Spotlight Archive

I, Heidi S. Quinn, am responsible for the content of MANY THINGS. Email me at heidi.quinn@comcast.net.

Spotlights that appear on the Genetic Muster page will be archived here.

Signers of the Covenant, Lancaster, MA

In 1653, a covenant of laws and orders was drawn up and signed by Lancaster, MA, founder John Prescott. By 1660 it had 55 signatures and for years was the town's 'constitution'. Other members of the family tree who signed are Jonas Fairbank and Ralph Houghton. A few women signed the covenant, and it is likely those women were land-owning widows. It is my assumption that our founding foremothers who did not sign -- Mary (Gawkroger Platts) Prescott, Lydia (Prescott) Fairbank, and Jane (Stowe) Houghton -- were too busy keeping life in order while our forefathers were goofing off writing and signing their covenants.

WHAT'S MY LINE? See the Covey line.

Rose Etta Warren Stevens

There exists a hair wreath that contains the hair of, among others, Rose Warren. According to the card attached to the wreath's case, the wreath was created by "Mrs. Leonard (Mary) Warren of Gassetts, VT. Died in 1882 - over 80 years of age." I presume Mary was Rose's grandmother or great grandmother who used the hair of a very young Rose Warren in the wreath.

In Irene's Diaries, Rose is referred to as "Mrs. Stevens" before Irene's wedding and "Ma" after the wedding.

WHAT'S MY LINE? Starting with me, go to: my dad, Grandpa Ray, to Grammy Stevens (a.k.a. Rose Warren Stevens).

Elisabeth Kinsley & John Cummings

Excerpt from "The History of Dunstable MA", Nason

"On the night of the 3d of July, 1706, a party of two hundred and seventy Mohawk Indians suddenly assaulted a garrison house (probably that of John [and Elisabeth] Cummings...), in which Capt. Pearson, of Rowley, and twenty of his 'troopers,' who had been ranging the woods, were posted. The company was taken by surprise, for the door had been left open and no watch appointed. Mr. Cummings and his wife, it is said, had gone out at the close of the day for milking, when the Indians shot Mrs. Cummings dead, wounded her husband and took him captive... The Rev John Pike, of Dover, wrote in his journal, 'The whole number said to have been slain in Dunstable at this time was nine persons.'"

WHAT'S MY LINE? Starting with me, go to: my dad, Grammy Irene, Frank Covey, Abigail Reed, David Reed, Isaac Reed, Timothy Reed, Mary Cummings, John Cummings Jr., and finally Elisabeth (Kinsley) & John Cummings.

Jane Vose & Peter Lyon Excerpts from Rev. Peter Thacher's journal:

"Dec 16 [1684] - Went and solemnly discoursed with Jane Vose giving her much good counsel.
[Dec] 26. This morning Sargent Badcock & Peter Lion were at my house to get me to go & treat with Sargent Vose about consenting to Peters marrying his daughter.
[Dec] 30. Treated with Sargent Vose about giving his consent that P. Lion should marry his daughter Jane, but his answer was plainly negative
Jan 3. 1685. I went with Sargent Badcock to treat with Jane Vose & to acquaint that her father could not consent, whereupon we labored abundantly to take off her affections &c -
Jan. 6. Went to Sargent Badcocks, he & I labored much with Peter Lion & Jane Vose."

Such rich anecdotes of one's ancestors are rare, so finding them is like finding treasure! Clearly Jane (age 19) and Peter (age 21) were smitten, but what is striking in the Reverend's account is the absence of Peter's father and the refusal of Jane's father to consent. To proceed without parental consent would be unthinkable, but clearly the tide eventually changed -- Jane and Peter married in 1686.

WHAT'S MY LINE? Starting with me, go to: my mom, Grandpa Maurice, Earl Pitcher, Charles Edwin Pitcher, Luther Pitcher, Ellis Pitcher, William Pitcher, Samuel Pitcher, Jane Lyon Pitcher, to Jane Vose & Peter Lyon.

Mary Wyatt Born Mary __?__ circa 1610 in England, she married Edward Wyatt and emigrated to the colony of Massachusetts (not necessarily in that order). She and her husband settled in Milton, Mass. where she was a midwife of considerable note.

On March 13 1685, Milton's minister, the Rev. Peter Thacher, and his wife called for Mary's services, as noted in Rev. Thacher's journal which is included in The History of Milton. "My dear was so ill that we sent for midwife Wiet, she was delivered of a daughter stillborn."

Mary died in Milton on Jan 8 1704. Her impressive feat of delivering 1,101 babies was noted in the town records and is related in The History of Milton, Mass. (A.K. Teele, 1887)