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.
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| 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.
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| 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)
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)
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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