Ervin Reuben Wakefield genealogy

Generations in America.  The links are to a companion blog containing more details.

In Maine

1607 England starts a colony in Jamestown, Virginia.
1619 African slaves arrive in the colonies.
1620 Pilgrims arrive from England on the Mayflower.
1624 The Dutch settle in New Amsterdam (New York).

1st   John Wakefield  (link) (b. June 8, 1615/16 in Yorkshire, England; d. February 15, 1674/75?) and Elizabeth Littlefield of Wells (b. July 22, 1627? or 1630? in England; d. after 1676?).  John was a farmer, a commissioner of Wells in 1648, and one of the selectmen.  Children were John (14 Aug 1694? or 19 Sept 1695?; d. 13 Mar 1695?), James, Henry, William, Mary, Katherine.  ( In James' line, his great-great-great-great grandsons Christopher H., William H. H., and Henry Wakefield all served in the Civil War. )

1692 Famous witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts.

In Mass.

2nd   William Wakefield   (link) (b. ?, d. drowned October 25, 1707 with brother James) and Rebecca Littlefield of Salem (b.? , d. ?).  Children were William, Joseph, Jonathan  and Benjamin.

1707 England, Scotland, and wales unite to form Great Britain.
3rd   Jonathan Wakefield (link) (b.  1713?, d. October 1765) married Abigail Smith (b. 1715?, d. 1805?) on June 22, 1733. Jonathan was a farmer and was in the British services between 1755 and 1761. He may have participated in the French and Indian War. Children were Abigail (probably died young; b. 05 Oct. 1734?), Jonathan, Rebecca, Tabitha, Amasa, Samuel, Silas, Isaiah, Luther (served in the Revolutionary War under Capt. John Putnam), Mary (04 Aug. 1753?), and Abigail (b 21 Sept. 1755?).

1720s - 1750s  The Great Awakening in the 13 Colonies
1754 The French and Indian War begins.

4th   Samuel Wakefield  (link)(b. May 11, 1745, d. 1820) and Mary Davenport (b. 1749, d.1805).  Samuel was a wood-ware turner.  He served in the Revolutionary War. Children were Samuel, Mercy, Reuben, Mary, William, Jonathan, Abel, Nathan, and Abigail.  (In Jonathan's line, his grandson Joseph Huston Wakefield. served with the Vermont 4th Infantry in the Civil War.  He died at Andersonville Prison.  See link: Vt. Wakefields in the Civil War).

1760 George III becomes the king of Great Britain.
1763 The French and Indian War ends.
1765 Britain's Stamp Art puts a tax on paper.
1765 Sons of Liberty is formed.
1766 Britain ends the Stamp Act tax.
1770 Five colonists are killed in the Boston Massacre.
1773 The Boston Tea Party.
1774 Parliament passes the Intolerable Acts; First Continental Cogress meets in Philadelphia.
1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord begin the American Revolution.
1776 Declaration of Independence.
1781 Revolutionary War ends at Yorktown.
1787 Constitution is completed.
1789 George Washington becomes the first president of the USA.
1791 Bill of Rights is added to the Constitution.

           

In Vermont

 5th  Abel Wakefield (b. 1784, d. Sept. 21, 1823?) and Betsey Martin (b. 1793?, d. March 17, 1871?).  Abel’s brother Reuben married secondly, Mrs. Molly Martin, mother of Betsey by previous marriage.  Abel was a farmer and manufacturer.  After Abel’s death, Betsey married Peleg Wells.  They lived with her son Reuben when they were older.  Children were Orra (Ora) (b. Sept. 11, 1814), Moses S. (b. Dec. 13, 1810),  Reuben (b. Nov. 14, 1816) and Sherman S. (b. Aug. 2, 1818)

1797  John Adams becomes the second president.

6th   Reuben Wakefield (b. Oct. (Nov) 17, 1816, d. 1863?) and Martha Billings Gray (b. 1831/32?, d. 1900). Reuben was a farmer, inventor, and a manufacturer of woolen and cotton goods.  He and his brother, Orra incorporated the South Hardwick Mill Co. with others in 1860.   Children were Reuben Edson (or Edson) and Mary Jane.

 7^th    Reuben Edson Wakefield  (b. May 25, 1857, d. Feb. 26, 1920) and Adaline Miles (b. May 22, 1855 or 70, d. June 5, 1948).  Reuben was  a farmer and later a farm laborer.  After Reuben and Adaline were divorced, Adaline married Andrew Frost.  Children were Ida May (b. June 27, 1879), unnamed baby boy (b. Oct. 27, 1883, died young?), Frederick (b. April 13, 1884, died same day), Cory (Cora) C. (b. 1885 or 1886?), Carroll Edward (b. April 6, 1887),  Ervin (Irving) Reuben, and Martha Billings (b. May 3, 1892 or 93).  The children lived at various places.  Carroll E. and Cora C. lived with their father for a while.  Martha lived with her mother and then her father before marrying.  Ervin was sent to live with his maternal aunt, Ida May Parker, and her husband, Willis Parker, in Lisbon, New Hampshire, when he was four years old.

8^th  Ervin Reuben Wakefield (b. January 21, 1890 - birth card says Irving, d. Sept. 24, 1958) and Beulah Grout (b. May 1894, d. 1965).  Ervin wanted to be a major league baseball player until he injured his neck and shoulder.  He worked most of his life for the A & P grocery company.  He served in WW I, overseas.  Ervin and Beulah married on December 6, 1924.  At age 45, he opened his own grocery store in Danville, VT.  After retiring, he worked in real estate.  Beulah was a bank bookkeeper and teller until she married Ervin.  Children were Myles Martin, Richard Ervin, Zoe-Ann (my mother), and Martha Jean.