John Alling and Ellen Bradley of New Haven

John Alling falls into the category of one of the original immigrant ancestors of a family tree in America. It would seem that he followed a cousin Roger Alling, who was born in Bedfordshire, to New Haven within a few years of the founding of that Colony. Family histories place his birth at sometime in 1627 in England. The family history for the two cousins, published in 1875, describes him as an “energetic and successful Planter”. John married Ellen Bradley. Their marriage is recorded on the 4th page of the original New Haven town records. “John Allen and Elling Bradley were married by………14th of October 1652”. The marriage record underscores the evolution that occurred in family names as families sought a new beginning in the new world. “En” endings switched back and forth from “en” to “ing” and back again. Allen became Alling, Ellen became Elling and back and forth. In the birth records for their children some contain an Allen spelling some an Alling spelling. Eventually the family settled on the Alling spelling which was changed back to Allen after several generations. Tracing the family history of John and Ellen is made even more difficult by the fact that they share family names with that of his cousin Roger Alling. Children and in particular marriages have became somewhat intermingled in the family histories of the two families. We will add a list of Roger’s family at the end of the essay for clarity. The confusion comes from an index written at some point for the original set of town records. The index lists all of the marriage records for the two separate families as one list. With the two families sharing some of the same names it can be difficult to keep the two groups separate. We will include the list in our documentation. Ellen Bradley was a member of a family that came to New Haven a few years after the Allings. The Bradley immigration was led by her half brother William who brought his stepmother Elizabeth and her young family to America. Elizabeth Bradley brought her children Nathan, Stephen, Daniel, Joshua and their sister Ellen to the new world. Stephen’s family tree eventually merged with that of the Griffins his fourth great granddaughter Sylvia marring Samuel Griffin 3rd.------ Ellen’s birth is recorded in the parish records of Bingley, Yorkshire near West Riding, “Ellin the daughter of Daniell Broadley de West Morton”, the date is June 24, 1632. Her name has been written Ellin, Ellen, Elling, and in her Will, Eloane. She gave birth to nine children seven of whom grew to adulthood. At the top of her will is written the date May 1700. It includes the notation “late” of New Haven. The legal guidelines were that a probate must be filed during the first court session following the death of the concerned party. ----- John and Ellen’s oldest child was named after her mother. Elizabeth was born according to the town records “Elizabeth Allen the Daughter of John Allen was born 11th of September 1653”. Her baptism is recorder in the church records. There is no marriage record for her in New Haven. We find the hint for her marriage in wills of her parents which, provided the name of John Hobson/Hopson. The Hobsons lived in nearby Guilford. There is some confusion concerning her children. John Hobson is reputed to have married three times, his last two wives had the same first name of Elizabeth, Elizabeth Shipton and Elizabeth Alling. Her father’s will names two Hobson grand children, Samuel and Elizabeth. A third child, Abigail, is listed in the Guilford town records born December 17, 1677 daughter of John and Elizabeth. The question remains which Elizabeth? Abigail’s birth falls between that of Elizabeth on June 22, 1674 and Samuel on June 10, 1683, which may suggest that Elizabeth Alling was the mother of all three children. The construction of her father’s will suggests she had died before it was written in 1689. ------ Family histories suggest the second child was a daughter. The town records show “A child of John Alling was born the 2nd of August and dyed ye 23rd 1655”. ------The third child was named Lydia. Her birth is listed “ye 26th, 10th mo 1656”. Most histories record the month as December. The original record clearly records it as the 10th month. The Wilcoxson family was a well-known family from Stratford in the New Haven Colony. Their family history listed a 2nd marriage for Obadiah Wilcoxson to Lydia Alling. He married his first wife Mary Griswold in Killingworth the marriage noted in Barbour. We have not found a marriage record for Obadiah and Lydia. The Guilford town records notes the birth of four children identified as a son or daughter of “Obadiah and Lydia”. Mary, Lydia, Obadiah and Ebenezer born between December of 1776 and September 20, 1682. The town records also notes a son Timothy born November 15, 1690 “son of Obadiah and Silence”. On Lydia’s death, some time around 1787, Obadiah remarried taking Silence Mansfield as his third wife. ------The next child born was Hannah, “Hannah daughter of John Allen July 26, 1659”. Her parent’s wills both identify her as Hannah Scranton. There is no record of her marriage or of any children. ------Mary Alling was born according to the town records February 25, 1661. Her father’s will revealed her married name as Gutteridge. There was one Gutteridge family in New Haven that of the immigrant Richard Gutteridge that name soon to be changed to Goodrich. He had two sons Bartholomew and John. Bartholomew was married to Mary Bartholomew. Most historians read that as Mary Alling wife of Bartholomew. In fact Bartholomew’s wife’s last name was the same as his first name. He was not in fact married to Mary Alling. The riddle is answered with her headstone, which is located in the Village Common Cemetery in Guilford a picture of which is available on the Internet. It reads, “Here Lyeth ye / Body of Mary / ye wife of John / Goodrich, who / dyed December / ye 25th 1722 / in ye 61st Year / of her age”. An entry in the Guilford town history notes John Goodrich and his wife had no issue. Without having children their names did not appear in the town records. ------The oldest son John’s birth is recorded in a brief notation. It simple states, “John Alling son of John Alling December 13, 1663”. There is no other documentary evidence for John other than his mentioned in his father’s will. He is mentioned in his father’s will in 1689 and not mentioned in his mother’s will dated May 1700. ------“Sarah daughter of John Alling November 25, 66”. Sarah’s life has the richest documentary history of any of the children. Her marriage to Samuel Atwater is found in the New Haven records on July 7, 1691. The birth of her eleven children are all found in the town records and their baptisms are all noted in the church records. The death of her and her husband is noted in consecutive lines in the New Haven death records, his on September 17, 1742 Sarah’s on September 26, 1742 at age 75. A picture of his headstone is found in the “find a grave memorial” webpages and is located in the Grove St. Cemetery in New Haven. ------ Samuel Alling’s birth is noted with the entry ”Samuel Sonne of John Alling March 24, 1670”. The Sackett family histories suggest that he married Sarah Sacket daughter of John Sackett and Agnes Tinkerman. We have not found a marriage record or any other documentary evidence for the marriage. His eight children are all named in his will, which was published May 5, 1739. John and Samuel’s wills are both found in the volume “A history and genealogical record of the Alling-Allen family of New Haven” published in 1875. The last child born to John and Ellen was a daughter Martha. Her birth and death are part of the town records. Martha’s birth is recorded as “Martha Daughter of John Alling senior was born ye June 1673”. Her death “Martha daughter of John Alling Sen. dyed July 1673”. It should be noted that we have in our collection an original document for the specific dates that we quote in this essay. ------The search for the children of John Alling and Ellen Bradley started with his will key portions of which we will include. “I John Alling of New Haven in New England being very sick in body but of sound understanding do make my last will and testament.” “I give my soul to Jesus Christ who Purchased It”. “I give and bequeath to my oldest son John, the farm”. The deed was for 43 acres. “I do give to my beloved wife and my son Samuel the family homestead while Samuel lives with his mother”. “Item: I do give to my son Hobson’s children namely Samuel and Elizabeth 5 pounds. Item: I do give to my daughter Hannah Scranton five pounds”, “daughter Mary Gutteridge”. “respecting my grandchildren Ebenezer and Mary Wilcocks I leave them to the disposal of my wife and Samuel in case they stay with them, but if their father will take them away”. “My daughter Sarah five pounds”. ------ Most historians have overlooked Ellen’s will. It is in reality an inventory of her few remaining personal items. The manner of the will suggests it was written by third parties at some time after her death. “An account of ye inventory of the Estate of Mrs. Eloane Alling … late of New Haven”. The document strangely includes a legacy to only three people John Hopson, Hannah Scranton and Mary Gutteridg. Sarah and Samuel were still living and John may very well have still been alive. I wonder it they had already received their portion. ------ The families of Roger and John Alling share five family names. This circumstance has led to some confusion over the years. I might prove useful to include a list of Roger Alling and Mary Nash’s children along with their spouses. In general terms Rogers children are about ten years older than John’s. Mary born 1643 married Joseph Moss April 11, 1667. Samuel born 1645 married first Elizabeth Winston and took as a second wife Sarah Chedey. John born in 1647 married Susannah Coe January 11, 1671. Sarah born in 1649 married Joseph Pecke. Elizabeth was born in 1651, Susanna in 1653, James in 1657. Samuel’s son John married Abigail Grannis March 20, 1688. John and Abigail started a large clan that lived in New Jersey.------ For the sake of readability the documentation will be added in a separate entry.