It is Nathaniel (Nathan) Greenfield who was the Methodist minister on the
Deer Creek Circuit. His life must have been a difficult one and the
family must have had to perform most of the farming tasks as he would have
been away from home preaching on the Circuit most of the time.
Nathaniel married Elizabeth Hatton and they had nine children: Aquilla
Hatton- 1792, Caleb – 1802, Amos- 1806, Rebecca Harryman– 1809,
Ann Gorsuch , Mary, Nathaniel, Nelson Reed and Zachariah.
The name of Hatton is said to have been derived from the residence of its
first bearers at a place of that name in England, probably in Cheshire,
where the family first settled. It is found on the ancient English and
early American records in the various forms of Hatten, Hayton, Hattin,
Hatin, (possibly) Haughton, Hauton, Hawton, Hawten, Haton, Hatton, and
others, of which the last form mentioned is that most generally accepted
in America today.It is claimed that the family traces its descent from
a Norman nobleman named Ivon, who was the father in the early eleventh
century of six sons, Nigell, Ge(o)ffrey, Hubert or Hubbard, Edward, Horswyn
or Horswaine, and Wolfa(i)th, all of whom are said to have accom-panied
William the Conqueror into England in 1066.
Christopher Hatton, was a partiicularly famous family member.He became
first one of the Queen's Gentlemen-Pensioners, then Gentleman of the Privy-Chamber,
and next Captain of the Guard; from which Office he was advanced to be
Queen Elizabeth's Vice-Chamber-lain, one of the Privy-Council; and
at length Lord Chancellor, 29 April, 29 . 1587, being likewise made a Knight
of the Garterand installed 23 May, 1588.
It is not definitely known from which of the many illustrious lines of
the family in England the early emigrants of the name to America were descended,
but it is generally believed that all of the Hattons were of common ancestry
at a remote period. There were many Hattons found in "Early Settlers in
Maryland" as early as 1633.
In his unpublished "Reminiscences" Dr. Edgar M. Hatton writes that perhaps
the most prominent of the early members of the family to come to America
was the Honorable Thomas Hatton, Secretary of the Province of Maryland,
who arrived with his family in the year 1649. A member of the Church of
England though serving Lord Baltimore,who was of the Catholic faith, he
is credited by the students of early Colonial, history with having
brought from England the draft of the 'Act Concerning Religion" which was
passed by the Assembly in 1649, the first to be in session after the arrival
of this important official. He was named Deputy Governor. During the revolutionary
period which marked the beginning of troubles with Cromwell's commissioners,
Thomas Hatton was, like other adherents of the King, removed from the office.
At the Battle of the Severn, when the Cavaliers and Round Heads fought
as only those can who have a principle at stake, Hon. Thomas Hatton, Attorney
General of the Province, Secretary and Councilor to his Lordship, lost
his life.
From the Hattons who settled in Virginia the family spread through the
South, into Kentucky, Tennessee and on into Missouri with some distinguished
members such as General Robert Hatton of Kentucky, a Governor Hatton, and
Presidents of various western or southern colleges. A Quaker branch settled
in Delaware and Pennsylvania. For many years my branch remained in Maryland
and, though, no doubt, of the Church of England originally, some eventually
embraced the Methodist faith of John Wesley.
Two of the Hatton brothers helped establish Ebenezer Methodist Church. Some of
the best loved hymn known to other denominations as well, were composed
or arranged by a John Hatton. It was probably this Methodist connection
that brought Nathaniel and Elizabeth together.
Amos
Greenfield married Ann King on 20 September 1817 in Anne Arundel County.
They had six children:
THOMAS K. A. GREENFIELD,
b. 1819; d. 1877.
AMOS H. GREENFIELD, b. 1823.
SAMUEL K.J.10 GREENFIELD,
b. 1827; d. 02 02 1861.
ANN GREENFIELD, b. 1827;
d. 1855.
ISAIAH GREENFIELD, b. 1834;
d. 1864.
WILLIAM EDWARD GREENFIELD, b. 1837.
BROTHERS
Aquilla
Hatton Greenfield -1792-1850
Aquilla Hatton Greenfield (became a merchant in Baltimore where he began
a home furnishings store on Lexington Street and became a man of prominence
in the Baltimore City government. He was a member of the City Council
and served as coroner from 1840-1850. He married a member of his
mother’s family, Harriet Hatton. (Relationship unknown at this point).
His son was Aquilla Hamilton Greenfield who became even more prominent
in Baltimore and Maryland politics. His biography as listed in the
Biographical Encyclopedia of Maryland published in 1879 and among his accomplisments
are serving as a member of the baltimore City Council like his father.He
was also elected a member of the House of Delegates in the State Legislature
where he was responsible for the passage of a bill establishing the state
prison at Jessup.
Caleb
Greenfield –1802-1871
It was Caleb who continued to work the property Truman’s Acquaintance.
As his oldest brother, Aquilla, had become a successful merchant in Baltimore,
he then took over the homeplace. It was left to him in his mother’s
will in 1829.
Caleb married Ann Brook Dilworth and their oldest child was Elizabeth who
was born in 1834. The property “Truman’s Acquaintance” was sold in
the late 1890s by Ann Greenfield who was probably his widow who died in
1898.
Today the property is Cone Boy Scout Park in Gunpwder Falls State Park
located on Sharon Drive off of Harford Road in Baltimore County.
Nelson
Reed Greenfield - UNKNOWN
Nelson Reed Greenfield became known for his involvement in the War
of 1812 but I need more research on the details.
Zachariah
Greenfield
This would have been the Uncle Zachariah who was living in Greenville,
Ohio with whom Samuel
K.J. Greenfield lived and corresponded. He was part of a mass move
West during that period. From his father’s will it appears as if
he was not favored on the same level as his siblings, as he was left with
only $20. That would have given him even stronger reasons for moving
West. He appears to have made a fairly comfortable life farming there
in Ohio.
Amos Greenfield married Ann King on 20 September 1817 in Anne Arundel County.
Ann was born in Heather, England in February 28, 1788. Her father,
Thomas King was born in Leicestershire, England at Heather in 1758.
According to the register of St. Margaret’s (now Leicester Cathedral) Church
Leicester, he married Ann Firmadge on August 12, 1788. Ann Firmadge’s
parents were William and Ann Firmadge and her brother was William Firmadge,
who was the mayor of Leicester in 1809.
See
King family genealogy.
KING
FAMILY HISTORY
Ann King Greenfield’s parents, Thomas and Ann King followed the new teachings
of John Wesley. Thomas, a Dissenting Teacher, signed the Declaration
against Popery on April 1797 at Heather. He first came to the United
States in 1798 and stayed several years. During this period he purchased
land in Ohio on which he planned to found a Methodist School.
In 1804 he brought his wife and eight children, including Ann and two sisters
and five brothers, to Baltimore, Maryland. Once here he learned that
he had dealt with “land sharks” and did not have a legal deed to the property
in Ohio. He was so shocked by his loss that he became ill and never
completely regained his health. He was only able to assist in the
work of the Methodist Church in Baltimore until his death just ten years
later on April 15, 1814. It was probably through
the connections of the Methodist Church that Ann met Amos Greenfield.
Ann’s brother, John King (1794-1875) went into the shipbuilding business
and had an office at #67 Smith’s Wharf. He was such a devout Christian
that he refused to answer an advertisement in a New York paper for his
mother’s heirs, stating that “he had all he needed and more may cause the
loss of his soul.” His son and grandson, both also named John King,
were doctors. Two other brothers moved Westward to Missouri.
Ann’s sister, Mary King Harmon’s grandson was Horace Harmon Lurton who
was a U.S. Supreme Court Justice from 1910-1914. He was born in Newport,
Ky., taught law at Vanderbilt University (1898--1910) and spent many years
as a judge, including seventeen years in the U.S. court of appeals, sixth
circuit. President Taft named him to the U.S. Supreme Court where
he served from 1910 until his death in 1914.
A fascinating part of American history relating to the War of 1812 was
found in a letter dated April 20, 1816 to Ann Firmadge King from her brother,
the Mayor of Leicester. I believe that it must have been referring
to the Battle of Northpoint near Baltimore. In the letter William
Firmadge say:
“…
The shocking scene you witnessed when our Troops landed at Balto. must
be very distressing indeed. You and your family are fortunate to
escape unhurt. I hope we shall never hear of your country and ours
being again opposed to each other and I most sincerely rejoice with you
that peace is restored to all the world and I sincerely hope it may continue
many, many years.”
The Greenfield Family history cannot be told without an understanding of
the Methodist Church and the impact it had on the lives of myancestors.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, which was founded in Baltimore, Maryland,
was the first denomination to organize itself as an American church after
the Revolutionary War. When the preachers, a dozen or so of them newly
ordained, left Baltimore on January 2, 1785, they went forth as heralds
of a new church.
By 1803 Nathan (a.k.a. Nathaniel ) Greenfield, was one of those local preachers
on the Great Falls Circuit. He became a Deacon in the Methodist Episcopal
Church 1813. In 1825 John Greenfield was listed at Fosters Meeting
House on the Great Falls Circuit. In the late 1820s Nathan Greenfield
was listed in the Methodist Conference Meetings as an Exhorter at the Waugh
Church in Greenwood (near Trueman’s Acquaintance). An exhorter was
a member of the church who, after the sermon was preached, would get up
and “exhort” or personalize the principles preached to the lives of individual
members of the congregation.
In 1826 Nathan Greenfield is also listed as an original trustee on the
deed for Camp Chapel Methodist Church in Perry Hall. But more characteristic
of the worship of the period was the camp meeting grove. Here people from
miles around gathered to listen to preachers who stood on tree stumps or
temporary platforms. They sang simple gospel songs and often responded
to the singing and preaching by jerking, rolling, barking, dancing, and
falling--with the result nevertheless that many gave themselves to Christ,
put aside their undisciplined ways of living, and became responsible citizens.
These camp meetings were a major means of United Methodist expansion as
they followed the American Suffrage.
The impact of this can also be shown in the Greenfield family. Amos
Greenfield, the brother of Samuel K.J. who wrote several letters
to him, was a preacher of the Methodist Protestant Church. Church
records show him as appointed to the Deer Creek Circuit in 1854 and Bel
Air in 1862. The Deer Creek Circuit consisted of Bel Air, Union Chapel,
Abingdon, Wesley Chapel, Havre de Grace, Providence, Wards Chapel, Jerrestville
and Franklinville. In 1860 the circuit was divided into the Susuehanna
and Bel Air Circuits. The Bel Air Circuit included Bel Air, Union
Chapel, Deer Creek, Providence Abingdon, Emmorton and Mt Tabor.
In 1863 he was an unstationed ordained Deacon, and was appointed an Elder
in 1872. It is obvious from his letters to Samuel, which almost always
asked for money, that the ministry was an easy way of life.
Caleb Greenfield, a cousin, however, was in the Methodist Episcopal branch
during that same time period. In 1853 Church records show him as
being a local preacher at the church at Union Square and Fayette Streets
in Baltimore.
billyn@comcast.net
7th
Generation - James Greenfield 
In 1826 Nathan Greenfield is also listed as an original trustee on the
deed for Camp Chapel Methodist Church in Perry Hall. But more characteristic
of the worship of the period was the camp meeting grove. Here people from
miles around gathered to listen to preachers who stood on tree stumps or
temporary platforms. They sang simple gospel songs and often responded
to the singing and preaching by jerking, rolling, barking, dancing, and
falling--with the result nevertheless that many gave themselves to Christ,
put aside their undisciplined ways of living, and became responsible citizens.
These camp meetings were a major means of United Methodist expansion as
they followed the American Suffrage.
