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Philip Sherman, 8th Great-Grandfather
July 25, 2015
— 5 Comments
Philip Sherman’s home in Rhode Island
My 8th great-grandfather was kicked out of the Puritan’s church at Roxbury and became a Quaker. He moved to Rhode Island, as many of my ancestors did, to practice his religion. He was influential and prosperous in Rhode Island.
Portsmouth compact
Philip Sherman (1610 – 1687)
is my 8th great grandfather
Eber Sherman (1634 – 1706)
son of Philip Sherman
Mary Sherman (1688 – 1751)
daughter of Eber Sherman
Thomas Sweet (1732 – 1813)
son of Mary Sherman
Thomas Sweet (1765 – 1844)
son of Thomas Sweet
Valentine Sweet (1791 – 1858)
son of Thomas Sweet
Sarah LaVina Sweet (1840 – 1923)
daughter of Valentine Sweet
Jason A Morse (1862 – 1932)
son of Sarah LaVina Sweet
Ernest Abner Morse (1890 – 1965)
son of Jason A Morse
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Ernest Abner Morse
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Richard Arden Morse – (not you?)
In Bertha L. Stratton’s book, “Sherman and Other Families,” she made the statement that Philip Sherman intended to settle in New Hampshre, but the climate proved too severe and so the lands there were abandoned. Upon discussion with Roger Williams at Providence, Rhode Island, the other people from Massachusetts bought Aquidneck Island in Narraganset Bay. Nineteen men signed the compact for the town in 1638. Upon leaving the church in Roxbury, Philip joined with the Friends. The Massachusetts Court ordered Philip to appear before them on 12 Mar 1638, he did not go. But he continued as a prominent figure in Rhode Island; he was the General Recorder in 1648-1652 & the Deputy to the Assembly in 1665-1667. Tradition says he was a “devout and determined man, and he was also a “neat and expert penman & an educated man,” and his Last Will & Testament “shows that he was wealthy for those times.”
Philip Sherman immigrated to Roxbury, MA and married Sarah Odding shortly after his arrival. He might have felt pressured to marry quickly, because bachelors especially of such an advanced age as 23 were looked upon with suspicion, and their single state could even effect business opportunities and social acceptance.
According to Representative Men of Old Families of Southeastern Massachussets, by J. H. Beers & Company, in a biographical entry of one of Philip’s descendants, Philip Sherman “took the side of Anne Hutchinson,” a brave woman in Salem, MA who maintained that women should be allowed to hold prayer meetings as well as men, and proceeded to hold such meetings in her home in defiance of the rules of the time and demands that she quit. She, with some members of her family including young grandchildren, were driven out of Salem into the wilderness of Rhode Island. Families in sympathy for her or in fear of retaliation for their past support and/or defense of her beliefs soon followed to Rhode Island, and Philip Sampson and his family were among the group that left Salem following her ouster.
In Providence, Philip met Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island promising religious freedom to it’s citizens. Williams advised Philip andthe members of his party to purchase Aquidneck from the Indians, which they did on 1 Jul 1639. They created their own government with Coddington chosen to be the first governor of Rhode Island, and Philip chosen to be secretary.
Some historians believe that the death of Anne Hutchinson with most of her family during an attack of native Americans was the first act in several that led to the end of the Puritan Church. Members of the communities in all the colonies were horrified that she was banished for her beliefs and suffered so. Many felt banished themselves from England when their Puritan faith had been banned, and her treatment forced them to recognize their own harshness.
Philip left what is now called “the Congressional Church” and joined the Society of Friends, or Quakers.
He was the father of 13 children, and many of his descendants served America as congressmen and soldiers.
We have his will:
WILL of PHILIP SHEARMAN, of Portsmouth, RI
In the name of God Amen, I, Philip Shearman, yeoman, aged seventy-one years, of the Town of Portsmouth in the colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England, being in good memory, praise be therefor given to Almighty God, do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in the manner and form following: (that is to say); first and principally I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God and my body to the earth to be decently buried by my executor hereafter named. And as for the disposition of my worldly estate, it is in manner and form following; first I give to Sarah my loving wife the use and her dwelling in the first room at the west end of my now dwelling house & bed and bedding with the furniture thereto belonging now standing in the aforenamed room. Also I do here by ordaine and appoint my son Samuel my sole Executor to this my last will and testament truely performed; and to b__ himself, heirs, Executors and Administrators for the true performance hereof; furthermore my will is that my executor shall sufficiently maintain my loving wife with food and raiment and all necessaries whatsoever during her natural life and at her decease decently to bury her; furthermore, I do give unto Sarah mywife ten good ewe sheep to be marked out of my flock for the sole use and dispose both of bodie and wool yearly, wch said number shall be kept by my said Executor during the natural life of Sarah my said wife free and without any charge to my wife.
Item: I do give unto Eber my Eldest son that which I have already given him, ten acres of land in the bounds of Portsmouth aforesaid at a place called Briggs swamp joining to a parcel of land of his own to him and his heirs forever. And all my horse flesh in the Narragansett country except one mare, the scond best; such excepted mare, I give to Thomas Mumford and Peleg Mumford my Grandchildren.
Item: I give unto my son Peleg five ewe sheep.
Item: I give unto my son Edmund a quarter share of meadow and a sixteenth part of a share of upland lying in Ponagansett within the Township of Dartmouth in the colony of New Plymouth in New England with all the privileges th__ to belonging or any wards appertaining. And also my whole right in the purchase of Squamscutt now called Westerly by thecollony to the said Edmund and his heirs.
Item: I give unto my son Samson after the decease of my said wife his half of the breadth of my farm wch I now dwell upon from the westward end to the sea and three Rood more in breadth of the whole length of the aforesaid land and bounded southward upon a straight line Eastward from the south west corner of that orchard now called Sampson’s upon a straight line to a lande marke about a rood short of the cart way that goes from my dwelling house to my barn in Portsmouth aforesaid. And from the said land marke upon a sloap line five Rood westwardly of my barn until it comes to the lineof the aforesaid half-breadth of the aforesaid farm to him and his heires forever and to have the third part of any hay and grass yearly of the aforesaid farm. And my son Samson and my son Samuel to have equal privileges in the arible land of the aforesaid farm during the natural life of Sarah my wife.
Item: I give unto my son Samuel all the remaining of my aforesaid farm with my now dwelling house and all the other buildings upon the said part of the land lying southward of the other part of my farm now given to my son Samson as aforesaid to him and his heirs forever after the decease of Sarah my wife and to have two parts of the grass and the hay during the natural life of Sarah my wife.
Item: All my neat cattle, hors kind, sheep kind and swine I do give unto my son Samuel aforenamed Executor, (excepting two oxen and a fatting cow.) And also all my moveable goods (Excepting two great chests with lock and key to each of them, which said chests I give unto my wife Sarah) he my aforesaid executor paying the several legacies herein this my will specified both the aforementioned and what shall hereafter be exprest in this my will.
Item: I givee unto my son Samson aforenamed one white faced mare with her foale and all those four Indians wch we jointly bought.
Item: I give unto my son Samson and my son Samuel my draught horse and two draught steers equally betwixt them.
Item: I give unto my son John my bay mare.
Item: I give unto my son Benjamin all the remaining __art of of my land at Brigg’s Swamp whereupon the said Benjamin’s house now stands, being by estimation twentie acres be the same more or less to him and his heires forever.
Item: I give unto my daughter Sarah ten ewe sheep to be paid her the year after my decease.
Item: I give unto my daughter Mary ten ewe sheep to be paid her the year after my decease.
Item: I give unto my daughter Hannah fivee pounds of New England silver money for the proper use of her selfe and children to be paid the year after my decease.
Item: I give unto my daughter Hannah five ewe sheep to be paid to her the year after my decease.
Item: I give unto my daughter Philip ten ewe sheep to be paid to her the year after my decease.
Item: I give unto Benjamin Clarke to my son Edmund until he comes of age of one & twenty years, the said Edmund finding the said Benjamin with sufficient food and clothing duting the terme aforesaid.
Item: I the above said Philip Shearman do ordain and appoint this to be my last will and testament, making void all former wills and testaments heretofore by me made.
In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seal this one and thirtyeth day of the month comonly called July, Anno Domino on thousand six hundred and Eightie one.
Philip Shearman (Seal)
Before the signing and sealing of this my will and testament, I the aforesaid Philip Shearman do declare that wheras the word Assigns is omitted in the giving of the several parcels of land to my children:
That it is my true intent and meaning that I do give the said several parcels of land specified in my above written will to my children to their heires and Assigns forever.
Signed and sealed in the presence of:
Job Almy
Philip Phettiplace
Elias Williams
Proved March 22, 1686/7.
Recorded on page 260 of “Land Evidence, 2nd Book, No. 1”
Town of Portsmouth, R.I. H.E.S. & F.D.S. 48-50
New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Third Series, Volume IV
(The Sherman Line).
(IV) Philip Sherman, son of Samuel Sherman, was named after his mother. He was born in Dedham, England, February 5, 1610. He came to America when he was twenty-three, and settled at Roxbury, Massachusetts. He was made freeman there, May 14, 1634, standing next on the list after Governor Haynes. He married Sarah Odding, in the year after his arrival; she was stepdaughter of John Porter, of Roxbury, and her mother, Margaret Porter, was widow of (???) Odding. He returned to England in 1635 for a short time. On November 20, 1637, he and others were warned to give up all arms, because “the opinions and revelations of Mr. Wheelwright and Mrs. Hutchinson have seduced and led into dangerous errors many of the people here in New England.” The Church record says he was brought over to “Familism” by Porter, his wife’s stepfather. In 1638 he was in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, but the Massachusetts authorities evidently thought he had not left, for on March 12, 1638, though he had license to leave, he had summons to appear at the next court if they had not yet gone, to “answer such things as shall be objected.” He did not answer these summons, but continued to be a prominent figure in Rhode Island affairs. In 1639 he was secretary of the colony; made freeman, March 16, 1641; was general recorder, in 1648 to 1652; deputy from 1665 to 1667. On April 4, 1676, he was among sixteen persons who were requested to be at the next meeting of the deputies to give advice and help in regard to the Narragansett campaign. He died in March, 1687. His will, dated July 30, 1681, showed that he was wealthy for the times. He had thirteen children, eight boys and five girls, their dates of birth being between the years 1634 and 1652.
=========================================================================
from: “The Great Migration Begins”
PHILIP SHERMAN
ORIGIN: Unknown
MIGRATION: 1633
FIRST RESIDENCE: Roxbury
REMOVES: Portsmouth 1638
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: “Phillip Sherman. He came into the land in the year 1623 [sic], a single man, & after married Sarah Odding, the daughter o[f] the wife of John Porter by a former husband. This man was of a melancholy temper, he lived honestly & comfortably among us several years, upon a just calling went for England & returned again with a blessing: but after his father-in-law John Porter was so carried away with these opinions of familism & schism he followed them & removed with them to the Iland, he behaved himself sinfully in these matters (as may appear in the story) & was cast out of the church” [RChR 78-79].
FREEMAN: 14 May 1634 [MBCR 1:368]. 16 March 1640/1 [RICR 1:111].
EDUCATION: Sufficient to be General Recorder of Rhode Island. His inventory included “four old Bibles & other small books” valued at £1.
OFFICES: General Recorder, 16 May 1648, 22 May 1649, 23 May 1650 [RICR 1:209, 217, 230, 236]. On 4 November 1651 colony records were demanded of Philip Sherman “late recorder of this colony” [RICR 236].
Attended Portsmouth town meeting, 13 May 1638, 20 May 1638, 20 August 1638, 5 November 1638, 2 January 1638/9 [RICR 1:53, 54, 58, 61, 63]. Selectman, 30 April 1639 [RICR 1:71]. Committee to build fences, 20 May 1638 [RICR 1:54]. Surveyor, 1640 [RICR 1:102]. Town clerk, 1649-1656 [PoTR 42, 45, 49, 50, 57, 60, 62, 67, 71]. Town Council, 1649, 1650, 1653, 1654, 1656, 1657, 1670-1673 [PoTR 42, 45, 61, 62, 71, 76, 152, 161, 169, 176]. Portsmouth commissioner to Rhode Island General Court, 21 May 1656 [PoTR 70; RICR 1:337]. Committee to audit treasurer’s accounts, 21 May 1661 [RICR 1:442]. Portsmouth deputy to Rhode Island General Court, 3 May 1665, 25 October 1665 [PoTR 130; RICR 2:96, 130].
ESTATE: On 10 February 1639/40 he was granted 200 acres at Portsmouth [RICR 1:73].
On 28 August 1650 Samuel Gorton of Warwick sold to Philip Sherman of Portsmouth seven acres in Portsmouth [PoTR 304-05].
On 3 October 1677 Philip Sherman Senior of Portsmouth deeded to “Pelegg Sherman my son” fourteen acres in Portsmouth [PoLE 1:148]. On 15 April 1678 Philip Sherman Senior of Portsmouth deeded to “Benjamin Chase my son-in-law and my daughter Philip his wife” four acres and a half in Portsmouth [PoLE 1:150].
In his will, dated 31 July 1681 and proved 22 March 1686/7, “Philip Shearman, yeoman, aged seventy-one years, of the Town of Portsmouth,” bequeathed to “Sarah my loving wife the use and her dwelling in the first room at the west end of my now dwelling…”; “my son Samuel my sole executor” and to provide “my loving wife with food and raiment and all necessaries whatsoever during her natural life and at her decease decently to bury her”; to “Sarah my wife ten good ewe sheep”; to “Eber my eldest son that which I have already given him, ten acres of land in the bounds of Portsmouth … at a place called Briggs swamp … and all my horse flesh in the Narragansett country excepting one mare, the second best, such excepted mare, I give to Thomas Mumford and Peleg Mumford my grandchildren”; to “my son Peleg five ewe sheep”; to “my son Edmund a quarter share of meadow and a sixteenth part of a share of upland lying in Ponagansett within the township of Dartmouth … also my whole right in the purchase of Squamscutt now called Westery”; to “my son Samson after the decease of my said wife his half of the breadth of my farm which I now dwell upon … my son Samson and my son Samuel to have equal privileges in the aerable land of the aforesaid farm during the natural life of Sarah my wife”; to “my son Samuel all the remaining part of my aforesaid farm with my now dwelling house and all the other buildings … and to have two parts of the grass and the hay during the natural life of Sarah my wife”; to “my son Samson … one white faced mare with her foal and all those four Indians which we jointly bought”; to “my son John my bay mare”; to “my son Benjamin all the remaining part of my land at Briggs’ Swamp whereupon the said Benjamin’s house now stands”; to “my daughter Sarah ten ewe sheep”; to “my daughter Mary ten ewe sheep”; to “my daughter Hannah £5 of New England silver money for the proper use of herself and children”; to “my daughter Hannah five ewe sheep”; to “my daughter Philip ten ewe sheep”; “I give Benjamin Clarke to my son Edmund until he comes of age of one & twenty years, the said Edmund finding the said Benjamin with sufficient food and clothing during the term aforesaid” [Roy V. Sherman, Some Descendants of Philip Sherman The First Secretary of Rhode Island, hereafter Sherman Anc, citing PoLE 2:260-61].
The inventory of the estate of Philip Sherman, dated 19 March 1686/7, totalled £100, with no real estate included [Portsmouth Scrapbook 17].
BIRTH: Baptized Dedham, Essex, 5 February 1610/1, son of Samuel Sherman [Sherman Gen 95].
DEATH: Portsmouth before 19 March 1686/7 (date of inventory).
MARRIAGE: Roxbury about 1633 Sarah Odding, daughter of Margaret (_____) (Odding) Porter [RChR 78-79; TAG 73:176-80].
CHILDREN:
i EBER, b. say 1634; m. Mary _____. (She has been called Mary Wilcox, daughter of Edward [Transatlantic Shermans 114; Philip Sherman 28], but there is no room for her in the family of Edward Wilcox [NEHGR 147:190-91].)
ii SARAH, b. say 1636; m. by about 1656 Thomas Mumford [Austin 136].
iii PELEG, b. say 1637; m. Portsmouth 26 July 1657 Elizabeth Lawton, daughter of Thomas Lawton [RIVR 4:Portsmouth:37].
iv EDMUND, b. 1641; m. by 1674 Dorcas Hicks, daughter of Samuel Hicks and granddaughter of ROBERT HICKS [Harriet Woodbury Hodge, Hicks (Hix) Families of Rehoboth and Swansea, Massachusetts (Winnetka, Illinois, 1976), p. 59].
v SAMSON, b. 1642; m. Portsmouth 4 March 1674/5 Isabel Tripp, daughter of John Tripp [RIVR 4:Portsmouth:37; TG 4:62].
vi JOHN, b. 1644; by about 1674 Sarah Spooner, daughter of William Spooner (in his will of 8 March 1683[/4] William Spooner made a bequest to “my daughter Sarah Sherman” [PCPR 4:2:71]).
vii MARY, b. 1645; living on 31 July 1681 (father’s will). (Austin says she married Samuel Wilbore, son of Shadrach, but this Samuel was born in 1663 [Austin 228], so this identification seems highly unlikely.)
viii HANNAH, b. 1647; m. by about 1678 William Chase, son of William Chase [NEHGR 87:51-52; Austin 178-79].
ix SAMUEL, b. 1648; m. Portsmouth 23 February 1680/1 Martha Tripp [RIVR 4:Portsmouth:37; TG 4:62].
x BENJAMIN, b. 1650; m. Portsmouth 3 December 1674 Hannah Mowry, daughter of ROGER MOWRY [Austin 179].
xi PHILIP, b. 1652; m. by about 1674 Benjamin Chase, son of WILLIAM CHASE [PoLE 1:150; Austin 178-79; NEHGR 87:51].
Mango Madness
July 23, 2015
— 7 Comments
mango chutney
I grew up in Pennsylvania in the 1950’s. I ate iceberg lettuce from Kroger’s and frozen produce from my grandparents’ farm in Arkansas. I liked fruits and vegetables, but had only been exposed to a small range because in those times produce was not shipped around the world and stored. It was eaten close to the place where it was grown. When I was 13 my family moved to eastern Venezuela, where my yard contained around 30 super large mango trees. There were also tamarinds, limes, coconuts, a breadfruit, oranges, and papayas right outside the back door. There were so many mangos falling to the ground when they were ripe that a man came daily to our yard to fill a big trailer with ripe mangoes to feed to his pigs. Had he not gathered up the thick layer of ripe mangoes every day we might have drowned in compost. We did eat them and give them to everyone who wanted them, but we still had a huge excess.
I loved my new yard and the orchids my mom grew in the courtyard of our house. It was a big change from suburban Pittsburgh, and I approved. I learned to make jalea de mango with green mango, which was when I discovered my extreme skin allergy to green mangoes. If I handle them I break out I hives where they have touched my skin. Oddly enough, ripe ones don’t bother my skin at all, and I can consume both the green and ripe fruits once they are cooked without any problems. Another wonderful way to eat green mangoes is in a pie. You treat it just like an apple pie, and the flavor is slightly similar. The fruit is green and crisp when it is used it for pie.
orchids
This week I had a plethora of ripening mangoes which made me investigate different ways to preserve them. Yesterday I made chutney which turned out very well. I used a chile from our garden,one small lime, raisins, mustard seed, cinnamon stick, cloves, black pepper, lots of ginger, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar to season the ripe mangoes and create a savory and spicy condiment. This is a quick easy way to create a custom flavor burst with your own twist. I followed a recipe but cut the sugar in half to get the taste I was seeking. It is delicious with goat cheese. I think will make more chutney, with ingredients like tomato and onion, because they are simple and add a lot of bang for the buck to a meal. When my partner tasted the mango chutney he said “Get back, fancy restaurants! This is fantastic.” His enthusiasm has encouraged me to groove on down the chutney trail with new ingredients.
I still have a few ripe mangoes today, as well as some strawberries that need to be eaten. I am going to prepare a fruit compote with the two fruits plus a little orange juice, lime zest, and a touch of agave nectar. This creation will need to be consumed in the next day, but the chutney will keep for a month or so in the refrigerator, should it survive for that long. Do you have a favorite way to eat mangoes, gentle reader?
Summer Spa Evaluation, Good, Bad, and Surprising
July 22, 2015
— 4 Comments
mangos for chutney
This summer I designed a home spa program for myself with an emphasis on positive change. My staycation planning evolved from the original agenda in ways I had not expected. I thought I was in a very artful groove, and needed self expression as a top priority. I listed poetry writing and art as a daily therapy for wholeness because I know these practices do make me healthier. For reasons not yet fully examined my poet and artist have been dormant with no interaction. I have taken a few photos, but what I saw as my big chance to work on my creativity with words and visuals has been channeled in other directions.
I have become a food prepper in my own way. I don’t attempt to pack or create meals for a whole week in one day as the real serious preppers on Pinterest do. I have learned from them to make my own diet healthier by planning and using contrast. My style of food prep involves a constant experimentation and learning new recipes. I have been trying many salad dressings and cold soups that are new to me. I am making a conscious effort to include anti inflammatory foods such as ginger and turmeric in my diet. I am on a huge tea safari of new flavors and types of tea, a journey that will take a lifetime. This summer I have given up coffee and never miss it because I drink tea, often spiked with ginger tea to keep the anti inflammation theme. I have tried more new dishes and teas in the last two months than I did in the previous year. I am hopping enthusiastically out of my culinary rut. I feel good, and find great satisfaction in mastering new cuisines. This afternoon I am making mango chutney for the first time. I might even make an attempt at curry. Who knows where the food muse will lead?
The most successful element of summer spa is the trend toward minimalism. If you knew me in the past you knew one of the biggest maximalists that ever lived on earth. I did everything with way too much over production. I accumulated mass quantities of stuff I never used, and crammed my space with items. I made decisions earlier that have cleaned up much of my act, and I continue to go in this direction. Each time I have the opportunity to donate to the Big Brothers Big Sisters, who provide pick up service, I gather a big bag and leave it outside. Each time I find things that have not been used in years and have little chance of being used. The upgrade is fabulous. I now own…and can find easily in my clean clear space…only things I love. I am in no hurry to fill the space with more items, since I still have more than I really need.
My exercise routine has been enhanced by the free Apple music subscription I am enjoying. I dance around my house for 5 miles in the morning listening to Apple music. By tracking I see that I dance at almost the same pace as I walk outside. My air conditioned house is much more comfortable now than it is outside. The Apple library is vast, so I switch albums and playlists all the time, never listening to the same thing twice. I don’t believe I will cover everything I want to hear in three months, but for now I am having a very good time with it. The good news is that the minimalist in me does not need that giant library and will not mind at all returning to the very big library at Amazon music. I highly recommend that everyone take them up on the free offer just to see how much is available. Even minimalists like free stuff.
grilling vegetables
Puritan Blue Laws
July 20, 2015
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Blue laws in Plymouth Colony were created to keep Sabbath exactly the way the Puritans wanted it to be kept. The Puritans had no tolerance for other religious views, or for slacker Puritans. The criminal justice system was used to fine and persecute those found guilty of profaning the Lord’s day. It did not take much to arouse the ire of these founding fathers. The laws evolved very slowly over time, but still represent a will to control what happens on Sunday. In Plymouth you would be fined for walking anywhere but to church from Saturday at sundown until Sunday at sundown. This was a no laughing/no smiling kind of religious day and they were serious about preserving it. The Pilgrims of the Mayflower would freak right out about the televised football games, a tradition many associate with Thanksgiving.
Grounded in Acceptance
July 19, 2015
— 2 Comments
Yoga and meditation are designed to focus the mind and keep it focused when distraction happens. The very nature of being alive involves change and the unknown. We may have habits and patterns, but we have no way to predict what is just around the next bend. Our futures collide with destiny and fortune to become our realities. Much unnecessary stress is created by attempting to control too much. We can educate and improve our minds, train and feed our bodies with the best nutrition, and stay within strict guidelines for safety and still meet with disaster. It may also be true that through no real effort of our own we may be lucky, blessed, and well loved. If we ascribe good and bad labels to each of our experiences we may find that what seemed the best at the time was a prelude to downfall, and vice versa. We are not 100% in charge of our fates.
Dependent arising is the awareness that desire and fear are driving forces in human evolution. These strong emotional forces dominate our thinking, leading to suffering. The Buddha became enlightened while sitting under a tree eating sweets. His realization liberated him from all his previous desires and fears. He taught his followers saying:
“Whoever sees Dependent Arising sees the Dhamma.
Whoever sees Dhamma sees Dependent Arising”
This essential teaching of the Buddha explains how one thing leads to another when the untamed mind is permitted to ramble. Dependent arising is cause and effect. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. I think it also explains how we create suffering for ourselves and others by refusing to accept things as they are. If we start by accepting ourselves as we are we can extend that good feeling to others. Once we can stay grounded in a practice of acceptance we develop the power to change. Certain traits are present in a soul still striving to control rather than accept:
- Perfectionist and hyper-critical demeanor
- Either too demanding or unable to stand up for one’s self
- Codependence in relationships and with substances
- Self doubt
- Inability to complete plans
To live happy free lives we must find acceptance for ourselves as well as others. We must see that we are dependent on all of our ancestors and everyone alive who contributes to our well being. Nobody exists without a great deal of help from others, many who will remain anonymous. The worldwide supply chain now means we depend on folks in distant lands to make our goods and provide our services. When Amazon delivers a package to your door hundreds, and maybe thousands, of people have been involved in making and delivering what you want. To create a world with more compassion and less violence and terror each of us can start where we are to accept ourselves the way we are. By reaching a state of self compassion we can light the way for others still struggling to find acceptance.
rose
On the 20th of each month bloggers join to speak up for compassion. Click here to visit more posts on acceptance or add your own.
“1000 Voices Speak For Compassion is a blogging initiative started in response to violence and alienation in our world. If you would to be part of a movement for loving change, join our Facebook Group, like our Facebook Page, or look for our posts on Twitter with the hashtag #1000Speak.”
Acceptance Quotes
July 19, 2015
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Join the voices for compassion!!! The theme this month is acceptance.
Magical Marjoram
July 16, 2015
— 3 Comments
marjoram plant
Marjoram has been used medicinally for centuries. The botanical name, Origanum majorana, is derived from Greek words meaning joy (oros) of the mountains (ganos). This culinary herb is commonly used in Mediterranean dishes to add a warm woody flavor. As an herbal remedy the tea made from dried leaves and flowers is used as a treatment for liver disease, vocal chord distress, insomnia, coughs, indigestion, headaches and migraines. The antispasmodic qualities of the herb are used topically in ointments and massage oils to relive muscle soreness.
The marjoram in my garden is highly productive, so I have looked into ways to use my large harvest. I do cook with it, but have not yet tried drinking the tea. On the new moon each month I do a clean sweep ritual. I clean and clear my home of stale energy, throw away or give away items no longer needed, then refresh the marjoram sachets in the 4 corners of my home. The bundles are symbolic as well as aromatic. I meditate on new beginnings and fresh projects while I dispose of the old herbs in the back yard and replace them with freshly harvested marjoram from my front yard. The process only takes about 5 minutes but it establishes a clean start attitude in my home. The fresh scent fades, but the mini ritual refreshes my creativity and wellness.
I have learned that the Egyptians dedicated this planet to the god Osiris, who ruled the afterlife. They used it on the graves of the dead as well as in medicinal preparations. In Greece both marjoram and oregano, cousins with different effects, were created by Aphrodite. Love potions were made with marjoram, and Greeks crowned the bridal couple with wreaths of marjoram at weddings to ensure happiness. Continuing the funeral custom, ancient Greeks believed that if marjoram grows on someone’s grave they are content in the afterlife.
I have been trying techniques to enhance my sleep lately. I developed a couple of small muscular strains yesterday, so I decided to try a marjoram bath in the evening. I have been using Epsom salts in my bath to put me to sleep soundly with great success. I have added ginger as a general tonic, so I thought I would compare that experience to marjoram bathing. I stayed in the first time for about 30 minutes, got out and sweated into my terry cloth robe for about 10 minutes, then soaked again for 20 minutes . The effect was very positive. Not only did I fall deeply and soundly to sleep, but this morning all the little aches had left my body. One of them had been hanging around for weeks, not too painful, just annoying. I have already brewed marjoram tea for my bath tonight, with plans to continue this simple and effective remedy from my garden. I have discovered my own version of the fountain of youth. All I need to do to erase minor pain and alter my level of stress is soak in my own tub. Tonight I may add a cup of tea internally to add to the sedative effects. Do remember that sedative and anti depressant are not the same. This herb, although mild, is used as a downer. If you want a lift try lemon balm in your bath.
marjoram plant
Urban Agriculture in Tucson
July 14, 2015
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Ophelia Camera Shy
In Tucson we have a harsh climate and sparse rain, both of which make gardening a challenge. Arizona had thriving agricultural crops until the ground water became too scarce and too deep to pump to the surface for many growers. Around Phoenix one can find large citrus groves abandoned, full of dead mature trees. It is a sad sight. Our large pecan groves are starting to compete for water with the surrounding residential users. Since the water is finite this problem will only increase with time. Our state needs to be very conservative with water, finding solutions to feed the population without depleting the water table. We are lucky that Nogales, Arizona is the main port for Mexican produce into the states. Most of the year we are able to buy deeply discounted produce from Mexico which is brought to Tucson by the Santa Cruz County Food Bank to save it from the landfill.
In Tucson there is a thriving urban agriculture movement. Small growers and producers are encouraged to bring produce to market through some innovative programs operated by the Community Food Bank Southern Arizona . The Food Conspiracy and Native Seed Search are strong supporters of local gardens as well as purveyors of local products. This enriches our community by supporting options that decrease food waste and the costs of food storage and transport. What could be better than allowing fruits to ripen on the vine, then harvesting them for dinner in your own back yard? Not everyone can have a garden, but those who do add to the beauty and sustainability of the neighborhood.
I like to garden, but many folks around town enjoy keeping hens for eggs. My neighbor Heidi had 6 lovely chickens in her back yard for many years. Suddenly the city zoning department demanded that she remove the chickens and tear down their home. This was in response to some complaint which can’t be traced to any neighbor. There are laws on the books that are never enforced unless somebody complains. The chicken rules have been ignored, then randomly enforced when complaints are made. This has become some kind of political football. Finally after many years of working on a new proposal that is more friendly to small time egg farmers the issue will come to a vote by our city council. The final touches of the zoning committee will be presented to the mayor and council for review and decisions. The Tucson Clucks are organizing and hoping that all their illicit coops will be permitted to stay in place. I think it is not only reasonable, but good for the city to promote food growing that does not disturb neighbors. Roosters will still be outlawed because of the potential noise, but responsible chicken owners will no longer be outlaws.
William Hammond, 10th Great-Grandfather
July 13, 2015
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Hammond Coat of Arms
My 10th great-grandfather was an early settler of Watertown, Massachusetts. His father died and he was declared bankrupt in England before he emigrated. William brought part of his family to America to settle before sending for his wife and younger children. By April 1634 they had all arrived in the colony. He frequently was fined for religious infractions and may have been a secret Quaker.
William Hammond
Birth: 1575, Lavenham, Suffolk, England.
Baptized: 30 Oct 1575, Lavenham, Suffolk, England.
Death: 8 Oct 1662, Watertown, Massachusetts. “Aged about ninety-four.
Father: Thomas Hammond, born and died in England.
Mother: Rose Trippe, born and died in Lavenham, Suffolk, England.
1629: On 26 Feb 1629/30, William Hammond was declared bankrupt in England.
1629: On “the 20th of November after that date, he departe[d] the land and fleeth into New England. Information from a 1656 law suit against William Hammond, citing this occurance. This would place him on the “Lyon” which sailed from Bristol on 1 Dec 1630/1631, and arriving in New England the following February.
Emigration: 1631. See above.
The Hammond family came to New England in at least three stages. In late 1630 or early 1631, John Winthrop Jr. noted receipt of £7 5s. from “Goody Hammond to send her husband.” This supports the conclusion that William Hammond was a passenger on the “Lyon” when it sailed from Bristol in late 1631.
On 26 Sept 1633, Governor John Winthrop, wrote to Sir Simonds D’Ewes, informing him that “Yours by young Hamond I received,” indicating that William Hammond Jr. probably sailed for New England in one of the ships that arrived in the fall of 1633. His sister Anne and brother Thomas may also have come at this time, because they are not included, a year later, in the passenger list of the “Francis”, which sailed from Ipswich, in the spring of 1634, with Elizabeth Hammond, (aged 47); Elizabeth Hammond, (aged 15); Sarah Hammond, (aged 10); and John Hammond, (aged 7) on board.
First Residence: William’s first residence was Watertown, Massachusetts.
Occupation: Husbandman.
Religion: Admitted to Watertown Church prior to 25 May 1636, (implied by freemanship.)
1636: Admitted as a Freeman, 25 May 1636.
1636: In his record of admissions to Scituate Church, Rev. John Lathrop, entered on 14 Apr 1636, “Elizabeth Hammon, my sister, having a dismission from the church at Watertown.”
1636: On 25 Jul 1636, William Hammond was granted forty acres in the Great Dividend.
1637: Granted eight acres in the Remote Meadows, 26 Jun 1637.
1641: Granted a farm of one hundred fifty-five acres, 10 May 1642.
1645: In the “year 1645 Rose his mother dyeth … but now in the year 1647 his son Thomas come from New England to be admitted to the land.”
1647: On 22 Nov 1647, “W[illia]m Hamond granted a letter of attorney unto Thomas Hamond, his son, to ask demand of the lord of the manor the possession of certain lands in Lavenham, in Suffolk which were the possession of Rose Steward, his mother.”
1647: William was a Watertown Selectman, 8 Nov 1647.
1656: Along with Isaac Stearns, William was an arbiter in a dispute between John Wincoll and Benjamin Crisp.
1656: “Old Goodman Hammond” was appointed to a committee to assign seats in the meeting house, 17 Nov 1656.
1660: On 6 Non 1660, Watertown Selectmen sent the constables to “Old Hamond to let him know, that contrary to order of town, he had entertained into his family such a person as is likely to prove chargeable, do therefore desire him to rid the town of such an encumbrance or otherwise to bear the burden thereof himself.”
In William’s will, dated 1 Jul 1662 and proved 16 Dec 1662:
“William Hammond of Watertowne … now about ninety years of age” bequeathed to “my loving dear wife Elizabeth Hammond my whole estate” for life;
and after her death, to “my son John Hammond all my houses, lands;”
to “Thomas Hammond son of my son Thomas Hammond, deceased,” £40 when twenty-one, but if he dies before that then “the £40 to be equally divided between the children of my daughter House, daughter Barnes, [i.e., Barron’s], children”; to “daughter Barnes” £30;
to “the four children of my daughter Elizabeth House deceased” £5 apiece; to “Adam Smith son of my daughter Sarah … one mare colt”
and to “my daughter Sarah Smith” £5.
The inventory of the estate of William Hammond totalled £467 16s. 9d., including £318 in real estate:
one dwelling house, an orchard £24;
23 acres of pasture land, £69;
11 acres of broken-up land, £48;
15 acres of meadow, £90;
8 acres of meadow remote, £15;
18 acres of land in lieu of township, £6;
1 Great Dividend, 40 acres, £40;
1 farm, 160 acres, £20; and
a part of a barn, £6.
His inventory also included “one great Bible and 3 other books” valued at 13s.
Married: Elizabeth Paine, baptized in Lavenham 22 Sep 1586. She was the daughter of William and Agnes Neves Paine. Elizabeth arrived in New England in 1634 on the “Francis” with her three youngest children. Elizabeth died 27 Sep 1670, in Watertown, Massachusetts, “aged about ninety years .”
Marriage: 9 Jun 1605, in Lavenham, Suffolk, England.
Children of William Hammond and Elizabeth Paine Hammond:
- William Hammond, baptized 20 Sep 1607, in Lavenham, Suffolk, England. He was killed by Indians in June 1636. Not believed to have married.
- Anne Hammond, baptized 19 Nov 1609, in Lavenham, Suffolk, England. She died there 7 Jun 1615.
- John Hammond, baptized 5 Dec 1611, in Lavenham, Suffolk, England. He died there 16 Aug 1620.
- Anne Hammond, baptized 14 Jul 1616, in Lavenham, Suffolk, England. Married 1: Timothy Hawkins. Married 2: 14 Dec 1653, Ellis Barron.
- Thomas Hammond, baptized 17 Sep 1618, in Lavenham, Suffolk, England. He returned to England in 1647/1648, to reclaim his grandmother’s lands. Thomas married Hannah Cross in 1655. Their only child, Thomas, was born at Watertown, Massachusetts on 11 July 1656. Thomas Hammond, the father, had died on 10 Dec 1655, and Hannah, the mother, died on 24 Mar 1656.
- Elizabeth Hammond, born about 1619. Married: Samuel House of Scituate, Massachusetts, about Apr 1636.
- Sarah Hammond, baptized 21 Oct 1623, in Lavenham, Suffolk, England. Married Richard Smith of Long Island, by 1640.
William Hammond (1575 – 1662)
is my 10th great grandfather
Elizabeth Hammond (1620 – 1703)
daughter of William Hammond
Elishua Crowell (1643 – 1708)
daughter of Elizabeth Hammond
Yelverton Gifford (1676 – 1772)
son of Elishua Crowell
Ann Gifford (1715 – 1795)
daughter of Yelverton Gifford
Frances Congdon (1738 – 1755)
daughter of Ann Gifford
Thomas Sweet (1765 – 1844)
son of Frances Congdon
Valentine Sweet (1791 – 1858)
son of Thomas Sweet
Sarah LaVina Sweet (1840 – 1923)
daughter of Valentine Sweet
Jason A Morse (1862 – 1932)
son of Sarah LaVina Sweet
Ernest Abner Morse (1890 – 1965)
son of Jason A Morse
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Ernest Abner Morse
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Richard Arden Morse
WILLIAM HAMMOND – ELIZABETH PAINE
(1575-1662) (1586-1676)
William, the emigrant ancestor of this branch of the family in America, was born in Lavenham, County of Suffolk, England, where he was baptized October 30, 1575. He was the only surviving son of Thomas Hammond and Rose Trippe, his younger brother, Thomas, having died in infancy. He was left an orphan by the death of his father in 1589. He married Elizabeth there June 9, 1605 and their children were all born in Lavenham. Elizabeth was born 1586, also in Lavenham, daughter of William Paine.
William, along with his older children, came to America before his wife and younger children, though the exact year is not known. Elizabeth, aged 47 years, with children Elizabeth, aged 15, Sarah, aged 10 and John, aged 7 years embarked at Ipswich, England, in the ship, “Francis,” John Cutting, Master, in April, 1634, and joined her husband in New England.
William Hammond was admitted freeman in Watertown, May 25, 1636, and was grantee of seven lots and purchaser of three lots before 1644. His homestead of 40 acres was situated on the west of Common Street. It was bounded on the east and north by lands of his brother-in-law, Dr. Simon Eire, on the west by John Simson, Isaac Sterne and John Warren, and on the south by Thomas Boyden. Bond’s Hist. of Watertown (p. 1088) says, “It is probable that William Hammond settled first on the Cambridge Road, very near the Cambridge line. Whether this was a grant to him the records do not show. He sold it early and settled on his 40-acre homestall, situated east of Pequusset meadow. He also owned three small lots in Pequusset meadow, one of these granted to him and the other two purchased. This homestall passed to his son (grandson) Thomas.” March 10, 1642, in the division of lands, he was granted lot No. 76, in the 4th Division, containing 165 acres, and this, with his other holdings, made him one of the largest land owners in the town.
The records do not show that he was often an office holder in the town and this may have been due to his independence in religious matters, which may have made him unpopular with his more puritanical neighbors, although he does not appear to have been so unpopular as some of his most intimate friends. His near neighbor and most intimate friend appears to have been John Warren, who came from the same locality in Suffolk County, England, and between whose family and his own there appears to have been considerable intimacy for several generations prior to the settlement in America.
On occasion there were fines “for an offense against the laws concerning baptism,” and “for neglect of publick worship” 14 Sabbaths at 5 shillings each. Warnings were given “for not attending publick worship”.
May 27, 1661, the houses of “old Warren and goodman Hammond” were ordered to be searched for Quakers, for whom they were known to have considerable sympathy. Considerable independence in religious matters, great love of liberty and sympathy for all who are persecuted for conscience sake seem to have been inherent family traits for generations past. It is probable that William Hammond and his intimate friend, Warren, were both inclined toward the religious teaching of Roger Williams, but were too conservative to subject themselves to the persecution that his more radical followers were compelled to endure. This view is supported by the fact that many of their descendants were rigid adherents of the Baptist Church. The tendency, however, in this family has been toward great liberty of thought in religious matters and many of the descendants have been connected with the Unitarian and Universalist denominations, while many in the later generations have held membership in no church.
The will of William Hammond is on file at East Cambridge, Mass., (Middlesex Probate No. 7167), dated July 1662; proved Dec. 16, 1672. He leaves to wife Elizabeth his whole estate during her life. To son, John, all lands, & after her death. To Thomas Hamond, “sonne of my sonne, Thomas Hamond, deceased,” œ40 at the age of 21 years. “If said Thomas, or any for him, oppose this will,” then he is not have the œ40. “Unto daughter (Hannah) Barnes, œ30, the same to remain unto her children.” “In case she again become a widow” she to have wood from his lands during her widowhood. To four children of my daughter, Elizabeth House, deceased, various sums of money. “To Adam Smith, son of daughter, Sarah, if he behave obediently to my wife after my decease, one mare, colt and œ20.” To daughter, Sarah Smith, œ5. Appoints widow, Elizabeth and John executors.
Witnesses– Matthew Bridge and Thomas Longhorne.
Inventory by Hugh Mason and Thomas Hastings, Dec. 16, 1662; œ457-16-9. Contains the following list of real estate:
25 acres of fallow land, 15 acres of broken land, 15 acres of meadow, 60 acres of meadow, &c.,
16 acres of land in low of ye town right, 40 acres in great dividend, 160 acres in a farm. Total, 331 acres.
Folk Medicine Friday-Ginger
July 10, 2015
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Each week I will talk about some history of medicine and folklore. Today I am featuring ginger.
mermaidcamp 