Prize Gravestone

Copper Casting, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Born in Ireland to English Parents

Anne Borodell Denison's actual birth date will always be in question. All the sources I have say her birth date is based on her gravestone. Shown here is a copper plating of her slate gravestone, which hangs in The Denison Homestead in Mystic, CT. I had to stand on a chair to take this photograph.

After two days of looking at the sources I have, it might be that Ann was born on 17 March, according to her father's will, reprinted in the current Denison Genealogy. 

Ann, wife of Capt. George Denison, died in 1712 at the age of 97, which makes her born in the year 1615. She was his second wife and they married in England in 1645. Her father's will lists his children (even an unborn one) and it states that she will inherit on 17 March 1681 at the age of "one and twenty". I don't think this is right but it is the only place where I can find a day and month. More research needs to be done.

Ann's grave was originally at the Oliver Denison cemetery #48 and all the graves were taken up and carried to other cemeteries. Ann's gravestone is now in the Elm Grove Cemetery in Mystic, New London, CT. It is a mystery as to when it was moved but the grave is recorded in the Hale Cemetery Collection of the 1930s. (p. 255 Vol 47, cemetery #20) as being in Elm Grove Cemetery.

Over 500 people have attached the photo I took of her gravestone to their trees at Ancestry.com. As she is my 8th great grandparent that's some genealogy math.

I have not tracked all my immigrant ancestors as yet (because they so hard to prove) but my DNA at Ancestry.com says I am 43% Ireland (Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France and England) and 9% Great Britain. Perhaps a Happy St. Patrick's Day is in order!

Only One Irish Ancestor

Copy of the Miniature a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

My only Irish ancestor was Ann Borodell, born to English parents in Cork, Ireland. This photo is a photograph of a COPY of an original portrait of of this person. But, despite mention in several books and in a newspaper article by historian Grace Denison Wheeler (I have a copy), this miniature is not an actual portrait because it is NOT old enough. The Denison Homestead had it authenticated and it was deemed not ancient enough to be her. But, we like to think she looked like this. That's OK with me.

Legends have a way of being repeated and certainly it would have been "the luck of the Irish" to have a portrait (even painted from memory or description) of a lady who died in 1712.

Irish Ancestors

Copper Casting
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

13th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture: "Irish Names"

This is a copper casting of the gravestone of Ann Borodell, 2nd wife of Cap't George Denison. The gravestone is at Elm Grove Cemetery in Mystic, CT having been moved from the Denison Burying Ground on the Cove many years ago.

Ann Borodell's father was John Borodell (or perhaps Borrowdale or Borodel) of England b. 1685 and maybe of Cumberland, England or of Cork, Ireland.

Daughter Ann was born in 1615 in England. Perhaps her parents left Ireland as it says in "Captain of Destiny" a work of historical fiction by Ray W. Denison ( in his book written in the year 2000). He suggests that John was a tanner and wanted to live near his cattle farm and tanneries. (page 68) It is suggested that the leather goods were used for the uniforms of the men who fought in Cromwell's War.

I am seeking references for these people beyond what is written on page 572 of the Denison genealogy. Maybe if I write this today, on St. Patrick's Day, I will have some good luck! [a pot of gold would be nice but this copper casting is all the metal I have now]

Martin Hollick, a fellow genealogist and Denison descendant and I worked on this some today and he found the will referenced on page 572 of the Denison genealogy but it doesn't seem to us that it is the correct John Borodell, father of Ann. NEHGS Register 49 (1895) 487-88