USA > Vermont > Caledonia County > Ryegate > History of Ryegate, Vermont, from its settlement by the Scotch-American company of farmers to present time; > Part 54
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iii. Alfred Kelsey,3 b. Sept. 4, 1859; farmer on homestead.
iv. Henry McCole, b. Aug. 25, 1863; farmer on homestead.
3 HORACE DUNCAN, 2 (Nathaniel,1) b. Ryegate, June 14, 1821 ; left home at 18; att. Peacham and Lyndon Acad's for a short time; worked for his bro. Samuel 4 yrs., for Scott Bros., Wells River 4 yrs., for Gen. R. M. Richardson at Wells River one year; in part ownership with the latter 8 yrs. Went to Michigan, 1854, settled at Saugatuck, near mouth of Kalamazoo river; built lumber mill, and bought tract of timber; in lumber bus. 20 yrs., with lumber yard at Kenosha, Wis .; rem. to Alle- gan, Mich., 1884. He m. 1864, Tamar W., only dau. Boyd W. Phillips of Allegan, where they live.
Children :
i. Winona,3 b. Saugatuck, Oct. 18, 1865; m. 1st, Oct. 17, 1887, A. Mahew Sherwood of Allegan, who d. Det. 22, 1894. 2d, Nov. 11, 1902, Artus W. Sherwood, bro. of first hus. Ch. (by 1st m.) (1) Mignon Moore,4 b. March 17, 1889. (2) Horace Mayhew,4 b. March 25, 1894.
ii. Maude,3 b. March 15, 1868; d. June, 1871 ; bur. Saugatuck.
iii. Pearl W., 3 b. Kenosha, Wis , Oct. 3, 1872; m. June 8, 1898, J. S. Gray of Chatham, Can. Ch. Muriel Eleanor,4 b. Jan. 8, 1902.
iv. Pansy Dorothy,3 b. Saugatuck. July 21, 1877; m. Oct. 31, 1899, Sidney Beach Treinble of Chicago, who was accidentally shot and killed Nov. 1908. Ch. (1) Sidney Beach,4 b. July 8, 1901. (2) Dorothy Helen, 4 b. Dec. 13, 1907.
4 ROBERT MITCHELL,2 b. Ryegate, April 12, 1831; m. 1st. 1857, Mary Jane, dau. Dea. Willard Gill of McIndoes. Went west locating at Hamil- ton, Mich., in lumber bus., also built a flour mill there; transferred his business to Douglas, Mich., on the Kalamazoo river, in flour and lum- ber bus. there several years ; closed out his bus. there and with his oldest son, Charles W., located and invested extensively in Louisana cypress timber ; founded the Berwick Lumber Co. building mills and making lumber; later, sold out, and with his son bought in the Ramos Lumber Co .; was also interested in Colorado silver mines. Six chil. by 1st m., who all d. young, except the oldest son, Charles W., who was his partner in bus., and who d. at Saugatuck, Mich., May 5, 1907; bur Hamilton, Mich. Mary J., wife of Robert M. Moore, d. Nov. 5, 1880; bur. at Hamilton, Mich., by her chil. He m. 2d. Jan. 27, 1883, Ada Stratton of Chicago, Ill., who d. 1902 at the family home at Holland, Mich. He d. there 1904; bur. at Holland.
Children by 2d marriage:
i. Robert Mitchell,3 b. June 5, 1885; m. Aug. 1907, Emily Thorpe of Chi- cago.
ii. Leah Moore,3 b. April 8, 1889; res. Holland, Mich.
455
GENEALOGY-MOORE.
5 JOHN ATKINSON, 3 (Samuel A.,2 Nathaniel,1) b. Jan. 13, 1847; in clothing bus. at St. Johnsbury ; d. Asheville, N. C., Feb. 18, 1898; bur. at St. J. He m. Kate, dau. Hiram Hill.
Children :
i. John Hiram,4 b. March 4, 1872
ii. Lillias Ida,4 b. June 24, 1874; d. Dec. 10, 1888.
iii. Samuel A.,4 b. Sept. 22, 1876. Merchant at St. Johnsbury.
iv. Marion F.,4 b. June 20, 1879.
v. Hartwell D.,4 b. April 21, 1882.
vi. Andrew B., 4 b. Aug. 31, 1885.
vii. Frederick,4 b. Sept. 24, 1888.
viii. Joseph Hill,4 b. Jan. 4, 1891.
MOORE.
RICHARD,1 was a cousin of Nathaniel Moore (see previous record) and was b at Pembroke, N. H .; settled in Bow, N. H .. but seems to have come to R., by Mr. Miller's account.
His children were Richard,2 (see later,) David,2 Moses,2 a soldier in the war of 1812; Hannah,2 b. at Bow, 1772; m. William Nelson,2 q. v., and Martha,2 who m. Alexander Buchanan of Barnet and was the mother of Mrs. Peter Gibson and Mrs. Wm. McColl, both of Ryegate.
RICHARD,2 (Richard,1) b. Pembroke, N. H., was brought up by Robert 2 Nel- son and m. Lucy Scarrett of Conn. He settled in Lyman, N. H. Six children, of whom Harry 3 was the oldest.
HARRY,3 (Richard,2 Richard,1) b. Lyman, Nov. 24, 1809; came to Ryegate, 1831, and went into business with Nathaniel Batchelder, leasing the Robert Whitelaw tannery, which they carried on a few yrs. In 1843 he went into partnership with John Gibson. and they bought the Peters tannery and harness making at the Corner, conducting the business there till about 1858; rem. to McIndoes 1859 and was sta- tion agent several years. Held several town offices and was Assistant Judge of Caledonia Co. Court. Member of Cons. Con., 1843 and 1850. He m. Dec. 29, 1836, Marion, dau. Robert2 Gibson (b. Oct. 18, 1809; d. McIndoes, Nov. 5, 1869.) He d. Jan. 29, 1883.
Children :
i. Mary,4 b. Ryegate, 1849; m. Hon. Wm. H. Gilchrist of McIndoes, where she d. Jan. 12, 1896. One ch. d. in infancy.
MORRILL.
EBENEZER,1 Morrill came from Methuen, Mass., and lived in Danville for a time. He m. 1st., a Miss McLane. He and his brother Manning were in company in the stage business, carrying on a line of stages from Haverhill to Stanstead. This record is by Mr. Miller. Mr. Morrill came to Ryegate about 1820 and bought the Josiah Page farm; staid about two years, went back to D., ret. in 1825, and kept tavern where the great elm south of the Corner marks the site. There were formerly two of these elms, one on each side of the main entrance. He built the brick house for a tavern in 1830, finishing it in 1831; was also farmer and blacksmith.
Children :
i. John,2 (called Jack) b. Danville, 1815; m. Minerva Dole of D., ab. 1841, who d. and he m. 2d, Martha (Dole) who m. 1st, David Nelson, and 2d, John Cameron. He kept tavern in the brick house about 1837, for a few years. then went to Charleston, Vt. No chil.
ii. William,2 b. Danville, 1818; came to R., built a store and began trade about 1837; in Oct. 1839, he and Joshua Bailey of Newbury began to keep tavern and were burned out in Dec. following. He m. ab. 1852, Nancy, dau. Moses Clark of Newbury (b. March 19, 1835.
456
HISTORY OF RYEGATE, VERMONT.
iii. Alfred,2 b. Ryegate, 1824; m. in Aug. 1852, Lucia Wheeler of Durham, P. Q. Went west and served in the Civil war in Co. H, 44th Wiscon- sin, and was in the army of the Cumberland; lived also in Canada, but for many of his later years in Benton, N. H. Mr. Morrill is one of the oldest native residents of Ryegate; remembers well James Whitelaw and William Nelson and has given interesting particulars for this volume.
iv. Charles,2 b. ab. 1827; settled at St. Johnsbury.
MORRISON.
Tradition says that the Morrisons are of Norwegian ancestry, and settled in the Island of Lewis on the west coast of Scotland. The name is said to be derived from the Gaelic "Mhor." meaning famous. and the addi- tion of son, meaning "Son of the mighty one." It is believed that all of the name in No. America are descended from this family, the earliest coming to New Haven 1663, others in Canada, Pa., Va., N. H., and Georgia.
ANGUS Morrison, a farmer, lived at Vatisken, Island of Lewis, in the Hebrides, on the west coast of Scotland. His sons were Kenneth, William and John who were farmers and fishermen, and a dau. Isabel. Kenneth, 1 had 4 sons,-Alexander, 2 Murdoch,2 Angus,2 and Donald .? The first and last rem. on the Island. Murdoch and Angus came to Canada and settled at Dell, Quebec. He also had 2 daus. Katherine came to Canada with her bros., m. Norman McDonald, and has a family.
MURDOCH,2 (Kenneth,1) b. Island of Lewis; came to Canada and settled at Dell, P. Q .; m. in Scotland, Isabel McIver. He d. at Dell, July 2, 1887 ; his 2d w. was Marion McIver. They were of the sturdy Gaelic speak- ing stock.
Children :
i. Kenneth,3 b. Scotland; lived at one time in Groton ; res. Dell, P. Q.
ii. Katharine, 3 b Scotland, d. Lakeport, N. H.
Murdock, 3 b. Scotland ; came to Am. when a young man; lumberman, then quarryman on Blue Mt., ab. 8 yrs , then leased a quarry of M. H. Gibson for 10 yrs., in Co. with Murdock & A. D. Morrison. The two latter withdrew. Norman and Murdock Mckenzie and D. A. Morrison came into the Co. The two former withdrew and later D. A. Morrison, who dropped out later, Murdock finishing the lease alone in fall of 1910; res. Vancouver, B. C., un-m.
iv. John,3 b. Dell, P. Q., March 15, 1875; came to Vt., 1894; granite cutter at So. R. He m. Nov. 21, 1901, Bertha J., dau. John McColl. Mem- ber of Ist Pres. ch. In 1910 they boughta farm in Barnet and rem. there. Naturalized June 10, 1902.
ANGUS,2 (Kenneth,1) b. Island of Lewis; came to Am. when. 15 vrs. old, set- tled at Limerick, Compton Co., P. Q., where he has a large farm. He m. Jan. 4, 1872, Cristy, dau. Rory and Margaret Murry (b. Lewis; came to Canada when 4 yrs. old, one of a fam. of 10 chil.) Members of the Pres. ch. at Dell, P. Q., and all the family speak Gaelic.
Children :
i. Kenneth, 3 b. Ang. 12, 1875; d. March 1, 1899.
1
ii. Donald,3 b June 27, 1877.
iii. Alex,3 b. June 26. 1879. Quarryman on Blue Mt. some time; merchant at Milan, P. Q.
1V. Margaret,3 b. June 25, 1883; m. Donald D. Morrison, res. Tolsta, P. Q. 5 ch.
v. Malcolm, b. June 15, 1885; d. Jan. 16, 1886,
vi. Kate, 3 b. Aug. 12, 1889 ; d. Nov. 23, 1901.
vii. Infant dau., b. Dec. 20; d. Dec. 25, 1894.
457
GENEALOGY-MORRISON.
1
DONALD A.,3 (Angus,2, Kenneth,1) b. June 27, 1877; came to R. 1899; leased a quarry on Blue Mt., from M. H. Gibson, with M. M. Morrison, and Murdo Mckenzie, with the firm name of D. A. Morrison & Co. After- ward he became manager of the Osgood quarry. He m. at St. Johns- bury, Sept. 20, 1902, by Rev. J. M. Frost, Kate, dau Murdo J. and Katie [Madison] McDonald. Members of U. P. ch., So. Ryegate, in which he is an elder.
Children :
i. Kenneth Norman,4 b. Sept. 7, 1903.
ii. Donald Beaton, + b. April 7, 1905.
iii. Hugh Thomas,4 b. Oct. 7, 1907.
iv. Angus Rory,4 b. Jan. 20, 1910.
MORRISON.
BRADLEY,1 Morrison. b. Groton, Oct. 10, 1802 ; came to Ryegate and bought the farm where his gr. son, James Morrison lives, building that house in 1829. He was an active, energetic man, one of the prominent farm- ers of the Wells River Valley. He was m. Jan. 13, 1830, by Rev. James Milligan, to Avis Jones (b. Topsham, April 18, 1803; d. Jan. 11, 1879.) He d. Nov. 30, 1879; bur. in Groton cem. Children all born in Ryegate.
1
i. Orange G.,2 b. Feb. 4, 1832.
2 ii. James J.,2 b. May 24, 1834.
iii. Sunderland,2 b. May 22, 1837; d. Oct. 7, 1839.
iv. Harriet,2 b. May 9, 1839; in. Jan. 31, 1863, Moses Brossea. She d. Feb. 14, 1872 ; bur. Groton cem. He went west. Ch. (1) Louise A, 3 b. Dec. 4. 1864; is m. and lives in Texas. (2) Bradley,3 b. Feb. 5, 1869; d. Nov. 3, 1873.
1 ORANGE G.,2 (Bradley,1) b. Feb. 4, 1832; m. by Rev. John Bole, March 1, 1855, Elizabeth, dau. David Miller (b. Ryegate, Oct. 12, 1833; d. Groton, Dec. 5, 1811.) Members of Un. Pres, ch., So. Ryegate; farmer on homestead many yrs., lived six yrs. in Littleton, N. H., then at Groton village.
Children all born in Ryegate.
i. Winona, 3 b. Dec. 1855; m. 1874, A. H. Noyes of St. Johnsbury, and d. there Oct. 20, 1907.
ii. Marion,3 b. May, 1861; d. Littleton, N. H., Feb. 10, 1872.
iii. Margaret J.,3 m. James Markham.
iv. Artemesia M.,3, b. Oct. 1865; m. Henry W. Henderson, q. v.
2 JAMES J.,2 (Bradley,1) b. April 24, 1834 ; he m. Nov. 17, 1867, Alice Jennett, dau. James Latto (b. 1843; d. Feb. 18, 1906.) They lived in Groton, rem. 1869 to the homestead in R. where he d. Feb. 26, 1908.
Children :
i. Orange B.,3 b. July 3, 1869, on the Albert Whitehill place in Groton; farmer on the old homestead. He m. Feb. 3, 1904, Ella Jennette, dau. John and Sarah (Morton) Butson, (b. Topsham, July 3, 1871; ed. com. schools, Peacham Acad. and Montpelier Sem.)
ii. Hattie Bell.3 b. Groton, Sept. 16, 1873; m. Dec. 19, 1900, Herbert Ingalls Randall (s. of Henry and Clara [Tucker] Randall, b. Newbury, Feb. 9, 1873; miller and in feed and grain bus. at Wolcott, Vt.) Ch. (1) Earle Morrison,4 (Randall) b. June 3, 1901. (2) Adlee Hattie,4 b. March 25, 1903. (3) Aileen,4 b. Sept. 9, 1905. (4) Herbert Stanley, 4 b. April 2, 1909. (5) Clifford Latto 4 b. March 26, 1911.
iii. Rosie May,3 b. Groton, July 14, 1875 ; d. March 22, 1878.
iv. Rosie May,3 b. Ryegate, March 30, 1879; m. Aug. 6, 1903, William, s. of S. P. and Abigail Welch of Groton and lives there. Ch. (1) Joanna A.,4 ) Welch) b. April 17, 1906. (2) Gertrude A., 4 b. Nov. 3. 1910.
v. Alice Gertrude, 3 b. Ryegate, April 26, 1881; m. Sept. 16, 1903, Bernard,
458
HISTORY OF RYEGATE, VERMONT.
s. of Dr. Seth N., and Evalona (Darling) Eastman; merchant at Groton. Ch. (1) Cyrus Darling,4 (Eastman) b. June 11, 1906. (2) Seth Newton,4 2d, b. Feb. 9, 1911.
vi. Jennie Latto,3 b. Ryegate, May 24, 1885; d. April 1, 1906.
MORRISON.
BRADLEY Morrison and his wife, Sarah Emery of Groton had several children among whom were Bradley, Jr., (see preceding record) Joseph and another brother, and several sisters.
JOSEPH,1 m. Sarah,'dau. Robards Darling; 8 chil. of whom 5 are living.
GILMORE,2 (Joseph,1) b. Groton, Jan. 11, 1833. His parents rem. to Barnet, farmer and carpenter; lived in Ryegate many yrs., but bought the Walter Harvey farm in Barnet where he now resides. He m. Jan. 12, 1858, Hannah Eliza, dau. Nathaniel Knight (b. Ryegate, March 16. 1840). Members, with most of their chil., of the U. P. ch., Ryegate. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison celebrated their golden wedding Aug. 25, 1908, all their chil. being present with their husbands and wives, with the exception of Mr. Goodnow and Mrs. Henry B. Morrison and two chil. Seventeen gr. chil. were present, and the occasion was graced by the presence of a large assemblage of friends.
Children :
i. Joseph Chandler,3 b. Ryegate, April 29, 1859; farmer ; m. Sept. 14, 1887, Christina Shields (b. Craftsbury, Aug. 12, 1858.) Ch. (1) Alexan- der Shields,4 b. Ryegate, Aug. 7, 1888. (2) Ruby Jean,4 b. Peacham, Jan. 16, 1890.
ii. Henry Bartlett,3, b. Ryegate, Oct. 30, 1860; res. St. Paul, Minn .; in em- ploy of Noyes, Cutler Bros., wholesale druggists; m. Aug. 26, 1896, Margaret Burt Bowie of St. Paul, Minn. Ch. (1) Robert Bowie,4 b. St. P., Feb. 20, 1899. (2) Henry Bartlett,+ b. St. P., June 5. 1901. iii. Nathaniel Ellsworth, 3 b. Ryegate, Aug. 12, 1862 ; carpenter.
iv. Pliny Gilinore, 3 b. Ryegate, Oct. 14, 1864; pattern maker and partner in Concord Foundry Co., Concord, N. H.
v. Martha McLam,3 b. Ryegate, Nov. 6, 1866; m. May 25, 1886, James Shields of Barnet (b. April 5, 1857.) Ch. (1) Wm. Boyd,4 (Shields) July 27, 1887. (2) James Elwyn,4 b. Dec. 25, 1899. (3) Ethel Lur- line,4 b. Nov. 13, 1891 ; d. Aug. 25, 1903. (4) Olive Eliza.+ b. Feb. 24, 1893. (5) Kenneth Gilmore,4 b. Aug. 15, 1895; d. Feb. 16, 1896. (6) Virgil Paul,4 b. March 23, 1897. (7) Vera Lillian,4 b. March 21, 1900. (8) Verna Lillian,4 (twin to above). (9) Robert DeForest,4 b. Feb. 5, 1902. (10) Lurline,4 b. Jan. 4, 1904. (11) Ellsworth,4 b. Aug. 7, 1907.
vi. Ethel Vivian,3 b. Ryegate, Aug. 18, 1868; grad. Johnson, Vt., Normal sch., 1892.
vii. Phebe Eunice,3 b. Barnet, Nov. 7, 1870; grad. State Normal sch., Win- ona, Minn., 1893; m. Jan. 4, 1899, Virgil P. Goodnow of Buffalo Lake, Minn. Ch. (1) Virgil Keith,4 b. Oct. 5, 1902. (2) Dorothy Eunice.+ b. June 21, 1904. (3) Mary Theresa,4 b. Nov. 28; d. Dec. 1,1907.
viii. - Lillian Sarah, 3 b. Barnet, Nov. 22, 1872; grad. Moody Training sch., Northfield, Mass .; m. Edward Tomlinson (b. Aug. 14, 1870; Gen. Sec. Y. M. C. A., Wilmerding, Pa.)
ix. Caroline Knight,8 b. Jan. 29, 1874; m Lee Somers. q. v.
x. Lawrie Byron,8 b. Barnet, Oct. 17, 1875; Ass. Supt. Mary Fletcher Hos- pital. Burlington, Vt .; m. Dec. 26, 1905, Fanny Rowe of Peacham (b, Jan. 11, 1879). Ch. Harvey Rowe, 4 b. Burlington, April 15, 1907.
xi. Theresa Eleanor,3 b. Ryegate, March 3, 1878; grad. Univ. of Minn., 1902. Went to Japan as a pioneer worker under the committee of the Am. Dep. of the World's Y. W. C. A .; reached Yokohama Jan. 10, 1904 ; her work aside from learning the language was in teaching and
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GILMORE MORRISON FAMILY IN 1908, ON 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
FRONT ROW .- THERESA ELINOr, PAUL KNIGHT. SECOND ROW .- LAWRIE BYRON, MARTHA MCLAM SHIELDS, SAMUEL GILMORE AND MRS. HANNAH ELIZA, JOSEPH CHAMBERLIN, CAROLINE KNIGHT-SOMERS. THIRD ROW .- SARAH LILLIAN THOMILSON, NATHANIEL ELLS- WORTH, ETHEL VIVIAN, PLINY GILMORE, PHEBE EUNICE GOODNOW, HENRY BARTLETT.
٠٢١:٧٢ 'ADATTORE.
459
GENEALOGY-MORRISON.
conducting Bible classes among the young women students at the various schools in Tokio. editing a small monthly periodical, and studying the conditions of the country and its people. Left Japan in Dec. 1905; now at home.
xii. Paul Knight,3 b. Ryegate, Sept. 21, 1881; m. Jan. 4, 1910, Ethel Eliza Merrill of Amherst, N. H. Ch. Paul Knight,4 b. Sept. 10, 1911.
MORRISON.
JAMES,1 of Bassydroon, parish of St. Ninians, Stirlingshire, Scot .; m. 1790, or '91, Jean, dau. Robert and Jean (Foger) Melles or Maylise. He d. 1803, and she m. 2d, James Robertson and 3rd, William Henderson (See p. 386).
The children of James and Jean Morrison were as follows-all born in Scotland. This record is by Mr. Miller.
1 i. William,2 b. Aug. 27, 1793.
ii. Jean,2 went to Australia, and d. at about 80.
iii. Marion, 2 d y.
iv. Isabel,2 b. 1797; m. William Gilfillan of Barnet.
v. James,2 (twin to Isabel) went to the West Indies, and d. a few yrs. later.
vi. Robert,2 b. 1800; m. Jane Mckinley and went to Michigan. 4 children. Three others who d. y.
1 WILLIAM,2 (James,1) b. Balfron, Stirlingshire, Aug. 27, 1793; came to America in 1818, worked for Thomas Nelson, bought of George Ron- alds the farm now that of M. H. Gibson, and had the spring work done for his stepfather, Wm. Henderson. He m. Jan. 18, 1825, Mar- garet, dau. Thos. Nelson (b. June 17, 1805; d. Nov. 19, 1864.) They settled in Barnet where he d. Nov. 18, 1876. Members of the U. P.ch. Children :
i. Jean,3 h. Oct. 17, 1825; d. March 12, 1827.
ii. James,3 h. Oct. 8, 1827 ; d. April 18, 1835.
iii. Thomas,3 b May 17, 1829; went to Cal. and d. at San Francisco, Oct. 23, 1863.
iv. Mary M .. 3 b. May 3, 1831; m. Feb. 14, 1855, Geo. Vincent Wells of Brownstone, Mich. She was a teacher in Rvegate, making her home with her aunt, Mrs. Dickey. Four chil., all became teachers.
v. William.3 b. Nov. 23, 1833; d. April 6, 1835.
vi. Robert,3 b. July 31; 1836; d. Jan. 31, 1840.
vii. Margaret.3 b. Dec. 3, 1839; in. Oct. 7, 1862, Henry A. Gilfillan of Barnet. 5 children.
viii. William,3 b. Nov. 3, 1843.
MORSE.
HENRY ELKINS, 1 son of Ephraim and Betsey Morse, who moved from Brook- field, Mass., to Peacham ab. 1812; b. Peacham, 1828; lived near Boltonville. He m. April 17, 1849, Marion Wallace, dau. Stephen P. Nelson. He served in the civil war in the 9th Vt., and d. from a wound in the temple at Yorktown, Va., Sept. 23, 1863. He was a brother of Lucy W. Morse who m. Wm. T. Whitelaw.
Children :
i. Mary Ellen,2 b. Oct. 31, 1850; m. Selden F. Leonard. Res. Lisbon, N. H. Ch. Carrie Marion, 3 and Meysia Effie,3 both dead.
ii. Carleton Henry 2 b. Jan. 29, 1852; m. Lizzie Wheelock of Lisbon. Ch. (1) Ernest,3 (dea.) (2) Earl,3 clerk in bank in Boston. He m. 2d a Mrs. Hill.
iii, Effie Voroqua,2 b. Oct. 22, 1855; m. Richard Bennett, (b. 1848 in Cou- burn, Eng .; machinist B. and M. R. R.) Ch. (1) Carl C., 3 [Bennett] b. Sept. 7, 1875; Supt. Thompson Mfg Co., Lancaster, N. H. He m.
460
HISTORY OF RYEGATE, VERMONT.
Beatrice Murphy of L. Ch. Ralph Richard.4 (2) Grace M.,3 b. Woodsville, N. H., 1879; m. 1908, David M. Beck, traveling sales- man ; res. Dorchester, Mass.
iv. William Whitelaw,2 b. April 12, 1857; partner with Johnson & Co., Boston. He m. 1st, Laura Hill. Ch. Maud Marion.3 2d, Christie Templeton. Ch. Marion 3
v. Lucy Whitelaw,2 b. Jan. 6, 1861 ; m. 1880, Irving J. Colby of Lancaster, N. H., and is dead. Ch. Fred C., and Beulah [Colby ].
THE NEILSON FAMILIES OF ERSKINE
Ryegate seems to have been very alluring to people of the Nelson name or lineage, as representatives of several different families are found among the early settlers. It was Mr. Miller's opinion that could the ancestry of each be traced, a. common ancestral tree would show the various families of the name as branches. The name was originally spelled "Neilson." Mr. Miller says that Neil means dark or swarthy, and the word son, affixed, means, "Son of the dark one," an appellation whose origin would probably carry us back several centuries. He further says that the Neilsons are dark or brunettes, and where any of the name have light or blonde complexions these have been derived through inter-marriage with families of lighter hue.
The first settlers of the name spelled it in the ancient form, but by their descendants the silent letter was gradually eliminated. The shire of Renfrew seems to have been the ancestral home of the fam- ily and in many parishes the name was, in 1773, and is still, very common, in others it is not found at all. "The Church and Parish of Inchinnan," while mentioning many names common in Ryegate, does not include any Nelsons, and the histories of several parishes in the shire of Fife do not mention it. All the information we can obtain is but fragmentary, and little has been received since Mr. Miller's death.
By way of beginning somewhere we may say that many Ryegate people are descended from one James Neilson whose children were :
I. JOHN, tea merchant at Paisley. He had sons James and John.
II. WILLIAM, a manufacturer of Paisley, who had 3 sons and 2 daus.
III. JAMES, a weaver in Erskine, who had sons and daus.
IV. ROBERT, a stockbroker in London, who never married.
V. ISABEL, m. John Ritchie, settled and died in Ryegate.
VI. JANET, who m. Archibald Neilson.
VII. ELIZABETH, m. James Esden; died in Ryegate.
Mr. Miller says that this Archibald Neilson, who m. Janet Neilson, was brother to his gt. gr. father, William Neilson, who settled in Rye- gate in 1773. This establishes the connection between several of the early families. Archibald Neilson was a blacksmith and farrier to Lord Blantyre. Archibald and Janet (Neilson) Nelson had children : James, Archibald and John, Ann, who m. 1st, John Peden, and 2d. Alexander Cochran, q. v., Isabel, who m. Archibald Mason (see Mason fam.), Mary, Jean, Margaret and Eltzabeth. The Jean Neilson just mentioned m. James Lauder, who was a plowman to Lord Blantyre. Some years after marriage they came to Topsham and reared a large family, but their only representatives in this vicinity are Mrs. Geo. I .. Hall and her daughters.
In preparing this introductory sketch of the Neilson families the editor acknowledges the kind assistance of Mrs. Bertha Bullock Fol- som of Chicago.
William Neilson the pioneer, who came here in 1773, has had a larger number of descendants than any other man who ever lived in Ryegate, but his ancestry is not known. If any of the letters he re- ceived from Scotland have escaped destruction, they may contain
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GENEALOGY-NELSON.
much relating to his family. Two William Neilsons were members of the Scotch Co., William, "wright," in Gateside, Inchinnan, and Wil- liam, tarmer, in Glenshinock, Erskine. The 2d Neilson family is that of James, half-brother of William, and the 3d is William Neilson 2d from Balfron whose father's name was Alexander and that is all we know about him. A third William Neilson lived in Newbury near to Ryegate coming from Bothwell in 1836, buying "The Hermitage," on which Hon. Peter Burbank had lately died. He m. a dau. of Wm. Buchanan and his 3 dau's m. into Ryegate families. He was known as "Scotch Nelson," to distinguish him from the others, but his relation, if any, to the Ryegate families is not known. Three brothers from southern N. H., Enoch, Jonathan and Stephen P. Nelson settled in Newbury, below Boltonville, and some of their chil. m. in Ryegate. The latest accession to the Nelson families is Mr. Yeaton D. Nelson who is from Maine.
NELSON.
WILLIAM NELSON FAMILY.
WILLIAM Neilson, as the name was spelled by himself and his sons, ancestor of a numerous race, was b. in Erskine, Renfrewshire, Scotland, in 1742. His mother died when he was an infant and he was brought up by a Highland nurse. He learned the carpenter's trade and while working with David Allan became acquainted with some of the men who were talking of forming a company to settle in America and joined heartily with them. He was very ambitious and could not rest content to be, all his life, a tenant farmer ; was very active in forming the Scots-American Company and probably had more money to put in it than any other of the colonists, as his first drawing of land was eight lots, a larger share than that of any one else. He m. ab. 1765, Jean Stewart of Erskine, gt. gr. dau. of John Miller (See Edward Mil- ler Family). William Nelson was one of the first of the company to leave Scotland. The parents of his wife were opposed to her coming to America and had even persuaded her to remain with them. She accompanied him to Glasgow to see him off, but when the time for parting came, her affection for her husband prevailed, and she cast her lot with his. They sailed on the brig Jean for Portsmouth, N. H. The vessel was old and out of repair; it was only by good fortune and constant care, in which his skill as a carpenter was often called into service, that it was kept afloat on what proved to be its last voyage, and they made harbor one day ahead of a great storm. They arrived in Ryegate, Oct. 7, 1774, with their three children, Patrick Lang and family, David Reid and wife, being of the company. He settled on the farm now owned and occupied by Wesson Sargent. While building his cabin he boarded in Newbury, going to and fro daily. In two years he had cleared considerable land and put up good buildings.
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