Notable People

The following are a few notable people in our family tree. Some of these are notable because of their place within our family, some are well-known historical figures, and some are included simply because we know some interesting things about them.

Towne Direct Ancestors

The following are some notable direct ancestors on the Towne side of the family.

• Philip Burlingham -- Born in Schoharie Co., New York, but was living in Allegan Co., Michigan, by 1836, and operated the first gristmill in the Otsego area. He spent several months, from about July 1870 to April 1871 working in a gold mining camp in California, and thought about moving his family there. He was married three times (two wives were sisters), had sixteen children.
• Roger Burlingham -- The original Burlingham immigrant to America, he was in Rhode Island by 1656. He was involved in a dispute over 4000 acres of land that he and others said they were granted by the Cooweeseette Indians, but that two others claimed was theirs by grant of the King. The Court ruled against his group, but when officials tried to evict them from the land they were turned away at gunpoint. He was elected to the General Assembly in 1690, but was not accepted because of questions about his legal residence
• John Lothropp -- An English minister, who became disillusioned with the teachings of the Church of England and joined the First Independent Church in London as its pastor in 1624. The congregation met in secret for several years, but he and 23 others were captured and imprisoned in 1632. He was released on bond in April 1634 to care for his children after his wife's death. He promptly reorganized his congregation, causing his bond to be revoked. The court tried to take him into custody, but by then he had already left for New England, arriving about 18 September 1634 with his children and 32 members of his congregation.
• Calvin Phelps -- Born in Blandford Co., Massachusetts, in 1790, moved to St. Lawrence Co., New York, about 1811, where he served in the War of 1812, then moved to Ohio, and then to Eaton Co., Michigan, by 1834. His family suffered from disease a great deal after arriving in Michigan, with his wife and four of his children dying within two years. He was involved in local politics, and was known as "Old Esquire Phelps" for his legal expertise. He was twice married, and had a total of fifteen children. In 1848 he and his second wife moved to Geauga Co., Ohio, where her family was from, and where they spent the rest of their lives.
• William Towne and Joanna Blessing -- Married in Yarmouth, England, on 25 April 1620, and emigrated to New England sometime before 1639, settling in Topsfield, Massachusetts. Joanna testified in several suits filed by and against Rev. Thomas Gilbert of Topsfield, who was often sick and somewhat eccentric, which some of his parishioners blamed on drinking.

Others on the Towne Side

The following are other notable relatives (uncles, cousins, etc.) on the Towne side of the family.

• Clarissa Harlowe Barton -- Founder of the American Red Cross.
• Erastus Jackson Burlingham -- Served in the Civil War under General George Armstrong Custer, was at the Battle of Gettysburg, was later captured and sent to Andersonville Prison, and died on his way home after the war in the Sultana explosion.
• Ulysses S. Grant -- Commanding General of the Union Army during the Civil War, and United States President, 1869-1877.
• Rutherford Birchard Hayes -- United States President, 1877-1881.
• Thomas Hinckley -- Governor of Plymouth Colony.
• William Pinney -- Served during the Civil War, and is supposed to have killed one of his own officers who was harassing an exhausted fellow soldier.
• Mary Towne, Rebecca Towne, Sarah Towne -- Daughters of the immigrant William Towne, all accused of witchcraft (as Mary Estey, Rebecca Nurse, and Sarah Cloyes) in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692.

Bowditch Direct Ancestors

The following are some notable direct ancestors on the Bowditch side of the family.

• Elizabeth Blanchard Abbot and Joseph Henry Bowditch -- Born in Beverly, Massachusetts, in 1821 to a fairly well-to-do family, Elizabeth attended school for a time in Baltimore, Maryland, where she was described as "the belle of the evening at the Cadet Ball." Joseph was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1817, and at age 17 moved to Tarboro, North Carolina, where he started a wholesale and general trading business. They married in Massachusetts in 1845, and moved to Joseph's home in Tarboro. In 1851 they moved west to Yancey Co., North Carolina, where they were even more isolated from the civilization they had grown up with in the north. In February 1880 their house and most of their possessions were destroyed in a fire, but they rebuilt with the help of relatives in the north who sent money and clothing. Many of the letters sent to Elizabeth in North Carolina from her friends and relatives in Massachusetts have been handed down in the family.
• William Bowditch -- The original Bowditch immigrant to America, he came to Salem, Massachusetts, from England in 1671 on the ship John. A will he left behind in England said he was "hoping for safty and a happy returne home againe." He never returned, however, and his wife Sarah (Bear) and son William finally joined him in 1679. Shortly before 12 October 1681 he came to "a suddaine & untimely death." Family tradition says he committed suicide, which seems possible, given his sudden death without a will, his financial problems, and his wife's poor habits and drinking problem.
• William Bowditch -- Came to New England with his mother Sarah (Bear) Bowditch about 1679, joining his father who had emigrated eight years earlier. He became a mariner and merchant in Salem, Massachusetts, and was captured by the French while on his way to Newfoundland in 1696. After being held for six weeks, he made his way to British-controlled St. John's, Newfoundland. While there, three French merchant ships captured by Capt. Samuel Molds were brought in, and he returned one of them to New England at Molds' request.
• John Endicott -- Immigrated to New England in 1628, settling in Salem, Massachusetts. He was active in politics, and served as Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the mid-1600s. He was a staunch and stern Puritan, especially intolerant of the Quakers, and his strict religious views sometimes caused him trouble.
• Peter Eyman -- As a minister in the German Baptist Brethren Church (colloquially known as "Dunkers"), he moved from Ohio to Carroll Co., Indiana, in 1828. A congregation was formed at Deer Creek in Carroll Co. in 1830, and he was then ordained as an elder, or head minister. Disagreements among the members resulted in the congregation being split in 1838, with Eyman becoming the head of a new congregation at Bachelor Run. After a time he and a younger minister named George Patton became dissatisfied with some of the church's rituals and beliefs, and their preaching caused much controversy. To address the issues, in 1848 a national General Conference was called, the first ever held in Indiana. The conference determined that the two ministers and their followers were to be given "time to reflect," and would be forgiven if they then made "satisfactory acknowledgement." While some of their followers returned to the church, Eyman and Patton did not, and were "disfellowshiped" at a later council meeting. The breakaway group then established their own church, called the Church of God (also known as "New Dunkers"). Eyman died soon afterwards, in 1852.
• John Felton -- Lived in Great Yarmouth, England, in the late 1500s, where he began his political career, serving in the local government as a representative, harbor master, Chamberlain (treasurer and accountant), and Bailiff (similar to a co-mayor). He later served two terms as one of Yarmouth's two representatives in Parliament. In 1588 he was active in the effort to improve the defenses of the town and its harbor against the coming invasion of the Spanish Armada.
• Thomas Fiske -- Served as foreman of the jury during the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692. His son Thomas, and his second cousin once removed William Fiske (also a direct ancestor), were also jury members. Five years later, in 1697, they and other jurors signed a statement apologizing for their actions, and asking for forgiveness.
• William Hathorne -- Emigrated from England to America in 1630, initially settling in Dorchester, Massachusetts, but moving to Salem by 1637. He was a well-known merchant, legislator, justice, orator, and civic leader in the young Massachusetts colony. He also served in the Salem militia, being named Captain in 1646 and Major in 1656. He was described by a contemporary as "the godly Captain William Hathorne, whom the Lord hath indued with a quick apprehension, strong memory, and rhetorick, volubility of speech, which hath caused the people to make use of him often in publick service."

Others on the Bowditch Side

The following are other notable relatives (uncles, cousins, etc.) on the Bowditch side of the family.

• Nathaniel Bowditch -- Mathematician, and author of the New American Practical Navigator.
• Nathaniel Ingersoll Bowditch -- Son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Abbot) Bowditch, served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, spent time in a northern prison camp, left his wife and children in North Carolina about 1877, and went to Indiana where he changed his name and joined the U. S. Army.
• Nicholas Felton -- English clergyman, consecrated as Bishop of Bristol in 1617 and Bishop of Ely in 1619, and one of the 54 translators that created the King James Version of the Bible.
• Rachel Haffield -- At age 36, she entered into a troubled marriage with Lawrence Clinton, age 22, after he first convinced her to pay £21 to his master to buy out the 3 1/2 years remaining on his indentured service contract. She was also accused and convicted of witchcraft during the hysteria of 1692.
• Jedediah Stickney -- Served in the French and Indian War, escaped from the Indians after the surrender of Fort William Henry, and later served in the Revolution.
• Elizabeth White, Mary White, Hannah White -- Daughters of the immigrant John White, all were present (as Elizabeth Kerley, Mary Rowlandson, and Hannah Divoll) when the Rowlandson garrison in Lancaster, Massachusetts, was attacked by Indians during King Philip's War on 10 February 1675/76. Elizabeth was killed, and Mary and Hannah were taken captive.
• Joseph S. Wise -- Owned a saloon in Logansport, Indiana, and killed a drunken customer there in 1887.

 

Copyright Charles Towne. Usage of this work is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0
Compiler: Charles Towne

Page created by John Cardinal's Second Site v8.03.