Saturday, May 25, 2019

Added and Updated Record Collections at FamilySearch.org - Week of 19 to 25 May 2019

I am trying to keep up with the new and updated record collections at FamilySearch   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list) every week.

As of 25 May 2019, there were 2,489 record collections on FamilySearch (an increase of 0 from last week):

The added or updated collections are (as Marshall provided them):

--- Collections Updated ---

Oregon, Oregon State Archives, Births Records, 1842-1917        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3246498); Browse 524 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 524 images), Updated 20 May 2019

Great Britain, War Office Registers, 1772-1935  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2366620); 390,636 indexed records with 3,617 record images (was 80,834 records with 3,617 images), Updated 21 May 2019

Pennsylvania, Berks County, Reading, Charles Evans Cemetery and Crematory Burial Records, 1887-1979     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3241365); 28,855 indexed records with 16,764 record images (was 10,396 records with 15,383 images), Updated 20 May 2019

Ohio Tax Records, 1800-1850     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1473259); 5,699,600 indexed records with 45,984 record images (was 4,027,386 records with 45,984 images), Updated 20 May 2019

England, Hampshire Parish Registers, 1538-1980  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2556014); 2,324,728 indexed records with 148,396 record images (was 2,324,688 records with 162,949 images), Updated 21 May 2019

England and Wales Census, 1911  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1921547); 36,354,828 indexed records with 36,354,828 record images (was 36,354,828 records with 36,354,828 images), Updated 20 May 2019

Brazil, São Paulo, Civil Registration, 1925-1995        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2765317); 2,055,765 indexed records with 2,009,803 record images (was 1,848,011 records with 1,794,803 images), Updated 20 May 2019

United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2333694); 34,153,321 indexed records with 46,885,712 record images (was 34,153,321 records with 46,885,712 images), Updated 21 May 2019

Kansas, Gove County Enumeration Books and List of Residents, 1909-1950  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2854369); 98,094 indexed records with 11,459 record images (was 96,391 records with 9,017 images), Updated 20 May 2019

Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1469062); 1,676,517 indexed records with 108,296 record images (was 1,676,517 records with 108,296 images), Updated 20 May 2019

Texas, Swisher County Records, 1879-2012        (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2103490); 11,109 indexed records with 93,205 record images (was 11,039 records with 93,205 images), Updated 21 May 2019

Canada Census, 1881     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1804541); 4,281,160 indexed records with 88,543 record images (was 4,281,160 records with 88,543 images), Updated 20 May 2019

Texas, Cooke County, Deeds, 1895-1924   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2804974); 32,703 indexed records with 29,072 record images (was 30,965 records with 27,591 images), Updated 20 May 2019

--- Collections with new images ---

England, Herefordshire Bishop's Transcripts, 1583-1898  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3155913); 383,664 indexed records with 23,616 record images (was 352,849 records with 23,310 images),  2 Feb 2019

Iowa, Birth Records, 1921-1942  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2849548); 743,126 indexed records with 740,794 record images (was 743,115 records with 732,941 images),  28 Mar 2019

--- Collections with new records ---

Peru, Cemetery Records, 1912-2013       (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3163400); 32,154 indexed records with 1,365 record images (was 31,073 records with 1,365 images),  22 Apr 2019

Peru, Amazonas, Civil Registration, 1935-1999   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1999173); 126,164 indexed records with 254,406 record images (was 120,546 records with 254,406 images),  23 Mar 2019

United States Deceased Physician File (AMA), 1864-1968  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2061540); 46,053 indexed records with 707,724 record images (was 40,914 records with 707,724 images),  23 Apr 2019

Nova Scotia Births, 1864-1877   (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2243378); 81,259 indexed records with 35,026 record images (was 58,750 records with 35,026 images),  26 Jun 2015

Argentina, Corrientes, Civil Registration, 1880-1930    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2821282); 169,739 indexed records with 107,406 record images (was 131,986 records with 107,406 images),  15 Mar 2019

Canadian Headstones     (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2290953); Index only (2,982,451 records), no images (was 1,099,535 records with 0 images),  10 May 2016

California, Los Angeles County, North Hollywood, Pierce Brothers Memorial Park Cemetery, Memorial Tablets, 1943-1980    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3235392); 52,721 indexed records with 50,702 record images (was 52,717 records with 50,702 images),  29 Apr 2019

Cape Verde, Catholic Church Records, 1787-1957  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2246703); 138,889 indexed records with 105,781 record images (was 129,258 records with 105,781 images),  23 Jan 2019

Montana, Sanders County Records, 1866-2010      (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2109937); 16,155 indexed records with 55,148 record images (was 16,145 records with 55,148 images),  29 Nov 2018

Italy, Trento, Diocesi di Trento, Catholic Church Records, 1548-1937    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1430983); 635,891 indexed records with 86,924 record images (was 602,694 records with 86,924 images),  8 Apr 2019

Philippines Civil Registration (National), 1945-1984    (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1852584); 565,896 indexed records with 20,274,621 record images (was 561,953 records with 20,274,621 images),  15 May 2019

--- Collections with records removed ---

United States Public Records, 1970-2009 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2199956); Index only (875,610,724 records), no images (was 875,610,760 records with 0 images),  17 Jun 2015

===========================================

In order to select a specific record collection on FamilySearch, go to  https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list and use the "Filter by collection name" feature in the upper left-hand corner and use keywords (e.g. "church england") to find collections with those keywords.

My friend, Marshall, has come up with a way to determine which collections are ADDED, DELETED or UPDATED.  Thanks to Marshall for helping me out here!

Each one of the collections listed above has a Research Wiki page (use the "Learn more" link).  It would be very useful if the Wiki page for each collection listed the dates for when the collection was added as a new collection and the dates for major updates also.

=============================================
Copyright (c) 2019, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun -- A Research Problem and Lessons Learned

It's Saturday Night - 

time for more Genealogy Fun! 



Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible! music) is to:


1)  Think back to when you first started doing genealogy and family history research.  What was one of your first real research problems?  How did you attack the problem?  Did you solve the problem?  If so, how?  What lessons did you learn from this experience?

2)  Tell us about it in a blog post of your own, in a comment to this blog post, or in a comment on Facebook.

Here's mine:

When I started my genealogy research in 1988, I had a lot of help.  My father's brother and four sisters were very happy, and provided family stories and some papers to help me.  One of their stories was that "Our mother, Alma Bessie (Richmond) Seaver (1882-1962) was descended from Peregrine White, the baby born aboard the Mayflower in 1620."

Right!!  I'd been warned already about family legends.  What should I do first?  Find descendants of Peregrine White, or find ancestors of Alma Bessie Richmond, my grandmother?  The family papers said that Alma's mother was Juliette White (1848-1913), born in Killingly, Conn., so that gave me a lead.

I started my research at the San Diego Family History Center looking for entries in the IGI and the Ancestral File for Juliette White, and found nothing.  I did find an entry for Julia White (age 3) in the 1850 U.S. census in Killingly, Conn, daughter of Henry and Amy White.  Was that the right Julia/Juliet?  

My Aunt Marion sent me an obituary of Juliet, which said her mother's maiden name was Oatley.  An Oatley surname book said that Amy Oatley married Henry White and had Julia, who married Thomas Richmond and listed Bessie Alma as a daughter...progress!  


I worked for several more years at the FHC trying to nail down the White line back from  Henry White (1824-1885) to Jonathan White (1804-1850) to Humphrey White (1758-1814) to Jonathan White (1732-1804).  I found lots of data, but no positive link, until I found this article:

Ruth Wilder Sherman, "Some Descendants of Jonathan White of Dartmouth MA and of Humphrey White of Glocester RI," The American Genealogist, Volume 56, Pages 113-118.

This article took my White line back (confirming my links from Henry) to Jonathan White (1732-1804) of Dartmouth, Mass., son of William White (1708-1780), which linked him to a White line from Peregrine White in the book:

Lucy Mary Kellogg (editor), Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: Volume 1: Family of Francis Eaton, Family of Samuel Fuller, Family of William White (Boston, Mass.: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1975).

The line back to the Mayflower in the book is from William White (1708-1780) to William White (1683-1780) to Sylvanus White (1667-1688) to Peregrine White (1620-1704) to William White (ca 1590-1621).  

I was happy to report to the family at a 50th anniversary party for my Uncle Edward Seaver in September 1990 that the legend was true.  

All of this work was done in published books and periodical articles with source citations, so it wasn't original research on my part by any stretch of the imagination.  But when you are just starting out, finding resources like these are a godsend, and they lead you to original source material.  Subsequently, the General Society of Mayflower Descendants has published a book for descendants of William White:

Robert S. Wakefield (editor), Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: Volume 13: Family of William White (Boston, Mass.: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1997).

Since 1990 (over the past 29+ years), I have gathered quite a bit of supportive evidence for each White family - especially probate records, land records and vital records, that satisfies me that this line is correct.  

I kept a fairly detailed, handwritten, research log on this family from 1988 to 1992...it was really useful to me today as I tried to piece this story together.  This White family is one of the families that I have created an organized surname book for to date - I easily found all of the resource material and my research log!  I need to do more of the organized surname books, I see!

The lessons learned:

*  Work backwards in time from known persons and data to unknown persons and data, one generation at a time.

*  Find and use published works (if available) to help you find clues to earlier generations.  Review the source citations (if available) to confirm the published material.  


*  Find and add as many original source records as possible (offline or online) and include them in your family tree database to help corroborate your conclusions.

*  Keeping a research log for each family or family line is really helpful 30 years later...you can see what resources were found, the conclusions drawn, and the results obtained.


This research would be performed a lot differently today.  There are millions of personal family trees, and a number of shared family trees, online that can take this line quickly back to William White, the Mayflower passenger.  But how would I know if the line, and the information about each family, was correct?  The answer is, of course:  By looking at the source citations and the records documenting each family and judging if the conclusions are correct.  In this case of a Mayflower ancestry, I would also rely on the Mayflower Families book, but would also check the peer-reviewed research from the last 30 years in NEHGR, TAG, Mayflower Descendant, and other published books and periodicals. 


=======================================


Copyright (c) 2019, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook,  or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Surname Saturday -- HODSOLL (England to Colonial Massachusetts)

It's Surname Saturday, and I'm "counting down" my Ancestral Name List each week.


I am working in the 9th great-grandmothers by Ahnentafel number, and I am up to Ancestor #2301 who is Bennett HODSOLL (1596-1630). [Note: the more recent ancestral families have been covered in earlier posts.]

My ancestral line back through one generation in this HODSOLL family line is:

1. Randall J. Seaver

2. Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983)
3. Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002)

4. Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942)
5. Alma Bessie Richmond (1882-1962)

8. Frank Walton Seaver (1852-1922)
9. Hattie Louise Hildreth (1857-1920)

16. Isaac Seaver (1823-1901)
17. Lucretia Townsend Smith (1827-1884)

34.  Alpheus B. Smith (1802-1840)
35.  Elizabeth Horton Dill (1791-1869)

70.  Thomas Dill (1755-1839)
71.  Hannah Horton (1761-1797)

142.  Nathaniel Horton (1720-1771)
143.  Eunice Snow (1722-1816)

286.  Jabez Snow (1697-1760)
287.  Elizabeth Paine (1702-1772)

574.  John Paine (1661-1731)
575. Bennett Freeman (1671-1716)


1150.  John Freeman (1627-1719)
1151.  Mercy Prence (1631-1711)

2300.  Edmond Freeman, born before 25 July 1596 in Pulborough, Sussex, England; died before 02 November 1682 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States.  He was the son of 4600. Edmund Freeman and 4601. Alice Coles.  He married  16 June 1617 in Cowfold, Sussex, England.
2301.  Bennett Hodsoll, born before 25 August 1596 in All Saints Barking, London, England; died before 12 April 1630 in Pulborough, Sussex, England.  She was the daughter of 4602. John Hodsoll and 4603. Faith Gratwick.

Children of Edmond Freeman and Bennett Hodsoll are:
*  Alice Freeman (1619-1651), married 1639 William Paddy (1619-1658).
*  Edmund Freeman (1620-1673), married (1) 1646 Rebecca Prence (1627-1651); (2) 1651 Margaret Perry (1623-1688).
*  Thomas Freeman (1621-????).
*  Bennet Freeman (1622-1634).
*  Elizabeth Freeman (1624-1692), married 1644 John Ellis (1620-1697).
John Freeman (1627-1719), married 1650 Mercy Prence (1631-1711).
*  Nathaniel Freeman (1629-1629).
*  Mary Freeman (1631-1688), married 1653 Edward Perry (1627-1695).

Information about the Hodsoll family was obtained from:

*  Richard L. Bush, "English Ancestry of Bennett Hodsoll, First Wife of Edmond Freeman of Sandwich, Massachusetts," New England Historical and Genealogical Register (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass.), Volume 164, Number 2 (April 2010), page 110.

I have done no original research for this Freeman or Hodsoll family.

=======================================


Copyright (c) 2019, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook,  or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

Friday, May 24, 2019

Genealogy News Bytes - 24 May 2019


Some of the genealogy news items across my desktop the last three days include:

1)  News Articles:


On the Ancestry of the New Royal Baby




2)  New or Updated Record Collections:

Friday Finds 24 May 2019




3)  Genealogy Education - Webinars:


 GeneaWebinars Calendar


*  Upcoming Family Tree Webinar - Wednesday, 29 May, 11 a.m. PDT:  Tools for Translating and Transcribing Genealogy Records, by Thomas MacEntee

*  Archived Family Tree Webinar:  Valid and Unsound Assumptions: What Was She Thinking?, by Jeanne Bloom

*  Archived Family Tree Webinar:  Google Drive: an Office in the Cloud, by DearMYRTLE and Russ Worthington


*  Archived Family Tree Webinar:  Compiling a Military Service Record, by Craig R. Scott


*  Archived Family Tree Webinar:  The Anatomy of BMD: What You Don’t Know About Vital Records, by Gena Philibert-Ortega

4)  Genealogy Education - Podcasts:

*  Fisher’s Top Tips Podcast:  #73: Keepsakes

*  Genealogy Gems Podcast:  Episode 229

*  The Photo Detective Podcast:  Episode 40: The Dead Pixels Society

*  Genealogy Connections Podcast:  #055 - Russ Worthington, Technology Educator



5)  Genealogy Videos:


*  American Ancestors YouTube:  Introducing the GU272

*  Boundless Genealogy YouTube:  Genealogy Brick Wall Busting: Step 2 - Make a Timeline

*  BYU Family History Library YouTube:  What's New on the Family History Guide- Ann Tanner


*  Family History Fanatics YouTube:  Family Search Isn't the Problem - Interview with James Tanner

*  Genealogy TV YouTube:  What is Forensic Genealogy?


*  The In-Depth Genealogist YouTube:  Relative Race Season 5 Finale

6)  Genealogy Bargains:

*  Genealogy Bargains for Friday, May 24,  2019






8)  Did you miss the last Genealogy News Bytes - 21 May 2019?

==============================================


Copyright (c) 2019, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

New Records Available To Search This Findmypast Friday, 24 May 2019

I received this information from Findmypast today:

                          ===================================================


New Records Available To Search This Findmypast Friday

There a more than 58 million new records and newspaper articles available to search this Findmypast Friday, including:
Search for your English ancestry in thousands of pages from the Calendar of The Royal College of Surgeons in England and Members of The Royal College of Physicians. Containing over 31,000 names, these publications will provide you with your ancestor's residence and years of appointment.
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a professional body founded in 1518, which promotes the best health and healthcare for all and has played a pivotal role in raising standards. It is the oldest medical college in England. For the first four centuries, women were excluded from the RCP. A bylaw was passed in 1909 allowing women to take examinations. Within the records, you can find the name Helen MacKay, the first female fellow.
Over 876,000 additional records created by the International Committee of the Red Cross during the First World War have been added to our collection of Prisoner of War records. Between 1914 and 1918, all belligerent countries involved provided lists of prisoners to the ICRC, which created an index card for each prisoner and detainee.
The records in this collection are diverse and varied and comprise original source material provided by The National Archives, as well as transcript only records from other sources. These records not only include military personnel but also civilians, diplomats, missionaries and merchant seamen.
Over 85,000 additional records have also been added to our collection of First World War Soldiers' Medical Records. Including both transcripts and images of original documents, these records will enable you to discover when and where your ancestor was wounded, the nature of their disease or wound, the medical facility they were sent to and the dates of their treatment as well as details pertaining to their military career.
This collection comprises The National Archives' series, MH106, War Office: First World War Representative Medical Records of Servicemen. The records include admissions and discharge records from hospitals, field ambulances, and casualty clearing stations. You will also find records from Queen Alexandra's Military Hospital before the First World War, dating from 1910.
Browse through more than 85,000 additional records from The National Archives related to births, marriages, and deaths of British civilians and members of the armed forces. The records include individuals who were working or travelling abroad or who were serving their countries overseas. The details found in each record will depend on the original source.
Images have now been added to the index of Ontario, Oddfellows Life Insurance Applications we published last week. These two page documents will reveal a range of additional information including marital status, membership details, medial history, the ages, state of health (if living) or cause of death of parents and siblings, the names of next of kin and physical descriptions.
Over 57 million German births, baptisms, marriages and burials are now available to search and explore on Findmypast. Consisting of three new indexes covering the years 1558 to 1958, these new additions will generate hints against your Findmypast family tree.
This week we have added 57,277 new pages to our collection of historical British & Irish newspapers. We are excited to welcome specialist sporting title – the Football Post (Nottingham) – to our collection, with 1069 issues added so far. We have also updated five of our existing titles, including three of our London titles – the Harrow Leader, the Ealing Leader and the Hayes & Harlington Gazette – as well as the Reading Evening Post and the Buckinghamshire Examiner.
===========================================

Disclosure:  I have a complimentary subscription to Findmypast, and have accepted meals and services from Findmypast, as a Findmypast Ambassador.  This has not affected my objectivity relative to Findmypast and its products.
Copyright (c) 2019, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.


52 Ancestors - Week 279: #472 Richard Cutter (1682-1756) of Cambridge, Mass. and Woodbridge, New Jersey

Richard Cutter (1682-1756) is #472 on my Ahnentafel List, my 6th great-grandfather, who married  #473 Mercy Kelsey (1698-1760) in about 1722 in Woodbridge, New Jersey.

I am descended through:

*  their son, #236 William Cutter (1722-17880), married #237 Mary Kent (1726-????) in about 1744.
*  their son, #118 Stephen Cutter (1745-1823), married #119 Tabitha Randolph (1752-1841) in about 1769.
*  their daughter #59 Sarah Cutter (1785-1878), married #58 William Knapp (1775-1856) in about 1804.
*  their daughter, #29 Sarah Knapp (1818-1904), married #28 David Auble (1817-1894)  in 1844.
*  their son #14 Charles Auble (1849-1916), married #15 Georgianna Kemp (1868-1952) in 1898.
*  their daughter #7 Emily Kemp Auble (1899-1977), married #6 Lyle Lawrence Carringer (1891-1976) in 1918.
*  their daughter #3 Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002) who married #2 Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983) in 1942.
*  their son #1 Randall Jeffrey Seaver (1943-living)

=====================================================

1)  PERSON (with source citations as indicated in brackets):
*  Name:                       Richard Cutter[1–5]    

*  Sex:                         Male    

*  Father:                    William Cutter (1649-1723)    
*  Mother:                  Rebecca Rolfe (1661-1751)  

2)  INDIVIDUAL EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):
*  Birth:                      13 November 1682, Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States[1–2]
*  Baptism:                 15 September 1700 (age 17), Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States[1]    

*  Distribution:           29 April 1723 (age 40), father's will proved; Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States[5]    

*  Will:                       20 September 1756 (age 73), will written; Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States[3]    

*  Death:                    17 December 1756 (age 74), Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States[1,4]    
*  Burial:                    after 17 December 1756 (after age 74), First Presbyterian Churchyard, Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States[1,4]    

*  Probate:                 22 January 1757 (age 74), will proved; Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States[3]  

3)  SHARED EVENTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

*  Spouse 1:                Mary Pike (1687-1721)    
*  Marriage 1:             20 August 1706 (age 23), Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States[1]    
*  Child 1:                  Sarah Cutter (1707-1758)    
*  Child 2:                  Rebecca Cutter (1709-1792)    
*  Child 3:                  Elizabeth Cutter (1711-1750)    
*  Child 4:                  John Cutter (1713-1759)    
*  Child 5:                  Ephraim Cutter (1715-1770)    
*  Child 6:                  Esther Cutter (1717-1784)    
*  Child 7:                  Hannah Cutter (1719-1756)    
*  Child 8:                  Richard Cutter (1721-1768)    

*  Spouse 2:               Mercy Kelsey (1698-1760)    
*  Marriage 2:            about 1722 (about age 40), probably Woodbridge, Middlesex, New Jersey, United States[1]    
*  Child 9:                  William Cutter (1722-1780)    
*  Child 10:                Joseph Cutter (1725-1767)    
*  Child 11:                Mary Cutter (1728-    )    
*  Child 12:                Rebecca Cutter (1730-    )    
*  Child 13:                Ebenezer Cutter (1732-    )    
*  Child 14:                Samuel Cutter (1734-1759)  

4)  NOTES (with source citations as indicated in brackets):  

Much of the information below was taken from History of the Cutter Family of New England, by Dr. Benjamin Cutter, published Boston, 1871[1], with the exception of the will for Richard Cutter.

Richard Cutter was born 13 November 1682 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the son of William and Rebecca (Rolfe) Cutter[1-2].  He was their second child and first son.

Richard Cutter owned the covenant and was baptized in the church at Cambridge, Massachusetts on 15 September 1700[1].  

He left New England and settled in Woodbridge, New Jersey in 1706, leaving his parents and siblings in Cambridge behind[1].

He married Mary Pike, the daughter of John Pike, one of the first and most active settlers of Woodbridge, New Jersey, on 20 August 1706[1].  

On 14 November 1709, Richard Cutter and John Pike entered into a partnership agreement to build and maintain a grist mill on Pike's Creek.  The agreement was entered into the town records by Thomas Pike, town clerk, on 1 March 1710[1].

Richard Cutter had eight children by his first wife, Mary (Pike) Cutter, the first two in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the rest in Woodbridge, New Jersey[1]:  

*  Sarah Cutter (1707-1758), married Samuel Jaques in 1730.
*  Rebecca Cutter (1709-1792), married William Frazee in 1727.
*  Elizabeth Cutter (1711-1750), married John Skinner in 1736.
*  John Cutter (1713-1759).
*  Ephraim Cutter (1715-1770), married Susan Burwell in 1762.
*  Esther Cutter (1717-1784), married Charles Marsh in 1742.
*  Hannah Cutter (1719-1756), married Robert Dennis (1713-1790)
*  Richard Cutter (1721-1768), married Elizabeth Ford.

All of the above children are mentioned in their father's will except Elizabeth who died before her father, but they are not mentioned in the will of Mercy (Kelsey) Cutter, the second wife of Richard Cutter.

On 8 March 1719/20, Richard Cutter was chosen "overseer of the pore" in Woodbridge for the next year.  He was chosen again 14 March 1756[1].

Mary (Pike) Cutter died 30 June 1721 in Woodbridge[1].

Richard Cutter married Mercy Kelsey, daughter of Joseph and Jane (DeCamp)Kelsey in about 1722[1].  They had six children between 1722 and about 1734, all probably born in Woodbridge[1]:

*  William Cutter (1722-1780), married Mary Kent in about 1744.
*  Joseph Cutter (1725-1767), married Ann Campyon before 1752.
*  Mary Cutter (1728-????), married Baker.
*  Rebecca Cutter (1730-????)
*  Ebenezer Cutter (1732-????)
*  Samuel Cutter (1734-1759)

Richard Cutter was honorably mentioned in his father's will, who, by a deed of gift, gave him an important part of his estate, which Richard later transferred to his brothers who remained near the family homestead. He was appointed an executor of this instrument, but did not appear at the office of probate when the will was proven.  He however in some degree assisted in its final administration[1,5].  

He appears to have been a citizen of Woodbridge of the first importance[1].

The will of Richard Cutter was written on 20 September 1756, and proved on 22 January 1757 in  Middlesex County, New Jersey[3]:

Richard Cutter
Will Recorded
22 Jan'y 1757
Exam'd
In the name of God Amen the twentyeth day of September in the year of Christ One thousand Seven hundred and fifty six I Richard Cutter of Woodbridge in the County of Middlesex and Province of East New Jersey being sick and weak of Body but of sound and perfect mind & memory calling to mind the mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to Dye Do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament – And first I Give and recommend my Soul to God that gave it and for my Body I commend it to the Dust to be Buried in a Christian like & decent manner at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but I shall receive the same again by the mighty Power of God and as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I Give Devise & dispose of the same in manner following. 

Imprimis it is my will and I do Order that all my just Debts and Funeral Charges be fully paid by my Executors as soon as may be conveniently after my decease. 

Item I Give & bequeath to my well beloved Wife Mercy Cutter the one equal third part of all the Neat profit & Income of both my Grist Mill and Sawmill which she shall have & enjoy for &during her natural life also I Give to my said Wife the one half part of the priviledge use & benefit of my former Dwelling House at the Cornfield Landing her part to be taken where she shall chuse and also the use & benefit of the one half part of the Lands & Meadows lying & adjoyning on the Northerly side of the said Dwelling House & on the North side of the said Dwelling House & on the North side of the Road that goes by the same Bounded Westerly by the Lands herein after given to my Son Richard Cutter Northerly by Zebulon Pike's Land Easterly in part by Will'm Cutter's Land and partly by the great Creek including the Islands & Meadow lying Northerly of Bradly's Creek which moiety shall remain to my said wife during her natural life. Also I Give & bequeath to my Wife aboves'd One Feather Bed & sufficient furniture & also the Sum or value of fifty pounds of curr't money of this Province to be taken out of my Moveable Estate in such particular things as my wife shall chuse & being by her chosen they shall be Prized and Delivered to her by my Executors and shall remain to her her Heirs & assigns for ever. 

Item I give & Bequeath to my Eldest Son William Cutter the Dwelling House wherein he now lives together with a piece of Land whereon it stands which Land shall begin at a Stake planted in the line of my Land being nine Rods westward from the great Buttonwood Tree that is near the South East Corner of his House from which Stake it shall run eight Rods north to another Stake planted for a Corner and from thence Easterly on a Strait line parrallell with the front line down to the great Creek and from thence down the said Creek as it runs to the afores'd Front line where it joyns to the said Creek and from thence Westerly as the said line runs to the first mentioned Stake and also the one equal half part of my Grist Mill and Saw Mill including one half of the Stream & all the other priviledges and Utensils to the said Mills now belonging or appartaining And also that Tract of Land on the South side of the Road opposite to my former Dwelling House whereon the Barn and Orchard now stands as far Westward as the line of the Land I bought of Elisha Inslee together with all that Tract of Salt Meadow which I bought of Zebulon Pike lying on the South side of the last mentioned Land & on the North side of the Mill pond (Excepting one acre and a half of said Meadow to be taken of the Westerly end thereof which is hereby reserved for my Son Richard and also the one third part of that Lott of Land on Strawberry Hill which I bought of Richard Dole the said Third part to be taken off the Northerly end of said Lott adjoyning to Zebulon Pikes Land and also the one equal Third part of my Lott of Land call'd Ten Acres lying on the South side of the Brook called Pike's Brook which shall be Divided to him and to his Brothers herein after mentioned by Lott drawn for that purpose and also five acres of Salt Meadow lying at Raraton on the Westward side of the Meadow called Proprietors Meadow & on the North side of the Creek called Abrahams Creek being that Meadow that was given to me by my father in law John Pike and also the one equal third part of that Tract of Land which lyes on and near the hill formerly called Lockhearts hill which belonged formerly chiefly to John Whitcher with some other additions containing in all about twenty seven acres which shall be divided to him & his two Brothers hereafter named in quantity and quality and all abovesaid to remain to him his Heirs and Assigns forever. 

Item I Give and bequeath to my Son Richard Cutter the House and Lands which I bought of Elisha [page 399, image 539, right-hand page] Insley and also that one acre & half of Salt meadow reserved as above to be taken off the Westerly end of the Tract I bought of Zebulon Pike between the Mill pond and the upland whereon the Barn stands and likewise the one equal third part of that Lott of Land on Strawberry hill which I bought of Richard Dole which third part of his shall be taken of the South end of s'd Lott & adjoyned to his House Lott and also the one equal third part of that Tract or Parcel of Land which lyes on & near the hill formerly called Lockhearts hill which formerly belonged chiefly to John Whitcher with other additions containing in all about twenty Seven acres which shall be Divided to him & his two brothers as abovesaid in quantity and quality and likewise the one equal third part of my Lott of Land call'd Ten Acres lying on the South side of the brook call'd Pikes brook which shall be Divided to him & his two brothers by Lotts drawn for that purpose and also one third part of that fifteen acres Lott of Salt Marsh lying in Raraton Meadows on the South side of the great Creek which shall be taken of the East end of the Lott and also the one equal half particular of my Grist Mill & Saw mill including one half part of the Stream & all the other Priviledges and utensils to the said Mills belonging or appertaining all abovesaid to remain to him his Heirs & assigns forever. 
Item I Give and bequeath to my Son Joseph Cutter all that Tract of Land lying on the Easterly side of the Road that goe to Metuchin between the Lands of Isaac Tappen & David Evans containing near about forty acres being one twenty two acre Lott & a ten acre Lott Drawn in the right of John Whitcher & a small addition taken up in a Ten pound right all adjoyning together also that Six acre Lott of Salt Meadow lying on the West side of the highway that goes from the upland to the bridge over the House Lot Creek in Raraton meadows all abovesaid to him his Heirs and assigns for ever. 

Item I Give bequeath to my Son Ebenezer Cutter all that my ancient Dwelling House & Land & meadow adjoyning lying on the North side of the Road that goes from Cornfield Landing to the Amboy Road Bounded Westerly by the Lands of my Son Richard Cutter Northerly by Lands of Zebulon Pike Easterly on the great Creek in part & partly by Lands of my Son William Cutter together with an Island of Meadow lying on the North side of that Lott of Land on Strawberry
hill which I bought of Richard Dole his part shall be bounded South west on the Road and northeast by the Lands of my Son Richard Cutter the Division lines to lye cross the whole Lott parrallel with the line of Zebulon Pike's Land moreover I Give and bequeath to my abovesaid son Ebenezer Cutter the one equal third part of my Lott of Land called Ten acres lying on the South side of the brook called Pikes brook which shall be Divided to him & his two Brothers as abovesaid by Lots drawn for that purpose the Division Lines to run parallel with the Westermost line of said Lott, and also the one third part of that Tract or parcel of Land which lyes on & near the hill formerly called Lockhearts hill being the Land which formerly belonged chiefly to John Whitcher with other Additions containing in all about twenty seven acres which shall be Divided as abovesaid in quantity and quality all given to my said Son Ebenezer Cutter in this & the above sheet shall remain to him his Heirs and Assigns for ever. 

Item I Give and bequeath to my Son Samuel Cutter the one equal half part of my sixty acre Lott of Woodland lying in Woodbridge near the place called the Pumpkin patch the whole being bounded Easterly and westerly by William Browns Land northerly by the County line and Southerly by the highway his half part shall be taken of the Easterly side of the whole Lott which shall be Divided by number of Acres and Shall remain to him his Heirs & assigns for ever and likewise my Will is that my Son Samuel Shall pay to my Son John Cutter the Sum of Ten pounds of curr't money of this Province within the space of one year next after my decease. 

Item I give to my Son Ephraim Cutter the residue or Westerly half part of my sixty acre Lott of woodland lying near the Pumpkin patch the whole being bounded East & West by William Browns Land Northerly by the County Line and Southerly by the highway which shall be equally Divided by number of acres to him his Heirs & assigns for ever and likewise my Will is that my Son Ephraim shall pay to my Son John the Sum of Ten pounds of curr't money of this Province within the space of one year after my decease and furthermore my Will is that my two Sons Samuel and Ephraim Cutters shall have occupy and enjoy all my Priviledge Right and property (which I have and hold by a Lease) in and upon the Plantation that was formerly John Skinners to be by these my two Sons equally enjoyed and the Rents and conditions of & in said Lease mentioned by them equally paid & performed according to the Tenor of said Lease as I my self ought to do and my Executors to be discharged from any manner of right of having doing or paying any thing in the said Lease mentioned or intended. 

Moreover I Give to my Son William Cutter all that Lott of Woodland lying on the North side of Piscataway Road Containing Twenty acres which was taken up in the right of John Whitcher Bounded East by Moses Collyers Land and West by Samuel Comptons Land to remain to him his Heirs and assigns forever. Likewise I further Give to my Son Richard Cutter all that piece of Woodland being Twenty Acres bounded Easterly by Alexander Edgars Land Southerly by Jonathan Rowlands Land and West by Israel Thomels Land to him his Heirs & assigns forever. And furthermore I Give to my Son Joseph Cutter all that Lott of woodland Containing about nineteen Acres Bounded North by Jonathan Congers Land East by Land of Israel Thomel & West by James Ayers his Land all to him his Heirs and Assigns for ever. 

Moreover my Will is and I do order that my Son William Cutter shall pay to my Daughter Sarah Jaqueth the Sum of five pounds and to my Daughter Hannah Dennis the Sum of Ten pounds and to my Daughter Esther Marsh the Sum of five pounds all in curr't money of this Province within the space of one year after my decease, and also my Son Richard Cutter shall pay to my Daughter Rebecka Cutter the Sum of Twenty pounds in curr't money of this Province within the space of one year after my deceased And also my Son Joseph Cutter shall pay unto my Daughter Mary Baker the Sum of Twenty pounds of curr't money of this Province within the space of one year all to remain to my abovesaid Daughters and each of them their Heirs & assigns forever. 

And further it is my Will and I do order that my three Eldest Sons William Cutter Richard Cutter and Joseph Cutter Shall joyntly & equally pay and discharge all my funeral Charges the Probate of my Will and all my other just Debts that shall be found due at the time of my decease each of them shall pay a third part of the whole. And further it is my Will and I do order that if any of all my Sons do bring an accompt of Debt against my Estate after my Decease for Services done for me or mine before my decease then the Party so proceeding and demanding shall be forever thereupon debarr'd & cut of from any Legacies herein given and the same shall be equally Divided amongst all the rest of my Children. 

And furthermore I Give to my Son Samuel Cutter the Westermost third part of that my fifteen Acres of Salt Marsh lying in Raraton Meadows on the South side of the great Creek Bounded Northwest on the highway & South on Parkers Pattent to him his Heirs & assigns forever. 

Also I give to my Son Ephraim Cutter the remaining third part of that my fifteen Acres of Salt Marsh in Raraton Meadows lying & to lye between that part given to my Sons Richard and Samuel the Division to be made by South line runing through the whole Lott to him his Heirs and
assigns for ever. And further I Give to my son William Cutter the one half part of those Freehold Rights which I bought of Richard Dole the other half part of said Rights to be equally Divided between my two Sons Richard and Joseph Cutter with all the undivided Lands yet to be taken up or found belonging to the said Rights to them their Heirs and assigns for ever. And further I give to my two Sons William and Richard Cutters all that Ten Acres of Salt Meadow which I bought of Richard Dole lying at Redroot Landing Bounded South by Carkis his Lott and North by John Taylors Lott to each of my said Sons an equal part of the whole to them their Heirs and assigns for ever. 

And for the better enabling my Sons William Richard & Joseph Cutters to pay & discharge all my just Debts & funeral Charges & Legacys as abovesaid I do hereby Give to them my said three Eldest Sons all the remaining part of my Moveable Estate that is not before herein given away to my Wife to them their Heirs and assigns for ever. 

And Lastly I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my three Sons William Cutter Richard Cutter and Joseph Cutter to be my Executors of this my last Will and Testament And I do hereby utterly revoke & disannull all & every other former Wills ^Testaments^ & Legacies & Executors by me at any time heretofore named, Willed & bequeathed Ratifying & Confirming this & no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the day & year above written. Signed Sealed published pronounced & Declared     }
by the said Richard Cutter this to be his last Will &                          }      Rich'd Cutter 
Testament in presence of us the Subscribers                                      }
William Kent Richard Jaques Joseph + Haveland David Donham

Be it Remembered that on the twenty Second day of January One thousand Seven hundred and fifty seven William Kent and Joseph Haviland two of the within Witnesses personally came before me Thomas Bartow duly Authorized to prove Wills and they being Sworn on the holy Evangelists to do Depose that they were present and Saw Richard Cutter the Testator within named Sign and Seal the within written Will and heard him Publish and Declare the same to be his last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof he was of sound mind & memory to the best of their knowledge and as they verily believe and that at the same time Richard Jaques and David Donham were present and Signed as Witnesses together with them the Deponents in the Testators presence. Tho's Bartow Be it also Remembered that at the same time William Cutter Richard Cutter and Joseph Cutter the Executors within named were qualified by taking the usual Oath of Executors as by Law appointed.                                                 Tho's Bartow

Richard Cutter died 17 December 1756 in Woodbridge, New Jersey.  He is buried in the First Presbyterian Churchyard in Woodbridge.  His gravestone reads:  

"In memory of Major Richard Cutter, 
who dyed ye 17th Decr 1756 
in the 75th year 
of his age."

Buried with him is his first wife, Mary (Pike) Cutter.  Her gravestone reads: 

"In memory of Mary Cutter 
who Dyed Febr 1721 
in the 33rd Year 
of her age."
   
5.  SOURCES

1. Dr. Benjamin Cutter, The History of the Cutter Family of New England  (Boston, Mass. : 1871), pages 39-41, Richard Cutter sketch.
2. Thomas W. Baldwin (compiler), Vital Records of Cambridge, Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Boston, Mass. : New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1915), Births, page 180, Richard Cutter entry.

3. New Jersey, Wills and Probate Records, 1656-1999, indexed database with digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 September 2015, no longer available), Middlesex County, Wills, Liber F, pages 397-402 (images 538-541), Richard Cutter will papers, 1756; citing original data from New Jersey County, District and Probate Courts.
4. Find A Grave, indexed database and digital image,  (http://www.findagrave.com), First Presbyterian Churchyard (Woodbridge, N.J.), Maj. Richard Cutter memorial # 56906603.

5. "Middlesex County, MA: Probate Papers, 1648-1871," digital image, American Ancestors (http://www.AmericanAncestors.org : accessed 19 December 2014), Case File 5,669 (13 pages), William Cutter, 1723; original records in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Probate Court, Cambridge, Mass.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTE:  In 2014, Amy Johnson Crow suggested a weekly blog theme of "52 Ancestors" in her blog post  52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks on the No Story Too Small blog.  I have extended this theme in 2019 to 312 Ancestors in 312 Weeks.


Copyright (c) 2019, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.