Re: NH Amazeens
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In reply to:
Re: NH Amazeens
Paul Amazeen 5/19/02
Paul,
Thanks for the Amazeen information from New Castle.I am always looking for additional information on the Amazeens.My mother was Helen Amazeen, her father Chester Amazeen and his father Sterling Amazeen.By my “relationship calculator” we are my 5th cousins once removed.
The original Amazeen was a John Amazeen and I have noted a little history on him below.As you will see, his ethnic origin is a mystery and your mentioning that he might be Dutch only adds to the mystery (I had not head that before).I do get to New Castle from time-to-time for research so maybe in a future visit I can share with you some more of my Amazeen notes.
John Amazeen emigrated from Europe in the first half of the 1600s and settled in New Castle, New Hampshire.There is speculation that he may have been shipwrecked in New England.He constructed his home, using ship wreckage lumber, in New Castle on Main Street at the Corner of Cranfield Street.An early-recorded reference to John is from a tax roll for New Castle dated sometime in the 1640s.However, he may have been in New Castle even earlier.The following is from an Internet email from Leitha Trefren.Leitha Trefren was the main researcher for the "Trefethen Round Table".The Trefethens also lived in New Castle and intermarried with the Amazeens.
"John Amazeen was in Newcastle, Rockingham County, NH, US by 1626.There is family
speculationthat he was from Cornwall and may have changed his surname or the spelling a bit."
John is the only Amazeen known to have emigrated to the U.S. and all other Amazeens that are traceable in the U.S. descend from him.The vast majority of those Amazeens lived in New Castle for about 250 years before settling elsewhere.John was known variously as "John the Greek", "John the Italian" and "John the Portuguese".No one seems to know why.A pamphlet was published in London in 1698 and cited by a Portsmouth columnist named C.W. Brewster in a column he published around 1860.The pamphlet, entitled "Lithobolia" by R. C. Esq., refers to a witchcraft incident that occurred in New Castle, New Hampshire in June,1682.The writer, R.C. Esq., who lived in New Castle at that time and probably knew John Amazeen, referred to him in the article as "John Amazeen an Italian".The Amazeen surname is traceable to England in the 1600's although John's specific origins are a mystery (a "James Amazeen" was christened on April 25, 1693 at Saint John, Hackney, London).
John Amazeen was married to Mary Walford, a widow.Mary's maiden name was Batchelder. Mary's parents were born in the early 1590s in Devon shire, England - their names were Alexander and Anne Batchelder (Anne died in 1661). Jeremiah Walford, Mary’s first husband, was the son of Thomas and Jane Walford, also born in Devon shire, England around 1590. Thomas Walford's lineage may be traceable to 1399 in Devon shire, England.Jane (Thomas Walford's wife), in her old age, was accused several times of being a witch (the "Stone Throwing Devil"). Jeremiah and Mary (Batchelder) Walford had 4 children (Martha, Mary, Thomas & Jeremiah). After Jeremiah's death, Mary Walford married John Amazeen. They had two sons (John, Jr. and Christopher). John Amazeen, Sr. died around 1705.His will is dated August 13, 1700.John Amazeen, Jr. (1663-?) had no children while Christopher (1665 – 1750s) had one son named Joseph.