To
the best of my knowledge, Nicholas Summerbell of Northumberland,
England and Shrub Oak, New York was the first person in America to bear
his unusual surname, and this family tree is the first attempt to
catalog all his descendants, male and female lines alike. The
family is extraordinary for the number of clergymen in its ranks, in
addition to educators, writers, scientists, prominent
business people and decorated war heroes. The women, many highly
educated for their time, were as noteworthy as the men. My branch of
the tree descends from a woman, namely Nicholas' oldest daughter Ann
(Nancy) Summerbell.
One of the chief sources of information used to construct this genealogy is The Summerbell Family
by Rev. Martyn Summerbell, D.D. The narrative-style family history was published as an appendix to the book Public Activities of Rev. J.J. Summerbell, D.D. by
Carlyle Summerbell. Dayton, Ohio: The Christian Publishing Association,
c1916. The complete book, including the genealogical appendix, is available here at the Family History Archives.
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Valuable information about the Burns family of New York City (the descendants of
Ann
Matilda (Tillie) Summerbell and Charles De Forest Burns) was provided by
Dick Burns of Wilmington, Delaware.
Dick
also provided photographs of several Summerbell gravestones at Shrub Oak
Cemetery and elsewhere.. Brian Bing,
owner of the Whitford House in Nile, New York, has kindly sent copies
of photographs and documents relatting to the Whitford family
(descendants of Mary Frances Summerbell and John Byron Whitford), and their historic home.
Thomas Summerbell Bolton of the U.K. provided me with a copy of research compiled by Allan
Summerbell in the 1980s or 1990s, giving us the best leads to date on Nicholas
Summerbell's English ancestry dating back to the 1600s.. The most useful online sources include:
Other sources, research notes and images will be added as the site
progresses.
In order to preserve the privacy and security of living persons, this
tree stops at the fifth generation with some brief notes about
members of the sixth. If any living person wishes me to suppress his/her name, or that
of a close living relative, feel free to contact me
Lastly, the Nicholas Summerbell family tree is a work in progress, and
is not to be be considered
complete or wholly accurate, nor should it be used as a primary genealogical
source. Family historians may copy excerpts from it with proper credit,
but please do not reproduce large sections of it elsewhere, or use it for
commercial purposes without my permission.
Send notifications of errors and omissions, as well as additions, comments
and requests, to
Marie E.
Velardi. |
Reverend Nicholas Summerbell, grandson of Nicholas
Summerbell of Northumberland., circa 1873 |
Send e-mail to:
Marie E. Velardi