Ministers –

Old Burial Hill and Rev.Walton

Susannah — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 20:47:01 +0000

Last fall, on my history tour, I went in search of Old Burial Hill in Marblehead, Massachusettes. Through my Grandfather, Alfred Balentine, I descend from Rev. Walton, the first minister here in Marblehead’s first church. Although this is a line specific to my Grandfather, I feel it is also notable to my Grandmothers side as well. Besides looking for Rev.Walton, the area is littered with Grammy’s people; Whipples, Lane, Putman, Porter, Hawthorne (and I know I’m missing someone). I find it interesting that these people may have all belonged to the same church or at least knew of each other.

Rev. William Walton came to serve as minister in 1638 and served until he passed in 1668. His daughter Elizabeth married the son of Salem’s first Governor, Lot Conant. After Lot and Elizabeth married, they headed to Bridgewater,Mass to make homestead.

Marblehead Historical Society as a very nice collection of facts for you here.

Arriving in the harbor area of Marblehead, one finds narrow stonewalled streets. There are signs calling to you that show you where to find the Burial Ground. The original burial ground and church site are preserved on the original site.

There is a steep but wonderfully maintained stair leading you up to the grounds.

Once you climb to the top, the area is filled with headstones. Most are quite old. And you could easily spend an entire day here reading and searching for ancestors.

The main architechural feature is the Gazebo.

The gazebo contains this bench upon which to sit and allows you to take in the breathtaking views.

I could only imagine what these views looked like before the harbor village was built.This is what you see from inside the Gazebo, where the church once stood.

There area a lot of war heros buried here.

I looked everywhere for the official sign and found it on the stone side of the gazebo.

Imbedded into the stone, it rested nicely.

And I was very happy to find one more connection to my family’s past.

Rev. Walton, my Great,Great,Great,Great,Great,Great,Great,Great,Grandfather has his church site remembered. They say he was buried here as well but no headstone remains for him or his wife. At least I know I am in the right cemetery and in the right spot to celebrate where his church stood.

(Hey Grammy! I found another cool thing in Gramp’s past, whether he wanted me to look or not! I did what you said and found his past anyways whether he liked it or not…lol…I know this makes you giggle and smile.)

My Lineage

Me > Ruth Balentine b. 1939 >Alfred Balentine b. 1919>Laura Whitman b1895. >Charles Whitman b. >Elijah Whitman b. 1762 > Nicholas Whitman b. 1731 > Mary Conant b. 1694 > William Conant b. 1665/6 > Elizabeth Walton b. 1629 > Rev. William Walton b. 1601

Marblehead

Susannah — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 19:24:16 +0000

No, not a driveway, this is one of the roads that line the neighborhood of Marblehead village. I have never seen roads lined with stone walls. I was quite impressed.

My search for Rev.Walton took me to Marblehead, Massachusettes. What a beautiful town!The streets are lines with gorgeous old homes that I have seemingly stood for hundreds of years.

Lawns are speckled with well tended gardens, outlined with fences and stone.

Being a harbor town, the ocean is readily available for viewing. The sound of the water fills the air as well as the seagulls that inhabit the shoreline.

Impressive are the homes that sit amongst the rocky shore and pines.Homes are sites with such reverence for the land.

I have never seen stone walls as impressive as these.

Some of the roads were very narrow as they wound through rows of old homes.

From a great height I was able to take this photo of Marblehead village and harbor. Isn’t this amazing? I want to live here!

It is certainly one of my very favorite towns to visit. And can you see the gravestones in the bottom right hand corner of the photograph? They are what brought me to Marblehead, which I explain in my next post.

Old Burial Hill

Susannah — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 01:25:47 +0000

I am putting together my summer Family History Tour. Another place I have chosen is Marblehead, Mass. I descend from Rev. William Walton and his daughter Elizabeth. Old Burial Hill is the location of his church. I am excited to check out the location for myself. I looked at photos online and it is so incredibly picturesque. I can’t wait to go. They have a great website with lots of information.

http://www.oldburialhill.org/

There is the website. Please take a look. They have an index of gravestones, which is very helpful. I don’t see Walton on the list but then I don’t see anyone mis 1600’s. But I do that this was the site of his church. It will be very exciting to stand on that site.

My Lineage to Rev.William Walton

Rev. William Tompson, Braintree, Ma

theallengazette — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 05:13:34 +0000

William, of Braintree, had been matriculated at Brazen Nose College, Oxford, 28 Jan 1620, at the age of 21, but his degree is not found in the Fasti; had been a preacher in Winwick, a parish of his native Lancashire before he came to New England in 1637 with his wife Abigail and some children. He was engaged first at Kittery or York, but after the church was institituted at Braintree 17 Sep 1639, was ordained there along with Rev. Henry Flint 19 Nov 1639. He was freeman 13 May 1640. His wife died while he was absent on a mission with Rev. John Knowles and Thomas James to Virginia. In 1640 he was granted 120 acres. He was made freeman 1656, but ‘fell into the Devil’s bath.’ as the Magn. III. cap. IVII. calls his state of melancholy, and gave up his public ministry seven years.

Rev. William Tompson (m. Abigail Collins 1642)> Samual (m. Sara Shepard 1680)> Sara (m. Benjamin Allen 1702)>

Rev. Peter Clark, Salem Village, Ma

theallengazette — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 05:12:26 +0000

Peter Clark, born 1692, died June 1768. graduated from Harvard College in 1712. He was ordained pastor June 5, 1717 in Salem, Ma (now Danvers). He was a published writer, Original Sin” 1757-1760. He also published Scripture Grounds of the Baptism of Christian Infants asserted and defined in a Letter,etc. 1735. He also published many sermons.

Myself > Ruth Balentine b. 1939> Sara Kohler b.> Inez Vinton Allen b.1889>John Vinton Allen b.1856>Abijah Allen b.1822> Sara Allen b.1781 > Deborah Clark b. 1747> Peter Clark Jr. b > Rev. Peter Clark b. 1693/4

Here is a historical marker

Rev. John Reynor, Plymouth, Ma

theallengazette — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 05:10:33 +0000

The name has been spelled many different ways including Reynor, Reyner, Rayner, Raynor and Reinor. John was born at Gildersome in West Riding County Yorkshire, England which is about 35 miles from Scrooby. He attended Emmanuel College, Cambridge and graduated from Magdalen College, Oxford where he received his A. B. in 1625. His first wife was Anna Boyse who was one of four co heiresses in his native parish. He had two children with her. His second wife was Frances Clark with whom he had six children. She had been a maid servant in the family of Rev. John Wilson of Boston. John had an estate in Gildersome in the parish of Batley in Yorkshire near Leeds where he had been born.

He emigrated to Plymouth in 1635 or 1636 and had lands granted to him Feb. 6, 1636. He was called to be teacher and became a Freeman in 1637. At Plymouth “he was an able and godly man of meek and humble spirit, sound in truth and every way:. He wrote a letter on Moral Laws in 1642. After 18 years of service in Plymouth he was called to be pastor at Dover, New Hampshire in 1655. He was held in great esteem by his parishers. One of his sisters became the second wife of Governor William Bradford. Governor Bradford spoke of him in his history of Plymouth Plantation.

Rev. John Reynor >d. Ann Reynor (m. Job Lane 1620) >s. John Lane (m. Susannah Wipple) > d.Susannah Lane