Family History : Choate, Allen, Casey, Burton, and Garret

Family History : Choate, Allen, Casey, Burton, and Garret

Choate

It was a spring day, on April 15, 1676 when the Lord Baltimore’s good ship Cecelius, pulled into the Annapolis, Maryland harbor.  The arrival of this ship meant the beginning of a new life for one thirty-four year old man.  Not only was he in his mid-thirties, but in order to achieve this start, he was forced to indenture himself to a local citizen.  At the time England gave land both to the local who sponsored and indentured servant, and to the servant, upon the completion of his servitude.

Christopher Choate was born on Sept 4, 1642, in Rivenhall Parrish, Essex, England.  Times were hard for an ambitious young man in England.  King Charles II was at odds with Parliament.  There was open conflict between English Anglicans and Catholics.  Worst of all, unless you went to war, the odds of a poor man advancing were nil.

The only way Christopher saw to better himself was to seek his future in the new world.  Upon his arrival he worked in servitude to John Welsh.  Mr. Welsh paid his passage to America, and at the end of his indenture, Christopher received fifty acres of land. 

Beginning a life of freedom, at thirty-nine, he found a wife, and fathered three sons, Edward, Christopher II, and Augustine.   Not a lot is known about Christopher's life over the next decade, but he must have been successful.  By November 19, 1692, the time of his death, Christopher owned at least three large farms.  So in eleven short years he had gone from indentured servant to a moderately, wealthy farmer, and father of three.

Christopher II married Flora "Susannah" Hawkins, in 1716.  They had five children.  Two of them, Christopher III and Richard had sons that fought in the American Revolution.  Christopher III married Prudence Staley.  She was the daughter of Old Hop, Standing Turkey.  He was one of the three Supreme Chiefs of the Cherokee, at that time.

Christopher III and Richard moved to Virginia, then to Tennessee.  Their sons were in Tennessee when the Revolutionary War began.  After the war some stayed in Tennessee and some moved to Oklahoma and Texas.

Ten great-grandchildren of Christopher fought in the Revolutionary War.  They were Christopher, Greenberry, Augustine, Edward, Emanuel, Squire Thomas, David, and Isaac, Moses and another Christopher Choate IV.  Many cousins in our family have had the same names. 

Squire Thomas, David, Moses and Isaac were our great-uncles seven times removed.  Their brother Christopher IV, was our direct ancestor.  All were Indian scouts.  They were part of North Carolina's militia.  At that time Tennessee was technically part of North Carolina.  They were grandsons of a Cherokee chief, so it seems appropriate that they were used as Indian scouts.  There is documentation supporting their reports.  These helped prepare the "western" colonial towns for the eventual British supported Cherokee uprising.  Squire Thomas was murdered by Tories for his role.

After the war Moses went to Oklahoma, opened a store, and married a Shawnee woman.  He is in the family histories and tribal pages of the Shawnee, Choctaw, and Cherokee.  David moved to the Louisiana Territory.  His grandson was a survivor of the battle of San Jacinto in the Texas War for Independence, fought April 23, 1846.  This was the deciding battle in the Texas bid for independence.

Allen

Our most remote, traceable, Allen ancestor was Henry Allan of Glasgow, Scotland.  He was born about 1626.  He married Christina Knox and had four children: James Robert, Issobell, Heneie, and Thomas.

Henry’s son, James Robert, left Glasgow for Ireland. James Robert Allan's son, Robert Allen, changed the spelling, from Allan, to Allen.  He was born in 1695, married Sarah Cathey, emigrated from Armagh Co., Ireland to Frederick Co., VA in 1736, and died in 1769.  Robert had seven children, our lineage descends through his son Benjamin, born in 1745.

Benjamin married Margaret Green Wohoab and they had ten children.  Benjamin was awarded 1000 acres of land in Casey County, Kentucky for raising and commanding a unit of the Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War.  He sat on a jury of a trial involving Daniel Boone in 1788 and appeared on the first censes in what is now Casey County in 1780. He was buried in the Allen Cemetery, in Casey County, KY, in 1826.  The cemetery sits on the grounds of the original land granted to Benjamin.

I have found references to this our ancestor, Lt. Col. Benjamin Allen.  He led in the Battles of Long Island and Guilford.  He had three other half brothers who fought in the war ranging in rank from private to captain.

Casey and Clemens

Through great grandma Judy Ann Choate, we are descended from Abner Brooks Casey.  He was born in 1700, in Ireland.  About 1725 he migrated from Ireland to Maryland, with his brother Peter.

All of Abner’s sons served in the Revolutionary War from South Carolina.  Randolph served under Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox” of the Santee. Levi, was a Colonel of the South Carolina troops during the War. Moses, served as a Captain in 1820-26.   Bartholomew Jesse Casey served in the Revolutionary War while living in District 96, South Carolina. He fought all through the Revolutionary War (1775-1783).  Gen. Levi later represented Spartanburg, SC District, in the House of Representatives of the US Congress from 1802 to 1807.

Jesse’s son Aaron Casey served in Roebuck's Regiment after the fall of Charleston. He served for three years.

Our direct ancestors were Jesse and Aaron Casey.  Aaron’s brother John was Col. William Casey’s father.  This is the man Casey County, Kentucky was named for.  William Casey was the great grandfather of Samuel Clemmons, also known as Mark Twain. William Casey is listed as one of the veterans of the Battle of King's Mountain, along with Davy Crockett's father and uncle. 

Colonel William Casey was one of the first explorers into Kentucky.  He was a member of Clark's Illinois Regiment during the Revolutionary War.  He was instrumental in fighting the British and Indian forces, which were attacking settlements throughout the frontier.  In 1792 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant Colonel of the 16th Regiment of the Green County Militia.  He then established a fort, Casey's Station, on Casey's Creek, fifty miles from the nearest settlement.  In later life he was a member of the Kentucky State House of Representatives, member of Kentucky's second Constitutional Convention, and in 1800 was elected as a member of the Kentucky State Senate.

Aaron Casey’s daughter was Mary Polly Casey. She died on 11 Nov 1853 and was buried in Garrett Cemetery, Pickett, Tennessee. Mary married Elijah Garrett in 1799 in Overton Co, Tennessee.  She was Great grandma Judy Ann Choate’s great grandmother.

Grandpa Choate was a first cousin, four times removed to Col. Casey, and fourth cousin once removed to Mark Twain.

Burton

Judy Ann Choate’s maternal g-g-grandmother was Susannah Burton.  Her line traces back to the Sir Burtons, Knighted Lords, in England.  Originally De Burtons, the founder of the English line was one of King Edward the Conqueror’s most trusted allies, who came with him from Normandy, in the 1200’s.

In 1490, our ancestor, John Burton was born.  Since he was a younger son, he did not inherit the family title.  Two more generation stayed in the Newcastle, England area; the traditional Burton family home.

Richard Burton moved from England to Virginia, in the early 1600's.

Garrett

Through two different lines, Great-grandma Judy Ann Choate’s line goes back to her g-g-g-grandfather, Stephen Burton Garrett, 1733-1803.  Stephen’s grandfather William came to America at the age of three with his father John.  His grandfather, also John Garret returned to America, at about the same time, before 1684.

John Garrett Sr. was a widower, and fell on hard times.  He left England, and his son John, to start anew in America as an indentured servant to his brother in law, John Dunston, in 1631.  After his indenture, he received land, and returned to get his son in England.  While there he married Lady Mary Bible, a member of Royalty.  Afterward he was referred to as Lord John Garrett.  A few years later, after Mary died, Lord John Garrett, returned to America with his children.

Lord Garrett’s father changed the name from Gerrad to Garrett.  His grandfather was knighted and known as Sir John Gerrad.  Sir John was elected Mayor of London, in 1601.  Sir John’s father was Sir William Gerrad, and was knighted in 1555.  He was also elected Mayor of London in 1555.

Sir William’s g-g-grandfather was Lord William Gerrad and married Joan Heiress de Bryn, adding another title to the family name.  Sir William’s g-g-grandfather Lord William Gerrad married Emma Heiress De Kinsley, gaining another title to the family.  Lord William Gerrad de Kinsley’s father was William Fitzwilliam Fitzgerald, born 1140-1174. In the old language, Fitz means son of.

William Fitzwilliam Fitzgerald’s father was William Fitzerald.  He was born before 1100 in Carew Castle, Pembrokeshire, Wales and died 1173 in Carrucastle in County Pembroke, England. He inherited Carew Castle and is the ancestor of the family Carew.

William Fitzgerald’s father was Gerald Fitzwalter de Windsor.  Through an arranged marriage by King Henry I, he wed Nesta Rhys, daughter of the Prince of Wales in about 1089. He was appointed by King Henry I to be Constable of Pembroke Castle; in 1092 he held off a Welsh attack; and commanded troops against native Welsh in SW Wales in 1095. 

Lord Gerald’s father was Walter FITZ OTHO Castellan De Windsor.  He was born about 1037 in Stanwell, Staines, Middlesex, England and died in 1100.  He was Castellan of Windsor and Warden of the Forests of Berkshire.

He was one of the military caste that was essential in consolidating the position of William the Conqueror after 1066. He may have been born in England, but it is not known whether he was in England at the time of the landing, or whether he joined William in Normandy, and took part in the Battle of Hastings, 1066. Walter was a knight in the King's private retinue, and, when in 1070 William began the building of Windsor Castle, Walter was put in charge of its defense, and later became the first Constable of Windsor. Under the Norman kings, as with the kings of France, the Constable was the principal officer of the royal establishment, and was responsible for the defense of the establishment, by the knights stationed there. It was this position that conferred the name 'Windsor' upon his sons.

Windsor was built by William to control the middle reaches of the River Thames, and together with other castles, each a day's march apart, to keep open the route from London to the south coast, and thence to Normandy. Since Walter was a young man in 1070, to have been given such responsibility, shows the great respect felt for him by William. Soon after 1070, Walter also had the important post of Warden of the King's forests in Berkshire. Although generally associated with hunting, the main recreation of the Royal household, the position was a military one, since the forests were subject to regular patrolling, as a precaution against enemies of the King. They were also regarded as the main source of provender for armies on the move, or those stationed at strategic castles. Walter Fitz Other must have been very important to William the Conqueror since he granted Walter 22 manors in England. Walter was still holding these at the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086.

Walter’s father was Otho (Duke of Tuscany), born about 1006.  He was a member of the Florentine family, the Gherardini. The “Otho” comes from his father’s given name of Ottorus which is sometimes spelled as Othoer. He was Duke of Tuscany between 1006 and 1100. He came to the court of King Edward the Confessor in about 1056, ten years before the Norman Conquest of England, He passed into Normandy, and in 1057 crossed into England where he became a favorite with Edward the Confessor, and obtained extensive estates from the monarch.

Otho’s father was Baron Ottorus Gherardo Gherardini, born in 978.  Ottorus’ father was Lord Otterus, born about 934.  He was Baron of Gherardini and Lord in Tuscany.

Lord Otterus’ father was Lord Mathias Gherardini, born about 900.  Mathias’ father was Lord Cosimo Gherardini, born about 870.  He was the 1st Great Duke of Florence.

Pat Garrett, the sheriff who shot Billy the Kid, is descended from the same line of Garrett’s, and was Grandpa Choate's seventh cousin, twice removed.