BRICK WALL
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| Palmer-Tisdale House, New Bern, North Carolina |
There are many Brick Walls in my family tree research. This one is more of a Brick Maze. My 4th Great Grandfather, William Tisdale, has an extensive biography and is documented in at least two books. Unfortunately his wife is not documented. The only credible mention of her is this quote:
Tisdale & his wife Elizabeth are honored by the Daughters of the American Revolution for patriotic service in North Carolina: Comm of Safety; Justice of Craven County 1777; Delegate NC Provincial Congress 1775; Judge of Admiralty Port of Beaufort, 1777; Maker of the Great Seal of the State Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ ) "Record of William Tisdale." Ancestor #A129769
My main source of information for the Tisdale family is a book by Rosa D. Tisdale Meet the Tisdales; Descendants of John Tisdale of Taunton, Mass. 1634-1980 1981, Gateway Press, Inc. Baltimore.
I first came across this book by accident while doing research with my mother in the Biloxi, Miss. library. We were looking for information on her Begue family when this book literally jumped off the shelf and fell open at my feet. It's 787 pages tracing the descendants of John Tisdale and Sarah Walker is a thoroughly researched work. I forever thank Rosa Tisdale for her diligent research and for having had 100 copies of the book printed and distributing them to libraries where she learned there were Tisdale descendants.
In her own words she describes the project:
I have combed the Library of Congress, the Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the National Archives in Washingtoon , D.C. for information about the Tisdales. The Eva Brook Donley Museum, The Brantford Library and the New Brunswick Museum in Canada contributed material about Joshua's United Empire Loyalist descendants and the Old Colony Historical Museum of Taunton, Massachusetts, sold me a copy of Samuel Trrescott Tisdale's manuscript "Tisdale Family Genealogy." All volumes of the New England Historical and Genealogic Register and the fourteen volumes of the Dedham Historical Reister were searched as well as all published volumes of Vital Records for early Massachusetts towns. Published genealogies of many families related to the Tisdales were also consulted. Pertinent references not readily available are listed as footnotes in the text.
William Tisdale is covered on pages 184-186 of Rosa's book. She found no marriage record and says "...He was married and had three children, but at present nothing is known about his wife."
I visited New Bern, North Carolina, several years ago while my husband and I were on an RV trip up the East Coast. I had recently learned that my 3rd Great Grandfather, Nathan Tisdale, was born in New Bern and when I saw the name on the map we decided to stop and check it out. A trip to the Historical Society there led me to the book A History of New Bern and Craven County. While talking to the cashier I told her that I had found my ancestors, Nathan and William Tisdale, mentioned in the book. She said, "Oh, Yes. Both their houses are still standing and on the National Register. Nathan's house is around the corner and William's is a few blocks over there." I was completely floored. Needless to say we stayed a few days longer and explored the place thoroughly. The museum had even more information, but there was no mention of William's wife's name.
Unfortunately someone has put information on the Family Search website naming his wife as Sarah Isbell. I do not believe this is accurate, even though they list five births between 1773 and 1788 with William Tisdell and Sarah Isbell as parents. The 1772 marriage date listed and the birth dates are all after our William Tisdale had left Connecticut and moved to live with his Uncle Antipas Tisdale in New Bern, North Carolina. His three children, including my ancestor, were born before this marriage date. All of the events for Sarah Isbell are in Connecticut including her 1742 birth and 1836 death and burial, while all of the events for William Tisdale after 1767 are in New Bern and are well documented.
Here's a short list of what we know about William:
Born 1734 May 29 in Lebanon, Connecticut Colony
Baptized 1734 June 2, First Congregational Church, Lebanon, Connecticut
Education 1755 Attended Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Residence 1767 Antipas Tisdale is listed in New Bern Tax List, 2 white males [Antipas and William]; 1769 Listed with Antipas Tisdale in early NC census
Son Nathan born c1766 New Bern, NC
Two daughters born c 1768 and c1770
William was a lawyer, silversmith, watchmaker and jeweler and was involved in local affairs.
Assembly Attendance 1771 December
Committee of Correspondence, 1775 May 6
Named Justice of the Peace, Craven County, NC 1775 March
Appointed Judge, Court of Admiralty for For Beaufort, NC 1775 April
Bought Palmer-Tisdale House 1776
Accused of taking goods unlawfully, bribery and corruption 1777
Appointed to cut and engrave the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina 1778
Appointed as Coommisioner to supervise printing of bills of credit for New Bern
Suspended as Judge of Admiralty Court 1781
Resigned as Justice of the Peace for Cravel County 1784
Elected to House of Commons as Representative of New Bern 1785
List of Taxables for Craven County, Carriage, 2 white males [Wm and son Nathan] 1785
1790 Census, Craven County, NC 1 male over 16, 1 male under 16 (William and Nathan) 3 females, [wife and 2 daughters], 3 slaves
Died 1797 March 15, New Bern, NC
Buried Christ Church Cemetery, later re-interred in new family plot, Cedar Grove Cemetery
So I am still exploring this Brick Maze, looking for my elusive 4th Great Grandmother Elizabeth.
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