My 4th-great-grandfather, Isaac Weekes, son of Isaac & Thankful (Nickerson) Weekes, was born on 19 May 1780, “The Dark Day,” in Harwich, Massachusetts, and died there on 22 October 1841. He married 9 March 1803 in Harwich, Elisabeth Allen, who was born there 24 January 1784 and died 11 July 1868, daughter of Seth & Anna (Gage) Allen.
(image from New England Historical Society website)
The Dark Day is now known to have been caused by massive forest fires burning in the western states. A smoky cloud cast itself over the New England states making it so dark that the people had to light their candles and lamps at noontime. Many thought the end of the world was at hand.
The following is from Genealogy of the Family of George Weekes of Dorchester, Mass. 1635-1650:
He [Isaac] was a ‘well-to-do’ farmer; owned a large farm. He had his peculiarities: one of which was a fondness for puzzling his listeners by ambiguous language, which he would explain after enjoying their perplexity. He took delight in coupling apparent selfishness with generosity; as for example: the minister passing his orchard took an apple from an over-hanging limb; Mr. W. sent him a letter threatening prosecution for the trespass; on the minister’s prompt apology, and asking how much would satisfy him, he replied that he would be content with five dollars; the minister handed him the amount, which he took, and immediately returned with another bill of like amount.
Isaac & Elisabeth lie buried in South Chatham Cemetery, Chatham, Massachusetts.
My mother, Elisabeth White, was named after her 3rd-great-grandmother, Elisabeth Allen, and her 2nd-great-grandmother, Elisabeth Weekes, and her great-grandmother, Elisabeth Freeman. The maternal line was interrupted by the birth of her grandfather, Martin Freeman Thompson.
Elisabeth & Isaac were the parents of twelve children:
1. Jemima Weekes, born 28 November 1803 in Barnstable, Massachusetts, died there 19 August 1873. She married 23 November 1825 in Orleans, Massachusetts, David Eldridge, who was born 4 June 1803, and died 11 February 1888 in Barnstable, son of David & Sarah (Higgins) Eldridge.
2. Isaac Weekes, born 27 September 1805 in Harwich, died at sea 11 September 1825, age 19.
3. Sally Weekes, born 3 September 1807 in Harwich, died 28 December 1853 in Central Falls, Rhode Island. She married 6 January 1831 in Harwich, Capt. Charles Coffin Baker, who was born 6 July 1805 in Dennis, Massachusetts, and died there 17 March 1892, son of Allen & Rebecca (Baxter) Baker.
4. Capt. Reuben Weekes, born 21 December 1809 in Harwich, died there 23 March 1865. He married (as her first husband) 17 January 1832 in Harwich, Mary Hopkins, who was born 4 July 1813 in Brewster, Massachusetts, daughter of Moses & Betsey (Crocker) Hopkins.
5. Ebenezer Weekes, born 27 November 1811 in Harwich, died there 10 May 1897. He married (as his first wife) 18 July 1834 in Harwich, Elizabeth “Betsey” Burgess, who was born 16 September 1811 in Dennis, and died 21 September 1845 in Harwich, daughter of Nathan & Desire (Baker) Burgess.
Ebenezer married (as his second wife and as her second husband) 12 March 1846 in Harwich, Melinda (Rogers) Allen, who was born 31 October 1816 in Orleans, and died 16 January 1892, daughter of Adnah & Mehitable (Rogers) Rogers, and widow of Capt. Frederick Allen.
6. Joseph Weekes, born 4 September 1814 in Harwich, died 6 January 1854 in Port au Prince, Haiti. He married (as her first husband) 1 December 1836 in Harwich, Sally Ward, who was born 7 July 1817 in Wellfleet, Massachusetts and died 5 November 1879 in Orleans, daughter of Benjamin & Sally (Rogers) Ward.
7. Thankful Weekes, born 19 August 1816 in Harwich, died 29 December 1886 in Waldo, Florida. She married in Harwich, 11 November 1837, Capt. Truman Doane, who was born 28 December 1812 in Orleans and died 31 December 1881, son of Lewis & Tamzen (Freeman) Doane.
8. Capt. Alfred Weekes, born 8 April 1819 in Harwich, died at sea, 5 June 1854. He married c. 1844, Mary Ellis, who was born 13 September 1823, and died c. 1918. daughter of John & Hannah (Rogers) Ellis.
9. Elisabeth Weekes (my 3rd-great-grandmother), born 6 November 1822 in Harwich, died there 18 September 1908. She married (as his second wife) 12 June 1848 in Harwich, Warren Freeman, who was born there 25 July 1814, and died there 16 September 1894, son of Thomas & Roxanna (Cash) Freeman. Elisabeth & Warren lie buried in First Congregational Church Cemetery in Harwich.
10. Betsey Clark Weekes, born 5 July 1826 in Harwich, died there 15 July 1911. She married (as her first husband) in Harwich, 30 November 1848, David K. Maker, who was born 30 August 1823 in Brewster, and died 19 June 1866 in Harwich, son of William Hiram & Deliverance (Long) Maker.
Betsey married (as her second husband) 1 December 1869 in Harwich, Allen Smith Joseph, who was born there 23 September 1832, and died there 27 July 1893, son of John Joseph.
11. Melinda Weekes, born 16 August 1828 in Harwich, died 16 March 1831, age 2.
12. Isaac Weekes, born 16 September 1831 in Harwich, died there 8 July 1893. Isaac was named after his father and his older brother, who died at sea.
Last Revised: 2 September 2024