Craig Manson recently wrote about his Greatest Genealogical Find Ever. I've been pondering the question since I read his post. But, after years of researching, it's difficult to pinpoint just one discovery as the "greatest find", there have been so many wonderful discoveries. That's kind of like asking a parent who their favorite child is. So, this isn't necessarily my "greatest find ever" but I thought it was pretty neat.
Nine of my ancestors traveled to New England together on the same ship! They were 3 year old Sara Marvin, 10 year old John Kilbourne, and 8 year old Nathaniel Joslin, and their parents, of course. I've often wondered if the families knew one another before sailing to the new world? If not, did they get acquainted while on the journey?
In the spring of 2005 I dabbled for a bit in "researching" some of my New England ancestors. I'm not sure that you could really call it "research" in the truest sense, basically I was reviewing information that I'd been given by other researchers on my Goodrich and Joslin lines. One of my Goodrich cousins, Gerald (a 3rd cousin 3 times removed), had written some family newsletters in 1979-1980 and I had been given the copies that had been in my grandmother's files. In his newsletters he wrote a little about each of the lines that connect to our Goodrich ancestors among which are Marvin and Kilbourn.
As I read the name of the ship, the Increase, a bell kind of went off. I had seen that name somewhere before. Turns out another set of my ancestors, the Joslin family, also came on the Increase at the same time.
I located the transcriptions of "Hotten's Lists" on the English-America website. That website is no longer active, but the passenger list for the Increase (or Encrease) and other early-arriving ships can be found on the websites of the Winthrop Society and Mayflower Families.
The Marvin family included Mathew, age 35, his wife Elizabeth, 31, and children: Elizabeth age 11, Mathew age 8, Marie age 6 years, Sara age 3 years, and Hanna age 6 months. Two more children, Abigail and Rachael, were born in Hartford. Elizabeth reportedly died in 1640. Mathew married a second time. The were among the first settlers in Hartford and Norwalk, Connecticut Colony.
The Kilbourne family consisted of Thomas, age 55, his wife Francis (maiden name Moody), 50, and their five children: Margaret age 23, Lyddia age 22, Marie age 16, Frances age 12, and John age 10. There were also two children, George and Thomas, who had come over the previous year. Thomas was reportedly killed in an Indian attack in 1637. They were among the first families to settle in Wethersfield, Connecticut Colony.
Thomas Joslin (the surname was written as Jostlin) and his wife Rebecca were both 43 years old. Traveling with them was Elizabeth Ward, a maid-servant, aged 38; and five of their seven children: Rebecca, 18; Dorothy, 11; Nathaniel, 8; Elizabeth, 6; and Mary, a year old. They first settled at Hingham but by 1654 had settled in Lancaster, Massachusetts Bay Colony.
On October 4, 1648 Sarah Marvin, now 17 years old, would marry William Goodrich in Hartford. They would settle in Wethersfield, Connecticut.
On March 7, 1715/16 their grandson, Benjamin Goodrich (1688-1742) would marry Grace Kilbourn (1693-1764) who was a granddaughter of John Kilbourne.
Now, jump ahead a hundred and ten years or so to about 1825 in Delaware County, Ohio. There we have James Joslin, a 4th great grandson of Thomas and Rebecca (and 3rd great grandson of Nathaniel Joslin) marrying Abigail Goodrich, a 4th great granddaughter of Sarah Marvin and William Goodrich (and 5th great granddaughter of of Thomas and Francis Kilbourn). Whew! Sure hope I've got that right! And I hope I didn't lose you along the way...
So, how did they meet in Ohio? The Joslin descendant's arrived in Delaware County about 1816 via Canada and Vermont. The Goodrich family (John and his son Bela, among others) left Connecticut about 1803 and settled in Franklin county, in the area that bordered on Delaware county.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Letter from Lysander - January 2, 1890
Letter to Malissa Joslin Brubaker from her father, Lysander Price Joslin. Spelling transcribed the same as in the original letter though punctuation has been added for legibility.
The year of the letter is confusing because of the reference to “the baby Romy”. Charles Romain “Romey” Brubaker would not have been a baby - he was born in August 1871. Malissa’s second son, Hale, was born in May 1886. It is possible that Lysander simply got confused over the name of the baby. If the letter was written in 1890, Hale would be about 3 1/2 years old.
Lysander & Lydia moved to Barton County, Kansas in January 1877 and lived there until 1891 when they moved to Osage County, Kansas where they lived until their deaths in 1899.
Quilen is James Downey Quillen who married Della Joslin, daughter of Lysander and Lydia. Children of Lysander and Lydia mentioned are Andrew, who was in Montana was born in 1860. Elmus was born in 1868 and was off roaming about with his older brother John, who was born in 1855. Andrew returned to Kansas where he raised a family of five children. He died in Arkansas in 1921. Elmus did some mining in Colorado before moving to Montana where he died in 1928. It is not known what became of John, he may have gone to California.
As always, click on the images for a larger view...
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Oden PO Barton Co Kansas
January the 2 1890 [??]
Dear Lissa and Family
we are all well at present, hope this will find you all well. we got the aple Butter all right it is very nice and we are very thankful for it. until you are better paid inclosed find $1.00, to pay the freight.
we are having very cold weather for this country but no stormes, Just clear cold with nort wind. will finish husking corn in 4 days Quilen is helping me. I will give you the prices of produse - wheat 50 cts, rye 25, corn 15, oats 15, butter 15 cts per lb, eggs 19 per dozen, pork 300 per hundred lbs grose, potatoes 40 cts per bushel. every thing is low but plenty. I was offered 32 Dollars for too Steers, one 2 year old and one yearling, but would not take it. have plenty of feede and only 13 head of catle and 6 horses to winter. we kiled 8 hogs that weight about 250 apice, had 17 galons of lard.
have 8 hogs feeding to sell. they are yong, will weigh 200 when fat. have 5 brood sows and one mail is English burkshire. cost me 10 dollars at 2 months old, he is nine months old, will weigh 250, he is a daisy. our wheat looks well, have 50 acres of wheat and 20 of wry.
the ground is in good condition think we will get a crop next year., if we get rain in the Spring and summer. if we get crops next year I think we will see you all if we keepe our health.
Andrew is in Montana. John and Elmus has left where they was, sayed they would rite when they got setled.
I will close hoping to heare from you soon. kiss the Baby for me, cant pronounce his name, Romy, rite.
So good by, Love to all
Father
The year of the letter is confusing because of the reference to “the baby Romy”. Charles Romain “Romey” Brubaker would not have been a baby - he was born in August 1871. Malissa’s second son, Hale, was born in May 1886. It is possible that Lysander simply got confused over the name of the baby. If the letter was written in 1890, Hale would be about 3 1/2 years old.
Lysander & Lydia moved to Barton County, Kansas in January 1877 and lived there until 1891 when they moved to Osage County, Kansas where they lived until their deaths in 1899.
Quilen is James Downey Quillen who married Della Joslin, daughter of Lysander and Lydia. Children of Lysander and Lydia mentioned are Andrew, who was in Montana was born in 1860. Elmus was born in 1868 and was off roaming about with his older brother John, who was born in 1855. Andrew returned to Kansas where he raised a family of five children. He died in Arkansas in 1921. Elmus did some mining in Colorado before moving to Montana where he died in 1928. It is not known what became of John, he may have gone to California.
As always, click on the images for a larger view...
==+==+==+==+==+= =+==
Oden PO Barton Co Kansas
January the 2 1890 [??]
Dear Lissa and Family
we are all well at present, hope this will find you all well. we got the aple Butter all right it is very nice and we are very thankful for it. until you are better paid inclosed find $1.00, to pay the freight.
we are having very cold weather for this country but no stormes, Just clear cold with nort wind. will finish husking corn in 4 days Quilen is helping me. I will give you the prices of produse - wheat 50 cts, rye 25, corn 15, oats 15, butter 15 cts per lb, eggs 19 per dozen, pork 300 per hundred lbs grose, potatoes 40 cts per bushel. every thing is low but plenty. I was offered 32 Dollars for too Steers, one 2 year old and one yearling, but would not take it. have plenty of feede and only 13 head of catle and 6 horses to winter. we kiled 8 hogs that weight about 250 apice, had 17 galons of lard.
have 8 hogs feeding to sell. they are yong, will weigh 200 when fat. have 5 brood sows and one mail is English burkshire. cost me 10 dollars at 2 months old, he is nine months old, will weigh 250, he is a daisy. our wheat looks well, have 50 acres of wheat and 20 of wry.
the ground is in good condition think we will get a crop next year., if we get rain in the Spring and summer. if we get crops next year I think we will see you all if we keepe our health.
Andrew is in Montana. John and Elmus has left where they was, sayed they would rite when they got setled.
I will close hoping to heare from you soon. kiss the Baby for me, cant pronounce his name, Romy, rite.
So good by, Love to all
Father
