For my Aunt Pat Ramer's 80th birthday I researched her family tree on Ancestry.com. Aunt Pat married my mother's brother Dave Ramer. I discovered that her maternal line goes back to the earliest settlers in Connecticut! Aunt Pat is the proud wife and daughter of Navy men, so I know she will be thrilled to learn that her ancestors served in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and WWII.
 |
| Aunt Pat and Uncle Dave |
Maternal Family Tree of Patricia Margaret MacDonald Ramer
John Reynolds/Renalls 1637-1702
9th great-grandfather and first generation in America
*
Joseph Renalls 1660-1729
Son of John Reynolds
*
John Joshua Reynolds 1691-1742
Son of Joseph Reynolds
*
John Joseph 1727-1799
Son of John Joshua
*
David W. Reynolds 1752-1832
Son of John Joseph
*
Samuel Reynolds 1774-1850
Son of David W.
*
Samuel Reynolds 1803-1857
Son of Samuel
*
Edwin Miles Reynolds 1830-1857
Son of Samuel
*
Eugene F. Reynolds 1858-1956
Son of Edwin Miles
*
Eugene Heman Reynolds 1883-1971
Son of Eugene F.
*
Margaret Veronica Reynolds 1906-2000
Daughter of Eugene Heman
*
Patricia Margaret MacDonald
John Reynolds/Renalds/Ranells
John Reynolds was born about 1637 and arrived in America in 1655. His father was one of three John Reynolds immigrants who came from England to America in 1635 and several who came via the Caribbean. Perhaps his father was John Reynolds of Wethersfield, CT who was in America by 1640.
John first is found in Old Saybrook (Lyme), Hartford County, Ct. on the east side of the Connecticut River now called Lyme.
Saybrook was settled in 1635-6 by John Winthrop, Jr. who built the fort and plantation or township. During the 1638 Pequot War it was a military base and continued in this use until 1647 when the fort burned.
In May 1659 the inhabitants of Saybrook were given permission to found the settlement they names Norwich, perhaps after their birthplace in England. The Mohegan Chief Uncas and his brother Wawequaw were paid for the land by the thirty-five settlers.
On December 3, 1659, John sold his house and land and with other Saybrook settlers moved to the wilderness to found Norwich, CT.
History and Description of early Norwich, CT
Norwichtown was founded in 1659 by settlers from Old Saybrook led by Major John Mason and Reverend James Fitch. They purchased the land "nine miles square" that would become Norwich from the local Native Mohegan Sachem Uncas. The 69 founding families soon divided up the land in the Norwichtown vicinity for farms and businesses. When the settlers arrived, “A few wigwams were scattered here and there, the occasional abodes of wandering Indians...But in every other respect, the land was in its wild natural state.” “The early houses covered a large area, but they were seldom thoroughly finished, and the upper rooms, of course, were cold and comfortless. The old houses were generally square, heavy buildings with stone chimneys that occupied a large space in the center. The posts and rafters were of great size and solidity, and in the rooms heavy beams stood out from the ceilings overhead and projected like a low, narrow bench around the sides. The floors were made of stout plant, with a trip-door leading to the cellar. The line of shelves in the kitchen, called the dresser, often displayed a superb row of burnished pewter, performed the office of side-board and closet. The best apartment was used for the sleeping room and even the kitchen was often furnished with a bed. The ceilings were low, and the fire-place, running deep into the chimney, gaped like an open cavern. But when the heaped-up logs presented a front of glowing coals and upward rushing flame, when storms were raging without, or the heavy snows obliterate the landscape, such a foundation of warmth not only quickened the blood but cheered the heart, inspired gratitude, and promoted social festivity.”
He was a wheelwright by trade, took the Freeman’s Oath in 1663, and was a selectman (the board in a small town that acted as mayor) in 1669.
John died July 22, 170,2 in Norwich, New London, CT and is buried in the Founder’s Cemetery as an original settler of Norwich. In his will he left his house, 79 acres, farm implements, and wheelwrights tools to his only living son Joseph.
John married Sarah Backus (1628-1702) whose father was William Backus, born in England and settled in Old Saybrook, CT before 1637 and died in 1661 in Norwich, CT. He arrived on the ship Rainbow. John later Married Judith Palmer (1646-1716)
John’s children included
- John b. 1655 in Saybrook. While spreading flax, he was killed and scalped by Native Americans during King Philip's War on 1/24/1676
- Sarah b. 1656 married John Post
- Susana b. 1658 married Joseph Kelley
- Mary b. 1664 married Lothrop
- Elizabeth b. 1666 married Lyman
- Stephen b 1669 d 1687
- Lydia b 1671 married Miller
- Joseph m Sarah Edgerton
King Philip’s War
A trial in Plymouth Colony resulted in the execution of three Wampanoag men. This caused their leader Metacomet to attack the city of Swansea, burning the town to the ground and killing many of the settlers. Over the course of the next year, 600 English colonists were killed and twelve towns completely destroyed. Around 3,000 Native Americans were killed and more were captured and shipped off to slavery. The few Native Americans left were eventually forced off their lands by the expanding colonists.
 |
| Headstone for Joseph Renalls |
Joseph Renalls/Reynolds
Joseph was born in March 1660 and died in 1729.
In 1688 Joseph married Sarah Edgerton (1667-1714), who was the daughter of Richard (1620-1692) and Mary Sylvester Edgerton (1625-1692), founding settlers in Norwich. Richard served as constable and townsmen.
In 1714, John was licensed to keep a house of entertainment and rented to lodgers. “To be so licensed then, one must be a man of good repute and possessed of comfortable means.” John was a widower at this time. In 1718 he deeded the house to his son John.
Children of Joseph and Sarah
- John 1691-1742
- Mary 1693-1781 who married Robert Warren
- Joseph 1695-1756 who married Hannah Bingham
- Stephen 1698-1731 who married Mary Sanford
- Daniel 1701-1701
- Lydia b. 1702
- Daniel b. 1705-1706
- Sarah b 1707 who married John Calkins
John Joshua Reynolds
John was born Feb. 24 1691 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut and died on August 19, 1742, in Norwich. John inherited a large estate and was quite wealthy.
He married Lydia Lord, daughter of Captain Richard and Elizabeth Hyde Lord of Lyme, CT. Lydia was described as a “remarkable Christian woman” who lived to be 92 years old, 40 years a widow. The Lord family arrived in America in 1635, first settling in Cambridge before removing with Rev. Thomas Hooker and other settlers to found Hartford, CT.
Children of Joseph and Lydia
- John d 1752 when his horse ran against a tree
- Deborah b 1721
- Ann b. 173
- Sarah b. 1725
- Ruth b. 1727
- John b. 1730
- Joseph b. 1732
- Abigail b. 1734
- Lydia b. 1736
- Elizabeth b. 1738
Lt. John Joseph Reynolds
Joseph was born August 27, 1727, in Greenwich, CT and died on November 27, 1779, in Dutchess CO, NY. Joseph married Martha Tibbets.
Children of Joseph and Martha
- Lydia 1752-1804
- Eliphalet 1753-1849
- John b. 1753
- Israel 1753-1812
- Parker 1755-1833
- David Gardner 1756-1833
- Joanna/Hannah 1757-1826
- Asa 1759-1834
- Stephen 1776-1854
- Daniel 1778-1851
- John 1785-1862
- Silas 1786-1855
Joseph served in the Revolutionary War in the 1st Regiment CT Volunteer Artillery, having “joined and enlisted after muster in of battery” on June 28, 1798.
According to an application for Sons of the Revolution, Joseph served under Brigadier Gen. Nathaniel Woodhull during the Battle for Long Island. The soldiers were driving cattle away from Tory farms so they could not be used by the British and they prevented communication between the Tories and the British. Gen. Woodhull was ordered to fall back to Jamaica, NY where he was captured by the British and taken to a prison ship at Gravesend. His arm was amputated and he died Sept. 20, 1776. Gen. Woodhull’s brother Abraham was a spy for Gen. Washington, the story popularized in the television series Turn.
David W. Reynolds
David was born 1752 in Horseneck, Fairfield, CT and died March 31, 1832, in Dennysville, ME.
During the War of 1812 David enlisted in Lyme. CT in April 1777. He served under Capt. Ely for three years then was waiter to Lt. Col. Sills. He was taken prisoner at Tarrytown but escaped from a British prison ship at Passamaquoddy. He received a land grant in Maine for his service. His pension records show in 1818 he received eight allotments a year for a total of 48 pounds a year.
David married Hannah Hastings. Their children are
- Isaac P 1773-1850
- Samuel 1774-1850
- Rhoda 1780-1787
- Eliphalet 1804-1881
- Thirza 1807-1880
- Eliza 1810-1866
Samuel H. Reynolds
Samuel was born in 1774 in Horseneck, Fairfield, CT, moved to Yates Co, NY and then Allegheny Co, NY then settled near Adrian, MI. He died suddenly in December 1849 in Lenawee County, MI. Samuel served in the War of 1812.
In 1803, Samuel married Abigail Belden or Belding (1777-1852) in CT. Abigail’s father Thomas Belding (1732-1782) was from Wethersfield, Hartford CT. He appears on the 1840 Fairfield CT census.
Children of Samuel and Abigail
- Leonard 1801-1882
- Samuel 1803-1857
- Almira 1805-1881
- Moses 1806-1886
- Mary (Polly) 1809-1893
- Julia Ann 1812-1900 m. St. John
- William Pitt 1816-1900
- Joseph Beldon 1818-1883
Samuel was a veteran of the War of 1812 and veteran records show he is buried in Rome Township, Michigan. Grandson, Wesley Reynolds in Illustrated History and Biographical Record of Lenawee County, Michigan by John I. Knapp states Samuel and family came to Michigan from New York in Sep. 1836. They "were farmers of Greene County, NY, Samuel was a soldier of the War of 1812. He came to Michigan with his wife late in life and died at his son William's at Wolf Creek, this county in 1850 aged 76. His wife died about two years after, aged 75 years.
The 1790 census shows Samuel living in Fairfield, CT.
Samuel Reynolds
Samuel was born December 1803 in Greenfield, NY and died March 22, 1857, in Humphrey, Cattaraugus, NY. He married Elizabeth Ann Hoyt (1812-1853) in 1826. He later married Lovina Slade in 1854 who had children Lucy and Edwin Hollister from her first marriage. Samuel was a farmer.
Children of Samuel and Ann
- Samuel b. 1825
- Cordelia Charlotte 1828-1916
- Lydia Ann b. 1833
- Martin Matillas 1835-1904
- William Hoyt 1837-1907
- Charles Elmer 1840-1848
- Almira C. b. 1845
- John Wesley 1847-1848
- Manly Frank 1849-1902
- Walter Wilden 1853-1941
Children of Samuel and Lovina
- Lucy b. 1846
- Edwin b. 1852
- Parley Hollister b. 1856
The 1850 Humphrey, Cattaraugus census shows Samuel as a farmer. The 1855 New York State census shows Samuel aged 51 and Lovina aged 39. A May 3, 1858 probate record show Samuel’s estate went to Lovina Reynolds and Chase Fuller.
Eugene Miles Reynolds
Eugene M. was born June 1830 in Livingston County, NY and died July 1901 in Salamanca, Cattaraugus, NY. He was a cooper by trade.
Eugene M. married Alzina J. Leonard, daughter of Edwin S. and Lydianne Leonard. Eugene M. and Alzina had children
- Ervine or Irvine M.
- Perry E.
- Mary Jeanette
- Eugene F.
- Lillian Blanche
- Eugene
- William
- Sylvester
- Rosalia
After Alzina’s death, Eugene M. married Lucinda B. Stoddard and they had children
The 1850 and 1860 Humphrey, Cattaraugus, NY Federal census and the 1855 NY census shows Eugene M. and Alzina farming. He and Alzina lived next door to her parents. The 1865 Livingston County, New York State census shows Eugene was a cooper. The 1900 Cattaraugus, NY census shows Eugene was a dentist and a widower.
Eugene F. Reynolds
Eugene F. was born February 9, 1858, in Orlean, Cattaraugus, NY and died February 20, 1952, in Buffalo, NY.
Eugene married Margaret Ferrier (b. 1861) whose father was born in Germany and her mother was born in France.
Their children were
- Hettie
- Myrtil
- Sulter
- Eugene H.
- Luther F.
- Arlen Rollin
- Maleska Lillian
- Eleckta
The 1880 Cattaraugus, NY census shows Eugene was a fireman. The 1892 New Y0ok State census and the 1900 Concord, NY Federal census shows Eugene was a sawyer. The 1910 Concord, NY census shows Eugene worked as foreman of a railroad gang and Margaret was a milliner with her own shop. The 1920 Concord, NY census shows Eugene was a derrick engineer on the railroad. The 1930 Springville, NY census shows Eugene was 21 when he married and Margaret was 18. His son Eugene H. supported his parents as a telegrapher at this time. The 1940 Springville, NY census shows he was a laborer on the railroad and had completed high school.
 |
| Eugene Reynolds of Springville, photo from ancestry.com family tree |
Eugene H. Reynolds
Born August 1883 in Springville, NY and died in 1971 in Tonawanda, NY.
Eugene’s middle name was recorded as Seaman on the Social Security application claims index. But on his WWI Draft registrations, he wrote it as Heaman.
Eugene married Mary A. Larkin, daughter of Adam Ferrier born in Germany, on October 13, 1904. Mary had an older brother named Heman. Heman is a Biblical name from I Kings. Its popularity peaked around 1900.
The 1910 census shows Eugene working as a telegraph operator living with his family in Cattaraugus. The 1915 NY State census shows Eugene living in Concord, Erie Co, NY. and two of Mary’s sisters lived with the family. The 1920 census shows the family living in Concord Twp, Erie County, NY. where Eugene was an operator for the railroad. The 1925 NY State census shows Eugene and Mary living with son Eugene who was now a telegraph operator while his father was a “bridge carpenter.” The family had a servant and Mary’s sister lived with them as well. The 1930 census shows that Eugene was a telegraph operator for the steam railroad.
Children of Eugene and Mary
- Tedman b. 1904
- Densmore b. 1905
- Margaret Veronica 1906-2000
- Irene May b. 1909
- Patricia Ethel 1910-1993
- Irene M. b. 1911
 |
| Margaret Reynolds |
Margaret Veronica Reynolds MacDonald
Margaret was born January 6, 1906, in Springville, NY and died April 3, 2000, in Tonawanda, NY.
Margaret married Allan Campbell MacDonald on February 7, 1908, in New York and died March 13, 1984, in N. Tonawanda, NY. Allan was a WWII Navy veteran. He enlisted on March 29, 1944, and was released on December 10, 1945. His father may be Allan McDonald born 1882 in Canada and died September 30, 1927, in N. Tonawanda, NY.
 |
| Allan MacDonald |
 |
| Allan MacDonald in his fireman uniform |
Children of Allan and Margaret:
- Veronica b. 1934
- Patricia Margaret b. 1939
- Michael
Patricia Margaret MacDonald
Pat married Lynne David Ramer in December 1950. Dave was born on Dec. 24, 193,5 in Kane, PA and died April 29, 1988 in Royal Oak, Michigan.
Children of Pat and Dave
- Debora Ann 1959-2018
- Cynthia Patricia b. 1960
- Linda Mary b, 1964
 |
| Aunt Pat and family |
Dave served in the Navy.
He was on the crew of a mini-sub in the Chesapeake Bay, the SSX-1. I visited Annapolis twice while he was working on this sub in the 1960s. It was painted a fluorescent orange and patrolled the Chesapeake Bay.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08548.htm
http://www.hnsa.org/ships/x1.htm
He also worked on the USS Angler 240.
http://ussangler.com/
 |
| Dave Ramer |
The sub was declared to be toxic according to this article found at http://www.maacenter.org/jobsites/navyships/ussanglersub.php
The USS Angler SS 240 has been declared to be toxic, asbestos was used as a construction material in items commonly found on large ships. Asbestos is made up of tiny fibers, so the asbestos on board the USS Angler SS 240 could have been inhaled by the members of her crew, or could have stuck to the items being delivered to other ships. Asbestos can easily cling to most surfaces, and then be released into the air later. This led to the possibility that any person on a ship which received goods from the Angler might also have been exposed to this toxic material and these deadly asbestos fibers were also utilized within the piping duct systems construction. Exposure to asbestos is very dangerous and can lead to potentially deadly diseases such as asbestos cancer otherwise known as mesothelioma.
Operation Pacific (Warner Bros., 1951) Under John Wayne's leadership, the submarine Thunderfish fights the Japanese and rescues nuns and children. This film, the first of a spate of World War II submarine movies released during the 1950s, was loosely based on the true stories of the USS Angler (SS-240) and Growler (SS-215). Admiral Charles Lockwood, the commander of submarine operations in the Pacific, served as technical advisor.
Obituary
Lynn D. Ramer, U.S.N., Retired
Lynne D. Ramer, U.S.N., retired, 52, a 19-year resident of Ferndale, died Friday, April 29, 1988 in William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. He was born Dec. 24, 1935 in Kane, PA.
Mr. Ramer, who served in the US Navy in EN1 from 1955 to 1974, was a member of Fleet Reserve Association Branch 24 and the Solhin Club of Detroit. An employee of the City of Ferndale Water Department for 11 years, Mr. Ramer served as president of AFSCME Local 3120. he also belonged to the George W. Danuk American Legion Post 330 in Ferndale.
From
'We Notice That' column in Lewistown Sentinel, July 27, 1961. Submitted by Lynne O. Ramer to Ben Meyers: "July 16, 1961 "Arrived in 95-degree weather on the banks of the Severn River, directly across from the complex of our first USN Academy for would-be Admirals. Before the night was was in the innards of the USS-X1, our only four-man, 49-ft. sub, of which our son is a crewmember. Total of eight men in the crew." " July 4-10, Annapolis, MD. Daily jaunts into old Annapolis, around naval academy watching the X-1 crewmen doing aqua lung practices..."
New Project for Crewman Dave Ramer on Tiny Sub
We Notice That Column by Ben Meyers, in the Lewiston Sentinel, Lewiston, PA on May 6, 1968:
Loss of the atomic-powered sub the Scorpion was of special interest to Lynne Ramer. One of his twins sons is a submariner in the U.S. Navy, having been serving on the submersibles for 14 years or from 1954.
Lynne, a native of Milroy and now residing in Berkely, Michigan where he works for General Motors, reminded us about his son David while he (the dad) stopped here on his way to Annapolis to visit the submarine crewman.
Dave Ramer, with a rating of ENI(35), is one of the crewman aboard the Navy's only midget sub. It is based at Annapolis but is being moved from there for some special underwater project. The sub is known as the X-1 (SSX-1).
Now this streamlined midget weighs 30 tons, is 49 1/2 feet long, is diesel-electric powered and has a complement of two officers and six senior enlisted men.
The X-1 was accepted by the Navy and placed in service in October 1955 at New London, Conn. Test runs, extensive trials, and operations were made and then the craft received an availability. Then in December 1957 it was inactivated.
Lynne informs us that the tiny sub in 1960 was brought back into service as a Naval Research laboratory project. It operated in the Chesapeake Bay with a team of scientists watching it from a 10-ton aluminum cradle suspended from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Purpose of the project was to learn more about the basic properties and actions of seawater by direct observation of the Bay's eastern channel. Involved were weather forecasting as well as the fishing industry and military security.
"In 1969 the X-1 crew and families will be transferred to Panama City, FL, so this will be our last trip to Annapolis," Lynne informs us.
