Worcester County, Massachusetts

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Comment by Sara Campbell on April 20, 2011 at 9:42pm

James Colman's wife Rachel outlived him by 30 years.  She is one of the ancestors I would most like to speak to - lived to be over 90!

Comment by Kirsten A. Person on April 20, 2011 at 6:04pm

Hi Sara - just a thought - have you looked at the family of Elizabeth and Susannah's husbands Job and Benjamin's father James Colman?  It wouldn't be the first time girls married their step-siblings.  A long shot, but who knows? 

Comment by Sara Campbell on April 20, 2011 at 3:58pm

Hi, Kirsten.  When James Colman died in 1773 his land had become a part of the new town of Ashby in Middlesex Co.  I got a small file from them. 

I have some of the Martin probate info, which is where I found how the land was divided for the children.  I got my ancestor Elizabeth's signature from her guardianship document.  You can see her story at RememberingAncestors.blogspot.com if you are interested.

I know John was in the militia, but don't know if he died of disease, war, or if a tree fell on him - it could have been anything.  Twins were born after his death!  That poor woman.

Comment by Kirsten A. Person on April 20, 2011 at 3:40pm

Sara - I looked up Colman and Ashburnham & Lunenburg in the Worcester Probate index and came up empty for that time period.  What was your ancestor's name?

Comment by Kirsten A. Person on April 20, 2011 at 2:16pm

Hi Sara!

I'd suggest pulling her husband's probate file in the Worcester Probate Court to see if Elizabeth ever signed as his widow but with a different surname.  I'd also see if her children had a guardian appointed for them to see if Elizabeth's new name is there.

Isn't genealogy great?  The mysteries never end!

Kirsten

Bear Hill Genealogical Research

Comment by Sara Campbell on April 20, 2011 at 1:22pm

I'm looking to connect with people with ancestry in northern Worcester County - the Lunenburg/Ashburnham area.  My Colmans were original settlers of Ashburnham, and I'd love to know more about the family of John Martin who died 1753 in Lunenburg leaving a large family. His wife Elizabeth must have remarried, with 12 children, but to whom?  I have the land records, but need more clues.

Comment by Kirsten A. Person on April 19, 2011 at 1:10pm

Welcome everybody!  I'd love to hear from anyone who has ancestry before 1870 in the Blackstone Valley towns of southern Worcester County:  Blackstone, Douglas, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Northbridge, Sutton, Upton, and Uxbridge and our near neighbor in Norfolk County:  Bellingham.  My personal ancestry includes Cheney, Temple, Aldrich, Gould, White, Thayer, Legg, Albee, Adams, Bowker, and many more in this area.  Would love to hear from cousins!