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My Orcutt Genealogy


Last update: September 21, 2003


Genealogical information concerning my line of the surname Orcutt is the main reason for establishing this site. There is a bibliography of printed sources for the first few generations of my line of Orcutt. There is also a list of a few general genealogical resources, including some links that I find useful or interesting.

Ten Generations
William Orcutt to Bruce Call Orcutt

Gen. Name
Spouse
Born-Died Residence
1. William Orcutt
Mary/Martha Lane
1639-1693 England; Marshfield, Bridgewater, MA
2. John Orcutt
Mary Beal (2nd wife)
ca.1667-1753 Bridgewater, Hingham, MA
3. Ebenezer Orcutt
Deliverance Kingman
1703-1757 Hingham, MA
4. Ebenezer Orcutt, Jr.
Jane Pratt
1727-ca.1790 Hingham/Cohasset, Chesterfield, MA
5. William Orcutt
Martha Keith
1775-1814 Cohasset, Chesterfield, MA; Swanton, VT
6. Moses Orcutt
Mary McKay/McCay
1800-1876 Swanton, VT; Almond, NY; Concord, Alberta Twp, MN
7. Walter Samuel Orcutt
Harriet Elizabeth Lincoln
1853-1933 Angelica, Elmira, NY; Coudersport, PA
8. Roy Lincoln Orcutt
Lida Gertrude Galusha
1880-1955 Angelica, NY; Coudersport, PA; Libertyville, IL
9. Howard Sidney Orcutt
 
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10. Bruce Call Orcutt
 
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Origin of William Orcutt

No record that positively identifies William Orcutt has ever been found in England or Scotland despite numerous attempts by researchers.

Early Orcutt historians wrote that William was descended from the Urquhart family of Scotland. They wrote that his ancestors left Scotland because of the religious unrest and settled in or near Fillongley, Warwickshire, England where the name became Anglicized to Orcutt. This family tradition is often repeated today. One encounters statements that William was born Dec 1618 in Fillongley, that his father was William Orcutt, that he was brother to Susannah who married Samuel Edson, and so on. Many researchers, including professional certified genealogists, have searched for records to provide evidence to support this tradition, but none have been found. However, records in the parish registers of Warwickshire do exist that strongly suggest a different origin for William.

Edson researchers were aware, in the early-mid 1990s, that no record showing the marriage of Samuel Edson to a Susannah Orcutt could be found in Warwickshire. What did exist was a record of the marriage of Samuel Edson to Susannah Bickley, of Whitacre, on 1 March 1638 at Holy Trinity Church in Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire. This information has been reported in several issues of The Edsonian, the quarterly journal of the Edson Genealogical Association.

Orcutt researcher, Joel Thomas Orcutt, has been doing research for about 25 years. Recent research, either conducted by him or commissioned by him, into the parish registers of Warwickshire is reported in his book Our Orcutt Family, Published by the Author, June 2001. He has also published it, with additions and corrections, on his web site. It shows:

Joel presents a strong case that this William Awcotte, baptized in 1639, is the William Orcutt that appeared 1663/4 in America and that William was not the sister of Susannah (Bickley) Edson, but Susannah's nephew.

Sutton Coldfield, Over Whitacre, and Mancetter are in Warwickshire, all within about 10 miles or less of Fillongley.

Clan Urquhart has a web site. Originally, Orcutts were accepted as members of the Clan. Recently the Clan has offered a DNA test to determine if one is related to Urquhart. Since then references to Orcutt have been removed from the web site. I assume this is because several Orcutts were tested and were determined to be unrelated to the Urquharts. Joel Orcutt has taken a DNA test and it shows he is unrelated to the Urquharts. The test results are given on his web site.


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