ESSEX-ROOTS-L Archives

From: Bob Bamford <>
Subject: [ESSEX-ROOTS] ESSEX ROOTS Newsletter
Date: Sun, 01 Oct 2000 06:46:56 -0400

ESSEX-ROOTS The Newsletter for MAEssex List Members
OCTOBER 2000 Edition
Never ask a person if their ancestors came from Essex County,
if they did, they will tell you, if they didn't... why humiliate them.

This is YOUR newsletter. I'm merely the compiler/editor.
PLEASE send articles and suggestions to:
Bob Bamford <>
Please put Essex-Roots on the subject line.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In this issue:
Essex's Past - Essex Earthquakes Part I I
Tips and Tricks - Disowned Children
Research Resources - Essex County Town VR on line
Family Reunions - MORSE, TOWNE
Humor - How to Name Children - NOT
Ancestor Profiles - Sir James

Thought for the day: Genealogy is like putting together a 5,000 piece puzzle
when you don't have a picture and some of your edge pieces are missing.

Submitted by: A person with missing edge pieces : >)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next issue of the Newsletter will contain ONLY material
submitted by YOU the users. That was the original intent of
the Essex-Roots Newsletter, to allow MAEssex list members to
share and showcase their information.

PLEASE SEND YOUR ARTICLES EARLY !!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
STORIES FROM ESSEX'S PAST
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EARTHQUAKES IN ESSEX COUNTY (Part 2)

[Most of us associate earthquakes with the western
parts of the US but New England as had its share
albeit, not as severe. Imagine the fear instilled
in our Puritan ancestors by the natural events
that they did not have the scientific knowledge
to fully understand. ed.]

In 1744, there was another terrific
earthquake, which was thought by some to
have been nearly equal in severity to that
Of 1727. In May there had been two slight
shocks, occurring in both instances in the
morning. At a quarter past ten on Sunday
morning, June 3, just after church services had
begun, the severest shock came. It reached
only about a hundred miles and was ushered
by a loud rumbling, which threw the people
into consternation as they remembered the
experience of seventeen years before.
People ran out of their houses fearing they
would fall upon them and the rector and
many of the congregation ran out of the
Episcopal church at Newbury (in that part
now Newburyport).
In the Hamlet parish in Ipswich (now the
town Hamilton), the shock came when the
pastor, Rev. Mr. Wigglesworth, was
preaching. The congregation was greatly
alarmed; but he endeavored to calm them,
remarking that "there can be no better place
for us. to die in than the house of God."
Bricks were shaken from chimneys and
stone wall was thrown down.
At about five o'clock in the afternoon,
another and lesser shock was felt at Salem and
adjacent towns, and people screamed and ran
out of doors. Three or more smaller shocks
were perceived that night and the next
morning. On the twentieth, another shock
came, causing people to run out of meeting at
Salem. Eight days later there was another.
May, June and July were all dry months,
but whether that fact had any connection with
the earthquake is not known.
Eleven years later another earthquake
occurred. This was in November, 1755. On the
first day of the month the city of Lisbon, in
Portugal, with its convents, five churches and
royal palaces, was almost totally destroyed,
sixty thousand persons being killed by the
falling buildings.
Seventeen days later, at a quarter past four
in the morning of Tuesday, the eighteenth, it
shook New England, being the most destructive
and awful earthquake that had been experienced
here in historic times. At that morning hour
the heavens were clear, the air calm, a
Sabbath-like stillness pervaded the region,
and at the time of the e moon shone brightly,
being about two hours high. It was a beautiful
night, and nothing uncommon occurred except that
the roar of the ocean seemed louder than usual.
Here, earthquakes have always come
without announcement, in all seasons and
weathers, and at all hours of the day and night.
The earthquake of 1727 began very gently, but
that of 1755 came suddenly, like gigantic
pulsations of the earth, and tossed everything
about, being followed for about a minute with
a peculiar tremulous motion, which some
thought to be the resultant motion of the first
shock and the gradual lessening of its force.
But it was followed instantly by a quick
vibration and jerks, much more terrible than
the first. Dr. Edward A. Holyoke of Salem
wrote in his diary that he "thought of nothing
less than being buried instantly in the ruins of
the house."
The course of the earthquake was the same
as that of 1727, from the northwest to the
southeast, but this continued longer, from two
and a half to three minutes.
People were in a state of extreme fright,
thinking that the earth might be in process of
dissolution. A writer of that time said, "I
walked out about sunrise, and every face
looked ghastly. In fine, some of our solid and
pious gentlemen had such an awe and gloom
spread over their countenances as would have
checked the gay airs of the most intrepid."
Animals were also alarmed at the mysterious
and awful motions of the ground, and oxen and
cows lowed and hastened to their barns, the
only source of protection they knew, or ran
about the fields when no place of refuge
offered. Dogs went to their masters' doors and
howled; and birds left their perches, and flew
about the earth, fluttering there a long time,
apparently being afraid to, again alight on tree
or land The ocean along the coast was affected
perceptibly as the land.
The damage done by this earthquake was far
greater than that caused by any other that has
been experienced here. The vibratory motion of
the earth was so great and sudden that pewter
dishes were thrown from the dressers, clocks
were stopped, and weather-vane rods were
bent. Much stone wall was thrown down, and
subterranean streams were changed, in
consequence of which many wells became dry.
The principal damage consisted of the
destruction of chimneys. They were dislocated
in all sorts of ways, some being broken several
feet from the top, and partly turned as though
there had been a swivel at the place. Others fell
on the roof, the section broken off remaining
intact, and having slipped down to the eaves
jutting over, being just ready to fall; and others
broke the roof. Wooden buildings were much
damaged by being rocked; but brick buildings
were injured most. In spite of the great danger
and many narrow escapes, no person or animal
was killed or seriously injured in this county.
In the valley of the Merrimac it was not
quite as severe as the earthquake of 1727; its
noise was not as loud, and it did less damage.
The towns along the seashore felt it most, it
gradually increasing in force as it approached
the ocean. It was felt from Nova Scotia to
South Carolina, and inland for a great distance,
the great American lakes feeling it severely as
shown by the agitation of their waters. Traces
of the earthquake still exist in some places after
the lapse of a century and a half.
About an hour after the first shock, as day
broke, the ground was again shaken, but with
abated force. For four days slight shocks
occurred daily, and on Saturday evening, the
twenty-second, the people were again alarmed
by what proved to be only a slight shock.
Again, after the people had retired for the night
on the evening of December 19, there were two
or three more shocks. Dull and calm weather and
a heavy atmosphere, succeeded the severe
shaking the earth had received.
Religious services and fasts were held
immediately after the first and greatest shock
and appeals to God for preservation were
made, the people being in a state of almost
frenzied excitement. The educated and
ignorant were alike frightened. December 24,
Lieutenant-governor Phips ordered a fast,
saying in his proclamation therefor that, "It
having pleased Almighty God, in a most awful
and surprising manner to manifest his
righteous anger against the provoking sins of
men by terrible and destructive earthquakes
and inundations in divers parts of Europe and
by a late severe shock ,of an earthquake on this
continent and in this province in particular,
which has been succeeded by several others,
although less violent than the first." The
pastors of Gloucester kept a fast on account of
the earthquake Jan. 1, 1756, preaching forenoon
and afternoon.
The prospect of death turned the attention
of the people toward those things that cannot
be shaken, and the clergymen improved the
opportunity to make a religious impression
upon them. Many were led to reflect on the
lives they had led, and to seek reconciliation
with their Maker, the membership of the
churches being considerably increased in
consequence.
During the three centuries of our history
there have been here several hundred
earthquakes, the great majority of them being
hardly noticeable, while a considerable number
have resulted in damage. We have often
expressed our satisfaction at dwelling in a land
that was free from the terrible convulsions the
tropical sections of the globe experience. But
history shows that we are not exempt from the
awful rumblings and shakings and dangers that
are commonly supposed to belong almost
exclusively to other lands. Nearly every year
our region is,disturbed by these internal
commotions.

The Essex Antiquarian, Vol VI, No. 4, October 1902

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TIPS AND TRICKS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disowned Children: In past times marrying outside the family's religion,
race, culture or social class was considered by some to be taboo. If children
violated this rule, some families would disown them and even declare them
dead. In one case the parents not only declared the child dead but went so
far as to erect a tombstone with her name and her marriage date as the
death date. People who were mentally ill or physically deformed might be
sent off to an asylum or hospital and the family would act as if they were
dead. They might be recorded in the family Bible as having died, so when you
find the individual in a census you will be thoroughly confused! A daughter
might also be disowned if she became pregnant and was not married or a
son cut out of the family if he ended up in prison. Obituaries were generally
provided by the families, and facts and children who did not suit the image
the family wished to project could be omitted. If a child was not mentioned
in the obituary in the local hometown paper, it didn't mean the child didn't
exist or was deceased. Finding disowned children can be very difficult
because they often moved a long way from their original home to a completely
different environment.
Someone from Connecticut might move to Idaho or Texas for no
apparent reason. With more national indexes becoming available, it is easier
to locate these people. Since most census indexes are still on a
state-by-state
basis, you almost have to check each state as there is no predicting where
they might have gone.
The names of disowned children might turn up in a will or probate. In a will
the parent might want to mention the child just to be sure he or she is cut
out of the inheritance. If there was no will, all living children would need
to be named in legal documents relating to an inheritance. In past times
marrying outside the family's religion, race, culture or social class was
considered by some to be taboo. If children violated this rule, some families
would disown them and even declare them dead.

From Impossible and Improbable by Donna Przecha
For more like this, visit in the archives on Genealogy.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RESEARCH RESOURCES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two volumes of Essex Co., Town Vital Records Online.

Town of Essex, Mass. Vital Records to 1850
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/massachusetts/essex/

Town of Topsfield, Mass. Vital Records 1850-1899 (and 1915)
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/massachusetts/topsfield/


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FAMILY REUNIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Is your ESSEX family having a reunion? We'd be happy to announce
it here. ed.]

LAST CHANCE for this one...

MORSE FAMILY REUNION
Morse Society Reunion Chairman Howard Gilson has announced plans for the
10th gathering of the Society in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a city close to
many Morse-related attractions. The site for this year’s reunion is Yoken’s
Conference Center at the Comfort Inn Hotel, 1390 Lafayette Road (Route 1),
Portsmouth. The reunion is scheduled for the height of the New England foliage
season. Mark the date on your calendar and make plans to join us!
Friday, October 13 ~ 6:30-10 PM ~ OPEN HOUSE
The Morse Society Research Team is hosting an informal Open House for
Morse/Moss descendants and interested parties on Friday evening. The Morse
research team will be available to answer questions on the various lines, and
to assist you in starting or continuing your own family genealogy. Please stop
in and share your own branch of the family tree. Bring along interesting
artifacts (such as old family Bibles) and duplicates of any genealogical
materials you wish to share. Also be sure to check the information we
currently have in our databases on your line and make any additions or
corrections. Contact: Lisa Murdough.
Saturday, October 14 ~ FORMAL PROGRAM
The morning hours will be set aside for renewing old acquaintances and
making new ones. Coffee, tea, and snacks will be available (included as
part of the registration fee).
A hearty lunch will be served at mid-day, after which the formal meeting
of the Society will occur. The featured speaker will be Roberta Ransley,
librarian/archivist at Strawbery Banke, a 10-acre “living museum” next to
the Piscataqua River.
Ms. Ransley will present a slide show on on the history and development
of the pre-colonial community. The original settlement of Portsmouth was
established at Strawbery Banke in 1630 and was named for the wild berries
found by the river. The town changed its name to Portsmouth in 1653.
The museum sits on what was a farm in the 1670s. In the 1690s the farm
was subdivided into the beginnings of what became known as the “Puddle
Dock” neighborhood. In the 1700s Portsmouth became an important
seaport and capital of the New Hampshire colony. Pitt Tavern (1766),
located in the museum complex, was deeply involved in Revolutionary
War politics. The Governor Goodwin Mansion, built in the 1800s, is one
of several furnished houses and period gardens on the museum grounds.
Traditional trades are demonstrated by potters, a cooper, and boat
builders at work in exhibit buildings.
There will be an opportunity to tour the museum either Saturday afternoon
or on Sunday. Discounted tickets will be available to reunion attendees.
REGISTRATION FORM http://www.morsesociety.org/signup.txt
Cost for the reunion is $25 per person. This includes morning snacks and
the full luncheon on Saturday, October 14.

COMING NEXT YEAR...

The TOWNE FAMILY ASSOCIATION, INC. is now around five hundred in
membership. We just enjoyed our yearly meeting in Ft. Wayne, Indiana with
around one hundred in attendance. Next year we will be meeting in Portsmouth
NH on the 20th of September. More information is on our website at:
http://hometown.aol.com/brbaylis/myhomepage/index.html
We have over 60,000 names, descendants of William Towne of Salem and
Topsfield,in our database at the present time. We publish a quarterly
Newsletter and an Associate Genealogist for each of the children of William
Towne.
I will be happy to answer any questions about the organization.
Sincerely, Barbara Baylis, Genealogist, Towne Family Association, Inc.
Barbara Baylis - 9835 Elmcrest Dr. - Dallas TX 75238-1831 - 214-348-7737
home page:
http://hometown.aol.com/brbaylis/myhomepage/index.html


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LIST MEMBERS WEB SITES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is a new URL for Essex County USGenWeb

USGenWeb Gateway to Essex County

http://www.essexcountyma.org/

Some new towns on line, more in the works.

Lords of Ipswich:

http://www.geocities.com/bwlord1

This great site continues to grow. If you haven't visited
recently it's worth the click : >)

Submitted by Bruce Lord

On-line Guide to Essex County Research

http://www.essexbooks.com/research.htm

Essex County RootsWeb page:

http://resources.rootsweb.com/USA/MA/Essex/


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HUMOR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR NAMES:
(1). Thou shalt name your male children:
James, John, Joseph, Josiah, Abel, Richard, Thomas, William
(2) Thou shalt name your female children:
Elizabeth, Mary, Martha, Maria, Sarah, Ida, Virginia, May
(3) Thou shalt leave NO trace of your female children.
(4) Thou shalt, after naming your children from the above lists,
call them by strange nicknames such as: Ike, Eli, Polly,
Dolly, Sukey. ---making them difficult to trace.
(5) Thou shalt NOT use any middle names on any legal
documents or census reports, and only where necessary,
you may use only initials on legal documents.
(6) Thou shalt learn to sign all documents illegibly so that your
surname can be spelled, or misspelled, in various ways:
Hicks, Hicks, Hix, Hixe, Hucks, Kicks
(7) Thou shalt, after no more then 3 generations, make sure that all
family records are lost, misplaced, burned in a court house fire,
or buried so that NO future trace of them can be found.
(8) Thou shalt propagate misleading legends, rumors, & vague
innuendo regarding your place origination
(A) you may have come from : England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales....
or Iran.
(B) you may have American Indian ancestry of the______tribe......
(C) You may have descended from one of three brothers that came
over from______
(9) Thou shalt leave NO cemetery records, or headstones with legible
names.
(10) Thou shalt leave NO family Bible with records of birth, marriages,
or deaths.
(11) Thou shalt ALWAYS flip thy name around. If born James Albert,
thou must make all the rest of thy records in the names of Albert,
AJ, JA, AL, Bert, Bart, or Alfred.
(12) Thou must also flip thy parent's names when making reference to
them, although "Unknown" or a blank line is an acceptable
alternative.
And my own personal addition:
Thou shalt name at least 5 generations of males, and dozens of
their cousins with identical names in order to totally confuse
researchers.

Submitted by: Davidson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ANCESTOR PROFILES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[An Ancestor is one who came before right? - well your editor is going to
exercise his editorial perogative]

The Quiet Guy You Seldom Hear About... Sir James

Sir James, aka James Streeter has been active in Essex County Web genealogy
since almost, the very beginning. James was one of the original members of
Rowley-Roots, the predecessor of Essex-Roots-L which was the predecessor of
MAEssex-L.
James became involved with USGW in July of 1996 having been on-line for only
two months when he founded and established the Sullivan County NH Genealogy
Project page and along with that the Charlestown Town Page on 1 August 1996.
Within the next 2 months he also founded and established Additional County and
Town Pages becoming the first permanent State Coordinator for New Hampshire
in September of 1996 .
At that time, the Essex County , MA page had a host but after months of no
activity,
James and your editor, approached George Waller, USGenWeb
Massachusetts State Coordinator and requested that the page be considered
abandoned. In January 1997, James and I became co-coordinators of the Essex
County USGenWeb Project.
Meanwhile James was also active on the national level as:
National Co-Webmaster responsible for the USGenWeb National page.
He also co -founded USGW FAQ pages in 1996 , and founded the massive USGW
Census Project.
In 1997 James was one of the founders United States Internet Genealogical
Society - USIGS becoming its first President and still serves today on its
Board of Directors.
Since our co-coordinator ship 1997, James has been the "quiet man" doing
the hard work of maintaining the pages, in addition to his myriad other
duties, while I acted as the PR arm of the project, soliciting new town page
hosts to expand our county into full, town coverage.
Effective September 1, Sir James retired from active administration of
Essex County USGenWeb. I said "active administration" - he is still with
us, in fact, as you read this, he is probably html coding this issue of the
newsletter for uploading to the County Archives.
Now he has time to work on genealogy.

Join me in saying thanks to Sir James one of Essex's finest:

mailto:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Provided through the facilities of and © 2000 by:

||||||||||||||||||||||~~~~~~~~~~ ESSEX BOOKS ~~~~~~~~~||||||||||||||||||||||
"Essex County's Bookstore on the Web"

Visit us and place your secure order on-line at:
http://www.essexbooks.com

mailto:
Phone (CC) Orders: 11 AM - 4 PM EST - Mon-Fri
P.O. Box 811 Lecanto, FL 34460-0811
(352) 527-2270 Fax 24 hrs.
Serving Genealogists Since 1989
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