J.P. Morgan ~ My Cousin's International Banking Is Too Confusing

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 45 (RICH MAN)


When I was growing up I was often heard saying that my real parents were searching for me, and they were rich. It was a joke. I never believed I was related to anyone who was rich. 


To be honest I don't think I would have liked living a rich lifestyle. I am a fairly simple person. I don't often want things. It's only when I do decide I want something that I realize I have expensive tastes. Likely that is why, while growing up I, often thought I was a rich person trapped in a poor person's life. As an adult my husband and I are comfortable. We have enough for extras which is nice since the essentials take care of themselves. 


This week's RICH MAN prompt got me thinking maybe my relatives really were rich even if they were never actually looking for me.


Searching through FAMOUSKIN.COM I found that I am the 8th cousin 3X removed of the very wealthy John Pierpont (J.P.) Morgan.  


Using my *how are you related chart* I discovered that 8th cousins are too distant to be included. After entering J.P. Morgan's details into my family tree I confirmed that my 10th great grandparents are his 7th great grandparents. We are 3 generations apart (10th and 7th) hence 3X removed, and they are his 7th great grandparents hence 8th cousins.

Our in common ancestors are:
Thomas Ford
BIRTH 1587 • Bridport, Dorset, England
DEATH 9 NOV 1676 • Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America
married to
Elizabeth Charde
BIRTH 1589 • Thorncombe, Bridgeport, Dorsetshire, England
DEATH 18 APR 1643 • Windsor, Hartford, Colony of Connecticut, British Colonial America


I descend via their daughter Hepzibah, and J.P. through their daughter Abigail. 

***For anyone who has read previous blogs this is the same family line
that I am related to Princess Diana and other prominent folks.

John Pierpont Morgan was my great grandfather's 8th cousin. They shared the same 7th great grandparents. Grampsy through his dad, and JP through his mom. 

My great grandfather Ernest Elmer Bayes (known as Hap)
J.P. Morgan's 8th cousin

In the photo I think I can see a smidge of resemblance. 

J.P. Morgan,
photo source:Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository,

Below are a  2nd and 3rd look - look carefully. Can you see any resemblance?

My great grandfather Ernest Elmer Bayes (known as Hap)

I realized that I did recognize the name JP Morgan as a wealthy man, but knew nothing about him as a person or his career. Since he's my cousin I decided I should know a little about him.

Introducing my 8th cousin 3X removed
John Pierpont (J.P.) Morgan
BIRTH 17 APR 1837 • Hartford, Connecticut, USA
DEATH 31 MAR 1913 • Rome, Italy

He was born into a prominent well to do family in Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America on April 17th 1837.

 His parents were:
Junius Spencer Morgan
BIRTH 14 APR 1813 • Massachusetts, United States of America
DEATH 8 APR 1890 • Monte Carlo, Monaco
and
Juliet Pierpont
BIRTH 30 JUL 1816 • Baltimore, Baltimore City, Maryland, USA
DEATH 23 FEB 1884 • City of London, Greater London, England

He had 2 sisters and a brother.

In 1861 he married his first wife. Amelia (Mimi) Sturges
BIRTH 5 JUL 1835 • Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States of America
DEATH 17 FEB 1862 • Nice, Departement des Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
She passed away a year later at the age of 26.
They had no children


In 1865 JP married his 2nd wife:
Frances Louise (Fanny) Tracy
BIRTH 15 MAY 1845 • New York, New York, USA
DEATH 16 NOV 1924 • Highland Falls, Orange, New York, USA
They had 3 daughters and a son.


In researching the career of JP Morgan I realized that I have no understanding of international banking. This portion of the blog is finished.


When he died some of his art collection was donated to The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Wadsworth Atheneum.   He was a philanthropist who supported many charities in his lifetime. 


BUT maybe he doesn't fit for my RICH MAN prompt according to John D. Rockefeller's opinion:
"When he died in 1913 at the age of 75, it was revealed that he was worth around $80 million — according to legend, John D. Rockefeller remarked, "And to think he wasn't even a rich man!" upon reading the figure, according to Jean Strouse's article for the New York Times." {1}


In search of rich relatives!







This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***






Footnotes:


{1} 6 memorable leadership lessons from the financial giant J.P. Morgan, Áine Cain, Business Insider, Oct 17, 2016, Retrieved November 9th 2019 from
https://www.businessinsider.com/what-you-can-learn-from-jp-morgan-2016-10




Sources:


Famous Kin, Retrieved November 9th 2019 from
https://famouskin.com/

J.P. Morgan, AMERICAN FINANCIER, WRITTEN BY: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica retrieved November 9th 2019 from 
https://www.britannica.com/biography/J-P-Morgan

J.P. Morgan Biography, Art Collector, Philanthropist (1837–1913), Biography.com. Retrieved November 9th 2019 from
https://www.biography.com/business-figure/jp-morgan

J.P. Morgan, HISTORY.COM EDITORS, UPDATED:JUN 7, 2019ORIGINAL:NOV 9, 2009, Retrieved Novembe 9th 2019 from
https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/john-pierpont-morgan

Photo,  Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository, retrieved November 9th from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:J.P._Morgan_cph.3a02120.jpg

6 memorable leadership lessons from the financial giant J.P. Morgan, Áine Cain, Business Insider, Oct 17, 2016, Retrieved November 9th 2019 from 
https://www.businessinsider.com/what-you-can-learn-from-jp-morgan-2016-10




Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

_____________________________________________________________________

Witches, Witches, Everywhere ~ My relatives: Mary Bliss Parsons & Sarah Lyman Bridgman

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 44 (TRICK OR TREAT)




"Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble." {1}

In the same timeline that Macbeth was being performed my ancestors were leaving England as part of The Great Puritan Migration.
Did Shakespeare believe in witches?  






The Puritans were afraid of evil spirits. Witchcraft was often seen as the reason for bad things happening to good people.


The past few weeks I have seen images of witches brewing their cauldrons and riding brooms alongside the sales of individually wrapped chocolates and candies. I was left wondering if dressing up at Halloween as a witch was cultural appropriation.  Setting off to find out I found the quote below. 


" 'I’ve seen these ‘slutty witch’ costumes and they’re demeaning not only to women, but to practising [sic] witches such as myself,' said Raven Mackinaw, 24, of Dartmouth," {2}

Although the quote is from a fictitious and satirical online newspaper (The Manatee) it clearly shows how far society has come since the Salem Witch Trials which began in 1692.


"The word Witch actually is derived from the word “Wicca” meaning “Wise One.”  Certainly once considered wise and a knowledgeable resource during trying times, witches were now considered to be something to be absolutely feared and avoided.  The church viewed healing, once helpful to many, now as evil sorcery, pagan worship as well as something akin to black magic.  These supposed witches were accused of very bad things, most specifically that of doing the devil’s evil bidding and being in cahoots with him in some orchestrated plan to destroy mankind." {3}

Photo source: Halloween Express {3}

Many years before the Salem Witch Trials the Puritans of Massachusetts were seeing evil walking among them. In 1654 Mary Bliss Parsons was accused of causing the death of Sarah Bridgman's baby boy by witchcraft.

"  Sarah Bridgman related her tale of how in May 1654 she heard a "great blow on the door" and immediately sensed a change in her newborn. Then she saw "two women pass by the door with white clothes on their heads." The women disappeared, and Bridgman concluded her son would die because "there [was] wickedness in the place."  {4}


Mary's husband charged Sarah for slander, and won. Sarah (nee Lyman) Bridgman was given a choice of paying a fine or making a public apology: She chose the fine. 


For the next 18 years suspicions against Mary for witchcraft continued. In 1674 Mary (nee Bliss) Parsons was formally accused of witchcraft by James & Sarah (nee Lyman) Bridgman's son-in-law Samuel Barlett when his wife Mary (nee Bridgman) died. Mary Bliss Parsons was found innocent of these charges in a Boston court. Sometime around 1680 Mary and husband (Cornet Joseph Parsons) moved from Northampton to Springfield where they had previously lived. Joseph died in 1683, and Mary never remarried. It is rumoured that she was never able to fully leave the accusations of witchcraft behind her.


The accuser was my 10th great aunt
Sarah Lyman
BIRTH 8 FEB 1621 • High Ongar, Epping Forest District, Essex, England
DEATH 31 AUG 1688 • Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, USA
married to
James Bridgman
BIRTH abt 1620 • England
DEATH 17 MAR 1676 • Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, USA


The accused was the mother-in-law of my first cousin X10 removed
Mary Bliss
BIRTH 1626 • Balstone, Devon, England
DEATH 29 JAN 1712 • Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, USA
married to
Cornet Joseph Parsons
BIRTH 1618 • Great Gorrington, Devon, England
DEATH 9 OCT 1683 • Springfield, Massachusetts


Although I found no evidence that Sarah (nee Lyman) Bridgman and Mary (nee Bliss) Parsons were related to each other I did find evidence that I am related to both of them through my mother's maternal line. On the 14th of June 1711 these two ladies had their family's merged when their grandchildren Ebenezer Bridgman & Mary Parsons were married. They were my 2nd cousins 9x removed.

Check out these books (fiction and not) about Mary Bliss Parsons:

My Enemy's Tears: The Witch of Northampton by Karen Vorbeck Williams, Fawkes Press, LLC (Oct. 17 2016)

The Real Witches of New England: History, Lore, and Modern Practice by Ellen Evert Hopman, Destiny Books; 1 edition (September 18, 2018)

Silencing the Women: The Witch Trials of Mary Bliss Parsons by Kathy-Ann Becker,  Booklocker.com, Inc. (Nov. 15 2013)

Trilogy:
The Strong Witch Society: The Diary of Mary Bliss Parsons (Vol 3), by D.H. Parsons, All Things That Matter Press (Jan. 14 2011)
The Lost Revelation: The Diary of Mary Bliss Parsons (Vol. 2), All Things That Matter Press (Oct. 16 2012)
Beyond Infinite Healing: The Diary of Mary Bliss Parsons (Vol 3), by D.H. Parsons, All Things That Matter Press (July 21 2014)





Finding your family in historical events!







This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***








Footnotes:

{1} Macbeth, Act 4, Scene 1, William Shakespeare, 

{2} Witch Halloween costumes are cultural appropriation, say ‘real’ witches, The Manatee, Retrieved October 31st 2019 from
https://themanatee.net/witch-halloween-costumes-are-cultural-appropriation-say-real-witches/

{3} History of Witches and Witchcraft, Halloween Express, Retrieved October 31st 2019 from    https://www.halloweenexpress.com/history-of-witches-and-witchcraft/


{4} Jury Finds Mary Parsons Not Guilty of Witchcraft, May 13, 1675, Mass Moments, Retreved October 31st 2019 from
https://www.massmoments.org/moment-details/jury-finds-mary-parsons-not-guilty-of-witchcraft.html



Sources:


A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials, One town’s strange journey from paranoia to pardon, Jess Blumberg, October 23, 2007, Smithsonian, Retrieved October 29th 2019 from
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489/

Climbing the Genealogy Tree Blog, Is There A Witch In Your Family?, Retrieved October 31st 2019 from
http://climbing-the-genealogy-tree.blogspot.com/2010/10/is-there-witch-in-your-family.html

Find A Grave, Mary Bliss Parsons, Retrieved October 31st 2019 from
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22828242

History of Witches and Witchcraft, Halloween Express, Retrieved October 30th 2019 from
https://www.halloweenexpress.com/history-of-witches-and-witchcraft/

Jury Finds Mary Parsons Not Guilty of Witchcraft, May 13, 1675, Mass Moments, Retreved October 31st 2019 from
https://www.massmoments.org/moment-details/jury-finds-mary-parsons-not-guilty-of-witchcraft.html

The Manatee, Retrieved October 31st from
https://themanatee.net/

Northampton’s Mary Bliss Parsons slander and witch trial court documents, 22 News, Retrieved October 27th 2019 from
https://www.wwlp.com/news/digital-first/northamptons-mary-bliss-parsons-slander-and-witch-trial-court-documents/

The Tragedy of Macbeth Quotes, William Shakespeare, Retrieved October 31st from
http://shakespeare.mit.edu/macbeth/macbeth.4.1.html

Turn the Hearts Blog,  Early America - Mary BLISS PARSONS, Retrieved October 31st from
http://larkturnthehearts.blogspot.com/2007/11/early-america-mary-bliss-parsons.html

A Witch? A Relative? Mary (Bliss) Parsons, Retrieved October 31st 2019 from
https://reneeriley.wordpress.com/2015/10/31/a-witch-a-relative-mary-bliss-parsons/





Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

_____________________________________________________________________

Flying Family ~ Clifton Alexander Lee

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 43 (TRANSPORTATION)

Plains, trains, and automobiles 

This week I'm focusing on my husband's grandfather who was a pilot licensed in 1937. 

                                   Clifton Alexander Lee

Clifton was frequently listed as C.A. LEE in documents which was why I was unable to find many records for him prior to discovering the usage of his initials.

Clifton's ground school flight manuals, early 1930s 

Clifton's parents (John & Mattie) were married the 30th of October 1901. John was 18, and Mattie 27. On the marriage license it states that John is 28 and Mattie 22. The 1891 census shows that John is 8 and Mattie 17. The birth and death registrations do not support the marriage license ages. The registration is for their marriage since the parent's names all match correctly. I'm guessing that they didn't want their age difference to be known.  6 1/2 months later Clifton was born on the 20th of May 1902. Maybe Clifton was born premature. The birth certificates of the past didn't list birth weights. We shall never know. Mattie passed away on September 5th 1902 of 'Angina of Heart'. 1   Mattie likely had Postpartum Cardiomyopathy. John was widowed with a 3 month old infant at the age of 19. 


John Franklin Lee
BIRTH 28 MAY 1883 • Northfield Centre, Brant Co., Ontario, Canada
DEATH 12 MAY 1952 • Burford Township, 1654289, Ontario, Canada
and
Martha J Isabel (Mattie) Smith
BIRTH 24 NOV 1873 • Ontario, Canada
DEATH 5 SEP 1902 • Brant, Ontario, Canada


John Franklin Lee married his 2nd wife
May Florence (Florence) Farrell
BIRTH 24 NOV 1882 • Ontario
DEATH 27 SEP 1973


I can not find the record for John & Florence's marriage. The 1911 census records them as married, and residing with 11 year old Clifton as the only child. The 1921 census has 19 year old Clifton as the only child living with John and Florence. Clifton was an only child.

Clifton Alexander Lee was married twice. With his first wife, Velma Shepherd, he had three children (John, Jim, and Eleanor). With his second wife, Eva Aspden, he had two children (Pegi and Mary).


My husband's grandparents:
Clifton Alexander Lee
BIRTH 20 MAY 1902 • Northfield Centre, Brant Co., Ontario, Canada
DEATH 9 SEP 1979 • Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
and
Eva Alice Aspden
BIRTH 4 SEP 1922 • Simcoe, Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada
DEATH 23 AUG 2008 • Penticton, British Columbia, Canada

Clifton and his wife Eva are buried in Lakeview Memorial Garden Cemetery in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.


Clifton was a pilot whose two sons (John & Jim) were also pilots, and daughter Eleanor aspired to be a pilot. One of the two female flying students was my husband's grandmother, Eva Aspden, and soon to be 2nd wife to Clifton. 


The article below is from the Brantford Expositor, published on April 27th 1946.

"CHILDREN FOLLOW FATHERS TAKING TO AIR IN COURTLAND
CANADA's 'FLYINGEST' COMMUNITY"   

Closer-up of these two photos and captions below

  

Eva Aspden on the left (my husband's grandmother

Caption "No village in Canada has produced so many flying students as Courtland, Ontario, officials of the Brant-Norfolk flying club believe. The late Flt-Lieut, Jack Rutledge of Courtland, held the Canadian record for the number of operations over enemy territory with 105 missions. Instructor F.E. McFadden and two Courtland students, Eva Aspden and Marie Herron" 

2nd from left  Clifton's son John
2nd from right is Clifton's son Jim
3rd from right is Eva Aspden (soon to be Clifton's 2nd wife)
5th from left is Clifton Lee

Caption "All ages are bitten by the flying bug in the village. Two Courtland fathers have children who are fellow flying students. Left to right are Nancy House, John Lee, Jack Simmons, Marie Herron, C.A. Lee, father of John and James: Mary Troyer, Lloyd E. House, Nancy's father, Eva Aspden, James Lee, and John Troyer" 



Almost half the class at the Brant-Norfolk flying club were connected to Clifton!

Clifton gave up flying after he was badly injured in an accident. The family tells me that Clifton was able to keep a tractor upright while one of his sons made an escape. In doing so he tore the muscles in his chest causing a heart condition. After recovering he retired to raise his and Eva's children while Eva went to work to support the family. 


My husband remembers his grandfather always making him feel safe. He also remembers that his grandpa had the biggest hands, and always smelled like peppermint. 


Week 43 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge has me reflecting on how I went from being in an uncommitted relationship with my blog to publishing every week. This week my husband learned that his grandmother was working on getting her pilot's license. He never knew that his grandmother ever flew a plane. He now understands that his grandmother was way cooler before she became a mother and grandmother.

A shout-out to Genealogist Amy Johnson Crow for this fantastic opportunity. You will find a link to her website below. 


Keeping the stories alive!









This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!
















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***





Related Previous Blogs:

Somehow Related Blog Spot,
Irish Twins ~ Hand-In-Hand
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/08/irish-twins-hand-in-hand.html

Somehow Related Blog Spot,
Snake Hips - Swayze
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/03/snake-hips-swayze-at-courthouse.html


Footnote:

1  Ontario, Canada, Deaths and Deaths Overseas, 1869-1947 for Mattie Lee, 005429, Brant, registered October 18th 1902, Retrieved October 25th 2019 from Ancestry.ca



Sources:

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM), American Heart Association, Retrieved October 25th 2019 from
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cardiomyopathy/what-is-cardiomyopathy-in-adults/peripartum-cardiomyopathy-ppcm

Village of Courtland has gone flying mad, The Brantford Expositor, published April 27th 1946.





Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

_____________________________________________________________________