Edmund Freeman (1596-1682) and Elizabeth Freeman Gravesite in Sandwich, Mass.

This week I stopped to pay my respects at the burial location of Edmund and Elizabeth Freeman aat 6 Tupper Road in Sandwich. It was moving to see their “saddle and pillion” stones alone in a clearing by the woods. And equally special to walk where their homestead was located.

Edmund/Edmond Freeman was baptized 25 July 1596 at Pulborough, Sussex, England. He married, first, Bennet Hodsoll on 16 Jun 1617 at Cowfold, Sussex. They had at least six children, two of whom died young. Bennet died in April 1630 at Pulburough. I descend from Edmund and Bennet’s daughter Elizabeth as well as their son John. 

In 1632 Edmund married, second, Elizabeth [Raymer?]. They may have had a child Mary, although I’m uncertain if she was Edmund’s daughter or stepdaughter.

In 1635 Edmund, Elizabeth and his four surviving children immigrated to North America aboard the Abigail. They settled first at Saugus (now Lynn) north of Boston, then briefly at Plymouth, and finally at Sandwich on Cape Cod where they remained for the rest of their days. Edmund was considered the leader of the “Ten Men From Saugus,” the founders of that town. Settling Sandwich was approved by grant from the King dated 3 April 1637. 

Sandwich was part of Plymouth Colony and Edmund was very involved in civic affairs. He was Assistant Governor, served on the Council of War,  was a Representative to the General Court, and a selectman. One of the things about Edmund that endear him to me is that he was tolerant of the Quakers/Friends who were so frequently persecuted. 

Eugene Stratton wrote in Plymouth Colony Its History and People 1620-1691 that when Elizabeth died on 14 February 1675/76, Edmond selected a boulder shaped like a pillion [a cushion that attached to a saddle to accommodate a second person], which was dragged by oxen to her grave.  He then selected another boulder, resembling a saddle, and requested his sons to mark his resting-place with it when he passed on.  He died between 21 June 1682,  when he wrote his will, and 2 November 1682 when it was proven. He was an incredible 86 years old

Edmund is my 11th great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side of the family. A more detailed sketch I wrote about Edmund Freeman can be seen here.

Isaac Chase (ca 1681-1756) and Charity Pease (1696-??)

Isaac Chase was born perhaps about 1681 (assuming he was 25 at his first marriage),  probably at Yarmouth on Cape Cod. Published genealogies have him as the son of John and Elizabeth (Baker) Chase. I have not found primary source for that, but it seems generally accepted. I wrote about John and Elizabeth here. I Isaac lived in the area of Yarmouth that became the town of Dennis.  

Isaac married, first, Mary Berry on 23 May 1706 at Yarmouth. [Yarmouth VR 3:32] Mary was the daughter of John and Susanna (——) Berry. She died before 8 July 1727, when the intentions of Isaac Chase and Charity Kelley were published. [Yarmouth VR p 145] Isaac “Chaise” and Charity Killey were married 3 August 1727 at Yarmouth by Peter Thacher, Justice of the Peace. [Yarmouth VR 3:37]

Charity’s maiden name was Pease—she was born Yarmouth on 2 December 1696 to Hannah Marchant and Matthew Pease. [Yarmouth VR p 9] Her parents were unmarried, something quite scandalous at the time. Her father was of Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard; her mother lived in Edgartown and Yarmouth. Isaac and Charity are my seventh great-grandparents. 

Charity had married, first, Jeremiah Kelley (spelled in many ways including Killey and O’Kelley) on 8 August 1716. [Yarmouth VR 1:139] He was the son of Jeremiah and Sarah (Burgess?] Kelley. He died about 1726.

Isaac Chase and his first wife Mary had nine children [Yarmouth Vital Records in MD 13:223]:

1. Hezekiah born 9 December 1706
2. Obadiah born 16 September 1708; married Mary Smith
3. Thankful born 14 Feb 1711/12; married Jacob Baker 
4. Isaac born 28 March 1714[?/15;] m. Thankful Maker
5. Lot born 11 March 1716[?/17]; married Rebecca Wing 
6. Hannah born 27 Sep 1718
7. Mary born 9 Jan 1720/21; married Nathaniel Covell 
8. Nathaniel born May 1724
9. Judah born 24 Oct 1726; married Mary Woodside

Isaac and his second wife Charity “Charete” had five children [Yarmouth VR in MD 13:223]:

10. Barnabas born 29 April 1731

11. Temperance born 4 March 1731/2; married Nathaniel Baker

12. Charity born 15 July 1736; married Sylvanus Chase 

13. Mehitable born 9 August 1740; married Isaac Eldredge 

14. Desire born 6 March 1741/2; m 1st Archelus Chase, 2nd Bachelor Swayne

John Carroll Chase also gives Isaac and Charity a son David but with provides nothing further on him.

Charity and Jeremiah Kelley had four children, born Yarmouth (now Dennis) [first two births recorded Yarmouth VR p 44; second two from father’s probate records]:

1. Unnamed infant son born June 1717 who died at 8 days old
2. Sarah born 10 September 1718; died before 8 November 1727 when she is not mentioned in her grandfather Jeremiah O’Kelley’s will
3. Jerusha born about 1720; married Reuben Eldredge 
4. Elisabeth born about 1722

I cannot even imagine what Charity’s life was like. She grew up with the shame of being an illegitimate child with a father who did not even acknowledge her in his will, she lost her first husband when she was about 30 years old, and she lost a newborn and at least one other child. But she carried on and she had two living children when she married for a second time and became step-mother to as many as nine children ranging from 8 months to 20 years. Then she gave birth to five more children, with the last being born when she was 45. So she was mothering as many as 16 children!

I have found little mention of Isaac in records. In the 1712 division of common land at Yarmouth, Isaac Chase received 18 1/2 shares. And for ”ye tenement for Isaac Chase to his father" 9 shares.

Could be this Charity Chase keeping school as her husband Isaac Chase had already died:

“As late as 1761 Lot Howes records paying town [Yarmouth] money to Widow Charity Chase and Widow Mehitable Kelley for "keeping school" in their homes. [Dennis Historical Society Newsletter, Nov. 1981]

Isaac Chase died Yarmouth 22 May 1759. [Yarmouth VR 1:166] He was likely in his late 70s. He died intestate and on 23 June 1759 Barnabas Chase of Yarmouth, yeoman, was granted the administration of his father’s estate. [Barnstable County Probate Records, 10:27, digitized on FamilySearch]

The inventory was taken on 28 June 1759 by David Gorham, Samuel Smith and John Burges. It did not include real estate and totaled over 39 pounds. It was a brief inventory that included two oxen, a heifer, two cows, one horse, eight sheep, five lambs, 4 swine, fowl, wearing apparel, a spinning wheel, and some household items.  [Barnstable County Probate Records 9:425-6, digitized on FamilySearch]

In 1760, an account of his estate by Barnabas Chase included doctor bills, digging the grave, debts paid, and cash received from the sale of items.

I have not found Charity’s death record. She was not named an administrator of her husband Isaac’s estate, so perhaps he pre-deceased him. But if she was the widow Charity Chase keeping school, then she died after 1761. 

Sources Not Mentioned Above:

Nancy Thacher Reid, Dennis Cape Cod; From Firstcomers to Newcomers 1639-1993, Dennis Historical Society, 1996

John Carrol Chase (contributed by), NEHGR, “Some of the Descendants of William Chase of Roxbury and Yarmouth,” 87:132-33 (1933)

Kelley, R. Dudley. NEHGS Register, “David Okillea of Yarmouth, Massachusetts and Some of His Descendants,” (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1997) 151:141

Timothy Cole born 1646, died before 1735, of Eastham, Massachusetts

Timothy “Tymothy” Cole was born 15 September 1646 at Eastham on Cape Cod, the son of Daniel and Ruth (Collier) Cole. [Eastham/Orleans VR in MD 5:23]  I wrote about Daniel Cole here. Due to a lack of early Eastham records, my information on Timothy is sparse so this is very much a work in progress. Timothy lived in the part of Eastham that in 1797 was spun off into the town of Orleans. He is my 10th great-grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side of the family.

Timothy was mentioned in the 15 January 1694/5 division of his father Daniel Cole’s estate. He received an inheritance of 9 pounds, and he signed by a mark. [Barnstable Co PR 3:9 38-39]

Timothy married, between about 1671-1676,  a woman whose name is not known with certainty. If he was about 25 at marriage, their year of marriage was about 1671; if he was 30 then around 1676.

I was told that research done by the Daniel Cole Society narrowed his wife’s identity down to Martha Brown, widow of Samuel Harding, or Ruth Smith, but I have not seen this information myself. [Descendants of Daniel Cole Society newsletter, March 1994] 

Timothy and his wife had at least these two sons, born Eastham:

1. Daniel born between ca 1678 (if age 30 at his marriage) or ca 1683 (if age 25); married Sarah Hubbard; died 19 Aug 1711 (death record calls him “son of Timothy,” MD 5:197)

2. Timothy born between ca 1679 (if 30 at his marriage) or ca 1684 (if age 25); married Apphia Pepper, Elizabeth Sparrow, and Martha Almony; he was named guardian of his brother Daniel’s children, indicating he was indeed a son of Timothy

I descend from his son Timothy with his first wife Apphia. I wrote about them here. It could well be that Timothy Senior had more children. 

Timothy was a large Eastham landowner. In 1672 he purchased from Daniel Steward about three acres of meadow at Little Billingsgate. If this is the same as Billingsgate Island, it was located 2.5 miles from the Wellfleet shore. It was once a bustling fishing community but sadly it was destroyed by erosion. In the late 1800s concerned families started to leave the island. Homes and the school were dismantled, some floated to the mainland. In 1915 the lighthouse was destroyed in a storm. The island was completely submerged during a high tide in 1942 and is now called Billingsgate Shoal. 

Billingsgate Light destroyed in 1915

In 1680 Thomas Clarke of Plymouth purchased from Robert Wixam about twenty acres at the eastern side of Pochet (pronounced “poachy”) near the beach; Timothy Cole then purchased the twenty acres from Thomas Clarke.

Pochet Island Source: Patriot Ledger

On 23 August 1681 the town of Eastham granted Timothy Cole one acre of land at Stage Neck, Pochet, adjacent to where his house stood. Pochet Island is in Pleasant Bay, Orleans. It is connected to the mainland by bridge and is described today as stunningly gorgeous and a great bird-watching destination. 

The town discovered in 1688 that Timothy Cole had fenced in a considerable amount of Commons land adjoining his twenty acres at Pochet, and the bounds were adjusted to correct his incursion,

In 1703 the town granted to Timothy Cole, Ebenezer Snow and Nathaniel Atkins a parcel of meadow or hay ground between where Cole lived at Stage Neck and Nauset Middle Flat.

In 1711 land was granted to Timothy Cole, Daniel Cole, William Brown, Isaac Doane, and Richard Knowles:  the tenth lot out of twenty-four lots laid out at Great Island at Billingsgate. The dimensions given in the record were not complete but probably the lot was about seven acres like most of the other lots at Great Island. Also granted to Timothy Cole and his heirs about four acres on the northern side of Griffith’s Island at Billingsgate.  Timothy Cole and his heirs were also granted about ten acres on the easterly side of his other lot at Griffith’s Island at Billingsgate. Note that Giffith's Island is probably Griffin's Island off Wellfleet, the current location of multi-million dollar homes. 

In 1715 Timothy Cole and his heirs were granted about five acres on the westerly and southerly side of his plain lot,  probably referring to his land at Stage Neck at Pochet. Also granted to Timothy Cole lately deceased, several parcels of land. One parcel was about four acres next to his other land and next to land of his father Daniel, deceased, and next to land of John Knowles. This probably refers to his land at Pochet. Another parcel, size not indicated by probably another acre or more next to his meadow at Rock Harbor. Another parcel was between the meadows of Timothy Cole and William Twining. This probably was another acre or more in the Rock Harbor area. Also granted to Timothy Cole and his heirs a wood lot near Pamet Point and next to land of Ebenezer Freeman; size of surrounding lots indicates this lot was about 25 acres. Timothy Cole purchased from the town for two shillings land (probably at least one acre) on the southerly side of his Rock harbor meadow next to land of John Cole and William Twining. This purchase was for Cole and his heirs and probably was recorded after his death. 

Since so much of Timothy’s land was on islands and necks of land, I’ve wondered if he was a mariner. Billingsgate was suitable for maritime and pastoral activities as it had rich soil. Pochet had soil of variable productivity from rich to sandy to barren. Areas of better soil were suitable for crops, including corn. In the early 1700s, Billingsgate was the location for harvesting blackfish, a small whale, sought after for oil.

In 1675 Timothy Cole served in King Philip’s War as a member of the militia under Capt. John Gorham. His service included the Narragansett Expedition.  After the war he was granted land at Narragansett township.  In 1727 the Massachusetts Legislature granted a lot of about 30 acres in what is now Gorham, Maine to Timothy (technically to his heirs since he was deceased) for his service as a soldier in King Philip’s War. [York County Deeds Book 31] His son Timothy inherited the Maine land which he sold to his son-in-law Joseph Brown.

In the 1717 Poche Neck division of land between John Cole Sr and Joseph Cole of Eastham, the land of “Timoty” Cole is mentioned. [MD 15:96-97]

Timothy’s death date is not known and he left no will. He was living 3 October 1711 when his son was referred to as Timothy Jr and probably after 1717 when in the above mentioned division of land at Pochet Neck he is not referred to as deceased. He definitely died before 20 November 1735 when the will of his brother Daniel mentions the unnamed heirs of deceased brother Timothy.

He is probably buried in an unmarked grave in Cove Burying Ground in Eastham or the Orleans Cemetery.

Sources Not Mentioned Above:

Mayflower Descendant, Vol 23, No. 2 (April 1921) [Daniel Cole’s estate settlement]

George Madison Bodge, Soldiers in King Philip's War, A Critical Accounting of That War with a Concise History of the Indian Wars of New England from 1620-1677, 1896

Susan E. Roser, Early Descendants of Daniel Cole of Eastham, Massachusetts, Friends of the Pilgrim Series Vol. 2, 2010

Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700 

David Hamblin, NEHGS Register, “The First Settlers of Eastham, Mass.,” Jan 1852

Christopher Setterlund, CapeCod.com, “Billingsgate: The Lost Cape Cod Island,”  March 25, 2024

Francis McManamon editor, Chapters in the Archeology of Cape Cod, III, National Park Service, 1985

Land transactions are mostly from a summary of Timothy Cole’s Eastham Land Grant Transactions that is available on Internet Archive. It does not give an author’s name. It includes source citation codes but no way to decipher them on this particular pdf.

Benjamin and Katherine Tupper Nye, Their Son Jonathan Nye, and Their 17th Century Sandwich Home & Mill

I recently visited the Nye Museum on Old County Road in Sandwich, which consists of Benjamin and Katherine (Tupper) Nye’s homestead, a Grange building, and a mill (not Benjamin’s grist mill but one built in 1855 that was moved to the property from Centerville) It’s a beautiful property owned by the Nye Family of America Association. It always thrills me to walk where my ancestors once lived!

The beautiful Nye Homestead

Benjamin Nye was first at Saugus, Massachusetts in 1635. His origins aren’t known but he was about 15 years old when he sailed on the Abigail so would likely have been connected by blood or as an apprentice to another passenger. In 1637 he joined others, referred to as The Ten Men Of Saugus, to establish the settlement of Sandwich on Cape Cod. There he married Katherine Tupper on 16 October 1640. Katherine was born Chelmsford, Essex, England 11 Jan 1623, the daughter of Thomas and Katherine (Gator) Tupper. Her father was also one of the “Ten Men.” 

Benjamin and Katherine built their first house on nine acres of land at Spring Hill where they began to raise their family which would grow to eight children. Benjamin was a builder and a farmer. Benjamin and Katherine are my 9th great-grandparents and I have lines of descent from their sons John as well as Jonathan. 

Benjamin & Katherine's First Home (right section)

Benjamin acquired land in East Sandwich near a spring-fed stream that flows into Scorton Creek. In 1665 the town had trouble coming to terms with miller Thomas Dexter, Jr., on the amount of the toll (payment in grain) he charged to townspeople, so Benjamin put his name in to operate a mill in East Sandwich.

Stream on the Nye property

Benjamin was selected, received an additional 12 acres near the land he already owned, and opened a water-powered grist mill in 1669. He was later granted another 8 acres. In 1676 he was given permission to build a fulling mill, which processed home-spun woolen cloth, on his property. 

Mill on the Nye property

Likely tiring of the 2.5 mile trip back and forth to the mills each day, Benjamin built a saltbox style house next to the mills in 1678. 

A bedfroom in the Nye Homestead

Benjamin died between 9 Jun 1704 and 17 May 1707 at Sandwich. He had already deeded the East Sandwich mills and his homestead to his son Jonathan. On 9 June 1704 Benjamin deeded to "Jonathan Nye my son" of Sandwich all his lands "both uplands and meadow grounds...in sd Town and Township of Sandwich...with all my mills and appurtinences to them belonging and all buildings houses and outhouse...(only Excepting what Lands I formerly gave to my son John Nye and now in his possession)…”

The museum has a copy of this deed which Benjamin signed with a uniquely shaped “8” as his mark. It stipulated that Jonathan take care of his elderly parents. Early in the 19th century a later owner, Silvanus Nye, raised the roof to transform the house into a full colonial.

Benjamin Nye's Deed to Jonathan

Jonathan, who was born 20 November 1689, had 14 children (including two sets of twins) by two wives, Hannah whose maiden name is not known, and Patience Burgess. I descend from Patience and Jonathan’s son David Nye.

Benjamin's son John had already been given the Spring Hill house. That house also still stands at 1 Nye Road and has been greatly expanded.

I wrote about Benjamin and Katherine here.

Exposed beams at the Nye Homestead

The property is beautiful with a stream and a pond and the house is in incredible condition. It is filled with Nye family items, including those uncovered in an archeological dig. There’s even an ancient thimble that was found under the floorboards during a renovation. We had an excellent docent and of course hit up the gift shop! We hope to return when it's not raining to walk the property. 

This 20-minute timer would have been used by Katherine to bake muffins

For more information on the museum, visit www.nyemuseum.org 

Source:

Marguerite Donley & John Nye Cullity, The 17th Century World of Benjamin Nye & Katherine Tupper, Nye Museum Press, East Sandwich, Mass., 2022 

Edward Bangs (b. ca 1591; d. 1677-78) Memorial Bench in Plymouth, Mass.

I was checking out the renovation to Stephens Field in Plymouth this weekend when I came across the Edward Bangs Memorial Bench. I had no idea it existed and was amazed it survives given the recent massive $5 million overhaul to the park. The bench could use a power wash, but it’s in a very pretty spot by a large weeping willow tree overlooking a small duck pond with Plymouth Bay beyond. It is set away from the busier areas of the park that include a playground, tennis/pickle ball courts, basketball court, baseball field, and a boat launch. It would be a lovely spot for contemplation although it isn’t the most comfortable of seating! There are even nesting Ospreys at the park.

Edward Bangs is my 10th great-grandfather. He was born in England about 1591 and came to Plymouth in 1623 on the ship Anne. He lived in Plymouth for over 20 years before moving to Eastham on Cape Cod where he was one of the first settlers. He was an innkeeper, a trade his son Jonathan continued. Edward died between 1677 and 1678 at Eastham. 

Edward married, first, Lydia Hicks, and second Rebecca whose maiden name is unknown. I descend from three of Edward and Rebecca’s children: Jonathan, Sarah and Rebecca. I wrote a sketch with more details about Edward some years ago which can be seen here.

An older undated clipping from the Old Colony Memorial newspaper written by Maggie Mills on the history of Stephens Field provides information on the origin of the bench. “In 1930, the decendants [sic] of Edward Bangs met in a small section at the south-westerly section of Stephens Field near a springfed duck pond to dedicate a granite stone bench in memory of their ancestor, who came over in 1623 in the Anne  to settle in Plymouth and was allotted a grant in a special area off Sandwich Street, now included in Stephens Field.” The bench has survived at this ocean-front park for 94 years! 

I wrote a sketch with more details about Edward some years ago which can be seen here.

One of my favorite aspects of genealogical research is pinpointing where my ancestors’ homes were located, and Edward Bangs certainly had a spectacular spot! It is just over half a mile south from Burial Hill and the location of the meeting house, so a fairly quick walk to church for Edward and his large family.