John Parsons (Jr. & Sr.) in the Sandisfield Town Records

Amanuensis[i] Monday
Brown-Sanford-Parsons
By Don Taylor

Microfilm, 1728095, microfilmed by the Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah at the Town Hall, Sandisfield, Massachusetts provide a treasure of information regarding the various families of Sandisfield. Image 377, (Page 335) provides two entries regarding my Parsons ancestors. Although Family Search provides a great index to the pages, they don’t really come to life until you can look at entries directly and see the patterns of these people’s lives.

Highways, Births, Deaths, Marriages, Town Records, Miscellaneous Records of Sandisfield, Berkshire, Massachusetts[ii]

PAGE 335 – MANLEY – CRANE – SPELMAN – PARSONS – PARSONS – SMITH – KILBORN  – GRANGER – PRATT

[John Parsons, Jr.]

Samuel son to John Parsons Junior & Mary his wife was born 5 April 1789
Polly Daughter to Do [iii] was born 17 January 1792. Orrin son to Do was born 6 March
1794 John son to Do was born 5 May 1796 Charles son to Do was born 1 Dec 1799
PARSONS

PAGE 335 – MANLEY – CRANE – SPELMAN – PARSONS – PARSONS – SMITH – KILBORN  – GRANGER – PRATT

[Lt. John Parsons, Sr.]

Mary Daughter to Lt John Parsons & Hannah his wife was born 28 September 1761.
Hannah Daughter to Lt. John Parsons & Hannah his wife was born 5 May 1763.
John son to Do was born 18 November 1764 Ashbel born  to Do was born 19 April 1766.
Boney Daughter to Do was born 18 Aug 1867 Timothy son to Do was born 1 September 1769.
Frederick son to Do was born 1st May 1771 (Frederick Died 23 August 1777. Simeon son to Do
was born 26 April 1773 Martha Daughter to Do was born 29 Mar 1775 | Hannah wife
to Lt John Parsons Died 26 May 1777 Mercy Daughter to Lt. John Parson & Mary his wife was
born 24 October 1778 Gibson son to Do was born 26 March 1782 Joseph son to Do was born
23 April 1784 | Joseph died 17 September 1786 Frederick son to Do was born 22 July 1786
Sally, Daughter to Do was born 21 August 1788 Sally died 20 January 1793

PARSONS – Lt. John Parsons died March AD 1821 age 84.

Conclusion

These entries provide for the clear understanding of the two John Parsons families,

Children of John Parsons, Jr & Mary his wife

• Samuel          son                 born 5 April 1789
• Polly               daughter     born 17 January 1792
• Orrin               son                born 6 March 1794
• John               son                 born 5 May 1796
• Charles          son                born 1 Dec 1799

Children of Lt. John Parsons & Hannah, his wife.

• Mary               daughter        born 28 September 1761.
• Hannah          daughter        born 5 May 1763.
• John               son                     born 18 November 1764
• Ashbel            son                    born 19 April 1766.
• Boney             daughter        born 18 Aug 1867
• Timothy          son                 born 1 September 1769.
• Frederick       son                  born 1st May 1771               Died 23 August 1777.
• Simeon           son                  born 26 April 1773
• Martha           daughter        born 29 Mar 1775

                                    Hannah died 26 May 1777

Children of Lt. John Parsons and Mary, his wife.

• Mercy             Daughter       born 24 October 1778
• Gibson           son                   born 26 March 1782
• Joseph           son                   born 23 April 1784               Died 17 September 1786
• Frederick       son                 born 22 July 1786
• Sally               Daughter       born 21 August 1788           Died 20 January 1793

Endnotes

[i] John Newmark started the “Amanuensis Monday” category in 2009 on his Blog,  Transylvanian Dutch  and many bloggers have followed suit using the tag. Google provides the following meaning for amanuensis: “A literary or artistic assistant, in particular one who takes dictation or copies manuscripts.”

[ii] “Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001,” FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29L-DWB6 : 18 February 2020), citing Birth, Sandisfield, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 004267208.

[iii] “Do” is used throughout the original document to signify “Ditto,” In this case “John Parsons Junior and Mary his wife.”