my great grandmother.

Harriet was Born 7 Dec 1898 in Anderson Indiana and Married Samuel Ray Forkner on 21 Aug 1918 in Anderson Indiana.

Kathleen Frances is Harriet's daughter and the mother of Clifford Ray Cookman, my father.

So I am the 10th great granddaughter of Thomas Rogers, passenger on the Mayflower and signer of the Mayflower Compact.

Thanksgiving and my Clifford Ancestry

For Thanksgiving, we journeyed to my grandparents' home in Anderson, IN. For those of you paying attention, you'll realize that since I was in Anderson, I was likely visiting my father's side of the family and you would be correct. We had four generations in that tiny house on the outskirts of town - my grandparents, my parents, my aunt and one of my uncles, four of the six grandchildren, three grandchildren spouses and the three babies (my cousins' children). It got a little hectic that's for sure. And as the babies grow and start sitting at the table like the oldest did this year, I start to think we need a bigger table.

While there, I noticed a frame in the hallway with old photos in it. One was easy to figure out -- it was my great grandfather Cookman and I knew that because Grandpa looks just like him. Unable to figure anything else out, I went to my father. He knew that a couple of the photos were Grandma's parents (which I should have known because her father had the distinctive Forkner chin), but didn't know who anyone else was. So I pulled the frame off the wall and perched on the loveseat arm next to Grandma to ask her. I remember that one of the photos was of the Dobell family (my grandfather's side) and another was her grandfather and step grandmother.

Then Grandma pulled out her copy of "Clifford Ancestry", a book her brother compiled a few years ago. I paged through it, sharing interesting bits with the relatives near me and realized that there was information in there that I didn't have in my research. I asked if I could borrow it until Christmas and she conceded, upon agreement of death if I fail to return it. I'll probably make myself a copy before I return it.

And I plan to spend most of the day at work looking at my research and comparing it to the book.

Royalty - Post #1 The Forkners

I am the daughter of Clifford Ray Cookman (Born August 2 1954 in Anderson Indiana). His mother is Kathleen Frances Forkner, and she is descended from English royalty (its just really far back) on the Forkner side.

Her father was Samuel Ray (Raymond) Forkner (Born 1 Jan 1892 in Anderson IN; Died 22 Jan 1956 in Anderson IN). He was the son of Martin Luther Forkner (Born 13 Aug 1850 in Madison Co IN; Married 1 March 1891 in Anderson IN to Victoria Belle Sharpe; Died 4 Dec 1937 in Anderson IN) He was the son of Samuel Forkner Sr and Elizabeth McShirley.

Samuel Forkner Sr was Born 3 Nov 1821 in Henry Co IN and married Elizabeth on 7 March 1844 in Henry Co IN. After Elizabeth’s death in 1858, he married for a second time to a woman named Mary E McMullen. He Died 5 Sept 1872 in Madison Co IN. He was the son of Jesse Forkner and Hannah Cornelious.

Jesse was Born 21 Oct 1798 in Surry Co NC, Married 13 Oct 1817 in VA and Died 18 Sept 1844. His parents were Issac Forkner and Mourning Moura Lawrence.

Issac was Born 12 May 1775 in Surry Co NC, Married 1797 in Grayson VA and Died 22 Jan 1863. He was the son of William Joseph Forkner Jr and Susannah Wells.

William Joseph Forkner Jr was Born 1752 in Surry Co or Patrick Co NC, Married 1772 in Surry Co NC and Died 1807 in Surry Co NC. His parents were William Joseph Forkner Sr and Priscilla Lewis.

William Joseph Forkner Sr was born Born 1714 in Queen Anne’s Co Maryland, Married 1750 in Surry Co NC and Died 1800 in Surry Co NC. He was the son of John Pleasant Forkner and Sarah Elizabeth Ford.

John Pleasant Forkner was Born 1678 in Queen Anne’s Co MD, Married about 1703 in Queen Anne’s Co MD and Died 1727 in Queen Anne’s Co MD. He was the son of Thomas Forkner and Margary Anne, last name unknown.

Thomas Forkner was Born 1655 in England, Married about 1677 in Maryland and Died 1709 in Talbot Co MD. His parents were John Forkner Sr and Elizabeth Filmer Dame.

John Forkner Sr. was born in 1628 in London England, was Christened 2 February 1633 in Wivelsfield Sussex England, married Elizabeth Filmer Dane about 1650 in England and Died 1729 in Queen Anne’s Co MD. He was the son of William Faulconer (Immigrant) and Elisabeth Filmer.

Now we’re going to switch to the female side of things. Elisabeth Filmer was Born 1592 in Manor, East Sutton, Kent, England and Died after 1635. She was the Daughter of Sir Edward Filmer and Elizabeth Dame Argall.

Elizabeth Dame Argall was Born 1570 in East Sutton Manor, East Sutton, Kent, England;Married 1585 in East Sutton Kent England and Died 9 Aug 1638 East Sutton, Kent, England. Her father was Sir Richard Argall, 11^th Lord of Sutton and her mother was Mary Scott

Mary Scott was Born 1546 in Scotts Hall Kent England and Died 1605 in Kent England. She is Buried at East Sutton Church in East Sutton Kent England. Her parents were Sir Reginald Scott and Mary Tuke.

Sir Reginald Scott was Born 1520 in Scotts Hall, In Smeeth, Kent, England; Married about 1538 in Layer Marney, Essex, England and Died 16 Dec 1554 in Smeeth, Kent, England. He was the Son of John Scott and Anne Pympe.

Anne Pympe was Born about 1485 in Scotts Hall Kent England and Christened in Pympes Court Nettlestead Kent England. She died around 1530 or 1540 in England. She was the Daughter of Reginald Pympe and Elizabeth Pashley, Lady of Thevegate.

Elizabeth Pashley was born about 1448 and Died before 1485, both in Thevegate Near Smeeth Kent England. She was the Daughter of John Pashley Esq and Lowys Gower.

John Pashley Esq was born Born 1431/32 in Thevegate Near Smeeth Kent England. He Married about 1447 in Clapham Surrey England and Died 20 Nov 1468 in Thevegate Near Smeeth Kent England. He was the son of John Pashley Sr and Elizabeth Wydeville.

John Pashley Sr was Born about 1406/07 in Scots Hall Kent England and was Christened at Of The Mote, Iden, Sussex, England. He Married about 1424 in Scots Hall Kent England and Died 8 June 1453 in Thevegate Near Smeeth Kent England. He was the Son of Robert Pashley III and Lady Philippa Sergeaux.

Robert Pashley III was Born about 1370/80 in Pasele, Ticehurst, Sussex, England and Married about 1401 in Colquite Manor, St Mabyn, Cornwall, England. He Died 1406/07 in Pasele, Ticehurst, Sussex, England. He was the son of Sir Robert Pashley II and Anne Howard.

Anne Howard was Born about 1341 Wiggenhall Norfolk England and had her Christening at Frenchecourt Alias Fairlight Sussex England. She Died after 1397 in Fairlight Sussex England. She was the Daughter of Sir John Howard and Alice de Bosco.

Sir John Howard was Born 1310 Wiggenhall Norfolk England and Died 1388 Bath Norfolk England. He was a knight and the son of Sir John Howard and Joan Plantagenet-Cornwall.

Joan Plantagenet-Cornwall was Born about 1285 in Thunnock Lancashire England andDied 1341. She is Buried in the Howard Chapel in East Winch Norfolk England. She was the Daughter of Richard Plantagenet-Cornwall and Joan Fitzalan.

Richard Plantagenet-Cornwall was Born July 1246 in Berkhamstead Hertfordshire England. He married Joan about 1279 in Cornwall England and Died 1296 in Berwick Northumberland England. His parents were Richard, Prince of England and Sancha / Sanchia, Countess of Provence.

From Wikipedia -- Richard de Cornwall (1252–96) who married Joan Saint Owen (born 1260) and had children. He, however, died at the siege of Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1296.

Richard, Prince of England was Born 5 Jan 1209 Winchester, Winchester, Hampshire, England and married Sancha (his second wife) on 23 Nov 1243 Westminster Abbey Westminster Middlesex England. He Died 2 Apr 1272 Berkhamsteadcast, Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, England and was Buried 13 Apr 1272 Hailes Abbey, Hailes, Gloucestershire, England. He was the son of King John of England and Isabella of Angouleme.

Richard held several titles – he was the High Sheriff of Berkshire at the age of eight, made the Count of Poitou from 1225 to 1243 and was made the 1^st Earl of Cornwall in 1225. It was a birthday present from his brother, Henry III of England. The revenues from Cornwall made Richard one of the wealthiest men in Europe. Richard participated in the Crusades but did not fight, instead he negotiated the release of prisoners as well as the burial of Crusaders who died in battle and assisted with the rebuilding / refortification of Ascalon. In 1256, Richard was elected King of Germany. Richard founded Burnham Abbey in 1263 and the Grashaus in 1266. He died in 1272 and was buried next to Sanchia and Henry of Almain, his son by his first wife, at Hailes Abbey which he founded.

King John of England was Born 26 Dec 1166 in Kings Manor House, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England and Married Isabella on 26 Aug 1200 in Bordeaux, Gironde, France. He Died 19 Oct 1216 in Newark, Nottinghamshire, England and was Burial in Cathedral, Worcester, Worcestershire, England. He was the son of Henry II “Plantagenet” King of England and Eleanore of Aquitaine.

Henry II “Plantagenet” King of England was Born 5 March 1133 in Le Mans, Sarthe, France and Married Eleanor on 11 May 1152 in Bordeaux, Gironde, France. He Died 6 July 1189 in Chinon, Indre-et-Loire, France and was Buried 8 July 1189 at Fontevrault Abbey, Fontevrault, Maine-et-Loire, France. He was the son of Geoffrey V “Le Bon” Plantagenet and Matilda (Maud) Empress of Germany.

So I am the 25th great granddaughter of Henry II of England. There are also rumors that we also descend from one of Henry II's mistresses. I'll have to write about that later.

I know this is rather dry, but I really don't know how to liven it up. Ideas?

Mother to Daughter - The True Bloodline

Not that everything doesn't matter to some extent, but I personally feel that the best way to trace your blood is mother to daughter. After all, there's no proof that 100 years ago man fathered child, but you know that woman was the mother. One of the first things I did when I first got into genealogy was to trace my maternal line, mother to daughter. I traced back six generations before I hit a wall, one that I still have yet to break through.

I am Jennilee Cookman. I was born on Dec 21 1981 in Hamilton Ohio. My mother is Helen Marie Fink.

She was Born on June 3 1958 in Hamilton Ohio, at the same hospital I was born at actually - Fort Hamilton Hughes. She married my father, Clifford Ray Cookman, onJuly 13 1979 in Hamilton Ohio at Pleasant Ave First Church of God. She is the daughter of Virginia Lee Curtis.

Virginia (more commonly known as Jenny or Jenny Lee - guess where I got my name?) was born on September 27 1930 in Middletown Ohio. She married William Ripley Fink on 9 March 1953 in Middletown Ohio. She is the daughter of Sarah Helen Fox. (Guess where my mother got her name?)

Sarah Helen (also known as Helen or Sarie Ellie like her father called her) was Born February 1897 in Menifee County, Kentucky. She married Floyd Benjamin Curtis and died 22 December 1949 in Middletown Ohio, from tuberculosis. She was the daughter of Leah Powers and I think she was named after an aunt.

Leah (who my grandma Jenny was named after) was Born 1855 in Bath Co KY OR 8 Aug 1854 in Blackwater Morgan Co KY. She married James T Fox about 1883 and died March 30 1936 in Mt Sterling, Montgomery Co, KY. She was the daughter of Amanda Lyons. Children of Leah and James – Mariba, William “Billy”, Lizzie, Nannie and Helen.

Amanda was born September 11 1834 in Bath Co KY. She married Gilson Powers on September 25 1853 in Bath Co. KY and died between 1900 and 1907, maybe in 1903. She was the daughter of Martha Ann Jones. Interesting fact - Gilson's mother was named Leah, so its likely that they named their daughter after her.

I have never found very much information on Martha Ann. I don't know when she was born, I don't know when she died. All I know is that she married John Clark Lyons on March 11, 1833 in Bath County, Kentucky. My research has told me that this was probably a second marriage for her. Martha Ann already had a daughter named Lucy when she married John Clark Lyons and Lucy ended up married to a man named Jack Bashford. The fact that it was a second marriage is what gives us the problems -- No one seems to know what her maiden name was. Without knowing her maiden name, there's no way to know who her parents were. And that, my dear readers, is the brick wall.

So there you go. Six generations of my direct maternal line (well, seven if you count me). And the family tradition of naming our daughters after our mothers.

Ann Smith and the Witch Trials

Ann Smith was born on February 8, 1662/63 in Hampton or Exeter, New Hampshire. She was the daughter of Nicholas Smith and his wife Ann. After her mother's death, Ann and her older brother Nathaniel were placed (fostered) in the household of William and Margery Godfrey in Hampton. The Godfreys were older, previously married and widowed, and had raised several children both from their own union and their previous ones. Nicholas Smith remarried, but never reclaimed his children. In 1671, William Godfrey died and Margery married for the third time to a neighbor. Nathaniel remained with his adoptive mother, but Ann was transferred in 1672 to another family. She was now fostered in the household of John Clifford, a very complex household as John was on his third marriage, and his wife Bridget on her second. They had children from all of their earlier unions. In 1672, the Clifford household contained thirteen people including eleven children with four different surnames. Ann Smith eventually married Israel Clifford, the son of John and his first wife Sarah. Israel was born about 1647/48 in Hampton, NH and was married to Ann Smith on March 15, 1679/80 in Hampton by Samuel Dalton. He served in King Philip's War.

While all of this is interesting, what I find most intriguing about Ann Smith is that she was an alleged victim of a witch named Goody Cole. In October of 1672, Goody Cole was arraigned for "appearing under various forms, as a woman, a dog, an eagle and a cat, to entice a young girl, named Ann Smith, to live with her." Cole had previously been jailed for 15 years for witchcraft but was acquitted of these charges. The claim was brought by Sarah Clifford nee Godfrey, wife of John Clifford the younger who lived close to his father's household. There's speculation that Cole may have reached out to Ann, seeing her as a fellow lonely soul. Or that Ann may have reached out to Goody Cole, an elderly woman who may have been nice to her, looking for a place to belong. After all, she was just one child among eleven in the Clifford household and had already been abandoned by her father and her adoptive mother.

Sources:
Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England by John Putnam Demos Oxford University Press 1982, Chapter 10.

THE CLIFFORD ASSOCIATION, David Clifford, Keeywaydin, Selsfield Road, West Hoathly, W. Sussex RH194QN (01342811252) England. Clyfford@aol.com. The Association has a database of 30,000 Clifford related people. It is sponsored by the current Lord Clifford.

Noyes/Libby/Davis, "Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire," (1939), p. 151.

How I'm related to Ann Smith and Israel Clifford - My father is Clifford Cookman, son of Kathleen Frances Forkner. She is the daughter of Harriet Letitia Clifford (born 7 Dec 1898 and Married 21 Aug 1918, both in Anderson, IN). Harriet was the daughter of Hadley Watson Clifford (Born 26 Aug 1869 in Anderson, Married 8 Dec 1891, Died 8 Oct 1857 in Anderson). Hadley was the son of Emery Watson Clifford (Born 21 Aug 1842 in Fairview Fayette Co IN; Married 11 Feb 1864; Died 10 June 1915 in Anderson). Emery was the son of Isaac Clifford (born in 1812 in Vermont; Married 21 Oct 1841). He was the son of Johnathon Clifford (Born 7 May 1769 in Rumney, Grafton, NH; Died 7 June 1836 in Fayette, IN). He was the son of John Clifford (Born 11 Sept 17 43 or 18 March 1737 in Kingston, Rockingham Co. NH; Died 1790 in Dorchester, Grafton, NH). John was the son of Isaac Clifford Sr (Born 24 May 1696 in Hampton, Rockingham, NH; died 11 Sept 1745 in Kingston, Rockingham Co., NH). Isaac was the son of Israel and Ann.

So my 8th great grandmother was a witness during the New England witch hunts.

My Puritanical Roots

William Brewster was the religious leader of the Puritan colony at Plymouth. He was born 24 Jan 1560 in Scrooby Nottinghamshire England, married in 1588 to a woman named Mary, also in Scrooby Nottinghamshire England and died 10 Apr 1644 in Plymouth Plymouth Mass. He was the son of William Brewster and Prudence Peak. William came to America in 1620 aboard the Mayflower with his wife, Mary Brewster, and two of his sons, Love and Wrestling Brewster. A third son Jonathan joined the family in November 1621 on the ship Fortune, and daughters Patience and Fear arrived in July 1623 aboard the Anne. Family lore says that Mary helped prepare the first Thanksgiving dinner.

His daughter Patience was Born 1590 in Scrooby Nottinghamshire England and Died 12 Dec 1634 in Plymouth Plymouth Mass. Patience married Thomas Prence on15 August 1624 in Plymouth Plymouth Mass. Thomas was a political leader of both the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies, governor of Plymouth colony and co-founder of Eastham Mass. The son of Thomas Prence and Elizabeth Tolderby, he was born 1599/1600 in Lechdale Gloucestershire England and died 29 March 1673 in Eastham Barnstable Mass. Thomas emigrated to America in 1621 on the ship Fortune. He arrived in Plymouth on November 9, 1621, just after the first Thanksgiving. They had one son Thomas Jr. and three daughters Rebecca, Mercy, and Hannah.

Thomas was a religious zealot and openly opposed those that he believed to be heretics, such as the Quakers. He was infamous for the banishment of those who would not conform to his specific church law, including Samuel Gorton, the first governor of Rhode Island. He restructured the local government to secure his position and led the persecution of numerous people for offenses such as smiling in church, harboring non-church members, and tending garden during the Sabbath. However, he also procured revenue for the colony's grammar schools so future generations would be better educated, so he wasn't all bad.

Mercy (Born 4 Jan 1631 in Duxbury, Plymouth, Mass; Died 20 Sept 1711 in Eastham, Barnstable, Mass) married John Freeman on 14 Feb 1649 in Eastham, Barnstable, Mass. He was born 28 Jan 1626 in Pulborough Sussex England; Christened 28 Jan 1626 in Billingshurst, Sussex, England and died 28 Oct 1719 in Eastham or Rochester, Barnstable, Mass. John was the son of Edmund Freeman and Bennett Hodsoll.

Their daughter Hannah Freeman (Born about 1656 in Eastham Mass; Died 15 Feb 1743 in Harwich Mass) married John Mayo on 14 Apr 1681 in Hingham Mass. The son of Samuel Mayo and Thamasin Lumpkin, John was born 15 Dec 1652 in Eastham Mass and died 1 Feb 1726 in Harwick Mass.

John Mayo, son of John and Hannah, was born 8 Jan 1682/83 in Eastham Mass. and died 1 Feb 1756 in Eastham Mass. On 22 Oct 1712 in Eastham Mass, he married a woman named Susannah Freeman and had a daughter, Patience Mayo. Susannah was Born 1691 in Eastham Barnstable Mass. and was the daughter of James Freeman and Sarah Merrick.

Patience was born 8 Sept 1734 in Middlebourough Mass. She married a man named Gideon Braley. He was Born 29 Jan 1729 in Middlebourough Mass. and Died 1774 in Middlebourough Mass. They married in 1750 in Middlebourough Mass. Gideon was the son of Ambrose Braley and Mary Reynolds.

Their son, Samuel Braley, was born 1751 in Middleborough Plymouth Co Mass. and Died 1829 in Augusta Maine. In 1775, he married Sarah Axtill. Samuel was a Corporal in Col. Lippett’s Regiment.

Their son, Amos Braley, was born 23 Aug 1776 in Augusta Maine and Died 10 April 1840 in Rutland Ohio. He married 29 April 1800 in Sidney Maine to Alice Savage. Alic was born 6 Nov 1782 in Belgrade Maine and Died 26 Sept 1848 in Rutland Ohio. She was the daughter of Joseph Savage and Alice Carson.

Newell, the son of Amos and Alice, was born 8 January 1810 in Sidney Maine and died 9 Feb 1884 in Rutland Ohio. He married Susannah Palmer (Born about 1812 in Sidney Maine) and they had a son named Rufus.

Rufus Braley was Born about 1834 in Ohio. He married 10 Nov 1858 Euclid Miller McClintock in Jackson Co Ohio. Euclid was Born about September 1836 in Jackson Co Ohio and Died 1910 in Milton Twp Jackson Co Ohio. She was the daughter of James H McClintock and Margaret Miller.

Their son, Ripley McClintock Braley, was Born January 25 1873 in Milton Twp Ohio and Died 15 Jan 1969 in Jackson Co Ohio. He married 18 March 1899 Cora Evangeline Gleason in Jackson Co Ohio. Cora was born on May 11 1877 in Gallia Ohio and died in 1952 in Jackson Ohio. She was the daughter of Levi Gleason and Calfernie (Esther California) Bishop.

Their daughter Calfernie Euclid Braley (named after both of her grandmothers, the poor woman. She went by "Fern" and the sewing machine that I use is hers and named after her accordingly.) was Born 22 Nov 1902 in Wellston Ohio and Died 27 Apr 1986 (while my brother was in the hospital as a baby. I actually remember Granny Fink, barely. She was a tiny woman, old and frail.) Fern married Homer Dupre Fink and had four children - Esther Josephine, Gretchen, Christine and William Ripley, my grandfather.

William (more commonly known as Bill) was born May 27 1928 in Wellston Jackson Co Ohio and died July 26 1982 in Hamilton Ohio. He married Virginia Lee Curtis and they had two children - William Douglas and Helen Marie.

Helen married Clifford Ray Cookman (my father) on July 13, 1979 and I came along two years later. I am the 12th great granddaughter of William Brewster, elder and religious leader of the Puritan colony at Plymouth, Mass.

End of Paternal Lines

One thing I find interesting is that I have traced quite a few of my family lines back really far, but both of my grandfathers' lines - the direct Fink line and the direct Cookman line - end after a few generations. The exception to this is my straight maternal line - it ends after about six generations as well, but I'll explore that in a later post.

Fink -- I am the daughter of Helen Marie Fink. Her father was William Ripley Fink (Born May 27 1928 in Wellston Jackson Co Ohio, Died July 26 1982 in Hamilton Ohi). He was the son of Homer Dupre Fink (Born 6 June 1902 in Rocky Hill Bloomfield Jackson Co Ohio, Married 24 March 1923 in Wellston Ohio to Calfernie Euclid Braley, Died 10 April 1968 in Hamilton Ohio). Homer was the son of William Golden Fink (Born 7 July 1876 in Bloomfield Ohio, Died 23 Aug 1944 in Wellston Ohio). Interesting fact - William Golden worked for the railroad. He was the son of John Franklin Fink (Born 14 Apr 1847 in Pennsylvania; Died 8 Jan 1926 in Bloomfield Ohio, Buried in Dixon Run Cemetery). John Franklin, also a railroad man, moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio in the 1850s with his parents - Jacob Fink and Nancy Foy. Jacob and Nancy are as far back as research has led me. Jacob was born 28 May 1809 in East Brunswick Schuykill PA or in 1805. He died after 1880 in Knox Ohio. He may have been from Allegheny or Tyrone PA. Nancy was born about 1816 in Pennsylvania or in 1814. She died after 1880 in Ohio. They had several children -- Elizabeth born Jan 1840, Nancy J born 1842, Martha Ellen born Aug 1846, John Franklin born 4 14 1849 and James T born 12 15 1851 .

The story is that the Finks were Jews from Germany that came over and changed their name when they arrived in America. However, we have no idea what the original German Jewish surname was. Someday, I would love to discover what the original family name was, I just have no idea how to go about it.

Cookman -- I am the daughter of Clifford Ray Cookman, son of Donald Lee Cookman. Donald is the son of Willard Clement "Clem" Cookman. Clem was born 6 Dec 1882 in Anderson IN and died 22 May 1943. He was the son of Minter Bailey Cookman Jr. Minter (Born 23 Dec 1849, Married 15 Aug 1874 in Anderson IN to Sarah Jane Meade, Died 20 Oct 1911 in Anderson IN, Buried: 22 Oct 1911 Place: Westmaplewoodcem, Anderson, Madison, IN) was the son of Minter Bailey Cookman Sr. Minter Sr. was born about 1820, married Margaret Elizabeth Reeding / Reel in January of 1847 and Died 20 Oct 1849 in Anderson IN. Minter Sr. is the last of his line. I have no story to explain the end of the Cookman line.

So on the Fink side, I have traced back six generations to Jacob Fink born in 1809. On the Cookman side, I've only gotten back five generations to Minter Bailey Cookman Sr born about 1820.

I just find it interesting that both direct male lines end in the early 1800s while other lines go back to the Middle Ages in Europe.

Thanks for reading!

Jennilee

Abraham Dupre - updated w more information

Today I'm going to share one of my favorite family members and stories. I love stories about my great-great-great-great-grandfather Abraham Dupre (related through my materal grandfather). He was a boat builder who would build boats and sail them down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers so that he could sell them in New Orleans. In order to facilitate his sales, Abraham spoke five languages -- I doubt he was fluent but he at least spoke enough to haggle and sell his boats. He was born on the Isle of Jersey around 1810 or 1811. By the 1830s, he had immigrated to America. On December 5, 1833, he married Polly Deckard (daughter of Richard Deckard and Hannah Eagle) in Vinton, Gallia County, Ohio. Abraham died on the 25th of September in Sciotoville, Gallia County, Ohio. He was the son of Abraham Dupre and Mary De Merrick or Maria Dumaresq.

According to family lore, he was a hero - when Morgan's Raiders came through the area during the Civil War, Abraham - who was an old man by this time - helped hide the women and children in the woods to save them from the Confederates. Some of the women and children he saved were the ancestors of my maternal grandmother.


The following was taken from an email my great aunt Esther Jo (my grandfather Fink's sister) sent my mother - "A more recent story about our ancestors, when my parents were dating, folks
sat around and told family stories, etc., since there was no radio. One evening they were talking about the Civil War and the time the Confederate troops known as Morgan's Raiders went through Jackson and Gallia Counties. Mother's family told about Gr Grandpa Levi Gleason going out with a local "militia" to help protect the local area from the raiders. I think it was the summer of 1863 (if interested, I have exact date). While Levi was gone his wife Califernia Esther(Cal)(about 17 or 18 yrs old) gave birth to their second child. The little girl was just 3 days old when the Raiders were getting close to the Gleason home (lived in Huntington Twp. Gallia Co then,so far as I can determine). An old one arm man came to the Gleason house. He told young Cal he was too old and too crippled to go with the Militia, so he was trying to make sure the women left behind were safe. He took Cal, her toddler and her 3 day old and hid them in the woods, so the Raiders wouldn't find them and hurt them. The Raiders sometimes hurt the women whose husbands were out with the Militia, or in the Army. Have you guessed who the old man was? It was my Gr Gr Grandpa Abraham Dupre who had lost one hand and 3 digits on the other hand, in a mill accident. When Mother's family started to tell about Grandma Gleason being hid in the woods, they had no idea that the old man was my Dad's Gr Grandfather. But my Dad had heard the story about Gr Grandpa hiding the women in the woods."

My Cousin and BFF Kristen Prather

One of the most exciting things I discovered in my research is that I'm related to one of my best friends - albeit very distantly and through marriage.

I am the daughter of Clifford Ray Cookman (born 2 Aug 1954). Clifford is the second oldest son of Donald Lee Cookman. Donald is the son of Willard Clement "Clem" Cookman (Born 6 Dec 1882 in Anderson IN; Died 22 May 1943). Clem was the son of Sarah Jane Meade. Sarah (Born 11 Nov 1854 in Florida IN; Died 16 Feb 1930 in Anderson IN) was the daughter of Susan Moore. Susan (Born 25 July 1828 in Mifflin Pike Co Ohio; Died 25 Sept 1856 in Madison Co IN) was the daughter of Samuel Moore (Born 2 Aug 1775 in Layfayette, Christian Co KY; Died 14 Jan 1882 in Anderson IN or in Lafayette Twp Madison Co IN). Samuel was the son of Joseph Moore (Born about 1770 in KY or about 1769 in PA; Died before 15 Apr 1836 in Mifflin Twp Pike Co Ohio). Joseph was the son of Ezekial Moore (Born between 1730 and 1736 in Prince George Co Maryland or about 1740 in KY; Died before 18 Apr 1836 Mifflin Pike Co. Ohio) Some information on Ezekial - He moved to Pennsylvania in the 1770s. In 1779, he sold property in Westmoreland County, PA (modern Greene/Fayette counties). He is reported to have taken part in the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794. By 1797, he was in Ross County (modern Pike County) Ohio. Ezekial's brother Aaron married a woman named Mary Prather.

Kristen contributed the following information: Kristen is the daughter of Douglas Benton Prather. Douglas is the son of Donald Benton Prather. Donald is the son of Clarence Prather. Clarence was the son of John Prather, who was the son of Thomas Benton Prather (and Civil War Vet! Defend the Union!). Thomas was the son of the elder Thomas Prather. Thomas was the brother of Mary, who married Aaron Moore.

According to a cousin chart I found on the State Library of North Carolina's website (found at http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/genealogy/cousinchart.html), we are sixth cousins, twice removed by marriage. Provided of course that I used the chart correctly.

That's all for now.

Jennilee

Introduction

Hi, my name is Jennilee and I'm a genealogy addict. I can spend hours researching my family, tracking down different lines and seeing how far back I can go.

By the way, I've gotten back pretty far on a couple lines.

In the last few months, I've discovered things I didn't know -- like the fact that my family goes back to Switzerland on both sides, that both of my parents are descended from Charlemagne, and that I have both Quaker and Puritan ancestors. The last one might explain my obsession with orthodox religions actually.

I was reading Family Tree Magazine recently and was intrigued by the idea of blogging my research. So that's what this blog is going to be -- I'm going to use it to explore and share some of my research. I plan to just blog about whatever strikes my fancy on that day.

So...enjoy.

Jennilee Cookman