Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Richard Godfrey 1735-1825 Lydia Doane 1741

Richard Godfrey
Parents: George Godfrey and Mercy Knowles
Born 1735 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Occupation: Mariner
Married Lydia Doane 23 Dec 1756 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Note: Marriage intention (engagement) announced 4 Dec 1756 Chatham Barnstable, Massachusetts
Marriage record for Richard Godfrey and Lydia Doane
Transcription: December 23, 1756 the marriage covenant was solemnized between Richard Godfrey jr (not sure why it claims Jr., as his father's name is George)  and Lydia Doane, both of Chatham, before the Reverend Mr. Stephen Emery, the Minister of the Gospel at Chatham, as appears under his hand so to me James Covel, Town Clerk
Died  after 1800 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Buried
Sources
North America, Family Histories
Marriage: Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records
Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 and 2
Mayflower Families Through Five Generations; Volume 6 (Stephen Hopkins), John D. Austin, General Society of Mayflower Descendants; Plymouth, Massachusetts; 1992, Page number: entry 425, page 454, child i (meaning first child)
1800 US Census Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
New England Historical and Genealogical Register page 46 Vol 127
Occupation: his son-in-law's estate papers
AGBI
Family Search
ancestry.com


Lydia Doane
Parents: Colonel Joseph Doane and Dorcas Eldredge
Born 25 May 1741 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Died
Buried
Sources
Marriage: Massachusetts Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records
North America, Family Histories
New England Historical and Genealogical Register page 46 Vol 127
Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 and 2
AGBI
Family Search
ancestry.com


CHILDREN
Richard and Lydia's family according to book,
Chatham statistics and Town Meetings


Doane Godfrey
Born 11 Dec 1759 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Military: Private, Revolutionary War, Massachusetts 16th Regiment, Enlisted 8 Sep 1777. He was still there in December.
Married ?
Died
Buried
Sources
Birth: Massachusetts Town and Vital Records
Book: Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 & 2
Military: U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls
AGBI
Family Search
ancestry.com
Joseph Godfrey
Born 11 Jan 1763 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Married?
Died Perhaps died young?
Buried
Sources
Birth: Massachusetts Town and Vital Records
Book: Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 & 2
New England Historical and Genealogical Register
AGBI
Family Search
ancestry.com
Molly Godfrey
Born: 26 May 1766 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Married: Captain Levi Young 25 Mar 1788 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Children: Joseph, Phoebe, Lydia, Eliza, Polly, Levi, Joshua, Richard, Mercy, Asenath

Levi Young and Molly's marriage record
Note: Their marriage intention was published 15 Mar 1788

Note:  Levi, a mariner, died before 14 January 1810, as proven in probate/estate papers.
Molly on 14 January 1810 gave permission for her father, Richard Godfrey, to become administrator of her late-husband's estate. 

Her brothers (James and Benjamin) were also signers on the estate papers. Between them and their father, they had to pay the Judge $4,000 and had to make a full inventory list by 30 April 1810.

The children (Joseph, Phebe, and Lydia, who was not listed among their children prior to this) signed a letter stating they wished their mother to be their legal guardian on 1 May 1810. The letter was also signed by Richard Godfrey, their grandfather.

The problem is that Levi left behind an enormous debt of $1109.55 (the equivalent of $21,615.45 in 2020).  Molly had no means of income that I've found.

26 June 1810, Richard had posted the auction in The Eagle (newspaper) printed in Castine, Maine and given the court a copy. He made sure he had it posted in public for three weeks prior to the auction.


The required court-ordered public post of the auction of Levi's and Molly's belongings

Partial Transcription (couldn't read all of it):
Notice: to be sold at public auction by order of cort at the dwelling house of Molly Young the 25th day of July next at two of the ...in the after noone the estate of Levi Young late of Orrington, deceased, consisting 31 acres of land, half of a good dweling house - wood house with a good well of water under the same and half of a good barne said estate...the county made and is within half  a mile of ... John Brewer

Also at the same time and place will be sold by order of Hon. Jbe Nelson, Esqr, Judge of .... the reversion of widowes dower consisting of half a good house and ...acres land conditions made known at the time and ....of sale


Orrington, April 15, 1814 (signature of Richard Godfrey, Molly's father)
Adjoined to August the seventh at the same place when with her sold to the administrator without ...... (followed by another signature of Richard's)

27 June 1810, Richard petitioned the Judge and claimed the estate was insolvent.

6 February 1812 Richard again petitioned the court stating that after the "widow's third" had been given to the widow (Molly) and everything else sold (land, etc.) there wasn't enough money to pay the claims against the estate. After selling all they could, they only came up with $544.55. 

On 24 March 1812, the petition was granted.
  
Died after April 15, 1814 - since Richard presumably dated the last part of the auction post that way 
Buried
Sources
Birth: Massachusetts Town and Vital Records
Book: Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 & 2
North America, Family Histories
New England Historical and Genealogical Register
AGBI
Maine Wills and Probate Records, Hancock estate files 1790-1915, Images 1827-1848
Family Search
ancestry.com
Captain Richard Godfrey 
Born 20 Aug 1769 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Occupation: Mariner?
Married Mercy Young 15 Feb 1790 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Children:  Doane, Elisha, Richard, Mercy, Lydia, Alva, Phebe, David 

Richard Godfrey and Mercy Young's family

Died 5 October 1827 Orrington, Penobscot, Maine
Buried
Sources
Book: Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 & 2
Marriage: Massachusetts Town and Vital Records
1810 US Census Orrington, Penobscot, Maine
1820 US Census Orrington, Penobscot, Maine
AGBI Vol 64 page 58
New England Historical and Genealogical Register
Death: US newspaper extractions from the Northeast and listed as posted in the Columbian Centinel newspaper, 14 Nov 1827 issue
Family Search
ancestry.com
George Godfrey
Born 23 May 1771 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Married?
Died May have died young
Buried
Sources
Birth: Massachusetts Town and Vital Records
Book: Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 & 2
New England Historical and Genealogical Register page 47 Vol 127
AGBI Vol 64 p 35
Family Search
ancestry.com
Polly Godfrey
Born 12 Jun 1773 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Note:  also seen her name as Paula
Married?
Died
Buried
Sources
Birth: Massachusetts Town and Vital Records
Book: Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 & 2
AGBI page 47 Vol 127
Family Search
ancestry.com
Lydia's headstone
 *
Lydia Godfrey
-H-
4th Ggrandmother

 Born 9 May 1775 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
 Married 1) Isaiah Nickerson 12 Oct 1793 Chatham, Barnstable,   Massachusetts
  Children: George, Ruth, Isaiah, Polly, Lydia         
 2) William Parsons 13 Dec 1807 Massachusetts
 Died 14 Sep 1836 Sangerville, Piscataquis, Maine
 Buried: Knowlton Mills Cemetery, Sangerville, Piscataquis, Maine

 Sources                                             
Birth: Massachusetts Town and Vital Records
Book: Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 & 2
AGBI page 47 Vol 127
Family Search
ancestry.com
Dorcas Godfrey Knowles headstone
Dorcas Godfrey

Born 31 Jul 1777 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Married Dr. Abner Knowles 9 Jul 1795 Eastham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Children: Chloe, Hannah, Narcissa, Dorcas, Mary, Abner, Ruth, Lydia, Jerusha, Eliza, Hezekiah
Died 1846 Dexter, Penobscot, Maine
Buried Elmwood Cemetery, Dexter, Penobscot, Maine
Sources
Birth: Massachusetts Town and Vital Records
Book: Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 & 2
AGBI page 47 Vol 127
Family Search
ancestry.com
Headstone: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/100495530/dorcas-knowles
James Godfrey
Born 15 Aug 1779 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Married Mehitable Swett 2 Dec 1802 Orrington, Penobscot, Maine
Children: Lavina, Mehitable, Elmira, Alfred, George, Patty, Betsey, Alfred, Sarah


Died 15 Mar 1844 Orrington, Penobscot, Maine
Buried: Dean Hill Cemetery, Orrington, Penobscot, Maine
Sources
Birth: Massachusetts Town and Vital Records
Book: Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 & 2
AGBI page 38 Vol 64
North America, Family Histories
Family Search
ancestry.com
Memorial: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/84364345/james-godfrey
Benjamin Godfrey
Born 9 May 1782 Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts
Married Polly Gould 30 Dec 1812 Orrington, Penobscot, Maine
Children: Dorcas, Sarah, Benjamin, Louisa, Anna, James, Cinderilla, Mary

Benjamin and Patty's family

Died
Buried
Sources
Birth: Massachusetts Town and Vital Records
New England Historical and Genealogical Register page 46 Vol 127
Book: Mayflower Births and Deaths Vol 1 & 2
AGBI page 26 Vol 64
North America, Family Histories
Family Search
ancestry.com

No comments:

Post a Comment