Using City Directories to find William Rowan

I have very little information about my paternal 3x great-grandfather William Rowan.  I haven’t really known where or when he was born or died.  I know he and his wife Ann Meenan had a son John William Rowan (my 2x great grandfather) in 1846 in Troy ?  (according to John’s marriage license). 
 

I have found the following;  (you can click on image to enlarge)

                              1848 Doggett’s NYC Directory page 352                                 1849-50 Doggett’s NYC Directory page 364

            Rowan Wm. harnessmkr, 268 Av, 6, h. W. 24thn. Av. 6              Rowan Wm. C. harnessmkr, 268 Av. 6, h. 62 W. 24th     
   
Then I was able to find :
                                     1850 US Federal Census Mortality Schedule                                                              1869 NYC Directory

line 12- William Rowan male, age 35, Married, Estimated birth year-1815,                          Rowan, Ann, wid William L. h 287 Tenth av.
birthplace-Ireland, occupation-laborer, cause of death-dysentery,
death date Aug 1949, cause of death-dysentery for 7 days
line 13- William Rowan  male, age-1/12, birth year-1849, birthplace-NY,
death date-Aug 1849, cause of death-poisoned?(hard to read), 1 day

Well, have I found the right William Rowan?  I’m not sure. 

• I have no official middle name for William and there are several on the Directories.  At some point I thought it was Henry but on son John’s marriage certificate it just lists his father as William Rowan.  There is a Wm C. on the second of the Directory and in the last directory is says Ann is the widow of William L.  Hmmmm……  I wonder who gave the information for the Directory?
• If I found the right William Rowan then I now know that he was a harness maker and where he lived in New York City.
• I know that when John got married on 1 Aug 1869 (to Sarah Hughes) his address was listed as 239 10th Avenue which is close to his mother’s address listed above in the City Directory-287 Tenth Av.
• My great-great-grandfather John was reportedly born in 1846.  It would make sense that another baby would have been born to William and Ann in 1849.  How sad to know the baby died in August when William also died.  How would the baby have been poisoned if he was only a month old?  An accident?

Still so many questions to find answers to.
I would appreciate any additional information or corrections you may have.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby

Tombstone Tuesday–James Jacob Warner

I have no photos of my paternal 4x great-grandfather James Jacob Warner (1762-1803).  In the 1980s, long before Billion Graves or Find a Grave, I thought to take pictures of many ancestor’s tombstones.  I guess I thought since I couldn’t have a picture of the person then this would be something that belonged to that ancestor and was a piece of time and information that I could have.

 

James lived in Baiting Hollow, Suffolk County, NY.  He is buried in the Congregational Church Cemetery also in Baiting Hollow.

 

The transcription of the stone is:

Sacred

to the Memory

of

James Warner

who died Sept. 30th

1803, in the 42d year

of his age.

“The hour concealed and so

remote the fear

Death still draws nearer

never seeming near.”

 

I have always wondered about the quote on his tombstone.  I know that in the early 1800s tombstones generally just contained general information and to add quotes, etc. was rare.  James was reported by family lore to have been ‘a college bred man and taught school’.  To date I have not been able to verify his attendance at any college of his time or any record of his teaching school in the area.  It has been speculated within the family that perhaps James had a thirst for knowledge and educated himself by reading a lot.  (Definitely a family trait). 

 

I have searched several times over the years to find out where the quote came from or what larger poem it may be part of.  Yesterday I finally found out it is part of An Essay on Man, Epistle III written by Alexander Pope (an 18th century English poet) and published in 1732. 

 

Now I wonder ….why this quote?  Was this An Essay on Man something James had read?  Why did he die so young?  Can I find a record of his death?

More information can be found on James by clicking the link for the blog post Amanuensis Monday-James Jacob Warner.

 

I walked through this cemetery when I was back East in December and was unable to find this tombstone.  Many of the tombstones are so old and worn out they are hard to read.  Several others have fallen over.

 

Lesson: When you find an ancestor’s tombstone be sure to take a picture and to write down what is on the tombstone!  Remember- tombstones don’t last forever.
 

I would appreciate any additional information or corrections you may have.
Enjoy the journey,

Debby

 

Amanuensis Monday-James Jacob Warner

I decided to take a look at the the Will I have for my 4 times paternal great-grandfather James Jacob Warner.

(Click on any image to enlarge)

What I know about my 4x great-grandfather:

• James was born 26 April 1762 in Jamesport, Suffolk County, NY. 
• From the book A History of Mattituck, Long Island, N.Y.  (page 274) I know that James, son of Daniel and Hannah Petty Warner, was baptized on 12 January 1769.
• James married Glorianna/Anna Edwards in 1783.
• They had 5 children-Daniel (my 3x great-grandfather), James, Hannah, Sarah and Elisabeth.
• James moved from Jamesport to Baiting Hollow, NY (a distance of about 10 miles) around 1780. 
• James died 30 September 1803 at the age of 41 in Baiting Hollow, N. Y. and is buried there in the Baiting Hollow Cemetery.

When I started to transcribe James’ will from 1801 I realized that there were several terms used in the will that I needed to understand the meaning of in order to fully understand his will.  I took the liberty of writing the definitions within the parenthesis to facilitate the reading of the will.

I noted several things as I read James’ will:

• He left his property and goods equally to his sons Daniel and James.
• He left each of his daughters a good amount of money and left them each the same amount of money.   $250.00 in 1801 would be valued at about $4,810.00 today.
• His wife was listed as an Executrix but was left nothing in his will.
• His eldest son was listed as one Executor and I’m guessing since he was only 17 James also listed his brother Daniel as an Executor also.

I wonder how much James’ estate was actually worth in 1803 when he died?
For 5 generations, about 130+ years my ancestors lived in Baiting Hollow, NY and I grew up only about 6 miles away.

I would appreciate any additional information or corrections you may have.

Enjoy the journey,
Debby

Birth 1897 Style

My great-grandmother, Carrie Terry Warner, wrote letters over the course of 30 years mainly to her sister Ella Terry Billard.  (See Carrie’s Letters and blog posts for other excerpts).  This letter from 1897 details the birth of her 4th child…yet another boy.  I can feel the disappointment. 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             B. H. (Baiting Hollow)                                                                                                                                                                     May 7, ‘97

Dear Sister,           
          It is over at last, all in good shape, except that the two teams are completed. Another boy (Hollis Victor Warner) but a black one (black hair) from all appearance. Just the least encouraging to have a little change. I sent John after the nurse who was about half a mile north of R. H. (Riverhead) village before I had a single pain, but the baby got here before he got back. The quickest and easiest time I ever had. Came within a few minutes of being all alone. Alice and Ella came just in time. Am feeling very well yet though tis only about an hour and a half ago. I was going to write to mama but Terry is very anxious to tell Wesley first and I am sorter tired so will wait. If you have a chance let mama know. Terry can not write this morning because he must go to school.          

          Write to me if possible to cheer the monotony of getting up. Terry is going.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Hastily,
           Carrie    

John is Carrie’s husband.  Alice, I believe, is John’s brother Gene’s wife (Alice Hammond Warner) and Ella, I believe, is John’s brother Charles’ wife (Ella Etta Terry Warner).  Thank goodness family lived close by and here she is writing only an hour and a half after the birth of her child!  Terry is Carrie and John’s oldest son who was 9 year’s old at the time.  Wesley is Carrie and John’s 2nd son who was 7 years old and must have been staying with Carrie’s parents in Peconic, NY at the time. 

I am very fortunate to have these letters. They provide such an amazing glimpse into everyday life from 1880-1910 in rural America. 

If you have any additions or stories to share I would appreciate hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,
Debby

Trusting information in Obituaries

This week I was very fortunate to connect with a new highly probable cousin on my paternal great-grandmother’s Terry side.  As always, it’s so exciting to find someone you are probably related to who also enjoys talking about our ancestors and piecing together the information we may both have separately in order to learn more about our ancestors.  This sparked me on to look at my paternal great-great grandfather Gilbert Terry of Peconic and Orient, New York.
I started by looking at what I already knew at this point about Gilbert:

• Gilbert was born to Walter Franklin Terry and Elizabeth Ann Tooker Terry on 25 June 1833 in Patchogue, Suffolk County, NY.  Gilbert was the 3rd of 10 children; Walter Franklin, Albert Bunce, Gilbert T., Edward Henry, Elizabeth Frances, Ira Brewster, Emily A., Josephine Virginia, Amelia and Charles.
• Gilbert married Almeda Vincent Robinson on 21 October 1857.
• Gilbert and Almeda had 5 children; Carrie Eliza (my great-grandmother), Ella Frances, Forrest, Millard E. and an unnamed infant daughter.
• I know that Gilbert ran the Mill in Peconic for many years.  (More information about this in a future blog.)
• Gilbert died on 27 April 1907 in Orient, Suffolk County, NY. and is buried beside his wife Almeda, infant daughter, sons Forrest and Millard at The New Bethany Cemetery in Mattituck, Suffolk County, NY.

 

 

 

Interesting that some information on his death certificate is incorrect.  I thought the primary cause of death was interesting.  I would have expected the primary and secondary to be the other way around.  Gilbert was actually 73 since he died about 2 months before his 74th birthday.  I also laughed at his occupation being listed as a ‘Farmer’ knowing that he had run the Peconic Mill for about 34 years.

 

Then I decided to look at an Obituary that I had and realized I actually had 3.  As I reviewed the information in each I realized that there was a variety of information and that some of the information wasn’t as accurate as I thought it would be.  Since these weren’t my first pieces of information I was surprised to see the discrepancies. 

 

Obituary 1-I believe this is from the newspaper The Long Island Traveler

“Gilbert Terry, a well known and highly esteemed citizen of Orient, died suddenly last Saturday afternoon of heart disease,  He was 78 years old.  Mr. Terry was well know in Peconic and Mattituck, where he formerly resided.  He leaves a widow and one son Forrest Terry, as well as two brothers and three sisters.  A short funeral service was conducted Tuesday at his late home; then the remains were taken to Mattituck, where services were conducted in the M. E. Church.”

 

Obituary 2-From The County Review dated 3 May 1907 page 4

“Orient

Gilbert Terry, a well-known resident of this place, died suddenly last Saturday afternoon of hear disease.  Mr. Terry was well known in Mattituck and Peconic, where he formerly lived.  He was 73 years of age.  The internment was at Mattituck on Monday afternoon.”

 

same issue page 5

“DIED

Orient, April 27-Gilbert Terry, aged 73 years.  Internment at Mattituck.”

 

Obituary 3- From the newspaper The Riverhead News dated May 4, 1907

“Baiting Hollow

Mrs. John B. Warner received word on Saturday, April 27, of the sudden death of her father, Gilbert Terry, of Orient, on that date.  Mr. Terry had been writing his daughter only a few days before his death, and was then in his usual good health.”

 

I thought it interesting in Obituary 1 that Gilbert is listed as only having 1 son and no daughters.  At the time of his death his 2 daughters, Carrie Terry Warner and Ella Terry Billard, were still living but not mentioned.  If I hadn’t known and was looking for information I would have been mislead.  Gilbert actually had 5 brothers and 4 sisters.  Perhaps the obituary is only referring to the ones still living?  I don’t have all the death dates for his siblings so I will need to follow-up on that one.

 

I wish I had that last letter she received from her father.  In some of her letters to her sister (see blog posts labeled Carrie’s letters to read more about the letters she wrote to her family) it seems that her father may have been a little disappointed in her for not visiting more often.

 

Lessons learned-Be careful!! Don’t believe everything you read and remember that an obituary may be able to give you some leads but it may also omit some valuable information as well.

 

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.

 

Enjoy the journey,

Debby

Thanks, Fred for taking time to talk about our Terry Family and possible connections.  I look forward to continuing our discussions and work!

 

Civil War-Certificate of Disability for Discharge

So far, I know of 2 of my ancestors that served in the Civil War.  Knowing basically only their birth and death dates I am constantly trying to fill in more about their lives.  I recently sent for military records and this is what I found out about my maternal great-great grandfather Joseph Cornell of Alpine, New York.

 

This was one of several documents I received and here is what I was able to find out just from this document:

1.  My great-great Grandfather Joseph Cornell was a Private in the Union Army.

2.  Joseph was part of Company B of the 141st New York Regiment Volunteers.

3.  Joseph enlisted on the 22nd of August 1862 to serve for 3 years. 

4.  Joseph was born in Clinton, NY. (Interesting…my info says he was born across the state line in Clinton, Bradford County, PA)

5.  At the date of discharge Joseph was 26 years old, 5 feet 9 1/2 inches tall, with a dark completion, dark hair and dark eyes.

6.  When Joseph enlisted he was a ‘Sawyer’. (I did some research and found out that a ‘Sawyer’ generally ran the saw in a Mill and determined how to get the most wood/types of cut out of the log.)

7.  Joseph was discharged from the Army due to long standing chronic nephritis, contracted by injury and exposure while in the Service.  His degree of disability was 2/3rd.  He was Not Fit for Invalid Corps. 

These are the Battles of the 141st Regiment that Joseph probably took part in during his enlistment.

 

8.  Joseph was discharged on 2 January 1864 at the Convalescent Camp in Virginia. (When I did some research I found out that Camp Convalescent was near Alexandria, VA,  and was set up to house men not well enough to rejoin their regiments but not ill or wounded enough to take up a hospital bed.

(photo compliments of the Library of Congress)

 

9.  Joseph planned on returning to Trumbull’s Corner in Tompkins County, New York after discharge.

When I first looked at this document I really didn’t see the valuable information I had until I broke it down and made a list of what I saw within the document.  I also found great additional info on the internet about the Convalescent Camp and the 141st Regiment of NY that made this info even more interesting.  Now I wish I had a picture of Joseph in his uniform….

I would appreciate hearing any additional stories or information you might have to share.

Enjoy the journey,
Debby

The Advantages of Public On-Line Family Trees-Carrie’s Letters

Several times now I have searched public on-line trees to look for answers and/or suggestions when I have hit a brick wall.  I am always happy to find a tree that has that one little extra bit of info that I didn’t have that can help me solve a new dilemma or just find new cousins. 

Several years ago when I was researching people mentioned by my great-grandmother, Carrie Terry Warner, in her letters (see Carrie’s Letters-Snow Days, Carrie’s Letters-Bringing Ancestral Letters to Life) she wrote over the course of 30 years mainly to her sister Ella Terry Billard I sometimes referred to on-line trees to match up names.  My great-grandmother’s surviving brother in 1892 was Forrest E. Terry.  One of my goals was to try and find the children/grandchildren of Ella and Forrest and try to obtain pictures of them to include with the letters.  While on my search I happened to find a family tree done by Forrest’s granddaughter Theresa.  Over the last several years Theresa and I have been able to correspond and share information about our common ancestors.  It was very interesting to know that Theresa knew nothing about her grandfather having a sister named Carrie.  Forrest was about 34 years old when my great-grandmother suddenly died.  I’m not sure why but I am guessing that since Carrie’s death was considered so tragic and that my grandfather’s family lived several towns over it was a subject that just wasn’t talked about.

I have been happy to share letters about and to Forrest with Theresa.  This helps give us both a little more information about her grandfather’s early years.  This following is a letter that Carrie wrote to her brother Forrest in the Spring of 1892 when Forrest was 16 years old.  Carrie was a teacher before getting married and I can see the ‘teacher’ and caring older sister talking in this letter.  John is Carrie’s husband, Terry and Wesley are her sons.  Lucy, I believe, is hired help for Carrie in the household.

Two weeks ago I had the privilege of getting to meet Theresa and her husband Dale while on vacation in Florida to spend some time with my mother.  We had a wonderful several hours together sharing stories, lunch and pictures.  As I left Theresa said that she felt like we’d always known each other and hadn’t just met that day.  I definitely felt the same!  What a wonderful experience!! I am so glad she had a public family tree on-line for me to find. 

Now I just need to connect with Ella’s great-granddaughter.  Hopefully, one day all 3 of us can get together to honor our 3 ancestors….

I would enjoy hearing any stories or information you have to share.

Enjoy the journey,
Debby