An Ancestral City, Dordrecht, The Netherlands

 

In April we were in The Netherlands for a river cruise tour of the tulip fields and gardens.  It was a lovely time of the year to see this country, and we enjoyed seeing so many small towns and villages along the waterways.  I was excited to see that we cruised by the town of Dordrecht twice on our itinerary, because that is where my Hoogerzeil ancestors lived.  I had visited Dordrecht once before in 2017, when one of my distant Hogerzeil cousins gave me a tour of Dordrecht, Nieuwport, and Krimpen aan de Lek where our ancestors lived.  

At one time, in the 1970s and 1980s (before the internet was used for genealogy research, and well before Google existed) I was stumped in trying to find out more information about my ancestor Peter Hoogerzeil.  He came from Holland in the 1820s, and he was a mariner.  He wrote many letters back and forth, and stated that he was from Dort in Holland.  I was unable to find any town in The Netherlands with this name.  Years later, on an online genealogy forum, a Dutch citizen told me that Dort was the nickname for Dordrecht.  This helped break down a big brick wall for me, and suddenly I found generations of records on the Hoogerzeil family.  

Dordrecht is on an island between many rivers in South Holland.  It is considered the oldest city in The Netherlands, and is near Rotterdam, another major seaport.  My Hoogerzeil ancestors were all commanders of whaling ships that sailed from Rotterdam to Greenland. It was easier for ships to reach the sea from Dordrecht before 1829 when the Voorne Canal was dug.  By the end of the 1800s Rotterdam had become the major seaport, and Dordrecht lost many of its shipping and ship building industries.  I wonder if this is why my  3rd great grandfather, Peter Hoogerzeil (1803 - 1889) stowed away on a ship full of hemp in the 1820s and landed in Salem, Massachusetts.  

Many of the Hoogerzeil family church records (baptisms, marriages, funerals) were found at the "Grote Kerk" ("Big Church") which was built between 1285 and 1470.  You can see this church tower from quite a distance, and while we cruised by I just had to look for this familiar square tower to know we were at Dordrecht.  Below you can see photos we took of this church from the land in 2017, and above you can see the photos we took from the river boat.  

Vincent used his iPhone to track our boat position and to find Dordrecht.  When we were close I ran up to the top deck of the boat to take photos with my phone.  Some people were eating lunch near the railing, and a kind woman passenger snapped the photo of me with the Grote Kerk.  I'm so glad she offered to take that picture!  

Click on the links below to see more blog posts about the town of Dordrecht, including my uncle's visit to his Hogerzeil cousins in Dordrecht after World War II.  

2017

Hans Hogerzeil, Erik Kon, and Yours Truly

in front of the doors of the Grote Kerk, Dordrecht

Grote Kerk

View of Dordrecht by Aelbert Cuyp, 1655

By Aelbert Cuyp - English Heritage, Kenwood House, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57844274

For the truly curious:

Hoogerzeil Surname Saturday post:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/03/surname-saturday-hoogerzeil-of-holland.html  

My 2017 visit to The Netherlands, including Dordrecht:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/02/in-footsteps-of-ancestors-visit-to.html   

More information on Dordrecht and the Hoogerzeil/Hogerzeil family:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2009/09/value-of-posting-brick-walls-on.html   

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "An Ancestral City, Dordrecht, The Netherlands", Nutfield Genealogy, posted July 2, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/07/an-ancestral-city-dordrecht-netherlands.html: accessed [access date]). 

Krimpen aan de Lek, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday

 This is the second time I have featured this weathervane here on Weathervane Wednesday!  

My 6th great grandfather, Michiel Ockers Hogerzeijl, was born in Krimpen aan de Lek on 18 July 1696, and was buried at this church after his death in 25 May 1779.  This 1425 church was demolished in 1939 and rebuilt, and his tombstone was moved to the chapel in the village cemetery.  However, the church retains a bit of my ancestor's history, since he was the commander of whaling ships, and the weathervane features a gilded whale! 

I first visited this village in 2017 with my distant cousin, Hans Hogerzeil.  You can read all about that trip HERE.  I featured the weathervane and the tombstone (see the links below).  This time, in April 2025 we were taking a river cruise around The Netherlands and Belgium and we sailed right by Krimpen aan de Lek and stopped nearby at Kinderdijk.  I was thrilled to see this village, and also the city of Dordrecht nearby, where Michiel Ockers Hogerzeijl's son, Simon Machielszoon Hoogerzeijl was buried, and where several other generations of my family lived until my 3rd great grandfather, Peter Hoogerzeil (1803 - 1889), immigrated to Beverly, Massachusetts in the 1820s.  

I loved my visit to Dordrecht and Krimpen aan de Lek in 2017.  I remember sitting in a restaurant with Hans and watching the river outside the window.  I kept seeing the river cruises go by, and I made a wish that maybe someday I would return and take one of those cruise tours of The Netherlands.  When we finally were able to make that wish come true, we did it during the tulip season, which was even extra fun!  

According to Wikipedia, the first mention of the name of this town in 1396.  The town is located nearby rotterdam, and in the 1700s the Van Holst whaling business was established here. Many Krimpen residents worked on board the ships, including my ancestor as a commander. He was a respected member of the community, and his impressive gravestone certainly verifies this!  

For the truly curious:

My previous blog post about Krimpen aan de Lek:     https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/02/in-footsteps-of-ancestors-touring.html   

Tombstone Tuesday featuring Michiel Ockers Hogerzeijl's gravestone in Krimpen aan de Lek:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/11/tombstone-tuesday-michiel-ockers.html  

Kerk aan de Lek website in English:  https://www.kerkaandelek.nl/locaties/   

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Krimpen aan de Lek, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted June 25, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/06/krimpen-aan-de-lek-netherlands-for.html: accessed [access date]). 

Zuiderkerk, Enkhuizen, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday

 

The Zuiderkerk (Southern Church) is a protestant church in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.  The church was originally Sint Pancraskerk (St. Pancratius) built in 1458.  The tower with the weathercock is owned by the town, and was restored in 1992. The first musical clock in this tower was installed in 1524. There are two bells in the tower which were installed in 1653. There is also a carillon of 52 bells connected to the keyboard of the organ inside the church.   The interior was rennovated in 2013 and 2014. 

We could see the weathercock on the church tower from the main square of Enkhuizen while we were touring the town a few months ago.  We even heard the church bells while we were having a tea break in a local cafe.  This old weathercock is a very old Christian symbol, dating back to Pope Gregory I (between 590 and 604 AD) who declared that every church should install the rooster as a symbol of Christianity.  Pope Nicolas made the decree official in the 9th century.  Many early churches took advantage of this decree to install weathercocks.  The rooster stayed as a popular weathervane over the centuries, still seen on churches and farms in Europe and in America. The oldest weathervane known to exist is the Gallo di Ramperto, in the Museo di Santa Guilia in Brescia, Italy (thought to date between 820 and 830 AD).  

For the truly curious:

Zuiderkerk website (in Dutch):   https://www.pgenkhuizen.nl/ons-gebouw/  

Southern Church, Enkhuizen at Wikipedia (in English):    https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuiderkerk_(Enkhuizen)   

Another weathervane seen in Enkhuizen:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/05/enkhuizen-gatehouse-netherlands-for.html  

Click here to see over 550 more Weathervane Wednesday posts:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday    

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Zuiderkerk, Enkhuizen, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted June 18, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/06/zuiderkerk-enkhuisen-netherlands-for.html:  accessed [access date]). 

The Schreierstoren, Amsterdam, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday

The 15th century Schreierstoren is a tower that was originally part of the city wall of Amsterdam.  I twas built in 1487. The ship on the weathervane is very appropriate because in 1595 Cornelis Houtman left here for the East Indies in 1595.  And this is where Henry Hudson set sail for North America in 1609 on his third voyage and founded New Amsterdam (Manhattan).  

The name Schreierstoren has many stories.  One is that women would go there to cry over lost husbands, those who were gone to sea for war, fishing, or exploration like Henry Hudson. The English translation is incorrectly told to be "Weeper's Tower" or "Tower of Tears".  However the name in Old Dutch translates to "Sharp Angle Tower" because the now extinct wall once made a sharp turn at this tower.  

The weathervane is a two dimensional gilded ship.  It cannot represent Henry Hudson's ship De Halve Maen  (The Half Moon) because he left Amsterdam in 1609, and this tower was built in 1487. 

This tower is now a cafe and bookshop, located at Prins Hendrikkade 94. 

For the truly curious:

Schreierstoren at Wikipedia:    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schreierstoren  

"The true story behind Amsterdam's Schreierstoren": 

   https://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/279-schreierstoren-amsterdam   

Click here to see over 550 other Weathervane Wednesday posts:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday 

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "The Schreierstoren, Amsterdam, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 28, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-schreierstoren-amsterdam.html: accessed [access date]). 

The Westerkerk, Amsterdam, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday

While we were in Amsterdam in April, our hotel was located a block from this impressive church, with a gilded weathercock above a fantastic domed steeple.  This is the Westerkerk, a Reformed church built between 1620 and 1631 in Renaissance style.  There are older churches in Amsterdam that were built before the Reformation.  This is one of the first Protestant churches built in The Netherlands, and at the time it was built it was the biggest Protestant church in the world.  This church is also very close to the Anne Frank House. 

The impressive spire is 286 feet tall.  The blue dome is actually the Imperial Crown of Austria worn by the Emperor Maximilian I.  The weathercock is a traditional symbol of Christianity, ever since the decree by Pope Nicholas in the 9th century.  His papal edict said that a cockerel, the symbol of St. Peter's betrayal, should be installed on top of churches.  It is also a symbol of hope, vigilance, the dawn, and human fallibility.  By chance, most of these roosters were installed as weathervanes. Early weathervanes did not include the cardinal letters, like this one, because early churches were always laid out east to west. 

The Westerkerk is still a working church, and it is open to visitors Monday to Friday.  Many famous people, including the artist Rembrandt, are buried here.  The entrance is Prinsengracht 279.  The tower is owned by the City of Amsterdam and has a separate entrance.  It is not open to the public at this time. 

For the truly curious:

Westerkerk at Wikipedia:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westerkerk      

The official Westerkerk website:   https://westerkerk.nl/tourist-information-westerkerk-amsterdam/   

Click here to see over 550 other Weathervane Wednesday posts from around the world:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday   

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "The Westerkerk, Amsterdam, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 21, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-westerkerk-amsterdam-netherlands.html: accessed [access date]). 

Three Weathervanes over the Magna Plaza, Amsterdam,The Netherlands, for Weathervane Wednesday

 These three weathervanes were photogaphed near Dam Square, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 

This huge building in Amsterdam, located near the Royal Palace in Dam Square, is the former main post office, which was rennovated and turned into a huge shopping mall with over 40 stores and shops.  There are three towers, and each has it's own weathervane.  

1. The main tower on Raadhuisstraat has an onion dome with a gilded, two dimensional weathervane of a postal rider (complete with a post horn).  The post horn is the symbol for the mail service in many countries, including Spain and Germany. 

2. The entrance with two smaller towers each have a gilded banner, one with the letter "W" for Queen Wilhelmina, who was the monarch when this building was being built between 1895 and 1899.  

3. The second banner has a lion rampant, which is a common heraldic symbol seen on coats of arms. The lion rampant is associated with the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the former Dutch Republic, and is part of the royal coat of arms. 

This building housed the central post office, the telegraph company, and the telephone company until 1987 when it was sold to a developer to renovate it into a shopping mall.  The exterior was cleaned and repaired, and the interior completely rebuilt. It reopened as a shopping center in 1992.  

For the truly curious:

Magna Plaza at Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Plaza  

The official Magna Plaza website:   https://www.magnaplaza.nl/   

The Dutch Republic Lion at Wikipedia:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Republic_Lion   

The Post Horn article at Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_horn   

Click here to see over 550 more weathervanes from around the world!   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday   

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To cite/link to this blog:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Three Weathervanes over the Magna Plaza, Amsterdam,The Netherlands, for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 14, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/05/three-weathervanes-over-magna-plaza.html: accessed [access date]). 

Enkhuizen Gatehouse, The Netherlands- for Weathervane Wednesday

 This weathervane was photographed in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

This gilded ship weathervane is located above the Drommedaris or the Enkhuisan Town Gate.  Enkhuizen was a walled city, but now only several gates remain.  This gate was established about 1540 at the entrance to the Old Harbor. There is a 44 bell carillon in the tower, and a drawbridge over the canal. 

The weathervane is a gilded, two dimensional image of a typical Dutch sailing ship.  The Enkhuizen harbor leads out to the Ijsselmeer, which is a huge, fresh water lake that used to be part of the sea before a large dike was built. Before the harbor silted over, and before the Ijsselmeer was formed, Enkhuizen was a major seaport like Amsterdam, and a base for the Dutch East India Trade Company.  

For the truly curious:

Enkhuizen at Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enkhuizen   

Drommedaris at Wikipedia (with lots of new and old photos):   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drommedaris  

To see over 550 Weathervane Wednesday posts, click here:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday 

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Enkhuizen Gatehouse, The Netherlands- for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 7, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/05/enkhuizen-gatehouse-netherlands-for.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Dragon! for Weathervane Wednesday

 This weathervane was photographed over a private residence in Concord, New Hampshire

This three dimensional dragon was found on a garage cupola on South Main Street, Concord, New Hampshire.  It's an adorable and whimsical dragon, and I've driven this way for years and never noticed it until winter when all the leaves were off the trees.  It is hard to see when you are whizzing along South Main Street/Route 3A, and very hard to pull over in the traffic and take a good look.  

This dragon has all the details - wings, scales, and an amazing long tail.  It stands above gilded cardinal points (north, south, east and west).  It must have special meaning to the homeowners.  Dragon weathervanes are fairly rare, but I'll post links to three down below for those who are interested. 

For the truly curious:

Click here to see over 550 more weathervanes featured on "Weathervane Wednesday":   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday   

A 7 headed dragon weathervane from Spain:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/03/weathervane-wednesday-7-headed-dragon.html  

A dragon from Shelburne Farms, Vermont:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/08/weathervane-wednesday-dragon.html  

A dragon at Cambridge University in England:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/01/weathervane-wednesday-weathervanes-of.html  

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Dragon!  for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted 30 April 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/04/a-dragon-for-weathervane-wednesday.html: accessed [access date]). 

Troublesome Thomas Tuck of Beverly, Massachusetts

 

The town seal of Beverly, Massachusetts

I share this ancestor, Thomas Tuck (1611 - 1667) with my fellow genealogy blogger, Bill West, who unfortunately passed away last year.  Bill wrote three interesting blog posts about Thomas Tuck, and you can find the links below at the end of this post.  It was Bill who called our common ancestor "Troublesome Thomas Tuck".  

Thomas Tuck was my 9th great grandfather, born about 1611 probably in England.  He died in Beverly, Massachusetts on 20 March 1667.  Years after he died his ghost became part of the 1692 witch trails, when someone accused him of coming back from the dead to urge her to buy some land!  In my opinion his ghost was mentioned because he was not particularly law abiding during his life.  But we will never know, will we? 

" And for seeing the devill, or any spirit but ones, & that was soon after old Thomas Tuck dyed (w'ch I take to be about ten yeare since) & that shee took it to be the Ghost of Thom: tuck coming to speak w'th her about some land s'd Tuck had told her of before his death. But that shee fled from the Ghost & got away."  Salem Witch Papers No. 68.18 Examination of Dorcas Hoar 2 May 1692 

I'm on a search to learn more about Thomas Tuck's wife.  Or his wives.  I wasn't sure how many times he married, or which wife might have been the mother of my 8th great grandfather, John Tuck, born in 1646 in Beverly and died there in 1722.  There is no mention of Thomas Tuck, unfortunately, in any of the Great Migration Books, so I can assume he came to Massachusetts after 1635 (which is the drop off date for Robert Charles Anderson's research).  He is not found in many other records except for court records, where I can find many, many mentions of his misadventures.

In Sidney Perley's History of Salem, 1924, Volume 1, pages 399 - 401 there is a very short mention of Thomas Tuck.  No, not three pages on him, just three sentences in the footnotes:

"Thomas Tuck, a blacksmith, aged about twenty-five, lived on Cape Ann side in 1636.  In 1643 he was living apart from his wife, and in 1650 he had married the widow of George Harris.  His wife was Joan in 1679.  In 1643 he was complained of for living absent from his wife, but was discharged."

What facts do I learn from this tiny paragraph?  Or what new questions do I have?  How many wives did Thomas Tuck have? Which wife was my ancestress? Where can I find more records? Does he appear anywhere except in court records? Why was he a part of the Salem Witch Hysteria? 

Fortunately, after a lot of digging over many months, I found a terrific resource.  Someone had done a sketch of Thomas Tuck and his children in the 2018 edition of the New England Historic Genealogical Society Register journal, hidden inside an article about George Harris (Yes!  The same George Harris mentioned in that brief little paragraph in the History of Salem.) And this article answered all my questions about Troublesome Thomas Tuck, and even brought up some new questions and further things to investigate.

My question was how many wives did Thomas Tuck have?   Apparently he had two, one before "Joan".  Joan's previous marriage to George Harris left her with three sons.  One of these sons, Samuel Harris (1644-1682) was married to Mary Hoar, the daughter of accused witch Dorcas (Galley) Hoar.  This news explained a lot of the mentions in court records of Thomas Tuck being the "father-in-law" (step-father) to Joseph Harris.  It also explains why the Tuck and Harris children were called to testify at Dorcas Hoar's trial for witchcraft in 1692. 

The article also listed many, many resources in the footnotes for additional deeds, court records, and other information.  Some of the best I found were compiled genealogies done on the Harris family, which helped me to sort out the Tuck family!  

Thomas and Joan Tuck had only one known child, my 8th great grandfather John Tuck (1646 - 1722) who married a Rachel (________) - another brick wall female line to untangle.  But they had six children including my 7th great grandfather John Tuck (1674 - 1717), and his sister Mary Tuck (1682 - 1741/2) who married John Balch the grandson of my 8th great grandparents Benjamin Balch and Sarah Gardner. Another daughter-in-law, Sarah Reith, remarried, when her husband Joseph Tuck died, to Samuel Allen of Manchester, Massachusetts (My mother's maiden name is Allen, a descendant of William Allen (1602 - 1678) of Manchester, so I need to find the kinship connection for this Samuel Allen). I had some notes on these Balch/Tuck/Reith/Allen families already in my files. I'm sure that I can unravel it all now with this new information. 

Don't forget to check journal articles, blog posts, and compiled genealogies of related families when you hit a Brick Wall ancestor!  Especially new articles published in the last five years, which may not be mentioned as much as articles from the 20th century or early 2000s (or show up on online searches).  

For the truly curious:

History of Salem, by Sidney Perley, 1924, Volume 1, pages 399 - 401.

NEHGS Register, 2018, Volume 172, pages 302 - 304  George Harris 1 of Salem, Massachusetts, with Sketch of Thomas 1 Tuck, by Gale Ion Harris https://www.americanancestors.org/DB202/i/55221/304/73267555

The Salem Witchcraft Papers, at salemlib.virginia.edu/texts/transcripts.html, SWP No. 68.4 (deposition of Rachel Tuck and Hannah Cox v. Dorcas Hoar, 14 May 1692)

From Bill West's blog West in New England, more about Thomas Tuck: 

https://westinnewengland.blogspot.com/2015/04/thomas-tuck-and-stolen-bell-pt1.html  

https://westinnewengland.blogspot.com/2015/04/thomas-tuck-and-stolen-bell-pt2.html  

https://westinnewengland.blogspot.com/2015/04/thomas-tuck-and-stolen-bell-pt3.html

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Troublesome Thomas Tuck of Beverly, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted April 22, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/04/troublesome-thomas-tuck-of-beverly.html: accessed [access date]).  

Goofy's Sky School Ride at Disneyland, California Adventure for Weathervane Wednesday

 Today's weathervane was photographed by Don Smith at Disneyland, California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California.

Our friend Don Smith travels a lot, and sometimes he sends me some great weathervane photos from his travels.  I have featured some of those weathervanes here on Weathervane Wednesday - including what may be the highest weathervane in the world HERE on top of the Matterhorn in Switzerland. 

This two dimensional metal weathervane can be found atop the watertower at the Goofy's Sky School roller coaster inside Disney California Adventure park in Anaheim, California.  This ride used to an attraction called Mulholland Madness, but it was rethemed and reopened on 1 July 2011. It is based on a 1940 short cartoon called Goofy's Glider. The ride is full of gags from this movie and other cartoons featuring Goofy. 

If you have visited Walt Disney World in Florida you might have seen the similar ride called The Great Goofini's Barnstormer inside Fantasyland. This is a junior roller coaster for young children. 

In the 1920s and 1930s barnstormers were itinerant pilots who traveled around the country doing aerial stunts with their plans, and offering plane rides.  Did you know Charles Lindbergh started his career in the air as a barnstormer? 

This weathervane is two dimensional, and it shows a hapless Goofy flying his little plane while being chased by a lightning bolt and an ominous cloud.  The weathervane is a preview of the wild ride just beyond the watertower. 

For the truly curious:

Goofy's Sky School ride at the Disneyland website:   https://disneyland.disney.go.com/attractions/disney-california-adventure/goofys-sky-school/

Weathervanes from Switzerland with photos from Don Smith:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2023/09/weathervanes-in-switzerland-for.html   

Click here to see over 550 Weathervane Wednesday posts:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday  

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To cite/link to this blog post:   Don Smith and Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Goofy's Sky School Ride at Disneyland, California Adventure for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted April 16, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/04/goofys-sky-school-ride-at-disneyland.html: accessed [access date]). 

What are the genealogy resources inside the New Hampshire State Library?

 Last week the New Hampshire lawmakers tried to shutter the New Hampshire State Library, just across the street from the statehouse in Concord.  In my 26 March 2025 blog post I outlined the story of how public reaction was so strong that the lawmakers stopped pushing for closure, but instead cut the budget to the State Library.  The federal government also cut the budget for libraries, including state and local public libraries, so we will have to wait and see how this affects service, staffing, and support for the New Hampshire State Library.

I've been using this library for many years for genealogical research and to study local history.  It's one of the best resources for family history north of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.  It's also located right next across the street to the New Hampshire Historical Society library (another invaluable resource with many compiled genealogies and unique manuscripts), so if you need something additional you can just walk right over.  The Concord Public library is a block away, too.  All three libraries have unique collections.  Only the NH Historical Society requires an admission or membership. 

Inside the NH State Library, behind the circulation desk on the first floor, is the genealogy room, AKA the New Hampshire Room. It looks like the biggest room in the building, and the NH Supreme Court met here until 1970. The card catalog to the entire building is online, there are 4 microfilm readers, and a photocopy machine. There is a computer to access Ancestry. Best of all, the highly trained staff is ready to assist you (mail requests for photo copies are available, too).  In the genealogy room you can find the following items:

County and Town Histories (on the left as you enter), where you can find mentions of the first settlers and many town histories have a genealogy section in the back of the book.  My favorite town histories are those books which have more pages devoted to genealogy than to the history!

Compiled Family Histories, about 2400 books, on the left and back walls. Many are out of copyright and can be found at Archive.org or Google books, but many new books are also on the shelves and unavailable any where else in New Hampshire.  There is a copy of Index to Genealogies in New Hampshire Town Histories, by William Copely, to help you find your relatives and ancestors. 

The Mayflower Silver Books, DAR Lineage books, The Tan Books (Vital Records for Massachusetts towns to 1850), 

American-Genealogical & Biographical Index, Boston Transcript Genealogy Columns (1896 - 1941) on microfiche. 

To the left there are NH Newspapers on microfilm - many are very old newspapers no longer active, some date back to the 1700s.  Also included is the Concord Monitor obituaries between about 1948 to 2014. There are finding aids for the microfilm.  Granite Monthly magazine 1877 - 1930 with an index. The NH Notables series also at Archive.org and Family Search. 

Also in the building:

Early Town Records (about 1640 - about 1830)with a name index.  Some are available on Family Search. Also Town and City Reports from the 1800s to the present (also online at UNH).  The Sargent Name Index to records on microfilm. 

1790 - 1940 NH Census Records 

Gravestone inscriptions from New Hampshire and Maine (more at the NH Historical Society)

Church records (more at the NH Historical Society)

New Hampshire State & Provincial Papers, (40 volumes) with an index (also online at the NH Archives or at UNH). This is a valuable resource I have blogged about many times. 

Many maps including the Sanborn fire insurance maps, county maps, and the 1892 NH Town and City Atlas by D. H. Hurd.  

Directories- town and city directories, phone books (1950s to the present) (The New England Telephone Museum in Warner, New Hampshire also has phone books). 

For the truly curious:

The New Hampshire State Library, 20 Park Street, Concord, NH   https://www.nhsl.dncr.nh.gov/   

The New Hampshire State Library Genealogical Resources:   https://www.nhsl.dncr.nh.gov/collections/genealogical-resources   

26 March 2025 blog post about the New Hampshire State Library budget cuts:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/new-hampshire-state-library-budget-cuts.html  

If you are a member of the New Hampshire Society of Genealogists, there is a video from 15 March 2022 available to members of Rebecca Stockbridge's lecture "New Hampshire State Library's Genealogical Resources" with two handouts.  

Also, see my 10 May 2019 blog post "Researching Your Ancestors in Concord, New Hampshire":   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/05/researching-your-ancestors-in-concord.html   

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To cite/link to this blog post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "What are the genealogy resources inside the New Hampshire State Library?", Nutfield Genealogy, posted April 8, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/what-are-genealogy-resources-inside-new.html: acessed [access date]). 

New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site (the last Continental Army encampment of the Revolutionary War)

 This is the third blog post in a series on the Newburgh/New Windsor, New York area historic sites from the Revolutionary War. 

The New Windsor Cantonment was the last Continental Army encampment of the Revolutionary War.  During the winter of 1782- 1783 over 7,000 soldiers and 500 civilians were encamped here at New Windsor, New York.  On 19 April 1783 (8 years to the day after the Battles of Lexington and Concord) General George Washington issued the cease-fire orders here that ended the War of Independence for the Continental Army.  

In the summer months this historic site has costumed re-enactors demonstrating musket drills, camp life, blacksmithing and other 18th century skills. It is located next door to The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor.  This museum explains the history of the Purple Heart, which originated with Washington's Badge of Military Merit, which was awarded to three men at the cantonment in 1783. 

My ancestor Abner Poland was a member of the 8th Massachusetts Regiment, and stationed here at the New Windsor Cantonment.  He had served in the Continental Army for over seven years, and saw action at Trenton, Saratoga and Yorktown. He was awarded the Badge of Merit by General George Washington in August 1783 (see below).   The regiment was furloughed 12 June 1783 at West Point, and disbanded on 3 November 1783.  

This historic military site is just a few miles from Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh, New York.  General Washington was stationed there for over 16 months, the longest time at any of his headquarters during the Revolutionary War.  Abner Poland's Badge of Merit certificate was awarded at the headquarters in Newburgh. 

This historic area has a reconstruction of the log buildings built by the Continental Army at the cantonment, including the "Temple of Virtue" and barracks.

A small graveyard near the Temple of Virtue

It is a short walk to the Temple of Virtue

A transcription:

The name Temple of Virtue may have been derived from a 1757 sermon by David Fordyce called The Temple of Virtue: A Dream.  "A pilgrim traveled to an eminence crowned by a "sacred mansion" of quadrangular form" whose whole fabric was simple and solemn..."  

In part to keep the soldiers gainfully occupied during the long winter months, Army Chaplain Israel Evans proposed the construction of a meeting hall in December 1782.  Unlike the soldier's huts, the building was handsomely finished with a vaulted ceiling and large, glazed windows.  The building was used primarily for church services as well as military functions and occasional musical performances.  Two rooms on one end were offices and a store for the quartermaster and commissary, and two on the other side were used for officer meetings and issuing general orders. 

This reenactor spent a long time with me inside the Temple of Virtue, and we discussed the Badge of Merit, the Badge of Military Merit, and the Massachusetts 8th Regiment.  

The certificate for the Badge of Merit awarded to Abner Poland

at Newburgh, NY by General George Washington

(click to enlarge)

For the truly curious:

A children's book The Medal With a Heart, by Karen Kulinski, 2018, M.T. Publishing Company, Evansville, Indiana (I bought my copy of this book at the Independence Museum in Exeter, NH). 

The New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site webpage:   https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/newwindsor/maps.aspx  

Wikipedia article on the New Windsor Cantonment:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Windsor_Cantonment_State_Historic_Site  

My blog post (part 1) on Washington's Headquarters at Newburgh, New York:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/george-washingtons-headquarters-at.html  

My blog post on (part 2) The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-national-purple-heart-hall-of-honor.html

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site (the last Continental Army encampment of the Revolutionary War)", Nutfield Genealogy, posted April 1, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/04/new-windsor-cantonment-state-historic.html: accessed [access date]). 

New Hampshire State Library Budget Cuts

The New Hampshire State Library on the morning of 25 March 2025
while lawmakers were debating its fate across the street in the statehouse

Yesterday, 24 March 2025, on WMUR TV there was a report that a bill would move forward to close the New Hampshire State Library and the Council on the Arts.  Joe Sweeney (R) of Salem stated that "There is no constitutional need to fund the state library" and he proposed eliminating funding.  The parent agency for the state library falls under the New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, which also oversees historical sites, NH forests and lands, and parks and recreation. 

Immediately on social media there was a firestorm of complaints about closing the state library, with lots of links posted on how to contact members of the statehouse and state senators.  I sent several emails, and I shared this information with my friends, members of genealogy groups, local history in New Hampshire groups, and other groups in New England.  People from as far away as Australia, Washington State, Canada, and California all wanted to know who to contact or how to help.  

Well, the email campaign must have worked, because by 11:30 on Tuesday morning 25 March 2025 the NH statehouse announced that they were no longer considering defunding the New Hampshire State Library.  However, they still had the New Hampshire Council for the Arts on the chopping block. I'm relieved, but still cautious that this does not bode well for the future of the state library or any other public libraries here in New Hampshire, across New England, or across the United States.  WMUR TV also had a story about this reprieve. 

Our New Hampshire State Library is the oldest in the United States.  It was originally founded in 1717 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and then relocated to Concord in 1808.  The granite building at 20 Park Street is located across the street from the New Hampshire State House.  Most state libraries contain state government publications, historical records, legislative documents, maps, statute books, and records unique to the state such as town, city and county reports, family histories, town histories, manuscripts and newspapers. You can see why this is a valuable, one-of-a-kind resource for the citizens of the state.  It is located close to the statehouse so members and staff of the government can quickly and efficiently obtain historical and legislative information from specially skilled librarians.  

I have visited several state libraries across the country from Maine, to Massachusetts, to Hawaii, but the New Hampshire State Library is where I do most of my genealogy and local history research for this blog and for my own family history.  I refer people to this library often, probably at least once or twice a week from queries to this blog. The State Library is a terrific place for authors, historians, and genealogists who travel from across the globe to Concord for their research.  The skilled staff here is ready to assist anyone who shows up, not just lawmakers.  Out of state visitors and even local visitors to this library bring economic benefits to Concord and New Hampshire when they frequent the restaurants, hotels and local businesses.  

On March 14 the White House announced that the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) would be "governmental entities [that] shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law." We need to be prepared to see libraries across the country face the same fight as the New Hampshire State Library. Since 2015 the IMLS has granted over $15 million to libraries and museums in New Hampshire. The State Library uses these funds for critical programs like the Interlibrary Loan System, digital access to ebooks, and the Talking Book program for the blind. [from an email from Michael Haley Goldman of the IMLS, received 25 March 2025]. 

Tuesday morning, while the lawmakers were debating this controversy across the street in the statehouse, I visited the staff at the State Library and took these photos.  

I will follow up on this story with a blog post about the wonderful genealogical resources available at the NH State Library.  Please, take some time soon to visit this wonderful resource in Concord, New Hampshire. We need to let the librarians and staff know they are valued, and that we are thinking about them and their careers at this stressful time.  

For the truly curious:

The 24 March 2025 story on WMUR, "Budget Plan would eliminate New Hampshire State Library, Council on the Arts":   https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-state-library-council-arts-budget/64277841  

The 25 March 2025 story on WMUR, "NH lawmakers back away from plan to eliminate state library after flood of email":   https://www.wmur.com/article/nh-state-library-budget-cut-reversal-32525/64286244   

Wikipedia New Hampshire State Library:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hampshire_State_Library  

Wikipedia New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hampshire_Department_of_Natural_and_Cultural_Resources    

The Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA):  https://www.cosla.org/    

Information about state libraries from the American Library Association:   https://www.ala.org/tools/atoz/state-library-agencies  

A previous blog post written in 2019 about genealogical resources in Concord, New Hampshire, including the New Hampshire State Library:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/05/researching-your-ancestors-in-concord.html  

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "New Hampshire State Library Budget Cuts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted March 26, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/new-hampshire-state-library-budget-cuts.html: accessed [access date]). 

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, New Windsor, New York

 This is part two of three blog posts on a visit to the Newburgh/New Windsor, New York historic sites from the American Revolutionary War.  

Entrance to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, New Windsor, New York

Last fall we visited Newburgh, New York to see George Washington's last Revolutionary War headquarters, and the museum staff recommended that we go down the road to see the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor.  I was at Newburgh to see where George Washington had awarded by ancestor, Abner Poland (1761 - 1835) of Essex, Massachusetts a Badge of Merit. General Washington had devised two awards at his headquarters, the first was to signify loyal military service, he ordered a chevron to be worn on the left sleeve of the uniform coat for the rank and file that had completed three years of duty "with bravery, fidelity, and good conduct", two chevrons signified six years of service.  Abner Poland had served more than seven years, through to the Battle of Yorktown.  

The second badge General Washington awarded was for "any singularly meritorious Action"  "The figure of a Heart in Purple Cloth or Silk edged with narrow Lace or Binding".  This Badge of Military Merit was sewn on the left breast of the uniform coat.  Due to the war ending, and many other distractions, Washington only awarded three of these purple badges.  The Purple Heart was reinstated after World War I for soldiers who suffered injuries or death.  

It was at this museum, The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, where I learned about the two awards established by General Washington.  I have a copy of Abner Poland's certificate signed by George Washington, and it is stored at the National Archives in Washington, DC.  Abner's widow, Sarah Burnham Poland (about 1759 - 1846) used this certificate to apply for a Revolutionary War widow's pension. 

This museum is located right next door to the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site.  The Hall and the Cantonment share a parking lot.  Both are worthy of a visit. These sites are only a few miles from General George Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh.  

When you press the button, you can see an actual Badge of Military Merit,

originally awarded to Sergeant Elijah Churchill in 1782.

Badge of Military Merit

General Washington wished to honor 

his enlisted soldier's merit, but Congress

limited his power to do so.  In a general

order dated 7 August 1782, issued in 

Newburgh, New York, Washington

established the Badge of Military Merit.

Only three Badges of Military Merit are

verified to have been awarded.

A close up of the original felt, embroidered 

Badge of Military Merit. 

This Purple Heart medal belonged to

World War I veteran Howard R. Bouton.

As the accompanying letter (facsimile)

describes, Mr. Bouton received this 

medal in 1944 for wounds he had

sustained during World War I. 

A display about the New Windsor, New York Cantonment

at the end of the Revolutionary War

Why Here on 

These Grounds?

At the end of the Revolutionary War, army officers met

here to select the first know recipients of the Badge of

Military Merit.  Three months after the modern Purple

Heart was created in 1932, 136 local World War I

veterans were awarded their Purple Hearts in a 

ceremony held on these very grounds.               

The Hall of Honor continues this tradition of honoring

service and sacrifice.  Purple Heart recipients are those

service members who were killed or wounded by enemy

action.  Our mission is to collect, preserve and share the

stories of all Purple Heart recipients.                           

Badge of Merit certificate for Abner Poland signed by George Washington

For the truly curious:

Last week's blog post on Washington's Last Headquarters in Newburgh, NY:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/george-washingtons-headquarters-at.html  

The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor:   https://www.thepurpleheart.com/   

The New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site:    https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/newwindsor/maps.aspx   

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, New Windsor, New York", Nutfield Genealogy, posted March 25, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-national-purple-heart-hall-of-honor.html: accessed [access date]).