The Wights of Gilead, Maine

The most rewarding part of having this blog has been hearing from people whose lives have been touched by our common history. This includes the gift of finding unknown relatives, who have advanced my knowledge and appreciation of my family history both past and present, and for this I am most grateful.

I recently received an audio CD from the son, Clarence, of Dorothy Norton Chandler. Dorothy was the daughter of Clara Josephine Watson Chandler, who appears in my earlier post The Comings and Goings of Life in Randolph, NH in 1916 – Part 1. In 2000, when Dorothy was 91 years old, she recorded her family history. It was this recording that pointed me to the family background of my great, great, grandmother, Cordelia (née Wight) Burbank (later Watson). What follows is an updated profile for Cordelia Eliza Wight and her family. The link above navigates to a photo of Cordelia standing beside her spinning wheel in the Ravine House.

Cordelia was born on Sep 12, 1826 in Gilead, ME and died on Jun 12, 1912 in Randolph, NH. Her father, Capt. William Wight, was born on May 26, 1799 in Gilead, ME. His occupation was shown to be farmer in the Gilead, ME Censuses for 1850 and 1870. Cordelia’s mother Phebe (née Mason) Wight, was born on Feb 7, 1802 in Gilead, ME. William and Phebe were married on March 13, 1824 in Gilead. They had five children all born in Gilead:

Wight, William Quincy b. Apr 3, 1825 d. Nov 20, 1864

Wight, Cordelia Eliza b. Sep 12, 1826 d. Jun 12, 1912

Wight, Maria Matilda b. Mar 20, 1828 d. Aug 11, 1865

Wight, Lorenzo b. Jan 18, 1830 d. Aug 19, 1862

Wight, Phebe b. Feb 18, 1834 - no further data

When Cordelia was only 10 years old, her mother Phebe died (1836). In 1838, William remarried Hannah (née Stearns) Wight. William and Hannah had two children both born in Gilead:

Wight, Henry b. Apr 30, 1840 d. May 15, 1905

Wight, Hannah Priscilla b. May 5, 1843 d. c. Jun 10, 1872

Henry was a farmer who made Gilead his home for 65 years. The 1880 Census shows that he was living with his wife Mary Willis Stevens and their four children: Celia, Helen, James and Harry.

Hannah married Albert B. Richardson of Bethel, ME where they lived with their three children: Alice, William and Burritt.

Cordelia’s two brothers, William and Lorenzo, both fought and died in the Civil War. Lorenzo enlisted at age 31 (residing in Londonderry, NH at the time) on Aug 20, 1861with the rank of private in Company K, New Hampshire’s 4th Infantry Regiment. He died of disease on Aug 19, 1862 in Saint Augustine, Florida.

The 4th Regiment was a New Hampshire volunteer infantry which was in service for three years, during which period, nine officers were mortally wounded or died from disease and 275 enlisted men were mortally wounded or died from disease.

For an interesting account, with photos, of the History of St. Augustine in the Civil War in which Lorenzo’s name appears with nine other members of New Hampshire’s 4th Regiment who died in St. Augustine, FL, click here.

You can also click here for the Nutfield Genealogy blog, which shows a plaque affixed to Londonderry NH’s Civil War Monument, where you will see Lorenzo’s name.

William Q. enlisted one month later, on Sep 21, 1861, at age 36, with the rank of Corporal, in Company G, Massachusetts 27th Infantry Regiment. He was living in Chicopee, MA at the time with his wife Mary Prescott and their four children. He was promoted to full Sergeant on Feb 4, 1863. On May 16, 1864, he was taken prisoner at the battle at Drewry’s Bluff, VA and spent time at the Andersonville Prison Camp before being moved to Camp Lawton in Millen, Georgia, where he died from disease on Nov 20, 1864.

William served for three years in the 27th Regiment, during which period twelve officers were mortally wounded or died from disease and 254 enlisted men were mortally wounded or died from disease.

Click here for information on the battle of Drewry’s Bluff and here for a video of Drewry’s Bluff today at the Richmond National Battlefield Park in Virginia.

Cordelia’s sister Maria married Orville Peabody of Gilead, ME in Gilead on Mar 30, 1848. Shortly after their marriage, the newlyweds moved to Londonderry, NH, where Orville went to work as a shoemaker. In the 1850 Londonderry Census, Cordelia is listed as residing with them in their household. Then, as shown in the 1860 Londonderry Census, Maria and Orville had four children: Ambrose, Ida, William and James.

On Dec 2, 1852, Cordelia and Lemuel B. Burbank were married in Gilead, ME. Lemuel B. Burbank, or Bliss as he was called, was born on Apr 11, 1824 in Shelburne, NH. In the June 1860 Census, Bliss was listed as a farmer living in Shelburne, NH with Cordelia and their two children, Anna and Charles:

Burbank, Anna A b. Sep 7, 1853 d. Oct 25, 1928

Burbank, Charles B b. 1859 d. May 5, 1896

Anna married my great grandfather Laban Watson, proprietor of the Ravine House located in Randolph, NH. For more information and photos
of Anna click here.

Anna Burbank Watson
(Durand Road Cemetery, Randolph, NH)



In the Gilead Maine Cemetery, I found the headstone of Cordelia’s husband Bliss, who died on Oct. 17, 1860 at age 36, along with another, that of their infant son, who was born in 1856 and died shortly afterwards:

Lemuel B. Burbank



Burbank, E. b. Nov 1856 d. Dec 2, 1856



Their son Charles was living in Randolph, NH in 1880 and, according to the 1880 Census, was listed as a teamster. He died from pneumonia at the age of 36 and is buried in Whitefield, NH.

Around 1862, Cordelia married Abel Watson from Randolph, NH, who was born in Waterford, ME. Click here for a photo and background details about Abel. They had 2 children born in Randolph, NH:

William McLellan Watson b. Apr 5, 1864 d. Jan 5, 1945

Hannah E. aka Lizzie H. and Elizabeth Watson b. Jan 1, 1868 d. Sep 11, 1918

William married Lizzie S. Wheeler of Shelburne, NH on April 5, 1895 in Berlin, NH. According to the 1900 Census, William was living as a farmer in Shelburne with his wife Lizzie and their one-year-old son Earle Watson Sr. Then, as shown in the 1910 Census, William and his family were living in Gorham, NH, where he was listed as owning his house free of a mortgage. Also in that 1910 Census, his occupation was listed as scaler for a lumber mill, the Berlin Mills Co., where he continued to be employed through 1930.

William Watson, Shelburne, NH



William and Earle, Sr. Watson - Gorham, NH, c. 1920



William and Lizzie Watson
(The Wheeler Cemetery, Shelburne, NH)



Notes of interest: A log scaler measures the cut trees to determine the scale (volume) and quality (grade) of the wood to be used for manufacturing. The Berlin Mills Co., changed its name to the Brown Co. in 1917. The death date on the stone for William is incorrect and the actual date of his death is Jan 5, 1945.

Hannah spent most of her life in Randolph with the exception of a short period of time when she resided in Hanover, ME, sometime between 1900 and 1916. She married Sidney Brown of Ellsworth, ME on June 20, 1885 in Randolph, NH. From that point on, she used the name Lizzie H., except when her name appeared in the 1900 Randolph Census as Elizabeth. In the 1900 Census, Sidney was listed as a farmer living in Randolph, with Lizzie and their five children: four sons, Eugene, Hollis, Jarold, Sherman and one daughter, Ethel - all born in Randolph, NH. Lizzie and Sidney were both buried in the Randolph, NH Cemetery.



Abel and Cordelia both died in Randolph, NH and were buried in the Randolph Cemetery in the Watson family plot.





The Cemetery photos that appear in this post were taken from the following locations:

The Wheeler Cemetery, Shelburne, NH



Durand Road Cemetery, Randolph, NH



T.G. Lary Cemetery, Gilead, ME



Note: In addition to the audio recording mentioned in the first paragraph above, the sources used for this profile include census data, death records, gravestones, the Civil War records and Profiles at Ancestry.com and Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War.

The two photos of William M. Watson were provided courtesy of Earle Watson III.

The audio CD on the Chandler & Watson families was provided courtesy of Clarence (Pat) Norton.

And a special thanks go to two people in Londonderry, NH who helped me track down and confirm that I had the right Lorenzo Wight: Heather Rojo, who maintains the Nutfield Genealogy blog and Jennifer DelVillar at the Leach Library in Londonderry, NH, who provided me with the information that I needed in Ayling’s Revised Register of the Soldiers and Sailors of NH in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866.

Note: My next post will be a story provided by the grandson of Louis and Ellen Davenport, whose grandparents were managers at the Ravine House during the years 1912 to 1915. This next post will include a rare glimpse of some interior and exterior photos of the Ravine House during that period.

Stephen P. Watson & Family - Updated Profile

This post takes a closer look at the lives of Stephen Watson and his wife Hannah (neé Whitcomb) with updated information gathered from my 2011 trip to Randolph, NH, Norway, ME and Waterford, ME. This new information includes resources obtained at the Waterford Town Hall, the Norway Historical Society, the Boxborough Historical Society and from visits to the cemeterys in Randolph, NH, Portland, ME and Boxborough, MA.

Until now, I have been content with finding out who my ancestors were. To this end, I created a pedigree tree going back to the 1600’s on the paternal side of the Watson line and have posted on this blog some stories of what it was like for my grandparents and great grandparents, who lived in Coos County, NH at the turn of the 20th Century. I learned from this process that the majority of my Watson ancestors, third generation and later, were mostly farmers (no surprise here since, in the 1790s, 90% of the population were farmers) with a large percentage of them starting out in Massachusetts and ending up settling in Maine and, in smaller numbers, New Hampshire. The next natural progression in this learning process for me was finding out more than just who they were and where they lived. I wanted to learn some of the factors that motivated them to settle primarily in Maine and New Hampshire. So, at the conclusion of this post, I will offer some possible reasons for this migration.

I have chosen to focus here on Stephen Watson, as he was the one to relocate his family from Waterford, ME to Randolph, NH in the mid-1820s.This led to his son, my great, great grandfather Abel, and my great grandfather Laban Watson opening The Ravine House in 1877. (see my July 26, 2010 post Talk in Randolph, NH - Excerpts for more background on Stephen’s family)

Stephen Phinney Watson was born on Dec. 19, 1776 in Gorham, ME to Coleman Watson and Patience Thomes (neé Whitney), who resided in Gorham at that time. Stephen’s parents may have moved to Waterford, ME as early as 1779 where birth records exist for the last five of their eight children. I have a copy of Stephen’s birth certificate from Gorham, ME and a listing of his birth date along with the birth dates of all of Stephen and Hannah’s children from the Vital Records book located at the Waterford Town Hall.

Also available in that same book was Stephen and Hannah’s intention to marry, published on September 28, 1802 and witnessed by Eber Rice, the Town Clerk of Waterford, ME.

Also there was the following marriage record which I copy here verbatim:

“This certifies that Mr. Stephen P. Watson and Mrs. Hannah Nurse both of Waterford, ME were married October 12th 1802 by me the subscriber Lincoln Ripley - True copy attest Eber Rice Town Clerk. Transcribed from an old Manuscript - April 18th 1826 by Charles Whitman Town Clerk.”

I was interested to learn (being from Concord, MA) that the Reverend Lincoln Ripley, also from Concord, officiated at their wedding. Mr. Ripley graduated from Dartmouth College in 1796. He married Phebe Emerson, daughter of Rev. William and Phebe (Bliss) Emerson of Concord, MA and settled in Waterford in 1799. He was the first pastor in town.



Stephen and Hannah had five children all born in Waterford, ME:

1. Lois Fairbanks, b.9/23/1803 and d.1845 m. Justus Low.

Both are buried in the Durand Rd Cemetery Randolph, NH.



2. Mary Whitcomb, b.8/08/1809 d. unknown

3. John Whitcomb, b.2/09/1812 and d.7/07/1882. m.Eliza Peabody.

Both are buried in the Durand Rd Cemetery, Randolph, NH.



4. William Whitcomb, b.5/22/1815 and d. 12/31/1884. m.Elmira B. Lary.

Both are buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, ME.



5. Abel Nurse Watson b. 5/24/1818 and d. 2/18/1895. m. 1st Susan Holmes, 2nd Cordelia Wight.

All three are buried in the Durand Rd Cemetery Randolph, NH.

Stephen’s wife, Hannah Whitcomb, was born in Boxborough, MA on March 13, 1775 to Abel and Jemima (neé Keep) Whitcomb. See photo below. Her father Abel Whitcomb descends from the Josiah line, which dates back to 1638 in Dorchester, MA. Hannah’s first husband was John Nurse from Boxborough, MA. They were married in Boxborough on May 10, 1797 and had two children, Abel Whitcomb, born in Boxborough, MA on August 4, 1798, and a daughter Asenath, born on January 30th 1801 in Waterford, ME.

Jemima Whitcomb, North Road Cemetery, Boxborough, MA

John, Hannah and Abel made the 150 mile journey to Waterford, most likely during 1799-1800. If they used Oxen which travel at one or two mph, the trip would have taken them about 3 weeks of 10 to 12 hour days. Alternatively, they could have traveled by buggy with John’s father, Deacon John Nurse, who settled earlier in Waterford about 1790. Deacon Nurse came from Bolton, MA and is listed as living in Waterford Town in 1790, according to Maine’s first census. John Nurse was the first deacon of the Congregational Church in Waterford, ME.

John and Hannah lived on the East side of Rice Hill in Waterford where they planned to farm the land, but early in 1801, tragedy struck when their two and a half year old son, Abel, died on March 12th. Then, later that same year, her husband John died of consumption on September 4th.

Note: Asenath, their daughter, married Thaddeus Brown, Esq. from Waterford, in Waterford, ME on April 24, 1823.



Stephen and Hannah lived in the East part of town (Rice Rd, shown above, is in the East part of town), but I was unable to make it to the County Courthouse to obtain any land records to be more specific (those details will require another trip to the area). They lived in Waterford and apparently in the neighboring town of Norway for a time where, in 1813, Stephen’s name appears in a list of new immigrants to the town. He enlisted as a private in Capt. Amos Town’s Company in September of 1814 (War of 1812), when two companies were called from Norway (along with other Oxford County towns) to fend off a possible British attack on Portland Harbor. Then, in 1820, Stephen appears again in Waterford, Maine in the 1820 Maine Census before leaving for Randolph, NH circa 1826. Stephen was listed in the Randolph, NH Census in 1830, but later that same year, he reportedly drowned in the Moose River and died on October 19, 1830 at the age of 53 and 10 months. Hannah, his wife, went on living in Randolph until her death on May 14, 1853. She lived to be 78 years and 2 months.

Stephen P. Watson and his wife Hannah - Durand Road Cemetery, Randolph, NH

As for the migration of settlers from Massachusetts to Maine, there were different factors at play, one significant factor being the land which was too rocky for productive farming. For example, in Boxborough, MA the rocks made the soil difficult to till and consequently the land had to be used primarily for the farming of fruit trees. Another factor at the time was the scarcity of land. Considering the practice of settlers passing on the land to their children, it was only a matter of time before the land available to their descendants started to disappear. For example, Deacon John Nurse had eleven children as was the typical family size of the period. So, with land at a premium, his children, like others at the time, looked for cheaper land up north, where land was both plentiful and cheap.

There were also historic events in the region that caused an influx of people to the newly created towns. Many of Maine’s early towns were settled because the survivors or the descendants of those in the expedition to capture Quebec in 1690 asked for pay. Eight townships in western Maine were set aside for this purpose and were known as the Canada Grants. Among these were Bethel, Jay, Livermore, and Waterford. Proprietors, who were usually not among the settlers, sold their lands for fifty cents an acre. Again, the promise of cheaper land was a big draw to settling in Maine as good farmland could cost as much as 50 dollars per acre in Massachusetts in the late 1700s.

To get a sense of how the towns were apportioned in Maine in 1894 (albeit, decades later) take a look at David Rumsey’s map of Oxford County, Maine by clicking here.

In my next post, I will correct some misinformation that I posted in an earlier post about Cordelia Wight’s family (I have since removed this misinformation from this blog) that I learned about from a distant cousin who sent me an audio recording that his mother made of Chandler and Watson history. Stay tuned for more details on that story.

Reference

Waterford Maine 1875-1976 published by Waterford Historical Society printed by New Hampshire Printers Somersworth, New Hampshire

The Comings and Goings of Life in Randolph, NH in 1916 - Part II

In Part I of this story, we left off with Arthur and Eleanor planning a short mountain trip. As it turns out, the only mountain trip they went on during the second part of the year was to the “Ledge” in Randolph. The Ledge my grandmother referred to is called Lookout Ledge, which is located in Randolph, NH. They reached it by taking the Ledge Trail located just west of the Ravine House site on Durand Rd. in Randolph. The Ledge offers great views of Kings Ravine, Mt. Madison, Mt. Adams, Mt. Jefferson, Pine Mt. and the Carter Range.

The remainder of the year continued with friends and family weaving in and out of daily routines creating a glimpse of a tapestry that was my grandparent’s life.

On Saturday, July 1, Eleanor wrote:

Lovely day again. Packed up for Randolph.Made a loaf of nut bread. Were eating dinner when Harold(Boothman) came. He went to the movies and back to supper. We hustled to 6:20 car. Harold had fireworks and we were loaded down. Waited at Myra’s and left at 10:00. Arthur’s father waited at Haley’s during shower. Arrived home at 12:00. Horse became very lame and had to walk him all the way. Arthur walked up big hills to Haley’s.



Note 1: I have several photos of Myra taken by Eleanor during this period but no clue as to her last name.

Note 2: After spending a week of visiting, cooking and cleaning at Coldbrook Lodge Eleanor went to Portland, Me to visit her folks for two weeks. Arthur joined her for the last week in July.

On Sunday, August 13, Eleanor wrote:

Arthur up at 5:00 to get vegetables from garden. After breakfast he went out in the rain and picked a beautiful bouquet of sweet peas. Over to Randolph on 8:45. Rained but not awfully hard. Fixed beans (green) for dinner. Set table and froze banana ice-cream. Changed clothes and went to meet Marie. Rained hard when half way home.Got dinner ready. Showered. So cold had to build a fire in stove every once and a while. Two lovely rainbows.Took ice-cream over to Riva’s. May and Ralph over in eve. Jim White brought them over. To bed at 11:00.

Note 1: Eleanor’s sister Marie came down from Portland, ME for a two week visit. Her husband Paul joined her for the last few days of the visit. Then on Sept 3rd, Eleanor left for Portland and visited her family returning home on the 10th.

Note 2: Ralph Perley Watson, my grandfather’s brother, was born in Randolph, NH on March 19, 1884 and died in Riverside, CA on March 26,1978. He married Elizabeth M. (also listed as Mary E. in the 1930 Census, with birth of self and parents remaining the same) about 1911, and they had three daughters that I know about from the Federal Census: Theora, Phyllis and Anna. Ralph and May (Elizabeth/Mary) lived some 30 years in Hanover, NH, where he was a cook at the Dining Association, the Inn, and later at Mac’s for the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge above Warren, NH.

Here are two photos of Ralph Watson:





On Sunday, September 17, Eleanor wrote:

(Staying at Coldbrook lodge)

Arthur up at 7:00 to help dad (Laban). I laid till after 8:00. Didn’t go to Sunday School. Glenn called for Ernestine and sister to go autoing. Nelson Smith and friend off mt. and home. After dinner Pearl, Harry, Arthur, Harold and I went up to Ledge and view was great. Home after 5:00 and got ready to go home after supper. Dad (Laban) didn’t come from Glen until after 7:00 and we started at 8:00 got 9:30 car and nearly frozen. Brought vegetables home.

Note 1: Eleanor took this photo from Lookout Ledge which looks out towards Gorham, NH.



Note 2: Nelson Smith, a friend of my grandparents, had a private camp built in 1909 called Crag Camp located on the edge of Kings Ravine.Here is a picture of Crag Camp that my grandmother took most likely in 1913, which she had framed to give to my grandfather, Arthur that very same year on Christmas day.

Crag Camp is seen in the figures below.





On Monday, September 18, Eleanor wrote:

Not up till after 8:00 and tired from tramp. Fixed beans(green) and corn. Made apple pie, turnovers and sauce. Forgot to boil potatoes so put them on at 12:00 and Arthur ate one. Had nap. So cold built kitchen fire, rainy. In eve Arthur went over to Hospital to inquire for Bert Watson and he saw him. Bed tired.

Note: Herbert Watson (Laban’s brother Martin’s son) was born in 1867 and was a Railroad Track foreman who lived in Gilead, ME (next to Shelburne, NH) with his wife Alice.

On Tuesday, September 19, Eleanor wrote:

Cold- I washed and through in good season. Alice Watson here to dinner and off up to Hospital. Had nap and Mrs. Cook came. Waited till I dressed and we went downtown shopping. Alice came to supper. Arthur and I read in eve till 8:30. Alice over to Isabels all night.

On Sunday, October 1, Eleanor wrote:

Lovely sunny day but rather cool. Up at 8:30 and started veal to cooking. Cleaned up around. Arthur out to 3 or 4 cars met Mr.& Mrs. Watson (Laban and Anna) and Dora Beckurth came about 12:00 when we were making peach ice cream. Mr. W. brought corn and we had a real good dinner and nice time. Arthur and father down street after dinner while I did dishes. They left at 5:00 after having more ice cream. Took some downstairs. Found fires out so went to bed at 8:00.

Note: Eleanor’s Peach Ice Cream recipe and the Ad she used to obtain it are shown in the figures below.





On Sunday, October 15, Eleanor wrote:

(Having arrived in Randolph the previous day)

Warmer- Sunday School at Crosses. Edith (Boothman) and family up to Mt. View for dinner. Arthur froze ice cream. When Edith came back over to Miss Gaylord’s new bungalow.(Dema Gaylord was from Summit, NJ and purchased a cottage located on Durand Road). Edith told me about the new arrival expected in Dec. Home with Charlie Hamblenin auto and down in 15 min. Saw Myra a few minutes and talked with Dave till car came. Home at 7:30.Made hot choc. And toasted crackers on grill.

Note: Here is a photo of Jack Boothman, the new arrival, born Dec. 23, 1916.



On Monday, October 16, Eleanor wrote:

Up to wash and done quite early. Had short nap and up to Mrs. Cooks. Called to ask Mrs. Cutter to come to sew Thurs. and saw Mrs. Hooper down street. Did errands and home. Made hot biscuits for supper. Arthur got ready to go to Bethel. I sewed a little.

On Sunday, October 22, Eleanor wrote:

Ate breakfast about 10:00. Roasted lamb and cleaned up. George and Isabel came about 1:30 and then Arthur froze sherbert. Had dinner about 3:00. Had more sherbert and they left about 7:00. Arthur read and I went to bed.

George Watson (Laban’s brother Emery’s son) was born in 1868 and worked in a sawmill in Gorham, NH. He married Isabelle ney Potter from Gorham in 1895. They resided in Gorham and according to the Gorham Census did not have any children.

On Thursday, October 26, Eleanor wrote:

Rained hard in night but cleared fine. Read a couple of chapters in my book before doing up work. Shook rugs and took carpet sweeper around. Arthur’s father (Laban) came with corn, potatoes and after putting up horses came to dinner. I rested a bit after dinner, wrote a letter to mother and went up to Mrs. Cooks and we walked downtown.

On Friday, October 27, Eleanor wrote:

Read in Ladies Home Journal before doing up work, then dusted thoroughly all around. At noon time made cranberry and applesauce. Played on piano some and Mrs. Cutler and Mrs. Heck called. I mended till suppertime. Arthur and his father went to Democratic rally in eve and I sewed.

On Wednesday, November 1, Eleanor wrote:

Rainy, Made salad dressing and pumpkin pie and did ironing to get ready to go to Randolph on noon train. Started Arthur’s dinner. Began to pour on way to Lodge (Coldbrook). We sewed on baby’s clothes for Edith. Hunts stayed for supper so Mr. took me to train, also, Mr. W (Watson) and Harold (Boothman). Over with Ted. Arthur met me at station started to rain again. Had supper and bed about 9:00.

On Monday, November 6, Eleanor wrote:

Frosty morn.Washed done at 11:00. Milk froze on piazza. Yesterday nice hanging out, so warm. Wrote to mother and took in clothes. Made bread and prepared gems for breakfast and put beans to soak. Democrats had big parade with band and red fire Mon eve came up High St. and down Emery.

Note: Eleanor’s Gems Recipe appears in the figure below.



On Tuesday, November 7, Eleanor wrote:

Made cake, pumpkin pie and cooked bread, cranberry sauce and pea soup for dinner. Ironed some. Went down street shopping and came home and sewed. Lots of excitement for election day. To bed tired both of us.

On Thursday, November 9, Eleanor wrote:

Lovely warm day- Pa’s birthday (Eleanor’s father Walter Foss) Cleaned both bedrooms. Arthur hustled over to station to meet his mother(Anna) and Aunt Mercy. They came in auto and had dinner, then I finished my rooms and about 5:00 washed dinner dishes and cleaned myself up. Made bread in eve. and tired.

On Friday, November 10, Eleanor wrote:

Up early. Aunt Mercy went to Gorham at 9:00 and I cooked pie and turnovers and bread while Arthur’s mother knitted. Cleaned and took dry mop around. Mrs. W.(Anna) took long nap while I read news and mended. Arthur downtown in eve. and bought a new hat.

On Thursday, November 16, Eleanor wrote:

Some cold yet. Cleaned more kitchen cupboards and ironed. Had nap and sewed. Arthur worked till nearly 9:00 and we ate supper when he got home. Big Wilson parade by Democrats tonight. 12 autos and bands and red lights and sky rockets. Arthur packed to go to Bethel.

On Saturday, November 18, Eleanor wrote:

Not up till 8:00. Washed 9 windows outside it was so nice (warmer and melting). Then washed the storm windows down cellar. Got ready to go to Randolph on 3:00 train and hustled. Had to wait at station and John and Harold (Boothman) came for me. Sewed in eve. Arthur telephoned from Bethel to get his father to meet him on 11:20 train. Went to bed and woke up about 1:00 when Arthur came. Real good sleighing.

On Sunday, November 19, Eleanor wrote:

Last ones up. Went to Sunday School at Crosses. Had dandy chicken dinner. Made Chocolate Caramels for Marion (Boothman). Arthur laid down as his eyes felt bad. Oyster stew for supper. Arthur and I did dishes. Put up lunch for Arthur.

Note: The recipe for Marion Boothman (daughter of Edith and John Boothman)





On Monday, November 20, Eleanor wrote:

Up at 4:00 to get breakfast for Arthur and his father. Arthur went to Berlin on first car and off to Bethel on 8:00 train. I went back to bed until 7:15. Swept up downstairs and made beds. Sewed in afternoon.Wrote to Arthur in eve.

On Tuesday, November 21, Eleanor wrote:

Pretty cold. Helped around little. Mother W. taught me how to do tatting and in eve. Edith and I tatted.

On Wednesday, November 22, Eleanor wrote:

Warmer again and sunny. After doing up work, we tacked Dorothy’s quilt. Got ready to go to Sewing Circle at Mrs. Hunts. Lovely sleigh ride up. Did tatting in eve.

On Thursday, November 23, Eleanor wrote:

Helped some and got ready to go on noon train. Father W. took me to station found some bare places. Home at 1:00 and found lots of mail. After reading built a fire. Ruth wrote a fine letter saying that they (True, Eleanor’s brother and wife Ruth) had a dandy boy and a long letter from Ma, also, one from Arthur. Began to rain but went to P.O. and did a few errands. Home and looked over Ladies Home Journal and sewed. Read Berlin Reporter. Ate supper about 6:00. Sewed more till after 8:00.

Note: Anna and Laban Watson along with their son Arthur and his wife Eleanor took the train to spend Thanksgiving with Josephine (Watson) Chandler and her family in Meredith, NH.

For information on the Chandler family, click here.

On Thursday, November 30, Eleanor wrote:

Thanksgiving- Rainy all day long. Up at 5:30 and got the 6:45 train (for Winona). Father W. on at Randolph. Nice trip down in spite of rain. Did some tatting and read etc. Stopped 15 min. at Plymouth. Arrived about 1:00 in Winona. Dandy turkey for dinner and everything else. Children had dandy time, too. Had lunch in eve and George (Chandler) dressed 3 chickens for us.

On Friday, December 1, Eleanor wrote:

Cleared and colder- Took pictures after doing up breakfast dishes. Flora (Chandler) helped wipe them. Laban (Chandler) just 1 and a half years old. Had lunch about 11:00 and off again. Waited at Plymouth a half an hour. Arrived at Woodsville about 2:30 and waited about 1 and a half hours. Arthur and I walked all around and went in one or two stores. Changed again at Whitefield Jef. Father and Mother off at Randolph and we reached home 6:45. Built kitchen fire and made hot chocolate. Did up dishes and to bed about 8:00.

On Saturday, December 2, Eleanor wrote:

Snow- Arthur fried potatoes in bacon fat for breakfast. I fixed beans, brown bread and chocolate pudding, also, dusted around and cleaned bathroom. Not through till nearly 3:00. Did tatting till supper time. Arthur went back to work till after 9:00. I laid down a while and tatted.

Note: On December, 18 Eleanor left for Portland, Maine on the 8:00 am train to spend the Christmas Holiday with her family. And so ends the year.

July 26, 2010 Talk in Randolph, NH - Excerpts

N.B. I have added to this post an Addendum, which aims to connect people, places, and dates with their rightful families, based on my continuing research on the Watson family. In this update, I address some of the conflicting details that exist elsewhere online, for Ruth (née Griffin) Watson.

Scroll down to read ADDENDUM



In doing my ancestry research on the Watsons that settled in Randolph, I came across some information that dates these Watsons back to the 1600s. Here is a brief overview of their lineage leading up to Stephen’s family, the first Watsons to settle in Randolph, New Hampshire.



I’ll begin with John Watson, who predates the people in the tree shown above. He was born c. 1660, settled in Salisbury, Massachusetts and married Ruth Griffin there on March 22, 1687-8. [1] They in turn had 6 children, one of whom was a son named Ebenezer, who lived in Newbury, Massachusetts. Ebenezer married Martha Rawlins, who had a son Eliphalet born in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1717. Eliphalet moved to the Coast of Maine, ending up in Gorham, Maine, where he was the 5th settler in the town. On April 29, 1740, Eliphalet married Elizabeth Phinney, the daughter of Capt. John and Martha (née Coleman) Phinney, the first settlers of Gorham, Maine. Eliphalet and Elizabeth remained in Gorham during the Indian war of 1746, where they lived in a fort for several years enduring the hardships of war. Two of their 10 children, Ebenezer born in 1748 and Coleman (Stephen’s father) born in 1751, were reportedly born in that garrison. Coleman lived in West Gorham, Maine and Buxton, Maine before settling in Waterford, Maine as early as c. 1779. [2] On September 8, 1774, Coleman married Patience Thomes (née Whitney) in Gorham, Maine, [3] and they had 8 children, their eldest son being Stephen, who was born on Dec. 19, 1776 in Gorham, Maine [2] or Waterford, Maine [4], depending on which Vital Record is correct.

Note: During this period, when the onus fell on the parents to register the birth of their offspring, the practice of recording children as being born in one or more towns was not uncommon. So, if Stephen’s parents were residents of Waterford, ME at the time of his birth, yet he was born in Gorham, ME, this practice explains how his birth came to be recorded in both Gorham and Waterford, ME.And that brings us to the first Watson to settle in Randolph, Stephen Watson. On Oct. 12, 1802, Stephen married Hannah Nurse (née Whitcomb) in Waterford, Maine. [4]

Note: Hannah Whitcomb who was born in Massachusetts married John Nurse on May 10, 1797 in Boxborough, MA. [8]

Meanwhile, in Maine, during the War of 1812, British army and naval forces from nearby Nova Scotia captured and occupied the eastern coast of Maine from Machias to Castine. Castine was occupied by the British in Sept of 1814, and it was at that time that Stephen joined Lieut. Col Ryerson’s regiment [5] that was raised at Norway, Maine which marched to Portland, Maine to answer the call of a potential British attack on Portland Harbor. Then, circa 1826, Stephen moved his family, which included his wife, 2 daughters, Lois and Mary, and their 3 sons, John, William, and Abel, from Waterford to Randolph. It could be that they arrived with only one daughter, Lois, as no record is available for Mary after 1820. Their first child Lois Fairbanks married Justus Low. Low was a prominent family name at that time in Randolph and still is today.

Stephen bought from Elaska Jackson a little clearing with a log house and many acres up and down the Moose River. He cut, burned, and cleared the land for a few years and drowned attempting to cross the Moose River in time of flood. [6]

Stephen had two sons who lived in Randolph - John, who was a reverend, selectman and farmer and his brother Abel, also a farmer, who played a role in the establishment of the Ravine House. But William, the second son of Stephen and Hannah studied medicine at a medical college in Philadelphia. He began his practice in Skowhegan, Maine and later moved to Randolph around the 1840s, staying several years before moving to Palmyra, Maine. He married Elmira B.(née Lary) from Shelburne, New Hampshire and, they had three children.



Here in the figure above is Abel Watson seen on the left with his son Laban Watson on the right.

Abel was born in Waterford, Maine on May 24, 1818 and died in Randolph on February 18, 1895. He married Susan Holmes and they had 5 sons and a daughter who were born between 1842 and 1852. Years later, in the 1860s after Susan had died, Abel married Mrs. Cordelia (née Wight) Burbank* of Shelburne, New Hampshire, and they had 2 children together.
Laban Morrill Watson was born in Randolph on May 14, 1850, the son of Abel and Susan Holmes Watson. Laban was schooled in a small block house built of spruce logs by his uncle John Watson. This dwelling located at the foot of the Amphibrach was later owned by R.A. Cutter and named "Echo Cabin". [7]

In the 1870s, when Abel was in his 50s, he and his son decided that they would transform their small farmhouse into a house large enough to accommodate 20 guests. They placed an ad in the now- defunct Boston Transcript inviting guests to stay at The Mount Madison House, the name they gave this new structure, for the price of $5 per week. The following season, in 1877, the Mt. Madison House opened under the new name of the Ravine House. [6]

Laban was actively involved in serving his mountain community and had a significant list of accomplishments such as Ravine House proprietor, pioneer path maker in the Northern peaks and in Randolph, builder of several domiciles in Randolph, supervisor, in 1888, of the 1st hut to be built on Mt. Madison. He also served in the Legislature in 1878, 1881, 1917 and 1923. He died in Randolph on Oct. 1, 1936.

Note: Laban served in the Legislature in the later part of the 1800s, returning to that body 36 years later in 1917. I mention this detail because one thing that will come out in the second half of my grandmother Eleanor’s 1916 diary entries (to be posted later this year) is his life-long interest in politics: he attends a Democratic rally in October and other such events leading up to the November 7, 1916 presidential election of Woodrow Wilson.

Seen in the pictures below are Laban’s wife Anna taken when she was in her teens and much later, in 1917, holding Eleanor’s first child.



Anna Burbank was born on September 7, 1854 in Shelburne, New Hampshire and died in 1928 in Randolph, New Hampshire.In 1873, Laban and his step-sister Anna Burbank were married, and, a few years later, they took on the responsibility of being proprietors of the Ravine House, which they maintained for the next 32 years (i.e., until 1909), when the house was sold to William Bradstreet.

Laban and Anna had six children: Walter born in 1875 and Leon born in 1880 (they lived for only one year apiece), Edith born in 1878, then Arthur born in 1882, followed by Ralph in 1884 and Clara Josephine in 1888.Anna was a homemaker extraordinaire, doing all the usual household activities in addition to accommodating summer guests: spending time with her grandchildren, sewing, knitting, quilt making, and even taking time to teach Eleanor tatting.{A technique for handcrafting durable lace constructed by a series of knots and loops. Tatting can be used to make lace edging as well as doilies, collars, and other decorative pieces}

My grandmother mentioned in her diary making collars which she gave as gifts.

*For a picture and bio of Cordelia, see my post dated May 2, 2010 (click here). 

Primary References[1] The old families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts by David Webster Hoyt
[2] Genealogical and family history of the state of Maine, Volume 2 Henry Sweetser Burrage, Albert Roscoe Stubbs[3] Town Records of Gorham, Maine
[4] Maine Vital Records – Town Hall Waterford, Maine
[5] Records of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia published by Brig. Genl. Gardner W. Pearson – The Adjutant General of Massachusetts[6] Randolph Old and New - Its Ways and Its By-Ways by George N. Cross-1924

[7] In Memoriam Laban M. Watson 1850-1936

[8] Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, Film #0873746Additional Resources:
Randolph, New Hampshire 150 Years, Town of RandolphTown Hall records of Waterford, and Gorham, Maine

The History of Waterford, Oxford County, Maine, Hoyt, Fogg and Donham 1879

Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, Lewis Historical Publishing Company New York 1909

The Watson family story is still a work in progress, and I will continue to update the history, as I uncover new information. 



ADDENDUM


This update will focus on the Ruth Griffin who married John Watson on 22 Mar 1687/88, as recorded in a vital record in both Salisbury and Amesbury, MA.[13],[17]. First, I'll discuss the issue of Ruth (Griffin) Watson, who lived in Salisbury being mistaken for the Ruth Griffin from Connecticut. Second, Ruth (Griffin) Watson has been listed on various websites, incorrectly, as marrying Thomas Ayer of Haverhill, MA. I will address both of these matters below.

In this addendum, contrary to some other online accounts, I have made two primary conclusions:

First, the Ruth Griffin who was born in Connecticut, MA was not the Ruth Griffin who married John Watson in Salisbury, MA in 1687/88.

Second, the Ruth Griffin who married John Watson in Salisbury, MA in 1687/88 was not the Ruth Watson who married Thomas Ayer of Haverhill, MA.

My first conclusion is based on the following evidence, which answers the question of who Ruth Griffin from CT was:

Ruth Griffin, b. 21 Jan 1665 and d. 27 Aug 1719, was the daughter of John Griffin [Simsbury, CT] and Anna Bancroft. Ruth was one of 10 children. She was born in Windsor, Hartford, CT on 21 Jan 1665 and died in Simsbury, CT on 27 Aug 1719. [1a] No CT marriage record exists for her in the foremost sources, [1a],[1b] and several well documented listings refer to her as unmarried without children. [2a],[2b] Moreover, it was common practice back in that period for a woman to be married in the town where she grew up. Another indication that she was childless comes from a will that Ruth Griffin from CT left just before her death. In this will, Ruth bequeathed to Ann Higley, widow of Jonathan Higley, and her daughter Mary Higley, six pounds between them out of her estate. [3]

Now to address the question (implicitly raised in the Geni.com profile) of who was or was not the Ruth Watson who married Thomas Ayers of Haverhill, MA on 14 Nov 1716. [13]

My second conclusion is based on the following documentation, which answers the question of which Ruth married Thomas Ayers of Haverhill, MA and died (along with her daughter) in Haverhill, MA:

There are references in many/trees online for Ruth (née Griffin) Watson/Ayer which cite a sentence from The History of Haverhill as evidence to support the belief that Ruth (Griffin), widow of John Watson, became the spouse of Thomas Ayer. This excerpt from the aforementioned book states: "The following is a list of the slain who belonged to the town; Ruth Ayer, wife of Thomas Ayer, and one daughter;" [7] (pg.225) I have left out the names of the other fourteen individuals mentioned in this account for the sake of brevity.

In order to set the correct time frame of this couple, I have included some historical context from The History of Haverhill leading up to the death of this Ruth and child: "The next meeting of the Commoners, was July 21, 1707, when nothing was done except to adjourn to September 2d." [7] (pg.215) "At the Commoners' meeting of September 2d, Thomas Ayer petitioned 'for a small piece of land to set a house on near the Meeting house, that so the said Ayer's wife might be the better accommodated for the keeping of school to teach children to read.' "The selectmen were empowered to lay him out a piece for that purpose, to enjoy during her lifetime." [7] (pg.216)

The following footnote on page 216 clarifies who this Thomas and Ruth Ayer were:

"Thomas Ayer married Ruth Wilford. Children, Ruth, born 1695; Josiah, born 1698; Thomas, born 1699; Gibberd, born 1702; Ruth, born 1705, killed by Indians August 29, 1708. Ruth the wife, was also killed at the same time. Ayer afterward married the widow Blasedell. Children, Ruth, born 1711, died young."
Thomas Ayer married 2nd Dorothy [Martin] Blasedell. [9]

The footnote above, along with a corresponding vital record [8], which place the marriage date (1694) of Ruth Wilford to Thomas Ayer of Haverhill and the death date (1708) of Ruth Wilford and her child Ruth to the identical time frame of the Indian massacre in (1708), should rule out the prevalent misconception that Ruth (née Griffin) Watson was married to this Thomas Ayer from Haverhill, MA.

Note: Thomas Ayer was born June 9, 1666 in Haverhill, MA to Thomas Ayer and Elizabeth Hutchins. [ma-vitalrecords.org of Haverhill, Essex, MA]

To learn more about The Raid of Haverhill, which took place in 1708, see [7] Chapter XIV (Indian Troubles 1700-1710) and [21], [22].


Further evidence that Ruth (née Griffin) Watson was not the Ruth who was killed in 1708 by Indians comes from the publication Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, which cites the following record: Thomas Ayers of Haverhill marries Ruth Watson of Salisbury Nov. 14, 1716. [10],[11] Then, under "Additions and Corrections," there is an addition to that previous record [11] which states that Ruth Ayer, wid. of Thomas, d. in Methuen, March 17, 1734. [10],[12] A vital record also validates this record. [14]

The marriage date of Ruth (née Griffin) Watson and Thomas Ayer in 1716 and the death date of Ruth Ayer in 1734 both conflict with the account that Thomas Ayers married Ruth Wilford in 1694 and the account that Ruth and her daughter were killed by Indians in Haverhill, MA in 1708.

Another source of much speculation on who this Ruth Watson was comes from Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury which states:

"v RUTH b.____; bp. Nov. 2, 1707; liv. 1710;prob. m. Nov 14, 1716 [S], Thomas Ayers of Hv. [Possibly her mother m. Ayers?]" [10] (pg.342).

If this Ruth (child of John Watson and Ruth Griffin), who was baptized on Nov. 2, 1707, married Thomas Ayer on Nov. 14, 1716, she would have been around 9 years old at that time. The other speculation was that it was possibly her mother Ruth (Griffin), who married Thomas Ayers. But this was also unlikely as Ruth, who was born circa 1660, was married in 1687/88, when she would have been in her mid 20s. Ruth (the mother) would have been in her mid 50s at the time of that marriage in 1716 and not of childbearing age.

I think it is important to note here that the Ayer family was among the early settlers of Haverhill, and their descendants were very numerous and scattered throughout nearly every state in the union. In 1700, it was supposed that nearly one third of the inhabitants of the town were of that name. [7] (pg.73) Even though we can see more clearly who this Ruth Watson is not, it does not resolve the identity of which Ruth Watson married which Thomas Ayer from Haverhill.

To summarize, the documents show that Ruth Griffin who was born in Connecticut, MA was unmarried and was not the Ruth Griffin who married John Watson in Salisbury, MA. As for the Ruth Watson who married Thomas Ayer of Haverhill, the timeline of events, along with the additional information about whom this Thomas Ayer married, in the footnote above, makes the case that Ruth (née Griffin) Watson/Ayer (who has been said to have married Thomas Ayers in Haverhill in 1716) was not married to this particular Thomas Ayer of Haverhill, MA. It was Ruth Wilford. The question still remains as to who this Ruth Watson was who married Thomas Ayer of Haverhill in 1716. Such a resolution would require further research, since there is more than one Ruth Watson and more than one Thomas Ayer in the vicinity around this period, and all it takes is one small mistake in a vital record to lead you down the wrong path.

As time permits, I plan to continue searching for convincing evidence for the birth date and birthplace, of John Watson along with his wife (Ruth Griffin) who also lacks a death date and place of death.

Note: I used the following information below to update the children of John and Ruth (née Griffin) Watson on Geni.com, in order to be as accurate as possible based on what is currently known:

Ebenezer Watson, b. circa 1693, probably in Salisbury, MA: I have not found a record of his birth, after checking vital records at the New England Historical Genealogical Society, where I checked Salisbury and the surrounding towns, although references to his existence appear in various other accounts e.g. [4] I'm including him in the list of children because in his father's will of 1710 Ebenezer is mentioned twice. [5] In this will, John Watson grants unto his son Ebenezer thirty shilens to be paid to him by his son Abraham when his son Ebenezer comes of age (of one and twenty years) John also grants his son Jonathan the same amount when he reaches age 21 and grants his daughter Ruth thirty shilens to be paid to her when she turns 18.

As for a death record, one exists for an Ebenezer Watson in Tewksbury, MA, with no supplemental evidence to indicate who this Ebenezer Watson was. I contacted the Tewksbury Town Clerk who looked up the record and said there was no mention of parents on the death certificate, only the name Ebenezer Watson. She suggested that I check with the Tewksbury State Hospital, which has some old records but, alas, they did not have one for an Ebenezer Watson. His death in Tewksbury, certainly begs the question of what brought him to Tewksbury after living in Newbury most of his life with children from two separate marriages. 

Ruth Watson baptized on Nov 1707 - child of John Watson and Ruth Griffin of Salisbury, MA. [13] The Ruth Watson baptized 14 Sep 1697 (listed in the Geni.com profile) belongs to the family of John Watson and Ruth Hartshorn of Bradford, MA. [15]

I have found no vital record for Nicodemus Watson, no mention of him in the will, no listings for him in most well documented accounts online and only a reference to the publication, The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts. I have checked volumes 1 through 3 and have not found his name listed in the aforementioned publication.

The family of John Watson and Ruth (Griffin) Watson

JOHN WATSON b. circa 1660 [6] possibly England? and died 25 Apr 1710 in Salisbury, MA. [13],[17]

RUTH GRIFFIN b. circa 1660 No valid vital record of her birth or death has been found to date, and one can only speculate if she emigrated from England or was born in one of the colonies.  


Children:

Abraham Watson, b. 13 Dec 1688 Salisbury, MA. [13]; m. Mary Severance, 14 Mar 1711/12,Salisbury/Amesbury, MA [13],[17]

John Watson, b. 11 Sep 1690, Salisbury, MA [13]; d. 1691, Salisbury, MA [13]

Ebenezer Watson, b. circa 1693, probably Salisbury, Essex, MA; d. 27 Aug 1754 Tewksbury, MA [16]? m. 10 Jul 1716 Martha Rawlins [13],[18] m. 21 Aug 1732 Eliner Long [18]

Hannah Watson, b. 5 Apr 1695, Salisbury, MA; d.12 Apr 1695, Salisbury, MA [13] Listed under Wotson

Jonathan Watson, b. 12 Oct 1696, Salisbury, MA [13]; m. Eleanor Flanders, 20 May 1726, Amesbury, MA [19]

Ruth Watson, bp. 2 Nov 1707, Salisbury, MA [13]

Note: I have intentionally left out the children from the marriages of Abraham, Ebenezer and Jonathan, as that is beyond the scope of this update and requires additional analysis.

Footnotes:

[1a] CT Vital Records to 1870-The Barbour Collection compiled from an original Lucius Barnes Barbour typescript in the New England Historic Genealogical Society special collections.

[1b] Simsbury Connecticut Births, Marriages and Deaths Transcribed from the town records and published by Albert C. Bates - Hartford 1898.

[2a] http://bit.ly/1LM5KZ0

[2b] http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~walkersj/griffin.html

[3] https://books.google.com/books/about/Hartford_district_1700_1729.html?id=sW0c0dwWEYoC (pg.391)

[4] http://dunhamwilcox.net/me/me_bio_watson.htm


[5] Will of John Watson proved on June 5, 1710 (Probate Records of Essex County, MA).

[6] Note: There are accounts of John's birth in different publications that vary from circa 1650 to 1660. I support the circa 1660 version as a more realistic time frame for his marriage and subsequent children.

[7] The History of Haverhill, Massachusetts-From its first Settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860. Published in 1861 by the author, George Wingate Chase. 

[8] "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910," database, FamilySearch: 12 Jun 1694 Thomas Ayer to Ruth Wilford in Haverhill, MA.

[9] "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910," database, FamilySearch: 1710 Thomas Ayer to Dorothy Blasedell in Haverhill, MA.

[10] The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts; with some related families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich, and Hampton. Vol I by David W. Hoyt

[10],[11] Unclassified Records (pg.43) #7.

[10],[12] Additions and Corrections (pg.378) #7

Note: Vital Records [13]-[18] can be found online at http://ma-vitalrecords.org/

[13] VR of Salisbury, Essex, MA

[14] VR of Methuen, Essex, MA

[15] VR of Bradford, Essex, MA

[16] VR of Tewksbury, Middlesex, MA

[17] VR of Amesbury, Essex, MA

[18] VR of Newbury, Essex, MA

[19] "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910," database, FamilySearch

[20] In order not to contribute more confusion, when citing the publication The History of Haverhill, I have used the spelling "Ayer" which is used throughout the book. In contrast, the references used in Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts use both spellings"Ayer" and "Ayers," that is, some have an "s" at the end. Just as the surname Ayer has many alternative spellings, Griffin also has multiple spellings e.g., Griffyn, Griffen, Griffin, etc. I have chosen to use the most commonly used spelling which appears to be Griffin.

[21] History is Stories blog:The Raid on Haverhill, MA (1708) https://historyisstories.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/the-raid-of-haverhill-ma-1708/

[22] Raid on Haverhill (1708) at Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Haverhill_(1708)