Person Page

     Hannah Barnard was born on 10 May 1773 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut.¹ She married Thomas Sloan [Jr.] on 4 June 1792 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut.^2,3 Hannah died on 10 May 1851 in Hartford, Hartford Co., Connecticut, at age 78.¹

     Alice Barton was born circa 1493 in Dene in Wingham, Kent, England.¹ She married Edward Oxenden.¹

     Mercy Barton was born circa 1693 in Woodstock, Windham Co., Connecticut.¹ She married David Towne, son of John Towne and Mary Smith, on 31 December 1716 in Woodstock, Windham Co., Connecticut.¹ Mercy died on 3 September 1730 in Woodstock, Windham Co., Connecticut.¹

     Samuel Barton married Hannah Bridges.¹

     Elizabeth Baskerville was born circa 1495.¹ She married Watkin Vaughn, son of Roger Vaughn and Eleanor Somerset.^1,2

     Unknown Baskerville was born circa 1470 in Hergest, Herefordshire, England.¹ He married Sybil Devereux.

     Henry Beaufort was born on 21 January 1435/36.^2,3 He married Joane Hill.² Henry Beaufort was beheaded on 15 May 1464 in Hexham, Northumberland, England, at age 28.^2,3,4

     Jennie Bell married William Ashville Hulan circa 1901 in Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee.¹

     Ann Benbow married John Symonds, son of John Symonds and Margaret Maynard, in England.¹

     John Benbow was born circa 1558 in Newport, Essex, England.¹ John died in 1597.¹

     Thomas Benbow was born circa 1510 in England.¹

     Tom Bercik married Lillian Marie Poplin, daughter of Mitch Poplin and Milbrey Ewing Hulan.¹

     Alice Blessing married Mark? Firmage circa 1615.¹ Alice died on 9 February 1656.¹
     

     The name Firmage is hardly spelled twice alike either in Old or New England making research difficult.

     Alice's husband whose given name may have been Mark, either died in England or on the voyage to America for Alice was "widow Alice Vermais" when she appeared before the Salem Town meeting on 29 October 1638, with her son, Mark, and her brother-in-law Robert Buffam, and asked for "accommodation" which was granted her in the form of 50 acres on 4 Feb 1638/9. Despite the fact that by December 1645, she had moved to Boston to the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Robert and Abigail Button, she retained owership of her land in Salem. On 3 August 1655, she sold 10 acres in teh North Field in Salem, on the North River and 5 acres of meadow in Wenham to Henry and Francis Skerry.¹

     Alice made a will on 8 February 1656. In her will she states "to my sister Joan Towne my old cloth gown" which proves that Alice was either a sister or half-sister of Joanna. Alice's 50 acre grant in Salem was not disposed of until 1 June 1678, when Susannah Goose of Boston, widow; Abigail Hutchinson of Boston, widow; John Langdon, sailmaker of Boston, and Sarah his wife; and Esther Eastwick of Salem, widow, sold it to Samuel Frayl of Salem for 50 pounds.

     Joanna Blessing was baptized on 22 June 1595 in Holy Trinity Church, Caister on-Sea, Norfolk, England.¹ She married William Towne, son of John Towne and Elizabeth Alice Clarke, on 25 April 1620 in St. Nicholas Parish Church, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.^1,2 Joanna died circa 1682 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts.^3,4
     

     Joanna Towne, Alice Firmage, and Margaret's husband, Robert Buffam, came to the Colonies, Margaret having predeceased her husband before they sailed. They all came with their children with the Puritan movement of which they had a part and settled in Salem, Massachusetts. Julian Blessing Goose and her husband also came to the Colonies. She was later known as "Mother Goose" in the Boston, Massachusetts area and is referred to as such in publications.¹

     Joanna figured in a series of suits brought by and against Rev. Thomas Gilbert, the Topsfield minister, in 1670. Gilbert, by his own testimony and that of his wife, was a sick man and he was doubtless of erratic temperament, but some of his principal parishioners laid his acts and eccentricities to over indulgence in drink, and the court seems to have considered their suspicioins credible. Most of the evidence produced dealt with a dinner at the parsonage between two Sunday services at which Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert had Capt. John Gould, Mr. Thomas Perkins, and there wives, and old Mrs. Towne as their guests. A gold cup (surely a rare treasure in seventeenth-century New England) filled with wine was passed around the table and Mr. Gould alleged that Mr. Gilbert drank too freely therefrom. Joanna Towne (giving her age as seventy-five) testified that on Sunday, Mr. Gilbert had administered the "sacrament swetly unto us" and that after the service "I was att dinner att Mister Gilberts table...and sat next to him on his right hand, and though some report that he had drank too much of the sacrament wyn...I believe he is wronged, for I that then sat next him saw no such matter...And I can saifly take my oath that though our minister had the cup twice in hand, yet the first tyme he drank not one drop of it, but gave it to me, for I needed it mor than he, being older. When the cup had gone about, it came into his hand the second time and I am sure ther could not be much in it then (it may be two or three spoon-ful) and that he drank".⁵

     John married first Margaret ?. John married second Jone ?.¹

     John Blessing was baptized on 13 January 1593/94 in Caister Parish, Norfolk, England.¹ He was buried on 29 January 1593/94.¹

     Julian Blessing was baptized in 1571.¹ She married Thomas Goose on 31 August 1622 in St. Nicholas Parish Church, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.¹

     Margaret Blessing was baptized on 9 August 1590 in Holy Trinity Church, Caister on-Sea, Norfolk, England.¹ She married Robert Buffam on 23 August 1613 in St. Nicholas Parish Church, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.¹ Margaret died before 11 August 1634.¹

     William Blessing was baptized in 1575.¹