Paddock

Today the name "Paddock" caught my eye. I noticed it in some handwritten names inside an old bible, and wondered about my connections to the people who wrote these notes. I especially thought of my father, Nathan P. Nichols. I had long known that the P. in his name stood for Paddock, but I didn't know why. Daddy seemed to dislike the name, muttering, "A paddock is for horses."  Perhaps he had been teased about it as a young school boy?  In his adult life he went by "Nick" and Nathan P. Nichols and N.P.N, but avoided telling people his middle name. So we didn't ask him about it.

Today the combination "Nathan Paddock" really jumped out at me as I read this inscription on one of the Family Record pages inside the Bible:

 "Nathan Paddock Johnson was born in Parma, N.Y March 26th, 1827."

That Bible, published in 1834 in Cooperstown, N.Y,  belonged to Williams Johnson. On the first page is written, "Williams Johnson's Book, Jan 1," but the year is missing; part of the page is missing, as you can see in this photo:

Fortunately the Family Records pages inside (between the Old and the New Testaments) are in better condition. I'll post photos of those 4 pages here. [Click on any image to enlarge it.]

Marriages

Williams Johnson

 And 

Merilda Paddock 

were united by Marriage in the vilage of Manlius New York

December 29th 1825

Williams Johnson

 And 

Mercy D. Davis 

were united by Marriage in the town of Parma New York February 18th 1847

Births

Williams Johnson was born in the Town of Haverstraw N.Y. December 29 1799

Merilda Paddock was born in the Town of Manlius N.Y.  May 16th 1808

Nathan Paddock Johnson was born in Parma N.Y March 26th, 1827

Charles Williams Johnson was born in the Town of Parma N.Y. April 13th 1829

Ellen Merilda Johnson was born in Parma September 11th 1832

Theodorus Johnson was born in the town of Haverstraw August 10th 1777

Jane Eliza Powell was born Oct. 30 1832

Mercy D Davis was born in the town of Hamilton N.Y. August 12th 1809

Milton Davis Johnson was born in the town of Clarkson N.Y. January 5th 1850

Roswell Theodorus Johnson was born in the town of Clarkson N.Y. January 27th 1852

Rebecca Brown departed this life at Homyny [?] falls June 24th 1882

Deaths

Nathan Paddock Johnson Departed this life March 11th 1828 Aged 11 Months & 16 days

Merilda Johnson Departed this life at Clarkson June 20th 1845 Aged 37 years 1 month & 4 days

Milton Davis Johnson Departed this life January 2 1851 Aged 11 Months & 28 days

Theodorus Johnson Departed this life at Clarkson July 17 1851 Aged 73 years & 11 Months

Roswell Theodorus Johnson Departed this life Dec 26th 1859

Ellen M Norton departed this life at Alexander bay Jefferson N.Y. July 13th 1874 Aged 41 years & 10 Mo

Williams Johnson Departed this life Dec 19th 1886  Aged 86 years 11 months and 20 days

Charles Williams Johnson died at Rockford Illinois August 15th 1916  Aged 87 years 4 months & 2 days

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By now I have figured out that my connection to these people is via my grandmother Nellie Eusebia Johnson (1874-1953), whom I called Nana. See my posting about Nana.  Her father was Charles Williams Johnson (1827-1916), the last name entered on the death record in this Bible. She probably inherited the book from him, or from her brother, Charles Sumner Johnson, who died in 1936.

When my father was born in 1912, his maternal grandfather Charles Williams Johnson was still alive. It is very likely that the name Nathan Paddock was given to this baby in honor of Charles' maternal grandfather, Nathan Paddock (1783-1865).