I have been fortunate in the exploration of my family history to uncover individuals who bravely faced the British on the Lexington Common and documented others who served in World War I and II, the Korean War and Spanish-American War. I have shared stories about individuals who worked as midwives, farmers, tavern owners, tailors, preachers, teachers, and many who were elected to serve their communities or faith.  

My family tree consists of well over 1,000 individuals and a couple branches extend over 10 generations.  Until now, I never crossed paths with an individual whose actions were so abhorrent that I wish I could just shake from my family tree.  The person that I am referring to is George Mitton, my 10^th great grandfather, who was born 25 August 1617 in Shrewsbury, England and died in 1660 in Falmouth, Maine.

George Mitton was married to Elizabeth Cleeve (1619-1691). Elizabeth’s father, George Cleeve, came to New England in 1630 and in 1632 established a settlement called Casco, later to be named Portland, Maine. George was also commissioned as Deputy President of the Province of Lygonia. A statue of George Cleeve stands on the Eastern Water front on private land in Portland. The statue was not accepted by the city council who claimed, without evidence, that Cleeve may have owned a slave.

The following is the sordid tale of George Mitton and his betrayal of his neighbor Richard Martin, which led to the death of a child and the hanging of Mary Martin. Richard Martin, a destitute merchant, returned to England and placed his daughter Mary in service as a servant to his neighbors, George and Elizabeth Mitton. Mary was 22 at the time and George (29) proceeded to “seduce” her, resulting in her becoming pregnant and later taking the life of her own child. There is no record of George Mitton suffering any consequences for his adultery, the death of his child or actions that led to the death of Mary Martin.

Comments, corrections and and suggestions appreciated.

Copyright © 2020. All Rights Reserved by David R. French.

Recently, I shared a humorous exchange with friends about boys (or families) in the neighborhood who your parents encouraged you to not to hang out with, in this case the Murphy, Reilly and Dugan boys.  What is true today was true in mid-17th century Ipswich, Massachusetts where my 7^th great-grandfather, Joseph Fowler, was known as “a lawless and defiant disturber of the public peace.” (Source: Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts Volume 1)

A brilliant blog post entitled, “Drunkards, liars, a hog, a dog, a witch, disorderly persons and the innkeeper” (Historic Ipswich Blog), notes that “the real trouble-makers in town (were); Joseph Muzzy (a great-uncle), Mark Symonds, Thomas Cooke, Thomas Scott, and especially Joseph Fowler (my 7^th great-grandfather).” I encourage you to read the entire post to get a full picture of Ipswich in the mid-17th century. (Excerpt below)

Those are the words of Thomas Franklin Waters in Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Waters noted that Joseph Fowler was sentenced to pay a considerable fine or sit in the stocks on lecture day, for saying there were seven or eight liars in the church and asking why they were not cast out, and for saying “if one would lye soundly he was fit for the church.”

Joseph Fowler was problematic even in his military training, which was a requirement of all young men in those early days. Waters wrote that “More than once, irrepressible Joseph Fowler was disrespectful to the haughty (General) Denison, and for each offense in 1647 and in 1648, he was summoned to the head of the company, and then and there made humble acknowledgment in such terms as the Major required.”

(Joseph Fowler (b.1626) died on May 19, 1676 at the Battle of Great Falls/Massacre at Peskeompskut (now Turners Falls, Massachusetts) during the King Phillip’s War)

Bonus – The post also tells us about John Bradstreet who was convicted of witchcraft based on claims that he had “familiarity with the devil” and for “bewitching a dog.”  John was the nephew of my 10th g-grandmother Bridget and Joseph Fowler’s cousin.  By the way, Bradstreet was charged with witchcraft based, in part, on testimony provided by —–Joseph Fowler! The dog was hung as a witch (Bewitched Dogs), John escape to New Hampshire.

Comments, corrections and and suggestions appreciated.

Copyright © 2020. All Rights Reserved by David R. French.