You all may not be familiar with the Dennis Historical Society. I believe it is one of the more active on the Cape (maybe I'm just partial, let's hear about the other societies). They publish a monthly newsletter and sponsor wonderful events and historical properties, a maritime museum and a library, you can join for $15 (Sep 1 thru Aug 31) per year, Dennis Historical Society, PO Box 607, South Dennis, MA 02660-0607 On Wed Mar 23, 7:30 PM you can hear The Quaker Settlement in Dennis by Jim Gould, noted Cape historian at the Dennis Senior Center, 1045 Rt 134, East Dennis (hey, that's right near Air Line Rd that I was talking about the other day- Just south of Rt 6 - You know, the fastest way from East Dennis to South Dennis) Wed Apr 27, 7:30 PM hear Salt of the Earth by Jim Perry- Salt works history includes Capt Sleepy John Sears, who held an early patent on this machinery that extracts sea salts from sea water by evaporation - patent dated 24 Jan 1799 signed by John Adams. A great text on the subject is The Saltworks of Historic Cape Cod by William P Quinn. ISBN 0-940160-56-0 My grt-grandfathers (William[1808-1896], son Elkanah H Sears[1849-1914] and brother Elkanah[1800-1876]) ran salt works on Quivet Neck extracting sea water from Quivet Creek by using a windmill to pump water from the creek into the vats. I have a deed for "6,300 superficial feet of shove door salt-works" parcel which I believe is in Crowe's Pasture in East Dennis. My Cousin Lelia said that as a boy, her grandfather (Elkanah Howes Sears) said, if it rained he had to get up in the middle of the night to help pull up the canvas which protected the salt beds from getting wet. He lived at 51 School St Saltworks deed: http://www.searsr.com/deeds/deed1828.htm (I believe the Sears family still owns this land and this deed was never registered at the Courthouse. I can find no transfer of this property from William and Elkanah Sears to anyone else. The courthouse and all but one of the 94 books of deeds dating back to 1686 burned on 22 Oct 1827. There was a great campaign by town selectmen after that to get deeds re-registered for future generations. I understand many folks would just as soon not register their deed as a way to save taxes :) You could always register it right before you got ready to sell the property) A salt works vat was usually 10 x 10 feet and was called 10 running feet or 10 superficial feet (= 100 sq ft) So this 6300 superficial feet deed is 63,000 sq feet or about 1.5 acres of vats. Feb Hist Soc newsletter has an article by Betty Dan Holmes about Louis and Esther Dean's Radio Store in Dennisport. Another story about Louis (Johnny) Kelley's story telling and finally an article about the First Church of Dennis (Unitarian) which later became the Cape Playhouse. Regards, L. Ray Sears, III

Hi Everyone: There is an interesting article about Ansell NICKERSON in NEHGS' New England Ancestors publication, Winter 2005, vol 6, no 1. I'm sure many of you have already read about this event, but for those who haven't or for Nickerson descendants it's an interesting read. It's not currently available on NEHGS' website, but may be available at local libraries for those who don't subscribe. Ansell, at age 21, was the sole survivor of the crew on board the Abigail which set sail from Boston to Chatham on 14 Nov 1772. Ansell claimed the crew was killed by pirates, with one boy taken prisoner. At first people believed his story, but later some doubted it, believing he killed the crew and Ansell went on trial in Boston. John ADAMS represented him at court and he was aquitted, but lived his life under suspicion from some. He later married Mary SMITH and raised a family. Ansell was from Chatham, born Levi NICKERSON, to Ansel and and Bathsheba (SMALL) NICKERSON, and was renamed Ansell after his father's death. The crew of the Abigail included the 29 year old captain Thomas NICKERSON (Ansell's cousin), Thomas' brother Sparrow, Thomas' brother-in-law Elisha NEWCOMB, and 13 year old William KENT.

Here's a version of this story from Henry Kittredge; > "Captain Joseph Doane,Jr., of Chatham, was off the back side of the > Cape in a schooner in 1772 and there sighted a vessel flying distress > signals. Coming alongside, he found that she was the schooner, > Abigail, Thomas Nickerson,Master, outward bound from Boston; and a > grim spectacle she presented. Her deck was smeared with blood; Captain > Nickerson, his cousin, Sparrow Nickerson by name, and his > brother-in-law, Elisha Newcomb, lay murdered on deck; chests were > smashed open and rifled; a rum barrel with it's head stove in stood > almost empty; and only one man of the crew, Ansell Nickerson, of > Chatham, was left alive on board. according to him, they had been > overhauled the night before by a piratical topsail schooner which sent > 4 boatloads of men on board. To save his own life, he had lowered > himself over the taffrail on a rope and kept out of sight under the > vessel's counter. The pirates killed everyone on deck except a > thirteen year old boy named William Kent, whom, after helping > themselves to the contents of the lockers and nearly finishing the > barrel of rum, they had carried off with them. There had been some > discussion, so Nickerson said, as to whether or not they should burn > the Abigail, but they left her as she was and put back to their own > vessel, which was soon lost in darkness. The story sounded plausible > enough to Captain Doane. He carried Nickerson back to Chatham and > reported the occurrence to Edward Bacon, Esq., of Barnstable. Bacon > sent a copy of the report to the Governor and straightaway rode to > Chatham to crossquestion Nickerson. Apparently , he was not satisfied > with the result of the examination, for he had the man locked up in > the Barnstable jail until further evidence should be forthcoming. Two > frigates scoured the sound in vain for any trace of the pirate, and > Squire Bacon's suspicions increased. He sent his man in custody to > Boston, where he was tried by a special Court of Vice-Admiralty for > murder on the high seas. The trial lasted for two weeks and rocked > the town. > John Adams and Josiah Quincy, Jr., were counsel for the defence, and > finally Nickerson was declared not guilty." Shipmasters of Cape Cod > by Henry C. Kittredge, 1935 Houghton Mifflin Company David & Chris Chirokas wrote: >Hi Everyone: > >There is an interesting article about Ansell NICKERSON in NEHGS' New England >Ancestors publication, Winter 2005, vol 6, no 1. I'm sure many of you >have already read about this event, but for those who haven't or for >Nickerson descendants it's an interesting read. It's not currently available >on NEHGS' website, but may be available at local libraries for those who >don't subscribe. > >Ansell, at age 21, was the sole survivor of the crew on board the Abigail >which set sail from Boston to Chatham on 14 Nov 1772. Ansell claimed the >crew was killed by pirates, with one boy taken prisoner. At first people >believed his story, but later some doubted it, believing he killed the crew >and Ansell went on trial in Boston. John ADAMS represented him at court and >he was aquitted, but lived his life under suspicion from some. He later >married Mary SMITH and raised a family. > >Ansell was from Chatham, born Levi NICKERSON, to Ansel and and Bathsheba >(SMALL) NICKERSON, and was renamed Ansell after his father's death. The crew >of the Abigail included the 29 year old captain Thomas NICKERSON (Ansell's >cousin), Thomas' brother Sparrow, Thomas' brother-in-law Elisha NEWCOMB, and >13 year old William KENT. > > > > >==== MABARNST Mailing List ==== >For helpful information on how to use this list more effectively, as well as links to other helpful related information, click on: >http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/MA/barnstable.html > > > >

Ray Sears wrote: >There is a road that runs along the eastern border of the Town of Dennis on >Cape Cod called Airline Rd. I understand it was there long before the >advent of flight. In recent years developers have added roads off Airline >Rd in East Dennis called Pilot Dr, Jet Way, Propeller Way, Wing Lane, and >Landing Lane but I think their derivation is mistaken. > > > >I believe Air Line Rd was named after a common railroad practice of the time >(1850s-80s) of building a railroad in a straight line from one city to >another. > Hi Ray, You provided two instances of the use of the term airline for railroads which support your belief. I checked the University of Michigan's _Making of America" site of digitized texts from the nineteenth century and found several more instances of "airline" that agree with the usage you mention, but also with the suggestion Chris Chirokas sent. There were specific railroads mentioned--"New York & Boston airline railroad," and "Michigan Airline Railroad" for instance, and I live quite close to an Airline Road named for the Seaboard Airline Railroad which is now part of CSX. The railroads seem to have picked up a usage which meant what we mean by "as the crow flies." Or perhaps they invented it and it spread into general usage--I don't know which. The term "airline distance" was used sometimes, or in this instance the distance by river is compared to a straight line: " ...fifteen miles above Vicksburg, by the course of the current, though the distance in an airline is not more than six miles." An instance of its use as a simple adjective but in relation to a railroad is, "...an airline railroad, running straight through home-lot and garden dwelling, through hill and valley and meadow." So the term "airline," meaning as we would say "as the crow flies," was at least used independently of railroads, though whether it preceded the use by the railroads I could not determine. The railroad that ran down the spine of the cape was the Old Colony Railroad. Whether there was ever an "Airline" railroad there I don't know, but there's an organization called the Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts http://www.massbayrre.org/whow.htm that might be able to help. The information that Chris Chirokas sent, that "it received it's name because it is the shortest route between South Dennis and East Dennis," is perfectly consistent with the usage I saw at the _Making of America_ site, and seems probable to me, but in either case, you seem surely to be correct in that it has nothing to do with airplanes.

I have an ancestor who has an "Atkins Road" named after him in Sandwich...just part of the history lesson! Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: David & Chris Chirokas <chirokas@comcast.net> Date: Monday, February 28, 2005 10:06 am Subject: RE: [MaBarnstable] Speculation on the origin of Air Line Rd, East Dennis > Ray: In the July 1979 issue of the Dennis Historical Society > newsletter, the > origin of the name of Airline Road is discussed. The editor says > the road > appears on the 1880 map of the town but is not named. She says Mr. > DeanSears believes it received it's name because it is the > shortest route > between South Dennis and East Dennis. She said it also might be > because of > the hills and valleys of the road might make a person airsick. But > yourtheory on it being a railroad term is interesting. If you find > anythingdefinitive you might want to let someone, particularly > Nancy Thacher Reid, > at DHS know! > > I agree that we can learn a lot by looking at road names on the > Cape. My > family lived on Ferry Street in West Dennis and never occurred to > me they > actually operated a ferry there across Bass River until I started > readingabout Dennis history. > > Chris Chirokas > Westford, MA > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ray Sears [lrsears@capecod.net] > Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 7:44 AM > To: MABARNST-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [MaBarnstable] Speculation on the origin of Air Line Rd, East > Dennis > > > There is a road that runs along the eastern border of the Town of > Dennis on > Cape Cod called Airline Rd. I understand it was there long before the > advent of flight. In recent years developers have added roads > off Airline > Rd in East Dennis called Pilot Dr, Jet Way, Propeller Way, Wing > Lane, and > Landing Lane but I think their derivation is mistaken. > > > > I believe Air Line Rd was named after a common railroad practice > of the time > (1850s-80s) of building a railroad in a straight line from one > city to > another. My Grandfather, Leslie R Sears was a mechanical engineer > trainedat MIT and worked for the New Haven and Hartford railroad > and I even have > inherited his railroad watch. I wish he was here to ask but I am > sure he > could confirm my suspicions about Air Line Rd. It just happens > that the > ancient Sears Cemetery > (http://www.searsr.com/searscem/searscemetery.htm) is > at the northern terminus of Air Line rd just before it becomes > School St on > Quivet Neck. Any railroad buffs out there who can certify this > speculation? > > > > I think we can gain a great deal of genealogical information by > examiningroad names on Cape Cod. I plan to add these names to my > Cape Cod Gazetteer > (http://www.searsr.com/ccgz/index.asp ) > > > > Other sources: > > http://www.srmduluth.org/Features/gwinnettrail.htm > > As Atlanta grew in importance, it was natural that railroad > advocates would > consider building a railroad along a straight line from Atlanta to > Charlotte, North Carolina to Richmond, Virginia. Such a railroad > route is > known as an "Air Line." > > > > > > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jdevlin/town_hist/chatham_1884_hist > .htm > > > > The Air Line Division of the New York, New Haven & Hartford > railroad enters > the town on an iron bridge 70 feet in height over the pond of the > CobaltManufacturing Company, and extends by a circuitous route > across the town > from west to east. It crosses the valley over Cobalt Brook on a > fill 80 feet > in height, and, entering what is now known as Great Hill Cut, half > a mile in > length, and from 15 to 60 feet in depth, swings around to the > northward over > Muddy Gutter Stream on a fill 60 feet high, enters the village of East > Hampton, north of the residence of William E. BARTON, and, > crossing the main > street, between the Free Methodist Church and the store of C. O. > SEARS & > Co., and Pine Brook, near the residence of D. W. WATROUS, on iron > bridges,enters the cut known as BISHOP's Cut, or HALL's Summit, > the highest point of > the grade in the town, being something over 400 feet above the > level of the > river. > > > > L. Ray Sears, III > > LRSears@CapeCod.net > > > > > > > > ==== MABARNST Mailing List ==== > Want to post to this list from work or elsewhere? Send a note to > the List > Administrator, give him the e-mail address you want to add, and > ask him to > add you to the "Accept List." You will then be able to post from that > address without having to subscribe a second time. > > > > > ==== MABARNST Mailing List ==== > Search the Barnstable List Archives at: > http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?list=MABARNST > or > Browse the Barnstable List Archives at: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/MABARNST/ > >

Ray: In the July 1979 issue of the Dennis Historical Society newsletter, the origin of the name of Airline Road is discussed. The editor says the road appears on the 1880 map of the town but is not named. She says Mr. Dean Sears believes it received it's name because it is the shortest route between South Dennis and East Dennis. She said it also might be because of the hills and valleys of the road might make a person airsick. But your theory on it being a railroad term is interesting. If you find anything definitive you might want to let someone, particularly Nancy Thacher Reid, at DHS know! I agree that we can learn a lot by looking at road names on the Cape. My family lived on Ferry Street in West Dennis and never occurred to me they actually operated a ferry there across Bass River until I started reading about Dennis history. Chris Chirokas Westford, MA -----Original Message----- From: Ray Sears [mailto:lrsears@capecod.net] Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 7:44 AM To: MABARNST-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [MaBarnstable] Speculation on the origin of Air Line Rd, East Dennis There is a road that runs along the eastern border of the Town of Dennis on Cape Cod called Airline Rd. I understand it was there long before the advent of flight. In recent years developers have added roads off Airline Rd in East Dennis called Pilot Dr, Jet Way, Propeller Way, Wing Lane, and Landing Lane but I think their derivation is mistaken. I believe Air Line Rd was named after a common railroad practice of the time (1850s-80s) of building a railroad in a straight line from one city to another. My Grandfather, Leslie R Sears was a mechanical engineer trained at MIT and worked for the New Haven and Hartford railroad and I even have inherited his railroad watch. I wish he was here to ask but I am sure he could confirm my suspicions about Air Line Rd. It just happens that the ancient Sears Cemetery (http://www.searsr.com/searscem/searscemetery.htm) is at the northern terminus of Air Line rd just before it becomes School St on Quivet Neck. Any railroad buffs out there who can certify this speculation? I think we can gain a great deal of genealogical information by examining road names on Cape Cod. I plan to add these names to my Cape Cod Gazetteer (http://www.searsr.com/ccgz/index.asp ) Other sources: http://www.srmduluth.org/Features/gwinnettrail.htm As Atlanta grew in importance, it was natural that railroad advocates would consider building a railroad along a straight line from Atlanta to Charlotte, North Carolina to Richmond, Virginia. Such a railroad route is known as an "Air Line." http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jdevlin/town_hist/chatham_1884_hist .htm The Air Line Division of the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad enters the town on an iron bridge 70 feet in height over the pond of the Cobalt Manufacturing Company, and extends by a circuitous route across the town from west to east. It crosses the valley over Cobalt Brook on a fill 80 feet in height, and, entering what is now known as Great Hill Cut, half a mile in length, and from 15 to 60 feet in depth, swings around to the northward over Muddy Gutter Stream on a fill 60 feet high, enters the village of East Hampton, north of the residence of William E. BARTON, and, crossing the main street, between the Free Methodist Church and the store of C. O. SEARS & Co., and Pine Brook, near the residence of D. W. WATROUS, on iron bridges, enters the cut known as BISHOP's Cut, or HALL's Summit, the highest point of the grade in the town, being something over 400 feet above the level of the river. L. Ray Sears, III LRSears@CapeCod.net ==== MABARNST Mailing List ==== Want to post to this list from work or elsewhere? Send a note to the List Administrator, give him the e-mail address you want to add, and ask him to add you to the "Accept List." You will then be able to post from that address without having to subscribe a second time.

There is a road that runs along the eastern border of the Town of Dennis on Cape Cod called Airline Rd. I understand it was there long before the advent of flight. In recent years developers have added roads off Airline Rd in East Dennis called Pilot Dr, Jet Way, Propeller Way, Wing Lane, and Landing Lane but I think their derivation is mistaken. I believe Air Line Rd was named after a common railroad practice of the time (1850s-80s) of building a railroad in a straight line from one city to another. My Grandfather, Leslie R Sears was a mechanical engineer trained at MIT and worked for the New Haven and Hartford railroad and I even have inherited his railroad watch. I wish he was here to ask but I am sure he could confirm my suspicions about Air Line Rd. It just happens that the ancient Sears Cemetery (http://www.searsr.com/searscem/searscemetery.htm) is at the northern terminus of Air Line rd just before it becomes School St on Quivet Neck. Any railroad buffs out there who can certify this speculation? I think we can gain a great deal of genealogical information by examining road names on Cape Cod. I plan to add these names to my Cape Cod Gazetteer (http://www.searsr.com/ccgz/index.asp ) Other sources: http://www.srmduluth.org/Features/gwinnettrail.htm As Atlanta grew in importance, it was natural that railroad advocates would consider building a railroad along a straight line from Atlanta to Charlotte, North Carolina to Richmond, Virginia. Such a railroad route is known as an "Air Line." http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jdevlin/town_hist/chatham_1884_hist .htm The Air Line Division of the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad enters the town on an iron bridge 70 feet in height over the pond of the Cobalt Manufacturing Company, and extends by a circuitous route across the town from west to east. It crosses the valley over Cobalt Brook on a fill 80 feet in height, and, entering what is now known as Great Hill Cut, half a mile in length, and from 15 to 60 feet in depth, swings around to the northward over Muddy Gutter Stream on a fill 60 feet high, enters the village of East Hampton, north of the residence of William E. BARTON, and, crossing the main street, between the Free Methodist Church and the store of C. O. SEARS & Co., and Pine Brook, near the residence of D. W. WATROUS, on iron bridges, enters the cut known as BISHOP's Cut, or HALL's Summit, the highest point of the grade in the town, being something over 400 feet above the level of the river. L. Ray Sears, III LRSears@CapeCod.net

Hi I am looking for information about Tabitha Eldredge daughter of William Eldredge and Hannah Taylor. She was: b after 1721 in MA m Jonathan Kendrick 25 Aug 1740 in Boston, MA d 1775 I know of three children: Samuel b 1741 Warren Anson b 1793 he married Azuba Sears Jonathan b 1745 Any further information about Tabitha and her parents etc.would be appreciated. Thank you, Susan

Hi: There is an article in today's Boston Globe (2/20/05) on Emma Kelley Hawkins, called "Mistaken Identity." She published several novels and somehow over the years she has come to be considered an influential African-American author, which is interesting because she was actually white. Emma Dunham Kelley was born Dennis 11 Nov 1863, daughter of Isaac Dunham Kelley and Gabrelia Chase. She is my first cousin, 3x removed, so it has been interesting learning about her life and her mistaken identity. I've corresponded with another woman working to prove Emma's true identity, so I was surprised to see another person working on the same thing. Emma's father Isaac died at sea before she was born and Emma works that experience in a moving account in one of her fictional books, something that really got me hooked into finding more about her. The link to the article is: www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2005/02/20/mistaken_identity/ Thought other Kelley/Chase descendants might find it an interesting read. Chris Chirokas Westford, MA

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Wright + Patrick Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/0EB.2ACE/383.1.1 Message Board Post: Put in the info: as you said but no names but the three dead daughters came up. Found no listings of who put them in. Thank you for the thougt.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/0EB.2ACE/383.1 Message Board Post: Hello: If you go to the Mormon archive at http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp and put Hiram and Joanna in as the parents (don't put any names in the other spaces), you will see two Pedigree Resource Files with information provided to the church by different individuals. Their addresses are given, and though there is no guarantee that the addresses are correct anymore, you might want to write a letter to them and find out if they are related. Alternatively, you could check switchboard.com and you will find other people in the same city with the same name, along with their addresses. If you send a short letter to each, indicating that you are trying to find out about Hiram and explaining the connection to their name, you might get lucky. Often a simple form letter is the least expensive and most effective way to get what you are looking for. Best wishes Norm Dawson Calgary AB Canada

According to Katharine Chapin Higgins' book, Joanna (or Anna) Mayo married Isaiah Higgins 17 April 1745. Isaiah Higgins resided at Eastham and Orleans; he served as an officer in the Revolution and was a fairly prominent figure in the area. No birth or death date is given for Joanna in the Higgins book, but she must have died prior to 1788 or 1789, when Isaiah Higgins filed marriage intention(s?) for subsequent marriage(s?). Seven children are listed for Isaiah Higgins and Joanna Mayo, of whom Aaron Higgins (b. 25 Mar 1754) was the third. Isaiah Higgins was the 2nd great grandson of the immigrant Richard Higgins of New Plymouth Colony. Guy I. Colby IV Irving, TX -------------- Original message from ohlesslie@aol.com: -------------- > I will really appreciate anything you can tell me about Joanna Mayo, b. 1721. > She's an ancestor of mine through her son, Aaron Higgins. She was the daughter > of Joseph Mayo and Apphia Atwood, daughter of Stephen Atwood,.(who I know about > because I'm descended from Apphia's brother, Joseph, and his son Nathaniel, too. > Joseph Mayo, who married Apphia Atwood is the the son of James Mayo, I think, > but I don't know this line of Mayos. I'm also descended from Mercy Mayo who > married Jonathan Godfrey, (I know this line back to Rev. John Mayo.)

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Mayo, Higgins, Atwood, Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/0EB.2ACE/250.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: I will really appreciate anything you can tell me about Joanna Mayo, b. 1721. She's an ancestor of mine through her son, Aaron Higgins. She was the daughter of Joseph Mayo and Apphia Atwood, daughter of Stephen Atwood,.(who I know about because I'm descended from Apphia's brother, Joseph, and his son Nathaniel, too. Joseph Mayo, who married Apphia Atwood is the the son of James Mayo, I think, but I don't know this line of Mayos. I'm also descended from Mercy Mayo who married Jonathan Godfrey, (I know this line back to Rev. John Mayo.)

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: BROADBROOKS, NICKERSON, SMALL Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/0EB.2ACE/1.38.1.1.2.1.2.1.1 Message Board Post: Following is my direct line: I. Beriah BROADBROOKS b. c1695 m. Abigail SEVERANCE II. Ebenezer BROADBROOKS b. 1717 d. 1802 Harwich, MA m. Lydia SMALL b.1725 III. Sylvia BROADBROOKS b. c1755 d. Sterling, CT m. Benjamin NICKERSON b. 1754 Harwich, MA Other surnames associated with the descendant line: WOOD, CARD SMITH, OBRIEN, ADAMS Willing to exchange info. Joyce

Ann, remember ABE books online, you should not have any problems finding a copy...best of luck Paul Ann Hamby wrote: >Many, many thanks to all who replied to my request concerning whether there >are any Percivals mentioned in the Sandwich Book. And since I can't ask you >to give me all the information it has about the Percivals, I will try to >find a copy of the book. Just wanted to make sure it was worth the effort. >Thanks again! Ann Hamby > > > >==== MABARNST Mailing List ==== >Need to contact the List Administrator? Post your question to the list if it is of general interest to all, or send a private e-mail to: >mabarnst-admin@rootsweb.com > > > > >

Hi Everyone: Does anyone know of any resources for finding information on a person's maritime career? Sometimes I've stumbled across information on my Cape ancestors' lives as mariners -- vessels they owned/sailed on, storms they endured, ships lost at sea etc., but I've never purposely set out to find this information. Specifically I'm looking for information on Capt. David HOWES of Dennisport (b. 1768, d. Feb 1843). He was the son of Thomas HOWES and Hope SEARS and the husband of Rebecca BAKER and father of ten children, including my ggg grandmother Abagail HOWES who m. Hiram KELLEY. He did not make a will, but his probate file does contain information such as an accounting of his estate, but no mention of vessels he owned or anything related to that. I would like to find any information on any of his voyages, what maritime related industry (fishing, whaling, packet, trade, etc.), if he owned any vessels, etc. He is not included in "Master Mariners of Dennis" booklet and while he is mentioned in Nancy Thacher Reid's Dennis history, it is not relevant to his maritime career. Any ideas most welcome! Thanks, Chris Chirokas warm and sunny (today anyway) Westford, MA

Many, many thanks to all who replied to my request concerning whether there are any Percivals mentioned in the Sandwich Book. And since I can't ask you to give me all the information it has about the Percivals, I will try to find a copy of the book. Just wanted to make sure it was worth the effort. Thanks again! Ann Hamby

Would someone on the list who has a copy of this book please let me know if any Percival family member is listed. Thanks so much, Ann

At 08:15 PM 2/14/2005, Doug Showalter wrote: >If anyone has any more information on JONATHAN DUNHAM, I'm glad to receive it. Doug - Various writers and sources present a confusing picture of Jonathan Dunham, as there appear to have been at least two men of that name who were contemporaries. I have not tried to order or organize these citations or to determine which entries pertain to which Jonathan: Jonathan Dunham of Barnstable married Mary, daughter of Philip Delano, in 1655, and Mary, daughter of Henry Cobb, in 1657, and was representative from Middleborough in 1689; served among the islands as minister to the Indians, but was 1694 at Edgartown (Henry Whittemore, "Genealogical Guide to the Early Settlers of America," p. 160). Jonathan Dunham was selectman at Middleborough in 1674 and 1675 (Ebenezer W. Peirce, "Peirce's Colonial Lists," p. 47). Jonathan Dunham "inner" had a son born at Falmouth, MA 01-Mar-1686 (Advertiser of Family History, 4:24). John Dunham Sr. deeded his Plymouth house and land to his son Jonathan 04-Jul-1658 (MD 12:214-215). Jonathan Dunham was named as an abutter in a Plymouth deed recorded in 1664 (MD 34:22). Jonathan Dunham sold a share of land at "Punckateesett necke" to Edward Grey in 1664 (MD 34:82). He is named in the partition of Edward Grey's lands recorded in 1686 (Pilgrim Notes and Queries 4:91-95). Jonathan Dunham was named as an abutter in a 1665 Plymouth deed (MD 36:163). Jonathan, son of John Dunham, was born 12-Aug-1650 at Plymouth (MD 16:235; Plymouth VR 658). Jonathan Dunham was named in his father John's 25-Jan-1668 Plymouth will (MD 17:113-114; C. H. Simmons, Jr., "Plymouth Colony Records, Volume 1, Wills and Inventories 1633-1669," p. 480). Jonathan Dunham married Mary Delano 29-Nov-1655 (MD 17:72; Plymouth VR 662). Jonathan Dunham married Mary Cobb 15-Oct-1657 (MD 17:72; Plymouth VR 662). In early 1694 "Our Brother" Jonathan Dunham wrote to the First Church of Plymouth asking advice about gathering a church at Edgartown "where he was imployed in Teaching the word"; the pastor (John Cotton) and Samuel Fuller went to the vineyard, the church was gathered, and Dunham was ordained "Teacher" 11-Oct-1694 (MD 14:191; Plymouth Church Records 1:175). On 30-Sep-1670 Jonathan Dunham was one of those who took inventory of the estate of Henry Wood of Middleborough (MD 19:60). On 11-Oct-1673 Jonathan Dunham was one of those who took inventory of the estate of John Morton Sr. of Middleborough (MD 25:123). Dale H. Cook; Research Member, NEHGS; Member, Mass. Soc. Mayf. Desc. Plymouth Co. MA Coordinator for the USGenWeb Project and for GenExchange http://members.cox.net/oldcolony/index.shtml

Greetings, Ezra Stiles indicated that JONATHAN DOWNHAM was the first preacher in early Falmouth--at least the transcription for print spelled the surname that way. Early Falmouth records show a JONATHAN DUNHAM having land in the community [apparently in conjunction with land set aside for a minister] when the community was still known as Sucknessett, before it became Falmouth in 1686. That helped a lot, as I have found information on Jonathan Dunham in Frederick Lewis Weis' 1936, "The Colonial Clergy and the Colonial Churches of New England." It is stated there that Dunham was a lay preacher in Falmouth, ME from 1679-1684, and that he was ordained in Edgartown in 1694, where he died in 1717. I believe the above is likely incorrect, that it was Falmouth in MA instead of in ME. Also, it appears to me that Weis' book was not familiar with Ezra Stile's comments about religion in early Falmouth--including the date when the Congregational church was actually "gathered," which, according to Stiles, was October 28, 1708. Weis says, October 10, 1708. But, that was the date the parishioners living in Falmouth were dismissed from their Barnstable church so they could then "gather" the Falmouth church as its own independent congregation. Prior to that time, the congregation worshipping in Falmouth was essentially a "branch church" of the Barnstable congregation. Such arrangements were common back then, apparently, and they were not in a hurry to have the "branch church" split off, until it could operate well on its own and the original church could afford to lose those parishioners forming the new church. If anyone has any more information on JONATHAN DUNHAM, I'm glad to receive it. Thanks. Best wishes, Rev. Dr. Doug Showalter