Tombstone Tuesday Ancestral Magnets?

This Christmas Santa brought me these unusual magnets made from tombstone art of a member of my family tree. Mary Munroe (daughter of John Ball and Elizabeth Pierce) was born about 1651 and died in August 1692 in Lexington, Massachusetts.  She was the second wife (of three!) of William Munroe, a Scots prisoner of war captured at the Battle of Worcester and sentenced to forced indentured servitude in Boston.  They had ten children together.  I descend from William's first wife, Martha George.   I also descend from Mary's brother, John Ball, who married Sarah Bullard.  See the link below for my blog post on the BALL family. 

These details are 3D prints of details taken from the tombstone of Mary Ball Munroe. 

HEART AND SOUL

This small hearn adorns the gravestone of Mary Munroo

symbolizing the heart as the seat of the soul. Her sould was

released for its flight to Heaven upon her death

August 12, 1692 at the age of 41.  she is buried in the

Old Burial Ground, Lexington, Massachusetts.

This piece of historic cemetery art is cast

directly from the face of an old New England gravestone.

It is completely handmade and finished. Item #0110

MUNROO '92

A windged skull adorns the gravestone of Mary Munroo

as symbol of her sould flying to Heaven; the goal for

Colonists of her era.  She served 41 years and hoped

for eternal life when she died August 12, 1692.  She is 

buried in the Old Burial Ground, Lexington, Massachusetts.

This piece of historic cemetery art is cast

directly from the face of an old New England gravestone.

It is comepletely handmade and finished. Item #0109

These magnets were created by "The Gravestone Girls" who I have met at many genealogy conferences, and heard their cemetery lectures at many historical societies and libraries.  I have several other art pieces from ancestor's graves made by the Gravestone Girls.  There is a link to their website below where you can find a schedule of their events, and shop for art objects made from copies of New England gravestones. 

For the truly curious:

The Gravestone Girls website:   https://www.gravestonegirls.com/#/  

My original 2011 "Tombstone Tuesday" blog post on the gravestones of Mary Munroo and her husband William in Lexington, Massachusetts:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/06/munroes-in-lexington-ma-tombstone.html  

My Surname Saturday blog post on the BALL family:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/11/surname-saturday-ball-of-watertown.html

My Surname Saturday blog post on the MUNROE family of Lexington, Massachusetts:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/06/surname-saturday-munroe-of-lexington.html  

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Tombstone Tuesday Ancestral Magnets?", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 30, 2025, (  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/12/tombstone-tuesday-ancestral-magnets.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ Ratchford of Massachusetts and Nova Scotia

RATCHFORD

This lineage begins with James Radsford, who was born about 1719 and married Margaret Ball on 26 December 1738 in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts.  This couple is a true brick wall to my genealogy research, since I do not know the origins or parents of either one.  The name Radsford is often spelled as Ratchford in the Bridgewater records, and it is the spelling adopted by the descendants.  They had five sons, no daughters, in the vital records. 

I descend from Thomas Ratchford, the second son.   He married Desire Gore on 1 December 1760 in Groton, Connecticut.  She was the daughter of Moses Gore and Desire Burris/Burrows/Burroughs.   About 1763 he settled in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia.  He was part of the New England Planter movement, who came to Nova Scotia for the free land given away after the Acadian expulsion.  Records of his family can be found in the Township Book of Cornwallis.

Their daughter, Elizabeth Ratchford, is my 5^th Great Grandmother.  She married David Lyons on 25 May 1779 in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia.  He was a recent settler from Connecticut to Nova Scotia.  They had twelve children in Cornwallis, and left many, many descendants.  My branch came back to New England.  I found much information about this lineage of Ratchfords in my ancestor, Reverend I. E. Bill’s, journals.  The Rev. Bill married Isabella Lyons Bill, the granddaughter of Elizabeth Ratchford and David Lyons.

I haven’t found any further Radsford or Ratchford records in Plymouth County, Massachusetts to trace this lineage back further than James Radsford, my 7^th Great Grandfather.

My Ratchford genealogy:

Generation 1:  James Radsford, born about 1719; married on 26 December 1738 to Margaret Ball.  They had five sons in the Bridgewater, Massachusetts Vital Records.

Generation 2: Thomas Ratchford, born 19 June 1741 in Bridgewater, died 27 December 1813 in Horton, Kings County, Nova Scotia; married on 1 December 1760 in Groton, Connecticut to Desire Gore, daughter of Moses Gore and Desire Burris.  She was born 20 September 1740 in Groton, and died 11 April 1813 in Horton.  Three children.

Generation 3: Elizabeth Ratchford, born about 1764 and died 18 March 1845 in Nova Scotia; married on 25 May 1779 in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia to David Lyons.  Twelve children.

Generation 4:  Thomas Ratchford Lyons m. Ann Skinner

Generation 5: Isabella Lyons m. Ebenezer Ingraham Bill

Generation 6: Caleb Rand Bill m. Ann Margaret Bollman

Generation 7: Isabella Lyons Bill m. Albert Munroe Wilkinson

Generation 8: Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my grandparents)

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Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

My Top Ten Brickwall Problem Ancestors

This is a shot in the dark, but last September Diane Boumenot posted her top ten genealogy research problems HERE and she has already solved two of them.   Readers and Google searchers found her post and sent her enough information or clues to break down those genealogical brickwalls.  So… here is my list.  I’m hoping for a reader or distant cousin to read this and help me to solve a few genealogy mysteries, too!

Diane listed the skills and strategies she thought she might need to solve her research problems.  This is a good idea, and working through this list has got me thinking of new ways to attack these mysteries.  Maybe I’ll solve them at least one brickwall before I get a mysterious “cousin connection” email or comment?

My 10 “Brickwall” ancestors:

1.   Elizabeth Lambert (about 1775 – 1834) is my 5x great grandmother.  She married Owen Jones, a native of Wales and son of a British customs officer, on 11 May 1793 at the Second Baptist Church in Boston, Massachusetts.  They lived in the North End, and had six daughters who were described as debutantes and all married very well.  I’m hoping she is from a well-connected, wealthy family in Boston who left lots of good records.  Unfortunately, there were many Lambert/Lombard/Lumbard/Lamport families in Boston at this time, and I have searched them all for Elizabeth.  A consultation with a professional genealogist at a conference leads me to believe I should search probate and deeds for Elizabeth among the many Lambert families.

One clue- Elizabeth had a sister, Sarah, who married John Dark/Dargue on 1 December  1793 in Boston.  Elizabeth (Lambert) Jones named her first daughter Sarah Dargue Jones in her honor.  The sister Sarah (Lambert) Dargue died on 3 September 1796, no parents listed.

Problem- I’ve never really done probate or deed research, so this will be my first test case with these types of records.  Searching for Jones records in the courthouse won’t be fun, neither will it be fun searching through all those Lambert/Lombard/Lumbard/Lamport etc. variations.  Elizabeth Lambert was born at about the time of the Boston siege during the American Revolution (many residents fled the city), so she may have been born somewhere else in Massachusetts or New England.

2.  Margaret Welch (about 1796 – 1860) is my 4x great grandmother.  Her death record in Chichester, New Hampshire does not name her parents.  She married Richard Locke on 21 October 1823 in Chichester.   Her children’s marriage and death records say she was born in Kittery, Maine.  Census records say she was born in Maine.

Problem - I cannot find a Welch/Welsh family at all that might be her possible parents or ancestors.  This is the opposite of the Elizabeth Lambert above where I have too many possibilities.  Perhaps searching York County, Maine probate and deeds would work, like my brickwall #1? 

3.  Nancy Thompson (about 1804 – after 1847) is my 4x great grandmother.  She married Jonathan Batchelder on 11 February 1822 in Belmont, New Hampshire.  Her children’s marriage and death records say that she was born in Gilmanton, New Hampshire.  There were several Thompson families in Gilmanton and Belmont (contiguous towns) but no record of Nancy/Ann/Hannah.  Jonathan Batchelder died in the Concord State Hospital after being declared insane.  I have his account book, and inside it I found guardianship papers dated 1847 making “Nancy Batchelder” the guardian of her minor daughter, Pauline.  No further trace of Nancy can be found in the New Hampshire vital records or census records.

Problem – Did Nancy remarry? Pauline’s death record name’s her mother as “Nancy Tompson”.  Is that a clue? The Gilmanton Historical Society is stumped.   I’ve searched all the Thompson/Tompson genealogies and vital records.  Perhaps I’ll need another probate and deeds research trip to Belknap County, New Hampshire?

4. Hannah Phelps (1728 – 1805) is my 5x great grandmother.  She married George Flint on 13 November 1753 in Andover, Massachusetts.    I’m not even sure of her surname, it was given as “Phelps” in a compiled Flint genealogy.  This is a real stumper.  I’ve very little information on George Flint, too, except what was found in the Flint book.

5. David Lyons (about 1759 – 1812) is my 5x great grandfather.  He was from Connecticut and removed to Cornwallis, Nova Scotia where he appears in many land records.  He was married in Cornwallis on 25 May 1779 to Elizabeth Ratchford.   I have no idea where he came from in Connecticut, and few clues.  I don’t know if he was a planter or a Loyalist.  Another real stumper.

6. James Radsford/Ratchford  b. about 1719 is my 7x great grandfather.  He married Margaret Ball on 26 December 1738 in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts.  They had five sons and all their births are recorded in the Bridgewater vital records.  This surname seems to have a lot of variations, and perhaps it was a corruption of some other name altogether?  There are no Radsfords or Ratchfords in earlier Massachusetts records.  No death record has been found.

7.  Margaret Ball (see above)  I have no birth or death record on Margaret, just a marriage and her name listed on her children’s births as “Margaret”. 

8. Amelia Unknown (born about 1790 – 1860) is my 4x great grandmother.  Her death record lists her birthplace as Stoughton, Massachusetts but no birth record has ever been found.  She died as a pauper in Wayland, Massachusetts the same year as her husband, who was also listed as a pauper.  Amelia had a colorful life with at least three husbands as listed below….

     #1 Amelia gave birth to twins in Salem on 26 June 1825 as Amelia Lewis, no husband listed.  Her son’s death records list their father as “Captain Thomas Lewis” but I haven’t found a marriage record.  Her twins were possibly born after he died.   Did he die at sea?  No record has been found for him in Massachusetts.

     #2 Amelia remarried to Thomas Johnson in 1827 in Salem

     #3 Amelia remarried third to John Adams in 1843 in Topsfield, Massachusetts.  Her death record lists her parents as “unknown”.    Both sons died very young before 1853, and their records do not give her maiden name.   She married often, so perhaps there is even another earlier marriage I am missing here?

9.  James Phillips (about 1792 – 1820) is my 4 great grandfather.  He married Sarah Cree on 6 August 1815 in Topsfield, Massachusetts.  His death record in Topsfield says he was a “native of Rowley” but I cannot find him in the Rowley records.   There is a James Phillips enumerated in the 1820 Census in Andover, Massachusetts, which may or may not be this James.   Again, Phillips is a common surname in Essex County, Massachusetts, which makes this as difficult as the Jones brickwall #1.

10. Mary Hovey (about  1751- 1832) is my 5x great grandmother.  She married Nathaniel Treadwell on 1786 in Ipswich, Massachusetts.  I have no clue as to her birthdate, birthplace, parents or ancestry.  Mary is listed on my lineage papers to the Mayflower Society, showing my descent from Mayflower passenger Isaac Allerton.  No one at the Mayflower Society can find her parents either!   There is plenty of information on her husband, who served in the American Revolution and was from a noted Ipswich, Massachusetts family.  I’d love to beat the professionals who have attempted to identify Mary Hovey, but so far I’ve been unsuccessful, too.

Please read Diane Boumenot’s blog post at this link, she inspired my list!:

http://onerhodeislandfamily.com/2012/09/17/how-to-solve-the-next-ten-problems/

Another blogger with a similar idea is Colleen Pasquale, who posted a list of 12 puzzles from her family tree on 12 December 2012 (12/12/12)  at this link:
http://leavesnbranches.blogspot.com/2012/12/121212-twelve-genealogy-questions.html

and Randy Seaver picked up the meme at his blog at this link:
http://www.geneamusings.com/2012/12/12-genealogy-mysteries-id-like-to-solve.html

Barbara Poole posted her top Ten Brickwall Ancestors at her blog back in 2010 and she is still waiting for her big break.  Keep your fingers crossed for her!  Read about her list at this link:
http://lifefromtheroots.blogspot.com/2010/10/top-ten-brick-walls.html

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Surname Saturday ~ Bullard of Watertown, Massachusetts

BULLARD

George Bullard became a freeman in Watertown, Massachusetts on 13 May 1641.  His land was next door to a Robert Bullard, his brother. His mother was Grace Bignett who died about 1629 in England and names her children in her will.  The names of her four sons disappear from English records about the same time they appear in New England. George and Robert Bullard lived in Watertown, and William settled in Dedham, and John in Medfield, Massachusetts.  This is a case where the myth "four brothers came to America" really is true!

George’s first wife Margaret died in Watertown at the same time as the birth of a daughter named Mary.  He married second to “Beatrice Hall, now wife of one George Bullard of Watertown” who was dismissed from the church of Boston to Watertown on 17 November 1644.  He had four children with Beatrice.  He married third to the widow Mary Marplehead. 

My descent from the Bullards daughters out in the first generations, when Sarah Bullard (1645 – 1722) married John Ball of Watertown and they had nine children.

For more information on the Bullard’s of Watertown see the New England Historic Genealogical Society Register, Volume 154, page 172 – 188, “The English Bullard Family Revisited and their Bignett Connection” by Clifford Stott and Myrtle Steves Hyde.  There is a mention in Henry Bond’s Genealogies of Watertown, page 147.   There is also a book Bullard and Allied Families, by Edgar J. Bullard, 1930.

My Bullard Genealogy:

Generation 1:  George Bullard, son of William Bullard and Grace Bignett,  born about 1607 in Barnham, Suffolk, England, died 14 January 1699 in Watertown, Massachusetts; married first to Margaret, married second to Beatrice Hall about 1640; married third to Mary Marplehead on 30 April 1655 in Watertown.

Generation 2:  Sarah Bullard, born 1645, died 8 May 1722 in Watertown; married on 17 August 1665 to John Ball, son of John Ball and Elizabeth Peirce, born 1644 at Watertown, died 8 May 1722.  Nine children.

Generation 3: Daniel Ball m. Mary Earl

Generation 4: Mary Ball m. Joseph Mixer

Generation 5: Lucy Mixer m. Andrew Munroe

Generation 6: Andrew Munroe m. Ruth Simonds

Generation 7: Luther Simonds Munroe m. Olive Flint

Generation 8: Phebe Cross Munroe m. Robert Wilson Wilkinson

Generation 9: Albert Munroe Wilkinson m. Isabella Lyons Bill

Generation 10: Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my grandparents)

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Surname Saturday ~ Peirce of Watertown

PERS/ PEIRCE

John Pers/Peirce of Watertown was a freeman in Watertown in March of 1637/38 .  He was granted his first lot of land on 10 May 1642, and later bought three more lots.  He was a weaver by trade.

His daughter, Elizabeth, was insane before 1661 and her children were given to John Peirce in guardianship.  His will, and his wife’s will names their children and grandchildren.  For the story of the Ball children, see my Surname Saturday post from last week --------------------------------.

Will of “John Perc” 4 March 1657/8, proven 1 October 1661

In the name of God amen the fourth day of the i mo Anno Dom 1657/8 I John Perse of Watertowne in the County of Midlesex in New England weaver, being through the Lords mercy in good health, Sound mind and of good understanding. do make and ordaine this my last will & Testamt. My poore mortall Soule I do Desire freely and humbly to leave it in the everlasting Armes of the mercies of God the father in Christ Jesus My body I comitt to the earth to be decently buried at the Discreation of my Executrix, And as for my outward estate wch the Lord hath been pleased of his goodness to blesse me with all, and for a short time to make me Steward of, My Will is that (my funeral expences and all other my just debts being first payd and fully Sattisfied) My loveing wife Elizabeth Perse shall freely have and enjoy the same i.e. my dwelling house outhouses and all my lands Cattle, corne, & all other my goods and Chattlells Debts and Dues of what wr or kind soever, out of wch, my will is that shee the said Elizabeth with in one yeare next comeing after my decesae shall pay or cause to be payd unto my Eldest sonne Anthony Perse Twenty shillings and to the rest of my Children ten shillings a peece, to be payd in Country pay, also I Do hereby nominate & Appoynt the above said Elizabeth Sole Executrix of this my last will and Testamt In witness whereof I the said John Perse have here unto put my hand & seale the Day and yeare first above written
John Pers

Watertown, Middlesex County Probate #17450, the will of Elizabeth Peirce

In the name of God Amen I Elizabeth Pearse of wattertowne in the county 
of Middlesex in New England doo make and ordaine this my last will and 
testament in maner and forme following, viz I being aged and sicke of 
body but of good and perfect memory blessed and praysed be God first I 
recommend my soule and spirit into the handes of god that gave it hoping 
through the merits of Jesus Christ to have eternall life: and my body to 
the earth whereof itt was made and to be buried at the discretion of my 
executor hereafter mentioned Imp I give and bequeath to my son Robt 
Pearse all my meadow or sixteene pound Sterling at the liberty of my 
executor: also I give and bequeath to my son John Pearse 2 of my cowes 
now in the hands of John Ball Jur when ther time comes out with him: also 
I give and bequeath to my dauther Ester Moss one of my fether beds wch 
she shall make choice of and one bolster one pillow one covering one 
grene blanket and my yoke of oxen now in the hands of John Ball Jnr when 
ther time comes out with him: also I give and bequeath to my dauther Mary 
Coldum my best green Ruge and one paire of Sheets and my bigest brass 
Keatle and all my wearing clothes and my great looking glass and my cob 
irons: also I give and bequeath to my two grandchildren Mary and Ester 
Ball six pound to each of them to be payd by my executor two yeare after 
my decease and then to be improved for and to ther use by the discretion 
of my executor untill the time of their maridge or the age of eighteene 
yeares and then to come into their hands with the p'duce further I give 
and bequeath to my grandchild John Pearse son to my son Anthony Pearse 
twenty shill also I give and bequeath to my grandchild Mary Pearse 
dauther to my son Anthony twenty shill also I give and bequeath to my 
grandchild Judah Sawen twenty shill: also I give and bequeath to my grand 
child Ester Moss dauther to Joseph twenty shill: also I give and bequeath 
to my grand child Judah Pearse dauther to my son Robt Pearse twenty 
shill: and all the rest of my estate both houses lands goods cattle 
chattles debtes or whatever is mine I do hereby give and bequeath to my 
son Anthony Pearse and I doo hearby make and ordain my Aforesaid son 
Anthony Pearse my full and sole executor of this my last will and 
testament requiring him to perform all and every part hearof according to 
the true intent and meaning thereof in witness wherof I have hearunto 
anexed my hand and seale this 15th of the first month in the yeare 
1666-7.

Some sources for Peirce genealogy include Peirce Genealogy: being the record of the posterity of John Pers, an early inhabitant of Watertown, by Frederick Clifton Pierce,   1880 (available to read at Google Books) and the Pierce Surname Project at Rootsweb.com http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pierces/ResourceCenter.html

Some famous Peirce descendants include President Franklin Peirce  (1804 – 1869), President Calvin Coolidge (1872 – 1933),  and Barbara Peirce Bush (born 8 June 1925), First Lady and also mother of a president.

My Peirce genealogy:

Generation 1:  John Peirce, born about 1588 in England, died 2 September 1661 in Watertown, Massachusetts; married before 1609 to Elizabeth Unknown, who died on 12 March 1668.  Eight children.

Generation 2: Elizabeth Peirce, born about 1620, died about 3 October 1665 in Lancaster, Massachusetts; married as his first wife to John Ball who died 10 September 1675.   Five children.  Elizabeth’s sister, Judith (1623 – 1650) was the second wife of my 9x great grandfather, Francis Wyman (1617 – 1699).  

Generation 3: John Ball m. Sarah Bullard

Generation 4: Daniel Ball m. Mary Earl

Generation 5: Mary Ball m. Joseph Mixer

Generation 6. Lucy Mixer m. Andrew Munroe

Generation 7: Andrew Munroe m. Ruth Simonds

Generation 8: Luther Simonds Munroe m. Olive Flint

Generation 9: Phebe Cross Munroe m. Robert Wilson Wilkinson

Generation 10: Albert Munroe Wilkinson m. Isabella Lyons Bill

Generation 11: Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my grandparents)

Click here to read a bit of genealogical serendipity involving the Peirce family and my daughter’s wedding plans http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/04/wedding-serendipity.html

Click here to read about another Peirce connection- the story of Ivory Wilkinson AKA Ivory Peirce

Part 1  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-blacksheep-found-with.html

Part 2  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/08/ivory-wilkinson-aka-ivory-peirce-aka.html

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Surname Saturday ~ Ball of Watertown, Massachusetts

BALL

John Ball went to Nashaway Plantation, later called Lancaster, Massachusetts.  He was one of three men sent to occupy the land.  He was a tailor, and his first wife, Elizabeth Pierce, went insane about 1660.  The court gave guardianship of three children to her parents, and gave his in-laws guardianship of his wife. She died and he remarried to Elizabeth Fox.  They removed to Lancaster where in 1675 he, his wife, and infant son Joseph were slain during an Indian massacre and two other children (Esther and Abigail) were taken captive. The surviving children were probably living with his Pierce in-laws in Watertown.

His son, also called John Ball, administered to his father’s estate after the massacre. He was a weaver, and learned his trade from his grandfather Peirce.

Some sources for researching the descendants of John Ball include the History of Watertown by Henry Boston, 1860, Stone-Gregg Genealogy by Alicia Crane Williams, 1987, and Divided We Stand: Watertown, Massachusetts 1630 – 1680, by Roger Thompson, 2001, pages 1008 – 109.  There is a book The Descendants of John Ball, Watertown, Massachusetts, by Frank Densmore Warren and Mrs. George H. Ball, 1932 available to read online at Archive.org.  There is a fairly accurate family tree at the website www.newenglandballproject.com

One famous descendant of John Ball is the actress Lucille Ball (1911 – 1989).

My Ball family lineage:

Generation 1.  John Ball, born 1620, died on 10 September 1675  at Lancaster, Massachusetts; married Elizabeth Pierce, daughter of John Pierce and Elizabeth Hart, who died about 3 October 1665 in Lancaster. Five children, including Mary Ball who was the second wife of my 7x great grandfather William Munroe.  John Ball married second on 3 August 1665 to Elizabeth Fox and had three more children.

Generation 2. John Ball, son of John Ball and Elizabeth Pierce, born 1644 in Watertown, Massachusetts, died 8 May 1722; married on 17 August 1665 to Sarah Bullard, daughter of George Bullard and Beatrice Hall. Nine children.

Generation 3. Daniel Ball, born 2 August 1683 in Watertown, died 9 March 1718 in Watertown, married on 10 November 1708 to Mary Earl, daughter of John Earl and Mary Lawrence, born 9 January 1690 in Watertown. Two children.

Generation 4. Mary Ball, born 27 December 1709 in Watertown, married on 4 May 1726 in Watertown to Joseph Mixer, son of Joseph Mixer and Anna Jones, born 14 December 1705 in Watertown. Eight children.

Generation 5. Lucy Mixer m. Andrew Munroe

Generation 6. Andrew Munroe m. Ruth Simonds

Generation 7. Luther Simonds Munroe m. Olive Flint

Generation 8. Phebe Cross Munroe m. Robert Wilson Wilkinson

Generation 9. Albert Munroe Wilkinson m. Isabella Lyons Bill

Generation 10. Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my grandparents)

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Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

Surname Saturday ~ Mixer of Watertown, Massachusetts

MIXER

The Mixer family left Ipswich, England on 10 April 1634 on board the ship “Elizabeth”.  The party consisted of Isaac Mixer, age 31, wife Sarah age 33 and a son, Isaac, age 4.   He was made a freeman in Watertown, Massachusetts on 2 May 1638.  He left a will on 8 May 1655, and his estate was inventoried on 15 June 1655.  Isaac had been a town selectman and owned half of the ship Diligent, which was at sea when he died.  In his will he left the Diligent to his daughter, Sarah Stearns.

No one has written a Mixer genealogy, but the early generations of Mixers can be found in other compiled genealogies such as The Ancestry of Margaret Brooks Threlfall, by John Brooks Threlfall, 1985, or The Genealogy and Memoirs of Isaac Stearns and his Descendants, by Avis Stearns Van Wagenen, 1901 or Ancestors and Descendants of Clark Proctor Nichols and Sarah (Sally) Stoughton in England and America 1620 – 2001, by Clara Pierce Olson Overbo, 2002.

The genealogy below reads like a romance novel, with cousins marrying, step siblings marrying, and in-laws marrying after the deaths of the related spouses.  You may need a score card to keep track of this family... 

My Mixer Lineage:

Generation 1:  Isaac Mixer, born about 1601, died between 8 May and 19 June 1655 in Watertown, Massachusetts; married on 11 May 1626 in Capel, Suffolk, England to Sarah Thurston, who was born about 1605 and died 24 November 1681 in Watertown.  Two children.

Generation 2: Isaac Mixer, born about 1630 in England, died 22 November 1716 in Sudbury, Masssachusetts;  married first on 19 September 1655 to Mary Coolidge (two children);  married second on 10 January 1661 in Watertown to Rebecca Garfield, daughter of Edward Garfield and Rebecca Johnson (my ancestors) (14 children!); married third on 29 June 1687 to Mary Lathrop, widow of John Stearns and William French.   John Stearns was first married to his sister, Sarah Mixer, on 7 June 1653, and then to Mary Lathrop in 1656.  (Doesn't this sound like a soap opera? )  

Generation 3: Joseph Mixer, born on 9 August 1674 in Watertown, died 10 December 1723 in Watertown;  married before 1704 to Anna Jones, daughter of Josiah Jones and Lydia Treadway.  She was born on 28 July 1684 and died in 1736.  Nine children.

Generation 4: Joseph Mixer, born about 14 December 1705 in Watertown; married on 4 May 1726 in Watertown to Mary Ball, daughter of Daniel Ball and Mary Earle. She was born on 27 December 1709 in Watertown.  Eight children.

Generation 5: Mary Mixer, born 21 November 1727 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, died on 3 September 1793 in Woburn (now Burlington), Massachusetts; married first on 13 November 1749 in Lexington, Massachusetts to Daniel Simonds (one child); married second on 26 May 1763 to Andrew Munroe, son of George Munroe and Sarah Mooers (my ancestors),  two children; married third on 6 December 1774 to Caleb Simonds, (cousin of her first husband).

Generation 6:  Andrew Munroe, born 31 March 1764 in Lexington, died 7 August 1836 in Danvers, Massachusetts; married on 22 March 1785 in Woburn (now Burlington) to Ruth Simonds, daughter of Caleb Simonds (Andrew’s stepfather- thus they were step siblings growing up together) and his first wife, Susanna Converse.   Ruth was born 13 April 1763 in Woburn and died 29 January 1840 in Danvers.  Eleven children.

Generation 7:  Luther Simonds Munroe m. Olive Flint

Generation 8: Phebe Cross Munroe m. Robert Wilson Wilkinson

Generation 9: Albert Munroe Wilkinson m. Isabella Lyons Bill

Generation 10: Donald Munroe Wilkinson m. Bertha Louise Roberts (my paternal grandparents)

To see a story about Mary Mixer Simonds Munroe, click here:

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-woeful-life-of-colonial-woman.html  

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To Clink/link to this blog post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ Mixer of Watertown, Massachusetts", Nutfield Genealogy, posted September 29, 2012, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/09/surname-saturday-mixer-of-watertown.html: accessed [access date]).