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Washburn Genealogy of Bridgewater Massachusetts

Old Families of Southeastern Massachusetts

John Washburn, first of the name here, was an early settler in New England, and was a resident of Duxbury, Mass., before 1632, in which year he had an action in court against Edward Doten. He was named in the assessment of taxes in 1633, and in 1634 bought a place from Edward Bonparse known as “Eagle’s Nest.” He and his two sons, John and Philip, were included with those able to bear arms in 1643. He and his son John were original proprietors of Bridgewater, and they with the son Philip settled in the town as early as 1665. He died in Bridgewater before 1670.

Swift Family of New Bedford, MA

SWIFT. For a hundred years and more the Swift family in and about New Bedford has been one of prominence, wealth. and influence, not only in the several local communities in which its members have resided but out through the Commonwealth and into the nation, where their extensive enterprises have extended. These Acushnet-New Bedford Swifts, a branch of the Cape Cod family, brought to their new field of effort that activity, industry, ability and honesty that had for generations characterized their forefathers and also the line of business that had enriched earlier generations in the old home section – the … Read more

Walter Merryman of Harpswell, Maine, and his descendants

Walter Merryman of Harpswell, Maine, and his descendants - FM

Walter Merryman was kidnapped in an Irish port in 1700 and brought to Boston, Massachusetts, where he was indentured to a shipbuilder in Portland, Maine. He married Elizabeth Potter and settled in Harpswell, Maine. Descendants and relatives lived in Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Idaho and elsewhere. Includes Alexander, Curtiss, Hamilton, McManus, Stover, Webber and related families.

Ancestors of Charles Jarvis Holmes of Marshfield and Rochester MA

Charles Jarvis Holmes

The purpose of this article to treat with one branch only of the Marshfield-Rochester family, the head of which was the late Hon. Charles Jarvis Holmes, lawyer and public servant of distinguished official relation, as was his father before him, Hon. Abraham Holmes, and as was also the former’s son excepting that he was a banker and financier instead of a member of the legal profession, and a man of high standing and long service in his calling at Fall River, where he was succeeded by his only son, Charles L. Holmes, now treasurer of the Fall River Five Cents Savings Bank, an institution his father had served in the same official relation for approximately fifty years, and who is worthily wearing the family name and sustaining its reputation.

Copeland Family of Easton, MA

copeland

COPELAND (Whitman family). The family bearing this name is one of long and honorable standing in southeastern Massachusetts. Early at Braintree, then at Bridgewater, and for generations in the town of Easton, this Easton-Whitman branch of the earlier Braintree stock has for several generations been one of Easton’s leading families, and more recently – a later generation – in the new town of Whitman, formerly South Abington. Reference is made to the forefathers of the present George Copeland and Horatio Franklin Copeland, M. D., brothers. The latter though of Easton birth has been for nearly half a century active and … Read more

First Settlements in Norwich Vermont

Having glanced thus briefly at the action of the Norwich proprietors in opening a way to reach their new township in the wilderness, and in dividing up a portion of its surface into lots suitable to become the homesteads of future settlers, let us pause a moment and see what had meantime been done in the work of actual settlement. I am indebted to Rev. Edmund F. Slafter of Boston for an interesting account of what was unquestionably the first attempt at settlement made within the limits of the town. I quote from the Slafter Memorial: “Samuel Slafter [of Mansfield, … Read more

Genealogical and Family History of Vermont

Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont vol 1

Hiram Charlton took on the publication of the Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont for Lewis Publishing. In it, he enlisted the assistance of living residents of the state in providing biographical and genealogical details about their family, and then he published all 1104 family histories in two distinct volumes.

Norwich Vermont in the Revolutionary War

The sources of information in regard to the part taken by the town in the Revolutionary struggle are few and scanty. The earliest allusion in the town records to this important epoch of the country’s history is found in the election of a Committee of Safety at the annual town meeting, March 11, 1777. This committee was five in number: Deacon Joseph Smalley, Samuel Hutchinson, John Hatch, Captain Hezekiah Johnson and John Hopson. There is much reason to believe, however, that this was not the first Committee of Safety that acted for the town; but was a new committee selected … Read more

Ancestry of Hon. Willard Nye of New Bedford, Massachusetts

william nye

Nye (New Bedford family). The family of this name in New Bedford, the head of which was the Hon. Willard Nye (deceased), one of the successful business men and substantial citizens of the city, prominent in public affairs, at one time mayor, is a branch of the ancient Nye family of Sandwich, Mass., where members in the line of the deceased just alluded to were long prominent. A sketch of Mr. Nye, with his Nye lineage, traced back to the immigrant settler, follows.

Brown Genealogy

Brown Genealogy

In 1895, Cyrus Henry Brown began collecting family records of the Brown family, initially with the intention of only going back to his great-grandfathers. As others became interested in the project, they decided to trace the family lineage back to Thomas Brown and his wife Mary Newhall, both born in the early 1600s in Lynn, Massachusetts. Thomas, John, and Eleazer, three of their sons, later moved to Stonington, Connecticut around 1688. When North Stonington was established in 1807, the three brothers were living in the southern part of the town. Wheeler’s “History of Stonington” contains 400 records of early descendants of the Brown family, taken from the town records of Stonington. However, many others remain unidentified, as they are not recorded in the Stonington town records. For around a century, the descendants of the three brothers lived in Stonington before eventually migrating to other towns in Connecticut and New York State, which was then mostly undeveloped. He would eventually write this second volume of his Brown Genealogy adding to and correcting the previous edition. This book is free to search, read, and/or download.

Knowles Family of New Bedford, MA

thomas knowles

The family bearing this name in New Bedford, where it is one of nearly one hundred years’ standing one, too, of prominence and wealth, is a branch of the ancient Knowles family of the town of Eastham, Barnstable county, this Commonwealth. Reference is made to some of the descendants of the brothers Thomas and James H. Knowles of Eastham, several of whose sons – at least two of the former and one of the latter – in their earlier manhood cast their lot with the people of New Bedford. The firm of Thomas Knowles & Co. for many years was one of the greatest engaged in the whale fishery business in New Bedford; and its members in turn have been succeeded in business by younger generations who have most worthily worn the family name and sustained its reputation; and today the name continues of record in and about the city of their birth connected prominently with many of the most extensive commercial establishments and banking institutions of the locality.

Norwich Vermont in the Civil War

During the four years of war for the suppression of the Rebellion, Norwich furnished 178 different men for the armies of the Union. There were seven re-enlistments, making the whole number of soldiers credited to the town 185. By the census of 1860, the number of inhabitants was 1759. It appears, therefore, that the town sent to the seat of war rather more than one in ten of its entire population, during the four years’ continuance of hostilities. About the same proportion holds good for the state at large, Vermont contributing, out of an aggregate population of 315,116, soldiers to … Read more

History of Bland County Virginia

History of Bland County Virginia

The History of Bland County was compiled in 1961 and published to coincide with the 100th Anniversary of the formation of Bland County. Largely comprised of interesting anecdotes concerning early settlers, it is one of the most valuable secondary source available for researchers of Bland County Virginia ancestry. Free to read and download.

Descendants of William Swift of New Bedford, MA

For an hundred years and more the Swift family in and about New Bedford has been one of prominence, wealthy and influential not only in their several local communities but out through the Commonwealth and into the nation, where their extensive enterprises have extended. These Acushnet-New Bedford Swifts, a branch of the Cape Cod family, brought to their new field of effort that activity, industry, ability and honesty that had for generations characterized their forefathers and also the line of business that had enriched earlier generations in the old home section – the dealing in live oak timber and its manufacture into water craft, in shipbuilding for not only the United States government, but for those across the water. Reference is here made especially to some of the sons, grandsons and great-grandsons of William Swift, of the town of Falmouth, this Commonwealth, among whose sons were Hon. Elijah, Thomas, William, John and Reuben E.; and among the sons of the latter Rodolphus Nye and William Cole Nye Swift, who with their sons together and in turn figured most prominently in and about New Bedford and abroad, as intimated; and some of their sons are yet active here and in the Massachusetts metropolis.

Allen Genealogy of New Bedford Massachusetts

The Allen family of New Bedford Massachusetts is descended from George Allen who’s children and descendants would eventually settle in Old Dartmouth and New Bedford Massachusetts. This is an extensive genealogy of five sons of the fourteen children of James Allen and Sarah Howland of New Bedford MA, including the ancestry of James Allen back to George Allen.

1899 Directory for Middleboro and Lakeville Massachusetts

1899 Middleboro and Lakeville Massachusetts Directory Cover

Resident and business directory of Middleboro’ and Lakeville, Massachusetts, for 1899. Containing a complete resident, street and business directory, town officers, schools, societies, churches, post offices, notable events in American history, etc. Compiled and published by A. E. Foss & Co., Needham, Massachusetts. The following is an example of what you will find within the images of the directory: Sheedy John, laborer, bds. J. G. Norris’, 35 West Sheehan John B., grocery and variety store, 38 West, h. do. Sheehan Lizzie O., bds. T. B. Sheehan’s, 16 East Main Sheehan Lucy G. B., bds. T. B. Sheehan’s, 16 East Main … Read more

History of the Industries of Norwich VT

Knapp’s Mill, Norwich, Vermont

Although the products of the industries in Norwich have not been of great magnitude they have been quite varied in character. Such information in regard to these callings as we have been able to obtain we will present to our readers, though not in strict chronological order. Among the earliest establishments coming under this head was a grist mill established as early as 1770, by Hatch and Babcock on Blood Brook, on or near the site of the grist mill now operated by J. E. Willard, a short distance up the stream from where it empties into the Connecticut River. … Read more

Biography of J. E. Nye

J. E. Nye. By reason of long residence in Champaign County, for a period of sixty years, by the ability shown in varied undertakings and by the honesty and high character of its members the Nye family is one of the best known in the county and the name is everywhere spoken with respect and esteem which are their due. Of this family is J. E. Nye, who came to Champaign County when a boy of two years of age and is now able to take life somewhat at leisure in one of the fine country homes south of the … Read more