Mary Ann Harris, Her Parents and Grandfather

Mary Ann Harris, a native of Leicestershire, England was the daughter of John Harris and Mary Jerome. John Harris was a hotel-keeper and farmer. He was a member of a company of British cavalry at one time. His wife, Mary Jerome, died in England and John Harris accompanied the family of his son (son-in-law????) when they all came to the USA in 1843. He was over seventy years old at the time of his death, which took place in Wisconsin.

His father, John Harris, Sr., was a man of wealth and made his fortune in the chancery (judge/attorney ????) in England. He had a long life and died in England.

After Mary Ann Harris husband William Henry Dickens, Sr., died in Wisconsin, she became the wife of Alonzo Nelson Allen in Wisconsin. They had five children. They were among the first settlers of Longmont, Colorado. More about Mary Ann Harris Dickens Allen unique life in future posts.

Reference: Portrait & Biographical Record of Denver & Vicinity Colorado, Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, 1898 p. 489-490

William Henry Dickens, Sr. and Family

William H. Dickens grandfather was Charles Dickens, a near relative (probably a cousin) of the famous author of the same name. Charles Dickens was born in Leicestershire, England, and was a maltster....one who makes or sells malt. His son, William Henry Dickens, Sr. was the father of William H. Dickens of Longmont, Colorado. William Henry Dickens, Sr. was also born in Leicestershire and was a maltser like his father. While a young man, William Henry Dickens, Sr. sailed for Quebec in the ship "John Walker." His wife Mary Ann Harris Dickens and little daughter Eliza were with him, and during the voyage a son, William Henry Dickens was born on May 26, 1843.

The party included Mary Ann Harris Dickens father John Harris. The little party traveled up the Welland Canal and the great lakes to Columbus, Wisconsin were they settled on a pre-emption claim. William Henry Dickens, Sr. did not long survive the rigors of climate and hard work, but died in Wisconsin in 1847, when only twenty-seven.

His eldest child, Eliza, married a Mr. Franklin, and died in Colorado. John, the younger son, died when three years old, and the youngest of the children Maria, married a Mr. Quist and in 1898 was living in Ellis, Kansas. William Henry Dickens died in Longmont, Colorado.

ReferencePortrait and Biographical Record of Denver & Vicinity Colorado, Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, 1898 page 489.

Company D, Third Colorado Cavalry

William H. Dickens lived in the Colorado Territory in 1864. The settlers were having troubles with the Indians. In July of 1864, William Dickens was mustered in as a private of Company D, Third Colorado Cavalry. He served about six months on the frontier and particpated in the engagement of Big Sandy. Big Sandy is known as the Sandy Creek Massacre. The Colorado Cavalry fought (or massacred) the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes.

Reference: Portrait & Biographical Record of Denver & Vicinity Colorado, Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, 1893.

Leslie A. Irvin

The birth certificate for Leslie Irvin states:
Birth Place: Los Angeles, CA
Name: Leslie A. Irvin
Sex: Male
Birth Date: April 30, 1912
Father: Leslie A. Irvin Age: 31
Birth Place: Bonnie Terre, MO.
Occupation: Engineer
Mother: Maud M. Irvin Age: 27
Birth Place: Canton, Ohio
Occupation: Housewife

Interesting that his middle name is listed as A. instead of Authur and his name is the same as his father, but no JR. is listed.

Houghtaling and Hooghteling Name Variations

I'm still researching the spouses of the Flansburg/Flensburgh family line. Three generations of Flansburgs married women with the last name of Houghtaling and Hooghteling. The two generations that married Houghtaling came from the same immigrant Mathys Houghtaling. The other generation married a Hooghteling. Her research led to the same immigrant. It was a surprise that the spouses were all distant cousins. It seems the name has been spelled many different ways through the generations. Examples of variations are Hotaling, Hooghtaling, Hooghteeling, Houghteling, Houghtaling and Hooghteling.

First Families of Colorado

The Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies (CCGS) has a Family Recognition Program. The purpose of the program is to learn of those families which contributed to the settlement and growth of early Colorado and to recognize and pay tribute to them. To be eligible for First Families of Colorado, you must be a direct descendant of an ancestor who was born in or settled in the land area of what is now Colorado before 28 February 1861. William Henry Dickens, my great grandfather arrived in Colorado in May, 1959. I submitted proof of relationship between generations from myself, JLM, back to William Henry Dickens. The type of proof I submitted included records of birth, death, marriage, census, and newspaper clippings. William Henry Dickens from Longmont, Colorado had an interesting life and in future blogs I will give details of his life.

Westover Irvin Family Line

I have been working on my father's family line of Westovers. His grandmother was Nancy Jane Westover and her line goes back to 1660's in Connecticut. From reading genealogy books and researching the town records, the family were prosperous farmers. They were active in their church, but stayed out of politics. Around 1730's the family moved to Sheffield, MA where they farmed for several generations. By the late 1790's and early 1800's our line, Job Westover, moved to Missouri and settled in Washington County. The 1860 census still shows our Westover line as farmers. Nancy Westover married Alexander Irvin in 1879. He was a motormen for the St. Louis transit system. Their son, Leslie, was a mechanical engineer from Washington University. He moved to California in 1905 and married Maude Whitacre. Leslie was employed by the Baker Iron Works company. His son, Leslie, followed in his footsteps and became a civil engineer from UC Berkeley. He married Josephine Dickens and that is how the Irvin - Dickens blog got its name.