Update

I updated the Scott Munson's Family Tree page on this blog to include the next generation, my third great-grandparents. In case your not sure how this works, if you double a person's number, it is the number of that person's father. If you double a person's number and add 1, it is the number of that person's mother. If numbers are missing, then I don't know who those parents are yet. For instance, Ida Hotchkiss is #9. Her father, Charles Hotchkiss, is #18 and her mother, Ada Rockwell is #19. Mary Zantop is #23 but there no #46 or #47 because I haven't figured out who her parents are yet. As I add more and more generations, there will be more and more missing numbers.

Ada Lucy Rockwell Curtiss Hotchkiss

Great-Great Grandmother

1. Ada Lucy Rockwell

+ Charles E Hotchkiss

2. Ida E Hotchkiss

+ Joseph Willard Munson

3. George Willard Munson

+ Ruth E Koerner

4. Edward (Ned) Deck Munson

+ Debra Florence Dahlquist

5. Scott Edward Munson

Several things about my Great Great-Grandmother, Ada Hotchkiss, intrigued me from the very beginning. First, census records indicated that she had been born in Iowa about 1850. Since all of my other ancestors had been born in New England, New York or Europe, this was the first indication of an ancestor who had moved west, then for some reason, moved back east. Second, the census records further indicated that Ada had been a widow before marrying my Great Great-Grandfather, Charles Hotchkiss. Third, she was thirty years old, living with her uncle in 1880 and Charles was twenty years old working and living on her uncle's farm. They were married shortly there-after.

Ada and Charles are buried together at the Center Cemetery in Norfolk, CT with the following stone marking the spot:

Ada L. R. Curtiss.

I had the hardest time figuring out what her actual maiden name was. Finally, after months of on-line researching, a trip to Norfolk and countless hours in the library, I have discovered a great deal about Ada and her family.

Ada Lucy Rockwell was born February 1850 in Jones County Iowa, the first child of C.C. and Margaret (Phelps) Rockwell. Her parents had moved to Iowa from Norfolk, Connecticut as part of the western migration accross our great country. Remember that at this time, Iowa was very much frontier territory and life must have been very difficult. Think little house on the prairie only a few years earlier. Her father, C.C. (Christopher Columbus) Rockwell, was the first attorney in Jones County Iowa, and was instrumental in the formation of government and laws there. He served in the Iowa Senate for several years as a relatively young man.

This is a picture of Main Street Anamasa, IA

in 1891. CC Rockwell served as Postmaster here

some 40 years earlier.

In 1854, C.C and Margaret had their second daughter, Georgianna. Shortly after, Ada experienced the first of a series of tragedies which would occur before the age of twenty-five. Her mother, Margaret, passed away in Keokuk, Iowa. It is unclear, at this point, exactly what happened to the family. With no other family in Iowa, it is very probable that they moved back east and the girls were raised by relatives in Norfolk. There are several records of C.C. Rockwell practicing Law in New York City during the 1860s but nothing which shows the girls were living there. He had spent part of his childhood there where his father worked as a merchant businessman. When Ada was only 17, her father died in New York City, leaving her and her sister as orphans.

I have been unable to find any record of Ada or C.C. in the 1860 Census. It is likely that Georgianna was living in Waterbury, CT with C.C.'s brother, Philo Guiteau Rockwell, a sergeon, and his family. By 1870, C.C. had died and Philo had moved to South Carolina, so Georgianna was living in Norfolk, CT with her mother's brother, Levi Phelps, and his family. There is a record of an Adele L Rockwell living with the Thompson family in Waterbury, CT in 1870 as a teacher. The age is correct and the name is close but the birthplace is listed as New York. Still, it is very possible that this is our Ada since her uncle had lived in Waterbury and her father was from New York. I believe this was Ada Rockwell.

This is a one room schoolhouse in Norfolk, CT. It is possible that

Ada taught in a school like this or even in this very one!

There were several at the time in Norfolk.

In 1872, Ada married Henry Curtiss, a farmer from Norfolk, CT. They had been married only a year when tragedy struck once again. Henry was killed in an accidedent at the age of 23 making Ada a widow seven months pregnant. She had lost her mother, her father, and now her husband, all before the age of twenty-five. Fortunately, Ada was living in Norfolk and would have had the support of both hers and her husband's family and friends to get through this very difficult time. By 1880, Ada was working again as a teacher. She and her six year old daughter were living with Henry's uncle, Philip Curtiss, and his family on their farm in Norfolk. At the same time Charles Hotchkiss was working and living on the Curtiss farm. It is impossible to know now how this romance came to be, Ada the widow school teacher and Charles the much younger Farm Laborer, but with-in a year they are married.

Church of Christ on the Norfolk Green

Ada and Charles raised six children together in Norfolk, including Mary Curtiss, the daughter of Henry Curtiss and Ida Hotchkiss, my great-grandmother. One daughter, Jennie, died shortly after birth and is listed on the back of Charles and Ida's tomb stone.

In the 1900 Census, Charles is listed as a gardner, supporting the family with Ada at his side. Listed in the household is Mammie age 26 (this is either a transcription error or nickname for Mary Curtiss) Anna age 18, Mertie age 15, Ida age 14, Wallace age 10 and Edith age 9. A family of daughters with Wallace the only son.

This is the neighborhood where Charles grew up. It is

likely that he and Ada lived close by.

By 1910, Anna, Mertie and Ida had all moved out, leaving Ada and Charles with Mary Curtiss, Wallace and Edith at home. Also living with them is Charles' uncle, Horatio Smith. Shortly after the the 1910 Census was taken, Ada passed away at the age of 60. She did not live long enough to see her daugher Ida get married or to meet her grandson, George Willard Munson, my grandfather.

Charles lived another 34 years but never remarried.

My oscar winning cousin :)

Did you know we were related to Katherine Hepburn, the four time Oscar winning actress. Her Eighth Great-Grandparents, Robert Parke and Martha Chaplin are my Ninth Great-Grandparents. I think that makes us second cousins, eight times removed. Does that sound right?

This photo is by Alfred Eisenstaedt who used

to live in the building where I now live!

Here's how it Goes:

.....................................1. Robert Parke

.....................................+Martha Chaplin

2. Samuel Parke.............................................2. Thomas Parke

+ Martha ?......................................................+ Dorothy Thompson

3. William Parke.............................................3. Dorothy Parke

+ Jane Bordwyn.............................................+ Joseph Morgan

4. Abigail Park................................................4. Dorothy Morgan

+ David McWithey.........................................+ Ebenezer Witter

5. Simeon McWithey.....................................5. William Witter

+ Sarah Van Deusen......................................+ Hanna Freeman

6. Levi McWithey...........................................6. Mary Witter

+ Lorinda Church...........................................+ Oliver Spaulding

7. Jane Stephens McWithy...........................7. Erastus Spaulding

+ Nicholas Jones Rosenburg........................+Jennet Mack

8. Elizabeth Delphine Rosenburg..............8. Marth Spaulding

+ Marcus Edwin Hooker...............................+Lemon Garlinghouse

9. Jenny Estella Hooker................................9. Caroline Garlinghouse

+ John Emil Dahlquist Sr..............................+Alfred Houghten

10. John Emil Dahlquist Jr...........................10. Katherine Houghten

+ Florence Mary Bowman............................+ Thomas Hepburn

11. Debra Florence Dahlquist.......................11. Katherine Hepburn

+ Edward Deck Munson

12. Scott Edward Munson

Our common ancestors, Robert and Martha (Chaplin) Parke arrived in Boston from England in 1630 on board the ship Arabella. Robert served a time as secretary to the first governor of Massachusetts, John Winthrop. The couple moved to the newly settled town of Wethersfield, Connecticut in 1639 where Martha died after a short time. Robert served as Deputy to the General Court in 1641 and 1642. He married Alice Freeman in 1644. In 1649, the couple moved to New London, where their newly built barn served as the first house of worship. They finally settled in Stonington where Robert died in 1664 at the age of 84. Alice died two months later.

William the Conqueror, King of England

Ok. It's been a while since I posted, and I promised you royalty, so this is as good a time as any to end the suspense. This ancestry line is actually on the Munson side flowing through my Fourth Great Grandmother, Nancy Nash, and our immigrant ancestor, Elizabeth (St. John) Whiting.

William I, King of England was my Twenty-ninth Great-Grandfather. He was born about the year 1027 in Normandy. Because he was the illegitimate son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy, he was called William the Bastard by his detractors. His father died when he was seven, leaving the succession as Duke of Normandy to William in his will. He became King of England on Christmas Day 1066.

I won't recount a full biography of William the Conqueror here. You can google his name to get a wealth of information. He died in 1087.

1. William the Conqueror, King of England

+ Lady Matilda

2. Princess Gundred

+ William, Earl of Warren

3. William, second Earl of Warren and Surrey

+ Lady Isabel de Vermandois

4. Lady Gundred de Warren

+ Roger de Newburgh

5. Waleran de Newburgh

+ Lady Alice, daughter of John d'Harcourt

6. Lady Alice de Newburgh

+ William de Manduit, Baron of Hanslape

7. Lady Isabel de Manduit

+ William, fifth Baron of Beauchamp

8. Walter de Beauchamp, Baron of Alcester & Powyke

+ ???

9. Giles de Beauchamp, Baron of Alcester & Powyke

+ ???

10. Roger de Beauchamp, first Baron Beauchamp

+ ???

11. Roger, second Baron Beauchamp

+ ???

12. Sir John, third Baron Beauchamp

+ ???

13. Lady Margaret de Beauchamp

+ Sir Oliver de St. John

14. Sir John de St. John

+ Lady Alice, daughter of Ser Thomas Bradshaw

15. Sir John de St. John

+ Lady Sybil

16. Sir John de St. John

+ Lady Margaret, daugher of Sir William Walgrave

17. Oliver St. John

+ Agnes Fisher

18. Thomas St. John

+ ???

19. Sir Oliver St. John

+ Sarah Bulkley

20. Elizabeth St. John (immigrant ancestor)

+ Rev. Samuel Whiting (immigrant ancestor)

21. Rev. Joseph Whiting

+ Mary Danforth

22. Samuel Whiting

+ ???

23. Benjamin Whiting

+ Rebecca Parmelee

24. Benjamin Whiting

+ Esther Merriman

25. Esther Whiting

+ Captain John Nash

26. Nancy Nash

+ Stephen Munson

27. John Nash Munson

+ Mary J. Warner

28. George W Munson

+ Eleanor A Parsons

29. Joseph Willard Munson

+ Ida E Hotchkiss

30. Sir George Willard Munson of Winsted, Connecticut

+ Lady Ruth E Koerner of Greenwich, Connecticut

31. Lord Edward Deck Munson of Columbia, Connecticut

+ Lady Debra Florence Dahlquist of Wells, Maine

32. King Scott Edward Munson of Jackson Heights, New York

Just in case my claim to the thrown is questioned, I have discovered a second line of ancestry to King William I which goes through my great-grandmother, Ida Hotchkiss. I will post this in the future.

Thomas Danforth & The Salem Witch Trials

Immigrant

Tenth Great-Grandfather

1. Thomas Danforth

+ Mary Withington

2. Sarah Danforth

+ Rev. Joseph Whiting

3. Samuel Whiting

+ unknown wife

4. Benjamin Whiting

+ Rebecca Parmelee

5. Benjamin Whiting

+ Esther Merriman

6. Esther Whiting

+ Captain John Nash

7. Nancy Nash

+ Stephen Munson

8. John Nash Munson

+ Mary J Warner

9. George Willard Munson

+ Eleanor A Parsons

10. Joseph Willard Munson

+ Ida E Hotchkiss

11. George Willard Munson

+ Ruth Koerner

12. Edward (Ned) Deck Munson

+ Debra Florence Dahlquist

13. Scott Edward Munson

Thomas Danforth was born in Framingham, Suffolk, England in November 1622. He was the fourth child of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Symmes) Danforth, members of a wealthy family who sympathized with the separatist puritans. His mother died when he was only seven, and his father decided to sell his estate and head to the New World when King Charles I decided to impose a heavy annual tax on wealthy people for a title which Nicholas did not want.

Nicholas and his six children, including Thomas, joined his brother-in-law, Zechariah Symmes, on board the ship Griffin which arrived in Massachusetts in 1634. In the first of two connections to Thomas Hooker, this is the same ship which carried Rev. Hooker across the Atlantic a year before. The second connection takes place in 1636 when Nicholas purchases land from Thomas Hooker in Cambridge when Hooker leaves for Hartford, Connecticut. Nicholas died in April of 1638 in Cambridge, Massachusetts where the family had settled.

As the oldest son, Thomas would have inherited a considerable portion of his father's wealth. He may have helped raising his younger siblings and was admitted to the Dorchester church in 1741 at the age of 19 - a big deal at the time. On February 23, 1643/4 he married Mary Withington, the daughter of Henry Wilthington who was the first ruling elder of that church. Together Thomas and Mary had twelve children, but only three daughters survived him, including my Ninth Great-Grandmother Sarah who married Rev. Joseph Whiting. Six of the Danforth's children died before the age of two.

In 1645, at the age of 26, he was appointed selectman and Town Clerk of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Actor Paul Scofield played Judge Thomas Danforth in

the movie version of the Crucible. Not a guy you'd want

to see on the bench when you show up for court!

Even though Thomas never attended college, he was appointed treasurer of Harvard college in 1650, a position he would hold for nineteen years. After that, he served another 13 years as it's steward. His father had given considerable funds to start the college and his younger brother, Samuel, was a member of the second class to graduate from Harvard in 1643. Josiah Quincy, one of the first Presidents of Harvard, called Thomas Danforth "the earliest, most steadfast and faithful of it's friends."

He was elected Cambridge's representative to the General Court in 1657 and was appointed deputy Governor under Governor Simon Bradstreet in 1679. He may have been elected Governor if the very popular Bradstreet had not lived so long.

During King Philip's War, a Native American uprising in New England which lasted several years starting in 1675, Thomas Danforth was particularly concerned for those Native Americans who had converted to Christianity. They were called "praying Indians" and they remained loyal to the English. He did not want to see them get caught up in the fury of war just because they looked like the enemy. He continued to speak out for them even after being threatened by those who disagreed with him for defending them.

In 1677, Massachusetts purchased the province of Maine and decided to set up a provincial government. Thomas Danforth, while serving deputy-governor of Massachusetts, was appointed the first President of the District of Maine. He traveled to Casco Bay in the summer of 1680 and began the first government there. He spent most of his time in Cambridge but traveled to Maine as necessary, allowing a deputy-president to serve in his absence. By all accounts he was a wise, judicious and kind leader who brought a sense of law and order to the wilds of colonial Maine. Part of his legacy was to lay out Fore Street, Middle Street and Congress Street in Portland, Maine.

Congress Street in Portland, Maine today. I used to live

a block from where this picture was taken!

In 1686, the new King, James II, appointed Sir Edmund Andros to serve as his Royal Governor over all of New England, ending Thomas Danforth's offices and severely limiting government by the people. Many spoke out against this, at their own peril, including Thomas Danforth who wrote: if our ability to rule ourselves is "dissolved by his Majesty, against this people's will and without their fault, what other bond remain to oblige them to him as subjects!" These were treasonous words for that time, and it is probably fortunate for him that the king was across the ocean and that his reign only lasted until 1688.

When word reached New England that William and Mary had replaced James II on the throne of England in the Glorious Revolution, Andros was arrested and Thomas Danforth was returned to his positions as deputy-governor of Massachusetts and President of Maine.

One of the duty's of the deputy-governor was to serve on the Superiour Court. It was in that capacity that Thomas Danforth became entangled in the Salem Witch Trials, which were brought before it in 1692. In Arthur Miller's play and movie "The Crucible" which fictionalize the events of these trials, Thomas Danforth is portrayed as a pompous bureaucrat who oversees the proceedings and allows the letter of the law to over-rule common sense. It's a GREAT movie and I highly recommend seeing it, but don't take away this portrayal of our ancestor as absolute fact. I recommend the following website after seeing the movie:

http://www.17thc.us/docs/fact-fiction.shtml

The truth is that Thomas Danforth only served as a judge on occasion but worked behind the scenes to see the trials come to an end. Samuel Sewell, who was the only judge to publicly express regret over the proceedings, said that Thomas Danforth "did much to end the troubles under which the country groaned in 1692." It was Governor Phipps who finally put and end to the insanity, possibly under the counsel of Thomas Danforth and others.

On March 26, 1697, his wife, Mary, died. He died on November 5, 1699 at the age of 77. His burial is unknown. Since all his sons had proceeded him in death, he left the bulk of his considerable estate to his son-in-law Joseph Whiting, the pastor of the church at South Hampton on Long Island and my Ninth Great-Grandfather.

I wish I knew what ever happened to it!

Bowman or Crogent Photo

This is a tin photo which was passed down from my Nana, Florence Mary Bowman. The problem is that nobody remembers who it is a picture of - a classic family photo mistake. Does anybody have any thoughts?

I am guessing that this may be a photo of William and Sarah (Cartmel) Crogent with their two oldest children, William and Ellenore. That would be Nana's Grandparents and her Aunt Nellie and Uncle Willie. The ages would be about right and would put the date of the photo at about 1893. They lived in New York City at this time.

Any thoughts anyone has based on other pictures you may have or the use of tin photos or the clothing worn, please feel free to comment.

Captain Thomas Willett

The First Mayor of New York City

Tenth Great Grandfather

1. Thomas Willett
+Mary Browne
2. Mary Willett
+Samuel Hooker
3. John Hooker
+Abigail Stanley
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. Marcus Edwin Hooker
+Elizabeth Delphine 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 :)


Thomas Willett was born in Norfolk, England about 1610 to Thomas and Mary Willett. The family was a member of a separatist congregation (Puritans) who were pursecuted by the King of England and the family moved to Holland where Thomas would have spent a significant portion of his childhood. This is important later, as it would give him some understanding of Dutch culture and allow him to feel at home in New Amsterdam (New York).


Thomas Willett arrived at the Plymouth Colony in 1629 at the age of 19. He was on board a second ship called the Mayflower (The first Mayflower had arrived in 1620 and established the Plymouth Colony). He was a well respected and honest young man and within a couple of years he was sent by Governor Bradford to Maine where he was soon in charge of the trading post on the Penobscot River. Beaver Furs were the life blood for trading in the New World and competition soon grew fierce. It was not long before a French battalion arrived at the post and chased the English traders, including Thomas Willett, out of the post. In 1635, he was assigned to a new post at the current site of Augusta, Maine.


Thomas Willett traveled extensively as a trader and soon found himself in New Amsterdam (New York) where he established himself as an honest businessman and befriended then Governor Petrus Stuyvesant. He probably spoke Dutch and understood Dutch culture having spent a portion of his childhood in Holland. This would prove invaluable in his business, personal and political dealings with this very important trade city. He was a learned man and probably was able to converse extensively on the affairs of New England, New Amsterdam and the World. In 1650, he actually represented New Netherlands in settling the disputed border with the Connecticut Colony.


In 1636, he married Mary Browne in Plymouth. Together they had 12 Children including my Ninth Great-Grandmother Mary, who married Rev. Thomas Hooker's son Samuel.


In 1647, Thomas Willett succeeded Miles Standish as Captain of the military company at Plymouth. This would have been an extremely important post, as tensions with the French, Dutch and Native Americans would have been a source of continued anxiety in the English settlements. In 1651, he was elected as Assistant Governor of the Plymouth Colony, serving for four years.


In 1660, Charles II became King of England. His brother, James, the Duke of York, decided that the Dutch settlement at New Netherlands was the only obstacle to English dominance in controlling trade in the New World. So, in 1664, a battalion was sent to invade New Amsterdam and take control of New Netherlands from the Dutch. Captain Willett joined the expedition as an advisor, again putting to use his knowledge of the Dutch culture, language and city.


When the people of New Amsterdam saw the show of force which the English were prepared to bring against them, they were ready to surrender. Stuyvesant tried to rally his neighbors for a fight, but the English had sent word that they would be treated fairly and peacefully if they surrendered. On September 8, 1664, the Dutch surrendered and New Amsterdam, New Netherlands became New York, New York, in honor of the new King's brother.


The English treated the Dutch very fairly as they had promised. The new English Governor Nicholls appointed Thomas Willett as the first mayor since he was known and liked in the town - an extremely judicious move. Thomas Willett served for mayor for one year, then as an alderman for one year and then for a second year as mayor.


In 1667 he retired to the Plymouth Colony. His home was in Swansea. His wife, Mary, died in 1669. He married Joanna (Boyse) Prudden in 1671. He died in Swansea in 1674 and is burried on land which was part of his property and is now located in East Providence, RI.