Colonel Jonathan Pettibone

1. Jonathan Pettibone
+Martha Humphrey
2. Giles Pettibone
+Margaret Holcomb
3. Lucy Pettibone
+Augustus Phelps
4. Margaret Phelps
+C. Columbus Rockwell
5. Ada Lucy Rockwell
+Charles E. Hotchkiss
6. Ida Elizabeth Hotchkiss
+Joseph Willard Munson
7. George Willard Munson
+Ruth Marie Koerner
8. Edward Deck Munson
+Debra Florence Dahlquist
9. Scott Edward Munson

My Sixth Great-grandfather's hat is in the Smithsonian Institute! In honor of Independence Day, here is a little about one of our ancestors who served in the War for Independence and gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

Colonel Jonathan Pettibone's tricorn hat

Jonathan Pettibone was born in Simsbury, Connecticut in 1709 to Samuel and Judith (Shepherd) Pettibone. He was one of nine children growing up in a prominent Simsbury home.

He married Martha Humphrey, the daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Hillyer) Humphrey.  They raised seven children including my Fifth Great-grandfather, Giles Pettibone, on their large Simsbury farm. He was a prominent citizen of Simsbury, serving as one of the town leaders and representing the town in the Connecticut General Assembly.

In 1775 he heeded the call from Boston and fought for the Colonists in the Battle of Bunker Hill. The next year he was killed in a military skirmish in Rye, New York on September 26, 1776.

Grave Stone in Simsbury, CT

Here is a link to his Wikitree page which has more detail on his civic and military service.

The tricorn hat which he wore in battle is part of the collection at the National Museum of American History in Washington DC. Here is a link to it on the Smithsonian Institute webpage.

Martha Humphrey Pettibone outlived her husband by 20 years and eleven days. She died a Revolutionary War Widow on October 7, 1796 at the age of 85.

Martha's grave stone in Simsbury, CT

William the Conqueror Lineage II

1. King William I
+ Matilda of Flanders
2. King Henry I
+ Matilda of Scotland
3. Empress Maude or Matilda of England
+ Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou and Maine
4. King Henry II
+ Eleanor of Aquitaine
5. King John I (Lackland)
+ Isabella d'Angouleme
6. King Henry III
+ Eleanor of Provence
7. King Edward I
+ Eleanor of Castile
8. Princess Elizabeth Plantagenet
+ Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Herford and Essex
9. Lady Margaret de Bohun
+ Hugh de Courtenay, Count of Auxerre
10. Edward de Courtenay
+ Emeline Dawney
11. Sir Hugh de Courtenay
+ Lady Maud de Beaumont
12. Margaret de Courtenay
+ Sir Theobald Grenville
13. Sir William Grenville
+ Philippa Bonville
14. Thomas Grenville
+ Elizabeth Georges
15. Sir Thomas Grenville
+ Elizabeth Gilbert
16. Roger Grenville
+ Margaret Whitleigh
17. Annye Grenville
+ John Drake, Esq, High Sheriff of Devon
18. Robert Drake
+ Elizabeth Prideaux
19. William Drake
+ Philippa Dennys
20. John Drake (immigrant to America)
+ Elizabeth Rogers (immigrant to America
21. John Drake Jr.
+ Hannah More
22. Job Drake
+ Elizabeth Alvord
23. Elizabeth Drake
+ Joseph Rockwell
24. Joseph Rockwell
+ Hannah Huntington
25. Joseph Rockwell
+ Anna Dodd
26. Joseph Rockwell
+ Esther Cone
27. George Rockwell
+ Myris Guiteau
28. C.C. Rockwell
+ Margaret Phelps
29. Ada Lucy Rockwell
+ Charles E. Hotchkiss
30. Ida Hotchkiss
+ Joseph Williard Munson
31. Sir George Williard Munson of Winsted, Connecticut
+ Lady Ruth Marie Koerner of Greenwich, Connecticut
32. Lord Edward Deck Munson of Columbia, Connecticut
+ Lady Debra Florence Dahlquist of Wells, Maine
33. Scott Edward Munson (King in exile)

William the Conqueror Silver Coin
(picture taken from wikipedia)

Once again I am making my rightful claim to the throne of England as the 30th Great-Grandson of William the Great, King of England. Some may have questioned my credentials based on the previous lineage posted in June 2010 because it was through William the Great's daughter Princess Gundred, who, while treated in every way as a daughter, may not have been his daughter by blood.  This line is through his fourth son Henry who succeeded his brother, William II, becoming Henry I, King of England. This line also contains several other kings whom you can google to find out more information.

It's interesting to note that the last King in this lineage was King Edward I.  One has to wonder if my Grammy Munson knew this when she gave my father the name Edward.  I haven't found it anywhere else in the family but it does add some legitimacy to my claim.


King Edward I, also known as Edward Longshanks
because of his unusual height for the time
(picture taken from wikipedia)


Whether she knew or not, naming my father Edward which was passed down as my middle name allows me several options when I am crowned.  I could drop my first name and become King Edward IX in honor of our family's last King. (As a side note: it was King Edward VIII who abdicated the thrown to marry Mrs. Wallis Simpson in 1936).  I could keep my first name and be King Scott I in recognition of my 29th Great-Granmother, William the Great's daughter in law, Matilda of Scotland.  I could honor and recognize both by become King Edward IX of Scotland.  This would of course have the double meaning since I grew up in Scotland, Connecticut but may be confusing since I would be the King of Great Britain and not just of Scotland.

I imagine that I have some time to consider these options while my claim to the throne is verified. Until then, I remain in exile under the cruel rule of King Jubal the Terrible, Master of Apartment 2C in The Salem, Jackson Heights, New York :)



Jubal the Terrible on his throne
picture taken October 2010 by SEM



Bridget (Delia) Fitzgerald Bowman

Third Great-Grandmother & Immigrant from Ireland

1. Bridget (Delia) Fitzgerald
+ Edward Bowman
2. Michael Joseph Bowman
+ Mary Louise Connelly
3. Arthur Joseph Bowman
+ Frances Harriet Crogent
4. Florence Mary Bowman
+ John Emil Dahlquist, Jr
5. Debra Florence Dahlquist
+ Edward Deck Munson
6. Scott Edward Munson

In honor of St. Patrick's day, I thought I would explore one of our Irish ancestors, Bridget (Delia) Fitzgerald Bowman.  She was my Nana's Great-grandmother but I don't know a lot about her other than what I have been able to find in documents, some of which have been provided by my Uncle, James Buggie. 

We know that she was born December 24, 1847 in the county of Wexford in Ireland and that her parent's names were John Fitzgerald and Alice Murphy.  I know nothing of her parents other than their name and her birthplace, but if you remember them, I will explain why they are significant later on.  Her name was Bridget, but she probably went by Delia which was recorded in several census records.

Main Street in the town of Wexford, County of Wexford, Ireland.
(picture from Wikipedia)

She married my 3rd Great-Grandfather, Edward Bowman - a shoemaker from Waterford County, Ireland.  Their first child, James, was born in 1860 in Waterford County.  Their second child, Michael Joseph (my 2nd Great-Grandfather) was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1865.  Why the family were on the move, I do not know, but by 1870, when their 3rd child, Amelia, was born, they were living in Liverpool, England.

In 1875 the family sailed for America.  I have been unsuccessful in finding their arrival records, but in the 1880 US Census, they were living at 2 Ninth Avenue in New York City. Today, this is the very trendy area know as the Meat Packing District but back in the late 1800s, it was probably a very poor neighborhood.  Both Edward, age 42, and James, age 20, were listed as Boot & Shoe Makers. Michael, age 15, was working in a soda water factory! Remember, this was before child labor laws went into effect.

This square is where their apartment on Ninth Ave would have been. Notice the
smaller buildings in the background which probably date to the 1880s.
(picture taken in Jun 2010 by SEM)

These buildings are accross the street but were probably there when Edward
& Delia lived on Ninth Avenue.
(picture taken in Jun 2010 by SEM)

In the 1900 Census, Delia was living with James and Amelia at 423 West 18th Street. Today, this is where the Chelsea Projects are.  She was listed as a Widow, but we know that Edward did not die until 1904.  Whether they were divorced or he was institutionalized, we do not know.  The census tells us she was the mother of 10 children and only 3 were still living.  The other children probably died in infancy since James, Michael and Amelia were all still living and were the only children ever recorded with Bridget in any of the census records.

Delia was living in the same apartment on West 18th Street in both the 1910 and 1920 Census.  She was listed working as a Janitress, probably in the building she lived in.  In 1910, Amelia Morris was a widow living there with her two daughters, Edith and Mildred.  By 1920, James was back living with his mother and helping out as a Janitor to her Janitress.  Amelia was also living there with her second husband, Patrick McDonald.

Bridget died on December 3, 1922, less than a month before her 75th birthday and only eight months after the birth of her Great-Grandaughter, Florence Mary Bowman.  The picture below is possibly a picture of Bridget holding my Nana.  The caption on it reads, Florence Bowman with unknown Grandmother.  The picture doesn't look like either of her own grandmothers.  Both of her mother's Grandmothers were already dead before she was born, so this must be one of her Father's Grandmothers, Bridget Bowman or Anastasia Connelly. 

"Grandma unknown holding Florence Bowman"
I love the buildings in the background.
(picture provided by Jim Buggie)

Bridget is buried in Calvary Cemetery here in Queens with her husband Edward, her son James and several grandchildren.  There is no stone to mark the spot.

There is no stone, but this is the spot where Edward & Delia are buried.
(picture taken Aug 2010 by SEM)

Now, you'll remember I told you not to forget the names of Delia's parents and the location of her birth.  It just so happens that we may be connected to America's greatest son of Irish descent, President John FITZGERALD Kennedy.  It turns out that his family was also from Wexford County Ireland.  His Grandfather on his Mother's side was named John Fitzgerald and his Great-Grandmother on his Father's side was named Bridget Murphy - and they were all from Wexford County. I haven't made a direct connection yet, but it is very probable that we are related. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Our Curious Connections to Nicholas Holt

I ran across this interesting little tid-bit concerning the family of Ada (Rockwell) Hotchkiss (see July 2010 post) and thought it was worth sharing. 

I first encountered the name Nicholas Holt when I was searching for grave stones in Norfolk, CT.  The stone for my Sixth Great-Grandmother, Ada's father's Great-Grandmother, reads: "Lydia, wife first of Jedediah Phelps then of Nicholas Holt..."

(picture taken Jul 2010 by SEM)


I didn't think much of it at the time, but I took the picture and made a note of it.  Every once in a while I would be doing research and would run across "she later married Nicholas Holt" or something to that effect, and I would think, "Oh, yeah.  I remember her grave stone. Nicholas Holt." 

Last week, I was reading part of a book on the history of Norfolk when I ran across that very phrase:  "she later married Nicholas Holt" and I thought, "Oh, yeah, she's..." I went to her profile on ancestry.com but there was no grave picture, so I decided I would upload the one I had taken (even though I thought I had already done that). I soon discovered that I had already uploaded it, but to a different person. I was talking about two different grandmothers, both of whom married Nicholas Holt as their second husband!  The one I was reading about in this book was not Lydia but Sarah (Phelps) Bingham, my Fifth Great-Grandmother and Ada's mother's Grandmother.

So, who was this Nicholas Holt?  He was born in 1755 in East Haven, CT but moved to Norfolk with his parents when he was a child.  He enlisted in the revolutionary army as a teenager and was soon on the Campaign to Quebec.  It was at Lake George that he fell sick with smallpox. To avoid death, he jumped into the freezing waters of Lake George which quelled the smallpox but led to a severe cold.  Swelling in his hip caused him to be disabled for the rest of his life.


(picture from http://www.familysearch.org/)

He returned to Norfolk after serving in the Revolution and married his first wife, Keturah Pratt.  They had ten children together and she died in February 1798.  With five children under the age of fifteen, he married his second wife, Sarah (Phelps) Bingham in February 1799.  She had been married to Ozias Bingham, my Sixth Great-Grandfather with whom she had five children.  Some records indicate Ozias and Sarah were divorced and other records say he abandoned his CT family.  Either way, Ozias ended up in Wysox, Pennsylvania where by all accounts he lived a respectable life with his second family, living to the age of 90. 

While Sarah and Nicholas had no children together, Sarah raised the youngest of Nicholas & Keturah's children.  Her children with Ozias were probably all near adulthood by the time she married Nicholas.  They remained married until 1821 when she died at the age of 67.

Nicholas next married Lydia (Gaylord) Phelps, his third wife, in 1824.  She was the widow of Jedediah Phelps, my Fifth Great-Grandfather and brother of Sarah (Phelps) Bingham Holt, the second wife of Nicholas.  Are you confused yet?  Maybe this will help:

Brilliant Chart created by SEM

I think this makes him my Step Fifth Great-Grandfather and Step Sixth Great-Grandfather - or maybe it's Fifth Great-Stepgrandfather and Sixth Great-Stepgrandfather.  I'm not sure which is the correct termininology to use!

Either way, Nicholas was a respected member of the Congregational Church in Norfolk and served two terms representing his town in the Connectictut Legislature. He died in 1832 at the age of 77. He wasn't our direct ancestor but we can still honor him and remember his multiple connections to our family.

Reverend Thomas Hooker

The First American Democrat

Tenth Great-Grandfather
Immigrant Ancestor

1. Reverend Thomas Hooker
+ Suzanna
2. Reverend Samuel Hooker
+ Mary Willet
3. John Hooker
+ Abigail Standley
4. Hezekiah Hooker
+ Abigail Curtis
5. James Hooker
+ Dorothy Parmalee
6. Thomas Hooker
+ Ruth Parmalee
7. Dr. Thomas Gould Hooker
+ Esther Sweet
8. Thomas Edwin Hooker
+ Lucy Hyde
9. Marus Edwin Hooker
+ Elizabeth Rosenburg
10. Jennie Estella Hooker
+ John Emil Dahlquist, Sr.
11. John Emil Dahlquist, Jr.
+ Florence Mary Bowman
12. Debra Florence Dahlquist
+ Edward (Ned) Deck Munson
13. Scott Edward Munson

In my first post for this blog, I alluded to the fact that I grew up knowing that I was a direct descendant of the Reverend Thomas Hooker, one of the most prominent of the New England puritan ministers and a leader in the founding of Hartford, Connecticut.  I decided that before posting about some additional ancestors who are closely connected to him, that I ought to at least give a brief account of his life and the lasting impact of his ministry. If you do a Google search you will discover a great deal more about his life and legacy.

Statue of Thomas Hooker in Hartford
(picture from http://www.foundersofhartford.org/)

Thomas Hooker was born in England about 1586. He attended Emmauel College in Cambridge, England where he studied for the ministry. He was a gifted preacher and soon held a position at the St. Mary's Church in Chelmsford, England.  It was there that Arch-Bishop William Laud objected to some of his puritan teachings which were considered contrary to the established Church of England.  Though 50 of his fellow clergy signed a petition in support of his ministry and character, Thomas Hooker found himself in more and more trouble with the Arch-Bishop. In 1630, he was to be put on trial before an Ecclesiastical Court, but instead fled to Holland.



Plaque found in St. Mary's Church
(picture from http://www.tigergrowl.wordpress.com/)


He returned to England in 1633, but before being arrested, he fled once more with his family and a group of friends. This time, his destination was not Holland, but the New World.  He arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts in the ship Griffin on September 3, 1633, just 13 short years after the Mayflower had landed there with the Pilgrims. 

Plaque located in Cambridge, MA
(picture from Wikipedia)

Thomas Hooker and his followers settled in Newtowne, Massachusetts where he was chosen to be the Pastor.  (Newtowne was later renamed Cambridge and is currently the sight of Harvard Square.)  There are several reasons Thomas Hooker and his followers decided to seek a new home only a couple years after arriving there.  First, it was getting crowded.  More and more people were arriving in Massachusetts every year.  Arch-Bishop Laud was on a rampage, and many Puritan ministers and their followers were fleeing the persecution in England. Secondly, Thomas Hooker had some theological disagreements with the church leaders in Hartford.  Reverend John Cotton was the most prominant minister in Boston at  the time, and there was friction between the two.  The third, and I believe, primary reason for his move is best described by Walter Seth Logan, a fellow Hooker Descendant, in a paper he wrote in 1905:

"He moved from Massachusetts to Connecticut for the same reason that he had moved from England to Holland and from Holland to America, to find a place not so much where he could worship God as he chose as to work out his own destiny for himself and to found a real democracy for himself and for his devoted followers.  He moved from the valley of Charles to the valley of Connecticut to escape from government theocratic in its origin and inevitably aristocratic in its nature, to a place where a real democratic government could be established - where the people could rule... Well may we claim for Thomas Hooker the title - to my mind the noblest title ever borne by the son of woman - the First American Democrat"



Statue commemorating the Puritan journey to Hartford
(picture taken in July 2010 by SEM)



Plaque which accompanies statue
(picture taken in July 2010 by SEM)

In 1636, Thomas Hooker led about 100 of his followers: men, women and children, on a 100 mile journey through the wilderness of Massachusetts and Connecticut to the site of a small Dutch trading post on the Connecticut River.  There they settled, and Hartford was born.

Center Church in Hartford - Thomas Hooker was the first Pastor
(picture taken in July 2010 by SEM)

By 1638, the settlements at Hartford, Windsor and Wethersfield had created a General Court (legislature) together and established the Connecticut Colony. On May 31, 1638, Thomas Hooker preached the opening serman at a  meeting of that court convened to frame a set of laws to govern the colony.  The themes of that sermon were used in establishing the new written constitution.  Among them: the choice of leaders belongs to the people, public service is a trust to be used for the good of the people and the public has the right to limit the power of their leaders.  He ends his sermon with the statement, "As God has given us liberty let us take it." These were some radical ideas at the time, but they became the foundation for the new Connecticut Constitution and later for the Constitution of the United States.

Thomas Hooker's name appears on the Founder's Monument in Hartford
(picture taken in July 2010 by SEM)

Thomas Hooker lived another eight years under the government that he helped establish.  Connecticut thrived as a Colony and today Thomas Hooker can be remembered for his part in History.

Table marking the burial location of Thomas Hooker reads:
IN MEMORY OF THE REV THOMAS HOOKER
WHO IN 1636 WITH HIS ASSISTANT MR STONE REMOVED
TO HARTFORD WITH ABOUT 100 PERSONS WHERE HE
PLANTED Y FIRST CHURCH IN CONNECTICUT
AN ELOQUENT ABLE & FAITHFUL MINISTER OF CHRIST
HE DIED JULY 7TH 1647  AE LVI
(picture taken July 2010 by SEM)

As a side note: sorry guys, but there is no connection between the man Thomas Hooker and the Connecticut brewing company that carries his name. As a Puritan Minister, he would probably be horrified to know that his name was being used to promote alcoholic beverages.  When he arrived in Chelmsford, England, it was a town known for it's wild ale houses and pubs.  His public teachings there were credited with helping transform it to a more "respectable" community.

I on the other hand love the Hooker Brewing Company and love the idea that I am imbibing in a beverage that brings me great joy and is named for my tenth great-grandfather :)

Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
(picture from http://www.hookerbeer.com/)

Crogent Brothers Photo

Another one of my favorite photos is this one of the Crogent brothers from some time in the early 1900s.
 

Crogent Brothers


Unfortunately the only one I can identify is my great great-grandfather, William Joseph Crogent (see my October 2010 post) who is in the middle of the front row.  He is the oldest. The others are Martin, Walter, Benjamin, Thomas & Albert - I'm just not sure which is which.

All of the brothers were born in Liverpool, England and emmigrated to America.  Thomas moved to Ohio but the other brothers stayed in the Northeast.  They had four sisters, Mary Ellen, Anne, Elizabeth & Louisa.  Both Anne & Louisa came to America.  Elizabeth stayed in England. Mary Ellen stayed in England but I am not sure if she came to the United States. 

Their parents, William and Mary (Curly) Crogent also came to America. As far as I can tell, they are the only family to have the last name Crogent.  William's original last name was Kroger.  Why it was changed, I do not know, but every Crogent I have found a record for is a descendant of William and Mary. They are buried in Calvary Cemetery here in Queens, just a mile from my house.

If you are able to identify the other brothers please comment or email me.  If you have other pictures of these brothers or sisters you would like to share, please email them to me.

Thanks :)

George W. Munson

Great Great-Grandfather

1. George W. Munson (1859-1943)
+ Eleanor A. Parsons (1853-1923)
2. Joseph Willard Munson (1885-1961)
+ Ida E. Hotchkiss (1885-1861)
3. George Willard Munson (1915-1993)
+ Ruth Marie Koerner (1917-2003)
5. Edward (Ned) Deck Munson
+ Debra Florence Dahlquist
6. Scott Edward Munson


This is a picture of George W. Munson, the grandfather of my Grampa, George Willard Munson, sitting in a rocking chair.  On his lap is my aunt, Barbara (Munson) Herrick, his great-grandchild.

George W. Munson was born on November 10, 1859 to John and Mary J (Warner) Munson in Sheffield, Massachusetts, a town which borders Litchfield County Connecticut. His birth is registered in the town record of Sheffield as George Munson - no middle name. His father, John, was a farmer in Sheffield and George grew up there with his parents and three sisters: Julia, Nellie and Minnie. 

1939 Print from Sheffield, MA

In the 1880 Census, George was living with his parents and sister, Nellie, in Sheffield,  He was a young man of twenty and working as a farm laborer, probably on his father's farm.

Sometime before 1885, George moved to Norfolk, Connecticut and was married to Eleanor A. Parsons, the daughter of a shoemaker in Norfolk.  Their first child, Joseph Willard, my great-grandfather, was born on May 13, 1885 in Norfolk.  They later had a son, Frank Warner, who died shortly after birth.  Ruth Warner, Aunt Ruth as she was known to my grandfather and father, was born a year later in 1892. 

In the 1900 Census, George and Eleanor and their two children were still living in Norfolk.  George's occupation was listed as Teamster.  This occupation was listed again in the 1910 Census. Since the Internation Brotherhood of Teamsters union was not founded until 1904, this probably means that he drove a team of horses.  Remember, automobiles were still very rare at this time so products and people would be transported from town to town by train or wagon.  He would have been the modern truck driver of his day!

Eleanor Passed away in 1923 and some time after that George moved in with is son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Ida (Hotchkiss).  George was living with them in Winsted, CT during the 1930 Census.  The household included a 14 year old George Willard Munson and his younger sisters, Ada and Eleanor. 

George W Munson died in 1943 and is buried at the Center Cemetery with his wife Eleanor and all of his children. George, Eleanor, Frank and Ruth's names are all listed on one side of the stone.  Joseph and Ida's names are on the other side.

Now, you may have noticed that I have only identified George's middle initial throughout this post.  We know that Joseph was named Joseph Willard and my grandfather was George Willard but I have not found a record of Joseph's father's middle name - only the initial W.  I suspect that it is NOT Willard.  I believe the name Willard came from Eleanor's side of the family and will explain this further in a future post.  My best guess for George W's middle name is that it was Warner - his mothers maiden name.  This is reinforced by the fact that he gave both a son and a daughter that for a middle name. Two other possibilities are William or Wells since his mother's father was William Wells Warner.  If you know the answer to this mystery, please comment otherwise I will continue to search for the answer.

Photo of Sarah Cartmel Crogent

Sorry it's been such a long time since I have posted anything.  Between, school, work, the holidays and the little bit of research I've been able to squeeze in, I just haven't had time to sit down and write over the past few months.

Since school is going to be crazy for at least another couple of weeks, I thought I could at least post a few pictures. I received quite a bit of information from my uncle, Jim Buggie, who has done some great research on the family over the past few years.  He provided me with quite a few documents and pictures he has collected. 

This first picture is my favorite.  It is of my Great great-grandmother, Sarah Cartmel Crogent, who I wrote about recently. She was Nana's Grandmother who came to the U.S. from England. The picture reminds me of a Dorothea Lang photo from the depression era.

I'm not sure who the two girls at the table are, but they may be Sarah's daughters Fannie (Nana's mother) and Nellie. 

Immigrant Adam Koerner's grave

The first profile which I put on this blog back on June 3rd was for Adam and Maria Koerner, who came to the United States from Germany about 1850.  When I wrote that, I did not know when or where this immigrant couple died.  Their son Adam had moved to Greenwich some time in the late 1880s but I was not sure about his parents. 

A couple months ago, I found Maria in the 1900 Census.  Remember that her daughter Lena married Phillip Eberhardt who was brother to Adam Jr.'s wife.  Well, I found Maria living with her daughter Lena and her other daughter Maria Berle.  Both Lena and Maria Koerner are listed as widows living with Louis and Maria Berle and their children: Adam, Lena, Louis, Emily and Maria.  They were still living in New York City on First Avenue near 24th Street.

A couple weeks later I found information on a Maria Koerner who died in 1907 at the age of 95.  A person online had seen the Death Certificate and knew she was buried in the Lutheran Cemetery. I wasn't sure this would be the right Maria Koerner, but since the cemetery is only a couple miles from my house, I decided to ride my bike over there and check it out.

Sure enough, I stopped by the office, and they confirmed that Maria Koerner was buried in the cemetery along with Adam and Philip. A very helpful woman in the office gave me the location but didn't know whether there would be a stone or not.  I was doubtful since many immigrants would not be able to afford the expense of a stone back at the turn of the century. 

I rode my bike to the section of the cemetery where the woman had indicated the Koerners were located.  It was far to the back in what was obviously an older part of the cemetery which received few visitors.   The grass had not been mowed in a couple of weeks and was several inches high. It really had the feeling of being out in a field in the country only with scattered gravestones sticking up above the top of the blades of grass.  There was no sence that the largest city in the United States was only a few miles away. 

As I approached the area where the stone would be, I became very skeptical that I would find anything.  The stones were spread out with lots of space between them - space where people were buried but no markers had been laid.

I read each stone, looking for the name and the location marking to help guide my way.  Then I saw it, in the back, at the end of the row. A short, fat stone which read "In Memory of Adam Koerner." I had fulfilled my quest.

You'll notice that Maria's name name does not appear on the stone. It is probable that she died after Philip and the family either did not have money for a stone, or did not have room to add her name on the stone that was already there. Either way, she died in 1907 at the ripe old age of 95 and is buried here with her husband and second oldest son.

As a side note, I returned this morning to take some more pictures and was surprised at the state of the cemetery. You may remember hearing on the news several weeks ago that a tornado touched down in New York City, specifically in Queens and Brooklyn. Apparently the tornado went right through the middled of the cemetery, because there were trees down all over the place.  The path of the storm must have been toward the front of the cemetery, because in the back, where Adam and Maria are buried, the damage was minimal.  These were some pictures I took of trees still not cleaned up three weeks after the tornado hit:



The top of this huge tree was just twisted off the trunk
and thrown on ground under it!



William & Sarah (Cartmel) Crogent

Great Great-Grandparents

1. William John Crogent
+ Sarah Cartmel
2. Frances Harriet Crogent
+ Arthur Joseph Bowman
3. Florence Mary Bowman
+ John Emil Dahlquist
4. Debra Florence Dahlquist
+ Edward Deck Munson
5. Scott Edward Munson

I recently visited the grave of my great great-grandparents, William and Sarah (Cartmel) Crogent, who are buried in Calvary Cemetery which is only a couple miles from where I live.  These were my Nana's grandparents who came to the United States from England. I believe this picture which I posted back in June is of them with their two oldest children. 

Sarah was born about 1865 in Liverpool, England, the daughter Jonathan and Frances (Dixon) Cartmel. She first appears at age 6 in the 1871 Census living in Liverpool with her Father, a millwright, and siblings: Mary J. age 17, Frances H. age 13; Joseph age 10 and John age 4. Her mother had died shortly before the census and her oldest brother, Jonathan, was already living away from home and working as a 14 year old plumbers apprentice.

William Crogent also grew up in Liverpool.  He was born in 1861 and was the son of William and Mary (Curley) Crogent. He first appears at age 10 in the 1871 Census living with his father William age 31, a green grocer, mother Mary age 30 and siblings Ellen age 7, Annie age 5, Elizabeth age 3 and Louisa age 1. His father is listed as born in Prussia and his mother Ireland. 

Liverpool was a bustling port city at the time, and the last stop for many European immigrants before heading to America by ship. So, it is not surprising that by the 1881 Census, William Sr. was away from home working as a sailor.  William Jr. was living with his mother and siblings.  Added to the siblings listed above who are all ten years older are: Martin age 8, Walter age 6, Benjamin age 4 and Joseph age 1.  William Jr's occupation is listed as Brass Finisher, the trade he would continue in America.  He probably had learned the skill as an apprentice for a local merchant.

It is unclear whether William and Sarah knew each other in Liverpool or met after coming to America.  I have been unable to find any specific information on their arrival but conflicting Census records indicate they arrived in the U.S. somewhere between 1885 and 1888. They were married in about 1888 and William became a Naturalized U.S. Citizen on October 22, 1892.  This is the first record of William in America.

In the 1900 Census, William and Sarah were living at 1720 Second Avenue in New York City.  This is located on the Upper East Side between 89th and 90th Street. Their children were listed as: William age 11, Nellie age 6, Frances (my great-grandmother) age 4 and Joseph age 1.  Also living with the family was Sarah's older brother Jonathan, a Plumber.  "Uncle Jonathan" as he was affectionately known to my Nana, lived with the Crogents during every Census through 1930.  He died in 1947 at the age 90!

Uncle Jonathan


By 1910, the family had moved to East 149th Street in the Bronx. Uncle Jonathan was still living with them, along with Sarah's nephew, Christopher Hopkins who was working with his Uncle as a plumber. He is the son of Sarah and Jonathan's sister Frances Harriet, who still lived in Liverpool.

In the 1920 Census, their daughter Frances and her Husband, Arthur Bowman (Nana's parents) were living with William and Sarah.  Nellie, Joe and Christopher Hopkins have moved out but William Jr and Uncle Jonathan are both around.  Also living with the Crogents is William Jrs daughter Eleanor or Elloise. She is the older sister of Nana's cousin William who we all knew as Uncle Willie.

William Crogent died January 21, 1921 only fifteen months before the birth of his granddaughter Florence Mary Bowman, my Nana. He is buried in a plot of graves purchased by Mary Dixon at the time of her husband William Dixon's death in 1894. William Dixon was probably the younger brother of Sarah's mother Frances (Dixon) Cartmel who died when Sarah was a child. Notice that he was the witness on William Crogent's Naturalization Documents back in 1892.  

Sarah lived another 33 years as a loving grandmother to Nana.  She owned property on the shore in Asbury Park, NJ and the families used to vacation there in the summer.  At some point she was unable to pay the taxes and the property was sold or taken by the government.  Besides her brother Jonathan, her brothers John (Jack) and Joseph also came to America and lived in New York.

This picture from about 1932 includes Sarah with her grandchildren, Virgina Crogent, Florence Bowman (Nana), Arthur Bowman and Charlie Martin.

This is a picture of some of the Cartmels which is from some time in the 1930s or 40s. I'm not positive who is who but the back of the picture has the following names as dictated to my mother by Nana: Uncle Joe Cartmel (or Crogent), Aunt Sarah Cartmel (or Crogent), Sadie Cartmel, Jonathan Cartmel, Jack (John)Cartmel, Gramma Crogent and Jack Brower.  We affectionately refere to this picture of these city slickers as "Tobacco Row."

This is a picture of my Nana with her grandmother Sarah.  It is from the late 1930s or early 1940s.

Sarah died in 1953 at the age of 88 and was buried with William in Calvary Cemetery. A strong woman who lost her mother at an early age, she was able to find the fortitude to seek a better life in a strange country.  She raised four children and then helped raising two of her grandchildren. She lived through the death of her husband, the Great Depression and two World Wars. A salute to Gramma Crogent.

Von Deck Marriage Certificate

1. Emil Von Deck
+ Maria Amalie Zantop
2. Pauline Von Deck
+ Adam Koerner III
4. Ruth E Koerner
+ George Willard Munson
5. Edward Deck (Ned) Munson
+ Debra Florence Dahlquist
6. Scott Edward Munson

Emil Von Deck and Maria Zantop were married about 8 years after the Koerners of the previous post, so the type of information on the Marriage Certificate and Return of a Marriage form is basically the same as we have already seen.  Fortunately, the copy quality is much better on this certificate so we do not have to guess at some of the last names.

Emil von Deck & Maria Amalie Zantop
Certificate of Marriage

One piece of information which was unreadable on the Koerner certificate but which is very clear here is the name of the minister and church which performed the marriage: Dr. E. F. Moldehnke pastor of St Peter's German Lutheran Church.  St. Peters is still an active church today at 53rd Street and Lexington Avenue. By searching the church historical records I may be able to find other references to the Von Decks or Zantops.

On the Return of a Marriage, Emil von Deck's birthplace is listed as New York City and his current address is 447 East 78th Street, New York City. This is in a neighborhood on the Upper East Side which is known as Yorkville.  Many German immigrants lived in this neighborhood.  Emil's birthdate is April 29th and he was 25 on his last birthday.  This means he was born in 1862.  Like Adam Koerner, his occupation is listed as barber.

Return of a Marriage

Emil's father is Johann Matthaeus von Deck.  From Census records we know that he used the name Matthaeus and/or Matthew and was born in Germany about 1821.  It was not uncommon in Germany at the time for a family give two or more of their children the same first name with a different middle name to distinguish.  Matthaeus may have had a brother named Johann Frederick or Johann Adam and so he chose to use his middle name regularly.  Notice as a witness to the marriage on the bottom of the return, he signs his name as Matthaeus Deck.  He address is 329 East 72nd Street, not too far from where Emil lived.

Emil's mother is Lina Angelica Junginger. From census records we know that she was born in Germany about 1830.  We also know that she died before 1900 when Matthaeus is recorded in the Census as a widower. 

Maria Amalie Zantop was my father's Great-Grandma Von Deck. She was born September 28, 1866 in Johanisburg, East Prussia.  Although a strong German presence existed there at the time,  Johannisburg is located in Poland today and has changed it's name to Pisz.

Pisz, Poland today from the website http://www.pisz.pl/

Maria's parents are recorded as Carl Zantop and Amalie Ziehfuss.  So far, I have been unable to locate any additional information about Carl. It is probable that he stayed in Europe or died before the rest of the family came to America.

Amalie and four Zantop siblings came to America: Maria, Pauline, Minna and Richard.  Pauline is one of the witnesses to Emil & Maria's marriage.  She lived in the city and never married. She is burried next to Maria in Greenwich, Connecticut. Minna married Julius Becker in 1895. They moved to Greenwich some time between 1900 and 1910.  Amalie lived with them. Richard died in 1895 at the age of 18.

Emil and Maria moved to Greenwich, Connecticut some time before 1900. Their two children, Richard and Pauline (my Grandma Munson's mother), were born in New York City before they moved. Emil and Maria are burried together at Putman Cemetery in Greenwich, Connecticut. Pauline and her husband Adam Koerner are burried with them.

Koerner Marriage Certificate

1. Adam Koerner

+ Maria Eberhardt

2. Adam Koerner

+ Pauline Von Deck

3. Ruth E Koerner

+ George Willard Munson

4. Edward Deck (Ned) Munson

+ Debra Florence Dahlquist

5. Scott Edward Munson

I was very excited recently to receive in the mail two marriage certificates from the City of New York. One was for my Grammy Munson's paternal grandparents and the other for her maternal grandparents.

Adam Koerner & Maria Eberhardt's Marriage Certificate

Adam Koerner and Maria Eberhardt were married on April 27, 1879 in New York City. Quite a bit of information is included on the certificate and the Return of a Marriage form. First, notice that the original German spelling of Koerner is used for Adam's name: Korner with the umlaut over the o. While most of the documentation I have found for the family show that "Koerner" was used after coming to the U.S., occasionally Korner was used. Here, even though his name is listed as Korner, he signs the return as Koerner.

Adam was born in New York and his address is listed as 500 East 12th Street, New York. This is the address where Adam's parents are listed as living a year later at the time of the 1880 Census. It proves this is my great great-grandparents and not some other Adam Koerner and his wife. This is further confirmed by the listed occupation: barber.

Return of a Marriage - whatever that means!

Next, Adam's parents are identified as Adam Korner and Maria Bercke. This is the first indication I have found of the immigrant Mary Koerner's maiden name. Remember that they came from Germany just before Adam Jr. was born and I have been unable to find any information about the family in Germany. Now I have a clue to further investigate. Too bad I don't know German!

One of the great thrills in researching family history is discovering maiden names, and marriage records are one of only a few sources for this information. Here, the bride is listed as Maria Eberhardt born and currently living in College Point. This is a neighborhood in Queens not too far from where I now live. Her parents are listed as Jacob Eberhardt and Maria Weickes.

It turns out that there is a family listed in the 1870 Census in College Point which is almost certainly that of Maria. Jacob "Everhart" age 52 is listed with his wife Mary age 48 and children Philip age 23, Adam age 18, Peter age 15, Mary age 13, Jacob age 10, Lizzie age 8 and Johnnie age 6. The parents and two oldest children were born in Prussia and the other children were born in New York. Jacob and his two oldest sons worked in a Rubber Factory of which there were several in Queens. Adam Eberhardt is one of the witnesses to the marriage of Adam Koerner and Maria Eberhardt. The other is Adam Koerner's brother, Philip.

102 St Mark's Place today.  Adam was a barber and
possibly lived here with his family in 1884.

Further research has revealed that Philip Eberhardt, Maria's older brother, had almost certainly married Lena Koerner, Adam's older sister in 1875. It is also almost certain that two of Maria's brothers were butchers, the occupation which would eventually be passed down to our happy couple's oldest child Adam, my great grandfather.

Adam and Maria are recorded in the Census a year after their marriage living at 544 East 11th Street with their newborn baby Adam, my great-grandfather.  Adam was a Barber and is listed at 102 St. Mark's Place in the 1884 and 1888 New York City Directories.  This was the heart of Little Germany at the time.  By 1892, though, the family had moved to Greenwich, Connecticut where young Adam met and fell in love with his future wife, Pauline Von Deck.

Pauline's father, Emil Von Deck, was also a barber in Greenwich who had moved from New York City. My next post will be regarding his marriage to Maria Zantop.  She was still alive when my father was a child and was known as Grandma Von Deck.

Capt. Thomas Munson part 2

This is a follow-up to my Captain Thomas Munson post. I was in Hartford last week visiting the Center Church which was founded by my Tenth Great-Grandfather Thomas Hooker in 1636. In the ancient burial grounds which are located next to the church is the monument which has been erected in honor the the founders of Hartford. It turns out that Thomas Munson is listed on the monument as one of the 163 men who owned land in Hartford before February 1640.

This monument was erected in 1986 and is made of pink Connecticut Granite. It replaced a brownstone monument which had been erected in 1837. The new monument contains several names which were not on the original monument, including that of Thomas Munson.

Captain Thomas Munson

Tenth Great-Grandfather
Immigrant Ancestor

1. Captain Thomas Munson
+ Joanna (Mew?)
2. Samuel Munson
+ Martha Bradley
3. Samuel Munson
+ Martha Farnes
4. William Munson
+ Rebecca Curtis
5. William Munson
+ Sarah Griggs
6. David Munson
+ Mary Ann Ballard
7. Stephen Munson
+ Nancy Nash
8. John Nash Munson
+ Mary Jane Warner
9. George W. Munson
+ Eleanor A. Parsons
10. Joseph Willard Munson
+ Ida E. Hotchkiss
11. George Willard Munson
+ Ruth E. Koerner
12. Edward (Ned) Deck Munson
+ Debra Florence Dahlquist
13. Scott Edward Munson


The First Munson to arrive in the New World was Thomas Munson who first appears in Hartford, CT as a militia member in the Pequot Wars of 1637. He was born in 1612 in Rattlesden, Suffolk, England, the seventh child of John and Elizabeth (Sparke) Munson. He is the ancestor of all Munsons who live in America today.

The Munson Crest

"Truth Conquers All"

His arrival is not recorded but was probably a few years before 1637. He may have lived in Newtowne (Cambridge) for a while with the other settlers of Hartford, but there is no record of him there or as an original founder of Hartford in 1636. He was a carpenter, and he probably built a house in Hartford on the land he received in recognition for his service in the Pequot Wars. His two-and-a-half acres were on the spot where today I-84 crosses High Street. So, remember that the next time you pass through Hartford on I-84!

He sold this land in 1639 and moved to Quinnipiac (New Haven). Why he did this after such a short stay in Hartford is unknown. It could be that he met soldiers from New Haven who spoke of its beauty and promise or it could be that his skills as a carpenter were more valuable in the wealthier New Haven Colony. Either way, he is one of only two people who left the Hartford Colony to settle in New Haven. He arrived not long after the Fundamental Agreement of the New Haven Colony was established. His is the sixth signature to be added to the Fundamental Agreement after the original sixty-three men established it as law.

The first meetinghouse in New Haven of which Thomas Munson was continually called upon to evaluate for repairs.

Thomas Munson was a man of importance in the new Colony. His judgement was called upon by the general court for a variety of committees in his early life in New Haven. He served as one of four Lieutenants in the town, maintaining and training the militia for watches and protection as necessary.

In 1655, Thomas Munson was one of the leaders of a group within New Haven who wished to start a new settlement on the Delaware Bay. New Haven was becoming crowded and many felt it was necessary to start fresh somewhere else. For a variety of reasons, this new settlement never happened. Imagine how history would be changed if half the people who lived in New Haven at the time, had migrated to the Delaware Bay. There was even some discussion that the group would move to Jamaica! Instead, Thomas Munson Purchased property in the center of town which he would own until his death and which would be passed down for several generations. That property is is traversed today by Temple Street and is located between Walnut and Grove Street. It is part of Yale University.

Thomas Munson continued to live in and serve the town of New Haven for the remainder of his life. In 1656 he was chosen one of seven town selectmen. In 1662 he was chosen to be a Deputy for the town court. In 1663 he served as a deputy on the General Court as a substitute for Lieutenant Nash. He served in these posts off and on throughout his life. He was a member of the General Court in New Haven when it became a part of the Connecticut Colony in 1664 and served as one of the first deputies from New Haven in the General Assembly in Hartford. He also served as foreman of the jury for the first jury trial to take place in New Haven.

In addition to his service in the government offices of the New Haven and Connecticut, Thomas Munson served the in the militia throughout his life. Known early as Lieutenant Munson, then as Ensign Munson and later as Captain Munson. He was continually involved in the watch and protection of New Haven, including leading battalions in King Phillips War, a major Native American uprising which took place in New England during the mid 1670s. He held the position of Ensign, reluctantly, for many years - at first turning it down and later requesting to be removed from it. The ensign carried the flag - and I can only imagine that it would be much harder than it sounds. He never felt that he did it well but since nobody else was willing to do it at all, he was stuck with the job!

Thomas Munson was married to Joanna - possibly Joanna Mew. They were married before 1642 when their first child Elizabeth, was born. In 1643, their only son and my ninth great-grandfather, Samuel was born. Their youngest child, Hannah, was born in 1648. Elizabeth married Timothy Cooper and later Richard Higenbothom. Samuel married Martha Bradley in New Haven before settling in Wallingford. Hannah married Joseph Tuttle.

This is the memorial for Thomas and Joanna Munson in the Grove Street Cemetery. The original stone for Thomas is set in the new memorial.

Joanna died in 1678 and Thomas Died in 1685. They were both buried on the New Haven Green. Their tombstones were later moved to the Grove Street Cemetery where the above memorial was erected.


Thomas Munson was one of the great early leaders of New Haven and you can read more about his accomplishments, ancestry and descendants in the book: The Munson Record.


You can also find out more on the website of the Thomas Munson Foundation.