Update on my English Origin of the Tompson Brothers of New Haven, Connecticut article

 Good news!  

My article has been published and is now online and viewable with an americanancestors.org subscription at:

https://www.americanancestors.org/sites/default/files/2025-08/NEHGR-Summer25.pdf

The English origin of the Tompson brothers of New Haven, Connecticut

 I am pleased to announce that I will have an article published in the Summer 2025 issue of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register regarding the English origin of the Tompson brothers of New Haven, Connecticut.

I am referring to Anthony, William and John Tompson, who were non-original signers of the "Fundamental Agreement" which was dated 4 Jun 1639 (1).

These brothers were originally thought to have originated from Lenham, Kent, England (2), but this was proven incorrect by Donald Lines Jacobus in 1912 (3).

If you are descendants of these brothers, please get a copy of the Register!

(1) Fundamental Agreement of the Colony of New Haven, Records of the Colony of New Haven, 1 1638-1649, Connecticut State Library

(2) Rev. A. G. Hibbard, History of the Town of Goshen, Connecticut (Hartford, CT, Press of The 2 Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company, 1897) 526 

(3) Eliza J. Lines, Marks-Platt Ancestry (New Haven, CT, The Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor Press, 3 1902) 46-50 

(4) Donald Lines Jacobus “Notes on Thompson Families of Connecticut” The New England 4 Historical and Genealogical Register 66 (1912): 198-199 

Update on Griffith Jones, his only wife Margaret, and their son Benoni Jones.

This post is short but sweet:

I hired the New England Historic Genealogical Society to search for the 29 Mar 1670 Northampton court record, which Thomas B. Warren cited as his source that Griffith married second, a woman named Sarah.  This has been proven to be a misreading of the first few words of the court record.  In truth, it said:  "For likewise is Griffith Jones of Springfield freed from military services with Springfield company." This was the only 1670 court record found pertaining to Griffith Jones (1).

As this is the only record that supposedly was evidence of a second wife, it can now be said without doubt, that Margaret was the only wife of Griffith Jones; therefore, Benoni Jones, proven by his 28 Mar 1678 indenture to Lieut. William Clark, to be the son of Griffith Jones, was also the son of Margaret (2).

Margaret's death record was recorded 6 May 1665, so Benoni must have been born on or before this date. (3).

The first image is the 1670 court record, right hand page, 3rd paragraph from the bottom.

This image is the 1678 indentures of brothers Benoni and Pelatiah Jones, left hand page, final two paragraphs.

(1) Massachusetts, Hampshire, Probate Records, Volume 1, page 115, FHL #007705549, Image 77 of 689, familysearch.org

(2) Massachusetts, Hampshire, Probate Records, Volume 1, page 196, FHL #007705549, Image 130 of 689, familysearch.org

(3) Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 48, FHL #004375670, Image 59 of 594, familysearch.org

The real wife of Griffith Jones, of Springfield, Massachusetts, the true mother of his children

 

William Pynchon's Magistrate's Book, page 56, held by the Harvard Law School Library. 

.

There is so much misinformation about Griffith Jones, born in Wales, died 19 Feb 1676/77 in Springfield, Massachusetts (1) that it just makes me sad.   Numerous books, family trees, websites and blogs state unequivocally that he married Sarah in Wales, and that she was the mother of his 11 children.  Of course, none of these cite an original source.  

I state unequivocally that the wife of Griffith Jones, and the mother of at least 10 of his children was Margaret.  I've just found that William Pynchon wrote in his Magistrate's book an entry dated 3 Mar 1653/53 which reads "Margarite the wife of Griffith Joanes being presented for breach of a Towne Order, in carying fire we find not her excuse sufficient, and therefore adjudge her to pay .5s to the Towne treasurer." (2) An image of this entry appears above.

The death record for Margaret does not give her name, but reads "Griffith Jones' wife dyed May the 6th 1665" (3).  An image appears below, her entry is in the right hand column, halfway down.

In a copy of this this record, someone wrote in the margin of the entry "Margaret." It seems the Town Clerk was aware of her name, and felt it important to add it (4).

Griffith Jones had 11 children, 10 of whom had their births recorded by the Springfield Town Clerk in Volume 1 "Births Marriages and Deaths, 1638-1728."  Unfortunately the birth of my direct ancestor, his 11th child, was not recorded.  He was indentured to Lt. William Clarke of Northampton in Mar 1678 at age 12 (5), which makes it probable that his mother was Margaret.  Thomas B. Warren made reference to a "Court record at Northampton 1670 speaks of Sarah wife of Griffith Jones of Springfield - probably a second wife" (6).  Did Griffith Jones quickly marry and was this Sarah the mother of Benoni?  I find that unlikely.  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the indenture yet, and Warren's reference is rather vague, but I'm also searching for that court record.  I find it most likely that Margaret was the mother of all 11 children.

Despite what all these unsourced family trees, blogs, websites and books say, the date of birth for Griffith, and the maiden names of Margaret, and possible second wife Sarah are unknown.

Hopefully I will have an update soon, with the result of my searches for the indenture and court record.

Here are the children of Griffith Jones and his wife Margaret, all born in Springield:

1.  daughter born 2 Sep 1645 "lived not longe." (7)

2.  Mercy, born 4 Jul 1647, married James Barker 5 Jan 1675 in Springfield, died 27 Apr 1717 in Springfield (8, 9, 10)

3.  Hephzibah, born 26 Jan 1648/49, baptized 28 Feb 1648/49, married Isaac Cakebread 20 Dec 1677 in Springfield, died 3 Mar 1685 in Suffield, Hartford, Connecticut (11, 12, 13)

4.  Samuel, born 19 Jan 1650/51 (14)

5.  Ebenezer, born 14 Jul 1653, married Mercy Bagg 26 Jun 1679 in Springfield, died 24 Jan 1735/36 in Springfield (15, 16, 17)

6.  Thomas, born 9 Jun 1655, married Elizabeth Graves 31 Aug 1682 in Springfield (18, 19)

7.  Griffith, born 4 Jun 1658 (20)

8.  Griffith, born 28 Mar 1660 (21)

9.  Experience, born 12 Aug 1662, married John Huggins 4 Feb 1684 in Suffield, Hartford, Connecticut, died 9 May 1714 in Springfield (22, 23, 24)

10.  Pelatiah, born 22 Jul 1664, married Sarah Meakins, died 1745 in Springfield "This Year died at Louisburgh, belonging to this Parish" (25, 26, 27)

11.  Benoni, born about 1666, married Hester Ingersoll 23 Jan 1687/88 in Northampton, Hampshire, MA, died 13 May 1704 in Northampton, Hampshire, MA (28, 29, 30)

Sources:

1.  Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 50, FHL #004375670, Image 61 of 594

2.  Pynchon, William, 1590-1662, Record of cases before the magistrate of Agawan, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1638-1702, HLS MS 4344, Sequence 60, Harvard Law School Library, https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:50610470$60i

3.  Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 48, FHL #004375670, Image 59 of 594

4.  Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 179, FHL #004375670, Image 246 of 594

5. History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654, Volume I, page495, Note 2, James Russell Trumbull, Gazette Printing Co., Northampton, MA, 1898, hathitrust.org

6.  Warren Manuscript, Births, marriages, and deaths, A-P, 1639-1843, Thomas B. Warren, FHL #008203035, Image 750 of 1034

7.  Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 6, FHL #004375670, Image 17 of 594

8.  Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 7, FHL #004375670, Image 21 of 594

9.  Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 16, FHL #004375670, Image 30 of 594

10. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 103, FHL #004375670, Image 115 of 594

11. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 7, FHL #004375670, Image 21 of 594

12. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 16, FHL #004375670, Image 30 of 594

13.   Connecticut, Hartford, Shuffield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 7, FHL #007730434, Image 14 of 564

14. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 8, FHL #004375670, Image 22 of 594

15. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 9, FHL #004375670, Image 23 of 594

16. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 81, FHL #004375670, Image 30 of 594

17. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield deaths, Volume 2, page 6, FHL #004375673, Image 13 of 439

18. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 9, FHL #004375670, Image 23 of 594

19. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 17, FHL #004375670, Image 31 of 594

20. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 10, FHL #004375670, Image 24 of 594

21. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 11, FHL #004375670, Image 25 of 594

22. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 11, FHL #004375670, Image 25 of 594

23. Connecticut, Hartford, Shuffield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 16, FHL #007730434, Image 19 of 564

24. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 102, FHL #004375670, Image 114 of 594

25. Massachusetts, Hampden, Springfield births, marriages, deaths, Volume 1, page 12, FHL #004375670, Image 26 of 594

26. A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records, Volume II, Hartford District, 1700-1729, Charles William Manwaring, R. S. Peck & Co., Hartford, CT, 1904, Hathitrust.org

27. First Congregational Church (Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts), Church Records, 1736-1784, FHL #007578434, Image 58 of 665

28. History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654, Volume I, page495, Note 2, James Russell Trumbull, Gazette Printing Co., Northampton, MA, 1898, hathitrust.org

29. Massachusetts, Hampshire, Northampton Births Marriages & Deaths, 1654-1801, FHL #004329300

30. Massachusetts, Hampshire, Northampton births, marriages, deaths, 1654-1801, page 141, FHL #004329300, Image 84 of 464

John Butcher, the true husband of Susannah Lewis Butcher Johnson of Virginia and Kentucky

 In 1894, Alvaro Franklin Gibbens published the book Gibbens-Butcher Genealogy.  On page 149 he clearly stated that Samuel Butcher and his wife Susannah had a son John, who married Susannah Lewis.  However, due to the unfortunate wording on page 153 "The will of John, son of Samuel and Susanna (Lewis) Butcher" an error has been perpetuated for over a century in hundreds of family trees posted online.  People's memories are short, and what they read on page 149 was forgotten when they got to page 153. (1)

Per Gibbens, Samuel Butcher's will was written 12 Sep 1769 and was proved 9 March 1778 in Loudoun County, Virgiia, naming 7 children. (1)

Susannah Lewis, my 7th great grand aunt, was the daughter of Abraham and Rebeckah Lewis of Loudoun County, Virginia.  In Abraham's will, written 27 Feb 1802, he bequeathed 15 pounds to his daughter Susannah Butcher.  Just two years later, John Butcher of Loudoun County wrote his will on 30 Sep 1804.  He left his wife Susannah considerable property to be rented out to provide her an income, along with a negro girl named Lishay*.  It appears that he and Susannah had no children, as no children were named, and he left legacies to his siblings. (2)

Again, just two years later, in Shelby County, Kentucky, Jesse Johnson posted bond to marry Mrs. Susannah Butcher, and her brother Joseph Lewis was surety. (3)  The couple were enumerated on the 1810 census in Madison County, Kentucky and on 21 Apr 1819 Susannah wrote her will.  She clearly had done quite well as she left considerable property to her siblings and nieces and nephews.  It appears that she and Jesse didn't have any children either.  She beqeathed three children of her negro woman Valitia* to her husband Jesse.  Susannah stipulated that Valitia was to be freed upon her death. (4)

I'm quite a fan of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and his TV show Finding Your Roots.  He has said that it is important to follow the enslaved people named in wills to prove family connections, and I believe in this case that it proves who Susannah's husband really was.  Lishay could be pronounced Lishy, which would be an appropriate nickname for Valitia.  'Litia sounds like Lishy.  

I believe the timeline also confirms this.  It appears from the 1810 census that Susannah Lewis was born shortly before 1765, and through census records, a family Bible and tax records, most of her 8 siblings were born in the 1750s and 1760s, while Samuel Butcher and his wife had 7 children by 1769.  (1) Having an average of two years between births, we're back to 1753, and assuming she was 18 at the birth of her first child, we're back to 1736.  Clearly the two Susannahs were of different generations.  John Butcher died in 1804, and Jesse Johnson married Mrs. Susannah Butcher in 1806.  Two years was a common interval for re-marriage, but 28 years is not (Samuel died by 1778).

Susannah Lewis Butcher Johnson married John Butcher, the son of Samuel and Susannah (-?-) Butcher.

* I used the wording and spelling in the wills.

1.  Gibbens-Butcher Genealogy, Alvaro Franklin Gibbens, Gordon B. Gibbens, publisher, Parkersburg, WV, 1894

2.  Virginia, Loudoun, Will Book F, pages 456-457, FHL #007645411, Image 598 of 609

3.  Kentucky, Shelby, Loose Papers 1804-1808, FHL #005552475, Image 544 of 890

4.  Kentucky, Madison, Will Book C, pages 22-25, FHL #007553083, Images 24-25 of 613

Ida Belle Lasley, you were quite the non-conformist!

Ida Belle Lasley was my 2nd great grand aunt, and she certainly did not behave as a woman was expected to in the 19th century.  There are not many records documenting her short life, but the few facts unearthed in them are sure to raise a few eyebrows.

Ida was born on 9 Sep 1872 in St. Louis, Missouri (1), the eldest child of Joseph Thomas Lasley and Mary Jane Mathews.   In late July, 1886, at the ripe old age of 14, she ran away from her Pendleton, Umatilla Co., Oregon home with 22 year old Frederick Caviness, a horse trainer.  They were caught by the sheriff in Spokane Falls, Washington, where he was jailed (2).  He then went to Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon, where he died just 4 months later on 12 November 1886 (3).  

Though Ida never married Fred, she used his surname when she married Robert E. Cook on 21 Dec 1886 in Portland, Oregon, just 5 months after she ran away with Fred, and one month after he died of poisoning (4).  Their marriage lasted four years, and they divorced 26 Dec 1890 in Oregon City, Clackamas Co., Oregon (5).

A decade later, she was enumerated on 4 Jun 1900 on the federal census in Montesano, Chehalis [now Grays Harbor] County, Washington with a woman named Jennie Van.  Their occupation was Prostitute (6).

I don't know when and where Ida met William A. Jolley, but they begin a relationship, and though they never married, he was with her at the end.

Transcriptions of two letters, one written by Ida, and the second by William, both addressed to her brother Fred, were sent to me by Linda Lasley, late of Bickleton, Klickitat Co., Washington:

"Olympia, Feb 24, 1908  Dear Sister, Bro & Babies.  Your letter found me yesterday propped up in a chair with pillow, and I am just the same today writing this letter so if I make any mistakes excuse them for I am almost blind.  I am a victim of Bright's disease and weather I can be cured or not we will not know for some time yet but what I feel so bad about is losing my eyesight but the doctor says when I begin to get better my eyes will get better.  I have an awful bad cold now and that makes everything worse.  I will be better as soon as I get over my cold  I am glad you like the things we sent.  The pictures and purses was my old man last year's samples, he has hundred of such things to give away each year for he gets new line of samples  You did not say if Earl's shirts fit him or not.  I was afraid they would be too small I bought them.  I was going to make Vesta some little dresses but I will have to give that up now as I can not see.  I was going to draw you off a shirtwaist pattern but I cannot see to do the even so I am going to send you my pattern and some day if I need them I will get them.  Dora I am afraid it wouldn't do me any good if I was up there now for I am not eating any kind of meat or potatoes.  What I eat most of is milk and bread and drink lots of buttermilk but if I was up there I would eat just one backbone and we may be up there sooner than we expected on account of my health.  Well Dora I started this two days ago but have been so sick I could not finish.  I thought of so much to write about when I started this letter but I can't think anything now.  Will have to wait till I feel better.  Fred do just as Mr. Faulkner tells you and everything will be O.K. for he know what is best.  I must close  love to you all Ida"

The Fred and Dora mentioned were her brother and sister-in-law (my 2nd great grandparents), and Vesta and Earl were their children, Ida's niece and nephew.  Vesta was my great-grandmother.

April 14, 1908  "Dear Sister & Brother:  Your letter received today glad to hear you are all well I tried to read it to Ida Dear but had to give it up.  She did not seem know who it was from.  She just lies in an unconcious condition from morning till night does not take any interest in anything the Dr just left here a few minutes ago.  he said that her troubles in this world would soon be over.  O it does seem that I cannot stand it, he told that she might leave us at any time within a few days and it was possible that she might linger also for a month or more.  "God" it is awful to sit night and day and see one whom you love die by inches.  She grows weaker and duller every hour.  I will write every few days.  Yours & etc W.A. Jolley"

Ida passed away two weeks later on 30 Apr 1908 in Olympia, Thurston Co., Washington, aged 35.  She was buried 1 May 1908 in Tumwater, Thurston Co., WA.  Her death certificate states she was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, but the Odd Fellows Memorial Park has no record of her burial there (1).  Though unmarried, her surname on the certificate was Jolley.

I'm sure there will be people out there who would judge her harshly, but I am not one of them.  Rest in peace, Ida Belle.

1.  Washington, Thurston, Certificate of Death, FHL #004220849, Image 2039 of 4704, familysearch.org

2.  The Oregonian, Monday, 2 Aug 1886, Portland, Or, page 3, genealogybank.com

3.  Sacramento Daily Union, Sacramento, CA, 15 Nov 1886, page 5, genealogybank.com

4.  Marriage Records of Multnomah County, Oregon, December 1885 - September 1888, Harriette Ward Park, Genealogical Forum of Oregon, Inc., Portland, OR, 1985

5.  Clackamas, Oregon, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Journal 9, page 37, Dissolution of Marriage

6.  1900 Federal Census, Montesano, Chehalis, Washington, ancestry.com

John U. Muir of Kilmaurs, Ayrshire, Scotland: some additional findings

Janet Cuthbertson 1706 baptism.  The earliest Muir ancestry record I have.

Thanks to the wonderful research performed by John McGee of Wheech Scottish Ancestry Services, new infomation has come to light on the ancestry of John U. Muir, my 5th great-grandfather.

John Muir was born about 1770 to John Muir and Margaret Brown.  The elder John Muir was probably born in Lambroughton, Dreghorn, Ayrshire, Scotland, where his parents resided, but was baptized 21 Oct 1750 at Kilmaurs, Ayrshire, Scotland.  His parents were James Muir, probably a farmer, and Marie Armour.  They married 24 Dec 1744 at Kilmaurs.  James Muir was baptized 2 Dec 1716 at Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, the son of William Muir and Janet Steel.  Marie Armour was probably born in Dreghorn, where her parents resided, and was baptized 20 Jan 1717 at Irvine, the daughter of Alexander Armour and Martha Brown.

William Muir was born about 1695, probably at Irvine, and died May 1771 at Kilmaurs, he was a wright by occupation.   Janet Steel was also probably born about 1695 at Irvine.  They had 5 known children, all baptized at Irvine:

1.  James Muir, baptized 2 Dec 1716, married Marie Armour.

2.  Samuel Muir, baptized 21 Jul 1719.

3.  Agnes Muir, baptized 12 Apr 1724.

4.  Marion Muir, a daughter, baptized 20 Mar 1726.

5.  William Muir, baptized 26 Jan 1729.

Marie Armour was baptized 20 Jan 1717 at Irvine, the daughter of Alexander Armour and Martha Brown.  They had another known daughter, Agnes, born 28 Jan 1722 and baptized 11 Feb 1722 at Kilmaurs.

Mr. McGee also uncovered additional information about Thomas Cuthbertson, who married Jean Paton, of whom I wrote in my earlier John U. Muir post.  Thomas Cuthbertson was baptized 21 Nov 1675 at Fenwick, Ayrshire, Scotland, the son of William Cuthbertson and Janet Andrew of Clonherb, Fenwick, Ayrshire, Scotland.  They had three known children, all baptized at Fenwick:

1.  John Cuthbertson, baptized 11 Feb 1674.

2.  Thomas Cuthbertson, baptized 21 Nov 1675, married Jean Paton 26 Jan 1704 at Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland, and was buried 4 Mar 1746, at Kilmarnock, a resident of Blackwood, Kilmarnock.

3.  Elizabeth Cuthbertson, baptized 10 Jul 1677.

Fenwick Parish Church