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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Weather Vane Wednesday ~ Another Rooster on a Barn

Every Wednesday I post a photo of a weather vane from the area of New Hampshire once known as Nutfield, now the towns of Londonderry, Derry and Windham.  Today I wandered a bit over the border into Litchfield.

Do you know the location of weathervane #68?  Scroll down to see the answer.






Litchfield is squeezed between Londonderry and the Merrimack River.  The river valley is very flat, and very fertile, and is still full of farms and barns.  I was surprised to find that even though there are many, many barns along the Charles Bancroft Highway (Route 3A), hardly any barns have cupolas or weather vanes.  I had to look hard.  This one is at the Naticook Farm.  Although I have seen many rooster weather vanes on houses and even on gas stations and businesses, it is very fitting to see a rooster on top of an old red New Hampshire barn!


Click here to see the entire collection of Weathervane Wednesday posts!

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Alice and Cinderella

This tombstone was photographed at Glenwood Cemetery, Londonderry, New Hampshire.



MOORE
JOHN A. MOORE
1831 - 1908
HIS WIFE
N. ELIZABETH ARMSTRONG
1834- 1900


[reverse side of the stone]

ALICE J.
1858 - 1921
CINDERELLA J. 
1866 - 1963


Deacon John A. Moore, son of James Moore and Jane Anderson, born 1 March 1831 in Windham, New Hampshire, died in 25 March 1908 in Windham; married on 23 November 1855 in Derry, New Hampshire to Nancy Elizabeth Armstrong, daughter of James Armstrong and Alice Kidder.  She was born 26 April 1834 in Derry and died in 1900.  According to census records, this family always lived in Windham on the ancestral farm near Kendall Pond [see Moore Road near the Londonderry line] dating back to the William Moore, son of  Charter James Moor. [see the History of Windham, pages 649 - 651]  John A. Moore became a deacon of the church in Londonderry under pastor Reverend William House.  Three daughters born in Windham:

1.  Alice Jane Moore, born 24 April 1858
2.  Nellie Orietta Moore, born 18 May 1861, married Reid M. Hills in 1886 in Pelham, New Hampshire.  Nellie was a teacher in Windham.
3.  Cinderella Jessie Moore, born 16 November 1866.  Cinderella Moore served as a teacher in Londonderry at school #8  for two terms in 1886.

Alice and Cinderella Moore are mentioned in the 15 April 1908 edition of the Nashua, NH Telegraph
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2209&dat=19080415&id=3k1AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MqQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2157,699836

Cinderella Moore in the 16 November 1959 issue of the Nashua Telegraph on the occasion of her 93rd birthday.  She lived to be 97 years old: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2209&dat=19591116&id=PK4rAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t_0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=7208,1567872

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Tombstone Tuesday ~ Alice and Cinderella", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 30, 2012, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/10/tombstone-tuesday-alice-and-cinderella.html: accessed [access date]).

Monday, October 29, 2012

A Halloween Ancestor Story! The Gloucester Sea Monster

The first account of a sea monster off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts was given by John Josselyn in 1638.   In the summer of 1817 there were many citizens of Gloucester  who reported seeing a sea serpent or monster.  These eyewitness reports  were from men, women, landlubbers and seasoned sailors. Over the years, the reports continued, and the last big sighting was in 1918. 


George Washington’s former staff member, General David Humphreys, interviewed several witnesses, and their testimony is fascinating. A three member panel in Boston took testimonies from doctors, businessmen, clergymen and soldiers.  Two nuns and several fishermen saw it just north of Gloucester.  There were over twenty sightings in 1817. You can read accounts in the Salem Gazette, the Boston Daily Advertiser and the Philadelphia Magazine.  If you have Cape Ann ancestors, you might want to see if they are in some of the interviews!

The testimony of Shipmaster Solomon Allen III, from 12 August 1817:  “… a strange marine animal, that believe to be a serpent, at the southward and eastward end of Ten Pound Island, in the harbor of Gloucester….His head formed something like the head of a rattlesnake, but nearly as large as the head of a horse.  When he moved on the surface of the water his motion was slow, at times playing in circles, and sometimes moving straight forward”

The problem is that I can count nine Solomon Allens in my family tree, all living in Gloucester, Massachusetts.  Even by subtracting the ones who weren't living in 1817, I still have a half dozen possibilities for the Solomon Allen in the history books who witnessed the sea monster.  (and all of the possibilities are relatives, oh my!)

1. Solomon Allen, son of John Allen and Eunice Stone, born 6 December 1737 in Gloucester and died 6 June 1836 in Gloucester; married on 6 June 1754 in Gloucester to Susanna Riggs, daughter of Joshua Riggs. He is a first cousin, 7 generations removed, grandson of my 7th great grandfather John Stone (1661 - 1736), and also the great grandson of my 10th great grandfather, William Allen (1611 - 1686), our immigrant ancestor from Yarmouth, England. 

    2.  Solomon Allen, son of David Allen and Hannah Paddleford, born 23 Mar 1744- no death or marriage information.

3.  Solomon Allen, son of Solomon Allen and Susanna Riggs, born 8 April 1755 in Gloucester; married first on 13 October 1780  to Mary Haskell; married  second on 27 November 1796 to Esther Wallace; married third on 20 May 1800 to Abigail Flowers.  He is a 2nd cousin, 6 generations removed. 

     4. Solomon Allen, son of William Allen and Mary Ingalls, born 14 December 1755 in the Chebacco Parish of Ipswich (now Essex, the town next to Gloucester). He is my 6th great uncle, brother to Isaac Allen (b. 1740), my 6th great grandfather, see below). 

     5. Solomon Allen, son of Isaac Allen and Abigail Burnham, born in the Chebacco Parish after 1763, no further information.  He is my 5th great uncle, the brother to Joseph Allen (1776 - 1861) my 5th great grandfather. 

     6. Solomon Allen (I don’t know his parents), married on 5 April 1794 in West Gloucester to Mary Allen, daughter of William Allen and Tabitha Bray, born 4 September 1775 in Gloucester, died 15 October 1849 in Gloucester.  Mary is my 1st cousin, 6 generations removed.  

Which Solomon Allen is the Solomon Allen III, shipmaster of Gloucester? 

More information for the truly curious:

From the UnMuseum website  http://www.unmuseum.org/glserpent.htm


Books about this sea monster:
The Great New England Sea Serpent: An Account of Unknown Creatures Sighted by Many Respectable Persons between 1638 and Present Day, by J. P. O’Neil, Paraview Special Editions, 2003

Gloucester’s Sea Serpent, by Wayne Soini, History Press, 2010

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To cite/link to this blog post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Halloween Ancestor Story!  The Gloucester Sea Monster", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 29, 2012, (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-halloween-ancestor-story-gloucester.html: accessed [access date]). 

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Surname Saturday ~ Jones of Watertown, Massachusetts


JONES

Unfortunately for me, I have several JONES families in my family tree, and all were genealogist's nightmares, except for this JONES line, which has been well documented. 

Lewis Jones was one of the first to settle in Watertown, Massachusetts arriving with Ann, his wife, arrived with her family on 15 April 1635 on the ship “Increase”.  They joined the church of Reverend John Eliot, the pastor to the Indians.  The Joneses lived in Roxbury and then in the part of Watertown that is now Belmont, Massachusetts. 

His son, my 8x great grandfather, Josiah Jones, served in King Philip’s War and was made the captain of the Watertown militia.  He removed to Weston, Massachusetts and became a church deacon. 

WILL OF LEWIS JONES

Lewis Jones died April 11, 1684, will made Jan. 7, 1678.

In the name of God Amen, I, Lewis Jones, in Watertown, in New England, being at p'sent of p'fect understanding and memory, though weak of body, committing my soul into the hands of Almighty God and my body to decent buryall, in hope of a Ressurrection into eternal life, through the Merrits and power of Jesus Christ my most gracious Savior and Redeemer; do thus dispose of that estate which God has graciously given unto me--; Considering the weak and helpless condition of my dear wife, Ann Jones, and of my son, Suball Jones, my will and pleasure is, that the whole of my estate (after the discharge of my debts and my buriall) be improved for their supply, the benefits of it, and also the principal, if they stand in need thereof. And my further will and pleasure is y't when the Lord shall please to remove either of them by death, that then that which remaineth shall be wholly to the use of the other so long as either of them shall live; & if the Lord shall so dispose that anything remaineth after their death, that when what remaineth be divided, two parts to my daughter, Lydia Whitney, if she be then living, & one part to my son Josiah; but if Lydia be dead, that w't remaineth be divided equally to my son Josiah, if living, or such of his children as shall be living, and the children of my daughter Lydiah that shall then be living, & of this my last will, I do constitute my son Josiah my sole executor and do earnestly desire my loving friend and Brother John Stone to be overseer, to assist my son in the managing of ye estate so as may be best for the comfort of my poor wife and child aforesd, and in confirmation hereof I have hereunto set my Marke and seale  The Marke -??- & seal of

Lewis Jones.
This 7th day of ye 11th, 1678

A Codicil annexed to ye above sd will, 19, 2, 1682 (after
the death of the wife of the testator):
As a further addition to my last Will and Testament, I do nominate and appoynt my assured friends, Simon Stone & John Stone of Watertown, to be guardians unto my son
Suball Jones, to whose prudence and wisdom I do commit & send the governm't of my sd son, and the disposal of all that estate as well real and p'sonal to my sd son bequeathed: & I do hereby authorize and empower sd Guardians, or the longest liver of them, to make sale of any part of my house and lands as there shall appear to them needful for the belief of my sd son Shuball Jones
his mark
x
Lewis Y Jones
x
The above will was proved June 17, 1684.
Jonath. Remington, Clericus.

My lineage from Lewis Jones:

Generation 1:  Lewis Jones, born 1605 and died 11 April 1684 in Watertown, Massachusetts; married in England to Anna.   Four children.

Generation 2:  Josiah Jones, born 2 October 1643 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, died 9 October 1714 in Watertown; married on 2 October 1667 to Lydia Treadway, daughter of Nathaniel Treadway and Sufferana Haynes, born 1 September 1649 and died 18 September 1743.  Ten children.

Generation 3: Anna Jones, born 28 July 1684 and died 1736; married before 1704 to Joseph Mixer, son of Isaac Mixer and Rebecca Garfield, born 9 August 1674 in Watertown, died 10 December 1723 in Watertown.  Nine children.

Generation 4. Joseph Mixer m. Mary Ball
Generation 5. Lucy Mixer m. Andrew Munroe
Generation 6. Andrew Munroe m. Ruth Simonds
Generation 7. Luther Simonds Munroe m. Olive Flint
Generation 8. Phebe Cross Munroe m. Robert Wilson Wilkinson
Generation 9. Albert Munroe Wilkinson m. Isabella Lyons Bill
Generation 10. Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my paternal grandparents)

Divided We Stand: Watertown, Massachusetts 1630 – 1680 by Roger Thompson, Amherst, Mass:  University of Massachusetts Press, 2001

Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, by Henry Bond, Boston: Little, Brown, & Company, 1855

History of the Jones Family, by William Henry Jones, 1834 manuscript at the New England Historic Genealogical Society MSS C 5012 (Genealogy with charts of the descendants of Josiah Jones and his wife Lydia Treadway)

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Friday, October 26, 2012

Follow Friday ~ Tufts Family Genealogy

Over the past few months I've had a few guest bloggers try out writing their genealogy and local history stories on my blog.  Several of them have gone on to start their own blogs, and this week Tom Tufts debuted his own genealogy blog "Tufts Family Genealogy" at http://tuftsgenealogy.blogspot.com/
This book was the inspiration for one of Tom's guest posts

Tom wrote three stories this year at my blog, the first was "John Tufts: A Shipwreck Story of Londonderry Immigrants" at the link http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/03/john-tufts-shipwreck-story-of.html   He had originally written to me to see if I had more information on this great story about some Tufts from Northern Ireland immigrating to the New World.  I hadn't heard this story of the shipwreck before, and so he wrote up the blog post and it received a lot of comments. His second story was "Scots Irish at Concord, NH and the 'Irish Fort'" http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/08/scots-irish-at-concord-nh-and-irish-fort.html which was another local history story that was new to me.

Tom's last story on my blog was "Henry Tufts, Black Sheep of an Otherwise Respectable Family" at http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/09/henry-tufts-black-sheep-of-otherwise.html    This story grew out of our meeting in person at the Derry Library's New Hampshire Room for some collaborative research, and a discussion about our common Tufts ancestors.  After the story of Henry Tufts was posted, I urged Tom to think about starting his own blog.  His stories are too interesting, and his knowledge of local history and families is vast enough to fill his own blog.

And so, Tom started posting stories.  He didn't want to advertise his blog until he had a few posts up on the website.  When he finally put up a post on Facebook to share his blog, I figured it was safe to now publicize his URL and time for him to get a few followers!

Tom Tufts is a resident of nearby Raymond, New Hampshire.  He is a volunteer at the Exeter Fire Museum located on Court Street in Exeter, New Hampshire https://www.facebook.com/pages/Exeter-Fire-Museum/106340866082047 .   Tom is seriously considering starting a new career as a professional genealogist, and is off to a good start with his new blog!  I hope you will read his posts and consider becoming a follower, too!

Also by one of my past guest bloggers: The Pye Plate by Bette Pye http://thepyeplate.blogspot.com/


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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Highlights of my Research Trip to Hawaii

1. Bringing my Mom and daughter to Hawaii was the biggest highlight of our recent vacation.  We toured Iolani Palace, Washington Place and met up with cousins.  We also paid our respects at several cemeteries, and went to the Queen Lili’uokalani Church in Haliewa, founded by Reverend John Emerson of Chester, New Hampshire, another distant cousin. I only wish I had called the church in Haliewa ahead of time, because it was closed when we arrived.  

Me, Mom and Hubby at Washington Place
Mom and I place leis on the graves of
Reverend John Emerson and his wife Ursula
at the Queen Liliuokalani Church, Haliewa, Hawaii
2.   I’ll never forget seeing Mom enjoy her visits with cousins and being at Washington Place.  I know how excited she was when I found out that our Hawaii connection was more than myth, and was able to place Lili’uokalani in our family tree.  Hearing the curators and the tour guides confirm the story made it even more real for her.  We found out that her grandmother was 24 years old when she visited with the Queen in Boston.  Carrie Batchelder Allen was a new bride with two small children in 1897, the year of the Queen’s visit with relatives in Massachusetts.

Mom and I chatting with the Washington Place curator
about Mom's grandmother meeting Queen Liliuokalani in Boston
3.   At the archives I found several more letters and found some Boston relatives in Queen Lili’uokalani’s photograph albums.  Some photos need identification.  Such as this photo of a Mrs. William Lee.   My first cousin 5 x removed, Mr. Lee, had two wives.  The first wife died in 1883, and the second one he married in 1888.  Which wife is this?  Can anyone tell from her dress and hairstyle which wife this might be?

labeled "Mrs. William Lee" by Sarony's, NY
in Hawaii State Archives
Queen Liliuokalani Collections
M-93 Photograph Album 26 

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Weathervane Wednesday ~ A Very Famous Date

Every Wednesday I post a photograph of a weather vane here on my blog.  Some are whimsical, some are historical, and other are just plain odd!  Usually the weather vanes are located in the former Nutfield, New Hampshire area (Derry, Londonderry, Windham and nearby).  Today's weather vane is a bit further away, but it was so interesting I just had to include it on my blog!

Do you know the location of weather vane #67?

The date on the banner is backwards!



The visitor center just to the left of the Mayflower II
is where this weather vane is located.  

Today's weather vane is located at Plymouth, Massachusetts, at the little museum on the wharf next to the Mayflower II.  Just below the weather vane is the ticket counter and entrance.  The Mayflower II is a replica built in England and sailed to Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1957.  It was a gift representing the collaboration and alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States during World War II.  There are no plans or drawings of the original Mayflower, and no one knows exactly what she looked like.  This ship was built using the best research of the 1950s, including descriptions of the Mayflower found in William Bradford's book Of Plymouth Plantation and other contemporary works.

"Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, [we] fell upon [our] knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought [us] over the vast and furious ocean"  - William Bradford

The Mayflower II is owned by the Plimoth Plantation living history museum.  For more information see the website http://www.plimoth.org/


Click here to see the entire collection of Weathervane Wednesday posts!

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo


Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Richard More, the Mayflower Bastard, Salem, Massachusetts

Both these tombstones were photographed at Burying Point, Salem, Massachusetts, 
also known as the Charter Street Cemetery


LYETH BURIED
YE BODY OF CAPt
RICHARD MORE
AGED 84 YEARS
DIED 1692
A MAYFLOWER PILGRIM



HODIE MIHI CRIAS TIBI*
CHRISTIAN WIFE
TO RICHARD MORE
AGED 60 YEARS
DECd MARCH Ye 18
1678
[* this latin translates to "Today me, tomorrow you"]

Richard More is one of the four More children who were put out to Mayflower passengers in 1620 as servants.  All the children were less than seven years old, and when Richard was placed into the custody of the Brewster family, he was about five years old.  He was the only one of the four siblings to survive the first winter in the New World.  This was the result of a custody battle between his parents.  His father accused his mother of adultery, and none of the children were his.  But since he was legally their parent he turned them over to Mayflower passengers, with the promise that they would receive land in Plymouth Colony.

The story of Richard More and his siblings was told very admirably in the book The Mayflower Bastard, by David Lindsay, St. Martin's Press, New York, 2002.  It is a true soap opera of a story, and for all the interesting details you should read the book.  When Richard was of age he became the apprentice to Isaac Allerton, another Mayflower passenger and my 11 x great grandfather.  Allerton lived in Salem and Marblehead after he was thrown out of Plymouth (another soap opera).  Allerton was a business man who returned to England many times during his lifetime.

Richard Moore, married three times. His first wife was Christian Hunter in 1636, my 10x great aunt.  She was daughter of my 11 x great grandparents, of unknown names, and sister of my 10x great grandmother, Elizabeth Hunter (abt 1614 - 1689) who married Humphrey Woodbury (1609 - 1689) of Beverly, Massachusetts.  His second wife was a bigamous relationship in England, while he was traveling abroad, and this third wife was from Salem.  The first and third wife are buried in Salem.  I told you it was quite a soap opera!

The last two lines on Richard More's tombstone were added in the early 20th century.  The year 1692 was apparently a guess, and the words "A Mayflower Pilgrim" are not original. I found an article in the Greenfield, Massachusetts newspaper Greenfield Gazette, 18 December 1920, page 7 that describes his tombstone without the last two lines. This article was printed on the 300th anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower.  Perhaps that anniversary prompted someone to alter Richard More's stone? That same year, the Boston Globe reported on 24 October 1920 that the Mayflower Society was adding the name of the boy passenger, Richard More, to the list of approved passengers, and his descendants would be eligible for membership.

Richard More is thought to be the last male living passenger of the Mayflower.  His gravestone is also thought to be the only gravestone in it's original spot (never moved) and contemporary to the time of death (not placed by descendants or a family association years later).  It has been encased in concrete as a move towards preservation.  Richard More's aristocratic parents left him a legacy of royal ancestors, including William the Conqueror, Henry I, Henry II, King John, Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III and many members of the nobility.  Both his parents were Mores.  Most of his descendants eligible for membership in the Mayflower society are through is daughter Susanna, who married Samuel Dutch.

Genealogy:

Richard More, son of Jacobe Blakeway and Katharine More (wife of Samuel More), baptized 13 November 1614 in Shipton, Shropshire, England, and died between 19 March 1694 and 20 April 1696 in Salem, Massachusetts; married first on 20 October 1636 to Christian Hunter; married second (while still married to the first wife) on 23 October 1645 in England to Elizabeth Woolnough; married third after 1675 to Jane Hollingsworth, widow of Samuel Crumpton.

Seven children with Christian Hunter, all born in Salem:
1. Samuel More, baptized 6 March 1642; married Sarah Unknown
2. Thomas More, baptized 6 March 1642
3. Caleb More, baptized 31 March 1643/4
4. Richard More, baptized 2 Jan 1648; married Sarah Unknown
5. Joshua More, baptized 3 March 1646
6. Susanna More, baptized 12 May 1650; married 1 Samuel Dutch, 2 Richard Hutton 3 John Knowlton
2. Christian More, baptized 5 September 1652, married Joshua Conant

One daughter with Elizabeth Woolnough
1. Elizabeth More, born about 1638; no further information

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Monday, October 22, 2012

A List of “New to Me” books for Hawaiian Genealogy Research


Some of these books I bought and read before the trip, and others I picked up at the Iolani Palace gift shop, the Bishop Museum gift shop, or at Na Mea Hawaii, the native bookstore at the Ward Warehouse Mall in Honolulu http://www.nativebookshawaii.com/   Most can probably be found at your local bookstore or online.  It is important to read books about the location you are visiting for genealogy research, whether it is a new town, new state or new country.   Even if you have been there before, there is always something new.

Hawaiian Journey: Images of Yesterday, by Joseph G. Mullins, Mutual Publishing, 1978

Illustrated Hawaiian Dictionary, by Kahikahealani Wight, Bess Press, Honolulu, 2009

Lost Kingdom: Hawaii’s Last Queen, the Sugar Kings, and America’s First Imperial Adventures, by Julia Flynn Siler, Atlantic Monthly Press, 2012

Oahu Revealed, by Andrew Doughty, Wizard Publications, Inc., 2010

The Queen and I:  A Story of Dispossessions and Reconnections in Hawai’I, by Sydney Lehua Iaukea, University of California Press, 2012

The Queen’s Songbook, by Her Majesty Queen Lili’uokalani, published by Hui Hanai, 1999 reprinted 2011

The Rise and Fall of the Hawaiian Kingdom: A Pictorial History, by Richard A. Wisniewski, Pacific Printing and Publishing, 1979

A new magazine I discovered six months before my trip:
Mana: The Hawaiian Magazine, published bimonthly by MANA Media LLC http://www.mymanamagazine.com/ and also on Facebook

For a listing of the books I read for my first Hawaiian research trip in 2010, please see this link: http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/08/bibliography-for-my-hawaii-genealogy.html



While in Hawaii I asked about the newest books, and two cousins recommended The Queen and I.  It was written by a descendant of Curtis P. Iaukea, who was the chamberlain to Queen Liliuokalani.  I read it on the flight home, and it was an excellent book for understanding land rights in Hawaii.

I had heard about the new book Lost Kingdom, by Siler.  It was both applauded and panned by Hawaiian historians and genealogists.  Two Oahua friends, whose opinion I trust,  recommended it and I picked up a copy at Na Mea.  I haven't read it yet, but it is a landmark book about the illegal takeover of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

I also learned that Hawaii’s Story, by Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani now available in paperback will be republished as a hardcover book in 2013.   The original book was published by my cousin William Lee, and cousin to the Queen’s husband, John Owen Dominis.  Lee & Shepard Publishers of Boston printed the book in 1898.   Several members of my extended family have the original book.    I read some of the correspondence between William Lee and the Queen at the Hawaii State Archives, and I was thrilled that some of it mentioned relatives, including my 3x great grandmother!  Hawaii's Story is also available to read online at http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/liliuokalani/hawaii/hawaii.html 

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo


Sunday, October 21, 2012

2012 "Seven to Save" in New Hampshire

The Derry Upper Village Hall
Was on the 2006 "Seven to Save" list
and is currently being considered for major renovations


The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance announced its “2012 Seven to Save” list, and for three years I’ve reported on this event.  For the past six years this list and the NH Preservation Alliance has raised support and awareness for endangered historic places in the Granite State.  In Many cases this awareness has saved these buildings and structures from loss, demolition or ill-planned renovations. 

Of the over 40 structures on the list, half have been saved.  Many are local buildings, such as the First Parish Church of Derry, which was on the 2009 list, or the Derry Upper Village Hall, which was on the very first list in 2006.  Both are still in need of much expensive structural renovation and restoration.  The publicity this event raises every year helps in the necessary fund raising for buildings like these.

The Pandora Mill in Manchester hosted the 2012 announcement ceremony on Tuesday October 16. The Pandora Mill had been named to the 2006 list, and was recently restored into an award winning facility with LEED certification and new energy efficiency.  Other recent renovations from the Seven to Save list included the Ashland School, and with current progress coming for other sites such as the 70 meter ski jump at Gunstock Ski Resort, the Langdon Meetinghouse and the Upper Village Hall in Derry.

Named to the 2012 List:

Exeter’s Ioka Theater
Kensington’s Town Hall
Littleton’s Community House
The Moultonborough Grange
New Durham’s 1772 Meetinghouse
Wakefield’s  Drew Mill and Dam in Union Village
Walpole’s Vilas Bridge

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Celebrate New Hampshire History Week


On 12 July 2011 New Hampshire’s Governor Lynch signed House Bill 585 proclaiming the third week of October to be New Hampshire History Week.  The annual proclamation encourages schools, historical societies, libraries, museums and the general public to celebrate the importance of New Hampshire History.

There will be a reception at the New Hampshire Historical Society Library, 30 Park Street in Concord on Tuesday 23 October 2012 from 4 to 6 PM to kick off New Hampshire History Week.   This event, with free admission, is sponsored by the NH Historical Society, the NH Humanities Council, the NH Preservation Alliance, the NH Division of Historical Resources, the NH Department of Cultural Resources and the NH Department of Education.  Some of the local celebrities at this event will be:

Rebecca Rule – oral historian and humorist
Valerie Cunningham – historian for Portsmouth’s Black Heritage Trail
Robert Goodby – archeologist and discoverer of an ancient Paleoindian site in Keene

Other History Events in New Hampshire

Oct 22, Digging into Native American History 7 PM,  Rye Public Library, 581 Washington Road, Rye, NH  603-964-8401  Dr. Robert Goodby will recount his archaeological explorations of New Hampshire.
October 25, A Night at the Library, 6M at the Prescott Historical Library, 16 Main Street, Hooksett, New Hampshire, sponsored by the Hooksett Historical Society.  There will be historical puzzles and a video presentation of “Treasure from Our Archives” which highlights recent discoveries from the Hooksett Historical Society’s ongoing accessioning project.  For more information visit http:/hooksetthistory.wordpress.com

Oct 25, New Hampshire African Americans in the Revolutionary War, 6:30 – 8 PM, at the Derry Public Library, 64 East Broadway, Derry, NH. 603-432-6140  Presented by Genealogist and reference librarian Christine Sharbrough.  Hear all about the almost 200 African and Native Americans from New Hampshire who fought in the Revolutionary War. FREE

Surname Saturday ~ Haynes of Sudbury, Massachusetts


HAYNES/HAINES

Walter Haynes was born in Sutton, Wiltshire, England.  He sailed to New England aboard the Confidence in 1638 with his wife, children and three servants.  He settled at Watertown and was a linen weaver, but a year later left with several other families to found the town of Sudbury on 22 December 1639.  He became a freeman in 1640, representative to the General Court and selectman for ten years

Walter Haynes’s will, dated 1659, shows his daughter and my ancestor, Sufferana (don’t you love that Puritan name?) listed as Treadway “Treddoway”.  She was a child on board the Confidence when the family came to America.  Walter’s place of burial is unknown. He died on 14 February 1665 and his will was proved on 4 April 1665.   

A garrison house Walter Haynes built on the west side of Sudbury saw action during an attack 21 April 1675, about ten years after his death. The settlers hiding inside were saved from burning to death when the Indians rolled a burning hay wagon towards the house.  

For more information:

The complied genealogy for this family is Walter Haynes of Sutton Mandeville, Wiltshire, England & Sudbury, Mass. & His Descendants, 1583-1928, by Frances Haynes, 1929.  Another good resource is The Ancestry of Calvin Robinson Mower (1840 – 1927), by Lyman Mower, 2004, pages 299 – 313.   Walter Haynes is mentioned many times in the book The History of Sudbury, Massachusetts, 1638 – 1889 by Alfred Sereno Hudson, 1889.

Indians Attacking a Garrison House, from an Old Wood Engraving
This is likely a depiction of the attack on the Haynes Garrison, Sudbury, April 21, 1676

Wikipedia Commons


A story with photos about the Haynes Garrison in Sudbury:

My Haynes lineage:

Generation 1: Walter Haynes, born 1583 in Sutton Mandifield, Wiltshire, England, died 14 February 1665; he married Elizabeth Unknown.  Five children.

Generation 2: Sufferana Haynes, born in England, died 22 July 1682 in Watertown, Massachusetts; married Nathaniel Treadway, who died 20 July 1689.  Four children.

Generation 3:  Lydia Treadway m. Josiah Jones
Generation 4:  Anna Jones m. Joseph Mixer
Generation 5: Joseph Mixer m. Mary Ball
Generation 6. Lucy Mixer m. Andrew Munroe
Generation 7: Andrew Munroe m. Ruth Simonds
Generation 8: Luther Simonds Munroe m. Olive Flint
Generation 9: Phebe Cross Munroe m. Robert Wilson Wilkinson
Generation 10: Albert Munroe Wilkinson m. Isabella Lyons Bill
Generation 11: Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my paternal grandparents)

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ Haynes of Sudbury, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 20, 2012, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/10/surname-saturday-haynes-of-sudbury.html: accessed [access date]).

Friday, October 19, 2012

Follow Friday ~ Another Day with Donna

Donna Wendt showing us Mauanalua Bay

The last time I spent a day with genealogy blogger Donna Wendt, it was at the 2011 Southern California Genealogy Society’s Jamboree in Burbank, California.  We had known each other online, since we had a few common ancestors and I had written about genealogy in Hawaii, where Donna resides.  We continued to correspond online, and when I learned I was going to Hawaii I contacted Donna about a meet up.  I was hoping to attend one of the Honolulu County Genealogy Society’s meetings while I was on Oahu, and Donna is the webmaster of their blog.  She also has her own blog.  But, even better than a society meeting, we decided to get together for lunch and tour of her end of Oahu, known as Hawaii Kai.


Donna shows Mom the Koko Crater, and the steep hike up the slope
on a former cog railroad track.  Donna is an avid hiker in Hawaii.

Donna was a great tour guide.  We saw fantastic scenery at Koko Head and Mauanalua Bay, near her home, and drove as far as the lighthouse as Makapu’u Head to see the other side of the island.  She showed us an ancient heiau (sacred site) and a place where kids jumped off the cliffs into the waves .  We saw funky  sites such as the home of Dog the Bounty Hunter, Duane Chapman,  and beautiful scenes such as the canals and waterways of the marina at Hawaii Kai.  She is not only a terrific genealogist, but a very accomplished tour director, too!

Donna and I, and the kids were jumping off the rocks behind us! 


My Mom, Hubby and I had a terrific time.  It was fun spending “Another Day with Donna”.  She shared a lot of her genealogy research with us all, including her New Hampshire and New England lines, and showed me her thick notebook of research for her DAR application (her application had been accepted, and she received her notification only the day before we arrived!)   I hope she will be returning to New England soon, so we can reciprocate with a tour of our own backyard for Donna.

Donna's blog is full of genealogy and stories of her adventures around the world as an operating room nurse with "Operation Smile".  This terrific volunteer organization repairs children's cleft palates, and Donna has traveled to China, the Middle East and South America.  She is a retired Army nurse who has chosen to live in Hawaii, and who could blame her for such a wonderful place to retire!

Another Day in Paradise with Donna
Off Portlock Road on Mauanalua Bay

Note:  Donna beat me to the publication of a blog post about our meet up on 14 October 2012.  You can read it at her blog at this link: http://anotherdaywithdonna.blogspot.com/2012/10/heather-wilkinson-rojo-in-hawaii-kai.html

The URL for “Another Day with Donna” www.anotherdaywithdonna.blogspot.com

Honolulu County Genealogical Society blog  http://honolulucountygenealogicalsociety.blogspot.com/

Honolulu County Genealogical Society website www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hihcgs

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo


Thursday, October 18, 2012

Planning a Genealogy Research Trip


That's Mom and I, reading family letters
written over 100 years ago between Boston and Hawaii
at the Hawaii State Archives

I recently took a trip to Hawaii, combining a family vacation with a bit of genealogy research.  It was a great way to get the extended family, my Mom and my daughter, to learn about a branch of the family that we used to think of as a family myth.  Seeing the historic homes, meeting the cousins and experiencing the culture was a great vacation.  I also did a bit of research while I was there.  It took a lot of planning ahead, and these strategies can be used for a genealogy trip anywhere, not just Hawaii 

Planning ahead…

1. Make a list of specific things you want to research.  Not just, “find vital records” but “find birth for cousin X” or “where did great uncle Y die?”  Write up a research plan, but be flexible.
2. Call ahead to repositories and archives to find out the schedule, fees, hours, and any special days they might be closed.  There are lots of local holidays you might not be aware of, or the clerk might take a vacation.  Ask specific questions about the very day and time you want to visit.   Remember the time difference when calling archives in Hawaii, you have to call at 6PM to reach someone at noon in Honolulu (six hour time difference!).
3. If you have a Flip Pal or other scanner, ask if it is allowed in any archive or library you want to visit (not allowed in the Hawaii State Archives).  If not, you can leave it off your packing list.  Packing light is a necessity nowadays with 50 lb weight limits on luggage!
4. Bring your digital camera, lots of memory cards, chargers, etc. Ask if it is allowed inside libraries (yes for Hawaii State Archives!), but you’ll need it anyways to photograph your trip, villages, homesteads, cousins, etc.
5. Contact any distant cousins, genealogists, genealogy clubs, historical societies, etc. in the area for meetups and suggestions for research ideas.  Plan time to make lunch and dinner plans with these people as a “Thank you”.   In Hawaii we presented them with leis, too, and gifts of New Hampshire maple syrup and other local products from home.
6. Research ahead of time the customs and etiquette for visiting cemeteries.  In Hawaii we brought leis for family graves.  Call churches ahead of time, they are open on very limited hours, even on Sundays. Bring water for exploring cemeteries, they are hot and dusty in the Honolulu area.
7. Be prepared to visit more than one island.  Plan your research carefully so you can complete everything on one island before you move on to the next.  This is an extra expense to add to your travel budget, and needs planning.
8.  You probably need half the paperwork and half the clothes you originally planned to bring.  I did a two week trip with one folder of paperwork, but brought home three times as much paper.   Reconsider bringing your laptop.  Are you going to spend vacation time entering data, or will you do it when you arrive home?  Will a smart phone suffice?   (Bloggers have different needs!)

While you are there…

1. Be flexible about changing your plans to squeeze in those “once in a lifetime” opportunities for meetups and photo opportunities. 
2. If you are traveling with family, make sure you make time for fun and relaxation.  For each cemetery or library visit, match it up with your spouse’s choice of activity.  Don’t be afraid to ask if they would rather go to the beach or shopping while you do a genealogy activity alone.
3. Buy any books you think are valuable and not available at home.  Ship them home by mail since books are heavy and your baggage allowance is only 50 lbs (less at some international locations). 
4. If you take a lot of notes or pick up paper such as brochures, printouts, postcards, folders and other items, consider shipping them home, too.  All that paper adds up to extra weight.  Those new “If it fits, It ships” boxes from the USPS are great for this, and a bargain for shipping from Hawaii.
5. Hang out with the locals.  The neighborhood pub, church on Sunday, read the local paper, eat the local food.  Chat up the staff at restaurants, post offices and on tours.  You just might meet a distant cousin!

Watch out for….

1.  Climate issues.  Hawaii was very different from New Hampshire.  We brought lots of zip loc baggies for packing, silicon desiccant packs for cameras, a sweater for the archive building (locals were wearing parkas!) We went through lots of sunscreen at cemeteries.  Bring wide brim hats!  Dehydration and sunburns can ruin your trip.
2. Language issues.  Yes, we needed a Hawaiian/English dictionary.  Should have bought it ahead of time.  Ask about translation services at archives, too (available at the Hawaii State Archives).
3.  Bring a GPS if you are renting a car.  Hawaiian street and village names are especially confusing and difficult to read, pronounce and spell.  Double check everything with maps and guide books.
4. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t find what you came to research.  The entire trip and the exposure to the culture and surroundings will enrich your research. 
5. Watch out for issues with connectivity with WiFi or hotel internet.  Don’t be disappointed if you can’t connect at all, and be prepared to not get online.  Call ahead to see if your phone plan will work at your destination, or buy a throwaway phone upon arrival if you absolutely need to have a mobile phone.
6. Money issues.  Hawaii is much, much more expensive than the mainland.  Gas prices are exorbitant compared to gas at home, and all that eating out can blow your budget.  Ask bellhops, tour guides, librarians and locals for inexpensive ideas for lunch, groceries, and other purchases.
7. Time differences.  If you call, text or email home to New Hampshire, remember that 6PM in Honolulu is midnight at home!  Some businesses that deal with the mainland open and close early because of this time difference, so plan ahead.

After you get home…

1. As soon as possible download and then backup your digital photos and scans.
2. Write thank you email and letters, don’t forget to mail them, too!
3. Enter your new information and source citations into your genealogy data bases, make printouts of trees to see if there are new connections you need to follow up on as soon as possible while the trip and research are still fresh in your mind

Important genealogy places to visit in Hawaii:

Hawai’i State Archives
Kekāuluohi  Building
‘Iolani Palace Grounds
364 S. King Street
Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96813
Phone:(808)586-0329
Fax: (808) 586-0330
E-mail: archives@hawaii.gov
Business Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed Saturday, Sunday, and State Holidays
Metered parking near Iolani Palace
Genealogy research Guide for the Hawaii State Archives:

Bishop Museum
http://www.bishopmuseum.org/  (check for hours)
1525 Bernice Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: (808) 847-3511
Free Parking
NOTE- the library and archives are closed due to budget concerns!

Hawai’i State Library
The only state library system in the USA, with 50 branches on six island
Main Library 249 South King Street, Honolulu, HI, 96813  (808) 586-3500

University of Hawai’I at Manoa Library

Hawaiian Historical Society at Honolulu
Library is located at 560 Kawaiahao Street, Honolulu, HI  96813
Phone (808) 537 – 6271
(collections include newspapers, newsclipping files, manuscripts, photographs, etc)

Some important websites to check:

Honolulu County Genealogical Society
  

Native Hawaiian Genealogy Society

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To cite/link to this blog post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Planning a Genealogy Research Trip", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 18, 2012, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/10/planning-genealogy-research-trip.html: accessed [access date]).