Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II, Part 79

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Adams, William Frederick, 1848-
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1008


USA > Massachusetts > Genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of the state of Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 79


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138


(III) Joseph, son of Joshua Wheat, was a farmer at Concord. He married, June 5, 1705, Priscilla Flagg. Children, born at Con- cord : I. Deborah, March 5, 1704-05. 2. Eliz- abeth, September 4, 1706. 3. Joseph, Novem- ber 28, 1710; died young. 4. Abigail, Febru- ary 24, 1712-13. 5. John, August 14, 1717; resided at Concord. 6. Joseph, March II, 1719-20. 7. Thomas, May 12, 1723; men- tioned below. 8. Benjamin, February 28, 1724-5; died April 13, following.


(IV) Thomas, son of Joseph Wheat, was born at Concord, May 12, 1723. He was one of the first settlers of Hollis, Massachusetts. He married (first) at Concord, October 23, 1745. (by Rev. Mr. Bliss), Mary Ball; (sec- ond) at Concord, August 23, 1768 (giving his residence as Hollis). Sarah Temple (by Rev. William Emerson). Children of first wife, born at Hollis: I. Mary, October 29, 1746; died young. 2. Abigail, August 15, 1748. died young. 3. Thomas, July 7, 1750; married Abigail -; was killed at battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, aged twenty-


four ; left three children. 4. Sarah, April 23, 1752, died young. 5. Priscilla, July 3, 1754. 6. Nathaniel, January 20, 1756. 7. Joseph, July 18, 1759, mentioned below. 8. Josiah, December 18, 1761. 9. Lois June 22, 1765. IO. Hannah, February 16, 1767. Children of second wife: II. Submit, born July 27, 1769. 12. Abigail Temple, June 29, 1771. 13. Sarah, July 8, 1773. 14. Mary, May 7, 1775.


(V) Rev. Joseph, son of Thomas Wheat, was born at Hollis, July 18, 1759. He was a soldier in the revolution for several years, a private in Captain Edward Everett's company, Colonel Bedell's regiment, in 1776; also in Captain William Walker's company, Colonel David Gilman's regiment, to reinforce Con- tinental army in December, 1776, serving to June 1777 ; also in Captain Daniel Emerson's company, Colonel Moses Nichols' regiment, on Rhode Island alarm in summer of 1777 and again in same company in 1778. He en- listed for a year to fill up the Third New Hampshire battalion in the Continental serv- ice, and was mustered into service August 7, 1779. Later he is stated as having enlisted for the war. He was promoted corporal April I, 1780. He is said to have been at Valley Forge. His service is all credited to Hollis, New Hampshire. After the war he studied for the ministry, and was ordained in the Bap- tist church in August, 1801, and preached there until 1815. He resided without a charge at Canaan, New Hampshire, from 1815 until his death, October 28, 1837. He married, at Hollis, New Hampshire, October 10, 1783, Mrs. Bridget ( Powers) Farley. Children: I. Nathaniel, born at Hollis April II, 1784. 2. Joseph, mentioned below. Probably others. (VI) Joseph (2), son of Rev. Joseph (I) Wheat, was born in Canaan, New Hampshire, about 1790. He was educated in the district schools, and followed farming at Canaan dur- ing his active life. He was a Baptist in re- ligion.


(VII) Dr. Asa Wheat, son of Joseph (2) Wheat, was born at Canaan, in 1836. He attended the public schools of his native town and studied his profession at Dart- mouth Medical School. He established himself in practice in his native town, where for many years he led the active and useful life of a general practitioner. He was one of the best known and most highly respected physicians of that section. He spent his later years in Springfield, Massachusetts, in the home of his son, William. He married Isabelle George, born at Croyden, New Hamp-


1000


MASSACHUSETTS.


shire, daughter of William and Lucy ( Whip- ple) George, descendant of General Israel Putnam, of revolutionary war fame. Chil- dren, born at Concord: William George, men- tioned below ; Allen Asa, married Ada Wheeler.


(VIII) William George, son of Dr. Asa Wheat, was born at Canaan, July 19, 1857. He attended the public schools and the old Union Academy of his native town. In 1874, at the age of seventeen, he left home and lo- cated in the growing town of Holyoke, Massa- chusetts, where he found employment as clerk in the store of A. L. Shumway, dealer in dry goods. He acquired a thorough and compre- hensive knowledge of the dry goods business. After three years in Holyoke he accepted a position in the store of Meekins & Packard, a new firm in Springfield, beginning in Septem- ber, 1876. Two years and a half later he made a contract to stay five years with this firm, and at the expiration of that period he was admitted to partnership, and has had spe- cial supervision of the dry goods ; depart- ment of the business. He demonstrated his ability as a salesman and buyer early in life, and his extensive experience has placed him among the leaders in the dry goods business of the city. He has the foresight to gauge the public taste and buys judiciously. His department occupies what was the entire store originally, also the second story above it, the basement underneath, the first story of an annex one hundred feet in depth and of a side extension forty by sixty feet. From 1882 to 1894 the dry goods business of this firm was increased tenfold, and the rate of progress has continued to the present time. Having plenty of able competitors in the field, the firm to which Mr. Wheat belongs has kept in the front rank among Springfield merchants and in some respects held the leading place. The enterprise and business sagacity of Mr. Wheat have contributed in large measure to the phenomenal growth and prosperity of the house. From the very first the firm has won a degree of success that has been most grati- fying to the partners and a matter of wonder to the commercial world. Year by year the store has grown and the quarters have been enlarged to meet the demands of trade until at present more than a hundred thousand square feet of floor space is in use, and several hundred clerks are employed. Their custom- ers come to Springfield from as great a dis- tance as a hundred miles, and the store is the favorite trading place not only of the city


but of the whole Connecticut valley for a cir- cuit of fifty to a hundred miles. The senior partners were natives of the little town of Conway, Massachusetts. Emery Meekins was a schoolmate of the late Marshall Field, the merchant prince of Chicago. He began his career in Springfield as clerk in the dry goods store of E. F. Williams. Mr. Packard began in a store on Fulton avenue, Brooklyn, New York, removed to Greenfield, and finally to Springfield, where in 1874 he entered part- nership with his old comrade and established the concern of Meekins, Packard & Company. From a modest beginning the store in time became a department house of the first rank. Mr. Wheat has shared in the growth and pros- perity of the business almost from the be- ginning.


Mr. Wheat resides at 18 Jefferson avenue, Springfield. He and his family attended the old First Church during their early years in Springfield, but are now members of the Me- morial.Church. In both parishes Mr. Wheat has been active and prominent, holding offices of trust and honor. He was formerly super- intendent of the Sunday school. He was one of the founders and has been a generous con- tributor to the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation. He is a member of the Massachu- setts Society of the Sons of the American Revolution; of the Economic Club; of the Nayasset Club. He is vice-president of the Springfield Board of Trade and was for many years a director. He has given his time and money freely to every movement to benefit the city and community, and is one of the most public spirited citizens of Springfield. In politics he is a steadfast and influential Re- publican, though he has never had time or in- clination to accept public office. He married, June, 1878, Clara Louise Abercrombie, daugh- ter of Stillman Abercrombie, of Pelham, Massachusetts. Children, born at Springfield : I. Harold Abercrombie, born 1879. 2. Isa- belle Frances, born 1882.


WOODBURY


The name of Woodbury has been known and hon- ored in Massachusetts al-


most from its earliest settlement. The family descends from a native of Wales, and its mem- bers are well represented in professional and political life, also in the arts and trades.


(I) William Woodbury, emigrant an- cestor, came from Wales to Beverly, Massa- chusetts, in 1628.


(II) William (2), son of William (I)


1061


MASSACHUSETTS.


Woodbury, was pilot on board the fleet in the expedition against Port Royal in 1704. It is known that he had sons William and Ebe- nezer.


(III) Ebenezer, son of William (2) Wood- bury, had children: Ann, Hannah, Ebenezer, Elizabeth, John, Hezekiah, Lydia, Abigail, Mary, Andrew and Henry. (This may not be in the order of their ages.)


(IV) Henry, son of Ebenezer Woodbury, was born in 1753, and in 1788 removed from Salem, Massachusetts, to Acworth, New Hampshire. His children were: Eunice, Jon- athan (died young), Ebenezer, Lydia, Jesse, Betsey. Edward, John, Dolly, Hannah, Lo- vina and Fanny.


(V) Edward, fourth son of Henry Wood- bury, married Dorcas Thornton ; he served in the state legislature, and held many minor offices. His children were: I. William C., married Cornelia Stebbins. 2. Charles M. 3. Mason MI., married Mrs. Betsey M. Archer. 4. Isaac, married Mary G. Brooks. 5. Jacob, married Maria M. Davis.


(VI) Charles M., second son of Edward and Dorcas (Thornton) Woodbury, learned the blacksmith's trade. When he left the blacksmith's shop he started business as a mer- chant, which he continued for some years, after which he engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes under the firm name of Blan- chard & Woodbury, which business was dis- solved in 1869, and for a few years he sold goods for their successors, retiring from active business in 1877. Mr. Woodbury was active in town affairs, being town clerk twenty-five years, served on the school board, and repre- sented his town in the state legislature of New Hampshire. Religiously he was a Con- gregationalist. He married Louisa, daughter of Joseph and Sally (Davis) Currier. Her mother was the widow of William Graham when she removed, with her children, to Ac- worth, New Hampshire, where she subse- quently married (second) Joseph Currier, and had one child, Louise. Children of Charles M. and Louisa (Currier ) Woodbury : Charles E., and William Lloyd, of whom see further ; and Ellen L.


(VII) Charles E., eldest son of Charles M. and Louisa (Currier) Woodbury, is a physi- cian. For a number of years he was an as- sistant physician at the McLean Asylum at Somerville. For some years was port physi- cian at Boston, was superintendent of the Rhode Island Hospital, also of the State Hos- pital at Foxboro, Massachusetts. October 13,


1880, he married Ella D. Ordway ; children : Louise, born April 18, 1883 ; Ruth, January 30, 1887; and Esther, July 11, 1888.


(VII) William Lloyd, second son


of Charles M. and Louisa (Currier ) Woodbury, was born . July 19, 1849, at Acworth, New Hampshire, received his education in the pub- lic schools and Kimball Union Academy, and spent a short time as clerk in a drug store. He then became salesman for Amos P. Tapley and Co., of Boston. In 1892 he became in- terested in dealing in grain in Westfield, Massachusetts, and in 1899 removed to Holy- oke as a member of the firm of Prentiss, Brooks & Company, dealers in grain and hay ; this firm has several branches. He was sent by the Democratic party to the legislature in 1885-86. He is a Congregationalist in re- ligious belief. October 23, 1877, he married Sarah J., daughter of Hugh and Sabra (Cram) Finlay (see Finlay IV). They have no children.


FINLAY This name is of Scotch origin, and we quote from an article that appeared in the New York Times, as follows: "The surname Mackinlay, or Mckinley, is the same with Finlayson, both meaning 'Son of Finlay.' The name is dis- tinctly Scottish, but occurs also in the north of Ireland, among the descendants of the set- tlers of the 'Scot's Plantation of Ulster.' The name, unlike most other Scottish surnames be- ginning with Mac, is not a very common one, and occurs but sparingly in the public records of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries as McFinlay, McInlay, McKindlay, McKynlay and McKinly. In Gaellic orthography the name is MacFhionnlaigh ( with Fh silent). As early as the end of the tenth century the name Finlay is found borne by a powerful earl, Finlaic, son of Buaidhri, Mormaer, or Earl of Moray, a province which at that period included almost the whole of Northern Scotland. The Icelandic Saga, or history of Olaf Tryggvisson, gives his name in a Norse form, Finnleik, and states that he suffered a severe defeat in Caithness at the hands of Siguard. Earl of the Orkneys, about 965 A. D. In the year 1020, Finlaic was murdered by his nephews, the sons of his brother Mael- brigde ; and Tighernac, the Irish annalist, in recording the death of his successor, calls Fin- laic 'Ri Albian,' i. e., 'King of Alban,' indicat- ing that he claimed a position of independence both from the Earls of Orkney and the kings of Scotland. His son was Macbeth, the usurper


1052


MASSACHUSETTS.


and murderer of Duncan, whose obscure ca- reer Shakespeare has invested with the splen- did light of his genius. The Duan Albanach, an old Irish poetical chronicle of the Kings of Dalriada, said to have been written about the year 1057, in giving the length of . Macbeth's reign, says, 'A saecht biadhna deag mac- Fionnlaoich'; which means, 'Seven years and ten (ruled) the son of Finlay.' The early forms of the name given above show that it means 'Fair Hero' ( from Gaelic fionn-fair, white, and iaough-hero), a meaning which is quite in accord with the principle upon which early Celtic personal names were com- pounded."


(I) Joseph Finlay came from the north of Ireland to Londonderry, New Hampshire, and commanded a volunteer company in the revo- lutionary war. In October, 1777, he marched this company to the support of the Continental army at Saratoga. His sons Hugh and Sam- uel removed to Acworth, New Hampshire, in 1780, driving a pair of oxen, with their sled loaded with provisions, cooking utensils, and whatever they needed for frontier life, the snow being so hard they were able to drive their team across lots, right over the fences. The following month, Joseph Finlay moved his entire family to Acworth. He married (first) Mrs. Jane Taylor, of Londonderry, and had three children, Hugh, Samuel and Robert. He married (second) Mrs. Eliza -. beth Logan, and had children, Esther and Elizabeth.


(II) Samuel, second son of Joseph and Jane (Taylor) Finlay, was for many years an active and able officer of the Congregational church at Acworth, New Hampshire, and conducted the weekly prayer meetings in a very impressive manner. He also gave medi- cal advice to his neighbors who were in need, and his opinion was often sought in legal mat- ters. He had the respect and trust of all who knew him, and was often named as ex- ecutor of wills. He married Hannah Wither- spoon : children: 1. Lucy, died young. 2. Jane T., married Aaron Southard. 3. Rob- ert, married Peggy Wallace. 4. David, died young. 5. Joseph, died unmarried. 6. John, died unmarried. 7. Nancy, married Honor- able Jesse Slader. 8. Fanny, died unmarried. (). Hugh. 10. Jesse, died unmarried. 1I. Matthew, died of spotted fever.


(III) Hugh, fifth son of Samuel and Han- nah ( Witherspoon ) Finlay, married Sabra, daughter of Hilliard and Sarah ( Gove) Cram ; children: Joseph P., died young : Solon S.,


married Emily W. Earle; Jesse, died young ; Aaron S., married Josephine L. Brooks; Sam- uel; Henry H., died young; George H., died young ; Sarah J. and Charles A.


(IV) Sarah J., only daughter of Hugh and Sabra (Cram) Finlay, married, October 23, 1877, William Lloyd Woodbury (see Wood- bury VII).


In early times this name was ALGER pronounced Auger, and was spelled Aulgar, Augur, Augre, Auger, Agur, Ager, and has even been written Eager and Agar. The name has been borne by many noted men. The first record we have of the family here described is in the state of Vermont, and it is not known where they emigrated from or when.


(I) Isaac Alger, whose parentage is not known, removed from Vermont to Water- vliet, New York, where he kept, a grocery store. He died October 4, 1814. He mar- ried Eunice Cleveland Wing, a widow, daugh- ter of Zenas and Eunice (Ludington) Cleve- land. (See Cleveland, VI). She married (third) Benedict Burdick, by whom she had one child. Children of Isaac and Eunice (Cleveland-Wing) Alger: Isaac, born 1798; Esther, 1800; Eunice, 1803; Joseph C., 1806; Eliza C., 1808; Lydia, 1810; Mary 1812; Silas W.


(II) Silas W., youngest child of Isaac and Eunice (Cleveland-Wing) Alger, was born May 9, 1814, and died May 12, 1886. When an infant his father died and he was adopted by a Mr. Foster, who abused him so that in desperation he finally ran away, and began to work for Eaton & Gilbert, carriage manu- facturers. In 1846 he removed to Fly Creek, Otsego county, New York, and engaged in business for himself. He was postmaster of that town from 1860 to 1884. He was a Re- publican. He married, at Lansingburg, New York, Katherine Oakley, born in 1814, died December 17, 1892 ; children : Sanford S., born February 12, 1838; Amelia, January II, 1840; Frecman W., August 2, 1842; Eugene G., June 19, 1844; Mary J., April 25, 1846, George, October 21, 1847, died December 8, 1840: Georgianna, June 12, 1850; Charles R., April 29, 1852; Emery S., February 27, 1854. Freeman and Eugene served in Company F, One Hundred Twenty-first New York Regiment : Freeman died May 3, 1863, at bat- tle of Fredericksburg, and Eugene died at An- napolis, Maryland, June 4, 1865, having just been exchanged after spending eight months


1063


MASSACHUSETTS.


in Andersonville Prison, but being too weak from starvation to recuperate.


(III) Charles R., fifth son of Silas W. and Katharine (Oakley) Alger, was born April 29, 1852, at Fly Creek, New York, and attended the public schools of his native town, after which he worked with his father ten years, being assistant postmaster. In 1880 he started in business as undertaker, and in 1883 removed to Cooperstown, New York, where he remained until 1889, and then took in a partner, to whom he sold his interest in a short time. For about four and a half years he was employed as a travelling salesman. In 1896 re removed to Holyoke, Massachusetts, where he purchased the Dickinson undertak- ing establishment. He is an active worker in the Methodist church, of which he is a trus- tee. He is a member of Mount Tom Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, also of the Chapter and Council; is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is past noble grand; also belongs to the Knights of Pythias and Knights of Malta. He married, October 14, 1874, at Fly Creek, New York Alice M., daughter of Everett L. and Caroline (Simonds) Colburn, and they have one child (adopted) Charles Floyd, born in 1879.


CLEVELAND In the North Riding of Yorkshire, England, lies the district of Cleveland, from which is derived the family name, and although neglected geographically it has been deemed sufficiently beautiful, popular and in- teresting to inspire three historians, a work on the dialect peculiar to its inhabitants, and a geographical treatise. The founder of the family in New England came from county Suffolk, and a research among the records of births, marriages and burials from 1542 to 1622. preserved at the ancient church of St. Nicholas, in old Ipswich, that county, would probably throw some light upon their English ancestors. Beside former President Grover Cleveland, several other Americans of this name have won national distinction.


(I) Moses (or Moyses) Cleveland ( some- times written Cleaveland), the common an- cestor of Clevelands of New England, was born at Ipswich, in Suffolk, probably in 1621, and at the time of his emigration from London (1635) was an indentured apprentice to a housewright. He was made a freeman in Woburn, Massachusetts, at the time of his ma- jority in 1643, and died there January 9, 1700-


02. According t the Woburn records he ac- quired some political prominence, and was admitted to full communion with the First Church in Charlestown in 1692. . September 26, 1648, he married Ann Winn, born about 1626, either in England or Wales, daughter of Edward and Joanna Winn. Children, all born in Woburn: Moses, Hannah, Aaron, Samuel, Miriam, Joanna (who died at age of six years), Edward, Josiah, Isaac, Joanna and Enoch.


(II) Sergeant Samuel, third son and fourth child of Moses and Ann ( Winn) Cleveland, was born in Woburn, June 9, 1657. He was a soldier in King Philip's war, where he de- rived his military title, and about 1780 went to reside in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, where he purchased land the following year. He subsequently became one of the pioneer set- tlers in Canterbury, Connecticut, whither he was joined by his brother Josiah, who also went there from Chelmsford. Sergeant Sam- uel Cleveland died in Canterbury, March 12, 1735-36. He married, in Chelmsford, May 17, 1680, Jane Keyes, born in Newbury, Massachusetts, October 25, 1660, daughter of Solemon and Frances (Grant) Keyes; she died without issue, November 4, 1681. He married (second) in Chelmsford, May 22, 1682, Persis Hildreth, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Hildreth. She was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, February 8, 1660, died in Canterbury, February 22, 1698. In 1699 he married (third) Mrs. Margaret Fish, of Canterbury, a widow. Children of his second marriage: Persis, Samuel, Joseph, Elizabeth and Mary; of his third marriage: Abigail and Timothy.


(III) Sergeant Joseph, second son and third child of Sergeant Samuel and Persis (Hildreth) Cleveland, was born in Chelms- ford, July 18, 1689, and died in Canterbury, March II. 1766. He married, February 7, 1710-II, Abigail Hyde, born in Cambridge, August 8, 1688, daughter of Jonathan and Dorothy ( Kidder) Hyde. She died in Can- terbury. He married (second) Sarah Ains- worth (or Ensworth), born in Plainfield, June 12, 1600, daughter of Alexander Ainsworth ; she died in Canterbury, June 21, 1761. Chil- dren, all of first marriage : Ephraim, Jonathan, Benjamin, Dorothy, John Elijah, Persis, Ezra and Samuel.


(IV) Benjamin, third son of Joseph and Abigail ( Hyde) Cleveland, was born May 20, 1714, at Canterbury, Connecticut, and died in 1797 at East Brookfield, Vermont. His wife


1064


MASSACHUSETTS.


Rachel, whom he married in 1736, died in 1792, at Lyme, New Hampshire. Children, born at Canterbury: Joseph, Benjamin, Dor- othy, Abigail, Zenas, Rachel, Persis, Rufus, Mary and Phebe.


(V) Zenas, third son of Benjamin and Rachel Cleveland, born 1749; lived at Brook- field, Vermont, from 1786 till 1790, and died August 27, 1821, at the age of seventy-two, at Litchfield, Pennsylvania. From his boyhood he suffered with lameness, caused by a fever sore, and he learned the trade of shoemaker. In 1773 he married Eunice Ludington, who died at Litchfield, May 1, 1824. Children: I. Eunice, born about 1774. 2. Betsey, 1776. 3. Zenas, September, 1778. 4. Elinor, or Eleanor, April 10, 1780. 5. Anna, 1782 ; died 1786. 6. James, born October 30, 1784; died August IO, 1786. 7. Flora, lived with her father at Bethel, New York, and went west with him.


(VI) Eunice, eldest child of Zenas and Eunice (Ludington) Cleveland, married a Mr. Wing, and had a child, Freeman Wing, and perhaps others. She lived at one time near Albany, New York. Her husband died and she subsequently married Isaac Alger (see Alger ).


RAMAGE This is an old Scotch family, and they have records of their members in Scotland for nearly two centuries. Most of them learned the trade of paper-maker, which they have successfully followed for several generations.


(I) Tradition says John Ramage was born about 1731, and was a witness of the execution of Wilson, the Smuggler, in Edinburgh, Scot- land, which is mentioned in Sir Walter Scott's "The Heart of Midlothian."


(II) William, son of John Ramage, was born in 1751, and died at Valleyfield, Scotland, in 1832. He married Helen Bertran, who died at Valleyfield, in 1820.


(III) William (2), son of William ( I) and Helen (Bertran) Ramage, was born March 10, 1778. and died at Lowmill, Penicuick parish, Scotland, January 23, 1864. He was married by Mr. McEwan, of Howgate, De- cember 26, 1800, to Helen Hill, born Novem- ber 10, 1778, died at Lowmill, October 4, 1856. Children: 1. James, born December 4. 1801. 2. Janet, January 26, 1803. 3. Helen, October 18, 1806. 4. John, February 9, 1809; died January 7, 1811. 5. Margaret, December 28, 1810; married Andrew Warden. 6. Robert, July 13, 1814. 7. William, October 11, 1816. 8. A son, born and died same day, in July,


1812. 9. A son, born and died same day, June 23, 1820.


(IV) James, eldest son of William (2) and Helen (Hill) Ramage, was born in Penicuick, Scotland, December 4, 1801, and at the age of fifteen was apprenticed to a Mr. McCowan, of whom his father had also learned the trade of paper-making. In 1825 he married Christine Hunter : children: Margaret, Helen, Kath- erine, John, Adam, William, James, Robert, Joseph, and one died in infancy.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.