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The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volume 3, contains information about the Temple family worth noting. The entire book is available for reading here: See the Reese page for more information about the Temple family. #temple #Reese

At Saint Paul's Chapel, New York, there is a monument on the north side of the chancel in memory of Sir John Temple. The inscription is engraved as follows: Sacred to the Memory of Sir JOHN TEMPLE, Bart. Consul General to the United States of America, from his Britannic Majesty. The first Appointment to this Country after its Independence. Died in the City of New York, November the 17th 1798 Aged 67. The monument is black marble edged with white, and displays the Temple arms which are described in the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol 3, p. 25 as follows: ARMS - Quarterly. 1 and 4. Or an eagle displayed sable. 2 and 3. Argent two bars sable each charged with three martlets of the first. CREST - Out of a ducal coronet a martlet. MOTTO - Templa quam Dilecta. The Baronet's badge. The martlets, both in arms and crest, should be gold. The second and third quarters contain the arms of Temple, to which the crest and motto belong. In the first and fourth are the arms of the Heptarch Kingdom of Mercia, which have been borne by the family since their ancestors were earls of that country. The same source says the pedigree of the Temples will be found in Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, Fourth edition, 2 vols. 12mo. London, 1832, which I could not locate. This edition, shown below, however is very informative. To see more about this family, click here. #temple #peerage #coatofarms #Reese

My research has revealed that I am a 10th great-granddaughter of Elder John Strong. He was born in Chard, Somerset, England, and married Margerie Dean. He sailed to America on the ship Mary and John, with the Winthrop Fleet, arriving in Nantasket, near Boston, on May 30, 1630. His wife died during the voyage or upon arrival. Their infant daughter died two months later. It wasn't an easy start in America, but he endured on, settling in Dorchester, where he married Abigail Ford. They left Dorchester in 1635 and moved to Hingham, Massachusetts. He took the Freeman's Oath in Boston in March of 1636, and in December of 1638, was made a freeman of Plymouth Colony, where he was deputy of the General Court in 1641, 1643, and 1644. Their descendants are numerous. The following illustration shows the relationship of our Dickinson family to Elder John Strong. #strong #dickinson #PlymouthColony #mayo

Samuel Abbey, was born in 1646, probably in Wenham, Massachusetts. He was the son of John Abbe. On October 12, 1672, in Wenham, Samuel married to Mary Knowlton, daughter of William and Elizabeth Knowlton. Samuel was made Freeman in the 1680s. A freeman was debt-free and could own land, become a member of the church, and vote. He and Mary lived in Wenham until about 1682. They were members of the Salem Church until 1689 when they were dismissed to form one at Salem Village (now Danvers). They remained in Danvers for about 15 years, before returning to Wenham in 1697. It was while they were living in Salem village that the infamous Salem witch trials took place there in 1692, ending in the execution of twenty accused witches, plus six who died in prison. Although none of the Abbys were accused of witchcraft, they knew both the accused and the accusers and Samuel Abby was one of many townspeople who gave written depositions regarding their experiences with them. Samuel testified that he visited Thomas Putnam's home on May 20, 1692. The Putnam's had a servant named Mercy Lewis. Mercy had become a servant after her family was killed by an Indian attack during which she successfully hid herself. The dark memories of that horrific day, and the consequences of it, may have had an affect on Mercy's mental health. Samuel testified that upon arriving at the home, Mercy was in bed, speechless, in a sad condition, and being assaulted and tormented by unseen forces. Mrs. Putnam asked him to go to fetch Mercy's friend, Ann Putnam, to see if she knew who was harming her. Samuel brought Ann Putnam and Abigail Williams back to see Mercy and along the way they told him that they had seen an apparition of "Goody Estick" (Mary Easty) who told them it was she who was afflicting Mercy. Upon arrival at the Putnam home, the girls reported that they saw the apparitions of John Willard and Mary Witheridge also afflicting the body of Mercy. John Willard was executed on August 19, 1692 and Mary Eastey's execution followed, on September 9, 1692. (From the Salem Witchcraft documents Volume 2 p. 41-42) When Mary Easty's sister, Rebecca Nurse, was accused of witchcraft, Samuel and several other "respectable inhabitants" signed a document in her defense, testifying to her good character. The efforts delayed her death for a short time, but she was executed anyway on July 19, 1692. Samuel gave testimony against Mrs. Sarah Good who was found guilty of witchcraft and hanged at the age of 39 on July 29, 1692. He testified that his family had allowed William and Sarah Good to live with them after they became homeless, but that she was such a turbulent spirit, spiteful and malicious, that they were forced to ask them to leave. He claimed that afterwards his cattle started dying in an unusual manner. He had lost 17 head of cattle within two years, plus sheep and hogs. He and his wife were convinced it was witchcraft. They claimed Sarah Good behaved crossly toward them, called their children vile names, and threatened them often. (From the Salem Witchcraft documents Volume 1 p. 24-25) The Salem witch trials is a tragic story full of irony, but it was a valuable lesson and turning point for America. It demonstrated the dangers of a society in which people can make accusations leading to a conviction without evidence. The accused in these cases were guilty until proven innocent and the outcome proved regrettable later. After this, the protocol became "innocent until proven guilty", the protect the liberties of American citizens. Also, before the trials, the Puritan's plans were to make America a theocracy. Perhaps the events led them to realize that without omniscience, they cannot know people's hearts and therefore, cannot justly enforce such regulations. Samuel died in March 1697-8, in Windham, Connecticut. After he died, Mary remarried to Abraham Mitchell, with whom she had one son, Daniel, who was born and died on December 10, 1700. Church records show Mary Mitchell, formerly Mary Abby, transferred from the Salem Village Church to Windham, Connecticut, in 1701. Samuel's children were: Mary Abby, Samuel Abby, Thomas Abby, Elizabeth (Abby) Slate, Ebenezer Abby, Mercy (Abby) Ormsby, Sarah (Abby) Fowler, Hepzibah (Abby) Palmer, Abigail (Abby) Ormsby, John Abby, Benjamin Abby, and Jonathan Abby. Samuel Abbe was the 6th great-grandfather of my great-grandmother, Mary (Harvey) Reese Gaul, making him my 9th great-grandfather. See the Harvey page for more on the Harvey/Abbe connection. #harvey #Harvey #Abbey #Abbe

Following are some newspaper clippings pertaining to Rose (Hollenbeck) Leonard, printed in the 1950s and 1960s. These and may more can be found in Leonard Road. See also the Leonard page and the Hollenbeck page. #Hollenbeck #Leonard #leonard

Rose Hollenbeck was the daughter of Jasper Hollenbeck and his wife Mary McGinnis. The Hollenbecks were large landholders in Cortland County and are mentioned frequently in the local news. The following are some of the articles found pertaining to Rose Ellen (Hollenbeck) Leonard. See also, Rose's obituary, posted here. For more on this family, see the Hollenbeck or Leonard pages. #Hollenbeck #Leonard #leonard #rosehollenbeck

Robert Jasper Leonard was the son of Albert Jay Leonard and Rose Ellen Hollenbeck. He grew up on the Hollenbeck homestead his mother inherited from her father and named "Leonard Road" in Marathon, New York. This photo of Robert holding a chicken was taken at the "old homestead", as my grandmother called it. She recalled at one time it was a large and prosperous farm. Robert died in 1982 after much suffering from the effects of diabetes. For more on this family, see the Leonard page or the Hollenbeck page. #Leonard #leonard #leonardroad #robertleonard

Robert Jasper Leonard, son of Albert Jay Leonard and Rose Hollenbeck, attended Marathon High School in Marathon, Cortland County, New York. He was born in September of 1924, and therefore attended this school from 1938 to abt. 1940. If anyone knows of yearbooks or school photos from this time period, please comment below. See the Leonard page for more about his family. #Leonard #Marathon #NewYork #CortlandCounty #MarathonHighSchool #leonard

Rev. John Strong was my maternal 6th great-grandfather. He was born on the 10th of April, 1755, in Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut. He was the son of Enoch Strong and Sarah (Meraugh) Strong. John married Lydia Thomas in Cochecton, New York, in March of 1775 and together they had fifteen known children. John was a Baptist clergyman who “became a Revolutionary soldier, and was twice driven from his home by the Indians”. He fought in one engagement, commanded by General Sullivan at Newtown, New York, on the 29th of August, 1779. “We fought the Indians” and “went down and destroyed all the Indian towns.” John spoke of his participation in the historic Battle of Newtown, also called the Battle of Chemung, the only major battle of the Sullivan Expedition, the armed offensive commissioned by George Washington and the Continental Congress, to end the threat of the Iroquois who had sided with the British. On the 3rd of July, the year prior, 1778, British Loyalists and Iroquois raiders massacred more than 300 American Patriots in the Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, in what is known as the Wyoming Massacre. Settlers claim the raiders hunted and killed fleeing patriots, even torturing dozens who surrendered, to death. It was reported that 227 scalps were collected. Sullivan’s army consisting of 3,200 Continental regulars, two companies of militia, and 10 brass field pieces, was sent to rid the region of these hostiles. They faced a militia of 200-250 men known as Butler’s Rangers, 15 regulars, and 1,000 Iroquois at Newtown, the remainder of the tribes having evacuated ahead of the massive assault. Eleven men from Sullivan’s army were killed and 32 more were wounded. Of the Iroquois and British, 17 were killed, 16 were injured, and two were captured, but nearly every Indian structure and crop in the region was destroyed and as a result, many Indians who remained starved to death that winter. The location of the battle was along the Chemung River, outside Elmira, New York. Today, it is the historic Newtown Battlefield State Park. Read General Van Cortlandt's gave his experience of Sullivan's Expedition in his autobiography, which can be found in Olde Ulster magazine, here. (To view more issues, click here). In 1779, John removed to Sharon, Connecticut, and from there, in 1791 he moved to Milton, Saratoga County, New York. In 1801 he made his final move, to Northumberland, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, where he farmed his land until his death, which occurred on the 20th of January, 1835, at the age of 80. Lydia received $30 per year from her husband’s pension, until her death, which occurred five years after his, in November of 1840 in Northumberland, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania. The names of her parents (Mr. and Mrs. Thomas), have yet to be determined. (If anyone has information, please comment below!) The children of John & Lydia Strong were listed in his 1832 pension request, shown here: Source: Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (NARA microfilm publication M804, 2,670 rolls). Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15. National Archives, Washington, D.C. To learn more about this family, click here. #veteran #SullivanExpedition #americanrevolution #strong #mayo #military

Rebecca Alice Reese died on Monday, April 23, 1917, in Jordan, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. She was 73 years old and the official cause of death was "Cerebral Hemorrhage (Apoplexy)". The informant on her death certificate was Geo. B. Woodside of Unityville, Pennsylvania. The names given for her parents were "David Reece" and "Susan Rider", both reportedly born in Pennsylvania. She was buried on April 26th at "Franklin Church" and G. W. Robbins of Unityville was the Undertaker. See the Reese page for more on this family! Source: Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, Certificate #41801, Jordan, Lycoming, Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission; Pennsylvania #RebeccaAliceReese #death #temple #Woodside #Reese

Rebecca Alice Reese was the daughter of David Reese and Susan Elizabeth Rider. Rebecca was born on the 1st of January, 1844, in Muncy, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, and died on the 23rd of April, 1917, at the age of 73. After her husband, James Temple died, she married to James Herman Woodside, a Civil War Veteran. She was buried in Franklin Stone Heap Cemetery with Mr. Woodside. There are many relatives buried there, including Rebecca's first husband, James Temple, although it is said there is no marker on his grave. Rebecca and James Temple were the parents of Henrietta, Jane, William, Florence, and John Lloyd Temple (father of Ada Temple Reese). Stone Heap Cemetery, also called Franklin Bethel, is located on North Mountain near the border of Lycoming and Sullivan Counties. The address is 1591-1599 Route 42, Unityville, Pennsylvania. See the Reese page for more on this family. #cemetery #reese #Reese #temple

It never hurts to revisit the newspaper sites you've already checked to see if there are any new additions. Many of these sites and libraries are continually adding new papers and issues. This is something I do periodically and recently I was surprised to find a more detailed obituary than the one my grandmother had a copy of from the Cortland Standard. Finally, the circumstances surrounding the death of Percy H. Daniels have surfaced. It was printed in the Cortland Democrat, Friday, December 20, 1940, which reads: Percy Daniels, 59, Dead at McGraw McGraw, Dec. 19 - Percy Daniels, 59 passed away on December 13. He had just backed his car out of the driveway of his home near Baker school house but stopped instead of driving on. A few minutes later when his wife went to investigate, she found him dead at the wheel. Coroner Chapin was called and gave the verdict of death from heart trouble. He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a sister. He was a former resident of Olympia, Wash. Funeral services were held at Wright's undertaking rooms in Cortland on Sunday. Burial will be made in Cortland Rural Cemetery. -------------- Percy's death certificate can be seen here. See also, the Daniels page for much more about Percy and his family. #PercyDaniels #daniels #Daniels #obituary

Percy Henry Daniels was the son of William Daniels and Eliza (Gale) Daniels. He died in 1940. One of his obituaries is shown here: To see his burial place, click here. Today I ordered a copy of Percy Henry Daniels death certificate from the Solon Town Clerk. UPDATE: It arrived! Click here! #Daniels #PercyDaniels

Percy married Vena in 1929 and in 1930 when the census was taken, they were living on Tioughnioga Ave in Cortland, New York, with their newborn daughter. Here is a closeup: In 1940 the index to the rural register gives this: Daniels Percy 3SW Cortland 70B RD3 Cortland. It places their home at that time on Tompkins Street in Cortland. When Percy died in 1940, they were living about ten miles east, in Solon. For more on this family, see the Daniels page. #daniels #Daniels #PercyDaniels #VenaDykeman

Genealogy is a process of filling in the blanks about our relatives. When I set out to learn about my family's history, no one in my family knew much about anyone beyond our grandparents and a few great-grandparents. To learn more about my grandparents, I searched the census records, starting with the most recent and worked my way back in time from there. This was the case with Percy Daniels, my great-grandfather. I located him easily on the 1930 and 1940 census and both records indicated he was born around 1881 in Washington. My grandmother claimed he was born in Olympia. Years ago, I contacted the Thurston County clerk's office requesting information about Percy Daniels' birth, based on those years, but the search came up empty. I have not been able to locate Percy on the 1910 or 1920 census but I found various ship records showing he was a sailor traveling the world during that period. When I found a copy of Percy and Vena's marriage license, I learned that the names of his parents were William Daniels and Eliza Gale. Washington marriage records reveal that William and Eliza were married on November 21, 1881, in Mason County, Washington. William and Percy were counted on the 1900 census in Satsop, Mason County, Washington. William was a widower, meaning Eliza died between the time Percy was born and 1900. Percy's age was given as 15 and his birth date was given as "Dec 1884". When the Washington State Census of 1892 was taken, Percy was living in Kamilche, Mason County, Washington, with his father. His age was given as 6. Three years, prior, when the 1889 State census was taken, Percy was counted in the home of his maternal grandmother who was married to J. W. Pratt. Percy's age was given as 3. These early records of Percy's life appear to be the only time his age was recorded accurately on a census. When the 1885 State census was taken, his parents were counted in Mason County with only a 1-year old daughter, Mary C. Daniels, in the home. Percy was not found on the 1885 State census. Finally, I found Eliza's obituary which was printed in February of 1886. The obituary states that she died leaving a child who was about two months old, which brings me to the conclusion that Percy was born December 5, 1885. If anyone has any other evidence to prove or disprove my theory, please share! See the Daniels page for more on this family. #PercyDaniels #daniels #Daniels #Leonard #leonard

Percy Henry Daniels lived in Solon, Cortland County, New York when the census was taken in 1940. His family is divided across two pages. Percy, Vena, and their daughter, Ethel Daniels were living in the home. Ethel married Robert J. Leonard. Full page (6A and part of 6B): #Daniels #Solon #Cortland #NewYork #daniels #percydaniels

While researching the ancestry of my great-grandfather, Percy Henry Daniels, I was surprised to learn that a farmer who died at the age of 59 in Cortland County, New York, could have had such an interesting past. To find out he kept an address at South Street Seaport in New York City and had been to Gibraltar, Copenhagen and Argentina made me wish I had a chance to know him and more know about him. If only the ship manifests contained stories. Below are some of the ship manifests I found so far, containing the name Percy Daniels. Research note: There was another man named Percy Daniels who is easy to confuse with our Percy. He did a lot of traveling between England and America. Fortunately, most ship manifests included the person's eye color, height and/or weight. Our Percy H. Daniels was almost always recorded as being 5'10", weighing 180 lbs., having brown eyes, and being born abt. 1880. The other Percy Daniels was born abt. 1876, was abt. 6'2" and had blue eyes. 1907 S.S. Oscar II sailing from Copenhagen, March 7, 1907, arriving at Port of New York on March 21, 1907. The last passenger on this ship's manifest is Percy Henry Daniels, age 25, male, single, sailor, American, U.S. Citizen, Residence at 27 1/2 W South Street, New York, Consuls passenger. I'm not sure what exactly this means. Perhaps there is a document somewhere with the story. 1918 On the Schooner Maryland, arriving at New York October 5, 1918, from the Port of Buenos Aires, Argentina September 15(?). The fourth passenger on the manifest is Percy H. Daniels, 3rd Mate, departed from Port Arthur on April 20, 1918. He was 37 and his race is given as "Scot." Nationality: "U.S.B." He was 5'10" and weighed 180 lbs. 1920 On the S.S. Italia, sailing from Gibraltor on the 5th of March, 1920, arriving at the Port of New York fifteen days later, on March 20, 1920. Percy H. Daniels, age 37 years, 2 months, single, born on December 5, 1881, in Olympia, Washington. Seaman's Card 12857 NY, address: 542 St Peter St. New Or, La. Also, 27 South Street, New York. His is the only name on the manifest page titled "List of United States Citizens". Click here to see the location of his home in New Orleans. 1921 On the vessel Western Queen, arriving at New York in August 1921, from Buenos Aires. Percy is the 2nd person listed on this manifest containing members of the crew. Percy Daniels was 1st Officer (12857 K), under the Captain, Lars Huitfeldt. They shipped from Mobile on April 28, 1921. He was 40 years old, American, 5'10", 180 lbs. 1922 On the S.S. Clearwater, arriving at New York on July 24, 1922, from the port of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Percy H. Daniels was captain of the ship. He is listed first on the manifest of members of the ship's crew with his position given as "Ch. Mate". They engaged from Mobile on April 11, 1922. Percy's height is given again, 5'10". 1922 Again, on the S.S. Clearwater, arriving at the Port of New York on December 25, 1922, from the Port of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Percy Daniels was the first person on the list of crew members, with the position "1st Mate". They engaged from New York on August 10, 1922. His height was given as 5'11", and weight 180 lbs. with no visible physical marks or peculiarities. 1927 At the Port of Baltimore, Maryland, on September 8, 1927, a crew of 38 seamen from the S.S. Coahoma County from the port of Philadelphia, arrived and was expected to depart for Antwerp, Belgium, via "Norfolk, Newport News, N.Y." First port of call in United States this voyage was New York. "P. Daniels", age 47, was on the list. The S.S. Coahoma County was a cargo ship that was renamed S.S. Empire Hawk. It is said to have been torpedoed by an Italian submarine in 1942. (wrecksite.eu) The next record we find of Percy, was on April 22, 1929, when he married Vena Dykeman in Cortland, New York. The marriage certificate is posted here. See the Daniels page for more on this family. #daniels #Daniels #Leonard #leonard #PercyDaniels

Parthenia Stanton was born in Bristol, Ontario County, New York, on July 27, 1798, the eldest child of Benjamin Stanton and Sarah Rood. Parthenia was the second wife of Bradford D. Shirley, who was born in 1781 in Massachusetts, son of Job Shirley. Bradford moved from Massachusetts in 1814, settling in Sempronius, Cayuga County, New York. His first wife appears to have died sometime before 1820. Their family was counted on the census in Sempronius in 1820 and 1830. The adult female in the home in 1820, age 16-25, was most likely Parthenia, since she was too young to be the mother of Bradford's two eldest children, Nancy (born abt. 1806), and Bradford Jr (born 1808). Parthenia was only 10 years old in 1808. In 1830, Bradford's household in Sempronius contained two boys and two girls, indicating he may have had four or more children with Parthenia. Three are known: Florinda (born abt. 1820), John (1822-1903), and Betsy (1823-1896). In 1840, they were counted on the census in Moravia, which had been formed from a part of Sempronius in 1833. They probably hadn't actually moved. Between 1840 and 1850, Bradford and Parthenia moved 27 miles south to Richford, Tioga County, New York. Their son, John Shirley, lived nearby. Notice in 1860 there are Rockefellers listed after Bradford on the census. John D. Rockefeller, perhaps the wealthiest American of all time, was born in Richford in 1839. In 1850 and 1860 Bradford and Parthenia were counted on the census in Richford. Bradford must have died between 1860 and 1865. In 1865 and 1870, Parthenia was living with her daughter, Florida, and her husband Jude Butts, in Summerhill, Cayuga, New York: Parthenia died in November of 1879. Her final resting place is unknown. If you know where she was buried, please comment below or contact me! Click here to see more about this family. The following resource contains information about the Stanton family in America: A record, genealogical, biographical, statistical, of Thomas Stanton, of Connecticut, and his descendants. 1635-1891 by William Alonzo Stanton, b. 1854. Perhaps once our missing link is found, we can connect our line to this family. #shirley #stanton #reese #PartheniaStanton #BradfordShirley #JohnShirley

This treasured photo was shared by James H. Dickinson, great-grandson of Lydia (Mayo) Decker. In this photo are Oscar and Lycenia Mayo with their children and grandchildren in 1922. See known names below. If you can fill in any of the Unknowns, please comment below or contact me! A - Frank E. Hunt, husband of Lucy P. Mayo B - Lycenia Strong, wife of Oscar Mayo, 1850-1927. C - Lucy P. Mayo, wife of Frank E. Hunt and daughter of Oscar & Lycenia Mayo. D - Alvin N. Mayo, son of Oscar & Lycenia Mayo. E - Unknown girl, perhaps a daughter of Frank & Lucy Hunt. F - Unknown girl, daughter of Frank & Lucy Hunt. G - Unknown girl, perhaps a daughter of Frank & Lucy Hunt. H - Unknown man, perhaps Charles Hunt, son of Frank and Lucy Hunt, 1898-1968. I - Unknown man, perhaps Harry Decker, son of Lydia (Mayo) Decker, 1901- . J - Oscar Mayo, 1851-1937. K - William L. Lewis, husband of Mae Mayo L - Unknown girl, daughter of Frank & Lucy Hunt M - Lydia (Mayo) Decker, daughter of Oscar & Lycenia Mayo. N - Duane Lewis, son of Mae Mayo & W. L. Lewis, born abt. 1911. O- Mae Mayo, wife of W. L. Lewis and daughter of Oscar & Lycenia Mayo. P - Earl Lewis, son of Mae Mayo & W. L. Lewis, born abt. 1914. Q - Unknown girl, daughter of Frank & Lucy Hunt. R - Unknown child S - Unknown girl T - Norman Decker, son of Lydia (Mayo) Decker U - Russell A. Lewis, son of Mae Mayo & W. L. Lewis, born abt. 1909. V - Gilbert O. Lewis, son of Mae Mayo & W. L. Lewis, born abt. 1906. W - Unknown boy, perhaps Herbert Decker, son of Lydia (Mayo) Decker, 1910-1964. X - Unknown boy, perhaps Theodore R. Decker, son of Lydia (Mayo) Decker, 1908-1988. Y - Ernest M. Lewis, son of Mae Mayo & W. L. Lewis, born abt. 1918. Z - Unknown child Lucy P. Mayo and Frank E. Hunt had the following known children who are presumed to be in the photo: Iva L Hunt 1896-1978 Charles Hunt 1898–1968 Annie S Hunt 1901– Eunice Miller Hunt 1901– Bessie May Hunt 1906–1997 Frances Ethel Hunt 1909–2004 Rose A. Hunt 1912–1994 Click here to see more about the Mayo family. #mayo #decker #lydiamayo #oscarmayo #lyceniastrong #delaphinadecker

This treasured photo was shared by James H. Dickinson, great-grandson of Lydia (Mayo) Decker. In this photo are Oscar and Lycenia Mayo with their children and grandchildren abt. 1923. See known names below. If you can fill in any of the Unknowns, please comment below or contact me! 2 - Delaphina "Mary" (Decker) Dickinson, daughter of Lydia (Mayo) Decker 3 - Unknown woman (possibly Oscar's sister, Myra Daugherty?) 4 - Unknown man 5 - Unknown man 6 - Unknown young man A - Frank E. Hunt, husband of Lucy P. Mayo B - Lycenia Strong, wife of Oscar Mayo, 1850-1927. C - Lucy P. Mayo, wife of Frank E. Hunt and daughter of Oscar & Lycenia Mayo. J - Oscar Mayo, 1851-1937. K - William L. Lewis, husband of Mae Mayo L - Unknown girl, daughter of Frank & Lucy Hunt M - Lydia (Mayo) Decker, daughter of Oscar & Lycenia Mayo. N - Duane Lewis, son of Mae Mayo & W. L. Lewis, born abt. 1911. O- Mae Mayo, wife of W. L. Lewis and daughter of Oscar & Lycenia Mayo. P - Earl Lewis, son of Mae Mayo & W. L. Lewis, born abt. 1914. T - Norman Decker, son of Lydia (Mayo) Decker V - Gilbert O. Lewis, son of Mae Mayo & W. L. Lewis, born abt. 1906. W - Unknown boy, perhaps Herbert Decker, son of Lydia (Mayo) Decker, 1910-1964. Y - Ernest M. Lewis, son of Mae Mayo & W. L. Lewis, born abt. 1918. Click here to see more about the Mayo family. #mayo #decker #alvinmayo #lydiamayo #delaphinadecker #lyceniastrong #oscarmayo

In history of the Mayo name has been given as May, Maye, Mayeo, Mayow, Maiewe, Mayhowe, Mayhue, Mayhew, and other variations. It is supposed to have originated in County Mayo, Ireland, although it is not a common name in Ireland. Details can be found in the following book: "A genealogical account of the Mayo and Elton families of the counties of Wilts and Hereford; with an appendix, containing genealogies, for the most part not hitherto published, of certain families allied by marriage to the family of Mayo", by Mayo, Charles Herbert, 1845-1929, published 1882. Read the book online at Archive.org. For more about the Mayo family, see the Decker page. #mayo #genealogy #coatofarms

Olive Jane Jacobs was born in January of 1876, in New York - probably in Candor, Tioga County, where her family was counted on the census in 1880. The family was still in Candor in 1892, but Mariette had moved out. [Notice the Daniels neighbors. These may be related to Percy Daniels who later married Vena Dykeman. A closer look at Merritt Daniels' ancestry may reveal new information]. Olive married Arthur Dykeman in Candor on November 7, 1897. Their daughter, Vena Dykeman, was born there ten months later, on September 10, 1898. In between, though, the tragic death of Arthur's mother, Mahala, occurred, possibly altering the course of the young couple's family plans. In 1900, when the census was taken, Arthur was working as a servant in the home of a farmer, Charles Upson, in Genoa, Cayuga County. Genoa is about 37 miles north of Candor. Olive, and daughter, Vena, were living with Olive's parents, John and Polly Jacobs, in Candor. Olive's unmarried sister, Laura E. Jackobs, age 39, was also living in the home. Five years later, in 1905, Olive was a 28-year old housekeeper living in the home of 41-year old John Swansbrough and his two teenage sons, Harvey and Ray. They lived in Danby, Tompkins County, New York, which is 12 miles northwest of Candor. Notice, Olive's daughter, Vena wasn't living in the home: Vena was still living in Candor in the home of her grandparents and her Aunt Laura: The following year, the Ithaca Daily News reported the following under the column "Notes from Danby": "The house on the farm known as the Augustus Cumming's farm and occupied by John Swansbrough was burned to the ground Thursday night". (Ithaca Daily News, Friday Evening, June 1, 1906, page 2 Column 2). On the next census, in 1910, Olive was listed as John Swansbrough's wife, married for three years. Harvey and Ray were no longer living in the home but two other sons, J. B. and Frank Swansbrough were. Olive's sister, Laura, was living in the home with them now, as were Vena Dykeman (age 11), and Mahala Dykeman (age 7). Vena and Mahala were listed as step-daughters of John. First, where did Frank come from? He was born about 1902, so where was he when the 1905 census was taken? A marriage certificate for Frank shows he married Cecile Benton in 1926. On the marriage license, his parents names were given as John Swansbrough and Frannie White. Next, Mahala was born about 1903, so where was she in 1905? Neither appear to have been counted on the 1905 census in Candor. Finally, were John and Olive really married? Yes, a search of the New York State Marriage Index proves they truly were. They married in Candor on September 16, 1907. Judging from Mahala's name, it appears she was probably a daughter of Arthur, and was named after his mother, Mahala. On her 1922 marriage license, her parents names are given as Arthur Dykeman and Olive Jacobs, but where she was in 1905 remains a mystery for now. Mahala married Carl Samuel Walden. (Tompkins County Marriage Records, #2435). When the 1915 census came around, Olive was no longer in the home. Her sister, Laura, was called John's wife and Vena and Mahala were still living in the home. Vena was 16. Where was Olive? I turned to the New York State Death Index for answers. Browsing through the index for Swansbrough's who died starting in 1910, I found the entry for Olive J. Swansbrough, who died in Candor on June 23, 1914. So, it is confirmed - Olive died and by 1915 her sister, Laura, stepped in to fill her shoes. A closer look at the records of Jay B. Swansbrough, son of John, reveals a surprising twist, however. His birth certificate shows his parents were John Swansbrough and Mariette Jacobs. Remember, Mariette (or Maryetta) Jacobs was Olive and Laura's other sister, counted in the home with them on the 1880 census, above? Sure enough, the New York State Marriage Index shows John Swansbrough and Maryetta Jacobs were, in fact, married in Candor on November 21, 1885. They were counted on the census together in Danby in 1892 and 1900. But what happened? This question has yet to be answered. Maryetta doesn't appear in the death index in the years 1910 to 1915, so it appears they were divorced. There was a woman named Mary Swansbrough, born abt. 1866, working as a Servant in the home of the Ridgeway family in Caroline, Tompkins County, in 1905, but I can't be sure this is Mariette. Nothing more is known of her at this point. If anyone knows more, please comment below or contact me. No marriage record has been found for John Swansbrough and Laura Jacobs, but her 1940 obituary claims she was his widow, so in light of all these facts, John Swansbrough married three of the Jacobs sisters! Click here to learn more about this family. Sources: New York State marriage license index on Ancestry.com #21035 New York State death index, 1914 Cert #36772 New York State birth index, Cert. #816343 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Candor, Tioga, New York 1892 New York State Census, Candor, Tioga, New York 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Candor, Tioga, New York 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Genoa, Cayuga, New York 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Candor, Tioga, New York 1915 New York State Census, Candor, Tioga, New York #OliveJacobs #VenaDykeman #ArthurDykeman #Dykeman

Olive Mae Ames was the daughter of Lydia (Mayo) and her first husband, Halloway Ames. Lydia divorced Ames and married Charles Decker. Her daughter, Olive, was raised by Lydia's parents, Oscar and Lycenia Mayo. When Olive was 22 years old, she married 38 year old, Oscar E. Henry, a local farmer. They had a son named Robert D. Henry, born abt. 1924, presumably the boy shown in this photo. When the 1930 census was taken, this family lived on the farm his parents owned in Nicholson, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, and Robert was six years old. Therefore, it seems likely that this photo was taken in 1924 or 1925. Oscar Henry died on May 8, 1957, at the age of 78, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Olive lived until 1979. Here, Olive is sitting in between her son, Robert, and her half-sister, Delaphina "Mary" (Decker) Dickinson. Photos courtesy of James H. Dickinson, grandson of Mary (Decker) Dickinson. See the Decker page for more. #mayo #decker #delaphinadecker

Newman A. Harvey was born in Cortland, New York, on August 25, 1876, and married first to a woman by the name of Sarah. He later married Gertrude Shirley. and together they had four children. Their firstborn was a son, Ernest, who died after just three days of life, in 1906. Afterward, Newman and Gertrude were blessed with three daughters: Bessie, Mary & Ruth Harvey. (His daughter, Mary, married John L. Reese). Newman died on September 29, 1963 and is buried in Willow Glen Cemetery in Dryden, Tompkins County, New York. A photo of the grave he shares with Gertrude is provided here, courtesy of Sandy Jackson. What is known of Newman Harvey's ancestry is detailed on the Harvey page and in "Reese Family Record". Below is a small portion of his known pedigree. Anyone with information about this line, please comment below or contact me. #Harvey #stowell #reese #familytree #shirley #newmanharvey

Pages from Newman Harvey's family Bible, courtesy of Sandy Jackson and MaryRuth Reese Teeter: For more, see the Harvey page. See also "Reese Family Record". Do you have an heirloom Family Bible? Find one on Amazon. #harvey #reese #shirley #newmanharvey

Newman A. Harvey & Gertrude E. Shirley had four known children. Their first born was a son named Ernest, who died at 3-days old, and afterward they were blessed with three daughters: Bessie, Mary and Ruth. The three girls are shown here, in front of their home with their mother. From left to right: Gertie, Ruth, Bessie & Mary. In the photo below, taken in November 1970, Ruth is shown at left. In the center is MaryRuth* Reese and at right is Mary (Harvey) Reese-Gaul. (*MaryRuth, daughter of Mary). (Photo courtesy of Sandy Jackson). Below, another photo, courtesy of Sandy Jackson, shows Bessie, Ruth and Mary together. ​Ruth married Henry Hennip and died on September 15, 1978 in Ocala, Florida, at the age of 67. Bessie married Earl J. Conklin and died in July of 1986 in Dryden, New York, at the age of 78, and Mary died on September 22, 1988, in Cortland, New York, at the age of 78. More details about this family can be found on the Harvey page and the Reese page. For a compilation of records, photos, and data about Mary's ancestry going back 14 generations, see "Reese Family Record". #reese #harvey #bessieconklin #bessieharvey #ruthharvey #ruthhennip #maryharvey #maryreese

Family disputes can sever the branches right off a family tree. The naive part of me used to wonder how people could go years without speaking to their sister or brother, or even their parents or children. Love, love, love! It's easy! Well, the years have taught me and given me some experience with family disputes. I have seen some examples of how it happens and this is one example, which I'm sure caused some friction in the Wood family. Hopefully the issue was resolved and forgiveness was granted. This is a story regarding my 6th great-grandfather, Nathan Wood. He was a soldier of the American Revolution who died in 1836. Below is a transcript of a letter written by Nathan's grandson, Austin Balch, to the Pension Office in 1858. Austin was a son of Nathan's daughter, Polly. In the letter, Austin claims that Nathan's other daughter, Hannah, and her husband reported that they were the sole heirs to Nathan's estate and thereby claimed Nathan's pension without sharing it with Hannah's sisters, one of them being my 5th great grandmother, Nancy (Wood) Brown, who died four years after this letter was written. The outcome of this dispute is unknown. Killawog, P.O. Broome Co., New York, Dec. 25, 1858 To the Pension Office at Washington, I wish to inquire of you if David Abby and his wife Hannah did ever make oath that they were the only ayres [heirs] of Nathan Wood and obtained all of said N. Wood Pension and if so I would like to know how much they got. I think it is about 22 or 23 years since my grandfather N. Wood died and it is something near the time. There was 6 ayres [heirs] of Nathan Wood, all daughters: Polly Balch, Gerusia Underwood, Lucy Parker, Nancy Brown, Lora Abby, Hannah Abby is the names of all after their marriages. I have been informed that David Abby and his wife made oath they was the only ayres [heirs] of N. Wood and got his pension when they was not but one 6 part of it belong to him. They were aided into it by their son Chancy Abby, all 3 of them are now living in Chautauqua County in the town of Arkwright. I think this is the town and this son, Chancy, has got all his Father's property and is worth some $80,000. He is rich. Now I wish to know if my mother's share of pension is lost or who must I look to for and it is false swearing, outlawed on this business of it is not and it belongs to the state to look into such affairs. I wish they would put it through. I am the only son and have one sister, Polly Balch and I am a poor boy and I want no more than what belongs to me. If you will please let me know if our claims are good, for what belongs to us, I would be very much obliged. Nathan Wood was in the Revolution War. I would like a copy of David Abby and wife oath and the amount they drew from the pension's office. I am your humble servant, with respect, Austin Balch For more on this family, see the Harvey page. #americanrevolution #wood #harvey #Harvey #pension #military

So little is known of my earliest known Reese ancestor in America, George Rees. Following is a list of information to find. Please contact me or comment below if you can help answer any of these questions: Was his full name George Rees(e) or Johann George Rees(e)? Who were his parents? When and where was he born? Where was he counted on the census in 1790, 1800, and 1830? (See 1810 and 1820 here). What was his wife’s maiden name? When and where was his wife born? Who were his wife’s parents? When and where did they marry? When and where did his wife die? Did he fight in the American Revolution? Was he related to Daniel Rees who was born in 1763, married Jane Dill in Philadelphia in 1788, and died in Hemlock in 1820? Click here to learn more about the Reese family. Click here to learn about all the branches of my family. Click here for loads of free genealogy resources by type, category, and more. #mystery #GeorgeRees #Reese

Mary Ann Dickinson was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Dickinson. She was born in England on 22 May 1857 and married first to Joseph Proctor. Joseph and Mary Ann had six children: Mary, John, Joseph, Harry and Martin Proctor. Baby Martin died in July of 1889 and her husband, Joseph, died two years later in 1891. She married Samuel Lewis abt. 1895 and died on 6 Jan 1938. If you can add to Mary Ann's family tree, please do! Be sure to add source information. #Dickinson #dickinson

Mahala Mae Dykeman was a daughter of Arthur Dykeman and Olive Jacobs, and sister of my great-grandmother, Vena (Dykeman) Daniels. "Aunt Mae" was born on July 2, 1902. She married Carl Walden in 1922. They had at least three sons. She died in 1984. This photo was copied from her niece, the late Ethel (Daniels) Leonard. Click here to learn more about this family. #MahalaMaeDykeman #photos #ArthurDykeman #OliveJacobs