This year’s big project – Flesh out the pedigree to Charlemagne, First Holy Roman Emperor

Posted on January 8, 2021 by Pat Shaul
The Crown of Charlemagne

So, I have had information in my files about being a descendant of Charlemagne for a number of years. With last year’s project of finalizing and locking down my pedigree to members of the Mayflower passengers of 1620, it was time to leap the pond.

My 10th great grandfather, Thomas Lawrence, is a documented Gateway ancestor to Charlemagne. This is the main line of research. And, I have found the full pedigree back to Charlemagne with the help of the Crown of Charlemagne Society. In this lineage, the Emperor Charlemagne is my 40th great grandfather. There are a nmber of minor kings and princes along the way, but I finally ended up at the big guy!

Charlemagne

But, of course, there is a second line that appears to walk its way up as well. But, there is no member of that line that appears in the Crown of Charlemagne Society list of Gateway ancestors. This line goes up through my 10th great grandmother, Alice Tomes, the wife of Thomas Welles, the colonial governor of Connecticut. Where the sanctioned lineage goes up through the sister of William the Conqueror (Adelaide of Normandy), this line goes through William, himself. The two lines meet at their father, Robert, the Duke of Normandy. Thought this second line, I move up in the line for the throne and Charlemagne is my 37th great grandfather.

The pivot between the two lines occurs at my 3rd great grandparents, Morris Jenks and Almira Botsford. Through Morris, I climb through Thomas Lawrence, the accepted gateway ancestor, and Charlemagne is my 40th great grandfather. But, through Almira, I take the alternate path to Charlemagne being my 37th.

For a chunk of that crown, I have better get to work and flesh out GGG Grandmother’s line!

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Happy 167th Anniversary, Cousin George Washington and Laura Bacon Walcott Botsford!

Posted on December 28, 2020 by Pat Shaul

28 December 1863 in Livingston County, Michigan, my first cousin, 4 times removed, George Washington Botsford married Laura Bacon Wolcott. Cousin George was the son of Abner Clark and Susan Baird Botsford, born on 15 April 1831, in Connecticut. By the time he was 22 the family had migrated to Michigan.

George was a Civil War veteran, serving in the 6th Michigan Calvary, Company D. He achieved the rank of Sergeant when he was admitted to Harper Hospital in Detroit as a casualty of that War. He mustered into service on 11 October 1862 and mustered out on 8 August 1865, shortly after his admission to the hospital.

George and Laura were the parents of two sons: Frederick Arthur (1855) and George Roy (1857),

George passed way on 21 August 1867. Laura passed away on 24 June 1913. Both were interred at the Byran Cemetery in Byran, Shiawassee County, Michigan.

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Happy 294th Anniversary, Grandparents Fuller!

Posted on December 20, 2020 by Pat Shaul

294 years ago, on 20 December 1726, my 7 times great grandparents, Samuel Fuller and Lydia Conant were married in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Samuel was born November 1681 in Barnstable, the son of Barnabas and Elizabeth Young Fuller. Lydia was born 8 November 1692, in Bridgewater, Connecticut, the daughter of Nathaniel and Hannah Mansfield Conant.

Grandmother Lydia was the second wife of Grandfather. He first married Ruth Crocker in 1718. the daughter of Eleazer and Ruth Chapman Crocker. They were the parents of three: Sarah (1719), Barnabas (1721), and Eleaszer (1722). Ruth passed away before 1726.

Samuel and Lydia were the parents of four: Joshua (1727), Elizabeth (1728), Rebecca (1731) [my sixth great grandmother], and Lot (1733).

Samuel died in Bolton, Connecticut, in 1758. Lydia passed away, also in Bolton, on 28 December 1764.

Samuel was the great grandson of Samuel Fuller who came to North American in 1620 aboard the Mayflower. He came as a child with his parents, my 11th great grandparents, Edward Fuller and his wife. Both Edward and his wife died that first winter in Massachusetts and Samuel was taken in my his uncle, Samuel, upon the death of his parents.

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Happy 161st Birthday, Cousin Fred!

Posted on December 19, 2020 by Pat Shaul

My first cousin, 3 times removed, Fred Wellington Jenks, was born 161 years ago on 19 December 1859, in Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan. He was the son of Olivery Torrey Jenks and Marian Murphy.

The best description of Fred comes from his step-mother, Eva Seymour Jenks, in The Reunions of the Jenks Family of Oakland County, Michigan – 1911-1927, p 234:

“Fred, the oldest, was born at the old Jenks home [built by Morris Jenks, his grandfather in 18531) December 19, 1859 and died in Detroit, Michigan, November 7, 1895, aged 35 years.

“He left a large circle of friends who deeply mourned his early death. He was possessed of a kindly, friendly nature that endeared him to all. He was always ready to respond to every call of distress and to render every assistance in his power in case of sickness and need.

“For a number of years, he was an attendant at the Pontiac State Hospital and also at Traverse City. He was a member of the Masonic Fraternity at that city, and also a member of the Farmington Tent, No. 502, K.O.T. M., a delegation from Farmington Lodge F. and A. M. were present and acted as pall bearers at his funeral which took place November 9, 1895, at his home, the old Jenks homestead, the home where his mother died and where he first saw the light of day.”

Fred was laid to rest in the Southfield Cemetery, Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan.

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Happy Anniversary, Grandfather Botsford and Grandmother Botsford and Elizabeth Fletcher Botsford!

Posted on December 12, 2020 by Pat Shaul

My eight times great grandfather, Elnathan Botsford (1641-1690) appears to have believed in the KISS principal, Keep It Simple, Sir! On this date, 12 December, in 1665, he married Elizabeth Fletcher, the daughter of John Fletcher. They had one daughter, Elizabeth (1665). Elizabeth Fletcher must have died because on this same date in 1667, he married my eight times great grandmother, Hannah Baldwin, the daughter of Timothy and Mary Welles Baldwin. Both times, the marriage took place in Milford, Connecticut.

With Hannah, there were eleven additional children brought into the world: Esther (1668), Samuel (1670) [my seven times great grandfather], Mary (1671), Hannah (1674) [my seven times great grandmother], Joanna (1674), Henry (1676), Timothy (1678), John (1680), Sarah (1683), Ruth (1686), and Joseph (1688).

For any paying attention, you realized my seventh great grandfather and seventh great grandmother were siblings. They married other people, but their descendants seemed to have found each other and married. Hannah married John Prindle. Their daughter, Hannah, married Samuel Botsford, Jr. , the son of Samuel and Hannah Camp Botsford. One of the ways I have become my own cousin. And one of the reasons I use for buying myself gifts — “I got this for you, cousin!”

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Happy 177th Birthday, Mary Malvina Doying Botsford!

Posted on December 11, 2020 by Pat Shaul
Mary Malvinia Doying Botsford

Mary Malvina Doying was born 177 years ago, 11 December 1843, in Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada, to James and Georgia Scott Doying. By 8 September 1867, she had migrated to Tuscola County, Michigan where she married Simeon Botsford, the son of Simeon, Jr. and Mary Ann Delling Botsford, my first cousin, 4 times removed.

Simeon Botsford, III

Simeon was the grandson of Simeon and Esther Clark Botsford, my 4 times great grandparents.

The couple spent their lives farming in Tuscola County, Michian and raise two daughters: Almena (1869), and Alma (1875). Mary died on 8 February 1909 and was laid to rest at the North Dover Cemetery. Clayton, Lenawee, Michigan. Simeon would follow beside her on 30 November 1926.

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It is Uncle Volney’s 182nd Birthday!

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Pat Shaul

My great great grand uncle, Volney Lee, was born on 4 December 1838, in Michigan, to Horatio and Hannah Munn Lee [my great great great grandparents]. On 6 May 1858, Uncle Volney married Cornelia Waters, the daughter of John and Mary Jane Allen Waters. In June of 1863, he registered for the military draft in the 5th congressional district of Michigan. That registration shows:

He resided in Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan.

He was 24 years of age.

He was white.

He was a farmer.

He was married.

He was born in Michigan.

Volney and Cornelia had three children : James Waters (1857), Baby (1858-1858), and Arthur Chalmers Lee (1868). Cousin Arthur became a physician in Detroit.

Uncle Volney passed away on 27 November 1909, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit. Aunt Cornelia predeceased him on 26 February 1908.

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Happy 178th Birthday, Cousin Ira!

Posted on December 1, 2020 by Pat Shaul

My second cousin, 4 times removed, Ira Munn, was born 178 years ago on 1 December 1842 in Stowe, Vermont, to Josephus and Lucretia Parker Munn. Ira served as a Private in the Union Army from 15 Nov 1861 through his discharge on 15 November 1864.

Ira married Ellan Mary Sullivan and they had six children: Albert B. (1868), William J. (1870), Nellie (1872), Susan L. (1873), Ira, Jr. (1875), and Mathew Marsh (1883).

Ira died on 19 March 1913 in Rochester, Windsor, Vermont, due to pnemonia. Ellen predeceased him on 16 May 1912. Both were buried in Holy Cross Cemetery, Doxbury, Washington, Vermont.

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Happy 225th Anniversary, Cousin Susannah and Ephraim Rainger

Posted on November 22, 2020 by Pat Shaul

225 years ago in Spencer, Massachusetts, my first cousin, 6 times removed, Susannah Jenks, daughter of Lawrence and Susannah Battles Jenks, married Ephraim Henry Rainger, son of Thomas F. and Mary Mercy [Wood] Rainger.

Cousin Susannah was born on 18 March 1776 and died shortly after the birth of daughter, Liberty Jenks Rainger (1807-1809) on 2 June 1807, in Brookfield, Massachusetts. There is record of one older child, Thomas Jefferson Rainger (1803-1848). After Susannah’s death Ephraim removed to Upper Sandusky, Wyandot, Ohio, where he died on 4 July 1851.

Both Ephraim and Susannah are buried at the South Cemetery in Bechertown, Hampshire, Massachusetts.

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Happy 160th Anniversary, Cousin Marion and Frank Seymour!

Posted on November 8, 2020 by Pat Shaul

On 8 November 1860, my first cousin, 4 times removed, or second cousin, 3 times removed, Marion Iona Botsford, daughter of Levi W and Mary Amanda Park Botsford, married Francis Deo Seymour.

The couple were the parents of two children: Frederick (1863), and Ada Iona (1870).

What makes Cousin Marion special is that she is a double cousin. Based on our mutual ancestor couple of Simeon and Esther Clark Botsford, we are first cousins, 4 times removed since her father, Levi, was my ggg grandmother, Almira Botsford Jenks’, brother. But, her mother, Mary Amanda Park was the daughter of Lucy Jenks, Almira’s husband’s sister, giving us the mutual ancestor of Laban and Prudence White Jenks. Thus, we were also second cousins, 3 times removed.

Francis Deo passed away on 30 November 1878. Marion Iona passed away in Racine, Wisconsin, on 30 March 1907.

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