David Marshall and Elizabeth Beardsley ~ Corroborating Evidence From Secondary Sources Using Primary Sources

I remember as a student waaaaaay back in the day, there was a common thread in all of my teachers’ notes to me: SHOW YOUR WORK. I had a tendency to jump from beginning to end without sharing how I got there. Today, as a tribute to all my frustrated former teachers, I am going to show my work. Are you ready to jump down the rabbit hole?

First, a word to the wise: When doing genealogy research do not trust other peoples’ findings. All those lovely family trees online are great to look at, but the lack of evidence provided can be astounding. Assume they are wrong. They may be right, but unless they have evidence, use it as a suggestion, and do your own research to see if it is correct. I tend to find multiple trees with the exact same information. In these circumstances I think it is highly likely that the people building these trees are adding information from someone else’s tree without discretion and it just keeps getting copied and passed along. Even on primary sources the information could be wrong. On one record (not related to the family I am discussing today) a daughter-in-law wrote down the incorrect names of her husbands’ parents. It led to some faulty research and only later was I able to figure out by finding multiple documents relating to these people that she must have given the wrong information, or the person filling out the form misunderstood her and wrote it down wrong.  When I am researching I choose to filter out family trees so that they don’t show up in my searches. Only if I am stuck, do I look at them but then I do my own research of the people in their tree to see if I can confirm their information.

It is similar with history books. To err is human and history books are not exempt. You must look for corroborating evidence and when there is conflicting evidence don’t try to make it fit. Be clear and open about the discrepancies. Follow where they lead. You may have multiple families with many similar names and birth dates within each family all living in the same geographical area and they may not be the same people. However, you may have just found cousins. This is not an exact science. You need to be okay with unanswered questions. That just means you have more you can research!

 I’ve written about my Marshall line in Nova Scotia previously, and will pick up with Enoch Marshall today, to show how I researched primary sources to corroborate information from a secondary source.

I found the information in the book History of Annapolis which has a detailed genealogy of the Marshall line. Since we already have proof that Enoch Marshall is my 4^th Great Grandfather, that his wife was Jane Hanspiker (various spellings) and that he was born about 1807, we pick up on page 545 of this book which states the following:

Ø  Enoch’s parents are David Marshall, b. September 17, 1780, and Elizabeth Beardsley.

Ø  David and Elizabeth were married August 23, 1806

Ø  David and Elizabeth lived near Port Lorne (which is in Annapolis County, NS)

Ø  David and Elizabeth’s children are:  1)Enoch, b. 1807, m. Jane Hanselpicker ; 2)Beverly Robinson, b. 1809, m. Susan Messenger; 3) Ebenezer Robbins, b. 1811, d. unm.; 4) Wellington, b. 1813, m. Hannah Bolsor; 5)Mary, b. 1815, m. Samuel Foster, jun.; 6)Elizabeth, b. 1817, m. VanBuren Foster; 7)David, b. 1819, d. unm.; 8)Lavinia, b. 1821, m. Joseph, son of Thomas Durland; 9)Sarah Ann, b.1822, m. Warren, son of Benjamin foster; 10)Olivia, b.1824, m. Henry O. Dalton; 11)Ebenezer, b.1825, m. Barbara Ann Grant; 12)Isaac William, b. 1828, m. Frances Easson.

My first step was to look for primary sources for David and Elizabeth. Whenever I need to look for records for people in Nova Scotia, the first online resource I turn to is novascotiagenealogy.com (Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics). I have found it incredibly helpful in my research. I have also bought records from this site. They are reasonably priced and are available to download as soon as you purchase them. I found death registrations for both a David Marshall and an Elizabeth Marshall.

What we learn from David Marshall’s Death Registration:

Ø  Name: David Marshall

Ø  Marital status: Widower

Ø  Age 88 (therefore b. abt. 1788)

Ø  Where born: Paradise (which is in Annapolis County, NS)

Ø  Parents: Isaac Robins Marshall (I think there may be missing information in the crease of the page between Isaac and Robins)

Ø   Father’s occupation: Farmer

Ø  Date of death: February 20, 1876

Ø  Place of death: Port Williams

Ø  Cause of Death: old age

Ø  Informant: David F. Milberry

Ø  Registered at Port Williams

Ø  Deputy Registrar: James P. Porter

From David Marshall’s death registration we find corroborating evidence for:

1.       Name: Both sources have his name as David Marshall.

2.       Location: History of Annapolis states they “lived near Port Lorne”. David’s death registration says he was born in Paradise, which is in Annapolis County, and he died in Port Williams, both of which are near Port Lorne.

3.       Shared family names: On his death registration David’s parents’ names are listed as Isaac Robins Marshall. Isaac and Robins are names that we find in the list of David and Elizabeth’s children (Ebenezer Robbins and Isaac William, as well possibly Beverly Robinson).

4.       The informant for David’s death is David F. Milberry. In previous research I had added two men by this name to my family tree based on sources from History of Annapolis, The Genealogies of the Chute Family in America, Massachusetts Vital and Town Records, Wilmot and Aylesford: Trinity Anglican Parish Register, 1871 Census, 1881 Census, 1891 Census, 1911 Census and novascotiagenelogy.com (death registration). One is David F. Millbury (1810-), husband of Lucy Marshall, who is the daughter of Elisha Marshall and Cynthia Marshall. Cynthia Marshall is the daughter of Isaac Marshall and Mary Robbins, therefore, Cynthia is David’s sister. The other is David Fletcher Milbery (1836-1931), son of David F. Millbury and Lucy Marshall. Therefore, both are relatives of David Marshall.

Discrepancies: None besides slight variations of names which is common and slight variations of locations, however they were in very close proximity.

What we learn from Elizabeth Beardsley’s Death Registration:

Ø  Name: Elizabeth Marshall

Ø  Age: 81 (therefore b. abt. 1786)

Ø  Marital status: Married

Ø  Where born: Wilmot

Ø  Parents: Beverly R & Sarah Beardsley

Ø  Date of death: August 17, 1867

Ø  Place of death: Port Williams

Ø  Cause of death: old age

Ø  Informant: David Marshall

Ø  Registered: August 30, 1867

Ø  Deputy Registrar: James P. Porter

From Elizabeth Marshall’s death registration we find corroborating evidence for:

1.       Name: Her married name on her death registration is Elizabeth Marshall, but it also tells us her parents’ names so we know her maiden name was Beardsley, which matches the information in History of Annapolis.

2.       Marital status: Elizabeth’s date of death is before David Marshall’s and the informant’s name on the record is David Marshall. Although it doesn’t state the relationship, it is a strong possibility that this would be her husband or her son, either way it lines up with the information in History of Annapolis.

3.       Location: History of Annapolis has them living “near Port Lorne” and her death registration tells us she was born in Wilmot and died in Port Williams, both of which are near Port Lorne.

4.       Shared family name: Elizabeth’s father’s name on her death registration is Beverly, and in History of Annapolis, one of David and Elizabeth’s sons is named Beverly Robinson.

Discrepancies: NIL

I was unable to find a Marriage Registration confirming that their marriage date was August 23, 1806, however, we have confirmed Enoch was born about 1807 in Port Lorne, so it is likely they would have married prior to then. So, we know we are on the right track in that regard as well.

Since I was unsuccessful in finding a marriage record for them, my next step was to look for them living together in the census returns.

On the 1827 census for Wilmot, Annapolis County, NS there is a David Marshall. There were 5 males and 6 females living there, for a total number of 11 people. His occupation was Agriculture and his religion was Baptist. This confirms there was a David Marshall, he had a family, and was living in Wilmot, Annapolis County.

On the 1838 census for Wilmot, Annapolis County, NS there is a David and Elizabeth Marshall, occupation: Farmer, 1 male under 6, 1 male under 14, 1 female under 14, 1 male over 14, 1 female over 14 and the total number in the family is 8. There are also other Marshalls, both are immediate neighbours on either side of David and Elizabeth: Robertson and Susan Marshall, 1 female under 6, total in family is 3; and William and Mary Marshall, 3 females under 6, 1 female under 14, 1 male over 14,  2 females over 14, total number in family is 8. This confirms that there was a David and Elizabeth Marshall who were married and living in the correct geographical location to be our David Marshall and Elizabeth Beardsley. It is highly likely that this is the same David Marshall from the 1827 census for Wilmot and it would appear that 3 children have moved out since the 1827 census. We can confirm that Enoch is one of the 3 who have left because he shows up on the same 1838 census as living with his wife, Jane, and 4 children.

On the 1861 census for Annapolis County, NS there is a David Marshall. Unfortunately, on this census the wives are not listed, but we do know there was 1 male and 2 females; a total of 3 in the family. Given how many years have passed it would make sense that their children would not be living with them by this time. The female that is unaccounted for may be an adult, unmarried daughter. Since Elizabeth died in 1867 we know that David and Elizabeth will not show up together on any future census records. So I turned my attention to finding records for their children.

First, I decided to do a search for the children (besides Enoch since we already found him) who would be old enough to be out on their own in the 1838 census returns on novascotia.ca.  Below are the possible matches.

Ø  Wilmot, Annapolis County: Robertson and Susan Marshall, occ: Farmer, 1 female under 6, total number in family: 3 (Could be a possible match for Beverly Robinson Marshall. Lives next door to David and Elizabeth Marshall, and is on same page as Enoch and Jane Marshall)

Ø  Granville, Annapolis County: Samuel Foster, occ: Farmer, 1 male under 6, 1 female under 6, 1 male under 14, 3 males above 14, 4 females above 14, total in family: 11

Ø  Granville, Annapolis County: Samuel Foster, occ: Farmer, 1 male under 6, 2 females under 6, 1 female above 14, total number in family: 5 (neighbours of above Samuel, and John VB Foster lives in between them)

Ø  Wilmot, Annapolis County: John V.B. Foster, occ: Farmer, 1 male under 6, 1 female above 14, total in family: (page is creased, couldn’t read total number)

Ø  Wilmot, Annapolis County: Isaac and Frances Marshall, occ: Farmer, 4 males under 6, total number in family: 6

Then I started a methodical search of Enoch’s siblings and their wives on ancestry.ca and novascotiagenealogy.com to see: a) are there records to corroborate the information from History of Annapolis; b) can we confirm any of the families listed on the 1838 census. I had no luck finding Beverly Robinson, b. 1809, m. Susan Messenger; Ebenezer Robbins, b. 1811, d. unm.; or Wellington, b. 1813, m. Hannah Bolsor. However, when searching for Ebenezer, b. 1811, I found a marriage registration for an Ebenezer Marshall and a Barbara Grant, so I jumped to Ebenezer, b. 1825, m. Barbara Ann Grant. One problem: this Ebenezer is a son of Enoch, not a brother, and he was born about 1841, not 1825. The information on the marriage registration is as follows:

Ø  Groom: Ebenezer Marshall

Ø  Age: 24

Ø  Marital status: Bachelor

Ø  Occupation: Farmer

Ø  Where born: Wilmot

Ø  Residence: Wilmot

Ø  Parents: Enoch Marshall, father

Ø  Bride: Barbara Grant

Ø  Age: 18

Ø  Marital status: Spinster

Ø  Where born:  Annapolis

Ø  Residence:  Annapolis

Ø  Parents: John Grant, Farmer;

Ø  Witnesses: John Grant and KC Ruggles

Ø  Clergyman: Rev. WG Parker

Ø  Date: February 5, 1865

Ø  Location: Annapolis County, NS

 In further searches to see if there was another couple by the same names, I did not find anything to suggest that was the case.  I did, however, find multiple census records confirming this couple: 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1911. As well, the 1891 Census also confirmed that Barbara’s middle name begins with an A. This leads me to believe History of Annapolis may be incorrect in regards to this information.

Continuing in my search of the children listed as David and Elizabeth’s in History of Annapolis, I looked for Mary, b. 1815, m. Samuel Foster. I found a Mary Foster in the 1891 census for Hampton, Annapolis County, NS. She is 75 (which would mean she was born about 1816), widowed, and listed as mother-in-law. The other members of the household are Israel Munro, 57; Lydia Munro, 58; and Emma Munro, 21. So I now needed to find documentation that Lydia is Mary’s daughter. I searched for her on novascotiagenealogy.com and found a death registration:

Ø  Place of death: County: Annapolis, Municipality: Annapolis, City or Town: Hampton, NS

Ø  Name of deceased: Lydia Munroe

Ø  Residence: Hampton, Nova Scotia

Ø  Marital status: Widow

Ø  Birthplace: Nova Scotia

Ø  Date of birth: date crossed out

Ø  Age: 87 years, 5 months

Ø  Name of father: Samuel Foster

Ø  Birthplace of father: Nova Scotia

Ø  Maiden name of mother: Mary Marshall

Ø  Birthplace of mother: Nova Scotia

Ø  Informant’s name: Muriel Farnsworth

Ø  Address of informant: Hampton, NS

Ø  Relationship to deceased: Daughter

Ø  Place of burial: Hampton Cemetery

Ø  Date of burial: Mar 29, 1920

Ø  Undertaker: Henry B. Hicks, Bridgetown, Nova Scotia

Ø  Date of death: March 27, 1920

Ø  Cause of death: paralysis of throat

Ø  Duration: 5 days

Although this information doesn’t help us confirm that Mary is David Marshall and Elizabeth Beardsley’s daughter, it does confirm that Lydia’s maiden name is Marshall, and her parents are Samuel Foster and Mary Marshall.

I continued to search for records based on the list of David and Elizabeth’s children in History of Annapolis. The next person on the list was Elizabeth, b. 1817, m. VanBuren Foster. I found records for Elizabeth Marshall, b. 1817, m. VanBuren Foster. Unfortunately none of the records confirmed the names of Elizabeth’s parents, however, it is promising that the records confirmed she was married to VanBuren Foster, was born about the right time, and lived in the right place (Annapolis County). The first search produced a photo of the headstone for the grave of “Elizabeth wife of John VB Foster”. She died October 19, 1888, at the age of 71. The second was an image of a headstone for the grave of “John V.B. Foster”. He died June 5, 1913 at the age of 102 and 4 months. I then searched on novascotiagenealogy.com for the corresponding death registrations. I didn’t find one for Elizabeth, but I did find one for John VB Foster:

Ø  Foster, John VB

Ø  Died June 5, 1913

Ø  Age: 102

Ø  Cause: old age

Ø  Residence: Karsdale, Lower Granville, NS

Ø  Occupation: Farmer

Ø  Marital status: Widowed

Ø  Born: Hampton, NS

Ø  Person making return: David M Foster

Ø  Date of return: June 7, 1913

I then searched for David M Marshall to see if I could confirm he is their son and found a marriage registration and a death registration.  On the marriage record David’s parents are listed as John TB (Farmer) & Elizabeth. John was living in Karsdale, Annapolis County at the time of his marriage (January 27, 1875). He was 25, a Seaman and he married Mary Jane Baxter. On the death record David’s parents are listed as John V Foster, b. Hampton & Elizabeth Marshall, b. Clarence. He died September 27, 1931 at home in Karsdale, Annapolis County. Although there are slight variations of the places, names, etc., they are close enough for me to confidently say these are the correct people.

I didn’t find any records for David, b. 1819, d. unm.

Next I search for Lavinia Marshall, b. 1821, m. Joseph, son of Thomas Durland. I found census records to support History of Annapolis’ assertion that Lavinia Marshall, b. 1821, married Joseph Durland. On the 1871 census the surname is spelled Durland, but on the 1881 and 1891 census returns it is spelled Durling. On the 1871 census they have a daughter, Matilda Durland, 17 years old. In searching for her under that name I had no luck, but then I searched for Matilda Durling and found both a marriage registration and a death registration. Her marriage record has her parents listed as Joseph and Lavinia, and her death registration lists them as Joseph Durling, b. W. Dalhousie and Lavinia Marshall, b. Bridgetown. Therefore, we can confidently say this is the correct Matilda, and that the Lavinia on the census records and her daughter’s marriage record is Lavinia Marshall, my 5^th great aunt. So, although we don’t have confirmation that Lavinia is the daughter of David Marshall and Elizabeth Beardsley, she is in the right location at the right time. As well, the data collected on the 1891 census does tell us that both sets of parents were born in Nova Scotia, and referring back to David and Elizabeth’s death records, we know both of them were born in Nova Scotia.

I didn’t find any records for Sarah Ann, b. 1822, m. warren, son of Thomas Foster.

I then searched for Olivia, b. 1824, m. Henry O. Dalton. I didn’t find a birth, marriage or death record for her, however, I found an Olivia married to a Henry O. Dalton on the 1871 census for Clarence, Annapolis County:

Ø  Dalton, Henry O, M(ale), 60, b. NS, Ch. Of Eng., English, House Joiner, M(arried)

Ø  “ , Olivia, F(emale), 46, “ , C. Baptist, English, M

Ø  “ , Tobias, M, 24, “ , C. “, Seaman

Ø  “ , Hermin C, M, 21, “ , “, Seaman

Ø  “ , Morris, M, 20, “ , “, Seaman

Ø  “ , A Elbzina, F, 17, “ , “

Ø  “ , Elizabeth, F, 15, “ , “

Ø  “ , Allice, F, 13, “ , “

Ø  “ , Allvin, M, 5, “, “

She shows up again on the 1881 census for Clarence, Annapolis County, NS:

Ø  Dalton, Henry, M, 66, b. NS, Rel: -----, English, House Joiner, M

Ø  “ , Olevia, F, 54, “ , Baptist, “

Ø  “ , Maurice, M, 28, “ , “, “, Carpenter

Ø  “ , Alice, F, 22, “, “, “

Ø  “ , Henry E, M, 14, “ , “ , “

She then shows up again on the 1901 census, but this time she’s living with her son and his family in Lansdowne Ward, St. John, New Brunswick:

Ø  Dalton, Elvian H, M, W(hite), Head, M(arried), b. 22 June 1868, 32, b. NS, Eng, Bapt, Carpenter

Ø  “ , Bertha M, F, W, Wife, M, b. 12 Sept 1869, 31, b. NB, “ , “

Ø  “ , Martha R, F, W, Daughter, S(ingle), b. 8 Sept 1893, 7, “ , “

Ø  “ , William H, M, W, Son, S, b. 10 May 1895, 5, “ , “

Ø  “ , Mable L., F, W, Daughter, S, b. 16 July 1897, 3, “ , “

Ø  “ , Kenneth A, M, W, Son, b. 19 Oct 1899, 1, “ , “

Ø  “ , Olevia, F, W, Mother, W(idowed), b. 29 Dec 1825, 75, b. NS, “ ,  “

Ø  “ ,  Hernon C, M, W, Brother, W, b. Feb 1851, 50, “ , “ , “

Given the information provided here, even with the discrepancies/variations of names, I can safely surmise that this is Olivia Marshall. With that being said, I still want to find more concrete information to confirm. So, I started to search for records for their children. I found the marriage registration for their daughter, “Allice”, dated July 8, 1882 in Annapolis County. She was 24, therefore born about 1858, which matches the 1871 census. Her name is spelled Alice A Dalton, however, names are often misspelled on census returns which would explain the extra L in Allice. It states she was born in Shelburne and lived in Port Lorne, and that her parents are Henry and Olivia. I also found a marriage registration for an Ebzina Olivia Dalton, 21 in 1875, Port Williams, and her parents are listed as Henry O. & Olivia. Her father’s occupation is listed as House Joiner, which is the same occupation listed for him on the 1871 and 1881 census returns. We can now safely say these are the same people. Once again, we don’t have a confirmed tie to David Marshall and Elizabeth Beardsley, however, Olivia did exist, was born about 1824 and married Henry O. Dalton. We’ve at least confirmed that part of the information in History of Annapolis is correct using primary sources.

So last up: Isaac William Marshall, b. 1828, m. Frances Easson. I quickly found a death registration for him. This was the best record I have found! It has both of his parents’ names listed, firmly connecting him as the son of a David and Elizabeth Marshall.

Ø  Registration Year: 1866 (Book: 1801, Pg:13, No.22)

Ø  Location: Annapolis, Annapolis County, NS

Ø  Name: Isaac W. Marshall

Ø  Sex: Male

Ø  Age: 59

Ø  Marital status: M

Ø  Where born: Wilmot

Ø  Parents names: David Marshall & Elizabeth Marshall

Ø  Father’s occupation: Farmer

Ø  Date of death: December 6, 1866

Ø  Place of death: Port Williams

Ø  Certified cause of death: Consumption

Ø  Signature of informant: Frances Marshall

Ø  Date registered: December 25, 1866

Ø  Deputy Registrar: James P. Foster

Corroborating Evidence:

1.       His name in History of Annapolis is Isaac William; his name on his death registration is Isaac W.

2.       His parents’ names in the History of Annapolis are David Marshall and Elizabeth Beardsley; their names on his death registration are David & Elizabeth Marshall (her married name).

3.       According to History of Annapolis his wife’s name is Frances Easson, and the informant on the death registration is Frances Marshall, which would have been her married name.

Discrepancies:

1.       History of Annapolis has his year of birth as 1828; the information on the death registration would mean his year of birth is about 1807.

Since his first name and middle initial, his parents married names, his wife’s first name and the geographical location all match, I am inclined to believe these two Isaac’s are the same person. However, considering the huge discrepancy in birth year, that isn’t enough. So, I needed to do further research on Isaac. If we refer back to the 1838 census from earlier, there was an Isaac and Frances Marshall in Wilmot County. According to that record Isaac is a farmer and has 4 boys under the age of 6. If his birth year is 1807, this would line up, as it would put his kids’ years of birth between 1832 and 1838, making him about 25 to 31 years old, which would fit for the age of young children. Obviously, if his year of birth is 1828 there is no way this could be him. I also found an Isaac Marshall on the 1861 census for Annapolis County. There were 4 males and 2 females, with a total of 6 people in the family. It also states there were no children under 1 year of age. Without his wife’s name, we cannot confirm it is him, however, given the location and time, it is likely.

I also found a death registration for a Frances Marshall on novascotiagenealogy.com:

Ø  Name: Frances Marshall

Ø  Died: December 5, 1909

Ø  Age: 89

Ø  Residence: Port Lorne, Annapolis County, NS

Ø  Cause: old age

Ø  Physician: Dr. LR Morse

Ø  Undertaker: JH Hicks & Sons

Ø  Buried: Port Lorne

Ø  Person making return: JH Hicks & Son

Ø  Date of return: Dec 7, 1909

Ø  Remarks: Ralph J Shaffner, Lawrencetown

 This would mean she was born about 1820. If she is the Frances Marshall on the 1838 census, she would have been 18 years old, which would mean she was between 12 and 18 when she had her kids. This, of course, is assuming the 4 boys under 6 on the census are Isaac and Frances’ children.

In further searching for Frances, a 1901 census showed up as the first potential match on ancestry.ca. Right away the information seemed to be a good fit:

Ø  Marshall, Albert, M(ale), W(hite), Head, M(arried), b. 10 March 1861, 40, b. NS, English, Canadian, Baptist, Farmer

Ø  “ Satira, F(emale), W, Wife, M, b. 10 Dec 1858, 42, “ , “ , “ , “

Ø  “ D Emma,F,W, Daughter, S, b. 30 June 1888, 12, “ , “ , “ , “

Ø  “ Percy, M, W, Son, S, b. 14 June 1895, 5, “ , “ , “ , “

Ø  “ Francis, F, W, Mother, W(idowed),  10 Sepr 1820, 80, “ , “ , “ , “

The information about Frances on this census lines up with the Frances on the death registration:

Ø  Name: Frances/Francis (slight spelling difference is not uncommon)

Ø  Year of birth: About 1820/September 10, 1820

Ø  Province of birth: Nova Scotia

The next step is to find out more about Albert. What I most want to know is his father’s name, so I searched for a marriage or death record. I found a marriage registration on novascotiagenealogy.com which provided the following information:

Ø  Grooms’ Name: Albert E. Marshall

Ø  Groom’s Age: 20

Ø  Groom’s Marital status: Bachelor

Ø  Groom’s Occupation: Farmer

Ø  Groom’s Born: Arlington

Ø  Groom’s Residence: Arlington

Ø  Groom’s Parents: Isaac & Frances

Ø  Groom’s Father’s occupation: Blacksmith

Ø  Bride’s Name: Satira M. Banks

Ø  Bride’s Age: 21

Ø  Bride’s Marital status: Spinster

Ø  Bride’s Born: Havelock

Ø  Bride’s Residence: Havelock

Ø  Bride’s Parents: Charles & Sarah

Ø  Bride’s Father’s occupation: Farmer

Ø  Date of Marriage: April 15, 1880

Ø  Place of Marriage: Port Lorne, Annapolis County, NS

Ø  Witnesses: Eliza J Blackney & Idella Marshall

Ø  Clergy: Rev. JE Blakney

Corroborating Evidence:

1.       Name of parents

Discrepancies:

1.       Father’s occupation. According to the 1838 census he was a Farmer, on son’s marriage registration his occupation is listed as Blacksmith

Then I found a death registration for an Albert Ernest Marshall:

Ø  Name: Albert Ernest Marshall

Ø  Date of death: September 11, 1950

Ø  Age at death: 89 years

Ø  Place of death: Soldiers Memorial Hospital, Middleton, Annapolis County, NS

Ø  Residence at time of death: Mount Rose, NS

Ø  Spouse: Jeanie Troop

Ø  Parents: William Marshall, b. Port Lorne & Francis Easson, b. Annapolis Royal

Ø  Informant: Percy Marshall, res: Paradise, relation: Son

Ø  Burial: September 14, 1950, Port Lorne, NS

Corroborating Evidence:

1.       Name: Albert E (marriage registration), Albert Ernest (death registration)

2.       The surname of Albert’s father matches (Marshall)

3.       The first name of Albert’s mother matches (Frances/Francis)

Discrepancies:

1.       Spouse’s name: Census and marriage registration confirms Satira as his wife, the death registration has a Jeanie Troop as his wife

2.       The name of Albert’s father on his death registration is not Isaac, it is William. However, William is Isaac’s middle name, so he could go by his middle name

3.       Residence: the place of birth & residence on the marriage registration is Arlington, the residence on the death registration is Mount Rose. However, this doesn’t concern me too much given the close proximity of the two places.

Now we need to research some more to see if the Albert who married Satira Banks is the same Albert who married Jeanie Troop by searching for: A) a death record for Satira; and B) a marriage record for Jeanie. I found both.

Information on the death registration:

Ø  Name: Syteria Marshall

Ø  Marital status: Married

Ø  Date of death: December 6, 1925

Ø  Place of death: Annapolis County, NS

Ø  Residence at time of death: Port Lorne

Ø  Cause of death: Broncho. Pneumonia

Ø  Age at time of death: 66 yrs, 11 mths, 26 days

Ø  Occupation: Housewife

Ø  Born: December 10, 1858

Ø  Place of birth: Annapolis County

Ø  Parents: Charles Banks, b. Annapolis County & Sara Anne MacKenzie, b. Annapolis County

Ø  Informant: Albert Marshall, address: Port Lorne, relation: husband

Ø  Buried: December 9, 1925, Port Lorne Cemetery

Information on the marriage registration:

Ø  Groom: Albert Marshall

Ø  Occupation: illegible, possibly carpenter

Ø  Marital status: Widower

Ø  Religion: Baptist

Ø  Residence: Port Lorne, NS, Annapolis County

Ø  Born: Port Lorne, NS, Annapolis County

Ø  Parents: Isaac Marshall, b. Port Lorne, NS & Frances Easton

Ø  Bride: Eugenie Troop

Ø  Occupation: Domestic at Home

Ø  Marital status: Spinster

Ø  Age: 45

Ø  Religion: United Church of Canada

Ø  Residence: Belleisle, Annapolis County, NS

Ø  Born: Belleisle, Annapolis County, NS

Ø  Parents: Eugene Troop, b.Belleisle, NS & Menetta Bent

Ø  Date of marriage: April 14, 1927

Ø  Place of marriage: Bridgetown, NS

Corroborating Evidence between Albert & Satira’s marriage and Satira’s death registration:

1.       First name: Satira/Syteria – close enough to conclude Syteria is a misspelling

2.       Surname: Banks – Satira’s surname on marriage registration is Banks, and her father’s name on her death registration is Banks

3.       Groom’s name on Satira’s death registration is Albert E. Marshall and husband’s name on her death registration is Albert Marshall

4.       Satira’s age on her marriage registration to Albert is 21, making her approximate year of birth 1859, which is really close to the date of birth on both her death registration and the 1901 census, which are both an exact match: December 10, 1858

Discrepancies:

1.       Satira’s place of birth on the marriage registration to Albert is Havelock and her place of birth on her death registration is Annapolis County.

2.       Satira’s residence on the marriage registration to Albert is Havelock and her residence on her death registration is Port Lorne

Corroborating Evidence between Albert & Satira’s marriage and Albert’s death registration:

1.       His name on the marriage registration is Albert E. Marshall and his name on his death registration is Albert Ernest Marshall

2.       He is 20 yrs old on the marriage registration, therefore his approximate year of birth would be 1860, and his DOB on his death registration is March 25, 1861

3.       Both records state that Albert’s occupation is Farmer

Discrepancies:

1.       Albert’s place of birth on the marriage registration to Satira is Arlington, and on his death registration his place of birth is Port Lorne

2.       Albert’s residence on the marriage registration to Satira is Arlington, and on his death registration his place of birth is Mount Rose, NS

3.       The name of his father on the marriage registration is Isaac Marshall and the name of his father on his death registration is William Marshall

4.       The name of his mother on the marriage registration is Frances and the name of his mother on his death registration is Francis Easson

*Discrepancy #3: It is likely that Isaac went by his middle name, William, which is why it is listed as such on this record.

*Discrepancy #4: This is likely a discovery, not a discrepancy. Easson is probably his mother’s maiden name.

Corroborating Evidence between Albert & Eugenie’s marriage and Albert’s death registration:

1.       Albert’s name on the marriage registration is Albert Marshall and on his death registration it is Albert Ernest Marshall

Discrepancies:

1.       Albert’s DOB on his death registration is March 25, 1861 and his age on his marriage registration to Eugenie Troop is 63, therefore his approximate year of birth would be 1864.

2.       Albert’s father’s name on his death registration is William Marshall and on his marriage registration to Eugenie Troop it is Isaac Marshall.

3.       Albert’s mother’s name on his death registration is Francis Easson and on his marriage registration it is Frances Easton

4.       Albert’s wife’s name on his death registration is Jeanie Troop and on the marriage registration her name is Eugenie Troop

Discrepancy #2: Same as Discrepancy #5 above: It is likely that Isaac went by his middle name, William, which is why it is listed as such on this record.

Discrepancy #3: As with Discrepancy #4 above: this is likely her maiden name, and although it is different from Discrepancy #4, it is close enough to conclude there is a misspelling, and her maiden name is Easson, Easton or a close variation.

Discrepancy #4: Jeanie is probably a nickname that Eugenie went by; therefore, Jeanie and Eugenie is most likely the same person.

Although there are some discrepancies between documents, taking all of the information into consideration, it is highly probable that the Albert Marshall who married Satira M. Banks is the same Albert Marshall who married Eugenie Troop.

Clear as mud?

I know this was a long one, but I wanted you to see the process from my first finding of a secondary source to then searching through records to see if that information can be corroborated with primary sources. There is a lack of evidence from the records I found to unequivocally say that the children listed as David Marshall and Elizabeth Beardsley’s in History of Annapolis are correct. Having said that, we do know Isaac’s parents’ names are David and Elizabeth Marshall. I would obviously feel more confident had I found a record confirming Elizabeth’s maiden name, but this does seem like a likely match. Also, based on the overwhelming amount of evidence of all these people being in the same place, at the same time and that the information regarding the children’s marriages are correct, I think that it is possible that the bulk of the information provided in History of Annapolis is correct. That being said, I think that the information in History of Annapolis about Ebenezer Marshall, who was born 1825 and married Barbara Ann Grant, is incorrect. I don’t think he is David Marshall and Elizabeth Beardsley’s child. I think it is a mistake, and is most likely referring to Enoch Marshall and Jane Hanspiker’s son, who was born about 1841 in Wilmot, Annapolis County and married Barbara Ann Grant, daughter of John Grant. Do not take this as fact, this is what I believe at this time based on the information I found. That could change with future research. Stranger things have happened. And if you find information confirming or denying any of the information I have detailed here, I would love to hear it!

Until next time, happy hunting, fellow gene geeks!

Jane Hanspiker (abt 1807-), Annapolis County, Nova Scotia

Genealogy is like trying to put together a giant puzzle except you don’t know how many pieces there are, and you don’t have a box showing you a picture of the completed work. It can be mass chaos, my friends. One minute my notes are concise, clear and organized, the next minute the entire room has exploded with charts, notes, pictures and post-its covering every available surface. There will always be unanswered questions. There will always be loose ends. With that introduction (warning), may I introduce you to my 4^th Great Grandmother, Jane Hanspiker.

Jane was born about 1807 in Digby County, Nova Scotia. We know this from her daughter, Mary Eliza’s death registration. She married my 4^th Great Grandfather, Enoch Marshall (who I wrote about in my last post) some time prior to 1838. 

On the 1838 Census Jane and Enoch Marshall were residing in Wilmot, Annapolis County. Enoch was a farmer. They had 4 children living in the house:  1 boy under 6, 1 girl under 6, 1 boy under 14 and 1 girl under 14. It doesn’t specify if the children are Jane and Enoch’s, although unless I find documentation confirming otherwise I will stick with this theory for now. And if they are Jane and Enoch’s children, this gives us an idea as to how long they have been married. I have been able to confirm that one of these children, a girl named Leah, born in July of 1838 in East Arlington, Annapolis County, NS is Jane and Enoch’s child. She died on May 24, 1929 and her parents’ names are listed on the record. This would indicate that she is the “I girl under 6”. 

I was also able to find information confirming that Jane and Enoch had 3 children born after the 1838 census:

• Ebenezer: born in Wilmot, Annapolis County, NS.; married Barbara Grant on February 5, 1865 in Annapolis County, NS
• Samantha (my 3^rd Great Grandmother): born August 23, 1843 in Annapolis County, NS.; married my 3^rd Great Grandfather, John Grant on Christmas day, 1864 in Harmony, NS. One of the witnesses for their nuptials was a David Marshall. Could this be one of her brothers? Samantha died on June 27, 1931 in Outram, Annapolis County, NS. For further information on Samantha (and the Marshall line) see post from Friday, May 13, 2016: The Marshalls of Nova Scotia: Discovering Roots in New England
• Mary Eliza: born December 31, 1845 in Nova Scotia; married Samuel Bent in Arlington, Annapolis County, NS on November 14, 1875; died December 23, 1922 in Outram, Annapolis County, NS

On the 1861 Census Enoch Marshall is living in Annapolis County, NS. There are 3 males and 3 females. Although we can’t say for certain that Jane was living there, it is probable. Since we know Ebenezer, Samantha and Mary Eliza were all married AFTER 1861, we can conclude that the three females living at this residence in 1861 were Jane and daughters Samantha and Mary Eliza, and two of the males would be Enoch and and Ebenezer. The third male that is unaccounted for is most likely another son that I don’t yet have documentation for.

Like the 1861 census, the City & Area Directories only list the head of house. There is an Enoch living in Annapolis County in 1867. He is listed as “Marshall Enoch, farmer”. Again in 1869, we find an Enoch residing in Wilmot, Annapolis County, NS. He is listed again as “Marshall Enoch, farmer”. We can safely assume that Jane is also residing there as well if this is the correct Enoch. Since no further information is given, we can’t be certain it is. We know Enoch had two sons who I have not been able to account for. Is it possible one of them is also named Enoch? I searched through ancestry.ca and novascotiagenealogy.com and found no records indicating there was more than one Enoch Marshall. I couldn’t locate him on the 1871 census, but I also haven’t found a death record for him. However, the great thing about the 1871 census is that everyone in the household is listed, not just the head of house. So, with the trail running cold searching for Enoch I turned my focus to searching for Jane Marshall. 

Initially, there was only one result:  

New Glasgow, Pictou County, NS

Marshal Jane

Jane Marshall, F (female), 68, b. NS, religion: Presbyterian, origin: Scotch

Cathrine Marshal, F (female), 30, b. NS

Ann Marshal, F (female), 26, b. NS

Elizabeth Marshal, F (female), 24, b. NS

Jane McGill Marshal, F (female), 23, b. NS

Alax Marshal, M (male) 22, b. NS, occ: Truck Man

In searching the other people listed in the household I couldn’t find a link between our Jane and this Jane. Also, since it is in a different county I was skeptical that it was her.

It wasn’t until I was searching for her daughter, Mary Eliza, on the 1871 Census that I found another Jane Marshall:

Clarence, Annapolis County, NS

Marshall David, male, 84, b. NS, rel: Baptist, occ: farmer, marital status: MW

Marshall Jane, female, 70, b. NS,rel: Baptist, marital status: MW

Marshall Mary Eliza, female, 24, b. NS, rel: Baptist, marital status: -

At first I thought Jane had remarried, but after a search for that came up empty, I took a second look and realized the age of this David Marshall lines up with Jane’s father-in-law. Unfortunately, this census doesn’t provide the household members’ relationship to the head of house, so I can’t confirm it, but this certainly seems like a promising match. David’s wife, Elizabeth, had died 4 years prior (August 17, 1867) and they were living in Port Williams, Annapolis County at that time. On the 1871 census both David and Jane were listed as MW. David died Feb 20, 1876, so unfortunately I have no other census records to compare this one to. Could it just be a coincidence that he is living with two women whose names match his daughter-in-law and granddaughter? I feel this is likely a correct match because there were no other matches for a Mary Eliza on the 1871 Census.

There were no matches for the 1881 Census so I moved on to the 1891 Census and this is where things got interesting. There were two very similar matches:

1.   Jane Marshall, b. abt 1805 – Nova Scotia, residence: Port Lorne, Annapolis, Nova Scotia

2.   Jane Marshall, b. about 1807 – Nova Scotia, residence: Port Lorne, Annapolis, Nova Scotia

How is it that after finding very few records for even ONE Jane Marshall previously I now find TWO that are so incredibly similar? I knew I’d have to go over each record with a fine tooth comb.

The first record:

Milbery David F, male, 55, M (married), b. NS, rel: Baptist, occ: Farmer

Milbery Leah, female, 52, M (married), W (wife), b. NS, rel: Baptist

Milbery David, male, 16, S (son), b. NS, rel: Baptist

Milbery Julia E, female, 12, D (daughter), b. NS, rel: Baptist

Marshall Jane, female, 86, W (widowed), Moth (Mother), b. NS, rel: Baptist  

So, I searched for a birth, marriage or death record to try and find out Leah’s parents’ names. I tried birth first, then marriage and had no luck, but third times a charm! I found her death registration and lo and behold, her parents are listed as Enoch Marshall, b. Port Lorne and Jane Handspiker, b. Digby! The informant for her death was her son, David Milbury, address: Mount Rose. According to this document, Leah Marshall was born in 1839 in East Arlington, NS. She was living in Port Lorne when she died at the age of 90 on May 24, 1929. She was buried two days later in Port Lorne. BINGO! Direct hit on the first try… but… there was another match… 

The second record:

Bent Samuel, M (male), 48, M (married), b. NS, rel: Baptist, occ: Farmer

Bent Mary E, F (female), 44, M (married), b. NS, rel: Baptist

Bent Edmund, M (male), 14, S (son), b. NS, rel: Baptist

Bent Edith, F (female), 12, D (daughter), b. NS, rel: Baptist

Bent William, M (male), S (son), b. NS, rel: Baptist

Bent Joseph, M (male), S (son), b. NS, rel: Baptist

Marshall Jane, F (female), 84, W (widowed), Moth (Mother), b. NS, rel: Baptist

Yep, another daughter of Jane! We had already confirmed this relationship from Mary Eliza’s marriage and death records. So to recap: both wives of these two families are daughters of Enoch Marshall and Jane Hanspiker. Neither of their husbands has a mother with the name Jane Marshall, be it their maiden name or married name. Soooo… huh?

I can’t tell you how many times I re-read the documents to try and figure this out. The only theory I have been able to come up with is that it is the same Jane Marshall listed at both residences. Perhaps she was in transition and inadvertently ended up being enumerated at both addresses??? I really can’t say for sure. It’s certainly an interesting thing to find and I don’t have an answer for what exactly is going on here.

Sadly, the 1891 census is the last record I could find for her, so this is where the trail for Jane ends. For now. :)

In the meantime, happy hunting fellow gene geeks!

Sources:

Ancestry.ca (1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 Census Records)

Novascotia.ca (1838 Census Returns)

Novascotiagenealogy.com (Birth, Marriage, Death Registrations)

Enoch Marshall: Living in Nova Scotia during Confederation

Some ancestors are easy to track. You find one document and suddenly it leads you to an entire history of a family line. Then there’s the ancestors who you can spend years trying to find documents for with very little to show for it. My 4^th great grandfather, Enoch Marshall, falls into the latter category. I’ve seen certain information for his death and marriage to my 4^th great grandmother, Jane Hanspiker, on people’s family trees on ancestry.ca, however, they didn’t give a source for the information, and I have been unsuccessful in finding documentation to confirm that information.

This line of my ancestry is on my maternal line, through my great grandfather, George Angus Grant. I do also have a Marshall line on my paternal side, who lived in Scotland until my 2^nd great grandmother, Ann Marshall moved to Canada with her husband, Peter Williamson in 1905… but I digress… back to this Marshall line…

They came up from Massachusetts. Isaac and Mary (nee: Robbins) Marshall settled in Nova Scotia in 1760. Their son, David Marshall and his wife, Elizabeth (nee: Beardsley) had a son, Enoch Marshall, who I’m writing about today.

Enoch was born in 1807 in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. The next record I found for him is the 1838 Census. From this document, I know he was already married to Jane Hanspiker and that they had a total of six people in the household. Besides the two of them there is 1 boy and 1 girl under 6 years old, and 1 boy and 1 girl under 14 years old. On the 1861 census for Annapolis, there is an Enoch Marshall listed, and there are 3 males and 3 females in the household. In Hutchison’s Nova Scotia Directory, 1866-1867 a farmer named Enoch Marshall is listed as living in Wilmot. Also in McAlpine’s Nova Scotia Directory, 1868-1869, there is a farmer named Enoch Marshall listed as living in Wilmot. As this is the only Enoch Marshall I found, it is likely the same person.

I was also able to find marriage registrations confirming 3 children, one being my 3^rd great grandmother, Samantha Marshall, as well as 2 other children:

·        Ebenezer (1841-), m. Barbara Grant (1846-)

·        Samantha (1843-1931), m. John Grant (1843-)

·        Mary Eliza (1845-1922), m. Samuel Bent (1841-)

Looking at the 1838 Census in conjunction with these three marriage registrations it appears that Enoch and Jane had at least 7 children, assuming the 4 children living with them on the 1838 Census are their children, and taking into consideration that the latter 3 were born after the 1838 census.

This, sadly, is the extent of personal information I have found on Enoch. However, since he is listed in the Hutchison’s Directory for 1866-1867 we know that he and his family were living in Nova Scotia when the colony joined Confederation. This was an interesting time in Nova Scotia as many opposed joining, especially those involved in the prosperous shipping, shipbuilding and farming industries. Enoch was a farmer. Was he opposed too? Journalist and politician, Joseph Howe, was a vocal opponent to Confederation. He felt Nova Scotia would be a neglected member of a much larger country, and believed the colony would flourish on its own. He and those who agreed felt much closer familial and economic ties to the New England states than to Canada West (Ontario) and Canada East (Quebec). He thought the people of the colony of Nova Scotia, a population of about 350,000 should make the decision. Despite popular opposition, the Nova Scotia delegations in the 1864 Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences committed to the colony joining Confederation, believing it would be beneficial in securing against a possible American expansion, a wider domestic market for Nova Scotia trade goods, as well as financial help to construct a national railway linking the Atlantic colonies to Ontario and Quebec. Two years later, Premier Charles Tupper, who had led the Nova Scotia delegates, used his government’s majority in the colonial legislature to pass the terms of Confederation agreed to in Quebec. The decision to join the Confederation sparked protests, and anti-Confederation Nova Scotian’s fought for 2 years to repeal the union but they were unsuccessful. Nova Scotia officially joined the Confederation in 1867, and was one of the founding provinces, along with New Brunswick, and the former province of Canada, which became to separate provinces: Ontario and Quebec.

So, although I am frustrated at the lack of personal information I have found on Enoch, it is helpful to know where he was and what his profession was at the time of Confederation. It gives me an idea of what it would have been like living there at the time, which is always interesting to learn. I do know that I could learn more by hiring someone in Nova Scotia to do local research for me, however, it is my hope to do that myself one day. Researching is my favourite part. Having someone else do it would spoil the fun!

Until next time, happy hunting, fellow gene geeks!

Sources:

1861 Census of Canada

Ancestry.ca

Census Returns, Assessment & Poll Tax Records, 1767-1838

History of the County of Annapolis

Hutchison’s Nova Scotia Directory, 1866-1867, Nova Scotia, Canada

Library and Archives Canada

McAlpine’s Nova Scotia Directory, 1868-1869, Nova Scotia, Canada

North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000

Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics (novascotiagenealogy.com)

The Canadian Encyclopedia (thecanadianencyclopedia.ca)

Jan Vidito and Jannetje Jaspers ~ Life in New York In The 1600s

Last December I wrote about the Vidito branch of my family tree. I am connected to this line through my great grandmother, Leafy May Vidito, the mother of my maternal grandfather, Angus Grant. In that post I traced the line back to Jean Vittiteau, the first of this line to immigrate to the American colonies in the mid-1600s. He was a Huguenot who fled France due to religious persecution, first to Holland and then to New Amsterdam. According to the information I have been able to piece together I believe he is my 10^th great grandfather.

In last December’s post I gave a brief overview of each Vidito ancestor. Today I am going to focus on Jean Vittiteau and his family. One thing is for certain, there is a large variety of spellings for Jean’s name. First of all, there is the obvious variation of spellings for his first name: Jean, John and Jan. I am going to refer to him as Jan through the remainder of this post because most of the records refer to him as such. Then there is his surname, which there is a slew of spellings/misspellings for: Vittiteau, Vittito, Vittitoe, Videt, Vidette, Vedito, Vedette, Videtto, Vidithe, Widelte… and so on. This certainly makes it challenging to search for him, and in some records his surname was missing completely! Thankfully Alice L. Priest’s book: Vidito, John Vidito of New York City and His Descendant, A Huguenot Founder of an American Family; the New England Historic Genealogical Society’s database, americanancestors.org; and ancestry.ca have all been helpful in piecing together information on Jan and his family.

Below is a timeline for Jan and his family, and I’ve included notable events that would have had an impact on them, based on the time frame and location:

·        March 3, 1656:  Jean and Jannetje were married in New York, NY in the Reformed Dutch Church. The transcription reads “Jan Widelte, Van Condom in Vranckryck, en Jannetje Jaspers, Van Amsterdam”. This translates to Jan Widelte, from Condom in France, and Jannetje Jaspers, from Amsterdam. This is fantastic because it confirms they were both in New York by 1656.

·        Jan 21, 1657: Jannetje Jaspers is a witness to the baptism of Marie, child of Carel Margen and Cathalyntie Hendricks. The other witnesses were Jan and Marie Pceck, and Claes Pauluszen.

·        Apr 11, 1657: Daniel Teneur appears in court requesting to build on the lot granted him by the city “but as it is understood he has sold the lot to Jan Videt contrary to order and also that the present middle door is regulated ‘tis finally received to inspect it.” (Alice L Priest’s book, p.23) I think Daniel’s last name may be misspelled because there are records for a Daniel Terneur in New York, NY during the same time as Jan Vidito.

·        Apr 13, 1657: Jan Videt is admitted to be a Small Burgher. He is the 20^th name on the list; one copy has him listed as “Jean Videt, Frenchman” and the other has him listed as “Jean Videt, French Tailor”. This confirms he is French, and that he is a Tailor.

·        Apr 26, 1657: Jan Videt’s request to build on Daniel Teneur’s lot is rejected because “’tis decreed as the lot is cut in two, and a corner house is to be on it, that such little houses cannot be placed there.” (Alice L Priest’s book, p.23)

·        Jan 27, 1658: Baptism of Jan Vidette and Jannetje Jaspers’ daughter, Anna Marie in the Reformed Dutch Church. The witnesses were Mattheus de Vos, Marie Polet and Anna Bayard.

·        Aug 4, 1660: Baptism of Jan Vidette and Jannetje Jaspers’ son, Jasper in the Reformed Dutch Church. The witness was Francois Allard.

·        Jun 13, 1662: “in the City Hall. Peter de Rymer, plaintiff v/s Jan Videt, defendant. Deft. in default”. (Alice L Priest’s book, p.23)

·        Jun 20, 1662 (Tuesday): “In the City Hall. Pieter de Rymer, ptf, v/s Jan Videt, deft. Pltf, demands from deft, seven guilders and costs. Deft. acknowledges the debt; says he shall pay, as soon as he receives money. The (illegible) Court order deft. to pay pltf.” (Alice L Priest’s book, p.23) This gives us insight into his financial situation, which appears to be a little grim.

·        Aug 28, 1662: Baptism of Jan Vedite and Jannetie Jaspers’s son, Francois in the Reformed Dutch Church. The witnesses were Francois Velyn and Roose Nelle.

·        Aug 29, 1663: Baptism of Jan Vedette and Jannetie Jaspers’ son, Francois in the Reformed Dutch Church. The witnesses were Francois Selyn and Marie Dopsen. As there are two Francois with very similar birth dates, it is possible there has been an error in the recordings of the event, and they are one and the same person. However, it is also possible, that the first Francois died within his first year, and they bestowed the same name on their next born child.

·        Sep 8, 1664: New Amsterdam is seized by the British and the name is changed to New York in honour of the Duke of York.

·        Oct 21^st, 22^nd, 24^th, 26^th, 1664: Jan Videt is one of the “Names of the Dutch who swore Allegiance after the surrender of New York”. (Alice L Priest’s book, p.23)

·        Apr 19, 1665 (Wednesday afternoon): “List of Burghers and Inhabitants of this City that are Assessed:” (to supply/pay for lodging of soldiers) “…The Cingel or City Hall; (Ten names, Jan Videt the third, 1 (illegible)orin.)”

·        May 20, 1665: Baptism of Jan ----- and Jannetie Jaspers’ son, Pieter in the Reformed Dutch Church. The witnesses were Nicolaes Dupu and Annetje Abrahams.

·        Oct 15, 1666: Jannetje Jaspers was a witness to the baptism of Johannes, son of Hendrick Vandoesenburg and Marritje Hendricks. The other witnesses were Pieter Janszen Van Werckendam and Evert Duicking.

·        Oct 24, 1666: Baptism of Jan (blank) and Jannetje Jaspers’ daughter, Jannetie in the Reformed Dutch Church. The witnesses were Jan Gerdyn and Hester Vincent.

·        Dec 7, 1667: Baptism of Jean Vedette and Janneken’s son, Hester is baptized in the Reformed Dutch Church. The witnesses were Jan Gerdyn and Hester Vincent.

·        Oct 12, 1670: Baptism of Jean Vidithe and Janneken Jaspers’ son, Thene in the Reformed Dutch Church. The witnesses were Thene Gayneau and Lydia Metrou.

·        1673: The Dutch briefly regained the city

·        Nov 1674: The Dutch relinquished control of the city to the English in accordance with the Second Treaty of Westminster.

For those of you who like me, hadn’t heard the term Small Burgher before, it is part of a system New Amsterdam had between 1657 and 1668 to guard the citizens’ commercial interests against non-resident trade. The two titles were Great Burgher and Small Burgher. It basically created an aristocracy since the title Great Burgher was hereditary, and awarded them access to the highest public positions in the colony. That being said, it is viewed as having been built on democratic principles because any citizen could become one, depending on a few rules and the payment of a fee. In 1657 there were 20 Great Burghers and 216 Small Burghers. Over time these numbers grew.

Unfortunately, this is where the document trail ends for Jan and Jannetje. I know their son, Jasper, who is my 9th great grandfather was living in Greenwich, Connecticut by 1686, but as to whether he moved there on his own or with the rest of his family is unclear. As per usual, I don’t feel done, and wish I had been at least able to find documentation of their deaths, to confirm if they had stayed in New York or not.

Until next time, happy hunting fellow gene geeks!

Sources:

New England Historic Genealogical Society (americanancestors.org):

·        The American Genealogist, Record 1933, Vol. 10, p.42

·        New York, NY: Parents and Witnesses at Baptisms in the Reformed Dutch Church, 1639-1801, pp. 44, 48, 57, 66, 70, 79, 84, 89, 99

·        New York, NY: Marriages in the Reformed Dutch Church, 1639-1801, p.20

Vidito, John Vidito of New York City and His Descendants: A Huguenot Founder of an American Family, by Alice L. Priest

Ancestry.ca

Wikipedia.org

iloveny.com