I copied the
following tribute to my great-grandmother, Mary Ella Hazelton Childs, found
amongst her papers passed down to me from my mother, Margaret Edna Beckington
McDougall. You will hear about Ella's accomplishments in the world of genealogy.
It is a tribute, as she is still living at the time. She was born on April 24,
1857 and died on May 1, 1941. I have
framed and hanging on the wall of my study, her certificate for NSDAR which is
mentioned. Although I have had this tribute for a number of years, I had never
really read it thoroughly before. I learned more about my ancestors. AND, I had
not heard the Lamberton and Trowbridge names and am not sure how they
connect. More research to do....
The Normal Training School mentioned later
became known as Roosevelt and was on the campus of what is now Eastern Michigan
University. I graduated from Roosevelt High school. It closed in 1969. My
sisters and I are members of NSDAR through our Beckington (grandfather's side
of the family) Revolutionary Soldier, Robert FitzRandolph. I wrote about him on
a previous blog. Both of my sisters are members of the Ypsilanti Chapter of
which Mary Ella was a member and Regent. I have also re-proven Joseph Hazeltine
and John Noyes as supplements. I am a member of the US Daughters of 1812,
through Roswell Lane and a member of the National Society of Colonial Dames
XVII Century through Nathaniel FitzRandolph.
Spellings and punctuation are as written.
December 16,
1932 - A tribute:
We are paying tribute this evening to one
of our members who has been most active and useful in the Ypsilanti Chapter
since her admission by the National Society. She joined the fifth year of the
chapter's organization with 17 members on the roll, and is still active in the
36th year, with the chapter boasting an even 100 members. A large number of
these members have been admitted thru' her influence and help, and we are most
happy to be permitted to recognize her unexcelled loyalty and devoted service.
Ella Hazelton, daughter of Brooks B.
Hazelton and Sarah Ann Lane, was born in Kalamazoo County, and received her
education in the Allegan High School and in Olivet College. She received her
musical training, studying with Professor Geo. W. Chadwick of the New England
Conservatory of Music and Professor Frederic H. Pease of the Michigan State
Normal Conservatory. While a student at Olivet, she met Carlos W. Childs, also
a student there, and later they were married and she came to her new home south
of Ypsilanti, near Whitaker. The Childs family were prominent in the community,
a school and cemetary [sic] being named for their clan. They came to Ypsilanti
to live in 1889.
Mrs. Childs, early became especially
interested in Patriotic and Genealogical work and joined the D.A.R. in December
1901. Since that time she has served as Treasurer - two years, Secretary -
three years, Regent - two years, Registrar - fifteen years, (and a part of a
term besides) and honorary Registrar for life since 1928. Surely we all agree
that no-one in our chapter can excell [sic] that record. The State Society,
recognizing her outstanding work, have asked for service on State committees
also.
Mrs. Childs' home on Congress Street has always
been a favorite meeting place when the meetings were held at the homes of the
members. The tenth anniversary was celebrated during her regency and at her
home. A paper on "Bravery of the Early Pioneers", was read by Mrs.
Esther Johnson, who is still a member, living in Portland, Ore. The annual
meeting of that chapter year, was also held at her home. During that year, one
meeting was held with the Woman's Club, with papers read on historical
subjects, by D.A.R. members, and later in the year, the Ladies Literary Club
entertained the Chapter, with Mrs. Cleary reading a paper.
During Mrs. Childs' second year as regent,
the grave of Deacon Mason Hatfield a teamster in the Revolutionary War, was
marked in Stoney Creek burying ground. A Colonial Tea, on February 22nd was
held at the home of Mrs. Theodore Jefferson, who was afterward a regent.
Colonial Costumes were worn by many of the 75 guests present. In March, a Prize
Essay Contest was started and at that meeting, Mrs. Jefferson introduced the
subject of a Union Club House, the Secretary being instructed to consult the
different clubs to find out their sentiment in the matter. At the annual in
May, $10 was given by the chapter towards a memorial for the late State Regent,
Mrs. W. J. Chittenden, for Memorial Continential [sic] Hall. At this meeting,
the prizes were awarded to the winners of the Essay Contest; the first prize to
Miss Ruth Coquillard, 8th grad student at the city schools, her subject being
"Colonial Days" and the prize a picture of "Washington Crossing
the Delaware". The second prize was won by Miss Beth Churchill, 8th grade
student at the Normal Training School, her subject being "Benedict
Arnold" and prize, a picture of the "Battle of Bunker Hill". In
June, a paper on the History and Origin of the Ladies Library Association was
read, a paper I think, we would all like to hear now.
Thru' the years following, Mrs. Childs
contributed much to the programes, [sic] giving papers on "Taxation, Stamp
Act, Boston Port Bill" - "History of the Methodist Church" -
"Patriotic Organizations in the United States", She also reported the
memorial exercises held in 1914 in Emily Whittemore Park Cemetery, with 75
present, 20 of whom were relatives and 10 descendents of John Terhune and his
wife, whose graves were decorated. John Terhune is the Revolutionary ancestor
of Mrs. (seems to be a line missing) - (next page starts) chorus of school
children and an address by the late Professor Laird. This account was such a
contrast to one memorial day which I shall never forget, when about eight frail
women's voices sang America, over these graves, and conducted a simple memorial
service there only a few years ago.
Mrs. Childs was admitted to our Society,
thru' the record of Samuel Hitchcock an ancestor of her mothers, Sarah Lane
Hazelton. These papers were signed by Eleanor S. Washington Howard, as
Recording Secretary General, who was a descendent of General Geo. Washington,
also by Eunice Wright Watling as Regent, who was organizing regent of our
chapter, Samuel Hitchcock served as a private from Sheffield, Berkshire Co.,
Mass.
Her first supplemental line admitted was
Joseph Hazeltine (note the later change of name to Hazelton) an ancestor on her
fathers [sic] side. He was a signer of the Association Test at Concord N.H.
The second supplemental line, David
Rhoades, was a son-in-law of Samuel Hitchcock and Sarah Sears, having married
their only daughter, Jerusha, after the war. David Rhoades also served as a
private, in all, for two years and received a pension.
The third supplemental was Capt. John
Noyes, who was commissioned March 17, 1779. Later he hired two men, Jonathan
Sargent and Robert Martin, to go to Portsmouth, for $220, it having been
previously voted that Capt. Noyes should hire two soldiers as cheap as he
could, He also signed the Association Test of N.H. in 1776 and was chosen on
the a committee of safety in 1777.
The fourth line was Roswell Lane, who enlisted
from Farmington Conn. as a private. He served in Washington's own guards, on
the New York and Brooklyn fronts, being at the right of the line of works
during the battle of Long Island; was stationed with the militia brigade under
Colonel Douglas at Kip's Bay on the East River at the time of the enemies
attack on the New York; and was at the Battle of White Plains. A Notable
record.
The fifth supplemental was John Chapman,
who served as private in four different enlistments. These records give Mrs.
Childs six bars in our society.
Mrs. Childs is also a member of several
other patriotic societies and eligible to others she has not yet joined. She has
quite recently joined the Society of Mayflower Descendants thru' the line of
Elder William Brewster and wife, Mary, who came to America on the Mayflower
December 21, 1620, and settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He was called the
chief of the Plymouth Band. Their daughter Patience, became the wife of Thomas
Prence (now Prince) who served sixteen years as Colonial Governor, being the
fourth governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It is thru' this line she can
be a member of the Order of Colonial Governors. She is also eligible to
membership in this order, thru' Deacon Samuel Chapin who was one of three who
were appointed Magistrates to serve while Governor Winthrop of the
Massachusetts Bay Colony was visiting in England for several months.
Another line - Edmund Freeman who came
from Essex Co. England in 1635 on the ship "Abigail" with his second
wife and five children settled in Sandwich, Massachusetts where he was
appointed assistant to the Governor. He brought with him twenty corslettes of
armored plate which he gave to the colony, after finding no place or use for
Knights of Armor in this new land. He was said to be a grandson of Henry the
7th and first cousin of Ralph Freeman, who was Lord Mayor of London when Edmund
came to America. Edmund Freeman's son, Major John Freeman married Mercy Prence
and three of their children, John, Thomas and Hannah, thru' intermarriage, are
ancestors of Mrs. Childs - the Freeman, Mayo, and Sears lines.
Mrs. Childs joined the Founders and
Patriots of America thru' the record of Robert Hazeltine, an ancestor of her
father's. He came to Salem, Massachusetts in 1637 with a company of about 60
families, who were the first settlers of Northeastern Massachusetts. Robert and
his brother John and a William Wilde settled the town of Bradford,
Massachusetts. They built the first homes in the settlement; the first meeting
house; the ministers home; and laid out a burying ground on Indian Hill. Robert
owned and operated the first ferry across the Merrimac in 1655. He acquired
large tracts of land, and died in September, 1674. In his will he gave 10 acres
of upland to Zachary Symmes, Minister, and one acre to the town of Bradford
near the meeting-house.
Roswell Lane, Mrs. Childs maternal
grandfather and a namesake and grandson of one of her Revolutionary ancestors,
served in the war of 1812, at the age of 16 participating in the defense of
Sackett's Harbor near Oswego, New York, in 1814. He received a pension, Thru'
his record, Mrs. Childs has become a member of the 1812 Society.
Captain Ballard Hazeltine of Concord, New Hampshire,
served in the 1st company of Infantry, Eleventh Regiment as Captain, and Mrs.
Childs has a bar for his service in the war of 1812.
She is also eligable [sic] to the Society
of Magna Charta Dames, an organization made up of the descendants of the 17
Barons who signed the Magna Charta. This number was originally 25, but only 17
survived to leave descendants.
Another ancestor of interest is Captain
George Lamberton, who was born in England, married Margaret Lewellyn, and was a
sea captain of a vessel called "The Great Ship". He said from West
Haven, Connecticut in the spring of 1646 and never returned, the ship and all
on board being lost at sea. Master Lamberton left his wife and nine children,
the eldest of whom, Mary, married William Trowbridge, the son of Thomas
Trowbridge of England. William Trowbridge came to America with his brother
Thomas. The Poet, Longfellow, found the record of this sea tragedy in Cotton
Mather's "Americana", which was the first attempt made by anyone to
record early Colonial History. He was inspired to write "The Phantom
Ship" and we close with a reading of this poem by Margaret Beckington,
Mrs. Child's Granddaughter. - Bertha Day Boyce
