The Odiorne Family, from the Odiorne Burial Ground, Rye, New Hampshire

 These tombstones were photographed at the Wallis-Odiorne Burial Ground on Bracket Road in Rye, New Hampshire.  Most of the inscriptions are legible, but unfortunately the smaller poetry epitaphs are mostly illegible. 

WILLIAM S. ODIORNE

DIED

Nov. 4, 1869

Aged 72 yrs, 1 mo. &

8 days.

???? [illegible]

MARY T.

wife of Wm S. Odiorne,

DIED

April 7, 1867,

Aged 66 yrs, 3 mos.

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

Dearest Mother thou hast left us

and thy loss we deeply feel;

But 'tis God that has bereft us,

He can all our sorrows heal.

She sleeps in Jesus and is blest,

???? her slumber may

??? suffering and from sin released

And freed from every ???

TRUMAN S. ODIORNE

DIED

Dec. 3, 1831,

Aged 57 yrs, 2 mos.

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

???[illegible]

MOTHER

MARY O.

wife of

Trueman S. Odiorne

DIED

Aug. 16, 1894

AEt. 56 yrs,11 mos

12 days

?????[illegible]

William Seavey Odiorne was born 26 September 1797 in Rye, New Hampshire, the son of Ebenezer Odiorne and Mary Seavey.  He married Mary T. Amazeen on 9 July 1823. She was the daughter of Ephraim Amazeen and Hannah Tarleton.  The Amazeen family goes back in time to the immigrant John Amazeen, who was described as "John Amazeen, an Italian" by Charles Brewer, a Portsmouth historian. William and Mary Odiorne had nine children, and some are buried here in this burial ground.

Truman Seavey Odiorne is the oldest child of William and Mary.  He was born in 1822 in Rye, and married Mary Olive Moulton, the daughter of Joseph Moulton and Lydia Marston on 23 April 1864 in Rye.  She was born in 1837 and died 16 august 1894 in Rye. They had five children: William Wallace b. 11 Sept. 1864; Jonathan Everett b. 18 July 1866; Lydia Ann b. 13 Aug. 1869; Charlotte Seavey b. 3 August 1872; and Mary Amazeen b. 12 Dec. 1873. 

I am an Odiorne descendant, and William Seavey Odiorne is my 4th cousin, 5 generations removed.   Our common ancestor is the immigrant John Odiorne, born about 1625 in Shevlock, Cornwall, England and died 1707 in New Castle, New Hampshire. John Odiorne's parents and siblings first lived on the Isles of Shoals off the coast of Portsmouth, and were later granted land at Great Island, now known as New Castle.  John later purchased the land that is now Odiorne State Park in Rye.  

For the truly curious:

"Surname Saturday - Odiorne" a blog post from 5 November 2011

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/11/surname-saturday-odiorne.html  

Find A Grave, Truman Seavey Odiorne:   https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182148226/truman_seavey_odiorne   

Portsmouth Athenaeum, Truman Seavey Odiorne:     https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182148226/truman_seavey_odiorne 

Also, a sketch on John Amazeen "an Italian?"   http://kristinhall.org/fambly/Amazeen/JohnAmazeen.html 

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "The Odiorne Family, from the Odiorne Burial Ground, Rye, New Hampshire", Nutfield Genealogy, posted April 16, 2024, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-odiorne-family-from-odiorne-burial.html: accessed [access date]). 

Seacoast New Hampshire Commemorates 400 years!

 

This summer several of the seacoast towns of New Hampshire are commemorating their 400^th anniversary.  The official Portsmouth 400 website states “400 Years of History”, which is not very politically correct, but fortunately there are events scheduled to commemorate the region’s history going back to Native settlement and history much further back in time than 400 years!

The seacoast region of New Hampshire was the land of the Wabanaki nation known as N’dakinna.  In 1623 European settlement began, although the region had been visited by fishermen and explorers for decades previous to 1623.  Historians believe that David Thompson and his fishing settlement on Odiorne Point was the first permanent settlement by the English. This was followed by settlements on Great Island (New Castle) and Strawberry Bank (Portsmouth) since the Piscataqua River area offered such a great deep water harbor. 

Dover, Portsmouth, and Rye all have committees and websites with history, lists of events and more. Part of the Seacoast’s 400^th Anniversary celebrates the “Founding Families” of New Hampshire.  If you are descended from these families, you might want to attend some of the events happening this summer.  I will try to update this list of events as I hear about them. 

July 19 – “Governor’s Council Meeting” 10am, at the Rotary Arts Pavilion in Dover (in case of rain Dover City Hall Auditorium)

July 26, August 2 – “Soup and History” 5:30pm, at the Warner House Museum, 150 Daniel St., Portsmouth

July 26, August 2 – “Portsmouth Underbelly Tour” 6pm, outside the Rusty Hammer, 49 Pleasant St., Portsmouth

July 27 -  “Parade of Sails and Flotilla”  Prescott Park, Portsmouth (tall ships, military and municipal vessels, and dozens of private pleasure craft)

July 28 – 31 – “Tour the Tall Ships”   Portsmouth Commercial Fish Pier

August 1 – 31 – “Scenes from Portsmouth’s 400 Years” Museum of Dumb Guy Stuff, 114 Mechanic St, Portsmouth

August 3 – “A Rare Isles of Shoals Tour” 9am – 10am tickets at this link:  https://www.ryenh400.org/events/a-rare-isles-of-shoals-tour-py7l2

August 4 – “Locke Family Reunion”  see this link https://www.ryenh400.org/events/rye-founding-families-wtbz8

August 5 – “Rye Town Scavenger Hunt” 1pm at the Rye Congregational Church, 580 Washington Rd

August 6 – “Rye Founding Families”, 11:30 – 4:30pm, on the Rye Town Green, next to the Rye Library, 10 Old Parish Rd, Rye, NH - genealogists will be on hand, several family associations (including LOCKE, fish chowder, and full day admission to the Rye Historical Society Museum.  Food truck until 2pm.  

August 11 – “Milestone Anniversary Celebration by the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce” 5pm at 6 Washington St., Dover  

August 19 – “Odiorne Family Reunion” 10am – 4pm at Odiorne State Park, Rye

September 4 – “Rye Trolley Tour”, 9:45am – noon, meet up at 10 Olde Parish Rd, Rye. Purchase tickets at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/labor-day-historic-trolley-tour-tickets-594828848097?aff=oddtdtcreator

September 14 – “Rye History with Author Dennis Robinson: The forgotten arrival and strange disappearance of New Hampshire’s founding family”, 7pm at

October 1^st – “The Great Portsmouth Picnic” noon – 3pm at Leary Field, Parrott Ave, Portsmouth

October 7 – Dover 400 Apple Harvest Day

October 8 – “Rye History – African Americans in Rye” 1pm at the Rye Congregational Church

November 8, “Anne Jennison presents “The Impact of 500 years of colonization on the Abenaki-Wabenaki People of the Northeast” 6:30pm at the Rye Public Library

For the truly curious:

Dover, NH 400 website:  https://dover400.org/

Portsmouth, NH 400 website:   https://www.portsmouthnh400.org/ 

For more Portsmouth events see:   https://www.portsmouthnh400.org/overview-calendar 

Portsmouth 400 on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/PortsmouthNH400/  

A list of events from the Portsmouth Historical Society:  https://portsmouthhistory.org/theeventscalendarpluginpage/tag/portsmouth-400/ 

Rye, NH 400 website:  https://www.ryenh400.org/ 

Rye 400 events:  https://www.ryenh400.org/events 

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, “Seacoast New Hampshire Commemorates 400 years!”, Nutfield Genealogy, posted July 18, 2023, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2023/07/seacoast-new-hampshire-commemorates-400.html: accessed [access date]). 

The Rye, New Hampshire Quilt Project

Here is a project that I missed hearing about during the COVID pandemic.  If you have ancestors from seacoast New Hampshire this will be of interest to you, too. 

During the pandemic the Rye Historical Society created a virtual exhibit on an 1890s autograph quilt signed by many residents of the town.  This exhibit included the story of the quilt and close up images of the quilt and the autographs. There are 64 individual quilt squares and hundreds of names. 

The Rye Historical Society has built a webpage with a search engine where you can enter your ancestor's surname, and it will find names on the quilt that match your search.  You can also scroll through the blog posts entered weekly starting on 2 September 2020 and view each of the 64 individual quilt squares and read a transcription of the names on that square. If your ancestor or relative's name is on the quilt, the Rye Historical Society wants to hear from you.

Click on this link https://www.ryenhhistoricalsociety.org/rye-family-stories to see if your ancestral name is included on the quilt.  If you find a family name, click on the button at the bottom of the page and enter the information you know about that family member.  

Rye, New Hampshire celebrates its 400th anniversary this year, commemorating the fishing settlement at Odiorne Point founded by David Thompson in 1623.  Rye has a long history, and many of the founding families and their surnames are embroidered on this quilt.  Did you find your family name on the quilt, too? 

For the truly curious:

The Rye, NH Quilt Project website:    https://www.ryenhhistoricalsociety.org/the-quilt-project   

A page with the full list of names on the quilt:   https://www.ryenhhistoricalsociety.org/rye-family-stories 

The Rye, NH Historical Society webpage:   https://www.ryenhhistoricalsociety.org/  

Rye, NH Historical Society Facebook page:   https://www.facebook.com/ryehistoricalsocietynh 

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To cite/link to this blog post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "The Rye, New Hampshire Quilt Project", Nutfield Genealogy, posted June 6, 2023, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-rye-new-hampshire-quilt-project.html: accessed [access date]). 

2021 Locke Family Reunion

Photo credit to Geoff Smith of the Locke Family Association

On August 7, 2021 some members of the Locke Family Association gathered by Zoom for a business meeting, and then met in the Rye, New Hampshire Central Cemetery for the annual reunion photo at the John Locke (1627 - 1696) cenotaph.  This is the 131st annual reunion for the Locke Family Association.  Last year a small group of members met in this same spot for a masked photo to uphold the tradition of the annual reunion. On the home page of the Locke Family association online there is a comment "Neither wars nor pandemics have stopped Locke reunions".  

The Locke Family Association has a website https://www.lockefamilyassociation.org/, a Facebook group, and a newsletter "The Locke Sickle and Sword" named after the two artifacts owned by John Locke of Rye now held at the New Hampshire Historical Society.  Next year they are planning a reunion in Springfield, Missouri to honor Locke descendant and author Laura Ingalls Wilder, and in 2023 the reunion will return to New Hampshire in honor of the 400th anniversary of the settlement of Portsmouth and Rye, New Hampshire.  The first reunion was held in Rye, New Hampshire in 1891. 

If you are a descendant of any of the early Locke Families of New England please consider joining the Locke Family Association.  Members include descendants of Captain John Locke of Rye, New Hampshire (including his brother Nathaniel Locke of Portsmouth, New Hampshire) and descendants of Deacon William Locke of Woburn, Massachusetts. There are over 300 members from more than three countries. 

IN MEMORY OF

CAPT. JOHN LOCKE

WHO CAME FROM ENGLAND TO THESE

SHORES ABOUT 1640.

HE WAS KILLED BY THE INDIANS

AUG. 25, 1696 AT THE AGE OF 70 YEARS,

WHILE REAPING IN HIS FIELD AT LOCKE'S

NECK, THIS TOWN.

Even the youngest members signed the annual reunion book.

In past years the members of the Locke Family Association have met at Locke's Neck where John Locke is probably buried in the old family burial ground on Locke Road.  The Association owns and preserves this little burial ground, and works with the Rye Historical Society to preserve and document the landmarks in the town. 

For the truly curious:

May 21, 2016, "Surname Saturday - Locke of Rye, New Hampshire"

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/05/surname-saturday-locke-of-rye-new.html  

January 12, 2010 "An Indian Without a Nose"

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/01/indian-without-nose.html  

July 9, 2013 "Tombstone Tuesday - Locke Burial Ground, Rye, New Hampshire"

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/07/tombstone-tuesday-locke-burial-ground.html  

August 13, 2013 "The 123rd Locke Family Reunion, Concord, New Hampshire"

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-123rd-locke-family-reunion-concord.html  

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To City/Link to this blog post:  Geoff Smith and Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "2021 Locke Family Reunion", Nutfield Genealogy, posted August 9, 2021, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2021/08/2021-locke-family-reunion.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Weathercock, Rye, New Hampshire - Weathervane Wednesday

 This weathervane was photographed in Rye, New Hampshire. 

Today's rooster weathervane was photographed along Ocean Boulevard in Rye, New Hampshire.  This house has a large number of white statues in the front, and bronze statues in the back garden, so we often call it "The Statue House" when we pass by.  

The weathercock here is a traditional rooster, usually seen on farmhouses, barns, or churches. It is a very unusual weathervane for a formal house, especially one on the seashore!

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

Cite/Link to this post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Weathercock, Rye, New Hampshire - Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted November 18, 2020, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2020/11/a-weathercock-rye-new-hampshire.html: accessed [access date]).  

November 11, 1620 - The Day The Pilgrims Signed the Mayflower Compact

Today a small group (due to COVID restrictions) of members of the New Hampshire Mayflower Society met at Odiorne Point State Park to remember the signing of the Mayflower Compact at Provincetown 400 years ago.  This new memorial to the Mayflower Compact was dedicated here on October 1, 2020 at the spot where a small group of Plymouth Colonists met with David Thompson at his fishing colony in 1623.  The memorial includes a bronze plaque with the Mayflower Compact, and the names of the men who signed the compact in 1620.  

MAYFLOWER COMPACT

"America's First Constitution"

Nov. 11, 1620  - In the name of God, Amen.  We...do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic,

for our... preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid;... to enact, constitute, and frame, such

just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices... as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due obedience.

John Alden    Richard Clarke       John Howland     George Soule

Isaac Allerton     Francis Cooke        Stephen Hopkins     Edward Tilley

John Allerton    John Crackstone       Edward Leister       John Tilley   

      John Billington       Edward Doty           Edmund Margesson     Thomas Tinker   

William Bradford      Francis Eaton      Christopher Martin      John Turner  

William Brewster    Thomas English     William Mullins   Richard Warren

Richard Britteridge    Edward Fuller     Degory Priest     William White

   Peter Browne         Samuel Fuller         John Rigsdale    Thomas Williams

    John Carver      Richard Gardiner     Thomas Rogers    Edward Winslow

James Chilton     John Goodman     Myles Standish    Gilbert Winslow

In 1623 Pilgrim Captain Myles Standish was given cod fish by English fisherman David Thompson to assist the 

struggling Plymouth Colony.  This plaque dedicated November 11, 2020 by New Hampshire Society of Mayflower

Descendants in honor of their ancestors who signed the Mayflower Compact "America's First Constitution".

If you have not yet visited this lovely memorial, please take some time to walk along the shore of Odiorne Point in Rye, New Hampshire and read our new plaque.  You can watch our October 1st dedication ceremony at this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZornc-Vh-Q  

New Hampshire Mayflower Society:  https://www.nhmayflower.org/   

The General Society of Mayflower Descendants:  https://www.themayflowersociety.org/    

Odiorne State Park, Rye, NH:  https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/odiorne-point-state-park  

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

Cite/Link to this post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "November 11, 1620 - The Day The Pilgrims Signed the Mayflower Compact", Nutfield Genealogy, posted November 11, 2020, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2020/11/november-11-1620-day-pilgrims-signed.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Dragonfly - Weathervane Wednesday

 This dragonfly weathervane was photographed in Rye, New Hampshire.  

This whimsical three dimensional metal dragonfly weathervane was photographed along Ocean Boulevard, near Sawyer's Beach in Rye, New Hampshire.  The dragonfly is a cute little reminder of the lovely gardens and landscaping, but also of the large marsh next door.  The dragonfly appears to be smiling, and so will you when you spot this weathervane!

Click here to see over 420 other "Weathervane Wednesday" posts:

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday   

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

Cite/Link to this post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Dragonfly - Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted November 4, 2020, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2020/11/a-dragonfly-weathervane-wednesday.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Ship and a Heron, Rye Harbor, New Hampshire - Weathervane Wednesday

 Today's weathervane post features "Two For One"!   They were spotted on a house on Ocean Boulevard, near Rye Harbor.  

These two copper three-dimensional weathervanes caught our eye as we were passing Rye Harbor recently.  The weathervanes, and the cupolas, appear to be very new and very bright and shiny!  You can't miss them.  One is above the house, and the other on the garage behind the house.  

The ship weathervane is a two masted sail boat with sails, rigging and flags flying from the masts. The heron is three dimensional with feather details on the wings and the long neck.  Both weathervanes feature the cardinal points with large copper balls. 

These maritime themed weathervanes are completely appropriate for this location, right across the street from the harbor, and with a large marsh behind the house.  

Click here to see over 420 other weathervanes featured on "Weathervane Wednesday", including many others from seacoast New Hampshire:

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday   

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Cite/Link to this post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Ship and a Heron, Rye Harbor, New Hampshire - Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 28, 2020, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-ship-and-heron-rye-harbor-new.html: accessed [access date]). 

Weathervane Wednesday ~ A Big Fish

I post another in a series of weather vane photographs every Wednesday.  This started with images of weathervanes from the Londonderry, New Hampshire area, but now I've found interesting weather vanes all across New England and across the globe.  Sometimes my weather vanes are whimsical, or historical, but all are interesting.  Often my readers tip me off to some very unique or unusual weathervanes, too!  If you know a great weather vane near you, let me know if you'd like to have it featured on this blog.

Today's weather vane was photographed in New Hampshire.

Do you know the location of weathervane post #365?  Scroll down to find the answer

This three dimensional fish weathervane is located on a small cupola above a small garage on private property, just before the entrance to Rye Harbor State Park in Rye, New Hampshire.  This weathervane is just a few dozen yards from the waterline, so the fish vane is very appropriate. 

Rye Harbor State Park is a very small piece of land by the entrance to Rye Harbor.  You can see water on three sides of the park, including a wonderful view of the Isles of Shoals.  There is a monument to the English explorer, John Smith, by the edge of the water.  It was erected recently in 2014, on the 400th anniversary of his "discovery" of New Hampshire.


Rye Harbor State Park- https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/rye-harbor-state-park.aspx

My blog post on the John Smith Monument erected in 2014:
https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/01/400th-anniversary-of-john-smiths.html 


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

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Weathervane Wednesday ~ A Big Fish", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 30, 2018, (  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/05/weathervane-wednesday-big-fish.html:  accessed [access date]).

Surname Saturday ~ LOCKE of Rye, New Hampshire

The Locke Burial Ground at Locke's Neck, on Locke Road in Rye, New Hampshire

LOCKE

John Locke is a famous figure on the seacoast of New Hampshire.  His land and the family burial ground are marked with historical plaques from both the state of New Hampshire and the Locke Family Association.  His sword and scythe are on display at the New Hampshire Historical Society museum.  The history of Rye, New Hampshire has pages of information on his life, his infamous death, and his progeny. There are so many descendants that a compiled genealogy takes up two volumes, and additions and supplemental information are discussed at length every year at the annual Locke Family Reunion. This year will be the 126^th annual Locke Family Reunion, “traditionally held on the third Saturday of August to commemorate the death of our progenitor, Captain John Locke” (LFA website, http://www.lockefamilyassociation.org/reunions.html )

Outside of New Hampshire, and outside of the family, John Locke is an unknown figure in American History.  So I will tell his story here in an abridged version…

John Locke is probably the son of Thomas Locke and Christina French, baptized in London at Whitechapel in 1627.  He immigrated to New Hampshire about 1644 and went to Dover, New Castle, Sagamore Creek and then in 1665 he went to Hampton (now the part that is the town of Rye).  It is thought that he framed the first meetinghouse in Portsmouth about 1645. 

The Hampton records state “John Locke Senior was killed by the Heathen in his lott at work upon 26 August 1696.  An 1801 sermon by Rev. Porter of Rye said “In 1694 John Locke being at Locke’s Neck was ambushed and killed by the Indians as he was reaping grain in his field”.  Rev. John Pike’s journal has “Lieutenant Locke was slain by the Indians at Sandy Beach, 25 August 1696”. 

In the book History and Genealogy of Captain John Locke (1627 – 1696), 1916, there is a long description of how Locke was despised by the native people for foiling several attempts to attack Hampton.  In 1696 eight native men came upon him reaping salt hay with his scythe. They mortally wounded him, but not before he cut off the nose of one of the attackers.  One of the sons witnessed the murder, and spent years searching for the Indian without a nose.  Several grandsons are credited with avenging the death of Captain Locke by murdering an Indian (with or without a nose). 

I descend from the oldest son, John Locke, Jr. (1654 – 1733), my 8^th great grandfather, who inherited his father’s land at Locke’s Neck.  He sold all his land to his son, John, my 7^th great grandfather.  Locke’s Neck is now a very expensive neighborhood in Rye, with beautiful waterfront properties, and it’s entrance is graced by the two memorial plaques to Captain John Locke.  This last John Locke had a wife, Sarah, and seven children.  Sarah and four of the children all died in 1736 in the throat distemper epidemic (diphtheria).  The maiden names of the Elizabeth (my 8th great grandmother) and Sarah (my 7th great grandmother) are both unknown. 

More LOCKE resources:

The Locke Family Association:  http://www.lockefamilyassociation.org/  

A previous blog post "He Cut Off an Indian's Nose with his Scythe!"  posted on July 6, 2012 -   http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/07/john-locke-he-cut-off-indians-nose-with.html   

History and Genealogy of Captain John Locke (1627 – 1696) of Portsmouth and Rye, New Hampshire and His Descendants, by Arthur H. Locke, 1916, Heritage Books reprint 2003, 2 Volumes.

The History of Hampton, N.H., by Joseph Dow, 2 Volumes

A previous blog post about the Locke Burial Ground, Rye, New Hampshire
http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/07/tombstone-tuesday-locke-burial-ground.html  

My LOCKE lineage:

Generation 1:  John Locke, born about 1627 in England, died 26 August 1696 in Rye, New Hampshire; married about 1652 to Elizabeth Berry, daughter of William Berry and Jane Unknown.  She was born about 1636 and died after 1708.  Eleven children.

Generation 2:  John Locke, born 1654 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, died after 1733; married about 1677 to Elizabeth Unknown.  She died 12 November 1734 in Rye, New Hampshire.  Seven children.

Generation 3:  John Locke, born 1683, died about 1774; married Sarah Unknown.  She died 1736.  Seven children (four died with their mother in 1736- of diptheria).

Generation 4: Richard Locke, born 28 July 1720 in Rye, died 15 May 1804; married about 1745 to Elizabeth Garland, the daughter of John Garland and Elizabeth Dearborn.  She was born 13 March 1724 in Rye, and died 1818.  Eleven children.

Generation 5: Simon Locke, born September 1770 in Rye, died 31 July 1863 in Rye; married first on 14 February 1792 in Greenland, New Hampshire to Abigail Mace, daughter of Ithamar Mace and Rachel Berry.  She was born 1 February 1767 in Rye, and died 18 February 1803.  Seven children.  He married second on 10 November 1803 in Rye to Elizabeth Locke Allen, the daughter of Jude Allen and Dorcas Marden. Eight more children!

Generation 6: Captain Richard Locke, born 1794 in Rye, died 23 March 1864 in Chichester, New Hampshire; married first on 21 October 1823 in Chichester to Margaret Welch.  She was born about 1796 in Kittery, Maine, and died 1 March 1860 in Chichester.  Four children. 

Generation 7: Abigail M. Locke, born 10 September 1825 in South Boston, Massachusetts, died 15 January 1888 in Chichester; married on 7 September 1845 in South Boston to George E. Batchelder, son of Jonathan Batchelder and Nancy Thompson.  He was born 13 August 1822 in Chichester, and died 3 April 1848 in Chichester.  Two children.

Generation 8: George E. Batchelder m. Mary Katharine Emerson

Generation 9: Carrie Maude Batchelder m. Joseph Elmer Allen

Generation 10: Stanley Elmer Allen m. Gertrude Matilda Hitchings (my grandparents)

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Published under a Creative Commons License

Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ LOCKE of Rye, New Hampshire",  Nutfield Genealogy, posted April 21, 2016,  (  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/05/surname-saturday-locke-of-rye-new.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ WALLIS of Rockingham County, New Hampshire

WALLIS/WALLACE/WALLES/WALLS

The first record of George Wallis is when he bought land in Rumney Marsh, now Chelsea, Massachusetts in 1656.  George Wallis next bought land in Little Harbor (part of Portsmouth, New Hampshire) in 1660.  The deed describes him as “sometime of Newfoundland”.  In 1685 administration of his estate was granted to his widow, Eleanor.  On 13 March 1785/6 his children William, George and Honor signed a deed dividing his land, as well as Walter Randall and James Berry for their wives, and “with the consent of Caleb, our youngest brother”.   This land is now near the state park and beach now known as Wallis Sands in Rye, New Hampshire.

I descend from the George Wallis’s daughter Eleanor, wife of James Berry.  I also descend from a completely different Wallis family, descendants of John Wallis (1627 – 1690) of Gloucester, Massachusetts at this link: http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/12/surname-saturday-wallis-of-gloucester.html   I also have a mystery Wallis – who is the unknown Wallis who married Sarah Wilkinson, daughter of Samuel Wilkinson (1722 – 1795) of Deerfield or Epping, New Hampshire?

Some WALLIS resources:

Martin Hollick, the blogger at The Slovak Yankee has written about the descendants of George Wallis extensively  http://mhollick.typepad.com/slovakyankee/

My WALLIS lineage:

Generation 1:  George Wallis, born about 1619, probably in England, died 14 Dec 1685 in Little Harbor, New Hampshire; married to Eleanor Unknown. Six children.

Generation 2: Eleanor Wallis, born 1652 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; married about 1673 in Rye to James Berry, son of William Berry and Jane Unknown.  He was born between 1650 and 1652 and died after 1712. Five children.

Generation 3: Samuel Berry m. Abigail Webster

Generation 4: Jotham Berry m. Mary Bates

Generation 5: Rachel Berry m. Ithamar Mace

Generation 6: Abigail Mace m. Simon Locke

Generation 7: Richard Locke m. Margaret Welch

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

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

Generation 10: Carrie Maud 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 ~ WALLIS of Rockingham County, New Hampshire", Nutfield Genealogy, posted November 21, 2015, ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/11/surname-saturday-wallis-of-rockingham.html: accessed [access date]). 

Surname Saturday ~ BERRY of Rye, New Hampshire

A mini reunion of BERRY descendants in Kittery, Maine 2014

BERRY

William Berry was sent to New Hampshire around 1631 by Captain John Mason.  He must not have been a permanent settler until later because he does not show up in Anderson’s Great Migration series of books. By 25 May 1640 he was living at Strawberry Bank.  He was a freeman on 18 May 1642 in Newbury, Massachusetts, where he was a proprietor on 7 December 1642.  At the town meeting in January 1648/9 it was “granted that Wm Berry shall have a lot upon the neck of land upon the South side of the Little River at Sandy Beach.”  He was granted another lot of land on 13 January 1652 at Sandy Beach, which is now Rye, New Hampshire.

He must have died before 28 June 1654 when his widow, Jane was granted administration of his estate.  Two sons, James and John Berry, and a grandson, Joshua Foss agreed to a division of his land on 13 June 1717.

The Berry Family Cemetery in Rye Is located about a quarter mile from  Route 1 (Lafayette Road) on Breakfast Hill Road. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~langolier/berry_rye.html

Some BERRY resources:

Descendants of William Berry of Rockingham County, NH for Four Generations, by June Berry, Kearns, UT, 1993

The Berrys by the Beach, by Sylvia Fitts Getchell, Newmarket, NH: Newmarket Press, 1980

A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, by James Savage, 1909

Pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire, by Charles Henry Pope, 1908       

     

History of the Town of Rye, NH from Its Discovery and Settlement to December 31, 1903, by Langdon B. Parsons, 1905.

"Descendants of William Berry of Strawberry Bank - Rye, NH" Facebook Group  https://www.facebook.com/groups/460907980677056/    

My BERRY lineage:

Generation 1:  William Berry, born about 1610 in England, died before 28 June 1654 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire; married before 1634 to Jane Unknown. Seven children, and I descend from three of them.  His widow Jane remarried to Nathaniel Drake.

Lineage A:

Generation 2:  Elizabeth Berry, born about 1636 and died after 1708; married about 1652 to John Locke.  He was born about 1627 in England and died 26 August 1696 in Rye, New Hampshire.  Eleven children.

Generation 3:  John Locke m. Elizabeth Unknown

Generation 4: John Locke m. Sarah Unknown

Generation 5: Richard Locke m. Elizabeth Garland

Generation 6: Simon Locke m. Abigail Mace

Generation 7: Richard Locke m. Margaret Welch

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

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

Generation 10: Carrie Maude Batchelder m. Joseph Elmer Allen

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

Lineage B:

Generation 2:  Mary Berry, born about 1634, died between 1706 and 1710 in Rye, New Hampshire; married John Foss.  He was baptized 25 November 1633 in Paignton, Devonshire, England, and died 17 December 1699 in New Castle, New Hampshire. Eleven children.

Generation 3: Elizabeth Foss m. Nathaniel Batchelder

Generation 4:  Josiah Batchelder m. Sarah Page

Generation 5:  David Batchelder m. Elizabeth Swett

Generation 6: Elisha Batchelder m. Sarah Lane

Generation 7:  Jonathan Batchelder m. Nancy Thompson

Generation 8:  George E. Batchelder m. Abigail M. Locke (see above)

Lineage C:

Generation 2:  James Berry, born between 1650 and 1652 in Strawbery Banke or New Castle, New Hampshire, died after 1712; married about 1673 to Eleanor Wallis, daughter of George Wallis and Eleanor.  She was born about 1652 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Five children.

Generation 3: Samuel Berry, born between 1660 and 1680, died 19 June 1750; married to Abigail Webster, daughter of Stephen Webster and Hannah Ayer.  Four children.

Generation 4: Jotham Berry. Born about 1711, died after 1790; married on 11 November 1731 in Rye, New Hampshire to Mary Bates, daughter of William Bates.  She was born about 1712.  Two children. Jotham married second on 16 April 1780 to Tryphene Philbrick, widow of John Saunders.

Generation 5:  Rachel Berry, baptized on 3 July 1743 in Rye, died 9 November 1806 in Rye; married on 6 December 1764 in Rye to Ithamar Mace, son of John Mace and Sarah Frost. He was born about 1729 on the Isles of Shoals and died before 9 November 1806. Three children.  Rachel married second to Joseph Hall about 1781 in Rye.

Generation 6: Abigail Mace m. Simon Locke (see above)

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Published under a Creative Commons License
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Surname Saturday ~ BERRY of Rye, New Hampshire", Nutfield Genealogy, posted November 14, 2015 (  http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/11/surname-saturday-berry-of-rye-new.html: accessed [access date]).

Weathervane Wednesday ~ A Majestic Eagle

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

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

Do you know the location of weather vane #232? Scroll down to see the answer!

We spotted this weathervane pulling out of the Fuller Gardens parking lot in Rye, New Hampshire.  This three dimensional eagle is on the top of the house across the street.  Rye has more weathervanes than any other town I've visited in New Hampshire.  Perhaps it is because it on the ocean and is nice and windy most of the time, folks here like to put up weather vanes.

There are also many, many weathervanes missing their turning figures along the coastal roads of Rye.  Perhaps they blew off in hurricanes or winter storms?  Never to be found again or replaced?  This homeowner is lucky to still have their majestic eagle.

Click here to see the entire Weathervane Wednesday collection! 

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Published under a Creative Commons License
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Weathervane Wednesday ~ A Majestic Eagle", Nutfield Genealogy, posted 28 October 2015, ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/10/weathervane-wednesday-majestic-eagle.html : accessed [access date]). 

Weathervane Wednesday ~ Another Lobster!

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

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

Do you know the location of weather vane #231? Scroll down to see the answer!

Although this wooden weathervane is bright red, it is hard to see while driving down Ocean Boulevard in Rye, New Hampshire.  We didn't see this weathervane until we pulled into the parking lot.  There are two buildings at Ray's, one on each side of the parking lot.  One is the big two story restaurant, and the weathervane is across the way over the smaller building that used to be a gift shop, but is now used for storage.  Look carefully and you can see it over the gable end of the house in the photo above.

This piece of advertising art is a fun weathervane.  It looks home made, but was probably mass produced.


Ray's Seafood Restaurant   http://www.raysseafoodrestaurant.com/  

Click here to see the entire Weathervane Wednesday collection! 

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Published under a Creative Commons License
Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Weathervane Wednesday ~ Another Lobster!", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 21, 2015, ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/10/weathervane-wednesday-another-lobster.html :  accessed [access date]. 

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Mr. and Mrs. Wallis of Rye, New Hampshire, and their African servant

This tombstone was photographed at the Odiorne Family Cemetery 

on Brackett Road, Rye, New Hampshire

SAMUEL WALLIS

Died February 25, 1832

Aged 85 years

ELIZABETH

Wife of Samuel Wallis

and daughter of Rev. Samuel Parsons

Died June 9, 1827

Aged 73 years

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PHILLIS

their faithful servant

Died March 17, 1821

Aged 80 years

I found this far fetched story in a history book.  Phillis was the "negro slave owned by Lieut. Samuel Wallis.... after the liberation of the slaves, went to Salem, Mass., but finding the delights of freedom fewer than its cares and burdens the pair returned to Rye and passed the remainder of their lives on the Wallis place, now owned by the heirs of Prof. James Parsons, dying there at a great age and being buried on the farm.  Caesar and Phyllis Wallis were the last slaves held in Rye." [ History of the Town of Rye, by Langdon Brown Parsons,  1905, pages 268 - 269].   She is listed as Phillis Wallis (colored), died March 17, 1821, aged 80 years.  There must be more to this story, but it has been lost to the cobwebs of time.

The sad story of how Phillis arrived in New Hampshire can be found in another book.  On page 212 of History of the Town of Rye  "Receipt of Alexander Raitt New Castle Jan.  11, 1750 for 87 pounds 10 New tenor for Negro Girl Phillis now at house of Joseph Newmarch, New Castle.  Condition upon delivery of said Phillis to Mr. Samuel Parsons of Rye.  Geo. Frost, John Blunt, Witness."  Samuel Parsons was the father of Elizabeth (Parsons) Wallis above.

UPDATE (12:30pm 10 March 2015) by reader T.J. Rand, who read the blog and quotes research by Martin Hollick and a Boston Transcript article, corrected the lineage in the original book by Parsons).

Samuel Wallis4 (Samuel, Samuel, William, George) son of Samuel Wallis, was born in 1747, died 25 February 1832; married on 16 November 1773 to Elizabeth Parsons, who died 9 June, 1827.  He was a veteran of the Revolutionary War in Captain Parson's company (hence the DAR marker and flag on his tombstone), and he inherited his father's farm know known as "Wallis Sands".   Samuel's father, Samuel Wallis (about 1717 - 1793) willed Phillis to his son Samuel in 1793.

I love that Mr. and Mrs. Wallis and Phillis are buried together, and memorialized together on one tombstone.  However, it is sad that she obviously died a slave, although the stone says "servant". 

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Tombstone Tuesday ~ Mr. and Mrs. Wallis of Rye, New Hampshire, and their African servant", Nutfield Genealogy, posted March 10, 2019, ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/03/tombstone-tuesday-mr-and-mrs-wallis-of.html: accessed [access date]). 

400th Anniversary of John Smith's "Discovery" of New Hampshire

This monument is located in Rye Harbor State Park, New Hampshire, 

and the Isles of Shoals are visible just six miles off shore.  

This new monument was dedicated August 14, 2014. 

ISLES OF SHOALS

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About six miles offshore, these nine rocky

islands served Europeans as a fishing station

before the first mainland settlements were made

in 1623.  Capt. John Smith (1580 - 1631) named

the group "Smith's Isles" in 1614.  The codfish

that "shoaled" or schooled there in huge

numbers were a prized delicacy that supported

300 to 600 inhabitants before the revolution.

By the mid-1800s, new hotels attracted a

summer colony of writers and artists, chief of

whom was Celia Thaxter (1835 - 1894).  The

islands have supported religious conferences

since 1897 and marine research since 1928.

2006

MAP FROM CAPT. JOHN SMITH'S 1614 EXPEDITION

ORIGINS OF NEW ENGLAND

John Smith's map and widely read book

"A Description of New England"

detailed the region's teeming fishing

banks, abundant game, clean rivers,

vast forests and native people.  The book

had a major influence in the subsequent

wave of English migration to these

shores.  The map guided the Pilgrims

to "Plimoth" in 1620 and led John

Winthrop to "The River Charles" and

the founding of Boston in 1630

ISLES OF SHOALS

Six miles from this point lie the Isles of

Shoals.  Possibly named for the bountiful

"schools" of fish surround them, the

nine islands were home to a prosperous 

fishing community for over 150 years.

On Star Island, the other obelisks

were erected on anniversaries of 

the 1614 voyage. In 1864 A monument

was build to honor Capt. John Smith, and

in 1914 a 46.5 foot monument was

dedicated to Reverend John Tucke.

COMPASS ROSE

FROM JOHN SMITH'S MAP

JOHN SMITH (1580 - 1631)

In 1614 Captain John Smith, who seven

years earlier was a founder of the 

Jamestown settlement, returned to 

America and explored and mapped the

local coastline from Penobscot Bay

to Cape Cod.  He was the first European

to map the Isles of Shoals, which

he named "Smith's Iles".  While that

name did not endure, with the consent

of King James I, "Admirall" Smith

named this region "New England".

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The URL for this post is
http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/01/400th-anniversary-of-john-smiths.html
Copyright (c) 2015, Heather Wilkinson Rojo