Edited from the Dennis Historical (Massachusetts) Society Newsletter, Feb/March 2008, by Burt Derick.
David O'Killia (O'Kelly) and Jane Powell’s (my 11th great-grandparent's) story is one of loneliness and love. In the 1650s, New England Separatists realized they needed to bring in willing (sometimes unwilling) workers, which was easy given the strife in Great Britain from wars, ravages of plague and religious persecution. Nearly all were young and unmarried, at the bottom of the social class.
David and Jane were poor bondservants (sometimes called White Slaves) charged with fornication. They were in their teens, and forced to endure great hardship. Jane was likely originally from Wales. The distance between the homes of the owners of their indentures (Wm. Swift and Edw. Sturgis') is 24 miles, quite a distance in those days. Perhaps they met on the same ship from England to America.
David and Jane were poor, lonely, scared, moving to an uncertain future and they were Gaelic, sharing a common language others on the ship may not have had. They would have been immediately separated and endured a hard life, as Jane's plea in court shows. Many of the colonists were religious fanatics, ruling with an iron hand, punishing people for minor infractions. Somehow, in a time when roads were less than cartways and transportation was slow, David found Jane. Perhaps he had an errand to do for his master, attending the only gristmill in the area to get the corn ground to flour. It is unlikely it was a chance encounter--not a single encounter in the woods of Sagamore, but one of many. There was certainly a background relationship between these people that resulted in the encounter for which they were charged. The fornication charge likely means she was pregnant, rather than caught in the act.
Despite Jane's guilt, the magistrates could not bring themselves to levy the typical punishment of public whipping and they sent her home. They also didn't charge David with seducing the girl. They leave the two to work out the problem. It's also remarkable the Clerk took time to record so many details of Jane's predicament
After securing freedom for both of them, David did the honorable thing and married Jane and they moved to a 100 acre farm that was eventually named Kelley's Point, at the head of Bass River on the banks of what is today called Kelley’s Bay. The area is now called Mayfair in current day South Dennis, Massachusetts.
David's family lived in South Dennis, Massachusetts over 40 years, raising a family of five boys and two girls: Sarah b. ca 1660, Joseph b. ca 1662, +Jeremiah b. ca 1664, John b. ca 1667, David was b. ca 1670, Elizabeth b ca 1672, Benjamin b. ca 1675. All were mentioned in David’s will.
Our lineage is:
David Okille (about 1636 - 1697) -- 11th great-grandfather
Jeremiah OKilley (OKelley) (1664 - 1728) -- son of David Okille
Sarah OKilley (1689 - 1736) -- daughter of Jeremiah OKilley (OKelley)
Solomon Carpenter (1677 - 1750) -- son of Sarah OKilley
Elizabeth Carpenter (1703 - 1740) -- daughter of Solomon Carpenter
Soloman Braman (1723 - 1790) -- son of Elizabeth Carpenter
William Braman (1753 - 1804) -- son of Soloman Braman
Waterman F Brayman (1786 - 1865) -- son of William Braman
Elvira W. Brayman (Pierce) (Corey) (1822 - 1909) -- daughter of Waterman F Brayman
Marcus M Pierce (1842 - 1882) -- son of Elvira W. Brayman (Pierce) (Corey)
Lillian Amanda Pierce (1867 - 1957) -- daughter of Marcus M Pierce
Frank Jackson Bailey (1886 - 1968) -- son of Lillian Amanda Pierce -- our grandfather
They are my 13th great grandparents, thank you for the story
ReplyDeleteThey are my 9th great grandparents. great story. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSick sick sick. My first ancestor David was no indentured servant. He was the next in line to inherit a throne in Galway and war was ensuing in the next free years. He was taken as a ward by a kind English woman who let him keep his sword, his gold, and his history as a gentleman who Wolfe French and other languages. He acted as a diplomat with success until so many intolerant English arrived they provoked the Indians who killed them. My ancestor David was left to no other side but Christianity and was a philanthropist. How many of you
ReplyDeleteEnglish had windows and curtains silver and gold livestock and 100
acres? How many of you
Had true religion and were Quakers leaving your life gifts to your wife? None of you English. You whipped people in church. Davis was a Dane, the bright haired one. When all the English did is sit in place. My ancestor David OKillia a Dane went to Hart Michigan and in the library I hart you may find the Danes story.
Nothing was stolen from David. His cousin was a royal physician to Rome. He spoke French. Enough of this” poor us. we were modern slaves. Charlemagne acknowledged his kingship which is why he left. The British were always coming to war. Shame on
Them. The Brits create every modern war.
- Proud to be a non Anglo Saxon Protestant and Quaker, descendant of David O’Killia, taken into custody of an Englishwoman who had mercy on child of Galway and let him carry his sword to hand to his son.
Pre-English colonialism and those who wished to flee 2 decades before Cromwell
So in elementary school we celebrate Oliver Cromwell is buried and dead. How many more shall we celebrate?
Nonsense.
ReplyDeleteNonsense he wavy anything but a noble, where stabs 11 rundown abbeys and more households i the OKillla name. Each had their own castle if you are a Kelly. KerryAnn O’Celliagh of Galway is my Christian name, daughter of Chieftams of Galway.
Delete-Galway
NY. USA