When British troops marched into Philadelphia on September 26, 1777, capturing the American capital did not solve their greatest problem: supply. American defenses blocking the path to Philadelphia. British transports loaded with food, ammunition, clothing and other necessities were waiting down the Delaware River, but American defenses stood between those ships and Philadelphia. At the center of that defensive system was a small fortification on Mud Island, several miles below the city, supported by Fort Mercer at Red Bank, New Jersey, the Pennsylvania Navy, armed galleys, river obstructions known as chevaux-de-frise, and shore batteries. The resulting Siege of Fort Mifflin is generally dated from September 26 to November 16, 1777, although the devastating final bombardment occurred chiefly between November 10 and 15. For weeks, a surprisingly small and constantly changing American garrison prevented the British from freely using the Delaware River.[1] You can watch a YouTube short about it here, but read on for details about the names of the known soldiers who were there, and other facts not mentioned in the short video. The men who defended the fort came from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware and Continental artillery units, with detachments entering and leaving the fort throughout the siege. Identifying an ancestor who actually served there requires more than finding his regiment mentioned in a history book. Fortunately, surviving muster rolls, military correspondence, diaries, pension applications and even clothing returns allow us to identify a growing number of the men who were actually there. A desperate situation on Mud Island Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Smith of Maryland arrived at Fort Mifflin on the night of September 26–27. His report to George Washington the following day paints an alarming picture. Smith reported shortages of ammunition and provisions and said that only about 60 untrained militiamen were serving as artillerymen. He also complained that the militia had refused to obey artillery officer Captain-Lieutenant Samuel Treat. The defense was therefore not a polished operation conducted by a single veteran regiment. It was a constantly changing collection of Continental soldiers, state troops, militia and artillerymen trying to keep an unfinished fort functioning while the British steadily tightened their grip around it.[2] Fort Mifflin's own history estimates that the garrison numbered roughly 200 men early in the struggle and eventually increased to around 400. French-born Continental engineer François-Louis Teissèdre de Fleury, writing from the fort on November 14, referred to a new garrison of about 450 men.[3] A rare surviving Fort Mifflin muster roll One of the most valuable records for genealogists is an actual muster roll for Captain John McCullough's Second Company of Artillery of the Philadelphia Militia, commanded by Colonel Jehu Eyre.[4] Unlike a general regimental roster, this document specifically states: “Fort Mifflin, September 10, 1777. Mustered then Captain John McCullough's company.” The roll names 33 officers and men: Rank or duty Men recorded on the Fort Mifflin muster Captain John McCullough Captain-Lieutenant John Connelly Lieutenants Samuel Goodman, Samuel Scott, Mathew Shaw Sergeants Samuel Griffin, John Bulgin, Patrick Connelly, Jacob Collody Corporals Andrew Durand, Samuel Casky, James McGill, Nicholas Hand Drummer & Fifer William Troutwine, Michael Wester Bombardiers Michael Thompson, Robert Long, Israel Bell, John O'Neal Gunners Richard Biddle, Lewis Burn, James Young, William Crook Matrosses and support Andrew Boden, Robert Todd, John Steward, Robert Casky, Andrew Peterson, John Gilyard, Charles McCarter, Joseph Jacobs, Barnabus Neave, Thomas Allan The details in the roll are important. John O'Neal was marked sick but present, while Andrew Peterson and Charles McCarter were sick and absent. Barnabus Neave was noted as a conductor and Thomas Allan as a clerk.[5] There is also an important warning for family historians: this muster was taken on September 10, before the siege intensified. It proves that the company was stationed at Fort Mifflin on that date; by itself, it does not prove that every man remained through the October and November fighting. That distinction is exactly why Fort Mifflin research requires examining individuals rather than simply copying entire regimental rosters. Maryland soldiers at the fort Samuel Smith himself was a Maryland officer, but he was not the only Marylander at Fort Mifflin. A fascinating surviving record is titled essentially an account of clothing delivered by Lieutenant Colonel Smith “on Fort Mifflin” to soldiers under his command from the 7th Maryland Regiment. Eight men appear on the surviving list: Neal Peacock, Jacob Storm and Edward Murray, associated with Williams' company, and Patrick Connelly, Robert McDaniel, Edmond Nash, John Farrel and John Davis, associated with Bayley's company.[6] One of these men, Neal Peacock, is independently reported as having been wounded during the siege of Mud Island Fort, strengthening the connection between this Maryland detachment and the actual fighting.[7] This clothing return is a wonderful example of why genealogists should search beyond traditional muster rolls. A seemingly mundane record about shirts, shoes, stockings and blankets can establish that a particular soldier was serving at a particular fort. Virginia soldiers and the power of pension applications Revolutionary War pension files provide some of the most vivid evidence of individual Fort Mifflin service. Benjamin Lemasters, a soldier of the 1st Virginia Regiment, later testified that he spent about a month at the siege under Smith. He remembered seeing the British warship HMS Augusta destroyed on the Delaware and said that during the siege he rode as an express messenger from Smith to George Washington at Whitemarsh.[8] Another remarkable account comes from Sergeant Jacob Burruss, or Burris, of the Virginia Line. His pension testimony stated that he was detached with other soldiers to Mud Island Fort, crossed the Delaware above Philadelphia, traveled down the New Jersey side and entered Fort Mifflin by boat at night. Burruss recalled serving there throughout the siege under Smith and being attached to Samuel Treat's artillery. He reported being wounded twice by flying splinters produced when British cannonballs struck the fort's timbers.[9] Another Virginia veteran, Claiborne Durrett, later specifically named Mud Island alongside Brandywine and Germantown when describing his Revolutionary service in his pension declaration.[10] These records demonstrate why an ancestor's pension file can be far more revealing than a simple compiled service record. The Rhode Islanders arrive Rhode Island troops played a particularly complicated role because detachments moved between Fort Mercer and Fort Mifflin. Surviving garrison orders show that on October 19, Major Simeon Thayer was ordered to take a detachment from Colonel Israel Angell's 2nd Rhode Island Regiment consisting of 3 captains, 9 subalterns, 12 sergeants, 4 drummers and fifers, and 121 rank-and-file soldiers to Fort Mifflin. That was nearly 150 men. They were sent to relieve a detachment from Colonel Christopher Greene's 1st Rhode Island Regiment.[11] One of Thayer's men was Sergeant Jeremiah Greenman, whose diary gives us a soldier's-eye view of the experience. On October 21 he recorded that he was continuing at Fort Mifflin and described the duty simply as “very hard indeed.” The following morning, October 22, Thayer's detachment crossed back to Fort Mercer—just in time to participate in the Battle of Red Bank against attacking Hessian troops.[11] Thayer would later return to Fort Mifflin and eventually take command during its final terrible days. Connecticut soldiers and Joseph Plumb Martin As casualties and exhaustion reduced the garrison, fresh troops were sent in. British forces bombard Fort Mifflin as American defenders fight to keep the Delaware River closed to enemy supply ships. The U.S. Army's history of the Philadelphia Campaign records that during the nights of November 11–13, Lieutenant Colonel Giles Russell and troops of the 4th and 8th Connecticut Regiments entered Fort Mifflin to relieve Smith and the surviving Virginia Continentals.[12] Among the Connecticut soldiers was a young private whose memoir would become one of the best-known enlisted men's accounts of the American Revolution: Joseph Plumb Martin. Martin later described the miserable conditions inside the shattered fort—the mud, exhaustion and almost constant danger from British shot and shell. The American Battlefield Trust likewise identifies Martin as one of the soldiers who garrisoned Fort Mifflin during the siege.[13] His presence is particularly valuable to historians because his later memoir allows us to experience the siege through the eyes of an ordinary Continental soldier rather than only through officers' reports. Artillerymen from several commands The artillery inside Fort Mifflin deserves special attention. Samuel Smith's September 27 letter identifies Samuel Treat as the artillery officer at the fort. Treat belonged to the Continental artillery and was later killed during the fighting.[14] Other Continental artillery units operated throughout the Delaware defenses. The recent U.S. Army campaign history identifies Captain David Cook's company of the 3rd Continental Artillery among the artillery forces in the Delaware forts and Captain James Lee of the 2nd Continental Artillery operating heavy guns against British shipping during the campaign.[15] The result was an exceptionally mixed garrison: Pennsylvania militia artillerymen could be serving beside Continental artillerymen, Virginia infantrymen and temporary detachments from Rhode Island or Connecticut. The Pennsylvania Navy fought beside them The defense of Fort Mifflin cannot be understood solely as an army action. Commodore John Hazelwood and the Pennsylvania Navy fought on the Delaware with armed galleys and other vessels, supporting the forts and helping protect the river obstructions. The defenders even enjoyed a dramatic success on October 23 when the British ships HMS Augusta and HMS Merlin became stranded during operations near the forts; Augusta caught fire and exploded, while Merlin was subsequently destroyed to prevent her capture.[15] An ancestor involved in the Fort Mifflin campaign, therefore, might appear in naval records rather than an army regiment. The final bombardment American troops evacuate the shattered Fort Mifflin by boat during the night of November 15–16, 1777, after days of devastating bombardment. Beginning on November 10, the British brought overwhelming firepower against the fort from batteries on Province and Carpenter's Islands. Smith and Fleury were wounded. Reinforcements replaced exhausted defenders, and command eventually passed to Major Simeon Thayer. By November 15, British warships had maneuvered into positions from which they could fire directly into Fort Mifflin at extremely close range. The fort's guns were progressively disabled, its powder was nearly exhausted, and its defenses had been shattered. Rather than sacrifice the survivors, Thayer ordered the fort evacuated. During the early morning hours of November 16, 1777, the remaining Americans crossed to New Jersey. They left the flag flying over the ruined fort. British troops entered several hours later.[15] The fort had fallen—but only after delaying British use of the Delaware for weeks. A lesson hidden in the battle For family historians, Fort Mifflin provides a perfect illustration of how Revolutionary War service should be researched. An ancestor's regiment may have participated in the Philadelphia Campaign without the ancestor himself ever entering Fort Mifflin. Conversely, a man whose regiment is not normally associated with the fort may have been temporarily detached there for only a few days. Search terms matter too. In pension applications and contemporary documents the fort may appear as Fort Mifflin, Mud Island, Mud Island Fort, Mud Fort, Mudfort, or simply the fort on Mud Island. Searching only for “Fort Mifflin” can therefore miss valuable records.[16] The surviving evidence already gives us dozens of identifiable defenders—from Philadelphia artilleryman John McCullough, Maryland soldier Neal Peacock, Virginians Benjamin Lemasters and Jacob Burruss, Rhode Island sergeant Jeremiah Greenman, Connecticut private Joseph Plumb Martin, and many ordinary gunners, bombardiers, matrosses and infantrymen whose names rarely appear in traditional battle histories. And the roster is still incomplete. Somewhere among surviving orderly books, company returns, pension files, casualty reports, clothing accounts and military correspondence are undoubtedly the names of still more of the men who endured the guns at Mud Island in the autumn of 1777. For genealogists with an ancestor who served in the Philadelphia Campaign, those records may provide the evidence that finally answers an exciting question: Was my ancestor one of the defenders of Fort Mifflin? Behind the Research: ChatGPT by OpenAI assisted with researching, organizing, and drafting this article. The final article was reviewed and edited for publication by MyGenealogyAddiction.com, with links to the historical sources used throughout the research. Sources [1] National Park Service, “The Philadelphia Campaign of 1777.” Includes the November 10–15 bombardment and evacuation of Fort Mifflin. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/philadelphia-campaign-1777.htm [2] Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Smith to George Washington, September 27, 1777, Naval Documents of the American Revolution. Smith's report from Fort Mifflin describing the militia artillerymen, shortages and condition of the garrison. https://www.navydocs.org/node/24632 [3] Fort Mifflin on the Delaware, “The History.” Overview of the 1777 defense, changing garrison strength and strategic importance of the fort. https://www.fortmifflin.us/the-history [4] Pennsylvania Archives, Pennsylvania in the War of the Revolution, Associated Battalions and Militia, 1775–1783. Captain John McCullough's Second Company of Philadelphia Artillery muster, Fort Mifflin, September 10, 1777. https://wolfensberger.org/pages/library/books/Pennsylvania/pennsylvaniaarch04penn.pdf [5] Pennsylvania Archives, Pennsylvania in the War of the Revolution, Associated Battalions and Militia, 1775–1783. Captain John McCullough's Second Company of Philadelphia Artillery muster, Fort Mifflin, September 10, 1777. https://wolfensberger.org/pages/library/books/Pennsylvania/pennsylvaniaarch04penn.pdf [6] 7th Maryland Regiment clothing account, transcription of a record identifying soldiers receiving clothing under Lt. Col. Samuel Smith at Fort Mifflin, including Neal Peacock, Jacob Storm, Edward Murray, Patrick Connelly, Robert McDaniel, Edmond Nash, John Farrel and John Davis. https://sites.google.com/site/sjzscertainfolksandevents/nathan-nash [7] Revolutionary War Patriots Buried in Ohio https://www.ohiohistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Revolutionary-War-Patriots-Buried-in-Ohio_opt.pdf [8] Benjamin Lemasters, Revolutionary War Pension Application S18490. Lemasters recalled a month at Fort Mifflin, the destruction of Augusta, and carrying messages between Smith and Washington. https://revwarapps.org/s18490.pdf [9] Jacob Burruss/Burris, Pension Application W340. His testimony describes his journey to Mud Island, service under Smith and Treat, and two wounds suffered during the siege https://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/DocumentCenter/View/16176/African-Americans-at-Red-Bank-Bob-Seligpdf [10] Pension Record of Claiborne Durrett https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person%3AClaiborne_Durrett_%281%29 [11] Christian McBurney, “A Rhode Island Officer's Recollections Lead to New Information on Battle of Red Bank,” Journal of the American Revolution. Uses Rhode Island orderly books and diaries to reconstruct Simeon Thayer's approximately 149-man Fort Mifflin detachment. https://battleofrhodeisland.org/new-information-on-battle-of-red-bank [12] Joseph A. Seymour, The Philadelphia Campaign, 1777, U.S. Army Center of Military History. Modern U.S. Army campaign history covering the Delaware forts, Rhode Island troops, Continental artillery, Connecticut reinforcements and final evacuation. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-D114-PURL-gpo240180/pdf/GOVPUB-D114-PURL-gpo240180.pdf [13] Joseph Plumb Martin, American Battlefield Trust. Biography documenting Martin's service in the Fort Mifflin garrison. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/joseph-plumb-martin [14] François-Louis Teissèdre de Fleury, Journal, November 14, 1777, Naval Documents of the American Revolution. Firsthand account from inside Fort Mifflin during the final bombardment. https://www.navydocs.org/node/25422 [15] The Philelphia Campaign 1777 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-D114-PURL-gpo240180/pdf/GOVPUB-D114-PURL-gpo240180.pdf [16] Frederick Reed, Pension Application S43911. A Delaware Regiment veteran who specifically recalled participating in the actions at “Mudfort” and Red Bank. https://revwarapps.com/s43911.pdf Feel free to download and share this image, but please don't modify it. Thank you.

When Governor Andros restored the English form of government in New York, the first case brought to the new court at New Harlem was the case of Widow Jacqueline Tourneur vs. Elizabeth Nightengale Disosway. The "old antagonist", Mrs. Disosway, had many times accused and slandered the name of Jacqueline's husband, Daniel Tourneur, claiming he had killed a man in his old home of France. Even though Daniel was deceased, Jacqueline saw the new court as an opportunity to settle the matter, once and for all, and it appeared to end in justice. Mrs. Disosway's apologetic appeal was entered as follows, on January 19, 1675: "The Defendant brought into ye Court her suplicatory peticon, in which was her acknowledgement for her wrong and injury to ye Plaintiff's husband; which ye Court accepted off, conditionally she behaved her selfe well, and pay all costs." But it wasn't over yet. Within three months, Mrs. Disosway repeated the offense and the court grew tired of the case and it was dismissed. Jacqueline and her son, Daniel, Jr., "had suffered so much annoyance from the story that they finally rented their village property and moved over to Montagne's Flat, where the young man had holdings inherited from his father". According to "New Harlem past and present; the story of an amazing civic wrong, now at last to be righted", and other sources, the allegations were false: "The accusation against Tourneur had its foundation in the fact that the elder Tourneur had drawn his sword in self-defense, in company with several of his companions, during a political quarrel in France. In the course of the melee a man was killed. Tourneur, with others, fled. The Disosways had held this taunt over Tourneur's head whenever the Magistrates displeased them." Later, the Tourneurs and Disosways settled their differences and the Disosways moved to Staten Island in 1684. Read more about the circumstances of the melee here. Click here to read more about this branch of my family. Sources: New Harlem past and present; the story of an amazing civic wrong, now at last to be righted, by Carl H. Pierce, W.P. Toler, and H.D. Nutting, 1903, p. 50, 91-92. Google Maps #HesterTourneur #Deveaux #Harlem #DutchSettlers #dutchsettlement #DanielTourneur #JacquelineParesis #JacquelinedeParisis #justice

Every family has a story worth preserving. Sharing those moments in a meaningful way can be challenging, especially when you want something more personal than names, dates, and stories. At times, images are necessary to aid in visualizing the narrative. Images always enhance the appeal of stories, yet much of history occurred before the invention of photography. Family Portrait Maker offers a fresh way to create beautiful family portraits that celebrate your unique heritage and connections. How Our App Simplifies Portrait Creation Creating a family portrait can feel overwhelming. Choosing the right setting, coordinating outfits, and finding a photographer takes time and effort. Family Portrait Maker removes these barriers by offering a simple, guided process: Step-by-step design: The app walks you through selecting styles, backgrounds, and layouts. Choose how many people: Add as many people as you like Customization options: Choose each person's gender, age, skin tone, hair color, hair length, stature, and build Artistic filters: Choose a cartoon or realistic design User-friendly interface: Designed for all ages and tech skills, making portrait creation accessible. Instant previews: Input your specs and in a few seconds you'll have your portrait! This approach lets you focus on what matters—celebrating your family—while Family Portrait Maker handles the technical details. Bring Census Images to Life Here's one fun way to use Family Portrait Maker. If you locate your family in the census, you can form an image of what they looked like during that period. Adjust the "Time Period" slider to the census year to ensure their clothing reflects that era. 1900 Census Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Here's another example from the 1880 census: For this example, I chose male, elderly, fair skin tone, short brown hair, tall, thin, and entered "Pentecostal Preacher" for occupation: Another idea is to create images honoring your ancestors' military service. I this example, I enter "patriot soldier" for occupation/hobby. Practical Tips for Creating Your Family Portrait To get the most from the app and create a portrait you’ll cherish, consider these tips: Include special details: Add dates, locations, or quotes that matter to your family. Review and adjust: Make edits and retry until everything looks just right. Personalize it: Enhance your portrait by incorporating their professions or hobbies. These steps help ensure your portrait feels authentic and meaningful. Sharing and Displaying Your Family Portrait Once your portrait is ready, the app offers several ways to share and display it: Download: Save the image to your computer (a .PNG file) Digital sharing: Easily share your portrait with family members via email or social media. Gift ideas: Use the portrait to create personalized gifts like calendars, mugs, or photo books. Home display: Place your portrait in a prominent spot to remind everyone of your family’s story. Scrapbooking: These family portraits can bring your family's story to life Getting Started Today Creating a family portrait that captures your legacy is just a few clicks away. Become a supporter and enjoy several great free apps like this! Whether you want to preserve memories, celebrate your heritage, or create a meaningful gift, this app offers a simple and enjoyable way to bring your family’s story to life. -Click here to see details about how it works-

Here we go again with another fun tool for all you family history lovers! Introducing the Family Forest Maker! Create your own family forest simply by entering your surnames into the fields. Click generate, and download your free personalized image. Nothing is saved on our end, so your data is safe and secure. If you know, you know - it's all about the 4 or 8 main branches of our trees! Create your own tribute to all your trees with these striking images! Print and frame them, share them on social media, use them for a desktop background, a website, blog post, or just file it away with the rest of your genealogy files for future use. Choose between 4 or 8 trees - four for just your grandparents' surnames, or eight for all your great-grandparents' surnames. No data is saved on our end and copies of your trees are not saved. You make it, you save it, you use it - and don't forget to share it with your friends and family! Click here to try the Family Forest Maker now!

Honor and commemorate your patriot forefathers patriarchs this 250th Anniversary Celebrate your family’s connection to the founding of the United States with a Personalized Patriot Ancestor Certificate. Simply enter your patriot ancestor’s name, regiment or militia, and dates of service—your certificate is instantly generated and ready to download and print. Classic light tone Available in two beautiful styles: • Vintage parchment tone • Classic light parchment tone Perfect for sharing family history at gatherings, reunions, and celebrations. Great for the 4th of July family picnic! Print copies for relatives and let everyone take home a piece of their heritage. Print options: • Print at home • Print at a local photo center • Frame it as a family keepsake • NEW! Order a printed copy on Amazon or Etsy Vintage parchment tone Print as many copies as you want once you download your certificates. A small piece of paper can carry a surprising amount of history. In a way, it’s a reminder that the American Revolution wasn’t fought by abstract heroes in textbooks—it was fought by someone’s grandfather, farmer, neighbor… maybe yours. History gets a little more interesting when it has your family’s name on it. You might also like some of some of these great items, available exclusively by MyGenealogyAddiction.com!

Following is a summary of the Lineage of the Stanton Family, contributed by William Austin Macy, M.D. and published in Olde Ulster, Vol. III (1907), pp. 275–281, 311–314, 333–341, 370–376; Vol. IV (1908), pp. 17–24. (Click here to browse or search Olde Ulster Magazine). The earliest Stanton generation in this line Macy begins the lineage with George Stanton, who he says came to New York City about 1698 from the island of Jamaica, where George had been an extensive planter. George appears in the 1703 New York City census with a wife and four children under sixteen—two boys and two girls. Macy was quite candid that the precise parent-child connection to the next Stanton generation was inferred rather than conclusively documented. George's wife was named Hester or Esther. George died in 1708, and letters of administration were issued to his widow that July. Later New York tax records show property successively associated with the widow and sons George and Henry Stanton. Macy also discussed several Stantons living in Jamaica during the seventeenth century, particularly Col. Edward Stanton, who died there in 1705 and identified Louth, Lincolnshire, England, as his native place. Macy believed these families belonged to the old English Stanton/Staunton/De Staunton family, but much of this portion is genealogical conjecture rather than a documented chain of descent. The Stanton ancestry eventually given for the New York branch was: George Stanton, born about 1650, married Hester/Esther ↓ Henry Stanton, born May 17, 1699, married Mary Blanck ↓ George Stanton, born January 29, 1733, married Agnes Blanck, born January 6, 1732 ↓ Henry Stanton, born September 12, 1761, died October 20, 1830, married Maria Wynkoop Macy noted that he had not found the marriage record of Henry Stanton and Mary Blanck. Agnes Blanck's ancestry, however, could be traced through Dutch Reformed Church records to Jeurien and Tryntje (Claes) Blanck, in New Netherland by about 1630. The Brink–Wynkoop connection The lineage intersects the Brink family through Arie/Arien Gerritsen, who married at Kingston on October 17, 1686, Lysbet Lambertsen, baptized February 14, 1666, daughter of Lambert Huybertsen [Brink] and Hendrickje Cornelisse. Their daughter Hendrica Nukerck, born November 7 and baptized November 11, 1692, married December 14, 1711, Cornelius Wynkoop, born May 30, 1688. Cornelius was a son of Major Johannes Wynkoop and Judith Fransen Bloodgood, daughter of Capt. Frans Jansen Bloetgoedt. Hendrica died before April 1747. Their son Cornelius C. Wynkoop, born November 4 and baptized November 5, 1732, died August 6, 1796. He married April 24, 1760, Maria Catharina Ruhl, born November 14, 1741, daughter of Gustav Martin Ruhl and Maria Margaretha Bomper/Bimper. Their ten children, after applying Macy's correction in the following issue, were approximately: Child Information John C. Wynkoop Baptized Jan. 21, 1761; married Lydia Silvester Maria Wynkoop Born July 1, 1762; baptized July 4; married Henry Stanton Catherine Wynkoop Baptized Nov. 20, 1763; married Jonathan Hasbrouck Cornelius Pietersen Wynkoop Baptized July 17, 1765; died July 27, 1765 Anna Sabina Wynkoop Baptized July 13, 1766; married Henry H. Schoonmaker Cornelius C. Wynkoop Born July 26, 1768; died Aug. 3, 1768 Elizabeth Wynkoop Baptized Dec. 3, 1769; married Jacob Hicks Cornelius C. Wynkoop Born May 7, 1772; died 1796 Henrietta Wynkoop Baptized March 25, 1775; died 1860; married Dr. Henry Van Solingen Augustus Wynkoop Born Sept. 10, 1777; married Anna Maria Silvester The October installment specifically corrected the earlier printing of “George Pietersen Wynkoop” to Cornelius Pietersen Wynkoop, supplied the 1768 infant Cornelius, corrected the later Cornelius's dates, and said that Cornelius Wynkoop, the father, died in 1808 rather than 1796. I. Maria Wynkoop and Henry Stanton (I.) Maria Wynkoop, born July 1, 1762, baptized July 4 in New York City, died there July 14, 1828. She married April 1, 1786, Henry Stanton, born September 12, 1761, died October 20, 1830, son of George and Agnes (Blanck) Stanton. Henry had previously married Patience Levernich, daughter of William and Dorothy (Morse) Levernich, but had no children by that marriage. Henry and Maria had: No. Child 2 George Henry Stanton, b. Jan. 6, 1787; d. Apr. 25, 1851, Ossining; m. Sophia Avery 3 Richard Stanton, b. Jan. 20, 1789; d. Sept. 19, 1864, Darien, CT; m. Elizabeth Waterbury 4 Cornelius Wynkoop Stanton, b. June 10, 1791; d. Jan. 10, 1827; m. Mary Stewart 5 Mary Catherine Stanton, b. June 1794; d. 1887; m1 George Everitt; m2 James Titus 6 Agnes Stanton, b. Aug. 7, 1797; unmarried 7 Augustus Stanton, b. Jan. 23, 1803; d. June 28, 1828; unmarried Cornelius Wynkoop Stanton and Mary Stewart had one child, Mary Catherine Stanton, born February 19, 1819, who married October 21, 1845, Charles Griffen, born January 27, 1814 in Virginia and died February 11, 1879. No child survived to adulthood. (See Maria Wynkoop on Wikitree). II. George Henry Stanton and Sophia Avery George Henry Stanton (2) married January 1, 1811, Sophia Avery, born July 23, 1792, died July 8, 1864, daughter of Uriah and Sybil (Little) Avery. Their children: No. Child 8 Henry Augustus Stanton, b. Aug. 1811; d. June 1812 9 George Edgar Stanton, b. Sept. 3, 1812; d. Nov. 12, 1889 10 William Avery Stanton, b. July 23, 1814; d. Jan. 10, 1899 11 Harriet Agnes Stanton, b. March 18, 1816/1817; d. Dec. 11, 1896 12 Jedediah Stanton, b. Feb. 1, 1819; died in infancy 13 Julia Frances Stanton, b. 1820; d. Feb. 8, 1856 14 Mary Eliza Stanton, b. Oct. 5, 1822; d. March 20, 1900; unmarried 15 Sophia Augusta Stanton, b. April 1825 16 Francis Henry Stanton, b. Sept. 17, 1828; d. July 4, 1907 17 Edward Hardy Stanton, b. May 11, 1830 18 Augustus Comstock Stanton, b. Nov. 12, 1832; d. Nov. 17, 1897 The November issue printed explicit corrections for three members of this family: William Avery Stanton died January 10, 1899; Harriet Agnes Stanton died December 11, 1896; and Julia Frances Stanton died February 8, 1856. III. Richard Stanton and Elizabeth Waterbury Richard Stanton (3), born January 20, 1789 in Brooklyn, died September 19, 1864. He married January 11, 1811, Elizabeth Waterbury, born June 6, 1789 at Darien or Stamford, Connecticut, died April 27, 1870 at Poughkeepsie, daughter of Phineas and Elizabeth (Lounsbury) Waterbury. Her brother was Noah Waterbury, associated with the early Brooklyn rope-walk/cordage industry. Their children: No. Child 19 Henry Stanton, b. Feb. 28, 1812; d. 1898; m. Margaret M. Corlies 20 Jonathan Hasbrouck Stanton, b. Nov. 21, 1813; d. Aug. 14, 1890 21 Mary Elizabeth Stanton, b. Jan. 28, 1817; d. Sept. 2, 1884; m. Joseph N. Corlies 22 James Waterbury Stanton, b. March 19, 1821; d. July 17, 1872 23 Edwina Hicks Stanton, twin, b. March 19, 1821; d. Oct. 3, 1821 24 Richard Edwin Stanton, b. Jan. 30, 1825; d. Feb. 1886 25 Julia Waterbury Stanton, b. Feb. 1, 1828; m. Andrew King 26 Lawrence Waterbury Stanton, b. March 25, 1835; d. May 7, 1843 Henry Stanton and Margaret M. Corlies Henry Stanton (19) married January 4, 1834, Margaret M. Corlies, born February 12, 1814, died May 25, 1875, daughter of Benjamin and Phebe (Ludlam) Corlies. Children: 35. Sarah M. Stanton, b. Oct. 3, 1845; d. March 9, 1849. 36. Margaret C. Stanton, b. May 5, 1850; d. Dec. 15, 1900. Margaret C. Stanton married February 21, 1876, Joseph I. Jackson, born August 25, 1843, died January 23, 1882. Their child: 37. Everitt Jackson, born March 1877 at Poughkeepsie. Jonathan Hasbrouck Stanton Jonathan Hasbrouck Stanton (20) first married October 10, 1836, Lydia Hussey Macy, born November 27, 1815 at Nantucket, daughter of Josiah and Lydia (Hussey) Macy. They divorced. Lydia subsequently married William R. Austin; Jonathan married second Elizabeth Warner, born September 19, 1824 on Prince Edward Island and died December 26, 1873 in Brooklyn, daughter of Christian H. and Lydia (Nesbitt) Warner. Children by Lydia Macy: 38. Lydia Stanton, born about 1837; died about 1845 of scarlet fever.39. Josiah Henry Stanton, born August 10, 1840. He was legally adopted by his maternal grandfather and became Josiah Henry Macy. Children by Elizabeth Warner: 40. Lawrence Waterbury Stanton, b. Apr. 4, 1845; unmarried. 41. Edwin Hasbrouck Stanton, b. Sept. 21, 1846; m. Eliza Macdougall. 42. Henry Stanton, b. Dec. 10, 1847; m. Elizabeth Jean Auld. 43. Louise Wood Stanton, b. May 31, 1849; d. May 21, 1851. 44. Elizabeth Stanton, b. Apr. 29, 1852; unmarried. Mary Elizabeth Stanton and Joseph N. Corlies Children: 45. Richard Corlies, b. March 24, 1838; d. Apr. 28, 1839. 46. Gerald H. Corlies, b. May 17, 1839; d. June 7, 1872; m. Julia Irish. 47. Emma Corlies, b. May 30, 1842; unmarried. 48. Elizabeth/Mary E. Corlies — the article is inconsistent in the naming/numbering here. Gerald H. Corlies and Julia Irish had: 114. Caroline Stanton Corlies, b. May 1, 1864; m. C. S. Duncan. 115. Bertha Corlies, b. Aug. 7, 1867; unmarried. A later entry gives Mary E. Corlies, born August 19, 1852, who married September 13, 1877, Josiah Calhoun Cable, physician, born October 8, 1855. Their children: 116. Edith S. Cable, b. Nov. 25, 1879. 117. Walton H. Cable, b. Nov. 15, 1887. James Waterbury Stanton James Waterbury Stanton (22) married Louise Weed, daughter of Nathaniel Weed of Darien. Their daughter: 49. Adelaide Stanton, married Frank Weed. Their children, recorded much later in the series: 152. Walton Weed153. Fiorina Weed, m. W. J. Roome154. Louisa Weed, m. ___ Wilson Richard Edwin Stanton Richard Edwin Stanton (24) married January 14, 1849, Elizabeth Mills, born January 2, 1826, died April 23, 1892, daughter of David L. and Huldah Mills of Bridgeport. Children: 50. Edwin Hasbrouck Stanton, b. Nov. 16, 1854; d. May 5, 1860. 51. Albert Nash Stanton, b. July 31, 1863. 52. Helen Stanton, b. Aug. 29, 1865; m. Rev. Samuel Holmes. Albert Nash Stanton married first June 15, 1886, Florence J. Wood, and second Mary Eaton. Children by Florence: 53. Flora Stanton, b. July 6, 1889; d. July 17, 1889.54. Dorothy Stanton, b. July 22, 1890. Second marriage: 55. One child, unnamed in the article. Julia Waterbury Stanton and Andrew King Children: 56. Elizabeth King, b. March 22, 1858; m. Oct. 19, 1881 Frank Bradbury; no children. 57. Edward King, b. Jan. 23, 1861. 58. Clarence King, b. Aug. 24, 1864; lived 1 year 4 months. 59. Frank Stanton King, b. Jan. 18, 1867; m. Apr. 8, 1898 Isabella C. Broas; no children. 60. Herman King, b. June 28, 1872; unmarried. Edward King married April 15, 1891, Mary Elizabeth Rice, daughter of William B. and Jerusha A. Rice: 61. Natalie King, b. Feb. 15, 1892. 62. De Lancey King, b. Dec. 22, 1893. V. Mary Catherine Stanton and James Titus Mary Catherine Stanton (5) first married George Everitt, without children, and then James Titus, son of Abiel Titus of Brooklyn. Children: 27. Mary Agnes Titus, b. June 1823; d. about 1896; unmarried. 28. Elizabeth Titus, b. July 1826; d. about 1893; unmarried. 29. Eliza Titus, b. July 1825; died in infancy. 30. James H. Titus, b. Aug. 1828. 31. Jane Titus, b. Sept. 1830; m1 John Barr; m2 Henry Kirk. 32. James Henry Titus, b. March 1833; m. Florence Udall; d. 1900. 33. Martha Titus, b. Feb. 28, 1835; m. Frederic Ebbets Lockwood. 34. Abiel Titus, b. Dec. 1838; d. about 1868; unmarried. The statement in this installment that Mary Catherine died “about 1816” plainly conflicts both with the earlier 1887 death date and with children born from 1823 onward; this appears to be a typographical/OCR problem rather than a usable death date. Martha Titus and Frederic Ebbets Lockwood Martha married June 16, 1856, Frederic Ebbets Lockwood, born September 7, 1837, son of Albert and Eliza Jane (Arthur) Lockwood. Their children: 155. Arthur Ingersoll Lockwood, b. Dec. 21, 1858. 156. John Barr Lockwood, b. Aug. 5, 1860; d. Jan. 5, 1861. 157. Kate Lockwood, b. Oct. 14, 1861; d. Jan. 15, 1870. 158. Albert Lockwood, b. May 5, 1864; d. Sept. 21, 1887. 159. Belinda Townsend Lockwood, b. May 29, 1867; d. Jan. 5, 1870. 160. Jane Kirk Lockwood, b. Jan. 5, 1869; d. July 4, 1904. 161. Frederic Ebbets Lockwood, b. May 10, 1870; died in infancy. 162. Agnes Lockwood, b. Dec. 31, 1871; died about age 2½. 163. Frederic Ebbets Lockwood, b. March 17, 1875. Arthur Ingersoll Lockwood (155) married Annie Stevens of San Antonio. Children: 164. Frederic E. Lockwood, b. Aug. 27, 1884. 165. Nettie Elizabeth Lockwood, b. March 23, 1886. 166. Arthur John Lockwood, b. Nov. 11, 1887. 167. Mary Agnes Lockwood, b. Nov. 5, 1889. 168. Thomas Stevens Lockwood, b. Aug. 5, 1891. Albert Lockwood (158) married November 28, 1883, Annie Elizabeth Bungert. Child: 169. Agnes Lockwood, b. March 5, 1888. Jane Kirk Lockwood (160) married Charles G. Salter. Children: 170. Arthur I. Salter 171. Charles G. Salter 172. Kyffen G. Salter 173. Frederic E. Salter 174. Robert Lockwood Salter 175. Addye Salter 176. Albert Salter Frederic Ebbets Lockwood (163) married Margaret Pulis, daughter of John Henry and Margaret Jane (Bryson) Pulis: 177. Margaret Lockwood, b. Apr. 2, 1896. 178. Martha S. Lockwood, b. Feb. 7, 1898. 179. Frederic Ebbets Lockwood, b. May 20, 1903. IX. George Edgar Stanton George Edgar Stanton (9), born September 3, 1812, died November 12, 1889, married Augusta Maria Arthur, who died December 6, 1863. Children: 63. Unnamed son, b. Jan. 23, 1836, Auburn, NY; died young. 64. Agnes Stanton, b. July 28, 1837, Ossining. 65. George Edgar Stanton Jr., b. Dec. 9, 1844, Ossining. 66. Gerald Napier Stanton, b. Sept. 4, 1846, Ossining. 67. Julia Frances Stanton, b. May 8, 1851, Chicago. 68. Augusta Hendriques Stanton, b. Oct. 4, 1855, Chicago. Agnes Stanton (64) married Lucius C. Pardee. Children: 91. Lucius Crocker Pardee, b. Dec. 24, 1866. 92. Rodney Pardee 93. Agnes Pardee 94. Anna Pardee George Edgar Stanton Jr. (65) married July 25, 1870, at Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, Helene Ernst, born January 7, 1850. Stanton later served as U.S. consul at Bristol and Bremen and consul-general at St. Petersburg. Children: 95. Edna Augusta Stanton, b. June 10, 1871, Bristol, England. 96. George Edgar Stanton III, b. March 30, 1884, St. Petersburg. Edna married December 23, 1899, physicist Albert A. Michelson. Their child recorded here: 97. Madeline Michelson, b. Aug. 31, 1902. Gerald Napier Stanton (66) married Libby H. Belcher. Children: 98. Grace Stanton 99. Son, died young 100. Elizabeth Stanton 101. Gerald Napier Stanton Jr., m. Margaret Downing X. William Avery Stanton William Avery Stanton (10) married Hannah M. Robinson of Ossining. Children: 69. Eugene Stanton, b. March 27, 1846, Ossining; later lived in Buffalo and had children. 70. Adriena H. Stanton, b. July 27, 1852; unmarried; lived in Brooklyn. XI. Harriet Agnes Stanton and Robert C. Nichols Harriet Agnes Stanton (11) married June 15, 1837, Robert C. Nichols, born August 2, 1814, died November 8, 1883, son of Robert and Mary (Ten Eyck) Nichols. Children: 71. Julia Frances Nichols, b. July 11, 1838; unmarried. 72. Harriet Agnes Nichols, b. June 25, 1842; d. July 22, 1889. 73. Emily Goodwin Nichols, b. June 2, 1847; d. Aug. 31, 1882; m. James Robertson Walsh; no children. Harriet Agnes Nichols (72) married Charles Hodge Boardman, born May 28, 1838, died July 15, 1907. Children: 102. Julia Boardman, b. Dec. 12, 1861; d. Aug. 15, 1882. 103. Harriet Holland Boardman, b. May 21, 1866. Harriet Holland married May 30, 1893, architect Myron Hubbard Hunt. Their children: 104. William Montagu Hunt, b. May 24, 1894, Florence, Italy; d. Feb. 3, 1895. 105. Charles Boardman Hunt, b. Dec. 4, 1896. 106. Harriet Hunt, b. July 27, 1898. 107. Myron Hubbard Hunt Jr., b. Feb. 13, 1900. 108. Robert Nichols Hunt, b. May 19, 1906, Pasadena. XIII. Julia Frances Stanton and Stephen W. Smith Julia Frances Stanton (13) married September 24, 1840, Stephen W. Smith, born November 27, 1817, died July 20, 1871, son of Stephen C. and Amy (Jencks) Smith. Children: 74. Frederick William Smith, b. Oct. 9, 1842; d. June 25, 1892. 75. Sophia Avery Smith, b. July 14, 1847; d. Dec. 19, 1862. 76. Ella Louisa Smith, b. March 20, 1850; d. Nov. 7, 1859. 77. Arthur Jencks Smith, b. March 19, 1853. 78. Herbert Stanton Smith, b. Dec. 20, 1855. Frederick William Smith married first Lydia Curtis Mixer and second Elizabeth W. Ward. Child by first marriage: 180. Frederick William Smith Jr., b. July 31, 1871; d. Aug. 3, 1871. Children by second marriage: 181. Florence W. Smith, b. Dec. 29, 1875; unmarried. 182. Frederick W. Smith, b. Apr. 17, 1878; m. May 8, 1907 Alberta Irwin. 183. Bessie Fowler Smith, b. May 3, 1880; d. Sept. 12, 1901. 184. Stanton Ward Smith, b. Jan. 28, 1883; d. Feb. 18, 1905. Herbert Stanton Smith (78) married first February 7, 1883, Annie R. Oakley, born November 16, 1862, died February 18, 1896, and second August 7, 1904, Harriet Sedgwick Merritt, born March 11, 1860, daughter of John N. and Cornelia (Sedgwick) Merritt of Lloyd, Ulster County. Children by Annie Oakley: 185. Dorothy Smith, b. Feb. 3, 1888. 186. Allan Oakley Smith, b. Jan. 16, 1891. 187. Eloessa Smith, b. Oct. 27, 1894. And that is where the printed January 1908 installment stops. XV. Sophia Augusta Stanton and George W. Lynch Sophia Augusta Stanton (15) married November 21, 1844, George W. Lynch, born July 20, 1820, son of Peter B. and Fannie (Delanoy) Lynch. Children: 79. Evelyn Augusta Lynch, b. Oct. 5, 1845. 80. Charles Halsey Lynch, b. Oct. 29, 1847. 81. George Henry Lynch, b. Aug. 4, 1852; d. Dec. 13, 1861. 82. Robert Nichols Lynch, born in 1854. Evelyn married first Rononde de Milan and second January 1, 1889, Francisco Javier Yanes; no children are recorded. Charles Halsey Lynch married Maria Turner, born July 28, 1849. Children: 109. Lottie Evelyn Lynch, b. June 29, 1875. 110. Ethel Kneville Lynch, b. Aug. 19, 1885. 111. Iva Stanton Lynch, b. Feb. 4, 1887. Lottie married June 9, 1890, Raymond E. Bayliss. Children: 112. Donald R. Bayliss, b. Apr. 2, 1900. 113. Norman Stanton Bayliss, b. Apr. 14, 1904. Robert Nichols Lynch married April 14, 1880, Margaret Burns, born September 4, 1859; children: 118. Harry R. Lynch, b. Dec. 29, 1884. 119. Elizabeth Graham Lynch, b. Nov. 4, 1887. XVI–XVIII. The remaining children of George Henry Stanton Francis Henry Stanton (16), born September 17, 1828, died July 4, 1907 at New Rochelle; married February 22, 1859, Harriet Culver. No children. Edward Hardy Stanton (17), born May 11, 1830, married in Australia Martha Hart. Children: 83. Alice Stanton, born in Australia. 84. Josephine Stanton, born Havana, Cuba. 85. Amalia Stanton, born Havana. 86. Clara Stanton, born Nassau, New Providence, West Indies. Augustus Comstock Stanton (18), born November 12, 1832, died November 17, 1897 at Rahway, New Jersey; married April 4, 1855, Caroline J. Brown. Children: 87. Clarence Tiffany Stanton, b. Sept. 30, 1856. 88. Blanche Caroline Stanton, b. Aug. 9, 1859. 89. Isabelle Everson Stanton, b. Apr. 2, 1861. 90. Francis Camille Stanton, b. May 17, 1864; death year incomplete in the printing. The Josiah Henry Macy branch Josiah Henry Stanton (39), son of Jonathan Hasbrouck Stanton and Lydia Hussey Macy, was adopted into his mother's family and became Josiah Henry Macy. He married November 29, 1859, Jane Carpenter, born April 11, 1841, died June 2, 1901, daughter of Henry Mead and Rebecca Willets (Underhill) Carpenter. Children: 120. Walter Macy, b. Sept. 20, 1860; d. Apr. 15, 1885. 121. William Austin Macy, b. July 4, 1862. 122. Leda Macy, b. Nov. 2, 1864. 123. Edith Macy, b. Dec. 11, 1866; d. Dec. 16, 1866. 124. Augusta Macy, b. Jan. 11, 1868. 125. Carroll Macy, b. May 13, 1870. 126. Carleton Macy, b. Oct. 14, 1872 at White Plains; m. Dec. 11, 1900 Helen Lefferts; no children. *All except Carleton were born at Harrison, Westchester County. William Austin Macy, M.D. (121)—the compiler of this genealogy—married September 3, 1889, Marion Wright, born December 1, 1864, daughter of Charles and Mary Anna (Byrnes) Wright. Macy graduated from Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1885. Children: 143. Marion Marjorie Macy, b. June 12, 1890. 144. Anna Kathryn Macy, b. June 21, 1892. 145. Helena Macy, b. Aug. 22, 1894; d. Feb. 8, 1897 of diphtheria. 146. William Charles Macy, b. June 14, 1896. 147. William Alec Macy, b. July 15, 1898. 148. Alan Dent Macy, b. June 9, 1900. 149. Malcolm Dunbar Macy, b. Aug. 26, 1902. Leda Macy (122) married November 8, 1893, Richard Willets Underhill; child: 150. Eliot Underhill, b. Aug. 24, 1896. Augusta Macy (124) married April 30, 1904, Charles Stugis Phinney; child: 151. Margaret Phinney, b. July 13, 1906. Edwin Hasbrouck Stanton branch Edwin Hasbrouck Stanton (41) married June 13, 1877, Eliza Macdougall. Children: 127. E. Louise Stanton, b. March 10, 1878. 128. Henry Hasbrouck Stanton, b. Sept. 23, 1880; d. Sept. 18, 1902. 129. Edith Stanton, b. Feb. 3, 1883; d. Dec. 1886. 130. William Arthur Stanton, b. Sept. 3, 1886. 131. Edwin Hasbrouck Stanton, twin, b. Sept. 3, 1886; d. May 17, 1887. 132. Howard A. Stanton, b. Dec. 14, 1889. Henry Stanton and Elizabeth Jean Auld Henry Stanton (42) married August 31, 1868 at Ossining Elizabeth Jean Auld, born April 24, 1849, daughter of J. Blakeney and Elizabeth M. (Bruce) Auld. Children: 133. Julia Waterbury Stanton, b. May 23, 1870. 134. Fannie Auld Stanton, b. May 4, 1872; d. June 20, 1874. 135. Nina Bruce Stanton, b. March 23, 1874; m. Arthur L. C. Macconnell. 136. Henry Stanton, b. March 21, 1877; d. May 23, 1878. 137. Florence Auld Stanton, b. Feb. 26, 1879; d. Jan. 16, 1882. 138. Cecelia Joseph Stanton, b. Oct. 16, 1881. 139. Jean Paul Stanton, b. Sept. 18, 1883. 140. Frances Marguerita Stanton, b. Oct. 26, 1886, Plainfield, NJ. 141. Elizabeth Virginia Stanton, b. Nov. 11, 1888; d. Aug. 7, 1889, Plainfield. 142. Mary Bruce Stanton, b. June 25, 1893, Roslyn, NY. Important discrepancies in the printed genealogy There are several places where I would not import a date into a family tree without attaching a source note: Maria Wynkoop is initially printed as born July 21, 1762, despite a July 4 baptism; the next installment gives the sensible date July 1, 1762. I would use July 1 with a note about the earlier misprint. Cornelius C. Wynkoop's death was given as 1796 but was explicitly corrected to 1808. Henry Stanton's death appears as October 22, 1830 in the first installment and October 20, 1830 in the next. “George Pietersen Wynkoop” is explicitly corrected to Cornelius Pietersen Wynkoop. William Avery Stanton's death is explicitly corrected to January 10, 1899. Harriet Agnes Stanton's birth appears as 1816 in one installment and 1817 in another; her death is corrected to December 11, 1896. Julia Frances Stanton's birth appears as June 23 and July 23, 1820; death is explicitly corrected to February 8, 1856. Sophia Augusta Stanton's birth appears as April 25 and April 14, 1825. Richard Edwin Stanton's death appears as February 10 and February 16, 1886. Mary Catherine Stanton's later “about 1816” death date is impossible given both the earlier 1887 date and her children's births. Robert Nichols Lynch's birth appears as August 28 and October 28, 1854. Arthur Ingersoll Lockwood's birth appears as December 21 and December 31, 1858. In conclusion, it appears this line has not yet been connected to my Stanton line, the line of Thomas Stanton of Connecticut. See "A record, genealogical, biographical, statistical, of Thomas Stanton, of Connecticut, and his descendants. 1635-1891", by William A. Stanton, 1900, available at Internet Archive. Hopefully this infomation will be useful to George's descendants.

New York did not establish policies for reporting vital records until 1881. Uncertified copies of death records can easily be obtained for genealogical purposes for birth certificates that have been on file at least 75 years, and marriage or death certificates that have been on file for 50 years. These time periods can be waved for direct descendants (a child, grandchild, great-grandchild, etc.) of the person, if you can provide proof of relationship. The State of New York has released their death index books, which they began printing in 1881. These books can help find or confirm the date and place of death, as well as the file number, for deaths that occurred after 1880. If you'd like to order a copy of the record, visit health.ny.gov/vital_records/genealogy.htm for details. Save money by knowing the date, which you may be able to find in one of the death index books below. Please note, however, while there are more than 5 million names in this collection, some municipalities were not included and some for only certain years. If you don't find the record, you may need to pay for a search at the state archives. UPDATE! You can now access all New York Birth, Marriage, and Death Indexes in one place - free! Click here! Death Index (Select a year) 1880 New York State Death Index (Link) 1881 New York State Death Index (Link) 1882 New York State Death Index (Link) 1883 New York State Death Index (Link) 1884 New York State Death Index (Link) 1885 New York State Death Index (Link) 1886 New York State Death Index (Link) 1887 New York State Death Index (Link) 1888 New York State Death Index (Link) 1889 New York State Death Index (Link) 1890 New York State Death Index (Link) 1891 New York State Death Index (Link) 1892 New York State Death Index (Link) 1893 New York State Death Index (Link) 1894 New York State Death Index (Link) 1895 New York State Death Index (Link) 1896 New York State Death Index (Link) 1897 New York State Death Index (Link) 1898 New York State Death Index (Link) 1899 New York State Death Index (Link) 1900 New York State Death Index (Link) 1901 New York State Death Index (Link) 1902 New York State Death Index (Link) 1903 New York State Death Index (Link) 1904 New York State Death Index (Link) 1905 New York State Death Index (Link) 1906 New York State Death Index (Link) 1907 New York State Death Index (Link) 1908 New York State Death Index (Link) 1909 New York State Death Index (Link) 1910 New York State Death Index (Link) 1911 New York State Death Index (Link) 1912 New York State Death Index (Link) 1913 New York State Death Index (Link) 1914 New York State Death Index (Link) 1915 New York State Death Index (Link) 1916 New York State Death Index (Link) 1917 New York State Death Index (Link) 1918 New York State Death Index (Link) 1919 New York State Death Index (Link) 1920 New York State Death Index (Link) 1921 New York State Death Index (Link) 1922 New York State Death Index (Link) 1923 New York State Death Index (Link) 1924 New York State Death Index (Link) 1925 New York State Death Index (Link) 1926 New York State Death Index (Link) 1927 New York State Death Index (Link) 1928 New York State Death Index (Link) 1929 New York State Death Index (Link) 1930 New York State Death Index (Link) 1931 New York State Death Index (Link) 1932 New York State Death Index (Link) 1933 New York State Death Index (Link) 1934 New York State Death Index (Link) 1935 New York State Death Index (Link) 1936 New York State Death Index (Link) 1937 New York State Death Index (Link) 1938 New York State Death Index (Link) 1939 New York State Death Index (Link) 1940 New York State Death Index (Link) 1941 New York State Death Index (Link) 1942 New York State Death Index (Link) 1943 New York State Death Index (Link) 1944 New York State Death Index (Link) 1945 New York State Death Index (Link) 1946 New York State Death Index (Link) 1947 New York State Death Index (Link) 1948 New York State Death Index (Link) 1949 New York State Death Index (Link) 1950 New York State Death Index (Link) 1951 New York State Death Index (Link) 1952 New York State Death Index (Link) 1953 New York State Death Index (Link) 1954 New York State Death Index (Link) 1955 New York State Death Index (Link) 1956 New York State Death Index (Link) (Subsequent years are being released annually). Click here for more New York genealogy resources! #NewYork #deathrecords #links #vitalrecords #deathindex

Last week my family and I toured Lower Manhattan, visiting the home of several of our ancestors. Since it was the first time my two youngest kids visited the city, I thought the best way to see it would be from one of the tallest buildings on earth - the One World Observatory. With a little reluctance, despite the recent Iranian conflict, we embraced our faith in God and Country and spent the day in the same district targeted by terrorists on September 11, 2001. Located on West Street, between Vesey Street and Fulton Street, the tower is located directly next to the 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center. Construction began in 2006 and was completed in 2013. It was opened to the public on November 3, 2014 and the observatory opened on May 29, 2015. With the spire on top, the building stands 1,776 feet, a deliberate measurement corresponding with the year America gained its independence from Great Britain. Initially it was called the "Freedom Tower", but in 2009, it was officially named "One World Trade Center" or "One WTC". My absolute favorite part was the elevator ride going up. The walls of the elevator display a time-lapse of the cities growth, from its bedrock foundation, to the time of the early Dutch settlers, and into the present day, similar to a time machine! If you're interested in watching my very amateur video of our trip, here it is! Subscribe to my YouTube channel while you're there if you haven't already! #newyorkcity #onewtc #worldtradecenter #manhattan #ancestortrails #nyc

The story of the Decker family recorded in Olde Ulster begins more than two and a half centuries before Mrs. G. B. Munger gathered its names, dates, church records, and family Bible entries into a published genealogy. What appears at first to be a long succession of baptisms, marriages, and deaths is, when read as a whole, the story of an American family growing alongside the country itself. Search Olde Ulster Magazine Its earliest generations lived behind the stockade at Wiltwyck, worshiped in the Dutch church at Kingston, farmed the valleys around Marbletown and Shawangunk, served as baptismal sponsors for one another's children, and buried their dead in the old churchyards of Ulster County. Later generations moved west—to Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, and California—while others remained in the same Ulster County neighborhoods where their ancestors had lived for generations. The genealogy was published by Mrs. Munger in installments between 1906 and 1909, and several portions were based upon old family Bibles then still in the possession of Decker descendants. Jan Broersen Decker: At the Beginning of the Story The earliest documented ancestor in the principal line was a man generally known in the records as Jan Broersen, whom Mrs. Munger identified as Jan Broersen Decker. Exactly when Jan arrived from the Netherlands was unknown even when the genealogy was written. Mrs. Munger wondered whether he might have been related to Johan de Deckere, a Dutch official who came to Manhattan in 1655 and became Receiver-General, but she presented that only as a probability, not as a proven relationship. What is certain is that Jan Broersen was at the Esopus by the 1650s and was deeply involved in the affairs of the fledgling settlement. On May 18, 1658, his name appeared among those protesting the illegal sale of brandy to the Native people and reporting the violence that had erupted in the region. Less than two weeks later, on May 31, he joined the agreement by which the scattered settlers promised to move together into a fortified settlement once a stockade could be constructed. That settlement became Wiltwyck, the community that eventually became Kingston. Jan's name continued to appear whenever the young community faced an important decision. On August 17, 1659, he joined a petition asking that Domine Hermanus Blom be sent to minister to the people of the Esopus. During the First Esopus War he joined other residents in writing to Director-General Peter Stuyvesant concerning the violence surrounding the settlement. He was also expected to defend the community. His name appeared on military muster rolls dated March 28, 1660, and June 15, 1661. Jan contributed fifteen florins* toward Domine Blom's salary, possessed Lot No. 11 in Wiltwyck, apparently even before the town had been formally laid out, and in 1667 was called as a witness during the inquiry remembered as the Esopus Mutiny. Jan therefore stands at the beginning of this Decker genealogy not simply as a name on a pedigree, but as one of the men involved in the establishment, defense, church life, and government of one of the earliest European settlements in Ulster County. (*A florin was a unit of Dutch currency, also called a guilder or gulden.) Jan married first Heyltje Jacobs. He later married Willemtie Jacobs, widow of Jan Cornelisse of Gothenburg, Sweden, on December 24, 1679. Mrs. Munger specifically stated that there were no children of the second marriage. The children of Jan Broersen Decker and Heyltje Jacobs were: Gaerliff, or Gerrit Decker — baptized February 26, 1662, at Kingston. Grietje Decker — baptized August 31, 1664. Maddelen Decker — baptized October 3, 1666. Fietie Decker — baptized June 18, 1671. The family line followed by Mrs. Munger continued through their son Gerrit. Gerrit Janse Decker and Magdalena Willemz Schut Gerrit Janse Decker, baptized in 1662, grew up in the world his father had helped establish. In 1684 he married Magdalena Willemz Schut. The first publication of their marriage banns occurred on April 2, although the exact marriage date was not preserved in the record. The Kingston church entry is particularly useful because it tells us where the young couple came from. Gerrit was described as born in Kingston and then residing in Marbletown. Magdalena had been born in Albany and was also living in the Marbletown area. Their children were: Jacob Decker — born in 1684. Willem Decker — baptized November 6, 1687. Grietje Decker — baptized October 4, 1691. (The Dutch name 'Grietje' is the English equivalent of Margaret.) Neeltje Decker — baptized June 10, 1694. (The Dutch name 'Neeltje' is the English equivalent of Cornelia.) Gerrit died before January 12, 1696, because on that date Magdalena remarried. Her second husband was Richard Winfield, recorded in Dutch as Rutsert Wintveld, an Englishman born in Derby and then residing under the jurisdiction of New Paltz. The Decker line continued through Gerrit and Magdalena's eldest son, Jacob. Jacob Gerritse Decker and Geertye Van Wagenen Jacob Gerritse Decker, born in 1684, married Geertye Van Wagenen in 1709. Their marriage record described Jacob as born in Marbletown and living at Shawangunk, while Geertye had been born in Kingston and was living there. With Jacob and Geertye, the Decker genealogy becomes unusually personal because their children's births were preserved in an old family Bible that was still in Mrs. Munger's possession when she published the genealogy. Instead of merely giving dates, the Bible identified the children affectionately as “our first daughter,” “our first son,” and so on. Their children were: Sara Decker — born December 19, 1709, described as “our first daughter.” Gerrit Decker — born October 2, 1711, “our first son.” Willem Decker — born July 15, 1713, “our second son.” Jacob Decker — born October 3, 1715, “our third son.” Abram Decker — born October 27, 1717, “our fourth son.” Isaac Decker — born December 20, 1719, “our fifth son.” Benjamin Decker — born October 2, 1721, “our sixth son.” Ephraim Decker — born September 16, 1723, “our seventh son.” Magdalena Decker — born October 6, 1725, “our second daughter.” Jonathan Decker — born August 30, 1728, “our eighth son.” Ten births recorded over nineteen years reveal a household very different from the small family with which the line had begun. By the early eighteenth century the Deckers were firmly established in the Shawangunk-Marbletown region. Gerrit Decker and Catharina Schut Jacob and Geertye's eldest son, Gerrit Decker, born October 2, 1711, married Catharina Schut on October 6, 1733. Reverend Petrus Vas performed the ceremony. Gerrit lived until May 1, 1786. Catharina died April 11, 1770. Their children were: Petrus Decker (1734–1758) — born July 30, 1734; died November 22, 1758. The Bible recorded that he had “fallen on sleep.” Manases Decker — born August 24, 1736. Gertie Decker — born October 22, 1738. Elizabeth Decker (1740–1813) — born November 11, 1740. She becomes particularly important later because she married into the second Decker branch. Hiskia Decker (1742–1745) — born December 5, 1742; died March 9, 1745. Cattrina Decker — born December 20, 1744. Jenneke Decker — born November 4, 1747. Elias Decker — born August 7, 1750. Rubben Decker — born March 30, 1753. Samuel Decker (1756–1776) — born February 15, 1756; died April 20, 1776. Petrus Decker — born February 3, 1759. The first Petrus had died in 1758, and the name was reused for the son born the following year, a common practice in Dutch families of the period. This younger Petrus carried the line forward. Petrus Decker and Annatje Decker Petrus Decker, born February 3, 1759, married Annatje Decker on August 10, 1782. Reverend Rymer Van Nest performed their marriage. Their children were: Levi Decker — born September 7, 1783. Geertje Decker — born May 18, 1785. William Decker — born May 10, 1787. Samuel Decker — born October 18, 1789. Garret Decker — born May 11, 1792. John Decker — born March 31, 1794. Thomas Decker — born March 12, 1800. The next portion of Mrs. Munger's genealogy concentrated heavily upon their eldest son Levi. Levi Decker and Ann Davis Levi Decker, born September 7, 1783, married Ann Davis at Shawangunk on January 15, 1806. Reverend Moses Freligh performed the ceremony. Their children formed the generation whose descendants spread dramatically beyond Ulster County: Elsie Ann Decker (1807–?) — born July 25, 1807. Peter Decker (1809–1863) — born March 12, 1809; died September 18, 1863. Frances Decker (1811–1871) — born March 30, 1811; died February 22, 1871. John Davis Decker (1814–1880) — born March 9, 1814. Jeremiah Decker (1816–1839) — born October 8, 1816; died November 21, 1839. Harvey Decker (1819–1890) — born April 3, 1819; died February 25, 1890. Thomas Decker (1822–1898) — born January 17, 1822; died June 4, 1898. Sarah Decker (1824–1901) — born August 3, 1824; died October 11, 1901. Through these eight children, the Decker story divides into numerous branches. Peter Decker and Gertrude Catharine Gasherie Levi and Ann's son Peter Decker (1809–1863) married Gertrude Catharine Gasherie on December 20, 1837. Their children were: Levi Decker (1838–1894) — born September 9, 1838; died August 15, 1894. Gasherie Decker (1840–1864) — born October 23, 1840; died September 12, 1864. James Van Vleck Decker (1842–1847) — born July 24, 1842; died August 23, 1847. Sarah Catharine Lyon Decker (1844–1845) — born June 16, 1844; died September 25, 1845. Gertrude Besley Decker — born December 31, 1845. Two of the children died before reaching school age. Peter's eldest son, Levi Decker, married Lydia Maria Lewis on June 1, 1865. Their children's birth dates were not given in the article: Ella May Decker Levi Gasherie Decker Bessie Gertrude Decker Percy Lewis Decker Lucy Bird Decker Peter's daughter Gertrude Besley Decker married Colby O. Munger on August 10, 1869. Their known child was: Edwin Thomas Munger — born July 14, 1870. Elsie Ann Decker and Luther Hornbeck Elsie Ann Decker, eldest child of Levi and Ann, married Luther Hornbeck on May 15, 1830. Their children were: Susan Ann Hornbeck — born April 10, 1832; married Robert Rhinehart on August 10, 1876. They lived at Dwaarskill and had no children. Frances Hornbeck (1836–1837) — born May 23, 1836; died February 9, 1837. Sarah Hornbeck (1838–1875) — born July 14, 1838; died February 7, 1875. Harriet Hornbeck (1845–1900) — born August 25, 1845; died March 14, 1900. Levi Hornbeck (1848–1864) — born February 17, 1848; died February 24, 1864. The 1907 article added an evocative detail about Susan Ann: she and Robert Rhinehart lived at Dwaarskill in an old homestead erected about 1776. Thus, while some descendants would soon cross the continent, this branch remained surrounded by the landscape of its ancestors. Frances Decker and Edmund Bruyn Frances Decker (1811–1871) married Edmund Bruyn on January 27, 1835, linking the Deckers with another prominent old Ulster County family. Their children were: Levi Bruyn — born October 30, 1835. Wilson Bruyn — born December 15, 1837. John Oscar Bruyn — the 1907 installment gives his birth as June 9, 1843, and death as August 31, 1881; the 1909 repetition leaves his birth blank. There is an important correction here. The 1907 installment incorrectly reported that Levi Bruyn died in 1837, yet immediately afterward described his marriages beginning in 1862. The 1909 version corrected the family listing and clearly treated Levi Bruyn, born October 30, 1835, as the adult son who married twice. Levi first married Mary Jane Smith on October 30, 1862. She died February 24, 1871. There were no children of that marriage. On December 9, 1872, Levi married Ann E. Snyder. Their children were: Irwin Snyder Bruyn (1874–1877) — born January 12, 1874; died October 24, 1877. William Edmund Bruyn — born June 30, 1878, at Rosendale. He married Evelyn Myer in Brooklyn on October 17, 1906 and was living there when the genealogy was published. Frances and Edmund's son Wilson Bruyn married Henrietta Stine of West Virginia in December 1865. Henrietta died March 31, 1903. Their known child was: Francis Stine Bruyn — born January 2, 1881; later residing in New York City. John Davis Decker and Maria Goodgion For reasons unexplained in the magazine, John Davis Decker's branch was omitted from the 1907 continuation and added when Mrs. Munger resumed the genealogy in 1909. John, born March 9, 1814, married Maria Goodgion on February 2, 1837. Reverend J. H. Bevier performed their marriage. Their children were: Alfred Decker (1838–1903) — born March 21, 1838; died in August 1903 at Cambridge, Nebraska. Robert Goodgion Decker (1839–1862) — born November 28, 1839; killed during the Civil War in 1862. Anna Margaret Decker (1842–1852) — born April 29, 1842; died July 7, 1852. Wilkin Hornbeck Decker — born October 7, 1844. Sarah Frances Decker — born June 21, 1847; married Daniel Deyo. David McElhone Decker — born January 22, 1850; married; his spouse was not named. He was living at Bruynswick. Mary Elizabeth Decker — born December 5, 1852; unmarried and living at Bruynswick. John Thomas Decker — born July 26, 1855; married Martha Ann Peck and lived at Middletown, New York. Ann Maria Decker — born July 31, 1859; married George Whelpley and lived at Belleville, New Jersey. Sarah Frances and Daniel Deyo had four daughters, one of whom had died before 1909, but their names were not included. Alfred Decker married first Sarah Frances Estell, with the ceremony performed by Reverend William Hamilton of the Reformed Church of New Prospect in Shawangunk. Alfred married second Mrs. Jane Hunter on July 30, 1879. He later lived at Cambridge, Nebraska, but Mrs. Munger stated that she had no record of his family there. Wilkin Hornbeck Decker John Davis's son Wilkin Hornbeck Decker married Sarah J. Canfield on January 27, 1869. Their children were: Robert Lewis Decker — born August 1, 1869; later married his relative Marvena Decker. Marietta Decker — born October 21, 1871; married Liverius Crookston. After Sarah's death, Wilkin married Libbie Evans on December 5, 1878. Their child was: Florence Ethel Decker — birth date not supplied; married Chester Quick in May 1906. Marietta Decker married Liverius Crookston at Shawangunk on October 1, 1900. Their child was: Viola Crookston — born February 1, 1902. Harvey Decker: Loss, War, and a Second Family Harvey Decker (1819–1890) married Marietta McEwen on September 8, 1841. Marietta had been born April 5, 1820. Their children were: Clarence W. Decker (1843–1864) — born September 21, 1843; killed at the Battle of Pleasant Hill on the Red River in Louisiana in May 1864. Wheeler Decker (1845–1883) — born June 24, 1845; died December 14, 1883, at Sioux City, Iowa. John T. Decker (1847–1848) — born September 11, 1847; died July 28, 1848. Mariana Decker — born September 22, 1850; later living at Bruynswick. Emily Decker (1853–1853) — born June 7, 1853; died August 29, 1853. Marietta died at Delafield, Wisconsin, on August 8, 1853. Her infant daughter Emily died only twenty-one days later. Six years afterward, Harvey married Elizabeth Goodgion, born June 26, 1824, on October 13, 1859. Their children were: Robert A. Decker (1861–1888) — born April 1, 1861; died February 2, 1888. Johnson Decker — born July 5, 1862; married Albertina Rosencrans on October 25, 1893. Marvena Decker — born April 29, 1864; married Robert Lewis Decker. Willet Decker (1866–1894) — born June 18, 1866; died March 4, 1894. The later 1909 installment says Johnson and Albertina had one daughter: Helen Decker. This corrects the January 1907 version, which called Johnson's daughter Viola. In the 1909 revision, Viola is clearly identified as the daughter of Marietta Decker and Liverius Crookston. Wheeler Decker Goes to Iowa Harvey's son Wheeler Decker married Laura L. Shipley at Sioux City, Iowa, on October 19, 1874. Their children were: Eugene Herbert Decker — born August 12, 1875. Willard Clark Decker — born August 29, 1880, according to the corrected 1909 account; he later lived in Oregon. Eugene Herbert Decker married Hattie May Mitchell on July 18, 1900 and lived at Hueneme, California. Their children recorded in the 1907 installment were: Ardis Gertrude Decker — born May 3, 1902. Harold Clark Decker — born May 2, 1903. An unnamed younger child, whose name and birth date were not given. Thus, within only a few generations, descendants of the Wiltwyck settlers had reached the Pacific coast. Marvena Decker and Robert Lewis Decker Harvey's daughter Marvena Decker married her relative Robert Lewis Decker, son of Wilkin Hornbeck Decker, at Rutsenville, New York, on September 2, 1890. Their children recorded by Mrs. Munger were: Harvey Wilkin Decker (1891–1894) — born July 8, 1891; died October 23, 1894. An unnamed younger son, whose birth was acknowledged but whose name was not supplied. Thomas Decker and the Wisconsin Branch Levi and Ann's son Thomas Decker (1822–1898) moved west and established another branch in Wisconsin. On March 10, 1852, Reverend S. W. Ford married Thomas to Charlotte Brighton at West De Pere, Wisconsin. Charlotte had been born in England on November 22, 1827. Their children were: Thomas Decker — born May 10, 1853; lived at West De Pere. Sarah Decker — born September 22, 1854; lived at West De Pere. John Decker (1857–1893) — born May 10, 1857; the later 1909 account gives his death as September 2, 1893 and states that he left no heirs. Levi Decker (1859–1875) — born May 8, 1859; died July 1, 1875. Samuel Decker — born in 1864; lived at West De Pere. Annie Decker (1866–1869) — born August 5, 1866; died July 29, 1869. Their eldest son, Thomas Decker, married Agnes Ramsay on March 21, 1883. Their children were: Edna Jean Decker (1884–1885) — born March 16, 1884; died March 4, 1885. Ramsay Prescott Decker — born July 29, 1886. Margaret Sarah Decker — born April 4, 1893, according to the later 1909 account. The 1907 version makes clear that Agnes, rather than Thomas, died on June 15, 1893. This resolves an awkwardly worded sentence in the 1909 reprinting that otherwise appears to make Thomas both a current resident and deceased. Sarah Decker and David McElhone The youngest child of Levi and Ann Davis in the published genealogy was Sarah Decker (1824–1901). She married David McElhone on December 31, 1844. They had no children. With Sarah's family, Mrs. Munger had traced the principal documented line descending through: Jan Broersen → Gerrit Janse → Jacob Gerritse → Gerrit → Petrus → Levi. But another Decker family had been living in Kingston from the colonial period, and Mrs. Munger now turned to a question she could not completely solve. The Second Decker Branch: The Mystery of Cornelius A man named Cornelius Decker married Elsie Ten Broeck in Kingston on December 22, 1695. Mrs. Munger believed Cornelius belonged to the same Decker family. His marriage record said he had been born in Kingston, and she noticed the repeated use of the given name John among his descendants. From that evidence she proposed that Cornelius may have been a son of Jan, or John, Broersen Decker. But she explicitly warned her readers that she had no proof. That distinction remains important. The Olde Ulster genealogy treats Cornelius as belonging to the second generation for purposes of organization, but his parentage was not established by a record available to Mrs. Munger. Cornelius married Elsie Ten Broeck, daughter of Wessel Ten Broeck and Marya Ten Eyck, on December 22, 1695. Their children were: Johannes Decker — baptized May 16, 1696. Maria Decker — baptized May 1, 1698. Heyltje Decker — baptized January 14, 1700. Wessel Decker — baptized January 25, 1702. A later family Bible entry shows that Elsie died June 9, 1725 and was buried June 11 beside her husband Cornelius Decker, establishing that Cornelius had died before her. Johannes Decker and the Old Dutch Bible Cornelius and Elsie's son Johannes Decker, baptized in 1696, married first Catrina Wynkoop on December 29, 1720. Catrina, baptized December 17, 1699, was a daughter of Evert Wynkoop and Geertje Elmendorp. Their child was: Geertjen Decker — baptized October 15, 1721. Catrina died January 2, 1724. The family's old Dutch Bible recorded that she was “at rest in the Lord” and that she was buried January 4 beside her mother. The following year Johannes recorded another loss. His mother died June 9, 1725 and was buried two days later in the churchyard beside her husband Cornelius and the family's earlier dead. On May 17, 1726, Johannes married Marytje Jansen. The entries for their children are especially valuable because the family Bible also named the children's baptismal sponsors, providing a glimpse into the network of relatives and close associates surrounding the family. Their children were: Elsie Decker — born March 26, 1727. Sponsors: Matthewis Jansen and Marya Decker. Rachel Decker — born February 28, 1729. Sponsors: Benjamin Smedes Jr. and Rachel Smedes. Cornelius Decker — born January 6; the year was omitted from the Bible entry. Sponsors: Cornelis Jansen and Heyltje Decker. Matthewis Decker — born December 14, 1733. Sponsors: Johannes Jansen and Annaye Jansen. Marya Decker — born January 9, 1737. Sponsors: Isaac Tack and Magdalene Tack. Catharyna Decker — born February 17, 1739. Sponsors: Johannes Delameter and Margaret Jansen. Johannes Decker — born April 16, 1741. Sponsors: Johannes Ten Broeck and Rachel Ten Broeck. Johannes died January 23, 1742. The son Cornelius—the one whose birth year the Bible failed to record—continued the line. Cornelius Decker: Two Marriages Join the Decker Lines On July 1, 1762, Cornelius Decker, son of Johannes, married Elizabeth Van Wagenen. Elizabeth had been born November 1, 1739 and was the daughter of Symen Van Wagenen and Sarah Du Bois. Their child was: Sarah Decker — born January 16, 1764. Only weeks after Sarah's birth, Elizabeth died on March 12, 1764. The old Bible even preserved the approximate time: between nine and ten in the morning. Cornelius later married Elizabeth Decker (1740–1813). This marriage is genealogically important because Elizabeth was the daughter of Gerrit Decker and Catharina Schut, the already documented line descending from Jan Broersen through Jacob Gerritse. In other words, even though Mrs. Munger could not prove that Cornelius's paternal branch descended from Jan Broersen, his children by his second wife unquestionably descended from Jan Broersen through their mother. The children of Cornelius and his second wife Elizabeth Decker were: Johannes Decker — born June 2, 1767. Cornelius Decker (1770–1796) — born July 13, 1770; died September 23, 1796. Catharina Decker — born February 2, 1774. Elizabeth Decker (1778–1795) — born October 8, 1778; died August 11, 1795. Maria Decker — born November 23, 1780. Elizabeth Decker died June 10, 1813, aged seventy-two years and seven months. Cornelius had died the previous year, on August 4, 1812. Because his birth year was omitted from the old Bible, it should not be presented as a proven date. We know only that his birthday was January 6 and that he died in 1812. Johannes C. Decker and Sarah DePuy The June 1909 installment carried this second branch forward through Johannes C. Decker, born June 2, 1767. He married Sarah DePuy, who was also born in 1767. They had a remarkably large family. Their children were: Cornelius Decker — born March 30, 1789; married Gertrude Bruyn. Their children were Johannis, Zachariah, Asa, Sarah, Elizabeth, Cornelius, Eli, Cornelia Ann, Rachel, and Nathaniel. Annatia Decker — born September 2, 1790; married Elijah Alliger. Their children were Isaac, John Benjamin, Elizabeth Decker, and Cornelius Decker. Elizabeth Decker — born November 11, 1792; married Benjamin Alliger. They had no children. Maria Decker — born December 26, 1794; married Levi Hasbrouck. Their children were Johannis Decker, Joseph L., Sarah Ann, and Augustus. Catharine Decker — born November 3, 1797; married Cornelius Smedes. Their children were George, Josiah, Matthew Jansen, and Johannis Decker. John DePuy Decker — born September 14, 1799; married Nancy Hoey. Sarah H. Decker — born September 20, 1801; married Willett Linderman. Their children were Sarah Maria and Rachel. Rachel Decker — born August 3, 1803; married Richard Jackson. Their children were Rachel Ann and John Richard. Moses I. Decker — born August 19, 1805; married Elsie Ann Jansen. Their children were John August, Catharine Jansen, and Adoniram Judson. Margaret Decker — born December 1, 1807; married John D. DeYoe. Their children were Abraham Nathaniel, Johannis Augustus, Leah Catharine, Sarah Ann, and Daniel. Elsie Decker — born April 6, 1810; married Matthew Jansen. Their son Egbert died in infancy. Josiah Decker — born May 6, 1813; married Mary Elma Decker. Their children were Garrett, Newton Johannis, Anna Frances, Mary Boyd, and Josiah. By this generation the repeated appearance of surnames such as Bruyn, Alliger, Hasbrouck, Smedes, Jansen, and DeYoe shows just how intertwined the old Ulster County families had become. John DePuy Decker and Nancy Hoey The line was then followed through John DePuy Decker, born September 14, 1799. On March 3, 1827, Reverend Abraham D. Wilson of the Shawangunk Reformed Church married him to Nancy Hoey, born August 10, 1798. Their children were: Sarah DePuy Decker — born in 1828; married John Lang on June 13, 1867. Mary Decker — born January 29, 1829. Robert Hoey Decker — born July 14, 1831; married Mary Jane Van Keuren on December 15, 1859. Ann Catharine Decker — born May 20, 1833. Julia Elizabeth Decker — born May 5, 1835. John J. Decker — born November 6, 1836; married Mary Belle Crane on July 7, 1880. Ellen Jane Decker — born January 25, 1839; married Edmund Bruyn on June 23, 1875. Elijah Alliger Decker — born February 3, 1841; married Cornelia Spaulding on May 16, 1878. Ellen Jane Decker Bruyn is especially significant to the history of the genealogy itself: the old Dutch Bible quoted by Mrs. Munger was in the possession of Mrs. Ellen Jane Decker Bruyn of Bruynswick when the 1909 article was published. Mary Decker and Clark Decker John DePuy's daughter Mary Decker, born January 29, 1829, married Clark Decker on November 5, 1850. Their children were: Howard Decker — born January 6, 1854; married Lucia Dwight Spaulding. Mariana Decker — born April 28, 1857. Boyd Decker — born July 18, 1859. Charles Decker (1862–1865) — born October 30, 1862; died February 27, 1865. Agnes Hoey Decker — born June 14, 1865; married Andrew R. Armstrong. Mariana Decker Mariana Decker, born April 28, 1857, married John L. McKinney of Pine Bush, New York. Their children were: Howard Decker McKinney — born May 29, 1889. Marion McKinney — born November 24, 1892. Boyd Decker Boyd Decker, born July 18, 1859, married Fannie Fuller Raymond on July 12, 1888. Their children were: Raymond Boyd Decker — born September 8, 1889. Kenneth Clark Decker — born September 28, 1891. Ralph Kempton Decker — born August 11, 1897. Lawrence DePuy Decker — born April 5, 1903. With Lawrence's birth in 1903, the genealogy had traveled nearly two and a half centuries from the days when Jan Broersen signed agreements at a threatened frontier settlement on the Esopus. From Wiltwyck to a Nation Taken together, the installments of Olde Ulster tell far more than a succession of names. The first generation lived at a time when Wiltwyck was a stockaded settlement surrounded by wilderness. Jan Broersen had to help defend his community, sign agreements concerning its protection, petition for a minister, and take part in the civic life of a place that had scarcely become a town. His children and grandchildren grew up around Kingston, Marbletown, and Shawangunk. Their baptisms and marriages were entered into Dutch Reformed church books. The families of Van Wagenen, Schut, Ten Broeck, Wynkoop, Jansen, Smedes, Bruyn, Hasbrouck, DeYoe, and others repeatedly crossed the Decker story. Family Bibles preserved what official records sometimes did not. They remembered children as “our first son” and “our second daughter.” They recorded who stood beside a baptismal font as godparents. They remembered that a wife died on a Monday morning between nine and ten o'clock. They recorded where a mother was laid to rest beside her husband and “forefathers.” Then the geography of the family began to change. Some descendants remained at Dwaarskill, Bruynswick, Shawangunk, and other Ulster County communities. Others moved to Middletown and New York City, or across the Hudson Valley into New Jersey. Still others joined the great nineteenth-century movement west. The Wisconsin branch settled around West De Pere. Wheeler Decker reached Sioux City, Iowa. Alfred Decker went to Cambridge, Nebraska. Willard Clark Decker lived in Oregon. Eugene Herbert Decker reached Hueneme, California. The family's history also became entwined with the nation's wars. Clarence W. Decker died at Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, in 1864, and Robert Goodgion Decker was also killed during the Civil War. Alongside these great movements were quieter tragedies repeated through generation after generation: infants who survived only months, children who died before adulthood, young wives lost soon after childbirth, widowers and widows who married again and began new families. Yet throughout it all, names reappeared - Cornelius. Johannes. Gerrit. Levi. Petrus. Elizabeth. Sometimes those repeated names created confusion for later genealogists, but to the families who chose them they represented continuity. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the descendants recorded by Mrs. Munger could be found from New York to California. Yet the old Bible at Bruynswick still linked them with the Dutch-speaking men and women whose births, marriages, and deaths had been written into its pages nearly two centuries earlier. The result is a remarkable family chronicle: a Decker story beginning beside the Esopus in the seventeenth century and expanding, generation by generation, across the United States. A Note on Accuracy Several discrepancies appear between the original January 1907 installment and the revised or expanded April 1909 account. Where the later article clearly resolves an earlier contradiction, I have used the later information. Most importantly: The 1907 article mistakenly has Levi Bruyn (born 1835) dying in 1837, despite later describing his marriages in 1862 and 1872. The 1909 account removes that erroneous death and confirms that the adult Levi Bruyn was born October 30, 1835. The 1907 article calls Johnson Decker's daughter Viola. The 1909 revision identifies his daughter as Helen and separately identifies Viola as the daughter of Marietta Decker and Liverius Crookston. Willard Clark Decker's birth appears as October 29, 1880 in 1907 but August 29, 1880 in the later 1909 account; the later date is used here. John Decker, son of Thomas and Charlotte, is reported as dying December 2, 1893 in 1907 but September 2, 1893 in 1909; the later date is used here. Margaret Sarah Decker's birth is April 1, 1893 in 1907 and April 4, 1893 in 1909; the later date is used here. The birth year of the Cornelius Decker who died August 4, 1812 is not supplied in the old Bible. The entry gives January 6 as his birthday but omits the year. It is therefore safer to describe him as “Cornelius Decker (born January 6, year unknown–1812)” rather than assign him an estimated birth year as though it were documented. Finally, Mrs. Munger's placement of the Cornelius Decker who married Elsie Ten Broeck in 1695 as a son of Jan Broersen Decker is explicitly unproved. She believed the relationship probable from his Kingston birth and family naming patterns, but stated that she did not know his father. The June 1909 installment again ends with “To be continued,” although it is the last Decker installment located in this run of Olde Ulster. The following chart was AI generated from the details in this book. Feel free to download and examine it! Sources: Benjamin Myer Brink, ed., Olde Ulster: An Historical and Genealogical Magazine, vol. II (Kingston, N.Y., 1906), August, p. 244. https://archive.org/details/oldeulsterhistor02king/page/n303/mode/1up Benjamin Myer Brink, ed., Olde Ulster: An Historical and Genealogical Magazine, vol. III (Kingston, N.Y., 1907), January, pp. 27-29. https://archive.org/details/oldeulsterhistor1907king/page/n30/mode/1up Benjamin Myer Brink, ed., Olde Ulster: An Historical and Genealogical Magazine, vol. V (Kingston, N.Y., 1909), April, p. 120. https://archive.org/details/oldeulsterhistor1909king/page/n147/mode/1up

Did you have ancestors from Ulster County, New York - or from present-day Sullivan, Delaware, Greene or Orange Counties? These places were once included within Ulster County’s much larger historical boundaries. If so, this resource could contain valuable information about your family! A Brief History of Ulster County, New York Ulster County’s history begins long before the county - or New York itself - existed. The region was home to the Esopus people, a Munsee-speaking branch of the Lenape. Their communities occupied the valleys of the Hudson, Esopus, Rondout and Wallkill waterways, where they farmed, hunted, fished and maintained extensive trading and travel routes. Names such as Esopus, Shawangunk, Wawarsing, Mamakating and Kaatsbaan preserve traces of this Indigenous landscape, although their original spellings and meanings were frequently altered by Dutch and English recordkeepers. The Village of New Paltz formally recognizes the area as the traditional homeland of the Munsee, Esopus and Lenape peoples. The first European settlers Henry Hudson explored the river for the Dutch in 1609, but the first Dutch presence consisted primarily of traders rather than permanent farming communities. The Dutch West India Company established New Netherland to control commerce -especially the fur trade - and later encouraged families to create farms and permanent settlements. The earliest well-documented European land transaction in the Esopus region occurred on June 5, 1652, when land was conveyed to Thomas Chambers. Chambers was an English carpenter who had previously lived in New Amsterdam and near Rensselaerswyck, in the vicinity of present-day Troy. He apparently began occupying and cultivating his Esopus property by about 1654. Other early recorded landholders and residents included Johannis Dykman, Christopher Davis, Johan de Hulter and his widow Johanna, Jurian van Westphalen, Mattys Hendricks, Cornelis Barentsen Slecht, Jacob Jansen Stoll, and the unnamed wife of Cornelis Slecht, who was licensed as a midwife. Although they lived under Dutch government, the settlers were not all ethnically Dutch. New Netherland attracted people from the Netherlands, England, Germany, Scandinavia, the French-speaking Low Countries and elsewhere. Olde Ulster discusses these settlers and their land transactions in “The Indian Deed to Thomas Chambers (1652)” and “The Founding of Kingston”. They came principally because the Esopus lowlands were exceptionally fertile. The region offered productive soil, timber, streams capable of powering mills, access to the Hudson River and a transportation route to markets at Fort Orange, New Amsterdam and the Caribbean. Grain, livestock, lumber, barrel staves and other products could be shipped down the Hudson. Land ownership also offered opportunities that many immigrants could not obtain in Europe. “Settling the Esopus,” Olde Ulster, 1907. From scattered farms to Wiltwyck and Hurley The first European farms were dispersed across lands already occupied and cultivated by the Esopus people. Livestock damaged Indigenous corn and bean fields, colonists continued acquiring land, and disagreements arose over trade, alcohol, property and political authority. These tensions cannot be understood simply as attacks on an empty frontier: they were conflicts created by colonial expansion into an inhabited homeland. In 1658, Director-General Peter Stuyvesant ordered the scattered settlers to gather within a fortified village. A stockade was constructed on the elevated ground now forming Kingston’s Stockade District. The settlement received the name Wiltwyck and a municipal charter in 1661. A second settlement, Nieuw Dorp, meaning “New Village,” was established on the fertile flats southwest of Wiltwyck. It later became Hurley. The two communities were attacked during the Esopus Wars of 1659–1660 and 1663. During the 1663 attack, buildings were burned and numerous settlers - particularly women and children- were killed or taken captive. Dutch military expeditions followed, resulting in additional land seizures and the displacement of the Esopus people. England took New Netherland in 1664. Wiltwyck eventually became Kingston, although Dutch language, churches, customs and naming patterns remained dominant for generations. The Huguenots and New Paltz Another important group consisted of French-speaking Huguenots, or Calvinist Protestants. Many had fled religious persecution in France and the southern Netherlands, living temporarily in the Dutch Republic or the German Palatinate before coming to New Netherland. In 1677, twelve Huguenot men representing approximately sixty refugees obtained land along the Wallkill River. The twelve patentees were members of the Bevier, Crispell, Deyo, DuBois, Freer, Hasbrouck and LeFevre families. Their community became New Paltz, named for the Palatinate—die Pfalz—where some of them had found refuge. The attraction combined religious security, community independence and access to fertile farmland. The resulting New Paltz Patent encompassed nearly 40,000 acres. Its proprietors, collectively remembered as the “Duzine,” continued managing common lands and issuing deeds for generations. Historic Huguenot Street’s New Paltz records and “The New Paltz Patent,” Olde Ulster preserve this history. The settlement’s history also includes the Esopus families who formerly occupied the land and the enslaved Africans who labored in Huguenot households and farms. Historic Huguenot Street now emphasizes these interwoven Indigenous, European and African experiences. Palatine German settlement A later migration brought German-speaking Palatines to the Hudson Valley. War, crop failures, poverty and political and religious instability drove thousands from the Rhineland in 1708–1709. About 3,000 sailed from England to New York in 1710 under Queen Anne’s government. Several hundred families were placed in camps on both sides of the Hudson. West Camp, now in the Town of Saugerties, became the principal Palatine settlement on the Ulster side. The immigrants were expected to manufacture tar, pitch and other naval stores for the British fleet in repayment for their passage. The project failed, leaving many families impoverished. Some remained around Saugerties and Katsbaan, while others moved to Schoharie, the Mohawk Valley, Newburgh and Pennsylvania. Town of Saugerties history and the National Park Service’s Palatine history provide useful background. The Kocherthal Records reproduced throughout Olde Ulster are especially valuable because they document baptisms, marriages and families associated with this migration. Settlement beyond Kingston As the Kingston and Hurley lowlands filled, families followed the river and creek valleys into surrounding areas: Historical locality Present-day association Historical importance Esopus or Atharhacton Kingston and the Esopus Creek lowlands Location of the earliest documented European farms Wiltwyck Kingston Stockade District Fortified Dutch village and administrative center Nieuw Dorp Hurley Second Dutch settlement, established in the early 1660s Mormel Marbletown Early settlement farther up the Esopus–Rondout interior Rochester Patent Town of Rochester, Accord and nearby communities Large 1703 patent along the Rondout Valley New Paltz Patent New Paltz, Gardiner, Lloyd and surrounding territory Huguenot settlement and proprietary land system Katsbaan Northeastern Saugerties Dutch and Palatine church community West Camp Saugerties Palatine refugee settlement established in 1710 Wawarsing and Shawangunk Southwestern Ulster County Frontier farms, churches, forts and Revolutionary activity Mamakating, Neversink and Minisink Principally modern Sullivan and Orange Counties Former Ulster frontier communities Newburgh Precinct Modern Orange County Once administered as part of Ulster County Catskill and surrounding settlements Modern Greene County Historically connected to Ulster through shifting boundaries Hardenbergh Patent Western Ulster and large parts of the Catskill–Delaware region Enormous 1708 land grant affecting settlement and land titles The Rochester Patent account in Olde Ulster explains how settlement spread from the Esopus lowlands through Hurley and Marbletown and then along the Rondout Valley. A much larger Ulster County Ulster County was formally created on November 1, 1683, as one of New York’s original twelve counties. It was named for the Irish province and earldom associated with James, Duke of York, later King James II. The original county stretched generally from the Hudson River westward to the Delaware River. It was far larger than present-day Ulster County and included territory now found in: Sullivan County Delaware County Greene County Orange County Major reductions included the creation of Delaware County in 1797, the transfer of southern towns to Orange County in 1798, the creation of Greene County in 1800, and the creation of Sullivan County in 1809. New York Genealogical and Biographical Society’s Ulster County guide and the 1860 historical boundary description summarize these changes. This explains why Olde Ulster contains articles and records concerning Newburgh, Minisink, Neversink, Mamakating, Catskill, the Delaware Valley, the Palatine settlements and other places outside the modern county. A person described as living in “Ulster County” in an early record may never have lived within today’s boundaries. Revolution and later development Ulster became a Patriot stronghold during the American Revolution. Kingston was selected as the meeting place for New York’s constitutional convention, and the state constitution was adopted there in April 1777. The first State Senate met in Abraham Van Gaasbeek’s house. On October 16, 1777, British forces burned Kingston, destroying hundreds of houses, barns and mills. Surviving inhabitants scattered temporarily to Hurley, Marbletown and neighboring communities. This episode explains the presence of Revolutionary correspondence, militia lists, damage claims, refugee accounts and government records throughout Olde Ulster. (See Senate House State Historic Site) During the nineteenth century, agriculture remained important, while industries developed around lumber, tanning, bluestone, cement, canals, shipping and manufacturing. The Delaware and Hudson Canal transformed Rondout into a major transportation center, while Catskill hotels and mountain resorts brought tourism into the western portion of the county. Why the Olde Ulster records are so valuable Published in ten volumes from 1905 through 1914, Olde Ulster preserves an unusually broad collection of local history and genealogical material. Its value lies not merely in its narrative articles but in its reproduction or abstraction of records that can be difficult to locate elsewhere. (See Complete Olde Ulster volume guide) Among its most useful collections are: Kingston baptismal and marriage records Katsbaan, Rochester and Marbletown church records Kocherthal and Palatine church records Wills, probate extracts and family Bible records Gravestone and churchyard inscriptions Land patents, deeds, surveys and boundary descriptions Early censuses and lists of inhabitants Newspaper marriage and death notices Revolutionary correspondence, militia material and damage claims Family lineages and genealogical queries Manumissions, bills of sale and other evidence of slavery Dutch names, patronymics and spelling variations Indigenous place names, deeds and accounts of colonial conflict These records are particularly useful because early Ulster families frequently crossed boundaries that did not yet exist. A baptism in Kingston might concern a family later found in New Paltz, Rochester, Newburgh, Catskill, Schoharie or Pennsylvania. Sponsors at Dutch Reformed baptisms can reveal grandparents, siblings and married daughters whose relationships are not stated anywhere else. Wills and land deeds can connect generations, while church and cemetery records may provide the only surviving evidence of a birth, marriage or death. At the same time, Olde Ulster should be treated as a research guide rather than unquestioned proof. Its language and interpretations reflect the early twentieth century, especially in its treatment of Indigenous people and slavery. Some family lineages were compiled from traditions or incomplete evidence. Names, dates and relationships should therefore be checked against the linked scans and, whenever possible, the original church, court, land or probate records. The surviving Dutch colonial records are especially rich in property, commercial, family and court information. (See also New York State Archives’ Dutch Heritage guide)

I hate to be one to rave about AI, but from repairing and colorizing photos to transcribing deeds and other handwritten records, or just analyzing data, it's been a great help to me, but I recently discovered a new ability - it can also help identify places in old photos. I'm working on a project that brought me back to a video I uploaded over 10 years ago. It's probably the worst quality video on YouTube, but it's the best I could do to preserve some old reels of movies recorded by my Dickinson family during their visits abroad in the 1930s. I bought three different antique film projectors before I found one that the films fit in and recorded it off my wall. Maybe one day I'll try to get a better copy made, but for now this is what we have. It started with a photo from a 1931 trip to England, in which the people are positively identified, but the place is not. In this photo, from left to right are: William Croft, Emma Dickinson, Annie Croft, and Harry Dickinson, standing atop what appears to be an ancient cathedral. A gothic style spire towers Harry, my 2nd great-grandfather, on the right. Harry Dickinson was born in Sheffield, England, in 1863, and emigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1880. Annie (Hill) Croft, standing next to him with with the red coat, was related through the Reynolds line - Harry's mother, Elizabeth (Reynolds) Dickinson was aunt to Annie's mother, Carolyn (Dickinson) Hill. Carolyn was Harry's first cousin. Therefore, Annie was Harry's first cousin, once removed, and she was Emma's second cousin. Annie's husband, William Croft, stands at left. I haven't found any record of children for the couple. Emma, Harry's daughter, in the blue dress, never married or had children. Harry died in 1935, four years after this photo, in Newark, New Jersey. Anyway, I asked ChatGPT to identify this place, and it identified it as St Giles’ Cathedral (High Kirk of Edinburgh), in Edinburgh, Scotland, which is interesting in hindsight because my DNA is about 1/3 Scottish. This means the cousins probably weren't just visiting some foreign territory - it was their ancestral homeland and it probably means the Reynolds' were Scottish. Next, ChatGPT prompted me to share more photos from the trip, so I shared the link to the video footage from the family's reels, thinking it was the same trip. In retrospect, I believe the video footage is from a trip Rose and John Dickinson (daughter and son of Harry Dickinson) took in 1937, after their father died. ChatGPT couldn't seem to access the video using the link, unfortunately, but it offered to work off screenshots, so I did a Screen Record and shared several clips with the robot. What it revealed about the video is summarized below the video. With Timestamps: 0:00 Opening footage – location not yet identified 1:30 Giant’s Causeway, County Antrim, Northern Ireland 2:21 Waterfall/rapids – possibly Aysgarth Falls, Yorkshire 2:39 Dover Harbour, Kent – Southern Breakwater 2:47 English Channel crossing, probably departing Dover 3:22 Family visit in Yorkshire – probably Dewsbury/West Yorkshire 3:58 Continued Yorkshire family visit 4:09 Yorkshire church and churchyard – exact location not yet identified 4:23 Family gravestone in the churchyard 4:30 West Yorkshire street scene – probably Dewsbury 4:39 Crow Nest Park, Dewsbury 5:00 Formal gardens 5:23 Family members posing 5:47 Cemetery near Geneva / Pregny-Chambésy 5:57 Geneva-area mountain and lakeside views 6:06 Pregny-Chambésy / Lausanne road junction, Genev 6:17 Geneva lakeside parks and international-quarter area 6:40 Brunswick Monument, Geneva 6:55 Pregny-Chambésy – probable Château de Pregny If you're related to these Dickinson, Reynolds, etc., stay tuned as we continue to explore our relatives across the Atlantic! #HarryDickinson #EmmaDickinson #AnnieCroft #WilliamCroft #Scotland #Dewsbury

Before I began my genealogy quest, all I knew about my family was that they had lived in central New York for as long as anyone could remember. Whereas most of my friends knew when and where their ancestors had emigrated from - France, Germany, Italy, etc., it seemed my roots sprang up out of the ground in upstate New York and I knew nothing about them. Until fairly recently, the region of Central New York was mostly comprised of small towns and villages nestled between massive farms, fields, and forests. Even today, in many of these towns, little has changed in the past century. It seemed such an insignificant place. How did my ancestors end up here? And where did they come from? It wasn't until I began researching that I learned about the Military Tract, also called the Central New York Military Tract and the New Military Tract. Soldiers who enlisted to fight in the American Revolution were promised a minimum of 100 acres of land for their service. However, this wasn't tempting enough for some and because by 1781 they had only enlisted about half the quota set by Congress, the payment was increased to 600-5,500 acres, depending on rank. (Update: Read below map for more details). To my surprise, at least ten of my ancestors fought in the American Revolution. This explains how they ended up in Central New York, primarily in Cortland, Tompkins and Cayuga Counties! The Military Tract encompassed all of Cortland County, Cayuga County, Onondaga County, Seneca County, as well as parts of Tompkins County, Oswego County, Schuyler County and Wayne County. Lots were drawn in 1791 and they were required to settle the land by 1799. Most of the soldiers were from eastern New York, Massachusetts and the rest of New England and many sold their lots instead of relocating. Of course there were disputes, mostly caused by swindlers "selling" land that did not belong to them. Some buyers arrived and found out they had been duped when others proved ownership of the land. The townships which were created from the Military Tract were surveyed and named after classical Greek and Roman names, as well as famous authors, as shown here. These towns for very large and were eventually divided and subdivided. Choose a town for details and possible resources for finding more information about the place and the people who lived there: From Onondaga's Centennial Gleanings 1. Aurelius (#8) 2. Brutus (#4) 3. Camillus (#5) 4. Cato (#33) 5. Cicero (#6) 6. Cincinnatus (#25) 7. Dryden (#23) 8. Fabius (#15) 9. Galen (#27) 10. Hannibal (#2) 11. Hector (#21) 12. Homer (#19) 13. Junius (#26) 14. Locke (#18) 15. Lysander (#1) 16. Manlius (#7) 17. Marcellus (#9) 18. Milton (#17) 19. Ovid (#16) 20. Pompey (#10) 21. Romulus (#11) 22. Scipio (#12) 23. Sempronius (#13) 24. Solon (#20) 25. Sterling (#28) 26. Tully (#14) 27. Ulysses (#22) 28. Virgil (#24) The map shown below was printed in History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins, and Schuyler Counties, New York with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. Check the resource for your ancestors if they lived in these places! Click here to see more useful genealogy tips and resources including military records! #newyork #upstate #centralnewyork #cny #militarytract #americanrevolution #revolutionaryland #bountyland #veterans #american

Recently, I was browsing Fultonhistory.com for news articles about one of my ancestors when this headline grabbed my attention. Having just celebrated Father's Day, it was particularly intriguing. Transcription from The Geneva Daily Times, Thursday, June 16, 1927: Prior to reading this, I had never given any thought to the history of Father's Day or Mother's Day, but after doing a little digging, I learned that the earliest record of both was actually in 1908. The first widely recognized Mother’s Day service in America was held on May 10, 1908, at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, organized by Anna Jarvis in honor of her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis. Father’s Day was first observed in America on July 5, 1908, at Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church in Fairmont, West Virginia, at a church service honoring fathers, especially those killed in the Monongah mining disaster. The more commonly cited “first Father’s Day celebration” was June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington, promoted by Sonora Smart Dodd. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day in 1914, and apparently the nation has been unofficially celebrating Father's Day since 1923, but it didn't become an official U.S. national holiday until 1972, when President Richard Nixon signed it into law. Father’s Day is observed on the third Sunday in June. Children’s Day in America is usually traced to 1856 or 1857 in Chelsea, Massachusetts, when Rev. Dr. Charles Leonard of the Universalist Church of the Redeemer held a special service for children. Some sources give 1856, while others say it began on the second Sunday of June 1857. It was first called Rose Day, later Flower Sunday, and finally Children’s Day. Although Children's Day never achieved "federal holiday" status, it is observed in some states, cities, churches and organizations. Notice, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Children's Day all began in Christian churches, the core of early American communities and of America itself. In an earlier blog, I shared the story of Thanksgiving, so if that interests you, click here to check it out. More fun facts! #FathersDay #MothersDay #ChildrensDay #America #holidays

Charles Russell Leonard died on Monday, Nov. 23, 1908. Notice of his funeral was printed in The Journal (Groton, New York) on November 25, 1908, and a "card" of thanks was published on December 2, 1908, by Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Wells and Mrs. Chas. Leonard. It took a long time to find this obituary, simply because Charles' name was abbreviated as "Chas." and it doesn't offer much information. A more interesting notice was published the following week. "A Card...to thank neighbors and friends for their kindness and sympathy during the illness and death of Charles Leonard". It was signed "Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Wells" and "Mrs. Chas. Leonard". It seems safe to assume "Mrs. Chas. Leonard" is referring to Luella, his second wife, who he was living with in Groton in 1905, but who were Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Wells and how were they involved? A search for men named Charles Wells in the Groton area in 1908 produced two matches and another possible connection in Pompey: Charles E. Wells in Groton in 1900. He was married to Ina Legg, but he died in 1904, prior to this notice being published. Charles Hyde Wells who was born in Pompey, Onondaga County, New York, abt. 1839. He was counted on the census in Pompey until 1880. [FamilySearch] In 1865 there was a "Boarder" named John Leonard, age 26, living in the Wells home in Pompey. He was formerly in the Army. [FamilySearch] John married George & Charlotte Nearing's daughter, Elizabeth, before 1871. They lived in Pompey when the 1875 census was taken and had two children - Lee Leonard, age 3 yrs 9 mos, and Arthur Leonard, age 1 yr 5 mos. (Census date June 22, 1875). Both children were born in Onondaga County. [FamilySearch] On the 1892, 1900, 1905, 1910, and 1920 censuses Charles Wells was living in Cortland, where he died on June 30, 1922. His wife's name was Lydia L. Wells. Her obituary claims she was born in Pompey, Onondaga County, on Aug. 8, 1840. The closest matches in Pompey in 1850 were: Lydia L. Haskins (b. 1844), Lydia A. Marsh (b. 1836), and Lydia L. Rice (b. 1837). Charles & Lydia Wells had five children in their home: Amelia (Wells) Dunn, William H. Wells, John Wells, Eugene Charles Wells, and Nellie E. (Wells) Wood. I spent a few days sorting through the paper trails hoping to find a connection, to no avail. Following is a summary of what I found and shared on Charles Hyde Wells' Wikitree. Charles Leonard Wells, born 1842 in Pompey, Onondaga, New York. His parents were Russel Wells and Sophronia Adams. See his FamilySearch profile or Wikitree memorial for details. Timeline of Events: 1850 Census Pompey, Onondaga, New York FamilySearch: Asa Wells (age 76?), born in CT Chloe Wells (age 72 or 77?), born in CT Levi Wells (age 43) - born in NY Jane Wells (24) - born in NY Mathew Wells (age 40) - born in NY, Laborer Elzada Wells (age 31) - born in NY (Elzada Nearing) Charles Wells (age 12) - born in NY, Farmer Asa Wells died Feb. 4. 1854, age 79 yrs 6 mos. He is buried in Pompey Hill Cemetery. Findagrave memorial for Asa Wells 1860 Census Pompey, Onondaga, New York FamilySearch: Elzada N. Wells, Female, age 40, b. NY, Farm Laborer Charles Wells, age 22, b. NY, Farm Laborer Lydia Wells, age 18, b. NY Cloe Wells, age 82. b. CT Hamilton Squires, age 16, Farm Laborer, b. NY 1865 Census Pompey, Onondaga, New York FamilySearch: Elzada Wells, (Female) age 46, b. NY (1 child, married once, widowed) Charles H. Wells, age 27 "Child", Farmer, (married once, married) Lydia Wells, age 25 "Wife", (2 children, married once, married) Lydia (Chloe?) Wells, age 86, "Mother", b. CT (8 children, married once, widowed) Amelia Wells, age 4, "Grandchild", b. Onondaga County William Wells, age 1, "Grandchild", b. Onondaga County John Leonard, age 26, "Boarder", Farmer, Single, formerly in Army (See below) From the Cortland Democrat, Sept. 17. 1868: "Sept. 11 - In the guardianship of John S., Eugene C., and Nellie E. Wells. Petition for appointment of guardian filed, guardians oath and bond filed and letters of guardianship issued to Lydia Wells, of Cortlandville." 1870 Census Pompey, Onondaga, New York FamilySearch: Charles Wells, age 32, farmer $3500 real estate and $2625 personal estate Lydia Wells, age 29, wife b. England? Amelia Wells, age 10, b. NY Nellie Wells, age 8, b. NY John Wells, age 4, b. NY (lived in Los Angeles, CA in 1935) Charles Wells age 2 mos? b. NY Alzada Wells age 59, b. NY Chloe Wells, age 92, b. CT Chloe Wells died on Jan. 4, 1872, at the age of 93, and is buried in Pompey Hill Cemetery in Pompey. Findagrave memorial for Chloe Hyde Wells 1875 Census Pompey, Onondaga, New York FamilySearch: Charles Wells, age 38, b. Onondaga, Married, Mail Carrier Liddia Wells, age 34, Wife Amelia Wells, age 13, Daughter Willie Wells, age 11, Son John Wells, age 8, Son Eugena Wells, age 5, Son Elzada Wells, age 56, "Mother" Also in Pompey, Onondaga, New York 1875 FamilySearch: George Nearing, age 65 (Elzada Wells' brother) Charlotte Nearing, age 63, wife John Leonard, age 36, son-in-law (See below) Elizabeth Leonard, age 34, daughter Lee Leonard, son (grandson), age 3 yrs 9 mos Arthur Leonard, son (grandson), age 1 yr 5 mos 1880 Census Pompey, Onondaga, New York FamilySearch: Charles Wells, age 41, Farmer, Married Lydia Wells, age 38, Keeping House William Wells, age 16, Son John Wells, age 13, Son Eugene Wells, age 10, Son Nellie Wells, age 3, "Son" (Daughter?) Elzada Wells, age 63, Mother Elzada Wells died March 23, 1891, in Cortland, at the home of her son, Charles. From the Syracuse Standard, Tues., Mar. 24, 1891, p. 3: "Mrs. Elzada Wells died yesterday morning of consumption at the age of 72 years. The funeral will be held at the residence of her son, Charles Wells, to-morrow morning. The remains will be taken to Pompey." From the Cortland Democrat, Fri., Mar. 27, 1891: "DIED...WELLS- In Cortland, N.Y., March 23, 1891, Mrs. Elzada Wells, age 72 years." 1892 Census Cortland, Cortland, New York FamilySearch: Charles H Wells, age 55, "Teamster" Lydia M. Wells, age 52 Nellie E. Wells, age 16 From the Cortland Standard, Wed., Sept. 7, 1898: "Invitations are out for the wedding of Mr. Frank Steward Wood and Miss Nellie Elzada Wells which will take place at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Wells, 167 Railroad Street in Cortland on Wednesday evening, Sept. 14, at 8 o'clock." "WOOD-WELLS. Two Cortland Young People United in the Bonds of Matrimony. A merry gathering of friends at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Wells of 167 Railroad-st. last evening witnessed the marriage of their daughter, Miss Nellie B. Wells, and Mr. Frank S. Wood of Cortland. The ceremony was performed by Rev. W. H. Pound, pastor of the Congregational church, in the presence of a few invited guests. The rooms were neatly trimmed for the occasion, and the ceremony took place under an arch of evergreens. A fine wedding supper was served, and then Mr. and Mrs. Wood left on the late train for New York, from which place they will go to New Haven, Ct., for a visit with relatives, and on their return will reside at 107 Railroad-st." From The Syracuse Weekly Express, Thurs., Sept. 25, 1890: "HOMER, Sept. 18 .- Eugene Wells of Cortland and Miss Belle Lawson of this village were married on Tuesday at the Methodist parsonage by the Rev. A. N. Damon." 1900 Census Cortland, Cortland, New York FamilySearch: (167 Railroad Street, Cortland) Charles Wells, born Jan. 1838, age 62, married 42 years, "Night Watch" Lydia Wells, born Aug. 1840 in NY, age 59, married 42 years, five children all still living in 1900 Nellie E. Wood, "Daughter", born Dec 1876, age 23, married 2 years, no children, parents born in England. Frank S. Wood, "Son-in-law", born Apr. 1873, age 27, married 2 years 1905 Census Cortland, Cortland, New York FamilySearch: (167 Railroad Street, Cortland) Chas. H Wells, age 68 (est. 1837) "Night Watch", b. NY, parents born in NY Lydia M. Wells, age 65, 1910 Census Cortland, Cortland, New York FamilySearch: (167 Railroad Street, Cortland) Chas. H. Wells, age 72, married 51 years, Night Watchman at Lumber Yard Lydia Wells, wife, age 62, married 51 years, 5 children, all still living in 1910. From The Cortland Standard, Mon. Aug 28, 1916: "Mrs. Clarence Dunn of Pompey and Mrs. Charles Wells of Cortland visited at the home of their brother and son, Eugene Wells in Wall-st., on Saturday." 1920 Census Cortland, Cortland, New York FamilySearch: (South Ave) Frank S. Wood, age 47, "Com. Traveler; Groceries" Nellie F. Wood, age 43 "Wife" Chas. H. Wells, age 82 "Father-in-law" Lydia Wells, age 79 "Mother-in-law" Charles H. Wells died on June 30, 1922, in Cortland, New York. From the Cortland Democrat, Fri., July 7, 1922, p. 5: "DIED...WELLS - In Cortland, June 30, Charles H. Wells, aged 84 years, and 6 months." From the Binghamton Press, Wed., July 5, 1922: "Charles H. Wells died Saturday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank S. Wood at 130 South Main Street. Mr. Wells was born in Pompey 84 years ago. He is survived by his wife and two daughters, Mrs. Clarence Dunn of Pompey and Mrs. Wood of Cortland, and three sons, Eugene Wells of Homer, William H. Wells of Groton, and John B. Wells of Denver, Col. The funeral was held Monday." 1925 Census Cortland, Cortland, New York FamilySearch: Lydia M. Wells, age 84 "Mother-in-law" 1930 Census Cortland, Cortland, New York FamilySearch: Frank S. Wood, age 56 Nellie E. Wood, age 53 Lydia Wells, age 89 "Mother-in-law" From The Syracuse Journal, Sat., Jan. 12, 1935: "Mrs. Amelia H. Dunn - Mrs. Amelia H. Dunn, 74, died here Friday. Surviving are three brothers, William Wells of Groton, John Wells of Los Angeles, Calif., and Eugene Wells of Homer; a sister, Mrs. Frank Wood of Cortland; a granddaughter, Mrs. Leora M. Wright of Georgetown; a grandson, Clarence B. Van Brocklin of Manlius; a great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews. Services will be conducted at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon in the rooms of C. G. Hall, funeral director, in Lafayette. Interment will be in Pompey." John Leonard Regarding John Leonard, see FamilySearch G4WN-QK6 or FamilySearch G97T-6L1 or Wikitree). He married Elizabeth Charlotte Nearing, daughter of Elzada's brother George A. Nearing and and Charlotte Horton. Elzada was the mother of Charles Wells, so John Leonard married a first cousin of Charles Wells. On the 1900 census, for his father's birthplace, Massachusetts was given, and for his mother, New York. However, according to his profile on FamilySearch, he was born abt. 1843 and was a son of Henry J. Leonard & Phebe ___. Henry was born in Albany County, New York, in 1816, and died in West Monroe, Oswego, New York, in 1816. Henry's father was Johannes Leonard & Rachel Albright. They were married in Bethlehem, Albany, New York, in 1802. Johannes's father was a German immigrant, born abt. 1739, who died in Bethlehem, Albany, New York, between 1805 and 1809. (FamilySearch KZR7-SMK). More research must be done to determine his true lineage. Regarding the question of whether or not John could have possibly been a brother of Charles Leonard, the answer is no IF Charles' father, Russel Leonard, truly disappeared in 1833. John wasn't born until 1839. They may have been cousins, though. Other Sources Walworth, Reuben Hyde, Hyde genealogy, or, The descendants, in the female as well as in the male lines, from William Hyde, of Norwich (Albany, 1864), Vol. 1, p. 412-413 Other possible connections: From The Dryden Herald, Wed., Apr. 13, 1904: "Mrs. Charles Wells was called to Cortland on Saturday by the severe illness of her daughter, Maude, who is suffering from an attack of the measles. The condition of the patient was reported on Monday to be slightly improved. Charles Wells went to Cortland on Tuesday to see his daughter." From Dryden Rural News, March 30, 1938: "Extracted from a letter written by Mrs. Charles Wells in Anchorage, Alaska, to her brother Egbert McMasters of Brooktondale..." (regarding her trip to Alaska). From The Syracuse Weekly Express, Thurs., Oct. 9, 1890: Montezuma - "Mrs. Charles Wells and her children of Auburn and her mother, Mrs. Josephine Rogers of Rose Valley, were visiting friends in town last week". If anyone knows the connection between Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wells and Charles Leonard, please share! See the Leonard page for more. Research Notes: Before finding these, I searched the following newspapers for Charles Leonard's obituary: Moravia NY Republican Register 1908 - 1912 Auburn NY Democrat Argus 1908 - 1909 (Mentions: Herman Leonard's estate and heirs: Susan Leonard, widow, George H. Leonard, son, and David E. Wallace, stepson. (April, 1908). Also, Patrick Leonard, father of Mrs. Michael Coleman.) Union Springs NY Advertiser 1908-1911 - (Mentions: Charles Leonard of Farmer) Interlakin NY Interlaken Review 1908-1910 (searched as given, sic) Newspaper Auburn NY Weekly Auburnian 1885 - 1888 #Leonard #leonard #charlesrussellleonard #obituary #death

Capturing a person’s likeness has fascinated people for centuries. Before photography, one popular way to preserve an image was through silhouettes. In colonial times, these simple yet elegant profiles became a cherished form of portraiture. They offered a quick, affordable way to capture a person’s features using just shadows and skilled hands. This blog explores how colonial silhouettes were created, their cultural significance, and how you can bring a piece of this history into your home with a unique digital download product. What Are Colonial Silhouettes? Colonial silhouettes are profile portraits made by cutting black paper or painting black ink to create a sharp outline of a person’s face and upper body. Unlike detailed paintings or drawings, silhouettes focus on the outline and shape rather than intricate facial features. This style became popular in the 18th century, especially in America and Europe, as a way to capture a likeness quickly and affordably. Silhouettes were often used for family keepsakes, gifts, or even as a form of identification. They provided a striking contrast between the dark profile and the light background, making the subject instantly recognizable by their unique shape. How Colonial Silhouettes Were Made Creating a silhouette required skill and precision. Here’s a step-by-step look at how colonial artists captured these shadowy portraits: 1. Positioning the Subject The sitter would be positioned sideways, usually in profile, so the artist could clearly see the outline of their face, nose, lips, chin, and sometimes the shoulders. The profile view was essential because it offered the most distinctive shape of a person’s features. 2. Casting a Shadow A common technique involved using a candle or lamp to cast the sitter’s shadow onto a white surface such as paper or a wall. The artist would then trace the shadow’s outline with a pencil or charcoal. This method ensured an accurate and natural profile shape. 3. Cutting or Painting the Silhouette After tracing, the artist would either: Cut the profile out of black paper with scissors, creating a sharp, clean edge. Paint the profile directly onto paper or ivory using black ink or paint. Cut paper silhouettes were especially popular because they could be mounted on contrasting backgrounds and framed easily. 4. Adding Details While silhouettes were mostly about the outline, some artists added subtle details like hairstyles, collars, or hats to give more personality to the portrait. These small touches helped identify the sitter and added charm to the artwork. 5. Framing and Display Once complete, silhouettes were often framed in small oval or rectangular frames. They were displayed in homes as treasured mementos or given as gifts to loved ones. Why Silhouettes Were Popular in Colonial Times Several factors made silhouettes a favored art form during the colonial period: Affordability: Unlike painted portraits that required expensive materials and long sittings, silhouettes were quick and inexpensive. Speed: Artists could create a silhouette in minutes, making it accessible to more people. Simplicity: The bold contrast and minimal detail made silhouettes visually striking and easy to recognize. Portability: Silhouettes were small and lightweight, easy to send or carry. Cultural Appeal: The style fit well with colonial aesthetics that valued modesty and practicality. Examples of Colonial Silhouettes Many colonial families treasured silhouette portraits as family heirlooms. For example, a silhouette of a young woman might show her distinctive bonnet and hairstyle, while a man’s profile could highlight a prominent nose or chin. These portraits captured not just physical features but also a sense of personality and status. One famous example is the silhouette portraits of George Washington, which helped popularize the art form in America. These portraits were widely copied and admired for their simplicity and elegance. Bringing Colonial Silhouettes into Your Home Today If you appreciate the charm and history of colonial silhouettes, you can now own a digital download featuring authentic colonial American family people. This product offers high-quality images inspired by original silhouettes, perfect for decorating your home, creating personalized gifts, or using in craft projects. Why Choose This Digital Download? Historical Accuracy: The images are based on real colonial silhouettes, preserving the style and detail. Versatility: Use them for wall art, scrapbooking, invitations, or educational materials. Instant Access: Download immediately and print at your convenience. Unique Decor: Add a touch of colonial history and elegance to your space. Explore the collection here: Colonial American Family People Digital Download Tips for Displaying Silhouettes in Your Home To highlight the beauty of silhouette art, consider these display ideas: Frame the prints in simple black or wooden frames to echo colonial styles. Use oval frames to mimic traditional portrait shapes. Group several silhouettes together to create a family gallery wall. Place them in entryways or living rooms where guests can admire the historical charm. The Lasting Appeal of Silhouettes Silhouettes remain popular because they capture the essence of a person with minimal detail. Their timeless style connects us to the past and reminds us of the creativity people used to preserve memories. Whether you are a history enthusiast, art lover, or someone looking for unique decor, colonial silhouettes offer a fascinating glimpse into early American life. By exploring this art form and incorporating it into your home, you keep alive a tradition that blends shadow, craft, and personal history.

Let's take a moment and recognize how fortunate we are to be anticipating America's 250th (Semiquincentennial) in 2026. The celebrations have already begun! Check america250.org for a full list of events scheduled. The Smithsonian is also hosting events to commemorate the anniversary. A must see online exhibition can also be found on their website here. It's a good time to brush up on your knowledge of the American Revolution! Here's what you need to know: The American Revolution (1775–1783) was a series of military and political struggles through which thirteen British colonies in North America won independence and became the United States. It began as a colonial protest against taxation and imperial control but evolved into a global conflict involving Britain, France, Spain, and the Netherlands. The war unfolded in several phases—New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern campaigns—each marked by dramatic reversals of fortune. The opening clashes at Lexington and Concord in April 1775 ignited the war, as colonial militias confronted British troops near Boston. The bloody Battle of Bunker Hill soon followed, proving that the inexperienced colonists could stand against the world’s most powerful army. In 1776, George Washington’s daring victories at Trenton and Princeton revived American morale after the loss of New York. The turning point came in 1777 at Saratoga, where an entire British army surrendered, persuading France to ally with the Americans. The war shifted south in its final years. Despite early British successes in Georgia and the Carolinas, guerrilla warfare led by partisans like Francis Marion wore down royal forces. Washington’s and Rochambeau’s combined armies trapped General Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781, forcing his surrender and effectively ending the conflict. Sporadic fighting and negotiation continued until the Treaty of Paris was signed, on September 3, 1783, officially ending the war. Below is a list of all the major (and some minor) battles of the American Revolution. These are just a fraction of the hundreds of skirmishes and engagements that were part of America's fight for independence. Choose a link to watch a short video about any battle. You can also start at the beginning of the playlist on youTube here. Subscribe for updates! Major Battles of the American Revolutionary War: Get your 250th Anniversary Flag today! 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord – April 19, 1775 (Massachusetts) Siege of Boston – April 19, 1775–March 17, 1776 (Massachusetts) Capture of Fort Ticonderoga - May 10, 1775 (New York) Battle of Chelsea Creek – May 27–28, 1775 (Massachusetts) Battle of Machias, Maine - June 11-12, 1775 (Maine - then part of Massachusetts) Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed’s Hill) – June 17, 1775 (Massachusetts) Battle of Great Bridge, Virginia - December 9, 1775 (Virginia) 1776 Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge – February 27, 1776 (North Carolina) Battle of Sullivan’s Island (Charleston) – June 28, 1776 (South Carolina) Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776 Battle of Long Island (Brooklyn Heights) – August 27, 1776 (New York) Battle of Harlem Heights – September 16, 1776 (New York) Battle of Valcour Island - October 11, 1776 (New York) Battle of White Plains – October 28, 1776 (New York) Battles of Fort Washington & Fort Lee – November 16, 1776 (New York & New Jersey) Battle of Trenton – December 26, 1776 (New Jersey) 1777 Battle of Princeton – January 3, 1777 (New Jersey) Battle of Ridgefield – April 27, 1777 (Connecticut) Battle of Short Hills - June 26, 1777 (New Jersey) Siege of Fort Ticonderoga - July 2-6, 1777 (New York) Siege of Fort Stanwix - August 2-22, 1777 (New York) Battle of Bennington - August 16, 1777 (New York, near Bennington, Vermont) Battle of Cooch's Bridge - September 3, 1777 (Delaware) Battle of Brandywine – September 11, 1777 (Pennsylvania) Battles of Saratoga (Freeman’s Farm & Bemis Heights) – September 19 & October 7, 1777 (New York) The Paoli Massacre - September 21, 1777 (Pennsylvania) Siege of Fort Mifflin - September 26, 1777 (Pennsylvania) Battle of Germantown – October 4, 1777 (Pennsylvania) Battle of Fort Clinton & Fort Montgomery - October 6, 1777 (New York) Battle of Red Bank (Fort Mercer) - October 22, 1777 (New Jersey) Battle of White Marsh – December 5–8, 1777 (Pennsylvania) Winter at Valley Forge - December 1777 (Pennsylvania) 1778 Battle of Monmouth – June 28, 1778 (New Jersey) Battle of Wyoming - July 3, 1778 (Pennsylvania) Battle of Rhode Island – August 29, 1778 (Rhode Island) Battle of St. Lucia (Caribbean) – December 15, 1778 Get your own Personalized Patriot Ancestor List! 1779 Battle of Kettle Creek – February 14, 1779 (Georgia) Sullivan Expedition - June to Sept., 1779 (Pennsylvania & New York) Battle of Stony Point – June 16, 1779 (New York) Battle of Paulus Hook - August 19, 1779 (New Jersey) Siege of Savannah – September 16–October 18, 1779 (Georgia) 1780 Battle of Waxhaws Creek - May 29, 1780 (South Carolina) Siege of Charleston – March 29–May 12, 1780 (South Carolina) Battle of Springfield, New Jersey - June 23, 1780 (New Jersey) Battle of Camden, South Carolina – August 16, 1780 (South Carolina) Battle of King’s Mountain – October 7, 1780 (South Carolina) 1781 Battle of Cowpens, South Carolina – January 17, 1781 (South Carolina) Battle of Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina – March 15, 1781 (North Carolina) Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill, South Carolina – March 15-April 25, 1781 (South Carolina) Battle of Ninety Six (Siege) – May 22–June 19, 1781 (South Carolina) Battle of Chesapeake, Virginia - September 5, 1781 (Virginia) Battle of Groton Heights, Connecticut - September 6, 1781 (Connecticut) Battle of Eutaw Springs – September 8, 1781 (South Carolina) Siege of Yorktown, Virginia – September 28–October 19, 1781 (Virginia) Each of these battles reflects the ebb and flow of the Revolution—an unlikely triumph of endurance, leadership, and the growing conviction that liberty was worth the cost. By the grace of God and sheer American grit, we're still here 250 years later! #AmericanRevolution #RevolutionaryWar

While researching my ancestor James Sherman, the father of 2nd great-grandmother, Cora (Sherman) Leonard, I came across this record. It shows James M. Sherman, born May 20, 1842, in Butler, Wayne County, New York. He was a son of Levi Sherman & Ann Palmer. He had a brother named William who fought in the same regiment during the Civil War, but died in service. On the opposite page, each of these entries continues, first 4 lines for William, Lines 5-8 for James: From the records, we learn that both William and James were sons of Levi Sherman and Ann Palmer. William P. Sherman, born Sept. 1840, in Butler, Wayne, New York, was a Private in NY 9th Artillery Co. G. He enlisted in August of 1862, at Red Creek, New York, and served in the defense of Washington nearly two years. He died on November 27, 1863. "Remains sent home." James M. Sherman, born May 20, 1842, was a Sergeant in the same regiment. He was born in South Butler, Wayne County, New York. He was in battles of Cold Harbor, Cedar Creek, 2nd Petersburg, Sailors Creek, and was at the surrender of General Lee. Mustered out July 6, 1865, present address, Westbury (?), New York. At first glance, this appears to be my ancestor, James Sherman. Here's why: Butler is only about 21 miles from Sennett, where my Sherman family lived. My ancestors in this branch of my tree lived in both Wayne and Cayuga Counties. My ancestor James Sherman was born about 1842. This one was born May 20, 1842. My ancestor's father's name was Levi Sherman, the same as this one. My ancestor, Levi Sherman, was born abt. 1815. A look at the 1850 census of Butler shows Levi Sherman, age 35 - another match. To be sure this was the same family, though, I searched the 1850 Census on FamilySearch to see if there were other men named Levi Sherman in New York. The results were surprising, yet conclusive: There were actually several men named Levi Sherman living in New York in 1850. The two shown here are the only two born between 1815 and 1816. Notice the similarities highlighted in the image above? They are strikingly similar but since we know my ancestor Levi married Eleanor, it's easy to see that the Levi Sherman was not my ancestor - though quite possibly a relative. Normally I would scrap the day's work and move on, but I'm sharing my findings here to avert future time wasted on this confusing coincidence. I'm sure the similarities have caused much confusion when searching local records, newspaper clippings, etc. It's definitely important for anyone researching the family to be aware of. The two families may be related somehow, but they are definitely two distinct men named James Sherman. I believe my ancestor did join in the Civil War, perhaps not with the high honor of these Shermans of Butler, but a debt of gratitude we owe them all. Stay tuned as I continue my research on the Sherman family and more! Subscribe for updates! #jamessherman #sherman #leonard #civilwar #mixup

George Washington has been studied from nearly every angle: soldier, statesman, surveyor, farmer, president, and founding father. Yet this old newspaper article presents him from another perspective—as a Freemason. Published in a fraternal section of the New York newspaper, The Argus, in 1902, “Washington as a Loyal Mason” preserves the story of his initiation, his Masonic honors, and the relics later treasured by the fraternity that claimed him as one of its most honored members. Notice, in masonic records, they added 4,000 years to their dates. For example, 1752 was written 5752. At first glance, the date “5752” may look like a printer’s mistake, but in the world of Freemasonry, it opens the door to a deeper story. They were using the Masonic calendar, called Anno Lucis, meaning “Year of Light.” The wording reflects Masonic symbolism around light, knowledge, and creation. This article was printed in The Argus, Feb. 16, 1902, p. 11: WASHINGTON AS A LOYAL MASON INITIATED IN FREDERICKSBURG LODGE NO. 4 IN THE YEAR 1752. PATRIOTS IN FREE MASONRY Honors Conferred Upon First President of United States by This Ancient Fraternity—Aprons and Emblems as Relics. There is one name on the membership rolls of American Masonry which is, by common consent, exalted far above all others—that of Washington. Of the fact that “The Father of His Country” was a loyal member of their ancient society, that he was at one time a master of one of their lodges, and that his body was committed to its resting place in the tomb at Mount Vernon with Masonic ceremonies, Masonic craftsmen in this country have always been justly proud. True, many attempts have been made by enemies of the craft to discredit these facts, but they are matters of recorded history, amply vouched for by documentary evidence of a kind which defies successful impeachment. The lodge at Fredericksburg, Va.—Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4—probably received its warrant from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, its records dating back to September 1, 1752. On the lodge records, under date of November 6, 5752, (1752), appears the entry: “Received of Mr. George Washington for his entrance, £2:3.” The minutes of a lodge meeting held November 4 show that he was initiated on that night. Then follow these further entries: “March 3d, 5753—George Washington passed Fellow Craft.” “August 4th, 5753—George Washington raised Master Mason.” Had the brethren gathered on these successive evenings to witness the “entering,” “passing” and “raising” of the young surveyor been endowed with prophetic vision, those important events in his Masonic career would doubtless have received more extended mention. It is an interesting fact that Washington took his first degree more than three months previous to his twenty-first birthday, although 21 years is now almost universally accepted as the age at which a man is eligible to entrance into the order. Masons in the Revolution. When the relations between the American colonies and the mother country became so strained that it was evident that war was inevitable, it was found that Freemasons, like all the other colonists, were divided in their allegiance. Among the Tories were Sir John Johnson, the last provincial grand master of the First Grand Lodge of New York, and William Franklin, the last of the royal governors of New Jersey, and at one time grand secretary of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. The latter was a son of Benjamin Franklin, but unlike his father, adhered to the Crown during the War of Independence. He sailed for England in August, 1782, and lived in that country until his death. Although his distinguished father once visited him, and they occasionally corresponded, the barrier between them was never broken down. On the side of the patriots were many Masons whose names were destined to become famous in national annals. Chief among them, of course, was Washington himself. Peyton Randolph, the first President of the Continental Congress, was last Provincial Grand Master of the Masons of Virginia. General Joseph Warren was Grand Master of the Massachusetts Grand Lodge when he was killed in the battle of Bunker Hill. Tradition says that the lodge at the Green Dragon Tavern, in Boston, was the headquarters of the patriots of that vicinity, and that the chief guests at the famous Boston “Tea Party” began their march to the harbor from the lodge room. Paul Revere became the Grand Master of Massachusetts after the war, and in that capacity he signed an address to Washington from the Massachusetts Grand Lodge, dated March 21, 1797. General Lafayette, it is said, was made a Mason in Washington’s presence. During his visits to this country, accompanied by his son, George Washington Lafayette, in 1825, he was elected an honorary member and attended sessions of the Grand Lodges of Tennessee and Missouri, being introduced in the first-named by President Jackson, at one time Grand Master of Tennessee. Generals Knox, Wooster, Rufus Putnam, and many other Revolutionary leaders were also members of the Order which their commander-in-chief honored with his allegiance. Masonic Honors to Washington. Washington visited Philadelphia in December, 1778, while Congress was in session. Masonic services were held in Christ church on St. John’s Day, Monday, December 28, the Rev. William Smith, D. D., preaching the sermon. On that occasion about 300 brethren, including the members of the Grand Lodge, all newly clothed, formed in procession, “His Excellency, our illustrious Brother, George Washington, Esq., supported by the Grand Master and his deputy,” marching in the parade. An offering for charitable purposes was taken, amounting, it is said, to more than £400. By order of the Grand Lodge, Dr. Smith’s sermon was published in pamphlet form, and the proceeds of its sale devoted to helping the poor. It was prefaced by the following dedication: “To His Excellency, George Washington, Esq., General and Commander-in-Chief of the Armies of the United States of North America, the friend of his country and mankind, ambitious of no higher title, if higher were possible, the following sermon, honored with his presence when delivered, is dedicated, in testimony of the sincerest affection and brotherly esteem of his merit. By order of the Brethren. JOHN COATS,“Grand Secretary Pro Tem.” From this time on Masonic honors were showered thick and fast upon Washington. It soon became the custom to devote the first toast at Masonic banquets to the theme, “General Washington,” to show him special honors whenever he visited a lodge, and a military lodge, for which a warrant was granted October 6, 1779, from the Massachusetts Grand Lodge, took his name. An attempt was made shortly after this to establish the office of “Grand Master General of Masons in America” and elect Washington to that position. Massachusetts Grand Lodge finally voted “that no determination upon the subject could, with the propriety and justice due the craft at large, be made by this Grand Lodge, until a general peace shall happily take place throughout the continent.” The subject was never again formally taken up, at least not with the same end in view, but there were many people who supposed Washington to be General Grand Master, and it is even said that a medal with a bust of him on the obverse and Masonic symbols on the reverse was issued, having on it, besides a Latin motto and the words, “Washington, President,” the initials “G. W. G. G. M.” — George Washington, General Grand Master. Loyalty to Masonry. The fact that Washington was a Freemason has always been a thorn in the side of the enemies of the fraternity, and numerous desperate attempts have been made at various times, but especially during the years when the anti-Masonic political movement was at its height, to prove either that he never was connected with the Order or that in the latter years of his life he disclaimed his Masonic affiliations. Of these two contentions, the former is hardly less preposterous than would be a declaration that Washington was never President of the United States, and the latter is based upon a complete misconstruction of a single clause in his Farewell Address and of one or two sentences in a private letter. When Washington returned to Mount Vernon at the close of the war, the lodge in Alexandria, Va., addressed him a letter of greeting, and some months later he became its guest at the festival of St. John the Baptist, on which occasion he was made an honorary member of Alexandria Lodge No. 39. In November, 1788, the lodge, which had been working under a charter from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, applied to the Grand Lodge of Virginia for a new warrant, requesting further that “Brother George Washington, Esq., should be named in the charter as master of the lodge.” The request was granted, the lodge number being changed to 22. Washington, it may be added, had been elected master the May previous. In 1804 the lodge applied for a change of name, and the memory of its distinguished master has been perpetuated in the title, Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22. One of the most interesting incidents in Washington’s Masonic life took place September 18, 1793, when, clad in the apron and other insignia of the order and holding in his hand an ivory gavel, he took a prominent part in the ceremonies attending the laying of the corner-stone of the national capitol. On this occasion the lodges represented were No. 9, of Georgetown, and No. 22, of Alexandria. Washington marched in the procession between the Grand Master on his left and the Worshipful Master of Alexandria Lodge No. 22, on his right. Washington Masonic Relics. There are still in existence many valuable Masonic relics of Washington, most of them the property of various Masonic institutions. Among them is the ivory gavel, already referred to as having been used by him at the laying of the corner-stone of the capitol, now owned by Lodge No. 9, of Georgetown, D. C. Another is the historic Bible on which he took the oath of office when first inaugurated as President. The ceremony took place in New York city April 30, 1789. The marshal for the day was General Jacob Morton, the master of St. John’s, the oldest lodge in the city. General Morton brought from the lodge room the Bible and the cushion of crimson velvet upon which it rested while lying on the altar. Upon this Bible the President took his oath of office, after which it was returned to its original resting place, where it has since remained, except when, on rare occasions, it has figured in some Masonic function. At the Masonic memorial exercises held at Mount Vernon December 14, 1899, commemorative of the 100th anniversary of his death, the Bible, jewels and three lights borne at Washington’s funeral were displayed. When Lafayette visited this country in 1784 he brought as a present to his former chief and bosom friend a Masonic apron, made of white satin, with numerous Masonic ornaments worked in colored silk, the whole being the handiwork of Madame Lafayette. This, with other Masonic emblems, was presented in a handsomely finished rosewood box, also embellished with Masonic symbols. The apron remained at Mount Vernon quite a time after its owner’s death, but was finally presented to the Washington Benevolent Society, by whom, in turn, it was given to the Pennsylvania Grand Lodge. The box became the property of the Alexandria Lodge. Another historic apron was presented to Washington August 10, 1782, by Watson & Cassoul, a Franco-American mercantile firm, doing business in France. The apron and a Masonic sash were made at the firm’s order by some nuns at Nantes, and is of satin, wrought with gold and silver tissue, and having the flags of the United States and France mingled with various Masonic symbols. The latter is now in the possession of the Alexandria-Washington Lodge, and is kept in the box in which the Lafayette apron was originally placed. The Lafayette apron is worked in silk and has on the frontlet the Mark Master’s circle and secret letters, with a beehive as a mark in the centre.

A young Irish immigrant at the harbor in NY c. 1850 William McGinnis arrived in New York from Ireland between 1847 and 1849. He was counted on the census in Lisle, Broome County, New York, in 1850 and in 1855. He was a servant, living in the home of two different families. On the 1855 New York State Census, he indicated he had been in Lisle, New York, for five years. In a previous blog I shared my research on his arrival. You can read it here. An immigrant arriving during this period would not have gone through Castle Garden or Ellis Island. (Castle Garden didn't open until 1855 and Ellis Island until 1892). Still, there were policies in place. The ship he traveled on would have first stopped at Staten Island, where a health officer would board the vessel and check the passengers for contagious illnesses. If any were found ill, they could be held and treated at quarantine hospitals. The ship's master was required to provide a written report listing each passenger's name, place of birth, age, occupation, and last legal settlement within 24 hours of arrival. In 1847, many Irish famine migrants arrived malnourished and ill, after escaping the Irish Famine. The hospitals and quarantine facilities were overwhelmed. Healthy immigrants were commonly put ashore at ordinary piers and were vulnerable to boardinghouse keepers, passenger agents, and “runners” who tried to intercept and exploit them. Some met family, found lodging, or moved inland. William McGinnis was one who moved inland. He applied for citizenship six years later, in 1856. His signature is shown here as "William McGinis". Signature of William McGinnis Sources: "Broome, New York, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9M3-Y6W?view=explore : Apr 4, 2026), image 165 of 1386; New York. County Court (Broome County). Image Group Number: 005370553 "Cortland, New York, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSMP-W9QB-N?view=explore : Apr 4, 2026), image 442 of 1372; . Image Group Number: 007780903

I don't know about you, but I honor and cherish my patriot ancestors who laid down their lives for America's Independence during the American Revolutionary War. I'm thankful every day, but especially this year, as we cross the 250th year milestone. Having never known that even one of my "grandfathers" participated in the battles, I was thrilled to find that several of them did. I've created a Wall of Honor on my website to keep track of them all because I believe it's important to remember our roots, our heritage, and our inheritance - freedom! I also printed Patriot Certificates for each. You can order printed, personalized "Proud Descendant of a Patriot" certificates on Amazon. Get your personalized Patriot certificate on Amazo If you have a printer, you can create and download your certificates instantly from Etsy and print as many as you'd like to hand out to family. To find out if you have any patriot ancestors, take a looks at your family tree. I like to use Wikitree because it's so vast and collaborative. From any profile, click the Ancestors tab to view a tree. I'd recommend viewing the ancestor tree of each of your 16 great-great grandparents' profiles, or possible from each of your 32 3rd-great grandparents, depending on your age. In the example below, I'm viewing the paternal ancestors of Betsy Stowell, my 3rd great-grandmother. As you can see, her 2nd great-grandparents, grandparents, and even one of her grandfathers could have participated, and if they were of age, they probably did. Notice her 2nd great-grandfather, Samuel Wood. From his profile we learn that although he was about 60 years old in 1776, he enlisted and was taken prisoner at The Battle of Fort Washington. He was one of the few who lived to tell the story. Do a little research on each of your grandfathers born in the early to mid-1700s and you might be surprised how many patriot grandfathers you'll realize you have! If you can't find information from your ancestor's wikitree profile, try these: Search the DAR Patriot Index for the names of your grandfathers living during the Revolution. Try Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors if they lived in Massachusetts. Try the Rolls and lists of Connecticut men in the revolution. 1775-1783 if they lived in Connecticut. Pension files are another great place to find loads of information about your soldiers. You can try FamilySearch for those. Do you know of any other great places to find records from the American Revolution? Please tell us in the comments below!

Mary Polly Brown was my 3rd great-grandmother. She married first to Charles R. Leonard, before 1854, when she was only about 16 years old. She and Charles had 11 known children, but split in the 1880s. She married second to Joseph Wilson, April 5, 1899. He was born in 1843 in Groton and died Dec. 30, 1904. Afterwards, Mary married for a third time to Peter Walsh/Welch, son of Anna Burns and Patrick Welch. In the settling of Mary's estate, property she owned in Locke was mentioned as follows: "Cayuga, New York, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9HB-LHNF?view=explore : Apr 26, 2026), image 504 of 1033; New York. County Court (Cayuga County). Image Group Number: 007345455 From the document we learn the land Mary owned was "Beginning at the point where the center or middle of the turnpike road, so called, crosses the north line of the land formerly owned by Harvey Shaw...running east on the boundary line between Duncan McIntosh's and said Shaw's farm". On this 1904 map of Locke, we can see approximately where the property was located, between McIntosh and Shaw's farms. We can see her name "Mrs. Jos. Wilson", as she was called in 1904: On the County Tax Map, the creek is marked, leading me to believe the home was at the location I marked with a green arrow: View the area on Google Maps here: If anyone can confirm the exact location or whether or not the house still stands, or can confirm exactly where it was, please share!

Honor Your Mayflower Heritage with a Personalized Certificate! Now you can create beautiful, instant, downloadable, personalized Mayflower certificates in just minutes! You can save, share and print at home or at your local photo center. You can order on Etsy here! If you don't have a printer, order a copy to be mailed on Amazon or on Etsy. With a classic design and sized at 8.5" x 11", this certificate makes a meaningful keepsake for family historians, genealogy lovers, and anyone proud of their Pilgrim heritage. Just find the perfect certificate frame and you'll have a custom made family heirloom to pass on for generations! This certificate is perfect for: Family history displays and scrapbooks Gifts for genealogy enthusiasts Framing for home or office Mayflower descendant celebrations Celebrate Your Family’s Story Celebrate your family’s story with a certificate you’ll be proud to display! It’s a wonderful way to honor your heritage and share it with future generations. Creating a personalized Mayflower certificate is a fantastic way to preserve your ancestry. It’s quick, easy, and a delightful addition to your family history collection. So why wait? Start celebrating your Pilgrim heritage today! Downloadable certificates on Etsy Printed personalized certificates on Amazon Printed personalized certificates on Etsy Got multiple Mayflower ancestors? Don't miss these! Printed Mayflower Ancestors List on Amazon Downloadable ancestor list on Etsy! Click here for free Mayflower resources to learn more about your Mayflower ancestors.

For years I've been trying to learn more about Joshua Leonard and his family. I believe he was the father of my 4th great-grandfather, Russell Leonard. You can find his profile on Wikitree here. I have been able to find very little about him or his children. In fact, I don't even know when or where Joshua died! (Please help!) Recently, FamilySearch added their "Full Text Search" option so I've spent the past month or so searching various terms to find whatever I can find and although I haven't found much, I have discovered the name of the wife of Joshua's son - Joshua Leonard, Jr., who is believed to have been a brother of Russel Leonard. We learn from Cayuga County Deeds that Joshua Leonard, Jr's wife, Eunice, was named in the will of Josiah Beard and on October 22, 1823, Joshua and Eunice Leonard, of Venice, Cayuga County, New York, sold to Aaron Beard all of their right, title, and interest in property coming from the estate of Josiah Beard, deceased, for $150 (roughly $4,700 in 2026 money). In summary, what they were conveying was: their claim in Josiah Beard’s estate specifically their equal undivided one-eighth share in the surplus land on Lot 62 and any claim they may have had to the 150-acre farm that Josiah Beard had already willed to Aaron Beard Josiah Beard (or Baird) was born in Becket, Massachusetts, in 1763 and married Elizabeth Murdock (1770-1820) abt. 1789, in Windham, Connecticut and they had several children. He died July 30, 1821, and is buried in Venice Center Cemetery in Venice Center, Cayuga, New York. His wife was Elizabeth (Murdock) who was born in 1770 (death date unknown) and she is buried in the same cemetery. (Findagrave) In his will, he named "my loving daughter Eunice, wife of Joshua Leonard", along with several other children. You can find it on FamilySearch here. It should also be noted that Aaron Beard's wife was also named Eunice, according to this 1805 deed. Signing a deed The 1823-1824 deed reads as follows: Joshua Leonard Jun. to Aaron Beard 62.Scipio.150A This Indenture made the twenty second day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty three Between Joshua Leonard & Eunice Leonard his wife of the town of Venice, County of Cayuga and State of New York of the first part and Aaron Beard of the town County and State aforesaid Witnesseth that the said parties of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of One hundred and fifty dollars to them in hand paid by the Guardian of the party of the second part the receipt whereof is hereby confessed and acknowledged, Have granted bargained sold remised released aliened and confirmed and by these presents do grant bargain sell remise release alien and coming and by these presents do grant bargain sell remise release alien and confirm unto the said party of the second part in his actual possession and to his heirs and assigns forever. All our rite title interest property or demand in and to all the estate both landed and moveable property that did belong to Josiah Beard late of Scipio, Now Venice, dec'd, Except the sum of Five Dollars which was willed to Eunice Leonard by the said Josiah Beard dec'd in his last Will and testament, it being the equal and undivided part of Lot number Sixty two in the town formerly Scipio now Herrick in the County of Cayuga and State of New York it being the farm deeded to Josiah Beard dec'd and bequeathed unto the said Aaron Beard, his son, one hundred and fifty acres by Will of the said dec'd there being over and above the One hundred and fifty twenty two acres three rods & Eleven rods not included in the said will be the same more or less, the one equal and undivided eighth part of the afores'd Overplus land is hereby intend to be sold and conveyed, and all claim to any part of the One hundred and fifty acres of land described in the aforesaid Will by the said parties of the first part: Together with all and singular the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging in any wise appertaining and the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders rents issues and profits thereof, and all the estate rite title interest claim or demand whatsoever of the said parties of the first part either in law or equity of in or to the above bargained premises with the said hereditaments and appurtenances. To have and To hold the said land tenements and hereditaments above mentioned and described to the said party of the second part and to his heirs and assigns forever to the sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of the said party of the second part and his heirs and assigns forever. And the said parties of the first part for themselves and the heirs do covenant grant bargain promise and agree to and with the said party of the second part and his heirs and assigns the above granted and bargained premises to the said party of the second part and his heirs and assigns against all and every person or persons lawfully claiming or to claim the whole or any part of the above mentioned and described premises from by or under us, hereby relinquishing all claim in by or to the above mentioned and described premises. And in confirmation of what is above written we hereunto set our hands and seals the day and date first above written. Signed Sealed & delivered in Presents of Denis Taylor, Joshua Leonard Jr. L.S. Eunice Leonard L.S. Cayuga County On the 27th day of October, 1823, personally came before me Elizabeth Baird to me known who after being duly sworn did declare that she is acquainted with Joshua Leonard and Eunice his wife and know them to be the persons described in and who executed the within deed and on the same day appeared before me the said Joshua Leonard and Eunice his wife, and the said Joshua Leonard acknowledged the due execution thereof. And the said Eunice Leonard his wife on a private examination by me separate and apart from her said husband acknowledged the due execution thereof without any fear, threats, or compulsion from her said husband. Let the same be recorded. Peleg Gallup, one of the Judges of the Cayuga Com. Pleas. I have been unable to find any further information about Joshua Leonard, Jr. If you have any information, please comment below or contact me! See Joshua's Wikitree profile here: Leonard-9499 Sources: "Cayuga, New York, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9WK-49MY-C?view=explore : Apr 4, 2026), image 214 of 594; New York. County Court (Cayuga County). Image Group Number: 007167315 "Cayuga, New York, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYC7-9QVH?view=explore : Apr 4, 2026), image 659 of 739; New York. County Court (Cayuga County). Image Group Number: 005115391

This week I've been updating some data on my Leonard family in Cortland, New York, specifically zooming in on Charles L. Leonard, the son of Charles Russell Leonard. He was living in Cortland on Hamlin Street with his family when the census was taken in 1892 and 1900. In 1905, however, when the New York State Census was taken, his wife and son, Floyd, lived alone in Cortland. I went to the census to check what Luella's marital status was in 1905, but that question was not asked on the 1905 New York State census, unfortunately. But while I sighed at the realization of facing another dead end, I noticed another name I recognized immediately on the page - Grace Brown, age 18, an Inspector at a Skirt Company. Could it be? Was this the same Grace Brown who was murdered by her boyfriend just to hide her pregnancy? Naturally, I had to find out. "New York, United States records," images, FamilySearch ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-679W-35L?view=explore : Apr 17, 2026), image 37 of 694; New York. Secretary of State. Image Group Number: 004296294 I went searching to find out if Grace had a sister named Ada Hawley and lived at 13 Fifth Ave, in the neighborhood behind the Cortland hospital, just down the street from the Leonard home on Hamlin Street, shown here: Re-creation of Grace Brown at her sister's home on Fifth Ave in Cortland circa 1905 I'd imagine the Leonards who lived on Hamlin Street must have seen her, or could have possibly known her or her sister. To me that's what's fun about researching family history - finding connections to major events and people of the past. With a little research, I found that Grace Brown was born on March 20, 1886. She grew up in the village of South Otselic, Chenango County, New York, the middle child of a successful dairy farmer. As the story goes on, it confirms this was in fact the same Grace Brown: "In 1904, at the age of 18, Brown moved to nearby Cortland to live with her married sister Ada, and to work at the new Gillette Skirt Factory." (Wikipedia) Chester Gillette, the nephew of the factory owner, had a less stable childhood. Longing for a better life, he moved to Cortland in 1905 to work at his uncle's skirt factory. Like Grace, he too was counted on the 1905 New York State Census. He was 22-year old "day laborer" lodging in the home of John & Catherine Lonergau at 21 East Main Street, about three-quarters of a mile from where Grace was living, at her sister's home. The census date was June 1, 1905: Not an actual photo Chester and Grace began a romantic relationship soon after his arrival, and in Spring 1906, Brown became pregnant. She returned to her parents' home in South Otselic, concealing the secret from her family, while pressuring Chester to marry her - and rightfully so. It would be the only way to restore her respectability and social standing and "make an honest woman of her" as the old saying goes, at a time when "shotgun weddings" were held to cover up and correct these types of situation - and she might have had a shotgun wedding if she had told her father what was going on, but instead, Chester came up with a plan and she went with it. He apparently promised marriage but some say he promised to take her to a maternity home where she could live until the child was born. Either way, he agreed to take her away to the Adirondacks, so they traveled together by train to Big Moose Lake, which lies on the border of Herkimer and Hamilton counties. In the hotel's registry, Gillette used the pseudonym "Carl Grahm", a fact that probably helped prove his unlawful intentions and premeditation. On July 11, 1906, the couple were seen rowing out on Big Moose Lake. While they were on the lake, Chester is believed to have struck Grace over the head with either an oar or a tennis racket that had been seen strapped to his suitcase. She ultimately fell or was pushed out of the boat and drowned. Her body was found the next day and Chester was apprehended in the nearby town of Inlet, New York. The trial began in the Fall. The defense claimed that Grace had been confused and suddenly jumped out of the boat and into the water, despite being fully clothed. Not an actual photo "We talked a little more, then she got up and jumped in the water, just jumped in." (Chester Gillette) Authorities confiscated Brown's love letters from Gillette's rented room as evidence. District attorney George Ward read Grace's letters aloud to the court during the trial. In her letters, she pleaded with Chester to accept responsibility and do the right thing. In her final letter, written July 5th, she looked forward to her impending Adirondack trip with Chester. She expressed that she wished she could confess her pregnancy to her mother: "I know I shall never see any of them again. And mamma! Great heavens, how I do love mamma! I don't know what I shall do without her (...) Sometimes I think if I could tell mamma, but I can't. She has trouble enough as it is, and I couldn't break her heart like that. If I come back dead, perhaps if she does not know, she won't be angry with me." The trial lasted three weeks, and, in the end, justice was served - in a way. Gillette was found guilty of the premeditated murder of Grace. He was sentenced to death and was executed by electrocution on March 30, 1908, in Auburn Correctional Facility. The story has inspired novels including Theodore Dreiser's " An American Tragedy ", Jennifer Donnelly's " A Northern Light ", Craig Brandon's " Murder in the Adirondacks ", and Harold Thompson's " Body, Boots and Britches ". Dreiser's novel inspired two films. The first, "An American Tragedy", in 1931, and the second, "A Place in the Sun", in 1951, which portrayed the character of Grace as an opportunist who believed that marrying into Chester's family would bring her advantages. Either way, Grace's involvement with Chester Gillette didn't benefit Grace or her family in any way. May she and her unborn child rest in peace.

After 21 years of doing genealogy, today I stumbled upon the will of my 3rd great grandmother, Mary Polly Brown! It is ironic that it is in her death records that we learn the most about her life. Receipts to her creditors tell us what she was buying from the local businesses, one of which was "Hewitt Brothers", a business still standing today, shown here on Google Maps. This was a view from 2009. Much of the building, including the silos and towers, have since been removed, but this is one of the places Mary shopped regularly. Receipts show her purchasing coal and potatoes from Hewitt Bros. in 1916 and 1917. Her bills at the local general store included lists of items she purchased on a regular basis: flour, sugar, oil, coffee, lard, beans, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, butter, soup, tea, milk, margarine, pork, cod fish, rice, vinegar, canned tomatoes and crackers. On page 20, we learn interesting details about Charles and Mary's son, Charles L. Leonard. Previously, I shared some clippings about his disappearance in 1888 . He returned to his family before 1891, but from Mary's estate papers we learn that he left again afterwards. Because he was an heir named in Mary's will, attempts were made to locate him, without success. His son, Floyd, stated that the last he had heard of him, he was in Rochester and was going further west. The story sounds remarkably similar to that of Charles Russell Leonard's father, Russell Leonard, who left to buy land out west and never returned . We also learn that she paid P. M. Elliott for use of his cow pasture for 19 weeks in 1916, at a rate of $0.375 per week. Her casket and funeral cost $65. You can read through all the pages of Mary's will here and download or print it, if you'd like. Stay tuned for more! "Cayuga, New York, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9HB-LHBC?view=explore : Mar 20, 2026), image 439 of 1033; New York. County Court (Cayuga County). Image Group Number: 007345455 Click here to learn more about this branch of my family . #marypollybrown #leonard #albertjayleonard

For the early settlers of modern day Harlem, guarding the settlement wasn't easy. Indian raids were devastating and newly arriving intruders were kept at a distance. According to " New Harlem past and present ", the authorities commanded that no strangers were permitted to cross the ferry at New Harlem. This photograph of the first ferry, which was very close to Daniel Tourneur's home, was taken around 1903. My paternal grandmother, Ethel Daniels, descended from Daniel Tourneur via the Dykeman family (Dyckman). They were among the early settlers of New York City. In order to secure the settlement, the Governor, Anthony Colve, successor of Nicholls, ordered the men of New Harlem to organize a militia in 1673. The roster, containing 24 courageous and honorable men, follows: New Harlem's First Militia 8.5x11 certificate Company 1 Jan Nagel, Corporal Joost van Oblinus, Private Jean Delamater, Private Jean le Roy, Private Robert Hollis, Private Company 2 Simeon Cornier, Corporal Lubbert Gerritsen, Private Samuel Pell, Private Jacque el Roe, Private Baren Waldron, Private Samuel Demarest, Private Company 3 Jan Dyckman, Corporal Arent Harmanse Bussing, Private David Demarest Jr, Private Jan Tinker, Private Conradus Hendrickson, Private Cornelis Theunissens, Private Company 4 Adolph Meyer, Corporal Laurens Matthyssen, Private David Demarest, Private Daniel Tourneur , Private Jochem Engelbert, Private Meyndert Journeed, Private If any of these brave men was your ancestor, get your commemorative certificate today! Click here for more New York genealogy and history resources Click here to learn more about Daniel Tourneur . Click here to learn more about this branch of my family . Sources: New Harlem past and present; the story of an amazing civic wrong, now at last to be righted, by Carl H. Pierce, W.P. Toler, and H.D. Nutting, 1903. #DanielTourneur #Harlem #Dykeman #Dyckman #dutchsettlement #military #militia #minuteman #minutemen

2020 marked 400 years since the Mayflower's famous landing at Plymouth Rock. Today millions of descendants of those brave and industrious pioneers live in every part of the country and elsewhere, despite only 56 of them having descendants. Their names are immortalized in the annals of American history. ( See my Mayflower database with bios and illustrations here ). The next group to arrive, however, we don't hear much about. "The Fortune", carrying 35 new-comers to the colony, caused quite a stir when it appeared off Cape Cod unexpectedly on November 9, 1621. At the first sighting of the ship, both the colonists and the Native Americans were on high alert, suspecting the ship of being a threat as it sat off shore for over a week, reluctant to proceed. The colonists readied the cannons while the ship's passengers contemplated returning to England. They finally proceeded to Plymouth Bay in late November and the colonists were relieved to see it was an English ship. Surely they hoped the ship carried at least some provisions to supplement their dangerously low storehouses as another brutal winter approached, but instead they received 35 passengers, nearly all male, with very little provisions or supplies. The new-comers were equally disappointed that the colony consisted of just seven houses and four common (public) buildings. Perhaps they expected the Pilgrim's would have made more progress in their first year, obviously unaware of the many challenges they faced. The colony's eleven structures would have to be shared by 82 people until new homes could be built. There were now more mouths to feed and not enough food to go around, which caused everyone concern, but there were now more strong, healthy workmen to help build the colony, and that they did. Most of the Fortune's passengers were young men recruited by Thomas Weston and the London Merchant Adventurers. Following is a list of known passengers aboard The Fortune: John Adams William & Elizabeth Bassett William Beale Jonathan Brewster Clement Briggs Edward Bompasse John Cannon William Conner Robert Cushman Thomas Cushman Stephen Deane Phillipe de la Noye Thomas Flavel & son Mr. Ford Mrs. Martha Ford John Ford Robert Hicks William Hilton Benedict Morgan Thomas Morton Augustine Nicolas William Palmer William Pitt Thomas Prence Moses Simonson Hugh Stacie James Steward William Tench John Winslow William Wright Click here for a timeline and summary of colonial immigration . Click here to learn more about the Mayflower voyage & passengers and Plymouth Colony . Click here for thousands of free genealogy resources . Click here to subscribe for updates! It's free ! #genealogy #immigration #america #colonial #colonists #plymouth #plymouthcolony #fortune

In the past, I've researched and shared passenger lists of those who came to the Plymouth Bay Colony on The Mayflower in 1620, The Fortune in 1621, and The Anne & Little James in 1623, but there were several other English and Dutch settlements in America prior to the Pilgrims' arrival. The first attempt at establishing a permanent English settlement in North America was led by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1585. Called the Roanoke Colony , on Roanoke Island, a part of what is now North Carolina, the entire community mysteriously vanished by 1590. Another unsuccessful attempt was made by the Plymouth Company in 1607, at what is now Maine, called the Popham Colony. The settlers who didn’t die abandoned the settlement within 14 months. Meanwhile, the proprietors of the London Company set out to establish a colony at Jamestown, in what is now Virginia, in 1606. Three ships - The Susan Constant, Discovery, and Godspeed, carrying about 600 people, took a four month voyage to the place they called Cape Henry, arriving on April 26, 1607. They arrived in the middle of a severe drought and too late in the season to plant crops. They lacked fresh water suitable for drinking and the land was swampy and infested with mosquitoes. Making matters worse, many of the men were gentlemen, unaccustomed to the hard physical labor necessary to build a colony. For these reasons, about two-thirds of the settlers died within the first two years from starvation, disease and warfare with nearby native tribes. There were only about 200 people left in the colony in 1608 when Capt. Christopher Newport brought the First and Second Supply missions with supplies and more settlers, including German and Polish craftsmen. The following year, in June of 1609, the Third Supply launched from Plymouth, England, destined for Jamestown. The 300-ton Sea Venture was the flagship of a seven-ship fleet towing two additional pinnaces and carrying 500 to 600 people and supplies. The passenger list is shown below. On July 24, 1609, the fleet ran into a strong storm, possibly a hurricane, and Sea Venture was separated from the fleet. The storm ravaged the ship for three days and caused severe leaking inside the ship. After a week of struggling to stay afloat, they finally spotted land, and aimed for the marshy shores of Bermuda, which was uninhabited at the time. Approximately 150 people were stranded there for the next 9 months. The Sea Venture was featured on Bermuda Stamps in the early 1900s. You can find these collectible stamps on Amazon or Ebay. Excerpt from "Stamps and Ships", by James Watson, 1959 ( Link ): While stranded in Bermuda, they utilized salvaged parts from the Sea Venture , along with local timber and natural resources to construct two boats, the Patience and Deliverance , to proceed with their voyage to Virginia. Many of the people preferred to stay at Bermuda, after hearing of the hardships at Jamestown, but they were forced to continue there anyway. (Source: Kelly, Joseph (2019). "How the Survivor of a 1609 Shipwreck Brought Democracy to America: Stephen Hopkins, Colonist at Both Jamestown and Plymouth, Proposed a Government Based on Consent of the Governed"). Three men are known to have stayed on the island but 137 passengers and crew set sail for Virginia on May 10, 1610, arriving at the Jamestown settlement on the 23rd, a journey of 13 days. It is said that upon arrival they found only 60 people survived, and they all boarded the ships to return to England, defeated. On their way back down the James River, however, they met with Baron De La Warre (Lord Delaware), who was arriving with another fleet, food, supplies, and a doctor. He was able to convince the settlers to stay at Jamestown. They weren't out of the woods yet, though. It is said that 80% of the settlers at Jamestown died in the Sickness of 1610. Jamestown served as the colonial capital from 1616 until 1699, when Williamsburg (2.5 miles from Jamestown) was made the capital. Did you have an ancestor who came to America on the Sea Venture? Feel free to share in the comments below! Also, you can find a commemorative copy of the Sea Venture Passenger List on Etsy or Amazon . ( Print the downloadable copy yourself today on Etsy ). Use it to reflect on their journey and share their epic story! Known Passengers of the Sea Venture: Christopher Newport Sir George Somers Henry Ravens Robert Frobisher Rev Richard Bucke Robert Walsingham Henry Bagwell Nicholas Bennit William Brian Jeffrey Briars Christopher Carter Edward Chard Joseph Chard Baby Bermuda Eason Edward Eason Mistress Eason Sir Thomas Gates Thomas Godby George Grave William Hitchman Stephen Hopkins Mistress Horton Elizabeth Joons Samuel Jordan Silvester Jourdain Richard Knowles Miss Langley Richard Lewis John Lytefoote William Martin Henry Paine Francis Pearepoint Elizabeth Persons William Pierce Thomas Powell John Proctor Humfrey Reede Robert Rich Bermuda Rolfe John Rolfe Mistress Rolfe Edward Samuel Samuel Sharpe Mr Henry Shelly Matthew Somers  William Strachney James Swift John Want Edward Waters Robert Waters Thomas Whittingham Sir George Yeardley Namantack Machumps & Others See also: " The Great Migration - Colonial America " Wikipedia: Sea Venture Wikipedia: Jamestown, Virginia

Of the original arrivals in the Plymouth Bay Colony, we know the Mayflower passengers made the first settlement in 1620, followed by The Fortune in 1621. Next to arrive were the Anne and the Little James in 1623. The two ships departed England and traveled together, but the Little James was slightly delayed after going off course. The Anne arrived on July 10th and Little James arrived on August 5th, three weeks later. The ships didn't have their own passenger lists, but Governor Bradford's writings and other records provide us with the following names of passengers known to be on either one of the ships: Commemorative Anne & James passenger list Anthony Annable Jane (Momford) Annable Edward Bangs John Bangs Jonathan Bangs Mrs. Lydia (Hix) Bangs Robert Bartlett Mary Becket Fear Brewster Patience Brewster Mrs. Mary (Oldham) Bridges William Bridges* Edward Burcher* Thomas Clark Christopher Conant Mrs. Hester Cook Anthony Dix John Faunce Mrs. Flavel Edmond Flood Mrs. Bridget Fuller Godbert Godbertson Sarah (Allerton) Vincent-Priest Godbertson Alice (Collard) Hatherley Timothy Hatherley William Heard Mary Hilton Mrs. Hilton William Hilton John Hix (presumed) Mrs. Margaret Hix Sarah Hix (presumed) Edward Holman John Jenney* Sarah (Carey) Jenney* Manasseh Kempton Robert Long Experience Mitchell Thomas Morton Jr George Morton* Juliana (Carpenter) Morton* Mrs. Ellen Newton John Oldham Lucretia Oldham Mrs. Oldham Mrs. Frances Palmer Christian Penn Joshua Pratt Mary Priest Sarah Priest James Rand Robert Ratcliffe Nicholas Snow Constant Southworth Mrs. Alice (Carpenter) Southworth Thomas Southworth Francis Sprague Barbara Thomas Tilden Stephen Tracy Tryphosa (Lee) Tracy Mrs. Joyce Wallen Ralph Wallen Abigail Warren Anne Warren Elizabeth Warren Mary Warren Mrs. Elizabeth Warren Sarah Warren Get an 8x10 copy of this passenger list on Amazon . Note: I found an interesting book called Christopher Jarrett of New Plymouth, published January 1, 1957, by Winona Strachan. The main character of the story is Christopher Jarrett, who arrived in Plymouth three years after the Mayflower. Could he have been on the Anne or the Little James? See my previous blog for details . Watch the illustrated story on YouTube! See also The Mayflower Passenger List and The Fortune Passenger List . Click here for my Mayflower database complete with illustrations . Click here for more Mayflower genealogy resources . Click here for thousands of other free genealogy resources .

Try Family Portrait Maker Job Shirley (1750-1842) was a soldier of the American Revolution, enlisting three times according to his pension records. An 1853 pension claim on the next page further states he was a private in the Company of Captain James Perry of the regt. Commanded by Col. Sargent for 9 months 25 days. Other officers he served under were General Putnam, Col. Wilber, Capt. Shaw, and General Sullivan. He entered the service of the United States in May 1775 at Wrentham, Bristol County, Massachusetts, where he then resided, there he enlisted in Capt. James Perry’s Company of militia in Col. Seargent's Regiment for eight months, immediately marched to Cambridge near Boston, the army being then commanded by Gen. Putnam, was there when Gen. Washington arrived and took the command. In May 1776 he enlisted for three months in Capt. Deans Company of Militia in Col. Wilber’s Regiment, immediately marched to Rhode Island. In 1778, he volunteered for six weeks service under Capt. Shaw’s Company in General Sullivan’s army. He was at the Battle in the Island, assisted in building a fort called Butts Hill, and in one instance contributed to hire a man for his Class and paid him $300 dollars, that he was for a long time a Minute man and was always prepared to go and was frequently called out on short tours. Following are all the pension records I found pertaining to Job Shirley. (These images may take a moment to load. If they aren't loaded withing 20 seconds, refresh the page. Use the arrows to see the next document): Partial transcript: State of New York, Cayuga County, On the 18th day of August 1832 personally appeared before me Gersham Morse, a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in the for said county, Job Shirley, of Sempronius, County and State aforesaid, aged seventy-four years last October who after being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States in May 1775 at Wrentham, Bristol County, Massachusetts, where he then resided. That he enlisted in Capt. James Perry's Company of Militia in Col. Seargent's Regiments for eight months immediately marched to Cambridge near Boston, the army being then commanded by Gen. Putnam, was there when Gen. Washington arrived and took command, that he remained in and about Cambridge until his term expired when he was discharged and went home. That in May 1776 he enlisted for three months in Capt. Dean's Company of Militia in Col. Wilbur's Regiment, immediately marched to Rhode Island, was first stationed at Tiverton, from there marched to Howland's Ferry, thence to Providence, thence to North Kingston, then to Greenwich where our time expired and we returned home. That in the year 1778 as nearly as he can recollect he volunteered, was out six weeks under Capt. Shaw's Company, in Gen. Sullivan's army, was at Battle in the Island, assisted in building a fort called Butts Hill and remained there until the army retreated when he was discharged and sent home, that he in one instance contributed to hire a man for his class and paid his proportion of three hundred dollars for the purpose, that he was for a long time considered a Minute Man and was always prepared to go and was frequently called out on short tours but cannot now state the particulars of those services, that he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of agency of any state - that he has no documentary evidence and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service. Signed, Job Shirley. Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Judge of Cayuga Common Pleas aforesaid Job Shirley the applicant aforesaid, who being duly sworne deposeth and saith these by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively to the best of his recollections and belief he served one year and three months and for such services I claim a pension. Subscribed and sworn this 28th December 1832 before me, Gersham Morse, Judge of Court of Common Pleas. X Job Shirley State of New York, Cayuga County, Job Shirley of Sempronius, County and State aforesaid being duly sworn doth on his oath depose and say, that he is an applicant for a pension under the Act of Congress of Jule 7th, 1832 - That he made his declaration to obtain said pension on or about the 18th of August last passed in which said declaration after he had stated his services in the Revolutionary Army as fully and as positively as his memory would permit us to "period, term, and greade" he thinks he added something like the following, "That he was always considered as a minute man and was always proposed to go and was frequently called out in short tours but cannot from loss of memory state the particulars of those services". That in the month of December thereafter he received other instructions and regulations from the War Department permitting applicants for pensions in cases of loss of memory they cannot state precisely how long his service, to make an affidavit mandatory of his declaration, and state how long he did actually service. That in pursuance and in compliance of said regulations he made his affidavit in or about the 28th December past in which he supposed he embraced some more time then he set forth in his declaration by "period, term, and grades" as he disapproved that is was the intention and object of the Department to allow the applicant for service which they could not from loss of memory state all the particulars as to time which appears upon the face of his papers" and hopes it will be satisfactory to the department, that had no intention to defraud the government as he thinks will appear from an examination of the duty of the declaration and affidavit. The he asks for a pension for too much time set forth in his declaration as the department may under the circumstances of the case think him fairly and equitably entitled to. Sworn and subscribed this 26th June 1833 before me, Gersham Morse, a Judge of Court of Common Pleas. X Job Shirley Click here to learn more about Job Shirley . Click here to learn more about this branch of my family . Click here to find free military records . #harvey #shirley #americanrevolution #veteran #military #jobshirley