Margaret Chandler (1577-1645) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2021 # 41: Religious Changes

My 10th great grandmother Margaret Chandler was born in 1577 in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England to Tobias and Joan (Mumford) Chandler. Bishop's Stortford is a market town about half-way between London and Cambridge.

Google Earth image showing location of Bishop's Stortford

The second oldest in a family of  11 children, Margaret was baptized in St. Michael's Church there, no doubt with the use of this marble baptismal font that had been in the church since Norman times.

Wikimedia Commons Image by Colin Smith / St Michael's Font / CC BY-SA 2.0

Like the rest of England, Bishop's Stortford had undergone several abrupt religious changes during the 16th century. This link contains photographs of St. Michael's Church and  a more specific description of the impact of the changes on this parish. 

As a reminder: King Henry VIII had split from the Roman Catholic Church in a dispute between pope and king over Henry's wish to divorce his wife so as to be free to remarry and sire a male heir.  The result was the establishment in 1534 of the independent Church of England with the King as its final authority. Although much remained unchanged from the Catholic Church, many changes were made in accordance with the more wide-spread Protestant reformation that had been sweeping much of Europe at the time. As might be expected, not all Henry's subjects were happy with this change. Nevertheless, the country remained Protestant under his son Edward VI, but Edward's early death led to his Catholic half-sister Mary becoming Queen in 1553. Over the years, many people on both sides of the religious divide were martyred for their beliefs. When Protestant Queen Elizabeth I succeeded her half sister Mary to the throne in 1558, one might have thought that at least the Protestant faction might once again be happy with the change. Some were, but many felt the Protestant changes in England had not gone far enough away from Popish ways and wanted to further purify their religion; this group became known as the Puritans. 

It does not appear that Margaret's parents were among the dissident Puritan group. Although we can't know for certain, they seem to have come through the religious changes relatively unscathed and one might assume that Margaret's childhood during the reign of Queen Elizabeth was relatively stable. (Another of my ancestors, Thomas Morse,  was not so fortunate, ending up in a lot of hot water while trying to retain his career as a dissident parish priest throughout all these changes.)

When the plague struck the town in 1582-83, Margaret was just 5 or 6 years of age, but she and her family also appear to have survived that challenge unscathed.

At the age of about 23, on 02 April 1600 she married Henry Monke (or Monck) in Albury, a town about 5 miles west of Bishop's Stortford. The couple had one child, a son named George Monke, prior to Henry's untimely death; Henry was buried at Bishop's Stortford on 10 December 1602. 

On 7 November 1603, the young widow remarried. Her second husband was William Denison, a man some five or six years her senior. This appears to have been William's first marriage. The couple would go on to have seven children, their youngest being my 9th great grandfather George Denison born in 1620.

Like many other men of Bishop's Stortford, William was a maltster. The town was perfectly situated amid the farms of East Anglia and Hertfordshire, producers of the barley to be changed into malt for dark ales popular in nearby London. It is said that the aroma from the maltings filled the surrounding area for centuries.

At some point, probably in the late 1620's, William became a convert to the Puritan cause and in 1631 decided to move his family to New England where they would join like-minded families. (There is some thought that Margaret was a bit reluctant and did not join her family until the following year, but no actual record can be found of her departure from England or arrival in New England. The pervasive sexism of the times has many of the records completely ignoring women migrants.)

As William and Margaret's oldest son John Dennison (born 7 April 1605) was already well established in a position as vicar of Standon, Hertfordshire and had a family of his own, he remained in England. 

Second son William (born 1606) had gone to be a soldier in Holland; he took part in the Siege of Breda and was never heard from again. 

Their third son, George (born 1609), died at the age of five. Their only daughter, Sarah (born 1615), lived just one week.

Daniel (born 1612), Edward (born 1616) and George (born 1620) were the three sons who headed to America with their father (and perhaps their mother). Daniel had been studying at Cambridge but was removed by his father in order to make the move. Also mentioned as being with them on that voyage was Reverend John Eliot, suggested by some to have been the boys' tutor. The family settled in Roxbury (now a suburb of Boston), one of the first settlements in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Reverend Eliot became the pastor of the First Church Roxbury, where William Dennison became member #3 of the congregation.

Not all was smooth sailing as William appeared to have another change of heart with respect to religion. He was one of five Roxbury men to be disarmed on 20 November 1637 for supporting Mr. Wheelwright and Mrs. Hutchinson. This was in regard to the Antinomian Controversy which raged in Puritan New England from 1636-1638. It pitted the majority of the Puritans against the adherents of a "covenant of grace" espoused by Cotton Mather and supported by Anne Hutchinson and her brother-in-law Reverend John Wheelwright. Apparently William Denison was a supporter. The Antinomians were generally regarded as heretics against the established religious laws. Concepts regarding gender and politics added to the disagreement. We don't know whether Margaret was one of the numerous women who followed Anne Hutchinson's teachings.

What we do know is that Margaret was a bit of a hold-out when it came to declaring her faith. Presumably she had been Anglican from birth, but it does not seem that she converted to Puritanism with her husband. When she was finally admitted to the Roxbury Church as member #33, the event was apparently deemed worthy of note:  “Margret Dennison, the wife of William Dennison, It pleased God to work upon her heart & change it in her ancient years, after she came to this land; & joined to the church in the year 1632”.  

The only other reference that has been found of Margaret is that  ”Old Mother Dennison” died Roxbury 3 February 1645/46. She is buried in the Eliot Burying Ground at Roxbury but no stone marks the place of her final rest.

Some Resources: 

• Anderson, Robert Charles, "The Great Migration Begins, Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633", Volume 1; Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995
• "Bishop's Stortford and Thorley: A History and Guide" located online at https://www.stortfordhistory.co.uk/
• A history of the Protestant Reformation in England and Scotland located online at https://www.britannica.com/topic/Protestantism/The-Reformation-in-England-and-Scotland

Leigh Hovland (1890-1903) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2021 Week 33 - "The Chicago Iroquois Theater Tragedy"

from the funeral program of Leigh Nicea Hovland 3 January1904

When my third great grandfather Erik Anderson Elton immigrated to America from Norway in 1854, he was accompanied by his 24 year-old sister Sigrid Elton. 

Tragically, Erik died the following year at age 38 when he was hit by a falling tree. One might speculate that Erik's sister Sigrid would have offered support to Erik's widow Sarah Knutsdatter Holien and her two young daughters. 

Sigrid Elton would marry another Norwegian immigrant, Anders Lien, in 1857 and go on to have a family of 8 children with him. The oldest daughter in the Lien family was Anna born in 1860.

Anna Lien (1st cousin to my Dad's grandma Anna Elton)

When Anna was 21, she married another man of Norwegian heritage, John P. Hovland. 

Anna Lien and John P. Hovland
married 14 March 1881
Albert Lea, Minnesota

Anna and John had two daughters born in Albert Lea, Minnesota: Edna born in 1887 and Leigh in 1890.

Leigh (left) and Edna (right) about 1893
(Leigh and Edna were 2nd cousins to my grandfather John Bardahl)

Sometime before the 1900 U.S. census, the family moved from Albert Lea, Minnesota to Chicago, Illinois.  John was a successful businessman with a chain of clothing shops and a partnership in a silk importing business in Chicago. He was well able to provide his family with many of the fine things that life in Chicago could provide at the turn of the last century. 

One of those fine things was the wherewithal to attend live theater performances in the burgeoning theater district of Chicago. On 30 December 1903, with school out for Christmas vacation, the two Hovland daughters had tickets for the matinee performance of the popular musical comedy "Mr. Blue Beard" at the recently opened Iroquois Theater near the corner of Dearborn and Randolf Streets.

Advertisement from the Kansas City Times, 31 December 1903, page 4
The Iroquois was casting its net for audience members far and wide.

Location of Iroquois Theater Dearborn and Randolf (later the home of the Nederlander)

The elegant new theater was packed that afternoon with over 1700 people dressed in their holiday finery.  No doubt the teenagers Edna and Leigh Hovland were dressed in their nicest dresses and had been anticipating this outing to the theater in downtown Chicago. They were accompanied that afternoon by their 21 year-old cousin Clyde Thompson, a student at Wisconsin University. Clyde had been a holiday houseguest at the Hovlands' home at 33 Humboldt Boulevard. He is sometimes referred to as Leigh's "fiance" and it is possible that marriage was their long-term goal, notwithstanding their close kinship and her young age which make this sound unlikely to our modern ears. 

According to a newspaper article from the following day, it seems there were 16 people attending from a two-block stretch of Humboldt Boulevard, including 13 year-old Josephine Pilat with her mother and younger sister of 34 Humboldt. It is not much of a stretch to assume the Hovland girls and their cousin were with neighborhood friends.  The majority of the audience members for this midweek matinee were, not surprisingly, women and children. The first act went just fine, but a few minutes into the second act, a spark from a  stage light caught on some of the stage material and soon engulfed the building in flames. An asbestos curtain that should have prevented the spread of the flames jammed uselessly.

Tragically, it seems that many corners had been cut in an all-out effort to have the theater completed in time to take advantage of the busy theater season. Bribes may have enabled bypassing crucial inspections and safety equipment. Far from being "absolutely fireproof" as advertised, the Iroquois Theater was actually a firetrap. Exit doors had been locked; those that worked opened inward such that the crush of people trying to escape made it impossible to get the doors open. Younger children were trampled. Fire escapes led nowhere. Some doors also led nowhere. No exit signs had been lit since it was thought they would distract the audience from the performance. Family members easily became separated from one another in the mayhem that ensued.  

The Chicago Tribune 31 December 1903

602 people died that afternoon, including 13 year-olds Leigh Hovland, her cousin Clyde Thompson and her neighbor Josephine Pilat. Leigh's older sister had managed to escape, as had Josephine's mother and younger sister.

The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois) · 31 Dec 1903, Thu · Page 5 

It took some time for all the bodies to be identified and returned to their families for burial. Although classified as "missing" the day after the fire, Leigh's obituary was printed just 3 days later. 

Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) · 3 Jan 1904, Sun · Page 7

Leigh was buried at Mount Olive Cemetery which had been started by the Scandinavian-American community of Chicago in 1889. The cemetery contains a tower with a bell which is rung each time a funeral procession enters through the limestone arch at the entrance. Presumably it was rung for Leigh on the afternoon of Sunday 3 January 1904. A photograph of her headstone can be seen on this Find a Grave memorial page for her.

An excellent series of photographs from the time showing the elegant new theater before the fire and then the terrible aftermath can be found on a video at this link. 

Leigh Hovland was my second cousin twice removed. She didn't have the opportunity to grow up to have a family of her own so as to leave direct  descendants to remember her. (Her sister Edna did marry and have a family and lived to the age of 82.)

The Iroquois Theater fire of 1903 has the sad distinction of appearing as the 5th most deadly fire/explosion in American history. Surprisingly, it is not nearly so famous as the less deadly Great Chicago Fire of 1871. In the aftermath, a series of investigations pointed to many faults and rampant wrongdoing, from the Mayor on down, but no one was ever held accountable.

The legacy of the terrible tragedy that took Leigh's life along with that of her cousin and 600 other people is that safety measures are now the expected norm. New standards were established in Chicago and most other jurisdictions with respect to aisles, exits, lit exit signs, fire alarms and other equipment. Exit doors must open outward (with "panic bars" or "push bars") so that they can open if there is a crush of folks trying to escape a burning building.

Although I live a long way from Chicago, I have twice had the opportunity to attend live performances at theaters there, most recently "Hamilton" in 2019. Located just blocks from where the Iroquois Theater fire had taken the life of Leigh Hovland, our enjoyment of the performance was not marred by concerns for our safety.

The author and her husband attending "Hamilton" at the CIBC Theater 27 February 2019

Some Resources:

• Beatty, Jill, whose father was Leigh's first cousin, for sharing many of the family photographs and memorabilia shown above.
• Everett, Marshall; The Great Chicago Theater Disaster: The Complete Story Told by the Survivors; c. 1904 D.B. McCurdy, Publishers Union of America, 389 pp., available online at http://livinghistoryofillinois.com/pdf_files/Great%20Chicago%20Theater%20Disaster,%20The%20Complete%20Story%20Told%20by%20the%20Survivors,%20by%20Marshall%20Everett%201904.pdf 
• Podcast: Stuff you Missed in History Class, "The Iroquois Theater Fire" episode of 8 December 2014 accessible here: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vc3R1ZmZ5b3VtaXNzZWRpbmhpc3RvcnljbGFzcw/episode/aHR0cHM6Ly9wb2RjYXN0cy5ob3dzdHVmZndvcmtzLmNvbS9oc3cvcG9kY2FzdHMvc3ltaGMvMjAxNC0xMi0wOC1zeW1oYy1pcm9xdWlvcy10aGVhdGVyLWZpcmUubXAz?hl=en-CA&ved=2ahUKEwjRl7Ok99bxAhXUrJ4KHZZ6CNoQjrkEegQIAhAF&ep=6
• Uenuma, Francine; "The Iroquois Theater Disaster" article from the Smithsonian Magazine 12 June 2018 accessible here: https:www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-theater-blaze-killed-hundreds-forever-changed-way-we-approach-fire-safety-180969315/

Lawrence Wilkinson (c1620s-1692) (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2021 #8) Theme: "Power"

Lawrence, one of my 9th great grandfathers, was born about 1620 in Lanchester, Durham, England. The Wilkinson family had been associated with Harpley House there for generations. They were staunch supporters of the throne, which support had garnered them large landholdings in the area.

All Saints Parish Church, Lanchester, England
Google Earth Street View Image

Lawrence (sometimes spelled Laurence or Lawrance) got caught up in the Siege of Newcastle in 1644 when the Scottish Covenanters, unhappy with the strictures put on their Protestant religion by King Charles 1,  joined forces with the Parliamentarians. This was part of an ongoing battle for power generally referred to as the English Civil Wars. True to his family's allegiances, Lawrence took up arms and joined the Royalist forces in defense of King Charles. He has been said to have served as a lieutenant and as a captain in the Royalist forces. Tragically finding himself on the losing side in this battle, Lawrence was taken captive but eventually freed. Like many other Royalists, Lawrence Wilkinson had his properties sequestered. Strong support for his King had equally powerful repercussions; it became obvious to Lawrence that he might be well-advised to take his leave of the country.

Lawrence arrived in Providence, Rhode Island in 1645. On the 19th of the 11th month of that year his name was added to the original civil compact agreed by the original founders. Providence was less than 10 years old at the time, having been established by Roger Williams in 1636 after being banished from Massachusetts for his religious beliefs. Rhode Island was known as a welcoming location for newcomers of many political and religious stripes. Although most of my other early immigrant ancestors were Puritans who were largely supportive of Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil Wars, even Royalists like Lawrence Wilkinson found a welcoming home in Rhode Island. By signing the compact, he received a free grant of 25 acres of land.

Before long, he married Susannah Smith and settled down to raise his family in Providence. (It should be noted that there is some thought that their marriage and birth of eldest son Samuel had occurred in England.) 

Even the breadth of the Atlantic Ocean could not insulate Lawrence and other newcomers from the ongoing power struggles in England between King and Parliament. The original civil compact for Providence signed by Lawrence in 1645 had acknowledged the struggle by hedging its bets with the phrase ". . . and hereby do promise to yield active, or passive obedience to the authoritys (sic) of King and Parliament."  After the death of Oliver Cromwell and the return of King Charles II, the Providence records for 6 May 1673 include a remonstrance against the oath of allegiance required by the King of England.

Lawrence took part in the affairs of the community throughout his lifetime. Some examples can be found in the town records. On 27 January 1659 he was chosen one of the jury men and on 15 August of that year he was chosen Commissioner of the Court of Commissioners to be held at Portsmouth later that month. In 1667 he was chosen as one of the Commissioners or Deputies to the General Assembly. The 28 April 1673 minutes of the town meeting indicate that Lawrence Wilkinson was chosen to serve as Deputy to the General Assembly at Newport. He was obviously a leading figure in the early Providence community.

His name frequently arises in town documents recording the descriptions of various parcels of land acquired by him over the  years. It is interesting to note the descriptions refer to specific trees on the land as markers - walnut, pine, white oak, red oak and black oak - as well as topography including swamps and the Moshasuck River. Reference is also made to the "World's End Meadow" and scenery being "sacredly romantic". All in all, the records would indicate that Lawrence took up about 1000 acres of land in the Providence area. Having lost his family land in England by sequestration for his role during the power struggle there between King and Parliament, he more than made up for it in the new world.

Moshasuck River, Providence, R.I.
Lawrence had lands somewhere along its 8.9 mile length
Public Domain Image by Marcbela

 Some Resources: 

• Wilkinson, Israel; Memoirs of the Wilkinson family in America : comprising genealogical and biographical sketches of Lawrance Wilkinson of Providence, R.I., Edward Wilkinson of New Milford, Conn., John Wilkinson of Attleborough, Mass., Daniel Wilkinson of Columbia Co., N.Y.; Jacksonville, Ill., Davis & Penniman, Printers, 1869.