THE KETCHAM FAMILY HISTORY
In England, Massachusetts, New York,
New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Kentucky.

-Decendents of a Puritan-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For all Ketchams in the United States it appears that Edward Ketcham is our beginning.  Thus far, and until further research, he is our oldest verified ancestor (not taking into account any native American Ketchams or the Scottish line of Ketchams).  There was a Henry Ketcham found in Ipswich, Mass. in 1638 but nothing else can be obtained on him other than he is a definite relative of Edward's...possibly a brother.

An old spelling in England for Ketcham could have been "Cheetam" or Chetham."  A pedigree of a James Chetcham in 1635 mentions children Edward, George, Henrie, Edmund, James, Humfrey, Edmund, Jane and Isabell.  This seems to be the most plausible theory of a missing Henry and of Edward's father. (21) More On Edward Ketcham

Edward Ketcham was a Puritan by faith and reportedly born at County Kent, England in 1590.  On August 22, 1619, Edward Ketcham married Mary Hall at St. Andrew the Great, County Cambridge, England (1).

CLICK TO ENLARGE

On March 9, 1637, Edward Ketcham was a freeman in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts.  Probably in the 1640's the Ketchams moved to Long Island.  In 1654 Edward owned land in Southold, Suffolk County, though it seems likely he already resettled in Stratford, Fairfield County, Connecticut, by that date.  Edward Ketcham died in the above Connecticut location in 1655.  In his will he named his 2nd wife, Sarah, his son John, and daughters Mary, Hannah and Hester.  His inventory is dated June 9, 1655.  By 1660 his widow Sarah Ketcham had remarried to Henry Whitney (4).

Edward and Mary's chiildren were:

1. Mary Ketchambaptized May, 7, 1620
2. John Ketcham baptized September 8, 1622
3. Hester Ketchambaptized April 10, 1626

Edward Ketcham married to a second wife, Sarah Salmon in Southold, Long Island, New York.

JOHN KETCHAM, eldest son, was baptized on September 8, 1622, in Cambridge, England (2).

From at least 1619 to 1628 Edward lived in Cambridge, but was not a native of County Cambridge.  Most likely his origins are with the Ketchams of Kent or Middlesex.  The last baptism of a Ketcham child in Cambridge took place in 1628 and it seems likely that the family resettled elsewhere in England.  The Ketchams' departure for Massachusetts was in 1635, perhaps from the port at Ipswich in County Suffolk, England (3).

In the late 1640's John Ketcham married, Susan Payne, daughter of William Payne.

Children of John and Susan Payne Ketcham were:

1. Samuel Ketcham born circa 1646, Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay Colony
2. Hester Ketcham born circa 1648,
3. Edward Ketcham born 1651/1652
4. John Ketcham born circa 1651, Ipswich, Massachusetts Bay Colony
5. Phillip Ketcham born circa 1656 at Southhold, N.Y.

Sometime before 1676, John Ketcham's wife, Mary Payne Ketcham , died. On February 26, 1676, in Newton he married Bethia Richardson.  She was born in 1653 to John Richardson and his wife Martha Mead, daughter of William Mead (9).  William Mead was born about 1600 and he left Lydd, County Kent, England, and sailed with their families April 1635 in the ship "Elizabeth," Captain Stagg commanding.  William Mead, his wife (name unknown), and children first settled at Wethersfield, Conn., but moved to Stamford in the exodus of 1641.  On December 7, 1641, he was assigned a home lotand 5 acres (Stamford Town Records).  William Mead died on September 19, 1657, Martha, the second child and first daughter, was born in Lydd, County Kent, England in 1632.  Martha married John Richardson of Stamford (10).
 

Children of John Ketcham and Berthia Ketcham were:

1. Berthia Ketham born between 1680 and 1689
2. Theophilus Ketcham born 1683
3. Joseph Ketcham born circa 1685 in Newtown, Suffolk Co. N.Y.
4. Jane Ketcham
5. Susan Ketcham

Notes On John Ketcham
 

JOSEPH KETCHAM

Joseph Ketcham married Martha Phillips on April 7, 1714.  Martha was the daughter of Damiel Phillips & Martha Owen(s) Phillips.  Martha Owen(s) the daughter of Richard Owen(s). On May 11, 1715, Joseph Ketcham, Jr. was born to Joseph & Martha Ketcham.

Children of Joseph Ketcham and Martha Owens were:

1. Joseph Ketcham, Jr. born May 11, 1715 at Newtown, Suffolk County, N.Y.
2. John Ketcham born March 17, 1722 at Newtown, Suffolk County, N.Y.
3. Jacob Israel Ketcham born 1732 in Delaware.

In 1732 Joseph Ketcham, Sr. & Martha Ketcham left Long Island to relocate in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.  This part of Hunterdon County became Mercer County after 1838.  They also lived in Christiana, New Castle, Delaware.
 
 

JOSEPH KETCHAM, JR.

Joseph Ketcham, Jr. married Gertrude Johnson about 1740-1741.  Gertrude, however could be Gertrude Johnston or or Gertrew Jans[en].  The Ketchams moved to Washington County, Maryland, and settled near Hagerstown some 6 miles from the Potomoc River where they raised 7 out of 9 children.

1. Daniel Ketcham, Feb. 12, 1742, Hunterdon, Co. N.J. died in infancy.
2. Martha Ketcham, Sep. 28, 1743, Washington Co, MD.
3. Abigail Ketcham, Jun. 20, 1745, Hagerstown, MD. died in infancy.
4. Joseph Ketcham, Mar. 30, 1751, Hagerstown, MD.
5. Daniel Ketcham, Feb. 17, 1753, Hagerstown, MD.
6. Abiggail Ketcham, Feb. 7, 1755, Hagerstown, MD.
7. Elizabeth Ketcham, Oct. 12, 1756, Hagerstown, MD.
8. Mary Ketcham, Oct. 28, 1759, Hagerstown, MD.
9. Deborah Ketcham, Jun. 17, 1764, Hagerstown, MD.

The above according to the Holly Bible owned by Deborah & Samuel Holly.

The Ketcham family lived in Maryland throughout the Revolutionary War.  In 1784, several of the Ketcham children and their families along with the elder Joseph Ketcham, Jr. and Gertrude, traveled down the Ohio River in a flatboat to Louisville, Kentucky. landing there in May 1784.  The year before, the first store with glass windows was constructed.  The Ketchams went east 45-50 miles and settled in the part of Jefferson County that became Shelby County in 1792.  Joseph Ketcham, Jr. died in Shelby County on January 14, 1809.
 
 

DANIEL KETCHAM

Daniel Ketcham married Keziah Pigmon Lewis in Virginia in 1776.  Keziak was from Prince Georges County, Maryland.  In 1778 Daniel took the Oath Of Fidelity at the March Court in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland (14, 15).  Consequently, Daniel Ketcham, Jr. is credited with patriotic service during the Revolution (16).  In 1784 Daniel Ketcham and Keziah Lewis Ketcham left Washington County, Maryland, with their two children, Rebecca and John, together with Daniel's parents, Joseph and Gertrude Ketcham. They travelled down the Ohio River on a flatboat with their movable belongings and landed at Louisville, Kentucky, in May 1784. At that time, Louisville consisted of a block-house -- a fort of logs and heavy timbers, with loopholes for musketry.

For More On The Lewis Family
 

After 3 children were born in Maryland, Daniel and family joined the 1794 emigration to Kentucky as stated prior.

By 1798, Daniel & Keziah had 9 children.

1. Rebecca Ketcham, Aug 26, 1777
2. Mary Ketcham, Apr. 23, 1780
3. John Ketcham, Sep. 10, 1782
4. Joseph Ketcham, Apr. 16, 1786
5. Daniel Ketcham, Jr. Sep. 27, 1788
6. Lewis Ketcham, Apr. 17, 1791
7. Sarah Scearce Ketcham, Nov. 2, 1793
8. Benjamin Ketcham, Sep. 23, 1796
9. Absolom Ketcham, Sep. 19, 1798

In 1792, Daniel Ketcham was captured and held for some months by Indians and is described in an obscure phamphlet (19, 20). A brief summary of Hopkins' narrative CLICK HERE

Daniel Ketcham died on March 17, 1828, in Shelby County at age 75.  All evidence of his grave has   In 1834, his widow, Keziah, died.

More On Daniel Ketcham
 

REBECCA KETCHAM

Rebecca Ketcham was born August 26, 1777, the first child of Daniel & Keziah was born in Washington County, Maryland, and went to Kentucky with her family at about age 7.  On February 19, 1799, she married Thomas Mitchell, a native of Augusta County, Virginia.  The ceremony was performed by Gabriel Woodfill (or Woodfield), "a preacher of the gospel."  As stated in the Mitchell Family History, Thomas Mitchell became a minister of the Methodist Church and served in the War of 1812.  The couple had 4 sons and 6 daughters in Shelby County and then in 1818, Rev. Thomas Mitchell died at his home.  In the 1820 census (Shelby County, 175) Rebecca was recorded as head of the household.

Rebecca Mitchell 26-44
Malinda Mitchell, 17; Daniel Mitchell, 15; James Mitchell, 12; Pleasant Mitchell, 10; Sarah Mitchell, 8; Jane Mitchell, 6; Eleanor Mitchell, 4; Thomas Mitchell, 1.
 

The oldest daughter, Kezia(h) was living next door with her husband Edward Talbott, Jr.

About 1823, Rebecca Mitchell and her children, including those who had married by that time, all left Kentucky and resettled in Jefferson County and Ripley County, Indiana.  Rebecca was never again listed in later census records as head of household.  She apparently lived with one or another of her children.  She was probably in Cross Plains, Ripley County, with daughter Malinda's family until about 1840 when the Copelands moved to Andrew County, Missouri.  During this period the court in Shelby County finally made a division of the Mitchell properties in Kentucky.

July Term 1834.  An allotment of Dower to Rebecca Mitchell, widow of Thomas Mitchell deceased - a division of the lands of which Thomas Mitchell died seized & possesed between his heirs.  Thomas Mitchell had 105 acres, 92 in the tract on which the mansion stands, and 13 in another parcel.  To Rebecca, 25 acres in the 92 acre tract and 5 1/2 in the 13 acre tract; by lot, 7 1/2 acres each to James Mitchell, Eliza Mitchell, Daniel K. Mitchell, Eleanor W. Maddox, Jane E. Mitchell, Malinda Copeland, Thomas Mitchell, Keziah L. Hite, Pleasant L.D. Mitchell, and Sarah K. Mitchell.  In the description of the land, the road leading from Mitchell's rope factory is mentioned.

Probably in the early 1840's Rebecca Mitchell and several families of her married children resettled in Perry Township, Monroe County, Indiana.  On December 3, 1850, Rebecca and sons Thomas & Pleasant L.D. Mitchell were in Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana, when she applied for bounty land to which she was entitled by the Act of September 28, 1850 as widow of a Warof 1812 veteran.  She obtained a warrant for 80 acres, and then "legally disposed" of the land.  In April 1855, in the same county, she again applied for land, under the Act of March 3, 1855.  Sometime in the 1850's Thomas Mitchell's family also moved to Missouri, and Rebecca Mitchell spent her last years in their log house on a farm about 4 miles NE of Lentner in Shelby County, Missouri.  On September 13, 1859, she died.  On her gravestone in the cemetary of the nearby Bacon Chapel Methodist Church is the following inscription:
 
 
 

RICHARDSON NOTES
John Richardson and his wife Martha moved to New York where John was a patentee of the Manor of the West Farms in Westchester County.  The Ketcham marriage is referred to in Richardson's will.  The modern copyist of the will ignorantly made original "John" into "Joseph." (11).

Nov. 16 1679, John Richardson, Westchester ... To my three daughters ...
Berthia, wife of Joseph Ketham of Newton...

John Ketcham was a Newton taxable in the records of 1675: John Ketcham, 3 males land and meadows 45, 1 horse, 4 oxen, etc. (12).  Another record: 1694, July 2.  Assignment by John Ketcham senior and wife Berthia of Newton, Queens Co., N.Y. to Thomas Stathem of West Chester Co. of "the within specified Deed." (13).
 

Ketcham and how the name relates to the author and his immediate family.

1. Edward Ketcham b.c. 1600
 2. John Ketcham b.c. 1621
  3. Joseph Ketcham b.c. 1685
   4. Joseph Ketcham, Jr. b. 5-11-1715
    5. Daniel Ketcham b. 2-17-1753
     6. Rebecca (Ketcham) Mitchell  b. 8-26-1777
      7. Daniel Ketcham Mitchell b. c. 1805
       8. Sarah Ellen (Mitchell) Taylor b. 11-2-1831
        9. John Wesley Taylor  b. 7-7-1857
         10. Joseph Harrison Taylor  b. 7-20-1904
          11. Sally Ann Taylor b. 8-23-1934
           12. Charles M. Taylor b. 12-11-1955

References:

1. Torrey, Clarence A., New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore 1985, p. 435.

2. Bishop's transcripts of the Parish Registers of St. Andrew the Great, Saint Nicholas Society, Genealogy Record, vol. 4, New York, 1916, p. 100.

3. American Genealist, vol. 30, Jan. 1954, p. 2-6.

4. Jacobus, Donald L., History and Genealogy of The Families of Old Fairfield, vol. 1, New Haven 1930.

5.  National Society Colonial Daughters of the Seventeenth Century, Lineage Book, New York 1979, p. 164.

6. Street, Charles R., Huntington Town Records, Including Babylon, Long Island, New York: 1653-1688. vol. 1, Huntington 1887, p. 93.

7. Riker, James Jr., The Annals of Newtown, in Queens County, New York: Containing Its History from Its First Settlement, etc., New York 1852, p. 89, note 1.

8. Hoff, Henry B., ed. Long Island Source Records: From the New York Genealical and Biographical Record, Baltimore, 1987, p. 116, 129.

9. O'Callighan, Edmund O., New York Marriages Previous to 1784, Baltimore 1968, p, 212.

10. Mead, Spencer P., History And Genealogy of the Mead Family of Fairfield County, Connecicutt, Eastern New York, Western Vermont and Western Pennsylvania, New York 1901, p. 124-125.

11. New York Wills, vol. 1, p. 64.

12. O'Callighan, Edmund O., Inhabitants of Colonial New York: Ecerpted from the Documentary History of the State of New York, Baltimore, 1979, p. 85, 132.

13. Book No. 6, Salem County, New Jersey, Deeds (New Jersey Colonial Documents, Wills, Vol. 1, 1670-1730), p. 619.

14. Brumbaugh, Gaius M., and Hodges, Margaret R., Revolutionary Records of Maryland, Part I, Washington 1924.

15. Crothers, Bessie S., Oaths of Fidelity to Maryland, vol. 1, Chesterfield, Missouri, (no date) p. 60.

16. DAR Patriot Index, vol. 1, 1966, p. 384.

17. Nelson County, Salt River district, Jan. 5-6, 1786, Book 2, pp. 195-197.

18. Early Kentucky Tax Records: From the Register of the Kentucky Historical Society,
         Baltimore 1984, p. 94 & 242.
19. Reminiscences of Col. John Ketcham of Monroe County, Indiana, by his Pastor, Rev. T.M. Hopkins of Bloomington 1866, p. 7-10.

20. Banta, Richard E., The Filson Club History Quarterly, vol. 22, no. 3, July 1948,
         p. 173-179.
21. William Hervey, Visitation of Suffolke.