Fearless Females Prompt #20 - Female Brick Wall

As part of The Accidental Genealogists series Fearless Females, I am finally going to participate by talking about one of my brick wall ancestors. 

On my mother's side of the family tree we find my 4th great grandmother Mary Arnold.  Mary declared her intention to marry Benjamin Turner on October 1, 1780 in Pownalborough, Maine.  This fact is printed in the Bangor Historical Magazine, Volume 7,  Page 17. 

Other than that, there is no indication where Mary came from.  She and Benjamin did marry and had eleven children that I am aware of:  David, Nehemiah, Mary, Daniel, Benjamin, Hollis, James, Lois, Fanny, Eunice and Joseph.  I am desended from Daniel who married Sardine Jackson.  

Back to Mary.  I have tried to find her parentage.  There are numerous postings on the various message boards for other cousins looking for this very same information. 

I decided to try and locate Arnold families in the 1790 census.  There are two listed in Lincoln County.  Benjamin Arnold in Lincoln with 1-3-3  and William Arnold of Pownalborough with 2-1-2.  The first number represents free white males under 16, then free white males over 16 and lastly free white females (got to love the 1790 census).  Researching William Arnold led me to:

William Arnold  b. 23 June 1728 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts who married Elizabeth Colby b. 04 November 1729, also in Newbury.  They were married on 27 April 1750 in Newbury.  According to Newbury records they had three children there, Thomas b. 1750, William b. 1752 and Elizabeth b. 1755.  Then there is no longer any record of them in Newbury.  

This William was the son of Capt. Thomas Arnold and Rachel.  Elizabeth was the daughter of Ambrose Colby and Elizabeth Lawrence.  Ambrose Colby was known to have been born in Amesbury, Massachusetts and have moved to Lincoln County, Maine.  In Ambrose's will of 1778, he is of Pownalborough.  This is where my Mary Arnold is living when her marriage intention was listed.  

The records from Maine are notoriously weak.  Other family trees listed on rootsweb and/or ancestry give William and Elizabeth (Colby) Arnold other children born in Maine, including  Benjamin b. 1763, Rachel b. 1766 and Joseph b. 1771 in Pownalborough.  This would leave room for Mary, who I believe to have been born about 1764.  These children were wed in Pownalborough as was Mary.  Could this be the Arnold family to which she belongs?

Wordless Wednesday - Sarah Jemima Craft McKiel & Family

The Sarah & G. Byron McKiel Family

taken about 1904

New Brunswick, Canada

Back Row: Sarah Jemima Craft McKiel

Middle Row:  Alice Maud McKiel, Robert Craft McKiel, Charles Loran McKiel

Front Row:  Harry Redvers McKiel, Grayce Irene McKiel, Olive May McKiel

This is my great-grandmother (Sarah Jemima) with her family.  My grandfather is Harry Redvers McKiel, the cute little guy sitting on his brother's lap.

Tombstone Tuesday - Josiah B Turner

Josiah B Turner

born: January 9, 1837

died: April 13, 1862

A Private in the 15th Maine

Infantry, Drummer

From Palermo, Maine

Sentimental Sunday - School Bells Are Ringing

The first day of school is always a good time for grabbing the camera and getting pictures of the kids heading off to school.  My mother did a pretty good job with this task!

This first one is from 1962 when my brother was off to kindergarten.  He doesn't look nervous at all!

Later in 1964 all three of us were school ready.  That was the year that a brand new school opened and the three of us were off to South Road Elementary School. I think my brother was the sheriff  :-)  I am managing to be at least as tall as my younger sister.  It didn't last.

I have to show this next one because I remember the Mary Poppins dress and how disappointed I was when it no longer fit.  The year was 1965.

Skipping ahead, my younger brother was ready to join us girls in 1969.  My older brother was off to Junior High and had already left by the time the rest of us were ready to go.  My mother made the dresses!  Notice the rickrack?  Remember rickrack?!!

The next year was 1970.  I was in Junior High and we could finally wear pants!  But oh my, look at them pants.  What can I say?  I think I made them myself.

After that I doubt that we teenagers cooperated much.  But what a great record of us growing and changing.  The fashions of the day also become apparent.  We can remember the front of our houses or what curtains hung in the living room!  It's a great way to mark time.  I have pictures of my kids all the way through high school, along with their father, a school teacher.  So, if your kids have not finished school yet, or maybe haven't even started, make sure when the school bell rings that you are ready!  Your kids will never forgive forget you for it!

Surname Saturday - Parsons

Today it is time for the Parsons family.  This family is from my maternal side of the family.  I haven't done a lot of research on the Parsons for a while but this is what I know.

Alice Flavilla Parsons was born October 3, 1867.  She married Newell Hannan on March 22, 1885.  They had 7 children, Ernest, Charlie, Guy, Irving, Rose, Ross (my grandfather) and Doris. She died on Jun 26, 1956 in Palermo, Maine and is buried along side her husband in Hannan Cemetery.

Alice Flavilla Parsons

  
Norton Phillips Parsons was born December 28, 1838 in Westport, Lincoln, Maine.   He was a farmer.  He married first Susan Young on January 23, 1867 in Liberty, Waldo, Maine.  They had four children, Alice, Charles, Melvin and Susan, before Susan died in 1875.  He then married Mary Turner on May 2, 1876 in Liberty, Maine.  They had three children Elvia, Wendell and Hollis. Norton died on July 23, 1887 in Liberty and is buried in Sherman Cemetery, Liberty.

Norton Phillips Parsons was born December 9, 1806 in Edgecomb, Lincoln, Maine.  He married Prudence Dunton on December 20, 1825 in Edgecomb.  They had 7 children, George, Eliza, Ozais, Stephen, Westbrook, Merrill and Norton.  Norton Sr died before 1850.  

John Parsons was born January 24, 1773 in York, York, Maine.   He married Jemima Phillips on May 9, 1799 in York.  They had Margaret, John, Norton, Jerusha and Henry.  The 1850 census has him living with his son Norton's family, although Norton had already died, as had his wife Jemima. 

Joseph Parsons was born April 2, 1746 in York, York, Maine.  He was known as Joseph III.  He married first Jerusha Sayward on November 9, 1769 in York.  Together they had Thomas, John, Joseph, Jerusha, James, Jotham, Theordore, Susanna and Rufus.   Jerusha died in 1805 and he married Mary Brown Wakefield Washburn on November 21, 1805 in Wells, Maine.  They had a son Timothy.  Joseph died May 18, 1810 in York.

Joseph Parsons was born February 20, 1719/20 in York, York, Maine.  His father died when he was just ten years old and his mother died only seven years later.   He married Miriam Preble on January 22, 1742 in York, Maine.  They had 12 children, Anne, Joseph, Timothy, Josiah, Elihu, Miriam, Nathan, John, John, David, Susanna and Isaac.  Joseph was a blacksmith and a farmer.  He died December 4, 1781 in York.

Elihu Parsons was born March 31, 1684 in York, York, Maine.  He was a housewright and a prominent townsman.  He married Ruth Wilson about 1710 in York.  They had children Ruth, Hannah, John, Elizabeth, Joseph, Elihu, Josiah, Mary and Susanna.  He died July 30, 1730 in York.

John Parsons was born August 14, 1650 in England.  By 1677 he was living in York.  He was a shoemaker, a cordwainer and a tanner.  He married Elizabeth Huckins. They had children John, Elizabeth, Mary, Elihu, Rachel, Christian and Mercy.  John was killed by the Indians on  January 25,  1691/2 when they raided York. The Indians carried off three of his children, two later returned and the other married a Frenchman in Quebec. The settlement of York at the time was about 300 people in forty houses. Seventy-five persons were killed and almost all the town was burned. Among the captives was the oldest Parsons child, John, age 15 and daughters Rachel and Mercy. John was baptised at Quebec 20 April 1693. He and Rachel were brought back to York in 1645 by Captain Carey. Mercy was in Canada till 1710