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The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year to all Bloggers and Readers

Happy New Year and Don't Forget to Stop and Smell the Roses.

Surname Saturday -- ROOT

The Root line is another old New England family. My direct lines are in green.

Generation No. 1


1.JOHN ROOT (JOHN ROOT1) was born 26 FEB 1608 in Northampton, England, and died 16 AUG 1684 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. He married MARY KILBORN ABT 1639 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut, daughter of THOMAS KILBORN and FRANCES MOODY. She was born ABT 1619 in Wood Ditton, Cambridgeshire, England, and died 1697 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut.
Children of JOHN ROOT and MARY KILBORN were:
+2  i.Joseph ROOT died 18 DEC 1739.
+3  ii.John ROOT was born 1642, and died 24 SEP 1687 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.
4  iii.Samuel ROOT was born ABT 1644, and died 27 NOV 1711. He married Mary ORTON BEF 1680 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. She was born 16 MAY 1650.
+5  iv.THOMAS ROOT was born ABT 1648 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 16 AUG 1709.
+6  v.Mary ROOT was born ABT 1650.
+7  vi.Stephen ROOT was born ABT 1652, and died 6 JAN 1717.
+8  vii.Susannah ROOT was born ABT 1654 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 5 DEC 1712 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut.
+9  viii.Caleb ROOT was born 1658, and died 10 JUN 1712.



Generation No. 2


2.Joseph ROOT (JOHN ROOT2, JOHN ROOT1) died 18 DEC 1739. He married Elizabeth WARNER 17 SEP 1691. He married Ruth PORTER 3 MAY 1727, daughter of Thomas PORTER.
Children of Joseph ROOT and Ruth PORTER are:
10  i.Elizabeth ROOT was born 22 JUN 1692.
11  ii.Mary ROOT was born 22 JAN 1694, and died 1760. She married Jonathan LEE 4 JUN 1713.
12  iii.Joseph ROOT was born 27 AUG 1699, and died 1751.


3.John ROOT (JOHN ROOT2, JOHN ROOT1) was born 1642, and died 24 SEP 1687 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. He was buried in Mechanic St. Cemetery. Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. He married Mary ASHLEY 18 OCT 1664 in Deerfield / Westfield / Wethersfield / Farmington, daughter of Robert ASHLEY. She was born 6 APR 1641, and died 9 MAR 1702.
Children of John ROOT and Mary ASHLEY were:
13  i.Mary ROOT was born 22 SEP 1667. She married John SMITH 23 FEB 1686.
14  ii.Sarah ROOT was born 24 SEP 1670. She married Adijah DEWEY.
+15  iii.John ROOT was born 28 DEC 1672 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 1 MAY 1731.
16  iv.Samuel ROOT was born 16 SEP 1675 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 9 SEP 1756.
17  v.Hannah ROOT was born 9 DEC 1677. She married John DAVIS. He was born in of Enfield.
18  vi.Abigail ROOT was born 26 JUN 1680. She married Jos. MOSELEY 13 SEP 1696.
19  vii.Joshua ROOT was born 23 NOV 1682 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 28 SEP 1730.
20  viii.Mercy ROOT was born 15 MAR 1685. She married Samuel FOWLER.


5.THOMAS ROOT (JOHN ROOT2, JOHN ROOT1) was born ABT 1648 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 16 AUG 1709. He married MARY SPENCER 7 OCT 1675 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, daughter of THOMAS SPENCER and SARAH BEARDING. She was born 18 MAY 1655 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 4 NOV 1690. He married Sarah DUMBLETON 25 JAN 1692 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. She died 3 JAN 1694. He married Mary GRIDLEY 1670 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. She died 1673.
Children of THOMAS ROOT and MARY SPENCER were:
21  i.John ROOT was born 29 OCT 1675 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.
+22  ii.JOHN ROOT was born 25 DEC 1676 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 1 OCT 1744 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.
23  iii.Samuel ROOT was born 16 FEB 1678 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 8 DEC 1712 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. He married Sarah WARNER 22 JUN 1711 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.
24  iv.Elizabeth ROOT was born 16 FEB 1681 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 10 JAN 1706. She married Nathaniel BANCROFT 20 DEC 1705 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, son of Nathaniel BANCROFT and Hannah WILLIAMS. He was born 23 SEP 1680.
25  v.Sarah ROOT was born 27 JUL 1683 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. She married Israel DEWEY. She married Henry WRIGHT 15 MAR 1711 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.
26  vi.Timothy ROOT was born 3 DEC 1685 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 2 NOV 1743. He married Sarah PEASE 17 NOV 1710 in Enfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut.
27  vii.Joseph ROOT was born 16 JUN 1688 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 10 FEB 1750. He married Sarah in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.


Children of THOMAS ROOT and Sarah DUMBLETON were:
28  i.Thankful ROOT was born 12 NOV 1693.
29  ii.Mercy ROOT was born 12 NOV 1693.


Children of THOMAS ROOT and Mary GRIDLEY were:
30  i.Thomas ROOT was born 1 SEP 1671, and died 25 FEB 1689.
31  ii.Mary ROOT was born 21 OCT 1673. She married Isaac MEECHAM 12 DEC 1700.


6.Mary ROOT (JOHN ROOT2, JOHN ROOT1) was born ABT 1650. She married Isaac BRONSON 1669 in Farmington / Woodbury, Connecticut. He died AFT 1719.
Children of Mary ROOT and Isaac BRONSON were:
32  i.Isaac BRONSON was born 1670, and died 13 JUN 1751. He married Mary MORGAN.
33  ii.John BRONSON was born 1673, and died 1746. He married Mary HICKOX.
34  iii.Samuel BRONSON was born ABT 1676. He married Ruth.
35  iv.Mary BRONSON was born 15 OCT 1680, and died 1756. She married Thomas HICKOX.
36  v.Joseph BRONSON was born 1682, and died 10 MAY 1707.
37  vi.Thomas BRONSON was born 16 JAN 1686, and died 6 MAY 1777. He married Elizabeth UPTON.
38  vii.Ebenezer BRONSON was born DEC 1688. He married Mary HULL. He married Susannah LANGDON.
39  viii.Sarah BRONSON was born 15 NOV 1691, and died 1748. She married Stephen UPSON.
40  ix.Mercy BRONSON was born 28 SEP 1694. She married Richard BRONSON.


7.Stephen ROOT (JOHN ROOT2, JOHN ROOT1) was born ABT 1652, and died 6 JAN 1717. He married Sarah WADSWORTH BEF 1681 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut, daughter of John WADSWORTH. She died 20 MAR 1740.
Children of Stephen ROOT and Sarah WADSWORTH were:
41  i.Hannah ROOT.
42  ii.Timothy ROOT was born ABT 1681, and died 1713.
43  iii.John ROOT was born 1685, and died 15 NOV 1764.
44  iv.Mary ROOT was born ABT 1691, and died 10 DEC 1751. She married William JUDD 21 JAN 1713, son of Thomas JUDD.
45  v.Sarah ROOT was born 17 DEC 1693, and died ABT 1776. She married Thomas GRIDLEY 5 DEC 1734.


8.Susannah ROOT (JOHN ROOT2, JOHN ROOT1) was born ABT 1654 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 5 DEC 1712 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. She married Joseph LANGDON 1 OCT 1683 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut, son of John LANGDON and Mary SEYMOUR. He died 31 MAR 1736 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut.
Child of Susannah ROOT and Joseph LANGDON was:
46  i.Sarah LANGDON was born 29 APR 1685 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 21 MAY 1751. She married Ebenezer PHELPS 1740, son of WILLIAM PHELPS and ABIGAIL STEBBINS. He was born OCT 1697 in Northampton, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts, and died 8 MAR 1769 in Northampton, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts. She married Jonathan WOODRUFF 10 JUL 1711 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut, son of SAMUEL WOODRUFF and REBECKAH CLARK. He was born 30 NOV 1688 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 29 APR 1712 in Southington, Hartford Co., Connecticut.


9.Caleb ROOT (JOHN ROOT2, JOHN ROOT1) was born 1658, and died 10 JUN 1712. He married Elizabeth SALMON 9 AUG 1693 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut. He married Miss GILETTE.
Children of Caleb ROOT and Elizabeth SALMON were:
47  i.Samuel ROOT.
48  ii.Mary ROOT was born 6 MAR 1695. She married John BURR 15 NOV 1722, son of John BURR.
49  iii.Caleb ROOT was born 14 MAR 1698.
50  iv.Thomas ROOT was born 16 JAN 1702, and died 13 MAY 1789.
+51  v.Elizabeth ROOT was born 8 APR 1706, and died 27 JAN 1746.




Generation No. 3


15.John ROOT (John ROOT3, JOHN ROOT2, JOHN ROOT1) was born 28 DEC 1672 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 1 MAY 1731. He married Elizabeth SACKETT SEP 1713. He married Sarah STEBBINS 8 JAN 1701. She was born in of Springfield, Massachusetts.
Children of John ROOT and Elizabeth SACKETT were:
52  i.Stephen ROOT was born 8 MAY 1714 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 26 SEP 1714 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.
53  ii.Son ROOT was born 9 MAY 1715, and died 10 MAY 1715.
54  iii.Son ROOT was born 9 FEB 1716.
55  iv.Moses ROOT was born 17 JUN 1717 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 7 OCT 1744 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.


Child of John ROOT and Sarah STEBBINS is:
56  i.Sarah ROOT was born 9 MAR 1702, and died 1760. She married Thomas NOBLE 1722.


22.JOHN ROOT (THOMAS ROOT3, JOHN ROOT2, JOHN ROOT1) was born 25 DEC 1676 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 1 OCT 1744 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. He married MARY LEONARD 14 APR 1703 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, daughter of JOSIAH LEONARD and SARAH DUMBLETON. She was born 12 MAR 1678 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 3 MAY 1766.
Children of JOHN ROOT and MARY LEONARD were:
57  i.Elisha ROOT was born 28 FEB 1703 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 4 FEB 1755 in Southwick, Hampden Co., Massachusetts (or d. Feb. 4, 1775). He married Mary SCOTT.
58  ii.John ROOT was born 15 NOV 1705 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 1781. He married Anna LOOMIS.
59  iii.Elizabeth ROOT was born 26 JUL 1707, and died 19 JUN 1736.
60  iv.Daniel ROOT was born 23 APR 1710 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 1756.
61  v.David ROOT was born 15 FEB 1711 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth POMEROY 29 MAY 1744, daughter of SAMUEL POMEROY and ELIZABETH STRICKLAND. She was born 25 FEB 1723 in Northampton, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts.
62  vi.Samuel ROOT was born 2 NOV 1713 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.
63  vii.Lydia ROOT was born 14 MAR 1715. She married Ebenezer HUTCHINSON 17 AUG 1748.
64  viii.Solomon ROOT was born 17 NOV 1716 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.
+65  ix.NAOMI ROOT was born 19 JUN 1718 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 29 JAN 1800 in Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts.
66  x.Stephen ROOT was born 2 JUN 1720 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 1744.
67  xi.James ROOT was born 1 DEC 1720 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. He married Hannah NOBLE.
68  xii.Mary ROOT was born 26 JAN 1724. She married Nicholas BROWN DEC 1755 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.
69  xiii.Huit \ Hewit ROOT was born 6 JUN 1724 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusettsssachusetts, and died 1788. He married Experience POMEROY.


51.Elizabeth ROOT (Caleb ROOT3, JOHN ROOT2, JOHN ROOT1) was born 8 APR 1706, and died 27 JAN 1746. She married Ebenezer ORVIS 23 JAN 1733.
Child of Elizabeth ROOT and Ebenezer ORVIS was:
+70  i.Keziah ORVIS was born 4 AUG 1743 in Farmington, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 21 SEP 1795 in Homer, New York.



Generation No. 4


65.NAOMI ROOT (JOHN ROOT4, THOMAS ROOT3, JOHN ROOT2, JOHN ROOT1) was born 19 JUN 1718 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 29 JAN 1800 in Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. She was buried in Pittsfield Cemetery, Pilgrim's Rest section, Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. She married DANIEL HUBBARD 2 DEC 1736 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, son of JOHN HUBBARD and RUTH. He was born ABT 1713 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 19 DEC 1777 in Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. He was buried in Pittsfield Cemetery, Pilgrim's Rest section, Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts.
Children of NAOMI ROOT and DANIEL HUBBARD were:
71  i.Daniel HUBBARD was born 29 DEC 1737 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 11 SEP 1798 in Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. He married Rachel FALLY ABT 28 OCT 1759.
72  ii.Zadock HUBBARD was born 16 OCT 1743 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 9 MAY 1747 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts.
73  iii.Elizabeth HUBBARD was born 29 MAR 1739, and died BEF APR 1783. She married Joshua ROBBINS, son of Nathaniel ROBBINS and Mary. He was born 9 FEB 1740 in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Connecticut, and died 1796.
74  iv.James HUBBARD was born 15 APR 1744 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 1813. He married Martha LIVERMORE 1766.
+75  v.ZADOC HUBBARD was born 9 JAN 1749 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 1827 in Aurora, Onondaga Co., New York.
76  vi.Ruth HUBBARD was born 14 AUG 1752 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 14 SEP 1831 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. She married William ASHLEY 18 SEP 1779 in Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts.
77  vii.Dorothy HUBBARD was born 1754 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 9 OCT 1813. She married Caleb WADHAM.
78  viii.Paul HUBBARD was born 1756, and died 1758.
79  ix.Paul HUBBARD was born 7 NOV 1758 in Westfield, Hampden Co., Massachusetts, and died 1784.
80  x.Sarah HUBBARD was born 1760, and died 1847. She married Robert FRANCIS.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Was it a Revolutionary War Red Coat, or Made Before?



The Revolutionary War Red Coat Worn by my Ancestor Blog has received a large number of hits over the two years since I posted it. When I recently received my copy of a newsletter From Missisquoi Heritage News, the Missisquoi Historical Society, Fall 2011 issue, I immediately noticed an article about my ancestor's coat. (Missisquoi County is in Quebec, Canada, just over the Vermont border, the area is referred to as The Eastern Townships.)


"Restoration Granted
Earlier this year an application was sent to the Centre de conservation du Quebec (CCQ) requesting restoration for the red wool Ten Eyck coat housed in our museum. The coat was donated by the Ten Eyck family many years ago and dates from the pre-Revolutionary War period (circa 1760s) and was brought into Missisquoi County by United Empire Loyalists Andres Ten Eyck in the 1790s. The coat is one of the artefacts in our collection which serves to represent our museum on a national scale.


The application to the CCQ was successful and before the end of 2011 the coat will be leaving our museum and will travel to the CCQ in Quebec for the many months it will take to have the coat restored to an excellent condition."


I then wrote the curator at the Museum to ask a few questions. Heather Darch, wrote back with quite a bit of additional information. I include some of her information below:


"Thank you for your interest in the Ten Eyck Red Coat. It is a fascinating artefact and over the years since the museum obtained it from Mrs. Ellis, there has been a lot of study on it by myself and Revolutionary War experts. The cut of the coat is what makes it a particular mystery as it reflects an earlier time period than the late 1770s era. It is also free of any accessories such as cuffs and collars very typical of the Revolutionary War coats. A great deal of searching has been done on the first owner Andres Ten Eyck as well and his military records are a little unclear. So the provenance of the coat and its date of fabrication was widened to allow me and researchers other avenues of study and possibility. Andres Ten Eyck appears in earlier records than the Revolutionary War so there is a very strong possibility that the coat was made during the French-Indian Wars of the late 1750s -1760s a decade earlier. The style of the coat suggests this is a possibility. I have dismissed the oral legend that was attached to the coat for many years that Andres Ten Eyck wore the coat to avoid being pressed into military service by the British Navy. The military records that have been uncovered reveal that he was very much in favour of the King's army and served in good faith in the King's service and did not avoid active service. His true story is much more fascinating than the "press-gang" story."  She wrote more, which I will share in another blog.


The above two articles were written by Heather Darch, Curator of the Missisquoi Historical Society/Missisquoi Museum, and were used with permission. The photo is from the Society / Museum and permission was granted two years ago.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Wordless Wednesday -- Share and Share Alike

The photos of Mary Jane Westover and her husband, James Albert Ryckman were sent to me by Jeannie Slater, after she found a cemetery photo of mine on Find-A-Grave recently. On that site, I have a statement where I allow anybody permission to copy my photos, and they don’t have to ask. I’ve learned it’s better to share, if you don’t you could be limiting yourself from receiving from others.

Jeannie wrote me, we exchanged information and, in-turn, has allowed me to share her photos. I have over 900 Westovers in my tree, and I'm hoping to place Mary Jane Westover into it, and maybe Jeannie and I will be related.
 Mary Jane Westover Ryckman
James Albert Ryckman

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Tombstone Tuesday -- PECKENS of Westford, Massachusetts

MARCUS PECKENS
BORN APRIL 11, 1784 - DIED APRIL 18, 1862

SALLY PECKENS
BORN SEPT. 26, 1785 -  DIED MAR. 3, 1860

FLETCHER PECKENS
BORN JUNE 3, 1819 - DIED JUNE 11, 1905

CAROLINE M. CUREY
BORN AUG. 3, 1829 - DIED JUNE 22, 1913
FAIRVIEW CEMETERY
WESTFORD, MIDDLESEX CO., MASSACHUSETTS

Monday, December 26, 2011

Amanuensis Monday -- Finding the Will of Charles Adams

When I found the below document on microfilm at the Family History Center in Salt Lake City, I quickly wrote down the page number and went to the scanning room where it was printed on two sheets, sized 11" x 17". For over three years, it has been in a pile. How embarrassing now to discover I never wrote down the source, as in the film number or name of the book. All I have are pages numbered 45 and 46.

However, sometimes my memory bank works. I thought maybe I got the volume number from David Samuelsen's website SAMPUBCO, covering New York Counties Will Testators Indexes,  so I went to that site and selected Genesee County, then went to another page where I selected the A-D tab with hope to find my ADAMS surname. Bingo. I now had a listing of surnames in Genesee County, with headings for Name of Testator, Place of Residence of Testator and the last column had County #, Volume # and Page #.

I looked for Adams and found my person: ADAMS, CHARLES W. STAFFORD  NY-19-25-45-48. It showed page 45, which matches what I wrote on the printed will. Researchers are not always so lucky when backtracking to find their original source, but I was lucky. However, I still don't know the FHL film number, but it shouldn't be difficult to find out.


Charles was my first cousin, four times removed.

(Transcribed by Barbara Poole)
Charles W. Adams Testator

At a Surrogate's Court, held in and for the County of Genesee, at the Surrogate's Office in the Town of Batavia, in said county, on the 1st day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven.
                                                    Present Hon. Stafford E. North    Surrogate

Genesee County, }SS.
Be it remembered, that heretofore, to wit : on the 14th day of S___ in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety ___ Marietta Adams, one of the Executors named in the Last Will and Testament of Charles W. Adams late of the town of Stafford. in the county of Genesee, deceased, appeared in open court before the Surrogate of said county, and made application to the said Last Will and Testament, which relates to real and personal estate, proved ; and on such application the Surrogate did ascertain, by satisfactory evidence, who were the heirs and next of kin of the said Testator and their respective residences.

And said Surrogate did thereupon issue a citation in due form of law, directed to certain of the said heirs and next of kin by their respective names, stating therein their respective places of residence, requiring them to appear before the said Surrogate at his office in the town of Batavia in said county, on the 1st day of November 1897, to attend the probate of such said Will.

And afterwards on the 1st day of November aforesaid, satisfactory evidence by affidavit was produced  and presented to said Surrogate, of the due service of said citation, in the mode prescribed by law, and said Marietta Adams and E. W. Moulthrop Executors as aforesaid, appearing for the purposes of proving said Will and all the remaining heirs at law and next of kin, being of full age, having severally duly in writing waived the issue and service upon them of a citation to appear in this court and attend the proof and probate of said will, and no one appearing to contest the probate of such Will, such proceedings were thereupon had, that the Surrogate took the  proof of said Will hereinafter set forth, upon this 1st day of November A. D. 1897, and adjudges and proofs are as follows, that is to say :

In the name of God Amen I Charles W. Adams of Batavia New York being of sound mind and memory do make publish and declare the following as and for my last will and testament.

First I direct all my just debts and funeral expenses to be paid
Second  I direct my executors hereinafter names to place a suitable tombstone over my grave
Third  I hereby give devise and bequeath the use and income of my farm where I now reside to my beloved wife and after her death to my brothers and sisters Horace Adams Quincy Adams George Adams Jane Jones and Mary Blair
Fourth  I hereby bequeath to Jane Adams the sum of three hundred dollars
Fifth  I hereby bequeath to Mary Jones Hattie Blatchford Ada Sherwin Emma Blair and Charles Adams each the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars.
Sixth  I hereby give devise and bequeath all the rest residue and remainder of my estate of whatsoever name or native to my beloved wife Marietta Adams absolutely.
Lastly, I hereby nominate and appointment my wife Marietta Adams and E. W. Moulthrop executors of this last will hereby revoking all former wills by me made.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this this [sic] 14th day of August 1897.
                                                                           C. W. Adams (L.S.)

We the undersigned do hereby certify that Charles W. Adams duly signed published and declared the above instrument as and for his last will and testament and we at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other duly signed our names as witnesses hereto.

L.E. Curtice  Buffalo, N. Y.
Frederick G. Bagley, Buffalo, N. Y.




Amanuensis Monday was begun by John Newmark of the TransylvanianDutch blog. The term means, "a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another." Many bloggers enjoy doing this because it allows them to freely copy something that has been written.

Obituaries -- Lowell, Massachusetts

The below listed names were taken from The Lowell Sun newspaper's obituary section for this week. (If there is an * by the name, it means I knew that person, and you may write me if you have questions.)

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2011
STEPHEN WOJNAR, FORMERLY OF LOWELL, USPS RETIREE, ARMY VET; 70
GERTRUDE A. SANCHEZ OF LOWELL, FORMERLY OF BILLERICA, MA
ELRENE I. FREEMAN, LOVING MOTHER, NAN, AND GREAT-GRANDMOTHER; 95
VENUS (KOUTSOS) ZIAGOS MATCZAK, OF LOWELL, BELOVED WIFE, MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, GREAT-GRANDMOTHER
WILLIAM J. POITRAS, OF TYNGSBORO, RAYTHEON RETIREE, WWII VET; 95
IRENE C. HARNDEN, LONGTIME TEWKSBURY RESIDENT; 89
ANNA T. FEDERICO BLUE, LIFELONG RESIDENT OF LYNN; 84
DOROTHY 'MA' (VELMURE) (DUMAS) LARSEN, LOVING WIFE, MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER; 77


TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2011
MARY W. KANDROTAS, HOLY TRINITY POLISH CHURCH; 94
TERESA (AREIAS) NUNES, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF LOWELL; 80
RALPH F. LALLY, OF DRACUT, MA; 63
JOANNE C. COLLINS, OF TYNGSBORO, MASS; 58
DELMONT E. "GENE" HILL, FORMERLY OF WALTHAM, OF BILLERICA; 78
CHARLES L. TIRONE SR., OF LITTLETON; 78
ELRENE I. FREEMAN, FORMERLY OF CHELMSFORD, OF WINDHAM, NH; 95
ELEANOR 'GIBBI' GIBBONS, FORMERLY OF READING, MA AND PELHAM, MA; 72


WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2011
ROBERT L. LAJEUNESSE, HUSBAND, DAD, "PEPERE" OF WEEKI WACHEE, FL AND DRACUT, MA; 87
EDITH R. RICARD, OF DRACUT, MA; 79
STEPHEN M. DUNBAR, OF FITCHBURG, MA; 59
JOANNE L. (CHARRON) DAVIS, OF NASHUA, NH; 68
NORMAND K. BEAUDRY OF DRACUT, MA; 64
ELIZABETH R. CONVERSE, OF ANDOVER, MA; 94
JEAN HOWLAND, OF PEPPERELL, MA; 82
ROBERT H. GITSCHIER, OF LAWRENCE; FORMERLY OF DRACUT; 88
CHARLES L. TIRONE SR., OF LITTLETON; 78
CHARLES P. PETROPOULOS, OF DRACUT, MA; 93


THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2011
VIRGINIA ECONOMOU, DEVOTED WIFE AND MOTHER, MEMBER OF ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH; 91
JOSEPH S. HAYES JR., RETIRED AIR FORCE VETERAN; 91
FRANCIS JOSEPH MURPHY, OF BILLERICA, MA
DAVID ROBERT CORCORAN, FORMERLY OF LOWELL, MA; 58


FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011
MARY A. MORRIS, OF AYER, MA, LOVING SISTER; 51
JOHN M. FERREIRA, JR., OF TEWKSBURY, MA, ANTIQUE AUTO ENTHUSIAST; 79
SALLY A. LORDEN, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, FAMILY IN MA; 61


SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011
MARY LOU (McGARRY) GEOFFROY, LOWELL, MA NATIVE, WAS BANK TELLER; 55
MARGARET E. (DOODY) McGRATH, OF SALEM, NH, TOWN OF GROTON, MA RETIREE; 83
CHARLES E. WHEELER, FORMER GROTON, MACHINE CO. OWNER; 83
MARGARET 'MEG' MARY O'COIN, OF TYNGSBOROUGH, MA, WORKED FOR THE USPS


SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2011
FRANCES JOSEPH WIDMAYER JR., OF WEST ACTON, MA, BUSINESSMAN; 82
BENJAMIN R. ANTHONY, OF LITTLETON, MA, LOVING HUSBAND, FATHER, SON AND BROTHER; 55
BRENDA PATTERSON, OF DRACUT, MA, LOVING DAUGHTER, WIFE, MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, AND SISTER; 66
JOHN J. 'JACK' COREY, LONGTIME LOWELL RESIDENT; 83
THEODORA (KOKINACIS) DEMOGENES, LONGTIME LOWELL RESIDENT; LOVING AND DEVOTED MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, GREAT-GRANDMOTHER; 91
EVA D. RICCI OF WILMINGTON, MA; 85