Axtell Genealogy--Overview

Outline of this page:

• American Axtell Genealogy--The Beginnings
• Past research with bibliography
• GEDCOM files
• Axtell Genealogy before Thomas and Mary of Sudbury
• The current generations of Axtells
• Current research with a request for updated information

American Axtell Genealogy--The Beginnings
To: Beginnings page
WHO. Thomas (christened 1619) and Mary ___ Axtell, with two children, immigrated from England and are the progenitors of probably all of the English lineage of American Axtells. (They had only one son, Henry, so he and his wife, Hannah Merriam, are also progenitors of English-heritage American Axtells.) The early Axtells were frontier subsistence farmers.
WHEN. Sometime in 1642. (Some sources say 1643.)
WHERE. They settled in the wilderness of Sudbury, Massachusetts, about 20 miles west of Boston, along with some other settlers from their hometown in England. Children and grandchildren settled in Marlborough, Grafton, and Taunton. In generation 4 (1740), some descendants moved west to central New Jersey, still scratching out a living as frontier farmers. See the Early Axtell Migration Map for a better view.
WHY. Probably religious/political refuge related to the King-vs.-Parliament conflict that resulted in the hanging of Thomas's younger brother, Daniel, back in England. Personally, I think Thomas's emigration was the better alternative. Then again, pioneer life killed Thomas at 27 while Daniel lived to 38.
HOW. Nothing is recorded about their ship, sailing dates, or ports.
WHO ELSE. In 1885 a full-blooded Nez Perce (pronounced Nezz Purse) Indian named `Isluumts took the name Stephen Axtell because a worker in a survey office in Idaho said he had to have an English name in order to get a land grant. A secretary in the office told him to use her name, Axtell. (See Stephen Axtell- Nez Perce lineage). Horace Axtell (b. 1924), his grandson, also has the Indian name, Isluumts.

Past research with bibliography
To: Past Research page
Axtell family research has been going on at least 130 years. The most notable publications are:

• Notes on the Axtell Family, communicated by William S. Appleton, New England Historical and Genealogical Register, April, 1868, p.143-144. This brief entry shows the first 3 American generations.
• The Axtell Record: Descendants of Henry Axtell of Morris Co., NJ by Ephraim S. Axtell. 68p. 1886. -traces 10 generations of Axtells in the direct lineage of Maj. Henry (5-20).
• The Axtell Family in America. First Five Generations., by Seth Jones Axtell. New England Historical and Genealogical Register, April, 1899, p.227-234. This descendancy follows American Axtells through about 1800.
• Axtell Genealogy, by Carson A. Axtell. Privately printed, 1945. 303p. plus index. This 12-generation descendancy with biographical sketches is the most commonly cited source for American Axtell genealogy. I will have computer-generated reprints available fairly soon.
• Axtell Supplement, by Gladys Axtell Brooks. Privately printed, 1962. Unnumbered (about 250p.) with index. Carsons's daughter continued her father's work to the 13th generation with a few corrections and thousands of baby-boom additions.

GEDCOM files
To: GEDCOM page
GEDCOM (GEnealogical Data COMmunication) files are the standard for computerized family trees. They are text files that can be read by any computer (but they are hard for us humans to read with all the family and individual cross reference numbers). From the GEDCOM page, you can download the GEDCOM files and also an evaluation copy of the Brother's Keeper shareware program and print out your Axtell direct lineage.

Axtell Genealogy before Thomas and Mary of Sudbury
To: Before Thomas and Mary page
Thomas was christened in 1619 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England [pronounced BURK-im-stead, HEART-ferd-shir]. He was the son of William (1587-1638) and Thomasine Axtell. One of William's ancestors was apparently an Augustinian monk, Johannes Axstyl, who, with the other monks at Gatesden, deeded over their monastery to the English King when Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church. Johannes apparently changed his name to John Axtell and had a family.

The current generations of Axtells
To: Current Generations page
The first known 14th generation Axtell (with the surname) was born September 19, 1984. There are a few living 9th generation Axtells (the last one was born 1930). Most living Axtells are 11th and 12th generation. There are roughly 2600 living descendants of Thomas and Mary with the name Axtell. That's about 1000 Axtells per generation, a number that will change little in the near future because of near-zero population growth.

Current research
To: Current Research page
There is an effort underway to print an updated Axtell Genealogy, maybe in 2003. (2000 was too optimistic. Things get more complicated as I learn more and the 1930 Census will be released in 2002 which will be a good help.) Genealogical research has become much easier in the last 10 years because of computers, GEDCOM files, e-mail, and the work of the Mormon Church in consolidating resources (such as US Censuses) into their Family History Libraries. Using the Internet, Axtells have already made progress in reconnecting lost limbs of the Family Tree. Please check out the Current Research page and help update the Axtell Genealogy.

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