Editorial

Many NEHGS members have a little New York Dutch ancestry, thanks to the marriage of a migrating New England ancestor in the Hudson River Valley or further north in New York. Our lead article, by Abbott Lowell Cummings, is Revolutionary War Captain Cornelius Wiltsie of Pittstown, New York. The author’s ancestor, William Comins (later Cummings), moved from Connecticut to Rensselaer County, New York, and married Jemima Wiltsie. Proving the identity of her father, Captain Cornelius Wiltsie, was the goal of Part 1 of this article, with the result that contemporary relatives with the same name are also correctly identified for the first time. The author’s substantial research on the family of Hannah Filkin, Captain Cornelius Wiltsie’s first wife, is included here. Part 2 (to be published a year from now) will treat the descendants of Captain Cornelius Wiltsie.

A family Bible record identifies Jonathan Wood (1747–1820) of Little Compton, Rhode Island, and Dutchess County, New York, his seven children, and descendants of his youngest son James. The record has been in print since 1962, but had not been widely recognized by family researchers. The author, Michael M. Wood, tracked down the original family record and added further research, including a family Bible record kept by descendants of Elisha Wood, another son of Jonathan Wood.

The Tudor Family of Barbados, Boston, New York City, Newport, and Bermuda, was founded by John Tudor (ca. 1649–1708) who came to Boston in 1671. During his three years there he was ordered to “depart the Town” three times for his behavior; finally in 1674 he moved to New York City. By two wives he had nine children, all of whom married and had children of their own. Some of John’s sons and grandsons were mariners and so appeared in records of various English colonies. However, his daughters did not all stay in New York City; one settled on Bermuda, another in Connecticut, and two in Dutchess County, New York. After the American Revolution, John4 Tudor (John3-2-1) of Bermuda claimed to be heir at law of John1 Tudor. This claim was helpful in establishing his place in the family, but did him no good as John1 Tudor appears to have died insolvent.

We trust readers will enjoy these articles and find the contents useful, especially the footnotes!

Henry B. Hoff and Helen Schatvet Ullmann