Park to Honored Grandfather Capt. Michael Pierce 316 years after his death

Pierce Park and Riverwalk
Central Falls, Rhode Island

Pierce Park and Riverwalk is located on High Street in Central Falls along the Blackstone River. Constructed in 1991 it contains a ball field, trail systems with river overlooks, benches and playground facilities. It is also the site of the Pierce Fight. The Pierce Fight site has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. Located between High Street and the Blackstone River, this is the Rehoboth and Canonchet's Narragansett Indians on March 16, 1676. A marker near Macomber Stadium describes the confrontation, a critical episode in King Philip's War.
Services / Features / Restrictions: Smoke Free, Free Admission, Children's Activities, Attraction, Cultural, Of Interest to Children, National Register, Park, Spectator Sports, Alcohol Prohibited, Smoke Free, Blackstone Valley and Northern Rhode Island, Ball Field, Playground, Hiking Trail, Wildlife Viewing.
Handicap Service: Complete Wheel Chair Access.

Captain Michael Pierce was born in 1615. He married Persis Eames in 1643. Captain Michael Pierce died on 26 March 1676; The battle in which Captain Michael Pierce lost his life is detailed in Drakes Indian Chronicles (pp. 220-222) as follows:

"Sunday the 26th of March, 1676, was sadly remarkable to us for the tidings of a very deplorable disaster brought into Boston about five o'clock that afternoon, by a post from Dedham, viz., that Captain Pierce of Scituate in Plymouth Colony, having intelligence in his garrison at Seaconicke, that a party of the enemy lay near Mr. Blackstorne's, went forth with sixty-three English and twenty of the Cape Indians (who had all along continued faithful, and joyned with them), and upon their march discovered rambling in an obscure woody place, four or five Indians, who, in getting away from us halted as if they had been lame or wounded. But our men had pursued them but a little way into the woods before they found them to be only decoys to draw them into their ambuscade; for on a sudden, they discovered about five hundred Indians, who in very good order, furiously attacked them, being as readily received by ours; so that the fight began to be very fierce and dubious, and our men had made the enemy begin to retreat, but so slowly that it scarce deserved the name, when a fresh company of about four hundred Indians came in; so that the English and their few Indian friends were quite surrounded and beset on every side. Yet they made a brave resistance for about two hours; during which time they did great execution upon their enemy, who they kept at a distance and themselves in order. For Captain Pierce cast his sixty-three English and twenty Indians into a ring, and six fought back to back, and were double - double distance all in one ring, whilst the Indians were as thick as they could stand, thirty deep. Overpowered with whose numbers, the said Captain and fifty-five of his English and ten of their Indian friends were slain upon the place, which in such a cause and upon such disadvantages may certainly be titled "The Bed of Honor." However, they sold their worthy lives at a gallant rate, it being affirmed by those few that not without wonderful difficulty and many wounds made their escape, that the Indians lost as many fighting men in this engagement as were killed in the battle in the swamp near Narragansett, mentioned in our last letter, which were generally computed to be above three hundred."

Today, in Scituate, there is a Captain Michael Pierce Monument and a Captain Pierce Road.

Ancestry Chain: 10 Great grandfather Capt. Micheal J. PIERCE Immigrant b.1615 / Mary PIERCE b.165 / Mary HOLBROOK b.1686 / Rachel DANIELS b.1720 / Abner RAWSON Rev.WarVet b.1764 / Amariah RAWSON b.1787 / Adaline RAWSON b.1811 / Harriett Camilla ENSIGN b.1859 / George Ensign SMITH b.1898 / Myrle / sons / grandchildren.

Memorial Day - U.S. Army Service WWI

Geo Ensign SMITH in the gunner seat

Sergeant - Smith George E

Army serial # 1,640,541
Enlisted in: NG at Logan Utah 9 Apr 1917 (age 19)
Organizations: Btry C 145 FA to disch.
Grades: Corp 4 Aug 1917; Sgt 1 Oct 1918
Served overseas: France - 5 Aug 1918 to 4 Jan 1919

Fort Douglas Sep 1917 (sitting far left Geo Ensign SMITH)
"1 Henry Frogley 2 Hula (dog) 3 The Hon. (Geo Ensign SMITH) 4 A.T.Larsen"
arrows points to Geo Ensign SMITH

"Geo. Ensign SMITH and Henry Frogley some where some time"
"1 Dots Im (Geo. Ensign SMITH) 2 Saigt Picket 3 No. Croxton 4 Zollinger 5 Frank"
"1 Henry Frogley a dandy good clean chum 2 The Hon (Geo Ensign SMITH)
3 A L Larsen from Cove up by Lewiston (ID)"

Forwarded 26 Jan 1921 Victory Medal with clasp: France

Bronze "Victory Button" issued
Paid in full $24.40 21 Jan 1919

[note below photo of girlfriend A. Ella Hawkes they married 27 Aug 1919]
The United States of America Honors the Memory of George E. SMITH
signed Lyndon B. Johnson President of the United States
Ninety four years later (1917-2011) great great grandson visits George Ensign SMITH (1898-1967) memorial .

note: memorial births is off by one year.
See: grandson in GE SMITH WWI helmet.

Peggy Fell Overboard John Saved Her Life

John WATSON and Margaret SMITH both IMMIGRANTS, 1632. “John Watson & Margaret Smith sailed together from England. Tradition is that she fell overboard and he saved her life. He removed from Windsor to Hartford about 1637, where they were married.” --Ted Steele

John and Margaret (Smith) Watson

John WATSON - b. England; d. 1650, West Hartford, Hartford Co., CT. Son of Robert WATSON and Elizabeth. His will was dated Mar. 26, 1650; inventory of estate at £126.01.06 taken Jun. 4, 1650. At Hartford, CT by 1644; juror 1644; highway surveyor 1646. Married in America.

Margaret SMITH - d. 1683, West Hartford, CT. Will dated Mar. 1683, and proved Sep. 6, 1683.

Oral will of Margaret Watson - Mar. 1683

The last Will & Testament of Margaret Watson, who deceased March last past, did declare her Mind & Will as followeth concerning her Estate, & how she would have it disposed of, as she did declare it to Sarah Watson & John Merrells sen: She bequeathd to her daughter Sarah Merrells her red cloth Petticoat. She gave her searge petticoat and her Penny stone Peticoat to her daughter Mary Seamore. She gave to her gr. child Sarah Merrells 1 Pillow beere & one sheet & a white apron. She gave to her gr. Child She gave to her gr. child Susannah Merrells 1 Sheet & 1 Pillow beere. She gave her gr. child Mary Seamor 1 Sheet & 1 blankett & her green apron. She gave to her gr. child Margaret Seamor 1 Sheet & 1 blankett & a Neck Handkercheire. She gave to her gr. Child John Watson 1 great pewter Platter & a Porringer. She did desire that her daughters, Sarah Merrells & Mary Seamor, should have 5 pounds paid to each of them, that was bequeathed to them by their Father's Will. Also she did desire that the now wife of her son John Watson may have the use of the House & Homsted if it should please God that my son John should die before her, for her lifetime.

Sarah X Watson

Taken May 1683 by John Coale, Stephen Hosmer.

Children of John and Margaret Watson

1. Sarah - b. 1641, Hartford, CT. Married John MERRILL.
2. John - b. 1646; d. 1725, West Hartford, CT. Administration on the estate granted Jul. 6, 1725 to the widow and sons Cyprian and Caleb. Estate inventoried at £1017, and distributed Jul. 2, 1730. Married first Anna; and second by Mar. 1683 Sarah. Children of John WATSON: John married Sarah STEELE; Thomas; Zachariah; Anna married Lamarock FLOWERS; Cyprian married first Elizabeth STEELE, and second Abigail; Sarah married Thomas SHEPARD; and Caleb married Hannah PORTER.
3. Mary - Married John SEYMOUR (d. 1713), son of Richard and Mercy. Settled at Hartford, Hartford Co., CT. Children of Mary and John SEYMOUR: John married Elizabeth WEBSTER; Thomas married first Ruth NORTON, and second Mary WATERS (daughter of Bevil WATERS and Elizabeth); Mary married John NORTH; Zachariah died young; Margaret married first Timothy ROOT, and second John REW; Richard married Mary WILSON; John (or Jonathan); Nathaniel; and Zachariah married Hannah OLMSTED.

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

Parents: John Watson (d. 1650 in Hartford, Hartford Co., CT) and Margaret
Children: Sarah (c.1646), John, Mary

JOHN2 WATSON, son of Robert, was born about 1616, in England. He went to Hartford from Windsor, Conn., about 1637, and married there Margaret (Smith). She was born in England, and tradition says that Peggy Smith, a fellow passenger on the ship coming to America, fell overboard. John Watson saved her and later married her. He was surveyor of highways in Hartford, 1647. In 1645, "The eare marke for Jo Wattson: a little slitt of the side of the near eare & both the tops cutt of both eares." He died in Hartford, in 1650, between March 26, the date of his will, and June 4, its probate. He left his property to his wife, naming portions to be given his son John, when of age, and five pounds each to his daughters Sara and Mary, at eighteen years old. His widow died March, 1683. The will of Margarett Wattson, made March 26, and probated May 31, 1683, mentions her daughters Sarrah Merrels and Mary Seamor; and granddaughters Mary and Margaret Seamor; and the new wife of her son John Watson. (The Bassett Preston Ancestry, pp. 311, 312.) (D. F. P. A. 1913, p. 76--No. 110 John Watson, 1646; married Ann, his first wife; married second, Margaret Smith, between March 25, 1660 and June 4, 1650. She died 1683. (Records of Hartford, Conn., 1644)--John Watson served as Jury, Surveyor, 1646. He died in Hatfield, leaving a widow, Margaret, who died 1683. Reference: "Genealogy of Conn.," Vol. I, p. 351.
Sources: Three Hundred Colonial Ancestors and War Service, Pp. 321-22, Author: Elizabeth M. Leach Rixford, Call Number: R929.1 R62t. Families of Early Hartford, CT, Page 391.

(Geneology.com - Justin Maitland)

1- Ancestry Chain: 10th Great Grandparents John WATSON 1632 Immigrant b.1616 and wife Margaret SMITH, Mary WATSON b.1644, John SEYMOUR b.1666, John SEYMOUR b.1694, Lucretia SEYMOUR b.1730, Isaac ENSIGN Rev.WarVet. b.1756, Horace Datus ENSIGN b.1797, Martin Luther ENSIGN b.1831, Harriett Camilla ENSIGN b.1859, George Ensign SMITH b.1898, Myrle, sons, grandchildren.

John DRAKE Dies After Being Run Over, Elizabeth DRAKE lives to be 100

John DRAKE Sr. (1585-1659),
1st m. 1616 Elizabeth SHAKESPEARE (-1623),
2nd m. Elizabeth ROGERS (1581-1681).

Children of John Drake and Elizabeth Rogers:
1-Job Drake d. 6 Aug 1689 [gr. grandparent of Oliver Wolcott a signer of the Declaration of Independence.]
2-John DRAKE Jr. b.1625 Wiscombe, Devon., England, m. Hannah MOORE 30 Mar 1648 Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, d.7 Jul 1688 Windsor, Hartford, CT
3-Jacob Drake (abt 1623-1689)
4-Samuel Drake (abt 1624-1686)
5-Mary Drake (abt 1625-1683) m. John GAYLORD son of William GAYLORD and Mary WALTER
6-Elizabeth Drake (abt 1626-1716) m. William GAYLORD Jr. son of William GAYLORD and Mary WALTER
[William GAYLORD is first cousin of 10th and 11th great grandmother Alice GAYLORD TREAT.]

Notes for John Drake Sr.

Immigrated from England to New England with wife and children. He may have arrived on one of the ships that left Weymouth, England in Apr 1637, as several of those families ended up in Taunton.

Listed on a list of original proprietors of Taunton that dates to 1638 or 1639. He is found in 1641 in Windsor, receiving an average size grant of 16 acres.

Recorded in the 1640 Town Records at Windsor in the list of "First Settlers of Windsor, five years after their removal from Dorchester." (NEHGR 5:365) [The list includes people who arrived after 1635, such as those who came with Huit in 1639.]

On his death, town records of Windsor gave the following account: " August 17, 1659, John Drake, Senior dyed accidentaly, as he was driving a cart loaded with corn, to carry from his house to his son Jacob's the Cattle being two oxen and his mare, in the high way against John Griffin's something scar'd the Cattle, and they set a running, and he labouring to stop them by taking hold on the mare, was thrown down on his face, and cart wheels went over him: brake one of his legs and bruised his body, so that he was taken up dead, being carried into his daughter's house and life come again, but dyed in a short time and was buried on the 18th day of August 1659." ⁵³

There are pedigrees floating around linking him to the Drakes in Ashe, Devon (the family of the navigator Francis Drake). However, that family was of considerable prominence and wealth, which is not reflected in the social standing of this John. In addition, the wills of the family don't mention him, with the exception of that of Francis in 1634 (the source of the speculation in the first place). He is also not likely the John Drake who came with Winthrop's Fleet to Boston in 1630. That John is listed as one to be made a freeman in Oct 1630, but did not actually take the oath. Most of the other men of whom that was the case died or returned to England. Furthermore, there is no other record of John Drake until 1638. It would have been virtually impossible for a man with a family to avoid any mention for 8 years. (See articles in The American Genealogist for a more in depth explanation.)

Savage's: JOHN, Dorchester, or Boston, came in the fleet with Winthrop prob. as we find his req. 19 Oct. 1630 to be made freem. yet his adm. is not found, and he rem. from our col. perhaps as a purch. of Taunton 1639 [Baylies, I. 286], and not long after to Windsor, and there, by a cartwheel running over him, was k. 17 Aug. 1659, leav. s. Jacob and Job, bef. ment. and John, beside one, if not more, d. His wid. d. 7 Oct. 1681, but we may hesitate at the old ch. rec. story of her hundredth yr. yet agree to the main truth of her being call. "old wid. D."

WILL

Firs t, I bequeah my soule to God that gave it me, and my body to Earthly burial. As for my worldly goods, I thus dispose of them: First, I desire that there may be a Inventory tooke off my State and within twelve months after my decease: I give to my son John L20; and after my wyve's decease, out of the State I have, I give him tenn pounds more; and to son Job I give my six acres of meaddow that is bounded of the South side with Goodman Phillps, Within twelve moneths after my decease, then, after my wife's decease, I give that six acres forementioned to his sonne Job; and after my wife's decease, I give to all grand children, viz., three of sonne John, and four of my sonne Job, and one of my daughter Elizabeth Gaylord, three pounds apeece; and too my wife I give all my part off Howsing and Lands that Ihave in possession ffor to make use of as shee and her ffriends shall think will be fore her best advantage; and my land that I bought of Goodman Bissell that Lye of the East Side of the great river I give to my sonne Jacob provided that he pay to my sonne John tenne pounds after my wif's decease, ffor to make his porshon L30; the house and my land that I bought that was Mr Sen Nicholases (Mr. John Saint Nicholas) that lys of the west side of the great river I give to my sonne Jacob, and after my wife's decease he shall pay the rest of his brothers & sisters sixteen pounds ffor the Land that I have given to my sonne Jacob; my wife is to have the propriety of it for her use while shee live, and after her decease then my sonne Jacob shall have full possession of it with its appurtenances yt appertain thereunto, provided that he pay the formentioned Sums of money to his Brethren, viz., tenne pounds to my sonne John and sixteene pounds to the rest of his brothers and sisters; too my sonne Jacob I also give him my two tables and a bedsted that he maks use of yt belongs to that end of the House next the Highway in the lower romms; to my daughter Mary Gayler I give one fetherbed and two blankets and a bolster after my wife's decease; and to my daughter Elizabeth I give one coverlid after my decease; and to Timothy I give him forty shillings and two good sutes of clothes when his time is out; and the rest of Stock shall be equally divided amongst my five children after my wife's decease."

Notes for Elizabeth Rogers

Windsor records note "Old widow Drake in her 100th year of age dyed Oct 7th 81."

(Unknown Author)

Ancestry Chain: 10th great-grandfather John DRAKE Sr. (Immigrant) b.1585, John DRAKE Jr (Child Immigrant) b.1625, Mary DRAKE b.1666, Catherine MARSHALL b.1699, Catherine FOWLER b.1723, Lydia NOBLE b.1768, Horace Datus ENSIGN (Pioneen) b.1797, Martin Luther ENSIGN (Teen Pioneer) b.1831, Harriett Camilla ENSIGN b.1859, George Ensign SMITH b.1898, Myrle, sons, grandchildren.

Francis HAWKES

Ancestry Chain: Utah Pioneer Mary Ann MILES b.1798, Utah Pioneer Francis HAWKES b.1830, Herbert Henry HAWKES b.1869, Amy Ella HAWKES b.1897, Myrle, sons, grandchildren.

The History of Francis HAWKES

Who Came to Utah in 1865
Written By His Daughter Nellie HAWKES CURTIS
For the Henry Ballard Camp, Cache Valley Chapter,
[of The Daughter of The Utah Pioneers]

[Francis HAWKES married 23 Nov 1862 Eliza COLE daughter of William George COLE and Sarah LARNDER.]

Click on each page 2-11 to enlarge and read, follow the labels for photos and other history.

Deseret News Obituary: Simeon Adams DUNN

BIOGRAPHY: Title:Obituary:
Author: Deseret News Vol. 32 p. 144 Film 0026600

DUNN--At his residence, in Brigham City, Box Elder County, Utah, on
the Evening of Feb 24th 1883, of kidney complaint, Simeon Adams
Dunn, in his 80th year.

Deceased was born August 7th 1803, in Utica, State of New
York, and was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
day Saints in April 1839, in the Huron River by Elder James Dunn,
and ordained to the office of Elder in June, 1840.

He arrived in Nauvoo with his family on the 5th of August
1841. In April 1844, he was ordained a Seventy, and in May the
same year, went on a mission to the State of New York.

In January 1845, he was ordained the Senior President of the
15th Quorum of Seventies under the hands of President Joseph Young.

In May, 1846, he left Nauvoo, with his family for the West,
and shared in the toils and sufferings of the Saints, remaining in
Winter Quarters, as then called, from the fall of 1846, until May,
1848, when, with his family, he started for Salt Lake City,
arriving there September 28th of the same year.

On the 7th of May 1850 he started on a mission to the South
Sea Islands, and returned home in April 1852; in May, 1853, he
settled in this place, where he remained until death. In the fall
of 1873, he went to the Eastern States to gather genealogies of his
ancestors, and returned in July of the following year, having been
very successful in his labors: in November 1877, to his great joy,
he left his home for St. George to there officiate in the Holy
Temple for his dead, and in January, 1878, he returned, having
accomplished the desire of his heart and feeling greatly blessed.

He was called by the Prophet Joseph to fill positions of trust
in Nauvoo, received his blessings in the Temple there, was full of
zeal and fervency in the work of God, and quite marked for his
straightforward manner; he was a practical, hard working and honest
man, prompt in meeting all his obligations, careful and considerate
in all of his ways, was a faithful Latter-day Saints and highly
respected. He leaves a numberous posterity to mourn his loss.

(Simeon Adams Dunn and His Family, Cameron Doran Wilde page 24-25 - http://dkwilde.com/Genealogy/Dunn/Simeon_Adams_Dunn.pdf)

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

....That the said Simeon A. Dunn died testate in Brigham City Box Elder County on the 24th day of February A.D. 1883 leaving him surviving said Joseph M. Dunn, Mary Ensign, Betsy Haws, Susannah Hunsaker, Sophia Dunn, Simeon A. Dunn [Jr.], Emelin(e) Cantwell, Evelin(e) Hunsaker, Charles O. Dunn, and Ephraim Dunn, the children of said deceased and his only decendants....

(Simeon Adams Dunn and His Family, Cameron Doran Wilde page 59 - Box Elder County, Box Edler County Court, Probate Records, Films480322-480323. "p. 194-197 Territory of Utah County of Box elder In the Probate Court In the matter of the estate of Simeon A. Dunn deceased: Decree of estate.)


Note: Mary DUNN (ENSIGN) the daughter of Simeon Adams DUNN and Adaline RAWSON had no middle name. Some have mistakenly given her mother and sisters name as a middle name.

Ancesrtry Chain: 4th great grandfather Simeon Adams DUNN (LDS Pioneer) b.1803, Mary DUNN (LDS Child Pioneer) b.1833, Harriett Camilla ENSIGN (UT born LDS Pioneer) b.1859, George Ensign SMITH b.1898, Myrle, sons, grandchildren.

John Hawks and Elizabeth Brown

John Hawks A Founder of Hadley MA Buired here 30 June 1662 Honored by his Descendants 30 June 1983.

(This story was adapted from the Hawkes Family Genealogy Page.)

[Immigrant] John Hawks came to Dorcester, Massachusetts in 1630 in Winthrop's Fleet, and then to Windsor, Connecticut in 1640 as one of the founders. Ecclesiastical orthodoxy led him, along with his wife Elizabeth Browne, to move to Hadley, Massachusetts in 1659 again as one of the founders. Adam Hawkes of Saugus was apparently a brother, and the two came to New England together. John Hawks/Hawkes was born in England and died 30 Jun 1662 in Hardley, Massachusetts.

John's wife, Elizabeth Browne, was a niece of Nathaniel Ward, an original settler of Hartford, Connecticut. Nathaniel Ward was a son of Edward Ward of Little Wrathing, Suffolk County, England. On 9 Jan 1620, Edward made his will, proved at Ipswich 7 May 1620. He provided for his wife Judith and his children Nathaniel, Edward, Lydia, Mary, Rebecca, and Susan.

Susan Browne, widow of Robert Browne of Ipswich, made her will 22 Mar 1626, proved 24 Apr 1627. She remembered her mother Judith and both of her sisters, Rebecca Ward and Mary Cutting, as well as "Elizabeth Browne, daughter of my bother-in-law William Browne." As Lydia Ward was the forth sister, it was she who married William Browne and their daughter Elizabeth was niece of Nathaniel Ward (of Hartford). Elizabeth Browne married John Hawkes in about 1642.

John and Elizabeth's children were all born in Windsor. At a meeting held at Nathaniel Ward's house in Hartford, 18 Apr 1659, John was among those present who signed the agreement to remove from Connecticut to Massachusetts. They moved to Hadley, Massachusetts around 1660. John died suddenly and was buried 30 Jun 1662 in the Hadley Cemetery. [John died without a will leaving his wife with 9 children ages 3 to 19.]

Elizabeth married second Robert Hinsdale as his second wife about 1668. They moved to Pocumtuck (Deerfield), Massachusetts. The marriage was an unhappy one and they soon parted, and she returned to her home in Hardley, Massachusetts. At a court held 30 Mar 1674 they were "presented for living assunder contrary to law," also charged with lacivious and wanton carrage." On examination Elizabeth refused to answer, and it appears that she was cleared of any wrongdoing. Robert Hinsdale said he "did it as being her head and having the rule of her in the pointe and that he did it for her correction of her disorder to him." Although he was a respected man in the community, the court held he had "broken the perfect rule of devine law and the law of the Colony in the intent if not the letter in the first living assunder," and ordered him "whipped ten stripes on the naked body;" and imposed a fine for which his sons became responsible and which the court refused to remit after his tragic death. In Sep 1675, during King Phillip's War, Deerfield was attacked several times by the Indians. It was decided to evacuate Deerfield. On 18 Sep 1675, Captain Thomas Lathrop's company of soldiers were bringing loaded carts toward Northampton when they were ambushed at a spot known as Bloody Brook, about 5 or 6 miles due south of Deerfield. The men were take totally by surprise and 64 men were killed. Robert was killed, along with three of his sons in ambush at Bloody Brook, Massachusetts. Reoccupation of Deerfield did not occur until 1682.

Elizabeth married third Thomas Dibble of Windsor, Connecticut on 25 Jun 1683; she died in Windsor on 20 Sep 1689.

NOTE: John came to America as an indentured servant. He and his brother, Adam, spent four years in the indentured work agreement in Dorcester, near Boston. He was one of the first settlers of Hadley, MA.

He was one of the founders of both Windsor, CT and Hadley MA.

Ancestry Chain: [10th gr. grandfather] Sgt. John HAWKS Immigrant b.1618, Elizabeth Hawks/ HAWKES, Joseph GILLETT b.1664, Elizabeth GILLETT b.1688, Esther MARSH b.1714, Esther SAWYER "GUNN"-3695 b.1739, Esther REMINGTON b.1772, Mary BRONSON b.1806, Martin Luther ENSIGN b.1831, Harriett Camilla ENSIGN b.1859, George Ensign SMITH b.1898, Myrle SMITH, sons, grandchildren