The Dutch family by the name of Howk, originally “Huyck” lived in Lee, Massachusetts at the same time as the Bradleys and were also farmers. The Howk family was originally from Kinderhook, New York where our 8th President, Martin Van Buren (Served 1837 to 1841) was born and raised speaking Dutch as his first language. I would also mention that Van Buren and Thomas Jefferson were our only Presidents with red hair.

Henry Martin Bradley’s uncle Josiah married Fiche Howk in Lee in 1815. Also his aunt Polly married David Howk in 1810. Josiah and Fiche Howk Bradley moved to Wellington, Lorain County, Ohio in 1818 with Fiche Howk’s family and were some of the first settlers there.

In Henry Martin Bradley’s Autobiography he speaks at length about his family moving to Wellington, Ohio in 1835 and the dangers and hardships that they faced there. The mystery that is solved is why his father William and mother Lucy chose Wellington, Ohio to move to from Lee, Massachusetts and the answer is that William’s brother and sister and the Howk family led the way there and encouraged them to make the move.

Credit for this information regarding the Howk family goes to Nicole Hayes and her excellent blog “19th Century Wellington” and the link can be found here: https://19thcenturywellington.wordpress.com/2015/08/30/henry-martin-bradleys-autobiography/

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