The Pye Plate: Ebenezer's Youngest Daughters

Ebenezer Cole’s 5^th child and 2^nd daughter of his first marriage was Ruth. I have been unable to discover very much about Ruth’s short life. She married John Calhoun and moved from the Dorchester area to Hopewell Cape, Albert Co., NB. There were several Calhoun families in Albert Co., descendants of the original settler Thomas Calhoun and his wife Rebecca Peck. Thomas was born in 1738 in Chester Co., PA. He was the son of John Cohoon*, an immigrant from County Donegal in 1714. Thomas was a licensed Indian Trader but later moved to what is now Albert Co., NB to manage a large land grant. He and his wife are considered to be the progenitors of the Calhoun families of Albert Co., some of whom can still be found there. The little info I did run across listed them as Master Mariners and/or Farmers. Some were both. After many years at sea, they would retire to farming in their later years. Shipbuilding, lumbering and mining were other profitable occupations for the residents of this county.

*Another reminder to check all spelling variations for any surname. There was no standardized form of spelling until the late 19^th century.

Hopewell Rocks - Bay of Fundy at low tide

A. Ruth E. Cole (c1800-1826) m. 1820 John Calhoun, Jr. (1795-1843 Bermuda)

1. Ingraham (?-?)

2. Henry A. (1822-1912)

3. Ruth Matilda (1824-1912) m. 1846 James Manford Ayer (1822-1887) - 9 children

4. John (1825-1879) m. Caroline (c1835-?) - 2 children

After Ruth died, John Jr. m. again in 1827 to Mary Brewster. They had one daughter, Mary Ann Calhoun, daughter of James Calhoun, who married (1) Elijah Calkins and 2^nd Squire Rufus Cole.

I haven’t seen it documented but it’s most likely that John was a mariner. He died in Bermuda in 1843 from Yellow Fever. He is, however, buried in Mountain View Cem., Lower Cape, Albert Co., NB.

Then a 3^rd daughter is born was born to Ebenezer and Martha Grace Cole. Martha was born in Dorchester, but as an adult, she moved to the States where she lived with her husband and family.

B. Martha (1805-1890 Portland CT) m. 1824 Caleb Read (1803-1865 Portland CT)

1. Zena Jane (1825-?) m. George Kirkpatrick (1822 Ireland -?) - 3 children

2. John Gideon (1827-1912) m. 1849 Mary Jane Tower (1829-1912) – 7 children

3. Rufus (1829-1918) m. Sara A. (born in Ireland) – 4 children

4. Asa ( 1831-1880 lost at sea) m. Emily Cole (1834-1870) – 5 children

5. Ruth Calhoun (1834-?) m. John Gosmer – 1 child. Since this child was living with his uncle and grandmother in 1870, it is likely that his mother, Ruth Calhoun Gosmer, had passed away before that census was taken.

6. Jane (1835-?)

7. Cyrus (1836-?)

8. Joseph (1939-?)

9. Martin (1841-?) m. Jane Unknown – 2 children

10. William (1843-1847)

11. Bedford (c 1845-?)

12. Bliss (1847-?)

Tidal Bore - Bay of Fundy

It’s unknown just when this family moved to CT, but Martha has been found in the 1860 Federal census for Portland CT. By the 1870 census she was a widow living with her son, Martin, and his wife, Jane. Another son, Bliss, was also living there. He listed his occupation as a quarry worker. In addition, grandson John Gosmer, age 7, was also living with Martin’s family. He would have been the son of Martha’s daughter, Ruth and her husband John Gosmer. Martin’s occupation was listed as a sailor.

Although it appears that all of the Read children were born in NB, I have been unable to locate this family in any 1850 census. Perhaps it was at that time that the family was on the move and hadn’t settled in CT yet for the USA 1850 census and were no longer in NB for the Canadian 1851 census.

There is one more child, Martin, from Ebenezer’s first marriage, which will be the subject of the next blog.

http://albertnb.tripod.com/default.htm

http://albertnb.tripod.com/albhist.htm

http://bayoffundy.com/communities/new-brunswick/albert-county-nb/