52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES, NO. 48: Sabra TOWERS, 1805-1869, New York

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is to write a weekly blog based on Themes; I often don't use the themes, but I'm working my way through my original immigrants to North America, plus other interesting-to-me ancestors.  They're all valuable... because they have contributed to my being here! This week, the challenge is Thankful, and I'm thankful for them all.  I have chosen to write about another woman ancestor about whom I know extremely little:  my 3rd great-grandmother, Sabra TOWERS.

I researched female names, and learned that Sabra may be a nickname for Sabrina... or, not.  But it gives me another name to put on the list when I'm going through databases, books, and other records.

Here's the current bits and bobs I've found out about Sabra:

Sabra was born 22 Aug 1805 in Schaghticoke, Rensselaer, New York, as stated in the Oakwood Cemetery burial register book in Syracuse, Onondaga, New York.  Her father is known only as "S. Towers" as written in the same burial register book, The Towers family likely moved to the region which may have included one or more of the towns of  Baldwinsville, Manlius, Van Buren, and Syracuse, somewhere before 1824.  The distance is about 150 miles due west.

Around 1824, she married Jacob ORMSBEE, likely in either Pompey or Baldwinsville, Onondaga, NY. I have no document as yet about this marriage; note that her husband was born in Pompey.   Jacob and Sabra had the following five children:

1. Lucius Jared, b. 31 Aug 1825, Manlius NY, d. 29 Jul 1911; m. 13 May 1847 in Jordan NY to Caroline C. Coombs; 3 children
2. Harriet "Hattie" Philena, [ancestor], b. 28 May 1827 Manlius NY, d. 20 Aug 1929, Englewood, Bergen, NJ; m. 26 Sep 1850 in Syracuse NY to Charles Giles GRAVES; 3 daughters (middle one is direct ancestor).
3. Anna Caroline, b. July 1829, Baldwinsville NY, d. 4 May 1910 Elbridge NY; m. abt 1850 to John Leary, no children.
4. Sabra J,, b. 28 Feb 1831, Van Buren NY, d. 30 Jul 1842 Baldwinsville NY; grave removed to Syracuse 23 Oct 1869 and buried in family plot.
5. Mary J., b. 14 Jun 1832, Van Buren NY, d. 9 Jul 1836 Baldwinsville NY; grave removed to Syracuse with sister's, 23 Oct 1869 and buried in family plot.

I have not as yet found any censuses with S. Tower(s)  in the region around Baldwinsville or Manlius in Onondaga county.  However there is a Luke Towers listed in Schatighticoke tax rolls from 1799-1803... Is it possible an L was read as an S, on Sabra's death registration?  I have copied some records and will try to follow any of the Towers individuals I've found in the early 1800s - Luke, Reuben, and a woman, Jemimah who shows up only once, on the 1801 Tax Assessment roll for Schaghticoke. Crumbs of clues to follow.  And of course, they may not be related at all! 

Aged 63 years, Sabra died of "Jaundice" on 13 Aug 1869, and was buried two days later in the Oakwood Cemetery, in the ORMSBEE/GRAVES family plot, in Syracuse, New York.  

The very helpful FindAGrave volunteers there are transcribing data from the burial register books and adding them to the appropriate grave memorials, over time, (there are over 58,000 burials!). Thank you Tom and your friend(s) for all your help! 

If you know anything more about Sabra (TOWERS) Ormsbee, I would be so pleased for more details. Contact me at my address at the bottom of the page, or in the Comments section.

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