Ruth Elsie Mitola

Ruth married Daniel Robert Knowlton 6 Sep 1969, North Kingstown, RI. Daniel was born 20 Sep 1946, Oxnard, CA. [Group Sheet]

1. Rebecca Irene Knowlton was born 25 Jul 1975, Warwick, RI.
2. Joshua Daniel Knowlton was born 25 Aug 1977, Palm Springs, California.
3. Bethany Lynn Knowlton was born 8 Aug 1979, Palm Springs, California.
4. Cheryl May Knowlton was born 30 Mar 1982, Palm Springs, California.

Pasco married Loretta May Berry Abt 12 Jun 1943. Loretta (daughter of John Holland BERRY and Ellen COLEMAN) was born 11 May 1909, Providence, RI; died 19 Jul 1977, Warwick, Kent Co., RI. [Group Sheet]

Vincenzo — Antonetta Andreano. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

John's birth record at Fall River identifies his parents as John H. and Eliza A.; father's occupation seaman; father's birthplace South Carolina; mother's birthplace Fall River. (Fall River Vol.123: Pg.108)

John's marriage record to Lillie E. Shippee names his parents as John Berry & Eliza A. Elsbree. (Attleborough Vol.352: Pg.83)

John was 52 when married in September of 1912, and 70 when he died. However, the marriage certificate gives his age as 59, and the gravestone appears to give his birth year as 1854. However, the official record for his second marriage in July 1884 gives his age as 24, more in agreement with the 1859 date as recorded at Fall River, MA.

In the 1870 Federal Census, census, he is age 10, and in 1875 he is 15. At the age of 15 he is listed as a jeweler on the census.

In 1880 he and Mabel are living in Providence; he is 20 and she is 16. John "works in jewelry.".

In 1900, John H. Berry and his third wife, Laura, are living at 222 Swan St. in Providence. With them is "Eliza Alison," John's widowed mother. John's occupation is given as "silversmith." According to census data, John & Laura have been married 3 years; and, at age 19, Laura has had three children, none of whom is still living.

In the 1910 Federal Census, John & Nellie are living at 10 Bowditch Place, Providence, with their two young daughters, Helen & Loretta. The census data states that they have been married four years, and that this is a second marriage for both. Grandma Allison, age 77, is in the home. John is a silversmith in a jewelry shop, and Nellie is a bench hand in a jewelry shop.

In actuality, they were officially married in 1912, and it was a fourth marriage for John, and a second marriage for Ellen. Apparently they had been together since 1906.

From my mom, Edna:
"Both my parents worked in making jewelry, and of course you know that until recently RI was the jewelry capital of the world. That bracelet I gave you once was made of yellow gold by my father as a gift for my mother. For graduation gifts for Helen and Loretta, he gave them watches with bands made by either himself or where he worked. He gave me a bracelet which I still have, though not for graduation, since he had died by then. He had made that also. Elsie had a pendant with a semi-precious stone."

At one time I thought maybe our grandparents had twins that died. John & Ellen Berry had boy/girl twins who were born 27 Oct 1923 in Providence. They both died two hours later. However, the death records for these infants show that the parents lived in Pawtucket and were born in Scotland. There is a another couple named John & Ellen Berry in the 1930 census, living childless in Pawtucket; according to the census data they were married c 1924.

John married Ellen COLEMAN 10 Sep 1912, Providence, RI. Ellen (daughter of Joseph COLEMAN and Elizabeth SLACK) was born 4 Apr 1877, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England; died 26 Oct 1953, Warwick, RI; was buried , North Burial Ground, Providence, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Place of birth / family residence at time of birth: 61 Plantation Street, Mansfield, Nottingham, England. She came to America when she was 17, arriving on 24 Oct 1894, along with sister Eliza and brother William. Her name on the passenger list is "Nellie Coleman."

Ellen died at home with her daughter Edna and family at 87 Darrow Drive, Warwick, RI, USA. According to the funeral booklet, she was age 76 y 6 m 22 d. The funeral was on Thursday, 29 October 1953, from 2 pm to 3:30 pm at the Juhlin-Pearson Funeral Home on Broad Street. The pastor was Joseph G. Bodie. Musical selections played were Nearer My God to Thee, Beautiful Isle of Somewhere, My Jesus I Love Thee, Rock of Ages, The City Foursquare, and Jesus Lover of My Soul. Bearers were Pasco Mitola, Wallace Powers, Norman C. Remington, and Richard Remington. Interment was at North Burial Ground, Providence, at 3:45 pm on the 29th.

Notation in my mom's birthday book: "Mother died 1953, Monday (Ellen Berry)"

According to the 1910 census, "Nellie" had 8 children of whom 3 were living at that time. I don't understand that. Did she have children who died in infancy, or were stillborn? It makes more sense if it refers to John's children; 8 born and 3 still living as far as I know. I suppose as she answered the census taker, she was referring to the family head in answering that question.

Notes:

In Sarah's birth record at New Bedford, MA, John's birthplace is given as North Carolina.

However, Eliza Virginia's birth record says he was born in Horntown, VA.

In the 1855 MA State Census, John H. Berry 27 VA seaman and Eliza Berry 22 MA are living in New Bedford.

In the Federal Census of 1860, John H. Berry is 29, his wife Eliza is 25, daughter Sarah M. M. is 2, and son John is 6 months. John H. Berry is a seaman, and his birthplace is given as South Carolina. The family is living in Ward 6, Fall River, Bristol Co., MA.

In 1863, John H. Berry 40 VA mariner is on a Civil War Draft Registration List from Fall River. I think it's he, but the age should be closer to 30, not 40.

In the 1865 RI State Census, the family is in Ward 5, District 73, Providence: John H. Berry 33 SC mariner, Eliza A. 30 MA, Sarah M. 8 MA, John H. Jr 5 MA, and Eliza V. 3 mos.

In the Federal Census on 5 Apr or Aug 1870, John H. Berry 38 and Eliza A. Berry 33 are living in Ward 5, Providence with their children Sarah 13, John H. 10, and Eliza V. 5. A young man, Charles Iakeray (?), is boarding with them. John's occupation is given as "whaler." Again, his birthplace is given as South Carolina, but his marriage certificate and ship's crew list both say he was born in Sandy Hill, MD. Perhaps his parents lived in both places at various times. The family is living near John W. & Mehitable Butts, ages 64 & 60. Could they be related to Eliza? (According to a genealogy at Rootsweb, this is John Wood Butts & Mehitable Wentworth.)

At one time, Providence was a port for 9 whaling ships (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/55152/55152-h/55152-h.htm).

My mom, Edna, at one time thought her grandfather John was born in North Carolina. I haven't been able to positively determine where he was born. However, the birth record of my grandfather, John Holland Berry, says that his father John H. Berry was a seaman, born in South Carolina. This agrees with the census information.

Notice in Fall River Daily News 29 July 1871 shows that John died before daughter Jennie died: "In Providence, 28th, Jennie, daughter of Eliza A. and the late John H. Berry, aged 6 years, 4 months and 20 days"

John probably died at sea. This needs more research to confirm. It is clear that he died sometime between the 1870 Federal Census and the time of his daughter's death as reported on 29 July 1871, noted above.

By 1875 Eliza Berry is a widow, still living in Providence, along with daughter Sarah 18, son John H. 15 (a jeweler), and granddaughter Ada (illegitimate). Eliza later remarries, to Leon Allison.

"I found a reference in an old book called 'Old Somerset on the Eastern Shore of Maryland,' by Torrence, which said Sandy Hill was 10 miles south of Snow Hill, MD . . . Snow Hill is at the head of navigation on the Pocomoke River, so a few hundred years ago when ship travel was the norm, folks could get from the Virginia Counties on the Eastern Shore up to Snow Hill fairly easy." (from M. K. Miles, compiler of Miles Files Version 7 on the Eastern Shore Public Library Web Site)

"Abstract of Protections granted to American Seamen at the Port of New York, during the 1st Qtr of 1844: 25 Jan 1844, John Berry age 16, height 5'5", light complexion, nativity: Chincoteague Virginia

Horntown, VA, is on the VA Eastern Shore near Chincoteague Bay. Horntown Road leads there from Rt. 13.

Sandy Hill, MD, being about 10 miles south of Snow Hill, must be over the border from Horntown into MD, about adjacent to Purnell Bay or Parker Bay.

Sandy Hill is now known as Girdletree, according to some records. Girdletree is on Rt. 12 in MD, just north of Horntown, VA.

The property owned by John's grandfather James Berry was in Accomack County, VA, east of US Rt. 13 between Mappsville and Temperanceville.

John H. Berry is on numerous whaling crew lists for New Bedford; at least two of these give his residence/birthplace as Sandy Hill, MD. He was 5'7" tall with brown hair and florid (reddish or flushed) complexion.

John married Eliza Ann ELSBREE 19 Sep 1853, New Bedford, Bristol Co., MA. Eliza (daughter of Benjamin ELSBREE and Hannah BUTTS) was born 5 Nov 1832, Fall River, Bristol Co., MA; died 4 Jan 1913, Providence, RI; was buried , Oakland Cemetery, Cranston, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

In the 1875 RI Census, Eliza A. Berry is a widow aged 43, still living in Providence, along with daughter Sarah 18, son John H. 15 (a jeweler), and granddaughter Ada (illegitimate). They are living on Colwell St., near Plane.

In 1880, Leon & Eliza Allison are living in District 48 in Providence. Clara Allison, age 32, is in the household. Probably she is Leon's daughter from his previous marriage.

In 1900, Eliza Alison is widowed and living on Swan St. in Providence with her son John H. Berry and his third wife, Laura.

In the 1910 Federal Census, Eliza A. Allison is age 77, living at 10 Bowditch Place, Providence, RI, with her son John, his wife Nellie, and their two young daughters, Helen & Loretta.

According to the death record, Eliza Allison died at age 81 (OS Page 24:225).

See notes for Ephraim Elsbree, Sr., for alternate spellings of the surname.

Notes:

In their marriage record of 1853, both John & Eliza were identified as residents of New Bedford. It was a first marriage for both. John's birthplace is given as Sandy Hill, MD; his occupation is given as mariner. John's parents are named as John and Maria; Eliza's father is named as Benjamin Elsbree (no mother named). (New Bedford Vol.69: Pg.129)

Notes:

The death record on the Ancestry CD of Rhode Island records says his next of kin (probably parents) were William & Annie Coleman. However, it is possible that these names referred to his son, William, and his second wife, Annie.

He may have been born in either Hucknall-Under-Huthwaite or Sutton-in-Ashfield. It is not clear to me where the family was at the taking of the 1851 census -- whether they had already moved to Sutton or not. They were at Sutton-in-Ashfield by 1861. The 1891 census gives his birthplace as Sutton-in-Ashfield.

In the 1871 census, Joseph & Elizabeth are living at 26 Union St., Mansfield, with Elizabeth's parents, Gilbert & Ann Slack. Daughter Ann is 6 months old.

The UK 1881 census shows this family living at 1 Alfred Ct., Mansfield, Nottingham, England. Joseph is listed as the 33-year-old head of the household. His occupation is given as a "fruiterer." Elizabeth Coleman is listed as his 33-year-old wife. The children are listed as:
Ann 10
John 8
Eliza 6
Ellen 4
William 1month
(birthplace of all the children is given as Mansfield)

Also listed is William Haslam, a 19-year-old servant (a carter).

In 1891 they were at 12 Stockwell Gate, Mansfield (Fishmonger's Shop). Ann is not with them; Florence is listed as Clara; also in the household is Elizabeth Slack 18, servant (probably niece). Nearby, at 19 Chandlers Ct., is Elizabeth's widowed sister, Sarah Adcock, age 47.

In the 1910 US Census, Joseph, age 63, and his (second or third?) wife, Annie, age 36, are living at 78 Oak St., Providence, RI. They are renting there. The census says he immigrated to America in 1895, but did not become a US citizen. Also, they have been married about 4 years, and both can read and write.

Joseph married Elizabeth SLACK 11 Jul 1870, St. John's Church, Mansfield, Notts, England. Elizabeth (daughter of Gilbert SLACK and Ann MARSHALL) was born Abt 23 May 1847, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England; died 13 Sep 1893, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England; was buried 15 Sep 1893, Mansfield Cemetery, Nottinghamshire, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

From the GRO index: the only Elizabeth Coleman death in Mansfield 1891 to 1894 was Elizabeth Coleman, aged 46, September 1893, Mansfield, vol 7b page 64.

From the Bristol Mercury, no. 14149, Friday 15 September 1893: "CHOLERA EPIDEMIC. The wife of a fishmonger and fruiterer named COLEMAN living at Mansfield, Notts died of cholera yesterday morning within twenty hours of being attacked. It is not known yet whether the disease was of the Asiatic type. The case has been reported to the Local Government Board." (from Alan Battams)

Elizabeth Coleman was buried on the 15th September 1892 [1893?] in Mansfield Cemetery in Grave No: 5695 in the Traditional Section. Also in the Grave was John Joseph Coleman who was buried on the 13th March 1899, Emily Annie Lack was buried on the 2nd November 1903 and Horace Coleman on the 8th June 1917.

About Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, ancestral home of the Slack family:

Domesday Book 1086: in Mansfield and outliers Skegby and Sutton (in Ashfield), King Edward had 3 c (which means that it is ploughed by 1 plough and 8 oxen) and 6 bovarts (as much land as a ox can plough in one year) of land taxable. Land for 9 ploughs. The King has 2 ploughs in lordship, 5 freemen with 3 bovarts, of his land; 35 villagers and 20 smallholders with 19

Notes:

Joseph Coleman and Elizabeth Slack were married on July 11, 1870, at St. John's Church, Mansfield, Nottingham. Joseph's occupation is given as a frame work knitter; Elizabeth's is spinster. Witnesses on the certificate were John Adcock and Sarah Adcock. Sarah (b. 1843) was Elizabeth's sister, and John was Sarah's wife; they married April 16, 1865, also at St. John's.

Notes on St. John's Anglican Church taken from "A History of The Parish Church of Saint John the Evangelist" by E. W. Mellors: The church was erected in 1855/56. The building consists of a chancel, nave, two side aisles, and an 80-foot tower. The spire is about 100 feel high. Mansfield stone was used in the main building, and Ancaster stone for the spire. The foundation stone was laid by the Bishop of Lincoln on 6th Jan 1855, and the church was consecrated 29th July 1856. The seating accommodates 1,000 people. The lovely east window illustrates scenes from the life of Our Lord. Its cost was defrayed by the congregation and friends, and it was put in position in 1870. The organ was placed in the church in 1865, and restored in 1897. It is an excellent example of tone and workmanship.

I have visited this church and photographed it. There is a friendly and vital Christian community worshipping there now, as of 2004.