Friday, 13 May 2016

The Marshalls of Nova Scotia: Discovering Roots in New England


I have previously written about the Vidito line of my family dating back to 1630 in France, escaping to New York in 1660 and then settling in Nova Scotia after the American Revolution. Along the way we connected with other branches, including the Barnum and Pickett lines, all of which led to my great grandmother, Leafy May Vidito. She was born in Bridgetown, Annapolis County, Nova Scotia on January 29, 1901, and married my great grandfather, George Angus Grant on March 24, 1920 in Annapolis Royal, NS. Today, I am going to begin tracing back one branch of my great grandfather, George Angus Grant’s tree, which, like my Vidito line, also connects back to Colonial America.

George was born on August 31, 1899 in Annapolis Royal, NS to his parents, Norman Grant and Bertha Early. He served in WW1 prior to marrying Leafy May Vidito. Leafy died January 8, 1989, and George died January 16, 1992. A few years ago I came across a post on a genealogy forum about the Grant family in Nova Scotia, and after I contacted the person, we found out we were second cousins! He gave me some amazing information on my great grandfather, George, including that when he retired his childhood home was up for sale so he and his daughter, Anna purchased it! He lived the remainder of his days in his childhood home and passed away at the age of 92.

George’s father, Norman Grant was born November 27, 1865 in Lawrencetown, Annapolis Co., NS. His birth registration has December 27, 1865 as his date of birth, but the 1901 census and his death record both have November 27, 1865 as his date of birth.  His parents are John Grant and Samantha Marshall. It is Samantha Marshall, my 3rd great grandmother, that we are going to trace back today on her paternal line.
Marriage Register for John Grant and Samantha Marshall

Samantha Marshall was born August 23, 1843 in Annapolis Co., NS to her parents, Enoch Marshall and Jane Hanspiker. Samantha married John Grant on Christmas day 1864 in Harmony, Annapolis Co., NS. They had two children that I know of by documentation, Norman and Florence. Samantha’s husband, John, died November 8, 1872, just shy of 8 years after they were married. On the 1881 census Samantha is the “Head” of the house, living with her two children. By 1891 Samantha’s daughter, Florence had married James Slocomb and Samantha was living with them. Samantha died June 27, 1931 in Outram, Annapolis Co., NS. She was 87 years old when she died of stomach cancer and was buried in the Whitman Burying Ground, South Williamston, Annapolis Co., NS.


Samantha Marshall's Registration of Death
Samantha’s father, Enoch Marshall was born in 1807 in Annapolis Royal, NS to his parents, David Marshall and Elizabeth Beardsley. I have been unsuccessful in finding a death record for him, but there is an Enoch Marshall on the 1861 census living in Annapolis, NS with 3 males and 3 females in the household. There are also 2 listings for an Enoch Marshall in the City Directory in 1867 and 1869.

Enoch’s father, David Marshall was born September 17, 1786 in Clarence, Annapolis C., NS to his parents, Isaac Marshall and Mary Robbins. David married his wife, Elizabeth Beardsley on August 23, 1806. Elizabeth died of old age on August 17, 1867 in Port Williams, Annapolis Co., NS. David died on Feb 20, 1876, also of old age, and also in Port Williams, Annapolis Co., NS.
Death Register for David Marshall
David’s father, Isaac Marshall, is the first ancestor we find who connects the Nova Scotia branch of this family to the Massachusetts branch. There is some conflicting information about him, but this is what I can tell from records: Isaac was born June 10, 1748 in Ipswich, Massachusetts to his parents, William Marshall and Elizabeth Nason; he married his first wife, Mary Robbins in 1772; moved to Nova Scotia some time prior to David’s birth in 1786; and died December 6, 1824.

The conflicting information is about when Isaac moved to Nova Scotia, where he married Mary Robbins and who is great grandfather is.

In a handwritten book of marriages from ancestry.ca’s Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, we find the record of Isaac and Mary’s marriage. It reads, “Isaac Marshall and Mary Robbins both of Walpole are married by Joshua Clap, Esq., May 6th, 1772”.

According to the book History of the County of Annapolis, Isaac and his family had moved to Nova Scotia in 1760. He is listed as being one of four great grandsons of William Marshall (born 1595), the first immigrant of this line to come to America. The information here lines up with records I’ve found pertaining to his birth, wife, and son, David, however, from the records I have found, Isaac is not a great grandson of William Marshall. He is the son of William Marshall (1710-1797), grandson of John Marshall Jr., (1671-1713) and great grandson of John Marshall Sr., (1632-1702), and 2nd great grandson of yet another John Marshall.

According to the book History of the County of Annapolis, William was born in 1595, was a native of Cranebrook, Kent County, England and emigrated to New England on the ship Abigail, June 17, 1635. The ship master was Robert Hackwell, and the passengers were “duly certified by the minister and the Justice of the Peace as being Conformists, and as having taken the oaths of allegiance and supremacy.” To corroborate, I checked the Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600s and there is a William Marshall, age 40 on the ship Abigail which sailed in the Spring of 1635, departing from London and arriving in Massachusetts Bay. There were also four more listings for Marshalls on the Pilgrim Ships: 1) Francis Marshall, age 30, March 16, 1635 from London, England to New England on board the ship Christian; 2) Edmund Marshall and his family, May 6, 1635 from Weymouth to Massachusetts Bay on board the ship Hopewell; 3) Jo. Marshall, age 14, July/Sept 1635 from London, England to Massachusetts Bay also on board the ship Hopewell; and 4) Thomas Marshall, July-Sept 1635 from London to Massachusetts Bay on board the ship James. The Ship Lists are incomplete, so it is possible there were others with the name Marshall who immigrated to America, of which Isaac could be a descendant.

I will have to be content with not having a clear answer on this matter since I can’t find any further documentation to connect William Marshall (b.1595) to Isaac Marshall.

So let’s get back to what I do know… Isaac’s parents are William Marshall and Elizabeth Nason. William Marshall was born July 28, 1710 in Billerica, Middlesex County, Massachusetts to his parents John Marshall Jr., and Eunice Rogers. William married Elizabeth Nason December 4, 1736 in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts, and he died in Granville, Annapolis Co., NS on March 31, 1797. From this we know both Isaac and his father moved to Nova Scotia.

Marriage Register for William Marshall and Elizabeth Nason
John Marshall Jr., was born August 1, 1671 in Billerica, Middlesex Co., MA to his parents, John Marshall and Mary Burrage. He married Eunice Rogers December 8, 1695/6 in Billerica, Middlesex Co., MA. He died January 25, 1713 and is buried in Billerica, Middlesex Co., MA.

John Marshall Sr., appears to be the ancestor on this line that came over from England. He was baptized March 1, 1631 in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England, and his parents names are John and Mary Marshall. I am unsure when he immigrated to New England, but it had to be prior to November 27, 1665 because he married Mary Burrage on this date in Billerica, Middlesex Co., MA. He died November 5, 1702 and was buried in Billerica, Middlesex Co., MA. His headstone reads, “HERE LIES Ye BODY OF Serjeant JOHN MARSHALL AGED 70 YEARS DYED NOVEMBER Ye 5th. 1702”. So here we learn another great piece of information: John served in the military and was a Sergeant.  

The one constant in genealogy is you are never done. For every question you find an answer to, you find more questions to be answered! So this is the best information I have AT THIS TIME on my Marshall ancestors. As I continue to research and as more documents become available hopefully I will be able to fill in some blanks and find clarification for conflicting information.

Until next time… happy hunting, my fellow gene geeks!

Sources:
1861 Census of Canada (ancestry.ca)
1881 Census of Canada (automatedgenealogy.com)
1891 Census of Canada (automatedgenealogy.com)
1901 Census of Canada (automatedgenealogy.com)
1911 Census of Canada (automatedgenealogy.com)
A Genealogy and History of the Chute Family InAmerica (1894)
American Genealogical – Biographical Index (ancestry.ca)
Canada, City and Area Directories, 1819-1906 (ancestry.ca)
Canada, Soldiers of the First World War, 1914-1918 (Library and Archives Canada)
Family Data Collection – Births (ancestry.ca)
Family Data Collection – Individual Records (ancestry.ca)
History of the County of Annapolis
Massachusetts, Find A Grave Index, 1620_2013 (ancestry.ca)
Massachusetts, Marriages, 1633-1850 (ancestry.ca)
Massachusetts, Town Birth Records, 1620-1850 (ancestry.ca)
Massachusetts, Town Death Records, 1620-1850 (ancestry.ca)
Massachusetts, Town And Vital Records, 1620-1988 (ancestry.ca)
Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics

Pilgrim Ships Lists Early 1600s, compiled by Anne Stevens
U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s – Current (ancestry.ca)
U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 ancestry.ca)


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