Savannah River Chickasaws split to move east
At roughly the same time, 1722-23, two important and possibly inter-related events in Chickasaw history were recorded-- one by the French and one by the English.
First, a letter by Louisiana Governor Bienville noted that Choctaws had destroyed three Chickasaw villages and in the process “brought in about four hundred scalps and taken one hundred prisoners.” Second, the English colony of Carolina in 1722 invited the entire Chickasaw Nation to relocate to an area that is today in the state of Georgia, midway between Augusta and Atlanta.
While the Nation as a whole declined the invitation, some 80 to 100 Chickasaws under the leadership of a chief called Squirrel King apparently did relocate. Although colonial documents don’t reveal exactly when this came to pass, English botanist Mark Catesby in 1723 arrived at Fort Moore (across the Savannah River from what would become Augusta, GA.) and mentioned he had contact with the Chickasaws.
Furthermore, a group of Chickasaws in September 1723 met with Carolina Governor Francis Nicholson and exchanged presents. It is also likely that Squirrel King gave Nicholson a deerskin map, perhaps painted by himself, to show the homeland tribe’s precarious position almost encircled by the enemy French allied tribes, including the Choctaw, Illinois, Miamis, Quapaws and Kickapoos.
Circumstantial evidence suggests that the Squirrel King-led group may have been from one of those villages noted by Bienville. Furthermore, artifact evidence from much of the two settlement areas closest to the Choctaws also suggests that some villages were abandoned in the early 1720s.
Period maps indicate that many of the villages, using the same names, relocated to other Chickasaw homeland settlement areas. For example, Hykehah and Phalacheho, which were located in1720 on a 10-milelong ridge, according to English trader James Adair, were shown on a 1737 French map to be part of a consolidation of several villages in another location that we know today is a few miles to the northeast.
On the other hand, another of Adair’s 1720 villages, Yaneka, located along a six-mile-long ridge, is absent from post-1720 maps and documents. There is no colonial document saying or even hinting that Squirrel King led his people from Yaneka 600 miles to the Savannah River area near Carolina’s Fort Moore. Yet it seems unlikely that these two events happened coincidentally.
Moreover, Squirrel King was said by Nicholson to be a renowned warrior with reputedly many kills to his credit. This could help explain two things. First, since factions of the Chickasaws and Choctaws had been raiding one another for years, it would behoove both tribes to place their best warriors in their barrier villages, and Yaneka was the closest to the Choctaw villages. Second, the followers of such an aggressive warrior could be expected to continue fighting for or along the tribe’s long-time ally, Carolina. And by moving 600 miles closer to Charles Town, the tribe would have much better access to arms, food (if need be) and clothing.
http://www.chickasawtimes.net/january06/stories/historian.html
Friday, July 1, 2011
Squirrel King - Leader of the Savannah River Chickasaws
Squirrel King - Leader of the Savannah River Chickasaws
By 1750 Squirrel King was a broken man,he had lost his Son at the Affair at the Occonies. Squirrel King no longer took directions from the "white man" to fight with other Native Indians
In fact as recorded in The Colonial Records of SC-
Documents of Indian Affairs-1750-1754
George Cadogan to Governor Glen-Page 12
one of the Officers of Augusta desired the Squirrel King to tie the 3 Cherokees and deliver them to him, in the room where the white man was killed. On which Squirrel King said no, for that they were his friends, the he had forgiven them what was done, allowing it to be a Mistake, The Squirrel King further said
Documents of Indian Affairs-1750-1754
George Cadogan to Governor Glen-Page 12
With regard to my preventing the Indians here form going where and when thy please to War or otherwise, I don't conceive a Possibility of it. Presents and Entertainments are the only Means of bringing them to the FT, (Ft. Moore) and your Excellency well knows that I have not Fund for such Things, the Assembly
having made such Resolutions as render it impossible for me or any other without Rum to be very useful
on such occasions. However in Consequence of your Excellency
s Letter, I have talked to the Squirrel and Mingo Stobo (Mingo means Chief, Mingo Stobby was Squirrel Kings son I think). The Squirrel wept much and said: he had lost his Son at the Affair at the Occonies mentioned in the Affidavit. He has not been out himself and does not , I believe. intend it tho' I am credibly informed there are now several Party's of Northward Indians straggling about this place who have been seen by several. If your Excecellency will be pleased to give me some written Orders how to act if Matters of this Nature no one will use more Diligence and Faithfulness in the Execution of them.
Page 28
The spy came back and told them that they could not hear nor see white people, but only Indians talking some Chickasaw and some Creek. On which they set the house on fire and kill what they could of them. And accordingly did and killed one white Man at the Oakhorr'y and at the same time brought in a Chickasaw boy. Little time after the Chickasaw sent up to them, to let them know that the Mischief that was done, was done to their Friends, and the white People, and desired they would sent the Boy down, and that as it appeared a mistake, no more Notice would be taken of it. Accordingly they sent the boy down by
3 Cherokees, and I Nothees, and I Chickasaw. On their arrival at Savannah Town, one of the Officers of Augusta desired the Squirrel King to tie the 3 Cherokees and deliver them to him, in the room where the white man was killed. On which Squirrel King said no, for that they were his friends, the he had forgiven them what was done, allowing it to be a Mistake, The Squirrel King further said if The Officer wanted to have them tied, he had People enough without his Assistance.
By 1750 Squirrel King was a broken man,he had lost his Son at the Affair at the Occonies. Squirrel King no longer took directions from the "white man" to fight with other Native Indians
In fact as recorded in The Colonial Records of SC-
Documents of Indian Affairs-1750-1754
George Cadogan to Governor Glen-Page 12
one of the Officers of Augusta desired the Squirrel King to tie the 3 Cherokees and deliver them to him, in the room where the white man was killed. On which Squirrel King said no, for that they were his friends, the he had forgiven them what was done, allowing it to be a Mistake, The Squirrel King further said
if The Officer wanted to have them tied, he had People enough without his AssistanceThe Colonial Records of SC-
Documents of Indian Affairs-1750-1754
George Cadogan to Governor Glen-Page 12
With regard to my preventing the Indians here form going where and when thy please to War or otherwise, I don't conceive a Possibility of it. Presents and Entertainments are the only Means of bringing them to the FT, (Ft. Moore) and your Excellency well knows that I have not Fund for such Things, the Assembly
having made such Resolutions as render it impossible for me or any other without Rum to be very useful
on such occasions. However in Consequence of your Excellency
s Letter, I have talked to the Squirrel and Mingo Stobo (Mingo means Chief, Mingo Stobby was Squirrel Kings son I think). The Squirrel wept much and said: he had lost his Son at the Affair at the Occonies mentioned in the Affidavit. He has not been out himself and does not , I believe. intend it tho' I am credibly informed there are now several Party's of Northward Indians straggling about this place who have been seen by several. If your Excecellency will be pleased to give me some written Orders how to act if Matters of this Nature no one will use more Diligence and Faithfulness in the Execution of them.
Page 28
The spy came back and told them that they could not hear nor see white people, but only Indians talking some Chickasaw and some Creek. On which they set the house on fire and kill what they could of them. And accordingly did and killed one white Man at the Oakhorr'y and at the same time brought in a Chickasaw boy. Little time after the Chickasaw sent up to them, to let them know that the Mischief that was done, was done to their Friends, and the white People, and desired they would sent the Boy down, and that as it appeared a mistake, no more Notice would be taken of it. Accordingly they sent the boy down by
3 Cherokees, and I Nothees, and I Chickasaw. On their arrival at Savannah Town, one of the Officers of Augusta desired the Squirrel King to tie the 3 Cherokees and deliver them to him, in the room where the white man was killed. On which Squirrel King said no, for that they were his friends, the he had forgiven them what was done, allowing it to be a Mistake, The Squirrel King further said if The Officer wanted to have them tied, he had People enough without his Assistance.
Squirrel King was a leader of the Chickasaw people during the Colonial period.
Squirrel King was a leader of the Chickasaw people during the Colonial period.
He led a small band into the Carolinas to escape French harrassment as the Chickasaws were allies of t h e English.
Data from a variety of sources, in particular the Thompson-ChoctawDescendants Association . Other sources include, Oklahoma Historical Society, Brian Tompsett at the University of Hul l ,and many other sources, some cited.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- - - ---
Born: ABT 1688 in Chickasaw Nation-East (Mississippi
Trading stores were established at Savanna Town, and at the time, Savanna Town was the jumping-off point to the western wilderness. Trails from Savanna Town led to the nations of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians as far west as the Mississippi River. European goods were sent by land and river from Charles Town (Charleston, S.C.) to Savanna Town, where these goods were carried by pack trains west to the Indian nations. Then these same pack trains returned to Savanna Town with valuable skins to be shipped to Charles Town for export to England.
In 1716 after a major Indian war erupted, Fort Moore was built to guard the western entranc e to the colony. The fort was situated on the high bluff at Savanna Town and had barracks t h a t could hold 100 men, a house for the commander, storehouses, corncribs, stables and a we l l .In1727,the government of South Carolina invited the Chickasaw nation to move from Missisippi to South Carolina. A small band of about 100undertheleadership of Chief Squirrel Kin g settled at Horse Creek about a mile up river from the fort. They remained in the area until the Revolutionary War.
Rather than begin intimidated, the Chickasaw grew more stubborn in their determination to trade with the British, and Bienville's harassment only served to silence the pro-French faction .Matters came to head during1720 when the Chickasaw executed a French trader as a spy. B o t h French and British traders routinely passed information to their governments, so there seems little doubt about his guild. However, the Chickasaw had always tolerated this, and his death was a clean indication they had tired of the "silent war" the French were conducting against them along the Trader's Path.
Squirrel King (1710 - 1758) is Our 7th Great Grandfather
He led a small band into the Carolinas to escape French harrassment as the Chickasaws were allies of t h e English.
Data from a variety of sources, in particular the Thompson-ChoctawDescendants Association . Other sources include, Oklahoma Historical Society, Brian Tompsett at the University of Hul l ,and many other sources, some cited.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- - - ---
Born: ABT 1688 in Chickasaw Nation-East (Mississippi
Trading stores were established at Savanna Town, and at the time, Savanna Town was the jumping-off point to the western wilderness. Trails from Savanna Town led to the nations of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians as far west as the Mississippi River. European goods were sent by land and river from Charles Town (Charleston, S.C.) to Savanna Town, where these goods were carried by pack trains west to the Indian nations. Then these same pack trains returned to Savanna Town with valuable skins to be shipped to Charles Town for export to England.
In 1716 after a major Indian war erupted, Fort Moore was built to guard the western entranc e to the colony. The fort was situated on the high bluff at Savanna Town and had barracks t h a t could hold 100 men, a house for the commander, storehouses, corncribs, stables and a we l l .In1727,the government of South Carolina invited the Chickasaw nation to move from Missisippi to South Carolina. A small band of about 100undertheleadership of Chief Squirrel Kin g settled at Horse Creek about a mile up river from the fort. They remained in the area until the Revolutionary War.
Rather than begin intimidated, the Chickasaw grew more stubborn in their determination to trade with the British, and Bienville's harassment only served to silence the pro-French faction .Matters came to head during1720 when the Chickasaw executed a French trader as a spy. B o t h French and British traders routinely passed information to their governments, so there seems little doubt about his guild. However, the Chickasaw had always tolerated this, and his death was a clean indication they had tired of the "silent war" the French were conducting against them along the Trader's Path.
First Chickasaw War
First Chickasaw War
The First Chickasaw War (1720-25) only brought the fighting of the previous five years into the open.
This effectively cut New France in two and halt all communication and trade between Canada and Louisiana. Having frustrated and punished the French and allies in war, the Chickasaw then "went for the jugular" with diplomacy. At the urging of British traders, who had regained the advantage over the French with less-expensive and higher-quality goods and who were looking for new customers, the Chickasaw in 1724 offered a separate peace to the Choctaw, the major French ally in the conflict. The Choctaw had tired of the war and were interested in trade with the British. They were willing, but the French, for obvious reasons, were opposed. The Choctaw persisted, and after a year of arguments with their increasingly reluctant ally, the French were forced to bend to their wishes. In 1725 they abandoned their ambush positions along the Trader's Path, and an uneasy peace settled over the lower Mississippi.
In the midst of this,
The First Chickasaw War (1720-25) only brought the fighting of the previous five years into the open.
The French armed the Choctaw and sent them against the Chickasaw, but the fortified villages were difficult to reach and dangerous to attack. Results were minimal. They also encouraged attacks by their allies north of the Ohio River against British pack trains on the Trader's Path. These also had little effect and brought trouble with the Cherokee and Upper Creeks just to the east who did not appreciate strange war parties roaming through their territory. Meanwhile, the Chickasaw retaliated with attacks on Choctaw villages and the new French settlements along the Yazoo River. Their masterstroke, however, was to occupy the Chickasaw Bluffs overlooking the Mississippi in 1723 and block all French traffic on the lower Mississippi River.
This effectively cut New France in two and halt all communication and trade between Canada and Louisiana. Having frustrated and punished the French and allies in war, the Chickasaw then "went for the jugular" with diplomacy. At the urging of British traders, who had regained the advantage over the French with less-expensive and higher-quality goods and who were looking for new customers, the Chickasaw in 1724 offered a separate peace to the Choctaw, the major French ally in the conflict. The Choctaw had tired of the war and were interested in trade with the British. They were willing, but the French, for obvious reasons, were opposed. The Choctaw persisted, and after a year of arguments with their increasingly reluctant ally, the French were forced to bend to their wishes. In 1725 they abandoned their ambush positions along the Trader's Path, and an uneasy peace settled over the lower Mississippi.
In the midst of this,
40 Chickasaw families led by Squirrel King accepted an invitation from South Carolina and left Mississippi to settle on the Savannah River. Rather than running from a fight, their purpose was to protect the British pack trains in the east where they were coming under attack from the French allies north of the Ohio River. They provided valuable service as scouts against the Spanish in Florida during the War of Jenkins Ear (1739-48) for the British army of James Oglethorpe and were granted a 10x10 mile reserve on the Georgia side of the Savannah River near Augusta. They remained there until their lands were confiscated in 1783 by Georgia because they had helped the British defend Pensacola against a Spanish attack.After spending some time among the Upper Creeks, by 1786 most returned to northern Mississippi.
There are many AMERICAN stories out there!! We will tell them one at a time.
Mary was born about 1743 in New Windsor Chickasaw Settlements SC. Mary's father is Squirrel King, Chief of the Savannah River Chickasaws Title not a name King and her mother is Thawakilla Shawnee or chickasaw Woman. She had a brother named Chief Succabee of the Chickasaw.
Mary Polly King (1743 - 1786)
is our 6th great grandmother
Josep...h Vann (1770 - 1854)
Son of Mary Polly
Anna Sophia Vann (1803 - 1865)
Daughter of Joseph
Isham B Bunyard (1825 - 1890)
Son of Anna Sophia
Laura Helen Bunyard (1867 - 1908)
Daughter of Isham B
Lula Catherine Dearman (1885 - 1935)
Daughter of Laura Helen
Alta Vay Cook (1906 - 1984)
Daughter of Lula Catherine
Ida Belle Reed (1925 - 2000)
Daughter of Alta Vay
Ruth Elizabeth Hayley
I am the daughter of Ida Belle
Shawnee Heritage
>Shawnee Heritage I
Shawnee Genealogy and Family History
by Don Greene (found at Target, Amazon.com and LuLu.com)
Web sites:
http://kyusa.addr.com/Cherokee/index.html
http://kyusa.addr.com/Cherokee/index. html
http://www.southern-style.com/southern_family.htm
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com /cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=weeksjd
Native American Heritage:
1. Holesqua Opeecham "Stream" Cornstalk (Shawnee War Chief)
+ Nonoma
2. Big Turkey Cornstalk
+Unk
3. April Tikami Hop Cornstalk (sister of Old Hop,
all the children were adopted by a cousin, Emperor Moytoy of the Cherokee Nation)
+ Richard Barnes
4. Mary Barnes
+ Edward Vann
5. Edward Ned Vann
+ Mary King (She was the daughter of Squirrel King, Chief of the Savannah River Chickasaws and a Thawakilla Shawnee Woman)
More information regarding proof of genealogy: But what until you read how these people effected the making of AMERICA!!!
There are many AMERICAN stories out there!! We will tell them one at a time.
Shawnee Heritage
A note from a descendant Rosemary Gardner originally submitted this to ROSEMARY REMEMBERS on 24 Dec 2009 with information that might be helpful to others.
Margaret Vann Moseley b: 1768 in Edgefield Co, SC, was the Granddaughter of Squirrel King,
Chief of the Savannah River Chickasaws b: 1688, located near present day Augusta, GA,
or back then Ft. Moore, GA.
I grew up in Birmingham, AL, but moved to Greenville, SC for a job about 10
years ago. About 5 years ago I found the name Squirrel King on my genealogy
and had to investigate it.
I only live about 100 miles from Edgefield, SC where the Vann family lived on Horns Creek.
I have since found out that our Vann family were Descendants of Holesqua
Opeechan "Stream" Cornstalk b: 1628, A War Chief of the Shawnee Nation, which was
the largest Tribe in the US!
About 5 years ago I started gathering information about our family, which
were famous Shawnee, Cherokee, Chickasaw and Powhattan descendants, which is
listed in a book by: Don Greene called Shawnee Heritage 1, Shawnee Genealogy and
Family History, available at Target, Amazon.com and LULU.com.
It list Margaret Vann as being the daughter of Edward Ned Vann and Mary King. And I do have proof of that!
I also have research documents by the Moseley Family, which my Great Grandmother
Margaret Vann Moseley married into, and the documents state that Edward Ned Vann
and Mary King were her parents. There are also references to our Great Grandmother being Cherokee
in the Moseley Books 1 & 2 (found in any Historical Library across the US).
Edward Ned Vann b: 1744 which married Mary King b: 1743 is the son of Mary
Barnes b:1720 and Edward Vann b: 1720.
I have documents placing Edward Vann living in Edgefield, SC on census and
court records, land and tax records, etc. Edward Ned Vann was a rich peach
farmer on the Savannah River, and either him or his father Edward Vann owned 2
trading post one on each side of the Savannah River. His father Edward Vann
sold the British Government 400 acres of land, upon which to build Ft.
Charlotte, which I also have documents copied from the Greenville Library in SC..
Edward Vann b: 1720 was born in the Cherokee Nation, his parents were John
Vann born about 1690 his mother was a Cherokee woman of the Anikowi Deer Clan.
(They hunted deer down on foot)! That is where Edward Vann met his first wife Mary Barnes b: 1720. Which is our Great Grandmother also.
Mary Barnes was the daughter of Richard Barnes and April Tikami Hop b:1695
(sister of Old Hop, Echota Cherokee Chief) They lived in Hiawasee, GA.
April "Tikami" Hop ( meaning April Water) was the daughter of Big Turkey
Cornstalk b: 1760 and UNK woman. He was also the brother of Okowellos
Cornstalk born: 1740
When April "Tikami" Hop was 3 years old her parents were murdered by
Catawaba Raiders, and her and her 4 siblings were left there to die, because no one,
would take them in. Pigeon Moytoy her aunt's husband, heard about this and
went to Hiawassee and brought the children home to raise in the Cherokee Nation
( he was the Emperor of the Cherokee Nation, and also related to Cornstalk
through his mother and his wife ). Visit WWW. My Carpenter Genealogy
Big Turkey Cornstalk b: 1760 was the son of Holesqua Opeechan "Stream"
Cornstalk b: 1628 and wife Nonoma? Holesqua Opeechan "Stream"
Cornstalk b: 1628 and was A War Chief in the Shawnee Nation which was basically everything east of the Mississippi but not the leader of the hole tribe, that would be, His son Okowellos Cornstalk born: 1740, in Ohio, was the only Chief of the Entire Shawnee Nation Shawnee had villages all over the place and intermarried with all of the Tribes, especially the Cherokee.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Deacon Samuel Chapin Magistrate; Town Commissioner; Church Deacon
Going to NERGS in April 2011 is a bucket list thing for me. I first became aware I was related to Deacon Chapin as a direct ancestor in 1976. In 1976, during the countries bi-centennial celebrations, my mother often spoke about her favorite grandmother. Mother would ask me to study her grandmother's lineage. She told me that she remembered hearing about my grandmother's lineage and wanted me to research the lineage.
The reason my mother wanted me to do it was because my mother was very intimated by research. Although she got to a place where she would read fiction novels with vigor. She was never one to read or enjoy non-fiction books.
My mother was raised by a houseful of family. Her grandmother, her parents, her uncles, and her younger siblings.
The younger siblings were very healthy, smart and active. While they left each day my mother was either in bed at the home or in the hospital. My mother was very ill,bedridden, as a child and was not expected to live. So my mother did not benefit from a formal education. Mother's first 15 years of education was very sporadic and limited. Mother's education was limited to oral family stories, being read the classics and simple math.
On Christmas of 1976, I presented my parents and siblings each, a hand typed handbook of our Chapin lineage. Complete with a photo copy of the Chapin statue and photos of our granny, Armineta Clementine Chapin. Mother was pleased but skeptical. In 1983 a family historian wrote our Chapin lineage and included more data about the statue, the children of the Deacon and more data. It was then I began dreaming of going to the statue someday.........and mother appreciated my hand typed notebook a little more.
This trip to the statue will be better than ever I could have imagined. Through the Internet I have met many wonderful friends. Lots of these friends will be there the week end I visit the statue. I am staying with a fellow blogger, Chapin cousin and her delightful husband in New Hampshire. We are hoping to identify more Chapin descendants to take a "cousin" photo at the statue.
Imagine my surprise in the movie I see:
Deacon Samuel Chapin statue, Springfield, Mass.
"One of the founding fathers of Springfield" according to the base of the statue. He's certainly an imposing figure.
As a side note, this statue played a prominent part in the almost unknown 1970s movie, "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud." Professor Proud keeps having visions of different sites in a New England town, and the "puritan statue" of Deacon Samuel Chapin is one of them. Eventually he travels from California to Massachusetts, where he discovers the statue.
Imagine my surprise when the only vision I had seen of the statue looked like this:
and then to see this beautiful garden looking like this:
Deacon Samuel Chapin
Magistrate; Town Commissioner; Church Deacon
b. 8 Oct 1598 in Paignton, Devonshire, England - d. 11 Nov 1675 in Springfield, MA at age 77
m. Cicely PENNY 9 Feb 1623 in Paignton, Devonshire, England
"The Puritan" - a bronze statue in Merrick Park next to the Public Library in Springfield, Mass. honors one of the town's founders, the Deacon Samuel Chapin. The artist was Augustus St. Gauden and it was commissioned by Chester W. Chapin, Springfield's railroad magnate, in 1885. The statue was originally unveiled on Thanksgiving Day in 1887 in Stearns Square, and remained there for twelve years before being moved to its current location. In moving the statue, the beautiful bronze fountain and pink granite bench that were constructed to compliment the artwork were relocated to other parts of the city. The working model is now owned by the Carnegie Museum of Art.
"The beginning of the Chapin family is altogether creditable. We may well be satisfied that it should start with this genuine old Puritan and what he did, with his fellow pioneers, to open the American Continent and on it found a city and to establish a model Christian Republic. The rolls of heraldry, even if they could show the name linked with royal or princely blood, would add nothing to the true nobility of its origin. It belongs peculiarly to this country, and the sphere of its highest dignity and honor was no doubt ordained to be here. Our chief anxiety should be to maintain and advance its true nobility by lives and deeds worthy of such a father." - Aaron L. Chapin, President of the Chapin Family Association, at the unveiling of the Chapin Statue at Springfield, MA on 24 November 1887. 60
Samuel CHAPIN and his wife, Cicely, came from England with three sons and two daughters in 1635. He most likely came over in the summer, when the passage was the mildest, and probably landed at Boston, which was then, as it is now, the chief port of New England. They probably settled immediately in Roxbury. Roxbury was founded a few years earlier, in 1630, by William Pynchon. It soon became a small village of from two to three score families, most of whom came from Nazing, London, or the west of England. Possibly it was because he had friends among the latter that determined Samuel to settle in Roxbury. Samuel held land as early as 1639, as is shown by the Roxbury land records.
Like most of the early settlers, Samuel Chapin must have been principally a farmer, although undoubtedly he had to turn his hand to many other pursuits as occasion required, which was in fact very often. In 1636 Samuel, then comparatively a young man, was very probably one "of the Roxbury people" who worked on the fortifications at Cornhill in Boston. In the fall of that year the General Court met at Roxbury, thus giving Samuel a chance to see its workings. During his stay in Roxbury the Pequot War took place, which resulted in making it possible to settle with safety in Western New England as at Springfield. The Chapins lived in Roxbury till the close of the year 1642.
In 1636 William Pynchon, then a resident of Roxbury, led a party of about a dozen families to the Connecticut River, where he founded a settlement then called Agawam, but which four years later was renamed Springfield, after his home in England. Most of the settlers took up farming, as there were many fertile meadows along the banks of the Connecticut, while Pynchon for the most part engaged in the fur trade. The settlement grew slowly at first, but by the time the Chapins arrived, it had become a village of respectable size for New England in those days.
As he had in Roxbury, as at Springfield, Samuel was primarily a farmer, but of course here also he had to do all sorts of other things besides. He soon became one of the leading men in the government of the town and held many public offices during his life including Selectman, Auditor and Magistrate and he was Deacon of the church.
Samuel Chapin lived to be an old man and having borne for over twenty years the burdens of government, now in his declining years withdrew from the center of political affairs. He slowly handed over the reins to the younger men in town. Samuel died 11 Nov 1675; according to the diary of his son Japhet, "My father was taken out of this troublesome world the 11th day of November about eleven of the clock, 1675." His widow, Cicely, died 8 Feb 1683.
Samuel had an inventory of his estate performed for his will. The total sum of his goods, not including his land, was over 45 English pounds. His wife's estate was inventoried in 1682 for her will and the goods were then valued at over 100 English pounds.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~scanderson/deacon_c hapin.HTM
NOTES*
His wife Cicely PENNY came from a very prestigious family herself and as a "good woman" held special seating and honor within the church. It is interesting she did well with her savings after his death. It is her families name used in much of the emigration records. The records show her parents and daughter Cicely PENNY and husband.....
Next blog I hope to write how the statue came about and is that really what he looked like?
The reason my mother wanted me to do it was because my mother was very intimated by research. Although she got to a place where she would read fiction novels with vigor. She was never one to read or enjoy non-fiction books.
My mother was raised by a houseful of family. Her grandmother, her parents, her uncles, and her younger siblings.
The younger siblings were very healthy, smart and active. While they left each day my mother was either in bed at the home or in the hospital. My mother was very ill,bedridden, as a child and was not expected to live. So my mother did not benefit from a formal education. Mother's first 15 years of education was very sporadic and limited. Mother's education was limited to oral family stories, being read the classics and simple math.
On Christmas of 1976, I presented my parents and siblings each, a hand typed handbook of our Chapin lineage. Complete with a photo copy of the Chapin statue and photos of our granny, Armineta Clementine Chapin. Mother was pleased but skeptical. In 1983 a family historian wrote our Chapin lineage and included more data about the statue, the children of the Deacon and more data. It was then I began dreaming of going to the statue someday.........and mother appreciated my hand typed notebook a little more.
This trip to the statue will be better than ever I could have imagined. Through the Internet I have met many wonderful friends. Lots of these friends will be there the week end I visit the statue. I am staying with a fellow blogger, Chapin cousin and her delightful husband in New Hampshire. We are hoping to identify more Chapin descendants to take a "cousin" photo at the statue.
Imagine my surprise in the movie I see:
Deacon Samuel Chapin statue, Springfield, Mass.
"One of the founding fathers of Springfield" according to the base of the statue. He's certainly an imposing figure.
As a side note, this statue played a prominent part in the almost unknown 1970s movie, "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud." Professor Proud keeps having visions of different sites in a New England town, and the "puritan statue" of Deacon Samuel Chapin is one of them. Eventually he travels from California to Massachusetts, where he discovers the statue.
Imagine my surprise when the only vision I had seen of the statue looked like this:
and then to see this beautiful garden looking like this:
Deacon Samuel Chapin
Magistrate; Town Commissioner; Church Deacon
b. 8 Oct 1598 in Paignton, Devonshire, England - d. 11 Nov 1675 in Springfield, MA at age 77
m. Cicely PENNY 9 Feb 1623 in Paignton, Devonshire, England
"The Puritan" - a bronze statue in Merrick Park next to the Public Library in Springfield, Mass. honors one of the town's founders, the Deacon Samuel Chapin. The artist was Augustus St. Gauden and it was commissioned by Chester W. Chapin, Springfield's railroad magnate, in 1885. The statue was originally unveiled on Thanksgiving Day in 1887 in Stearns Square, and remained there for twelve years before being moved to its current location. In moving the statue, the beautiful bronze fountain and pink granite bench that were constructed to compliment the artwork were relocated to other parts of the city. The working model is now owned by the Carnegie Museum of Art.
"The beginning of the Chapin family is altogether creditable. We may well be satisfied that it should start with this genuine old Puritan and what he did, with his fellow pioneers, to open the American Continent and on it found a city and to establish a model Christian Republic. The rolls of heraldry, even if they could show the name linked with royal or princely blood, would add nothing to the true nobility of its origin. It belongs peculiarly to this country, and the sphere of its highest dignity and honor was no doubt ordained to be here. Our chief anxiety should be to maintain and advance its true nobility by lives and deeds worthy of such a father." - Aaron L. Chapin, President of the Chapin Family Association, at the unveiling of the Chapin Statue at Springfield, MA on 24 November 1887. 60
Samuel CHAPIN and his wife, Cicely, came from England with three sons and two daughters in 1635. He most likely came over in the summer, when the passage was the mildest, and probably landed at Boston, which was then, as it is now, the chief port of New England. They probably settled immediately in Roxbury. Roxbury was founded a few years earlier, in 1630, by William Pynchon. It soon became a small village of from two to three score families, most of whom came from Nazing, London, or the west of England. Possibly it was because he had friends among the latter that determined Samuel to settle in Roxbury. Samuel held land as early as 1639, as is shown by the Roxbury land records.
Like most of the early settlers, Samuel Chapin must have been principally a farmer, although undoubtedly he had to turn his hand to many other pursuits as occasion required, which was in fact very often. In 1636 Samuel, then comparatively a young man, was very probably one "of the Roxbury people" who worked on the fortifications at Cornhill in Boston. In the fall of that year the General Court met at Roxbury, thus giving Samuel a chance to see its workings. During his stay in Roxbury the Pequot War took place, which resulted in making it possible to settle with safety in Western New England as at Springfield. The Chapins lived in Roxbury till the close of the year 1642.
In 1636 William Pynchon, then a resident of Roxbury, led a party of about a dozen families to the Connecticut River, where he founded a settlement then called Agawam, but which four years later was renamed Springfield, after his home in England. Most of the settlers took up farming, as there were many fertile meadows along the banks of the Connecticut, while Pynchon for the most part engaged in the fur trade. The settlement grew slowly at first, but by the time the Chapins arrived, it had become a village of respectable size for New England in those days.
As he had in Roxbury, as at Springfield, Samuel was primarily a farmer, but of course here also he had to do all sorts of other things besides. He soon became one of the leading men in the government of the town and held many public offices during his life including Selectman, Auditor and Magistrate and he was Deacon of the church.
Samuel Chapin lived to be an old man and having borne for over twenty years the burdens of government, now in his declining years withdrew from the center of political affairs. He slowly handed over the reins to the younger men in town. Samuel died 11 Nov 1675; according to the diary of his son Japhet, "My father was taken out of this troublesome world the 11th day of November about eleven of the clock, 1675." His widow, Cicely, died 8 Feb 1683.
Samuel had an inventory of his estate performed for his will. The total sum of his goods, not including his land, was over 45 English pounds. His wife's estate was inventoried in 1682 for her will and the goods were then valued at over 100 English pounds.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~scanderson/deacon_c hapin.HTM
NOTES*
His wife Cicely PENNY came from a very prestigious family herself and as a "good woman" held special seating and honor within the church. It is interesting she did well with her savings after his death. It is her families name used in much of the emigration records. The records show her parents and daughter Cicely PENNY and husband.....
Next blog I hope to write how the statue came about and is that really what he looked like?
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Christmas 1870
This is an excerpt from a letter written by
Mary Clementine Dearman (1857 - 1944)
Mary is my 1st cousin 4x removed
Thomas Lee Dearman (1833 - 1907)
Father of Mary Clementine
Solomon Dearman (1796 - 1837)
Father of Thomas Lee
Elisha Dearman (1819 - 1882)
Son of Solomon
James Thomas Dearman (1859 - 1934)
Son of Elisha
Lula Catherine Dearman (1885 - 1935)
Daughter of James Thomas
Alta Vay Cook (1906 - 1984)
Daughter of Lula Catherine
Ida Belle Reed (1925 - 2000)
Daughter of Alta Vay
Ruth Elizabeth Hayley
You are the daughter of Ida Belle
In my Christmas card this year I wanted to share a portion of a letter written by :
Mary Clementine Dearman Motley
Mary typed a long letter detailing the family relationships and great stories of the Solomon Dearman Family.
The typed letter has the "old typewriter font" and is very quaint. I retyped this portion of the letter for your enjoyment.
These people are related to us directly. Grandma Altie's mother's maiden name is Dearman, Lula Catherine Dearman Cook. Our direct lineage Grandfather Solomon Dearman owned several large portions of land in Alabama. I have city maps of the town Cuba, Sumter County, Alabama that illustrates his vast holdings.
Reading this over, I get the impression Mary's younger siblings stayed home and Mary was separated from her family at Christmas time.
Enjoy; Ruth
Mary Clementine Dearman (1857 - 1944)
Christmas of 1870
We knew about the celebration of Christmas but we did not know about Santa Claus until Christmas, 1870.
Uncle George Dearman was the first one to tell my small brothers and sisters about Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, he and my father went to Cuba. That night Uncle George told the children to hang up their stockings. Everyone did except my brother, Bud.
“I don’t believe in it. How can Santa Claus come down the chimney with the fire in it? I won’t do it. I haven’t got a bit of confidence in it,” said Bud.
The next morning all the children were delighted to find oranges, apples and candy in their stockings. There wasn’t a more disappointed boy in Alabama that morning than Bud.
“Well,” he said , “I just didn’t believe it.”
“Well,” said Uncle George,” go-look in your shoe. Perhaps he left something in it.
Bud pulled his shoes from under the bed. There were oranges, apples and candy in his shoes.
“I’ll believe in Santa after this,” he said.
After that Christmas was celebrated in our home as it is today.
That Christmas of 1870 , I spent on Mobile Bay with grandfather Thomas and Uncle Henry Walker. I had never heard of Santa Claus, but didn’t tell anyone while they were all talking. Late that evening Uncle Henry said , “All of you hang up your stockings.”
We did and the next morning there were apples and candy. Oranges weren’t anything special to them as they raised their own on the Bay.
That day Mr. And Mrs. Parrish and their children came over. Jimmy, their son , asked what Santa Claus gave us. I didn’t answer for I still did not know who Santa was.
Then he explained that every Christmas Eve they hung up their stockings to get presents. Again on New Year Eve they would hang up their stockings, “but,” Jimmy explained,” we won’t get much for them Santa’s wife comes and she is very poor.”
When my father came after me, Uncle Henry sent my brother Bud some torpedoes
Those were the first he had ever seen and he had fun fooling the older people.
Old Preacher Stephens came that evening, he was always slow but when the torpedoes exploded under him, he moved fast.
Later he said he thought a gun had fallen and gone off. Those were the first torpedoes anyone around that part of the country had seen.
Excerpt from
THE DEARMANS……….
As told by Mary Clementine Dearman Motley
Mary is my 1st cousin 4x removed
Thomas Lee Dearman (1833 - 1907)
Father of Mary Clementine
Solomon Dearman (1796 - 1837)
Father of Thomas Lee
Elisha Dearman (1819 - 1882)
Son of Solomon
James Thomas Dearman (1859 - 1934)
Son of Elisha
Lula Catherine Dearman (1885 - 1935)
Daughter of James Thomas
Alta Vay Cook (1906 - 1984)
Daughter of Lula Catherine
Ida Belle Reed (1925 - 2000)
Daughter of Alta Vay
Ruth Elizabeth Hayley
You are the daughter of Ida Belle
In my Christmas card this year I wanted to share a portion of a letter written by :
Mary Clementine Dearman Motley
Mary typed a long letter detailing the family relationships and great stories of the Solomon Dearman Family.
The typed letter has the "old typewriter font" and is very quaint. I retyped this portion of the letter for your enjoyment.
These people are related to us directly. Grandma Altie's mother's maiden name is Dearman, Lula Catherine Dearman Cook. Our direct lineage Grandfather Solomon Dearman owned several large portions of land in Alabama. I have city maps of the town Cuba, Sumter County, Alabama that illustrates his vast holdings.
Reading this over, I get the impression Mary's younger siblings stayed home and Mary was separated from her family at Christmas time.
Enjoy; Ruth
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)