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Subject: [MDGARRET] Re: [Ma-Bay-Colony] List of Freemen of Massachusetts...Francis Lightfoote
Date: Fri, 2 Aug 2002 00:29:03 EDT
Thanks for the heads up on Francis Lightfoote. Carolyn Shupe of this list as
sent lots of information about the Lightfoots of England. Our Lightfoot John
Durst is a bit of a puzzle. We don't know for sure yet (as far as I know) if
"Lightfoot is carried forward from his mother (her maiden name?) or from
someone or something else.
The Descendants of Casper Durst and Related Families by Ross Compton Durst,
1966, say this . . . "Lightfoot John Durst was born February 6, 1767 in Lower
Heidelberg Township, Berks County, Penna. He was the eldest child of Ann
Elizabeth and Casper Durst, II. It has long been assumed that the "Lightfoot"
was a nickname because of his prowless as a hunter. However, we now have
reason to believe that it was his mother's maiden name. It just happened to
fit him."
In a paragraph about Casper II, it says, "The son, Casper (whom we will now
call Casper, II), left Berks County about 1768. He probably came to Elk Lick
Township soon after. We now believe he married Ann elizabeth Lightfoot while
in Berks County. Unfortunately no record of this has been found. At Elk Lick,
he bought 200 acres of land from a man named Koch (Cook) according to Eber
Cockley."
It goes on to say, "It is known that several families of the Lightfoot clan
were living in Berks County at the time. The name is fairly common today.
There is also a record in the Salem Lutheran Church of an Anna Maria Durst
who was a sponsor for the baptism of Catarina Durst, daughter of Peter and
Barbara Durst. This could be Casper's widow, as there is a tradition that the
family lived briefly in Lebanon County, Pa."
Next, "Another cause of the confusion is the fact that the names of Anna, M
aria and Elizabeth were used indiscriminately in Berks County. It is said
every girl born in the county had one of these three names. Then too, these
ministers had no way of knowing that their records would be important two
centuries later."
Lois (Hetrick) Stewart
Lois Stewart
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