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Page 7
A P P E N D I X.
(To the Register)
______________
After examining all the collections obtained on the subject of
ancestry, I come to the following conclusions:
* In 1660 Charles II. was restored to the throne of Great Britain. Four
years after, A. D. 1664, the Episcopalians having obtained the ascendancy of
power in Church and State, commenced a severe and cruel persecution upon those
dissenters who refused compliance to the I' Conformity Act," (or their
particular forms of worship,) imposing fines, imprisonment, proscription,
banishment, and death. (See Neal's 1, History of the Puritans, London
edition, 1733, Vol. 4,)
At this time, A. D. 1664, one of three brothers, (I conclude the
eldest,) fled to Holland. He there became incorporated with the Dutch, and
spelt his name after the Dutch pronunciation ELSWORT. After a few years
residence there, he with his family emigrated to America, and settled in the
city of New York, where many of the descendants still remain. His name is
believed to be THEOPHILUS. †
He and his descendants professed their attachment to the Dutch
Reformed Church. They spell their name ELSWORTH.
Six years after, A. D. 1670, the persecution was again renewed
with increased severity by the same power; I believe the second brother fled
at this time. He emigrated to America, and settled in Connecticut. From him
descended the family of that State who spell their names ELLSWORTH. To this
family belonged Chief Justice Oliver EIlsworth, who was born at Windsor, Ct.,
April 29, 1745, and died 1807, aged 62 years, and William W. Ellsworth,
present Governor of that State. ‡
The third brother who remained in Wales was my ancestor. I
conclude he was several years younger than the other two, and at the time of
persecution was too young to excite suspicion. From calculation I make his
birth A. D. 1656, his emigration to America A. D. 1681, his death 1725, his
age 69 years. He settled in North Kingston, †† R. I., where
many of his posterity still remain. From him descended a numerous Page
8 posterity , who have scattered over several States. The name was
originally spelt AYLSWORTH. It was so spelt by him and is still so spelt by
his descendants. § His Christian name was Arthur.
The descendants of these three brothers resemble each other in
their general appearance and natural turn; having sandy hair, light skin, dark
blue eyes, and often red whiskers. These three brothers were Welchmen. ______________________________________________________________________________________
* The Register might with propriety have stated the grounds upon which
these conclusions were based. If the conclusions to the author's mind
apparently justified a prevalent traditional account of the exodus of Arthur
and other members of his father's family from England, a statement to that
effect would have been preferable.
The account here given of the three brothers appears untenable,
even though the unity of the three genealogies originating in Christopher,
Josia, and Arthur, Should prevail when carried further back.
For Theophilus the name of Christopher should be substituted, and
the date, 1664, at which time he is supposed to have fled from England to
Holland, must be abandoned, as well as the date 1610, at which Josia, the
ancestor of the Windsor fam111es is supposed to have left England. The latter
was born In 1629, and the former about the same period. The consequent
disparity In the ages of the three persons said to have been brothers is
remarkable to say the least. †
Christopher Elsworth (Christoffel Elswaert) was in the city of
New York as early as 1653. His family :
i Elizabeth, b. 1655 ii Christine, b. 1657.
iii Clement, b. 1659. iv George, b. 1662. V John, b. 1664. vi William,
b. 1674.
Clement, of the above, was married four times and besides
five daughters had two sons --
i Theophilus, b. 1681.
ii John, b.1696.
[By Edward Elsworth, Poughkeepsie, N. Y.]
(See
also page 438)
‡ Josia Elesworth m. Nov. 16,1664, Elizabeth Holcom, and dwelt at
Windsor, Ct. He died Aug. 20, 1689, aged 60.
Children:
i Josias, b. Nov. 5, 1655 m.
Martha Taylor.
ii Elizabeth, b. Nov. 11, 1657, m. Nathaniel
Loomis.
iii Mary, b. May 7,1660, m. Daniel Loomis.
iv —— ——
v Thomas, b. Dec. 2, 1666, d. Sept.13,
1749.
vi Jonathan, b. June 28, 1669.
vii John b. Oct. 7, 1671.
viii Job, .April, 13 1674.
ix Benjamin, b. Jan. 19, 1676.
[New Eng. Hist. and Gen. Reg.]
†† North Kingstown. [The Editor.]
§ The Register doubtless makes this statement with
reference to an old controversy in the family as between Ellsworth and
Aylsworth. The immigrant's name was Aylworth, The following notice
of the Register is found In Whitemore's American Genealogist Albany, 1815:
I derive my knowledge of this book from a review in the New York
Genealogical ( and Biographical Record, Vol. I. It is stated that the
Register contains " one line of the family without dates for tour
generations, except in the family of William Aylsworth of the fourth
generation, whose descendants seem to be fu1ly named." * * * The author,
on insufficient grounds, tries to connect the Ellsworths with this family.
Page 9
OF THE FAMILY OF ARTHUR THE EMIGRANT.
It consisted of six sons and three daughters, as follows ;*
ARTHUR who was a carpenter, settled in West Greenwich, he had
four sons, Philip, David, John, and Chad. †
PHILIP (my great Grandfather,) settled on the homestead at Quitnieseck
Neck, see page 4.
JOHN had three sons, whose names were Arthur, John, and Josiah. ‡
ROBERT was a carpenter, settled in East Greenwich, had one son
whose name was Anthony. §
THOMAS was deaf and dumb, had no issue.
JEDIAH, called Chad, born in 1696, settled in West Greenwich, where
he died in January, 1773.
CATHARINE married a gentleman by the name of Green.
ELIZABETH married a gentleman by the name of Peleg Card.
MARTHA married John Davis, whose residence was in Newport, R. I..
___________________________________________________________________________
JEDIAH, sixth son of the above family, married Elizabeth Major, by
whom he had one son, THOMAS, and three daughters,
after whose death he married Mary Wood, by whom he
had one son, PELEG, and two daughters.
_____________________________________________________________________________
THOMAS, son of Jediah and Elizabeth, married Susanna Randall. She
died leaving one son, who died in youth — when he
married
Martha Harrington, by whom he had two sons, and three
daughters. ANDREW, recently deceased. ELHANAN,
born Aug. 31, 1772, resides in Burlington, Otsego Co.,
N.Y.
PELEG, son of Jediah by his second wife, married Anna Cole. Their
children's names were Daniel, Abel, Peleg, David, Philip,
Rhoda, Mary, Anna, Sarah, Martha, and Amy.
________________________________________________________________________________
OF THE FAMILY OF PHILIP AND
RACHEL*.
ARTHUR settled in North Kingston, †† on the homestead.
JOB, who married Sarah Clark, resided some time in Schodac, N. Y.
then removed to Canada.
* This RACHEL was a daughter of Daniel Green, from
England, who settled in
North Kingston. †† ,
__________________________________________________________________________________
* There were four daughters in this family.
† To this list of sons add James.
‡ To this list add Anthony.
§ This appears to be an error. The names of Robert's sons were
Robert and
Ephraim.
†† North Kingstown. [Editor.]
Page 10
PHILIP, who married Deborah Dyer, went to Canada, where he buried
his wife, after which he spent much of his time with his
friends in Canaan, N.Y.
MARTHA, who married George Thomas, lived in Rhode Island.
ELISABETH, who married Samuel Ralph. Her husband dying, she
lived a widow to an old age, in Franklin, Putnam Co.,
N.Y.
______________________________________________________________________________
OF THE FAMILY OF ARTHUR AND ABIGAIL.
MARY, who married John Reynolds, resides in North Kingston. *
HAZARD, who married Emma Havens, resides in Wales, Erie Co., N .Y .
WILLIAM was lost at sea.
SAMUEL DYER married Sarah Pierce. and resides in North Kingston.
TURNER married Hannah Arnold, and resides in Angelica, Allegany
Co., N.Y.
PENELOPE married Marchant Weedon, and resides in North Kingston.
_______________________________________________________________________________
OF THE FAMILY OF JEREMIAH AND PHEBE.
RUSSELL resides in Shaftsbury, Vermont.
ELIZABETH married John Fowler, and settled in North Kingston.
GEORGE married Mary Brown, and settled in Coventry, R. I.
RACHEL married Circuit Chadsey. and settled in North Kingston.
ISAAC married Sarah Cory. He followed the sea.
SAMUEL RHODES married Elsy Chadsey; owns the homestead that was
first bought by Arthur the emigrant.
PHEBE married John Chadsey, and resides in North Kingston.
CHARLES remains unmarried, and lives with Samuel R.
________________________________________________________________________________
Three brothers from England
by the name of DYER were among
the early settlers of Rhode Island.
WILLIAM settleed in Newport, from whom descended ABIGAIL, the
wife of my uncle Arthur.
SAMUEL settled in North Kingston, from whom descended FREELOVE
DYER, my grandmother.
The other brother settled in
Providence.
They were of the most
respectable families.
___________________________________________________________________________________
* Read North Kingstown every time on this page.
{Editor.}
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