Page 31 - Armstrong Bloodline - ebook_Neat

of Beekman in 1767/1768.” The author of this 1993 publication attempts to provide birth, marriage, death and
other information as well, but appears to have limited success tracing these two Armstrongs. He does say,
however, that he “suspects they may have been from Long Island.” He goes on to mention that he had
identified a Martin and Justus Armstrong in Shoreham, VT in 1790, and that he found only an Elliot Armstrong
there in 1800. He goes on to speculate that this Elliot “was probably too young to be a son of Martin
Armstrong of Beekman who was probably b. before 1736.”

This one so immediately rockets the mind of the enthusiastic amateur genealogist in so many familiar
directions that the seemingly obvious conclusion is – this is OUR Martin! “What if” scenarios abound:

1. We have heard “Long Island” mentioned more than once in family folklore, so it is beginning to sound
familiar;
2. Dutchess County, NY is geographically plausible – whether your earlier or later travels take you to or
from Pennsylvania, or further north into New York;
3. William Gilliland likely traveled near or through the Patent on his trips north to Willsboro during this
timeframe. Could Martin somehow have heard of his venture and decided that a northern migration
would provide a financial fresh start and a new opportunities for his young family?;
4. The possible age of this Martin fits into the birth date range bandied about by family researchers –
between 1735 and 1750. The author of this narrative believes this Martin was born before 1736 and I
can only guess that this is because he was old enough in 1757 to be taxed (I’m not sure if you had to be
21 at the time, or if this blessing could be bestowed sooner if you rented or owned property in the
area.);
5. It is unclear if Martin was there earlier but not yet an adult, or whether he might have come there with
the John Armstrong shown in 1743 – could John have been his father, older brother, or in some other
way related? A multitude of Armstrongs with the first name of John were everywhere in Scotland,
Ireland, and America, so trying to track anyone with that name is a frustrating, futile, multi-
generational dead end;
6. Family researchers have postulated that Martin was probably married in Willsboro and that his
children were born there as well. Could this provide us with another alternative? If this is our Martin, it
could also mean that he married here some time after he first appears on the tax rolls in 1757. As his
first child – Lois – was born in the 1767/8 timeframe, and this narrative refers to his “family,” this could
be construed to include her;
7. The timeline fits. The last mention of this Martin in Beekman is in 1768. We know he was in Willsboro
by 1775 and had probably been there for awhile. Could it be that our Martin moved north to Willsboro
during this timeframe?
8. The author, interestingly enough, actually points a tentative finger at our ancestors and Shoreham, VT
as a likely future residence of the Patent’s Martin, but appears to talk himself out of this potential
connection as he feels that Elliot would have been too young to have been his son. I’m not sure I agree
with his logic in this instance, because if our Martin was born in – say – 1735, that would make him
about 37 at the time Elliot was born, which is certainly not too old to father a child.

There’s more. If one tends to be swayed by strange and somewhat farfetched coincidences, then these might
be of interest:

1. Dutch Quakers settled in the Beekman Patent early in its history – and members with the surname of
Wing were members (in a couple of chapters, this rather unusual name will show up again in our
family line);

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