James played double bass violin in the church choir, taught singing
lessons to the grandchildren of James Pickens McCully.
James, husband of Margaret Strobridge, was a carpenter. He would clear a
piece of land, build a house, making his own nails and hinges and carving the
wood and making the furniture from logs. He built the first church at
Middleboro (Methodist), and when it burned, they sent to Maine, for the
grandson, who returned and rebuilt the old church as it was before. He was a
craftsman who made a dance floor balcony in his upstairs, and the clock was
hand made, even the music box that played dance tunes on weekdays and hymns on Sunday. How, I don't know. I have several letters that mentions taking music lessons from James, I don't know which one, but several were musically talented and trained under him.
We went to Middleboro, Mass. and visited a graveyard and church. We were
treated as royalty by the townspeople when they learned our name was Pickens
and that we were searching for history. One man took us into his attic where
he had hand carved a full circus, animals, even to the tent stakes, it covered about 40 feet by 100 feet. They were then working on a calaope, made to scale and were searching for a music box to fit it. They later moved it to a special building in another town. We got a special invitation to visit it free for life.
A deed to James from Thomas Pickens, dated May 5, 1739, has a co-signer to
two witnesses who saw Thomas sign it. "Him being now deceased."
Mary Pickens also states that James was a Revolutionary War Soldier, and
that there are records filed with the DAR.
Clarendon, N.H. seems to be the first move for the Pickens, Strobridge
families when they left Mass.
A special note from Mary Pickens: Alexander Canady served as Captain of
the colonists against the Indians in Maine. See the Kennebec Valley Massacre, was that why our Pickens families returned to Maine?In the 1790 Census of N.Y., Albany Co. there are two James Pickens families of unknown relationship. Simply gives that both families have the same information, that is: 2 white males 16 or over, 2 white males under 16, and 4 white females including heads of families.
See pg. 30 1800 Census of Pendelton District, S.C. Index
The Pickens family lived in all three divisions of pendleton District; The famous General (Andrew Pickens) himself was enumerated in teh section that became Oconee county. See Alice Noble Waring, THE FIGHTING ELDER ANDREW
PICKENS, 1739-1817, Columbia, University of South Carolina Press, 1862.
Also noted in another report that he died in Lakeview, Plymouth, MA and buried in the McCully Cem., Beechwood Ce., Lakeview, Plymouth, MA ID Number: 1223
This John Pickens is the same as the Uncle John spoken of by Daniel, in his Diary whom he visited on his return trip from Iowa to N.Y. in April 19, through 23, 1852. He took John's dau. Mary with him to see her grandparents in N.Y.
Lived in the neighborhood of Bristol, Wis.
Notes, May 1989, sent by Mary Pickens, from DAR records. John Pickens died Nov. 13th, 1869, age 69 years, 25 days.
Death certificate of Barker gives his father as born in New York, State, and his mother as Mass.Census Record of Pleasant Prairie, 1850
John Pickens age 49 Farmer born Mass.
Dianah age 49 born Mass.
William 23 (Married Julia Smith)
Barker C. 22 (Married Ellen Brooks)
Mary 19 (Married John Lester)
Oliver R. 14
John Jr. 11 (Married 1858, in Bristol?)
Eliza E. 8
Census of 1860:
John Pickings age 60
Dinah age (29) Error? 59?
Oliver Russel age 24 born N.Y.
John Henry 21 N.Y.
Eliza Ellen 18
Oscar 14John Pickens handled all his mothers affairs, and yet it says that he went to Bristol, Wis. in 1843. I checked his childrens birth, they were born in Collins, N.Y. after 1843. A record also gave birth as 22 Oct 1800.
This information from Ricketson Genealogy, Sherman Gen., Tax, Census, Wills and records of Collins, N.Y.
Land Transactions with his mother
John Pickens and Roba sold land 15 Nov. 1832, and John and Diane sold land to Diane's family, the Sherman and Sissions, 27 Jul 1827, and 6 July 1842, and 6 Nov. 1838.
John Pickens who died 13 Nov 1869, names William, and his wife Diana as Administrator. It also mentions William and wife Julia Pickens, Barker C. and wife Julia C. Pickens.From information sent by Dennis Green, a descendent of this line. Much of his information was gathered by Maurine Pickens Lehman.
Sources of information given by Dennis Green, Last will of John Pickens, 1850, 1860 census for Kenosha Co., Wis. Also Florence Whitlock-Shelton, Washington. Marriage records for John and Eliza E. Pickens.
Sent by Diane Pickens
John Pickens Family -
According to the census the John Pickens family were living in Pleasant Praire, Kenosha Co., Wis. in 1850. John and his two oldest sons, William and Barker, are listed as being farmers. New York is given as the place of birth
for all of the children.
John Pickens passed away a number of years before his wife, Dinah. Records indicate she spent the rest of her days living with her son, Barker, and his family. Barker and his wife, Ellen, had one daughter, Adeline. Barker spent his lifetime in Kenosha Co., Wis. At the time of his death he is referred to "as one of the pioneer settlers of the Town of Bristol."
Julia Ann Smith (Pickens) parents were Syman and Elizabeth Smith. The 1850 census record lists them as living in Pleasant Prairie, Kennosha Co., Wis. Julia Ann is eleven years old.Sent by Florence Pierce Whitlack
Grandfather Pickens Records
John Pickens & SInah Sherman married 30th July 1926.
John Pickens born Oct. 20th, 1800, Died Nov. 13th 1869. Dinah Sherman born Oct. 9th 1801, died Dec. 15th 1888.
Mary Pickens born Nov. 24th 1831, Died Nov. th 1876.
Barker T. Pickens born Sept 26th 1828, died Aug 23, 1902
Eliza J. Pickens born April 24th 1833, died Oct. 26th 1833
Oliver R. Pickens born Sept. 8th 1836, died March 13th 1908.
John H. Pickens born Oct. 24th 1839
Eliza E. Pickens born june 16th 1842
George Pickens born April 11th 1845, died June 21st 1847.This information seems to check out with all the documented records I have, Ruby Pickens.
Keuosha County Court In Probate
In the matter of the last Will and Testaments of
John Pickens deceased WillThe last Will and testament of John Pickens of the town of Bustol County of Keuosha and State of Wisconsin I John Pickens considering the uncertainty of this mortal life, and being of Sound mind and missoury do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in marriane and form following that is to say; First I give and bequeth unto my beloved wife Dianah Pickens the usa of one third part of all my real Estate and one half of all my personal property during her natural life. Second I give and bequeath to my four sons William Pickens, Barker C. Pickens, Oliver R. Pickens, John H. Pickens all my real Estate and the balance of my personal property to be divided equally among them.Third I give and bequeth unto my daughter Mary Lester and sum of Two Hundred Dollars. Fourth; I give and bequeth unto my daughter Eliza E. Cehase the sum of Two Hundred Dollars which said several legacies or sums of money I will and order to be paid to the said respective legacies in fearly payments of one hundred dollars to each per year by the aforesaid four sons, and also I further orther and Will that my aforesaid four sons William Pickens, Barker C Pickens, Oliver R. Pickens and John H. Pickens shall pay all of the debts and funeral charges and ten dollars yearly to my beloved wife durring her natural life. I hereby revoke all former Wills by me made In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 28 day of March AD 1868.
John Pickens (LS)The above instrument consisting of two sheet was now here subscribed by John Pickens the testaments in the presence of each of us and was at the saw twice declared by him to his last Will and Testament and we at his request sign our waver hereto as attesting witness.
Charles Shuart } Pleasan Praw
Hiraw Shuart }Keuosha County Court In Probate State of Wisconsin Keuosha } S. S.
Be it remembered that on this 4th day of January AD 1870 the last will and testament of John Pickens late of the town of Bristol in the County of Keuosha adress deceased was duly proved and admitted to Probate before I N Webster County judge in and for Conuty of Keuosha holding a court in Probate at his effect in Keuosha City; according to law as and for the last Will and Testament of the real and personal Estate of said John Pickens deceased which last Will and Testament recorded in the office of said County Court Registry of said County together with the judgment of the Probate thereof in the first column of Wills on pages 234, 235, 236
In Testemony whereof I have hereunto subscribedmy motive and affixed
(LS) the seal of the said Court at Keuosha to in said County the 10th day
January AD 1870.I W Webster
County Judge
D/o Johnathan Sherman and Sylvia Ricketson. (Mary Pickens also had the name of an Abraham Sherman) John and Diana lived in Bristol, Wisconsin but very few records have been found. The diary of Daniel Pickens mentions them, as he was on his return trip to Buffalo, N.Y.
A date of 4 Dec. 1888 was given by Mary Pickens, however, I went with the date provided by the family of Dennis Green since it is of his lineage and should be more correct.
This families information was in the largest part, a result of the work and perserverance of Mary Pickens, of Indianapolis, Indiana. She has spent many years and untold expense to gather and preserve this information.
In 1989, being ill and unable to continue working on genealogy, she asked myself, Larry Anderson and my wife Tanya, to compile and finish the work of editing and publishing her work for her. She continued to provide the interest and guidance until we stopped hearing from her. Have never heard further of what happened to Mary, when she died, where, etc. I feel it is a great shame that we were not able to complete the work, to get all the pages of her long years she had worked with so many, including my mother, Ruby HIATT ANDERSON.Honorary mention of those who collected these records include George A. King of Taunton, his daughter Lucy, Sumner Hinds of Providence R.I. Mae Nelson, now deceased. Lent to Louse Pickens Tanner, her records. Much
material was found in Morrison, Stobridge and Morrison Genealogy. Robert Randall Family and a recent publication of the Hathaways of America. Each clue led us to a further research until it was thought to preserve these records in book form too.
Contributors now living are Louise Pickens Tanner of Florida, Lorin Pickens, Detroit, Ill. Danna Pickens, Wilton Maine. Sadie Pickens, Rangeley, Maine. Several notes were found in the work of Monroe Pickens of South Carolina. Others have added data here and there but the wealth of material is preserved by Louise Tanner. In her search for Pickens history, she was given many old news items, wedding, death and birth notices and even new descriptions of some of the old dwellings. She listed every source of her material including the dates when she visited cemeteries and libraries and has been a great help in affirming data questioned elsewhere.History of the Town of Middleborro,(Weston's) pg.434
Thomas PickensThomas Pickens bought land in Milton of Barnabas, Eaton, Dec. 26th, 1732.
Thomas built the house in which his son James lived, and with a few additions, it housed the Pickens family for several generations. Counting sons, grandsons and son in law, Thomas had 27 descendants that we know of in the Revolutionary War. Descendents spanned out to Vermont, New York and Maine. Later to Ill., Indiana, Michigan and Iowa - by 1852. They are now found in nearly every state of the union.Immigrants to New England 1706 - 1795, by Ethel Stanwood Bolton, 1931, pg. 156.
Sumner Hinds states: "I wouldn't be surprised if the family burial lot was not the one on the John Pickens farm where Zattu and Zacheus is buried. Maybe Margaret Steel Pickens and one or more unmarried daughter are there."
"Miss Nelson once showed me a copy of newspaper, the Middleboro Gazette, issued about 1850, which had an article in it about Thomas Pickens. It was apparently written by someone who knew what they were talking about. It said
Mr. Pickens went there on foot to attend to some business concerning the deed to some property. Either he was planning to purchase, or wanted to sell. He took sick and died there and was buried in the Old Granary Cem. Mrs. Tanner found the record to go back only to 1860, so we were unable to confirm the data.Deed dated Jan 4, 1747 "The heirs of Thomas Pickens, late, of Freetown, Mass. Namely:
ANDREW, JAMES, JOHN and JANE McCULLY, JAMES and MARTHA NICHOLS of Newport and MARGARET PICKENS quit claim to John Pickens, and Thomas Pickens Jr. the land on which our two brothers now dwell."A scrap of paper imprinted Broston, says "John Pickens and Margaret Style came from Scotland, went to Ireland, married in Dublin and came to America, had four sons, JOHN, JAMES, ANDREW, MARGARET, and GRIZZALDI. Even in errors it seems to be authentic. Thomas or Martha were not mentioned.
Baptism records of Milton, Mass. give twins Thomas and Martha. Hand written signature of Thomas in the Morrison - Strobridge - Morrison book, gives the name Thomas. Also a letter from John Jr. to John III in Boston gives Thomas as a Grandfather and the Grandmother as Margaret Steel. Since Margaret, the youngest child, is mentioned, it is possible that a younger generation wrote the scrap of paper. Since Thomas and Martha are not mentioned, they may have been unknown to the writer. Grizzaldi is mentioned again as the daughter of John and Ruth Cushing and perhaps it was this line of descent best known...A Bible once owned by Thomas was among the possessions of one Augusta Canedy, or her heirs. Lucy King said it was there until the death of Augusta and, Lucy added, perhaps she is dead now.
I received a letter which was given to Mildred Westgate, she said it was in the old bible and was given to her by the family when Augusta died. It gives the genealogy of 5 generations of the family. Thomas and Margaret Pickens were married in Dublin, Ireland, and bought a Bible that became a family treasure for at least 150 years. Lucy King also had a worked piece that said "Scotland is my home". Neither are found now.
Notes in Westons History of Middleboro, Mass. "Among the prominant families of the last century were the Canedy's, the Montgomery's, the McCully's, the Pickens, the Strowbridges and the McCumber's. There is a tradition which has always been regarded as true, that these families were Scotish - Irish descent, and that as Protestants in the north of Ireland, they joined with William in the heroic resistance at the seige of Londonberry and the battle of Boyne in 1690 - 93."The 11 Week Voyage
As early as 1807, the Pickens family was interested in thier history. One such story says that Thomas and Margaret Steele were married in Dublin, and that the Bible mentioned, was purcased at that time. It is said that their quarters on the boat was so small that the twins Andrew and James, who were walking in Ireland, forgot how to walk and had to learn all over again. When they got to America after 11 weeks journey. Jane was 4, and the twins were about 15 months when they started. The year was 1717 when they arrived in Boston.
Sullivan's History, Two Centuries of Irish History Pary, chapter I
Alexander Canedy, the first of the Canedy family was the father of William Canidy. One of the first imm. men of Middleboro, Mass. in the early 18th century. He served as Captain against the Indians in Maine. Issac Winslow, Commander of the Expedition sent a letter to Govenor Drummond showing his appreciation act.Land first aquired in Middleborro by William Canedy, from Nathan Howland, Plymouth Registry of deeds, Vol xiv, pg. 25.
William Strobridge bought land Dec. 1728 from Thomas Eaton and Samuel Barrows. Vol. xxxviii, pg. 3
John Montgomery, from Elkanah Leonard, May 19, 1735. Vol xxx pg. 92.
John McCully, Jan. 23, 1735, from Elkanah Leonard Vol. xxxiii pg. 141Tax Records of Milton, Mass. dated Nov. 1721, and Sept.13, 1721, list
Thomas Pickens as signing the tax levy page 306, 309. History of Milton Mass.Exerpts from a letter written by Andrew Pickens of Charlottesville, N.C.
Alfred, one of the few Engish Kings we can take without "Tongue in cheek", so to speak, died in 900. In 947 there appears records of Peccinges in Sussex which run into the next century and also shows Peccingswurthe (Farm of the descendants of Picc) and Peckenham in Doomsday book In the tax records of 1200 - 1300 Pickenden is recorded in Kent, but 1322 brings us a real individual "Old Rebel John" whose real name was Johannes Pikan. According to history, the Earl of Lancaster conducted a popular rebellion against King Edward II and John Pikans saved his own life by paying a fine and pledging loyalty to the King. The Earl was pelted and beheaded. In 1325 John Pykan at Ravendale was summoned to service in Guyene France as from Cornwall. It was stated that he was relieved of summons as he was in service to the King. Two years later the King was deposed and murdered.
The English Pickens have a tradition of coming from France and the Scotch Picken from Spain. Navarre lies a straddle the Pyrenees like a blanket and part is French and part is Spanish. The first known individual of the American Pickens is said to have served under the popular Henry IV, King of Navarre and later of all France. Bordeaux of the family tradition and French Navarre both lie in southern France. There is a certain similiarity between the Battle of Poitiers and that of the Cowpens which may be only coincidental. The Eastern branch of the family makes note of a record of John Pyken, son of Thomas from Cornwall, 1408. In 1450 there was a ship taken by the King and noted as belonging to John. In 1547, Edward VI had a Master Pykan of the Kings Magesty Coffers. In Scotland an Adam Pickeneye or Pickman was in diplomatic work of Henry of Navarre.Taken from a letter to Ruth Coffman by Mary Pickens.
Dear Ruth,
Tell little Joey, John C., and Jennifer that 27 Pickens boys fought in the Rev. War from Mass. and if you will look in Mass. Soldiers and Sailors, Rev. War add the names of McCully, Jane Pickens husband and Tinkham, JoAnn's
husband, and then add the Howlands of America, the Robert Randall family and the Pierce family of the Old Colony and they will be relatived to everyone at the Boston Tea Party and half the whole Army of the North East including the
White Mountain Boys and even those who fought with Benedict Arnold. (He was queered out of the job when George Washington was chosen and he turned against the states.)
Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illionis and Indiana were all settled by Pickens Pioneers.
Mary Pickens, May 1989. ""I own a copy of the Strobridge-Morrison Strobridge book and have copied much material from it as this is their authority." Page 278, 1722, when person from Erland (Ireland), included
William Pickens, wife Margaret (Could this be Thomas and Margaret Steele, meaning Thomas William Pickens?) in land transactions, Thomas and Robey sold land in Collins N.Y. Appletims Cyclopoedia of American Biography Vol. IV page 769, gives a short item on Andrew of South Carolina. It says he was a Huguenot Descendant and of French Decent. It says they were driven out of France by the Revocation of the Edict of Names. Since they claim French Descent. There is a very definite break in their tradition. Andrew was born Sept. 19th, 1739, but does not give actual arrival or ship. Just tradition without proof of how they got to Penn. Since ours settled in Mass. and even had a bible purchased in Ireland, I still believe in the "Fabulous John" tradition of how they got there.
Robert and his wife Madam Bonneah went to Scotland, then to Ireland, then to America. Andrew claimed to be the son of the first Robert, and brother to John, Robert and Andrew.
Mary Pickens has contacted the Robert Family, and they do not claim Andrew as their family. We can trace the Robert family back to France, but how Andrew and John are related is not verified.Revolutionary War Stories
From stories sent by Mary Pickens, which may or may not fit into our line of Pickens, revolving around the Rev. War.
There are at least four lines, Robert; Thomas; John; Andrew; Robert and John were brothers, and Andrew claims to be also. Roberts living family deny any connection with Andrew. (General Andrew Pickens of Rev. War Fame)
"We visited each of the cemeteries where each are buried. The one Robert is in, has about 50 stones of Rev. War soldiers, and Andrew has only his own family. I believe at their death, I believe it was Robert that was best known, but Andrew got the fame.
It was only in the last few years and after much legal mess, that Robert and his fellow officers, buried together, did get DAR status, and James is recent too. It is said that the plan of battle was Andrew's Ideas, but when you research it, it is just plain Yankee Common Sence. You see the enlistment area that the soldiers fought for 2 or 3 days at a time. That was because they carried their own food, ball and powder. When that ran out, they went home for refills.
Busting the Blockhouse
The story is told how 10 or 12 would engage in what we now call Gorrilla Warfare, and then disappear like mist, to reappear miles away as part of new offensive.
The British had build a block house and stored food and powder in it. They heard that the soldiers were amassing down river for an assult on the block house. The Tories marched in full gear, about 10 miles away, down river, to be in place before the settlers. While they were busy down river, about 10 miles away, a group of settlers took the blockhouse and emptied it of food and amunition.
They knew they could not hold the blockhouse very long, so they hid it in caves and hollow trees, and buried it quite near, but known only to the settlers.
When the Torries returned, the food and powder was gone, and so were the settlers. When they ran out of powder and ball, they would refill their knapsacks from these hidden stores and the Tories were unable to find them, because they moved two or three at a time and did not fight by gathering in small groups, but literally baffeled the well organized movements of the English.
One of the Pickens boys was at Valley Forge, some name him as Eleaser or Elzer Pickens. But his wife and friends would knit mittens and socks and one woman, Elzer's wife would take them into camp. One night, when she was there, word came that the Tories were marching down river. They did not want her to be caught in the cross fire, so they nailed her up in an empty flour barrel and sent her out in a log wagon of empty barrels. She arrived safe and sound, except for bruises and her long black hair was matted white with flour.
Elzer died of small pox in camp that winter. As there was no children, she has disappeared in the mist of time.MOSQUITOES
Most of the South Carolina Pickens traveled to Boston to shop and to spend their summer away from the mosquitoes. One of my old letters tell of the mosquitoes so dense that she could not write more on the letter.
"Fabulous John Story"
When the protestants were expelled from France, they were outlawed in Ireland and Scotland early in the 18th century because of the spread of Catholic religion.
When France exiled them in 1700's there was no place to go. Scotland and Ireland would not have them. They were secreted in caves and underground areas by friends and relatives still in the north of Ireland.
Their minister came to America and bought the Kennebec Valley and thousands of these Scotch - Irish immigrants were secreted into boats coming to America. They settled all the way up into Maine.
Here they had water and land transportation and were quickly building homes and filling up the Kennebec Valley. They were soon very numerous and the Indians banded together to wipe the river valley clean of white settlers.
This John was only 17, but the settlers sent him into the woods with their children to hide. When the massacre was over, and there were no homes to go to John took his children and finally arrived at Bucks Co. Penn. with 27 of them. Some were girls and these married and gave John as their guardian and called themselves Pickens. Some of them were about the same age as John.
John never married but did become active in commerce.
A note I found said John and Margaret, the elder, and Margaret the younger, went to N.C. in 1740. There I found him in a law suit.
He would load a boat with "Cattle", and transport it to Scotland and England where he sold the "Cattle".
He would then fill the ship with refugees, Scotch-Irish outcasts, and bring them back to America. He paid all expenses, but each was to bonded for 5 years.
One partner wanted his money, not bonded workers. So he sued John for non-payment of his share. Don't know how he got out of that. I saw the court account, but it did not say how it was settled.
The next I hear of him, he is with a group of settlers from N.C. trying to make a treaty with the Tories and the Indians. They signed the agreement if he would give himself as hostage. He did, and several months passed before word got to Sam Bowie down in Mississippi, that John had been given over to the Indians as hostage and that they had burned him at the stake.
Sam Bowie made the trip to North Carolina, to Andrew Pickens who then called out the Carolina militia, and that was the beginning to the resistance to England. That is where the idea came that John was the first of the Pickens to come to America. He may have been the first, but only tradition remains, and our Thomas is first as our records goes.
Thomas was a carpenter and assisted in building the first church in Mass. and carved all the trimmings. There was some dispute over the deed for some land on which he had already built a house, he walked from Middleboro, to Boston to clear the deed. We find the deed to James, his son, about 3 months later. It is signed by two witnesses, Thomas now being deceased. It is said he was buried in the old Granery Cem. in Boston. We went there, but several dozen stones, about 2 inches thick and 4 feet long had been broken off and stacked like firewood against the old church. There was no church records, and the job of searching the stones was impossible. Some had tried, but the stones had been broken and the cemetery caretaker refused anymore moving. There were some stones left dated in the 1700's. It was awsome to stand there and look at the now grassy graves where Thomas may have been buried.
Sam Bowie, Long Knives
Sam Bowie was related to the Pickens through his mother. His gang was
called the Long Knives, because of their home made knives of great length. The Bowie knife, known today, is an adaptation of this knife. This knife could be used as a hand ax to chop or dig, or to kill a bear. Heavy at the base, and tapered to a thin sharp point.Reference Books
1) Morrison, Strobridge, by Guild
2) Clark Family, by Joanna Clark
3) History of the Hinds Family by A.H. Hinds
4) Ricketson Family
5) William Spooner Family by Thomas Spooner
6) Pierce of the Old Colony
7) Robert Randall family
8) Matteson Family History
9) Howlands in America
10) Eddy's families in America, by Ruth Eddy StoryFrom a letter by Diana Pickens, 628 East St., Grinnell, Ia. 50112, Sept. 28 1991. "Since we last spoke I have been corresponding with a lady in Ireland on my family side (Lyons) and she was greatly interested in the surname Pickens. She states that a Pickens family was in the area of Balltmoney, County Antrim adjoining the Lyons home in the last century. She gave me baptisms from the 1st Presbytrian church.
c. 1733 James son to Samuel Picken
c. 1752 ---- son to Samuel Picken
Eliz dau. to John Picken
c. 1754 Samuel son to James Picken
c. 1756 Thomas son to Thomas Picken
1757 Yoisil -- to John Picken
She states in another letter that the townland of the Taughey, adjacent to Ballygan where her Samuel died in 1863, there was a family named Picken in the 19th century. In our correspondences she couldn't find the town of Bally Cully (Gully) anywhere. Could that name have been spelled incorrectly or misunderstood in corresponding with people? She gave me some listing from a 1989 telephone directory of some Pickens and Picken; in which I found a Ballygawaley. Do you suppose that could be it? I typed up a letter to one of the listing in the directory and will see what that brings. If that doesn't work I'll write the others on that list. What do you think, these Picken could be the same as Pickens? Have you come across that Picken spelling at any time?..."From Strobridge Gen. Page 17
Thomas Pickens note that it is settled that his name was Thomas and not John as has been claimed by some of his decendants - It is said that have come to America the same time with the Strobridges and McCulleys. He settled in the West Parish of Middleborough just when, it is possible to determine. The first mention of a Pickens in the land records at Plymouth is in 1736 when Thomas Pickens of Freetown gave a deed of land to John Tinkim Vol 31 register of deeds page ?. It would seem to this that if Thomas Pickens came with the Strobridges to American he did not at first settle in Middleborough, but in 1736 was at that place according to the following; Thomas Pickens of Middleborough to son James Pickens of Middleborough deed dated 1739 (reg of deed Vol 33, page 53?) The deed to which his signature was attached was date May 5, 1739. The same deed was in endorsement on the back by two witness who saw Thomas Pickens deceased, sign the deed which indorsement is dated Nov of the same year.
Another record in a deed from Thomas Pickens from Freetown to Nathaniel Holloway and (? Pierte) of Middleborough in 1778 ebid, (Vol 39, page 239).
There is also a deed recorded 1749 in Vol 40 page 133, of land sold by Thomas Pickens in Freetown, in 1736, to Elkanah Leonard of Middleborough.
The following extract from a letter of Mrs. John Pickens of New Bedford to his son John in Freetown Jan 6, 1807 while be found of interest, for the writter must have know is grandparents Thomas and Margaret Steele, and could therefore speak of some certainaity;
"Of the fathers side, my grandfather Thomas Pickens, the small S was added in this country with his wife, (Maiden name was Margaret Steele) and there children were Jane, Andrew, and James. Twins about 2 years old, migrated to American about 1717 one year more or less, and landed at Boston from a ruff and tedious vogage of 11 weeks..... Pages missing.TYPE Family Line
DATE Abt 1965
PLAC Lois Pickens Tanner,privately held family research,notes and family group sheets,sent to Sidney PickensID Number: 122
It is though by some that Margaret may have continued on the home place
with John and Thomas, and at her death, the heirs just turned over the property to their brother. No will of Margaret being probated.
G.A. King said that Margaret died in 1747.ID Number: M-STEE9720
Margaret the younger, being unmarried, lived with James and Martha
Nichols in Newport, R.I. in 1747. No further information.
ID Number: 1227
STROBRIDGE PEDIGREE TAKEN FROM VISITATION OF DEVONSHIRE IN 1620.
STROBRIDGE
ARMS. or over water proper on a bridge of 3 arches goles a tower of the
last and a pennon hosted there on.
John Strobridge of Colleton in Com. Devon.
---John Strobridge, marr Cicilie d/o Giles of Bigbury, and Com. Devon
------Arthur Strobridge of Modbury, marr Mary, d/o Heale in Com. Devon,
living in 1620.
Children of Arthur:2> Walter
3) Roger
1) John S. et h. aet. 30 1620 married d/o Finch
4) Mary Sippett
5) Ann Slowly
The only mention of Betsy in on the Bank Bonds and stocks owned by Alexander
and in his will.
We visited the grave but could not find any record of Alexander. ( Note by
Mary Pickens of Indianapolis, Ind., author of Dozens of Cousins.)