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.

Andries Luycaszen's Occupations in 1600's

In researching the Whitbeck line back to the 1600's I found Jan Thomase Whitbeck as the immigrant. He married Geertruyd Luycaszen Andries in New York in 1648. Geertuyd 's father is Andries Luycaszen from Frederickstadt, Norway. He was the immigrant and arrived in New York about 1627. His occupations are listed as upper boatswain on ship Key of Calmar and gauger of barrels. In 1657 he was fire warden at New Amsterdam and obtained a small Burgher Right. Small Burgher Right is defined: for a small fee the rights define a resident's position and privileges in Manhattan. A small Burgher Rights includes small traders, shopkeepers, craftsman and freeman.

Houghtaling-Whitbeck Occupations in 1600's

I have been researching the Houghtaling family name. Elizabeth Houghtaling married Johannes D Flensburgh. Elizabeth's mother maiden name was Elizabeth Whitbeck. The immigrant Jan Thomaszen Whitbeck(Witbeck) arrived in New Amsterdam, New York in 1648 and in 1652 moved to Beverwyck, Albany, New York. Jan Thomaszen Whitbeck was a dealer in real estate. His son, Andries married Engeltje Volckert Douw. Her father was the immigrant Volckert Janszen Douw. Mr Douw arrived in New Amsterdam in 1642. He was a trader, brewer and dealer in real estate.

Flansburg Family

I have been researching the Flansburg family line and find it interesting how the name has changed through the generations. The immigrant Flansburg was Jan Jansen Van Flensburgh from Flensburg, Dennark. He came to New Amsterdam, New York, in the 1670's and because there were so many Jan Jansen's at that time he changed his name to Jan Flensburgh. Over the next several generations the "h" was dropped from Flensburgh. When Daniel Flensburg moved to Wisconsin in the 1840's with his sister Catherine and mother Elizabeth Houghtaling Flensburg the name changed again to Flansburg. To the best of my knowledge it is still Flansburg.

Robert Buckles, Sr.

Robert Buckles, Sr. was born in Yorkshire, England in 1702. He came to American as a stowaway in 1719. He went to Pennsylvania and married Ann Brown in 1727 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. They were included in the first settlers in Berkley County, Virginia (now West Virginia). Robert Buckles, Sr. fought in the Indian Wars. He was to old for military duty in the American Revolution. He furnished supplies for the use of the state of Virginia. He gave 34 bushels of wheat according to certificate no. 266 Berkeley Co. VA. April 1783. A special ceremony, held April 1970 near Shepadardstown, West Virginia unveiled a plaque at his grave because of his service in furnishing supplies. He died in December 1790 in Berkley County, Virginia. His son, Robert Buckles fought in the American Revolutionary War. In 2003, MIP and I submitted supplemental application to the DAR in recognition of patriot Robert Buckles, Sr.

Patriot Robert Buckles

I first applied for membership with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in 2003 with patriot Robert Buckles. My grandmother on my mother's side, Helen Nell Buckles Dickens, was a descendant of Robert Buckles born 10 October 1740. Robert Buckles who resided during the American Revolution at Jefferson County, VA, which is now West Virginia. He assisted in establishing American independence while acting in the capacity of 2nd lieutenant with the Virginia Militia in Berkeley County, under Capt. Rutherford. Robert Buckles was a farmer. He married Rachel Van Meter in Jefferson County, Virginia in 1760. They had nine children and I am a descendant of his son John Buckles born 17 January 1775. John Buckles married Frances Wallingford in 1797.

Westover Family Line

My sister, MIP, and I are gathering the paper work needed to submit another application to the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). We are members of the DAR through the Buckles - Lt. Robert Buckles and his father Robert Buckles, Sr. from Virginia. We are now close to submitting the documentation for Job Westover who was born April 23 1742 in Sheffield, (Berkshire) MA. and he died Feb. 20, 1811 in Sheffield, MA. He was a private in the Revolutionary War and served with Capt. Roswell Dowing and Col. John Ashley. In 1775, he gave a speech disloyal to the British. MIP located on Ancestry.com the cemetery log for Hewins Cemetery on Hewins Street in Sheffield, MA. This is were Job Westover is buried and today I printed it off. This will be submitted along with all the other documentation as proof for our DAR applications.

My Dickens - Buckles Grandparents

Rienzi Charles Dickens (RC) and Helen Nell Buckles were married in Longmont, (Boulder) Colorado on May 3, 1905. Rienzi Charles was known as RC. He was born in Longmont, Colorado in 1880 and died in 1961 in Los Angeles, California. Helen Nell Dickens was born in Harden County, Kentucky on October 27, 1879 and died in Los Angeles on November 13, 1957. Helen was known as Nell when she was young. In the future, I will post more information about their lives. I have pleasant memories of both of them. Their wedding photo is displayed on this blog. Beside this posting is a photo of each them as they neared the end of their lives.

The Irvin - Dickens Family Genealogy Blog

This is the first post for the Irvin - Dickens Family Genealogy Blog. My siblings and I have been researching our family genealogy. We have uncovered more about our ancestors and their history than we ever imagined. This blog will be a forum for the Irvin siblings to keep abreast of what each of us has discovered about our ancestors. We will discuss what we are presently researching and what assistance is needed.
JLM