Surnames and Lots of Other Places that aren't Rehoboth, Mass.

In my last posting I listed out all my surnames that originated (at least once they moved to America) in Rehoboth, MA. One day soon I'd like to visit that town.

Anyway, so below is a list of my other surnames, I like to think of them as "Not-from-Rehoboth-Surnames":

AKINS - the farthest back I have them is the 1800s in Lockwood, NY. They are a brick wall for me.

BROWN - first lived in Swansea, Mass, don't have much on them at all, the name comes from a wife

CHURCHILL - first lived in Wethersfield, CT. Lots of old genealogies try to link my Josiah Churchill to the famous Churchill family but I'm not buying it

COLLINS - first lived in Boston, then moved to Walllingford, CT, came from Herford, England

DOMELLE - immigrated in the 20th century from what was NagyOsz, Hungary (now in Romania) and moved to Lake Village, Indiana

ENSIGN - first lived in Hartford, CT. Some old genealogies try to prove a link to nobility with this one, but again, I'm not buying it.

FIENES - this was a maiden name for the mom of the wife of the first Bliss of mine that came over. Family was from Maiden Newton, Dorset, England

FOOTE - lived in Wethersfield, CT, came from Shalford, Essex, England and Royston, Hertfordshire, England

GEORGE - lived in Braintree, Norfolk, Massachusetts, have little because it was a wife

GIBBS - 1800s in Waterloo, Seneca Co, NY, have little because it was a maiden name

KINGSBURY - another maiden name of a family that first came over, they came from Dedham, Norfolk, England, but that's all I have right now

KIRBY - lots of brick walls in NY in the 1800s - another maiden name in Waterloo, Seneca, NY that comes from who knows where

LYNN - darn those maiden names, it's so hard to prove who the parents were in so many cases! This one was in Connecticut.

MIX - originall in New Haven, CT, then moved to Wallingford, CT, then NY - the cause of all my mysterious maiden names in NY. I know the first Mix came from London, but that's it.

OBENDORFER - married to the Domelle above, so was in Lake Village, Indiana. all I know is that she said she was born in Vienna and that's it!

ROCKWELL - lived in Windsor, CT, came supposedly from Fitzhead, Somerset, England

ROYCE - lived in New London, CT, came suppsedly from Martok, Somerset, England

STEVENS - another maiden name who married a Mix, I got nothing - 1800s in Greene, Chenango County, NY

TROWBRIDGE - lived in Boston, New Haven, CT, Branford, CT. Supposedly came from Devonshire, England

TURNER - like the Mix, I only know he came from London. First lived in Lynn, Massachusetss, then founded New Haven, CT

WHEATLIE - a maiden name of one who came over - is supposed to be from Maiden Newton, Dorset, England


And those are all my surnames to the point of emigration or immigration, whatever you want to call it!!

Center Street Cemetery, Wallingford, CT

Last August I was fortunate enough to have a chance to visit Wallingford Connecticut. It's a small town not far outside of New Haven Connecticut. Ancestors of mine (plus others) that lived in New Haven ventured out a little North-ish and founded Wallingford near the Qunnipiac River. The name Wallingford came from a town of the same name in England. The town was incorporated in 1670 and the Center Street Cemetery was established in 1683.


I read some newspaper articles just now (first one, second one) that later in the same month that I was there some vandals toppled and broke some stones as old as 200 years old. The town believes they have successfully repaired them though, and celebrated the 325 year-annivesary of the cemetery by dressing up as famous people who are interred there. I wish I could have seen that!

My direct ancestors who were part of the founding of Wallingford were Daniel and Ruth (Rockwell) Mix. Unfortunately I couldn't locate their headstones in the cemetery - some of the really old one's are long gone or completely illegible. I was also shaking my fist at the beautiful blue sky and sun we had that day because it was in the exact wrong place for my photos of gravestones to show up nicely. Oh well!!! Such is life.

There was a handy-dandy listing of the oldest or most famous people who were buried there:



I kind of like the style of the older grave markers you see. You'd see hearts and skulls and winged moons(?) suns(?) and sometimes foreboding quotes at the bottom like: "Prepare for Death & Follow Me".

gosh.

Here's a couple pics to give you the flavor: