Forebears and Bears

Please note that the information contained in these Project Episodes may be edited and updated  as I discover more documents and information.   I will note them as edited if so. If any reader knows of, or has information that may add to or change anything I note, I would love to hear from you. Cato and Lucy Judah An oft repeated factoid in many written histories of Yarmouth is that concerning Lucy and Cato Judah, who in 1797 were noted as being the last residents at Bass River living in a "wigwam." (1) Lucy was of purported indigenous ancestry and her husband Cato was a former slave.  At about this time, land in this South Yarmouth area was proposed to be used for salt works; a portion of said land being the site of native burials.  Lucy and Cato were so "grieved" at this idea that either they, or another party, had bodies disinterred and buried in a location along Long Pond.  It is not clear to me from the descriptions of this event who it was that disinterred...

                                                                                            Orinza (Chase) Covil                     Julia Etta (Covil) Chase The first entry in my grandmother's "Birthday Book" is that for Ezra Covil.  The entry notes that Ezra was born 15 January 1800 at Harwich, Massachusetts, and died 16 January 1882.  Ezra Covil (sometimes written Covill or Covel) was my great great great grandfather on my mother's father's side.   Only a few photographs of my Yarmouth ancestors exist, and those that do are not labelled.  Amongst the collection are several images of a dark haired woman that, through research and deduction, have been identified as Julia Etta ...

Patriots Day has once again come and gone, and still while I live within a few miles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, I have yet to attend the reenactments and festivities that take place.  Maybe next year.  I have every reason to attend - not only due to the proximity of the historic sites - but given that my ancestor and four times great grandfather Nathan Fessenden was enrolled in Captain Parker's Company of Minutemen and was at the Battle of Lexington in 1775.    On one of my off season jaunts to Lexington, I visited the Old Burying Ground in the town center and came across several graves of ancestors, including those for Thomas and Hannah Fessenden -- my five times great grandparents. [1]                                                                            ...