Relative Finder Says I'm Related to George Washington!

While playing around with FamilySearch.org I found a new toy - Relative Finder, which I suppose is their answer to the now defunct We're Related app by Ancestry. Relative Finder has found connections to 180 famous, infamous and otherwise notable people including 13 US Presidents. I was aware of distant connections to two presidents, Herbert Hoover & Richard Nixon through my own research. Today I verified my connector ancestors to George Washington. 

Curious thing as I look at this chart, my patriot ancestor Bancroft Woodcock and George Washington are 6th cousins. Contemporaries, the two corresponded with at least one letter from Bancroft to the General still in existence. At one point when Wilmington, Delaware was under consideration to become the US capitol, Bancroft's beloved Bellveau set upon a hill overlooking the city was a candidate for the presidential residence. 

Laundry, errands and reports beckon, more discoveries will have to wait until another day. 

John Honeyman Washington's Spy

As publicity chair for my Daughters of the American Revolution chapter, I thought it would be nice to post tidbits on our chapter's Patriots on our Facebook page. In the case of John Honeyman, I found intrigue and controversy.

Born in Ireland of Scottish descent,  he came to the colonies as a British soldier to fight in the French and Indian War.  After the war ended, John settled in Philadelphia, married and engaged in trade as a butcher and weaver. It was during his time in Philadelphia that John began his assoication with George Washington.  They met whilst Washington attended meetings at the Continental Congress in 1774; where the General accepted the services of the former soldier. John Honeyman became one of General Washington's spies.  At a subsequent meeting in November 1776 in Fort Lee, General Washington asked Honeyman to pose as a Tory sympathizer and to spy on the British. In particular to establish relationships with the British military in Trenton. To that end, General Washington neatly arranged for Honeyman to be outted as a Tory sympathizer at the family's home in Griggstown.  

Forced to flee to the “safety” of British controlled Trenton, John made connections with the British military as a trader, peddling his meats and textiles. Such trading with the officer core made it possible for John to gather the requested intelligence. Prior to Christmas 1776, Honeyman was “captured” by the Continental Army and brought before General Washington.  Honeyman was able to provide his commander detailed information on the Hessian troops, their commanding officer, and maps of enemy locations. After the debrief, Honeyman was put into jail where he “escaped” and made his way back across the Delaware.

Washington Crossing the Delaware

Upon his return to Trenton, Honeyman told the Hessian commander of his capture and the disarray of the Continental troops, dis-information Washington hoped would lull the enemy into relaxing their defenses for the holiday. The ploy worked; Washington crossed the Delaware on Christmas night and the British handed defeat at the Battleof Trenton.

There are books, videos and even a play chronicling John Honeyman’s contribution to the Patriots victory. Even so, in today’s revisionist history, his accomplishments have come under attack. I found a wonderful piece on the CIA website in defense of John Honeyman and George Washington. Next time I’m in the Princeton area, I’ll have to pass by the Honeyman house to pay my respects. And that play looks like an interesting program for a chapter event… 

Find of the Day!

Coffeepot by Bancroft Woodcock

For fun I googled my ancestor Bancroft Woodcock (1732-1817) and found quite the assortment of information. I had already known he was a well known silversmith in Wilmington, Delaware.  As expected then many of the entries have to do with his silverware. The first entry in my search was from the State Department. This coffee pot which is on display in the John Quincy Adams Drawing Room was one of the many made by Bancroft.
That however wasn't the find of the day. Quakers Robert and Rachel Bancroft came with their young family to America in 1727. My ancestor Bancroft was born in Wilmington Delaware where the family settled. The Woodcock family was a prosperous one. They owned shipyards, the Silversmith shop and various other properties in the heart of Wilmington. Bancroft owned additional property in the Pennsylvania wilderness too. Well acquainted with the problems arising from property disputes, it makes sense he would reach out to a another planning on expanding his town. In this case, Bancroft was extending an offer to help to the future President. 

George Washington

Respected Friend
George Washington

As I understand thou art a Lover of Regularity & Order, I take the Freedom to sugjest to thee, (hopeing it will not offend) that from what a person from Allexandra told me, (on seeing his & another Street-Commissioner, laying out the Fronts of Lots, to prevent the Masons from Incroaching on the Streets or on their neighbours) I understand that they are not Building that Town with that Accuracy that we are, & which we have found by Experience to be Absolutely Necessary to prevent Contention & even Lawsuits.

Our Mode is approved & admited by Rittenhous & Lukins, in Preferrence to theirs of Philadelphia. In the year 84 we were Appointed to Run our Streets over again, which with an Instrument I Constructed & an Accromattic glass, we adjusted & Corrected the Irregularities into which the former Commissioners had Inevitablity run, for want of such Machine, we have now placed Stones from one to Four Hundred weight with a Hole in them in the Center of the Intersections of the Streets, from which all Frunts of Houses, Party Walls & Partition Fences within the Corporation are to be Adjusted & Govern’d according to an Act of Assembly. This Mode I would have Allexandra Addopt, & the sooner the better to prevent Irregularities & Disputes.

If my Assistance will be acceptable, I will bring my Instrument & assist the Street Commissioners of Allexandra, for Tenn Shillings pr Day & my Accomodations.

And my Esteem’d Friend, suffer me to Request of thee, What I have often Pourd out my Tears & put up my Supplycations to the God of my Life for thee as for my self, when I have had to Remember thee, that as the curtain of our Evening Closes, & (metaphorically) our shadows Lengthens, thou & I may Dayly Experience more or less a Well grounded Hope, that when the auful Period arrives, wh we must forever be Seperated from all Mundine enjoyments, we may be Admited to Join the Heavenly Hoste, in the full Fruition of that Joy, the foretaste of which was so Delightful to the Soul, whilst in these Houses of Clay. 

That this may be Favourably received is the Desire of thy Friend

Bancroft Woodcock *

This letter totally rates as the find of the day!

* Source: “To George Washington from Bancroft Woodcock, 11 March 1786,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/04-03-02-0518, ver. 2013-08-02). Source: The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series, vol. 3, 19 May 1785 – 31 March 1786, ed. W. W. Abbot. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1994, pp. 596–597.