Our Family in American Literature
Our family in American literature. This is a list of known works from American literature that either mention, or are writings about
people who are direct lineal ancestors of ours.
The Jacob Baker Farm
Jacob Baker was the great grandfather of James Marvel Wilder, who was the grandfather of James Lewellyn Wilder.
Henry David Thoreau, "Walden", Chapter 10, The Baker Farm
The Jacob Baker Farm
"Baker Farm", a poem by Ellery Channing
The Bakers at the Battle of Concord
Discussing the role of Nathaniel Baker, the great uncle of James M. Wilder, in the book Paul Revere's Ride by David Fischer. Go to Page 144.
The brother in law mentioned is Daniel Hosmer Jr., the grandfather of James M. Wilder.
"Paul Revere's Ride, by David Fischer
The Bakers and Daniel Hosmer at the Battle of Concord
The affidavit of Amos Baker, the brother in law of Daniel Hosmer, Jr and great uncle of James M. Wilder. Taken in 1850, when he was
ninety four and the last surviving participant of the Battle of Concord in 1775.
Roger Conant
Roger Conant was the ancestor of James Lewellyn Wilder. Conant came to Plymouth about 1623, and soon moved south to the
Cape Ann area of Massachusetts. He is considered to be the first governor of what became the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Conant is credited with founding the town of Salem, Massachusetts. In the story, Salem is referred to by its original name, Naumkeag.
Roger Conant characterized in "Main Street", by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Conantum
Conantum was an area near Walden Pond and Concord settled by our Conant ancestors in the early 1700's. In this passage by Ralph Waldo Emerson,
he is hiking with poet Ellery Channing (e.g. Channing St. in Berkeley). Also mentioned is Baker Farm. From 1852.
Walk to Conantum, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1852
Giles Corey, Yeoman
Giles Corey was the ancestor of James Lewellyn Wilder. He settled in Beverly, Massachusetts (a district of Salem). He was accused and convicted
of witchcraft during the Salem Trials of 1692. He is the only person in North American History to be executed by being pressed to death
between stones.
Giles Corey, Yeoman, A Play, by Mary E. Wilkins
Giles Corey, from "New England Tragedies", by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Giles Corey from "The New England Tragedies"
Giles Corey
The Crucible
Arthur Miller
Giles and Martha Corey
"Salem Witchcraft: A Review of Charles W. Upham's Great Work. 1872
Hosmer and Merriam Families of Concord
The Hosmers of Concord
Henry David Thoreau: "The Embattled Farmers". (The story starts on Page 97)
The Hosmers of Concord
The Hosmers of Concord
While this is not about the Hosmers, it's interesting to know that Bronson Alcott, the father of Louisa May Alcott,
rented a cottage that was on the land of Thomas Hosmer Jr., and owned by his son and daughter Ben and Diana Hosmer,
in 1840. It was in the Hosmer Cottage, known as the Dove Cote, that Louisa May Alcott wrote her first poem, "the Robin" at age 8.
The Hosmers and Woods of Concord. Joseph Hosmer was the younger brother of our great grandmother, Lucy Hosmer Wood.
Ephraim Wood was the younger brother of Lucy's husband, our ancestor Oliver Wood. The search of the Wood and Hosmer farms
is mentioned in this article.
Harper's Magazine, 1875: "The Concord Fight" from Cornell University Making of America collection
The Hosmers, Woods, Busses and Merriams of Concord
The Whites of Salem and Lancaster
John White and his wife, Joan West White immigrated from England to Wenham (Salem), Massachusetts in the mid 1600's. They eventually
settled in Lancaster. One of their daughters, Sarah White, married James Hosmer Jr. of Concord. She was our direct ancestor. Her younger
sister, Mary White, married Joseph Rowlandson, a minister, and raised a family. She was captured by the Indians during their raid on Lancaster, Massachusetts
in 1675. Mary White Rowlandson was kept a prisoner for several weeks, and wrote a story about her experience. It is considered the first ever "captivity narrative" (like "The Searchers") ever published in America.
Narrative of the Captivity of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson
Nathaniel Wilder of Lancaster. Nathaniel Wilder was the great great great great grandfather of James Lewelyn Wilder. In this article, his involvement in the massacre of Indians at Hurtleberry Hill near Walden Pond in the King Phillip's War is examined.
"Massacre at Hurtleberry Hill", by Jenny Hale Pulsipher
Jacob Wood or his son Ephraim Wood Sr. of Concord, Massachusetts.
Ephraim Wood Sr. was the father of Oliver Wood and grandfather of Silas Wood of Norridgewock.
In this story, Henry David Thoreau tells a story of pirate money, that traced back to the days of Captain Kidd, and a hiding place on the Wood farm. The story begins on link for page 69, below.