Knowltons of Aroostook and later Caribou.
After quite a few years, I find myself still trying to discover the parents of Ansell Knowlton (b 1815 in Aroostook ME). It appears he's of English ancestry and had an older brother named Anson. Any idea how to take a look a the 1790 census or get a look at birth records for that time? I highly suspect that their father was from Dorset England and may have been involved in military action during the 1812 campaigns.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Dunham on
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I think that Ansell is the "Ansil Knolton" living with wife Eliza in Warren, Maine in 1850 in the household of Nathaniel Cushman. An 1855 Cushman Genealogy states that Eliza, daughter of Nathaniel Cushman, married "Anson" Knowlton, 18 May 1843.
The 1860 census shows "Ansell" Knowlton living in Limestone Plantation, Aroostook County, with wife Sophronia, 24, and two young children. In 1870 "Anson" and Sophronia were living in Lyndon (now Caribou), Aroostook County. He seems to have died before the 1880 census.
I believe that Anson/Ansell was the son of John and Charlotte (Holmes) Knowlton of Appleton, Maine. The 1895 Knowlton Genealogy gives them a son named "Hanson," but another son, Nathan, named one of his sons "Anson". (Eaton's Annals of Warren also calls Anson Knowlton "Hanson," and says that he came from Appleton.) According to Knowlton Genealogy, John Knowlton was the son of Thomas and Susannah (Hollis) Knowlton, and a descendant of Captain William Knowlton, who supposedly died during his family's voyage to America about 1632.
It is only conjecture that Anson/Ansel of Warren is the same man as Ansel/Anson of Aroostook County, but the dates do match up. Ansel/Anson of Aroostook County was some 20 years older than his wife, so it is entirely possible that he had married before. And he appears in the census records just after the other Anson/Ansel disappears.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stephen Knowlton on
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Mr. Dunham,
Thank you so much for the keen insight. You've been a wealth of information and have given me a better finishing point than I could have ever expected.
It was Anson/Ansils' son 'Emery P. Knowlton' whom all the current Knowltons on my side are decended. It looks likes this at a glance;
Ansil/Anson --Emery Phillipe--Austin Leroy--Edward Austin- Stephen Edward --Alan Stephen.
I believe you are correct in suspecting that Ansil and Anson might be the same person. In the 1850 census you sited, it appears that Eliza was 13 years his senior (49yr). A little strange considering the times. Perhaps a marriage of convenience ($$). They had no children together. This may have prompted his second marriage to Sophronia which begot Emery from whom I'm decended.
As far as his name goes, I don't find it strange considering all the dialects at the time. Just looking at the Knowlton name,..it seems to have almost a dozen spellings and alterations depending on whom is writing the history.
Hopefully, this will clear things up here in Michigan.
My sincere appreciation and thanks,
Alan S. Knowlton
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You're very welcome. I suppose you'd have to find a document signed in Anson/Ansil's own hand to know how he spelled his own name.
Good luck with your research!
Chris
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Permalink Reply by Angela Picozzi on
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Dear Alan,
I have also decended from Anson. I do have one question though. My grandmother, Irene Esther Knowlton, daughter of Austin Leroy wrote me briefly years ago and stated that Emery's middle name was Peabody. Was she mistaken? I believe Peabody was Sophronia's maiden name. Also, do you have additional information for Sophronia and Amelia Bonney?
Finally, do you know if the Knowlton Homestead is still in the family? Emery Albert passed away several years ago and I never did find out what happened to it after his passing? I believe I visited there a few times as a young girl with my grandmother.
I appreciate any information you have.
Thank you,
Angela
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Greetings Angela,
You are correct, Emery's middle name was Peabody (a typo on my behalf). I don't currently have any information on Sophronia or Amelia, ..charting ones ancestry can be a daunting task and It appears I'm only at the start of it. Hunting down all the men first has been a little easier as their Sir names traditionally haven't changed through marriages. I'll find out what I can and reply here.
As far as the Knowlton Homestead House,..last word was that it suffered from fire damage. I'm unaware if it remains in the family. More than likely it was never repaired and fell into an estate auction. Will check the records and see what I can find.
Cheers,
Alan S. Knowlton
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Thanks Alan! If you don't have any luck with that I can try and get hold of my Aunt Patty (Irene's daughter) she still lives in Caribou. She might now something about the homestead. I do not remember ever hearing about a fire. I hope the 125+ year old homestead did not end up being auctioned off. That is such an enormous chunk of our history! Many of our ancestors being born and dying there....
Yes, charting family history is definitely a daunting task. Consuming much of one's time and patience. I have two children at home (one school age and one toddler) so I do the best I can with what little time I have to spare.
So glad to know I have another cousin out there. Thanks for all your help!!
Ang
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Ang,
I'm making preliminary plans on a trip up to Maine next summer. Will probably be just my younger brother Garrett Lee and myself. Gonna try to find the gravestone of Captain Knowlton (1632) Apparently it was discovered by some trail hikers back in the 1960's.
We'll see how it goes.
AL.
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Permalink Reply by Austin L. Knowlton on
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I'm sorry I'm just discovering this now. Yes the family homestead on the Baird rd in Caribou burned down around 1975-76, when I was three or four years old. There are pictures of my Father and I playing in the yard on a family visit shortly before it burned. My father was Leroy Earl Knowlton, and at the time it burned the farm was owned by my grandfather Arnold Austin Knowlton. Unfortunately most of the land was sold, but my great uncle Emery Knowlton built a house on the corner of the property and lived there until he died. Much of what I know is thanks to his wife Juanita Knowlton who compiled many histories of Aroostook county families. I was up there this past fall. The house Emery built is still there, but unfortunately not in the family any longer. The fields are there still though, and the line fence that was built and maintained by generations of my family.
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That's fantastic!! July is an awesome month for a Maine visit. I usually try to bring the kids up to visit my mom and her side of the family in July. The Knowltons are on my dad's side and although I loved my dad & gram dearly I wasn't allowed much visitation with them due to my parents divorce back in '74 or '75. They have both since passed and I am left with only an aunt and uncle in the caribou area. Oh, and a cousin. Anyways, if my children (mainly the toddler) cooperates I will see if I can find out any info. regarding the homestead and the location of some of the graves durning my next visit.
I hope everything works out and your trip to Maine is both fun-filled and successful.
Take care,
Ang
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say if any of you want to see the Knowlton genealogy ? Including the Royal lines? go to google put in Mayflowerman. search through the site. THe submitter is Thomas KNowlton Gibson . He is related to the Knowltons in THE EASTERN US. Thomas Knowlton Gibson is the person who put this info on the NET. He is a cousin to me . We have a common ancestors. One of my lines goes to Henry 1. For him , one of my Peyton's goes back to him,Thomas is related also to these Peytons. . That Peyton married into the Royals and I have them coming and going and so does he. His ancestors came off the Mayflower . You can excess his Tree on Ancestry.com . Put in Raichard Knowlton and Elizabeth Cantize. the family name on Ancetry is Knowlton Family Tree ,100,000 Names.the father of Richard is Eward or Richard Knowlton and the mother is Elizabeth Peyton/Payton. Ihave thatname on my Pedigree,Peyton. And does anyone know who Susannah Hollis is ? I have Hollis' in a line . Related? coppen122@yahoo.com
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The name Susannah Hollis does seem familiar. I think I ran across it in the Knowltons of England and America book on a free digital library site Chris Dunham linked up to me. Will confirm when I spot it again.
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I believe that Anson/Ansell was the son of John and Charlotte (Holmes) Knowlton of Appleton, Maine. The 1895 Knowlton Genealogy gives them a son named "Hanson," but another son, Nathan, named one of his sons "Anson". (Eaton's Annals of Warren also calls Anson Knowlton "Hanson," and says that he came from Appleton.) According to Knowlton Genealogy, John Knowlton was the son of Thomas and Susannah (Hollis) Knowlton, and a descendant of Captain William Knowlton, who supposedly died during his family's voyage to America about 1632.
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