Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

160 GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES.
containing nineteen acres of upland and three acres of marsh ; to
his son Joseph the remaining or easterly part, containing eleven
acres of upland and three of marsh ; and to his son Jabez, "All
his homestead farm lands, meadows, and house wherein he then
dwelt." His wife Ruth owned real estate in her own right. Her
will, proved July 5, 1748, is witnessed by Solomon Otis, David
Crocker and Robert Davis. She refers to her sister Mercy Davis,
deceased, and to her unmarried daughter Hannah. She
owned land on the east side of the Hyannis road, adjoining Nathaniel
Baker's, formerly the property of her father.
All of the name in Barnstable and Yarmouth are descendants
of John, son of David. Samuel, the eldest son, married in 1725
the widow Hannah Scadder, and had six children. John, the
second son, married Mary Phinney Oct. 24, 1734. I find no record
of his family ; I think, however, he was the father of the
John Jr., who married the eccentric Rebecca Linnel, afterwards
the wife of Elisha Blush, and of whose museum I have given a full
account in a former article. Joseph, the third son, married Nov.
26, 1747, Dorcas Smith. He removed to Yarmouth in 1755. He
had eight children. Heman, his fifth child, died at the Alms
House in Yarmouth Feb. 10, 1848, aged 92. His youngest child,
Rebecca, died April 29, 1854, aged 91 years.
Mr. Jabez Linnel, the youngest son of John, was a respectable
man. He inherited his father's dwelling-house on the Davis
estate, afterward the property of the late Hezekiah Doane. Mr.
Jabez Linnel married Nov. 11, 1736, Sarah Bacon, 3d, and Sept.
26, 1751, Mrs. Sarah Sturgis. She died Jan. 31, 1768, aged 54.
The eight children of this family did not maintain the respectable
position in society of the parents. Elisha, one of the sons, born
Oct. 20, 1740, was the laziest among, the lazy, and he took no
offence when reproved for his slothful and vagrant habits. If
such notoriety be an honor, Elisha would have undisputed claim
to be called the champion of the lazy. He was courteous in his
address, had a ready command of language, and there was always
a spice of humor in his conversation. He was not a mean beggar,
he would not receive a mean gift, or one that involved any
effort on his part. He assumed that he had a right to beg, and
that it was the duty of the more wealthy to give. As illustrations
of his character and manner I select the following from many
amusing stories told of him :
Nearly sixty years ago, when I was a child, Elisha called at
my father's house. Addressing my father, he said, "I have no
corn in my house, I pray that, out of your great abundance, you
will give me only half a bushel." My father, knowing Elisha's
character and habits, said, "I am busy to-day, if you will go to the
crib and shell it yourself you may take 'only half a bushel.'
Quoth Elisha, "I will go a leetle further, and if I do not get it