#52ANCESTORS: Sabra TOWERS, 1805-1869 New York

This is the first post in the #52Ancestors this year, a genealogy challenge by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow. I've done several years in the past, and last year I managed about 50%. This year I'm starting the challenge with Sabra TOWERS, my 3rd great-grandmother on my mother's line. 

What do I know about Sabra-? Aside from her slightly unusual name, I do know her father is listed on the Syracuse Onondaga NY Oakwood Cemetery burial register as "S. Towers." Simon? Stephen? Samuel? Silas? Solomon?  Other possibilities? Sigh. 

Sarah TOWERS was born 22 Aug 1805 in Schaghticoke, Rensselaer, New York. Schaghticoke was originally in Albany county until 1791 when Rensselaer County was formed. Sabra married Jacob ORMSBEE about 1823-24, in Onondaga County, New York.  I'll make the assumption Sabra's parents were married in late 1700s, probably in Schaghticoke,and likely living on land bought or leased from the Albany Corporation Land. R. Beth Kloppott published "History of the Town of Schaghticoke" in 1981, and more information might be found there or in other records of these  early settlers. To find more information on Sabra's husband, search by his name in the search box on the right of this blog. 

Sabra and Jacob ORMSBEE's known children: 

1.  Lucius Jared, b. 31 Aug 1825 Manlius NY, d. 29 Jul 1911 Syracuse NY; m. Caroline C. Combs 19 May 1847; 2 boys, 1 girl known
2.  Harriet Philena [ancestor], b. 28 May 1827 Manlius NY, d. 20 Aug 1929, Englewood NJ; m. 26 Sep 1850 to Charles Giles GRAVES, Syracuse NY; 3 daughters [yes, she was 102 when she died]
3.  Anna C., b. Jul 1829 Manlius NY, d. after 1910 Elbridge NY; m. 1850 to John Leary in DeWitt NY; no children
4.  Sabra J., b. 28 Feb 1831 Van Buren NY, d. 30 Jul 1842 Baldwinsville NY. Buried in Baldwinsville, moved to family plot in Oakwood Cemetery Syracuse NY
5.  Mary J., b. Jun 1832 Van Buren NY, d. 9 Jul 1836, Baldwinsvile NY. Buried in Baldwinsville, moved to family plot in Oakwood Cemetery Syracuse NY

The family moved from Manlius NY to Van Buren NY, to Syracuse NY, to DeWitt NY, and back to Syracuse NY.  Jacob was a well-known carpenter, and I suspect these moves were for projects he worked on. 

Her two youngest girls died quite young, the younger one Mary, died in 1836 only 4 years old. The fourth daughter - named for her mother - died in 1842, aged 11 years. I only found about these two children when I found information on the burial register for Oakwood, that they were disinterred, moved from Baldwinsville, and reburied in the family plot at Oakwood Cemetry in Syracuse. 

Sabra died in Syracuse NY, on 13 Aug 1869, only 63 years of age. She is interred in the family plot [Ormsbee/Graves] in Oakwood Cemetery. Her husband Jacob, is also buried there, after his death on 30 Mar 1893, aged 86 years.

I know nothing about Sabra's friends, her activities, or interests. Possibly I may still find more about Sabra TOWER in various articles, newspapers, or diaries. I am still hopeful, although so far I have little to show for my research! 

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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!!

Women's History Month: Pattern of Children of My Female Ancestors

Lorine at Olive Tree Genealogy posted an interesting genealogical topic for Women's History Month, so here is my offering.

Instructions:

Make a list of your female ancestors beginning with your mother. Go back as far as you can. Now figure out how many children each female ancestor had. Did the females in your direct maternal line tend to have the same numbers of children each generation? Did they have more? Less? Were they prolific or are there few children born to each woman? Is there a pattern emerging?

I decided to go back 5 generations, and found no particular pattern other than there were more GIRLS born than BOYS!  I found that very surprising for some reason. The photo above on the left is my mother's line: she is the 2 year old Mary, in her mother Marguerite's arms; left is Clara, talking with her mother Hattie, aged about 97.

Maternal Line:

3^rd Greatgrandmother Sabra ORMSBEE      5 – 1 boy,   4 girls

2^nd Greatgrandmother Hattie GRAVES        3 –    ……   3 girls

Great-grandmother Clara TERWILLIGER      3 – 2 boys, 1 girl                          

Grandmother Marguerite KUHN                   6 – 2 boys, 4 girls

My Mother Mary GILLESPIE                       3 – 1 boy,   2 girls

Paternal Line:

2^nd Greatgrandmother Eliza MORRISON      4 – 3 boys, 1 girl

Greatgrandmother Catherine ARMSTRONG  4 – 3 boys, 1 girl

(other) Greatgrandmo Sarah WHITEHOUSE  9 – 3 boys, 6 girls

Grandmother Harriett BUNN                         6 – 2 boys, 4 girls

This makes 43 children total, with 17 boys, 26 girls

As for me:

I had 4 children:  2 boys, 2 girls; and with 6 grandchildren, I have 1 boy, 5 girls!

I'm not finding anything else unusual about these women.  In about 1879 or 1880, my Paternal line moved in one group of 3 generations including my Greatgrandmother Catherine & her mother-in-law Eliza, from Northern Ireland to north-west England for work reasons. My Maternal line lived in New York state and NJ state for a number of generations - I stopped at 5 generations, but can go back on a number of lines another 5 generations.  In 1912 my Grandmother Marguerite moved with her husband to BC Canada  where all the children (but one) were born.  She travelled back and forth across the continent with her 5 living children a number of times to visit with her relatives and many friends in New York state and New Jersey as well.

My Maternal line (up to the 1930s) were relatively wealthy, husbands were entrepreneurs and business builders; whereas my Paternal line was quite a bit poorer - individuals were very good at school but had to leave early to work.  The Paternal line brothers all did quite well in BC Canada, immigrating here in 3 groups: 1907, 1911, and 1914.  There was little travel back to England, although my grandfather's only sister did come out to visit several times from England.  

Try this analysis on your own family tree and ask questions about any patterns you might see, about their child-bearing:  ages of mothers at 1st and last child?  sexes?  twins?  any unusual gaps?  ages of those babies who died young (under 2)?  Think about other activities or events either locally or internationally that might have impacted on your "mothers".  

If you have any questions or want to follow up on any of the information in this post, do contact me either by replying with details in the Comments section, or through  calewis at telus dot net   (you know what to substitute there).