Field Notes: Is That Joseph or Joesph Langrill?

The whole thing started Sunday. I received an email from FamilySearch, a notification titled "Weekly FamilySearch changes for people you are watching". I opened it immediately. It looked wrong. I went to FamilySearch to see just what had been done.

Oh oh.

Can of worms.

The person I was watching was (I thought) my 5th great grandfather, Joseph Rowley; or Joseph L Rowley, or even sometimes Joseph Langrill Rowley. But the wife that FamilySearch had listed for him was wrong. The family they had listed for him was wrong.

This was not a case of someone 'fixing' a family without any knowledge (for a change) No, this was a case of sources being added to support the family unit. It made sense. The sources were correct. Shoot.

That means the problem was me.

Or rather, my grandmother AND the 10 people who used this man to join the DAR.

Yes, Joseph was a patriot. My grandmother's supplemental patriot. One I really hadn't investigated since it had been approved by the DAR. Oh, I would have gotten around to it eventually - but he wasn't a high priority.

Until now.

I am a tenacious researcher. I see a problem and I must fix it. Dog with a bone kind of thing. Funny in a way, not so much to those outside the inner sanctum. (aka husband). I can easily look (and act) like Gary Bussey after untold hours in the Cave. Babbling about stuff and nonsense to the unenlightened. (aka: see above)

So I dug in.

First stop the DAR website. I can't share the actual images, but I can tell you that there are 2 patriots named Joseph Rowley. (DAR Disclaimer: The databases contain DAR proprietary information which should under no circumstances be redistributed to others; assembled or collected for purposes other than DAR membership or for citation in genealogical scholarship; or reproduced, published or posted in any form whatsoever.) One, my grandmother's patriot, Joseph Rowley #A099328; the other? Joseph Langrill Rowley #A210894. You can look for yourself here. If you look at the descendants list for each application you will begin to see the same confusion that I had.

Hoo boy.

Seems somebody's got some 'splainin' to do.

And, to make it MORE confusing (because, why not?) Both men we born in Colchester, CT! One in 1750 the other in 1752. They were listed as dying in different states, in different years and the service records were completely different, they were certainly different men, and it's highly unlikely they were brothers. Cousins?

There is only one DAR application associated with Joseph Langrill Rowley. This application shows his wife to be the same as the FamilySearch entry that started this whole thing.

The other Joseph has 10 applications associated with him, including my grandmother's. Some show his name as Joseph, some show Joseph L while others show Joseph Langrill. The SAR applications are even more confusing - let's just not go there ....

What to do?

Put aside all previous research! Start over. Start with what I know.

1) Joseph Rowley (A099328) b. 1752 Colchester CT d. 12/23/1835 Victor, NY m. (1) Sibbel Fox (2) Hannah Loveland; Service: Mass. Rank: Private, Pension #: SR9051V

2) Joseph Langrill Rowley (A210894) b. 4/16/1750 Colchester, CT d. 10/1849 Fayette Twp, OH m. Mary Welch; Service: Conn. Rank: Staff Officer, Pension #: S7408

Edith Rowley's Notes
in Pension File 7408

I started two research trees on Ancestry with the above information. I was able to put together Joseph #2's life pretty quickly. There were lots of good records on him, including his complete 35 page pension file (#7408)! And one very interesting document (on page 27) that perhaps started the confusion. Dated 1903, a letter from a  Miss Edith Rowley requesting information for her DAR application. Her letter gave the name, birth/death dates and service history (correctly) of  Joseph #1 - but the Pension Office sent her the service records of  Joseph #2 - or at least filed her letter with the wrong Joseph Rowley! Poor Edith! Was she as confused as I was? (Who knew our boy had a middle name - well, he does now!)

Since I had found Joseph #2's pension so easily* - and read the entire thing through, of course -(*Ancestry actually gave it to me as a hint) I searched within the "U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900" database for Joseph #1.

Jackpot!

Excerpt From Pension File 9051

There it was in all of it's 52 tattered, dog-eared, glorious pages! THIS was the file Edith was looking for. THIS file explained everything. Well, started to anyway. This file listed both wives, birth dates, death dates, children's names - every place Joseph had lived his entire life! Entire life! I read those 52 pages three times, I'll read them again ... (and yes, they are safely downloaded to my computer - and my back-up) Seems there was quite a stink over widow's rights, the second wife was trying to get death benefits, lots of court stuff but what a great read!!

Back to the DAR records for a minute. There was a second son listed on two of the applications, eight of the records used my 4th great grandfather, but two used his brother. This brother was not listed in the pension records, but not all the grown children were. I added him to the new tree and man did things explode!

Sideways research is my new best friend. Collateral research has solved more 'brick walls' for me in the last few years than I can count on one hand. (they are, after all 'brick walls')

Turns out this guy, Jireh Rowley, was an early pioneer of Will County Illinois and much was written about him. Through him I was able to discover his father Joseph #1's parents, found Joseph's birth record (it was actually 1753) and, ultimately linked the whole thing together.

Joseph and Joseph Langrill were second cousins!

As I began to put the trees together, the farther back I was able to get the more familiar the names were getting. Turns out Joseph and Joseph Langrill shared a great grandfather. Their grandfathers were brothers. I had most of it right, but a two generation chunk was diverted. Like a detour. I think I blame the Pension Office for giving the wrong records to Edith back in 1903.

But it's all good now.

And I'm still related to Edward Fuller* - x2 now!

AND, when I got my Ancestry tree corrected - my DNA hints started to make sense for this line.

Happy dance in the Cave!

(Personal disclaimer: this is the Cliff Notes version - it took a while longer, with many fits and starts, to get it sorted! Still a work in progress - I've got a date with the American Ancestors database in the very near future!)

Grandma's Patriot Pin - Oh oh, wrong guy!

Rowley GENEALOGY

*Edward Fuller is Joseph #1's 4th great grandfather through his grandfather's line ... AND his 3rd great grandfather through his grandmother's line. Much has been written about the descendants of Edward Fuller. 

1) Moses Rowley Jr (1634 - 1735)  - - - - -  Mary (1650 - 1713)

among the children, two sons:

     ► 2a) John Rowley Sr (1690 - 1762) m. Deborah Fuller - they had:

               3a) John Rowley Jr (1727 - ?) m. Rebecca Hurd (Brainard) - they had:

                    *4a) Joseph Rowley - Patriot A099328
                        b. 6/15/1753 Colchester CT d. 12/23/1835 Victor, NY
                        m. 5/29/1773 Sibbel Fox (b. 1749 d. 5/8/1784)
                        m. 2/9/1785 Hannah Loveland (b. ?  d. 12/25/1847)


    ► 2b) Moses Rowley III (1679 - 1735) m. Martha Porter - they had:
       
               3b) Daniel Rowley (1719 - ?) m. Bethial Langrill - they had:

                    4b) Joseph Langrill Rowley - Patriot A210894
                      b. 4/16/1750 Colchester, CT d. 10/1849 Fayette Twp, OH
                      m. UNK (b. ? d. 1788/98)
                      m. Mary Welch (b. 4/8/1766 - d. ?)


So. There it is. Two Joseph Rowleys, two Patriots. The two men turned out to be second cousins. Mystery solved.


Now to figure out where these Patriots are buried.....

Research is never "done"!! 

©2017 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Notes From My Grandmother | Potwin Lineage and Genealogy, Part 4

Somehow, much of my grandmother's hand written and (badly) typed notes and research wound up in my possession. Traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles and back to Chicago again. It sat, in the dark of my mother's closet, until my dad passed and my mom decided to begin her great purge. Knowing I had picked up the torch, the next generation to pursue the Greatest Hobby on Earth, the papers came to live with me. Unsure for many years on just what to do with them, I have decided to bring them out and share them with you - transcribed, of course - no one can read my grandmother's handwriting! But in her own words; mistakes, rambling sentences, and all. I think she will be pleased her work and her writing are once again out in the light.

A STORY * OF THE POTYN * POTWINE * POTWIN * CLAN

Thomas Potwine, the first son of the three children born to Reverend Thomas Potwine and Abigail Moseley, 1756. This Thomas married Martha Stiles, both lived in Connecticut - East Windsor - 1776. Thomas had seven brothers and sisters by his father's second marriage. It is through Thomas and Martha Potwine that my lineage continues to this generation (children of my marriage - E.T.P.T. and R.W.T. - 1923)

A Potwine homestead was built at this period in history; it is now almost 200 years old (if it is yet standing). It was located neat the Connecticut river 'big river' as spoken of by the Indians. There were tribes (families) of friendly Indians who were happy to have the settlers come to this land. No land was 'taken' from them, it was obtained by barter or gifted. Often the Chiefs would give their friends land extending "a day's walk" into the wilderness, west of the 'big river'. This colony of settlers was most fortunate. Three generations of Potwins lived in the old 'homestead' in East Windsor until 1963. Today the Connecticut river is but a mile from the Potwine homestead.

One Potwine (John 2) settled in Hartford CT, the rest settled around their Protestant church, which is now East Windsor. It is to Dorchester Colony on Massachusetts Bay that a clear line of ancestry can be traced and verified for the Potwin family in America. Governor Bradford (Mass.) made trips to the Conn. river; then called the "Great River" and found it a fine place. In 1631 there were many small tribes of Indian, most friendly and asked the white man to establish settlements in their territory. The Indians wanted rifles; so Governor Winthrop and Governor Bradford having no desire to fight Indian battles agreed. But later on the people wanted to move farther west, venturing into wilderness so the Plymouth Colony and the Massachusetts Bay Colony decided to move to Connecticut. In 1635 there were neighbors in Hartford and other settlements; so the move west was begun as more and more settlements on the east coast became towns and cities of the future United Stated of America.

GENEALOGY

Thomas Potwine Jr b. 1756
                                  d. 1824
                                  m. 1776 Martha Stiles
                                                b. 1760
                                                d. 1822

Children:
Martha b. 10/9/1779 d. UNK - m. Simon Barker of East Windsor, CT
Thomas b. 1/17/1784 d. 2/24/1869 - m. 1828 Sarah Stoughton, East Windsor, CT
                                                           m. 1899 Margaret Bartlett, East Windsor, CT
Israel b. 3/23/1786 d. 5/14/1864 - m. 1825/28 Mary F Potwine
John b. 8/17/1787 d. 5/7/1859 - m. 1811 Mary Benton of Tolland, CT
BENJAMIN b. 7/24/1788 d. 8/16/1852 - m. 1816 Cornelia Curtis (Custus)
Abigail b. 9/24/1790 d. 4/24/1872 - m. Dr Allen Porter, East Windsor, CT
Lydia b. 11/9/1792 d. 9/9/1826 - m. Wm Wright, Troy, NY
William b. 2/1/1795 d.4/17/1877 - m. 1825 Amelia Speer of Ellington, NY
Nathaniel b. 1/4/1798 d. 4/18/1854 - m. Sophia Clark of East Windsor, CT
 (Sarah b. 1800 d. 1825 - from find a grave)
Ann b. 12/10/1802 d. UNK - m. Orrin Clark of Somers, CT


About the 'e' in Potwin, some dropped it. Stephen (Part 3) went so far as to have it legally taken off and recorded with the Town Clerk. Another had it added when he became interested in genealogy. Some of his children kept it, others dropped it.

END of Part 4

(editor's note: Thomas Potwine is a recognized patriot - DAR #A091875)

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

©1980 Elizabeth Twining Potwin Thomas - private collection

PATRIOT WEEK! Elijah Twining (1741 ~ 1802)

Why my grandmother never used Elijah Twining for one of her supplemental patriots, I will never know. The Twining family was her passion. Her middle name was Twining. Her mother was a Twining. By far her biggest genealogy file was the Twining research file. But, Elijah was never added to her roster of DAR patriots.

Elijah Twining had roots in America long before the Revolutionary War. His 3rd great grandfather, Stephen Hopkins, became enamored with the New World since his first arrival at Jamestown in 1610. The rest is, very much, history.

Elijah Twining was born November 4th, 1741 in Eastham, Massachusetts Colony, to William Twining and Apphia Lewis. He married Lois Rogers in October of 1762. The couple had 10 children, 7 grew to adulthood.

Elijah's official part in the war was a small one, but he remained very much in service to his community and his country. He enlisted as a private in Lieutenant Samuel Knowles's Co. of Maj. Zenas Winslow's regiment of the Massachusetts Militia from September 6th to September 13th, 1778 where he was on alarms at Bedford and Falmouth. He was actively the Eastham town constable during this time and was put into special service as a commissioned officer of the State treasurer to collect a wartime tax from the town "for defraying the public charge".

Elijah Twining is a registered patriot with both the DAR and the SAR. DAR #A117523, SAR #P-332783

I am descended from Elijah and Lois's son Lewis. My lineage is as follows:

Elijah Twining (1741 - 1802) m. Lois Rogers (1744 - 1815)
i. Lewis Twining Sr (1777 - 1821) m. Jennett Smith (1780 - 1827)
i. Edward Wolcott Twining (1814 - 1897) m. Priscilla Bickford Ashby (1817 - 1911)
i. Jesse Louis Twining (1850 - 1933) m. Flora Dell Rowley (1857 - 1932)
i. Carrie Elizabeth Twining (1881 - 1969) m. Irving Augustus Potwin (1878 - 1938)
i. Elizabeth Twining Potwin (1904 - 1985) - my grandmother


Elijah Twining died October 2nd, 1802. He is buried in the Twining Cemetery in Tolland, Massachusetts.

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

PATRIOT WEEK! Joseph Rowley (1750 ~ 1837)

Joseph Rowley. Joseph L. Rowley? Joseph Langrill Rowley? My grandmother's supplemental patriot. There seems to be a bit of confusion, however. The DAR had two Joseph Rowley's, the SAR has four. My grandmother's paperwork lists this particular patriot Joseph Langrill Rowley, but the official DAR record lists him as just Joseph Rowley. There is another patriot listed as Joseph Langrill Rowley, a seaman, not the same as the subject of this sketch, or my ancestor. The SAR list makes even less sense. They have three Joseph Rowley's with similar birth years and death dates. And, Joseph Langrill Rowley, the seaman.

Are you confused? I sure am!

Here's what I know. Joseph Rowley was born in Colchester, Connecticut May 13th, 1750. He married Hannah Loveland, his second wife, maybe, between 1779 and 1785. He died in Victor, Ontario Co, New York December 23rd, 1835.

Private Joseph Rowley enlisted October 1st, 1775 in Col Simon's regiment, Capt Amos Rathburn's company, Major Jacob Hyde's detachment, of the Massachusetts Militia. He marched to Lake George than on to Ticonderoga. In 1776 he was in the same service under Col Ashley. Between 1778 and 1780 he frequently volunteered to go out on scouting service after Indians and Tories. Joseph Rowley was injured in an undisclosed accident.

DAR #A099328 and SAR #P-282473 seem to make the most sense. That is the patriot my grandmother is associated with. (And me too, actually)

The Fold3 memorial page for Joseph Rowley clearly has the two men combined. Not helping. The SAR applications available on Ancestry are also a variety of misinformation.

Looks like I've got myself  a project!!** But for now, here is what I have:

I am descended from Joseph Rowley and Hannah Loveland through their son Joseph. My lineage is as follows:

Joseph Rowley (1750 - 1837) m. Hannah Loveland (1760 - UNK)
i. Joseph Rowley (1788 - 1853) m. Anna Beach (1790 - 1863)
i. Rossiter Clark Rowley (1818 -1912) m. Rhoda Ann Vredenburg (1818 -1890)
i. Flora Dell Rowley (1857 - 1932) m. Jesse Louis Twining (1850 - 1933)
i. Carrie Elizabeth Twining (1881 - 1969) m. Irving Augustus Potwin (1878 - 1938)
i. Elizabeth Twining Potwin (1904 - 1985) - my grandmother


I have reason to suspect that Joseph is descended from Edward Fuller, the Mayflower Compact signer. The research on this man will continue!

**'project' update: you can read about how I sorted this all out here.

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

PATRIOT WEEK! Thomas Wilson Jr. (1740 ~ 1824)

Thomas Wilson Jr started it all. At least for my family. My grandmother's mother dabbled in genealogy and family history, so I assume my grandmother grew up fed on family stories. I'm unclear as to when my grandmother became a serious enthusiast, but I believe it was her quest to join the DAR that turned her hobby into an obsession.

Thomas Wilson Jr was her gateway ancestor.

My grandmother was granted acceptance into the DAR October 13th, 1954. Thomas Wilson Jr. was her entry into what would become her quest, passion, and purpose for the remainder of her life.

Thomas Wilson Jr. (DAR #A127842 - SAR #P-322192) was a Private in the American Revolution under the command of Captain George Richard Byrd. He enlisted in the 4th Company, Frederick Detachment, of the 4th Maryland Battalion on May 5th, 1782.

Born April 5th, 1740 in what was then Maryland Colony, to Scotch-Irish parents, Thomas spent his early years farming the family's land.

On June 17th, 1776 Thomas married Elizabeth Hays (or Hayes) a woman 15 years his junior. He then spent several more years on the farm before heeding the call to pick up a rifle and fight. Thomas left behind his young bride and two small sons.

I am descended from Thomas and Elizabeth's daughter Elizabeth. My lineage is as follows:

Thomas Wilson (1740 - 1824) m. Elizabeth Hays (1755 - 1824)
i. Elizabeth Wilson (1791 - 1850) m. Jesse Ashby (1789 - 1879)
i. Priscilla Bickford Ashby (1817 - 1911) m. Edward Wolcott Twining (1814 - 1897)
i. Jesse Louis Twining (1850 - 1933) m. Flora Dell Rowley (1857 - 1932)
i. Carrie Elizabeth Twining (1881 - 1969) m. Irving Augustus Potwin (1878 - 1938)
i. Elizabeth Twining Potwin (1904 - 1985) - my grandmother

In 1792 Thomas again felt the call to duty and re-joined the army commanding a company under General "Mad Anthony" Wayne. Ultimately attaining the rank of captain, and becoming somewhat of a local war hero due to his skirmishes with the Indians.

Thomas is buried in Wilson Cemetery in Altamont, Maryland near his homestead, Wilson Farm, which is catalogued in the Maryland Historical Trust - State Historic Sites inventory.

©2016 Anne Faulkner ~ AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Mathias Wisner: Of Maryland Not Of Pennsylvania (52 Ancestors #12)

Mathias Wisner was my fifth great grandfather. And another good mystery! There is a lot of information floating around about Mathias Wisner. A lot of confusing and contradictory information. Here is what I have been able to prove, and a bit of reasonable conclusion, I will leave the speculation to others.

Mathias first shows up in Baltimore MD in 1770 when he has a plot of land surveyed. He is mentioned in the book "The Wisner's in America" as the "progenitor of the Palatinate family." Settling in Baltimore County. By this I suspect that he immigrated from Germany as an adult, sometime prior to 1770. Mathias received his patent in October of 1774 for a piece of property known as Wisner's Prospect.

He married Sarah Mannon sometime before 1775. It is listed on Find A Grave, and other public places around the old genealogical 'hood, that their first child was born in 1775. I have found no documentation to support this and there is not an actual grave marker or cemetery listed on FAG, just a memorial page. I have treated this as a bit of information that requires further investigation.

I have found no evidence of Mathias' actual birth date or birth place, however it is reasonable to conclude that he was born sometime between 1740 and 1750. Certainly no later. His wife is said to have been born about 1748 by other researchers, I have found no proof of this to date.

There is a record of Mathias paying a supply tax in 1783, which has earned him a spot on the Daughters of the American Revolution's roster an a new patriot. (Ancestor #A210952). Curiously, he is listed as having an unknown wife prior to marrying Sarah (who has been recorded by the DAR as Mathias' second wife). The woman who submitted the initial information for Mathias did not supply this information, so currently it is a mystery as to where the DAR unearthed it.

Mathias shows up in the 1790, 1810 and 1820 Federal Census. I was very sad to read that in 1790 he had one slave in his household. Thankfully he came to his senses, as by 1810 he no longer was a slaveholder. This part of our history is just appalling to me.

In 1816 Mathias wrote his Last Will and Testament, which was presented for probate Feb 26, 1823.

Mathias' exact date of death is unknown, or at least unproved. There is a date floating around, but I have yet to discover it's accuracy.

It is said that he is buried in the family plot on Wisner's Prospect.

This Mathias Wisner is often confused with a Mathias Wisner who immigrated to Pennsylvania from Germany in 1752. The Pennsylvania Mathias Wisner has been well documented as living the remainder of his life in PA. There should be no confusion, but the rumor still persists.