The Search of my First American Veteran

I am the 7th great granddaughter of Captain Thomas Taber. His first marriage was to Esther Cooke, daughter of Mayflower passenger, John Cooke (my 8th great granduncle). His second wife, my 7th great grandmother, was Mary Tomson (Thompson). She was the granddaughter of Francis Cooke, Mayflower passenger, signatory of the Mayflower Compact, and my 9th great grandfather. All 13 of his children and their descendants have a Mayflower connection! But this is not about my Mayflower connection as wonderful as that is.

In honor of Veteran's Day, I had decided to go back in the tree and talk about my 6th great grandfather, Henry Strunk who was a Revolutionary War veteran. Something tugged me to go back a little further. I knew Thomas Taber was a Captain, but all of my research was leading me down dead end paths. Until today.

Captain Thomas Taber was quite a man. In 1673 when he's married Mary Tomson, he was the surveyor of highways in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. In 1678, Dartmouth held its first town meeting since the beginning of the King Philip's War. It was about this time Thomas builds a "stone ender" house for his ever growing family. The house was 16 feet by 20 feet and was home for Mary and himself along with their 13 children. Can you imagine 15 people under one roof of that size? 

The photograph above is an etching of the what the house would have looked like in 1678. The photograph on the left is what remained until the late 1800s. Today next to 191 Main Street, are of the fairplace remains. 

In 1673, Thomas was a surveyor of highways of Dartmouth. Only someone with a higher education, even then, would hold such a position. It was very likely he would have been a Lieutenant in the Militia at the time of the King Philip's War due to his knowledge of the surrounding highways and paths. This was the  first of a series of American-Indian (or Colonial) Wars. 

By 1679 he was the Town Clerk. In 1685 he began an eight term career as a selectman in the Town of Dartmouth, Fairhaven Village.  On 20 May 1690, he was commissioned Captain after the King Philip's War. He was deputy in 1693.

Captain Thomas Taber had been a prominent land owner, surveyor, Selectman, deputy and militia captain. He is my first American veteran and ironically enough, died at the age of 84 on 11 November 1730. The date would become, some 189 years later, declared Armistice Day by President Wilson.  

The Wait is Over!

It had been a 72 year wait.  Actually, only ten but it certainly felt longer.  Every genealogist, whether an amateur or a professional had been waiting for that day for years.  The 1940 census was now public.

At first, it was as hard as Obama's affordable health care site. But once traffic slowed, it has proven to be a fantastic tool.

I have found my dad's side of the family who had dodged the census enumerator in 1930. By 1940, Dad and his family had moved from the house he was born in to the house a block away were he'd grow up in. He's also bring his young family into the home to help care for his grandparents. I remember those days fondly. It was also before my grandfather changed careers from the steam railroad to the steel plant, a man I never knew but I'm learning more with each discovery! My love of books and the printed word comes naturally, Grandma was a bookbinder!

I found Mom and her family easily enough. They lived on Orchard Park Road. Once I had the address, I Google mapped the address, hit street view and was able to see the actual house Mom lived in when she was 5. I was even able to recognize neighbors names from stories told in my younger years. Tell me technology isn't a great thing!

It was also the year of Grandpa's hooker (he was a crane operator). Imagine my shock to find out my grandfather had a hooker!

While it's been over a year since the 1940 census came out, I'm far from finished piecing together my family's story. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not anxiously waiting for the 1950 census to become public in 8 years!

Memories in Photos

I believe the phrase, "A picture is worth a thousand words" accurately expresses my thoughts whenever I get a photograph from the past.  It's like an unexpected gift.   

A couple years ago when I came home from work, my daughter handed me the mail which included a Christmas card from my cousin, Donna.  Inside was a black and white, 5 x 7 photograph of our great grandparents 50th wedding anniversary.  

With this picture, I have some clues about my family.  First things first, I'm wondering were dad got his height genes.  I never met his father but I understand he was a tall man for his generation at five feet ten inches tall. It is pretty obvious I otherwise come from a family of short. By the way, my grandfather is not in the shot, he's behind the camera.

Judging by the fashions, they fared pretty well during the depression. I don't have the month they were married but I would guess the spring. The fresh flower corsages lovely.

It is also had to tell but Old Grandpa's left arm was taken in an accident at work. He was a watchman for the South Buffalo.

Regardless of whether I have learned something new about a long ago photo, I love to gaze at them wondering what life was like back in the day.