Genealogy and Local History Event Calendar for January 2016

December 26 to January 3, December School Vacation Week at Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Keep the kids busy during school vacation with a wide range of crafts, entertainment and outdoor activities including sledding and sleigh rides.  https://www.osv.org/event/december-school-vacation-week-2015

December 26 to January 1, A Winning Design:  December School Vacation Week, at the USS Constitution Museum, Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 22, Charlestown, MA.  Hands on exhibits, interactive programs and creative crafts for all ages will introduce chidren to the work required to build and maintain a ship like the USS Constitution.  https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/event/a-winning-design/

January 2, 16, 23, 5 – 9pm, Dinner in a Country Village, at Olde Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Massachusetts.  $95 per person, $75 for OSC members.  Gather in the parsonage where costumed 19^th century interpreters will oversee the preparations, but participants do the roasting, baking, and mulling over an open hearth. https://www.osv.org/event/dinner-in-a-country-village/dinner-in-a-country-village-31

January 5, Tuesday, 7pm, Margaret Bourke-White, America’s Eyes, at the Exeter Historical Society, 47 Front Street, Exeter, New Hampshire.  Free to the public.  Sally Matson presents a living history moment using WWWII era Vmails found at Syracuse University.  Contact Barbara Rimkunas for more information 603-778-2335.

January 7, Thursday, 5:30pm, Dressing for a Ball: A living history program featuring 18^th century women’s clothing, at the Colony House, Washington Square, Newport, Rhode Island.  Historian Renee Walker Tuttle will dress her ladies in silk attire for the height of the holiday festivities in colonial Newport, the Twelfth Night Ball.  $5 per person.  RSVP to 401-846-0813 x 110. 

January 7, Thursday, noon, Lunch and Learn:  1957 - The Second Mayflower Adventure, at the Plimoth Plantation Museum Henry Hornblower II Visitor Center, Free to members, $8 nonmembers, discover the story of the Mayflower II and her journey from Brixham, England to Plymouth, Massachusetts.  Click here for information and registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lunch-learn-1957-the-second-mayflower-adventure-speaker-marietta-mullen-tickets-19915038416?utm_source=Development&utm_campaign=d7116f8cbf-Member_enews_December_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_485720053f-d7116f8cbf-59482249&mc_cid=d7116f8cbf&mc_eid=8cf6024ba3

January 9, Saturday, 1:30pm,  Mild-Mannered Businessman or Secret Service Agent, presented by genealogist Erica Voolich at the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists Middlesex Chapter in the Acton Public Library, Acton, Massachusetts. 

January 9, Saturday, 11am, The McConnell Story, The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, New Hampshire will show the film starring Alan Ladd as aviator Capt. Joseph McConnell, who downed 16 enemy planes in World War II.  Following the film, stay for a tour of the museum which includes an exhibit on Joseph McConnell. Included with regular admission.

January 10, Sunday, 2pm, New Hampshire on Skis, at the Tucker Free Library, 31 Western Avenue, Henniker, NH.  FREE to the public. Professor E. John B. Allen gives the history of a unique part of New Hampshire history. Contact Lynn Piotrowicz for more information at 603-428-3471.

January 14, Thursday, 7:30pm, Lecture “Voices from the Back Stairs” at the Dedham Historical Society and Museum, 612 High Street, Dedham, MA  Author Jennifer Pustz will look at the two sides of life in households with domestic help.  $5 for non members of the Dedham Historical Society.  www.dedhamhistorical.org

January 16, 23 and 30, Saturdays,  2-3pm Getting Started in Genealogy at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, 99 – 101 Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts.  Cost $50.  Learn to navigate the first steps in tracing your family history.  Register online at this link: http://shop.americanancestors.org/products/getting-started-in-genealogy?pass-through=true

January 17, Sunday, 2 – 4pm, Genealogy Workshop at the Portsmouth Public Library, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  Please join the Library Special Collections staff and members of the Ranger Chapter of the DAR for a monthly meeting on a variety of genealogical and family history topics.

January 20, Sunday, 7:30pm, Empire of Cotton: A Global History, at the Royall House & Slave Quarters, 15 George Street, Medford, MA, presented by author and historian Sven Beckert.  

January 22, Friday, 6:30 - 9:30pm, Keep Warm by the Oven: Bread Baking at the Plimoth Craft Center Bakery, at the Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth, Massachusetts.  $50 members, $64 nonmembers.  A crash course in wood-fired baking by the Plimoth Bread Company baker Tani Mauriello.  Click here for information and registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bread-baking-at-the-plimoth-craft-center-bakery-tickets-17159936833?utm_source=Development&utm_campaign=d7116f8cbf-Member_enews_December_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_485720053f-d7116f8cbf-59482249&mc_cid=d7116f8cbf&mc_eid=8cf6024ba3

January 28, Thursday, 6:30pm, Moved and Seconded: Town Meeting in New Hampshire, at the Kimball Library, Atkinson, New Hampshire, hosted by the Atkinson Historical Society, FREE to the public.  Presented by Rebecca Rule- the stories of the rituals, traditions, and history of town meeting, including the perennial characters, the literature, the humor and the wisdom of this uniquely New England institution. Contact Robert Gustafson for more information, 603-553-0531.

January 28, Thursday, 7pm, Poor Houses and Town Farms:  The Hard Row for Paupers, at the Tin Shop, 160 East Main Street, Bradford, New Hampshire. A presentation by Steve Taylor.  Free to the public.  Contact Bradford Historical Society 603-938-5372 for more information

January 30, Saturdy, 9am - 3pm Cook Like a Pilgrim:  Even More Hardcore Hearth Cooking, at the Plimoth Plantation museum, $140 members, $215 nonmembers,  Take your hearth cooking skills to a new level and recreate a meal full of dishes familiar to the Pilgrims by using period tools and techniques. Click here for information and registration:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/even-more-hardcore-hearth-cooking-tickets-17160288886?utm_source=Development&utm_campaign=d7116f8cbf-Member_enews_December_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_485720053f-d7116f8cbf-59482249&mc_cid=d7116f8cbf&mc_eid=8cf6024ba3 

January 30, Saturday, 9am, NEHGS Irish Genealogy Study Group, at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, 99 – 101 Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts.  The Irish Study group meets on the last Saturday of the month to discuss research problems and share solutions. www.americanancestors.org

February 7, 2pm, Family Stories:  How and Why to Remember and Tell Them, sponsored by the Wilmot Historical Society, at the Wilmot Community Association, 64 Village Road, Wilmot, New Hampshire.  Free to the public, presented by story teller Jo Radner.  She will share foolproof ways to mine memories and interview relatives for meaningful stories. Contact Rosanna Eubank-Dude for more information 603-526-6804.

February 23, Tuesday, 7pm, Researching Maritime Ancestors in the National Archives, sponsored by the Central Massachusetts Genealogical Society at the American Legion Hall, 122 Elm Street, Gardner, Massachusetts, by genealogist Jake Fletcher.  Free to the public.

February 24, Wednesday, 6pm, Genealogy: Bringing Together Past, Present and Future, at the Montachusett Regional Vocational Tech School, 1050 Westminster Street, Fitchbury, Massachusetts, presented by genealogist Jack Fletcher. 
February 25 – 17, Winter Weekend Research Getaway at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, 99 – 101 Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts.  Register at this link: http://shop.americanancestors.org/collections/research-tours-programs/products/winter-weekend-research-getaway?pass-through=true  Escape to NEHGS for three days of research, consultations, lectures and social events.

March, 2016,  Beginning the Journey of Genealogy, a four week genealogy course at the the Montachusett Regional Vocational Tech School, 1050 Westminster Street, Fitchburg, Massachusetts by genealogist Jake Fletcher.  See this link for more information: https://www.montytechnites.com/

Planning ahead:

April 2017, NERGC 2017, at the Mass Mutual Center, 1277 Main Street, Springfield, Massachusetts


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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Genealogy and Local History Event Calendar for January 2016", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 31, 2015, ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/genealogy-and-local-history-event.html: accessed [access date]).

Happy New Year from Nutfield Genealogy! Double Dating Explained

Happy New Year!
An Ad for Londonderry Lithia Water
from Harper's Bazaar Magazine
Unknown year

No, not the double dating you did in high school when you didn’t have a partner for the school dance, this is the double dating that shows up in history books and genealogies. If you use a good genealogy data base like Family Tree Maker, your software may actually change or challenge any dates you put in pre- 1752 between January and March 24. Or you may have tried to figure out how to calculate a date during this time period, only to notice that you were off by three months somehow when you finally find the correct vital records. What is going on here?

The date 10/21 February 1750/51 is an example of double dating. It appears to have too many numbers, or it appears to be a guess to some readers, such as an approximate date. However, this is a real date on the calendar, along with an interesting story…

In 1752 there was a calendar change between the Julian and Gregorian calendar systems. The Julian Calendar had been invented during Roman times, and on the advice of his astronomer Julius Caesar started this new system in 45 B. C. It is officially known as the Old Style calendar. Under this calendar, New Year’s Day was on March 25th, and the last day of the year was March. This was considered the first month of the year Old Style, but it established January 1st as the first day of the month in the new Gregorian calendar.

Sometime in the medieval period, the astronomers noticed that the calendar year was not accurately measuring the solar year. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII, reformed the calendar, which is called the New Style Calendar (Gregorian). It was first adopted in catholic countries and later by the Protestant countries. In order to make the adjustment, ten days were removed, so that 4 October 1582 was followed by 15 October 1582. England and the colonies adopted the new calendar in 1752, and removed eleven days from the calendar again, so on 2 September 1752 was followed by 14 September 1752.

Double dating was used in Colonial America for the dates between 1 January and 24 March on the years between 1582 and 1752. You will see this in old records, especially in civil records. Some church records used the old system, especially the Quakers, who used “First Month” for March, etc. In Quaker records “3rd Month” is used for May. For example the Quaker record 3/12/1719 will become 12 May 1719. This was to avoid using the Roman names January (the god Janus) or August (Augustus) which were pagan names.  Some Puritan communities in New England used this system, too.

If a date is given in double dating, it is correct to leave it as such, and not to try to calculate the date. Check to see which style was used in the original primary source. The date should be written 20 January 1745 OS (if it was Old Style) or as 20 January 1745/6.   If an explanation is needed, put the explanation in the notes, footnote or endnote.

"Most people find dates repulsive enough without encountering them disguised as fractions" by Historian Garrett Mattingly, from his book The Defeat of the Spanish Armada in which he opted just to use Gregorian dates (Wikipedia)

For more information:

http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=3358  An article from Ancestry’s Magazine Nov/Dec 2000, Volume 18, No. 6

Marking Time: The Epic Quest to Invent the Perfect Calendar, by Duncan Steel, J. Wiley Publisher, 2000

"Double Dating" from Vita Brevis, the NEHGS blog  http://vita-brevis.org/2015/01/double-dating/

Click here to see double dating inscribed on a colonial tombstone from Connecticut:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/06/tombstone-tuesday-sarah-treat-goodrich.html 

and double dates on a tombstone from Massachusetts:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/12/tombstone-tuesday-joseph-herrick-buried.html 

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Happy New Year from Nutfield Genealogy! Double Dating Explained", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 31, 2015, (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/happy-new-year-from-nutfield-genealogy.html: accessed [access date]). 

Weathervane Wednesday ~ A Former Schoolhouse

Weathervane Wednesday is an on-going series of photographs I post weekly.  I started out by publishing only weather vanes from the Londonderry area, but now I've been finding interesting weather vanes from all over New England.  Sometimes my weather vanes are whimsical, or historical, but all are very interesting.  Often, my readers tip me off to some very unique and unusual weather vanes.

Today's weather vane is from somewhere in New Hampshire.

Do you know the location of weather vane #241?  Scroll down to see the answer...

This building opposite the Amherst, New Hampshire common, on the corner of School and Middle Streets,  was known as the Brick School.  It was a public schoolhouse from 1854 until 1967.  It is now a private residence.  There are two front doors, formerly used by the boys and the girls.

Source information from "Historic Amherst, New Hampshire", by Brenda Daroch, Yankee Magazine, 
http://www.yankeemagazine.com/explore-new-england/historic-amherst-new-hampshire#_  accessed September 18, 2015.

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

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Published under a Creative Commons License
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Weathervane Wednesday ~ A Former Schoolhouse", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 30, 2015 (  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/weathervane-wednesday-former-schoolhouse.html : accessed [access date]).

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Mary (Batchelder) Preston, buried 1758 Beverly, Massachusetts

This tombstone was photographed at the Abbott Hale Burying Ground in Beverly, Massachusetts (also known as the Ancient Burying Ground or Abbott Street Cemetery)

Here lies ye Body of

Mrs MARY PRESSON

wife of Mr. STEPHEN

PRESSON who Died

Novr. 24th 1758

in ye 25th year

of her age.

Mary Batchelder, daughter of Nathaniel Batchelder and Anna Meacham, was born in Beverly, Massachusetts in 1733.  She married Stephen Preston (AKA PRESSON) on 25 March 1755 in Beverly, the son of Nehemiah Preston and Abigail Allen.  Mary died on 24 November 1758 and Stephen died a month later on 23 December 1758.  He was about 28 years old and Mary was only about 25 years old.  They had two children, Mary (born 1756) and Stephen (born 1758).  Stephen died in 1759 as an infant.  I don't know what happened to little Mary.

Stephen Preston was my 6th great grand uncle, and I descend from his sister Hannah Preston (1722 - 1812) who married Robert Woodbury.   I'm also related to Stephen Preston through our common ALLEN, WILLIAMS, TUCK, and BROWNING ancestors.  I'm related to Mary Batchelder through our common WOODBURY, WINDOW, HERRICK, and HUNTER ancestors.  Mary is descended from John Batchelder (1604 - 1675), and early Salem settler, not from my ancestor Rev. Stephen Batchelder of Hampton, New Hampshire.  These two early New England settlers are probably not related.

------------------

Published under a Creative Commons License
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Tombstone Tuesday ~ Mary (Batchelder) Preston, buried 1758 Beverly, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 29, 2015 ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/tombstone-tuesday-mary-batchelder.html: accessed [access date]).

We will miss you, Hank Peterson (1932 - 2015)

Photo by Vincent Rojo

Obituary from Peabody Funeral Home, Londonderry

Peterson's Sugar House, Londonderry, NH

Henry, “Hank” A. Peterson of Londonderry, passed away on December 23, 2015. He was born on June 15, 1932 in Hurley, Wisconsin, son of John “JB” and Gertrud (Matila) Peterson. He grew up in Hurley on the family farm. The farm and Peterson Sand and Gravel is still in the family, owned and operated by nephew Scott Peterson and his wife Kathy. Hank was in the Wisconsin National Guard for 14 years, in the 725th Engineer Battalion. He worked on the Ski Patrol at Sugar Bowl Ski Area in California, and for the Forest Service in the summers, fighting wildland fires. He worked in the developing field of avalanche control and safety, travelling to Alaska, Utah, California, British Colombia, and Chile. In Chile, his job was to teach the Chilean Army how to shoot down avalanches with artillery.

In 1962 he married Anne Kaiser Davis of Brockton, MA. They settled in Lakewood, CO. While he lived in Lakewood he worked for Snowblast, a commercial snow removal company specializing in airports and railways. His job there took him back to Alaska, all over the continental US, and to Turkey, Switzerland, and India. In 1978, the family moved to Londonderry, NH. Here Hank got back into farming, raising beef cows, putting up hay in the summer, working at Mack’s Apples in the fall harvest season and sugaring at Peterson Sugar House in the springtime.

He continued a long family tradition of being a Grange member, and was Master there from the mid-80s until his death. His steadfast support of the Grange carried it through a period of declining membership to see the organization reinvigorated in recent years. He was a fixture at the spring Plant Sale and the fall Wreath Sale. He was very grateful for all the hard work put into maintaining the building by Boy Scout Troop 521. Peterson Sugar House was built in 1983, and hosted countless tours of school children from Londonderry and surrounding towns. He was ably assisted over the years by his family and a loyal crew that would turn out every spring to tap, gather, boil, and can during the rush of sugaring season. The syrup was sold at the farm as well as at Mack’s Apples, where he will be fondly remembered by all his friends.

Hank was a strong supporter of the NH Maple Producers Association, serving as the Secretary and President over the years. He was inducted into the American Maple Museum Hall of Fame in Croghan, NY in 2005. He cut and baled hay both on the farm on Peabody Row, on neighbors’ fields, and around town. You could often see him driving down the road on a red tractor, moving hay equipment from one field to another during the summer months, or hauling a towering load home on his truck, usually with a trailer towed behind as well. That same red tractor pulled many a float in the Old Home Days parade. He was a long time Farm Bureau member, and a big supporter of NH Agriculture in the Classroom, a program to teach NH school children about where their food, fuel, and fiber come from.

He is survived by his wife Anne and son Wayne, as well as his brother John G. Peterson of Ironwood, MI; sister Helen Peterson of Ironwood, MI; stepbrother Dennis Nolan of Duluth, MN; stepsister Jean Martin of Duluth, MN; nephews Todd Peterson of Denver, CO, Scott Peterson of Hurley, WI, Clint Peterson of Vail, CO and Nicholas Peterson of Grand Lake, CO; nieces Nan Peterson of Madison, WI and Chris Peterson of Madison, WI. He was preceded in death by his brother Richard Peterson of Vail, CO and stepbrother Jack Nolan of Ironwood, MI.

Services will be held in early spring in Londonderry, NH and Hurley, WI. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to NH Agriculture in the Classroom, c/o Debbie Cox, 295 Sheep Davis Rd. Concord, NH 03301.

Visit the Peabody Funeral Homes website to leave a condolence note or view others.

--------------------

Also see a video at YouTube by Cheryl Senter "Making Maple Sugar with Hank Peterson 2009 Londonderry, NH"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W55VPHe6Z7M   

and a slide show at YouTube, narrated by Hank Peterson, by Robert Hammerstrom "Maple Syrup is a Lifestyle for Hank Peterson"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G90qEK8VEDE   

Genealogy and Local History Events for January 2016

Genealogy Events Calendar

December 26 to January 3, December School Vacation Week at Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Keep the kids busy during school vacation with a wide range of crafts, entertainment and outdoor activities including sledding and sleigh rides.  https://www.osv.org/event/december-school-vacation-week-2015

December 26 to January 1, A Winning Design:  December School Vacation Week, at the USS Constitution Museum, Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 22, Charlestown, MA.  Hands on exhibits, interactive programs and creative crafts for all ages will introduce chidren to the work required to build and maintain a ship like the USS Constitution.  https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/event/a-winning-design/

December 29, 2pm – 4pm, Winter Break Family Program: Discover Your Roots, at the Connecticut Historical Society Museum and Library, 1 Elizabeth Street, Hartford, CT.  FREE with general admission, this series of programs is all about celebrating families.  Make a family tree.  http://chs.org/event/winter-break-family-program-discover-your-roots/

December 29, 2 – 4pm Winter Break Family Program: Scrapbook Day, , at the Connecticut Historical Society Museum and Library, 1 Elizabeth Street, Hartford, CT.  FREE with general admission, this series of programs is all about celebrating families.  Scrapbooking supplies will be provided so you and your family can create a scrapbook of your favorite family moments with your own photos. http://chs.org/event/winter-break-family-program-scrapbook-day/

January 2, 16, 23, 5 – 9pm, Dinner in a Country Village, at Olde Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Massachusetts.  $95 per person, $75 for OSC members.  Gather in the parsonage where costumed 19^th century interpreters will oversee the preparations, but participants do the roasting, baking, and mulling over an open hearth. 
https://www.osv.org/event/dinner-in-a-country-village/dinner-in-a-country-village-31

January 5, Tuesday, 7pm, Margaret Bourke-White, America’s Eyes, at the Exeter Historical Society, 47 Front Street, Exeter, New Hampshire.  Free to the public.  Sally Matson presents a living history moment using WWWII era Vmails found at Syracuse University.  Contact Barbara Rimkunas for more information 603-778-2335.

January 7, Thursday, 5:30pm, Dressing for a Ball: A living history program featuring 18^th century women’s clothing, at the Colony House, Washington Square, Newport, Rhode Island.  Historian Renee Walker Tuttle will dress her ladies in silk attire for the height of the holiday festivities in colonial Newport, the Twelfth Night Ball.  $5 per person.  RSVP to 401-846-0813 x 110. 

January 9, Saturday, 11am, The McConnell Story, The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, New Hampshire will show the film starring Alan Ladd as aviator Capt. Joseph McConnell, who downed 16 enemy planes in World War II.  Following the film, stay for a tour of the museum which includes an exhibit on Joseph McConnell. Included with regular admission.

January 10, Sunday, 2pm, New Hampshire on Skis, at the Tucker Free Library, 31 Western Avenue, Henniker, NH.  FREE to the public. Professor E. John B. Allen gives the history of a unique part of New Hampshire history. Contact Lynn Piotrowicz for more information at 603-428-3471.

January 14, Thursday, 7:30pm, Lecture “Voices from the Back Stairs” at the Dedham Historical Society and Museum, 612 High Street, Dedham, MA  Author Jennifer Pustz will look at the two sides of life in households with domestic help.  $5 for non members of the Dedham Historical Society.  www.dedhamhistorical.org

January 16, 23 and 30, Saturdays,  2-3pm Getting Started in Genealogy at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, 99 – 101 Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts.  Cost $50.  Learn to navigate the first steps in tracing your family history.  Register online at this link: http://shop.americanancestors.org/products/getting-started-in-genealogy?pass-through=true

January 17, Sunday, 2 – 4pm, Genealogy Workshop at the Portsmouth Public Library, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  Please join the Library Special Collections staff and members of the Ranger Chapter of the DAR for a monthly meeting on a variety of genealogical and family history topics.

January 20, Sunday, 7:30pm, Empire of Cotton: A Global History, at the Royall House & Slave Quarters, 15 George Street, Medford, MA, presented by author and historian Sven Beckert.  

January 28, Thursday, 6:30pm, Moved and Seconded: Town Meeting in New Hampshire, at the Kimball Library, Atkinson, New Hampshire, hosted by the Atkinson Historical Society, FREE to the public.  Presented by Rebecca Rule- the stories of the rituals, traditions, and history of town meeting, including the perennial characters, the literature, the humor and the wisdom of this uniquely New England institution. Contact Robert Gustafson for more information, 603-553-0531.

January 28, Thursday, 7pm, Poor Houses and Town Farms:  The Hard Row for Paupers, at the Tin Shop, 160 East Main Street, Bradford, New Hampshire. A presentation by Steve Taylor.  Free to the public.  Contact Bradford Historical Society 603-938-5372 for more information.

January 30, Saturday, 1:30pm, The Salem Witch Trials and Their Connections to Casco Bay and the Maine Frontier, at the Wishcamper Center on the USM campus in Portland, Maine.  Emerson "Tad" Baker will discuss his recent book A Storm of Witchcraft and the many connections between the witch trials and the Maine Frontier.  Free to the public.  

January 30, Saturday, 9am, NEHGS Irish Genealogy Study Group, at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, 99 – 101 Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts.  The Irish Study group meets on the last Saturday of the month to discuss research problems and share solutions. www.americanancestors.org

February 7, 2pm, Family Stories:  How and Why to Remember and Tell Them, sponsored by the Wilmot Historical Society, at the Wilmot Community Association, 64 Village Road, Wilmot, New Hampshire.  Free to the public, presented by story teller Jo Radner.  She will share foolproof ways to mine memories and interview relatives for meaningful stories. Contact Rosanna Eubank-Dude for more information 603-526-6804.

February 23, Tuesday, 7pm, Researching Maritime Ancestors in the National Archives, sponsored by the Central Massachusetts Genealogical Society at the American Legion Hall, 122 Elm Street, Gardner, Massachusetts, by genealogist Jake Fletcher.  Free to the public.

February 24, Wednesday, 6pm, Genealogy: Bringing Together Past, Present and Future, at the Montachusett Regional Vocational Tech School, 1050 Westminster Street, Fitchbury, Massachusetts, presented by genealogist Jack Fletcher. 

Planning ahead:


February 25 – 17, Winter Weekend Research Getaway at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, 99 – 101 Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts.  Register at this link: http://shop.americanancestors.org/collections/research-tours-programs/products/winter-weekend-research-getaway?pass-through=true  Escape to NEHGS for three days of research, consultations, lectures and social events.

March, 2016,  Beginning the Journey of Genealogy, a four week genealogy course at the the Montachusett Regional Vocational Tech School, 1050 Westminster Street, Fitchburg, Massachusetts by genealogist Jake Fletcher.  See this link for more information: https://www.montytechnites.com/

March 11 2016, Friday, 5:30 - 9:30pm, Genealogy Lock In, at the Memorial Hall, the public library in Andover, Massachusetts.  Register ahead by calling 978-623-8401 x31.  An evening of after hours genealogy research with exclusive access to databases, computers, microfilm and the Andover Room.  A light dinner will be served.  $10 fee. Space is limited.  

April, 23, The Maine Genealogical Society's Spring Conference -  at the Augusta Elks Club, Augusta, Maine.  Save the date! Featuring Blaine Bettinger whoo will lead discussions on DNA and genealogical research.  

May 21, The Third Annual Southern Maine Genealogy Conference, at Keeley's Banquet Center, 178 Warren Avenue, Portland, Maine, keynote speaker will be D. Joshua Taylor.  

September 17,  The Maine Genealogical Society's Annual Fall Conference, at Jeff's Catering, Brewer, Maine, with special guest, Judy Russell.  Save the Date!

April 2017, NERGC 2017, at the Mass Mutual Center, 1277 Main Street, Springfield, Massachusetts


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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Genealogy and Local History Events for January 2016 ", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 28, 2015, ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/genealogy-and-local-history-events-for.html: accessed [access date]).

Surname Saturday ~ HUTCHINGS of Haverhill, Massachusetts

HUTCHINGS

John Hutchings was a carpenter of unknown origin who lived in Essex County, Massachusetts.   He may be the “John Hutchinson”, a carpenter and passenger on the ship Bevis which carried many Newbury settlers to Boston in 1638, but there is no proof.  In 1659 – 60 John Hutchins built a meeting house in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where an Enoch Hutchins also lived. Enoch removed to Kittery, Maine where there were two other settlers named David Hutchins and Thomas Hutchins.  There is no proof of kinship with these other local HUTCHINS settlers, but worth exploring!

 John Hutchins gave his age as about 65 in a deposition in 1669. John lived first in Newbury where his son Joseph’s birth is recorded.  He was one of the original 91 grantees of Newbury.   He signed his will “I. H.” in 1674, so he was probably not literate.   His will mentions his children by name.

John’s wife was Frances, another person of unknown origin. We don’t know her maiden name.  [See the article below by Janet Ireland Delorey which proves she was not Frances Alcock] She appears in a 1653 record for being fined for wearing a silk hood and scarf “above the ordinary rank”.  In 17^th century New England, according to the Sumptuary Laws Against Excess of 1651, it was forbidden to wear “intolerable excess and bravery in dress” above your social station in life.   

For more information on HUTCHINGS:

The Essex Genealogist,  “A Second Look at the Identity of Frances, Wife of John Hutchins of Newbury and Haverhill, Massachusetts”, by Janet Ireland Delorey, Volume 21, pages 46 – 49 and, The Essex Genealogist,  “A Look at John Hutchins of Newbury and Haverhill” by David Kendall Martin, volume 27, pages 71 – 78.

A Historical Sketch of Haverhill, In the County of Essex, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by Leverett Saltonstall,  1816, see page 135.

Descendants of John Hutchings of Newbury and Haverhill, Massachusetts, by Edwin Colby Byam, 1975.

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My HUTCHINS genealogy:

Generation 1:  John Hutchins, born about 1604 in England, died 6 February 1686 in Haverhill, Massachusetts; married to Frances Unknown who died 5 April 1694 in Haverhill.  Six children.

Generation 2:  Love Hutchings, born 16 July 1647 in Newbury, died February 1739 in Kingston, New Hampshire; married on 15 December 1668 to Samuel Sherborne, son of Henry Sherborne and Elizabeth Unknown.  He was born 4 August 1638 in Portsmouth and died 4 August 1691 in Casco Bay, Maine.  Ten children.

Generation 3:  Elizabeth Sherburne m. Jonathan Sanborn

Generation 4: Margaret Sanborn m. Moses Sleeper

Generation 5:  Hepzibah Sleeper m. Samuel Lane

Generation 6:  Sarah Lane m. Elisha Batchelder

Generation 7: Jonathan Batchelder m. Nancy Thompson

Generation 8: George E. Batchelder m. Abigail M. Locke

Generation 9:  George E. Batchelder m. Mary Katharine Emerson

Generation 10: Carrie Maude Batchelder m. Joseph Elmer Allen

Generation 11:  Stanley Elmer Allen m. Gertrude Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)

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Published under a Creative Commons License

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ HUTCHINGS of Haverhill, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy,  posted December 26, 2015, ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/surname-saturday-hutchings-of-haverhill.html: accessed [access date]). 

Merry Christmas from Nutfield Genealogy

Yours Truly, about 1964, 

at my grandmother's house in Hamilton, Massachusetts

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Published under a Creative Commons License
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Merry Christmas from Nutfield Genealogy", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 24, 2015 ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/merry-christmas-from-nutfield-genealogy.html: accessed [access date]).

Weathervane Wednesday ~ A small town church

Weathervane Wednesday is an on-going series of photographs I post weekly.  I started out by publishing only weather vanes from the Londonderry area, but now I've been finding interesting weather vanes from all over New England.  Sometimes my weather vanes are whimsical, or historical, but all are very interesting.  Often, my readers tip me off to some very unique and unusual weather vanes.

Today's weather vane is from somewhere in New Hampshire.

Do you know the location of weather vane #240?  Scroll down to see the answer...

Today's weathervane was photographed atop the Congregational Church steeple in Amherst, New Hampshire. It is a two dimensional, gilded rooster, with a plumed tail.   The rooster is one of the oldest symbols of Christianity, and was a symbol for St. Peter (in the bible he denied Jesus three times before dawn when the cock crowed  Luke 22:34).  In the 9th century Pope Nicolas I decreed that all churches must show the symbol of a cock (rooster) on its dome or steeple.  In England weather vanes are still known by the word "weathercock".   Roosters are still a common feature on weathervanes.

This building was built as the Second Meetinghouse, and originally stood on the Amherst common, known to locals as "The Plains".  It was sold to the Congregational Church in 1832.  It was moved across the street in 1836.  The meetinghouse was destroyed by a fire in 1923 and rebuilt and renamed "The First Congregational Church of Hollis".

The Gallo di Ramperto, the oldest weather vane in the world, circa 820 AD

on display at the Museo di Santa Guiulia in Brescia, Lombardy, Italy

By RobyBS89 (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The Congregational Church of Amherst website http://www.ccamherst.org/

and their Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/ccamherst  

The Historical Society of Amherst website   http://www.hsanh.org/  

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

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Weathervane Wednesday ~ A small town church", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 23, 2015 ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/weathervane-wednesday-small-town-church.html : accessed [access date]).

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Mercy (Trask) Thorndike (1756 – 1783) of Beverly, Massachusetts

 This tombstone was photographed at the Abbott Hale Cemetery in Beverly, Massachusetts, sometimes known as the Abbott Street Burying Gound.

IN MEMORY OF

Mrs MERCY THORNDIKE

The consort of

CAPT. ISRAEL THORNDIKE

Who departed this life October 20 1783

AEt 27

An amiable disposition – a benevolent heart

Undissembled affections – and social virtues

Adorned her life.

She’s gone!  She’s past the gloomy shades of night.

Safe landed in thy eternal realms of light.

ALSO

of

ISRAEL THORNDIKE

SON OF

Capt. Israel and Mrs. Mercy Thorndike

Who departed this life

Nov. 2d 1782

AE 2 years

Mercy Trask was born 14 November 1756 in Beverly, the daughter of Osmond Trask and Elizabeth Symonds.   She married Capt. Israel Thorndike on 9 October 1777 in Beverly as his first of three wives.  He was the son of Andrew Thorndike and Anna Morgan, born 30 April 1755 in Beverly, and died 9 May 1832.  His gravestone is a large obelisk located at the Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts (Lot 4530 on Indian Ridge Path), with his third wife, Sarah Dana.   Mercy had two children, Elizabeth and Israel (also buried here as an infant).  She died very young at age 27 on 20 October 1783 in Beverly.

Mercy is related to me through common WOODBURY, STONE, SHATTUCK, SIBLEY, BROWNING, WELLS, WARNER and TREADWELL ancestors.

Capt. Israel Thorndike was the master of the ship Resource during the American Revolution as a privateer, and the master of the Hyder Ally during the War of 1812.   After a lucrative time as a privateer, he was active in the China trade.  You can read more about Israel Thorndike in the book Federalist Tycoon: The Life and Times of Israel Thorndike, by Timothy H. Kistner.  University Press of American, 2015, and also in the book, Israel Thorndike: Federalist Financier, by John Douglas Forbes, 1953.  Adjusted for inflation, he was the fiftieth wealthiest American of all time, according to Wikipedia.  At the time of his death his estate was valued at more than $1.5 million. 

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Published under a Creative Commons License
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Tombstone Tuesday ~ Mercy (Trask) Thorndike (1756 – 1783)  of Beverly, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 22, 2015 ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/tombstone-tuesday-mercy-trask-thorndike.html: accessed [access date]). 

Can You Help My Genealogy New Year’s Wish Come True?

The 1921 Mayflower Commemorative Quarter

The year 2020 seems so far away.  Until you realize that in a few days it will be 2016, and then there are only four years left.  The 400^th Anniversary of the landing of the Mayflower at Plymouth, Massachusetts will be in the year 2020. The General Society of Mayflower Descendants (along with the Wampanoag Nation, The State of Massachusetts, The Town of Plymouth, and other official agencies) is preparing a big commemoration for the whole world to participate in and remember this history event.   One of the first projects to get off the ground is the Mayflower Coin.

Earlier this year I blogged about the 2020 Mayflower Coin Bill at this link:   http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-2020-coin-initiative.html

There is a bill for the United States Senate and Congress directing the US Mint to issue a commemorative coin recognizing the Mayflower voyage and the establishment of the Plymouth colony.   These bills require co-sponsors HR. 2980 sponsored by Rep. Bill Foster (D- IL) and S. 1715 Senator John Hoeven (R-ND). 

We need 67 Senators and 287 Representatives.

So far we have Senate 5 cosponsors (3R, 1I, 1D)

1. King, Angus [I-ME]  (joined Jul 8, 2015)

2. Ayotte, Kelly [R-NH] (joined Sep 15, 2015)

3. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]  (joined Oct 26, 2015)

4. Wicker, Roger [R-MS] (joined Nov 4, 2015)

5. Carpenter, Thomas [D-DE] (joined Dec. 15, 2015)

And

House 11 cosponsors (6D, 5R) (show)

1.  Cramer, Kevin [R-ND0] (joined Jul 8, 2015)

2. Carney, John [D-DE0] (joined Jul 9, 2015)

3. Dold, Bob [R-IL10] (joined Jul 9, 2015)

4. Bishop, Rob [R-UT1] (joined Jul 13, 2015)

5.  Beatty, Joyce [D-OH3]  (joined Sep 16, 2015)

6.  Quigley, Mike [D-IL5] (joined Sep 16, 2015)

7. Schakowsky, Janice “Jan” [D-IL9] (joined Sep 29, 2015)

8. Young, David [R-IA3] (joined Oct 22, 2015)

9.  Moolenaar, John [R-MI4](joined Oct 23, 2015)

10. Kuster, Ann [D-NH2](joined Nov 19, 2015)

11. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA6] (joined Dec 1, 2015)

The GSMD Coin Bill web page has all the things you need to write to your US senators and US congress members.  This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes.  There are links to click to look up and see exactly who are your senators and congress members, with handy email links.   There are form letters you can cut and paste and sign into that email.  Just check out this link to the page-  https://www.themayflowersociety.org/2020-commemoration/187-gsmd-coin-initiative-is-now-before-congress

The 2020 committee has been working hard behind the scenes visiting, writing and emailing our senators and congress members.  This is a bi-partisan bill that should be supported by everyone, and from every state!    I especially expected support from the senators and congress members from New England and especially from Massachusetts (which has had ZERO sponsors!)  I’m proud that New Hampshire has one of our two representatives, and one of our two senators behind this bill. 

C’mon everyone!  Send in those letters and emails NOW and let's see this bill sponsored in the year 2016!   Forward this blog post to your senators and congress members.  Show them that history, genealogy, and commemorating the events of 1620 matter and are important.

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Published under a Creative Commons License
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Can You Help My Genealogy New Year’s Wish Come True?", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 21, 2015, ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/can-you-help-my-genealogy-new-years.html: accessed [access date]).  

Surname Saturday ~ SHERBORNE of Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Piscataqua 1667

Revised 20 September 2018

SHERBORNE / SHERBORN  / SHERBURN / SHERBURNE

My 10^th great grandfather, Henry Sherborne,  was baptized in Odiham, Hampshire, England as the son of Joseph Sherburne.  Henry came to New England aboard the James in 1632.  He was a ferryman and tavern keeper in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  He was listed as a church warden at Strawberry Bank and he served as the clerk of the county court, and held many other offices in Portsmouth, including selectman.   His brother John was in New England by about 1642.

On 13 November 1637 he married Rebecca Gibbons, the daughter of Ambrose Gibbons, and had eleven children.  He married second to Sarah, the widow of Walter Abbott (my 8^th great grandparents).   In 1668 Henry was in court for beating his wife, Rebecca, and she was also fined for “beating her husband & breaking his head”. 

There is no known death date for Henry Sherborne, but on 7 December 1680 when he failed to appear in court his daughter Mary said “[m]y father Henry Sherborned died about the year ’80 or ’83.  His death we was not sensible of”.   In 1671 he was in court with his new wife, Sarah, for “disorderly living and fighting”.   There are many lawsuits and fines in the court records for Henry Sherborne for fighting and lawsuits against his neighbors for numerous complaints.

In the New Hampshire Provincial Papers is a document which names Henry’s son, Samuel, my 9^th great grandfather, who was granted a parcel of land for “taking into custody & Christian keeping of the said Henry Sherburne’s daughter Rebecca Sherburne (who is both dumb & wanting of understanding)”.    Samuel was with the military sent to Maine during King Philip’s War in 1691.  He was “killed by the heathen” at Casco Bay.  His last child was born after his death.

Henry’s daughter, and twin to Samuel, Elizabeth, married Tobias Lear, ancestor of the Tobias Lear (1762 – 1816) who was secretary to George Washington.   Tobias Lear's third wife was a Dandridge, a relative of Martha Washington.  He died in George Washington's house in Philadelphia. 

Some SHERBORNE resources:

The Great Migration Begins, Volume III, pages 1666 - 1669

Provincial Papers: Documents and Records Relating to the Province of New Hampshire, Volume 1 (1623 – 1686), compiled by Nathaniel Bouton, 1867

Portsmouth Records: A transcript of the first thirty five pages of the Earliest Town Book of Portsmouth, New Hampshire with notes, by Frank W. Hackett, 1886

Rambles about Portsmouth: Sketches of persons, localities and incidents of two centuries, by Charles W. Brewster,   pages 51 – 52 “Sherburne Family”   [available online at http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AFJ7267.0002.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext]

"Captain Samuel Sherburne of Hampton", Seacoastonline, by Cheryl Lassiter, posted December 14, 2015, http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20151214/NEWS/151219581/0/SEARCH 

My SHERBORNE genealogy:

Generation 1: Henry Sherborne, son of Joseph Sherborne and Amy Cowlln, baptized 28 March 1611 in Odiham, Hampshire, England, died before 7 December 1680; married first on 13 November 1637 to Rebecca Gibbons, daughter of Ambrose Gibbons and Rebecca Unknown.  She was born about 1620 in England and died 3 June 1667 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  Eleven children.  He married second before December 1670 to Sarah, widow of Walter Abbott.

Generation 2:  Samuel Sherburne, born 4 August 1638 at Little Harbor (now Rye, New Hampshire), died 4 August 1691 in Casco Bay, Maine; married on 11 December 1668 in Haverhill, Massachusetts to Love Hutchings, daughter of John Hutchins and Frances Alcock.  Three children.  

Generation 3:  Elizabeth Sherburne, born 5 February 1672 in Portsmouth; died 25 April 1755 in Kingston, New Hampshire; married 4 February 1692 in Hampton, New Hampshire to Jonathan Sanborn, son of John Sanborn and Margaret Page.  He was born 25 May 1672 in Hampton, died 20 June 1741 in Kingston.  Twelve children.

Generation 4:  Margaret Sanborn m. Moses Sleeper

Generation 5:  Hepzibah Sleeper m. Samuel Lane

Generation 6: Sarah Lane m. Elisha Batchelder
(correction, Jonathan Batchelder is NOT a son of Elisha Batchelder and Sarah Lane)

Generation 7: Jonathan Batchelder m. Nancy Thompson

Generation 8:  George E. Batchelder m. Abigail M. Locke

Generation 9:  George E. Batchelder m. Mary Katharine Emerson

Generation 10: Carried Maude Batchelder m. Joseph Elmer Allen

Generation 11: Stanley Elmer Allen m. Gertrude Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)

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Published under a Creative Commons License

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~  SHERBORNE of Portsmouth", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 19, 2015  ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/surname-saturday-sherborne-of-portsmouth.html: accessd [access date]). 

Part 4 ~ Genealogy Without Family Tree Maker

This is part 4 of an ongoing series documenting my search for a desktop/laptop genealogy software package to replace the retiring Family Tree Maker sold by Ancestry.com.  See below for links to the previous three blog posts in this series.

After playing around with some alternative software packages I’ve determined I needed a list of “deal breaker” features I need in my choice.   I’ll be looking for these features as I try out all the new software packages.  These are my “wish list” for a new desktop genealogy software package:

1.  A lineage report, for example, a simple report that shows how I descend from one ancestor.

2.  Concise citations that print out accurately on reports and charts

3.  An easy index of relatives, with a home button to easily return to a chosen relative (usually me).

4.  Easily produced GEDCOM files

5.  Good customer service

6.  Easy solutions for duplicate entries for relatives (collapsing pedigrees) and merges

7.  Handles large amounts of data on 50,000 to 100,000 relatives.

8.  Stability- no crashing, lost data, slow loading or other hints of poor software design

My “Would be nice” but not a “deal breaker” features:

1.  Sync to an online tree

2.  Drag and drop photos and documents

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Helpful links found on line:

A terrific chart comparing software packages by The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) http://www.americanancestors.org/education/learning-resources/read/genealogical-software-programs 

Also at NEHGS, a very timely and FREE webinar on Tuesday, January 26, 3pm Eastern Time, "Choosing a Genealogical Software Program" presented by genealogist Rhonda McClure.  Register ahead of time at this link:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2419120565893263618

An interesting view of Ancestry’s retirement of Family Tree Maker by Louis Kesser at the Behold Genealogy blog.  He brings up several good points about the lack of sympathy for the company for user suggestions and complaints.  Check out his post “What Ancestry’s ‘Retirement’ of FTM Really Means”  http://www.beholdgenealogy.com/blog/?p=1622   

And a blog post by Lisa Louise Cooke from Genealogy Gems "Family Tree Maker Alternatives: Great Offers, and What I do with my Tree"   http://lisalouisecooke.com/2015/12/family-tree-maker-alternatives/?utm_source=December+17%2C+2015+newsletter&utm_campaign=FTM+follow+up&utm_medium=email

Other good news!

Russ Worthington has been busy over at his blog Family Tree Maker User.  He’s produced a series of new mini videos to help you transition from FTM to other software-

“FTM2014 to RootsMagic – Living People weren’t included” http://ftmuser.blogspot.com/2015/12/ftm2014-to-roots-magic-living-people.html

“How to View Media Files in Roots Magic 7 (for FTM2014 users)  http://ftmuser.blogspot.com/2015/12/how-to-view-media-files-in-roots-magic.html

“How to Download your tree from Ancestry.com” 

http://ftmuser.blogspot.com/2015/12/how-to-download-your-tree-from.html

Also check out Dear Myrtle and Russ Worthington at “Wacky Wednesday: Life Beyond Family Tree Maker”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5a6RoJBpZo

---------------------------------------

PS-  In my Part 3 post I was playing around with MyHeritage’s Family Tree Builder Genealogy Program.  They have a NEW OFFER for FTM users.   You get both the Family Tree Builder software and an unlimited size Family Site online for FREE!  The software was free before, but the unlimited size family web site is new.  And both will sync on your handheld devices, too.  See the details at the MyHeritage blog at this link: http://blog.myheritage.com/2015/12/ftm-users-join-myheritage-and-get-family-tree-builder-with-an-unlimited-size-family-site-for-free/

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Part 1 in this series  "Plan ahead for genealogy research without Family Tree Maker"

Part 2 in this series   "Without Family Tree Maker" 

Part 3 in this series   "Without Family Tree Maker", in which I try out MyHeritage's Family Tree Builder for the first time. 

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Published under a Creative Commons License
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Part 4 ~ Genealogy Without Family Tree Maker", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 17, 2015 (  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/part-4-genealogy-without-family-tree.html: accessed [access date]). 

Weathervane Wednesday ~ An Ancestral Homestead

Weathervane Wednesday is a a series of photographs I post weekly.  When I began, I only published weathervanes from the Londonderry, New Hampshire area, but now I've been finding interesting weather vanes all over New England.  Some of the weather vanes are whimsical, or historical, but all are very interesting.  Often my readers will send me photos of weather vanes from far away, including other places in the USA or across the globe.

Today's weather vane was photographed in Massachusetts!

Do you know the location of weather vanes #239?  Scroll down to see the answer...

Cogswell's Grant, Essex, Massachusetts

Cogwell's Grant, seen from the Essex River

Today's weather vane was photographed above the barn at the Cogswell's Grant in Essex, Massachusetts.  This grant of 300 acres of land was given to my 9th great grandfather, John Cogswell (1592 - 1669), on the Essex river in 1636.  His original dwelling house is no longer standing, and the current farmhouse was build about 1728.  The land was divided among the sons and grandsons, and the current property is only 165 acres.  The descendants all lived nearby along Spring Street, and you can find many Cogswells in the Spring Street cemetery, just down the road, where many of my ancestors are also buried (including my ALLEN, BURNHAM, MEARS, POLAND and ANDREWS ancestors - right down to my ALLEN grandparents). 

The weathervane on the barn is a typical running horse, one of the most common weather vanes seen in New England on farms. The last owners of the property were Bertram and Nina Little, who bought the farm in 1937.  They were famous folk art and folk furniture collectors.  The house has a fantastic collection of their furniture, decorative arts, books, paintings, and other artifacts, and is open to the public through the organization "Historic New England".  

There is a sketch of John Cogswell and his children at the Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume II, C- F, pages 137 – 140.

Visit Cogswell's Grant, part of the properties run by Historic New England:

http://www.historicnewengland.org/historic-properties/homes/cogswells-grant

The Cogswell Family Association webpage:

https://cogswellfam.wordpress.com/

The Cogswell Family Association Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/113661535340209/

My "Surname Saturday" blog post on my two COGSWELL lineages:

http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/11/surname-saturday-cogswell-of-ipswich.html  

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

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Published under a Creative Commons License
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Weathervane Wednesday ~ An Ancestral Homestead", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 16, 2015 ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/12/weathervane-wednesday-ancestral.html : accessed [access date]).