A Different Hallowe'en

 It will be a different Hallowe'en this year. Covid-19 means it may not be safe to take our children or grandchildren Trick or Treating. 

So with a sense of nostalgia, let's look back at some of the costumes I made for my kids or they put together themselves. I never let them wear a purchased costume, instead we'd go up into the attic where I kept stacks and stacks of clothes from the 1960s, 70s and 80s, and we'd let our imaginations run wild.

For example here's a pirate costume I put together for my youngest son - from a purple dress I loved in the early 80s, white gauze pants from the early 80s, a colourful sash from the 70s, and other bits and pieces I cut from clothing. I'm not a seamstress so I tacked it all together as best I could.

I forgot what he was but he was thrilled with my oversize caftan from Mexico, a coloured sash, sandals, some chunky jewellry, a toy sword and baby powder to whiten his hair.

I hope you can still make this year's Pandemic Hallowe'en fun for your little ones.

New Netherland Settler Jan Sipken

 

Jan Sipkens was a Dutch soldier who settled in New Netherland sometime before October 1674. 

His marriage intentions were recorded in the New Amsterdam Reformed Dutch Church that month, and they revealed his origins were in Amsterdam Holland. 

A search of the Amsterdam church records found his baptism in 1656 to parents Sipke (aka Zipke) Auckus and Baefje Jans.

Read more at Jan Sipkens, New Netherland Settler

New England Online Newspapers Updated

New England States Online Historical Newspapers - 175 new and updated links have just been added to the New England States' free newspaper link lists (1,892 total titles).

Just click on your chosen state below and the links to newspaper titles from that state will appear.

• Connecticut Online Historical Newspapers Summary
• Maine Online Historical Newspapers Summary
• Massachusetts Online Historical Newspapers Summary
• New Hampshire Online Historical Newspapers Summary
• Rhode Island Online Historical Newspapers Summary
• Vermont Online Historical Newspapers Summary

 

What is Your Oldest Ancestral Item?

It's always a thrill to inherit or find an object that once belonged to an ancestor. I had chills when I found store tokens made by my 9th great-grandfather Henry Noldred of Ramsgate Kent England. Henry was a grocer who had his own tokens created to spend in his store in place of official money.

I was so intrigued by this new-found information that I started researching to see if I could find any of his tokens and I found that one of his existed created circa 1650!. I also learned that Ramsgate was spelled Romansgate back then. 

Once I found that one of Henry's tokens had been sold on an auction site a few months before, I became determined to find another and purchase it. I'm excited to say I succeeded! I managed to find two in England, and I bought them both. I plan on having a small plaque made with Henry's birth, death and location. Then I'll have the tokens and the plaque framed and it will have a place of honour on my wall.

This is the description of the tokens: (rosette)HEN.NOLDRED.IN.ROMANS , around beaded inner circle, three tobacco rolls / logs of wood.

Rev: (rosette)GET.IN.YE.ISLE.OF.TENNET , around beaded inner circle, HIS HALF PENY in three lines. M. Dickinson 454. Neither obverse or reverse dies represented in Norweb.

What is the oldest ancestral item you own?

New Netherland Settler Harmen Janie Ryckman

1644 Marriage of Harman Janss Ryckman

 Harmen Janse Ryckman (my 9th great grandfather) came to the New World with at least one child - his daughter Margarita (Grietje) Harmense Ryckman. By 1662 Grietje had married Jacques Cornelise Van Slyke the son of Cornelis Antonissen Van Slyke and his Mohawk wife, Ots-Toch. Jacques and Grietje settled in the new village of Schenectady. Grietje's father lived in Albany as early as 1666 and there he died circa 1677

Read more at Harmen Janse Ryckman in New Netherland

Lost and Found: HAIGHT family mementoes

 Joyce McFarlane in Ontario has the following items to give to any descendant who wants them.

Have been going through some old boxes of parents stuff. I have come across, a picture, a bible, and hymn book. picture labelled Jay Haight, bible belonged to Mrs Claire Haight, and Hymn book, Clement Haight. Looking for any relatives that might want these.

 

 

 

 

 

You can contact Joyce through her Facebook page

Looking for an ancestor photo? See LostFaces.com!

 

Walking Photographs

My Father & Mother 1946

Someone posted an intriguing photo on Twitter. It was simply a photo of two sisters walking down a sidewalk circa 1940s. It suddenly occured to me that during the time of Sidewalk Photographers roaming the streets of large cities, there must have been hundreds if not thousands of such candid photos taken. 

Of course the way it worked was the photographer would snap a picture then try to convince the subjects to purchase a copy. 

I have a few of those "Walking photos" and thought it would be fun to post them here. Maybe you have some too? Tell us about them in the comments below.

 Left is a photo of my mom and dad in 1946. I love this photo because mother is pregnant with me! 

I have another earlier Walking Photo of my grandmother and mother holding my brother's hands. Behind them is my aunt (mother's sister) with her son. It was taken ca 1939 either in Guelph or Toronto Ontario Canada

 

Next is a Walking photo of one of my Australian cousins - my grandmother's brother Albert Simpson with his grandson Johnny Salmon. It was taken in the early 1950s

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Netherland Settler Hendrick Meesen Vrooman

Image: 1648 record for Hendrick Meesen Vrooman

Hendrick Bartholomeus (Meesen) Vrooman and five children ages 15, 13, 11, 7 and 5 years old are on the passenger list of D'Eendracht (The Concord) arriving in New Amsterdam New York on 17 April 1664. 

The ages of these children fit the children known for Hendrick: Adam born ca 1649, Eve born ca 1651, Johannes baptised 1653 Leiden Netherlands, Kathlyntje baptised 1657 Leiden, and Bartholomeus baptised 1659 Leiden. Hendrick's wife and mother of the children was not with them and we might assume she was dead. 

Continue reading at The Vrooman Family of New Netherland New York 

Curious About Ancestor Effigies or Busts?

Hertfordshire churches contain numerous effigies and busts of people whose images were not recorded elsewhere. 

Inside All Saint’s church in Willian, Thomas and Lucy Wilson are remembered with these colourful carvings on their memorial

Don't Miss This New Saskatchewan Database!

 MemorySask: the Saskatchewan Archival Information Network is a database of descriptions of archival material held in Saskatchewan archives as well as Nunavit. It is a work in progress, with new descriptions being added regularly.

You can search names or locations. If you have Saskatchewan ancestors you will want to check this out.

New Netherland Settler Lodewyck Post

Sometime between October 1647 and July 1652, Lodewyck Cornelils Post, his wife Agnietje Bonen, and their children left Amsterdam Holland to settle in New Netherland (New York). Research into Naarden Holland church records has revealed the birth of Lodewyck, and the marriage of his parents in that city.

 Read more at Lodewyck Post, New Netherland Settler

NEW! Missouri Birth and Death Indexes Online

 Reclaim The Records has not just one but TWO brand new databases online. 

MissouriBirthIndex.com and MissouriDeathIndex.com

 

 

Olive Tree Genealogy on Episode of TV Series Historical Niagara!

Recently I was asked to appear as a guest on a TV series produced by Peter Andrew Sacco, called Historical Niagara. The series is seen on TV in Ontario Canada and the episode I was asked to appear in is on Laura Secord. Peter interviewed me via Zoom and it was a great experience.

The Laura Secord episode is available to watch on YouTube. If you use the scroll bar to find me, look for my bright pink top around the 28 minute mark. I hope you'll watch the entire episode as it's quite interesting, and walks you alongside Laura on her famous journey.

If you don't know who Laura Secord is (no, not the chocolate makers!) she is our Canadian heroine who warned the British during the War of 1812 that the Americans were planning a surprise attack. To warn the British forces, Laura had to walk through thick forest 20 miles inside American occupied territory. But watch the episode and you will learn much more about Laura. 

 

 

New Netherland Settler: Pier Family

 

It has always been known that THEUNIS JANSZ. PIER, an early settler in New Netherland (New York) was born circa 1600 in Holland. 

Chris Brooks and I researched and found Theunis' baptism. His parents' names are now known! We found a great deal on the family -- and our jointly authored article Origins of the Pier Family in the Netherlands and an Update of Their Connection to the Ostrander Family by Lorine McGinnis Schulze and Chris Brooks, was published in the July 2000 issue of the New York Genealogical & Biographical Record. in Deventer, Overijsel, Netherlands. 

He married Jannettie Arentsdr. on September 14, 1624 in Amsterdam Netherlands. Theunis Jansz's sons Jan and Arent, were the immigrant ancestors of the PIER family in America.

Read more at Pier/Peer Family

New Netherland Settlers: Salomon Abbelse GOEWAY & Barber Philippse

Baptism of Solomon 1617

The story of the Goeway family in New Netherland begins with Salomon Abelse who was baptised in Amsterdam Holland in 1617, and his wife Barber (Barbara) Phillipse who was baptised in 1619 in Amsterdam. Read more at Goeway Family

Immortalizing an Ancestor the Sarah Hare Way

 

In 1744 Sarah Hare died of septicaemia, after pricking herself on a needle. In her will she requested that a wax effigy be made of her and displayed in the Holy Trinity Church, Stow Bardolph. Her wish was granted. 

She was a daughter of Sir Thomas Hare, whose family had a reputation for local philanthropy. Her ancestors built almshouses, and Sarah left each resident a small bequest.

This is wax Sarah in her cabinet

Anyone Need to Cast a Spell? Magical Poppet Found in a Chimney

The strange little 19th century doll which is currently on display in the History Room of the Black and White House Museum was found in a crevice of the brickwork of 21 East Street, Hereford. In a fold of her dress was a handwritten note which read: 

"Mary Ann Ward, 

I act this spell upon you from my holl heart wishing you to never rest nor eat nor sleep the rester part of your life. I hope your flesh will waste away and I hope you will never spend another penny I ought to have. 

Wishing this from my whole heart."

The body is made of wood, with arms and legs of red checked cotton material. Her head bears traces of paint; she has a string and silk pigtail and wears a red spotted dark blue cotton dress. .

It seems reasonable to suggest that the doll is a magical object know as a Poppet (or mommet, moppet, poppit or pippy). These were used in folk magic and witchcraft for casting spells on a person or to aid that person through magic. It was from these European dolls that the myth of voodoo dolls arose

It is clear that this spell is hostile in intent and hopes to rectify an injustice, real or perceived. What is not clear is who this is aimed at, unfortunately there are a number of Mary Ann Wards born in Hereford and Herefordshire in the 19th Century, and at least one Mary Ann Ward who moved here (in this case from Birmingham). 

The word poppet is an older spelling of puppet, from Middle English popet, meaning a small child or a doll. In British English it continues to hold this meaning. Poppet is also a chiefly British term of endearment.

Source: Herefordshire Museum Service

New Netherland Settler: Jan Cornelis Damen

1585 Marriage of Jan Damen's grandparents in Utrecht

 

Jan Cornelise Damen, my 9th great-grandfather, was the common ancestor of the DAMEN family. In 1650 he left Bunnik, a village on the Ryn in Utrecht, for Long Island New York, and married Fytie/Sophia Martens. The surname might be derived from Demen, a hamlet in North Brabant where Jan most likely lived at one time.

On 29 Apr. 1655 he purchased a house and land adjoining that of Jan Dirksen's in Brooklyn and by 1677 was keeping a tavern here. Read more at THE DAMEN FAMILY OF LONG ISLAND NEW YORK

The Huguenot Walloon Uzille Family

 My 8th great grandfather was the Huguenot Pierre Uziele. Huguenots were French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. His parents at his baptism 14 January 1659/60 at the French Church in Mannheim Germany were David Usille and Marie Casier, He is registered as Pierre. His godparents were Philippe Casier and Marie LeNoir

There is a marriage record from Bergen Church Marriages in NJ for:Josi: Pieter and Cornelia Damen, m. by the minister upon certificate from Breuckelen, Staten Island. 6 April 1686. "Josi" would be the phonetic representation of Pieter's surname "Uziele"

Read more at THE HUGUENOT WALLOON UZILLE FAMILY

New Netherland Settlers: Boelen Family

 

Boele Roeloffsen, the immigrant ancestor of the Boelen family, arrived in New Netherland in 1659. 

His wife Bayken Arents, their three children, and Bayken sister Tryntie Arents sailed with him on board the ship Otter. 

Two more children were born to Boele and Bayken after they settled in New Amsterdam. Continue reading at 

Ancestry of the Boelen Family & their Connection to the Ten Eyck, Clock, Coert, Roos, and Hellaken Families