London Gazette - October 27 to October 30, 1707 (Part 2)

In Part I, I shared my first attempt at transcribing a 1707 London Gazette.  In this post, I continue where I left off on page 2 of the local news.  

The first item is a bankruptcy notice for Richard Benner of Weymouth.

The Commissioners in a Commission of Bankrupt against Richard Benner, of Weymouth in the County of Dorset, Mercer, intend to meet not only on the 5th of November next, (as advertis’d on Thursday last) but also on the 5th of December next, at 3 after Noon, at the Irish Chamber in Guildhall, London, in order to make a Dividend of the Bankrupt’s Estate: At one of which Times and Place all Creditors are to come prepared to prove their Debts, and pay their Contribution-Money, or they will be excluded the said Dividend.

The next item is also a bankruptcy notice against the estate of Thomas Windfeild of Wapping.

The Commissioners in a Commission of Bankrupt against Thomas Wingfeild, late of Wapping in the County of Middlesex, Oil-man, deceased, intend to meet on the 17th of November next, at 3 after Noon, at the Irish Chamber in Guildhall, London, to make a second Dividend of his Estate, and such Creditors as have not yet paid their Contribution Money, and proved their Debts, are then to do the same, or they’l be excluded.

Next is a bankruptcy notice for Edward Huggins and Richard Hadson.

The Commissioners in a Commission of Bankrupt against Edward Huggins and Richard Hadson late of London, Lightermen, and Copartners, intend to meet on the 14th of November next, at 3 in the Afternoon, at Guildhall, London, to make a Dividend of the said Bankrupts Estate; where all the Creditors that have not paid their Contribution money, and prov’d their Debts, are then to do the same, or they will be excluded the Benefit of the said Dividend.

Lastly, we have a bankruptcy notice for Thomas Martin.

Whereas Notice was given the 20th Instant, That the Commissioners in a Commission of Bankrupt against Thomas Martin, late of London, Orange-Merchant, intended to meet the 31st Instant, at Three after Noon, at Guildhall, London; These are to give Notice, That one of the acting Commissioners cannot be present at the Time appointed, therefore the said Meeting is put off till the 10th of November next, at 3 after Noon, at Guildhall, London:  At which Time and Place the Creditors of the said Martin are to come prepared to prove their Debts, and pay their Contribution-Money, or they’l  be excluded the Benefit of the Dividend.

More to come soon!

~Kathy

Solving the Mystery of Helena Snow

My great-grandmother and her family have always been the family branch that I’ve found the most intriguing.  For one thing, she was born in Nova Scotia – the last of my family to be born in Canada.  Why she left, and how our family ended up there in the first place has always been a bit of mystery.  Some sources online connect her with Stephen Hopkins from the Mayflower.  However, I have a four-generation hole in my research to make the connection.  I have the names, just no actual proof.  The fact that it does lead to the Mayflower is cause enough for me to be suspicious.  I’ve tried throwing out the names I know and just starting from scratch, but the trail always ends in Nova Scotia.

Here’s what I know of her from my mother:  My great-grandmother was named Helena Snow.  She went by Lena.  She was born in Nova Scotia, immigrated to America, and married Jessie Dudley.  They had at least one child in Maine, Lora.  They also had two sons, Percy and Perley, one of whom died very young.  She died in Denver somewhere between 1934 and 1936.  Her father was named Alexander.

As I searched for her birth record, I hit the first wall.  There is a birth record in Nova Scotia in 1868. The father’s name is Alexander.  The problem?  It has been transcribed as “Helenor”.

So, is it a poorly written “a” or is it actually “or”?  I have not been able to find another record that comes close to matching.  Of course, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t one.  Note that her parents' marriage is listed as either May 7 or 4, 1862 in Barrington. 

Next, we have a marriage record in Boston in 1890:

Helena M. Snow married Jesse E. Dudley.  She was born in Clyde River, NS (same as birth record).  She married before her 22^nd birthday, so the dates match. Her parents are Alexander C. and Maria G.  Here, we come to the second wall.  Some sources say that Maria G. and Ellen M. Crowell is the same person. 

Here is a 1880 census for Hamilton, MA:

It’s very difficult to read, but here is the transcription:

The Alexander C. on this census record was born in Nova Scotia.  Maria is also born in Nova Scotia.  Helena is 12 (which would make her born about 1868) and was born in Nova Scotia.

There is an Angus H. born around 1875.  I was able to find his birth record:

Angus Holly was born on June 13, 1874 in Clyde River.  His father was Alexander from N.S., his mother was…Ellen Crowell.  Note again that his parents were married in Barrington on May 7, 1862.

Lelia B. is four years old in the 1880 census.  Above, we see that her birth date is May 18, 1876.  Her name is spelled Leila, but her father is Alex Snow (Clyde River) and her mother is…Maria Crowell!   Her parents married on May 7, 1862.  The located is listed as Woods Harbour.  I discovered that Woods Harbour is a community in the Barrington municipal district of Shelburne County.

So, I think we can say that Maria and Ellen Crowell is the same person.  Where the G. comes from, I’m not sure.  I’ve seen it listed as Gaddas/Geddas, but with no source listed.  I can find no record of her birth so far. I guess that will the subject of another hunt!  And that is, of course, assuming that this Helena is my great-grandmother.

As for Helenor?  The names and dates match up.  Maybe they thought they said “Helenor” or maybe it was just a slip of the pen.  However, that slip – along with Ellen/Maria – may make proving any link to other ancestors difficult.

What are your thoughts?  Is “Helenor” my “Helena”?


~Kathy