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 1793PARSONS – 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.”
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I believe the Charles, born 1 Dec 1799 is actually Chester.
If you check 1830, 1840, 1850 censuses etc. , they all appear to be Chester.
Thank you so much for sharing this source. It’s awesome!