Sarah and Rachel married two brothers and moved to Beekman, Duchess County, New York. Mary wed Elias Shavelear and moved to Amenia located in that same county. Could this be where Eunice and John Farr went after they were married?

Richard Adams

Born: 11 APR 1680 in Sudbury, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA

Father: Richard Adams (1651 to 1728)
Mother: Rebecca Davis (1658 to Unknown)

Spouse: Mary Cady (1684 to 1752)

Married: 21 JUL 1709 in Canterbury, Windham County, Connecticut, USA

Children:

Sarah Adams (30 JUL 1710 to Unknown)
Richard Adams (28 JUL 1712 to 1713)
Mary Adams (23 APR 1714 to 26 JUL 1770)
Rachel Adams (27 SEP 1716 to Unknown)
Peter Adams (3 NOV 1718 to 26 NOV 1806)
Jane Adams (22 APR 1720 to 5 AUG 1766)
Richard Adams (25 MAY 1722 to 1773)
Hannah Adams (25 MAR 1724 to 25 DEC 1809)
Eunice Adams (20 FEB 1727 to Unknown)

Died: 3 OCT 1745 in Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut, USA

Burial: South Cemetery, Brooklyn, Windham County, Connecticut, USA

Timeline: no documentation available

Occupation: Unknown

Records:

Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988
Connecticut, Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection)
Connecticut Town Death Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection)
U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current

Variations of Surname: none

Richard’s Wife:

Mary Cady:

Mary was born on 20 OCT 1684 in Groton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. She died on 22 MAY 1752 in Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut, USA.

Mary’s father was Daniel Cady. He was born on 27 NOV 1659 in Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. He died on 4 APR 1736 in Canterbury, Windham County, Connecticut, USA.

Mary’s mother was Mary Green. She was born on 21 MAY 1661 in Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. She died on 11 APR 1736 in Canterbury, Windham County, Connecticut, USA.

Mary had seven known brothers and sisters:

Ezekiel Cady (1686)
Rachel Cady (1689)
Daniel Cady (1692)
Jane Cady (1696)
Ezra Cady (1699)
Josiah Cady (1702)
Eunice Cady (1704)

Daughters:

You may notice that I reversed the order in which I listed Mary and Rachel’s information. This is because Sarah and Rachel married two brothers named Earll.

Sarah Adams:

Sarah was born on 30 JUL 1710 in Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. I do not know when she died.

Sarah married Nathaniel Earll around 1728. There were three known children born during their marriage.

The birth years and places were taken from other family trees. No documents have been found to confirm this information.

Daniel Earll (1729 Pomfret, Windham, Connecticut)
Nehemiah Earll (1741 Beekman, Duchess, New York)
David Earll (1752 Beekman, Duchess, New York)

Nathaniel Earll was born on 28 JAN 1705 in Little Compton, Newport County, Rhode Island, USA. He died on 13 APR 1791 in Cambridge, Washington County, New York, USA.

Did You Notice?

There is an 11-year gap between the births of Sarah and Nathaniel’s three sons. This might indicate that they had daughters born between these dates. Nathaniel died without making a Last Will & Testament which would have listed their surviving adult children.

The names of their three sons came from a letter written by Nehemiah Hezekiah Earll. He was the great-grandson of Nathaniel. You can view a transcript of this letter on Nathaniel’s Find A Grave memorial.

In a letter from Judge Nehemiah Earll of Syracuse dated: July 29, 1861:

“I find that, some time previous to the year 1700 William Earll came from Wales to Rhode Island, and afterward had two sons, Nathaniel and William; that those two sons married two sisters whose maiden names were Adams. They also had another sister, who married a Scotchman by the name of Wheeler

“I am unable to learn what became of William. Nathaniel, sometime after his marriage, settled in Great Barrington, Mass., and had three sons, viz.: Daniel (my grandfather), Nehemiah, and David. About the year 1770, my grandfather emigrated with his family to Nova Scotia. His oldest son, Jonas, was probably married there. He married Experience Sprague. They afterward settled at White Creek, Washington County, New York, and Daniel, Fr., returned to White Creek, and married about 1776.”

About that time, or perhaps a year later, my grandfather and his sons Nathaniel and Robert formed a company and returned (my grandfather leaving the rest of his family in Nova Scotia) to White Creek. In the meantime, my great-grandfather(Nathaniel) with his sons Nehemiah and David, had moved from Great Barrington to White Creek.”

” I have a cousin now living near me. She was the daughter of my uncle Jonas and is now more than eighty-five years of age. She informs me she well recollects her great-grandfather, Nathaniel Earll, and that his son David was about her own age; that her great-grandfather was familiarly called ‘Captain Nat’ by their friends; that he was a large, fleshy man; and that he died about 1790.”

Rachel Adams:

Rachel was born on 27 SEP 1716 in Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. I do not know when she died.

Rachel married Jonathan Earll around 1732. There were nine known children born during their marriage. The three oldest children were born in Pomfret. The other children were born in Beekman, Duchess County, New York, USA.

Elizabeth Earll (1733)
John Earll (1735)
Mary Earll (1737)
Samuel Earll (1739)
Benjamin Earll (1744)
Richard Earll (1746)
Peter Earll (1748)
Ezra Earll (1750)
Jonathan Earll (1753)

Jonathan Earll was born on 7 JUN 1712 in Little Compton, Newport County, Rhode Island, USA. He died in 1786 in Woodbury, Orange County, New York, USA.

The Earll Family:

There are several historical publications that provide information on this branch of the Earll family. As you will notice, they spelled their surname with a double “l” and no final “e”.

The American Genealogist, Volume 25, Pages 247 to 248:

This article shows that Nathaniel and John Earll lived in Pomfret for some time before moving to Beekman. They lived in this area between 1740 and 1760.

The author also noted that some of this information came from the great-grandson of Nathaniel Earll. He was Nehemiah Hezekiah Earll.

The American Genealogist, Volume 38, Pages 175 to 179:

This article provides the lineage of Nathaniel Earll. The author indicates that there were two daughters born to Nathaniel and Sarah. He could not supply their given names or their birth years.

You can view both of these publications on the American Ancestors website with a paid subscription.

Mary Adams:

Mary was born on 23 APR 1714 in Pomfret, Windham Couty, Connecticut, USA. She died on 26 JUL 1770 in Amenia, Dutchess County, New York, USA.

Marry married Elias Shavelear on 1 MAR 1735 in Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. Ten known children were born during their marriage:

Peter Chevalier (1736 Pomfret, Connecticut)
Richard Shevalier (1737 Pomfret)
John Shavilier (1740 Pomfret)
Elias Shavelear (1743 Pomfret)
Hannah Shavilier (1745 Pomfret)
Abner Chevalier (1747 Canterbury)
Mary Shevalier (1751 Amenia)
Martha Shevalier (1752 Amenia)
Solomon Sheveleer(1755 Amenia)
Sarah Shavelear (1756 Amenia)

Elias Shavelear was born in 1712 in St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands. He died on 16 MAY 1808 in Amenia, Dutchess County, New York, USA.

Did You Notice?

Elias and Sarah are the only children with the surname of Shavelear. The other children have a variation of this surname.

In the early years of America, most people could not read or write. On vital records, the church clerics or town officials would spell the surnames as they sounded.

This is considered the Americanization of foreign surnames. The surnames listed above are variations of the French surname, Chevallier.

Biographical Information:

There is an article that was published in 2011 that supplies a very insightful biography of Elias and his family. It appears in The New England Historical and Genealogical Record, Volume 165, Pages 173 to 182. You can view this document on the Internet Archive website.

Jane Adams:

Jane was born on 22 APR 1720 in Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. She died on 5 AUG 1766 in Canterbury, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. Jane was 46 years old when she died.

Jane married David Kendall on 8 FEB 1739 in Ashford, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. Eleven known children were born during their marriage:

Abijah Kendall (1740)
Olive Kendall (1742)
David Kendall (1744)
Phineas Kendall (1747)
Azuba Kendall (1748)
Samuel Kendall (1751)
Peter Kendall (1753)
Daniel Kendall (1755)
John Kendall (1757)
Mary Kendall (1759)
Bethia Kendall (1761)

David Kendall was born on 1 AUG 1717 in Ashford, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. He died in 1807 in Brooklyn, Windham County, Connecticut, USA.

After Jane died, David married Bridget Cady on 5 MAR 1767 in Canterbury, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. No known children were born during their marriage.

Bridget Cady was born in 1728 in Canterbury, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. I do not know when she died.

Hannah Adams:

Hannah was born on 25 MAR 1724 in Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. She died on 25 DEC 1809 in Warren, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA.

Hannah married Josiah Wheeler around 1748. Two known children were born during their marriage:

Rice Wheeler (1749)
Hannah Wheeler (1758)

Josiah Wheeler was born on 26 JUL 1716 in Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA. He died on 22 MAR 1806 in Warren, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA.

Josiah had previously married Zerviah Rice on 6 JUN 1740 in Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA. One known child was born during their marriage:

Zerviah Rice (1741)

Zerviah Rice was born on 23 SEP 1721 in Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA. She died on 21 MAR 1741 in Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA. Zerviah was 20 years old when she died.

There is a publication on the Internet Archive website for the Wheeler family. It is entitled “The Genealogical and Encyclopedic History of the Wheeler Family in America“. The book was written by Albert Gallatin Wheeler and was published in 1914.

Eunice Adams:

Eunice was born on 20 FEB 1727 in Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. I do not know when she died.

Eunice married a man named John Farr on 13 JUN 1744 in Brooklyn, Windham County, Connecticut, USA. Four known children were born during their marriage:

Samuel Farr (1745)
Richard Farr (1748)
John Farr (1750)
Archibald Farr (1752)

False Lead:

There are other family trees that indicate Eunice married this man:

John Farr was born in 1710 in Stow, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. He died in 1763 in Littleton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA.

This information probably came from Tim Farr’s website entitled “Ancestors of Tim Farr and The Descendants of Stephen Farr of Concord, MA & Lidlington, Bedfordshire“.  Clicking on the name will take you to this website page.

Tim also provided this data:

John Farr married Mary Whittemore before 1735 in Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA.

Mary Whittemore was born on 12 JUL 1694 in Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA.

Their son, John, was born on 6 SEP 1735 in Littleton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA.

John Farr died intestate meaning he died without writing his Last Will & Testament. On 24 OCT 1763, a probate record was filed by his brother-in-law, Nathaniel Whittemore. This document indicated that his sole heir was his son.

Eunice’s children were not named in this document. For that reason, I do not believe Eunice married John Farr of Littleton.

The Mystery Remains Unsolved:

My search for information on Eunice’s husband has been unsuccessful.

The surname, Farr, is of Anglo-Saxon origin. John may have immigrated from England or Canada. He was likely born between 1719 and 1729.

I could find no death records for Eunice or John in the New England states. This might indicate that they moved from the area.

As noted above, two of Eunice’s sisters lived in Duchess County, New York. Nathaniel Earll’s descendants lived in Nova Scotia and Washington County, New York.  Mary wed Elias Shavelear and moved to Amenia, Duchess County, New York.

Could it be that Eunice followed her sisters to New York?

Are you a descendant of this family? If you know the answer to this question, please contact me. My email is dlwakenight@yahoo.com. You can also leave a message in the Comments Section of this post.

Notes:

John Adams (1595 to 1633) was the first person with that English surname to immigrate to North America from England. In 1621, John boarded the Fortune. This was the second ship, after the Mayflower, to bring puritans to North America. In late November of that year, the Fortune arrived at Plymouth Colony. John was the progenitor of all the Adams descendants listed in these posts.

Creating Your Family Tree

Interested in building a great family tree? Remember these important steps:

Look in your photo albums. You may have old pictures that your parents or grandparents gave you. Or, ask them for copies of photos that they have in their possession. Many people will write names and dates on the backs of photographs. Letters, diaries, and family bibles are also excellent sources for births, marriages, and deaths.

Talk to your older relatives to find out about your ancestry. They may relate stories about an ancestor that you can add to your family tree. Family history is usually not found in newspapers. It is more of a verbal memory that is passed down from generation to generation.

Find the right family tree builder that suits your needs. You can choose one that has a paid subscription like Ancestry.com. There are also free sites like FamilySearch.org.

When you start building your family tree, add documentation to your ancestor’s profile. The records can include birth, marriage, death, census, military, city, and county directory listings. Any information that you can find will help create a life story about your ancestor.

If you have a unique surname, like Wakenight, you may find databases on the internet that are useful in your search. I use SurnameDB.com for my English surnames. There are many others on the internet for other countries like Ireland, Italy, and Germany.

Genealogy is the study of a person’s “line of descent.” As you create your family tree, you would typically start with one individual and go “back into time.” You would add their parents, grandparents, and so on.  There are also family trees that go “forward into time.”  Many of these family trees start with a famous person, such as a president or royalty, and move forward into the present time.  The purpose of this type of pedigree is to establish a person’s bloodline with that famous person.

There is no limit on how big your family tree can grow. The blank canvas is there for you to use. Cherish your family history, and it will be there for generations to come!