Steve Bardahl: Sheriff in the Old West (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025 Week 37 theme: "In the News")

My great granduncle Steve Bardahl (1868-1947) was, for a period of time in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,  employed in law enforcement in North Dakota. News articles cover some of his cases dealing with bootleggers, con men, forgers, horse thieves, mental health cases, assaults and even a murder. 

The earliest newspaper report about Steve's law enforcement career is from September of 1897. 

Bismarck Tribune 1897-09-21 p.3 from Newspapers.com

Steve was listed as a "constable" in the 1900 US Census, was elected as Sheriff at Langdon, is called "Marshal" in Milton and also often served as Deputy Sheriff to Sheriff Allan Pinkerton in the south end of the county. (It should be pointed out that this is not the famous Pinkerton of Pinkerton Detective Agencies who had died in 1884. It is not known if the two are related.) 

Since the news reports are so numerous, just a couple of his cases will be featured.

First up: the horse thief Thomas McDonald.

Courier Democrat (Langdon, N.D.) 25 April 1901 p.1 from Newspapers.com

Although the stolen horses had been recovered, the thief and his ill-gotten gains had disappeared and Bardahl was "on the chase". By the time the above article was published in the Langdon Courier Democrat, McDonald had been captured.

Grand Forks Herald, 24 April 1901, p.5 from Newspapers.com

No mention was made in the Grand Forks article about any involvement of Marshal Bardahl, but the Langdon Courier Democrat soon rectified that.

Courier Democrat (Langdon, N.D.) 2 May 1901 from Newspapers.com

Also in 1901 one of the greatest murder scandals in North Dakota history unfolded on Steve's patch. The well-liked local farmer William Barry of Milton was charged with the murder of his equally well-liked hired man Andrew Mellen.

It seems that Mellen was thought to have wronged Barry's sister by not standing by her after getting her pregnant.  Barry initially said he had tried to hang Mellen, but when that failed, he had slit his throat. At the first trial, Barry's lawyers sought to absolve him of responsibility by pleading temporary insanity. 

Bismarck Tribune, Bismarck ND 7 Jan 1901 from Newspapers.com 

The unnamed sheriff pledging his personal responsibility for the defendant in the above news item was probably Steve Bardahl. Although there is no other indication that Steve was involved in the investigation, he was responsible for seeing that Barry was imprisoned after the first trial resulted in a guilty verdict.

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The Bismarck Tribune 29 August 1901 p. 2 from Newspapers.com

This did not end the matter. A second trial was held in 1903.

Sister blamed at Second Trial - Grand Forks Herald, Grand Forks, ND 19 Nov. 1903 from Newspapers.com

Throwing the blame on his sister did not work but did get his sentence reduced from life down to 10 years.  (The sister had mental health issues and died a few years later in an institution but no report could be found suggesting the birth of any baby.)  The third trial in 1904 resulted in his life sentence at Bismarck's State Prison being reaffirmed. Newspaper coverage was extensive over the years, filling many columns - most far too long to easily share here in readable format. 

Finally, in 1911 William Barry was released from prison putting an end to the case. Still, the community must have remained divided in opinion even after his release. No indication could be found about Steve having had an opinion in the matter, though no doubt he did.

William Barry Released - Grand Forks Herald, Grand Forks, ND 25 Jan 1911

Even Steve's wife Laura (sister to my grandmother Louise Nelson who had married Steve's half brother John Bardahl) adopted a role at least once -- accompanying a friend who was being sent to the state mental asylum. 

Courier-Democrat (Langdon, N.D.) 30 August 1906 from Newspapers.com

By 1907, Steve and Laura had moved to nearby Nekoma as reported by this newspaper item:

Courier-Democrat (Langdon, N.D.) 30 May 1907 from Newspapers.com

(Steve was also a terror to his sister-in-law Louise Nelson Bardahl who was certainly no evil doer. She was traumatized -- definitely NOT amused! -- when he locked her in a jail cell as a "joke".)

The final news item for Steve's career is from 1910 as he and Laura planned to leave the area. 

Courier-Democrat (Langdon, N.D.) 18 August 1910

Steve and Laura tried homesteading in Saskatchewan, Canada along with other family members. 

Steve's position as an effective law enforcer was not matched by a happy personal life.  Sadly, the loss of two babies in infancy and Steve's heavy drinking eventually put an end to their marriage and to life in Canada. Steve was living with his widowed mother in Lien, Grant, MN at the time of the 1930 US Census. 

Steve Bardahl believed to be the man on the right in this 1930 photo of his mother Anna Elton Bardahl including her other two  sons Ole and John and their wives Louise and  Anna

Shortly after this, he moved back to the Langdon, N.D. area where he died 24 July 1947. He is buried in an unmarked grave in the Lebanon Cemetery at Milton, N.D.

John Stanley "Jack" Anderson (1927-2003) (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025 Week 36 theme: "Off to School")

John Stanley "Jack" Anderson

The younger of my mother's two brothers, Uncle Jack was born in Everett, Washington when his family was living there for the winter of 1927-28. His parents Ingwald and Idella (Edwards) Anderson were American-born but had become Canadian citizens when Ingwald claimed a Saskatchewan homestead and Della became a teacher. All 5 of Jack's siblings were born in Canada. The first difference between Jack and his Canadian-born siblings occurred in his education; following from that, the second was in his military service and the third was in his choice of location for establishing his family and living out his life. 

His early years were spent on the Canadian farm. Like his older siblings, he attended Arrarat School, a one-room country school similar to the one where his mother had taught. All have fond recollections of walking across the prairie to school with lunch tucked into a lard or Roger's syrup can with handle. 

Jack's 3 oldest siblings "off to school" with lunch buckets

Music at Arrarat School - Jack standing 3rd from right, older sister Elinor standing second from left

My understanding is that Jack's allergies made him a very unlikely farmer; the family farm was eventually taken over by his brother Bob. There was no local high school for education beyond Grade 8. Correspondence courses were a partial option. Jack's older sisters had gone to "town" to work as household help in exchange for room and board so they could attend high school in person. Similar non-farming situations for boys would have been less easily obtained.

In  June 1942 he went to Moses Lake, Washington. to live with his maternal aunt and uncle, Grace and Floyd McBride, in order to attend high school. This must have been a difficult separation for him and  this whole close-knit family. His younger sister recalls not seeing Jack very often and, on one of his visits, running to him and throwing her arms around him - so happy to see him! In later years, the family made a point of getting together for many reunions, anniversaries and birthdays.

Jack surrounded by 3 of his sisters at the 1997 Family Reunion

 Jack was just 14 when he crossed the border at Eastport, Idaho,  stating his intention to reside permanently in the United States. 

Eastport, Idaho Border Crossing 30 June 1942

Jack worked in the McBride service station for room and board while attending Moses Lake High School where he graduated in June 1946. According to its Wikipedia page, Moses Lake High School was a 4-room public school known as Neppel High School until 1946 when a new building was built. It seems Jack was part of the last graduating class from the old school.

Moses Lake aka "Neppel" High School - photo by Rsusemihl

2018     This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Three of Jack's older siblings had taken part in the Canadian war effort during the Second World War. Jack, however,  entered the U.S. Army in August of 1946 and after basic training was stationed with the 8th Army Headquarters in Yokohama, Japan for the next two years.    

Jack in American uniform

After his service, in 1948 he enrolled at Washington State University under the G. I. Bill. He graduated in June 1952 with a B.S. degree in Pharmacy.  Leaving the last words to Jack, from his biographical sketch contributed to the Roots and Branches family history book:

"I then went to California, intending to return to Washington, but I was offered a job and stayed.  I met Catherine * in the  spring of 1961 and we were married November 4, 1961.  We have lived in the Sacramento area ever since.  We have two children . . .  We bought Todd's Pharmacy in Sacramento in 1965, a small neighborhood pharmacy which we operated until 1990.  I semi-retired at that time working a day or two a week and fully retired in August of 1999.   -- by Jack Anderson, November 1999"

Some Resources: 

Anderson, R.W. and Barnard, Joanne, Roots and Branches:The Ingwald Anderson - Idella Edwards Family History, Privately Printed Calgary AB: Chokecherry Press, 2000.

The Andersons at Bawlf, Alberta, Canada (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025 Week 32 theme: "Wide Open Spaces")

My maternal great great grandfather Israel Anderson (1829-1910) spent a lifetime searching for wide open spaces. Born in 1829  and raised in Laxarby, Västra Götaland, Sweden, 3 miles from the nearest town, he moved to Norway as a young man to work on a farm there. He married farmer's daughter Johanna Gundersdatter Opsahl and moved to America in 1856 with wife and their first child, my great grandfather Anders (Andrew) Anderson. 

Israel and Johanna went on to have the following children: Andrew b 1855, Sophia b. abt. 1856, Ida b. 1858, Gunelius b. 1862, Olava b. 1864, Annetta b. 1868, John b. 1868, Betsy b. abt. 1870 and Carl Gustaf b. 1873. Johanna died in 1900.  

Over the years, the call of its wide open spaces took Israel and family to several newly developing areas on the American frontier. After first settling in Decatur, WI, they moved on to Northwood County, Iowa and then to Grafton, Dakota Territories, traveling by train and covered wagon. In 1901 son Carl Gustaf moved across the border to homestead in Manitoba. In 1902 son Gunelius moved his family to Canada as well, settling in what became the Bawlf area of what was then the North-West Territories.  In 1903 Israel himself emigrated for a third and final time to join Gunelius in the Bawlf area. He was a widower in his mid-70s.

Alberta was not even yet a province when Israel arrived. In 1903 the land was still part of the North-West Territories, and, of course, before that had been part of the truly wide open spaces occupied by the western First Nations peoples. At noon on 1 September 1905 Alberta became a Province of Canada. Israel had been there for a couple of years by this time.

Google Earth view of Bawlf area - showing the present-day checkerboard of fields that were wide open spaces when the Andersons arrived

The Village of Bawlf was established in the vast Canadian prairies in 1905, the same year that Alberta became a province. Named for Nicholas Bawlf, president of the Winnipeg Grain Exchange, the town came into being alongside the new railroad. Farming and shipping grain were its raison d'être.

Son Gunelius "G.I."  had moved there the preceding year with his family. The following is from a letter dated 17 May 1977 from Ernie and Esther Anderson to R.W. "Bob" Anderson, based on their recollections of  comments made by Gunelius's son Lawrence Anderson: 

"G.I. left Edinburg, N.D., where he owned a hotel, in 1902 and moved to Alberta. Andrew and John came up two years later and bought a half section beside the homestead. Lawrence was saved land, proved it up and got it at age 21. The railroad came in 1906. Israel homesteaded near his sons' farms and was required to spend a few months each year on his homestead, so he had a house on skids that he pulled over to the land in summer and then back to the sons in the winter.    Lawrence said they lived in 2 tents when they arrive in Daysland and lived in them until three weeks before Christmas when their house was finally ready for occupancy. It was bitterly cold, he remembers."

The 1906 census of Alberta shows Gunelius at section 8-45-17-W4M, his sons Emil at 10-45-17-W4M and Lawrence at 30-44-16-W4M. Another brother, John Anderson, had homesteaded at Bawlf just east of his father at NE36-44-17 W4M.

Homestead application of Israel Anderson

Sadly, on 7 March 1910, at age 80, Israel died before proving up his homestead application. 

1910 Post Card from Gunelius Anderson advising sister Sophia of Israel's death

Decades ago my uncle Bob Anderson and his son visited the rural Lutheran cemetery near Bawlf  where Israel is buried. A few years after this, while attending a kids' hockey tournament at nearby Daysland, my husband and I also paid Israel's gravesite a visit.

Two of His Male Anderson descendants visit Israel's burial location 

In 1998, in response to my letter to the Village of Bawlf, local resident and historical record-keeper Lil Bohmer sent me a considerable amount of information based on local knowledge of the family. Lil was a member of the same Bawlf Lutheran Church as the Andersons and was the record-keeper for the cemetery. She provided the burial locations for Israel as well as for Gunelius, his wife Sophia, their daughter Gina Reesor (1891-1928), son Emil (1884-1950) and son Alfred (1886-1954).

Lil went on to say: 

I found in the Daysland History book the enclosed information about Kenneth and Aleda Anderson. Also in the book were copies of maps showing land owners in the early 1900s. Another son of Gunelius and Sophia farmed north of Ohaton. He was known as Ike but a gentleman who knew him said he thought his given name was Israel - after his grandfather. The other son Lawrence, who farmed with Alfred later lived in Daysland. I found several people who remembered Gunelius and family but no one is left who would remember Israel. The house that the Andersons built on their farm was considered a beautiful place. Their neighbours and church friends were all there for Open House when it was completed. A few years ago that house was moved into Daysland to be a neat looking place yet. It was a 2 story. The fact that it had a kitchen nook and a dining room had impressed everyone. 

Israel's grandsons Clarence and Ingwald (sons of Andrew) homesteaded in the Lancer area of Saskatchewan, Canada a few years later. The wide open spaces of the Canadian prairies did not suit everyone. Some of the sons or their descendants ended up moving back south of the 49th parallel. The current crop of Andersons inhabiting Canada's wide open spaces primarily descend through the Israel/Andrew/Ingwald line. 

3 of Israel's sons backed by their sons about 1915: lower left my great grandfather Andrew Anderson in front of his son Clarence, lower centre Gunelius in front of his son Emil and lower right John in front of his son Victor. The picture was taken after Victor returned from fighting in World War I

Americus Brown (1859-1938) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025 Week 26 "Favorite Name"

(Americus Brown is my 1st cousin 3X removed in the Bullen family.)

Americus Brown photo courtesy SHansen on Findagrave.com website

His parents John and Mary (Bullen) Brown wished to give their first-born child a more memorable name when he arrived on 2 April 1859 in West Bend, Wisconsin. Not another John Brown or James Brown or Peter Brown for him!  One sister Mary Elizabeth "Lizzy" Brown completed the family group. Only Americus had a name that really stood out. By 1880 the family had moved to the small town of Coloma in Waushara County, WI; Americus was a clerk in the railway depot there. 

Americus means "home ruler" or "work ruler". Nothing in what can be learned of his history would lead one to believe that he personified his name. His photograph seems to show a gentle unassuming soul. 

Following his marriage to Isabelle Spaulding three days after his 26th birthday, the young couple moved in with his wife's parents. Isabel had been a teacher and also helped her father with his store and post office located in the same building as their home. That is where they were all found in the 1900 and 1910 U.S. censuses for Waushara County. Americus was a laborer. Ten years later, they were still living with his widowed father-in-law; Americus was employed as a carpenter in the home-building industry. Two sons and a daughter had joined the family and all lived under the grandparents' roof.

Isabel died in 1926. In the 1930 census, for a short while Americus was finally living on his own and presumably the one and only "home ruler".  He was still working as a carpenter at age 71 and living in the southwest part of Coloma Town. 

During the 1930s, newspaper articles detail his visits to stay with his sons when he was ill and offer clues to his deep involvement with the Odd Fellows organization. In 1932, he went to winter at the Odd Fellows home and seems to have stayed there for his remaining years. 

622 Grignon Street, Green Bay, WI from Google Earth Street View

It was at this stage of his life that he was approached by some cousins asking for his input into their compilation of the Bullen family history. This was his response to them as quoted in the Source Book for the Bullen Family by Nelson and Dunlop: 

 

622 Grignon St., Green Bay, WI

          Oct. 19, 1935

Dear Cousin Eva, 

I was greatly surprised to get a letter from you this A.M. I never knew much of this Bullen family and Mother's brothers and sisters. My father's oldest sister married a Alphous Bullen; Mother was a cousin of hers. In 1860 they lived at Lake City, Minn. They had two girls and a boy, Alida and Alitha and William. Mother said she was a cousin of hers of the John Bullen family. 

Mother was born in Hannibal, N.Y. Her mother was Jane Murdy. Her grandmother and she who was her mother came west from N.Y. and settled in northern Illinois with their people. Her grandfather came later as he was a breeder of fine horses -- bringing some blooded stock. When he to where they were he wanted to see farther west so he hitched up a team and started out. It was the last seen or heard of him. It was always supposed he was killed by the Indians for his team.

Your grandfather David Bullen married Jane Murdy for his wife. Their children were Winslow, Mortimore, David and William, Jane, Mary and Sarah. I only knew but one of John Bullen's children. That was Alpheus. He married Eliza, father's oldest sister. I know nothing of the doings at Kenosha.

Who was this Sylvia? You mention my sister? Her husband's name was Nate Baldwin; her second husband was Joe Janotte. She has one daughter, Mary Madden at Minocque, one in Wausau, Flora Miller, one in Rhonelander, Cyntha, two in Chicago, Reba and one other, three boys in Chicago, Louis, William, Eugene, one boy at Fox Lake, Edgar.

If I live to see the second day of April I will be 77.

It's hard for me to write. Perhaps I am not going to help you much.

If there is anything more than I can help you at let me know. I never hear from any of the Bullens; don't know where they are. Did you want the diagram?.

Your cousin, (Signed) Americus

It was the second paragraph that I have examined most closely over the years as it has posed almost the only information available about my maternal line ancestor Jane Murdy. Thank you for that, Americus!

Americus died a couple of years later at the age of 79 and is buried with his wife at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Coloma, WI.

Photo courtesy Steve Seim of Findagrave.com

Some Resources: 

Nelson, M. and Dunlop, R., Compilers,  Source Book for the Bullen Family; Privately printed in the 1930s, p67

My Parents' Christmas Season Wedding (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025 Week 23 theme: "Wedding Bells")

Some of us seem to buck the June wedding trend in my family. My own two marriages were in the Christmas season; my maternal grandparents were married in December and my paternal grandparents in January. One son married over the Christmas season. My brother and sister-in-law headed to Vegas to get married just before Christmas one year. And my parents Kenneth Lorne Bardahl and Elinor Georgina Anderson were married 27 December 1947. We all seem to prefer our nuptials during the cold dark days of winter.

Ken and Elinor wedding photo

My parents met when my mother went to teach at Jorgenson School in the Leinan district of Saskatchewan, Canada in September 1945. This was about 90 km. from the Lancer area farm where she had grown up. Her teacher training had been obtained at the Normal School in Moose Jaw. 

Dad was farming at the time and no doubt soon noticed the attractive new brunette in the community. He had the job of delivering coal for heating the school and it was joked that, after Mum's tenure, the stockpile of coal left at the school lasted for years! Both of my parents loved to dance and no doubt made a handsome couple on the dance floor from the earliest days of their courtship.  

Elinor Anderson as a young teacher - photo courtesy Reynard Anderson family (no relation)

Ken didn't have a car to take Elinor on dates but he was able to borrow one from neighbour Carl Hjermanrud . It meant walking the mile or two to pick up the car and the same mile or two return walk at the end of the evening but Dad was so appreciative of this generosity. My parents became engaged in the summer of 1947; both were 21 years old. This is from my mother's "wedding book": 

Engaged 16 August 1947 - this and all newspaper clippings would be from The Swift Current Sun

Members of the community made a collection to purchase them a set of silverplate cutlery. This was always saved for "good" and was polished from time to time as required. The chest formed a repository for other small treasures such as the beaded identification baby bracelets that their 4 children wore home from the hospital. 

The wedding occurred on Saturday 27 December at First United Church in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

My mother, never being one for frills and flounces, chose a sensible gray suit for her wedding attire. This was fairly common during and after the Second World War. Yellow roses and a locket from the groom were her accessories.  Her attendants were sisters Kathryn and Eunice. Dad's best man was his friend Marlyn Lovestone. 

The reception was a small one at the home of the bride's parents at 133 Sidney Street West, Swift Current, with sister Helen Anderson, Helen's friend Pat Whelan and the groom's niece Louise Barton acting as servitors. Helen recalls carrying a tray of buns and having one fall off, landing perfectly into the coffee cup of Louise's father Ray Barton. 

Ken and Elinor leaving on their Honeymoon

But the celebrations could not be complete without a wedding dance to follow.

Ken was the farmer and Elinor participated fully with him in farm life during their marriage.

Elinor and Ken holding hands across a wide swath of grain

Their family of 4 children has continued to expand over the years to include many descendants who can be thankful that this couple met and had their Christmas season wedding. 

Ken and Elinor 25th Anniversary 1972

As with most marriages, that of my parents was not without it's challenges. Still, they remained married for life; Dad died in May 1997 just a few months shy of what would have been their 50th wedding anniversary.

Ancestral Connections to University of Cambridge (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025, Week 18 Theme: "Institutions")

My English-born husband punted us on the River Cam on my first visit to Cambridge, England. (Punting is a means of propelling a flat-bottomed boat with a single pole and is definitely a learned art.) The Queen Mother flew in on a helicopter and landed near us, but I felt I was the only Queen on earth that idyllic day! At the time, I didn't realize that I had ancestral lines affiliated with the iconic University there.

Graham Barnard punting on the River Cam 1997 - photos by delighted author from her comfy seat

The University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England is an educational institution associated with at least four members of my Cudworth and Denison families in the 16th to 17th centuries before those families moved to New England. 

1. Ralph Cudworth (1572-1624)

My 9th great grandfather Ralph Cudworth was father of my immigrant ancestor General James Cudworth.

Church at Aller, Somerset
photo by author

Although Ralph had been born in Werneth, Lancashire in 1572, his primary connections are to Cambridge University, the court of King James I and the church at Aller, Somerset. He was considered a brilliant scholar, entering Cambridge at the age of 16 and receiving a BA in 1592, MA in 1596, BD (Oxford) 1610 and DD in 1619. He was a Fellow at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and was also minister at St. Andrew's.

c.1870 by unknown photographer (a couple of centuries after Cudworth's time there!)

 Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. Image taken from original albumen print from a bound album of 58 Cambridge University photographs. album of 58 Cambridge University photographs. Original 19th century album in the possession of Kimberly Blaker, New Boston Fine and Rare Books.

It was his long-time association with Emmanuel College, Cambridge that led to his being awarded his living as rector in Aller in 1609.

Rectors of Aller - Ralph Cudworth STB (Bachelor of Sacred Theology), third from bottom
photo by author

A prestigious appointment occurred in 1603 when King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England after the death of Queen Elizabeth I. Through friends who had contacts at court, Ralph became chaplain to the King. This is the same King James who authorized the new translation of the Bible (1604-1611) generally known as the "King James Version". Although not credited as being directly involved in the translation, one might suppose that as King's chaplain, Ralph would have been in the inner circle of religious leaders involved in the project.

Ralph retained his position at Aller until his death in 1624. He would have been just in his early 50's and left his widow Mary with quite young children. 

2. Ralph Cudworth (1617-1688)

My 8th great granduncle Ralph was one of those young children left fatherless in 1624 on the death of Ralph senior. He had a very illustrious career as a philosopher at Cambridge spanning the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods. He was a leading member of the 17th century theologians known as the Cambridge Platonists. All were educated at Cambridge and drew on the philosophy of Plato. They insisted on the importance of reason in religion and had a relatively tolerant religious outlook. 

In 1632 at the age of 15 he was admitted to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where his father had been a Fellow. He received his BA in 1635, his MA in 1639 and his DD in 1651. He followed in his father's footsteps becoming a Fellow of Emmanuel in 1639 and he remained at Cambridge for life. 

The Civil War (1642-1651) was a major disruptive event during the early part of his career. He preached a sermon to the House of Commons in 1647 and was appointed Master of Clare Hall and Regius Professor of Hebrew. In 1654 he became Master of Christ's College. He managed to keep his appointments and to secure advisory positions in the time of Cromwell and later after the Restoration of the monarchy. Still, his liberal leanings were not in tune with the Church hierarchy after the Restoration. (His brother James Cudworth, my 8th great grandfather, had migrated to Plymouth Colony in about 1632 as part of the Puritan group seeking greater religious freedom, indicative of the family's leanings!)

His only major publication during his lifetime was "The True Intellectual System of the Universe" in 1678. 

A picture of him (engraving) can be found on his Wikipedia page.

He married Damaris Craddock c. 1642 and had several sons and one daughter. Only the daughter (my first cousin 9X removed) survived him - Damaris Cudworth, later Lady Masham. She inherited not only his papers but also his philosophical flair, being a recognized philosopher in her own right. Not much is known of her education but she lived in a home with many books and stimulating conversation. Had she been born a few centuries later, she almost certainly would have attended the University of Cambridge herself. That was not an option for women at the time, She was a close friend of philosopher John Locke and it was this friendship that resulted in the posthumous publication of her father's  "Treatise Concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality" and "A Treatise of Freewill". 

Ralph Cudworth's Magnum Opus
photo by author

Ralph had not finalized the content of these prior to his death and there had been many developments in history and philosophy between his death in 1688 and the publication of his Treatise in 1731. Still, his thoughts were considered relevant decades after his death, perhaps because his philosophy of morality contemplated matters being "eternal" and "immutable". One excerpt from Book I, Chapter II, for example, says:

Wherefore in the first place, it is a thing which we shall very easily demonstrate, that moral good and evil, just and unjust, honest and dishonest . . . cannot possibly be arbitrary things, made by will without nature; because it is universally true, that things are what they are, not by will but by nature. 

3. John Denison (1605-1683)

When my 10th great grandfather William Denison moved his family from Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1631, the only family member left behind in England was oldest son John who had already established his own family there. 

John was the first of the Denisons to attend the University of Cambridge, entering in 1620 at age 15, receiving his BA in 1623-24 and his MA in 1627. He was ordained deacon 22 February 1629-30, priest at Ely 17 March 1632-33, Rector of Quendon 1650 and Vicar of Standon, Hertfordshire until his death in 1670. 

Ely Cathedral where John was a priest 1632-33
Photo by the author 1998

 

John's son Richard Denison was also at Cambridge starting 26 June 1654; Richard held various clerical roles but there is no record of his having attained a degree.

4. Daniel Denison (1612-1682)   

My 9th great granduncle Daniel Denison, older brother to my ancestor George Denison, was attending the University of Cambridge when his father decided in 1631 to uproot the family and transplant them to New England. He recalled Daniel from university to make the move. Daniel had entered King's College in 1625, transferred to Emmanuel in 1626 and received his BA in 1829-30.

In 1632 he married Patience, daughter to Governor Thomas Dudley. (As an aside, one of Governor Dudley's claims to fame relates to his role in the founding of Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Also, in the following generation, Daniel and Patience's daughter Elizabeth married John Rogers who served as president of Harvard.)

Daniel lived from 1632-35 in Cambridge, a town of the same name as the one he had left in England. By 1635 he had relocated his family to Ipswich, Massachusetts. As an intelligent and well-educated man, he played a prominent part in the affairs of the community. For instance, he was a military leader acting as commissioner to negotiate with the French commander at Penobscot in 1646 and again in 1653 and was Major General of the colonial forces for 10 years. He was Assistant Commissioner and sometimes the Commissioner of the United Colonies for about 3 decades from 1653 to 1682. 

He represented Ipswich for several years in the general court, was Speaker of the House for the colony of Massachusetts in 1649, 1651 and 1652, acted as Secretary of the colony and also as justice of the quarterly court.

When he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of Massachusetts's troops in 1675, he was prevented from taking the field due to illness. He died in 1682 and is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Stone for Major-General Daniel Denison in Old Burying Ground Ipswich, Massachusetts
photo credit bmay on Findagrave.com website

Final Thoughts on Connections

Although the Denisons and Cudworths were not related to one another, it is quite likely that the three youngest of these men had paths that crossed at the University of Cambridge in England in the 1620s and 30s. But it wouldn't be until 1859 on the marriage of George Garner Wescott (a descendant of the Denisons) and Sarah Catherine Bullen (a descendant of the Cudworths) that the two family branches connected again in my family tree, enabling me to enjoy punting on the River Cam beside the University of Cambridge which had played such a prominent role in their lives.

Smug grin on author's face captured by Graham Barnard 1997

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some Sources:

• Anderson, Robert Charles The Great Migration Begins 1995, The New England Historic Genealogical Society,  volume 1, pages 521-524
• "Cambridge University Alumni 1261-1900" accessed 21 November 2012 via AncestryLibrary.com
• Cudworth, Dan, "An Autobiography of the Life of Daniel Boyden Cudworth, Jr.", 1993 (copy accessed 1999 in the Scituate Historical Library)
• Cudworth, Ralph, A Treatise Concerning Eternal and Immutable Morality, London, 1731; modern edition, S. Hutton (ed.), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996
• Denison, Daniel, Autobiography of Major-General Daniel Denison, manuscript  to his grandchildren written in 1672, "The New England Historical and Genealogical Register," Volume 46 (1892), pages 127-133 (in the public domain and reprinted in full in the Findagrave.com memorial site 155666707 for Daniel Denison)