Week 14 – Begins With A Vowel
Let me start by giving you a little background on my
obsession with the Anthony family. Henrietta Anthony Patton was my dad’s
mother. I recall laughing at her middle name when I first learned it, because
Anthony was a boy’s name. I knew this because there were three of them in my
kindergarten class. Henrietta was the grandmother that would tell me stories of
our family history that I cared to not hear, but when the genealogy fire was
finally lit in me, her ancestors were the ones that sparked my immediate interest.
Fortunately for me, Charles L. Anthony, a distant cousin,
did extensive, well sourced, research on this branch of my family tree, which
he published in 1904. My Anthony roots
have been traced back to William Anthony, who was born in Cologne, Germany in
the late 1400’s. William was a tradesman, and catapulted himself to the title
of “Chief Engraver of the Mint & Seals” serving under King Edward VI, Queen
Mary I, and Queen Elizabeth I. His son, Francis Anthony, was an eminent
goldsmith in London, working in the “jewel office” of Queen Elizabeth I.
Dr. Francis Anthony, son of Francis, born 16 April 1550 in
London, was a celebrated physician and chemist. He attended Cambridge
University and it may have been his father’s influence, as a goldsmith, that
his research into the physical effects of gold on the human body developed into
his secret remedy “Aurum Potabile” (meaning drinkable gold) from which he
amassed a considerable fortune. The remedy was marketed as an elixir of youth.
Although a renowned physician, Dr. Anthony opened a medical practice in London
without a license and was called before the College of Physicians. He was
prosecuted twice and refusing to pay the hefty fine, was imprisoned for eight
months. After his release, he continued his practice in defiance of the
college. Although the college threatened further action it was never brought to
fruition as Dr. Anthony apparently had powerful friends in court.
His son, Dr. John Anthony, born 1585, followed in his
father’s footsteps and became a physician, graduating from Pembroke College.
Unlike his father, he did obtain a license to practice and oversaw the more
reputable part of his father’s practice. He authored “The Comfort of the Soul Laid
Down by Way of Meditation” in 1654. In the British Museum is a small notebook
with the coat of arms of Charles I. The title is Joannis Antonii Papris Medica
which contains notes in Latin on diseases and treatments, obviously written by
Dr. John Anthony.
John Anthony, son of Dr. John Anthony, is the immigrant
ancestor from which I descend. On 24 March 1634, he took the oath of allegiance
and a few days later, sailed on the ship Hercules, to America, specifically
Newport, Rhode Island. Having been an innkeeper in Hampstead prior to his
travels, he was appointed by the court of commissioners to “keep a house of
entertainment” on 25 May 1655. In 1661, he served as a commissioner and later
as Deputy. He died in 1675.
The name John continues in my line. John Anthony, born 1642,
was the first Anthony ancestor born in America. He married Susanna Albro. He
was a man of service and held various offices in Portsmouth, Rhode Island,
where he settled and raised his family.
Albro Anthony, born 25 Sep 1694, married Susan Hefferman. While little is known of their daily life, I descend from their son, Captain Joseph Anthony.
Captain Joseph Anthony became a wealthy sea captain. He
aided in the cause of American Independence as a member of the Committee of
Safety in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Soon after, he moved to Philadelphia. It is through his wife, Elizabeth Sheffield,
that I’m able to trace my Mayflower lineage.
Although the name Anthony was carried on by several later generations
as a middle name, my closest direct ancestor who carried this surname was my
four times great-grandfather, Joseph Anthony, Jr. He was a silversmith in Philadelphia who
married Henrietta, the daughter of Michael Hillegas. In my box of treasures is
a platinum and ruby ring that he made for his wife, sometime prior to
1800. You might remember the portraits
of him and his wife from week 2.
On a trip to Washington, DC a few years ago, my daughter and
I took a tour of the National Portrait Gallery. I knew that Gilbert Stuart had
painted portraits of Joseph Anthony, Jr. and his wife, Henrietta Hillegas,
which hang in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. As we walked into a particular room, I caught
my breath as I was face-to-face with my fifth great-grandfather, Captain Joseph
Anthony. I cannot effectively convey the overwhelming feeling I had meeting him
for the first time. We had a great time
“hanging out” with him for a bit.
https://www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/gilbert-stuart-american-1755-1828.html#slide_1
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/stua/hd_stua.htm
For those of you who are fans of “Outlander” - Gilbert Stuart’s father (Gilbert Stuart, Sr) was born in Perth, Scotland. He fought under the standard of The Pretender, Prince Charles Edward Stuart and was at the battle of Culloden. Surviving the battle, he fled to Rhode Island where he met and married Eliza Anthony, sister of Captain Joseph Anthony. Going back to the theme of several weeks ago of all the million little things that have to happen for each of us to be here…imagine if Gilbert Stuart (Sr.) hadn’t survived the battle of Culloden and we didn’t have all the amazing likenesses of all these historical figures painted by his son.
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