John Holland (1772 - 1823)

Born 15 May 1772 in Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Rebecca Ilsley — married 14 Jul 1792 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 23 Aug 1823 at age 51 in Lewiston, Lincoln, Maine, United States

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Biography

John Holland was born 15 May 1772 in Gloucester, Massachusetts, the son of Michael and Susanna (Ingersoll) Holland.^[1]

It is often claimed that John was in the naval service of the U.S. during the Revolutionary War. These claims are probably based on the pension application that his widow submitted in 1846, which references Massachusetts records that John Holland was a carpenter's mate on the ship Rhoades on or before August 1780, served on the privateer ship Deane on or before December 1780, and was a seaman on the ship Aurora on or before June 1781.^[2] However, John Holland was a fairly common name, even just within the extended Holland family of Ipswich. The application was rejected,^[3] and almost certainly properly so; John was 9 years old when hostilities ceased in 1781, and he was 11 when the Treaty of Paris was signed ending the war.

John "informed of his intention of marriage" to Rebecca Ilsley in Newbury on 14 Jul 1792;^[4] they married in Newbury on 28 Aug 1792.^{[5] [6]}

The children of John and Rebecca were:^[7]

• John b. 25 Jun 1793
• Susan H. b. 25 Sep 1795
• Michael b. 13 Aug 1797
• Rebeckah b. 5 Aug 1799
• David b. 10 May 1802
• Hannah b. 17 Oct 1804
• Richard b. 8 Dec 1806
• Caroline b. 10 Jul 1808
• Daniel b. 23 Sep 1811
• Henry I. b. 1 Nov 1815

Their first child, John, was probably born in Newbury; he was baptized there on 17 Nov 1793.^[8] It is not known where the rest of their children were born, but since no records have been located for them in Massachusetts, it was probably in Maine. John and Rebecca may have moved there before Susan's birth in 1795. John's 1800 census record has not been identified, but he is very likely the John Holland "of Lewiston" that bought 47 acres in Lewiston, part of Lot #1 in the sixth range, from the Pejepscot Proprietors for $44.74 on 10 Dec 1805.^[9] There are other records from that period regarding the activities of John Holland of Topsham and of Dixfield, but these probably refer to other men by that name.

John can be identified in the 1810 census in Lewiston with a family of 9: 1 male 26-44 (John); 1 female 26-44 (Rebecca); 1 male 16-25 (eldest son, John); 1 male 10-15 (Michael); 1 male under 10 (Richard - David probably died young, since Richard is known to have lived to over 90); 2 females 10-15 (Susan and Rebecca); and 2 females under 10 (Hannah and Caroline).^[10]

There are two entries for John Holland in Lewiston in the 1820 census, John's oldest son having established his own household by then. The elder John Holland had a household of 8: 1 male 45+ (John); 1 female 45+ (Rebecca); 1 male 10-15 (Richard); 2 males under 10 (Daniel and Henry); 1 female 16-25 (either Susan or Rebecca, the other one presumably having married); and 2 females 10-15 (Hannah and Caroline). ^[11] As in the 1810 census, David is unaccounted for, further supporting the idea that he died prior to 1810.

John died 23 Aug 1823.^[12] The source cited for his date of death incorrectly gives his birth date as that of his son, John, but his age (as shown on his grave marker) is approximately correct. He was buried in Garcelon Cemetery in Lewiston.^[13]

Thomas Hodgkins of Lewiston was granted guardianship John's minor children, Daniel and Henry,^[14] and also Richard and Caroline.^[15] Inventory of the estate, taken 6 Mar 1824, describes a typical small New England farm of the period: 45 acres of land with buildings, a pair of oxen, a milk cow, 8 sheep, a pig, 3-1/2 tons of hay, 80 bushels of potatoes, 12 bushels of carrots, a variety of hand tools, and the usual bedding, clothing and household goods.^[16] The total value was $400 for the real estate and $208.87 for the personal estate.

The eldest son John, as administrator of the estate, petitioned the probate court to sell the real estate because the personal estate was not sufficient to repay all the debts owed.^[17] The real estate was sold to the second son, Michael, for $245. After costs allowed to the estate, including a dower of $208 to John's widow, the estate was declared insolvent, and finally settled in February 1826 with outstanding debts on the estate paid at roughly 34 cents on the dollar.^[18][19][20]

Sources

1. ↑ FamilySearch, Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626 - 2001, Essex, Gloucester, image 215 of 257 ([1] : 4 Mar 2022); citing Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1739 - 1794, Vol. 4, p. 290.
2. ↑ Ancestry.com, U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900, Provo, UT : Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010; citing Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15, National Archives, Washington, D.C. Ancestry Record 1995 #16703
3. ↑ Ancestry.com, American Revolutionary War Rejected Pensions, Provo, UT : Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000; citing Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C.: n.p., 1852 Ancestry Record 4329 #209
4. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch ([2] : 10 November 2020), John Holland, 14 Jul 1792; citing Marriage, Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009725.
5. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch ([3] : 18 February 2020), John Holland and Rebecca Ilsley, 22 Aug 1792; citing Marriage, Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009706.
6. ↑ Massachusetts, Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850 Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc Ancestry Record 7853 #368733
7. ↑ FamilySearch, Vital records 1764-1889 (Lewiston, Maine); citing Androscoggin Historical Society, Vital Statistics of Early Lewiston Area Families, Births 1750 - 1850, Lewiston - Auburn, Maine; Film # 007600035, image 47 of 383 ([4] : 6 Mar 2022).
8. ↑ Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016); citing Vital Records of Newbury Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, Salem, Mass. : The Essex Institute, 1911, p. 227 ([5] : 6 Mar 2022).
9. ↑ FamilySearch, Land records, 1761-1912; indexes to land records, 1761-1901; citing Lincoln County (Maine) Register of Deeds, Land records v. 84-85 1813-1815; Film # 008296829, image 155 of 563; ([6] : 6 Mar 2022).
10. ↑ Ancestry.com, 1810 United States Federal Census, Provo, UT : Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010; Year: 1810; Census Place: Lewiston, Lincoln, Maine; Roll: 12; Page: 36; Image: 00044; Family History Library Film: 0218683 Ancestry Record 7613 #40844.
11. ↑ Ancestry.com, 1820 United States Federal Census, Provo, UT : Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010; 1820 U S Census; Census Place: Lewiston, Lincoln, Maine; Page: 233; NARA Roll: M33_36; Image: 130 Ancestry Record 7734 #779950
12. ↑ "Maine, Faylene Hutton Cemetery Collection, ca. 1780-1990," database with images, FamilySearch ([7] : 3 March 2021), John Holland, 1823; citing Burial, Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine, United States, Maine State Library, Augusta; FHL microfilm 1,769,795.
13. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images ([8] : 7 March 2022), memorial page for John Holland Sr. (15 May 1771–23 Aug 1823), Find a Grave Memorial ID 127348208, citing Garcelon Cemetery, Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine, USA.
14. ↑ "Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979," images, FamilySearch ([9] : 22 May 2014), Lincoln > Probate records 1820-1829 vol 23-24 > image 354 of 740; county courthouses, Maine.
15. ↑ "Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979," images, FamilySearch ([10] : 22 May 2014), Lincoln > Probate records 1820-1829 vol 23-24 > image 676 of 740; county courthouses, Maine.
16. ↑ "Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979," images, FamilySearch ([11] : 22 May 2014), Lincoln > Probate records 1823-1827 vol 25-26 > image 267 of 558; county courthouses, Maine.
17. ↑ "Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979," images, FamilySearch ([12] : 7 Mar 2022), Lincoln > Probate records 1823-1827 vol 25-26 > image 436 of 558; county courthouses, Maine.
18. ↑ "Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979," images, FamilySearch ([13] : 7 Mar 2022), Lincoln > Probate records 1823-1827 vol 25-26 > image 445 of 558; county courthouses, Maine.
19. ↑ "Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979," images, FamilySearch ([14] : 7 Mar 2022), Lincoln > Probate records 1823-1827 vol 25-26 > image 504 of 558; county courthouses, Maine.
20. ↑ "Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979," images, FamilySearch ([15] : 7 Mar 2022), Lincoln > Probate records 1823-1827 vol 25-26 > image 489 of 558; county courthouses, Maine.