Notizen zu dieser Person
BUZZELL FAMILIES OF NORTH AMERICA Introduction Families with the unusual surname Buzzell appear across the breadthand depth of North America, from Maine to Florida to California in theUnited States, and from Quebec to Alberta in Canada. This is all themore unusual because no one with that surname ever arrived on thiscontinent as an immigrant, so far as I have been able to determine!This is not because the ship passenger list has yet to be found, or isno longer extant; it is because the surname Buzzell as it exists hereis a fabrication, created by some scribe, and adopted by the firstmembers of the family to become literate. The progenitor of theBuzzell family was a Simon Bussey who was an early settler in CapePorpoise, Maine, in what was later called Arundel (1717), and is nowKennebunkport (1821). Today his male-line descendants usually go bythe name Buzzell, but there are a few who have adopted spellings such asBuswell or Boswell, as well as minor variations with only one z or onel. The situation is further confused by the fact that there was anearly immigrant to Salisbury, Mass. by the name of Isaac Buswell wholeft numerous descendants. The male-line descendants of Isaac haveusually retained the Buswell spelling, but some changed to Boswell,and a few adopted Buzzell, or at least are called Buzzell in somerecords. The descendants of these two separate families have oftenlived in the same, or neighboring communities. As a consequence, whenresearching the descendants of either Simon Bussey or Isaac Buswell,it is essential to keep in mind a wide range of possible spellings, and totake great care in determining people's identity. The primaryhistorian of the Buzzell family was the Rev. Herbert Leslie Buzzell (b1865, still living 1928), a Free-Will Baptist (and later Unitarian)minister, who collected information on the family over a period ofseveral decades. He left a manuscript genealogy of the family whichis located at the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston,and forms the core of the present collection. It appears that Rev.Buzzell collected his information primarily by correspondence withmembers of the family who were living in the later part of the 19thand early part of the twentieth centuries because one finds themailing addresses of various descendants scattered through his manuscript with cryptic notes as to whether they were cooperative ornot, had given him all their data, etc. For the most part, nosources, either primary, secondary, or personal, are cited in hiscollection, and there is no indication that he ever did much researchin primary sources. In particular, he assumed that John Bussell of Dover, New Hampshire, was the progenitor of thefamily and an immigrant from the Isle of Jersey in the EnglishChannel, although deeds by this John and his siblings clearly showthey were the children of Simon Bussey of Cape Porpoise. whom the Rev.never mentions. In spite of this major flaw, the HLB collectionappears to be quite reliable albeit completely undocumented. The primary published account of the Buzzell family is that given byNoyes, Libby, and Davis in their "Genealogical Dictionary of Maine andNew Hampshire," 1928-1939. This highly reliable source gives anaccount of Simon Bussey which probably contains about all that canever be known about him. They only cite some of their sources, butthe others can usually be deduced from the context. Partial accountsof various branches of the Buzzell family have been published innumerous secondary works, such as "American Ancestry" and a wide rangeof town and county histories. These works generally lackdocumentation, and are necessarily suspect; for obvious reasons, theyare most reliable as sources of data on the generations which werealive at the time the work was published. Over the years various family members have compiled manuscriptgenealogies for some branches of the Buzzell family. These usuallytake material from the HLB manuscript and various secondary sources,and combine it with research done by the compiler on more recentgenerations to produce an account of their part of the family. Theseworks are generally undocumented, and necessarily suspect, exceptperhaps for the recent generations. In summary, no reliable genealogy of the Buzzell family has yet beencompiled which can stand up to modern day research standards. Theonly reliable account of the first generation is that given by Noyeset al. The most reliable account of subsequent generations is thatgiven in the Rev. Herbert Leslie Buzzell manuscript, as supplementedby various secondary published and manuscript works, but these needverification using proper research methodology and documentation. The Present Collection My mother was born a Buzzell, and she and I began to collect any andall Buzzell data many years ago in the hope of providing a databasefrom which we (or others), could compile a well documented history ofthe family. We collected data from secondary and manuscript sources,as well as primary sources, in order to create a starting point which we hoped would beall inclusive, and which could then be fully, and systematically,documented. In the process we corresponded with a variety of otherBuzzell researchers who kindly provided us with copies of theircompilations. This project was begun long before the computer age, indeed before theage of photocopiers, so it was very tedious going for a long time. Inaddition, there was an extended period when the project lay largelydormant as I built Heritage Books, Inc. into a viable company, and asmy mother's health declined. After her death several years ago I began to organize the manynotebooks and stacks of material collected up to that point, and enterit into a computer genealogical database. The Noyes et al. article,and the Rev. Herbert Leslie Buzzell collection naturally formed thefoundation of the database. Much additional data has also been added from both primary and secondarysources, but the conversion to electronic form is still far fromcomplete, and may take several more years to accomplish. Given the rate at which the Buzzells are multiplying, it may never bepossible for me (or anyone else) to publish a definitive Buzzellgenealogy in book form, but I am certainly at a point now where I canprovide substantial help to other Buzzell researchers in many cases.Over the next several years the completeness of the database should improve dramatically regardingsecondary sources, although the quest for abstracts of primary sourcescould well continue for decades. Since I cannot count on livingforever, provision has been made for the database to be donated toseveral major archives on my decease, so that it should be available in some form indefinitely. FAMILY RECORD: Simon Bussey/Bussell - Presum. a Channel Island name. Simon Bussy orBussell. m. 1658 Margaret Wormwood. Cape Porpus wit. 1668 [see belowunder this date], 1671 [see below under this date], 1672 [!!! whatrecord is this?]. Lists 255, 256, (259) [these lists are explainedbelow]. Children: a) John - of Oyster River. b) Rachel - m by 1692 Joseph Credeford. c) Dorcas - m by 1700 Edw. Evans (No. 3-1/2). d) William - only once mentioned (Y.D. 24/174 [see below under 1732]),presumed father of 'Cousin Mary Bussell,' who was grantee, 1726-1730,from three aunts or uncles, her autograph -Bussey- in Me. Ct. files1722 [see below under these dates]. e) Mary - m Renald McDonald, +/- 12, stolen at Cape Porpus by oldDoney and associates and yet detained (22 Nov 1688) [!!! where is thedocumentation for this?]. f) ?Simon - poss., as the father's death is unk., the Simon on a CapePorpus coroner's jury in 1685 [see below under this date]. Like uncertainty envelopes the Bussy family cut off by the Indians 'atKennebunk near Winter Harbor.' Numerous historical writers allapparently trace back to Mather's Mag. ii. 509, vaguely tacked on theend of what happened at No. Yarm. in 1688 [see below under this date].Also, the husband of 'Widow Buzy,' among the Cape Porpus refugees atPiscataqua in 1694, paid for keeping Goodwife Taylor [!!! where is thedocumentation for this?]. List 255 - petition in favor of gov. byMass. dated 28 Apr 1668. There were two lists which circulated. Eachhas 16 names, but not the same 16; altogether there ae 22 names. Onlyone original is known which was publ in MA Archives iii/275; anotherversion appears in Doc Hist iv/217 which appears to be defective, andcorrections are given (Noyes p28) [!!! both should be checked to seeif Simon signed by autograph or by mark]. List 256 - town grants of Cape Porpus (Kennebunkport) naming residentsas of March-June 1681. York Deeds 9/120 [!!! not yet abstracted?],10/32 [see below under 1683]. List (259) - few pages of extant Town Records for Cape Porpus [!!! arethese available on microfilm? exactly what mention do they make ofSimon Bussey?]. On 17 Sep 1667 an Oyster River coroner's juryreturned their verdict on the "untimely death of Simon Buzie," notmentioned in his lifetime. If the truth were known, he might befather of Simon of Cape Porpus, or his son by an earlier wife (inwhich case there were not three Simon B's), or a nephew, or fifthcousin [see record below under 1667]. [Noyes, Libby & Davis, Geneal. Dict. of ME & NH, pp. 28, 124, 783].[Note: the proof of the relationships shown above comes mainly fromthe deeds abstracted below. Note also that Simon was is not includedin the Rev Herbert Leslie Buzzell mss collection.] -------------------- Simon Bussy - came from Scarborough and married Margaret Wormwood in1659, and for some misdemeanor in which they were both implicated,they received 'ten lashes apiece on their bare skin.' Bussy was awitness to Montague's will [see below under 1671]. John Sandersspeaks of him as "his loving neighbor of Winter Harbor" [!!! wheredoes this appear?] Bussy with his family was taken prisoner in 1688 by the Indians, and carried to Tecconnet [!!! I don'tsee that Mather actually says this]. He lived near where SilasPinkham does now [1837]. There was a Mary Bussy living in Arundel in 1720. Barrow, whosechristian name is not given, was also taken prisoner with his familyat the same time as Bussy; probably neither of them ever returned[Bradley, Hist of Kennebunk Port ME, 1837, p87]. -------------------- William Wormwood - had a daughter Margaret who m Simon Bussy in 1658as the court record of York Co. ME says [Stackpole, Hist Durham NH2/398]. CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS: 1653 Jul 5 - At a court at Wells the inhabitants of Cape Porpusacknowledged themselves subject to the government of Mass; the list of12 men includes Simon Teoft [!!! poss a misreading of Bussey?]; theywere made Freemen [Bradley, Hist of Kennebunk Port ME, 1837, p27]. 1659 Jul 4 - a grand jury at York ME presented "Margaret Wormwoodalias Bussy" for having a bastard child; "Margaret Bussie" and "SymonBussy" were sentenced to each have ten lashes on their bare skin "at apublique meeting," to be applied by commissioners appointed for thepurpose from Falmouth and Scarborough [Maine Province and CourtRecords 2/81]. 1667 Sep 17 - At a court held in Portsmouth "Jury of Inquest broughtinto Court there virdict concerning the untimely death of Simon Buzieremaines upon file," and "Wm Beard Jno Smith Math: Williams RobertWatson James Smith fined 5s apeece for not coming into Court to takeoath concerning ye verdict aboute the untimely death of Simon buzie wtwas done is upon file:" [NH State Papers 40/228, 40/231] [Note thatStackpole [Stackpole, Hist Durham 2/398] calls him "of Oyster River"which does not appear in the record, but Noyes et al [Noyes, GenealDict of ME & NH] do indicate that all the jury members were fromOyster River, which is probably where the death ocurred [LCT]. 1668 Oct 6 - In June of 1666 Nicholas Cole & John Pudington both ofCape Porpoise ME pledged their holdings (land, buildings, and afishing boat) in Cape Porpoise to Francis Johnson of Boston in orderto secure a loan from the latter; the mortage was signed by Cole &Pudington, and witnessed by Griffine montigue [sic] and William Renouls [sic], both of whome signed bymark. Cole & Pudington being unable to repay to loan, on this datethey executed another document transfering title to the property toJohnson. This new document was signed by Cole & Pudington, and alsoby mary [sic] Pudington & Jane Cole, the latter two signing by mark.The witnesses to this document were Griffine montigue [sic] and SimonBussie, both of whom signed by mark. It is interesting to note thatthe mark of Montigue on the second document is much more complex thanhis mark on the first document which is merely a simple verticalstroke. The mark attributed to Bussie on the second document is very similar to that of Rennels on the first document ( a circle with aslight overlap where the stroke begins and ends, but with the additionof a tangential tail. On 5th 5mo 70 Grifine montigue & Simon Bussieswore before the court in Wells that they had witnessed the executionof the latter document [York Deeds, Book II, 1887, folio 97-98]. 1669 Nov 24 - John Bush, planter, & wife Grace, of Cape Porpoise, soldto Thomas Munsell of same, a 100a lot in Cape Porpoise bounded on S bya creek & flats, on W by land of John Sanders Sr, on NE by land ofSymon Bussys.... Winesses were John Sanders Sr, Geo Pearson & Rog'rVenney [York Deeds, Book II, 1887, folio 131]. 1670 Oct 21 - Ann Sanders & Thomas Sanders, widow & eldest son,respectively, of John Sanders Sr, deceased, of Cape Porpoise sold a100a lot in Cape Porpoise to Andrew Alger of Cape Porpoise. Theproperty lay "between the Lotts of Symond Bussy, & of Nicho: Coole,now in the possession of Mr Francis Johnson of Boston...." [YorkDeeds, Book II, 1887, folio 127]. 1671 Jul 7 - Griffine Mountegue of Cape Porpus wrote a will leavinghis estate to his wife Margaret; the witnesses were Seth Fletcher &Symon Buszys [sic]; the latter signed by mark; when the will wasproved on 1 Apr 1672 both men swore to its authenticity [MaineProvince and Court Records 2/455]. 1673 - Thomas Merrill marr Mary Barrett in 1673 & liv near Simon Bussy[Bradley, Hist of Kennebunk Port ME, 1837, p92]. 1676 Jul 4 - a George Bussy of Kittery was presented by the grand juryfor "being drunke & sweareing by the name of god many tymes & forcurseing & Calling Mis Bray Hoare." He acknowledged his errors and wasordered to pay 30s or receive 10 stripes, and to pay 5s court costs[Maine Province and Court Records 2/319]. 1680 Jun 30 - a list of men who took the oath of allegiance at thecourt of pleas held at Wells on this date includes the name "Geo:Bussy;" this may be an error, as the same man is apparently refered toas George Burren elsewhere in the court records [Maine Province andCourt Records 2/64]. 1683 Jun 23 - Land grant by the town of Cape Porpos to Simon Busey,100 acres at 'Kenebunck River.' Signed by John Burinton, Town Clerk.Recorded 20 May 1720 [York Deeds 10/32]. 1685 Apr 3 - Symon Bussy was on a jury of inquest at Cape porpus whichinvestigated the death ofJohn Batson who was found drowned in the millunder the mill wheel [Maine Province and Court Records 3/214]. 1688 - in Mather's account of Indian hostilities in the fall of thisyear, after describing events further down east he states, "Littlemore spoil was done by the savages before winter, except only that, ata place called Kennebunk, near Winter-harbour, they cut off twofamilies, to wit, Barrow's and Bussie's; but winter coming on, theserpents retired to their holes." [Mather, Magnalia Christi Americana,2/587]. 1689 - War was declared between France and England on 7 Dec 1689; theyear before the war was declared, Mr Bussy and Mr Barrow, with theirfamilies, had been taken prisoner, and carried to Teconnet (Mather'sMagnalia II/509); John Downing testified in 1725, that in 1688 or 1689there were grants made to several inhabitants of the town of 100a eachon the Kennebunk River [Bradley, Hist of Kennebunk Port ME, 1837,p49]. 1690 - The Indians attacked Cape Porpus and the inhabitants allretreated to a fort on Stage Island; Nicholas Morey escaped toPortsmouth for help; he returned with a sloop and saved theinhabitants, who did not return for 10yrs [Bradley, Hist of KennebunkPort ME, 1837, p50]. 1721 Apr 4 - at the court of general sessions at York the grand jourypresented Mary Busey (and others) of Arundel for "not frequenting thePublick worship of god" [Maine Province and Court Records 6/51]. 1722 Oct 2 - the court of general sessions at York heard the followingpetition from Mary Busey: "Whereas I was Sumonsed to appear at York Cort to answer to apresentment at the Grant jury for not attending the Publick Worship ofGod I do Humbly Enform you that the Reson Why I did not atend thePublick Worship of God Was not from any Disrespeckt therunto But byReson of Bodyly Ileness and a Considerable Distance from the Please ofPublick Worship and the Excessive Badness of the way Being in theWinter Season which the Enhabat...(illeg) Know the Same. and may itPlease the Honourable Cort I humbly Enform you the Reson Why I did notCome to Cort was By Reson of Sickness and not able to Come andgentlemen the Reson of my not Coming now to Cort is by Reson of theWar and the Dangers of the War as I hope your Honours Will Considerwhich I hunbly Beg your Favors." The petition is signed Mary Busey, but is not dated. The courtdecreed (apparently in response to this petition) that Mary Busey &Eliz'a Poland of Arundel, who had been presented for failure to attendpublic worship, and had been prevented from attending the court because ofthe great distance, should be tried before the justices of the town ofWells at such time as they should appoint. The final disposition ofthe case is not stated [Maine Province and Court Records 6/111]. 1726 Nov 10 - From John Bussell & Edward Evenius (sic, Evans?), bothof Oyster River, Prov of NH - To Mary Bussell of Arundel, York Co -For: 'love goodwill and affection which we have and do bear towardsour loving cousin Mary Bussell' - 'all and singular our parts of thegrant that was granted to our father Simon Bussell upon Kenebunk River in the town of Arundel' -Signed: John Bussell (mark) & Edward Eure (sic, Evans?) - Witnessess:John Perkins & John Murphy - Acknowledged 13 Sept 1732 by John Bussell& Edward Eune (sic, Evans?). Also on this document: 'I thesubscriber Ranold Mach daniell do for my self & in behalf of my wifeMary by virtue of a power of attorney from her give grant unto ourloving cousin Mary Busell aboves'd all the right title & interest wehave or ought to have in the aboves'd hundred acres of land granted toSimon Busell aboves'd - Signed: Ranal Mc Dan'l 21 March 1729/30 -Witnesses: William Eliot & George Banfill - Recorded 4 Jan 1732(1732/3?) in York Co, ME Deeds 15/165. 1732 Feb 19 - From John Bussell, husbandman of Dover, Prov of NH - ToRachel Crediford, widow of Wells, Prov of ME - For 'love I bear untomy Sister Rachel Crediford' - all right title etc to land 'That myfather Simon Busel formerly living in Cape porpus, Dec'd, had by grantor possession or any other way in the town of Arundel aliasCapeporpus'...to sister Rachel Crediford...'excepting that rightbelonging to me at Cenebonk [sic, Kennebunk?] which I formerly gave tomy brother William Busel' - Signed John Busel (mark) - Witnesses:Hannah Dering & Ruth Davis - Acknowledged 19 Feb 1732/3 by John Busel- Recorded 10 May 1744 in York, ME Deeds 24/173. 1743 Jun 7 - From Rachel Credeford, spinster of Wells, York Co. Provof Mass. Bay - To 'my well beloved son' Benjamin Credeford of same,yeoman - For 50# - all right title etc to any land etc 'relating to myHon'd Father Simon Busey late of arrundel alias Capporpus dec'd' -Signed Rachel Credeford (mark) - Witnesses: John Littlefield & Peter Littlefield - Acknowledged 6June 1743 by Rachel Credefor [sic] - Recorded 16 May 1744 in York MEDeeds 24/174. MISCELANEOUS ITEMS: Only a few pages of the original Cape Porpoise records survive; amongthe names therein is that of Jacob Wormwood; a list of names ofKennebunkport residents compiled from various MA & ME sources includesSimon Bussy & Simon Teoft [Bradley, Hist of Kennebunk Port ME, 1837,p62]. -------------------- The territory near Kennebunk River early took its name from the river;Bussy and Barrow lived "in Kennebunk near Winter Harbor" [Bradley,Hist of Kennebunk Port ME, 1837, p50]. -------------------- William and Catherine Wormwood, parents of Jacob, were married andresided in Kittery as early as 1647; William died 1690, and hisproperty was valued at 25#; Jacob removed to Kennebunkport before1661, as he was on a coroner's jury at Saco that year; he was surveyorof land at Cape Porpoise 1689, and contributed a week's work on Davis'gristmill; he d before the town was resettled in 1713; Margaret, thewife of Simon Bussy was a daughter of William; Thomas, s/o Jacob,married Jane, a d/o William Reynolds, and lived in Kittery in 1706; heremoved to Kennebunkport, and had charge of Hardings's garrison whenhis son William was killed in 1724; he afterwards moved to Wells onthe western side of Mousam River, where his descendants still live; hishouse was the third one built in that part of Wells since calledKennebunk; Bourne (mss Hist of Kennebunk) says he built his housethere in 1720' if so, it was before he was stationed at Harding'sgarrison; he purchased his land in 1719 [Bradley, Hist of KennebunkPort ME, 1837, p98]. -------------------- A Simon Cundey [!!! poss a misreading of Bussey?] contributed towardserecting Davis' mill [Bradley, Hist of Kennebunk Port ME, 1837, p94].
Karl-Heinz
Böttcher
