Genealogy, local history and historical research in New England . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and other interesting places.
This weathercock is above the Durnstein Abbey, famous for the blue and white tower. The weathercock above the church is typical of European weathervanes, since the 9th century when there was a Papal decree for each church to feature a rooster in honor of St. Peter's denial of Christ three times before the cock crowed on Good Friday. The original chapel was built in 1372, and in the 15th century an…
The Locke Family Association Center Cemetery, Rye, New Hampshire On August 25, 1891 the descendants of John Locke (1627 - 1696) of Rye, New Hampshire gathered in the town hall for a family reunion. The next day was the 195th anniversary of John Locke's death, and the meeting continued at the town hall to organize a permanent organization. This was the birth of the Locke Family Association, which…
It is difficult to see in the photo below, but there are three weathervanes on the facade of the Matthias Church. Above the main door to the entrance there is a weathercock, and to the left are two banners. The rooster is a common weathervane above churches, ever since the 9th century Papal degree by Nicholas I stated that all churches display a rooster as a Christian symbol (acknowleging…
Today's weathervane was photographed in Prague, Hungary. This Maltese Cross weathervane was photographed at the Our Lady Beneath the Chain church in the Malá Strana neighborhood of Prague in Hungary. It is very close to the Charles Bridge on Lazenska Street, and around the corner from the John Lennon Wall. This church was built betweeen 1158 and 1182 and was the headquarters for the Sorvereign…
Seventeen years ago I was writing short sketches on local history for a Londonderry website. I submitted the stories each month, and learned that I was part of something called a community "blog". It was easy to do, and I thought "I can do my own blog" and so I started Nutfield Genealogy on July 27th, 2009. The first story I wrote was about my long time brickwall ancestor project that started in…
The George Flint House in North Reading, Mass. This is the 12th post I have written about a Revolutionary War veteran ancestor. George Flint, my 5th great grandfather, was the son of George Flint (b. 1686) and Jerusha Pope, born on 16 November 1728 in what is now the town of North Reading, Massachusetts. His mother, Jerusha, was the daughter of Joseph Pope and Bethshua Folger (the sister to Abiah…
Today's featured weathervane was photographed in New Bedford, Massachusetts. This two dimensional sperm whale weathervane is located on the cupola over the front door of the Fairfield Inn on the waterfront in New Bedford harbor. It is a very appropriate weathervane for the location, since New Bedford is famous as a whaling seaport and home to Herman Melville, the author of the novel Moby Dick: or,…
1832 map of Ipswich, Massachusetts This is the 11th Revolutionary War ancestor I have written about in this series. My 5th great grandfather Amos Burnham was born on 13 July 1735 in Ipswich, Massachusetts, the son of David Burnham and Elizabeth Marshall. On 27 January 1757 he married Sarah Giddings in Ipswich. She was the daughter of Thomas Giddings and Martha Smith, born in 1737. Sarah and Amos…
Today's weathervane was photographed in Fall River, Massachusetts. We spotted this little bi-plane over the cupola on the Bay Coast Bank in Fall River, Massachusetts, at 310 Airport Road. There is no longer an airport in Fall River, since the municipal airport closed in 1996. There was a very big landfill next to the airport, and the FAA closed the airport due to the large number of seagulls in…
A guest sketch by James H. McConihe, a direct descendant The reason this sketch did not get written sooner is that John McConihe is hard to find in the records — not because he wasn't there, but because the early Londonderry clerks could not agree on how to spell his name. The name twelve clerks could not agree on Across the Early Records of the Town of Londonderry, Windham and Derry, N.H.,…
At the Wilson Family Burial Ground, Peabody, Massachusetts ROBERT WILSON Died Jan. 4, 1797 Aged 51 [epitaph illegible] This is Patriot #10 I have written about for this series on my Revolutionary War ancestors. Robert Wilson is my 5th great grandfather. He was born in Salem Village (after 1775 it was known as the town of Danvers), Massachusetts around 1746, the son of Robert Wilson (1724 - 1782)…
Abner Poland's Badge of Merit certificate signed by General George Washington This is #9 in my series of Revolutionary War Ancestors. Abner Poland, Jr. was born on 17 May 1761 in Chebacco Parish, Ipswich, Massachusetts (now the town of Essex), the son of Abner Poland and Dorothy Burnham. Last week I featured Abner Poland, Sr. in sketch #8 because he was also a Revolutionary War veteran. Abner, Jr.…
Essex, Massachusetts - The former Chebacco Parish of Ipswich, Massachusetts This is blog post #8 on my series of stories about my Revolutionary War ancestors. Abner Poland, baptized 17 October 1736 in the Chebacco Parish of Ipswich (now the town of Essex), on Cape Ann, Massachusetts, was the son of John Poland (1693 - 1777), a weaver from Chebacco Parish, and Abigail Davis of Gloucester. She was…
Vivian Hir, Class of 2025 presented a history of New House A few months ago we attended an interesting reunion at MIT. It wasn't a class reunion, or a family reunion, but it was a 50th anniversary of my husband's dorm (known at MIT as a living group). I thought about how little genealogists use college, school, or university records, and this reunion created a lot of epherma, presentations, and…
The David Burnham house in Essex, Massachusetts built by Capt. Westley Burnham's grandfather This is the 7th patriot ancestor I have written in this series of blog posts. My 6th great grandfather, Westley Burnham, was born on 17 August 1747 in the Chebacco Parish of Ipsiwch, Massachusetts (now the town of Essex), the son of Westley Burnham (1719 - 1797) and Deborah Story. He was a descendant of…
The Agawam Hotel in Ipswich, Massachusetts was formerly the Treadwell Tavern, before the mansard roof and porches were added. This is Patriot #6 in my series of blog posts about ancestors in the Revolutionary War. Nathaniel Treadwell, my 5th great grandfather, was baptized in Ipswich, Massachusetts on 28 October 1753. He was the son of Jabez Treadwell (1713 - 1780) and Lucy Haskell (1715 - 1769)…
Do you remember the Bicentennial in 1976? Or the Quasquibicentennial in 2001? Growing up in Massachusetts, we always celebrated a year early, for example April 19, 1975 was the 200th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Patriot's Day is coming soon, and it reminded me of these special anniversary memories. On April School vacation in 1976 my family took a roadtrip to Walt Disney…
The Gloucester Fisherman's Memorial This is #5 in a series of posts I am publishing this year for the 250th Anniversary of the USA. My 5th great grandfather Levi Younger was born on 7 February 1756 in Gloucester, Massachusetts, the son of William Younger and Lucy Foster. He was the second of three sons, and his sister was the famous Thomasine AKA Tammy Younger, "The Witch of Dogtown". All three…
During the COVID lockdown millions of people sought relief from being inside by visiting the White Mountains National Forest in New Hampshire and Maine. Its proximity to major urban areas like Boston made it an extremely popular place for day visitors. Usually, the White Mountains see about 6 million visitors annually. In the summer of 2020, the visitation rates exceeded the rates of major…
This is #4 in my series of blog posts about my ancestors who served in the American Revolution. This painting depicts Glover's Regiment rowing General Washington across the Delaware River Daniel Glover is my 6th great grandfather, the son of Jonathan Glover, Jr. and Tabitha Bacon, born in January 1734/35 in Salem, Massachusetts. He married Hannah Jillings on 1 December 1757 in Newbury,…
Like many cities, Madrid, Spain has a city hall, and an old city hall known as "Casa de la Villa". This building was planned by King Phillip IV in 1629, and building commenced in 1644 and was not complete until 1692. There are several square towers, and a clock tower with spires. Above all this elegance are three weathervanes and many finials shaped like crosses. The buildings are in a medieval…
American Ancestors (The New England Historic Genealogical Society) Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts I haven't made the trip into Boston to visit American Ancestors (The New England Historic Genealogical Society) on Newbury Street since before COVID. The library and archive was closed for a long time due to COVID, and then closed due to rennovations that included adding another whole building.…
This is Patriot #3 in this series of blog posts about my ancestors in the Revolutionary War. My 5th great grandfather Jonathan Flint was born on 11 August 1730 in Reading, Massachusetts, the son of Jonathan Flint (b. 1689) and Mary Collston Hart. Mary was the daughter of Elizabeth Collston, who was only 16 when she was accused of being a witch during the 1692 witchcraft hysteria. She was arrested…
The New Hampshire team is working with this rendering to create their panel for the America's Tapestry Project This year will mark the 250th anniversary since July 4th, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, usually recognized as the birthday of the United States of America. The America's Tapestry project is a collaboration of the 13 states representing the original 13 colonies who…
The Reverend Morrison meetinghouse was built in 1770 originally erected on the corner of Harvey and Pillsbury Roads, and it moved to it's current location at 256 Mammoth Road in 1845 by a team of oxen. Over more than 250 years it was a meetinghouse, and then the town hall, the public library, and more recently it was known as the Lion's Hall. The structure is owned by the town of Londonderry. Now…