The Langdon Family

As with many surnames, there is more than one variation for the Langdon name. When researching this branch of the family I have come across . . . Langdon, Langton, and Langdon.

So far, I've been able to trace back to George Langton.

The Langton descent is as follows . . .

George Langton - Unknown First Wife

John Langdon - Mary Seymour-Gridley (widow of Thomas)

Joseph Langdon - Susannah Root

Joseph Langdon II - Rachel Cowels

Daniel Langdon - Phoebe Clark

Roswell Langdon - Mary Coles

Roswell Langdon - Charlotte Chloe Richardson

Delana Catherine Langdon - Alexander Sweat

William Joshua Sweat - Margaret Morris

William Oscar Sweat - Mary Willie Boone (my grandparents)

The Langton/Langdon branch of the family tree begins with George Langton, since I haven't been able to trace back beyond him . . . at least not yet. So far, I haven't been able to find the name of his first wife, by which he had three children. He married second Hannah Lambe-Haynes (widow of Edmund Haynes) by which he had one daughter. From all I've been able to discover, he was born in 1598 and died Novebmer 28, 1676 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. 

George Langton and unknown first wife had the following children . . .

• John Langdon - b. 1624 in Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. 1689 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut
• Deliverance Langton - b. September 22, 1627 in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts; d. June 10, 1718 in Suffield, Hartford, Connecticut
• Hannah Langdon - b. 1629 in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts; d. September 17, 1690 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts

George Langton and Hannah Lambe-Haynes had the following child . . . 

• Esther Langdon - b. August 22, 1649 in Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; d. unknown

John Langton/Langdon married Mary Seymour (b. 1622 in Hertfordshire, England; d. 1689 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut), widow of Thomas Gridley, by which she had three children - Samuel, Thomas, and Mary - and daughter of Robert Seymour and Elizabeth Waller) on September 29, 1644 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut. They had the following children . . .

• Elizabeth Langdon - about 1655/56 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. unknown
• Nathan Langdon - b. about 1657 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. unknown
• Joseph Langdon - b. March 18, 1659 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. March 31, 1736 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut

Joseph Langdon married Susannah Root (b. 1654 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. December 5, 1712 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut), daughter of John Root and Mary Kilbourne, on October 1, 1683 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut. They had the following children . . . 

• Joseph Langdon II - 
• Ebenezer Langdon - b. April 3, 1691 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. April 17, 1756 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut
• Mercy Langdon - b. April 1704 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. 1704 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut

Joseph Langdon II married Rachel Cowles (b.June 1, 1690 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. 1750 in Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut), daughter of Samuel Cowles II and Rachel Porter, on December 24, 1713 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut. They had the following children . . .

• Thomas Langdon - b. January 6, 1715 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. August 12, 1783 in Harwinton, Connecticut
• Mary Langdon - b. November 13, 1716 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. 
• Joseph Langdon III - b. August 7, 1718 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. unknown
• Giles Langdon - July 22, 1720 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. December 1777 in Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut
• Rachel Langdon - b. February 11, 1724 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. April 28, 1770 in Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut
• Daniel Langdon -  b. December 24, 1728 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. January 20, 1812 in Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut

Daniel Langdon married Phoebe Clark (b. November 9, 1737 in Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. April 18, 1822 in Hartford County, Connecticut), daughter of David Clark and Hannah Woodruff, on March 31, 1755 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut. They had the following children . . . 

• Phebe Langdon - July 25, 1755 in Farmington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. December 5, 1836 in North Granby, Hartford County, Connecticut
• Daniel Langdon - b. May 9, 1759 in Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. May 21, 1841 in Vincennes, Knox County, Indidana
• Job Langdon - b. April 1764 in Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. July 28, 1847 in Southwick, Hampden County, Massachusetts
• Roswell Langdon - b. September 13, 1766 in Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. August 16, 1834 in Perry County, Indiana
• Gad Langdon - b. about 1772 in Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. November 21, 1828 in Plainville, Hartford County, Connecticut
• Rachel Langdon - b. April 29, 1774 in Southington, Hartford County, Connecticut; d. November 27, 1811 unknown

Roswell Langdon married Mary Coles (b. 1768; d. August 23, 1845 in Perry County, Indiana), daughter of Jesse Coles and Sarah Smith. They had the following children . . .

• Mary Langdon - b. May 18, 1795; d. May 15, 1810
• George Langdon - b.July 20, 1797; d. unknown
• Roswell Lee Langdon - b. September 13, 1804 in Liverpool, Perry County, Indiana; d. January 9, 1868 in Perry County, Indiana
• Daniel Langdon - b. September 16, 1801 in Liverpool, Perry County, Indiana; d. September 1, 1803 in Liverpool, Perry County, Indiana
• Samuel C. Langdon - b. May 26, 1808 in Liverpool, Perry County, Indiana; d. March 1879

Roswell Lee Langdon married Charlotte Chloe Richardson (b. June 3, 1803 in Whitehall, Washington County, New York; d. March 11, 1885 in Perry County, Indiana), daughter of Daniel Saxton Richardson and Mary Norton. They had the following children . . .

• Mary Catherine (Delana) Langdon - b. more on this later; d. October 15, 1925 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky
• Daniel C. Langdon - b. January 9, 1828 in Perry County, Indiana; d. November 26, 1862 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
• Sarah Ann Langdon - b. December 22, 1829 in Perry County, Indiana; d. 1911 in Casey, Clark County, Illinois
• Roswell Coles Langdon - b. October 16, 1833 in Perry County, Indiana; d. June 27, 1904 in Magnet, Perry County, Indiana
• Henrietta Langdon - b. December 22, 1835 in Perry County, Indiana; d. unknown
• Emma Jane Langdon - b. December 6, 1839 in Perry County, Indiana; d. 1927 in Indiana
• Helen Langdon - b. March 24, 1842 in Perry County, Indiana; d. unknown

Mary Catherine (Delana) Langdon married first Alonzo Richardson (possibly a relative on her mother's side) on November 25, 1851. They had one child: Daniel Richardson. She married second Alexander Sweat (b. more on that later; d. August 24, 1911 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky), son of Israel Sweat and Charlotte Hare-Sprague, on July 26, 1856. They had the following children . . .

• Emily Sweat - b. August 29, 1857; d. unknown - probably very young, since there isn't any mention of her in family records, however, I did find birth records for her listing Catherine and Alexander Sweat as her parents
• William Joshua Sweat - b. March 1, 1859 in Hancock County, Kentucky; d. unknown - see below for more information
• Nancy A. Sweat - b. August 26, 1861 in Hancock County, Kentucky; d. September 7, 1861 in Hancock County, Kentucky. As with Emily, there isn't any mention of her in family records; however, I did find both a birth and death record for her listing Catherine and Alexander Sweat as her parents.
• James Sweat - b. December 4, 1863 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. February 4, 1959 in Lebanon Junction, Bullitt County, Kentucky
• Elizabeth Ann Sweat - b. October 10, 1870 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. November 3, 1957 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky

Catherine & Alexander's Age

So, with dear great-great grandma Catherine Delana Langdon and great-great grandpa Alexander Sweat, there's this whole age thing . . . as in I don't have a clue when they were born. Their age varies depending which Census Record I look at, and then there are the death certificates . . . which lists her year of birth as 1825 and his as as 1822. Hmmm, both years are before their respective parents married. Strange. 

There's always the possibility that Alexander was not Charlotte's son, but the son of Israel's first wife Sarah, and that Catherine, well, I don't have a clue. Another theory, proposed by my distant cousin Ben Swett - Captain Benjamin Swett is our common ancestor - is that . . . 

In 1862 the Confederates started drafting men age 18 - 35 into their army. Kentucky was a border state, but it was heavily influenced by the Confederates until later in the war. Alexander Swett was 30 in 1862 - if 1832 was his actual birth year - but told the local authorities he was 40 to avoid the draft. He was probably too poor to hire a substitute. And then, to avoid being known as a draft-dodger, he repeated that fiction in the 1870 Census by saying he was 48 years old, i.e., born in 1822.

I tend to agree with this theory. I think once he claimed his birth year was 1822, he stuck with it through to his dying day, and such that was the year recorded on his death certificate. His wife Catherine Delana Langdon also has quite the varying years of birth - from 1822 to 1826, but her parents didn't marry until March 1825. Ben and I theorize that she, being pretty much the same age as Alexander, lied about her birth year as well to cover up the fact that he was, well, dodging the draft. Ah, the things a person discovers when dancing with the ancestors.

So, for the record, I'm going with . . . 

October 15, 1827 for Catherine Langdon's birth date and July 2, 1832 as Alexander Sweat's birth date.

Catherine Delana's Name

From everything I have found, except her death certificate - go figure - her name is Catherine Delana. Her death certificate lists her name as Mary Catherine. The best guess, since she and Alexander were late in life converts to Catholicism, is that she took the name Mary as her confirmation name and that was the name her daughter listed on death certificate.

William Joshua Sweat married Margaret Morris (b. December 14, 1869 in Nelson County, Kentucky; d. August 11, 1920 in Bullitt County, Kentucky), daughter of Joseph Morris and Elizabeth Hall on October 26, 1886 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky. They had the following children . . . 

• Joseph Leo Sweat - b. November 26, 1887 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. September 6, 1969 in Lebanon Junction, Bullitt County, Kentucky
• James Monroe Sweat - b. December 23, 1888 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. September 1967 in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
• George Alexander Sweat - b. February 22, 1890 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. August 11, 1890 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky
• John Patrick Sweat - b. March 17, 1891 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. April 27, 1891 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky
• Benjamin Franklin Sweat - b. May 14, 1892 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. unknown
• William Oscar Sweat - b. March 24, 1894 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. January 27, 1987 in Lebanon Junction, Bullitt County, Kentucky
• Catherine Elizabeth Sweat - b. July 18, 1895 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. June 7, 1916 in Marion County, Kentucky
• Mary Ida Sweat - b. March 2, 1897 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. January 9, 1988 in Hennepin County, Minnesota
• Charles Daniel Sweat - b. February 2, 1899 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. November 5, 1981 in Lebanon Junction, Bullitt County, Kentucky
• Mary Isabell "Mamie" Sweat - b. October 6, 1902 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. January 10, 1970 in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

The Disappearance of William Joshua Sweat

Sometime in 1907, William Joshua Sweat left New Hope, Kentucky, leaving behind his wife and ten children, never to be seen or heard from again. My grandfather - William Oscar Sweat - spent the remainder of his life, off and on, searching for his father. At one point, an uncle by marriage, working at Fort Knox, met a man who bore a striking resemblance to one of my uncles, the son of William Oscar Sweat. He struck up a conversation with this young man and discovered that this man's family had a big secret that they didn't talk about. My uncle told him the story and gave him my grandfather's address. The man went to see my grandfather and knocked on the front door. Nobody answered. He left. The problem: my grandfather never answered the front door, because anybody that knew him would have come around to the side of the house to the kitchen door. Ah, if the man had only gone to the side door . . . we might have solved the mysterious disappearance of William Joshua Sweat. Instead, my uncle never encountered this young man/soldier again. It is my hope that, somewhere out there, if William Joshua did start another family, that one of those descendants might stumble across this blog or the trees on Ancestry and get in touch with me. One can always hope.

For a picture of William Joshua Sweat go here . . . 

http://dancingwiththeancestors.blogspot.com/2011/06/great-grandpa-william-joshua-sweat.html 

William Oscar Sweat married Mary Willie Boone (b. October 21, 1898 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. April 4, 1981 in Lebanon Junction, Bullitt County, Kentucky), daughter of Victor Ivo Boone and Mary Willie Watson, on December 30, 1919. They had ten children, 36 great-grandchildren, and a number of great and great-great grandchildren by this point.

And here ends this bit of dancing with the ancestors related to my mother's paternal line, the Sweat Family!

It's All in the Spelling of the Name

In dancing with the ancestors I've learned that it's all in the name, as in the spelling of the name, that can vary. Boy, can it vary. 

For example, my three times great grandmother Delphania O'Bryant or is it O'Bryan, O'Bray, Bryant or just plain unknown. No, seriously!

3 x Great Gran's late name varies depending on the death certificate of her children, including the unknown. Talk about making an ancestor's research more than a wee bit difficult. Ha!

So, I pretty much didn't have a clue as to what Delphania's - aka Della, Fannie, Dafne, and whatnot - last name was, and still don't.

On the 1840 Census, a few doors down from George Washington Hall and his wife Delphania, there lived a Matilda Bryant. In 1850, on the next page of the Census, there is a Matilda O'Bryan. I'm 99.9% positive Matilda Bryant and Matilda O'Bryan are one in the same person, mainly because of the age. Then there's the fact, when doing research, that the O'Bryans were, well, 'thick as fleas' in the Marion/Nelson County areas in the 1800s.

Based on this information, I tend to go toward the name O'Bryan versus Bryant since the O'Bryans were in high concentration in the area at that time.

Then again, it could be Bryant. I probably won't ever know for 100%

So, when dancing with the ancestors, don't let the spelling of the name stop you in your tracks. Census Takers, clerks, etc., often wrote what they heard, and not necessarily how the name was actually spelled. 

S

Interconnectedness - Part III

In dancing with the ancestors I've noticed an interconnectedness within families, way back in the day. Siblings from one family marrying siblings of another family, siblings being fourth cousins to each other, and some other things. This interconnectedness always fascinates me and, just when I think I've seen as much interconnectedness as I can, something else pops out at me like . . .

. . . my 5 x great-grandfather Nathan Swett's second marriage to Jane Stickney-Garland, widow of Joseph Garland.

Now, to put it into perspective, the Swett descent to Nathan is as follows . . .

John Swett - m - Phebe (Surname Unknown)

Benjamin Swett - m - Hester Weare

John Swett - m - Bethia Page

Nathan Swett - m - Mary Dearborn

Mary Dearborn is the daughter of Thomas Dearborn and Mary Garland, who is the daughter of John Garland and Rebecca Sears, who also happen to be the parents of Joseph Garland . . . Jane Stickeny's first husband.

So, to put it into perspective . . . Nathan Swett married his deceased wife's cousin's wife. Uh-huh! Yeah, I found it a bit odd too.

For more on my family's interconnectedness check out . . .

http://dancingwiththeancestors.blogspot.com/2012/03/interconnectedness.html 

http://dancingwiththeancestors.blogspot.com/2012/03/interconnectedness-part-two.html 

So, when dancing with the ancestors don't be surprised to find that an ancestor married a deceased wife's cousin's widow. Oy!

S

The Sweat Family

Once upon a time, in the distant past, the Sweat family name had a different spelling: Swett. There are also the variations Swete and Sweet. It all came down to how a clerk/transcriber/whoever heard the name and, well, spelled it out. At some point, the variation stuck. For my line of the family, the Sweat spelling is what stuck.

So far, I've been able to trace the Sweat (my mother's paternal line) back to John Swett who was most likely born about 1590 in County Norfolk, England. John married Phebe (Surname Unknown) about 1612. They had the following children . . .

• John Swett II - b. 1613 in Wymondham, Norfolk, England; d. May 18, 1693 in Charlestown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
• Dorcas Swett - b. May 31, 1618 in Wymondham, Norfolk, England; d. unknown
• Stephen Swett - b. April 18, 1620 in Wymondham, Norfolk, England; d. before January 1694 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts
• Joseph Swett - b. January 21, 1621 in Wymondham, Norfolk, England; d. February 21, 1689 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
• Benjamin Swett - b. May 12, 1624 in Wymondham, Norfolk, England; d. June 29, 1677 in Black Point, Scarborough, Maine

From everything I've been able to find, John Swett and his family emigrated to America around 1641.

Benjamin Swett married Hester Weare (b. 1629 in Nantucket, Nantucket County, Massachusetts; d. January 16, 1718 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire), daughter of Nathaniel Weare and Sarah (Surname Unknown) on November 1, 1647. They had the following children . . .

• Hester Swett - b. June 17, 1648 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts; d. September 24, 1703 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• Sarah Swett - b. November 7, 1650 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts; d. December 8, 1717 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• Mary Swett - b. January  7, 1651 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts; d. before 1654
• Mary Swett - b. May 2, 1654 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts; d. unknown
• Benjamin Swett II - b. August 5, 1656 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts; d. December 1719 in New Castle County, Delaware
• Joseph Swett - b. January 21, 1658 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts; d. 1721 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• Moses Swett - b. April 16, 1661 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts; d. 1729 in Hampton Falls, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• Hannah Swett - b. March 16, 1665 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts; d. unknown
• Elizabeth b. May 2, 1667 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. unknown
• John Swett - b. March 17, 1670 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. September 3, 1753 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• Stephen Swett - b. July 13, 1672 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. 1746 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts

John Swett married first Bethia Page (b. May 23, 1679 in Hampton, Rockingham County, Massachusetts; d. April 16, 1736 in Hampton, Rockingham County, Massachusetts), daughter of Thomas Page and Mary Hussey, on December 3, 1696 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. He married second Sarah Treadwell.

John and Bethia had the following children . . .

• Huldah Swett - b. July 16, 1699 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. September 24, 1738 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• Sarah Swett - b. December 23, 1700 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. August 29, 1797 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• John Swett - b. December 4, 1702 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. May 27, 1748 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• Elisha Swett - b. September 30, 1705 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. April 1, 1788 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. And, if you're wondering, this is a man, not a woman. Go figure!
• Benjamin Swett - b. October 17, 1707 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. November 2, 1787 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• Nathan Swett - b. June 9, 1711 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. February 3, 1796 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire.
• Moses Swett - b. November 28, 1714 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. November 28, 1714 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire.

The Last Will and Testament of John Swett

In the Name of God Amen The 16th Day of June 1748 I John Swett of Kingstown in the Province of New Hamps; in New England Gent

Imp Whereas there is a Jointure Contract, or Agreement, between me & my Well beloved wife Sarah (2nd Wife); before Marriage as by Jointure, or Contract, may at large appear, Over & above what is mentioned & Contained in said Jointure or Contract, I Give & bequeath to my Sd (said) wife Sarah A good New Milch Cow, and All my Swine, (to be at her Dispose) & to be Delivered to her upon her Request after my Decease & Twenty pounds (in Old Tenour Bills) now in her hands, but If I Should make use of sd Twenty Pounds, then to be paid out of my Estate.

Item I Give & Bequeath unto the Children of my well beloved Son John Swett (Late of sd Town Deceased) Twenty Shillings Each (Old Tenour) to be paid out of my Estate, their said father John haveing already had his portion out of my Estate, said money to be paid to said Children as they arrive to the age of Twenty one years.

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my well beloved son Benjamin Swett Thirty pounds (Old Tenour) to be paid in Three years after my Deceas viz: Ten pounds per year, and the One Half of my wearing Cloaths, and also One Cow & Three Sheep

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my well beloved son Nathan Swett fifteen pounds (Old Tenour) to be paid out of my Estate, at the End of one year after my Decease, And also one Cow, & Three sheep, & the other Half of my wearing Clothes, (he the said Nathan haveing also had Considerable out of my Estate)

Item I Givu unto my well beloved son in Law Samuel Winslowe Husband of my Daughter Huldah Deceas’d five shillings, And to the surviveing sons of said Daughter Hulday I Give & bequeath forty shillings to Each to be paid in (Old Tenour) in Two years after my Decease & to Elizabeth, Daughter of the said Huldah (now the wife of William Buswel Ter) Half the Household Stuff that was my first wifes (Bethia to be delivered to her upon her Request after my Decease

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my well beloved son in Law Thomas George (Husband of my well beloved Daughter Sarah) five shillings as also to my said Daughter Sarah fifteen pounds (Old Tenour) to be paid in Three years after my Decease as followeth viz: five pounds per year till the said sum paid; And to Each of the Children of my said Daughter Sarah I Give & bequeath forty shillings apiece (old Tenour) to be paid in Two years after my Decease, and further to my said Daughter Sarah I Give & Bequeath the other Half of the Household stuff that was my fore mentioned first wifes to be at her Dispose __ And I do hereby Declare it to be my will that my Executor hereafter named shall pay all the forementioned Legacies

Item I Give & Bequeath unto my well beloved Son Elisha Swett, who I Likewise Constitute make and Ordain Sole Executor of this my Last Will & Testament, All and singular my Lands, Messuages Buildings & Orchards, wherever, & however, Laying, & being, Butting & Bounding, to him my said son Elisha Swett his Hiers & assigns for ever to his & their own proper Use benefit & behoof forever, the same to Have & To Hold forever, with all my stock of Cattle Horses & sheep that are not yet Disposed of, and also all my Implements for Husbandry, for men or any other Creature to use, or work with and also all my Tools or Implements for any sort of Trade or other Calling, with every other thing (If any there be) not mentioned in this my Last Will & Testament; And I do hereby utterly dissalow Revoke & Disanul all & every other forerm Testaments wills Legacies & Bequests, & Executors by me in any ways before Named & Bequeathed, or Willed, Ratifying & Confirming this & no other to be my Last Will & Testament; In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal the Day & year first above written.

Signed Sealed Published Pronounced & Declared by the said John Swett as his Last Will & Testament in the presence of us the Subscribers

Eben Stevens

Jed. Philbrick

Jeremy Webster

[Proved Sept. 26, 1753}

[Inventory, Sept. 28, 1753; amount, 2171.17.0 pounds; signed by Jedediah Philbrick and Jeremy Webster]

Note: For the most part, I left the words, capitalization, etc., as was found in the document with the exception of Sd, which I took to mean said and Deceasd, which I took to mean deceased, and pr, which I took to mean per.

The above found in the following book: State of New Hampshire. Town Charters – originally published in 1915 under the title Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire, Vol. 3 1741 - 1749

Nathan Swett married first Mary Dearborn, daughter of Thomas Dearborn and Mary Garland, on January 6, 1731 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Note: Nathan and Mary are third cousins, and share the same great-great grandparents Robert Page and Lucy Ward-Page. Nathan's descent is through Robert and Lucy's son Robert, and Mary's descent is through Robert and Lucy's daughter Ann Page. He married second Jane Stickney-Garland, widow of Joseph Garland. 

Nathan and Mary had the following children . . .

• Bethia Swett - b. September 27, 1731 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. unknown
• Dearborn Swett - b. October 16, 1733 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. March 17, 1736 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• Mary Swett - b. March 26, 1737 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. January 3, 1817
• Nathan Swett - b. May 11, 1739 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. unknown
• Huldah Swett - b. July 29, 1741 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. unknown
• Dearborn Swett - b. December 29, 1744 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. before 1832 in Unity, Sullivan County, New Hampshire
• Thomas Swett - b. May 11, 1747 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. 1843 in Loudon, Merrimack County, New Hampshire

Nathan and Jane Stickney-Garland had the following children . . .

• Jane Swett - b. July 26, 1751 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. March 11, 1833 in Seabrook, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
• John Swett - b. November 26, 1752 in Hampton Falls, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. unknown
• Moses Swett - b. May 3, 1757 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. before 1791
• William Swett - b. June 12, 1758 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. unknown

The Last Will and Testament of Nathan Swett

His will, dated 21 Jan 1791, was probated 3 Feb. 1796. Jan. 13, 1769, Thomas Sweat of Kingston, Bethiah now the wife of Stephen Ladd of Brentwood, Mary now the wife of Joseph Sanborn of Kingston, N. H., all children of Mary late wife of Nathan Sweat of Kingston, together with Nathan Sweat of Haverhill and Dearborn Sweat of Brentwood, are declared entitled to lands that did belong to their grandfather, Thomas Dearborn of Biddeford.

Dearborn Swett, the first of the line to change the spelling of the name from Swett to Sweat, married  three times. First to Mary, surname unknown, second to Elizabeth Smith around 1768, and third to Mary Grindle around 1782. 

Nathan and Elizabeth had the following children . . .

• Mary Sweat - b. about 1769 in Poplin, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. September 20, 1849 in Keene, Essex County, New York
• Elizabeth (Betsey) Sweat - b. about 1771 in Poplin, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. January 22, 1837 in Unity, Sullivan County, New Hampshire
• Israel Sweat - b. about 1773 in Poplin, Rockingham County, New Hampshire; d. July 28, 1841 in Perry County, Indiana
• Clarissa Sweat - b. May 27, 1781 in Unity, Cheshire (formerly Sullivan) County, New Hampshire; d. 1861 in Dalton, Coos County, New Hampshire

Israel Sweat married twice. First to Sarah "Salley" Russell (b. December 1783 in Fayette, Kennebec County, Maine; d. about 1824 in Breckenridge County, Kentucky), daughter of Abel Russell and Sarah Bryan, on March 31, 1803 in Fayette, Kennebec County, Maine. They had the following children . . . 

• Hiram Sweat - b. July 23, 1804 in Chesterfield, Franklin County, Maine; d. April 13, 1849 in Leopold, Perry County, Indiana
• Louisa Sweat - b. about 1807 in Maine; d. unknown
• Alonzo Sweat - b. 1808 in Kennebec County, Maine; d. before 1800 in Gentry County, Missouri
• Russell Sweat b. October 6, 1810 in Keene, Essec County, New York; d. 1903 in Clearmont, Sheridan County, Wyoming
• Sarah Sweat - b. about 1812 in Breckenridge, Kentucky; d. unknown
• John Wesley Sweat - b. May 30, 1823 in Breckenridge County, Kentucky; d. August 28, 1899 in Perry County, Indiana.

After Sarah's death, he married Charlotte Hare-Sprague (b. August 27, 1800 in New York; d. February 3, 1879 in Grant City, Montgomery County, Iowa), widow of Daniel Sprague, by which she had two children: Sarah and Daniel. They had the following children . . . 

• Alexander Sweat - b. July 2 . . . well, more on that later; d. August 24, 1911 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky 
• Agnes Sweat - b. November 13, 1830 in Perry County, Indiana; d. Janaury 24, 1903 in Morton Mills, Montgomery County, Iowa
• Israel Sweat - b. about 1834 in Leopold, Perry County, Indiana; d. 1878 in Leopold, Perry County, Indiana
• Anna Sweat - b. January 27, 1836 in Perry County, Indiana; d. November 11, 1893 in St. Paul, Madison County, Arkansas

Alexander's Age

So, with dear great-great grandpa Alexander Sweat, there's this whole age thing . . . as in I don't have a clue when he was born. His age varies depending which Census Record I look at, and then there's his death certificate . . . which lists his year of birth as 1822. Hmmm, that was before Israel married Alexander's mother Charlotte. Strange. 

There's always the possibility that Alexander was not Charlotte's son, but Sarah's son, but another theory, proposed by my distant cousin Ben Swett - Captain Benjamin Swett is our common ancestor - is that . . . 

In 1862 the Confederates started drafting men age 18 - 35 into their army. Kentucky was a border state, but it was heavily influenced by the Confederates until later in the war. Alexander Swett was 30 in 1862 - if 1832 was his actual birth year - but told the local authorities he was 40 to avoid the draft. He was probably too poor to hire a substitute. And then, to avoid being known as a draft-dodger, he repeated that fiction in the 1870 Census by saying he was 48 years old, i.e., born in 1822.

I tend to agree with this theory. I think once he claimed his birth year was 1822, he stuck with it through to his dying day, and such that was the year recorded on his death certificate. His wife Catherine Delana Langdon also has quite the varying years of birth - from 1822 to 1826, but her parents didn't marry until March 1825. Ben and I theorize that she, being pretty much the same age as Alexander, lied about her birth year as well to cover up the fact that he was, well, dodging the draft. Ah, the things a person discovers when dancing with the ancestors.

So, for the record, I'm going with July 2, 1832 as Alexander Sweat's birth date.

Alexander Sweat married Catherine Delana Langdon (b. October 15, 1826 . . . see above about Alexander's age, in Liverpool, Perry County, Indiana; d. October 15, 1925 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky), daughter of Roswell Lee Langdon and Charlotte Chloe Richardson, and widow of Alonzo Richardson, by which she had a son named Daniel. Alexander and Charlotte were married on November 25, 1851 in Perry County, Indiana. They had the following children . . .

• Emily Sweat - b. August 29, 1857 in Hancock County, Kentucky; d. unknown
• William Joshua Sweat - b. March 1, 1859 in Hancock County, Kentucky; d. unknown - more on that in a bit
• Nancy A. Sweat - b. August 26, 1861 in Hancock County, Kentucky; d. September 7, 1861 in Hancock County, Kentucky
• James Sweat - b. December 4, 1863 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. February 4, 1959 in Lebanon Junction, Bullitt County, Kentucky
• Elizabeth Ann Sweat - b. October 10, 1870 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. November 3, 1957 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky.

William Joshua Sweat married Margaret Morris (b. December 14, 1869 in Nelson County, Kentucky; d. August 11, 1920 in Bullitt County, Kentucky), daughter of Joseph Morris and Elizabeth Hall on October 26, 1886 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky. They had the following children . . . 

• Joseph Leo Sweat - b. November 26, 1887 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. September 6, 1969 in Lebanon Junction, Bullitt County, Kentucky
• James Monroe Sweat - b. December 23, 1888 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. September 1967 in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
• George Alexander Sweat - b. February 22, 1890 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. August 11, 1890 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky
• John Patrick Sweat - b. March 17, 1891 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. April 27, 1891 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky
• Benjamin Franklin Sweat - b. May 14, 1892 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. unknown
• William Oscar Sweat - b. March 24, 1894 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. January 27, 1987 in Lebanon Junction, Bullitt County, Kentucky
• Catherine Elizabeth Sweat - b. July 18, 1895 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. June 7, 1916 in Marion County, Kentucky
• Mary Ida Sweat - b. March 2, 1897 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. January 9, 1988 in Hennepin County, Minnesota
• Charles Daniel Sweat - b. February 2, 1899 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. November 5, 1981 in Lebanon Junction, Bullitt County, Kentucky
• Mary Isabell "Mamie" Sweat - b. October 6, 1902 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. January 10, 1970 in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

The Disappearance of William Joshua Sweat

Sometime in 1907, William Joshua Sweat left New Hope, Kentucky, leaving behind his wife and ten children, never to be seen or heard from again. My grandfather - William Oscar Sweat - spent the remainder of his life, off and on, searching for his father. At one point, an uncle by marriage, working at Fort Knox, met a man who bore a striking resemblance to one of my uncles, the son of William Oscar Sweat. He struck up a conversation with this young man and discovered that this man's family had a big secret that they didn't talk about. My uncle told him the story and gave him my grandfather's address. The man went to see my grandfather and knocked on the front door. Nobody answered. He left. The problem: my grandfather never answered the front door, because anybody that knew him would have come around to the side of the house to the kitchen door. Ah, if the man had only gone to the side door . . . we might have solved the mysterious disappearance of William Joshua Sweat. Instead, my uncle never encountered this young man/soldier again. It is my hope that, somewhere out there, if William Joshua did start another family, that one of those descendants might stumble across this blog or the trees on Ancestry and get in touch with me. One can always hope.

For a picture of William Joshua Sweat go here . . . 

http://dancingwiththeancestors.blogspot.com/2011/06/great-grandpa-william-joshua-sweat.html 

William Oscar Sweat married Mary Willie Boone (b. October 21, 1898 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky; d. April 4, 1981 in Lebanon Junction, Bullitt County, Kentucky), daughter of Victor Ivo Boone and Mary Willie Watson, on December 30, 1919. They had ten children, 36 great-grandchildren, and a number of great and great-great grandchildren by this point.

And here ends this bit of dancing with the ancestors related to my mother's paternal line, the Sweat Family!

The Mystery of Elizabeth Hall

When dancing with the ancestors I've often run into a mystery or two, well twelve, if not more, regarding my ancestors. It takes an awful lot of digging, and patience, and perseverance to figure out the mystery. Sometimes, I just go with instinct.

Such is the case with my two times great grandmother Elizabeth Hall, who married Joseph Morris. She was - and this was one of the mysteries - the daughter of George Washington Hall and Delphania O'Bryan. Yeah, what a name, but . . . it plays an important part in the resolution of the mystery regarding my great-great grandmother. This is, btw, on my maternal side through her father.

Elizabeth Hall was born in Marion County, Kentucky about 1840. I don't have a clue when she died. I'm still working on that wee mystery. She married Joseph Morris on February 9, 1858. They had seven, possibly eight (more on that in a bit) children, one of which was Margaret Morris who married my great-grandfather William Joshua Sweat, and their son William Oscar was my grandfather.

So, I have a birth date - gleaned solely from Census Records, a marriage date, and . . . I couldn't find her living with her husband on the 1860 Census. 

Great! Fine! Dandy!

I did find an Elizabeth Hall, age 20, living with her parents George and Delphania Hall. At this point, I hadn't linked her to these parents because, well, in 1860 she should have been living with her husband Joseph Morris and their first born child John F. Morris.

Brickwall! Ugh!

Then, I kept digging and digging and - very important, pay close attention - paid attention to the neighbors on the 1860 Census! WOO-HOO! Guess who was living next door to George and Delphania Hall, and some of their many children? Well, a certain Joseph Morris, his one year old son John, and a one month old daughter named . . . Delphania!

So, why was Elizabeth not at home with her husband and two young children? Why is she living with her parents?

I don't have a clue, but a theory, well, two theories . . . 

First - she was having complications after the birth of her second child and since she and her husband lived next door to her parents, she had gone next door and her mother was taking care of her.

Second - she happened to be next door when the census taker arrived, and when he was asking questions, George Washington Hall just named off his children.

Whatever the case, I'm 99.9% positive that Elizabeth Hall is the daughter of George Washington Hall and Delphania O'Bryan, that she and her husband lived next door to her parents, and that for whatever reason, she was recorded as living with her parents on the 1860 Census Record.

The other bit of proof is the naming of a child Delphania Morris. Delphania is not a common name. Not. At. All. The naming of the child makes me even more certain that Elizabeth is the daughter of George Washington Hall and Delphania O'Bryan. 

Delphania Morris must have died young, because she doesn't appear on the 1870 Census Records. My guess is it was a difficult pregnancy for Elizabeth. I also haven't seen this as a common name, and not one someone would name their child without it - most likely - being a family member.

So, when confronted with a mystery, you have to work your way around it when dancing with the ancestors. You might get frustrated - I know I did - and you might decide to give up, but don't . . . at least not until you've exhausted all options. 

Census Records provide a wealth of both information and misinformation. Census Takers don't always get the information down correctly, and the spelling of names, or how they spell the names versus how your ancestors actually spelled the names, are two different things. Pay attention to the neighbors, because those neighbors might well be your ancestors relatives.

One last night - Delphania O'Bryan. Her last name is still in question. On the death records of her children it is listed as: Bryan, Bryant, O'Brayn, and unknown. Yes, unknown. But, when reviewing the 1850 Census Records, I flipped forward and backward a page and found a few O'Bryans, but no Bryants or Bryans, so, for now, I'm going with the last name for Delphania as O'Bryan based on the people living nearby in 1850 because, back in the day, definitely more so than now, families stayed near each other.

Best of luck as you go dancing with the ancestors.

S

The Goad Family

So, this little bit of dancing with the ancestors, concerns the paternal side of my family, and the Goad Family, which descends down to my grandmother Osie Lee Smith-Mitchell. 

The descent is as follows . . .

Abraham Goad - m - Katherine Williams

John Goad - m - Catherine (Surname Unknown)

Johannah Goad - m - Valentine Sevier

Abraham Sevier - m - Mary Little

Mary Ann Sevier - m - John Halterman

Emmaline Halterman - m - Hardin Smith Lane

Martha Ann Lane - m - John Leonard Smith

Osie Lee Smith - m - John Francis Mitchell (my grandparents)

I've only been able to trace back as far as Abraham Goad. From what I have found, he was born May 10, 1667 in Old Rappahammock County, Virginia. He married Katherine Williams (b. 1668 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia; d. May 23, 1741 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia), daughter of John Williams and Eve (Surname Unknown), before 1690. They had the following children . . . 

• Elizabeth Goad (1690 - 1735)
• William Goad (1693 - 1733)
• Hannah Goad (1695 - 1753)
• John Goad (1700 - 1771)
• Alice Goad (1709 - 1767)
• Abraham Goad (1710 -1779)
• Peter Goad (1715 - 1794)

The Last Will and Testament of Abraham Goad

The following will was transcribed from copies of the original handwritten will on file in the Virginia State Archives. The photostatic copies were owned by Mr. H. O. Gray, Memphis Tennessee. (Typed transcription from the files of Wanda June Goad Worland):

In the name of God Amen. I Abraham Goad being weak of body but in sound and perfect mind and memory thanks be given to all mighty God for the same, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testement; but first of all I recommend my soul to the hands of Almighty God that gave it to me & my body to be buryed in a Christianlike manner at the discretion of my Executors hereafter mentioned, and as touching my temporal Estate in which it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me with, I give and dispose of the same in manner and form following: Item - I give and bequeath to my grandson William Goad, the son of William Goad that plantation on which Mary Goad now lives ---. Item - I give and bequeath to my son John Goad and his wife all the land that lies above the north fork of the briory swamp---. Item - I give to my son Abraham Goad all the land lying on the south side of my spring branch---. Item - I give to my son Peter Goad all my land lying on the north side of my spring branch---. Item - I give to the heirs of my son William Goad one shilling. Item - I give to my daughter Hannah Phillips one shilling. Item - I give to my daughter Elizabeth Dodson one shilling. Item - I give to my daughter Alice Dodson one shilling. Item - I give and bequeath to my wife Catherine the use of my Negro woman Judith, and all the remaining part of my personal Estate during her natural life & after her decease to be equally divided amongst my three sons John Goad, Abraham Goad, and Peter Goad. My will and desire is that my wife Catherine Goad live on my plantation and not be molested during her natural life. Item - I likewise constitute ordain and appoint my son John Goad to be the whole and sole Executor of this my last will and testement, as witness my hand and seal this 7th day of March, 1733.

his mark

Abraham Goad

Witness:

Eliza E. Lawson, Winefed Miskell, Henry Miskell, Probated July 1, 1733

The above found at: http://members.tripod.com/appalachian_home/abraham_goad.htm

John Goad was born November 27, 1700 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia. He died July 23, 1771 in Bedford, Bedford County, Virginia. He married first Catherine (Surname Unknown) prior to 1723, and second Ann (Surname Unknown) in 1734). 

John and Catherine had the following children . . .

• Joannah Goad (1723 - 1773)
• Elizabeth Goad (1726 - 1799)
• John Goad II (1729 - 1792)
• Hannah Goad (1732 -1771)
• William Goad (1733 - 1778)

John and Ann had the following children . . .

• Abraham Goad (1740 -1816)
• Robert Goad (1742 - 1830)

From what I can tell, it looks like John's first wife died within a year of giving birth to their last child. As was the way back in the day, John remarried quickly . . . mainly to have someone take care of the younger children. Hey, it was what they did back in the day.

The Last Will and Testament John Goad
November 27, 1700 to July 21, 1771
(shared by Joe Gadus, July 12, 1999)

Filed: Bedford County Virginia Will Book 1-132

In the Name of God Amen. I John Goad of Bedford County being in perfect sence and Memory Do Constitute and appoint this my Last will and Testament. Empressed first I Bequeath my Soul to Almighty God that gave it me and my body to be buried in a Christianlike Manner at the Discrestion of my executors.

Item I give to my Daughter Joanah Sevear one shilling sterling to be paid out of my estate.

Item I give to my daughter Elizabeth Cox one shilling sterling to be paid out of my estate.

Item I give to my Daughter Hannah Bennett on shilling sterling to be paid out of my estate.

Item I give to my Daughter Ann Risden one shilling sterling to be paid out of my estate.

Item I give to my Son William Goad one shilling to be paid out of my estate.

Item I give to my son Abraham Goad one shilling sterling to be paid out of my estate.

Item I give to my son Robert Goad one shilling sterling to be paid out of my estate.

Item I send to my son William Goad the use of my Cow known by the name of Blossom with her increase till his son John shall come on the age of Twenty one years and then the property to vest on son John. But if the said John should Die without Heir then the said Cow and her Increase to be Divided amongst the rest of my son Williams children.

Item I give to my son Abraham Goad the use of my Cow known by the name of Star with her Increase till his son James shall come to the age of Twenty one years then the property to vest in said James but if said James should Die without Heir then the said Cow with her Increase to be divided amongst the rest of my son Abrahams children.

Item I give to my Grand son Thomas Goad son of John Goad my least Gun.

Item I give to James Waldrop the Gun he now has of mine.

Item I give to my Loving Wife Ann Goad (second wife) all the Estate that she Brought with her when we was married and all the rest of my personal estate not yet mentioned after my just debts is paid. I send her the use of During her Widowhood and at her marriage or Death to be equally divided between my son John Goad and his Children.

I send to my son William Goad the use of that part of my land that he now lives upon as it is marked as to him During his life and at his Death the property to vest in his son John Goad and his heirs for ever.

Item I send to my son Abraham Goad the use of that part of my that he now lives on as it is marked as to him during his Life and at his Death the property to vest on his son James and his heirs forever.

Item I send to my Loving wife the use of that part of my Land whereon I now live as it is Said as to her which she agrees to Take for her thirds during her life.

Item I send to my Son Robert Goad the use of the upper part of my land as it is marked as to him and that part that is said as for my wifes as Thirds after her Death. I do also send him the use of as long as he lives and at his Death the property to vest in his son Thomas Goad and his heirs forever.

Item my will and Desire is that my son John Goad Do Receive all my Just Dues and pay of all my Just Debts out of my personal Estate if my Dues should not be sufficient.

Item I Constitute and appoint my son John Goad Executor of this my Last will and Testament. Given under my hand and seal this seventh Day of July 1771.

John Goad

In the presence of Edward Wade, Geo: Phillips, Peter Bennett

At a court held for Bedford County the 23rd day July 1771 The within Last will and Testament of John Goad Dead was Exhibited in Court by John Goad Executor therein named and proved by the oaths of two of the witnesses thereto. Subscribed and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of the executor who gave bond and security and made oath according to law certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form of Law

Teste Ben Howard CBC (Clerk Bedford County)

The above will found here: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mikegoad/html/doc00104.htm

The above will confirms the children of John Goad by both his first and second wife, plus lists a daughter Ann . . . who I hadn't found listed anywhere else. Hmmm, I guess I need to do a bit more dancing with the ancestors and see what I can find out.

Joannah Goad was born November 1, 1723 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond County, Virginia. She died August 15, 1773 in Rockingham County, Virginia. She married Valentine Sevier (b. February 1, 1712 in St. Giles Parish, Cripplegate, London, England; d. December 30, 1803 in Carter City, Carter County, Tennessee) son of Valentine Sevier and Mary Smith, in 1744. They had the following children . . .

• John Sevier (1745 - 1815) - first Governor of Tennessee
• Valentine Sevier (1747 - 1800)
• Robert Sevier (1749 - 1780)
• Mary Polly Sevier (1753 - 1854)
• Catherine Sevier (1757 -1824)
• Bethenia Sevier (1759 -1760)
• Abraham Sevier (1760 - 1841)
• Elizabeth Sevier (1762 - 1839)

Abraham Sevier (b. February 14, 1760 in Frederick, Shenandoah County, Virginia; d. June 18, 1841 in Overton, Clay County, Tennessee) married Mary Little (b. May 14, 1770 in Augusta County, Virginia; d. March 4, 1839 in Pickett County, Tennessee). They had the following children . . .

• Elizabeth Sevier (1790 - 1805)
• Mary Ann Sevier (1792 - 1850)
• John Sevier (1795 - 1795)
• Jemima Douglass Sevier (1796 - 1822)
• Valentine Smith Sevier (1801 - 1842)
• Rebecca Sevier (1804 - 1822)
• Abraham Rutherford Sevier (1807 -1873)
• Catherine Sevier (1809 - 1861)

Mary Ann Sevier (b. December 9, 1792 in Carter County, Tennessee; d. after 1850 in White County, Tennessee) married John Halterman (b. 1791 in Virginia; d. 1850 in White County, Tennessee), son of Christian Haldeman and Eve Elizabeth Bradigan-Haldeman) on November 20, 1813. They had the following children . . .

• Mary Halterman (1815 - ?)
• Melvert Halterman (1817 - 1870) - twin
• Melvina Halterman (1817 - 1880) - twin
• John Sevier Halterman (1819 - 1890)
• Elizabeth Halterman (1825 - 1865)
• Jesse Marion Halterman (1828 - 1874)
• Adaline Halterman (1836 - 1923) - twin
• Emaline C. Halterman (1836 - 1923) - twin

Emaline C. Halterman (b. July 26, 1836 in White County, Tennessee; d. August 5, 1923 in McMinnville, Warren County, Tennessee) married Hardin Smith Lane (b. March 26, 1833 in Van Buren County, Tennessee; d. December 31 1862 in Murphreesboro, Stone River, Tennessee at the Battle of Stones River), son of Endymon Baker lane and Jeanie Campbell, on December 30, 1855. They had the following children . . .

• Mary Lane (1857 - 1945)
• Martha Ann Lane (1858 - 1945)
• Franklin Pierce Lane (1860 - 1932)
• Hardin Smith Lane Jr. (1863 - 1949) - born after his father's death at the Battle of Stones River

Note: five of the Halterman siblings married five of the Lane siblings. Oy!

Note II: on the death certificate of Martha Ann Lane-Smith, her parents are listed - by my great Aunt Clara no less, her daughter - as Emaline Halterman and Franklin Pierce Lane. This is incorrect. Franklin Pierce Lane is Emaline's son, who she was living with in the later years of her life. Dear Aunt Clara, as often happens, just put down the wrong information. Go figure.

Martha Ann Lane (b. August 22, 1858 in Warren County, Tennessee; d. May 16, 1945 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee) married John Leonard Smith (b. August 16, 1849 in Warren County, Tennessee; d. January 14, 1917 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee) son of John B. Smith and Rebecca Ann Adcock, on September 24, 1882. She was John Leonard's second wife, and step-mother to his four daughters (Lucy, Mollie, Francis Ida, and Euphemia) by his marriage to Irena Gribble. Martha Ann and John Leonard had the following children . . . 

• Olive Mae Smith (1884 - 1935)
• Octavia Smith (1887 - 1984)
• Eunice Irene Smith (1889 - 1890)
• Osie Lee Smith (1894 - 1976)
• Clara Smith (1898 - 1968)

Osie Lee Smith (b. December 9, 1894 in Warren County, Tennessee; d. November 23, 1976 in Hendersonville, Sumner County, Tennessee) married John Francis Mitchell (b. November 3, 1884 in Warren County, Tennessee; d. May 27, 1959 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee), son of Charles A. Mitchell and Martha Tate on June 25, 1913. They had the following children . . .

• Mary Frances Mitchell (April 29, 1914 - August 23, 1996)
• Vernon Smith Mitchell (January 21, 1916 - September 10, 2004)

And my father Vernon Smith Mitchell married a lovely woman from a small - very, very, very small - town in Kentucky called Lebanon Junction. My mother was one of ten children. They had four children, and five grandchildren . . . but if you count my dogs and cat, plus my sister's cat, well . . . 

And thus ends, at least for now, the descent from Abraham Goad down to, well, me.

The Bachiler Branch

The Bachiler line of my family tree begins with the Reverend, and oft married, Stephen Bachiler who was born in Ormsby, Norfolk, England in 1561. Many people have erroneously listed his father as Philip Bachiler, but . . . this cannot be proven, so I've stopped this branch of my extensive family tree at Stephen. 

The oft married - four times, possibly five, more on that later - Reverend Stephen Bachiler lived quite the life, and quiet and sedate were not words to describe him. He was, in fact, kicked out of more churches for being a non-conformist than he was welcomed in churches. Ha. Okay, it wasn't really that bad, but he obviously didn't tow the religious line of the time which resulted in his removal from more than one church. 

The descent of the Bachiler family, and their connection to mine, is as follows . . .

Stephen Bachiler - Anna Bates

Theodate Bachiler - Christopher Hussey

Mary Hussey - Thomas Page

Bethia Page - John Swett

Nathan Swett - Mary Dearborn

Dearborn Sweat - Elizabeth Smith

Israel Sweat - Sarah Russell (first wife), Charlotte Hare-Sprague (second wife)

Alexander Sweat - Catherine Langdon

William Joshua Sweat - Margaret Morris

William Oscar Sweat - Mary Willie Boone (my grandparents)

Now, back to where this branch of the family began, with the oft married Reverend Stephen Bachiler who married . . . 

• Anna Bates - prior to 1590
• the widow Christian Weare (not sure if she's related to the Weare branch of my tree or not) on March 3, 1623
• the widow Helena Mason on March 26, 1627
• Mary Beedle/Beadle in 1648, his good neighbor and former housekeeper - more on her and her tumultuous marriage to our ancestor later.

Stephen Bachiler and Anna Bates had the following children:

Nathaniel Bachiler

Deborah Bachiler (b. 1592)

Stephen Bachiler (b. 1594)

Samuel Bachiler (b. 1596)

Theodate Bachiler (1598 - 1649)

Ann Bachiler (b. 1600)

Now, before I continue with the descent, I want to touch on some interesting events in Reverend Batchiler's life . . .

1605 - evicted from the vicarage of the Church of the Holy Cross and St. Petere, Wherewell, Hampshire, England, as a result of King James's program against nonconformist ministers.

1632 - emigrates to Massachusetts

1632 - the Massachusetts General Court ordered Stephen not to minister to any except 'those he brought with him, for contempt of authority".

1636 - Stephen decides to quit the church at Lynn(MA) and organize a second one. He leaves town when the magistrates forbid him to form a second church.

1638 - petitioned the General Court for permission to start a new plantation at Winnicummet (now Hampton, NH) - see below picture.

1643 - an excommunication of Stephen is annuled, the product of a false charge of improper sexual advances.

1644 - called to Exeter by the town to be minister, but prohibited from preaching by the General Court.

1650 - sued for divorce by his fourth wife Mary, but is ordered to remain married.

1651 - on October 16 of this year, his wife Mary is convicted of adultery with George Rogers and is whipped and "branded with the letter A".

1656 - Mary Bachiler petitions for divorce, saying that Stephen had abandoned her, returned to England and remarried. Note: there is no evidence of his remarrying, but he did return to England in 1654, and died there in 1656.

All the above information came from this site: http://www.drwilliams.org/genealogy/1041.htm

And those are just a few of the interesting tidbits of information about my illustrious ancestor, Stephen Bachiler. Now, back to the descent . . . 

Theodate Bachiler married Christopher Hussey, son of John Hussey and Mary Wood on December 9, 1658 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. They had the following children . . . 

Stephen Hussey (1632 - 1718)

John Hussey (1636 - 1707)

Mary Hussey (1638 - 1732)

Theodate Hussey (1640 - 1649)

Hulda Hussey (1643 - 1740)

Mary Hussey married Thomas Page, son of Robert Page and Lucy Ward, on February 2, 1663 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. They had the following children . . .

Mary Page (1664 - 1750)

Robert Page (1667 - 1686)

Christopher Page (1670 -1751)

John Page (1672 - 1729)

Theodate Page (1675 - 1676)

Stephen Page (1677 - 1714)

Bethia Page (1679 - 1736)

Bethia Page married John Swett, son of Benjamin Swett and Hester Weare, on December 3, 1696 in Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. They had the following children . . .

Huldah Swett (1699 - 1738)

Sarah Swett (1700 - 1797)

John Swett (1702 -1748)

Elisha Swett (1705 - 1788)

Benjamin Swett (1707 - 1787)

Nathan Swett (1711 - 1796)

Moses Swett (1714 - 1714)

Nathan Swett married Mary Dearborn, daughter of Thomas Dearborn and Mary Garland, on January 6, 1731 in Kingston, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Note: Nathan and Mary are third cousins, and share the same great-great grandparents Robert Page and Lucy Ward-Page. Nathan's descent is through Robert and Lucy's son Robert, and Mary's descent is through Robert and Lucy's daughter Ann Page. Nathan and Mary had the following children . . .

Dearborn Swett (1733 - 1736)

Bethia Swett (1734 - ?)

Mary Swett (1737 - 1817)

Nathan Swett (1739 - ?)

Dearborn Swett (1744 - 1831)

Thomas Swett (1747 - 1843)

Dearborn Swett, the first of the line to change the spelling of the name from Swett to Sweat, married  three times. First to Mary, surname unknown, second to Elizabeth Smith around 1768, and third to Mary Grindle around 1782. Nathan and Elizabeth had the following children . . .

Mary Sweat (1769 - 1849)

Elizabeth (Betsey) Sweat (1771 - 1837)

Israel Sweat (1773 - 1841)

Clarissa Sweat (1781 - 1861)

Israel Sweat married twice. First to Sarah "Salley" Russell by which he had the following children . . . 

Hiram Sweat (1804 - 1849)

Louisa Sweat (1807 - 1880)

Alonzo Sweat (1808 - 1880)

Russell Sweat (1810 - 1902)

Sarah Sweat (1812 - ?)

John Wesley Sweat (1823 - 1899)

After Sarah's death, he married Charlotte Hare-Sprague, widow of Daniel Sprague. They had the following children . . . 

Alexander Sweat (1822 - 1911)

Agnes Sweat (1830 - 1903)

Israel Sweat (1834 - 1880)

Anna Sweat (1836 - 1893)

Alexander Sweat married Catherine Delana Langdon-Richardson, widow of Alonzo Richardson, by which she had a son named Daniel. She was the daughter of Roswell Lee Langdon and Charlotte Chloe Richardson. Alexander and Charlotte were married on November 25, 1851 in Perry County, Indiana. They had the following children . . .

Emily Sweat (1857 - ?)

William Joshua Sweat (1859 - ?)

Nancy A. Sweat (1861 - 1861)

James Sweat (1863 - 1959)

Elizabeth Ann Sweat (1870 -1957)

William Joshua Sweat married Margaret Morris, daughter of Joseph Morris and Elizabeth Hall on October 26, 1886 in New Hope, Nelson County, Kentucky. They had the following children . . . 

Joseph Leo Sweat (1887 - 1969)

James Monroe Sweat (1888 - 1967)

George Alexander Sweat (1890 - 1890)

John Patrick Sweat (1891 - 1891)

Benjamin Franklin Sweat (1892 - ?)

William Oscar Sweat (1894 - 1987)

Catherine Elizabeth Sweat (1895 - 1916)

Mary Ida Sweat (1897 - 1988)

Charles Daniel Sweat (1899 -1981)

Mary Isabell "Mamie" Sweat (1902 -1970)

William Oscar Sweat married Mary Willie Boone, daughter of Victor Ivo Boone and Mary Willie Watson, on December 30, 1919. They had ten children, 36 great-grandchildren, and a number of great and great-great grandchildren by this point.

And, here, for now, ends the descent through the oft married, and a bit controversial, Reverend Stephen Bachiler.

S

Interconnectedness - Part Two

As I mentioned in the previous post, "I'm always amazed, when dancing with the ancestors, at the interconnectedness (yes, I know, not a word, but it fits, so I'm using it) of the many branches of my family tree".

In the previous post, I discussed the descent of the Beaven line and how two children of Charles Beaven began a descent that ended up with the marriage of Elizabeth Hagan and Walter Boone who, through separate descents, are the great-great granddaughter and great-grandson, respectively, of Charles Beaven, which made their son William Henry Boone both the great-great and great-great-great grandson of Charles Beaven.

So, once again while dancing with the ancestors, I have come across this interconnectedness, but this time with the Page (which merges with the Sweat - my mother's paternal line) family as follows . . .

So, the descent goes something like this . . .

Robert Page - m - Margaret Goodwin

Robert Page - m - Lucy Ward                         Ann Page - m - Edward Colcord

Thomas Page - m - Mary Hussey                   Hannah Colcord - m - Thomas Dearborn

            Bethia Page - m - John Swett                 Thomas Dearborn - m - Mary Garland

 Nathan Swett - m - Mary Dearborn

So, Robert Page and Margaret Goodwin-Page are the . . . 

• parents of Robert Page and Ann Page 
• the grandparents of Thomas Page and Hannah Colcord
• the great-grandparents of Bethia Page and Thomas Dearborn
• the great-great grandparents of Nathan Swett and Mary Dearborn  

And, for a different perspective . . .

• Robert Page and Ann Page are siblings
• Thomas Page and Hannah Colcord are first cousins
• Bethia Page and Thomas Dearborn are second cousins
• Nathan Swett and his wife Mary Dearborn are third cousins
• Dearborn Swett is not only a sibling to his, well, siblings, but also a fourth cousin to them

Don't you just love dancing with the ancestors. I mean, seriously, how often does it happen that a man is a brother to his brothers/sisters, and yet also a fourth cousin. Ha!