Genealogy By the States – Week 14 – Vermont

I’ve written about my Norton family from Vermont several times on this blog.  So instead of writing more about this mysterious family and what I don’t know, I thought I’d share something I found among the family papers in my possession.

The two images below were written by an unknown person.  Since they were among my family papers, I suspect it was a family member, and there is one clue as to who it might have been.  In the second image, we can see that the paper was from the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago, and wouldn’t you know, my great-granduncle Joseph Webster Garrison worked at that bank.  Hmm…could he have written this?  He was the family historian in his day, it just might have been him!

And what is it exactly that is written?  Well, it’s a copy of the biography of Solomon Norton found in the book A History of the Town of Poultney, Vermont, From Its Settlement to the Year 1875, published by J. Joslin, B. Frisbie, and F. Ruggles.  It reads:

Solomon Norton was one of the early settlers.  He built the first grist and saw mills at the Hampton bridge place; he also built the house now occupied by F. W. Moseley.  He was an active well-to-do man, and was a prominent citizen in his time.  His children were: Solomon, John, Hannah, James R., Joel, Aaron and Amos.  They were a worthy family, but all long since ceased to be inhabitants of the town.  Hannah was an excellent school teacher, and became the wife of Zimri Howe.  An instance relating to James R. Norton may here be mentioned.  Mr. Norton re-built his grist mill after the flood of 1811; and while raising the building, James R. fell forty-two feet onto solid rock.  In his fall he struck a man on the way down, which to some extent broke the force of the fall.  The next day he helped out the rafters on the same building.  Soon after this, Ephraim Herrick, as before appears, had a fall from a wagon, which resulted in his death.  Herrick’s fall was perhaps not over two feet, and this contrast reminds us that “An earthquake may be made to spare The man that’s strangled by a hair.”

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Genealogy By the States is a theme created by Jim Sanders over at the Hidden Genealogy Nuggets blog.

Accentuate the Positive 2012 GeneaMeme

Last weekend, Australian genealogist, Jill Ball, of the blog Geniaus, created a meme related to things we as genealogists accomplished throughout 2012.  The intent is to focus on the POSITIVE…what we did accomplish…and not the things we may have fallen short on.  It’s all about perspective.  In fact, that’s about how I approached my 2012 Achievements post; while I didn’t exactly accomplish what I initially set out to do, I highlighted many of the things I did accomplish, even though they weren’t my original 2012 goals.  In that post I listed several things, but it did not include many of the things on Jill’s meme list.  That being said, this is why I am writing this post.  I encourage you to participate too, just so you can see how much you actually did accomplish in 2012.

Message from Jill:

On a whim this morning I decided to throw together a Geneameme in which you can share the positive results of your Genea Activities in 2012.

I invite you to take part in this activity by responding to the following statements/questions in a blog post. Write as much or as little as you want. Once you have done so please share your post's link in a comment on this post or to me via social media. I will, in due course post a list of links to your contributions on this blog.

1.  An elusive ancestor I found was Mary (Nevens) O’Brien.  Mary isn’t exactly an ancestor, but she’s likely family.  Let me explain.  According to family lore, my second great-grandmother, Margaret Millet, had left Ireland, lived in New York for a short time, and then went to live with “family” in Bristol, Illinois.  Next to that note in parentheses was the surname O’Brien.  For the last two+ years, I’ve had no idea who this O’Brien family was or how they were related, but that changed a few months ago.

Back in September, I was working on Margaret’s Irish clan and a chance encounter of the name Anna Millett in the Illinois death index on Ancestry made me curious.  I looked at the indexed record, which was pretty detailed (I now also have the actual certificate) and Anna Millett, born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, was listed as the mother of Mary (Nevens) O’Brien.  Mary was listed as being born in Bristol, Illinois and she died in the next county over.  Along with some additional research, I’m now working with the assumption that Mary O’Brien is the “O’Brien family” that Margaret went to live with.  I also think Mary’s mother Anna is the sister of Margaret’s father John, but I need to do some more digging to prove that.  Even if they are not siblings, it’s reasonable to assume they’re related somehow.

2.  A precious family photo I found was among a batch of photos my Godmother sent me a few weeks ago.  There were handful of photos, all of which I already had, except for three.  The three photos are from the same event and I had never seen them.  I believe they are from my Godmother’s niece's birthday party.  The caption on the back, probably written by my Godmother, was:  Marie, Jean, Joe, Julie, Rachel and Grandpa.  I would be the baby in the blue party hat, held by my dad, next to my mom.

3.  An ancestor’s grave I found was completely by chance.  About a month ago, I received a change request for a Find A Grave memorial I had for my fifth great-grandmother, Sarah (Norton) Webster.  The request asked me to add her father Solomon Norton to the record so they could be linked.  What?!?  There was a memorial for Solomon Norton?  As it turns out, yes there is, but I hadn’t looked for one since 2010 and the memorial was created in 2011.  Not only was there a memorial, but there was a photo of the gravestone, which had an exact death date and included a second wife…this was completely unknown to me (and probably everyone else because no one has this second wife in their tree).  You can read more about my Solomon Norton research in a recent post entitled Dear GeneaSanta, How About Some Research Help.

4.  An important vital record I found was clearly the one I discussed in #1.  But, in addition to that, I have spent some time working in the civil registration records for my Luxembourg family.  Fortunately the images are all on FamilySearch (although not indexed) so I can take my time and collect all the records for the surnames of interest.  All of the records go into a spreadsheet so I can keep track of the locations searched, what was found, and eventually determine who is family and who is not.

5.  A newly found family member who shared their direct line to our common ancestor, Governor John Webster, was Jana Last.  Jana authors the blog Jana’s Genealogy and Family History Blog.  I’ve also enjoyed reading her Webster posts on her blog.

6.  A geneasurprise I received was being able to visit my mom for the holidays.  I haven’t been to visit her since 2008, so my husband decided to use his bonus to pay for the trip.  It was nice to hang out with my mom for a few days and realize how much I miss her and her cooking!

7.  My 2012 blog post that I was particularly proud of was What’s Your Number? (…and an Epiphany).  While trying to answer the question of how many direct ancestors I have positively identified so far, I came to an important realization.  You’ll just have to read it to find out =)

8.  My 2012 blog post that received a large the most number of hits or comments was Using the Kindle Fire for Genealogy – Ancestry.  I have plans to revamp this post to bring it up to date since a lot has changed since I wrote the post back in April.

9.  A new piece of software I mastered started to experiment with was RootsMagic.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Legacy Family Tree and have been using it forever, but there are some features in RM that I really like…if only I could blend the two….

10.  A social media tool I enjoyed using for genealogy was Facebook.  I’ve been on Facebook since 2008, and while I keep up with my friends and family, probably 75% of my friends are genealogists.  I’ve even made some new friends this year and when I ran into an issue on how to handle an adoption case, I knew exactly who to contact.  Without Facebook, I wouldn’t have known who to turn to for advice.

11.  A genealogy conference from which I learned something new was the Tazewell County Genealogical Society’s fall conference.  Carol Whitton was the speaker for the all-day event and she presented two lectures related to German genealogy: Using and Understanding the German Gazetteer, in which she discussed how to use the Meyers Orts- und Verkehrs-Lexikon des Deutschen Reichs and Reading German Church Records.  Both were extremely helpful and the minute I got home, I got to work.  I wrote two blog posts related to what I learned and I’m sure I’ll have more in the future:  My Adventure With Meyers Gazetteer and When In Doubt, Map It.

12.  I am proud of the presentation I gave at presentations I arranged for both the 2012 and 2013 Illinois State Genealogical Society’s webinar series.  This program is very dear to me and I am fortunate to have met some wonderful genealogists who were thrilled to provide presentations for us.  It’s a huge benefit to ISGS members and the genealogy community as a whole.  Be sure to read my posts A Look Back at the 2012 ISGS Webinar Series and Illinois State Genealogical Society Announces Its 2013 Webinar Lineup.

13.  A journal/magazine article I had published was “Newspapers: Going Beyond Obituaries,” which was published in the Winter 2012 issue of the Illinois State Genealogical Society Quarterly.  It actually happened to be the cover story =)

14.  I taught a friend how to get started in her family history research.  Literally the day before I left for my holiday vacation, a friend emailed me asking how to get started…cheaply.  As we all know, that’s quite a complicated question to answer.  I gave her some simple advice on collecting all of the family-held documents and talking to her mom and other relatives to pull together some basic information.  She’s a computer geek like me, so I suggested two genealogy databases to try out so she could start entering information to help her stay organized.  I then suggested a few books for her to read so she can figure out what approach she wants to take based on what it is that she wants to know/do.  And of course I’m always here for her if she has questions.

15.  A genealogy book that taught me something new was Luxembourgers in the New World by Nicholas Gonner.  There is a lot of great information in the first volume of the book, which I desperately want a copy of (I didn’t get to spend too much time with it at the Family History Library when I was there last February).  Volume II contains an index of names found in the Luxemburger Gazette, which was published in Iowa from 1871-1918.  Did I mention that I really want a copy of this two-volume set?

16.  A great repository/archive/library I visited was the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.  I was able to get in plenty of time at the FHL while attending RootsTech 2012.  I made some great discoveries that included finding records from my second great-grandmother’s home town in Prussia.

17.  A new genealogy/history book I enjoyed was The Last Queen of England, by Steve Robinson.  It’s a fiction book where the main character is a genealogist.  This book was released a few weeks ago and is the third in a series.  They’re all fantastic books…I highly recommend them.

18.  It was exciting to finally meet Colleen McHugh, fellow genealogist and GeneaBlogger.  While visiting my mom in Arizona this time around, we were much closer to Colleen and despite a terrible fate where my body and some asphalt become one the day before, I hid the pain and kept our plans to hang out at the Sonora Desert Museum.  I’m still recovering from my fall and should probably be in bed resting instead of writing this blog post ;)

19.  A geneadventure I enjoyed was helping a friend by tracking down her birth mother, which ended in a very happy reunion.  This is the first adoption case I’ve attempted (outside of my stepfather’s case) and I am happy that everything worked out…I know this isn’t always the case.

20.  Another positive I would like to share is that I plan to keep truckin’ along and fill 2013 with many accomplishments.  Here’s to a new year, cheers!

Dear GeneaSanta, How About Some Research Help

This year I thought I’d ask GeneaSanta for some research help.  There are a few research projects I’d like to make some progress on, but I need some help.  Help could be in any form:  help with a research plan, access to records, cousins with information, or the people in question could simply fall from the sky (wait, that would be too easy and take the fun out of it).  Here are some of the cases I hope to crack in 2013.

Solomon Norton

The main question has always been if Sarah Norton, who married Aaron Webster, was in fact his daughter.  I have yet to find any solid evidence, either direct or indirect, that would answer this question, other than a mention in the History and Genealogy of the Gov. John Webster Family of Connecticut With Numerous Portraits and Illustrations that she was the daughter of Solomon (p. 401) and a few bits and pieces related to where the families settled.

To be quite frank, I have no idea who his children actually are.  So many claims from other peoples’ trees, some consistent across the board, others hit and miss.  I really need to uncover some useful resources that can help me put the family together correctly.  My current plan is to investigate Solomon further.  Learn more about him, as well as his wife and children and hopefully make some sort of connection between him and supposed daughter Sarah. 

To make things even more interesting, about a month ago I got an Find A Grave change request asking to add a link from daughter Sarah’s memorial to the memorial for Solomon. I didn’t even know this memorial existed (the last I checked for him at Find A Grave was in 2010 and the memorial was added in 2011).  When I took a look at the memorial, I was shocked to see a second wife….what?  Nowhere had I see this.  But, seeing their gravestone, I had to admit, it sure looked like he had a second wife.  And, yes, this is him.  Through various records, I traced him all the way to Villenova, New York and surmised he died after September 1844 (the last time a pension payment was issued).  The gravestone shows a death date of 8 November 1844 and he and his second wife are buried in Hamlet Cemetery, just outside of Villenova. 

So I’ve started to investigate the head of household in the 1840 census for Villenova where Solomon shows up as a pensioner in the household of G B Aldrich.  I know that the 90-100 aged male is Solomon and now I understand why there is a female, age 80-90, in the household; likely the the second wife that was previously unknown.  The remaining people in the household are George B Aldrich (name determined by a land deed), age 30-40, with his wife (also age 30-40) and children.  Could George or his wife somehow be related to Solomon’s second wife?  Could she be the mother of one of them?

Emil Miller

This is the only one of sixteen great-great-grandparents that I do not know the fate of.  I have written about this family several times, and while I finally learned the fate of his wife, Hulda Wach, I still don’t know what happened to Emil after 1902.  Did he die, move, remarry?  No clue.  I know nothing about his parents or if he has any siblings.  Recently I discovered a possible birth location for him, but I believe that it’s the “bigger city” syndrome and that he probably came from a smaller village near the big city.  But, I’m going to investigate it nonetheless because you just don’t know until you look.

Ferdinand Schwartz and Johann Kremer

Both are third great-grandfathers who were born and raised in Luxembourg.  Their children, Johann Schwartz and Margaretha Kremer came to America and settled in Aurora, Kane County, Illinois, where they raised their own family.  While I know what happened to Ferdinand’s first wife (mother of Johann Schwartz; she died in Luxembourg) I have no idea what happened to him or his second wife, Anna Maria Thiel, or Johann Kremer and his wife, Catharina Terres.  I hope to explore these families a little more in 2013. 

So GeneaSanta, if there is anything you can do to help, I’d so much appreciate it!

Take 2 – My Revolutionary War Patriots

This post first appeared on this blog on July 3, 2010.  It has been slightly modified.

In honor of Independence Day, I thought I’d write a post about my ancestors who are Revolutionary War patriots.

Robert Parks

Robert PARKS is the patriot I went in under for membership to National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR).  His service is listed as a private serving under Captain Benager Leffingwell.  Robert is my sixth great-grandfather.  He was born 4 December 1737 in Voluntown, Connecticut and died in 1810 in Windham, Connecticut.  Following is my direct line to him (in bold):

1. Me
2. Joseph CAHILL (1945-1989), m. Jean MILLER (living)
3. Joan Garrison McMAHON (1927-1980), m. John Francis CAHILL (1922-1984)
4. Emma Jane GARRISON (1901-1970), m. John Ward McMAHON (1902-1962)
5. Sarah Jane MULLIGAN (1870-1947), m. James Manly GARRISON (1861-1909)
6. Sarah Norton WEBSTER (1828-1894), m. James MULLIGAN (1812-1879)
7. Betsey PARKS (1801-1856), m. Calvin Price WEBSTER (1802-1856)
8. Robert PARKS (1776-1863), m. Mary “Polly” Wheeler SMITH (1781-1844)
9. Robert PARKS (1737-1810), m. Elizabeth HALL (?-?)

I’m pretty sure that Robert’s father, Joseph, is also a patriot.  Even if he didn’t serve, I’m sure he contributed in some way that qualifies him as a patriot.  Still working on this one.

Jonathan Webster

Jonathan WEBSTER took the Oath of Fidelity in October 1777 at Glastonbury, Connecticut.  Jonathan in my seventh great-grandfather.  He was born 5 October 1705 in Hartford, Connecticut and died 14 November 1781 in Glastonbury.  Following is my direct line to him (in bold):

1. Me
2. Joseph CAHILL (1945-1989), m. Jean MILLER (living)
3. Joan Garrison McMAHON (1927-1980), m. John Francis CAHILL (1922-1984)
4. Emma Jane GARRISON (1901-1970), m. John Ward McMAHON (1902-1962)
5. Sarah Jane MULLIGAN (1870-1947), m. James Manly GARRISON (1861-1909)
6. Sarah Norton WEBSTER (1828-1894), m. James MULLIGAN (1812-1879)
7. Calvin Price WEBSTER (1802-1856), m. Betsey PARKS (1801-1856)
8. Aaron WEBSTER (1775-1823), m. Sarah NORTON (1780-1823)
9. Ashbel WEBSTER (1733-1801), m. Rachel PRICE (1737-1813)
10. Jonathan WEBSTER (1705-1781), m. Mabel RISLEY (1718-1871)

Solomon Norton

Solomon NORTON is apparently my sixth great-grandfather, although I have not been able to prove this through actual records.  According to NSDAR, he is a patriot, having served as a private under Captain Bostwick in New York.  There are three members listed that have gone in under his supposed daughter Sarah, but again, I have not proven this connection through any records.  By all accounts, Solomon was born 12 May 1751 in Farmington, Connecticut and died after 1837 probably in Villanova, New York.  Following is my direct line to him (in bold), assuming Sarah is his daughter:

1. Me
2. Joseph CAHILL (1945-1989), m. Jean MILLER (living)
3. Joan Garrison McMAHON (1927-1980), m. John Francis CAHILL (1922-1984)
4. Emma Jane GARRISON (1901-1970), m. John Ward McMAHON (1902-1962)
5. Sarah Jane MULLIGAN (1870-1947), m. James Manly GARRISON (1861-1909)
6. Sarah Norton WEBSTER (1828-1894), m. James MULLIGAN (1812-1879)
7. Calvin Price WEBSTER (1802-1856), m. Betsey PARKS (1801-1856)
8. Sarah NORTON (1780-1823), m. Aaron WEBSTER (1775-1823)
9. Solomon NORTON (1751-after 1837), m. Sarah REXFORD (1757-?)

When I wrote this back in 2010, I wasn’t able to prove whether Sarah Norton was the daughter of Solomon.  Unfortunately, I’m no closer to an answer.  But, I have found Solomon’s pension papers.  The copy of the original can be found here, and a transcription can be found here.  In 2011 I wrote a two-part post about Solomon, including a research plan.  Part 1 can be found here, and Part 2 can be found here.

A big salute to all those who have served or are currently serving our country.

Also, a reminder that anyone can access the NSDAR’s Genealogical Research System to search for patriots.   Celebrate the 4th of July by doing a little research on your Revolutionary War patriots.

Researching Solomon Norton – Part 2

In Part 1 of this post, I presented a short background relating to my research on Solomon NORTON.  This post outlines my research plan as I continue to pursue Solomon and his family, to ultimately determine if he is the father of my fifth great-grandmother, Sarah NORTON Webster.

Research Plan

Before I get into the details, I just want to preface this by saying it is not a comprehensive plan.  These are simply the records that I plan to start with.  As research is conducted and new information is learned, the plan will be revised.

Because Solomon was in at least five different places during his lifetime, I used a timeline to prepare this research plan.  The dates in the timeline are estimated, so any searches conducted will cover that period, plus another five or so years on either end of the range as necessary.  Following is the timeline as presented in the last post:

Estimated Timeframe	Residence
1751 to ??	Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut
?? to 1778	Canaan, Albany, New York
1778 to 1781	Poultney, Bennington, Vermont
1781 to 1823	Poultney, Rutland, Vermont (county formed in 1781)
1823 to 1836	Shoreham, Addison, Vermont
1836 to 1844	Villenova, Chautauqua, New York

Land & Census Records

1836-1844 – Villenova, Chautauqua, New York (was living with another family in 1840, may not have owned land here)

• FHL #479631 – New York State Census, Chautauqua Co., 1835 and 1845 (can't hurt to look; may be in the Aldrich household as he was in the 1840 federal census; list of state census questions)

1823-1836 – Shoreham, Addison, Vermont

• FHL #865018 – Addison Co. Land Records, Index
• FHL #865019 – Addison Co. Land Records, Vol. 4-5, 1811-1830
• FHL #865020 – Addison Co. Land Records, Vol. 6-7, 1831-1870
• FHL #28954 – Shoreham Land Records, Grantee and Grantor index, Vol. 1-18
• FHL #28958 – Shoreham Land Records, Vol. 7, 1822-1829
• FHL #28959 – Shoreham Land Records, Vol. 8-9, 1829-1851

1781-1823 – Poultney, Rutland, Vermont

• FHL #28780 – Rutland Co. Land Records, Index and Vol. 1-4, 1773-1785
• FHL #28781 – Rutland Co. Land Records, Vol. 5-7 and 9, 1781-1822
• Newberry #F842.944 v.2 (Gen. Col. 2^nd Fl.) – State Papers of Vermont, Petitions for Grants of Land, 1778-1811
• Newberry #F842.944 v.8-11 (Gen. Col. 2^nd Fl.) – State Papers of Vermont, General Petitions, 1778-1799
• Vermont Archives #SE118 – State Papers of Vermont, Petitions to the General Assembly, Governor and Council and to the Council of Censors
• Solomon Norton listed in index for Petition, 48876, 1792-10-13, Vol. 18, p. 405
• Solomon Norton listed in index for Petition, 48877, 1797-10-16, Vol. 18, p. 405
• Solomon Naughton listed in index for Petition, 48306, 1784-10-16, Vol. 19, p. 178
• Jonah Norton, Petition, 48856, 1794-10-16, Vol. 19, p. 176 (description/location similar to those of Solomon's)

1778-1781 – Poultney, Bennington, Vermont (Included in Rutland Co. records? Rutland became a county in 1781 and the records above pre-date this.)

??-1778 – Canaan, Albany, New York

• FHL #464900 – Albany Co. Land Records, Index, Grantors M-Q, 1630-1894 (deeds also available)
• FHL #466373 – Index, Grantees N-S, 1630-1894 (deeds also available)

1772-?? – Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut (1772 is about when he would have turned 21 years old, check a few years prior in case estimate is wrong; also not sure what legal age was there at that time)

• FHL #4508 – Hartford, CT Land Records, General Index 1639-1839 (deeds also available)

Wills/Probate

1836-1844 – Villenova, Chautauqua, New York

• FHL #588087 –Chautauqua Co. Probate Records, Index to Records, A-Z 1811-1913

1823-1836 – Shoreham, Addison, Vermont

• May have filed a will here; haven’t located any tangible sources and may have to hire a researcher.

1781-1823 – Poultney, Rutland, Vermont

• May have filed a will here; haven’t located any tangible sources and may have to hire a researcher.

??-1778 – Canaan, Albany, New York (although he was young, he was involved in ARW and many soldiers filed wills; it's possible he did when he enlisted)

• FHL #463364 – Albany Co. Wills, 1691-1835 (includes partial index)

Tax Records

Haven’t located any tangible sources and may have to hire a researcher.

Revolutionary War Resources

Already have pension file and final payment voucher.  It doesn’t not appear that any of the service records for him survived.  The resources below may provide additional insight into his service and will certainly provide a historical context during his service.

• Newberry #F12.A3 C76 (Gen. Col. 2^nd Fl.) – The Old Albany and the American Revolution, by James A. Crowley
• NY Archives Series #A0200 (Education Dept.) – New York State Comptroller's Office Revolutionary War Accounts and Claims, Albany County Militia, 17^th Regiment, Vol. 7-20

Misc. Resources

• MCGS NY MAR NEW – New York Marriages Previous to 1784
• FHL #27641 – General Index to Vital Records of Vermont, Early to 1870, Nicholson –Norton, H
• FHL #27642 – General Index to Vital Records of Vermont, Early to 1870, Norton, I – Nye
• DAR A#92198 – Vermont DAR GRC Report, Series 1, Vol. 52 (Nortons on p. 68 and 69)
• DAR A#42810 - New York DAR GRC Report, Series1 Vol. 200, Unpublished Cemetery, Church and Town Records (Nortons on p. 95)
• Newberry #F846 H32 W449b – Births, marriages, and deaths returned from Hartford, Windsor, and Fairfield, and entered in the early land records of the colony of Connecticut : volumes I and II of land records and no. D of colonial deeds
• Newberry #F846 H32 H328h – Historical catalogue of the First Church in Hartford. 1633-1885
• Vermont Archives – There are many records in the State Papers of Vermont (full listing). Only the 18^th century records are indexed.
• Vermont Archives – There are several inventories of archives and records that were done for WPA. Vermont Archives has all of these inventories. Below are ones relevant to this research:

• Vermont Archives #PRA-01218 – Unpublished inventories of archives Rutland County: Ira-Poultney
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01207 – Unpublished inventories of archives, Addison County: New Haven - Whiting, and for Bennington County: Arlington - Manchester
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01232 – Unpublished surveys of church archives (Adventist, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Universalist and misc.) for Rutland and Washington Counties: Benson – Windham
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01229 – Unpublished surveys of church archives (Adventist, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Universalist and misc.)’ for Addison and Caledonia Counties: Addison - Wheelock
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01234 – Pamphlets containing surveys of church archives (Catholic, Congregational and misc.)
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01236 – Inventories of Congregational archives: Middlebury – Underhill
• Vermont Archives #PRA-01235 – Inventories Congregational archives: Addison - Marshfield

Since Ashbel WEBSTER is also a research focus, and researching him and his whereabouts could help strengthen the case for Solomon and Sarah’s relationship, that research will be done in conjunction with the research listed above.

Researching Solomon Norton – Part 1

Solomon NORTON (aka NAUGHTON) is allegedly my sixth great-grandfather, although I don’t have much in the way of “proof” indicating the father/daughter relationship between him and my fifth great-grandmother Sarah.  Right now, that “proof” consists of a compiled genealogy [1] stating Sarah is the daughter of Solomon, three DAR applications for Solomon through a daughter Sarah (wife of Aaron Webster), [2] and a handwritten transcription of a biography for Solomon found among my family papers. [3]

Because of the time and place, it is unlikely that a birth record exists for Sarah, other than a baptism record, which may be hard to find.  Instead, I will have to investigate Solomon more closely, along with his wife and children, in order to see if Sarah really belongs in this family.  There is some evidence that suggests this is the right family, which I will get into a little later in this post.

Research Background

Derivative sources (aforementioned) indicate that Sarah NORTON is the daughter of Solomon.  Sarah was born about 1780, [4] likely in Poultney, Rutland, Vermont.  She married Aaron WEBSTER on 3 January 1797, [5] probably in Poultney, or perhaps Washington County, New York.  Sarah died on 18 August 1823 in Auburn Oakland, Michigan, the day after her husband. [6]

Solomon was born about 1751 in Hartford or Farmington, Connecticut. [7]  According the aforementioned DAR applications, he married Sarah Rexford on 17 April 1774 in Canaan, Albany, New York. [8]  A short biography in A History of the Town of Poultney, Vermont lists Solomon’s children as Solomon, John, Hannah (married Zimri Howe), James R, Joel, Aaron, and Amos; there is no mention of a daughter Sarah. [9] 

The pension file for Solomon, along with censuses and other sources, helped to create a timeline for Solomon, resulting in the following residences:  [10]

Estimated Timeframe	Residence
1751 to ??	Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut
?? to 1778	Canaan, Albany, New York
1778 to 1781	Poultney, Bennington, Vermont
1781 to 1823	Poultney, Rutland, Vermont (county formed in 1781)
1823 to 1836	Shoreham, Addison, Vermont
1836 to 1844	Villenova, Chautauqua, New York

Using this timeline, I was able to see some similarities between times and places for Sarah’s husband’s father, Ashbel WEBSTER.  His timeline was compiled using a variety of sources:  [11]

Estimated Timeframe	Residence
1733 to 1775	Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut
1775 to 1785	??
1785 to 1790	Poultney, Rutland, Vermont (before 1781, was Bennington Co.)
1790 to 1801	Hampton, Washington, New York

Although Ashbel’s timeline is far more estimated than Solomon’s, it is clear that they resided in the same area at the same time, particularly when their children were presumed to have married.  Although it is not clear, Ashbel and Solomon could have been acquaintances while in Hartford.  And although Ashbel later relocated to Hampton, it is right across the state line from Poultney, so they were still very close to one another until Ashbel’s death in 1801.  [12]

Unfortunately, just because they were in the same place at the same time, doesn’t mean that Ashbel’s son married Solomon’s daughter.  More research is needed to see if Sarah is really the daughter of Solomon.  Part 2 of this post will go in depth on the research avenues I plan to pursue in order to find more information on Solomon’s family, and hopefully the link that ties Sarah to this family.

Sources

1.  William Holcomb Webster and Rev. Melville Reuben Webster D. D., History and Genealogy of the Gov. John Webster Family of Connecticut With Numerous Portraits and Illustrations (Rochester, New York: E. R. Andrews Printing Co., 1915), 401.

2.  National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, "Ancestor Database," database, membership no. 886958, 352593, and 333048, Genealogical Research System (services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search). 

3.  Handwritten transcription of Solomon Norton biography, McMahon Family Artifacts; privately held by Julie (Cahill) Tarr, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Normal, Illinois.  The author later learned that the biography came from the following source:  J Joslin, et al , A History of the Town of Poultney, Vermont, From Its Settlement to the Year 1875, With Family and Biographical Sketches and Incidents (Poultney, Vermont: Journal Printing Office, 1875), 315-316. 

4.  Aaron Webster Cemetery (Auburn, Oakland, Michigan), Sarah Webster marker; photograph in McMahon Family Papers, privately held by Julie M Cahill Tarr, ca. 1940s. 

5.  Charles Fey, History of Freemasonry in Oakland County, MI (Royal Oak, Michigan: Royal Oak Lodge No. 464, 1949). 

6.  Aaron Webster Cemetery (Auburn, Michigan), Sarah Webster marker. 

7.  "Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files," digital images, Footnote (www.footnote.com : accessed July 5, 2010), Solomon Naughton, pension no. S21897; imaged from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, M804 (Washington, D.C.:  National Archives [n.d.]).

8.  National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, "Ancestor Database," database, membership no. 886958, 352593, and 333048.

9.  Joslin, et al, A History of the Town of Poultney, Vermont, 315-316. 

10.  "Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files," digital images Solomon Naughton, pension no. S21897.  Also, 1790 U.S. census, Rutland, Vermont, p. 245 (written) 14 (written), col. 2, Solomon Norton; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M637, roll 12.    Also, 1800 U.S. census, Poultney, Rutland, Vermont, p. 195, line 4 (from bottom), Solo Norton; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M32, roll 52.  Also, 1810 U.S. census, Poultney, Rutland, Vermont, p. 105, line 6, Solomon Naughton; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M252, roll 65.  Also, 1820 U.S. census population schedule, Poultney, Rutland, Vermont, p. 567, line 14, Solomon Norton; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M33, roll 126.  Also, 1830 U.S. census, Shoreham, Addison, Vermont, p. 194, line last, Solomon Norton; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M19, roll 184.  Also, 1840 U.S. census, Villanova, Chautauqua, New York, p. 307 (stamped) 610 (written), line 8, G B Aldrich (Solomon Norton is listed as a Vetaran in this household); digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 5, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M704, roll 307.  Also, Solomon Naughton, Final Payment Voucher 1832; Box 21, Vermont, Mu-O; Third Auditors Office; Selected Final Payment Vouchers, 1818-1864; RG 217, Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of Treasury; National Archives and Records Administration, Washington.

11.  Webster and Webster, History and Genealogy of the Gov. John Webster Family of Connecticut, 88, 189-190.  The book indicates “that he paid taxes in that place [Poultney, Rutland Co., Vt.] in the years 1785 and 1787.  Also, "Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files," digital images, Footnote (www.footnote.com : accessed June 11, 2011), Ashbell Webster, pension no. W18313; imaged from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, M804 (Washington, D.C.:  National Archives [n.d.]). This is the file for Ashbel’s son.  1790 U.S. census, Washington, New York, p. 215, line 37, Asbell Webster; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 9, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M637, roll 6.  Also, 1800 U.S. census, Hampton, Washington, New York, p. 555, line 6 (from bottom), Ashbel Webster; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed July 9, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M32, roll 26. 

12.  New York Gravestones, digital images (http://newyorkgravestones.org : accessed December 11, 2009), Ashbel Webster (Hampton Hill Cemetery, Washington County).

Are You Good at Reading Bad Handwriting?

I am working on transcribing the pension application for Solomon Naughton/Norton, Revolutionary War soldier.  There are about 20 words across 5 pages that I am having some trouble with.  If anyone would like to try to decipher these words, I’d appreciate the help.  All of the words are highlighted.  If you click on the link, it will open the document in Sribd for easier viewing and options to enlarge.  A big thank you in advance for anyone wishing to help.

UPDATE:  See new post, Bad Handwriting Gets Better With More Eyes.

NORTON, Solomon NORTON Pension Application

My Revolutionary War Patriots

In honor of Independence Day, I thought I’d write a post about my ancestors who are Revolutionary War patriots.

Robert Parks

Robert PARKS is the patriot I went in under for membership to National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR).  His service is listed as a private serving under Captain Benager Leffingwell.  Below is a muster roll from 1777; it is the only one I have found for him.

Robert is my sixth great-grandfather.  He was born 4 December 1737 in Voluntown, Connecticut and died in 1810 in Windham, Connecticut.  Following is my direct line to him (in bold):

1. Me
2. Joseph CAHILL (1945-1989), m. Jean MILLER (living)
3. Joan Garrison McMAHON (1927-1980), m. John Francis CAHILL (1922-1984)
4. Emma Jane GARRISON (1901-1970), m. John Ward McMAHON (1902-1962)
5. Sarah Jane MULLIGAN (1870-1947), m. James Manly GARRISON (1861-1909)
6. Sarah Norton WEBSTER (1828-1894), m. James MULLIGAN (1812-1879)
7. Betsey PARKS (1801-1856), m. Calvin Price WEBSTER (1802-1856)
8. Robert PARKS (1776-1863), m. Mary “Polly” Wheeler SMITH (1781-1844)
9. Robert PARKS (1737-1810), m. Elizabeth HALL (?-?)

Jonathan Webster

Jonathan WEBSTER took the Oath of Fidelity in October 1777 at Glastonbury, Connecticut.  Jonathan in my seventh great-grandfather.  He was born 5 October 1705 in Hartford, Connecticut and died 14 November 1781 in Glastonbury.  Following is my direct line to him (in bold):

1. Me
2. Joseph CAHILL (1945-1989), m. Jean MILLER (living)
3. Joan Garrison McMAHON (1927-1980), m. John Francis CAHILL (1922-1984)
4. Emma Jane GARRISON (1901-1970), m. John Ward McMAHON (1902-1962)
5. Sarah Jane MULLIGAN (1870-1947), m. James Manly GARRISON (1861-1909)
6. Sarah Norton WEBSTER (1828-1894), m. James MULLIGAN (1812-1879)
7. Calvin Price WEBSTER (1802-1856), m. Betsey PARKS (1801-1856)
8. Aaron WEBSTER (1775-1823), m. Sarah NORTON (1780-1823)
9. Ashbel WEBSTER (1733-1801), m. Rachel PRICE (1737-1813)
10. Jonathan WEBSTER (1705-1781), m. Mabel RISLEY (1718-1871)

Solomon Norton

Solomon NORTON is apparently my sixth great-grandfather, although I have not been able to prove this through actual records.  According to NSDAR, he is a patriot, having served as a private under Captain Bostwick in New York.  There are three members listed that have gone in under his supposed daughter Sarah, but again, I have not proven this connection through any records.  By all accounts, Solomon was born 12 May 1751 in Farmington, Connecticut and died after 1837 probably in Villanova, New York.  Following is my direct line to him (in bold), assuming Sarah is his daughter:

1. Me
2. Joseph CAHILL (1945-1989), m. Jean MILLER (living)
3. Joan Garrison McMAHON (1927-1980), m. John Francis CAHILL (1922-1984)
4. Emma Jane GARRISON (1901-1970), m. John Ward McMAHON (1902-1962)
5. Sarah Jane MULLIGAN (1870-1947), m. James Manly GARRISON (1861-1909)
6. Sarah Norton WEBSTER (1828-1894), m. James MULLIGAN (1812-1879)
7. Calvin Price WEBSTER (1802-1856), m. Betsey PARKS (1801-1856)
8. Sarah NORTON (1780-1823), m. Aaron WEBSTER (1775-1823)
9. Solomon NORTON (1751-after 1837), m. Sarah REXFORD (1757-?)

A big salute to all those who have served or are currently serving our country.

Also, a reminder that anyone can access the NSDAR’s Genealogical Research System to search for patriots.   Celebrate the 4th of July by doing a little research on your Revolutionary War patriots.

Friday Finds – 01/08/10

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted this column.  With the new year upon us, I figured it’s time to start it up again.

Blog – One of my new favorite blogs is Blog of a Genealogist in Training.  Right now, the main focus of the blog is the authors work on completing the NGS Home Study Course.

Revolutionary War Pension File – This week, I found (by accident) the pension file for my sixth great-grandfather Solomon NORTON (aka NAUGHTON) on Footnote.  What was more interesting than the pension papers, were the varied query letters in the file.  One letter’s author I recognized immediately.  But there are letters from two other individuals who are apparently Solomon’s heirs, but I do not have them in my tree as of yet, so I’m curious to know how they are related.

Irish Records – I’m just about finished reading the book Tracing Your Irish Ancestors, Third Edition, by John Grenham.  So far I’ve learned about what records exist, where they exist, and how to obtain them.  I can’t wait to dive into my Irish heritage, and this book is a huge stepping stone to doing so.

Article – From Kimberly Powell’s About.com Genealogy Blog, is a good primer article, Starting a Genealogy Business.

Family Events – Week of August 16 to August 22

Edward PARKS – Edward is my fourth great-granduncle, who was born on 17 August 1825.  He died on 21 January 1866.*

Aaron WEBSTER – Aaron is my fifth great-grandfather, who was born on 28 August 1775 in Connecticut.  He died on 17 August 1823 in Auburn, Michigan.

Sarah NORTON – Sarah is my fifth great-grandmother.  She was born about 12 August 1780 in Vermont.  Sarah died on 18 August 1823 in Auburn, Michigan, just one day after her husband, Aaron WEBSTER (above) died.

William LEWIS – William is my tenth great-grandfather, who was born on 19 August 1620.  He died on 18 August 1690 in Connecticut.  He married Mary HOPKINS on 19 August 1644 in Massachusetts.*

Betsey PARKS – Betsey is my fourth great-grandmother, who was born on 7 December 1801 in New York.  She died on 20 August 1856 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Alexander WEBB – Alexander is my twelfth great-grandfather, who was born on 20 August 1559 in England.  He died in 1629 in Boston, Massachusetts.*

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

Family Events – Week of August 9 to August 15

Mary BRAUN – Mary is my second great-grandmother, who was born on 19 November 1855 in Germany.  She died on 9 August 1936 in Chicago, Illinois.

Edward P MULLIGAN & Sarah RALPH – Edward is my second great-granduncle, who married Sarah on 9 August 1891 in Chicago, Illinois.

Gov. John WEBSTER – John is my eleventh great-grandfather, who was born on 9 August 1950 in England.  He died on 15 April 1661 in Massachusetts.*

Mary LEWIS – Mary is my ninth great-grandmother, who was born on 6 May 1645 in Connecticut.  She died on 10 August 1722 in Connecticut.*

Dorothy E TRAPP & George J MAZZUCA – Dorothy is my second cousin twice removed.  She and George married on 11 August 1939 in Chicago, Illinois.

Sarah NORTON – Sarah is my fifth great-grandmother.  She was born about 12 August 1780 in Vermont.  Sarah died on 18 August 1823 in Auburn, Michigan.

Richard TROTT (TREAT) & Joanna – Richard and Joanna are my thirteenth great-grandparents.  They both died on 14 August 1577 in England.*

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

Family Events – Week of May 24 to May 30

John NORTON – John is my ninth great-grandfather, who was born on 24 May 1651 in Branford, New Haven, Connecticut.  He died on 25 April 1725 in Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut.

John Ward McMAHON & Emma Jane GARRISON – John and Emma are my great-grandparents.  They were married on 26 May 1923 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.

Rebecca GREENLEAF – Rebecca is the wife of Noah WEBSTER, LL.D., who is my third cousin eight times removed.  Rebecca was born on 27 May 1766 in Boston, Massachusetts.  She died on 25 June 1847 in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut.

Thomas PACKER – Thomas is my eleventh great-grandfather, who was born in 1595 in England.  He died on 27 May 1608 in London, England.*

Joseph PARKS & Sarah – Joseph and Sarah are my seventh great-grandparents.  The were married on 27 May 1735.  Their son, Robert, is my DAR patriot.

Julius ROTTMAN – Julius is my first cousin twice removed, who was born on 28 May 1907 in Cedar Rapids, Linn, Iowa.  He died on 7 March 1973 in California.

Noah WEBSTER – Noah is my third cousin eight times removed and is the”father of the dictionary.”  He was born on 16 October 1758 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut.  He died on 28 May 1843 in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut.

Ethel Mary ROTTMAN – Ethel is my first cousin twice removed, who was born on 29 May 1892 in Mount Vernon, Linn, Iowa.  She died on 17 November 1986 in Iowa, at the age of 94.

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

Family Events - Week of May 10 to May 16

Craig MILLER - Happy birthday to my cousin Craig on May 10th!

John GRAVES & Susannah WEBSTER - John and Susannah are my tenth great-grandparents.  They were married on 11 May 1681 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut.*

Jonathan WEBSTER & Dorcas HOPKINS - Jonathan and Dorcas are my ninth great-grandparents.  Jonathan is Susannah's brother (above) and were apparently married on the same day, 11 May 1681 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut.  This is also were my family tree gets a little tangled (see Found: Cousins).*

Calvin Price WEBSTER - Calvin is my fourth great-grandfather, who was born on 10 February 1802 in Sacketts Harbor, Livingston, New York.  He died on 11 May 1856 in Bloomfield, Oakland, Michigan.

Robert PARKS - Robert is my eighth great-grandfather, who was born on 6 May 1676 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut.  He died on 12 May 1752 in Voluntown, New London, Connecticut.

Solomon NORTON - Solomon is my sixth great-grandfather, who was born on 12 May 1751 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut.

William PARKE - William is my twelfth great-grandfather, who was born in 1503 in England.  He died on 13 May 1551 in England.

Timothy J McMAHON - Timothy is my second great-grandfather, who was born on 14 May 1874 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  He died on 14 October 1939 in Chicago.

Happy birthday to Jim's cousin Jessica on May 15th.

Raymond Henry MILLER - Ray is my granduncle, who was born on 18 August 1916 in Cook County, Illinois.  He died on 15 May 1979 in Whittier, Los Angeles, California.

Pietro "Peter" BELLUOMINI - Peter is my step-father's, adoptive father, who was born on 16 May 1914 in Italy.

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

Family Events - Week of April 19 to April 25

William STOFFEL - William is my great grand-uncle, who was born on 14 November 1895.  He died on 21 April 1934 at the age of 38, in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.

Patrick CAPUTO - Pat is my newly-discovered fourth cousin and old high school friend.  Happy birthday, Pat, on April 22nd.

Margaret Alma COSTER - Margaret is the wife of my first cousin twice removed, Clarence ROTTMAN.  She was born on 23 April 1899 in Linn County, Iowa.  She died in November 1978.

Laura ROTTMAN - Happy birthday to my third cousin, Laura, on April 23rd.

Trisha BELLUOMINI - Happy birthday to my stepsister, Trish, on April 24th.

Thomas FOX - Thomas is my tenth great-grandfather, who was born in 1608 in London, England.  He died on 25 April 1693 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts.*

John NORTON - John is my ninth great-grandfather, who was born on 24 May 1651 in Branford, New Haven, Connecticut.  He died on 25 April 1725 in Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut.*

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

Family Events - Week of April 12 to April 18

Edward Paul ZUMSKI & Harriet R TRAPP - Harriet is my second cousin twice removed.  She and Edward married on 12 April 1951 in Cook County, Illinois.

Margaret CLARKE - Margaret is my tenth great-grandmother, who was born in 1611 in Connecticut.  She died on 13 April 1673 in Connecticut.*

John HOPKINS - John is my eleventh great-grandfather, who was born around 1613 in London, England.  He died on 14 April 1654 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut.*

Charles Henry ROTTMAN & Rosanna Elizabeth BEATTY - Charles is my great-granduncle.  He and Rosanna married on 14 April 1899 in Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa.*

Harry Arthur REIMERS & Elnora Berneice ROTTMAN - Elnora is my first cousin twice removed, and the daughter of Charles and Rosanna (above).  She and Harry married on 14 April 1930 in Iowa.  Elnora was born on 26 September 1910 in Iowa.  She died on 18 April 1994 in Iowa.*

Robert FERNETTI - Happy birthday to my grandfather-in-law on tax day, April 15th.

Sarah Jane MULLIGAN - Sarah is my second great-grandmother, who was born on 16 April 1870 in Flint, Genesee, Michigan.  She died on 26 April 1947 in Cook County, Illinois.

Catherine M SCHWARTZ - Catherine is my great-grandmother, who was born on 16 April 1894 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois.  She died on 26 January 1925 in Aurora.

Solomon NORTON & Sarah REXFORD - Solomon and Sarah are my sixth great-grandparents.  They were married on 17 April 1774.*

James NAUGHTON & Mary BARNES - James and Mary are my seventh great-grandparents, and parents of Solomon (above).  They were married on 18 April 1745 in Bristol, Hartford, Connecticut.*

*Based on information from several compiled source, of which I have not personally verified at this time.

Saturday in the Attic - 01/24/09

The last few weeks I have been preparing to apply for membership into the Daughters of the American Revolution.  So I had to pull out the Webster family Bible wherein my legacy resides.  The Bible belonged to my third great-grandmother, Sarah Norton WEBSTER.  It was given to her in 185[3] as a gift from her father, Calvin Price WEBSTER.  It is in critical condition, so this is only the second time I've opened it, as I needed to gather some final sources for my DAR application.

While carefully combing through the pages, I came across some loose papers and clippings.  Among them was the following letter, written by Sarah's niece, Julie Ann WEBSTER in 1952, presumably to her cousin (also a niece of Sarah) Emma Ellen HANIFAN.  What's interesting about this letter, is the reference to DAR.  Julia was a member, as were others in our family.  I thought it was fitting for this week's column since I am in the midst of completing my DAR application.

Transcription:

Pontiac Mich--
Jan-7-1952

My dear Emma,

This is a late thank you for that lovely box of card.

When your letter came It was so carefully put away I had no address not ever to send a greeting.

Thanks for your remem-brance that was enclosed in Christmas greeting.

I felt like I have in the days gone by when your good mother remembered me.

Counting your little letter I felt that the C. Webster decendants were with me,--a nice long one from Maria (Hanifan) Ballard in Ohio and one from the Vliets, Birmingham Mich. also a card from Frank Hanifan.

All his family but one Frances are married--He had nine with two sets of twins.

A few years back, the Vliets lost their son.  This year they lost their only grandson, a boy of 10 years.

In August my niece's sone Joseph was ordained at Pittsburgh  He belongs to O.F.M Cap's Order  He is a teacher in a college--Washington D.C.

Thanks for card when you went west with __ (plus) other grandmothers

How time does fly.  Ella (Bird) Murray and her sister Flora are still on the family tree.

Flora's family are scattered in the south and in the west.  Ella's g-dau--a graduate nurse.  I never see them

Flora lives alone.

Today I had a letter from a niece of Marie (Hanifan) Ballard.  She would like to join D.A.R.--a dau of Charlie Hanifan.

Did I write you we had a record for the D.A.R. in the Norton or (Maughton) line

Solomon Norton was born Naughton in War 1716.  Naughton--went to Vermont--was called Norton as one of his uncles was called.  Around 1823--went back to old name--

A dec. of Luther N. Webster (in Iowa) is a member of D.A.R. as is a dec. of Wm. Aaron Webster in Pontiac.

I probably have made a few mistakes in this letter I had neurities in hands and arms close to three years ago and have written very few letters

No this is not "Christmas" paper or rather stationary--I must have had it a dozen years.  Will use it up on my relatives.

I can't get over it but I don't want to write.

I wonder if one can tire of writing.

I've lived alone so long and been "my own boss"--folks don't realize I'll be 82 on Ground Hog day.

(Am not alone--three cats.)

"Star boarder's milk .23 quart butter .95 lb., potatoes .75 peck--the cat's are like the folk's of 1951--now 1952--they like the up to the minute eats--canned food.

One of our distant cousins in Pontiac buys her grapefruit in the cans.

It's now close to bed time--the time I don't like--I've a good bed (yes one cat would like to sleep with me) but I don't sleep all the time.  I don't complain--I have so much so far to be thankful for.

Accept with love this rambling letter  Your Cousin

Julia

This letter is privately held by Julie Marie CAHILL Tarr.

Found: Cousins

Through a blog post at All My Branches Genealogy, I discovered that Wendy, Becky, and I are cousins through Richard TREAT.  Since Wendy posted her line, I figured I'd post mine as well.

1 Me

2 My parents

3 John Francis CAHILL & Joan Garrison McMAHON

4 John Ward McMAHON & Emma Jane GARRISON

5 James Manly GARRISON & Sarah Jane MULLIGAN

6 James MULLIGAN & Sarah Norton WEBSTER

7 Calvin Price WEBSTER & Betsey PARKS

8 Aaron WEBSTER & Sarah NORTON

9 Ashbel WEBSTER & Rachel PRICE

10 Jonathan WEBSTER & Mabel RISLEY

11 Jonathan WEBSTER & Esther JUDD

12 Deacon Jonathan WEBSTER & Dorcas HOPKINS

13 Robert WEBSTER & Susannah TREAT

14 Richard TREAT & Alice GAYLORD

--or, yes there's an or--

1 Me

2 My parents

3 John Francis CAHILL & Joan Garrison McMAHON

4 John Ward McMAHON & Emma Jane GARRISON

5 James Manly GARRISON & Sarah Jane MULLIGAN

6 James MULLIGAN & Sarah Norton WEBSTER

7 Calvin Price WEBSTER & Betsey PARKS

8 Aaron WEBSTER & Sarah NORTON

9 Solomon NORTON & Sarah REXFORD

10 James NAUGHTON & Mary BARNES

11 James NAUHTON & Susannah HENDERSON

12 James HENDERSON & Mechitabel GRAVES

13 John GRAVES & Susannah WEBSTER

14 Robert WEBSTER & Susannah TREAT

15 Richard TREAT & Alice GAYLORD

Okay, so I have a tangled web...who doesn't?  Robert WEBSTER and Susannah TREAT had Deacon Jonathan WEBSTER and Sarah WEBSTER who went on to have their own families, which then met up again when Aaron WEBSTER and Sara NORTON married.  Jonathan is my 9th great-grandfather, and Susannah is my 10th great-grandmother; brother and sister who were born about a year or so about...pretty weird, huh.

But there you have it, my lines back to Richard Treat, thus making Wendy and I are 10th cousins twice removed (or three times removed, depending on how you look at it *wink*)!

Note:  The Norton side comes from several compiled sources that I have not yet verified on my own.

Family Events - Week of November 3 to November 9

 

Emma Jane GARRISON - Emma Jane is my great-grandmother, who was born in Chicago on 3 November 1901.

James MULLIGAN & Sarah Norton WEBSTER - James and Sarah are my third-great-grandparents.  The were married on 5 November 1865 in Michigan.

James NORTON - James is my tenth-great-grandfather, who was born on 5 November 1709, in Hartford, Connecticut.

John "Jack" Francis CAHILL & Joan Garrison McMAHON - John and Joan are my paternal grandparents.  They were married on 6 November 1943 in Chicago.

Gov. John WEBSTER & Agnes SMITH - John and Agnes are my eleventh-great-grandparents.  They were married on 7 November 1609 in England.

Noah WEBSTER - Noah is my second cousin nine-times-removed and is the grandfather of  the dictionary so-to-speak, as Noah WEBSTER LLD is his son.  Noah died in Hartford, Connecticut on 9 November 1813.

The Stock Search Begins

A few weeks back, Denise Levenick over at The Family Curator has challenged us Genea-Bloggers to a treasure hunt. You can see the details in my original post.

I decided to explore a box of stock certificates and documents that my paternal grandmother and great-grandmother had. My plan (a.k.a. treasure map) was as follows:

1. Sort through the papers and organize by company.
2. Determine if the companies still exist (or absolved into other companies).
3. Determine if the stocks are still "valid" and if so, are they "transferable."
4. Report my progress/findings in later posts.

The best laid plans are never set in stone, and this one was no exception. I completed the first to exploration tasks, but failed to complete the third at this point. I'm completing the last task with the writing of this post.

So, here's what I found...

A 3-inch stack of papers related to stocks owned by my grandmother and great-grandmother (among other family members). I sorted the stack by company and set off to explore whether the companies still existed. I had four holes to dig...read further for what each hole revealed.

---

Continental Uranium Inc. (n.k.a. Continental Materials Corporation)

Digging in the Continental Uranium Inc., now known as Continental Materials Corp., I found the company still exists (AMEX:CUO), but was not able to find any investor information. I also found paperwork giving ownership of the stocks to my dad after my grandmother died. I don't believe he did anything with them, and because he is deceased, I wonder if ownership can be transferred to me. I did find corporate contact information and plan to inquire about the stocks.

Also in the pile were stockholder notices, voter cards, and an annual report from 1986. What's odd is that there is no paperwork with my dad's name on it (except for the aforementioned) and the annual report was for a year after my grandmother died...hmmm.

---

Lucky 5 Mining, Milling, Reduction & Development Company

This hold didn't reveal much. There are five certificates: James N GARRISON (one dated 19 February 1914 and one dated 12 June 1915), Sarah Jane Garrison (one dated 2 February 1915 and one dated 17 September 1915), and Joseph B Garrison (dated 12 June 1915).

The certificates are very fragile and hard to read, but it looks like the company was in Arizona. I was unable to find any information on the company. But I have some really cool documents in my collection nonetheless.

---

St. Stephen Nickel Mines Limited & Atlantic Nickel Mines Limited

Ahh, the St. Stephen Nickel Mines Limited & Atlantic Nickel Mines Limited hole. I knew from the paperwork that these were one in the same company. It started out as St. Stephen Nickel Mines and then changed names in 1963/4 to Atlantic Nickel Mines. Easy enough...but then I had to trace it through many changes to figure out what the company is today, which is Thundermil Resources, Inc. (TSE:THR).

The certificates were in my grandfather's name. There is no paperwork indicating he cashed them in, and I don't see them mentioned in his will. I also have no idea why he invested in Canadian stock. I did find contact information for Thundermil Resources and will inquire.

---

Handschy Industries, Inc.

So far, all of the holes revealed mining stocks. This hole however revealed Handschy Industries (a.k.a Handschy Chemical Company), which deals with printing supplies. There are a total of 12 certificates: six are issued to my grandmother and six are issued to my great-grandmother. The company is still in business but there is no stock information that I can find. Instead, it looks like it was absolved as a subsidiary into Graphic Packaging International, which appears to be a subsidiary of Graphic Packaging Holding Company.

Again, I found paperwork giving ownership of the stocks to my dad after my grandmother died, as well as the ones of my great-grandmother. And again, I don't believe he did anything with them, and because he is deceased, I wonder if ownership can be transferred to me. I did find corporate contact information for Graphic Packaging Holding Company and plan to inquire about the stocks.

Also in the pile were stockholder notices, voter cards, letters, and a press release from 1987. What's interesting is that the president of the company was John P McMahon. My great-grandfather was John McMahon, and I wonder if this is one in the same person, or some relation. I will have to look into this!

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So there you have it! My treasure hunt, although not 100% complete, did reveal some interesting things, some really neat documents, and further research avenues.

Thanks, Denise, for putting forth this challenge!

Julie

Family Events - Week of October 13 to October 19

Vilhelms BRIEDIS - Vilhelms was the husband of my grandaunt Florence McMAHON.  He was born on 13 October 1908 and passed away on 23 February 1993. [1]

Timothy J McMAHON - Timothy is my great-great-grandfather.  He was born 14 May 14 1874 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois to Timothy McMAHON and Margaret RYAN.  He died on 14 October 1939 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. [2]

Thomas CAHILL - Thomas is my great-great-grandfather.  He was born in 1860 in Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland to Michael CAHILL and Anne HALE.  Thomas died on 15 October 1929 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. [3,4]

Noah WEBSTER - Yes, "the" Noah Webster, LL.D. is my third cousin eight times removed.  He was born on 16 October 1758 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut.  The "father of the dictionary" died at the age of 84 on 28 May 1843 in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut.  [5]

William Norton - William is my 12th great-grandfather.  He was likely born in 1558 in Sharpenhoe, Kent, England and likely died on 19 October 1622 in England. (Note:  I have not confirmed the accuracy of this information as of this date.)  [6]

 

Notes

1.  Social Security Administration, "Social Security Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com), entry for Vilhlems Briedis, 1993. 

2.  State of Illinois, death certificate no. 28236 (1939), Timothy J McMAHON, State of Illinois Department of Public Health. 

3.  Thomas CAHILL, "Rothe House," database, Irish Family History Foundation (http://kilkenny.brsgenealogy.com/search.php). 

4.  robmy_vicc, "ROBVIC2006," database, Private Family Trees, Ancestry.com (http://trees.ancestry.com/fhs/home.aspx?tid=956976&pg=2)

5.  Family Search, "Ancestral Files," database (www.familysearch.org), Noah WEBSTER (BDVR-NG). 

6.  Cahill Family Tree papers; privately held by Julie Marie CAHILL Tarr.

Originally posted @ my LiveJournal blog on 12 October 2008.

Julie