Provided Southwick, my 7x great-grandmother, was born in 1641, married Samuel Gaskill in 1662, and died in 1727, all in Salem, MA. John Greenleaf Whittier’s The Ballad of Cassandra Southwick, although using her mother’s name, is about an incident in Provided’s life: she and her brother Daniel were sentenced to be sold into slavery for failure to pay fines incurred for not attending the Salem Church recognized by the Puritans.
Her father, Lawrence Southwick, was born 1594 in Staffordshire, England and was married in 1623, to Cassandra Burnell of Lancashire. He left England for America with most of his family around 1636-37. Once in Salem, he was a glassmaker by profession. He died 1660 at Shelter Island, NY.
The Southwick story is filled with persecution by the Puritans for first supporting Quakers and, later, for being Quakers. Lawrence and Cassandra were eventually banished in 1659 under threat of death and went to live on Shelter Island where they endured a harsh life until their deaths from deprivation and exposure the following year.
The more research I do on my ancestors of this era, the more difficult it is to think about Thanksgiving without acknowledging what the Puritans were really about.
Wow, now I know we are cousins! That's very, very cool news. I'm glad you enjoyed the story and learned something new about your ancestors. There are lots of sad stories about the Quakers in Massachusetts. Its very sad, but a theocratic government never worked out well- Massachusetts and Afghanistan are too examples.
ReplyDeleteUntil I started my family research, I had no idea the Quaker heritage I had. I have a handmade Shaker-style chair that has been passed down in my mom's family. I always assumed it was a replica made in the 1900s. Now I'm beginning to wonder...
ReplyDeleteDaniel Southwick is my 9x great grandfather! My grandmother had me read this poem when I was about 10 years old. My wife and I have recently started doing my geneology. My name is Nathaniel Tinsley. My great Grandmother Leota Williams Tinsley's mother is Emma Southwick. Its been awesome finding out my Southwick line. If any of you have more info and are willing to share please email me. Politicoman@live.com. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteDaniel Southwick is my 9x great grandfather! My grandmother had me read this poem when I was about 10 years old. My wife and I have recently started doing my geneology. My name is Nathaniel Tinsley. My great Grandmother Leota Williams Tinsley's mother is Emma Southwick. Its been awesome finding out my Southwick line. If any of you have more info and are willing to share please email me. Politicoman@live.com. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteI haven't traced Daniel's side, but if you haven't found the Southwick Genealogy by James Caller, you can download it here: https://archive.org/details/genealogyofdesce1990call
DeleteThere is also this website: http://ntgen.tripod.com/bw/south_index.html
I'm Cassandra Southwick and my brother,Lawrence were named after our ancestors. Someone in the family has the little booklet about the family history. I've always understood that there weren't many "Southwicks" out there. I kept my maiden name to keep the lineage alive. My brother is deceased.
ReplyDelete