This is regarding my post of yesterday stating my
objections to Bob Leutner's off hand speculations about
the Glass House in Salem. If this were a chat list I would
not be opposed to humor and a certain amount of
speculation is creative in doing research, but his post was
unfortunate for a number of reasons. Not only was it posted
to Conklin-L where misconceptions could more readily be
addressed but it was carboned to GEN-NYS-L. A misinformed
statement can and will snowball. There are a number of
problems and missing information to find in Conklin
research as it is. We need not add to it with incorrect
material when the answers are already available.
In Oct 1645 John and Ananias Conklin petitioned the
General Court in Massachusetts to be relieved of their
agreement with the undertakers of the operation.
Undertakers being stockholders Lawrence Southwick and
Obadiah Holmes. The Conklins said that Southwick and
Holmes had neglected the operation. If we look at the lives
of Southwick and Holmes we will see that they were being
persecuted for their religious beliefs. Religious freedom
in Massachusetts, as long as you ascribed to the right
religion. Southwick was banished and became a Quaker.
Holmes a Baptist. Amen. Numerous sources are available for
this.
Staffordshire was known for glassworks at that time.
Some of the families were from Lorraine. That does not mean
that all glassmakers were. I corresponded with Nottingham
genealogist Keith Train in the 1970s (unfortunately I was
finanically unable to hire him) and he confirmed for me that
the Conklins were from Kingswinford, Staffordshire. He said
that the Conklins and Lauders both were in Nottingham for a
brief time. I do not know where the Lauders were from (the
name is Scots) but the Conklins-Jeremiah, Ananias and a
Jacob baptised/buried some of their children in Kingswinford
Parish. I have not found LDS film or published records
but they are available for other areas at that time so if
anyone can find them I will gladly pay for photocopies. The
parents of Ananias are William and Ruth Hedges. Yes, I am
aware that further down the line there are a William
and Ruth (Hedges) Conklin but I don't think that information
was available for the assignation of those names as Ananias
parents to be confused with the later couple. If you can
prove me wrong I would be happy for the information. I
would think that guild records and related records to the
glass making occupation might be available also.
There is no COMPLETE, DOCUMENTED Conklin genealogy. WE
have to create one. Let's take Conklin Mann and the others
and go on from there. David Roberts if you donated lots of
Huntington Conklin info to the Suffolk County Historical
Society then could you please write up what you have if you
haven't already and donate a copy to the New York State
Library and LDS? It doesn't have to be hard bound to be
useful. We need these drafts to get started. Only by
pulling together sections of the family that people have
worked on can we get to a complete family history. I'm
trying to do my part.
Thor Trolsen can you give me a citation that the Conklins
set up another glass house in Southold. I've never come
across that.
Now if the one who carboned to GEN-NYS-L wishes to
carbon parts of this, they are welcome to.
I've calmed down now.