Mary Remington Chalk

Notes:

On the Federal Census of 1850, the family is living at Richmond, VA. They are listed as Clark.

Richard married Maria Louisa Willey 8 Dec 1836. Maria (daughter of Erastus Willey and Hannah Remington) was born 13 Oct 1817, North Adams, Berkshire Co., MA; died Aft 1 Jun 1860. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

In the Federal Census of 1860, Mariah L. Chalk is living at Richmond, VA; two of her sons -- Richard W. 22 and Charles B. 17 -- are with her.

Notes:

One genealogy chart has his name as Dr. Erasmus Willey; however, that is incorrect.

The ancestry of Erastus may be found in the following source: "Isaac Willey of New London, Conn., and his descendants" by Henry Willey; New Bedford, MA, 1888.

The children of Erastus and Hannah (Remington) Willey are listed on page 130 of the above-noted book (full text available online at Google Books).

Erastus married Hannah Remington 15 Mar 1815, Stamford, VT. Hannah (daughter of John Remington and Mary "Molly" Tillinghast) was born Abt 1796, Berkshire Co., MA; died 12 Mar 1822. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The names of seven of the children of John and Molly are written in the Diary of Captain Samuel Tillinghast, Molly's father: Daniel, Polly, John, Henry, Varnum, Hannah, and Franklin. The only ones missing from the list are Marsha, who is mentioned in John's pension records, and Abigail, one of the three surviving children as of 1851. ("The Diary of Capt. Samuel Tillinghast 1757-1766," transcribed and edited by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg, Rhode Island Genealogical Society, 2000, p. xli.)

DAR records suggest that he had a second wife named Mary Greene. I haven't yet found any evidence of this (needs more research to confirm). See notes for John's wife Mary Tillinghast.

John Remington was at Cheshire, Berkshire Co., MA, in the Federal Censuses of 1800 and 1810.

John Remmington was at Adams, Berkshire County, MA, in the 1820 (2 males, 2 females) and 1830 (1 male 70-80, 1 female 60-70) Federal Censuses. (1830: p. 29 of 32 at ancestry.com)

It appears from John's pension records that he was back in Warwick, RI in 1818. However, he may have gone back to his hometown for a period of time to take care of family matters, such as the estate of his mother-in-law (see Warwick Land Evidence).

According to "The Tillinghasts in America" by Wayne G. Tillinghast, Rhode Island Genealogical Society, 2006, p. 528, John probably moved there in 1787, as quoted from a letter from Captain Samuel Tillinghast to his daughter Freelove Greene: "Mr. Remington Sat off afoot for hoosuck, and purposes To Move his Famely in the Fall." Wayne G. Tillinghast notes that Adams, MA, was originally known as East Hoosuck Plantation.

He is likely the "Capt. John Remington who formerly lived near the corner of Eagle and Center streets in North Adams, who with his wife were buried in the old Colgrove Cemetery." (source: "Berkshire Genealogist" Vol. 26 No. 4 Fall 2005, p. 128; reprinted from "The Berkshire Hills" of 1900/01)

John, "of North Adams, MA," was a Lieutenant in Colonel Angell's RI Company in 1776, during the Revolutionary War. He also served in Captain Lewis's Company, under Colonel James M. Varnum in the RI Line. He first appeared in the Kent County Court of Common Pleas to appeal for a pension on 2 June 1818, as "a resident of Warwick, RI" (perhaps referring to it as his former home?). However, he later transferred from the RI Line to MA for purposes of his pension. He appeared in Court at Lenox, Berkshire County, MA, on 28 June 1820 at age 63 years and 8 months, at which time he was a resident of Adams, MA, to testify and sign a statement concerning his Revolutionary War service. He said that living with him were his wife Mary, age 58, who had been lame for 30 years, and his daughter Marsha, age 12. The pension records also state that "John Remington of Warwick, RI, qualifies for admission to the Society of Cinncinnati." (Pension File # S30053)

According to the book "Isaac Willey of New London, Conn., and his descendants" by Henry Willey, New Bedford, MA, 1888, p. 81, both John and his wife Mary were buried in one grave at North Adams, MA. Their funeral discourse was preached by Elder Leland, aged 85. This book gives John's date of death as 7 Feb 1840 and Mary's as 10 Feb 1840, both being buried 12 Feb 1840. These dates differ by one month from the dates in the pension file. A research trip to the Athanaeum in Pittsfield might clear up this discrepancy.

From "Berkshire Co., Mass., Probate Index, 1761 to 1900" page 243: John Remington, Adams, Adm., Jan 15 1840, #6117.

The Society of the Cincinnati was founded in 1783 for army officers who had served honorably for at least three years in the Revolution. It was to provide a context in which they could continue the friendships that had been established during the war, and through which they could provide financially for the livlihoods and families of those who had served their country so sacrificially. George Washington was chosen as the Society's first president. The French officers who had served alongside the Americans established a similar brother organization. Read more about the history of this organization at: [http://www.gwpapers.virginia.edu/articles/cincinnati/index.html] and also at Wikipedia.

Of interest -- from the website of Cincinnati, Ohio:
"Shortly after it was founded in 1788, the city was renamed Cincinnati in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati, an association of officers in the American Revolution (1775-1783). The organization itself was named after Roman statesman Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, whom legend held to be the model of virtue."

John married Mary "Molly" Tillinghast 17 Dec 1780, Warwick, RI. Mary (daughter of Samuel Tillinghast and Hannah Carr) was born 1763, RI; died 10 Jan 1840, North Adams, Berkshire Co., MA; was buried 12 Jan 1840, Colgrove Cemetery, North Adams, Berkshire Co., MA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Molly & John's children were first cousins to Maplet, our ancestor.

Mary Tillinghast, d/o Samuel, and her marriage and family are discussed in "The Tillinghasts in America" by Wayne G. Tillinghast, RI Genealogical Society 2006, p. 528 & 529.

In John's sworn testimony in his pension file on 28 June 1820, he says that his wife Mary, aged 62, has been lame for 30 years.

According to "Isaac Willey of New London, Conn., and his descendants," by Henry Willey, p. 81, Mary Remington died at age 77. This agrees exactly with her birth year as 1763.

From "Berkshire Co., Mass., Probate Index, 1761 to 1900" page 243: Mary Remington, Adams, Adm., July 15 1840, #6176.