Tuesday, March 3, 2015

52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES. No. 9, CLOSE TO HOME: The HEALY Sisters

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog, but based on Themes. Last week, it was GOOD DEEDS, which I found a challenge.  This week, the theme is Close to Home.  

The HEALY sisters who married two brothers... not an unusual pairing. I have several similar family pairings.  And they make sense, don't they?  Your families go to the same church, your families live nearby, help each other out, go to school together... There are so many reasons why it is logical to marry into the same families. Here are two sisters who married into my ex-husband's Rice family line.

Originally from Vermont, Calvin HEALY (1801-1881) and Mary OLIN (1809-1872) had 7 known children born in White County, Illinois.   Their near neighbours in the area of Indian Creek, were the RICE family, originally from Vermont and Kentucky states: Abel RICE (1792-1846) and Lydia GHOLSON (1792-1850).  

The RICE family had 11 children, 5 of them boys: Tolliver G. b. 1816, Eliza R. b. 1818, Hulda b. 1819, Martha b. 1820, Sarah M. b. 1821, Allan M. b. 1824, William Emerson b. 1826, Henry C. b 1827, Elizabeth I. b. 1829, Mary Ann b. 1830, Joel b. 1832.  

The HEALY family had 7 children, 3 of them girls: Arletta M. b. 1830, Charlotte L. b. 1835, George Calvin b. 1837, James H. b. 1840, Jerusha Ann b. 1844, Joseph M b. 1847, and Henry Gilbert b. 1849.  

As you can see, the children's ages overlapped.  I can imagine the younger Rice girls Elizabeth & Mary Ann visiting with the Healy girls nearby, maybe after school, and after chores.  Henry and Joel Rice likely hung out with George & James Rice. Picnics together.  Farming chores. Church socials. Their fathers probably did road work together when needed, talking together about their children, the future, standing around together after church. The girls put together their hope chest or dowry chest - a trunk of linens, embroidery and quilts, needed for when they got married. Sitting together in the winter, sewing, planning, dreaming.

Arletta M., the eldest HEALY, married Henry C. Rice on 30 Jan 1850, and had 4 children, 1 boy and 3 girls: Ezra Joel, Ophelia, Marion Janette, and Rutha Roseanna.  

Several years later, the 2nd Healy child, Charlotte L. married the youngest Rice boy, Joel RICE, on 19 Aug 1854.  They had 5 children:  Henry Luther (direct ancestor), Caroline O., Sarah A., Charles, and Mary N.  

Their eldest child, our direct ancestor, Henry Luther RICE, continued to live in Illinois, marrying two wives, with 11 children born.  Eventually he moved to California with his 2nd wife and all the children, where he died in 1934, in Redlands.

If you have any information about the Healy or Rice family, I am happy to hear from you, via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below.

NOTE: My Blogger account is acting up and not allowing me to reply to comments just now. Assume that I am absolutely thrilled you took the time to come by, read the notes, and comment. You make my day!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm, my last attempt at a comment, which seemed to be being 'published', didn't appear after all, so here's another try...

I'm impressed with all the family archeology you've done, Celia, and with the way you present it. You really make your imagined scenes of their lives
come alive. Nicely done! - Carol dlH

Unknown said...

always love reading these.... particularly when it's so easy to see where the tree comes to us! Thanks honey!

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog!! When I can I will read more. According to my family Healy records, there were 13 children born to Calvin and Mary Healy. My great grandfather was James Harvey Healy born Aug 15 1840 in Hamilton County Ill. I'm hoping its the same guy since I made a comment. IF not please forgive the comment.

Welcome!

Family, friends, and others - I hope you enjoy these pages about our ancestors and their lives. Genealogy has become somewhat of an obsession, more than a hobby, and definitely a wonderful mystery to dig into and discover. Enjoy my writing, and contact me at celia.winky at gmail dot com if you have anything to add to the stories. ... Celia Lewis