Captain Lemuel Roberts

We are blessed with information from Lemuel, himself.  He wrote a book of his memoirs of his time in the Revolutionary War.  The only enlisted man to do so, which has given us today great insights into the men of that time period.  It is now required reading in some Universities for American History courses.

Found on Archive.org

Lemuel said he was born on April, 1751, in Canaan, Connecticut. He told us his father Lemuel Roberts who was married to Lydia Purchase gave him his Christian name.This was proved by Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection)

 

Interesting that he gave a different date.

When he was ten they moved to Stillwater, New York.  He spent a time with his eldest brother in partnership working lumber.  He helped his father for 6 years 1769 to 1775 in building a home in Charlemont, Franklin, Massachusetts. 

In 1775, when the British fought the Sons of Liberty (his words), he and many youth of his area marched off under the command of a Captain Avery to Cambrige where he enlisted under Captain Maxwell.  He describes his motivation as “feeling his bosom glow with love for my country.” (Page 21)  His description of service, I imagine would be true for most young men his age…”my zeal for liberty urged me to an attentive observance of all necessary orders…”(page 22)
His father died while he was gone, and he says himself became sick.  He took this occasion to go home on a pass to check on the fatherless family who he had promised to care for.  Lemuel was giving up hope of continuing as a soldier, when his older brother and his family came back to care for them. 

He re-enlists, as his previous enlistment had expired, with Captain Thomas Alexander in Col. Porter’s regiment of the Massachusetts line.  His description of the battles, and action are riveting.  It is hard to put the book down.  He early on had explained how daring and physically active he was before the war. He maximized on those traits, which today has earned him a fond title of “Rambo of the Revolutionary War”.  He was captured in Canada, and imprisoned, only to escape 3 times. The Canadians became wary of him and isolated him. He prevented cowardly officers from needlessly surrendering to weaker British forces. Just to mention a few moments of excitement. A Colonel Herrick commissioned him a lieutenant for a scouting expedition on 12 January 1778. 

After leaving the war he stayed in Vermont. He asked Col. Herrick for back pay; but due to the countries lack of organization, he never received compensation.

He married Sarah Collins on March 14, 1781, in Rutland, Vermont. He was a Captain of the Ira Militia in Vermont in 1785. They had five children during their marriage. He died in 1810 in Franklin, Vermont, at the age of 58.   

In 1790, Lemuel Roberts lived in Chittenden, Rutland,  Vermont.

In 1800 - 1810, Lemuel Roberts lived in Franklin, Vermont.

This is the time period in which he wrote his Memoirs for publication.

1810 United States Federal Census 

No one has his death or burial place, to my knowledge, today.

This is two of six service records from the U.S. Revolutionary Service Records on Fold3

All his life, Lemuel served family or community, or country.  He continues to give, as we are enabled to learn about the battles, and feelings first hand from his memoirs.

 I love his closing.  

More than anything I am uplifted by his belief in God.

Tombstone Tuesday: Jasper Newton Wells

The person who shared on Ancestry never gave his name dwightbrooks2, this is also on FindaGrave

My knowledge of Jasper Newton Wells increased when two people who were not related to the Hero's ancestor, took pictures of his tombstone and shared it on Find a Grave and Ancestry.com. I contacted them both and they were glad I knew him. They were keeping it just in case they found a connection because their Wells family lived in the area.  Tombstones do count in genealogy research... I wrote a blog post about this on the WorldWide Genealogy Collaboration Blog, go HERE to see it. 

52 Ancestor Weeks. Week 11 Mildred's First Sight of Ed

The Hero and I asked Mom E how she met Dad Ellsworth.

This was a tale, which I hope I get correct… Don’t want finger shaking to happen from the other side.

If anyone has a different version or corrections, let me know, I don’t pretend to be all knowing, just sharing as I remember being told.

Mom E had her secret little smile as she began her tale. 

Mom and Dad Ellsworth were very close

“I didn’t know Ed, my girlfriend did at her work and I was over at her house one night when she dared me to call him.     

We have a picture of Mom E on the phone.

It was a trick calling thing we did, guess we were up to no good.  (a sheepish grin here)   He answered the phone with a quiet voice. ‘ I said, you don’t know me, but my friend knows you.  What are you doing?’   He said," I am watching my grandfather sleep. "  I didn’t know if he was serious or kidding me.  He went on to tell me that his grandfather Sackley was very ill and he was watching him. He thought his grandfather probably would not live much longer, that he loved him very much. It was very sad.  I felt bad then, but he wanted to talk, so we spent an hour or so, on the phone.  At the end of the conversation, he asked if we could meet.  I said yes; I would come by when he got off work at J C Penny’s.  It was agreed upon, and we hung up.  The next day, I knew where he worked because my friend gave me the information.  I went upstairs where  I could see him, before he could see me [she had a sneaky side. J  ] He was good looking.  I came down the stairs and our romance began. “

My minds eye version of the first sight. 

Dad E never added or chimed in. He just smiled and puffed on his pipe with a twinkle in his eyes.

The memory of being told the story is as precious as the memory told.

Now you know how they met.

52 Ancestor Weeks, Week 10 How Did Grandma and Grandpa Meet?

When the Hero and I first began asking questions of Mom E about her family, a basic question was asked, "How did your grandparents meet?"  We knew he lived in the northern part of Alabama and she lived in the Southeast corner of Alabama.
Her answer began with the giggle. " Well", she said, "grandma said she was hiding behind the fence when grandpa came up to apply for the job as a hired hand on her grandpa's farm." Grandma said, "He was as pretty as a picture."  Saying these words triggered another giggle from Mom. She thought that statement was the greatest expression ever.
I do not have any pictures of Henry Crawford Reynolds or Martha Ann Maloura Wells when they are young.  I hope one day some may appear. In order to compensate for this, I used Mom's picture which was of her squatting on the porch, since she looked a lot like Martha. Then I found a cowboy picture and created my own mental scene of Martha hiding behind the fence and watching the farmhand ride up to apply for a job.  At the bottom is a picture of Henry and Martha late in life. Guess he held his magic for her all those years. Wonder if she still thought he was as pretty as a picture. ;-)
(hope you enjoy my visual)

52 Ancestor Weeks, Week 9 : Mildred Vance Ellsworth - The Teen Years.

When Mildred Vance left her grandparents, she had a different way of life. Initially her mother sent her to live with her father where they would work out in the garden and the fields helping.  Mom said she remembered picking crops.
At 13, she moved to live with her mother and step-father Clarence LaBerge, because her father was suffering trying to support 7 children during the depression, and his second marriage was breaking up. Houston was not hit as hard economically, but work was slowed. She said they didn’t have a house.  Mr La Berge was a carpenter. He worked for several home builders.  As he was framing and finishing, he and the family would live in the garage or house, sometimes with sheets up to separate rooms.
I found some interesting facts out about her during her teen years.
She wanted to be an actress.  In 1934, while in the 8th grade, she played Frances in the play “Sally Ann Finds Herself” at George Washington Junior High School.

"Sally Ann Finds Herself" is on Internet Archives. 

This school opened in 1928, and was among the first Junior High Schools in Houston Texas.

Another milestone for her was the Cinderella Pageant at George Washington Junior High in spring of 1935 in the 9th grade. She was a Lady in Waiting for Cinderella.  Her picture is cute.

Cinderella Pageant 1935

Mildred at 16. A favorite picture of the family.

She was to experience tragedy in 1937. Her brother Thurman was killed in an auto accident. He was only 25 and had a little girl. Mom kept in touch with her.  She told me that he lived at the edge of Houston, on a farm the family owned. He would pick her and her brothers up from town and take them out to work on the farm to care for the garden.

In 1938, she must have gone visiting at Cass County, because we have pictures of her having fun with friends, a fellow and cousins.  The following has written on the back: “Arnold Mackey and Mildred Vance”. There isn’t a clue who Arnold is, and I can’t find him on a census.

She had a best friend, Ila Mae West. She wrote this on the back of the picture.  I have not found Ila in any records either.

Ila is in the center and Mildred on the right

.  You can tell who had brothers.  J

Mildred on the left and Ila on the right. The caption on the back was "best friends" ?  

This brings us up to where she met Ed, that is new chapter in her book to be done at a later date.
Thank you for stopping by.

52 Ancestor Weeks Week 8 Martha Ann Maloura Wells Reynolds Being Frugal

The Hero's mom shared about her grandmother when I was talking with her about mine. I told her my grandmother, who had 13 children, would even save the squeal of the pig (my grandmother's joke).
Not to be out done about being frugal, Mom Ellsworth shared the following.
"When I was living with my grandparents, we were on a small farm.  My grandmother always had a cow, chickens, and a garden. My grandfather's work as a Doctor did not always bring in money.
Grandmother to save against the time when the cow was dried up, came up with a method of preserving her butter.  She was sought after by the neighbors to teach them too.
After churning the cream into butter, she would mold it into 1 lb. blocks.  She would then stack the block into crockery pots, cover them with brine water, and then put a cover over it to keep the butter from floating up."

This would have been the type of crock she used. It is called a Red wing Fermenting Crock

During Mildred's childhood, Martha would can from her garden for winter, and she sewed.

Henry Crawford Reynolds, Mildred Vance, Martha Ann Maloura Wells Reynolds

Martha Ann Maloura Wells was born 16 Jul 1859 in Abbeville, Henry County, Alabama to Jasper Newton Wells, and Nancy Ann Holland.

found on Ancestry.com Year: 1860; Census Place: Rowville, Henry, Alabama; Roll: M653_11; Page: 207; Image: 211; Family History Library Film: 803011.

I have some Civil War stories she told. Will share at a later time. Thanks for stopping by.

52 Ancestors Weeks Challenge: Week 7; Who was the Owner?

Genealogy as discovered for this family. Thomas Thorn was born 1687 in Virginia, and died October 31, 1717 in Richmond Co., Virginia.  He had son, Merryman Joseph Thorn, born 1712 in Richmond Co., Virginia; died Bet. 1787 - 1790 in Granville Co., North Carolina.  Who had a son, Presley Thorn, born Bet. 1755 - 1760 in North Carolina; died 1849 in Madison Co., Alabama. Whose son was Thomas Thorn, born 12 Apr 1803 in Chester, South Carolina, USA; died 18 Sep 1879 in Franklin County, Alabama, USA.

Thomas had a daughter, Sarah H Thorn who had a daughter Mary B. Hughes, who had a daughter Emma Self, who had a daughter Lenorah Gildon.

To make a long story short, Lenorah gave the Mason's apron to my cousin. The framed apron had a typed note taped to the back of the frame which said, "Royal Arch Mason's apron brought by Thomas Thorn to the United States to America. Passed down to Emma Self Gildon; last worn by Tilman Self at the Grand Prarie Lodge in Texas."  The apron was made of silk not lambskin.

Experts in Mason's aprons, said it was most likely from the Thomas who came from South Carolina as that was the first entrance of the Mason's into the United States.  I recently found a note about the Royal Arch Mason's which said. "Fredericksburg Lodge in Virginia lists a conferral of the Royal Arch degree on December 22, 1753"  If that is the case, maybe it was Merryman that earned the Royal Arch degree and passed it down to Thomas who brought it to Alabama from South Carolina. It does not appear that the apron came with our first recorded ancestor.  Someone knew he came from England. that is a plus.
This is a post,  I made previously regarding the apron.  http://branchingoutthroughtheyears.blogspot.com/2009/06/masons-apron.html 

Every once in a while I return to the apron to ponder on which one earned it, and where they were when they earned it.  I love genealogy mysteries.