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| First Baptist Church, Swansea, Massachusetts (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Today, I'll take a look back at those who share this day. From my ninth great grandfather, Samuel Luther, in 1636 to my granduncle, Clem, in 1869.
October 25, 1636- My ninth great grandfather, Samuel Luther, is born to John & Elizabeth Luther in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts.
A captain of the militia, he was a prominent early figure in the Massachusetts Colony.
It is said that Samuel Luther survived a raid by a group of Lenape Indians at age nine while accompanying his father on a trading voyage to Delaware Bay, and was held captive for a period. His father, Captain John Luther, was killed in the raid.
"From the two sons of Captain John, Samuel & Hezekiah, are descended all the Luthers of this area, nineteen of whom are recorded as having served in the Revolutionary War. Samuel lived in Rehoboth for a time and later joined in the settlement of Attleboro. He sold out his interests in 1667 to join in the settlement of Swansea. In spite of the fact that he had no formal education, as few did in those days, he proved himself a man of such caracter and leadership ability that he was ordained Elder of the Swansea Baptist Church to succeed the distinguished Elder John Myles. He became known after that as Reverand Captain Samuel Luther." p.66 The Swansea Stage: A Local History
On October 25, 1662, his twenty-sixth birthday, he married Mary Abell, daughter of Captain John Abell & Joanna Hyde. One year later to the day, their first son was born.
It has been said he bought a stone house which had been built by Governor Benton of Newport, on land at Mattapoisett purchased in turn from the Indians in 1644, which house was garrisoned at the beginning of King Philip's War. He served as minister of the First Baptist Church of Swansea from 1685 until his death.
October 25, 1663- My eighth great granduncle, Samuel Luther is born to Samuel Luther & Mary Abell on his father's twenty-seventh birthday.
October 25, 1676- Sarah Lawton is born to Isaac Lawton & Elizabeth Tallman in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Sarah is my first cousin 10 times removed.
October 25, 1692- Twin boys, Edward and Alexander, are born to Samuel Bow & Mary Turner in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut. Alexander does not survive infancy. Edward lives to adulthood, but dies at the age of 32, leaving his widow, Ann, and three young children. The twins are my first cousins 9 times removed.
October 25, 1719- Isaac Sisson is born to Richard Sisson & Ann Card in Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island. He is my first cousin 9 times removed.
October 25, 1723- Elizabeth Tyson is born to Matthias Tyson & Mary Potts in Abington Township, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is my second cousin 8 times removed.
October 25, 1725- Mary Doolittle is born to John Doolittle & Mary Fredericks in Wallingford, New Haven, Connecticut. Mary is my second cousin 8 times removed.
October 25, 1734- Elizabeth Neale is born to Charles Neale & Mary Smith in Charles County, Maryland. She is my third cousin 7 times removed.
October 25, 1751- Edward Cole is born to Ebenezer Cole & Prudence Miller in Warren, Rhode Island. He is my second cousin 8 times removed.
October 25, 1765- Judith Elder is born to Guy Elder & Eleanor Ogle in Frederick County, Maryland. She is my second cousin 5 times removed.
Judith's husband, Thomas Livers, is also born on this day. His parents are Anthony Livers & Mary Wickham. Thomas and Judith leave Maryland, going to Kentucky in 1786. Thomas is my first cousin 5 times removed.
October 25, 1768- Irene Miller is born to Lieutenant Ichabod Miller and his wife, Elizabeth Bacon, in Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut.
Excerpt from a letter Irene wrote to her granddaughters sometime after her husband's death in 1834:
"...we had to push through field & forest sometimes mid swamp & savages to find Hanover Green there we lived & loved & worked & watched & prayed together, I could not, like some of my granddaughters, solve every problem that could be sent me, I could not, like you, calculate the distance of the stars or the revolutions of the planets, but I had to reckon up every year how much tow & linin & woolen I should have to have spun & wove to cover & warm my family. I didnìt to calculate so close as some for your grandfather was a good provider & never complained that heìd everything to buy, for he had a store full of his own & I didnìt have to be savin of soap & savin of lye for we had potash of our own too- & if we needed anything stronger than water we had liquors in the store & a cider mill besidess. Your Grandfather was always temperate, A true son of the land of Steady Habits.
My fair granddaughters I was not called on like some of you to speak before the graduating classes of Seminarys, or read my compositions before the Missionary Conventions, I could not like some of you, speak dead & foreign languages but I was called on to speak words of cheer & comfort to Levi & Benjamin, & Alanson, & Isaac, & Curtice, & Ichabod, & Phineus, & Irene, & Sally, as I nursed them through the measles & mumps the whooping cough & the smallpox. &I had to give them a good dose of composition too, before I got them through.
I could not paint- as you can, but I could manage the "Miller Bluesî & that always satisfiedd your grandfather just as well. I could not play and sing as you can, but I could handle the tub & pound barrel, the loom & the spinning wheel."
Irene died in 1857 at the age of 89. She is my third cousin 7 times removed.
October 25, 1869- My granduncle, Armstead Clement Worland, "Clem", is born to Thomas Clement Worland & Alice Marie Gideon in Osakis, Todd County, Minnesota.
I say Irene must surley had been the most loving wife, giving mother and wonderful grandmother anyone could have ever had.
ReplyDeleteVery informative blog as I love history and I thank you for all you've shared.
Victoria