Following the challenge of writing 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, issued by Amy Johnson Crow, here is my 12th installment, for James FERNALD, my 6th great-grandfather, on my maternal line. James is the son of the Immigrant settler in the Kittery area, John FERNALD.
James' father, John, is listed as one of the early settlers after 1632, on the Kittery Maine town website, under Historical Notes (halfway down the page). I have more research to do in this Fernald line, and see that no mention of John's wife, James' mother, is made on records. Several family trees give the name of Mary Norman, but no document/supports for that statement.
James was born in 1675 in Kittery, now York county, Maine, and married Mary HINCKS (possibly this surname is as a widow) in about 1700-1705. No marriage record is yet found. I suspect that there are other siblings of James, but as yet I have not found clear proof of relationship.
James and Mary had at least 8 children, b. Kittery, named in his will, dated 2 Apr 1739:
- Elizabeth, named as his eldest, married James Fogg
- Mary* [direct ancestor], b.14 May 1712, m. John ADAMS, 15 Oct 1734; 7 children
- James (jr.)
- Joanna, married George Rogers, 25 Dec 1736
- Anne, unmarried at this time
- Marget, unmarried
- Dorcas, unmarried
- Unice [Eunice], unmarried
In 1728/9 James' name is listed with a number of others in deeding land designated for a second church, on land between Kittery and Eliot, on "Gower's Hill", belonging to the Fernalds. The link goes to a very attractive 1730 church - scroll down to the lower section where the second church is listed as a Congregational church, first served by Rev. John Eveleth (another important name in my family tree) from 1729-1734. A timeline about Kittery and Eliot may be found here.
James will has been transcribed by others, from Maine Wills, 1640-1760 (pub 1887) p.444. The value of his land and and goods was set at over 4160 pounds. He states in his will a number of times that he is bequeathing "...besides what She has already had out of my Estate." This seems to indicate that he had already given goods or lands to his daughters and one son before his decline.
Two of the three Witnesses on the Will are unknown-to-me Fernalds: Lydia Fernald and Benjamin Fernald. More clues are here for researching the early Fernald history in Kittery and Eliot. As early settlers in the Kittery area in Massachusetts, the Fernald family is likely written up in journals and books/histories of the region. It is clear a trip to our BC Genealogical Society library is needed so I can search in the NEHGS databases online there!
If you have questions or comments, please leave them below, or contact me via calewis at telus dot net.
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