The World of Grandpa Don  

I stand corrected. It was not too long after I "published" last week when a missive came from my youngest son. Tom challenged my statements about the human mind being used to only 10% of it's capacity. He simply directed me to: "We only use 10% of our brains" As the article said, I must have been only using 10% of mine when I said that. OK but even though my facts were wrong, I still think our minds will be capable of a lot more in the future than they are now. I do believe in evolution, an evolution planned and guided by God.

Friday afternoon I went through my sister's #1and #2 Doolittle files. There was much there to be added to the data I had, nothing to radically change what I had but many details to be added. To think she did all that research without computers!  She is a gem. Then Saturday, after a wonderful night's sleep, I went further into my Doolittle files. My goal was to trace the ancestors of Joseph Morgan, The husband of Eunice Doolittle and father of Sally Morgan who was ... well, it is complicated without a diagram so here it is: Abigail's Family. The first thing I discovered was that Marilyn had no file on Joseph Morgan's ancestors. So, I went on line and dug up some, well, a lot of information. Unfortunately most of it was in the sometimes inaccurate One World Tree. It takes a while to weed out the duplications and the absurdities but I think I have a fairly accurate chart. See Joseph Morgan's Ancestors. The Morgan branch itself was traced back to a Joseph born in Connecticut in 1701. There was more on the internet but it was so full of duplications and absurdities that I discarded it. His wife's good records went one generation beyond to Nathan Benham, born in New Haven in 1679 along with Nathan's wife Sarah Beecher before running into the same problem. Our Joseph Morgan's wife was Hannah Luddington. I was able to find a reliable path to William Luddington, born in Turney, England in 1607 along with his wife Ellen Nicholl. Their son William married Martha Rose, whose parents were John Rose (b1619 - Ipswich, England) and ... Ooops, Ellen Nicholl again ... bad information or did William L, son of William & Ellen marry his half sister, Martha Rose, daughter of Ellen & John Rose? Ellen is shown as married to William L in England and then marrying John R in Connecticut after her first husband's death. But WAIT! , as they say in the commercials ... another version has William L with two wives, the second, or actually the first being Ellen Moutlthrop. Could it be their son William who married Martha Rose? If so, that eliminates the incest and solves the problem. William Jr. actually married his step sister. I will go with that explanation and consider the matter closed.  Sara Collins (1679-1743) was married to one of the Luddington's and her line included William Collins (b 1612 - England) & his wife Anne Hutchinson along with Henry Morell (b 1625) and his wife Blanche Marett (b1628), both supposedly born in New Haven. However, those are very early dates for New Haven since it was settled in 1638. It could be that they were both born in England and settled in Connecticut after immigrating to America. As I said, the data in One World tree is to be suspected. In any case, There are several more surnames added to our ancestry list and there is no doubt that all of these were early settlers in New England and they all originated in England.

 

Accept the pain, cherish the joys, resolve the regrets; then can come the best of benedictions – “If I had my life to live over, I’d do it all the same.” ~ Joan McIntosh .

Back to the real world. ... As I exited my car on the way into church Sunday Sarah and Dominick drove up with little Bella, She had napped in the car and was a little sleepy but was soon all smiles. We had a nice little visit both before and after mass. I came home and relaxed a while on the patio with my coffee before going in for a salad for lunch. In retrospect, it was the last good weather day of the week.

After lunch and checking my email I looked to determine the next line of ancestors to try to investigate. Lorenzo Thayer (b 1805) was married to Marcia Baker (b 1807). Marilyn had no information on her so I was on my own. It was a blank wall. There were Baker families to be found but none that matched. This was a period in our history that census records only listed the heads of families and the numbers of people in their households. I also have an Elizabeth Baker married to Edward Doolittle but that was back in England in the late 1500's. In addition there is a Pricilla Baker who is the mother-in-law of David Copeland in the mid 1700's. Possibly the same family but I don't have a connection at this time. Maybe something will develop. Besides, it was time to feed Mikey.

A little later I was on my way to visit the Halfords. After the usual time of initial news exchange we were off to Papa Joe's where I enjoyed the Veal Parmesan. Then we returned to their house to view the photos they took on their recent cruise and then to play a few hands of cards. They had just returned a few days before and were still suffering the effects of jet lag. Their trip first took them by air to Copenhagen and after an overnight hotel stay and a little sight-seeing they boarded their cruse ship. They stopped in Sweden and then cruised the Baltic Sea, making stops in Poland, Estonia, and St Petersburg, Russia. Sightseeing side trips were enjoyed and included many museums, churches and interesting streets in the cities visited. They were exhausted. Their plans for next year include staying home.  I made my departure after only three hands of cards in deference to their jet lag condition and to quit while I was ahead ... I had won two of the three. It was a delightful evening.

Before I fell asleep I heard thunder and soon we were hit by the most violent storm I can remember. The wind and rain were horrendous. The window in the bedroom had to be closed. Mikey, who is not usually bothered by storms, was on the bed but he just looked up, jumped down and crawled under it. I felt like doing the same. But it was over as quickly as it came. I turned on the radio to hear that there were tornado warnings. For a while it was quiet so I reopened the window.  But a little later the wind picked up and was rattling the blinds with cold air so much that the window had to be closed again. As I did so I saw that the clouds were broken showing some clear sky but they were moving with haste from the north. Monday morning broke cold and windy with those clouds marching down from the north. I wouldn't be in the gazebo that day. I had my coffee in the living room and Biscus thanked me for bringing him into the house last week.

 

That man is blest who does his best and leaves the rest. ~ Charles F. Deems .

Marilyn Copeland had, in her group of files, one on the Bent family. David Copeland (1704-1750) had married Elizabeth Bent I had the family in my database but only the basic information. With Marilyn's files I was able to fill in a lot of information including the children of each generation, birth and death dates and their spouses. There were several notes of interest such as:

They lived in Penton-Grafton, England.  After Robert died, Agnes followed her son John to America.  She died in Boston Harbor on the ship “Jonathan.”  (Robert Bent & Agnes Gossling)
&
They were born in Penton-Grafton England.  John was 42 years old when he came to America in April, 1638 on the ship “Confidence.”  John was admitted as Freeman in 1640; he was a selectman in 1641; he owned many grants of land; he was on a town committee to assign timber land in 1648; he served on the committee that laid out the highway from Weston to the Dunster Farm on the edge of Framingham.  (This road followed an ancient Indian trail from the seacoast to the Connecticut River.)  He was one of Major Simon Williard’s troopers at Dedham in 1654.  He was a magistrate.  First 5 of John and Martha’s children were born in England.  They resided in Sudbury, Massachusetts. (John & Martha Bent)
&
Peter and Elizabeth’s son Zacheus was scalped when he was 9 years old – he survived.
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Joseph Bent was born and died in Sudbury, Massachusetts.  He lived for a while in Marshfield and was constable of Marshfield in 1669.  He was killed by accident by a pistol shot by his older brother Peter Bent.  After Joseph’s death, Elizabeth moved back to Marshfield where she died soon afterward.

I next checked into the Fuller line since Elizabeth Bent's mother was Rachael Fuller. There was almost nothing in Marilyn's files except that Rachael's parents were Jonathan and Mary. I however had found a marriage record of Jonathan and Mindwell Trowbridge on 02 May 1684 and had them as Rachael's parents. When I checked the birthdates of their children I found them to be inconsistent with our known ancestors and amended my data to agree with Marilyn's. We have at this point a dead end in the Bent/Fuller line. For a chart of these ancestors see Ancestors of Elizabeth Bent.

These were some of our ancestors. There were good times and there were bad times which included Indian raids, something of which we need not fear. Instead we have violence in the streets of our cities. When will we awaken to the fact that killing solves nothing.

I was surprised by a visit from Anne Marie Monday morning. She had a doctor's appointment and stopped by afterward to drop of the cell phone the Anthony had borrowed for his western trip and to have a cup of coffee with her dad. She also went to the local store to pick up something for me before she left to do some shopping for herself. It was a welcome visit, but of course a visit from one of my kids is always a pleasure.  

 

In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends. ~ John Churton Collins .

The son of David and Elizabeth (Bent) Copeland was David (1738-1817). He was married to Elizabeth Clapp and after her death to Martha Putman.  I had the names of Elizabeth Clapp's parents but nothing else. Marilyn's file on the Clapp line was extensive and so the recording that information in my tree file was my next task, soon completed. We have this note:

Thomas (clapp) was born in Dorchester England.  He came to America July 24, 1633.  He first lived in Dorchester, Massachusetts.  After a few years he moved to Weymouth, Massachusetts. He owned land in Hingham (not sure if he ever lived there).  He moved to Scituate. He was Deacon of the Church in Scituate in 1647.  He was Deputy to the Court in 1649 and overseer of the poor in 1667.

We have Thomas' father's name, Richard, and the names of his siblings but not his mother's. We also know that one of his brothers married his cousin and one of his sisters also married her cousin. I'd call that a close knit family. Let's assume they were not close cousins. In this line we come across the name "Dean" again. Samuel Clapp (1682-1772) was married to Bethiah Dean(1687-1778)  and Marilyn has a file on this Dean Line so that was my next step. There were several generations listed going back to John Dean (Abt 1600) in England who apparently came to the colonies. Of his son John, it was recorded:

Lived in Taunton, Massachusetts. According to tradition, John was the first white child born in Taunton.  He died during the “great snow” of 1716/17.

Going back to the Clapp line we find the wife of Thomas Clapp (1639-1691) was Mary Fisher (1644-1662) and checking Marilyn's files we find one for the Fisher clan. We have the following notes:

Joshua was born (1585) in Syleham, England.  He came to America and settled at Dedham, Massachusetts (with his second wife) in 1639.  In 1650 he moved to Medfield.  Joshua was a blacksmith.  He was made a freeman May 13, 1640; he was the first deacon in the Medfield Church; he was a selectman in 1653 and 1655.

And of his son:

Joshua was born (1621) in Syleham, England, he came to America (Dedham, Massachusetts) in 1637.  In August, 1639 he joined the Dedham Church; in 1640 he became a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company and was its second sergeant in 1648; he was made a freeman May 2, 1649.  In 1648-49 he was chosen selectman and held that office for 22 years; he was also a surveyor.

I invite you to learn more about Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts. It was chartered on the 13 day of the first month of the year 1638. Note that in those days the first month was March, a time of the beginning of Spring. Many dates in January and February for that period of time are now listed as 15 Jan 1637/38 because at the time '38 didn't start until March but to make them compatible to today's calendar the year '37 is also given. In all the dates in my records I use the modern calendar. With the recording of information for the Clapp, Fisher, Aldis, and Dean families We have a chart which I have dubbed Elizabeth Clapp Ancestors. Of course her marriage to David Copeland makes them all our ancestors as well. You will note that Elizabeth Claps mother was Mary Pomeroy and that her ancestry is not included in our chart. Marilyn had no file on this branch of the family and so I felt that any information I could find was better kept separate.

I of course went to the internet to see what I could find of the Pomeroy family and I found this:

The name is most anciently associated with the castle of Berry Pomeroy, a few miles east of Totnes, Devon. An estate -- the "beri" or defended place -- is first recorded in the Domesday Book as being formerly owned by a Saxon called Alric (Alricius) at which time it was more valuable than the settlement that became Totnes. After the Norman invasion of England in 1066 it was granted to Ralf de la Pomeraye  See Pomeroy Family History.

The web site referenced above is of the United Kingdom Pomeroy family but I found another sponsored by the American branch. There I found that in 1771 Luscious Doolittle sold some land to Eleazed Pomroy. I have sent an email to The American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association requesting information. There is extensive information on One World Tree which traces the line from our Mary Pomeroy back to her roots in England to Thomas in 1459 and beyond to his father Henery De La Pomeroy then through to Henry De La Pomerai in 1210 and Radulphus De La Pommeraie in 1030 and his father Roger born in 990. The name supposedly came from France to England with the Norman invasion in 1066.  Is it remotely possible that all this could be accurate? We will wait for a reply to my inquiry before trying to pursue this root of our family.

I had sent my email of inquiry just before lunch on Tuesday and a reply was waiting for me after lunch.

Hi Don!
It’s great to hear from this branch of the Pomeroy family. We don’t know much about Mary Pomeroy and Samuel Clap(p), so your research on this line will be very helpful to us in our effort to update A.A. Pomeroy’s books “The History and Genealogy of the Pomeroy Family Vols I - III”. I can tell you about Mary’s pedigree, though. I’m attaching a report on the ancestors of Ichabod Clap(p). He was the son of Samuel Clap(p) Jr., and a nephew of Elizabeth’s. I’m starting with him because he is as far as we’ve gotten on this Clap(p) line. I’d appreciate it if you could read this over and let me know if there are any inaccuracies or omissions. We have a number of other Clap(p)s in our database so feel free to ask me for Clap(p) information if you’re researching this line also.

Mary Pomeroy was a descendant of Eltweed Pomeroy who come to the American Colonies abt 1631 and settled first in Dorchester, Massachusetts Bay Colony, then moved to Windsor, Connecticut and later in life moved up the Connecticut River to Northampton, Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Would you be interested in joining the APHGA? There’s no charge and membership includes access to the APHGA MyFamily.com site where you can exchange research and information with other Pomeroy researchers in a secure, password protected environment. If you’re interested, please let me know so I can send you a separate e-mail invitation.
 
Sincerely,
Nancy Maliwesky
Director, American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association

The file she sent is a huge pdf file with tons of information. It will take some time to digest all of this. Of course I will join the APHGA and do further research on this interesting line of our ancestry. The forest grows larger all the time. A flurry of emails ensued with Nancy intrigued by my adoption story. (Of course I had sent her my web site link) Se asked if I heard about the brothers who found each other working in the same store and sent me the link to the story. According to Nancy Maliwesky, these people were also descendants of the Pomeroy family.

  

Getting people to like you is merely the other side of liking them. ~ Norman Vincent Peale .

An email came from my granddaughter Kelsey. I will share:

Hello Grandpa!  

How are you doing? I just thought I'd let you know what's been going on the past few weeks. My injuries are getting better. I can begin biking and doing the elliptical again two weeks from tomorrow. It will definitely feel good to get back into the swing of things. I've been so bored without the daily exercise. I try to either lift weights or do core workouts every morning just to stay in shape but it's just not as fun as running! I've joined two clubs since I've been here. I am involved in the Community Outreach Program which is a group of students who perform random community service acts around Elmhurst and the nearby suburbs. I also am involved in the Student Athlete Committee. We plan different fundraisers to benefit the athletic program and we sponsor different events around campus. Both are very fun and I have met some nice people in the process of joining and participating. 

Two weekends ago I went with a Christian group on campus to Chicago for an event called Partners for Peace. It was a social justice event sponsored by Elmhurst College promoting peace, gun control, and education in the city of Chicago. We traveled to a church on the west side of the city and walked through the neighborhoods surrounding the church and passed out flyers for our event and spoke to residents about the violence problems in the neighborhood. Then we went to the Bethel Green Family Worship Center and listened to Fr. Michael Pfleger speak about stopping violence. Then a gospel choir sang for the last hour. It was a very unique experience and I was glad to have helped out in the process of making the city safer for the people of Chicago even if I only did something small like talk to residents. I would definitely do it again! 

I hope everything is going well with you! I'll talk to you soon! 

Love, Kelsey 

It sounds like Elmhurst College is doing its job in providing a complete education and it also sounds like Kelsey is soaking it up. She didn't mention classes but knowing Kelsey, she didn't need to.

Of course I went into the files on our Pomeroy ancestors as soon as I could and entered them in my family forest, I mean tree. It is a short branch and as I suspected, the line extending back to antiquity was not provable and so ends around 1600. See Ancestors of Mary Pomeroy.  But ... I cheated. The file I got from Nancy Maliwinsky had little information on the Lyman branch and none on the ancestors of Repent Weeks. I must confess to resorting to information from One World Tree for that information, realizing that it may be inaccurate. However, we find these notes in the Pomeroy file:

Joshua POMEROY22-25 was born on 24 Sep 1675 in Deerfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts.22,26 He was captured by the Indians with his wife Esther in 1704 in Deerfield, Franklin County, Massachusetts.27 He lived in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts on 8 Dec 1706.27 In 1712 he was a Constable in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.28 Joshua POMEROY and Repent WEEKS were married on 4 Feb 1708 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.22,25,29 Boston, Massachusetts Marriages source lists marriage date as 5 Feb 1707~BB

&
Eltweed POMEROY56-75 was born before 4 Jul 1585 in England.66-72,76-79 He was baptised in Beaminster, County Dorset, England on 4 Jul 158576,77,79 Before 1630 he was a gunsmith in Beaminster, County Dorset, England.80 Between 1630 and 1670 he was a gunsmith in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts and in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut.80 He took the oath of freeman on 4 Mar 1632/33 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.59,81 He was made chairman of the board of the Dorchester town government in 1633 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.60 1633: One of the first settlers and proprietors of Dorchester MA and first selectman.~WGP He owned a house lot that extended to the foot of the meadow hill & went the same width to the river between 1633 and 1650 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut.75 He removed with his family to Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut in 1638.60,82 1636-1637: Emigrated with Mr. John Warham's congregation to Windsor, CT.~WGP He owned two houses, one on the Palisade and the other on the Sandstone Road after 1638 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut.60 1638: Land in Windsor granted to him in the "Palisado". This land was given as gifts to his son's Caleb and Joseph. ~WGP He came before the magistrates requesting help in restitution from the Pequatts for a stolen mare on 11 Apr 1639 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut.83 He sold to Thomas Nowell 1 parcel of land on 4 Aug 1641 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut.84 He sold his home lot in the Palisado to Thomas Nowell on 4 Aug 1641 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut.85 He was chosen for his town to determine the price any weaver should receive for yarn on 3 Jun 1644 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut.86 He was paid for the loss of the mare from the Narroganset wampum in the sum of Ten pounds on 4 Aug 1654 in Connecticut.87 He was satisfied with the amount the Court allowed him for the mare that was killed on 4 Oct 1660 in Connecticut.88 He received the 10 pounds in Wompom he was formerly granted by the Court on 17 Aug 1661 in Connecticut.89 He made generous provisions for his "dear and loving wife, Lydia" in 1665.90 He lived and was lsited as a freeman in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut on 11 Oct 1669.91 He was granted by Court to be paid 10 Pounds out of the public treasury for the mare killed by Indians on 14 Oct 1669 in Connecticut.92 He sold to Walter Fylar 1 1/2 acre of meadowland in the Great Meadow on 25 Apr 1671 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut.93 He lived with his son Medad in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts in 1671. 94 He lived in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts in 1670/71.95 He died in Mar 1673 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.96-98 Died at home of son Medad. Tradition said Eltweed went blind and died 2 years after moving in 1673.~WGP
He signed a will on 30 Sep 1673 in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts.96 From the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol 70, January 1916, p. 55: Pomeroy
Since the publication, in the REGISTER of July 1913 and of January 1914,* of articles on the Englis ancestry of Eltweed Pomeroy, the immigrant ancestor of the Pomeroy family in New England, the conclusions reached in those articles have been questioned in various printed statements. Therefor the Committee on English Research wishes to inform the readers of the REGISTER that in these printed statements no evidence has been presented that affects in the slightest degree the correctness of the conclusions given in the REGISTER, namely, (1) that Richard Pomeroy of the armigerous family of Pomeroy of Berry-Pomeroy, co. Devon, who has been claimed as identical with Richard Pomeroy of Beaminster, co. Dorset, the father of Eltweed Pomeroy, died without issue; and (2) that the parentage of Richard Pomeroy, father of Eltweed, has not yet been found.
The Committee wishes also to repeat the statement that the illistration facing page 47 of the REGISTER of January 1914 was presented as a true copy of Harleian MS 1091, fo. 109, dorso. It was not represented to be a correct pedigree of the Pomeroy family."~WGP
Eltweed POMEROY and Margery Mary ROCKETT were married on 7 May 1629 in Crewkerne, County Somerset, England.67,71,99-101 Listed as Margery Mary in International Marriage Records~BB

Also:
Deacon Medad POMEROY57,62,73,124-136 was born in 1638 in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut. 42,132,137,138 He was baptised in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut on 19 Aug 163842,137,139 He lived in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts in 1659.135,140 Between 1659 and 1716 he was a gunsmith in Windsor, Hartford County, Connecticut and in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.141,142 He was first given use of John Webb's blacksmith tools by the town of Northampton in Aug 1660 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.143 He took the
freeman oath on 31 May 1661 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.144 Ancestry.com has the year as 1671.
Definition/explanation of freeman can be found on
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/states/mass05.htm ~KMW
He was mentioned in brother Eldad's will on 20 May 1662.112 He took the oath of freeman on 31 May 1671.126 He was made administrator of his father's estate on 30 Sep 1673 in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts.96 He and David Wilton and Joseph Taylor were given the liberty to erect a saw-mill on a brook in 1674 in Easthampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.145 He was chosen Deacon of the church where Solomon Stoddard was pastor in 1675 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.146 He was a witness to the will of James Bridgman about 29 Mar 1676 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.147 He engaged at the fight at Turner's Falls in 1676 in Turners Falls, Franklin County, Massachusetts.128 He was elected as representative to the General Court in 1677 in Massachusetts.146 He was on the committee for the re-settling of Deerfield in 1680.128 He was Commissioner to the United Colonies.128 He was elected as representative to the General Court between 1683 and 1686 in Massachusetts.146 He was elected as representative to the General Court in 1690 in Massachusetts.146 From 1692 to 1712 he was a town clerk in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.128 He was elected as representative to the General Court in 1692 in Massachusetts.146 He lived town treasurer in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts from 1693 to 1710.128 From 1698 to 1716 he was a county treasurer in Hampshire County, Massachusetts.148 He deeded land to Ebenezer Pomeroy in 1704 in Hampden County, Massachusetts.149 He deeded land to Nathaniel Dwight in 1704 in Hampden County, Massachusetts.149 He deeded land to John Lyman in 1706 in Hampden County, Massachusetts.149 He deeded land to Ebenezer Pomeroy in 1707 in Hampden County,
Massachusetts.149 He died on 30 Dec 1716 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.42,150 He was buried at the Bridge Street Cemetery in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts after 30 Dec 1716151 -1659: Moved to Northampton, MA and welcomed on account of his blacksmithing skills. -1692-1712: Town Clerk. -1693-1710: Town Treasurer. -1680: On Committee for the re-settling of Deerfield. Clerk of the Proprietors of Deerfield. Commissioner to the United Colonies. -1676: Engaged at the fight at Turner's Falls.~WGP

In Addition:
Henry POMEROY61,188 was born before 5 Aug 1593 in Beaminster, County Dorset, England.188,189 He was baptised in Beaminster, County Dorset, England on 5 Aug 1593189 He was given 5 shillings by the town, according to the Poor Book Records in Jul 1635 in Beaminster, County Dorset, England.
190 He was given 5 shillings by the town, according to the Poor Book Records in Aug 1635 in Beaminster, County Dorset, England.191 He died before 30 Aug 1635 in Beaminster, County Dorset, England.192,193 He was buried in Beaminster, County Dorset, England on 30 Aug 1635192,193 According
to the Beaminster Poor Book Records for 1635, John Hodder was reimbursed in December 1635 for Henry Pomeroy's burial shrowd.

There were adventures and misadventures. Some of the Pomeroy's were wealthy and successful and some were not and, were in fact, paupers. You may notice that many of our colonial ancestors were "Freemen". I had to look it up and you will find the meaning at "Freeman's Oath". Also some were "Selectmen". A Selectman was one of a board of officials elected in towns of all New England states except Rhode Island to serve as the chief administrative authority of the town. Sounds like mayor by committee.

 

Straight praying is never born of crooked conduct. ~ E.M. Bounds .

I have been asked, "Where do you get all this information?" Well, I have neither the time or resources to gather it all myself. It is very difficult to ferret out accurate information. To give you an idea of what it takes I invite you to visit the Pomeroy's new Blog. This is an excellent description of the sources of information and the effort involved in extracting, analyzing and recording it into a meaningful history of a family. I simply take advantage of the efforts of those who do all this, usually by doing an internet search for, in this case, "Pomeroy Family"  which usually leads me to something like the web site of the American Pomeroy Historic Genealogical Association.  Sometimes the information I seek is on the website and sometimes contact is made with the owner of the site or other contact person, a question is asked and the information flows back. The bonus is that in most cases, a new friendship blossoms. Isn't life wonderful!

Moving from my father's side of my ancestors to my mother's side, I did a search on Industries in early Easton, Ma. just on a whim to see where Shepard Packard may have been a foundry worker before entering the US Army at the age of 22 in 1839. (He had listed Easton as his birthplace and Foundry Worker as his occupation on his service records) I didn't find anything on that, but I found the Easton Historical Society and newly posted census reports for the area. These told me that there were 5 Packard families living there in 1800. Shepard Packard must have been a child of one of them ... but which one? Census records of the time listed only the name of the head of the house and the numbers of people living there. I also discovered that there was the family of a Samuel Shepard living there at the same time. Did a daughter of the Shepard family marry a Packard and have a child in 1818 whom they named Shepard Packard? Possible! I sent an inquiry to the Historical Society. Could they help or direct me to someone who could. Then I did a search on "Shepard Family" and found the web site of a Shepard Family researcher. Another email was dispatched. We will see if either bears fruit. Then I did find information on industry in Easton at Forging Ahead. A discussion of the Ames family industry there and we can probably assume that Shepard Packard got his early experience in one of the earliest foundries in the world there. In skimming through this informative document in pdf format, many familiar names were found including Packard and Copeland. We also notice a possible family connection here as in the early 1700's we know of marriages joining the Ames and Packard families. There was indeed a thriving metal working plant in Easton at the time of Shepard Packard's emergence into adulthood. 

Bible Study on Thursday was very interesting. Many participants were not aware that there are two different and conflicting stories of creation in the Bible. These stories are now recognized as being based in myth, but the truth in them is that God is the creator. Another truth is that in marriage, a man and a woman become "one flesh". The Gospel reading for the coming weekend is the one about marriage and divorce. That of course led to a spirited discussion. I once had a very rigid conception of the subject. Marriage was foreve!. Period. But that was before I discovered the realities of life. My natural parents were married, to different people, then divorced. I was their illegitimate child. They both went on to marry again, my mother multiple times. Who am I to judge! Some marriages should never have been for any number of reasons. Some marriages need to be ended, again, for any number of reasons. And yes, the church acknowledges that fact. They also acknowledge the fact that civil divorce is not an impediment to being a Catholic or receiving the sacraments. However if either party to the divorce were to remarry, an annulment should be obtained. Contrary to popular belief, an annulment does not dissolve or negate a marriage. The marriage did occur and was valid. It is simply the recognition that it should not have happened, there was not a complete and sincere commitment to the vows taken (even if both parties at the time though they were). An annulment serves to release the individuals from their vows. These are things that I have known now for years. Some in our group discussion were surprised, if not shocked. But as I said, who am I to judge, and I refuse to do so.

 

Opportunities multiply as they are seized; they die when neglected. Life is a long line of opportunities. ~ John Wicker .

As you can see, it has been a very busy week for me mostly involved in the genealogy of my family. It fascinates me to no end. Besides, it has been too cool to be out enjoying the garden and nature. I think the technical term for the weather this past week has been "yucky". Of course if this was March I would be out there in a jacket reveling in the 60° weather but we have been spoiled by a stretch of unusually good weather and now we are back to reality,  whatever that is.

In my gathering of family information, I call it gathering because I hardly qualify as a researcher, I have found much of interest. The living conditions and the state of community life in times gone by is sobering at times. I am blessed to have been born into this day and age. I do like my comforts ... probably too much. And yet in this day and age there are still hazards of life. Things can be better. If we could eliminate the inequalities of society we could eliminate much of the strife. That of course would mean the setting aside the notion that somehow we are better or more disserving than the other guy. We are terrified by the idea that in order to bring equal opportunity to the world we must give up part of what we have. It ain't necessarily so. We just need to work a little harder to bring the have not's up to our level. We need to give the downtrodden the opportunity to thrive. A real effort must be made to move toward a world of equal justice for all and to let individuals and corporations know that greed is evil.

My granddaughter, Kelsey, got closer to the problems a couple weeks ago in her encounter with poverty and violence. We are all too often isolated in our own corner of the world. Years ago, when I wanted to get a reaction from Anne, as we floated in our pool on a delightful sunny day with a martini in hand, I would casually say, "I wonder what the poor people are doing today?" We sometimes felt guilty about our good fortune. Unfortunately there are many who not only don't feel guilty, but they gloat over the unfortunate among us. Guilt is good. It prods us to be better if we allow it. The danger is that we sometimes "harden our hearts" to protected ourselves from guilt.  But it is better to get past guilt and be positive in our efforts to a more just and compassionate world.

In any case, as yucky as the weather has been, and in spite of the sorry state of our society, I have realized that my life has been touched by many, directly and indirectly, during my lifetime and through my ancestors and even those who touched them. I am better for their influence and I know that this is the way God's Holy Spirit works. And so I invite you to join me as I try, as I touch other people, to not leave a scar but a warm feeling. For ...

I Am blest I Am  anointed I Am overjoyed .