Sunday, November 24, 2013

(SCOFIELD) Robert Wixam and “The White Man’s Fly”




*NOTE: First, the genealogy to this person is at the bottom of the blog. If you are wondering how you’re related, that’s the place to check. Second, sources are also listed at the bottom. Third, I have not verified the line of genealogical descent; I am relying on the accuracy of other contributors to familysearch.org.*


Robert Wixam supposedly came to Massachusetts in 1630 as part of the “Winthrop Fleet.” This group of about a dozen ships was led by John Winthrop, who became the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Many of the passengers were Puritans.

Plymouth Colony map.png
From http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Plymouth_Colony

Robert and his wife, Alice, settled in Eastham (on the Cape Cod peninsula), Barnstable County, Massachusetts. On October 1, 1686, Robert wrote his will. In this last testament, Robert specifically mentioned land, housing, cows, and… a beehive.

“Robert Wixam of Eastham being very weak and infirm of Body but yet in perfit memory and understanding and not knowing the time of my departure but dayly expecting when my chang shall be, Leave this as my last will and testament…

“I do give up to daughter Jemimah one Browne Cowe with a Starr in the fore head and one hive of Beese, and house room and priviledg in the orchard as long as shee lives unmaried….

“This I leave as my last will and testament with Liberty to add to or Alter as I may see cause If God shall be pleased to prolong my days.”1

Robert’s days were not prolonged: in less than a fortnight, his bequests were granted.

After his death, his belongings were inventoried. [I have copied a transcription of the inventory to the bottom of this post.] Among the miscellanea were a pot hanger, wooden trenchers, fire tongs, pewter, brass, gunpowder, Indian corn, rye, oxen, calves, and two beehives. The beehives together were valued at 10 shillings—the same price as a bedstead, an old horse, a pig, or 4 spinning wheels. Why were the bees worth as much as a horse?

Example of an early beehive, from
http://outdoorplace.org/beekeeping/history1.htm
Honeybees are not native to the United States. They were first imported to Virginia in 1622 and appeared in Eastham about ten years before Robert’s death.2 By this time, honeybees were actually relatively inexpensive, considering that 40 years before, they had cost four times more. Robert bequeathed his hives at a time when honey had become a common food in the colonies.3

The lower prices were largely due to the importation of more hives, and partly due to the fact that bees are not truly domesticated, and “feral” bees began to colonize the continent.4 Some colonists were able to raid honey from wild hives.

In the 1780s Thomas Jefferson wrote of feral bees, “The bees have generally extended themselves into the country, a little in advance of the white settlers. The Indians therefore call them the white man's fly.”5

An American essayist later wrote, “The Indian regarded the honey-bee as an ill-omen. She was the white man’s fly. In fact she was the epitome of the white man himself. She has the white man’s craftiness, his industry, his architectural skill, his neatness and love of system, his foresight; and, above all, his eager, miserly habits. The honey-bee’s great ambition is to be rich, to lay up great stores, to possess the sweet of every flower that blooms. She is more than provident. Enough will not satisfy her; she must have all she can get.”Once bees arrived, settlers were usually not far behind. 

Bees may have their faults, but in the 17th century, when cane sugar was prohibitively expensive, honey was the primary sweetener for the “ordinary man.”2 And it certainly must have been for Robert Wixam and his family.



___________________________________________________
Line of descent:
-      Guy Wixon Scofield, 1913-1984
-      John Wixon Scofield, 1888-1963
-      Florence Amanda Wixson Scofield, 1844-1896
-      John Wixson, 1821-1893
-      Daniel Wixson, 1786-1852
-      Solomon Wixson, 1749-1813
-      Joshua Wixon, 1695-173
-      Barnabus Wixam, 1663-1735
-      Robert Wixam, 1624-1686


Sources:

Other sources:
-      http://www.sneydobone.com/webtree/wixson/wixam.htm - information on Robert Wixam


Below is the inventory taken of Robert’s estate after he died.1 Items are listed followed by their worth.

[1:4] October 11: 1686
An Invintory of the Estate of Robert Wixam of Eastham deaseaced as follows

2 Oxen .................................. 06-10-00
1 Stear .................................. 01-15-00
1 Cow ................................... 01-15-00
3 Cows .................................. 06-00-00
1 Heifer, 1 Steere ................ 02-15-00
3 Calves ................................ 01-01-00
1 old Mare ............................ 00-12-00
1old Horse ............................ 00-10-00
2 Swine ................................. 01-00-00
In Indian Corne ..................... 01-00-00
In wheate ............................... 01-03-00
In Rye ...................................... 01-00-00
In Iron .................................... 00-12-00
2 hives of Bees ....................... 00-10-00
In Pewter.................................. 01-02-00
In Earthen Ware....................... 00-01-08
In Books.................................... 00-07-00
Sheep Steers............................. 00-01-03
Iron Box and heatre.................. 00-02-00
In Brass .................................... 02-00-00
Powder and bullits ................... 00-02-00
One Iron Pott and hooks ......... 01-00-00
One pott hanger........................ 00-01-00
2 Spinning wheels ................... 00-05-00
Wooden trays & trenchers...... 00-08-00
Tobacco ................................... 00-10-00
One Fether bed and bolster, One old rugg and
old blankit...................02-15-00
One old bed & bolster.............. 00-16-00
One Bedstead .......................... 00-10-00
2 old Sives and old bagg........... 00-02-00
One bed and bolster and three pillows and old rugg
& blankit................. 03-10-00
One bedstead & Settile............. 01-00-00
One table and forme ................ 01-00-00
3 chairs ..................................... 00-03-00
1 forme old pails ...................... 00-02-00
1 fire slice and tongs ................ 00-03-00
his wearing clothes .................. 01-06-00
In Linning ................................. 03-04-00
2 Chests and box ........................00-12-00
The Total is ......................... 48-05-11


3 comments:

  1. I'm a 10x great-granddaughter of Robert Wixam and Alice (surname unknown). Would you have any information on whether his wife was Alice Titus, or Alice Aspinet? I call this "The Case of the Two Alice's." I'll check back occasionally for an answer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't have any idea; I haven't researched this family at all. Best of luck to you!

      Delete
  2. Dear Jessica: Thank you for responding so soon. Dianna

    ReplyDelete