The Slovak Yankee

A Review of Michael's Ancestry: the "B's" surnames

You need only look at the B names of Michael's ancestry to see the depth and breadth of his U.S. ancestry.  In basic terms Michael is 1/4 Irish Catholic and 3/4 American, that is, people who were here before the American Revolution.

Barton: 18th century Scots-Irish to Virginia

Bench: 18th century German to Pennsylvania

Bennet: 17th century Dutch to New York

Berkeley: 17th century English to Virginia

Berrien: 17th century Dutch to New York

Berrigan: 19th century Irish famine immigrant

Branson: 18th century English Quaker to Pennsylvania

Brown: 18th century English Quaker in Virginia

All these different ethnicities and time periods brings its own genealogical challenges.

Abram Brown 1756-1849 of Loudoun County, Virginia and Peoria, Illinois

Brown is currently the fourth most common surname in the U.S.  Researching that name brings a whole set of skills for genealogists.  I, myself, am descended from three different Brown(e) families.  This one probably has more to find and Abram is not the immigrant ancestor.  This is only how far I've gotten.  Certainly if I were to review the Quaker records at Swarthmore College for Loudoun County, Virginia, I could push this line back.  This line may also have already been published but finding the correct Brown genealogy is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

This line comes from three separate newspaper sources:  The obituary of Abram Brown (Jr.), the obituary of Abram Brown Sr. and the obituary of Isaac Moore Brown.

1. Abram Brown, born say 1756 likely in Loudoun County, Virginia, a Quaker, died 1849 in Peoria Illinois.  His wife's name is as of yet unknown.  He had at least four children:  Isaac Moore, Ellen, John, and Abram (Jr.).
2. Abram Brown, Jr. born ca. 1806 at Alexandria, Virginia and died October 1876 at Leavenworth County, Kansas.  He married first about 1827, Amanda Melvina Fitzallan Berkeley, born about 1808 at Fairfax, Virginia and died before 1863 at Leavenworth, Kansas, daughter of Benjamin and Lucy Jones (Newman) Berkley.  Abram married secondly about 1863, Tennessee Pierce born about 1827 at Springfield, Illinois and died after 1880., daughter of  Charles R. and Malinda (Anderson) Pierce.  Abram was a grocer, lawyer, and judge.  He was also the Republican state legislator for Kansas in 1863.  By his first wife he had: James W., Lucy N., Martha Ann, Berkley, Catherine, Virginia, Hannah, Julia Berkley, and Charles.  By his second wife he had: Tennessee, Abraham, Benjamin, Keziah, Eugene, and Mabel.
3. Julia Berkley Brown born 11 September 1844 at Pekin, Illinois, and died 9 September 1917  at Sulphur Springs, Arkansas.  She married first Charles Clarkson (Jr.), born 1839 in Pennsylvania and died after 1874 at Salina, Kansas, son of Charles C. and Matilda Wyckoff (Schureman) Clarkson.  Julia married secondly about 1885, Dr. Wesley Otis Young, born about 1840 in Ohio and died after 1917.  By her first husband, Julia was the mother of three: Maria Bridget, Edward Bradley, and Vida Hamlin.

Sources:

Zanesville Daily Courier of October 26, 1876.

Zanesville Daily  Courier of February 2, 1885.

Leavenworth Daily Times of October 12, 1876.

1865 Kansas State Census, Leavenworth City, p. 53 (16 June 1865).
1870 U.S. Census; Kansas; Leavenworth County, Leavenworth City, Page 277.
1860 U.S. Census; Kansas; Leavenworth County, Page 53.
1850 U.S. Census; Illinois; Tazewell County, Perkin, Page 115.

1880 Census in St. Louis, MO with children and no husband. (Julia Berkeley Brown).
1870 Census in Marengo Township, Iowa.
1910 Census in Central Township, St. Louis Co., Missouri, ED 10D, Sheet 73.

 

 

Happy Birthday

Today is my father-in-law's 100th birthday.  Edmund Berrigan Clark March 1, 1921-March 27, 2003.

My favorite story about him is that he was in the fabled class of 1942 at U. Oklahoma.  Of course, December 7, 1941 happened in his senior year and after that semester he enlisted.  He never finished the last semester of his undergraduate degree.  In 1945 with the war won and in the Pacific theater he heard about the GI Bill and on a blank envelope  wrote to Harvard Law School to attend.  They wrote back and based on his grades and the GI Bill he was accepted with  the proviso that he finish his  undergraduate  degree.  So he attended Harvard Law School from 1946 to 1949 and graduated with an LLB.  He later took classes at American University and finished his undergraduate degree in 1952.  So he  got his law degree first and undergraduate degree second. 

He made his career in the U.S. Justice department arguing  cases at the appellate and supreme court levels.

 

William Branson 1684-1760 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

There is a rich history of English origins articles in the genealogical literature of New England.  I have not found that so for other parts of the country.  English origins are given in other sources and no scholarly article is written.  In this case, the origins appears in a county history.

1. Nathaniel Branson (Jr.) was born ca. 1650 in Soning, Berkshire, England and died 14 September 1720 at Artefields Reading, Buckshire, England.  He married Mary Bacon born 8 December 1656 in Buckshire and died 31 October 1692 at Artefields Reading, daughter of Peter and Mary (---) Bacon and granddaughter of John and  Sarah (---) Bacon.  Nathaniel was a shoemaker and a Quaker.  He bought 1250 acres from William Penn but never came to Pennsylvania.  He had at least one child:  William.
2. William Branson was born 29 June 1684 at Soning, Berkshire, England and died 1760 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He married ca. 1708  at Philadelphia, Mary Tate, born say 1685 and died about 1727, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (---) Tate.  William inherits the lands in Pennsylvania and builds and iron works on it.  William had the following children:  Rebecca, Mary, Hannah, and Elizabeth.
3. Rebecca Branson born ca. 1708 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and died there before 1760.  She married about 1730 at Philadelphia, Samuel  Flower,  born ca. 1703 and died 14 December 1769 at Philadelphia, son of  Henry and Elizabeth (Paschall) Flower.  Rebecca and Samuel had three children: Mary, Hannah and Samuel.

Sources:

"Memoirs of Matthew Clarkson of Philadelphia 1735-1800 by his great-grandson John Hall and of his brother Gerardus Clarkson 1737-1790 by his great-grandson Samuel Clarkson" (Thomas Printing, Philadelphia, 1790).
"History of Chester County, Pennsylvania with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches" by J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope (Philadelphia, 1881):343-6.

 

Dennis Berrigan 1834-1912 of Courtland Township, Michigan

1. Edmund Berrigan born say 1810 and married Mary Doherty born say 1810 in Ireland.  These names are from their son's marriage record of 1862.  Among their children were:
2. Dennis Berrigan born 20 October 1834 in Ireland and died 13 March 1912 in Courtland Township, Michigan.  He married on  5 October 1862 at Canandaguia, New York, Mary Haberlin, born 1 January 1835 in Ireland and died 8 July 1916 at Harvard, Michigan, daughter of  Michael and Mary (Fitzgerald) Haberlin.  Dennis and Mary had eight children: Edmund, Martin, Michael, Ellen, Mary, James, John D., and Thomas.
3. Edmund Berrigan born 18 June 1863 at Canandaigua, New York, died 18 July 1939 at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  He married 20 May 1889 at Ann Arbor, Michigan, Johanna Morrissey, born 25 February 1869 at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and died 7 May 1960 at Stillwater, Oklahoma, daughter of William J. and Bridget (Cashin) Morrissey.  Edmund received his B.A. from the Michigan Normal School and his master's from the University of Chicago.  He was a professor of business at the University of Oklahoma. Edmund and Johanna had four children:  Mary Agnes, Allegra, Ruth, and William Jackson.
4. Ruth Berrigan born 6 October 1896 at Platteville, Wisconsin,and died 24 October 1995 at Silver Spring, Maryland.  She married 18 August 1917 at Norman, Oklahoma,  William Lynn Clark, born 16 May 1891 at Holton, Kansas, and died 29 October 1958 at Arlington, Virginia, son of Charles Chester and Alice May (Morrow) Clark.  Both Ruth and William are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.  They had one son:  Edmund Berrigan  Clark.

Sources:

1870 U.S. census in Courtland Township, Kent County, Michigan, Page 25
1880 U.S. census in Courtland Township, Kent County, Michigan (ED #116, Page 5, Family #47)
1900 U.S. census in Courtland Township, Kent County, Michigan (ED #43, Sheet 3, Family #69)

St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church Records, Canadaguia, NY, LDS Film #1432391, items 9-12.

Obituary (Edmund Berrigan) in Norman Transcript for July 19, 1939 and Sooner Magazine for Sept. 1939.
1900 U.S. census in LeSeur, Minnesota
1910 U.S. census in Kingisher Co., Oklahoma
1920 U.S. census in Cleveland Co., Oklahoma

Michigan Vital Records, Certificate #2-377, Record #537.

Cleveland County, OK Marriage Records for 1917, p. 545, LDS Film #2108715.

1910 U.S. Census for Oklahoma, Stephens Co., ED 238, Sheet 4, Family #76.

 

Cornelis Jansen Berrien d. c. 1689 of Newtown, New York

1. Cornelis Jansen Berrien born say 1630 and died circa 1689 at Newtown, Long Island, New York, married Jannetje Stryker, born ca. 1642 at Dwingelo, Netherlands and died after 1705.  She married secondly Samuel Edsall on 27 August 1689 at Flatbush, New York.  Samuel was born August 1629 at Reading, England and died after 1701.  Cornelis and Jannetje had the following children: John, Peter, Nicholas, Catherine, and Agnes.
2. Peter Berrien was born circa 1672 and died 5 August 1737 at Newtown, Long Island, New York.  He married on 10 August 1706 at Newtown, Elizabeth Edsall, born ca. 1685 and died 6 May 1763 at Newtown, daughter of Samuel and  Ruth (Woodhull) Edsall and Peter's stepsister.  Peter had eight children:  Cornelius, Samuel, John, Peter, Jane (or Jannetje), Nicholas, Jacob, and Benjamin.
3. Jane Berrien was born 29 September 1716 at Newtown and died there on 24 March 1789.  She marreied on 17 February 1738 at Newtown, Nathaniel Fish, born 28 December 1700 at Newtown and died there 3 March 1769. 

Sources:

"The Annals of Newtown in Queens County, New York" by James Riker (NY, 1852).

"Samuel Edsall of Reading, Berks and Some Early Descendants" by George McCracken NYGBR 89 (1958):129-139.
"The Descendants of Richard Woodhull" by Henry Hoff The Genealogist 2 (1981):197-229.

 

Thomas Berkley c. 1638 of Westmoreland Co., Virginia

In this case, there is a typescript Berkley family genealogy.  But I don't trust anything before the 18th century.  I'm not an expert at early Virginia genealogy and would need to do loads of original research on this line.  Take everything with a large grain of salt.

1. Thomas Berkley born say 1638 in England and married 30 November 1663 at St. Botolph's in London, Hester Wright.  Among their children was:
2. John Berkley born say 1665 in London, England and died about 1721 at Fairfax, Virginia.  He married a daughter of Rice Hopkins whose first name is not known.  Among their children was:
3. William Berkley born 11 November 1690 at Overwharton Parish, Stafford, Virginia and died February 1762 at Fairfax, Virginia.  He married Elizabeth Hancock, born say 1700 and died about 1772, daughter of William Hancock.  His will at Fairfax County Wills No. 3-1, p. 309.  Children were: Benjamin, Burgess, William, Eleanor, Samuel, Anne, Catherine, Reuben, Jane, Elizabeth, and Althea.
4. Benjamin Berkley born about 1720 at Fairfax, Virginia, died about 1766 at Loudon County, Virginia.  He married about 1762, Barbara Walker, born about 1725 and died after 1774, daughter of George and Frances (Hardwick) Walker.  Their children were: Benjamin and Anna.
5. Benjamin Berkley (Jr.) was born 3 October 1763 at Fairfax, Virginia and died there about June 1818.  He married on 4 April 1786 at Fairfax, Lucy Jones Newman, born 5 July 1770 and died 28 October 1852 at Fairfax, Virginia.  Their children: Elizabeth, George Newman, Benjamin, Thomas, Anna, Frances, John Walker, Edmund, William Newman, James, Barbara, Catherine and Amanda.
6. Amanda Melvina Fitzallan Berkley, born about 1808 at Fairfax, Virginia, died before 1863 at Leavenworth County, Kansas.  She married about 1827, Abram Brown (Jr.), born 1806 at Virginia, died October 1876 at Leavenworth County, Kansas.  He was a grocer, lawyer, and judge.  He was also the Republican state legislator to Kansas for 1863.  Their children were: James W., Lucy N., Martha Ann, Berkley, Catherine, Virginia, Hannah, Julia Berkley, and Charles.  Abram Brown's will at Leavenworth Probate 494-5.

Sources:

“A History of the Berkley Family and Related Families” by Estelle E. Bates (Sooner Bindery, Irving, TX: 1984).

1860 U.S. Census; Kansas; Levenworth County, Page 53.
1850 U.S. Census; Illinois; Tazewell County, Perkin, Page 115.

1865 Kansas State Census, Leavenworth City, p. 53 (16 June 1865).
1870 U.S. Census; Kansas; Leavenworth County, Leavenworth City, Page 277.

 

23 and Me is Constantly Evolving

As their base grows 23 and Me is constantly updating your ancestral breakdown.  I had my DNA tested with them in early 2015 and then my breakdown was:

European 99.9%

British and Irish 20.1%
French and German 14.8%
Broadly Northern European 30.2% (this must be a catch all category)
Eastern European 19.1%
Balkan 5.3%
Broadly Southern European 1.8%
Broadly European 8.7%

But now I'm:

European 99.3%

British and Irish 48.3%

French & German 2.2%

Eastern European 47.8%

Broadly European 0.6%

Trace Ancestry 0.6%

Unassigned 0.1%

Well this is closer to what I really am.  I am half British Isles (Ireland, Scotland, England) on my mother's side and half Slovak on my father's side.  Evidently more Eastern Europeans have signed up so that they have a better testing base.  They can even pinpoint my ancestry to Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary.  Surprisingly now the trace ancestry is divided between Western Asian (a possibility considering my Eastern European side) and Chinese, which is an impossibility no matter how you look at it.

So keep checking back with 23 and Me since your numbers may have shifted over the years.

 

Willem Adriaense Bennet c. 1615-1644 of Brooklyn, N.Y.

1. Willem Adriaense Bennet was born ca. 1615 at Elsinore, Denmark and died before 1644 at Brooklyn, New York.  He married about 1635 at Brooklyn, Mary Thomas Badie, born c. 1612 in Liege, France (present day Belgium) and died after 28 Feb 1694, daughter of Thomas and Aeltje (Braconie) Badie.  Together they had five children: Adriaen Willemse, Willem Willemse, Christian, Christian, and Marritje Willemse.
2. Adriaen Willemse Bennet was born ca. 1636 at Gowanus, New York and died c. 1703.  He married on 3 December 1662 at Brooklyn, Annetje Jans Van Dyck, born June 1644 in Amsterdam and died after 1703, daughter of Jan Thomasze Van Dyck and Tryntje Achias.  They had twelve children: Tryntje (Catherine), Willem, Jan, Adriaen, Maria, Jacob, Cornelius, Isaac, Abraham, Angenietje, Enjeltje, and Antje. 
3. Maria Bennet, born about 1672 at New Utrecht, New York and died after 1720.  She married about 1692, Jacob Van Doorn, born October 1668 at New Amsterdam, N.Y. and died about March 1720 at Hillsdale, New Jersey, son of Christian Pieterszen Van Doorn and Tryntje Cornelis Shubber.  They had ten children: Aure, Engeltje, Christian, William, Jacob, Angenietje, Catherine, Abraham, Peter and Isaac.

Sources:

"Willem Adriaense Bennet of Brooklyn, NY and Some of His Descenants" by Wilson Ledley NYGBR 93(1962):193-201 and 94(1963):34-39.
“Some New Light on Aeltje Braconie and Marie Badie” by Harry Macy, Jr. NYGBR 142 (2011):21-36.

"Register in Alphabetical Order of the Early Settlers of Kings County, Long Island, N.Y." by Teunis G. Bergen (S.W. Green's, New York, 1881).
NYGBR 126 (1995):239-245.
"Distinguished Families in America descended from Wilhelmus Beekman and Jan Thomasse Van Dyke" by William B. Aitken (New York, The Knickerbocker Press, 1912).

"Two Van Doren Families" by Wilson V. Ledley, NYGBR 93 (1962):1-9.

 

Johann Christian Bentz (Bench) c. 1719-1804

This is an interesting family.  There is no Bench genealogy.  I've seen compilations of the descendants of Daniel Bench and of his father Lawrence Bench.  Some Internet pages have pulled the family back two more generations but as always with Internet genealogy without sources and reasoning.  So I'm posting all I've seen with this family and noting the caveat that I'm only really sure of Daniel Bench and his daughter.  Sadly almost all of the wives in each generation are missing.

1. Johann Christian Bentz born say 1719 in Germany and died about 1804 at Ross County, Ohio.  He married Margaret Wachner who is presumably the mother of his children.  He arrived in the U.S. in 1753 to Philadelphia.  From  there he meandered his way to North Carolina and eventually to Ohio.  He had at least one son. 
2. Christian Bentz/Bench born say 1750 in Germany and died about 1814 at Ross County, Ohio.  His wife is unknown.  He was the father of at least one son:
3. Lawrence Bench born say 1779 at Surry County, North Carolina and died about 1852 in Camden County, Missouri. His first wife's name is unknown.  He married second about 1850 Narcissus  Foley.  Children attributed to him are: Lawrence (Jr.), Christopher, Daniel, Nancy, Elizabeth, James, Samuel, Lewis, and Mary.  He had at least one son:
4. Daniel Bench born say 1804 in North Carolina and died 5 November 1875 at Brownfield, Pulaski County, Missouri.  He married Elizabeth (---).  She may have been Elizabeth Comer or Elizabeth Clark Stuckey.  He married secondly about 1845 Frances Admires.  By Elizabeth he was the father of seven children: Elizabeth, John, Christopher, Henry, Mary Jane, Charlotte, and Sylvania.  By Frances he was the father of: Lucy Ann, Andrew, Lucinda,  Daniel and Pulaski.  Daniel appears in the 1850 and 1860 U.S. censuses for Pulaski County, Missouri. 
5. Mary Jane Bench born December 1834 in Bartholomew County, Indiana and died after the 1910 U.S. Census.  She married 12 May 1853 at Laclede, Missouri, Andrew Jackson Hall, born 1830 in Tennessee and died 30 May 1900 at Cleveland County, Oklahoma.  They had seven children: Emma, Nancy Emeline, Elizabeth J., William N., George W., Francis Marion, and Laura Belle.  Mary Jane is alive in the household  of  her son George in the 1910 U.S. Census (ED #80, Family #173 at Garvin County, Oklahoma),  but not with him in 1920.  This family moved from Oklahoma to California and Mary's death cannot be accurately located.

Sources:

Laclede County Marriages Book A, p. 284 named as "Jackson Hall and Sary Benton" obviously a transcription error.

"Pulaski County History" (Pulaski Historical Society, 1983).

Posting on Genforum dated 22 March 1999 from Sharon Turman.

Family Group Sheet from Ruth Bock of Midland, Texas.

Family Compilationl of Lawrence Bench by Charlotte Beidelman.