To Robbie et al,
I've been going through my things, trying to get organized, and found a book
entitled Family Memorial, Part I, Genealogy of Fourteen Families of the
Early Settlers of New England, published in Hingham MA in 1835.
One of the 14 families is the Capen Family: "The Family of Capen: No
1,Bernard Capen, with his wife Jane were among the early settlers of
Dorchester, and are supposed to be the Progenitors of all of the name of
Capen in New England, if not in the United States. "He was admitted freeman
in 1636, died 8 Nov. 1638, aged 76. His widow Jane Capen, died 26 March
1653, aged 75." (Dorchester Sexton's Monitor, 13. Farmer).
Goes as far as #32, John Capen, son of Preserved and Mary Capen, married
Ruth, daughter of Ephraim and Sarah Thayer, 20 Sept 1722 and settled in
Braintree.
If you are interested in a particular Capen who might fall between #1 and
#32, let me know.
I am thrilled that this book has found its way to the surface! (Even though
I'm not a Capen - but then again, my Mom has a Bed & Breakfast on Capen
Avenue in Eastport, Maine, and there was a wonderful lady named Ruth Capen
(spinster, I believe), who lived across the street.
By the way, the other families outlined in this book are Alden (and a
reference that a lot of the families in this book trace to John); Adams;
Arnold; Bass; Billings; Capen; Copeland; French; Hobart; Jackson; Paine;
Thayer; Wales; White.
There's another section in the book on the line of Ephraim and Sarah Thayer
with their Fourteen Children; from the time of their marriage to 1835, with
Notes of Reference, &c. as in Part First.
Pam