Memory in old age

 We all suffer from some memory loss, and often joke about it. But when I consider, at the end of the day, that I spent about an hour when broken into all the different times then pulled together, when I was trying to remember something, I want to cut back on memory difficulties.

I've heard a good technique is actively learning something. Not repeating words as crossword workers are doing, or adding numbers as Sodoku workers are doing (though I think those are definitely work!) - and certainly not playing "find the..." games. I need to push myself to learn something new.

So I had to drop out of our Spanish Conversation class, thanks to a pandemic. I don't know how, but I want to learn Gaellic.

Then I found out there are 2 major ones, and probably one of those is broken into 3, and the other broken into 2 very different dialects...and they might not be able to understand each other's Celtic brogue.

Now I started to say, Irish would be good. But maybe Scottish would be a better idea.

Flag of Scotland

And I looked on some Irish pronunciation sites with common phrases, and geese, I couldn't remember one of them, even after saying them out loud. 

Well, I admit I seldom remember any names or phrases I had just heard, even by saying them.

This is going to take a lot of effort, and time (of which I have plenty daily, though not so much yearly).

So if anyone should have some good techniques or suggestions, please let me know. I think I'm going to see if any language learning tapes on CDs are available through the library. I need to repeat and repeat after hearing the correct pronunciation. Maybe one phrase a week...or one word!

My Irish ancestor was Francis Beattie, (1715-1791) But come to find out, he was also a Scottish man, with the Ulster Scotts...though the birth of fathers and grandfathers is confusingly either Ireland or Scotland.

But I had other ancestors who were Ulster Scotts...or Scotch Irish as they are now called.

So I think Scottish Gaelic is the way to go after all!

"The Winthrop Woman"

 I just finished listening to the audio version of this book. When I tried to read it many years ago, I lost myself and lost interest. But this time I was captivated by it.

It was a very long digital audio book, but I was supposed to be sitting with my legs elevated a lot, so it fit right into my life at this time. (A foot injury is still not treated, but I have appointments coming.)

 I really enjoyed getting to know Elizabeth Winthrop, an early colonist to America, whose uncle John Winthrop was a governor of Massachusetts for some years of his life. 

I had many relatives in early Massachusetts and Connecticut, but have no knowledge of all the trials and tribulations they went through until I read The Winthrop Woman.

Elizabeth had many problems in her life, and somehow surmounted them all. She befriended a First Nation Indian woman who appeared several times through the book.  Elizabeth has romances, religious doubts, and a large family.  

Though this is a historical fiction, the actual woman, Elizabeth Winthrop, existed and was cited in many records through her life...records which still exist. I don't know how many things have been inserted to provide links to these records. But she dealt with early Puritans, and politics during King Charles I reign and the revolution of Cromwell. She dealt with the Dutch who had different laws to be followed when she lived in Greenwich CT, which was on the border and eventually became part of the English Connecticut Colony.

I remembered an ancestor of mine had a sister (Ann Brinley Coddington, 1628-1708) who married a Connecticut governor, and just looked up her mention on my blog HERE. The Brinley sister married Gov. William Coddington (1601-1678), while my ancestress was Grissell Brinley Sylvester (1635-1687) who lived on Long Island. I had many ancestors who settled in Boston MA, Andover MA, Newbury MA, Sudbury RI, Hartford CT, and Stratford CT, from both my father's and my mother's ancestry.

I wish on a certain level that I still lived in New England, and had access to all the many documents which still talk of the early colonists.  Of course there are lots of resources on line these days and I find many hints on my Ancestry trees every time I look at them!

Thanks to fellow blogger, Vicki Lane who recommended this book.

More on Alice Harris Farnum Martin

 I don't know why I left Alice Harris Farnum's children out of my last post!

She and her first husband, Ralph Farnum I, had 7 children. His occupation that he had recorded on their passage to America said he was a barber. The first four children came with the Farnums from England, where they had been born. The next were all born in the Colonies. The last was John Farnum, (abt. 1640--17 June 1723.) His line four generations later brought a Sarah Farnum who married Jacob Granger, a line which extended from New England to Texas just before the Civil War...my grandmother's grandmother.

But another of Alice Harris Farnum's children, their oldest by the name of Mary Farnum, married Daniel Poore. And Mary and Daniel's family included a daughter, Martha Poore, who married Capt. John Granger. So it was their grandson Jacob who married Sarah Farnum.  I wonder if they knew they had some kind of cousin relationship. And I don't dare figure it out!

When Alice married a second time to Solomon, the ship's carpenter, Martin, they had 2 children. The first had probably not been Alice's son, having been born in 1645 when she was married to Ralph (I presume). The second was born in 1648, after the date of her marriage to Solomon Martin. But we don't have a date of death for Ralph Farnum, just that it was before Alice married Solomon in 1648. So both of these Martin children could have been hers. Then Solomon died in 1655. Alice herself may have died in1652 as some Ancestry trees say, or may have lived until 8 Jan. 1691. Many of her children lived past that date, so she would have had someone to care for her in her old age.

More grandparents from England

 These ancestors are actually on my dad's mother's tree, Ada Phillips Swasey Rogers. 

Her New England branch included immigrants Ralph Farnham/Farnum I, and his wife Alice Harris Farnum Martin. She had been born in 1607 in Braunstone England. She died in 1652 (or maybe in 1691) in Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts Colony.

Alice Harris Fanhum and Ralph Farnum had been among the early colonists who had passage to America on the James, landing in Boston June 3, 1635. (There was more than one ship by that name, just to confuse the various stories.) They were my 9 times great grandparents.

Let's go up the Harris lineage for a moment.

Her parents were Sir Thomas Harris of Maldon (5 Dec 1562- 6 Mar 1621) and Eleanore Silverthorn Harris (1520-1565), though one tree on Ancestry calls her mother Joan Wrighte Harris, who we only know died in Oct. 1600.  I'll stay with the majority for Eleanore Silverthorn. But unfortunately there's no more known about her. So let's take a break here, with these, my 10 times great grandparents.

Oh actually, I forgot to post the dates for Alice Harris Farnhum's husband, Ralph I.

It explains how she married Martin after he died.

The following was found in Massachusetts' Find A Grave, which unfortunately posted 1692 as a death date, then quotes below that he died by 1648 when his widow remarried!

Born about 1603 (aged 32 in 1635). Barber from Rochester, Kent who came to Massachusetts Bay in 1635 on the "James" & settled in Ipswich. Died by 1648 (when his widow remarried).

Married by 1628 Alice _____. She married (2) Gloucester 18 June 1648 Solomon Martin ("Solloman Martin, ship carpenter, and Ales Varnam, widow, of Ipswich").

On 13 July 1635, "Ralph Farman," barber, aged 32, "Alice Farman," aged 28, "Mary Farman," aged 7, "Tho[mas] Farman," aged 4, and "Ralph Farman," aged 2, were enrolled at London as passengers for New England on the "James."

Source: Anderson's Great Migration Study Project

As this is a closer to original source, I'm changing my tree to reflect that date (1648) for his death, rather than the 1642 one that is not given any source.

And now we know a good reason that Alice remarried to Solomon Martin. I interpret the quote as giving Solomon the status of widow of Ales Varnam, of Ipwich. Does that make sense? 

Or perhaps it's saying widow, Alice Farnum of Ipswich?

Don't you just love the flexible spelling of early America?

More about Alice Harris Farnum Martin soon.

Adriana Alids de Weden Pratt Rogers

She married a religious and educated man. She was Belgium...whatever the correct term for citizens of Belgium may be. Adriana Alids de Weyden Pratt married Rev. John Rogers in 1537 in Antwerp Belgium.  She was 25 and he was 29, according to my records...where there also is an English marriage dated in 1527 as well. Yes, he was British, or English. They have 2 words to describe their citizenship, while Belgiums just call themselves Belgiums.

Rev. John Rogers (1507-1555) was among those educated clergymen who worked on publishing editions of the Bible in English, or German...or any other languages besides Latin which had been the only available editions prior to their work. Rogers used the name Thomas Matthew as his nom de plume for his work to translate the Latin Bible into English for the first time. However, his work was finished just at the time that Queen Mary came into power, and she used her Catholic faith to go against the new church of England that her father, Henry VIII had instituted. So Rev. John Rogers appeared at the wrong time and preached to Queen Mary and she jailed him, then had him burned at the stake, because he was not willing to recant his "Protestant" views. And yes, the Reformation was also happening then.

Back to his wife, Adriana went with Rev. John Rogers while he studied in Germany, and their family grew by many children. By the time he appeared again in England they had had 13 children. Two had died while young. So when Rev. John was burned at the stake, his wife and 11 children observed the event.

I'm interested at this point in Adriana's parentage. She had been born in 1511. We only know of one sister, Anna, who was born in 1505, and lived until 1536.

Their father was Micheydon van der Weyden (1473-1567) who lived his whole life in Antwerp Belgium,  I don't know what he did there. I've just changed my Ancestry tree to remove the English knight as his father. So I don't know who his father really was.

Bruges Belgium

Adriana's mother was Joan van Meteren (1490-1567) with Antwerp Belgium for her birth and death records. And her parents were from the Netherlands. 

Her father was Cornelius Jonkher Van Meteran (1474-1519) born and died in Deil-Tielerwaard-Betuwe, Geldermalsen, Gelderland, Netherlands. Her mother was Cornelia Sparenburg van Meteran (B. abt. 1470 - 1519) born in Deil, Geldermalsen, Gelderland, Netherlands, and died in Antwerp, Belgium. They were my great times 14 grandparents, and I know no further back on that tree branch.

Friesland landscape in the Netherlands

The new (older) ancestors in the Rogers history

Thomas Matthew Fitz Rogers (11 Jul 1565 - 20 Feb 1611) was the son of Bernard Fitz Rogers (1543-1609), who was the son of Rev. John Rogers the Martyr.

Thomas Matthew had been named after the nom de plume of Rev. John when he translated the Bible into English. 

Thomas' mother, wife of Bernard, was Agnes Carter Rogers, (1544 - 20 Feb.1583)

But also we now know the parents of Agnes. Her father was Thomas Carter (1520 - 24 June 1584) and her mother was Cicily Isobel Grove Carter (1524 - 14 Feb 1593)

I just found these ancestors, so have a whole bunch of hints to follow...some of which may change the information that I already have...none for Thomas Carter, but 14 hints for Cicily.

And most of them were that various church records told of the children of Thomas and Cicily...so I added a few brothers and sisters besides Agnes.  

Cicily Isobel Grove Carter's parents were Robert Groves II (1498-1580) and Lady Joane Baskerville (1500-1545) These 13 times great grandparents are the furthest back in her side of the family.

But now I have 11 hints for her husband, Where did they come from anyway? A few minutes ago there weren't any for his name. Perhaps these will be just the parentage of those children from the church records...let's see..

Well, the3 new Ancestry trees all combine Thomas with a William...and give records of William Thomas Carter...with the same birth and death dates. But hey folks, there are written legible church records from the time of his actual life, where he is cited as Thomas Carter, not William Thomas Carter. Therefore, bah humbug on William!

Thomas  Carter (1520 - 24 June 1584) married Cicilye Grove on 2 Feb 1572 according to at least 3 different sources. That's fine, but look at their ages in 1572. If they had been born in 1520 and 1524, Cicilye was past childbearing age. So there's still a bit of a crunch going on here. and I'm going to consider these were the parents of Agnes Carter (born in 1544) still. If Thomas was her father, someone else was her mother. Or perhaps the marriage didn't occur until Cicilye was 48 years old. Still a bit iffy.

Now if Thomas was really William...and that marriage to Cicilye was his brother Thomas...or he had these other 2 marriages earlier...see how much wiggle room ancestry has? Not good at all!

So I'm going to just accept that Cicilye Grove and Thomas Carter had Agnes as their daughter in 1544, but didn't get married until 1572.  I can't go any further, because the records all suggest the next generation of Carters are parents of the newly minted William Thomas Carter.

Thomas and Cicilye Carter are my 12 times great grandparents. I'll accept that!

11 children of Rev. John Rogers the Martyr

Next on my list is Philip Rogers (1547 (Wittenberg Ger.) - 1628 Scotland)  He apparently married Joan or Jane Stafford in 1591. We have no record of their children. So he quite probably was a real man...and shall remain on the list.

I did just notice on another tree the description (but not the actual text unfortunately) of Fox's record of John the Martyr, with a list of the children alive at the time of his death. So the two who predeceased him wouldn't be part of the 11 count, I'm guessing. Nothing like another piece of evidence that perhaps is somewhere out there.

Starting from my list, the next child born would have been Augustine Rogers, (1550 London - 1628 London. Though he does sound very plausible for a son of Rev. John he has no evidence on other trees, nor a definite date of death. One other tree states he died 21 Apr 1618 at St. Mary Aldermary, London. There was no marriage nor children. But I can update my entry on Ancestry with the new date and place of death for him.

Elizabeth Rogers (1549 Dorset Eng - 14 April 1634 London Eng) married James Procter in 1575. She is not the Elizabeth Rogers who married Thomas Eyre...as that Elizabeth was daughter of John Rogers, Esq, Our Rev. John was never described that way. If she was known as daughter of Rev. John Rogers, it's certain they would have said "the Martyr."

The above excerpt shows description of John Rogers, Esq., of Poole, and his daughter Elizabeth (not on my tree)

Rev. John's daughter, Elizabeth Rogers' husband, James Procter is listed with some variable dates of birth from 1549-1556. Their marriage did take place in 1575. He has been described as the Chancellor of Salisbury. He died between 1581 and 1642. That's quite a wide range. 

And Elizabeth Rogers Procter has other dates for her life, being born in 1553 rather than 1549, and dying on 24 Dec. 1612. It's no wonder that it's difficult to keep track. The other Elizabeth Rogers who married Thomas Eyre does appear in my tree after the Eyres came to America. Small world!

My next listed child was Richard Rogers (29 June 1551- 21 April 1618) He was born in Chelmsford, Essex, Eng, and died in Wethersfield, Essex, Eng. 

There were 3 other trees for Richard Rogers, but the parents were wrong...mother being Agnes Carter, or father being Richard, or John married to Agnes Carter. That's too bad because that Richard was a Rev. and even has a portrait painting of himself, as well as 2 wives and a dozen or more children. I'm back to square one as they say.

I'm not even sure this Richard Rogers is the son of Rev. John and Adryan...nor died in Wethersfield, which is where the noteworthy Rev. Richard Rogers, son of Richard (not Rev. John) died. I'm pretty sure our Richard didn't have all those children, nor a wife named Barbara Rogers!

So I have a Richard, not the Rev. Rogers without much detail as to his life, because I'm pretty sure all the dates I do have belong to the Rev.

Did Rev. John and Adryan have a son also named Richard? I'll leave him on the tree for now, but it would have been nice to have details about his life.

Hester Rogers is the last child on my list. Born in 1555 in London, she supposedly died there also in 1659. That's a bit longer than a century. So folks, let's change some of those numbers so she is more believable! And there was an almost clearly written page of clergy listing the deaths and baptisms in 1697, where a son named Solomon was buried, son of Henry and Hester Ball. Also I found another Ancestry tree (Rogers and Bakers) which gave Hester's date of death at a more believable 24 June 1626. So that's the preferred date on my tree now.

Of all 13 children, 2 had died before their father. So that would let these 11 be alive at the time of his death in 1555. I've finished this task. Of course in a year, or a month, something new may come to light which will change everything. This may be history, but there's a sense of piecing it together like an archaeologists dig. As you've already noticed, the dates belonging to many of these children changed.