Categories
Loyalist Nova Scotia Unsolved

The origins of Abraham Rhodes

Abraham Rhodes was my 6th-great-grandfather. Despite my research and many others, Abraham’s origins and ancestry remain a mystery.

As best as we can tell, he materialized out of thin air onto the muster rolls of the His Majesty’s 40th Regiment of Foot. He was at Staten Island on 14 July 1776, at Perth Amboy on 05 May 1777, at the Battle of Germantown on 04 October 1777 and at Philadelphia, 15 March 1778. The 40th was regularly stationed in England and Ireland before being sent to Boston to quell the rebellion in 1775. The regiment saw action in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey before being sent to the West Indies in late 1778. The regiment was returned to New York in 1781 and back to England at the end of the war in 1783.

Abraham, however, did not accompany the regiment back across the Atlantic. In 1784, Abraham, as a discharged soldier under the former command of Sgt. Hugh Gillespie, received a land grant in Clements, Annapolis Co. NS. He married Mary BARTON and appears to have remained in the Annapolis Valley the rest of his life. His date of death is unknown; however, it was after 1820, when he sold his original land to his son John. About as much is known of Mary as of her husband – she appears to been from a loyalist, not a planter family, and some have suggested that she is the same Mary Barton who was born 18 February 1758 in Warwick, Kent Co. RI to Rufus and Catherine (RHODES) BARTON. The evidence for this proposition, at least that which I have seen, is non-existent. Even if we could identify Mary, it is unclear how much that would help identify Abraham, given the influx of people from across the colonies into Nova Scotia at the time; there is no reason to assume the couple knew each other before exile.

Based on the muster rolls, it appears Abraham enlisted in the 40th between June to December 1775, when the regiment was headquartered in Boston. This might suggest that he was from the area, given the presumed difficulty of crossing British lines; no-one fitting his description has been found in Massachusetts records, however.

Other evidence suggests a connection to New York. In Granville, Abraham lived in close proximity to an Anthony RHODES, who can be proven to be a loyalist from Queens Co. NY. Both families had similar given names as well (but not such unusual or exacting names that a relationship is certain). Some researchers believe Abraham enlisted in Ireland, although this would not seem to be consistent with his later loyalist land grants.

It is difficult to make any solid conclusions about Abraham’s origins at all. Given the lack of any claims for property, etc. lost in America, one would think he didn’t come from money – but that same demographic often had the most to gain from the Revolution, so this is little more then speculation. If Mary was from Rhode Island, maybe her mother and Abraham were kinsmen. Maybe more research into Anthony’s extended family might show a connection beyond geographic proximity (which also raises the question of his dedication to the King, if he did enlist in Boston). It is all very frustrating.

Categories
Biographical Sketch New Hampshire

The life of Elisha Sleeper (1792-1884) (part 2)

Continued from Part One

The 1840 Census is the first to ascribe an occupation to Elisha – agriculture. Subsequent census enumerations and land records make it clear that as with his father and brothers, he was a farmer.1 His land, which was part of that originally acquired by his father when the latter moved to Alton in the early 1800s, was about 40 acres on Alton Mountain; near (or on) the vicinity of present-day Davis Road and described (in 1842) thusly:

Beginning on the road leading from Simon Foss’s to Levi Woodman’s at the southeast corner of land belonging to the heirs of the late Jonathan Sleeper thence running northerly binding on the said heirs land far enough that a line running easterly parallel with the before mentioned road to land of Stephen Piper to containing forty acres binding easterly on land of said Piper and southerly on the before mentioned road.2

Although the farm was passed down in the family for a couple more generations, it is no longer an active farm and is now primarily overgrown.3 Subsequent changes in ownership have made the original metes and bounds land description difficult to place with absolute certainty on a modern map; however, the ruins of several farm houses and several existing structures are located in the vicinity and subsequent investigation may reveal one of them belonged to Elisha or his family.

Whilst it is now increasingly the domain of expensive residences and summer holiday-makers, Alton Mountain in the 19th century was a fairly poor and wild place. Largely isolated from the town proper (located then, as now, directly on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee), Mountain residents developed a “backwoods” culture not dis-similar to other isolated mountain regions; where hunting and fishing were the primary diversions and raccoon grease was a panacea for all impediment[s], from chest colds to ungreased boots.4

By the 1850 Census, the family structure has changed significantly.5 Nancy/Ann, Elisha’s wife, had died in 1846, having birthed one last child.6 Elisha never remarried; his oldest daughter, Mary, who never married herself, lived with her father her whole life and likely provided the household duties that a second wife would otherwise have.

Other than Mary, the older children had all left the farm by 1850, leaving only the three youngest. Elisha remained a farmer, and his real estate holdings (the 40 acres discussed above) had a value of $500 (this was less than most all of his neighbors, which would suggest the family was relatively poor.)

Ten years later, in the 1860 Census, much remained the same.7 Elisha was still actively farming his land, now worth $600 (with a personal estate worth $200.) Only Mary and his youngest son, Eben, remained on the farm with him. Land records suggest that Elisha was having financial difficulties, as on 08 December 1860, he mortgaged his farm to his neighbor Simon Clough for $202.26.8

Things had not changed much by 1870.9 Elisha was still farming, although given his age, it is easy to imagine that he was no longer very active. Mary still lived with him, as did one of Eben’s children, his grand-daughter Imogene. The land was still worth $600, with Elisha’s personal estate now worth $250. His financial problems also remain, with another mortgage on the farm, this time to his son, David, for $150.10

Elisha’s final appearance in the Census is in 1880.11 He is still nominally farming, although the bulk of the work, presumably, is being done by his grandson, Oscar E. Davis, who lived with his grandfather, aunt, and his young family.

Elisha died of old age in Alton, on 20 September 1884.12 He was first buried in the Frohock Cemetery before reinternment in Riverside Cemetery, where he lies today in a family plot.

  1. See below. [↩]
  2. Belknap Deeds 29:400 (Sleeper to Sleeper) [↩]
  3. Town and City Atlas of the State of New Hampshire. Boston: D.H. Hurd & Co. 1892, at pg. 262 (Map of North Alton showing the Elisha Sleeper place, owned by Oscar Davis near the turn of the 20th century.) The current state of the area was observed by the author in 2011. [↩]
  4. Griffin, Barton McLain. The History of Alton. Somersworth NH: New Hampshire Pub. Co. 1965, at pages 46-7. [↩]
  5. 1850 Census for Alton, Belknap Co. NH, pg. 178, lines 37-41. [↩]
  6. There is no death record found for Ann/Nancy in New Hampshire records; her date of death is from her gravestone in the Riverside Cemetery in Alton [↩]
  7. 1860 Census for Alton, Belknap Co. NH, pg. 271, lines 24-26. [↩]
  8. Belknap Deeds 35:424 (Sleeper to Clough) [↩]
  9. 1870 Census for Alton, Belknap Co. NH, pg. 13, lines 14-16. [↩]
  10. Belknap Deeds 52:118 (Sleeper to Sleeper) [↩]
  11. 1880 Census for Alton, Belknap Co. NH, ED 1, pg 9, lines 42-46. [↩]
  12. New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947, database with images, (FamilySearch: 21 December 2015), 004244238 > image 409 of 5111; Bureau Vital Records and Health Statistics, Concord. [↩]
Categories
Biographical Sketch New Hampshire

The life of Elisha Sleeper (1792-1884)

Elisha Sleeper’s birth is not found in the known records of New Hampshire.  Although all published sources agree he was the son of Benjamin and Ruth (Bean) Sleeper, a fact strongly supported by land records,1 the date and location are in question.  Cutter states he was born 25 March 1796 in Brentwood, Rockingham Co. NH.2 His death certificate, disinterment, and gravestone (all informed by his grandson, Oscar E. Davis) claim a date of 01 May 1792 in Alton.3 As Benjamin was first enumerated in Alton in the 1810 Census (he and his family are enumerated in Brentwood in both 1790 and 1800),4 his grandson would seem to be in error as to the location; however, as Elisha was the only children born to his parents between 1790 and 1802, it is impossible to suggest which source (if any) is accurate.

The first time Elisha conclusively appears in the records is his marriage, on 03 July 1817 in Belmont, Belknap Co. NH, to Nancy (or Ann, which is synonymous) Bean.5 He is of “East Kingston” at the time; although his family appears, from the Census at least, to have resided in Alton at the time; it is certainly possible he was doing farm labor for a relative or had another good reason to be in the town.

As the 1820 Census is no longer extent for Strafford (then including Belknap) Co. NH, the first Census Elisha and his family appear is 1830, when the family is enumerated as including five young women, two born between 1814-1820, one born between 1821 and 1825, and two born between 1826 and 1830.6 No birth records have been found for any of Elisha and Nancy’s children, however analysis of marriage, and death records from New Hampshire and Massachusetts have largely allowed the reconstruction of the family.  Of these initial girls, four of them are accounted for as children of the couple; one of the older girls (aged between 10 and 16) is not; she could be a domestic (although the family does not appear to have been very wealthy), another relative, or a daughter who died young.

By the time of the 1840 Census, the family had grown in size to 12. The unidentified girl from 1830 is no longer enumerated with the family (her fate is unknown); the four other girls from the previous Census remain, joined by two boys and a girl born between 1831 and 1835, and one boy and two girls born between 1836 and 1840.7 All except one of the older girls is accounted for amongst the identified children of Elisha and Nancy. It is possible that this girl is Lydia Jane Sleeper, the daughter of Elisha’s brother Jonathan, who had died by 1840.8 Lydia Jane was said to be the sister of Eben G. (Elisha’s youngest son).9 While land records conclusively prove Lydia was not Eben’s sister, but his first cousin,10 this could reflect a tradition that she lived on her uncle’s neighboring farm, thus giving rise to the idea of sisterhood. Alternatively, it could reflect another relative, or an unaccounted-for daughter.

[To be Continued…]
           

  1. Belknap Deeds 29:400 (Sleeper to Sleeper) [↩]
  2. Cutter, William R.  Genealogical and Personal Memoirs relating to the families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts, volume II.  New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co. 1908.  Pg. 750. [↩]
  3. See below. [↩]
  4. 1790 Census for Brentwood, Rockingham Co. NH, pg. 103 and 1800 Census for Brentwood, Rockingham Co. NH (alphabetized), pg. 552. [↩]
  5. “New Hampshire, Marriage Records, 1637-1947,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLF6-RFL : accessed 24 August 2015) [↩]
  6. 1830 Census for Alton, Strafford Co. NH, pg. 103. [↩]
  7. 1840 Census for Alton, Strafford Co. NH, pg. 294. [↩]
  8. Jonathan’s wife Mary appears as the head of household in the 1840 Census for Alton, supra. Research of Pamela Currier, Epping NH, states Jonathan died 03 January 1838, however, the provenience of this information is unclear.
    [↩]
  9. Specifically in Bartlett, A.W. History of the 12th New Hampshire Volunteers in the War of the Rebellion. Concord NH: Ira C. Evans 1897, at pg. 488. [↩]
  10. The family connections are explicitly set forth in Belknap Deeds 29:379 (Sleeper, et al. to Sleeper), wherein Jonathan’s children quitclaimed their interest in his estate to their brother James in consideration for James caring for their mother Mary in her dotage.
    [↩]
Categories
Biographical Sketch Massachusetts Unsolved

The parentage of Constant Smith (1745-1835)

Constant was born say 1745.1  He died 07 February 1835 in Swansea, Bristol Co. Massachusetts.2  Constant married Martha GALUSHA, 06 September 1772 in Rehoboth, Bristol Co. Massachusetts, by Elder John Hix.3

His parentage and origins remain unclear. He may have been born in Rehoboth, given his early residence there, although no birth record is found in the published Rehoboth vital records.4  Early 20th century researchers claimed a family bible (perhaps the one mentioned in his will) gave a Rehoboth birthdate of 05 November 1743.5 The most common theory is that Constant was the son of Ephraim and his second wife, Abigail Bowen.6 This couple was present in Rehoboth in the time of Constant’s birth:

Ephraim, resident of Swanzey, and Experience Bowen of Rehoboth, [married] July 16, 1743.7
Experience, of Ephraim and Experience [born] Jan. 18, 1743-4.8
Experience, wife of Ephraim, [died] Feb 1, 1743-4.9
Ephraim and Abigail Bowen, both of Rehoboth, [married] April 27, 1745.10

There is no definitive proof beyond time and place correlation to suggest a connection between Constant and this couple, and nothing else of Ephraim, beyond the records above, is known. 11 If the birth date claimed from the family bible is correct, Constant was born too early to be a child of the marriage. Some change the birth date to 26 November 1745, which would fit with the marriage, but there is nothing offered for this later date.12

Two other hypotheses had been advanced by early researchers for Constant’s parentage, although both suffer from the same lack of evidence.

EIMP suggested that his father was also a weaver and came to Rehoboth from Yorkshire, England.13 The identity of EIMP is unknown, as are the reason(s) they held this belief.

Another suggestion was offered by Mary E. Stafford of Barrington, RI.14 In a letter dated 01 October 1911, she stated it is in my uncle’s papers that Constant Smith was born at North Swansea in 1746; died February 7th, 1835. He was the son of Peter Smith, a ship-builder at Barneyville, No. Swansea.15 This seems unlikely given that: (a) Constant is not known to have any connection to Swansea prior to 1774, and (b) the ship-building industry in Barneyville did not begin until the late 18th century.16

  1. Several specific dates, places, and parents can be found on the Internet and are discussed further below. [↩]
  2. His gravestone is Memorial 115227424, found in the Thomas Cemetery (Swansea, MA).  (Swansea, Bristol Co. MA). The death is also recorded in contemporaneous newspaper accounts, see Died.  [Worcester] Massachusetts Spy, 18 February 1835, page 3: In Swanzey, Feb. 7, Constant Smith, aged 90. [↩]
  3. Arnold, James N.  Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896. (Providence RI: Narragansett Hist. Pub. Co., 1897).  Page 333.  Hix was a Baptist Minister, suggesting Constant and Martha shared that belief.  See, i.e., Bliss, Leonard.  History of Rehoboth. (Boston: Otis, Broaders & Co., 1836).  Pages 187-9. [↩]
  4. Arnold, supra. [↩]
  5. Genealogical query (No. 9263) from the Boston Evening Transcript, 11 November 1929.  The will can be found at Bristol County (Massachusetts) Probate Files, case 23610, Constant Smith (1835). Bristol County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1686-1880. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized images provided by FamilySearch.org). [↩]
  6. For instance, Preston, Eugene D.  Genealogy of the Barney Family in America.  (Springfield VA: The Barney Family Hist. Ass’n, 1990).  pg. 75; Helgemoe, Janet G.  Galusha-Galeucia Family.  (self-published, 1968). Page 9.    This theory is also endorsed by Saxbe in the new Bowen genealogy, see, i.e., Saxbe, William B.  Richard Bowen (1594?-1675) of Rehoboth, Massachusetts and His Descendants. (Hope RI: Rhode Island Genealogical Society, 2011) 4 vols. Vol. 3, page 18. [↩]
  7. Arnold, supra at 499. [↩]
  8. Id. at 745. [↩]
  9. Id. at 877. [↩]
  10. Id. at 499. [↩]
  11. Saxbe, supra at 3:17-8. [↩]
  12. See, i.e., Preston, supra at 75.  If Saxbe is correct that Abigail was brought up on fornication charges, this date would make sense, however.  See, i.e., Saxbe, supra at 3:18. [↩]
  13. Query 9263, supra. [↩]
  14. Her relationship to Constant Smith, if any, is unknown. [↩]
  15. Preston, supra at 75. [↩]
  16. Nebiker, Walter.  “Maritime History” in Warren 250th Anniversary Commemorative Book. (Springfield MO: Master Services, 1998).  Page 44. [↩]
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