Susanna Toney was born around 1789 in Barre, MA to Abraham Toney and his wife Mary Harry. She was commonly known as Susan. Barre was and is a small rural farming community just northwest of Worcester. Her mother, Mary Harry, was part of the Narragansett tribe and her father, Abraham, was a Black man born free in Upton, MA to free parents. Upton was another … Continue reading The Root Doctress
When I think about my dad, it’s not my biological father that comes to mind. The man I call ‘Daddy’, Alfred Bruce Shepard, was my step-father. He raised me and loved me as if I were his biological child and I am forever grateful for it. When I discovered I was pregnant with my first child, I called him first – weeks before I told … Continue reading Muriel and Alfred Shepard
The above picture is a plaque that now hangs in the second floor of City Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts. The ceremony yesterday was charming and long overdue. As it states on the plaque, Charles E. Scott served as a City Councilor from 1918 to his death on 11 October 1938. Elected not by the tiny people of color population but instead by white, mostly European … Continue reading The Family Scott
A friend and I – Photo by Stacey Tufts We celebrated our 92nd Annual powwow this past Sunday. The Creator gave us glorious weather and a great crowd. Here are a few photos from the event. All the below photos were taken by Dave TallPine. The Elders Continue reading Hassanamisco Indian Fair
This is the first in a series of blog posts dedicated to my female ancestors and their maiden names. Mary Ann Curless Vickers was my 4th great-grandmother. She lived to be more than 100 years old. Born in Smithfield, Rhode Island on 16 August 1797, she also resided in nearby Thompson, CT and Oxford, MA. Her parents were Nancy (Annie) Pollock and Christopher Curless. Christopher … Continue reading Surname Saturday – CURLESS/CURLISS/CORLISS
I thank Heather Rojo from Nutfield Genealogy for her post on how she organizes her Surname Saturday posts. I’m going to work on the maiden names of women in my ancestry beginning with my maternal line. Those names include: Ransom, Slocum, Dailey, Curless, Vickers, Williams, Scott, Harry, Foster, Money, Henry, Quow, Jackson, Willett, Romsor, Pegan, Pollock, Brown, Toney, and Hazzard. And, yes, I know these … Continue reading The Women Before Me
This was my 5th NERGC (New England Regional Genealogical Conference) conference and I think it was the best one yet! It was held at the Rhode Island Conference Center which was a beautiful spot. My hotel was a block away (the Courtyard Marriott) and my room was fabulous. The conference was special for me because it was my first time presenting at NERGC. I made … Continue reading NERGC 2015
Because land passed through the females of our matriarchal tribe, Sarah Robins (abt. 1689 – bef. 1750), Sarah Muckamaug (1718 – 1751), Sarah Burnee (1744 – 1812), and Sarah Boston (abt. 1787 – 1837) all occupied the “Muckamaug Allotment” in what is now Hassanamesit Woods in Grafton, MA. The total allotment was approximately 197 acres including the 106 acre plot shown below. Sarah Mary Boston … Continue reading Unraveling Six Generations of Nipmuc Sarahs
I have several direct and collateral ancestors that served in the Civil War. One of those relations was Christopher Vickers (sometime spelled Vicars). There are several Christopher Vickers that were born and died in the same parts of New England and around the same time periods. I’d like to tell you a little about the Christopher Vickers that was born in Thompson, CT on the … Continue reading Nipmucs in the Civil War
My favorite record group for tracking Native people in New England is housed in the National Archives down in Washington, DC. It’s part of Record Group 75 also known as the records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The pages known as 75.12.2 are the Records relating to Kansas claims of New York Indians. Below is the front page of one of the many records found … Continue reading My Favorite Resource for New England Native American Research
Cheryll Toney Holley 