Alexander Kelly - A Man Who Made America

           Alexander Kelly led a truely fascinating life. He had a part in the foundation of America in many ways. Born in Ireland, his family immigrated to the colony of Virginia when he was very young. He fought in the war for independence as a private in Capt. Thomas Parramorre's company, 9th VA Regiment, commanded by Col. Thomas Flemings and later by Col. George Matthews. He married Nancy Robinson in what is now West Virgina and together they had at least six children. At some point he moved to Tennessse in the Chattanooga area and opened a ferry on the Tennessee River. You can still drive down Kelly Ferry Road and visit the Kelly Ferry Cemetery. He was a farmer and a miller. He was the first senator of Blount county. He fought Indians. He was a charter trustee of Blount College which would later become the University of Tennessee. This is just a brief, parred-down description of his interesting life. If you a would like to know more, I have included a story about him that ran in The Chattanoogan. I just didn't think that I could do a better job than this author did a telling the story of Alexander Kelly.

Alexander Kelly is my 6th great grandfather.
Alexander Kelly - John Kelly - Nancy Kelly - Adeline Hoge - James Murphy Looney - Susan Irene Looney

      DAR To Honor Revolutionary War Captain Alexander Kelly

   Thursday, May 5, 2016

Descendants of one of Marion County’s earliest pioneers and members of the Daughters of the American Revolution from across the state of Tennessee will gather at Pine Grove Cemetery in Jasper on Saturday afternoon, May 21, for a grave marking ceremony to honor Alexander Kelly, a captain in the Virginia Militia during the American Revolution. 

Mr. Kelly, whose family became residents of the Sequatchie Valley in the earliest days of its settlement as part of the state of Tennessee, was one of the commissioners who acquired property from Betsy Pack that became the town of Jasper, and determined that it would be the county seat town of the newly formed Marion County. Prior to his arrival in the newly opened settlement area of present-day Marion County, Mr. Kelly had been an active participant in the establishment of settlements in several areas of east Tennessee.  

Born about 1755 in County Armagh, Ireland, Mr. Kelly was brought to the American colonies as a young child. By the time of the Declaration of Independence, he was living in the Greenbrier area of Virginia, which is now a part of West Virginia, in the Allegheny Mountains, a scenic area of the United States whose natural setting might be called to mind when one views the Sequatchie Valley. Mr. Kelly enlisted in the Revolutionary forces on July 9, 1776, only five days after the Declaration of Independence. 

 An article in the University of Tennessee’s UT Alumnus (Winter, 1975), entitled Alexander Kelly: Frontier Lawmaker, Indian Fighter, recounts that Mr. Kelly’s son, John Kelly was born in Greenbrier County, Va. on June 2, 1779, but that some time between 1779 and 1783, Mr. Kelly “took his family southward into Tennessee country. Old records reveal that Mr. Kelly was appointed as assessor in Greene County, N.C. (Tennessee) in April, 1783; and two years later he was named a major of Greene County militia in the short-lived State of Franklin.”  

Mr. Kelly was married to Nancy Robinson, by whom he had at least six children, all of whom became pioneer settlers of the Sequatchie Valley. John Kelly, the eldest son, married Nancy Mayo, and became the first clerk of Marion County when the new county was formed in 1817. He also later owned and operated Kelly’s Ferry on the Tennessee River near the county line between Hamilton and Marion Counties. Captain Kelly’s son, Alexander Kelly, Jr., married Sally Prigmore on Feb. 17, 1817, in Roane County, Tenn., and they were also early Marion County settlers and farmers. William Kelly married Ruth Prigmore (daughter of Joseph and Kizziah Prigmore) in Nov., 1809, in Roane County, Tenn., and they also became early residents of Marion County, with many of their descendants also settling in Bledsoe County and Sequatchie County. Viny Kelly married Adam Lamb in 1815, and they became residents of the part of Bledsoe County which intersects with present-day Sequatchie County. Margaret Kelly, known as Peggy, married Ephraim Prigmore (son of Joseph and Kizziah Moore Prigmore) on Nov. 9, 1809, in Roane County, Tenn., and they became pioneer residents of the part of Marion County near the present-day Prentice Cooper State Forest, where they farmed and began a grist mill operation later owned by their Ketner descendants and still known today as Ketner’s Mill. Annie Kelly married Richard Stone, and they lived in Marion County. 

The following accounts are taken from the article about Alexander Kelly in the UT Alumnus:  “By 1792, Kelly had moved his family to Knox County, where he became a farmer and miller. He was appointed a colonel of Knox County militia, and in 1793, he took part in the expedition against the Indians who had attacked outlying stations and threatened the territorial capitol of Knoxville.  

“Under John Sevier, the military pursued the Indians into Georgia and defeated them at the forks of the Coosa and Hightower Rivers, near the present site of Rome, Georgia. 

 “In that battle, Colonel Kelly led a maneuver that settled the issue in the militia’s favor. Finding the river ford obstructed by Indians entrenched on the opposite shore, Sevier sent Kelly’s party downstream to make a crossing. Kelly and some of his men swam the river, thus getting the attention of the Indians who ‘left their entrenchments and ran down the river to oppose their passage.’ The main force of militia quickly forded the river and routed the Indians.  

“When the territorial legislators were elected in 1793, Alexander Kelly was chosen a representative from Knox County. 

 “In 1795 Knox County was divided and Blount County was formed. Kelly was one of seven Commissioners named to find a site for the county seat and to erect county buildings. The site of Maryville was chosen, and the town was named in honor of Governor William Blount’s wife, Mary Grainger Blount. 

 “Kelly moved his residence to Blount County about that time, settling in the vicinity of present-day Louisville and building a mill on Lackey’s Creek. 

 “Appointed commandant of the county militia, Kelly lost no time in fulfilling his responsibility to protect the settlers of Blount County. 

 “Early in 1795 Indians came out of their mountain towns and raided isolated homes in the new county. Kelly raised about fifty men and marched across Chilhowee Mountain to Tallassee Old Town. Upon reaching the river and seeing smoke rising from the opposite shore, he sent a detachment across the stream to attack from the rear – a maneuver employed so effectively at Hightower. The surprised Indians were routed from the river bluffs, with eight being killed. Kelly’s company suffered no injuries. 

 “The swift action brought peace to the new county.”  

When the first Legislature of Tennessee met on March 28, 1796, 11 counties were represented. Mr. Kelly was the senator from Blount County, serving in that role in the first and second General Assemblies. He was one of the two members appointed to “wait on his Excellency John Sevier” at his inauguration as governor of Tennessee. According to the Congressional ordinance, for the United States South of the Ohio River the Territorial Legislature was to consist of the governor, Legislative Council, and the House of Representatives.  

The General Assembly met at Knoxville Aug. 25, 1794. William Blount was the governor. The Legislative Council was composed of Griffith Rutherford, John Sevier, James Winchester, Stokley Donelson, and Parmenas Taylor. The Honorable Griffith Rutherford was unanimously elected president; George Roulstone, clerk; and Christopher Shoat, doorkeeper. The House of Representatives was composed of David Wilson, James White, James Ford, William Cocke, Joseph Harden, George Doherty, Samuel Wear, John Baird, and Alexander Kelly.  

According to the UT Alumnus article:  “Sometimes a ‘conflict of interest’ arose, and Alexander Kelly had to choose between sitting in the legislative chamber and riding against marauding Indians. In those rare instances, military duty took precedence. “For example, while the territorial legislature of which he was a member was meeting at Knoxville on Aug. 28, 1794, ‘on motion of Mr. Kelly, seconded by Mr. Hardin, ordered that Mr. Kelly and Mr. Beard have leave of absence to go on a scout against the Indians.’ 

 “A threatened incursion of hostile Cherokees made it necessary for the two militia officers to put aside their legislative duties for days of hard riding through the neighboring hills and valleys.“A week later, ‘Mr. Kelly returned and took his seat’ in the legislative hall – just in time to vote on the resolution to create Blount College.” 

 Mr. Kelly was a charter trustee of Blount College, which was the forerunner to the University of Tennessee, thus making Mr. Kelly, in the words of the UT Alumnus article, “a champion of education in the infant State of Tennessee.”  

Mr. Kelly’s experience in the settlement of counties in east Tennessee made him well-suited to assist other pioneer settlers in the establishment of Marion County when it was formed. After his participation in locating and naming Jasper as the county seat town, and determining where the courthouse would be located, he was apparently satisfied to have his son, John Kelly, and other descendants take on the duties of civic office. Others of his children and grandchildren became prominent farmers, mill operators, merchants, landowners, and political figures in the parts of the Sequatchie Valley where they lived. Most of them also became active participants and leaders in their churches, particularly the Cumberland Presbyterian churches in the Sequatchie Valley. Although Mr. Kelly’s descendants have spread throughout the United States and other parts of the world, many of them still live in the Sequatchie Valley.  

Some time after settling in Marion County, Mr. Kelly drowned in the Sequatchie River, and his remains were apparently lost. Although Mr. Kelly's descendants are buried in family burial grounds and other cemeteries throughout the Sequatchie Valley, Mr. Kelly, Revolutionary War captain and leader of early Tennessee, has had no monument to mark his life until the present day. 

 Recently, one of Mr. Kelly descendant, Edwin Zachariah Kelly, Jr., a retired attorney and lifelong resident of Jasper, instituted a project for Kelly descendants to place a monument at Pine Grove Cemetery, where many Kelly descendants are buried, to honor the life of Mr. Kelly. The monument will be inscribed with information about Mr. Kelly’s life in the history of Tennessee. The National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, have authorized the Judge David Campbell Chapter of that organization to place a DAR marker at Pine Grove to honor Mr. Kelly’s service as a captain in America’s Revolutionary War.  

The ceremony to dedicate the markers and to honor the life of Mr. Kelly will take place on Saturday, May 21, at 3 p.m., Central time, at Pine Grove Cemetery in Jasper, at the intersection of Valley View Highway and Mel Dixon Lane. The Sequatchie River, where Mr. Kelly died, runs through Marion County near that place. All interested people are cordially invited to attend.

Sources and More:

• DAR To Honor Revolutionary War Captain Alexander Kelly, The Chattanoogan, Chattanooga, TN, May 5, 2016
• Kelly Kaleidoscope, http://akellydesc.com/alexander-kelly.html
• Kelly's Ferry Cemetery Wikipedia page
• From Armagh to America, Kelly Ancestry, kellyancestry.com

Bandits in Disguise

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. (1853). Elisabeth Grace and Rachel Martin. Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/965e7df4-d4d5-d510-e040-e00a180671b7

Sometimes when I hit a brick wall in researching, I simply pick another line and see how far I can take it. Today that method payed off in a big way. I ended up looking at the Martin line on my mother's maternal side and was able to click through the family on Wikitree all the way back to 800 AD! Granted, I haven't personally verified this research but anything that old is usually well documented. It was fun to click through all the generations but for this post I want to focus on Elizabeth "Betty" Marshall Martin. Elizabeth was born in Virginia in 1727. She married Abram Martin in 1744 and together they had 8 sons and 1 daughter. 

During the Revolutionary War, Betty's husband, Abram, and all eight of their sons fought for freedom. The wives of the two eldest sons stayed with their mother-in-law at the family's farm in Edgefield County, South Carolina while their husbands were on the front. Betty would have been in her early 40s and the girls only in their 20s.

One evening they were alerted that a British courier with two guards would be passing by transporting important dispatches. All of the men were fighting so there was no one to stop them. The women hatched a plan. Rachel and Grace dressed in their husbands' clothes and loaded their pistols. According to sources, the British soldiers were so completely surprised that they never even drew their weapons. they surrendered their dispatches and rode off at a gallop, probably glad to escape with their lives!

Rachel and Grace delivered the dispatches to a trusted courier who delivered them to Major Greene. They went back home to the farm and changed clothes in the barn. When they entered the house, who was there but the same soldiers they themselves had attacked just hours before! The three British soldiers had gone to Betty's home and asked for lodging for the night. Of course they didn't recognize Rachel and Grace as the "men" who had attacked them. 

On it on this is an exciting and amazing story but to top it off in 1853, artist F.O.C. Darley did a depiction of the event. That is the image that I have included at the top of this post. 

This story has been told over and over by better writers and storytellers than myself. A simple search for "Elizabeth, Rachel, and Grace Martin"  will reveal pages and pages written about their story. There is even a video series! I am so proud to have these women in my family. Elizabeth "Betty" Marshall Martin is my 8th great grandmother. Her son George Martin - Anne E Martin - Rachel Clay Finch - Edward Scruggs - Henry Scruggs - Beulah Scruggs - Sula Plunkett, my great grandmother. 

Martin

Settlement of Abram and Elizabeth Marshall Martin

About 1769

Near This Spot Their Daughters In Law

Sally Grace and Rachel

During American Revolution

Captured Important Dispatches From

British Soldiers on Their Way From

Augusta to Ninety Six

Erected By Martin Descendants

1953

Sons of
Abram and Elizabeth Marshall
Martin
Who were soldiers in the American
Army of the War of the RevolutionWilliam
James
John
George
Barclay
Edmund
Marshall
Matthew

Sources:

• Logan, Mrs. John A., (1912). The Part was Taken by Women in American History. Perry-Nalle Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware.
• Elizabeth, Grace and Rachel Martin, AmericanRevolution.org

Also, there is a video series produced by Idella Bodie's South Carolina Women hosted on knowitall.org. It is made for 3rd-8th graders but we can all learn from it.

Like Something From Dickens

    The story I am about to attempt to tell is one I have wanted to share for a while. I think it is a fascinating story, like something from the Masterpiece Theater. There are so many historical details that are important that I will never be able to cover it all in this short story format but I will do my best to hit the highlights. I have learned so much about history through my genealogy research but the politics of Western Europe during the 15th -17th centuries is over my head.

     The Home/Hume family is one of the oldest families in Scotland. They are descended from the Saxon

Clan Home Tartan

kings of England who ruled from about 800-1100 A.D. The Homes had a very turbulent time, falling in and out of favor with rulers of their time. George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar (1556-1611) was the most prominent and most influential Scotsman in England. He was the chief Scottish advisor to King James.

     In 1715 there was an attempt to regain the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland for the House of Stuart later to be called the Jacobite Rising of 1715. James Hume, son of Charles, 6th Earl of Hume, was "true to his religion" and took part in the rebellion and consequently was forced to forfeit his estate.

     Forced to flea religious persecution, James, his wife, Marjorie, and their daughter, Barbara, set sail on the ship Caledonia for New York City. They had plans to stay with Marjorie's aunt and uncle. Disease broke out on the ship and James and Marjorie died leaving Barbara in the care of a family friend, William Hoge. William left young Barbara with her relatives in New York City and went to make his home in New Jersey.

    William eventually married Barbara and they went on to have 9 children who were leaders in the Shenandoah frontier.

    Maybe I am romanticizing it. The wealthy family that loses everything for fighting for what they believe; the parents dying on the ship and never reaching American and their second chance; the young girl, left in the care of a young man who eventually becomes her husband. It just sounds like something Charles Dickens would have written.

     James Hume is my 9th great-grandfather. I suppose that also means that I am descended from the Saxon kings.


Sources:

• Taylor, James. The Great Historic Families of Scotland. Vol. 1, J.S. Virtue & Co, London, 1887, http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~hume/histfaml.htm
• Johnston, David E. A History of Middle New River Settlements and Contiguous Territory. Standard PTC. & PUB. Co., Huntington, West Virgina. 1906. p 412-414
• Kendall, Hazel May Middleton. The descendants of William Gregg, the Friend immigrant to Delaware, 1682: from which nucleus disseminated nests of Greggs to Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina. Anderson, Indiana: H.M. Kendall, 1944, pp. 26-28. Note: This is a link to download the whole book in PDF format.
• SR James Hume (1639-1682) - Find A Grave Memorial.” Find A Grave, www.findagrave.com/memorial/171262969/james-hume.
• Clan Home. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Home

My First NPE Case - "Tonya"

This post is going to be a little bit different than my usual family history posts. One thing I spend a lot of time doing is identifying where my DNA matches fit into my tree. DNA matches are other Ancestry.com user who I share DNA with. I currently have 115,477 DNA matches. That's a lot of cousins! Only about 4200 of those are 4th cousins or closer. Since I began working with my DNA matches I have had a goal of finding the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) for all of my 2nd - 3rd cousins. I don't have any matches closer that 2nd cousin- once removed (2C1R).  Since 3rd cousins share great great grandparents and I know all of my 2nd great grandparents this should have been a fairly easy task. However, there are a few that have given me trouble. One of these is a lady we'll call Tonya. Ancestry guesses our relationship to be 3rd-4th cousins. We share 93cM (centimorgans) or about 0.5% of our DNA.

Tonya has a large tree. All of the lines go back several generations so I was stumped when we had no ancestor in common. When this happens my first step is to look at our common matches. I saw that all of our common matches were on the Watson/Brown/Oswalt line. Another interesting thing is that she had no ancestors in the South. All of my ancestors, with the exception of one line, were in the South. At this point, I sent Tonya a message asking her if she could pin point how we were related.  My next step is to build a mirror tree. This is simply a tree I build that is identical to Tonya's tree, this way I can change it and add to it as I figure out how we are connected. This helped me decide that I was definitely not connected to anyone in her tree. Maybe her tree was wrong? But how?

I started adding our shared matches to the mirror tree and quickly realized that our MRCA were John Calvin Brown and Julia Ann Oswalt. I had figured it out! But that is not where this story ends.

A few weeks after I had found the connection, Tonya messaged me back. She said that she had no matches on her father's side and had no idea how we were connected. She asked me where we go from here. I could tell she had had a lot to process since getting her results. I can't imagine finding out that way that your dad is not your father! I was glad to be able to message her back that I knew how we were related and that I would be happy to share my mirror tree with her. We messaged back and forth a few more times and I eventually offered to help her find her father. I have always wanted to solve an NPE (Non-paternity Event) but I wanted to be sensitive to her and her family. She said she had no idea how to go about it and would appreciate the help. I started right then! Tonya gave me access to her DNA matches and I saw that she had several 1st-2nd cousin matches so I felt pretty sure I would be able to solve this! 

It took me about 7 hours over 3 days but I did it! I found a man that fit perfectly. He was the right age, in the right place at the right time. It was such a fun puzzle to solve. I even think they look a little bit alike.

Unfortunately he passed away when she would have been very young. I shared all of this information with Tonya last week but haven't heard from her since then. It is up to her what she does with the information. I do hope she eventually gets to meet her half siblings and that everything works out. 

One other thing that was interesting about this case was the family line we share intermarried with the same families and sometimes their own family many times. I mentioned earlier that Tonya and I share 93 cM of DNA. She and I are 3C1R. The upper limit for this relationship is 75 cM and the average is 30 cM. There was so much endogamy that we had 18 more cM than we should have been able to! That is crazy!

Known and New Relations

James Murphy Looney was born March 7, 1853 in Jackson County, AL. By 1860, his family was living in Franklin, TN. When he was just 13 his mother, Adeline Hogue Looney,  died, leaving him to help take care of his 5 younger siblings. James married Mary Susan Francis October 29, 1874.

John Calvin Looney was born in or near Hawkins County, TN on October 1, 1821. He married Adaline Hoge on December 18, 1851.

 His father, Michael Looney, Jr served as a private in Capt. James Cummings' Company, Child's Battalion, Mounted Gunmen, East Tennessee Volunteers in War of 1812, from October of 1814 to 2 May 1815. His military enlistment form describes his as 19 years old, height 5 feet 7 inches, complexion dark, dark hair, eyes gray.

Michael Looney Jr. died in 1825 in Jackson Co., Ala., "on Crow Creek near Anderson Station", presumably reasonably soon after the birth of his son, Carroll C. Looney in 1824. 

Michael's widow, Susan Matthews, then married Stephen Sutton in 1827, but they soon divorced. Stephen Sutton with wife and three Looney boys can be found in the 1830 census for Jackson Co, Ala. After their divorce, Michael's widow then married #3 Jesse Rogers, 1839 in Franklin Co, TN. 

The 26 Sept 1825 probate of Michael's estate is recorded in Jackson Co, Ala Probate Records 1820-1830, pages 130-133.

Susan's father, James Matthews, was born in 1764 in Lunenburg County, VA. James married Elizabeth Hardy in December of 1788. He served as a private in Georgia's 2nd Militia under Captain James Merriwethers during the War of 1812. He eventually moved to Jackson Countty, AL where on August 1, 1839 He registered land in his name. He died just eight years later. 

James's father, William Matthews was a land owner in Lunenburg County, VA. He was married to Susannah Read on December 31, 1763. (This family loved Christmas weddings apparently!) William is documented as having purchased and sold land in Lunenburg County several times before he died in 1804.  Susannah Read is listed in the Will of her father, William Read, in 1764 with her mother, Elizabeth, and her siblings. 

Thomas Reade was born in 1649 in Ware Parish, Gloucester County, VA, USA. He was the son of Col. (Gov) George Esq. Reade (1608-1674) and Elizabeth Martiau Reade (1625-1696).

Thomas married Lucy Bernard Gwyn in Dec. 1694 at Albington Parish, Gloucester, Virginia.  Lucy was the daughter of Dr. Edmund Gwyn (1635-1683) and Lucy Bernard (1647-1675).
Thomas died in 1716 in Gloucester County, Virginia, USA. He was 67 years old. 

Colonel George Reade was born at Linkenholt Manor, Hampshire, England in 1608 into a very prominent family. He immigrated to Virginia in 1636 with Governor John Harvey. George worked as Harvey's secretary and resided with him at the governor's mansion for sometime after his arrival. He was eventually made the Secretary of the Colony and Acting Governor of Virginia (1638-39); member of the Council of Virginia; member of the House of Burgesses from James City Co.,VA in 1649 and frequently thereafer. He became a member of the Governor's Council on 13 Mar 1657-58, which office he held until his death in 1671. 
He married Elizabeth Martiau in 1641 in York County, VA. 

His daughter, Mildred Reade, was born October 2, 1643, at Warner Hall Plantation in York County, VA. She married Colonel Augustine Warner II, son of Captain Augustine Warner and Mary Towneley, in 1670. 

Mildred Warner was the daughter of Mildred Reade and Augustine Warner. She was born in Virginia about 1671. She married Lawrence Washington in 1686. They had three children: John, Augustine, and Mildred. After Lawrence's death, Mildred married George Gale. 

Augustine Washington was born on November 12, 1694 in Westmoreland, VA to Mildred Warner and Lawrence Washington. When Augustine came of age, he married Jane Butler, an orphan with considerable wealth of her own. The couple settled on his inherited property and quickly constructed a new house called "Wakefield." They had two sons, Lawrence and Augustine before Jane passed away in 1728. Three years later, Augustine remarried to Mary Ball. Their first born son was George Washington, First President of the United States of America

                           George Reade - Elizabeth Martiau

Thomas Reade - Lucy Gwyn                    Mildred Reade - Augustine Warner              Siblings

William Reade - Elizabeth                      Mildred Warner - Lawrence Washington      1st Cousins

Susannah Read -William Matthews          Augustine Washington- Mary  Ball               2nd Cousins

James Matthews -Elizabeth Hardy           George Washington                                   3rd Cousins

Susan Matthews -Michael Looney                                                       3rd Cousin, Once removed to G.W.

John Calvin Looney - Adaline Hoge                                                    3rd Cousin, Twice removed to G.W.
James Murphy Looney -  Mary Susan Francis                                       3rd Cousin, 3xs removed to G.W.

Susan Irene Looney                                                                           3rd Cousin, 4xs removed to G.W.

W.T.                                                                                                3rd Cousin, 5xs removed to G.W.

An Early American Immigrant and a Connection to the Salem Witch Trials

On March 11, 1635 a ship known as the Susan and Ellen, captained by Edward Payne, set sail from London for New England. The 94 passengers were a part of the Great Migration that brought more than 30,000 people on dozens of ships from England to New England in the 1630s. Among these passengers was John North, age 20. It seems like most of the ships passengers settled in and around Ipswich, Mass. John was granted 3 acres of land in Ipswich. He later sold his house and property in Ipswich and moved to Farmington in Hartford County, Connecticut. I admit I got a little excited about a connection to Hartford, being a long time fan of the show, Gilmore Girls, based in a fictional town in Hartford.

How I learned about John North
This line is very new to me and I have only read a tiny fraction of all that is available on this family. I have known about my 5 great grandmother, Hannah Woodruff, for years but I've never been able to get past her. New documents are constantly being made available and that combined with my DNA I was able to bust through this genealogical brick wall. I just didn't realize that behind the wall was river of information. Hannah's parents were Isabella Yale* and Ransom Erastus Woodruff. What a name. Ransom was born in 1783 in Farmington, CT, where his family had been for over 150 years. Ransom's mother was Lois North, great, great granddaughter of the John North who immigrated from England.

John North's Famous Co-Passenger
As I was researching this family, I found the passenger list for the Susan and Ellen. Reading the list one name jumped out at me: John Proctor. Where did I recognize that name from? A quick Google search confirmed that John Proctor who was just 3 years old when he arrived in America would one day be accused of witchcraft along with his wife, Elizabeth. What must John North have thought about the events that were happening in Salem? Surely he remembered the toddler he shared a ship with for those months. Either way, I am sure he was glad he wasn't in Massachusetts any longer.

John North's Impressive Pedigree

Dudley, Third Baron North.
My 12th great grandfather

John North's father was John Dudley North, 3rd Baron North. Dudley was the son of Sir John North and Dorothy Dale, daughter of Sir Valentine Dale. He inherited his title from his grandfather, Roger North, 2nd Baron North. Roger was the son of Edward North, 1st Baron North, and so it keeps going all the way back to Godwin, Earl of Wessex (1001-1053), father of King Harold II who was eventually killed by William, Duke of Normandy, also known as William the Conqueror. Whether John North was descended from Harold or one of his brothers seems to be a source of debate.

My Connection to John North
John North is my 2nd great grandmother, Beulah Mae Spees, 7th great grandfather. My 11th great grandfather.

*Isabella Yale - Also of interest in this family is Hannah Woodruff's mother, Isabella. This line has been traced back all the way to Ryddrech Rhodri ap Euddigan born 210 A.D. in Powys, Wales. I have not researched this other than a quick look through the sources and a look at Welsh history to make sure this is possible and it looks legitimate!

Sources:

• Whittemore, Henry, Genealogical Guide to the Early Settlers of America, Reprinted in Baltimore, MD, Clearfield Company, Inc 1906
• Heritage Consulting, Millennium File, Provo, UT, Ancestry.com Operations, 2003
• Ancestry.com, New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, Provo, UT, Ancestry.com Operations, 2013
• Ancestry.com, North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, Ancesty.com Operasion, Provo, UT 2016
• Geni.com
• Findagrave.com
• wikitree.com