Ruth JEROME, 1760-1824, CT USA

My 4th great-grandmother on my maternal line, Ruth JEROME, is the youngest daughter [the 11th child] of my favourite-named ancestor, Zerubbabel JEROME - and his wife Phebe COOK. Interestingly, Zerubbabel married her younger sister Sarah first. Unfortunately Sarah died in childbirth of her first child who also died, a daughter named Mary. 

I do wonder how those marriages were talked about in the family. Probably the families were close, I have found several siblings to Sarah and Phebe Cook; their father married several times, with 1-4 children from each wife. More research would be helpful in understanding the social context. Certainly the region was still opening up to settlers.

Back to Ruth JEROME: She was born 14 Jun 1760, in Harwinton, Litchfield, CT, surrounded by her many siblings. And on 8 Dec 1778 in Harwinton, CT, she married Stephen Wells GRAVES [sr], b 2 Feb 1752 in East Plymouth, Litchfield CT. Take note of that 1778 date - the "Revolutionary War" had been ongoing for 2 years by this time. Both the Jerome and Graves families, as well as some of their farming neighbours, were apparently not actively pro-revolution. Stephen had furnished a substitute soldier after first being drafted into service. But he and up to 30 of his neighbours were harassed regularly by "Patriot" vigilantes   - the Sons of Liberty - attempting to hogtie the men and force them into fighting the British. The Graves' home was particularly targeted by the Sons of Liberty as it was known to be a rendezvous for the local Loyalists. 

Interestingly, a 32 page history of the region provides anecdotes of how the neighbouring women would blow conch shells to warn the working men to high-tail it to the Tory Den [see photo] and other hiding places when the Patriots came calling on horseback to their farms. Unfortunately that small history is no longer shown on any of the Harwinton sites, nor on Internet Archive.  

I have two short articles which you can request from me - see email address at bottom of page - with this historical information.  One was from the NEHGS March 2015:  "The Connecticut Tory Den - Safe Haven for the Royalist Sympathizers."  The second source would be "The Tories of Chippeny Hill, Connecticut," by E.LeRoy Pond. In addition, there is a history of Harwinton House, compiled by Roger Plaskett, Harwinton Town Historian, 2006.  Stephen GRAVES built this house after the war, 1795. It was moved from Harwinton to New Canaan, where it still stands.

Ruth JEROME and Stephen GRAVES in lived in Harwinton CT, where their 7 children were born - note the two first little girls dying on the same day:

   1.  Nancy, b 7 Nov 1779, d. 20 Aug 1783

   2.  Ruth, b 1 Mar 1781, d. 20 Aug 1783 

   3.  Cornelius [ancestor], b 15 Feb 1783, d. 27 Sep 1828 Auburn, Cayuga,
           NY; m. Anna TREAT est. 1803 in Harwinton; 8 known children,  2 died
           young.

   4.  Major Nelson, [Major is his name], b. 29 Dec 1784, d. 4 Aug 1861 Jordan,
          Onondaga, NY; m. 3 Apr 1806 in Litchfield CT to Abigail Lankton; 10
           known children, of whom 4 died young.

   5.  Stephen Wells jr, b 5 Aug 1791, d. 3 Aug 1854 in Dover, MI; m. 15 Nov
           1811 to Rhoda Clark, in Burlington CT; 3 known children

   6.  Nancy, b. 23 Jun 1793, d. 11 Dec 1873 in Cambridge IL; m. 15 Feb 1815
           in Jordan NY to Miles Welton; 10 children, 9 of whom lived to adulthood.

   7.  Ruth, b. 20 Jul 1795, d. 15 Apr 1886 in Plymouth Hollow [Thomaston],
           Litchfield CT; m. 26 Mar 1817 to Marvin Blakeslee from Plymouth Hollow;
           no children researched as yet.

As you can see, 18 year old Ruth married, moved to Stephen's farm during the early years of the Revolutionary War, and suffered her first two children dying on the same day - likely from a contagious disease - while caring for her 3rd child, a son, who was only 6 months old. During the Revolutionary War, she and her husband were fighting off the Sons of Liberty who stole and destroyed her conch shell at gunpoint, as she was trying to keep her husband safe. She also brought food for the men hiding, leaving it a ways from the cave so as not to lead the Patriots to the loyalist men. Fascinating challenging times.

Several of her children moved away with their spouses to Michigan, Illinois, and further in New York. 

Ruth died 28 Aug 1824, in possibly Harwinton, CT, and has a tall slab gravestone next to her husband's in Terryville, Litchfield, CT.  Her gravestone is inscribed with a short sentence: "The memory of the just is blessed"  She was 64 years old, her original 5 living children were married, and with eventually over 28 grandchildren. Note Terryville is just under 8 miles from Harwinton. See FindaGrave for image of both Ruth and Stephen's gravestones. 

Stephen lived a few years past her death, and died 6 Jun 1828, in Terryville, aged 76 years. He is buried beside her, with his own tall slab gravestone as well. Terryville is a town within the town of Plymouth CT.

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If these are your ancestors, I am happy to share what little I have on these ancestors. And if there are errors, please do let me know, via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below and I will get back to you either by email or in the Comments. I appreciate the opportunity to correct any issues in these family trees.

Blogger - or my computer - is not letting me "reply" to your comments. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented! You truly make my day!! 

#52Ancestors: Hannah BROOKS, 1726-1759, Connecticut

Another in the year-long challenge, #52Ancestors by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow. I am a little behind, but every post is another post!  Here I am writing about  my 5th great-grandmother on my maternal TERWILLIGER line:  Hannah BROOKS, born in Wallingford CT

Hannah was the eldest child of Stephen BROOKS & Hannah BARNES, and was born April 5, 1726 in Wallingford, New Haven, Connecticut. Siblings were Stephen jr (1728), Jerusha (1731),  Martha (1735), Thomas (1738), Lois (1740, and Abraham (1743).  The first BROOKS immigrant seems to have been Henry BROOKS, who married in 1676 in Wallingford. Hannah would be the 4th Brooks generation in Connecticut.

Hannah's first husband was John Clark, (1727-1749), whom she married Sep 9, 1747 in Waterbury Connecticut. Their child was John Clark jr, born May 11, 1748; her husband John died Oct 1, 1749 scarcely 5 months later. 

On May 1st, 1751, Hannah married Cornelius GRAVES (1724-1812), in Waterbury. Cornelius was a farmer, owning a "considerable amount of land at New Cambridge," paying taxes 1749-1776. For information and genealogy details of the GRAVES line, The Graves Family Association online shows the first immigrant John GRAVES (abt 1605-after 1650), #166 in the numerous Graves lines listed on this site.  

Hannah and Cornelius had 4 sons:

    1.  Stephen Wells [ancestor], b. Feb 2, 1752, East Plymouth, CT, d. Jun 6, 1828 Harwinton CT; m. Dec 8 1778 in Harwinton CT to Ruth JEROME; 7 children.

   2.  Benjamin, b. Mar 12, 1754 New Hartford CT d. Nov 29 1836 Perrysville NY; m. Aug 15, 1776 in Durham CT to Eunice [Jerusha] Hale; 3 children known.

   3.  Cornelius jr, b. Mar 1756 in New Hartford CT, d. Oct 7 1781 in the Revolutionary War. 

   4.  Jacob, b. Sep 1, 1758, New Hartford CT, d. 26 Nov 1758. 

I'm uncertain why their eldest child was the only one to be given a second name, Wells. It keeps niggling at me to do more research on this issue. 

As you can see, Hannah's 4th son died Nov 26, 1758, scarcely 3 months old.  At aged 33 years, Hannah died the week before Jacob, on Nov 14, 1759, in Waterbury CT.  She is apparently buried in Green Hill Cemetery, in Bristol, Hartford, CT.

Cornelius married for a second time on Aug 13, 1761, to Phebe Prindle (1733-1821), and had one more son, also named Jacob, b. Jul 12, 1762, likely born in New Cambridge CT. 

As is sometimes the case, there is little information on the women in this time period.  Their birth, their parents, marriage, and death: with possible dates/places. I found a few more details this time through several websites [including Amazon, AmericanAncestors, FindMyPast, FamilySearch], but of course there are other sources I also need to dig deeper in - archives, town clerks, and more. 

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If these are your ancestors, I am happy to share what little I have on these ancestors. And if there are errors, please do let me know, via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below and I will get back to you either by email or in the Comments. I appreciate the opportunity to correct any issues in these family trees.

Blogger - or my computer - is still not letting me "reply" to your comments, for some unknown reason. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented!  You truly make my day!!

"Favourite Name" - #52ancestors: Zerubbabel JEROME

This week, in the year-long #52ancestors challenge by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow, has the prompt: Favourite Name.  

Mine is Zerubbabel JEROME.

This is indeed my all-time favourite first name in our ancestors. I also listed a few more which are appealing for various reasons, but this one is the winner.

Can you picture a darling little boy in the arms of his mother, with father looking on happily, and they smile and say, "Let's call him Zerubbabel!"  

Of course, that is not how they named him - such a very unusual name. No, they would have opened their Bible and poked a finger at a page, then looked at the nearest male name. Apparently Zerubbabel is listed only three or four times in the Bible, and  translates to Seed of Babylon. 

I immediately wonder how he was called to come in for supper when he was playing outside, and what did his best friends call him... 

I know little about him as yet. He was born 3 Apr 1715 in Windham, Connecticut, married two sisters in Meriden, Connecticut, lived for a time in Bristol, CT, and died in October 1783 in Farmington, Connecticut, aged 68.  

Zerubbabel was the third child of the seven known children, second son, of Timothy JEROME & Abagail RICH, who married in 1709 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. All seven children married and had children, the start of a large pool of descendants to this day. By the way, Timothy JEROME is Winston Churchill's wife's great-great-great-grandfather [Jennie Jerome]. 

Zerubbabel married two sisters, daughters of Henry COOK. His first wife was Sarah Cook, and in 1737, she died in childbirth, her baby girl, Mary, also died.  

The following year, August 30, 1738, he married Sarah's sister, Phebe, in Meriden, New Haven, Connecticut. I can hear Judy G. Russell's voice in my head - "Did you check the laws to see if this marriage was approved/allowed by law-? There could be records!" Sigh, I haven't but I will. Honest! Any day now.

Zerubbabel and Phebe had 11 children, several of whom died youngish [females in their 20s], as well as a namesake Zerubbabel who died as an infant. A subsequent son, the 10th child, was named Zerubbabel also, and lived into his 60s. I have written about Zerubbabel previously - search the site for other posts, using the Search this Blog box below my photo, on the right. 

My line comes from their youngest daughter, Ruth JEROME, who married into the GRAVES family in Harwinton, Connecticut.

A few other interesting first names:

• Achsa Beebe - I believe this is a girl, born in Naugatuck, CT
• Agnes Gosling - 1500s England; this one tickles my fancy, as Agnes means "lamb of God" and Gosling - well really, "little goose."
• Barzilla Beebe - those Beebe's! born in the 1700s, early 1800s 
• Cliofus Veach - late 1800s, in Illinois [RICE line]
• Concurrence Meigs - mid-1600s, Massachusetts
• Egbert Noyes Foster - mid-1850s, Oregon - AKA "Norman" 
• Eusebius Jacobus Owings - early 1800s, PA
• Gamaliel Reynolds - early 1700s, CT; and Gamaliel Veach, 1800s Illinois
• Increase - several, in mid-1600s to 1700s, MA & CT. Since a pregnant woman was said to be 'increasing', this seems an odd name to give a baby girl... 
• Jabez Healy - meaning "sorrowful" - for a boy, late 1700s in MA. Hmmm. 
• Legoria Kuhn - I have no idea here: perhaps a Spanish name
• Macedon Ault Rudisill - a mouthful, born in late 1800s, PA
• Resolved White [Mayflower] - born 1614 Eng; brother born on ship 1620, Peregrine.
• Taliaferro Craig - eventually spelled as pronounced: Tolliver, born 1700s in Virginia

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If any of these are ancestors of yours, I would be happy to hear from you with your comments or corrected information. I am also very happy to share any details I might have that are not shown on this post. Contact information is found at the very bottom of this blog.

Blogger has a glitch which is stopping me from replying to your comments, but please do know that I appreciate your comments very much. You make my day! Thanks so much for stopping by to read my family blog.

52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES - No.32 : Cornelius GRAVES, 1783-1828

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog based on Themes. Last week's theme was Easy, and I wrote about my ex-husband's maternal grandfather.  This week's theme is 32, i.e., THIRTY-TWO.  We're at the 32nd week, and there are 32 third-great-grandparents.  I've chosen to write about Cornelius GRAVES, of Connecticut - whose father is much better known (Stephen GRAVES, of the Tory Den fame near Harwinton CT).  Don't forget to click on links for more details.

Cornelius GRAVES, b. 15 Feb 1783 in Harwinton, Connecticut, was the eldest son, and third child of Stephen GRAVES and Ruth JEROME (whose father was Zerubbabel JEROME - remember those posts on Zerubbabel?).  Cornelius was baptised 27 Apr 1783, in East Plymouth, CT.

Cornelius became a very successful stone mason and contractor, and in about 1803 he married Anna TREAT, the 2nd of the five daughters of Samuel Peet TREAT and Sarah THOMPSON.  Anna is a direct ancestor of  Robert TREAT, Governor of CT in the latter part of the 1600s.

The family moved near Auburn, Cayuga, New York, where he worked as a farmer, as well as contracting/providing materials while building the Auburn Prison.  Apparently, he also was involved in contracting materials to build the locks on the Erie Canal.  The Canal opened Oct 26, 1825, connecting the Great Lakes with the Hudson River, starting a wave of immigration to the western regions, as well as improving transportation of goods/freight.

Soon after 1810, the family moved and settled in Jordan, Onondaga County, NY.

Children of Cornelius and Anna:
  1. Emeline, b. 21 Jun 1805, Harwinton CT, d. 2 Aug 1879; m. Henry Allen 1824; 3 children
  2. William Thompson, b. 2 May 1807, Harwinton CT, d. 26 Jul 1889; m. Oct 1835 to Catherine C. Davis;  known as "honest Tom Graves"; successful banker
  3. Edward Seabury, b. 19 Nov 1810, Harwinton CT, d. 19 Oct 1887; m. 5 Jul 1849 to sister of above bro's wife, Nancy L. Davis; 1 daughter
  4. Stephen Rensselaer, b. 2 Oct 1814, Jordan, NY, d. 1894; m. 7 Nov 1824 to Susan A. Barr; 6 children
  5. Sheldon, b. 8 Jul 1816, Jordan NY, d. 13 Feb 1894 Chicago IL; m. 12 Jun 1846 to Mary Camp; 5 children
  6. Caroline, b. 31 Aug 1818, Jordan NY, d. 22 Jul 1821 - 2yrs of age
  7. Harmon, b. 29 Oct 1821, Jordan NY, d. 2 Mar 1825 - 3 yrs of age
  8. Charles Giles [direct ancestor], b. 7 Mar 1824 Jordan NY, d. 8 Feb 1902; m. 26 Sep 1850 to Harriet Philena ORMSBEE (1827-1929!); 3 daughters

Only four years after the birth of his last child, Charles, Cornelius died on 27 Sep 1828, near Auburn NY.  It is a mystery to me why he died at only 45 years of age, and I haven't found any records to date with any details.  But noting that two children died in 1821 and 1825, there may have been epidemics in the region... or perhaps he had an accident related to his work.  However, he was a very successful businessman, and the family managed extremely well in their lives after he died.

Anna, his wife, did not remarry. She lived for a time with her eldest son, Wm Thompson "Tom" Graves in Jordan.  She died, aged 83, on 12 Oct 1866, in Jordan NY.

Cornelius is buried with his wife, in Maple Grove Cemetery in Jordan, Onondaga, New York.

If any of this information is incorrect, or if you have further information, please do contact me at my email below or through Comments. I am always happy to correct details, and add information as well,

Blogger - or my computer - is still not letting me "reply" to your comments, for some unknown reason. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented!  You truly make my day.

52 ANCESTORS in 52 WEEKS, #37: Street Chidsey Welton, CT

Following the challenge from Amy Johnson Crow to write a post weekly, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, here is my 37th installment, my 1st cousin 4x removed: Street Chidsey Welton.  And of course, the reason I am writing about him is because of his unusual name. 

Street Chidsey Welton's mother was Nancy Graves, the 6th child of my 4th greatgrandparents, Stephen GRAVES and Ruth JEROME [whose father was the intriguingly named Zerubbabel JEROME].  What can I say? I love unusual names and we have a few in this particular family group. I've done very little research on this collateral line - only enough to be sure of siblings and cousins of my main line. Nancy Graves married Miles Welton; Chidsey was his grandmother Welton's maiden name.

Street Chidsey Welton was born 8 Sep 1816, in Connecticut, 5 months after his parents married on the 15 Feb 1815. The list of children in Nancy Graves & Miles Welton's family were:
  Street Chidsey  b 8 Sep 1816, m. Sep 1841 Adeline Smith; 2 children known
  Ximines b. 6 Dec 1817 [d. 9 Aug 1822];  
  Albert b. 7 May 1820, m. Susan A. Bidwell 26 Jan 1842 in Litchfield CT
  Carlos b. 3 Apr 1822, m. Maria E. Peck Nov 1846
  Ximines Alanson b. 17 Mar 1824, m. Harriet Frances Root 4 Sep 1853 Guilford VT; 4 children
  Ruth Adaline b. 14 Jul 1826, d 17 Dec 1862 (unmarr?)
  Nancy Ann b 25 Jan 1830, m Ralph Humphrey Nov 1853 Litchfield CT; 4 children
  twins: Major G[raves] b 21 Jun 1832
             Marvin b 21 Jun 1832, m. Amanda before 1871, 1 daughter known
  Emily Warner b 17 Apr 1836, m. John Boyd 25 Nov 1858 Logan KS; 4 children

Street married Adaline "Addy" Smith on 6 Oct 1841, apparently in Orange New Jersey, although I can find so record to date of this marriage.  They lived for a time in Henry County, Illinois, where Street had 200 acres of land.  They appear to have had 3 children, but the eldest died before the age of 5; the other two were born in Illinois.  

1. John Smith, b 10 Feb 1843, CT; d 20 Dec 1847
2. Theodosia, b 1848, IL
3. Alanson, b Apr 1849, IL; m 1868 to Alvira A., in Cambridge IL; 4 children

Street and his family are found in Henry County Illinois in the 1850-1880 Censuses.  His occupation is listed as Carpenter for the first few, then on the 1880 Census he is listed as "Dealer in Lumber".  Note that on the 1870 Census his real estate holdings were valued at $10,000 with his personal value at $1,500. 

He and Addy show up on the 1885 Census in Hernando, Florida [part of the metro area of St Petersburg]. And right beside him, is listed his son A. Welton 36 yrs old with wife A.A.[Alvira].  

Although I can find more on Alanson and his family, I cannot find more information on the only girl, Theodosia whose birth year is a year older than Alanson. She shows up on the 1860 Census aged 12, but disappears after that.  

Street's burial memorial stone "WELTON" has his initials and birth/death years, plus his wife's details. He died in 1907, Addy in 1911. They died in St Petersburg, and were buried in the Saint Bartholomew Episcopal Cemetery.  

If you have more information or details of Street Chidsey Welton's family, I would be happy to receive anything you wish to share.  Questions can be answered via direct contact, calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments section below.  I welcome any corrections to my details here, as well.  Thank you for stopping by.