The Purpose of this Genealogical Research Essay is Two-Fold: First, to provide a working example from the life of my ancestral grandmother, Laura Vorys, to demonstrate "How to Discover the Parentage of an Ancestor who was Born-Out-Of-Wedlock"; and Secondly, to show how "Grandma" Laura's "Van Voorhees" Family influenced the State of Ohio's Early Formation.

This E-book centers around one of the founders of Columbus, Ohio; namely, Isaiah Vorys (1750-1834), who was was descended from his 1660 CE Long Island, New York "Van Voorhees" Dutch ancestors. The descendants of these Van Voorhees (Vorys/Voris) progenitors purportedly represent the largest Dutch family in the USA today. The author has traced Isaiah Vorys' ancestry to 1400 CE, The Netherlands, and he offers a comprehensive genealogy of his numerous descendants. Isaiah himself was a New Jersey Revolutionary War soldier who served under General George Washington. He migrated to the Columbus, Ohio area around 1808 C.E., and his descendants (including the author) and collateral relatives eventually resided in 82 out of 88 Ohio Counties throughout the past 200 years!

Dolor Davis, master carpenter, arrived in Massachusetts from England in 1634 CE. Thousands of his direct descendants currently live in America. The author has spent 25 years researching historical documents in England to shed new light on Dolor's life before he immigrated to New England. The author's research results both corrects and updates all previous books and genealogies previously written about Dolor and his wife, Margery (Willard) Davis, including the first accurately published vital statistics for their four "English-born" children, and their residences within Sussex County, England. Nicholas Davis, international merchant mariner, is the author's 8th-great grandfather who lived near his relative, Dolor Davis, in Barnstable, Massachusetts from 1643 CE to 1670 CE. The bulk of this ebook covers the fascinating lives of Nicholas Davis, his family, and many of his descendants. The reader will discover how "Quaker" Nicholas Davis positively impacted the formation of New England's Colonies through his honest trading relationships, his deep friendship with the native Wampanoag people, and by his philanthropy. Included in this ebook are very interesting stories and first hand accounts of Nicholas Davis' descendants who were abducted by pirates, and who survived perilous seafaring journeys to South America, among other narratives.

The purpose of this research paper is to offer a “genealogical summary” for the seven children born to Quaker Nicholas Davis and his only wife, Sarah (Ewer) Blossom, (the author’s 8th great grandparents), from 1652 CE to 1671 CE. Nicholas Davis was born say 1620 CE, probably in England, and he died in Newport, RI on 24 July 1672. He was a relative of Dolor and Margery (Willard) Davis, both of whom had died in Barnstable, Plymouth Colony by 1673. It has been estimated that Nicholas and Dolor Davis currently have several thousand living descendants in the USA today.

The purpose of this research paper is to provide a comprehensive biography about the author’s 8th great-grandfather, Nicholas Davis, which includes “new research discoveries” about his life in America, and about his wife, Sarah (Ewer) Blossom Davis. Quaker Nicholas Davis, sometimes of Barnstable, Massachusetts and sometimes of Newport, Rhode Island is an interesting and notable American historical figure for several reasons: As the first Barnstable, Plymouth Colony resident to adopt the Quaker faith in 1659 CE, Nicholas “survived” severe persecutions legislated by both Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony governments. He was imprisoned twice with other Quakers who were later hanged to death in Boston because of their faith. Despite these hardships, and the tragic, sudden death of his 2-year-old-son, Nicholas was able to “thrive” in New England. According to Quakerism’s founder, George Fox, Davis had a “great family” comprised of his wife, Sarah, and six children. Nicholas Davis served as a “role model” for his neighbors, showing them how to treat the local “Wampanoag” Native Americans with utmost respect. In 1660 CE, the Wampanoag “Chief” John Yanno “gifted” Nicholas a valuable parcel of land that later became “Hyannis”, Massachusetts; and From 1643 CE until his death in 1672 CE, Nicholas was an international “merchant mariner” who traded goods with people, some of differing nationalities, throughout America and England. In an era filled with unscrupulous businessmen, Nicholas Davis maintained his good reputation by “dealing honestly” with all persons, and for donating some of his time and money “for the public interest”.

The purpose of this research paper is to provide a biographical summary for the author’s 8th great-grandmother, Sarah Ewer, and to reveal new information about her life which was recently discovered by the author. Sarah Ewer was a remarkable woman for several reasons: She persevered after her father died when she was only nine years old; Sarah survived four husbands, all of “historical note”, two of whom suddenly died by drowning (along with a brother who was lost at sea); and she was a wonderful mother who raised seven children to adulthood even while mourning the tragic, accidental death of her two-year-old son. Between 1645 CE and 1692 CE, Sarah Ewer married four times: her first and last husbands were “Separatists” in Plymouth Colony; Sarah’s second spouse, the author’s ancestral grandfather, was the first “Quaker” in Barnstable, Plymouth Colony; and her third husband was among the first “Baptists” in Newport, RI. Sarah Ewer exhibited a great deal of “theological flexibility” within her lifetime, seemingly drawn to colonial men who chose to separate from the Church of England and, as a result, she had to endure Plymouth Colony governmental persecution while trying to nurture and to protect her children. When the author began researching his ancestral grandmother’s life 25 years ago, there existed three major “unsolved mysteries”: First, marriage records had not been found to prove that Sarah Ewer actually married her second husband, Nicholas Davis, in Barnstable, Plymouth Colony in 1651 CE. Second, information had not been discovered regarding Sarah’s whereabouts after the death of her third spouse, Dr. John Clarke, who died in 1676 CE Newport, RI. Third, genealogists, old and new, had been unable to confirm whether the Nicholas Davis who is listed as an “Inhabitant” of RI in 1638 was, in fact, Sarah Ewer’s future husband. This article presents evidence in an attempt to solve all three of these issues.

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