Ebenezer Cone veteran of the French and Indian War

In going through my files, I came across a sheet of paper printed 17 August 2002 from http://www.geocities.com/conereseach/rev_rolls.html. Submitted by researcher Melinda McGibony under the heading Revolutionary War Rolls of 1775-1783. The listing is:

Ebenezer Cone   Serjeant   page 259     List of men detached from Capt. Olmsted's Company of
Roll Box 27 & CT Soldiers, French & Indian War, 1755-1762

More than 13 years after I printed this piece of information, I am a much better researcher who would be asking for a more detailed source citation.  Of course, I tried to access the page again but it is no longer available. However, www.google.com is available. What I found today provides some additional information.

Connecticut Historical Society, Rolls of Connecticut Men in the French and Indian War, 1755-1762, Volume 9, Hartford, Connecticut, 1903. Digital images, http://books.google.com, accessed 30 March 2014.

Beginning on page 258 and ending on page 259

CAPT. OLMSTED"S RETURN

[The following appears to be a list of the men detached from the company of Capt. William Olmsted of East Haddam, Aug. 10, 1757]

MILITIA COMPANIES

Joshua Smith                      Uriah Clarke

Deliverance Waters            John Chamberlin Jr.

Asabel Taylor                    Aaron Griswold    impressed

Nathanel Taylor                *Ebenezer Cone         "

*Also called Ebenezer Cone, Jr.

Though this information seems to come from the same page, it does not mention Ebenezer's rank. In fact, it implies that he was impressed into service. Impressment is not like registering for the draft and being called to serve. It is more like being kidnapped from one's everyday life and being forced to be part of the troops. Wikipedia quotes Gary Nash writing in The Urban Crucible, The Northern Seaports and the Origins of the American Revolution, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, 1986, "One of the largest impressment operations occurred in the spring of 1757 in New York City, then still under British colonial rule. Three thousand British soldiers cordoned off the city, and plucked clean the taverns and other gathering places. All kinds of tradesmen and Negroes were hauled in, nearly eight hundred in all. Four hundred of these were "retained in the service."

Given East Haddam's close proximity to New York City it is hard to know if Ebenzer was caught in New York or in Connecticut. The timing of his release from the company of Capt. William Olmsted on 10 August 1757 could indicate that he was picked up during one of the large impressment operations earlier that spring.

This painting of an impressment gang was executed by Luke Clennell
image is from en.wikipedia.org 

It is not difficult to imagine why Ebenezer Cone volunteered to be the Moderator at the first meeting of the citizens of East Haddam held 26 March 1770, "to take into consideration the weighty and dangerous controversy subsisting between the Colonies and Great Britain." Reported by William Whitney Cone in Some Account of the Cone Family in America, Principally the Descendants of Daniel Cone who settled in Haddam, Connecticut in 1662, 1903, page 117 available at books.google.com.

Now the question remains, which Ebenezer Cone is the one who served in Capt. Olmsted's company?

There are three candidates in my family tree.

The first possibility is Ebenezer Cone, Jr. son of Ebenezer and Sarah Olmsted Cone, born about 1698 in East Haddam, Connecticut. He married Elizabeth Willey about 1720 and was the parent of Elijah (1723 - 1793, Ebenezer (1724 - 1804), Hannah (1726 - 1751) who married Shubael Fuller, Jr., Elizabeth (1730 - ?) who married Joseph Warner and Timothy (1735 -1800). In his fifties, he may have been considered too old for service in the militia. However, militia service did include all able bodied men and Ebenezer continued to be active in local affairs into his seventies.

The second is Ebenezer's son Ebenezer who married Mary Brainard 8 January 1746 in East Haddam. He would have been in his early thirties, a prime target for service in the militia.

Ebenezer and Mary Brainard Cone also had a son Ebenezer born 30 January 1748. He was probably too young to have been impressed. Ironically, he lost his life 5 October 1778 with the Continental Army at Upper German Flats, New York. 

This map from en.wikipedia.org show the approximate locations
of Forts Herkimer and Dayton. September 17, 1788 Joseph Brant
attacked the American troops under Colonel Bellinger. It is uncertain
if he was wounded in that raid, the retaliatory raid in early October
or if he died from wounds suffered in the earlier fighting.

This information about his death in the Revolution is unsourced. It comes from several online family trees and the date varies from 5 October 1776 to 1778. I chose to use the 1778 date as it coincides with the operations conducted around German Flats.

A Man Named Daniel

A Man Named Daniel by Joseph Cone, a tenth generation descendant of Daniel Cone of East Haddam, Connecticut, tells the story of the 'Scottish prisoner captured in the bloody last battle of the English Civil Wars and deported to New England in 1653."  Because Daniel became a servant of the Winthrops, a leading Puritan family in New England, Joe was able to discover "enough primary historical documents to construct a dramatic account of Daniel's life in these early years in the American colonies."  Daniel's story comes alive in Joe's rendition. The book is available from www.amazon.com

A Man Called Daniel cover

A descendant of Daniel Cone's youngest son Caleb, Joseph Cone is a writer, editor, documentary film maker and science communication researcher who is the assistant director of the Oregon Sea Grant program at Oregon State University. He was raised in New Haven, Connecticut, earned degrees from Yale and the University of Oregon. He has lived in Oregon since 1975.

Joseph Cone, 10th generation descendant of Daniel Cone
through his youngest son Caleb.

Joe invites questions and comments about A Man Named Daniel. You can email Joseph Cone here.

My family members will quickly understand why I included Joe's photograph in this post. There is definitely a family resemblance between Joe and our grandfather Charles Newton Cone, a descendant of Daniel Cone's
son Ebenezer.

Cones listed in Hornellsvelle Rural Cemetery

I've been doing some research on the cemeteries around Hornellsville (now Hornell) Steuben county, New York. My great grandfather Frederick Namaan Cone was born there 29 March 1859. His grandfather and namesake, Namaan Cone died there 29 October 1855.

Looking at Painted Hills Genealogical Society's web site, I found several Cones in the listing for the Rural Cemetery for the Town of Hornellsville. This cemetery is maintained by the Rural and Hope Cemetery Association (PO Box 177, Hornell, NY 14843, phone 607-276-6268. Among the updated listing of burial, I found the following Cones:

CONE, Catherine L , Born 1909 , Died 1979 
CONE, Dorr T , Born 1895 , Died 1943 
CONE, Edoth T , Born 1873 , Died 1955 
CONE, Gary P , Born 1936 , Died 1987 
CONE, Lela V , Born 1902 , Died 1972 
CONE, Leroy , Born 1894 , Died 1965 
CONE, Mildred , Born 1907 , Died 1976 
CONE, Nelson W , Born 1871 , Died 1927 
CONE, Paul W , Born 1909 , Died 1992 
CONE, Pauline , Born 1939 , Died 1989 

There are also Cones in the Panama Union Cemetery:

CONE, Betsy E.   Born 1827 Died 1898           
CONE, Celista Melissa     Died 10-26-1850 Age 14y10m23d    - Dau of David & Sarah Whitcomb Cone       
CONE, David Spouse of Sarah W  Born 1792 Died 1898           
CONE, Delancey D. Spouse of Julia L. P  Born 1842 Died 1920      - Vet-CW Co G 15 Reg NY Eng GAR star       
CONE, Julia L. (Palmer) Spouse of Delancey D.   Born 1850 Died 1939           
CONE, Luther     Died 4-19-1849      - Son of David & Sarah Whitcomb Cone       
CONE, Sarah (Whitcomb) Spouse of David   Born 1795 Died 1878           

And in the East Ripley Cemetery off Route 20 in Ripley, New York:

CONE, Almira T. Pratt Spouse of Charles P.   Born 7-09-1856 Died 2-23-1887 Age 30y7m14d    - Dau of Richard Edward & Mary Ann (Doan) Pratt, b. Crowland, Welland, Ontario, Canada LOT 22W        
CONE, Ellen            - One data--assume dod  LOT E46        
CONE, Mr.             - Book record 1919 LOT E46        
CONE?, H.            - May be Harvey Cone, recarved on old creek stone LOT E46   

And in Bath National Cemetery:   
  
CONE, Patricia A. , spouse of Raymond J. , died 29 Sep 2010 nee Castner
CONE, Raymond J. "Ray" , Spouse of Patricia Castner , born 3 Oct 1919 , died 7 Feb 2009 s/o Jay & Clara

Have not yet been able to determine if any of these Cones are related to my family.

Cones in the Apprentices of Connecticut 1637-1900

Researching in the library this morning, I came across Apprentices of Connecticut 1637-1900, compiled by Kathy A. Ritter and publishing by Ancestry Publishing, Salt Lake City, Utah in 1986.  There were three listings for Cones in this volume.

Page 6. "Bab, William of Middletown, aged about 11, child of Benjamin Bab dec. of Middletown bound to William Cone of Middletown until 21 which will be on 04 Nov 1781 to learn the trade of shoemaker."

Page 35. " Cone, Lucinda, of Middletown, child of Joseph and Sarah Cone, bound to Clarissa Redfield of Middletown until age 18, which will be on 25 Dec 1809 to learn the trade of housewifery."

Page 35. "Cone, Elijah, ran away from David Townsend, Jr. of Hebron. Elijah is age 17. Reward 3 pence."

Childhood was not about fun and games. 17th century children were expected to work and learn a trade either at their own home or to be bound out to someone else until the trade was perfected. If you were unlucky enough to be orphaned, the town leaders would insure that you were bound to someone to learn a trade, in return for your support. Thereby ensuring that you would not become a ward of the community.

In the case of Lucinda Cone, I have found another source. Maria R. Miller, writing in The Needle's Eye: Women and Work in the Age of Revolution, University of Massachusetts Press, 2006,  includes the following,

                  In 1804, Middletown selectmen bound an impoverished thirteen-year-old
                  Lucinda Cone, to the widow Clarissa Redfield, who promised to "give said
                  Apprentice a Bible, and to Board her whilst learning a Trade. (page 73)

Lucinda's father died in 1804. She was the fifth and youngest daughter among Joseph and Sarah (Starr) Cone's ten children. Her three younger brothers probably remained with their mother.

Originally, I thought Elijah Cone, the runaway apprentice, might be my 5th great grandfather. His age seems to indicate that he is the son of that Elijah Cone and brother to my 4th great grandfather Ira Cone. Searching on www.genealogybank.com, I found the image of the advertisement placed in the Connecticut Courant (Hartford) Monday, January 30, 1792 transcribed below:

                Run-away from the subscriber the 5th inst. an apprentice boy named Elijah Cone,
                17 years of age; had on when he went away an orange coloured coat, knit
                vest pattern, black sattinet breeches and felt hat. Whoever will take up said
                run-away and return him to the subscriber shall have Three Pence reward
                and no charges paid. All masters of vessels and others are forbid harbouring
                or carrying off said apprentice on penalty of the law.
                                                                               DAVID TOWNSEND, jun.
               Hebron, Jan. 10, 1792.

Hebron is less than 20 miles from East Haddam.

Frederick Naaman Cone's Descent from Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower

Continuing my series of Pilgrims in the Cone Family Tree, today I add information on Stephen Hopkins another of the 'Strangers' who accompanied the 'Saints' on the Mayflower in 1620.

Frederick Naaman Cone, son of William Warner and Eliza (Utley) Cone
William Warner Cone, son of Naaman and Joanna (Warner) Cone,
Joanna Warner, daughter of Thomas and Rhoda (Hopkins) Warner,
Rhoda Hopkins, daughter of Elisha and Druscilla (Conant) Hopkins,
Elisha Hopkins, son of Nathaniel and Abigail (Merrick) Hopkins,
Nathaniel Hopkins, son of Nathaniel and Mercy (Mayo) Hopkins,
Nathaniel Hopkins, son of Stephen and Mary (Merrick) Hopkins,
Stephen Hopkins, son of Giles and Catherine (Wheldon) Hopkins,
Giles Hopkins, son of Stephen and Mary (?) Hopkins

Actually both Giles and Stephen were passengers on the Mayflower.

Because there were so few people in New England in those early years, one is often related in more than one way to those first settlers. Such is the case in our lines to Stephen Hopkins as demonstrated below;

Frederick Naaman Cone, son of William Warner and Eliza (Utley) Cone
William Warner Cone, son of Naaman and Joanna (Warner) Cone,
Joanna Warner, daughter of Thomas and Rhoda (Hopkins) Warner,
Rhoda Hopkins, daughter of Elisha and Druscilla (Conant) Hopkins,
Elisha Hopkins, son of Nathaniel and Abigail (Merrick) Hopkins,
Abigail Merrick, daughter of Joshua and Lydia (Mayo) Merrick,
Joshua Merrick, son of William and Abigail (Hopkins) Merrick,
Abigail Hopkins, daughter of Giles and Catherine (Whelden) Hopkins,
Giles Hopkins, son of Stephen and Mary (?) Hopkins

So we are descended from two of Giles and Catherine (Whelden) Hopkins' children Stephen and Abigail.
Nathaniel Hopkins and his wife Abigail Merrick were second cousins. Obviously with Merrick and Mayo in both trees they were cousins on more than one side. I'm afraid it may take me a few more days to nail down those relationships.

Stephen's life is among the most interesting of all the Mayflower passengers. He has been extensively researched by historian Caleb Johnson who's book "Here Shall I Die Ashore" tells his story.

Mr. Johnson is currently the editor of the scholarly historical and genealogical journal, the "Mayflower Descendant" and much of his research can be accessed at http://mayflowerhistory.com/,

Otsego County New York Cones in 1917

While researching at the Allen County Public Library's Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, I came across the "American Agriculturist Farm Directory and Reference Book of Otsego and Herkimer Counties, New York, 1917."  This book included a road map of both counties and was published by the Orange Judd Company of New York (and Minneapolis, Chicago, Atlanta and Springfield, Mass.) My Cone family ancestors were in Otsego County by 1800 but had moved on by the mid-19th century, so I wondered if there were any Cones remaining in the county by 1917.

Page 56 lists:
CONE, MONT S. (Bertha) 3ch "Cone Homestead" farmer engineer (asparagus) O 33a rd2 Unadilla Unadilla tn H54-1/2

The key to abbreviations helps us translate the entry.

Mont S. Cone and wife Bertha as well as 3 children are living on the "Cone Homestead". He works as a farmer and engineer and specializes in growing asparagus for sale. He owns 33 acres. His mail is delivered  to Rural Delivery 2. He lives in Unadilla Township. H indicates the highway on which he lives is 54.

It will require some further research to discover if this location involved any of the 300 acres owned by my ancestor Ira Cone.