Jesse "Jake" Knowles 1842 - 1919

Jesse was born August 14th, 1842 at Owensville, Gibson County, Indiana.  He was the son of Ephraim Knowles and Cynthia Kimball.  His maternal grandfather, Jesse Kimball, was one of the pioneers of Gibson County.

Jesse was a Civil War Veteran who fought for the North.  At the age of 19, he enlisted in Company A of the 58th Indiana Volunteer Infantry at Princeton, Indiana on Oct. 9th, 1861  His military records describe him as 5’-10½” tall, dark complexion, dark brown eyes, and dark hair and listed his occupation prior to military service as a farmer.

According to the Regimental History of the 58th Indiana Infantry, Jessie’s military history was as follows:

This regiment was organized at Princeton in Oct., 1861, was mustered in Dec. 17, and left the state for Louisville, where it was assigned to Wood's division of Buell's army and marched through central Kentucky, stopping at Bardstown, Lebanon, Spring Garden and Bowling Green.

It was at Nashville during March and left for Pittsburg landing Apr. 1, reaching the field of Shiloh on the second day. It was engaged in the siege of Corinth, moved into northern Alabama, then to Nashville, thence reached Louisville Oct. 1, and joined in the pursuit of Bragg's army.

In December it marched for Murfreesboro, charged the enemy at Lavergne on the 27th and in the three days' battle at Stone's River it lost 18 killed 87 wounded and 5 missing.

Jessie was wounded at the Battle of Stone River, Tenn. Dec. 31st, 1862.  He sustained gunshot wounds in the right arm near the wrist and in the left leg.  He spent 3 months in various military hospitals, first at Nashville, Tennessee, then at Louisville, Kentucky, and finally at New Albany, Indiana before being discharged for wounds on April 7th, 1863.

After his discharged he took up residence in Gibson, Indiana.  On September 14th, 1865, he was married to Mary Black.  They were married at the home of Harvey Westfall in Wabash County, Illinois.  Mary was born March 6th, 1849 in Mr. Carmel, Wabash County, Illinois. 

While living in Indiana, Mary gave birth to two infants:

Unnamed infant, born September 24, 1866– died young Quincy Edgar Knowles, born in 1867– died young

About 1868 the Knowles family moved to Illinois, where two additional children were born:

          William Schuyler Knowles, born Aug. 5th, 1869 in Keensburg, Illinois – died c. 1948 Rosezella Knowles about 1871 – died young

In the 1870’s census, the family is living in Coffee, Wabash County, Illinois.  No children were listed on the census.  Mary’s sister, Sienda was living with the family.  Jesse is listed as having real estate assets worth $ 3,000 and $ 900 of personal assets.

About 1872, the family came to Colorado by covered wagon.  They passed through what is now downtown Denver, where they considered setting, but, finally decided to push on a little further before buying their property.  They settled in Spring Valley, in Douglas County.  A search of the General Land office records shows Jesse Knowles acquired 40 acres in Section 26, Township 10 south, Range 66 West, in Douglas County.  The post office where they had to travel to get their mail was in Greenland.  The community is now known as Divide, and aside from the old one room school house which is still standing and the little cemetery, about all that is left are a few scattered farms. 

The last four children born after the family moved to Spring Valley, Colorado were:

John Lowery Knowles, born Dec. 30, 1873 – died Jul. 31st, 1900 of a brain tumor Gussie Maranda Knowles, born March 30, 1878 – died Dec. 12th, 1918 of influenza Bertha Knowles, born Jun. 13th, 1880 – died Jan. 1st, 1966, old age Cynthia Knowles, born May 8, 1883 – died Mar. 23rd, 1963

In the 1880 census, the family is living in Douglas County, Colorado.  The family of five now includes John and Gussie as well as Schuyler.  Sienda, now Mrs. Thomas McGuire, is listed in the previous dwelling.  In the 1885 Colorado state census, the family included two additional children, Bertha & Cynthia.  The McGuire family is listed on the same page.

Jesse applied for a Civil War pension for the gunshot wound to his right forearm.  He was granted a pension of $ 6 per month starting on April 2nd, 1888.  He amended his claim to include a gunshot wound to his left leg.  His adjusted pension of $ 8 a month was granted beginning Feb. 16th, 1889.  Additional increases were granted as follows:

          March 1907    $ 12 / mo.     Increase due to being over the age of 62

          May 1912      $ 16 / mo.     Increase due ?

          August 1912   $ 20 / mo.     Increase due to reaching 70 years of age  

          August 1917   $ 24 / mo.     Increase due to reaching 75 years of age

Even though Jesse was disabled, he was still an entrepreneur.  He was engaged in farming his land.  He added a sawmill and supplied lumber to residents of Spring Valley.  In 1894, he and Newton Alderman opened the Spring Valley cheese factory.  In 1902 he joined J.W. Higby as part owner of the Higby Mercantile company located in Monument, Colorado.

In 1902 he was appointed Justice of the Peace for precinct 2.  He is credited as helping to “save the Spring Valley school from the ravages of fire and through whose efforts the organ was procured for the school, contributed much to this Spring Valley settlement.”

The family made their home in Spring Valley until 1905 when they moved to Orchard Park in Canon City.  There, Jesse owned one of the most successful fruit and vegetable ranches in the area.  Jesse was a member of GAR Greenwood Post 10, Canon City (Grand Army of the Republic).  

They lived in a large stone house which was the only house of more than one story in Orchard Park.  Both met their deaths in this home, Jessie died on Feb. 27th, 1919 of pneumonia and Mary died on Sept. 25th, 1915 of stomach cancer.  They were buried in Lakeside Cemetery in Canon City.

Jesse was described as “a man of large stature stern appearing, but having a weakness for co-signing almost anyone's note and it was his wife who was always expected to house and feed the traveling preachers who often stopped by their little community in Colorado.”

Thomas Sleeper - Immigrant ancestor

Thomas Sleeper, was born in England about 1616. He was an early immigrant to New England sometime before 1640.  After sailing from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Thomas probably spent a bit of time in the Boston area before settling in Hampton. 


Thomas was a weaver, a trade he learned in England. There weavers were members of an important craft guild. Woolen goods made up two-thirds of England's exports, and cloth became the basis of England's wealth.  Apprentices had to be approved by the guild; their apprenticeship was for seven years. Most weavers built their own looms. 

After immigrating to New England, weavers would work their trade until they had the means to buy land.In New England, it was much easier to earn money by farming, than by weaving. Their primary occupation became farming; weaving was secondary. A weaver might weave in the off-season or have an apprentice or employee work the loom. Thomas after acquiring land near Hampton, became primarily a farmer. 


Like other New Englanders of his day, Thomas was a Puritan, a reformer. He probably left England because he was persecuted in England for his religious beliefs. New Englanders were required to attend Church weekly.  Each frontier settlement had its own autonomous church. Each church hired its own pastor and ran its own affairs.  Church members would meet periodically to decide matters for the local church, each member had equal vote.

The Congregational Church of Hampton,
founded in 1638 by Rev. Stephen Bachiler
and his followers.

The Hampton Congregational church is said to be the oldest in New Hampshire—it was organized by a group of parishioners prior to settling Hampton in 1638. They were led by Oxford University graduate Reverend Stephen Bachiler. It is unknown whether Thomas knew his fellow Hampton residents before settling in Hampton. 

Town records show that Thomas Sleeper received a land grant in 1640, which was probably a town home lot perhaps as large as 10 acres. In 1646 he was listed among the freemen who received shares of the Common, having received 1 share. His first home was near the current day Jesse Lamprey place off Winnacunnet Road. 

In 1657 Thomas bought house and land in Haverhill, Massachusetts (20 miles south of Hampton). If he moved there, it wasn't for long; he sold the land in October that same year which required his wife Joannah's consenting. 

In 20 June, 1660, Thomas bought land in Hampton from Nathaniel Bachiler. His land is on what is now known as Shaw's hill, on the road to Little River in the easterly part of town. From him and his descendants that part of town became known as "Sleepertown," later corrupted to "Sleepytown."  His land had a natural spring on it.

After settling on this property, Thomas must have grazed his livestock on his own land. The inventory of the Shares in the Cow Common  taken on March 23, 1663, shows Thomas had sold his original share to Henry Dow, and a second share that he had acquired from William Moulton to John Brown.

In 1658, Rev. Seaborn Cotton was ordained as an minister of the Hampton Congregational church. There are no surviving records of the church kept before this time.  Cotton's descendants transcribed his surviving papers;  Goodwife Sleeper was among those he had ministered.

Rev. Seaborn Cotton left a list of all members in full communion as of the 18th of September, 1671, it included Thomas Sleeper among the males and Goodwife Sleeper among the females. At the church meeting in 1664, the voters decided two males would to sit in the gallery with the children to maintain order, Thomas Sleeper and John Redman were selected to alternate with John Brown and William Fifield.

Although the inhabitants of Hampton suffered less than other New England towns, they lived in constant fear of Indian attacks. In November 1675, there was a plot to burn Thomas Sleeper's frontier home. The story goes that an Indian was seen passing from the barn, towards the house, with fire in his right hand.  Someone from the house shot at him and he immediately fell. The Sleepers feared an ambush and stayed put in the house.  In the morning there was no trace of a dead Indian, only the remains of the fire. 


In 1677, Thomas Sleeper was among 4 chosen to serve on the grand jury for the upcoming year.  In 1680 Thomas Sleeper's name was on the list of Hampton voters; these voters were required to have previously taken the Oath of Allegiance. 

March 2nd, 1683 Thomas Sleeper along with a number of other Hampton residents signed a petition requested that the head tax be eliminated for citizens over the age of 70. "being past our labor and work... willing our estates should pay their proportion to all public charges, but we humbly crave our heads may be spared, since our hands can do so little for them." 

Thomas died in July 30, 1696. He was probably buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, although there is no stone. After his death, his family removed to the newly incorporated town of Kingston. 

According to Clarence A. Torry, in his New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Thomas was married to Joanna Lee? date unknown.  According to Charles Henry Pope, in The Pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire, 1623-1660, his first wife was named Jemina, and his second wife Joannah. Many researchers have stated Thomas' first wife was named Elizabeth.  I won't speculate on if he had a first wife or what her name was.

But it is certain that he had a wife named Joanna. She is famous for having testified against Goody” Eunice Cole in her first witchcraft trial. “Goody” Eunice Cole is Hampton's most famous resident; the only woman in New Hampshire tried for witchcraft. For years, the people of Hampton gossiped about their neighbor, Goody Cole. On at least three occasions, her neighbors brought her to court claiming Goody’ Cole of "Familiarity With the Devil".  During the 1656 trial Thomas's wife, Joanna Sleeper aged 33 testified about two incidences that she witnessed.

The first was about a cat that afflicted Goodman Wedgewood hours after he had been visited by Goody Cole. On 4 September 1656 she testified she saw cat torture Goodman Wedgewood in his sickbed on the same evening that Goodwife Cole had been there earlier in the day. 

On October 1656, Goodwife Moulton and Goodwife Sleeper testified that they had been
talking about Goodwife Cole when they heard mysterious scraping noises outside the window but when they checked there was nothing outside the house to would have caused the noise.

Joanna died in Kingston on February 5, 1703 at the age of 80 years. She was buried in Hampton near her husband. 

Thomas Sleeper's children were: 

• Elizabeth b. 1646 in Hampton (m. 1-Abraham Perkins, 2-Alexander Denham, 3-Richard Smith)
• Mary b. 1647 in Hampton, (m. Gershom Elkins)
• Ruth b. 1650 in Hampton (m. Aretas Leavitt)
• John b. 1652 in Hampton (m. Hannah Shaw)
• Noemi, b. 1655 (m. Timothy Blake)
• Moses b. 1656 in Haverhill, 
• Aaron b. Feb. 1661 in Hampton (m. Elizabeth Shaw)
• Luther b. 1668.

Sleeper stone at Founder's Park

Hampton Founders Memorial park

Hampton has a small triangular-shaped park dedicated to the Founders and early families of Hampton.  At the center of the park is a huge 12-ton boulder with a plaque is dedicated to "a little band of pioneers under the leadership of Rev. Stephen Bachilder."

43 Smaller stones representing the early families of Hampton are planted around the perimeter of the Park. This is the Sleeper family stone.

My relationship

Thomas Sleeper 1616-1696                                9G-grandfather

Aaron Sleeper 1660-1732                                   8G-grandmother

Elizabeth Sleeper [Young] 1683-1745                  7G-grandmother

Daniel Young 1710-1750                                    6G-grandfather

Hannah Young [Roberts] 1740-1815                   5G-grandmother

John Roberts 1776-1851                                    4G-grandfather

Margery Roberts [Donegan] 1811-1848              3G-grandmother

Rhoda M Donegan 1840-1920                            2G-grandmother

Frank Wilbur McDowell 1877-1960                      Great-grandfather

Bertha McDowell [Reppel] 1906-1963                 Grandmother

Roger Shaw - 10th great grandfather

Roger Shaw (1600-1661)

10th great grandfather

British Origins

Gawsworth Church

Most researchers speculate that Roger Shaw, was the son of Ralph Shaw, was born on 26 Aug 1594 and baptized Sep 1, 1594 at St Peter Upon Cornhill in London, England. On December 31, Dec 1618, a Roger Shaw married Anne Smyth  at St. Mary Somerset in London, England. But is this our Roger Shaw?  

Research by Edgar J. Shaw published in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, states our Roger Shaw was born in Cheshire, England near the village of Congleton around 1600.  Baptismal records for four of his children were found in the parish records of Gawsworth, Cheshire, namely Margaret (1626); Mary (1629); Ann (1632) and Joseph (1635). 

Gawsworth is a 3 1/2 hour drive by car north of London.

Cambridge, MA

Harvard/Cambridge 1836

Cambridge is situated on the north bank of the Charles River, opposite Boston. It was called Newetowne until 1638 when it was renamed  for Cambridge, England. Newtowne was laid out in an orderly grid of streets (a first for New England). Each family owned a house lot in the village, planting fields outside, and a share in the common land. Boston was eight long miles and a ferry ride away. 

Soon, Newtowne had a meetinghouse, a school, and a marketplace. In 1636, the Newe College (now Harvard) was founded to train young men for the ministry and positions of leadership within the godly community.

Sometime between 1635 and 1638) the Shaw family migrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  The first record in New England was the birth of his daughter Ester in 1638. His second son Benjamin was born in 1641. His daughter Mary died in Cambridge in 1639, but another daughter who they named Mary was born in 1645. 

The Shaw family settled in Cambridge. Roger bought a house, garden and 1 ½ acres of land in Cambridge from John Knight on 21 September 1639. He bought or obtained additional acreage so that when he was made a Freeman (1639), he owned more than 200 acres of land and had build a house on the south side of Arrow street. He must have joined the Church as it was a prerequisite for becoming a Freeman. Being a Freeman gave him the right to vote in local elections.

Roger became active in service to his town. In 1639 he served on a Jury. He served as the town clerk in 1640. He served as a selectman in 1641, 1642, 1643, 1645. Selectman were elected in town meetings to administer local government.

The Puritan fathers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony did not countenance opposing views; their colony was s a theocracy that brooked no dissent, religious or political.Although they left Europe in order to obtain religious freedom they did not tolerate any other form of religion. Many dissenters left the Massachusetts Bay Colony for Rhode Island and New Hampshire.  Perhaps Roger had become disenchanted with his new community for her soon left for New Hampshire.

Hampton, NH

image courtesy of Hampton Historical Society

Hampton was first called Plantation of Winnacunnet, Indian name for "pleasant pines". Long before the British arrived in 1638, Native Americans, had fished in the river and planted corn and beans in the rich meadow lands. Winnacunnet was  chartered by the General Court of Massachusetts on October 14,1638. 

In 1639 Rev. Stephen Bachiler arrived in Winnacunnet with a  group of settlers, and begin building the settlement. Due to some indiscretions, Bachiler was forced to leave the town, however, he is credited to have renamed to town Hampton. One fun fact, Hampton was the only town in New Hampshire to bring women to trial for witchcraft.

In 1640 Roger purchased land and a house in Hampton from John Crosse Sr. In 1648, Roger sold his holdings in Cambridge and moved the family to Hampton. He settled on the land he had purchased from Crosse. It is believed the Roger received an additional grant of land from the town. (The house was enlarged and improved by his son Benjamin and grandson Edward and was used as a garrison. It was torn down in the 1850's.)

In it unknown when Roger's wife Ann died and if in Cambridge or in Hampton, but in 1650, when seats in the new meeting house were being assigned, a seat was set aside for an unnamed wife suggesting Ann was no longer living. 

In Hampton, Roger again was in active in service to his town. He served as Representative to the General Court from 1651 - 1653. He was elected as a Selectman in 1649 and 1654. In 1651 he was appointed as "Commissioner for Trying Small Cases"; and in 1658 to a committee to review highways. He was made Constable for Hampton Oct. 1654.

About 1657 the town chose a committee consisting of Roger Shaw, Robert Page and Thomas Marston "to attend to the business of accommodating the minister both with housing and land his dwelling to be repaired at the towns expense."

Sometime in late 1653, Roger married Susanna Stoddard Tilton widow of William Tilton.

On February 8, 1654, the couple sold William Tilton’s land in Lynn including 2 acres and a house purchased from John Wing, three acres on Sagamore Hill, four acres of marsh, and a 12 acres planting lot. Poor Susanna died the following year and Roger never married again.

The money from the sale of William Tilton’s land went to his step children. In Apr. 1660 Roger gave 15 acres in Hampton and 5 acres of salt marsh to her son Samuel Tilton. According to Rogers probate, he had promised Samuel Tilton, her eldest son, £30 at age 21 and Samuel acknowledged receipt of the funds. He promised £10 to her youngest son Daniel Tilton which Roger’s executor, Joseph Shaw, paid to Daniel’s guardian, Samuel Tilton. 

Roger passed away on May 29, 1661 in Hampton at age 76, leaving two sons Joseph and Benjamin, and four daughters. In his will dated August 25, 1660, codicil dated March 20, 1661, probated in 1661, left bequests to sons Joseph and Benjamin, daughters Margaret Ward , Ann Fogg, Hester, and Mary; step-sons Abraham and Daniel Tilton.

 

Children

1.    Margaret baptized at Gawsworth July 4, 1626; married Thomas Ward by 1651. 

2.    Mary baptized at Gawsworth November 8, 1629; died in Cambridge, Massachusetts on January 26, 1639/40. 

3.    Ann baptized at Gawsworth April 22, 1632; died Dec. 9, 1663, at Hampton; married Samuel Fogg of Hampton December 22, 1652. 

4.    Joseph baptized at Gawsworth, Nov. 12, 1635; died at Hampton Nov. 8, 1720; married Elizabeth Partridge Jan. 26, 1661/2. 

5.    Esther born at Cambridge, Massachusetts in June, 1638; living in August, 1660, when she was named in her father's will. 

6.    Benjamin born in Cambridge July, 1641; died at Hampton December 31, 1717; married Esther Richardson on May 25, 1663

7.    Mary Shaw born in Cambridge Sept. 29, 1645; married Thomas Parker by January, 1668/9. 

Hampton Founders Memorial park

Hampton has a small triangular-shaped park dedicated to the Founders and early families of Hampton.  At the center of the park is a huge 12-ton boulder with a plaque is dedicated to "a little band of pioneers under the leadership of Rev. Stephen Bachilder,".

43 Smaller stones representing the early families of Hampton are planted around the perimeter of the Park. This is the Shaw family stone.

My relationship

Roger Shaw 1594-1661                                      10G-grandfather

Joseph Shaw 1635-1720                                     9G-grandfather

Elizabeth Shaw [Sleeper] 1664-1708                  8G-grandmother

Elizabeth Sleeper 1683-1745                              7G-grandmother

Daniel Young 1710-1750                                     6G-grandfather

Hannah Young [Roberts] 1740-1815                   5G-grandmother

John Roberts 1776-1851                                     4G-grandfather

Margery Roberts [Donegan] 1811-1848              3G-grandmother

Rhoda M Donegan 1840-1920                             2G-grandmother

Frank Wilbur McDowell 1877-1960                      Great-grandfather

Bertha McDowell [Reppel] 1906-1963                 Grandmother