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Messages - Lizzy55

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Scotland / Re: Sarah Casson 1703 Scotland (Highlands?)
« on: Monday 11 July 16 17:43 BST (UK)  »
Kirsty,
Thanks for that information.  It is saved and shall be looked into.  Yes, I did contact Berwick Family History.  I found them not so helpful.  I even offered to pay a researcher (Susie) and she put me off quite a while with personal issues (possibly education, a dissertation or something- I forget) then said she couldn't help me.  I'm wanting to look at British records to see if they are any help but don't quite know where to start.  The issue with the University of Edinburgh has a twist.  The same family lore story states that our 6x-great-grandfather, who allegedly at least began attending the University of Edinburgh was allegedly a personal friend and well liked by the family of the son of "A" Duke of Hamilton.  Allegedly George was a tutor of this young man and when they graduated, they traversed the world together for a while - PROBABLY 1745ish (Jacobite Uprising!!).  They got in some trouble, angered a few world leaders, then the Duke's son allegedly had official duties in Bermuda and George was assigned as the son's secretary.  After some time in Bermuda, George left for the United States because of respiratory issues (Consumption aka TB killed grandparents and all his kids).  This sounds flimsy to me.  I know Bermuda was having issues or perhaps the two young men no longer were as chummy.  Anyhow, these I call family LORE because we have no proof.  The entire story of George is quite interesting but it may just be that, a story beefed up to impress and keep his grandchildren's interest and affection.  We don't know.  There are some elements of truth but trying to sift through the entire story to find the truth and the factual history has proved impossible. 

I would like to say, however, that about a week ago my husband and I took an excursion across New York state to the cemetery where George's wife is buried, my 6x-great-grandmother, d. 1806.  The stones were nearly impossible to read, but a thunderstorm wet the stone, the sun came out and cast a shadow so that I was able to decifer her name "Martha Hitchcock" and McConnell farther down.  Hitchcock was her name in her second marriage.  I'm still very thrilled to have been there.  The farm is still owned in the family and the side of the house reads "McConnell Farm established 1796."  Very exciting.  Thanks for your time.   

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Scotland / Re: Sarah Casson 1703 Scotland (Highlands?)
« on: Saturday 09 July 16 20:53 BST (UK)  »
Thanks for taking the time to reply.  Yes, I/we have William McConnell's "History of McConnell," but unfortunately it is riddled with errors.  If you look at the line stating they were from Berwick-on-Tweed, Scotland - there is no such place.  Berwick-on-Tweed has been part of Northumberland, England since the late 1300 or early 1400s.  It is a border town.  But our McConnells ARE Scottish - my cousin is part of the McConnell DNA Project.  My theory is that the errors are in part because William McConnell sets this down on paper in his late days, written at about 78 years old, when all his siblings and family are deceased.  Either his memory is faulty, if these are childhood memories, or perhaps the stories told may have been slightly exaggerated to keep the interest of small children and aggrandize the teller, who is George McConnell.  We don't know.  Family has done some research and found the fact faulty - OTOH, I have found some of the facts accurate as well (I found a record of George meeting the son of the widow he almost went to Scotland with - he lived in Pittstown, Rensselaer, NY as well, in later life, long after his mother's death).  But relatives have sought information on George at the University of Edinburgh, and they have no record of George attending college there.  And Sarah Carson - family states her name was NOT Carson, but something similar such as Casson, Cassen, Carsen, some variation on the spelling.  In fact, no one can find records of a marriage between a William McConnell 1699-1728 and a Sarah Carson or any marriage or record of William.  So that's where we stand.  I was privileged in the last few weeks to visit a cemetery and the grave of George McConnell's wife, Martha "Patty" Seely McConnell, my 6x-great-grandmother.  The cemetery sits on the corner of the farm whereupon a sign states, McConnell Farm Founded 1796 (or similar wording I've forgotten) and standing barefoot on top of one of the foothills of the Adirondacks near a very large, very old tree taking pictures.  I'm still awe-struck from the gravity of it all.  Stunning place, and as I was singing (as usual) I realized the cows were listening to me.  Such a privilege and thrill.  Thanks for writing.     

3
Scotland / Re: Sarah Casson 1703 Scotland (Highlands?)
« on: Thursday 21 August 14 22:44 BST (UK)  »
Hasson, Hassan, Hassen?  Quite interesting info, considering my grandmother, George McConnell's 4th great-granddaughter I think, was the descendent of an Irish line I am also researching and totally dead-ended at, John Hassett b.c.1806 Ireland.  I was informed by another that he married in County Westmeath under the name Hassan, and the kids were Christened (RC) as Hassen (I may have that reversed).  (Some info states that he was not a Blennerhassett descendent but my DNA tests match almost all GEDCOM ppl inquiring about Blennerhassetts hence I think he probably was a Hassett.)  We genealogists need awards for detective work!   :)

4
Scotland / Re: Sarah Casson 1703 Scotland (Highlands?)
« on: Wednesday 23 July 14 23:45 BST (UK)  »
Thanks for that.  My searching showed Casson more common that Cassan (I grew up with a gf of that surname).  Casson shows more common in England that Scotland, I believe.  So I need to check up on Cassen, MacCassen, McCassen, M'Cassen, M'Casson, M'Cassan, etc.  Thanks for the info.  I have no verification of anything so presently I'm searching everything.  As young as she was, I question whether Sarah "Casson" remarried, and/or whether she emigrated to the US or England or Ireland.  I question whether she actually was from the Scottish Highlands.  That is just family lore at this point. 

5
Scotland / Re: Sarah Casson 1703 Scotland (Highlands?)
« on: Tuesday 22 July 14 01:11 BST (UK)  »
All the information I have is from a family writing entitled "History of McConnell."  Many of the facts do not pan out as legitimate.  We are aware of the facts about Berwick and are not sure which Berwick they lived in.  I did state that after William's death they return to the Highlands.  It was stated that the family was greatly against the marriage.  I am not sure whose death you are referring to with regards to verifications.  If you mean George's father William in 1728, I have no idea who verified it.  None of us were around at the time. 

6
Scotland / Re: Sarah Casson 1703 Scotland (Highlands?)
« on: Thursday 17 July 14 20:04 BST (UK)  »
George McConnell was born at "Berwick on the Tweed" 1725, in Scotland (Berwick?, N. Berwick?).
His father was William McConnell b.1699, his grandfather was George McConnell.  William had a mercantile business at Berwick until his death in 1728- William and his parents all suffered from "consumption," or tuberculosis.  George married in the US- 8 April 1751 George married Martha "Patty" Seely at Bedford, Westchester Co, NY.  They were members of South Salem Presbyterian Church where George was an elder.  George died in 1788 in Pittstown, Rensselaer Co, NY, where more of the family made their home for many generations before they moved to Oneida Co, NY.  They had children Sarah, Martha, George, Thadeus, James, Eli, Dorcas, Lydia, & William.  William wrote a family history (of questionable accuracy) which can be found online at http://cafeouimettebythebay.blogspot.com/2011/05/history-of-mcconnell-by-william.html .

   


7
Westmeath / Re: Hassett m. Clonmellon Parish 1835
« on: Friday 11 July 14 16:10 BST (UK)  »
Thank you, I have been recently in touch with the Blennerhassett researcher and informed him of my info, and he updating his research.  But I needed a link to a tree and so I greatly thank you for that!

8
Scotland / Sarah Casson 1703 Scotland (Highlands?)
« on: Friday 11 July 14 07:45 BST (UK)  »
Looking for info - Sarah Casson (Carson or Kasson) b.c.1703 Scotland (Highlands?) m. William McConnell b.1699.  Allegedly they lived in Berwick and William carried on a mercantile business.  He died in 1725 of tuberculosis.  They had one child, George McConnell.  Family info states that after William's death, Sarah and son George returned and possibly lived with Sarah's parents.

Using my DNA results, I see that my results match a bunch of Casson results but no Carson or Kasson.  Hence I believe her name may have been Sarah Casson.   

9
Westmeath / Hassett m. Clonmellon Parish 1835
« on: Friday 11 July 14 07:30 BST (UK)  »
Looking for information on my Hassetts.  My 3x-great-father John Hassett (b.c.1806) m. (1835) Catharine Batterby aka Catherine Battersby b.c.1800 Ireland. listed in Clonmellon Parish marriage records as John Hassen (also Hassan in kids' baptismal records). 

John & Catherine Hassett had 4 children- Eleanor / Ellen b.1836, Mary b.c.1839/1841, John Jr. b.1843, and Catherine b.1847.  The family emigrated to the US February of 1849 (ship Huma, landed Castle Garden, NY, USA 26March1849). 

I was recently playing with my DNA results on GEDmatch & GEDCOM.  It seems I match exactly 0 individuals researching Hassetts and I match a whole bunch of individuals researching Blennerhassett.  Hence it appears that this Westmeath John Hassett is a Blennerhassett descendent.  I'm really hoping for more information regarding his origins because it's questionable whether he was a Westmeath native.   

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