01-projects/life/family-history

Frontier Research Round 6 — Part J (Half B, 6 targets)

2026-07-23·status: complete

Headlines

  1. Goodspeed/Bursley line extended two generations — Nathaniel (2) Goodspeed (ahn 2824) and Elizabeth Bursley (ahn 2825) established as parents of Nathaniel (10) Goodspeed (ahn 1412). Nathaniel (2) died intestate before age 27; his 23 May 1670 Barnstable probate (Plymouth Colony Wills vol. 3 p. 19, £72 estate) names Roger Goodspeed as father and Elizabeth as widow. Two children confirmed in Goodspeed 1907 genealogy verbatim (djvu.txt lines 5751-5760): "by her had two children; both lived and reared families — (3a) Mary (9) born Feb. 18, 1668. (3b) Nathaniel (10) born 1669 or 1670." The birth c.1669/70 retires ahn 1412's E1 estimate of ~1680.

  2. Goodspeed line extended a further generation (Roger + Alice) — Roger Goodspeed (ahn 5648, b. c.1615 Wingrave Bucks England, d. 1685 Barnstable) named explicitly in the 1670 probate inventory as Nathaniel (2)'s father, with Roger acknowledging he had given his son "5 acrees of vpland and one acree of Marsh." Alice (Layton) Goodspeed (ahn 5649, d. 10 Jan 1689 Barnstable) named in Goodspeed 1907 as mother; married Roger 1 Dec 1641 Barnstable. Roger's own father was Robert Goodspeed (England, will 1658 naming son Roger).

  3. Elizabeth Bursley's parents confirmed: John Bursley (ahn 5650) and Joanna Hull (ahn 5651) — Goodspeed 1907 p. 55 footnote verbatim (djvu.txt lines 5774-5777): "John Bursley married Joanna Hull, daughter of Rev. Joseph, Nov. 28, 1639; had (1) Mary, born 1643; (2) Joanna, born 1646; (3) Elizabeth, born 1649; (4) John, born 1652; (5) Temperance." John Bursley was a Barnstable founder; Joanna was daughter of Rev. Joseph Hull, Barnstable's first minister. This completes four confirmed ancestor-pairs across the Goodspeed/Bursley line from the Barnstable 1640s settlers.

  4. John Woodin (ahn 2828) and Mary Johnson (ahn 2829) established as Peter Wooding's parents, with two frontier-agent errors corrected — (a) John Woodin did NOT die c.1678 in Ipswich; he died in South Carolina, estate administration granted 30 June 1721 recording he "dyed att Carolina formerly of Haverhill." The c.1678 figure confused him with a distinct John Wooden/Woodam of Ipswich (Essex County Quarterly Courts Vol. III, pp. 40, 390, 395, 401). (b) Mary Johnson's death was c.12 February 1681 Ipswich MA (estate inventory 26 March 1682), NOT "before March 26, 1692" — a decade transcription error (1682 misread as 1692).

  5. Mary Johnson parentage DOWNGRADED to POSSIBLE — doc-only — Edmund Johnson's 1651 Hampton NH probate (court order October 7, 1651, transcribed at history.lanememoriallibrary.org) names exactly four children: Peter, John, James, Dorcas — no Mary. Anderson 2005 (Great Migration Vol. IV, pp. 62-65) explicitly called Delorey's 1989 daughter-of-Edmund proposal "unlikely." The sole anchor is an indirect kinship reference: Mary (Woodin) Clinton described as "niece of John Johnson" (Edmund's son). Edmund Johnson (would-be ahn 5658) and his widow Mary Coleman (ahn 5659) remain POSSIBLE only; off the viz.

  6. Aquilla Wilson → Richard Wilson lead comprehensively weakened — Round 4 identified Aquilla Wilson's c.1802 Rockingham County NC will as the "best lead" for Richard Wilson (b. 1767)'s parentage. This round confirms: (a) the will abstract (NCRoots.com deriving from Webster 1973/1983) names exactly five sons — Jesse, Abel, John, Amos, Aquilla II — with no Richard; (b) no Richard Wilson household appears anywhere in the 1790 Rockingham County census; (c) Richard Wilson is absent from all seven volumes of the Journal of Rockingham County History and Genealogy (1976-1997) covering the relevant era. An unexplained "William Wilson" appears in the executor clause (called "son") but not in the bequest list — a potential sixth son or a non-heir executor, unresolvable without the original will image. The hypothesis rates POSSIBLE only.

  7. Daniel Gibby birthplace PROBABLE as Haywood County NC — "Anderson SC" mystery solved — S-K Publications 1850 index for Haywood County NC shows ZERO Gibby/Gibbs entries (family had relocated before 1850); S-K index for Cherokee County NC 1850 shows GIBBS at pages 16B and 71A (consistent with WikiTree placing Daniel there). Both parents reportedly died in Anderson County SC, most likely explaining why some enumerators or respondents cited "Anderson District SC" as Daniel's birthplace — parent-domicile confusion rather than actual birth. Marriage to Rowena E. Rowland: 3 March 1840, Macon County NC (WikiTree Gibby-52 citing NC Marriage Records 1741-2011; Macon County NC Marriages 1830-1868 book confirms both Gibby and Rowland surnames present).

VIZ-CHANGES

1. UPDATE_PARENTS — ahn 1412 (Nathaniel 10 Goodspeed)

2. UPDATE_DATE — ahn 1412 (Nathaniel 10 Goodspeed): birth

3. UPDATE_PARENTS — ahn 1414 (Peter Wooding/Wooden)

4. UPDATE_STORY — ahn 48 (Daniel Alexander Gibby): biography

5. ADD_PERSON — ahn 2824: Nathaniel (2) Goodspeed

6. ADD_PERSON — ahn 2825: Elizabeth Bursley (later Clapp)

7. UPDATE_PARENTS — ahn 2824 (Nathaniel [2] Goodspeed)

8. UPDATE_PARENTS — ahn 2825 (Elizabeth Bursley)

9. ADD_PERSON — ahn 2828: John Woodin (brickmaker)

10. ADD_PERSON — ahn 2829: Mary (Johnson) Woodin

11. ADD_PERSON — ahn 5648: Roger Goodspeed

12. ADD_PERSON — ahn 5649: Alice (Layton) Goodspeed

13. ADD_PERSON — ahn 5650: John Bursley (Capt.)

14. ADD_PERSON — ahn 5651: Joanna Hull

NEW-PEOPLE (PROBABLE+)

AHN Name Est. Birth Est. Death Confidence Evidence Summary
2824 Nathaniel (2) Goodspeed 6 Oct 1642 Barnstable MA bef. 23 May 1670 Barnstable MA PROBABLE 1670 probate inventory (Plymouth Colony Wills vol.3 p.19) names him as deceased; Goodspeed 1907 genealogy records birth 6 Oct 1642. Father Roger named explicitly in inventory; two children confirmed.
2825 Elizabeth (Bursley) Goodspeed 25 Mar 1649 Barnstable MA (bapt.) 26 Jun 1707 Rochester MA PROBABLE Goodspeed 1907 p.55 verbatim identifies her as daughter of John and Joanna (Hull) Bursley; Plymouth Colony Court July 1670 appointed her administratrix; Clark University genealogy gives death date Rochester 1707.
2828 John Woodin (brickmaker) c.1620, England aft. 1694 SC (estate 1721) PROBABLE Delorey 1989 (TAG 64) article is the authoritative treatment; Rowley VR 1928 names "Peter (Wooden), s. John, Mar. 13, 1674"; estate administration 30 Jun 1721 states he "dyed att Carolina formerly of Haverhill." Parents unknown.
2829 Mary (Johnson) Woodin c.1632 c.12 Feb 1681 Ipswich MA PROBABLE Delorey 1989 per Genea-Musings 2017 and WikiTree Woodin-3; Find A Grave memorial #60336751 (d. 12 Feb 1681); estate inventory 26 Mar 1682. Edmund Johnson parentage POSSIBLE only (his 1651 probate lists four children, no Mary).
5648 Roger Goodspeed c.1615 Wingrave Bucks England 1685 Barnstable MA PROBABLE Named in Nathaniel (2)'s 1670 probate as father; Goodspeed 1907 genealogy; signed land deed 6 Apr 1678; admitted Barnstable church 1644; made freeman 1651. His own father: Robert Goodspeed (England, will 1658).
5649 Alice (Layton) Goodspeed c.1618 10 Jan 1689 Barnstable MA PROBABLE Married Roger Goodspeed 1 Dec 1641 Barnstable per Goodspeed 1907; her 1689 will named surviving children incl. son Ebenezer. Maiden name Layton per Barnstable marriage record.
5650 John Bursley (Capt.) c.1599, England 1660, West Barnstable MA PROBABLE Goodspeed 1907 p.55 footnote verbatim names him and wife Joanna Hull; marriage in Lothrop's church diary 28 Nov 1639; original Barnstable settler; Deputy to General Court. After 1660 death, Joanna married Dolor Davis.
5651 Joanna Hull c.1620, England aft. 1660 (est. ~1682) PROBABLE Goodspeed 1907 p.55 footnote: "daughter of Rev. Joseph" [Hull]; married John Bursley 28 Nov 1639; bore five named children; remarried Dolor Davis post-1660. Rev. Joseph Hull = Barnstable's founding minister.

ESTIMATES-RETIRED

AHN Person Old Estimate Basis New Date Source
1412 Nathaniel (10) Goodspeed ~1680 (E1: m. 1705 − 25) E1 from 1705 Rochester marriage c.1669/70, Barnstable MA Goodspeed genealogy 1907 p. 55 verbatim: "Nathaniel (10) born 1669 or 1670." Birth predates E1 estimate by ~10 years; consistent with orphaning at age ~1 in May 1670. PROBABLE — retire E1, draw as estimated-but-anchored c.1670.

CONTRADICTIONS

C1: John Woodin (ahn 2828) death date

Prior frontier-agent data stated death "c.1678 Essex County MA, possibly Ipswich." All sources confirm this is wrong: John Woodin was documented in Beverly MA 1679, Wells ME c.1688, and past 1694; his estate administration was granted 30 June 1721, stating he "dyed att Carolina formerly of Haverhill." The c.1678 figure confused him with a distinct John Wooden/Woodam of Ipswich (Essex County Quarterly Courts Vol. III, pp. 40, 390, 395, 401) who died c.1678 with one daughter Mary. Do not draw John Woodin's death before 1700.

C2: Mary Johnson (ahn 2829) death date

Prior data stated death "before March 26, 1692." Multiple primary and secondary sources (Delorey 1989; Find A Grave #60336751; WikiTree Johnson-2746) place her death c.12 February 1681, with her estate inventory taken 26 March 1682. The "1692" is a decade transcription error: 1682 → 1692. Draw death c.1681 Ipswich MA.

C3: Mary Johnson parentage

Prior assertion held Mary Johnson to be "daughter of Edmund Johnson of Hampton NH." Edmund Johnson's 1651 Hampton probate (court order October 7, 1651, naming children's portions to Peter, John, James, and Dorcas Johnson — no Mary) is direct primary-source evidence against this claim. Anderson 2005 (Great Migration Vol. IV, pp. 62-65) explicitly called Delorey's proposal "unlikely." The sole evidentiary anchor is that Mary (Woodin) Clinton was described as "niece of John Johnson" (Edmund's son) — a secondary kinship reference only. Downgrade Mary Johnson's Edmund-parentage from PROBABLE to POSSIBLE; remove from viz until primary source confirms.

C4: Aquilla Wilson → Richard Wilson (ahn 48, b.1767) parentage

Round 4 of this project named Aquilla Wilson's c.1802 Rockingham County NC will as the "best lead" for Richard Wilson's parentage. Round 5 noted the will does not name Richard. This round confirms comprehensively: the will abstract names exactly five sons (Jesse, Abel, John, Amos, Aquilla II); Richard Wilson appears in no Rockingham County source (1790 census, seven journal volumes 1976-1997, county deed transcriptions, NCGenWeb queries). The hypothesis is now POSSIBLE only. Tree doc updated accordingly in round 5; reinforced here. Aquilla Wilson is NOT placed on the viz as Richard Wilson's father.

FOUNDER-HANDS

FH-1: NC State Archives — Aquilla Wilson will image (OW/172, Rockingham County NC, pre-1804 loose originals)

What: The original will document, not yet publicly digitized. The published abstract (Webster 1973/1983 via NCRoots.com) may omit dates, partial bequests, and any deceased-child or inter-vivos provisions.
Why: Only the original will image can confirm: (a) whether "William Wilson" in the executor clause is explicitly called "son" in the bequest section too; (b) whether any deceased son (including a possible Richard who predeceased Aquilla) is mentioned; (c) whether the abstract is complete.
How: Contact NC State Archives, 109 E. Jones St., Raleigh NC 27601. Request Rockingham County loose original wills, pre-1804 group ("Old Wills"), Aquilla Wilson (OW/172). May also be requestable via the NC Archives online research services portal (archives.ncdcr.gov).

FH-2: FamilySearch authenticated session — Daniel Gibby birthplace verification

What: Pull three census images to read Daniel Gibby's birthplace STATE field verbatim.
Records: 1850 Cherokee County NC (NARA M432 Roll 616, pages 16B and 71A, Daniel ~age 32); 1870 Macon County NC, Welch's Creek Township (Daniel ~age 52); 1880 Swain County NC, Nantahala Township (Daniel ~age 62). Also check 1860 Cherokee or Macon County for Daniel between these years.
Why: Birthplace adjudicated as PROBABLE Haywood NC, but actual verbatim field reads would either confirm or reveal the SC-birthplace enumerations directly. Upgrade from PROBABLE to CONFIRMED requires a North Carolina birthplace field across multiple census years.

FH-3: FamilySearch authenticated session — Anderson Bryson 1826 Haywood County NC estate file

What: FamilySearch catalog item 1033065 (Haywood County estate records 1809-1942). Pull the Anderson Bryson 1826 file.
Why: If any heir, administrator, or witness bears the Gibby/Gabby surname, it would link Elizabeth (Bryson) Gabby to the documented Haywood County Bryson family and materially strengthen Daniel Gibby's Haywood NC birth from PROBABLE toward CONFIRMED.

FH-4: The American Genealogist vol. 64 (1989) — Delorey article on John Woodin

What: Janet Ireland Delorey, "John¹ Woodin, Brickmaker, of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and South Carolina," TAG 64 (1989): 65-74, 150-156, 238-245. Subscription access via AmericanAncestors.org or interlibrary loan.
Why: (a) Verbatim characterization of Mary Johnson's relationship to Edmund Johnson (daughter vs. step-daughter — critical for rating); (b) verbatim text of the 30 June 1721 South Carolina estate administration record stating John "dyed att Carolina formerly of Haverhill"; (c) addenda/corrigenda at pp. 238-245 may resolve or clarify open questions. This is the authoritative article on the entire Woodin line.

FH-5: NEHGR vol. 9, p. 284 and Plymouth Colony Records Vol. V, pp. 42-43

What: Library access (NEHGS or major research library with NEHGR holdings).
Why: NEHGR 9:284 holds the primary Barnstable marriage record for Nathaniel Goodspeed m. Elizabeth Bursley November 1666, with attribution of Elizabeth's parents John and Joanna (Hull) Bursley — would upgrade Elizabeth's parentage from PROBABLE to CONFIRMED. Plymouth Colony Records Vol. V pp. 42-43 hold the July 5, 1670 court orders for Nathaniel's estate administration (verbatim independent of the 1907 Goodspeed genealogy transcription).

FH-6: Barnstable church baptism register — Elizabeth Bursley

What: John Lothrop's record book, 1634-1653, held at NEHGS (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston).
Why: Verbatim baptism entry for Elizabeth Bursley dated 25 March 1649. Would upgrade her birth date from PROBABLE to CONFIRMED. The 1639 marriage of John Bursley and Joanna Hull is also in this register.

FH-7: Macon County NC 1850 census pages 365A, 379A, 379B (Rowland entries)

What: S-K Publications index confirms ROWLAND present in Macon County NC in 1850 at three pages. Pull actual census folios via FamilySearch or Ancestry.
Why: Identify first names, ages, and birthplaces of all Rowland household members. A male Rowland born c.1785-1800 with daughters near Rowena's age (~1818-1822) would be a candidate for Malachi Rowland — the single uncited compiler's name for Rowena's father, which remains unverified.

Doc-only (POSSIBLE tier, off viz)