Seth Staples - Connecting Yale to the Mayflower

Seth Staples is my VERY Great Grandfather. He was born about 1699 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts. He didn't always hang around Taunton because about 18 miles away in Plympton, Massachusetts lived a lovely girl, Hannah Standish and he knew who she was. He married her on 4 January 1721 in Plympton with Isaac Cushman performing the ceremony and promptly moved her back to Taunton.  

Seth became a deacon in the First Parish Church. He was respected, well liked and must have been a man with integrity. He bore witness to several local men's wills, and was trusted to appraise many more of their estates. He was a father to 12 children and grand father to several children. One of those grandchildren was Seth Perkins Staples, founder of Yale Law School and a VERY Great Grand Father to me. 

Do Grandchildren of the Founder of Yale Law School get tuition free education because I have a 10 year old granddaughter who will make a Brilliant attorney. She loves to debate with me and is getting better and better at preparing her case. 

Hannah Standish the woman Seth Staples married is the Great Grand Daughter of Myles Standish who came over to America on the Mayflower. Making me and my children descendants of a Mayflower Pilgrim.

Thanx! Grandpa Seth!

In 1778 Seth contracted Smallpox and on 20 March 1778 he passed away. 

Seth Hatcher - Remembers the War of Independence

Born to Josiah Hatcher and Ann Elizabeth Cheatham Hatcher on 13 January 1760 in Goochland, Virginia was a son, Seth. He was their seventh child.  In 1777 Josiah packs up his wife, children and household and moves to Powhatan County, Virginia. 

In September of 1777 Seth is called to service for his new county, and new home. He was under the Command of Captain Thomas Harris and the first place they went to was Williamsburg. After duty there for a time the Company was sent to Yorktown. After a few months of duty Seth was discharged. He served a second tour under Captain George Williamson and their first duty was Petersburg where the Company is put under the command of Major Duval. Then they marched on to St. George Church. They proceeded a few more miles to Hood's Landing this might actually be Hood's Point and there in the night they fired upon the British who had decided to come ashore under cover of darkness. The company then marched on to Cabin Point in Surrey County and then to MacKay's Mills and onward to Suffolk. They were moved once again to Jericho where they camped for some time. Once again the Company was ordered back to Suffolk where they are put under the command of Colonel Parker. From Suffolk Seth was once again discharged.  After a few months Captain George Williamson again made a call to arms and Seth joined in. The Company marched through Prince Edward and Cumberland Counties crossing the Roanoke River at Taylor's Ferry. They arrived in Guilford, North Carolina in March 1781 and on 15 March 1781  were engaged in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. They were under the command of General Robert Lawson, Col. Beverley Randolph and Major St. George Tucker. During the Battle General Nathaniel Greene arrives and takes command. Seth is wounded during the battle.



Captain Thomas Harris owned the land next to where Josiah, Seth's father held land in Goochland. It would seem Captain Harris knew Seth and his brothers. 

In 1805 Seth is called to witness about a sick horse. One claimant accuses the other of causing a horse to be sick and die. The other claims he cared for the horse and that it was not well when he borrowed it. Cared for it better than he would his own horse because it was not his horse.  Seth's testimony is to say that he refused to let the owner keep the horse with his horses because the horse was sick already. 

In 1808 Seth starts to work on what will become his Plantation. There will be housing for his slaves, a creamery, a pond, a smokehouse, barn and several other buildings. Legend tells that Seth built his home in an antebellum Italianate Design for a Bride to be who would die before she ever set foot in the home. Seth would not marry again until 1820. 

In 1816 Seth is appointed a Commissioner along with a few others to access the width of the cross streets in the town of Scottville by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Apparently an old survey is inaccurate and buildings have gone over cross street designations and chaos reigns in the construction of buildings. 

Seth's Bride in 1820 is Elizabeth Ligon and from this union are born Elizabeth and Daniel Hatcher. 

During the 1830s when Seth is in his 70s he bears witness to several "war Buddies" so that they can apply for pensions. His memory of Officers, locations and dates are amazing. I can't even tell you the building or number of my last flat from 4 years ago. 

In September of 1842 Seth writes his Last Will and Testament. He gives testament to a few more "War Buddies" and in December of 1843 Seth passes away. 

Seth Minard - I See You

Trying something a little different to make my Ghost Hunting more creative and fun for me and maybe you. I am going to focus on a name and hunt every Ghost I can find who bears that name. Today I am on the hunt for ghosts named Seth. I love this name. It feels strong, brave, sturdy. The name of a man you can rely on. 

Seth was the name of Adam and Eve's third son. The one born after the death of Able. Seth was often given to the next son born after the death of a son in early America. The name means appointed, to set or to place. As in GOD appointed Eve the son Seth to comfort her after the death of Able.

My first Seth today is Seth Minard. He is the son of Abiathar Minard and Elizabeth Willoughby Minard his wife. All I have found in my hunting of this Ghost is that he died on or about the 30th of January 1820. It was added that he was 20 years of age. That puts his birth at about 1800 which puts him in birth order as the third child born to Abiathar and Elizabeth. Seth's death was printed in newspapers in villages around New London County, Connecticut which is where his family lived. 

Seth is buried in Chester Burying Ground. 

His parents Abiathar and Elizabeth Minard are also buried there.

Noah Mick - Head Kicked In - Murdered

On 3 November 1860 at a Tavern on the corner of 2nd Street and Dickinson Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, William Simmons was pulling beer and serving whiskey as he usually did on a Saturday afternoon. The election was only 3 days away and slavery and rights of individual states were a huge issue.  The candidates running were Constitutional Union Party nominee John Bell, 
Southern Democratic Party nominee John Breckinridge, Democratic Party nominee Senator Stephen Douglas, and Republican nominee Abraham Lincoln.  Noah Mick had been drinking and wrestling. William Golcher, who had been drinking with shipmates  for the better part of the day had started up a lively conversation regarding politics which then turned to wrestling as Abraham Lincoln was an accomplished wrestler.  It was at about this point that the conversation got a wee bit heated. Noah noticed that William was agitated and said to William "I believe you have a spite against me".  William made no reply but sat in silence.  Noah got up and started to leave the bar. 

On 25 June 1866 William Golcher was standing at trial for the murder of Noah Mick.  

According to witnesses for William, he entered the Tavern with a group of shipmates and they were drinking "freely".  They claimed that Noah had been wrestling with another man when he invited William to wrestle him. William turned him down.  Both men became angry about William's refusal to wrestle but then had a drink together to mend the rift. Witnesses for William said that Noah got up to leave when William asked him if he considered him an enemy still. Noah replied yes. William became angrier and punched Noah saying "Take that, Damn you!" and then kicked Noah as he lay on the ground. Noah did not move. William became frightened and ran out the back door of the Tavern. Witnesses say that Noah was dead. 

William's attorney went on about what a brave sailor he was having served valiantly in the last war, he had been a sailor for 16 years, he was noble, and gallant.  Witnesses for his character who claimed to have known him since he was a boy claimed they never saw anything he did or said to be questionable. His shipmates said he was gallant and always exhibited good behavior, he had favor and the good opinion of his superiors and quickly made rank to Chief Engineer of the gunboat Commodore.  

Now apparently after William killed Noah he made his way back to his ship and continued his duties on board his ship which had left Philadelphia and it was not until the ship returned to port in Philadelphia that William sent his father to fetch a justice so he could turn himself in.  

Witnesses for William claimed that Noah had been a bully and tormented William for quite some time during the course of events. They claim that William punched  Noah in self defense. That Noah had raised his arms as though to punch him first. They claimed that Noah was a dangerous character and had great strength and William feared fir his life and so for the safety of his person punched and then kicked the motionless Noah. 

The coroner gave witness that he could not say for sure that the punch or kick delivered by William was the actual cause of death and it could have been from something that had happened during an earlier wrestling match. 

According to William Simmons, the owner of the Tavern, who was a witness, says that he was reading a newspaper when the brawl started but when he looked up Noah was on the ground not moving and William Golcher kicked him 3 times in the head.  Other witnesses concurred with this.   William Golcher was heard  telling Noah that he could "lick him and his friend too." Noah had abrasions and contusions on his jaw, a contusion in his temporal region, blood spewing from his nose, an opening in his cranium with an effusion of blood earning a compression at the base of the brain sufficient to cause death.  The jury returned with a verdict of guilty, that the cause of death were the result of the injuries caused by William Golcher.

Noah Mick was my Great Uncle. He was 30 at the time of the murder.  He was the son of George W. Mick and wife Elizabeth (Park) Mick, was born in New Jersey on 11 February 1830.  He was one of 12 children.  Noah was a Moulder like his father and several of his brothers.  He was married to Elizabeth Van Holt and had three children, Noah, Sarah and Delilah. 

John J. Easley - Master Mason

John J. Easley, Master Mason at Fredonia Lodge No. 247. The Lodge meets on Fridays that fall before a full moon or on a Friday that is a full moon. It was chartered in August of 1852 and William C. Love was the first Master. A Master Mason is a degree of Freemasonry. 

John was born in Virginia in 1826 to William A. Easley and Tabitha Hoskins (Stone) Easley. He had 5 brothers and 1 sister. His father made him and his younger brother William P Easley co-executors of his will. John was a farmer and lived in Lyon County, Kentucky. 

June 1863 John, William and Thomas Easley are recorded in the Civil War Draft Registration in Caldwell County, Kentucky. 

On 8 November 1863 he married the lovely Elizabeth Allen at Charles Miller's in Livingston, Kentucky. They had 2 children John N. Easley and Charles Easley. Before the year 1870 Elizabeth, John's wife has died. He is living in Fredonia, Caldwell County, Kentucky not far from his 2 brothers, Thomas and William.  

In 1872 John, his brother William and several other men get together and decide to create the Princeton, Marion and Ohio River Railroad Company. The purpose was for Real Estate for a railroad and telegraph lines. 

In 1880 John and his sons live in Eddyville in Lyon County, Kentucky. Eddyville was settled in 1798 and in 1799 became the county seat for Livingston County, Kentucky. In 1809 Caldwell County, Kentucky was formed and Eddyville became the county seat there. Eddyville once again changed county when Lyon County was established in 1854.  The original Eddyville was relocated in 1959 after the Barkley Dam was constructed and the original town flooded with what became Lake Barkley.  

In April 1892 John passes away. 

Florence Emaline Probert - Celanese Corporation of America

This is a Trace of Florence Emaline Probert McCrorie.  Shall we see what we can uncover?

Florence was born 31 May 1877 in Westbury on Severn, Gloucestershire, England. Her parents are William Henry Probert and Sarah (Curtis) Probert. She claims to have arrived in America in 1883 and was also known as Flora and Florrie. 

On 26 October 1879 while she still an infant, Jacob Curtis, her Grandfather died and left in his will for Flora £5o. The money was given, by her 2 Aunts who were the executrix of his estates, to their Brother-in-law, John Allen. John took the money and left for America with the promise to put it in account for Flora but never did. A lawsuit soon followed. 

In 1907 Flora worked as a Stenographer at Schwarzenbach & Son a clothing store for men and boys.  She lived at 19 Fulton Street where she rented a room from Mrs. Schlemmer. 


She marries William McCrorie on 12 June 1911 in Elkins, Randolph County, West Virginia where they both claim they live.  Two years after the marriage Florence Margaret McCrorie was born. 

In 1919 Flora's Aunt,  Mary Ann Probert Hadley made Flora the executrix of her will. This added to the soap opera style drama that was unfolding around Flora, her Aunt Mary Ann's son Harry Hadley, and Aunt Esther Probert Dodds (Mary Ann's sister). 

In 1920 the family is living on Lanvale Street in Baltimore. In 1921 they are living on Spruce Street and they have a son named William Curtis McCrorie.  North Centre St. in Cumberland, Maryland is where we find Flore, her son and daughter living in 1930. Her husband William is not living in the home.  Flora works as an inspector at the Celanese Plant in Cumberland.  

The Celanese Plant was actually The American Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and was founded in 1918 to make cheap fabric for airplane manufacturing.  They manufactured cellulose acetate as an alternative to silk. In 1927 the company was renamed Celanese Corporation of America.  There was a massive labor strike  in 1936 at the plant as the workers tried to Unionize. For photos taken during the strike click the strike link. Flora was still employed there and she may be in one of the photos. The facility in Cumberland is now gone and on the site is a State Prison. 

In 1939 Flora is a reeler, she operated the machine that wound the yarn onto the bobbin, and lives on Marion Street in Cumberland.  Flora and her son live Goethe St. in Cumberland by 1940 where she is an inspector at Celanese Corporation of America. Linden Street is her next address in a home with her son and his wife. She is 65 and she still works at the Textile Manufacturer. 

At the age of 86 in November of 1968 Flora passes away.  She is buried in Frostburg Memorial Park. 

Nathaniel Osborne Gandy - Stabbed in the Heart

A BOY SENTENCED TO IMPRISONMENT
That was the headline in the 29 March 1889 Galveston Daily News. 

This story made the papers not only in Texas but, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and many others.  Harry was 11 at the time of the stabbing and Nathaniel was 16. 

The story of Nathaniel's death was told in detail by three different witnesses in The Philadelphia Inquirer including details like,"stabbed through the heart", "plunged it into Gandy's left breast", and "I saw blood spurting out." 

The stories vary and according to some there was a confrontation and a fight broke out, another says that Harry just pulled out a knife and stabbed Nathaniel. The only thing that was common was that Nathaniel was stabbed with a knife by Harry and was dead.  

Nathaniel Osborne Gandy II was born 18 July 1872 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Nathaniel Osborne Gandy and his wife Sarah Ann (Mick) Gandy.  He had 6 siblings and 4 step sisters. He was my Very Great Uncle.