Some Inter-related Families of 18-19th Century
Frankfort, Herkimer County, NY

Buck, Cloyes, Cole, Coolidge, Dike/Dyke, Fiero/Fero, Hungerford, Lewis, Nichols, Ruscoe/Roscoe, Russell, Stewart

1868 Map of Frankfort and Litchfield showing the location of these families' holdings at the time.

Introduction

The migration of New England families into New York and points west tells an interesting piece of the story of the settling of America. In this collection of short biographies we share a look at a relatively small group of these families who, for the most part, traveled across the Atlantic together and who in subsequent generations have expanded over the nation all the way to the Pacific. At each stop along the way they tended to settle near each other, interact largely with each other, and marry each other's sons and daughters.* They continued in this fashion for decades indeed, in many cases, for centuries with the pattern widely breaking down only in the generation born after WWII.

Coming chiefly from Britain into Massachusetts and Connecticut in the 17th and 18th centuries, we pick up their trail in the years after the end of the Revolutionary War as they moved into the fertile lands of the Mohawk Valley of upper state New York. The biographies below are written by their 21st century descendants. Most of us are scattered over the width and breadth of the nation. But, some of us, 200 plus years later, can be found still living within miles of the homes of our first New York ancestors.

Notes:

*This author has one set of grandparents who descend from the same 16th century English couple--one from the line of a daughter of that family; the other down through the line of a son.
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JONATHAN BUCK (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

Jonathan BUCK (1772-1853) was possibly the son of Jonathan and Esther BUCK of Bennington, VT. A Buck researcher visited the Bennington County Museum Genealogical Library and found in the church records of the First Church of Bennington the following information:

On 1 Nov 1772, Jonathan, son of Jonathan Buck and Esther, his wife, was baptized.

William Richard Cutter, author of Genealogical and Family History of Central New York, states in his book:

There were several immigrants of the BUCK family from England in Massacusetts and Connecticut before 1790 and their descendants are numerous in all parts of the country. According to the census of 1790 the family was numerous even then in Vermont.

and further:

Jonathan William Buck, son of one of the Vermont pioneers mentioned above, most of whom came to Vermont from the older towns of Connecticut, was born about 1775. When still a young man he came with his family to Herkimer County, New York.

It is believed that this Jonathan William Buck is the same as the Jonathan of this bio.*

Jonathan married Mary (surname unknown) sometime before 1801, the birth year for their first child. The earliest known record of them in Frankfort comes from a deed for land purchased in that town dated May 11, 1818. Jonathan and Mary are described as "of Frankfort" in the deed. The land described is said to abut existing Buck property allowing us to conclude that the couple were settled in Frankfort prior to the 1818 date of the deed. According to the deed they paid $200 to Daniel HEALD for a parcel of land "known and distinquished by being part of Lot No. 101 in a Patent granted William Bayard and others know by the name of the 'Freemasons Patent.'" The deed was witnessed by John DAVIS and George PADDOCK. (Source: Herkimer County Deed Book #12).

Jonathan and Mary BUCK had at least nine children known to us from their father's will. They were:

Elizabeth (1801-1842) who married Pardon STEWART and lived in Frankfort. She is buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery in Frankfort Hill;

Jonathan Jr. who lived in Wakegan, Lake Co., IL and died before his father. There is some disagreement about exactly how many children he had and who they were. However, after accounting for all the other heirs of Jonathan, Sr., there is one receipt left with the following signatures: Clariss R. DEMICK (or possibly DERRICK); Martha (or possibly Marsha) E. CRASSMAN (or possibly CRAPMAN or CHAPMAN), and James H. BUCK. It seems reasonable to assume that these are Jonathan, Jr.'s children or grandchildren but further research is necessary to prove this.

James A. who was living in Rome, Oneida, NY at the time of his father's death but moved back to Frankfort later in life and worked at the Cheese Factory there;

Mary who married Horace COOLIDGE, the son of Warren COOLIDGE and wife Rachel SWIFT. Mary and Horace had four children:

Warren (1830-1897) who married Lois C. PARKER;
Dorcas (1833-?) who married Rufus W. Bennett of Frankfort;
Genett (1835-?) who married M. J. PRYNE;
Esther (1839-?) who married Edmund B. TURNER.

Edward (1808-15 Feb 1887) who was born in Bennington, VT and settled in Richland, Oswego Co. NY. Edward Buck. 15 Feb 1887, in Arthur, Oswego, NY. This information is documented by his death certificate. He was married twice. His first wife was Lucinda HUNGERFORD, daughter of Jehiel HUNGERFORD and wife Sally STEWART. Edward and Lucinda had two children:

George Edward (1833-?) who married Altheda Caroline BURDICK;
Marietta (1834-?).

Lucinda Hungerford BUCK died in 1837 and is buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery in Frankfort Hill.

Edward married next Lydia (surname not known). They had eleven children:

Jonathan (abt 1840-?);
Esther (1842-?);
Henriette (1844-?);
Minerva (1846-?);
Fred (1848-?);
Charles (1850-?) who was an Adjutant for the 97th NY Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War;
Martha (1852-?);
Henry (1856-?);
Frank (1858-?);
Delia (1860-?);
Albert (1861-1943).

William (dates unknown) who married Mary ALVORD and lived in Frankfort. William died before his father. He probably had at least one child, Martha E. BUCK, who is mentioned in his father Jonathan's will as the heir of "the late Willam Buck." After William's death, Mary married Horace COOLIDGE. It is Horace, described as her "guardian" who signed for Martha's inheritance from her grandfather.

Ester (?-11 Nov 1870) who married a Mr. SMITH and was living in Phelps, Ontario, NY at the time of her father's death. Esther Buck Smith, daughter of Jonathan, d. 11 Nov 1870, in Mt. Pleasant, Whiteside, IL. She is listed in the 1870 census in Mt. Pleasant with 4 children: Horace, Nettie, Amelia, and Edward.;

Henriette (?-11 Aug 1895) who married Dr. William L. COE on 27 February 1840 in Whitesboro, Onedia, NY. She was living in Scottsburgh, Livingston, NY at the time of her father's death. Henrietta Buck Coe Smith, daughter of Jonathan, d. 11 Aug 1895, in Mt. Pleasant, Whiteside, IL. Her first husband, Dr. W. L. Coe d. 22 Jan 1870, in Mt. Pleasant, Whiteside, IL. She married A. Smith on 2 Nov 1871. Henrietta became the guardian of EstherÕs children when their mother died;

Frederick (2 Feb 1819-12 Jan 1911) who married Eleanor BLAKE (26 Dec 1819-5 Jun 1887). She was born in England. Frederick was born in Frankfort and was living there at the time of his father's death in 1853. Frederick, youngest son of Jonathan, was in Mt. Pleasant, Whiteside, IL, in 1870. He later moved to Exeter, Fillmore, NE, and d. 12 Jan 1911, in Omaha, NE. He and his wife are buried in Exeter, Nebraska. They had the following children:

Nellie (1841-?);
William F. (1843-?);
Edward H. (1847-?);
George W. (1850-?);
Lester (c1852-?);
Theodore (1854-?);
Wallace M. (1856-?);
Delbert (?) A. (1857-?);
Clara Eudora (dates unknown);
Ava Grace (dates unknown);
James A.(dates unknown);
Frank A.(dates unknown).

Two of Jonathan and Mary BUCK's sons were still residing in Frankfort at the end of the 1860s and are listed in the 1869-70 Directory of the Town of Frankfort, as is a James A. Buck:

Buck, F. M. [Frederick M.]
(Frankfort Hill)
farmer 100

Buck, James A.
(Frankfort Hill)
cheese maker
The James. A. Buck in Frankfort in 1869/70 is most likely the son of Frederick. Census records show that James A. Buck, son of Jonathan, was not in Frankfort, but remained in Rome, Oneida, NY, with his family until his death sometime between 1870 and 1880. In the 1860 and 1870 census, he was living in Rome with his wife, Angeline, and children Mary, James, Etta, Sarah, and Frederick. His wife appears in the 1880 census in Rome with daughter, Mary.

Buck, Wm. F. [William F.]
(Frankfort Hill)
farmer 50

Jonathan Buck, Sr. died February 16, 1853 and his will was proved on March 22 of the same year. It is interesting to note that Thomas SAVAGE was named as the special guardian for the minor heirs: George Buck, Gennett, Dorcas and Esther Coolidge, Martha Buck, and Mary Stewart. This Thomas was probably Jonathan Buck, Sr's neighbor who appears immediately before the BUCK household on the 1850 census.

The newest reading of Wetmore Cemetery in Frankfort shows that Mary Buck, wife of Jonathan, d. 13 Mar 1851, aged 68.

Notes:

* On the 1850 Federal Census of Frankfort Jonathan Buck's birthplace is given as "New York." This may cast doubt on the identification of our subject as the Jonathan Buck of Vermont. On the other hand, our Jonathan Buck was 78 years old at the time of the census. It is likely that someone else in the household supplied the information and may have simply made a mistake as to his place of birth. More research is needed to clarify this.

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LUTHER CLOYES (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

Luther CLOYES was born January 23, 1767 in Framingham, Middlesex, MA, the son of John CLOYES and Desire PERRY and was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. On February 8, 1795, he married Sarah TEMPLE of Marlboro, Worchester, MA in Marlboro. Sarah, born December 31, 1773 in Marlboro, was the daughter of Jonas TEMPLE and Sarah WOODS and was a descendant of Abraham TEMPLE who settled in Salem, MA in 1636. Within about five years of their marriage, Luther and Sarah removed to Frankfort, Herkimer, NY where they appear on the 1800 census. They had eight children:

Polly (1795-?);
John (1797-?);
Sarah (1799-?);
Jonas (1801-?);
Silas (October 8, 1802-?);

Silas was a farmer and large landowner in Frankfort. He married Abigail W. BROWN there about 1828. They had eight children:

Harriett Louise (November 29, 1828-?) who married Jonathan RUSSELL, III, son of Jonathan RUSSELL, Jr. and Mary STEWART on January 5, 1859. This couple had two children: a daughter, Alice M., born about 1860 who married a Mr. JONES (first name unknown) and a son, Irwin E., born about 1862 who married Emma (surname unknown);

John Newton (dates unknown) who married Louise (surname unknown) and worked as a shoe manufacturer in Utica, Oneida, NY;

Mary Anne who was born between 1831 and 1837. She married Daniel HUNGERFORD (1822-1888), son of Jehiel HUNGERFORD, Jr. and Sally STEWART as his second wife. (His first wife had been Eliza BOYD.) They had at least one child. Mary Anne died June 5, 1929 and is buried along with husband Daniel in the Norwich Corners Cemetery, Litchfield, Herkimer, NY;

Thomas B. (dates unknown) who married Miriam (surname unknown) and lived in New Hartford, Oneida, NY;

Elmina A. (abt 1839.-?) who married George M. RUSSELL, brother to her sister Harriett's husband, on August 20, 1862. He was a farmer and co-owner, along with his brother Pardon S. RUSSELL, of a cheese factory in town;

Silas Norman (dates unknown), aka "Norman," who lived in Frankfort;

Anson G. (August 3, 1844-?) who married Adelia N. HARVEY and lived in Frankfort; read a short bio for him in the Frankfort Family Sketches.

Sarah Jane (?-bet 14 Dec 1877-3 Apr 1878) who married Diodate C HUNGERFORD, son of John C. and Catherine HUNGERFORD of Frankfort Hill. She probably died as a young mother as bequests to her children are qualified by the phrase "when [he/she] reaches 20 years of age." Sarah and Diodate had at least two children: a daughter, Mary Frances, and a son, Frederick Arthur, both of whom are known to us from their mother's will (Source: FHL film #0381383.).

Patty (1807-?);
Abigail (1809-?) who died young;
Alonzo (1813-?).

Luther CLOYES died March 9, 1851; wife Sarah Temple CLOYES died April 22, 1857 both in Frankfort.

© K R.Schaefer. All rights reserved. This information may not be used for any commercial enterprise. Quotation for personal use is allowed with appropriate citation.

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JOHN COLE (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

John COLE was born in Windsor, Berkshire County, in the western part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony on 19 September 1773. His parents were Samuel COLE and Dolly (surname unknown). Nothing more is presently known of the parents.

John married Lydia MINER (born 7 April 1776 in Voluntown, Connecticut Colony) on 24 March 1795/6 in Windsor, Massachusetts. Her parents were Jonathan Ransford MINER (born 23 Feb 1739 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut Colony) and Esther Allyn (born 19 Apr 1739, Groton in New London, Connecticut Colony).

There is a lengthy record of ancestors in the MINER line: Jonathan Ransford's father was Jonathan MINER (born 1713 in Connecticut Colony); grandfather, Thomas MINER (born 1683 in Connecticut Colony); g-grandfather, Manassah MINER (born 1647 in Connecticut Colony); gg-grandfather, Thomas MINER (born 1608 in Chew-Magna, Somersetshire England); ggg-grandfather, Clement MINER (born 1560 in Chew-Magna, England); gggg-grandfather, Thomas MINER (born 1530 in Chew-Magna, England-?); and ggggg-grandfather, William MINER (Minor/Mynar) (born about 1585 in Chew-Magna, England).

In a cryptic penciled message written by John & Lydia's grandson Henry Cole of Crete, Illinois in 1892, the westward migration of the family to the then wilderness of the Mohawk River Valley of New York is recorded. This inscription has accompanied the handmade cowbell, for which it was written, down through six generations. (Gerald Cole - 2003)

Our old cow bell was
made for my Grand
father before he moved
from Mass. to N.Y. which
move was made about
1799 as near as can be
assertained. This was written
by Henry Cole Mar. 3rd 1892

Of the nine children to be born to the couple the first two, Lydia and Erastus were born in Massachusetts. The remaining children were born in Litchfield, Herkimer County, New York where their new farm was located. This farm would have been on land that was within a few miles of the place where the Erie Canal would be constructed but this didn't occur for another quarter of a century after the time that the Coles first took up the property. It is assumed that the Coles were dairy farmers.

Their children were:

Lydia (1796 - 1826) who was born in Massachusetts;

Erastus (1798 - 1864) who was born in Massachusetts on 12 July 1798 just prior to the family's westward move from Western Massachusetts to the Mohawk River Valley of New York. He was John and Lydia COLE's second child and first son. The Cole's farm was at Litchfield, Herkimer County. He died in Crete, Illinois in 1864. His farm there was taken over by his son Henry.

Erastus married Martha Boardman on 1 September 1839 in Litchfield, NY. She was born in Gorham, New York on 14 March 1810. According to the Crete Historical Society, Erastus and Martha moved to Illinois in 1835 and settled in Crete, Will County. It was there that the couple's three children were born.

Henry Oren (14 July 1840-?) who married Lucy Almina BORDWELL/BARDWELL (1846 in MA-?) in Crete, IL. They had six children, the youngest of whom was Inez Garfield COLE who married Edward Wright ROSCOE, son of David ROSCOE and Mary Crosby FERO of Frankfort, Herkimer, NY;
Emma (abt 1842-?);
Ellen (abt 1848-?).

Erastus and his family appear on the 1840, 1850 and 1860 census reports as follows:

1840 Census, Crete, Will County, Illinois (Thoms or Thorn Creek Precinct)
Head of family Erastus Cole
males under 5 - 1
males 40-50 - 1
females 10-15 - 1
females 30-40 - 1 total 4, 1 in agriculture

1850 Census, Crete, Will County, Illinois
Erastus Cole age 52, male, farmer, $2,500 in real estate, born NY
Martha Cole age 40, female, born NY
Mary Gilbert age 21, female, born NY (1829)
Henry Cole age 10, male, born IL, attended school in last yr
Emma Cole age 8, female, born IL, attended school in last yr.
Ellen Cole age 2, female, born IL
Joseph Leane age 24, male, laborer, born Germany, at school "
Wm Williamson age 22, male, laborer, born Ireland

1860 Census, Crete, Will County, Illinois
Erastus Cole age 62, m, farmer, $6,000 real estate, $800 pers prop., born NY
Martha age 50, f, born NY
Henry age 20, m, born IL
Emma age 18, f, born IL
Ellen age 12, f, born IL
Syl(via?) Mennan age 14, f, servant, born Germany
Mary age 17, f, servant, born Germany
Sverell Sayras age 28, m, farm hand, born Germany
Frederick Baihart age 24, m, farm hand, born Germany

Erastus is buried in the Crete Illinois public cemetery.

Descendants of Erastus and Martha Cole are, Henry Cole (Illinois, 1840-1903), his son Willard M. Cole (Illinois, 1866-1929), his son Donald R. Cole (Illinois and Colorado 1915-2003), and his son Gerald E. Cole of Colorado in 2003.

Gridley (1801-1801) who died in infancy;
Stephen Lyman (1802 - 1838);
Oran (1804 - 1854);
Ransford (1806 - January 30,1885) who remained in Litchfield and is buried there.
Almira (1808 - 1888);

John Ward (January 1, 1811-October 22, 1891) who was born in Litchfield. He removed to Crete, Illinois where he was the village blacksmith. He is buried in the Crete, Illinois public cemetery. His descendants include daughter, Lydia L. Cole (1846-1912 ), her daughter Lydia C. Cox (1887-1942 ), her son George Marvin Kester (1918-1983).

Emily Cole (1813 - 1895) who lived with here brother, Erastus until his death. Emily's obituary reads:

Miss Emily Cole, or Aunt Emily as she was known to many, was born September 8th, 1813 in the town of Litchfield, Herkimer county, New York, and died at Crete, April 27, 1899.

Upon the death of a brother with whom she had made her home, she moved to Sparta, Wis., thence to LaCross making her home with a niece until October, 1893, when she came to Crete where she spent the remainder of her days with her nephew, Henry Cole. She was a great comfort to all with whom she came in contact. She had for many years been a professor of religion and as long as she was able attended church, being a Baptist in belief yet very liberal in her views. During her last illness she was never heard to murmur or complain, but on the contrary was always cheerful and had a pleasant word for all about her. (Source: newsclipping saved by Bertha Saltsider Cole.)

Emily is buried in the Crete Illinois public cemetery.

John COLE died 06 May 1827 and wife Lydia died 02 Jan 1852 both in Litchfield, NY. They are buried in a private cemetery that was on their original farm. Their farming operation was taken over by Ransford. The Gerald Brigham family owned this property in 2002. Their headstone, still standing as of 2002, bears the following inscription:

(On the right side)

JOHN COLE
Died May 6, 1827 54 years his age
Thanks be to God who giveth us our victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(On the left side)

LYDIA
Wife of John Cole
Died June 24, 1852 in the 76 years of her age.

Notes:

Dates and some information for the children of John and Lydia Cole came from the "John Ward Cole Family Bible" in the possession of his descendants.

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WARREN COOLIDGE (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

Warren COOLIDGE was born 16 August 1774 in Weston, Middlesex, Massachusetts according to published church records of that town. His parents were Daniel COOLIDGE and Anna SHEPARD. Daniel was born 23 October 1741 in Weston and died in Paris, Oneida, NY on 25 Feb 1822. He is buried in the Old Sauquoit Cemetery in Paris.* Anna's place of birth is unknown. She died 26 Jun 1821 in Leyden, Franklin, MA at age 76 and is buried in the Beaver Meadow Cemetery there.

It is mentioned in the biographies of two of Daniel's descendants that he was one of three COOLIDGES who participated in the Boston Tea Party. This fact is also mentioned in the History of Ontario County; compiled by L. C. Aldrich; edited by G. S. Conover; 1983, in the bio of Charles COOLIDGE of Phelps, Ontario, NY. Charles was the son of Ahio COOLIDGE, and Ahio was a son of Warren COOLIDGE and grandson of Daniel. The bio, which appears on the Ontario Co. website mistakenly lists Warren COOLIDGE as the Boston Tea Party participant. It would have been Daniel because Warren was not born until 1774. See also the Jefferson County, NY, website's bio of George P. COOLIDGE, son of Daniel (26 Oct 1766-?) and grandson of the Daniel who reportedly took part in the Boston Tea Party.

The COOLIDGE family can be traced back to 1427 in Arrington, Cambridgeshire, England.

It is not clear just when Warren COOLIDGE first arrived in Herkimer County. However, his first known appearance on a Frankfort census is in 1810. He was married to Rachel SWIFT who died 4 June 1837. Family Bible records give her date of birth as 19 January 1786 but her place of birth is unknown.

Warren and Rachel had the following children:

Amasa (1804-1887) who married Mary (surname unknown). Amasa and Mary are buried in the Oak View Cemetery in Frankfort. Amasa and Mary had five known children: Helen, Rachel, Margaret, Sarah, and Nancy;

Horace (1806-1876) who married first, Mary BUCK (?-28 Feb 1847) in Frankfort. She is buried in the Wetmore Cemetery in Frankfort. They had at least four children: Warren Horace (who died on 2 May 1897, probably in Frankfort, certainly in Herkimer County), Ester E. (who died in Frankfort on 16 Feb 1919), Dorcas, and Genett. Horace married second, on October 4, 1848 in Schuyler, Herkimer County, NY, Mary (ALVORD) BUCK, the widow of William BUCK, his first wife's brother. They had one child, Horton S. Horace and his second wife are both buried in Urich, Henry County, Missouri;

Mary (1808-1893) who married Joseph B. DAWLEY. Mary and Joseph were married in Frankfort on 26 Oct 1831 and had seven children: Fletcher, Mary B., Martha Jenet, Lorenzo Joseph, Lovina Delight, Nancy Joanna, and Horace Jerome. They removed west to Iowa and are buried in Floyd County there;

Ahio (1810-1894) who married Elizabeth EASTMAN. Ahio moved to Phelps, Ontario County, NY in 1866. He and Elizabeth are buried in Paris, Oneida, NY. Charles was one of two known children of Ahio and Elizabeth;

Lorana (1812-?) who married Henry BRAYTON. Two known children of Lorana and Henry are Jerome and James;

Lorancy (1814-?) who married A. ROGERS;

Delight (1817-?) who married Augustus TITUS;

Amanda (1819-1873) who married Charles COOLIDGE. He may have been her cousin living in Antwerp, Jefferson Co. NY but this has not yet been confirmed;

Eunice (1822-?);

Livonia** (1824/25-1883) who married Henry G. SYMONDS. Livonia is buried in the Jerusalem Cemetery in Litchfield;

Fanny*** (1827-1855) who is buried in Wetmore Cemetery in Frankfort Hill;

Porter Swift (1829-?) who married Mary McLAGEN. Porter apparently was an extremely interesting individual who traveled extensively. He is listed in a historical book of prominent citizens of DeKalb County, Illinois. His biography mentions that he attended Sauquoit Academy (in NY) for three years, then set out for Illinois where he taught school in the winter of 1850. He then went to California by way of Nicaragua and spent approximately two years there before returning to Illinois by way of Panama and New York. After marrying Mary McLAGEN, he settled in DeKalb County. He later made two more trips to California with plans to possibly settle there, but returned to Illinois rather than risk the uncertainties of the lands of the western state. He and Mary had six children: Carrie E., Porter B., Irving A., Ida L., Gertie M., and Abbie Blanche.

Warren and Rachel are said to be buried in the Coolidge section of the Wetmore Cemetery in Frankfort Hill along with daughter Frances and daughter-in-law, Mary (BUCK) COOLIDGE*.

Notes:

*Records at the Herkimer County Historic Society indicate that Warren and Rachel are buried in Wetmore Cemetery. However, there is also a stone for them in the Old Sauquoit Cemetery in Paris, Oneida, NY among some other Coolidge graves. I have not been able to find out for sure that they were moved to that location. This presents a real mystery!

**Her name is spelled "divonia" in her father's will.

***Fanny is misidentified as a "son" of Warren on a reading of the Wetmore Cemetery held by Herkimer County Historic Society. She is named in his will as one of his seven daughters.

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NATHAN DIKE (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

Nathan DIKE was born 1755 in Union, Tolland, CT although his parents, Ebenezer DIKE and Abigail CALL, were settled in western Massachusetts at the time. Nathan was the great-great grandson of Anthony Dike, the immigrant ancestor, who arrived at Plymouth from England aboard the "Ann" in 1623. He was the shipmaster aboard the "Blessing of the Bay" which is said to be the first sea-going ship built in Massachusetts.

The family removed to Woodstock, Windsor, VT where Nathan married Hannah (surname unknown) in 1777. They had at least nine children all born in Woodstock:

Rufus Payne (1778-1856), the eldest son of Nathan and Hannah, was born September 18, 1778 in Woodstock, Windsor, VT. He came with his father, and perhaps some of his siblings, to Litchfield some time after 1779. He is mentioned in the March 1, 1803 Litchfield Town Meeting Minutes as being the "path master" and "fence viewer" for ward five.

On December 12, 1804, Rufus married Olive MONROE in Litchfield where she was born on May 10, 1783. They had twelve children born in Litchfield although not all names are known to this author:

Rufus, Jr. (1818-1894) who married Amanda RUSSELL (1822-1903), daughter of Jonathan RUSSELL, Jr. and Mary STEWART of Frankfort Hill. They had at least one child. All three are buried in the Wetmore Cemetery in Frankfort Hill;

Prudence (January 17, 1820-December 30, 1900) who married as his second wife, Pardon STEWART of Frankfort Hill. She died at Washington Mills, Oneida, NY and is buried in Dyke section of the Wetmore Cemetery in Frankfort Hill;.

Sylvester (abt. 1821-16 Nov 1889) who married Priscilla (dates and surname unknown). They had at least one child: Hellen Maria (abt. 1846-10 Mar 1849). Sylvester and daughter Hellen are buried in the Wetmore Cemetery. The absence of a stone for Priscilla in the family plot may suggest that she remarried after Sylvester's death.

Morse (March 7, 1823-December 11, 1877) who removed to Lansing, London Township, Monroe, Michigan where he married Esther L. VEALY (February 1, 1864-?).

Caroline (dates unknown) who married a Mr. Palmiter and was still living at the time of sister Prudence's death in 1900.

Olive MONROE DYKE died on June 30, 1849 in Frankfort Hill at the age of 56 year and is buried in the Wetmore Cemetery.

Rufus P. married second, Mahitable STEWART (abt 1790-?), daughter of John STEWART and Mehitabel HUNGERFORD. No children are known from this union. Rufus died February 28, 1856 in Frankfort Hill at age 76 years and 5 months. Mahitable died December 4, 1871 also in Frankfort Hill at age 81 years. Both are buried in the Wetmore Cemetery.

Luther (1782-?);
Roxa (1784-?);
Prudence (abt 1786) who is buried in Evans Mills, Jefferson, NY;

Vivace (1787-1864) who married Levie NORTH (-1879) in Antwerp, Jefferson, NY on April 5, 1818. Levie was born in Litchfield, Herkimer, NY, the daughter of Noah NORTH and Rachel CHAPMAN;

Hannah (abt 1788-?) who is buried in Evans Mills, Jefferson Co., NY;
Sarah (abt 1790-?);
Nathan, Jr.(1791-?)
Charles (abt 1792-1832).

Nathan served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War joining Col. Seth WARNER's Regiment from Vermont. He was discharged at Fort George, NY (north of Albany) in 1779 and later resettled on land southwest of there in Litchfield, Herkimer, NY. He is included on the 1800 census of Litchfield and is mentioned in the 1801 Litchfield Town Meeting Minutes. He died August 25, 1832, yet further west, in LeRay, Jefferson, NY at 77 years of age. It is not known to this author where his wife Hannah died

Notes:

Early records for this family spell the surname as "Dike." For the family in this bio the spelling "Dyke" first appears in the records of the children of Nathan and Hannah Dike in the late 1770s. Nathan is listed on the 1800 census of Litchfield, NY as "Nathan Dyke." This is also the spelling used on all known gravestones for this family.

There are at least two other DYKE connections to the families listed in these bios although the exact relationships are still being worked out. They are:

Dorcas COOLIDGE, daughter of Horace COOLIDGE and Mary BUCK, married R.W. Bennett whose mother was Calista DYKE and father was Daniel BENNET known to have been born in Connecticut. Daniel and Calista are buried in the Wetmore Cemetery in Frankfort Hill. I suspect Calista was a child of Rufus P.DYKE.

Etta STEWART, granddaughter of Pardon STEWART and his first wife, Elizabeth BUCK, married Sardius DYKE, Jr., son [or possibly grandson] of Sardius DYKE and his wife Catherine L. (surname unknown) of Pulaski, Oswego, NY. I suspect Sardius DYKE was a brother of Rufus P. DYKE.

DAVID FERO (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

David FERO was the 4th child of John Christian FIERO and his first wife Maria Elizabeth MULLER. John Christian immigrated with the Palatines in 1709 and lived in the area of West Camp and Katsbaan in Ulster County. He arrived at age 6 with his father Johannes Fiero then age 50, his brother Valentine, age 13, and two females, ages 8 and 1. The occupation of Johannes was listed as husbandman and vine dresser. One of the daughters died 26 February 1716.

Our subject David FERO was baptized 30 September 1728 at the Kingston Dutch Reform Church, Kingston, Ulster, NY. On 31 October 1751 at Kingston Dutch Reform Church he married Margaret FROLICH who was the daughter of Henrich FROLICH and Eliza Catherine SNYDER. Margaret was baptized 10 October 1836 at the Kingston Dutch Reform Church.

David and his family moved from Ulster County across the Hudson River to Dutchess County about 1760. They lived in the Rhinebeck/Red Hook area. About 1770 they moved to the Albany area. David and Margaret probably moved on to Montgomery county with some of their children. They were the parents of nine children. According to a court record giving Henry 1/9th interest in 50 acres owned by David Fero, it is assumed that all nine children lived to adulthood. The children were:

Henrich [aka Henry] (1752-?) was baptized 26 December 1752 at Katsbaan Dutch Reformed Church in Saugerties, Ulster, NY. He married 8 January 1772 Maria VAN VREDENBURG. A petition filed by Henry in April 1819 indicates his father, David, had land in Montgomery County:

"Real estate I have now is 1/9th part of 50 acres in Montgomery County in possession of Wilhelmus Fero through the death of father David Fero who died intestate. Land given by brothers and sisters for penalty of $1,500 to care for mother who is now dead."

Henry and wife Maria had eight children:

David (1773-?);

Abraham (1775-?) who was baptized 14 June 1775 in Albany. He married Alida VAN KEUSE on 16 May 1796. They had at least 2 children: Mary, baptized 3 September 1801 at Troy, NY and Elizabeth, baptized 20 December 1803 also at Troy. According to the 1810 census of Troy there were also two sons under the age of ten whose names are not now known;

Catherine (1779-?) who was baptized 2 June 1779 in Albany;
Margaret (1781-81/82) who died at age 5 months according to family Bible records;
Margaret (1783-1809) who was born in Charleston, Montgomery, NY;

Elias (1785-?) who was baptized 12 February 1786 at the First Dutch Reformed Church of Albany. He married Elizabeth (surname unknown) who was born c 1787 and died 19 February 1864 at age 77. She is buried at Fish Creek Cemetery in Vienna, Oneida, NY. In 1820 the family was living in Charleston, Montgomery, NY and had two daughters under the age of 10. The eldest was Mary Elizabeth (1824-1901) who married George (surname unknown). She died at Vienna, Oneida, NY. Mary and George had eight children. The second daughter was Covell (1814-1899). She also died in Vienna. Both are buried at the Vienna cemetery McConnellsville, Oneida, NY;

Rachel (1789-?) who was baptized 11 March 1789 in Albany, NY;

Moses (1795-?) who was baptized 29 November 1795 at the Boght Becker Dutch Reformed Church in Albany, NY. He married Elizabeth DOPP. They moved to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin between 1850 and 1855. They were the parents of eight children, the first five of whom were born in New York:

Henry (1827-1864) who married Mary PUTMAN. Moved to Minnesota in 1856 He was killed in the Civil War;
David (1832-1912) who married Harriet BREWSTER (1836-1883). Moved to Wisconsin;
Caroline (c1836-?) who married Gustavus WORTHEN July 1854 in Wisconsin. She was not listed as an heir of her father.
Cornelius (1840-?) was born in Charleston, Montgomery, NY. He married Clementine (surname unknown) who died in 1864. He remarried to Emily A. Ingersol WEST (1845-1928) in Wisconsin;
Abram (1850-1913) was born in NY. He married Edith STARKS(1859-1929) on 29 October 1879 in Wisconsin.

Maria who was baptized 26 December 1754 at the Katsbaan Dutch Reformed Church.

Annatje who was baptized 26 December 1756 at the Katsbaan Dutch Reformed Church. She married Andries OUDERKERK 8 September 1778 and they had eight children:

Cornelius (1778-1857);
Margareta (1780-?);
David (1781-?);
Isaac (1783-?);
Maria (1785-?);
Maayke (1788-?);
Hendrik (1791-1858) who married Ellazan Matilda CLUTE;
Johannes (1793-?) who married Cornelia MILLER.

Christian (c1758-?) who married Catherine LEVISON 28 March 1779 at the First Dutch Reformed Church of Albany. She was the daughter of Peter LEVISON and Maria FONDA. Christian was an elder of the Niskayuna Dutch Reformed Church. They had eleven children:

David C. (1781-?) who married Margaret RUNKLE;
Maria (1783-?) who probably died young;

Peter (1785-?) who married but the name of his wife is unknown. He had two children:

Margaret (1829-1895) who married Jacob CADY(1820-?). They had five children and lived in Cohoes, NY;

Timothy (1831-?) who married Dorcas (surname unknown). Timothy was baptized at age 50 in Amsterdam, NY. They lived in Florida, NY until c 1891 when they moved to Main Street, Amsterdam, Montgomery, NY. Timothy was living with his daughter in 1910 in ward 6 Amsterdam. Timothy and Dorcas had two children: Frank (1865-?) who married Ada HOAG (by whom he had one child who died young. All three are buried in Amsterdam, NY in the cemetery on the hill behind the hospital) and Josephine (1870-?) who married Frank M. SHANNON.

Margaret (1785-?) who married Henry W. BRADT;
Alida (1788-?) who probably died young;

Isaac C. (1791-1842) who was baptized at the Boght Becker Dutch Reformed Church in Colonie, NY. He is buried in a private cemetery on the Stewart Farm, Niskayuna, NY. He married Hester HUTTON born 12 May 1797, the daughter of Timothy HUTTON and his second wife Jane McCHESNEY. Isaac remarried 8 December 1841 at the Protestant Reform Church in Niskayuna, NY to Mrs. Sarah SWART who died 11 February 1872 at Schnectady, NY. The couple had five children;

John (1817-1889) who married Sarah Maria STILES and AnnMaria (surname unknown). They remained in the Watervliet, NY area.;

David I. (1818-1900) married Ann FOLAND and Elvira J. SHULTES. David had one daughter: ELLEN 1841-1858. They are all buried in the Bramenville Cemetery.

Around 1888 David Fero and his wife Elvira built the building which later became the Christian Church parsonage, and later purchased by Louis Hills and remodeled into a modern home. Fero built the house for his residence and at the rear of it built a building for a shop to be used for the manufacture of wagons. Fero's wagons were well known and widely used in the surrounding territory because of their fine materials and skilled workmanship. An unusual contrivance for that day, used in the factory, was on overhead gear transmission which was belted to his saws and planes and other tools, and was powered by a horse walking in a circle thus turning a bull gear, which was geared to other smaller gears, thus creating speed and power for his labor saving machines. This apparatus was dismantled and destroyed several years ago. (Schoharie County Historical Review Spring-Summer 1986);

Elizabeth (25 January 1821-?) who was baptized 25 February 1821 at the Protestant Reform Church of Niskayuna;

Christian C. (17 November 1822-14 July 1904 ) who was baptized December 1822 at Niskayuna, NY. He died of asthma and is buried in Schnectady cemetery on the Gunsolus lot. Christian married Mary Ann HILL (1827-15 April 1877) at Niskayuna. She is buried at Schnectady on the William Chapman lot. Their children were Harriet, aka Hannah (1850-?) who married John F. KNADLER and Peter (1851-1901) who married Mary (surname unknown);

Catherine Allida (9 April 1825-?) who was baptized 6 November 1825 at the Niskayuna Dutch Reformed Church.

Maria (1793-?) who was baptized 15 June 1783 Albany, NY. She married 15 October 1803 in Colonie, NY Baltus POLOCK (1780-1850) who died in Watervliet. They were the parents of nine children:

Catherine (1805-?);
Agnes (1806-?);
Petrus (1808-?);
Christian (1811-?);
Christina (1814-?);
Barrant (1816-1887);
Phillip (1819-?);
Margaret (1821-?);
John (1824-?).

They remained near Albany.

Alida (1794-?);
John (1794-?);
Annatje (1794-?);
Alida (1796-?).

Isaac (dates unknown) who married Anne ORR. He was named in court papers as being a resident of Charleston, Montgomery County, NY selling lot #51 in April 1800. By 1813 he was listed as having a wife and 5 children. During 1803 Isaac and brother Wilhelmus bought lot 52 in Charleston. They were the parents of 4 males and 1 female including David born 23 October 1800 at Fonda, NY who married 18 June 1823 Christina HOFF.

Rosina (dates unknown) who was baptized 7 January 1762 at Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY and married Francis STILL. She and her husband moved to Montgomery County. Children thought to be theirs were:

Catherine (dates unknown) who married Killean DINGMAN in 1810;
Francis (1786-?) who was born in Albany and possibly married Eve SCHUYLER;
Christian (dates unknown);
Robert (dates unknown);
David (1795-?);
Walter (1798-1855) who married Charity GROSSBECK.

Peter (15 February 1764-13 October 1846) who was baptized 18 March 1764 at St Paul's Church in Red Hook, Dutchess, NY. He died at Hornby, Steuben, NY. He married 18 December 1785 at Albany, NY to Jannetje VAN DEUSEN born December 1763. She was the daughter of Isaac Teunis VAN DEUSEN and Lea OSTRANDER. Peter moved between 1820-1830 to Hornby, Steuben County, NY along with most of his children. He was a farmer in what was then a wilderness. Peter and Jannetje were the parents of 12 children:

David (1786-1871) who married Annie TOMPKINS (1792-1876). They moved to Bellevue, Calhoun, Michigan with their daughter Maria J. (1810-1886) and her husband Daniel LANE and their son Hiram (1815-1876). Their children Peter (1813-1894), Joseph (1818-1906), and Aaron (1828-1881) remained near Hornby, Steuben, NY;

Lea who was baptized 1787 in Albany and died young;

Cornelius (1789-1861) married Alida VANDERVEER (1789-1869). They are both buried on their farm in Hornby. They had four children:

Jane Ann (1814-1900) who married Benjamin VORHEES while still living in Montgomery County;
Isaac Walker (1817-1904) who married Tryphena KNOWLTON & Rhoda Weller PHELPS;
Catherine (1824-1841) who is buried on the Fero farm;
Abram V. (1826-1846) who is buried on the Fero farm.

Margaret (1791-1871) married Albert VANDERVEER (1791-1864). They are both buried at the Christian Church Cemetery in Charleston Four Corners. Albert was the son of Garrett VANDERVEER and Rachel COWENHOVEN. Children of Margaret and Albert were:

Garrett (30 April 1816-15 June 1884) who married Jemina HUBBS (1820-12 February 1901). They are both buried at the Christian Church Cemetery, Charleston Four Corners. Garrett was a dairy farmer of 200+ acres. They were members of the Rural Grove church. They had two children: Roba (1840-1901) who married Horace ALLEN and Minerva (1842-?);

Jane Ann (24 January 1838-20 February 1891) who married John BOWDISH (18 February 1808-6 September 1886). They are both buried in the family cemetery in Rural Grove, Montgomery, NY. The cemetery is in the town on the road leading to Glen. Their children were:

Louisa (1836-1916) who married George J. GOVE;
Amelia (1842-1896) who married John GORDON;
Endora (14 September 1849-1933). She married Yates DIEVENDORF on 29 June 1869. They divorced and she resumed using the name Bowdish. She is buried in the Bowdish Cemetery in Rural Grove.

Lea (1792-?) who married Alexander WILLIAMS;
Henrich (1794-?) who died young;
John born (1796-?) who died young;
Henry Peter (1797-1887) who married first, Elany (surname unknown) (1797-1852) and second, Catherine HALL (1818-1912). They are all buried in the cemetery at Beaver Dams, Schuyler, NY. Henry had four children, the first three by Elany, the fourth by Catherine:

Jane Ann (12 November 1820-13 October 1867) who died at age 46. She married Silas MASTERS (27 January 1824 in NJ-4 February 1881) who died at age 54 and is buried in Burr Oak, Iowa. Jane is buried at the cemetery in Ferenbagh, Schuyler, NY. Silas moved to Burr Oak, Iowa with the three children and remarried. Their children were:

Henry W. (1845-1915) who married Margaret VOSBURGH;
Charles N. (1847-1921) who married Martha COLE;
John Freeman (1850-1927) who married Prudence SHARP.

Peter Henry (23 April 1823-23 August 1899) who married 19 September 1845 Eveline MASTERS (22 August 1826-8 May 1865). Peter married second Martha SANDS (10 February 1931-12 October 1910). Peter and Martha are buried at the Ferenbagh Cemetery, Schuyler, NY. Eveline is buried in Horby, Steuben, NY. Peter served in the Civil War. They had four children:

John Dallas (1846-1915) who married first, Harriet BACKER and second, Susan SHEWMAN;
Lewis A. (1849-?) who died young;
Cynthia (1851-1922) who married James VANCE;
Frank Clarence (1866-1942) who married first, Clara VAN ALSTINE and second, Charlotte SOUTHARD.

John Henry (17 December 1828-17 April 1874) who married Cynthia A. IRWIN (18 October 1830-24 June 1915). Both are buried at the cemetery in Montour Falls, Schuyler, NY. Cynthia was the daughter of John IRWIN and Sarah SMITH. John was a farmer. The had five children:

Lovina J. (8 June 1857-4 July 1862) born at Dix, NY who is buried Montour Falls;
Henry William (1860-1945) who married Emma J. CORWIN;
Emma Mae (1861-1923) who married Charles Oscar LEWIS;
John B. (20 December 1863-9 November 1881) who is buried at Montour Falls;
Robert S. (11 September 1866-9 November 1869) who is buried at Montour Falls.

William (1854-?) who died young.

John (1800-1892) who married Rachel JOHNSON (1804-1870). They moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin prior to 1850 and are buried at Hillside Cemetery. John was a farmer. They had four children:

Henry (1823-1909) who married Mary Ann WEBSTER. They moved west where they had eight children. Mary Ann died abt. 1895. Her obituary reads:

Mrs. Mary Ann Fero, relict of Henry Fero, who lived northeast of this village died early Saturday morning. Her maiden name was Webster. She was born in Tompkins County, NY June 16, 1825 and was married in Steuben County, NY July 8, 1843. She died in Moscow October 26, age 70 years. She moved with her husband to Wisconsin in 1846 and they came to Minnesota in 1856. Funeral services were conducted at the house Monday forenoon.

Henry married second, Olive (surname unknown).

Lydia (1 June 1827-7 December 1908) who married Benjamin Sutton CORYELL c1848. She remarried before 1880 to Chauncey Newell TORREY. Lydia died in 1908. Her obituary reads:

Mrs. Lydia Torrey died quite suddenly Monday evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. B.F. Wood. She was in her usual health until Saturday morning but she seemed slightly ill during the day. Her condition was not thought at all critical and at supper time she asked for a light lunch which Mr. Wood prepared and took to her room. On entering she found her mother was dying. Mrs. Torrey's maiden name was Lydia Fero. She was born in Oneida County, NY in 1827. She came to Wisconsin when nineteen years old and lived at Heart Prairie and on the Fero farm south of the city. She was twice married. Her first husband was Mr. B.S. Coryell, who died many years ago. Her second husband was Chancy Torrey of Hebron. He died thirty years ago. The funeral was from the home. (Source: Whitewater Register.)

She is buried at Hillside Cemetery in Whitewater. Her child was Merin Delephine CORYELL (1850-?) who married Benjamin Frank WOOD.

Garrett (1831-1911) who married Roxanna Abzada THWING on 26 January 1853 at Whitewater, Wisconsin. Both are buried in the Hillside Cemetery in Whitewater. Garrett's obituary reads:

Mr. Garrett Fero, who died January 11th at his home three miles south of the city, was a pioneer settler in this vicinity. He was born May 19th 1831 in Steuben County, NY. He came to Whitewater in 1846. He was then a boy of fifteen and made the journey overland, no cars running at that time. He was one of a party of Whitewater people who went to Milwaukee to see the first cars run there. A few years later, they were delighted to again see a train, this time in Whitewater. Mr. Fero was married in 1852 to Roxy Thwing, who died in 1899. For sixty years he lived on the old farm and saw his sons grow to manhood. Five of them still living here, George, Herman, Peter, Emery and Fleetus. He was an industrious, hard working man, respected in the community where he lived so long. (Source: Whitewater Register.)

Abraham (10 September 1802-29 October 1888) who married Catherine ARNSE (16 April 1810 Berk Co. PA- 23 November 1884). They are both buried at Central Valley Cemetery in Hornby, Steuben, NY. Catherine was the daughter of George ARNSE and his wife Elizabeth. Abraham was a farmer and had a family of seven children:

Albert (1830-1925) who married Caroline EASLING;
George Wesley (1832-1896) who married Elvina WOOLEVER;
Jane (1837-1883) who married John BREESE;
Harriet W. (1837-1883) who married John STRONG;
Elizabeth Ann (21 January 1843-13 February 1844);
Abram Cornelius (1847-1923) who married Catherine M. COOK;
John F. (1853-1904) who married Mary Matilda KNIFFEN.

Gertrude (1804-14 September 1879) who married Peter DUVALL (1802-8 March 1872) on 18 January 1829 at the Christian Church in Charleston Four Corners, Montgomery, NY. Both are buried in the cemetery at Tyrone, Schuyler, NY. They were the parents of seven children;

Eliza Ann (c1830-?);
Marian (c1832-?);
Eleanore (c1833-?);
Sue Ora (c1836-?);
Nancy J. (c1839-?);
Sarah C. (c1840-?)who was born in Chemung Co. NY;
John C. (1843-1930)who married Lucy (surname unknown)(1847-1896). They are buried with his parents at Tyrone. They had two children: a son, Claude A. (1857-1939) who married Adella (surname unknown) and a daughter, Calista (1872-?).

Garrett (10 October 1810-26 March 1891) who was born in Montgomery Co., NY. He married Sylvina FULLER c1829 (1811-1898) in Tennessee. Both are buried in the Old Payne Cemetery, Franklin, TN. Sylvina was the daughter of Floyd FULLER and Elizabeth GEAN. Garrett and Sylvina moved to Tennessee with their daughter, Mariah Jane, and her family. Their son Joel Parcel remained with his family in New York:

Joel Parcel (10 December 1836-9 May 1909) married Patience Peth KENT (4 November 1845-7 August 1936 ) on 21 September 1864. Her parents were Stephen KENT and Pamelia MILLER. They are buried at the Hope Cemetery Campbell, Steuben, NY. Joel was a farmer. He remained in NY when his parents moved to Tennessee. They were the parents of seven children:

Celia M. (1866-1896) who married Frank McCANN. They lived in Hornell, NY;

Charles M. (1867-1941) who married first, Belle PATTON and second, Hattie FRINK. For a time Charles lived in South Dakota. He returned east and settled in PA;

Mark Pomeroy (1869-1902) who married Jennie Belle MAPES. They are buried at the Hope Cemetery Campbell, Steuben, NY;

Willis Garrett (1871-1912) who married Meda LUDLOW. Willis and Meda had a farm in Campbell, Steuben, NY;

Oren Francis (1875-1966) who married first, Pearl Elvira THOMPSON and second, Nellie FLANNEKEN. Oren was a minister and moved several times where the church sent them. He finally settled in California;

May Rebecca (1882-1975) who married Ithamore HADLOCK;

Mina Edna (1884-1980) who married Harry KNOWLES and William WILLOVER.

Joel and Patience are buried in the Hope Cemetery in Campbell, Steuben, NY.

Maria (dates unknown) who was baptized 2 November 1766 at St. Paul's Church;

Wilhelmus (1769- bet 1830-1840) who was baptized 21 May 1769 at St. Paul's Church. He married 21 February 1791 Gertruy VAN VRACKEN. Wilhelmus and wife gradually moved westward to Montgomery County. In 1792 they sold land in Albany County. In 1797 they sold land in Broadabin, NY. In 1803 they bought a farm in the town of Charleston, Montgomery, NY. He remained in Montgomery county with his wife and 6 children:

Isaac W. (8 January 1792-?) was baptized at Niskayuna. He was married three times. His first wife was Sophia CORBIN (1796-1825) who was the sister of Nancy CORBIN wife of Russell RUSCOE of Frankfort, Herkimer, NY. He married second, Phelena CROSBY (1803-1841) and, third, Nancy WOOD (1797-?). Isaac and family lived in Carlisle, in Schoharie County where he was a blacksmith. He was the father of 10 children some of whom were:

Eliza (1815-?) who married Joseph HUESTED and had three children:

William probably moved to Michigan by 1900. His address was listed as unknown in 1903 when the will of Isaac Fero was settled. His mother was the sister of Isaac and was deceased;

Jane was named in the will of Isaac Fero as "Jane Jessup" of Troy, NY. Her husband may have been Thomas JESSUP;

Gertrude was named in the will of Isaac Fero as "Gertrude Clark" also of Troy, NY.

William Helmus (5 August 1817-10 April 1832);

Gertrude (7 October 1819-?) who married Abraham C. BAIRD on 31 December at Sharon, Schoharie County. They had no children;

John (22 February 1822-28 August 1823);

Cornelia (1824-1875) who married Samuel Walker FERO and moved to Shellsburg, Iowa. Cornelia was the mother of 3 children all born in Iowa;

Sophia (17 March 1827-25 September 1827);

Sophia (June 1831-abt 1917) who died when she was 86 years old and living with her daughter and son-in-law in Kankakee, Kankakee, Iowa. She married Alexander McCOLL (c 1825-?) on 2 July 1857 in Montgomery County and moved to Iowa in 1860;

Isaac (4 March 1835-17 July 1906) who married Angenora PRAMER. They had no children and are buried at Carlisle, Schoharie, NY;

Mary Crosby (10 December 1836-13 March 1884) who married David A. ROSCOE (5 July 1823-13 May 13, 1884) of Frankfort, Herkimer, NY. David's mother, Nancy CORBIN was the sister of Mary's father's first wife. After David's death, Mary married second, Lyman C. ADAMS, son of Henry and Katie Aams of Eden, Lamoille, Vermont.

The obituary of Mary reads:

Mary C. Roscoe was born at Glen, NY and died at Clatonia, Nebraska March 15, 1923 at the age of 86 years, 3 months and 4 days. In early life she became a member of the Presbyterian church and continued faithful to the end. In 1854, she was married to David A. Roscoe. In 1886 the family left the old home in New York and came to Illinois where they lived till 1881 when they came to DeWitt, Nebraska. In 1886 her husband died and was buried in the DeWitt cemetery. She continued to reside in DeWitt till 1892 when she returned to Illinois. in 1911 she came back to Nebraska and made her home with her sons. She had been living with son W.H. Roscoe at Clatonia for about a year when she was called home. The remains were brought to DeWitt and on Monday March 18th at 3 p.m. services were conducted at the D.E. Venrick home by the Rev. Ray Backer, pastor of the M.E. church. Interment was made in the DeWitt cemetery at the side of her husband. She leaves seven sons, thirty-six grandchildren and thirty great grandchildren. Those of her sons who attended the funeral were W.H. of Clatonia, Sherman I. of Shenadoah IA; George C. of Michigan Valley, Kansas and Charles D. of Norfolk. Those who were unable to attend on account of long distances and the severe weather were Bert F. of Calkins, Montana; Edward W. of Ridgeway, Colorado and Frank A. of Miami, Florida. (Source: DeWitt Times-News, 22 March 1923)

Mary and David had ten children:

Nancy Fero (1855-1913) who married John A. BAIRD whose parents came from New York, possibly Frankfort;
Martha A. (1857-1875) who is buried in Peotone, Wills, Illinois;
William Harlow (1859-1947) who married Lena M. JORGENSON;
Sherman Isaac (1862-1948) who married Martha FULLER born in Unadilla, NY;
George Corbin (1864-1952) who married Mary BOGGS. He was a druggist.
Franklin A. (1866-?) who married first Anna ROBINSON. He was married at least two more times.
Edwin Ward (1868-1886) who died unmarried. He is buried in DeWitt, NE.
Bertruss Francis (1870-1857) who married first Sarah Elizabeth WALDO (1869-1940) descendant of the immigrant, Cornelius WALDO of Salem Village, Massachusetts in the 1600s. Berturss married a second time but the name of this wife is not known.
Edward Wright (1874-1929) who married Inez Garfield COLE descendant of John COLE of Litchfield, Herkimer, NY;
Charles Doyle (1876-1962) who married Edna Mae LEWIS daughter of James H. LEWIS and Mary Elizabeth STEWART of Frankfort Hill, Herkimer, NY.

Ruhama (1840-1919) who married John R. PALMER. They had one son, Glen who was born 2 August 1874 and died 13 November 1877. All three are all buried in the cemetery at Glen, Montgomery, NY. Following the death of her husband, Ruhama lived with her sister Gertrude BAIRD.

Margaret (12 November 1793-?) was baptized 16 February 1794. She probably never married and was living with her brother Henry in 1850. She is buried at the cemetery in Glen, Montgomery, NY.

David (28 February 1796-) was baptized in 1796 at the First Dutch Reformed Church of Schnectady. He married Irene WALKER. They are buried at the Christian Church Cemetery at Charleston Four Corners, Montgomery, NY. They were the parents of 9 children;

Gertrude Jane (24 July 1819-8 October 1888) who married Charles H. CRAIG (30 April 1817-16 July 1895). They are both buried at the Leesville cemetery at Sharon Springs, NY. Their children were:

William Henry (1854-1934) who married first, Orlena NEAR and second, Caroline STRAM;
Charles (1860-1861) who died at age 8 months;
David (dates unknown) who married Julia Elvira BRIDGEMAN.

Patience Anne (27 September 1820-20 May 1898) who married John N. ABRAMS (29 December 1817- 8 July 1863). They are buried at Evergreen Cemetery at Sands Flat, NY. Patience also married Jospeh Wagner SNELL (3 April 1806 Palatine, NY-?). Patience was survived by her daughter Minerva and son D.J. Abrams. Patience and John had five children:

Elizabeth (1840-?) who married George S. HAGGART;
Cordelia (1842-1854) who is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery at Sands Flat;
Minerva (1850-) who married Samuel HOAGLAN;
James (1854-1884) who is buried in Evergreen Cemetery;
Danford Jerome (1858-1945) who married first, Fannie GULICK and second, Irene RAY. He moved to California where he died.

Samuel Walker (1826-1890) who married first, Tryphena Marie SMITH (1828- 1853), second, Cornelia FERO and third, Lila (surname unknown). His children were:

Izora (1850-?). Her mother died when she was three years old and she was left in Charleston with her grandparents John V. SMITH and wife Maria when Charles moved to Iowa. She married Michael MOLONEY. They lived in Montgomery County;
Cecelia (1855-?) who married Henry LA TOURETTE;
Coral (1858-1935) who married Herbert HOLTON;
Charles (1863-?) who moved to Atlantic, Cass, Iowa;
Nora (1878-1880) who died in Iowa.

Minerva Catherine (20 March 1828-24 February 1887) who married Isaac Gage HOAG (1822-1897). They moved to a farm in Ledyard, Cayuga, NY and are both buried in the Ridgeway Cemetery. Their children were:

Charles (1848-?) who lived in Charleston Four Corners and married Eva (surname unknown). Both are buried at Ridgeway Cemetery;
Julius (1853-1854) who is buried at the Christian Church at Charleston;
William (1860-?);
Anna (1863-?).

Cynthia Maria (1829-1908) who married Edwin Chauncey OLIN on 3 November 1852. They moved to Galesburg, Knox, Ilinois. There children were:

Emma (1853-1852) who is buried at the Christian Church, Charleston, NY;
Minerva Irene (c1857-?) who married George BRIDGE;
Ida Uretta (c1860-?) who married Charles GOLDSMITH

John Schuyler (9 September 1831-?) who married Anne (surname unknown) and possibly Sarah SOUTHWORTH. A descendent of Fred E. Fero, the son of Sarah has the names and dates, and spouses of all family members. In 1855 he was a tavernkeeper in Charleston. John and Sarah were married in Nebraska. A son Fred lived in Omaha and died in California.

Charles Bush (1833-1917) who married Catherine VOSBURG. Their children were:

Armetta (1863-1907) who married first, Fay VANDERVEER, second, James MEAD and third, Alfred GARDNER. She is buried at the Christian Church in Charleston;
Jenetta [aka Jennie] (1866-1949) who married James FONDA. Jennie is buried at the Maple Avenue Cemetery in Fultonville. She lived in Gloversville with her two sons. Her husband left for the Alaskan gold rush and never returned;
Catherine Minerva (1887-1938) who married Alfred STOLLER. They lived in Fultonville, NY;
John Beakley (1874-1927) who married Elizabeth McDUFFIE;
Charles Henry (1877-1966) who married Martha Ella MANNING (1879-1946). They are both buried in the cemetery at Ft. Plain, Montgomery, NY. They had no children.

Sarah Walker (2 July 1835- 26 February 1917) who married Andrew Allen (1834-1912) on 11 March 1857. They are both buried at the Ridgeway Cemetery. Sarah died one day after her brother Charles.

Glenwood, on the road west from Wheeler's corner, within four miles of Aurora, and fifteen miles of Auburn contains one hundred acres of fertile soil. Its chief resources are hay, grain and poultry, while small fruits, pears, cherries and plums are among its specialties. The farm shows every indication of the care bestowed upon it in its fine and well shaded lawn, its buildings and barns, all being in good repair. The farm derives its name from the wooded glen that runs through it from east to west. The property was originally known as the Winslow Farm, which was purchased of Bradley Smith by Andrew Allen in 1869, who is a native of Montgomery County, NY born September 30, 1834. He was married in 1857 to Miss Sarah W. Fero. Their family consists of a son and daughter. Mr. Allen is a highly respected farmer of this town. (Source: "The Most Valuable and Productive Farm" in The New Century Atlas of Cayuga, NY, 1904 p. 120.)

Children of Sarah and Andrew were:

Chester (1859-1922) who married Emily A. BAKER. In 1920 Chester was a widower living with his single sister in Venice, Cayuga, NY;
Ethel J. (1865-?).

William Isaac (30 July 1839-7 November 1874) who died at age 35 years and 4 months. He is buried at the Christian Church Cemetery at Charleston. He married Nancy YEARDON born 1841. Their children were:

Andrew (1864-?) who was a factory laborer and lived in Ft. Plain, Montgomery, NY;
Ikey (1873-1874).

Francintje (5 September 1799-?) who was baptized 16 February 1800;

Nicholas (1803-19 April 1891) who married Eveline HAINER. They are buried at the Glen Cemetery, Montgomery, NY. They were the parents of 9 children:

George L. (March 1825-?) who married Ruth RIDER (1828-22 February 1856). Ruth died at age 28 years, 5 months, and 25 days. She is buried at Glen, Montgomery, NY. George remarried to Mary Jane DAVENPECK (August 1833-1901) and is buried at Glen. Children

Luther (1849-27 March 1854) who died at age 4 years, 6 months, 19 days and is buried at Glen;
Elenor (1851-8 April 1854) who died at age 3 years, 2 months, 11 days and is buried at Glen;
Lilly (1861-3 October 1863) who is buried at Glen;
Adam (1862-3 April 1864) who died at age 2 years, 8 months and is buried at Glen;
Ruth (1866-13 October 1942) who died at Gloversville, Fulton, NY. She left her estate to her brothers Newton V. of Ontario St., Albany and Elias of Fultonville. She is buried in Gloversville;.
Luther (1868-?) who married Mary Ann JACKMAN (1859-?) on 14 June 1891 in Canada. She was the daughter of Thomas JACKMAN and Mary MURPHY;
Anna (17 September 1869-24 August 1897) who married Rufus VAN SCHAICK. She joined the Glen Church in December 1892. She is buried at Green Hill Cemetery, Amsterdam, Montgomery, NY;
Elias (1872-?) who married Hester whose last name was mostly WINTERS*;
Newton (1875-?) who married probably Eula DURFEE.

John H. (April 1826-?) he married first, Harriet MILLER (1827-?) and Eleanor VEDDER (March 1834-?). His children were:

Emma (1846-1935) who married Samuel SOUTHERN. Both are buried at Johnstown, Fulton, NY;
Ellen (1849-?) who married George A. WHYLAND;
Jacob N. (1853-1944) who married Carrie NOONAN;
Jennie (1864-) who married Charles ACKROID;
Miller John (1872-?) who married and divorced Augusta L. CAMERON.

William H. (1827-1883) who married Harriet DONALDSON on 27 March 1869. Their children were:

Amy (October 1871-20 January 1873) who died at age 1 year, 3 months, and 20 days;
Lillian (1874-?) who married Elisha B. HEWITT. They lived in Amsterdam, Montgomery, NY;
Sarah Mary (1878-?) who married Mr. VAN VOAST (first name unknown) and lived in Amsterdam, NY;
Nellie (1879-?) who married John McNAMARA and lived in Amsterdam, NY;
William DONALDSON (June 1882-1938) and married Sarah WHITE (c1888-14 February 1869). He was a weaver at a carpet mill and lived in Amsterdam. He also went by the named Donald.

Gertrude M. (5 November 1830-19 October 1893) who married Peter MILLER (30 July 1820- 25 January 1885). Both are buried in Johnstown Cemetery section 8. Their children were:

Jacob Lanter (1855-1927) who is buried in Johnstown;
Matie E. (1873-1937) who married Job HAYWARD (1870-1938). Both are buried in the Johnstown Cemetery.

Naomi (23 October 1833/38-2 September 1913) who married Jacob Daniel MILLER (1831-1895) on 22 December 1852 at the First Protestant Dutch Church at Glen, NY. Both are buried at Glen, NY. Naomi and Daniel had the following children:

Latice (1854-?) who died young;
Annie (2 February 1855-June 1900);
Daniel Jay (10 January 1857-1889);
Almanda Elizabeth (1858-1945) who married Edgar HUGHES;
Jacob Fero (1860-?) who married Cora Anna VAN PATTON;.
George(c1868-?);
Putman (1871-1962) who married Nancy MORRIS;
Frank Q. (1873-1962) who married Blanche Heddon FULLER.

David (1835-?);

Julia A.(1836-1916) who married John O. MONTAYNE on 16 February 1857. They are both buried at the Christian Church Cemetery in Charleston, Montgomery, NY. They lived in both Glen and Charleston, NY and had the following children:

Delmar J. (1858-1865) who died at age 7 years, 4 months, 15 days and is buried in the Christian Church Cemetery in Montgomery;
Eve Ann (c1859-?);
John O. (1862-1865) who died at age 3 years, 9 months, 8 days and is buried in the Christian Church Cemetery in Montgomery;
George L. (1864-1865) who died at age 1 year, 5 days, 3 months and is buried in the Christian Church Cemetery in Montgomery;
Etta (1866-1946) who married Charles BELL;
Cora (1869-1871) who died at age 2 years, 3 months, 13 days and is buried in the Christian Church Cemetery in Montgomery;
John S. (1871-?) who married Belle (surname unknown) (1876-?);
Bertha (c1875-?);
Hattie(c1878-?).

Nicholas (26 November 1837-8 February 1924) who died at age 86 years, 1 month, 12 days. He married Carrie BUSSING (1841-1867). She is buried at the Baptist Church Charlston, NY. He remarried 22 December 1881 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church Schoharie, Schoharie, NY to Elsie WALKER (26 September 1863-23 January 1948). Both Nicholas and Elsie are buried at the Christian Church Cemetery in Charleston, Four Corners NY. Nicholas's children were:

Iva (?-1887) who is buried in the Christian Church Cemetery in Charleston;
Arthur N. (1883-1969) who married Georgianna BRUMLEY;
Leo N. (1890-1908) who is buried in the Christian Church Cemetery in Charleston;
Lela May ( 1896-1983) who was born in Charleston, Montgomery, NY and died at Oneida, Madison, NY. She married Clinton ROOT 1898-1982) on 26 November 1924 at Esperence, Schoharie, NY. He was the son of Charles ROOT and Katherine Joanna DALE of Camden, Oneida, NY. In 1930 they lived in Herkimer, Herkimer, NY.

Jacob A. (1840-?) who married Martha E. RUFF. Their children were:

Lena (c1868-?);
Irvie (1871-1876) who died at age 4 years, 6 months, 9 days and is buried at Duanesburg, NY "How much of light, how much of Joy, Is buried with our darling boy" is on his headstone.
Martha born 1876.

Henry W. (1816-1894) who married Eve SCHUYLER and Caroline VAN VECHTON. Henry and Caroline are buried at the Maple Avenue Cemetery Fultonville, Montgomery, NY. He had two children:

William R. (14 August 1829-27 May 1887). He married Charlotte J. HOLMES (19 May 1838-10 October 1884). William married second, Lucy Barlow DINGMAN (1842-1890) on 24 March 1886. All are buried at the Maple Avenue Cemetery in Fultonville, NY. Lucy was the widow of Luther DINGMAN. At the time of his death William was a resident of Glen, Montgomery, NY. In his will he provided for his father Henry and his brother Abram. His children were:

Willlie S. (5 September 1862-23 March 1863) who died of inflamation of the brain at age 6 months and is buried at the Maple Avenue Cemetery;
William H. (5 April 1864-18 February 1876) who is buried Maple Avenue Cemetery.
Ida D. (5 November 1872-28 February 1876) who is buried Maple Avenue Cemetery.

Abram S. (1833-1898) who is buried at the Maple Avenue Cemetery. He probably never married.

Notes:

This surname has gone through several iterations since coming to this country. The immigrant ancestor is often recorded as Johannes "Fuhrer" or "Fuhrar." The subject of this bio, David Fero, used the spelling "Fero". Some of his siblings used the spelling "Fiero." Descendants using each of these spellings are alive today.

*Hester Flore's name was given as Tillapaugh in "The Dallenbach in America 1710-1935" by Andrew Luther Dallenbach records. The church records of Rural Grove give her name as Winters.

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HUNGERFORD (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

Nathaniel Hungerford and his wife Rachel Cone were living with their nine children in East Haddam, Connecticut at the time of the Revolutionary War. In the years after the war, several of their children migrated to the Frankfort, Herkimer, NY area. Some settled in this town and others move further on into New York and points west. Several of the siblings and their descendants are buried around a small clump of trees in the original portion of the Graffenburg Cemetery in Frankfort Hill.

The children of Nathaniel and Rachel Hungerford were:

Jehiel who with wife Hannah Spencer lived for a time in Frankfort. They are buried in Caroline, Tompkin, NY. Their son Jehiel, Jr. married Sally Stewart in Frankfort and raised a family in town. Jehiel, Jr. and Sally along with some of their descendants are buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery;

Stephen who married Silence Wood. They lived in Frankfort. Silence died there and is buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery. Stephen removed to Batavia, Genesee, NY and is buried there;

Daniel;

Mehitable who with husband John Stewart settled in Frankfort and raised their family there. Both are buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery;

Nathaniel who with wife Dorothy (aka, Dolly) settled in Frankfort and raised their family there. Both are buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery;

Lydia who wife husband Pardon Burdick settled in Frankfort. Both are buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery;

Susannah;

Elihue, who married Ruth Crosby. He died in Oswego, NY;

Amos and wife China Harrison moved to Herkimer County sometime between October 1813 when she was dismissed as a member of the church in Lyme, CT and 30 Jun 1816 when she was received as a member at Norwich Corners. She was baptized at the Norwich Corners Congregational Church on 1 Apr 1822 and dismissed as a member there two days later on 3 Apr 1822 perhaps due to death.

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JEHIEL HUNGERFORD, Sr.

Jehiel HUNGERFORD, son of Nathaniel HUNGERFORD and his wife Rachel CONE, was born July 3, 1758 at East Haddam, Middlesex County, CT. While a resident of East Haddam, Jehiel served several tours with Connecticut troops in the Revolutionary War. His service record lists these tours as follows: in 1776, eleven weeks as private under Lieutenant Nathan JEWETT; in 1777, eight months as private in Captain SMITH's company, Colonel S. ELY's regiment; later in 1777, about two months as private in Captain John WILLEY's company; in 1779, 3 months, a part of the time as teamster in Captain Oliver OLMSTEAD's company; in 1780, eight months under Sergeant Nathaniel MANNERELL. He was out 3 days when New London was burned and had other short tours.

Jehiel married Hannah SPENCER (b. March 15, 1758) on April 27, 1779. Hannah was probably the daughter of Joel Spencer and his wife Eunice, who had a daughter Hannah baptized at New Cambridge (now Bristol), CT, on March 4, 1759.*

After the Revolutionary War, Jehiel settled in Bristol, Hartford County, CT. About 1798, Jehiel moved his family to the Town of Frankfort, Herkimer, NY where he engaged in farming. Jehiel and Hannah remained in the Frankfort area until they were well into their seventies at which time they joined their son Spencer Hungerford in Tompkins County, NY.

Jehiel and Hannah HUNGERFORD had at least five children:

Jehiel Jr. (1781 -January 8, 1838) who married his cousin Sally STEWART, daughter of John STEWART and Mehitable HUNGERFORD, his father's sister;

Hannah (?-died after Feb 1844) who married a Mr. MOREY and was living in Bedford, Cuyahoga, OH in 1844 when her father died. (Note: She may be the widow Hannah KING who married Daniel MOREY in Cuyahoga County on September 3, 1826);

Spencer (July 13, 1789 at Bristol, CT-December 23, 1871) who married Electa DUNHAM, daughter of Selathiel DUNHAM and Lucy STEWART, on April 29, 1810. He relocated to the Town of Caroline, Tompkins, NY before 1820. Both are buried in the old Dutch Reformed Church cemetery at Slaterville Springs, NY. Spencer and Electa were the parents of nine children: Lewis, Julia, Chauncey, Edward, Lucy, Mary, William, Laura, and Charlotte.

Elizabeth (abt 1792 at Bristol, CT-July 20, 1878) who married John DUNHAM, son of Selathial DUNHAM and Lucy STEWART, about 1807 in Herkimer County. For several years they farmed 50 acres in Herkimer County. Five children (Ambrose, Chester, Alonzo, Laura, and John) were born to them. In 1818, John and Elizabeth sold their farm to her nephew, Jehiel HUNGERFORD, Jr. for $800. John and Elizabeth and five small children then moved to the Western Reserve, locating first in Independence township and later Bedford township in Cuyahoga County, OH. (The area is now a southern suburb of Cleveland, OH.) There five more children joined the family. They were: Frederick Asa, Phebe, Jehiel H., Eliza and Lorenzo.

John DUNHAM was the first Bedford township treasurer. Several DUNHAM descendants had careers in education. A grandson, Orlow HUBBELL, was first superintendent of the Bedford schools. Another grandson, Clifton HUBBELL, served as superintendent of the Bedford school system for 14 years. During his term, he initiated the first high school in Bedford. A great-grandson, Henry DERTHICK, served as president of Milligan College in Tennessee from 1917-1940. Henry's son, Lawrence DERTHICK, served as U. S. Commissioner of Education during the Eisenhower Administration. Dunhams were also involved in civic affairs. Frederick DUNHAM, a grandson, was a judge and served a term in the Ohio legislature.

John DUNHAM died February 22, 1848. Elizabeth DUNHAM died July 20, 1878, aged 86 years and 6 months. She, her husband, and four of their children and other descendants are buried in the Bedford town cemetery.

Sylvia (about 1795 - died after Feb 1844) married Daniel PRATT, Jr. She was living in Jefferson County, NY, in 1844 when her father died.

Hannah (SPENCER) HUNGERFORD died September 8, 1842 and her husband Jehiel on January 9, 1844. Both are buried in the old Dutch Reformed Church Cemetery in Slaterville Springs, Tompkins, NY.**

Notes:

* I have no document that proves the parents of the Hannah Spencer who married Jehiel Hungerford, Sr. Evidence supports her being the daughter of Joel Spencer and Eunice Stewart Spencer. Joel Spencer was born at East Haddam, CT, April 13, 1731. He married Eunice Stewart about 1757, daughter of John and Elizabeth Stewart. Joel purchased and sold parcels of land in New Cambridge, CT, during 1753-1772. Their first three children, including a daughter named Hannah, were baptized there. Joel returned to East Haddam in 1772 and died there in 1809. In the 1790 East Haddam census, Joel Spencer is enumerated on the same page as his wife's brother, John Stewart, and Nathaniel Hungerford, father of Jehiel Hungerford Sr. A known son of Joel and Eunice Stewart Spencer named one of his daughters Hannah Hungerford Spencer, a likely event if his sister was married to a Hungerford. The fact that Eunice Stewart's nephew, John Stewart (1762 - 1834), married Jehiel Hungerford's younger sister Mehitable provides additional evidence of the close ties between the Joel Spencer and Nathaniel Hungerford families.

** The date of death inscribed on Jehiel Hungerford's gravestone (Feb 8) differs from the date of death (Jan 9) given in the Tompkins County probate records. I have used Jan 9 as the most likely date of death because the probate records were made within a few week of his death. The gravestone was probably erected many years later, after the death of his son Spencer.

Sources:

Abstract of pension record for Jehiel Hungerford (claim 13489)
The American Genealogist, Vol. 30, page 48.
Tompkins County Probate Records, 1818-1845 (FHL # 0869196)
Tompkins County Letters of Administration, Vol 38, page 192. (FHL 0853083)
Spencer Hungerford Bible Record (FHL # 0862769)
Life in Bedford, 1813 to 1970, by Ned Hubbell, published by the Bedford Historical Society, 1971.
Memorial Record County of Cuyahoga and City of Cleveland Ohio, Lewis Publishing, 1894.
Herkimer County Deed Book 12, page 217.
Gravestones in Slaterville Springs, NY and Bedford, OH, viewed 2002 by the author.
Census records: 1790 Bristol, Hartford, CT; 1800-1830 Frankfort, Herkimer, NY; 1840 Caroline, Tompkins, NY; 1820-1900 Cuyahoga, OH.

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JEHIEL HUNGERFORD, JR.

Jehiel HUNGERFORD, JR., son of Jehiel HUNGERFORD, Sr. and Hannah SPENCER, was born in Connecticut, probably at East Haddam, about 1781. He spent his boyhood years in Bristol, Hartford, CT, and moved with his family to Frankfort, Herkimer, NY about 1798. He married about 1805 his cousin, Sally STEWART, daughter of John and Mehitable (HUNGERFORD) STEWART. With the exception of service in the War of 1812, Jehiel lived his entire life on his farms in Herkimer County. He died January 8, 1838, at age 56 and his wife in 1839. Both are buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery, Frankfort, NY.

Jehiel and Sally HUNGERFORD had 8 children, all born in Frankfort, Herkimer, NY:

Amos HUNGERFORD (February 10, 1806 - July 29, 1875) who married Eliza NICHOLS (February 24, 1808 or 1810*-June 12, 1885), daughter of David NICHOLS of Herkimer County, NY. They began their married life farming in Frankfort where five of their six children were born. From the 1835 New York state census, we learn that Amos and Eliza had 38 acres of improved land and raised a few cattle, sheep and hogs. Eliza had produced 58 yards of woolen or linen cloth. In 1836, his father deeded Amos 76 acres in Oswego County "for one dollar and natural love and affection." Amos moved his family to their new home shortly after. There their sixth child was born. By 1855, Amos had 125 acres worth $2000, where he raised wheat, oats, rye, corn and apples. After their children were grown, Amos and Eliza brought George Southworth (listed as adopted son, age 13 on the 1875 N census) into their home. Amos HUNGERFORD died July 29, 1875 and Eliza on June 12, 1885. They are buried in the Sayles Cemetery, Town of Palermo, Oswego, NY. Their children were:

Roxanna (April 5, 1828-July 7, 1902) who married William BARTLETT, a farmer in Oswego County. Both are buried in the North Volney Cemetery, Oswego County, NY. No children.

Jonathan (March 3, 1830-December 19, 1889) who served in Co. I, 184th New York Infantry during the Civil War. He married before 1850, Ann E. HALL, daughter of Phineas HALL, a native of Montgomery County, NY

Sarah E. (?-1850) who died unmarried June 6, 1850 at age 18. She is buried in the Sayles Cemetery, Oswego County, NY.

Jerome D. (?-1851) who died July 6, 1851 at age 17. He is buried in the Sayles Cemetery, Oswego County, NY.

Hannah (aka, Ann) Hall (1836-1914) who married William SHARP (born Herkimer County about 1839). William's occupation was stone mason. They lived in Oswego County. William died August 29, 1892, age 58. Both are buried in the Clifford Cemetery, Town of Palermo, Oswego, NY. William and Ann had no children. Ann married Orlo Jennings about 1898.

Lucinda M. (?-1872) who died unmarried January 3, 1872 at age 32. She is buried in the Sayles Cemetery next to her parents and siblings.

Roxanna (?-1824) who died unmarried 14 Aug 1824 at age 17 at Frankfort, Herkimer, NY. She is buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery.

Asahel (?-1836) who located in Bedford, Cuyahoga County, OH where he married on December 7, 1834, his father's cousin Laura DUNHAM, daughter of John and Elizabeth (HUNGERFORD) DUNHAM. Asahel and Laura had only one child, Nancy C. HUNGERFORD, before he died November 5, 1836, at age 27. His young widow, married as her second husband, Abraham Turner HUBBELL, physician and farmer, February 14, 1839 in Bedford, OH. Asahel is buried in the old part of the Bedford, OH, town cemetery. His daughter Nancy died unmarried April 22, 1913, and is buried in the Bedford cemetery next to her mother and step-father.

Jehiel 3rd (abt 1813-1880)who was called "Hiel." He married Polly (surname unknown) c. 1832. She died October 28, 1846 and is buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery next to her mother-in-law. Hiel and Polly Hungerford had five children, all born in Frankfort, Herkimer, NY:

Asel R. (May 1833-October 22, 1913) who married Harriett (surname unknown) about 1859 and moved to Sterling, Minnesota. A son Frank was born in September 1860. Asel enlisted in Co. B, 1st Regiment, of the Minnesota Mounted Rangers on October 11, 1862, and served for one year. In 1865, he served an additional 5 months with the 1st Battery Minnesota Light Artillery. After the Civil War, Asel and his family moved back to Wisconsin. There they had a daughter, Bertha, born Sep 1871. Another child, Marnie, appears with the family in 1880. She may be adopted or living temporarily with the family as Harriet is too old to have been her mother. Frank Hungerford married at least twice and had children with each wife. Bertha Hungerford married Don Griswold. After the death of his wife, Asel moved west and died October 22, 1915 in Montana.

Sarah M. (August 9, 1835-September 9, 1906), married James RIFENBERG February 19, 1854 in Dodge County, WI.

Lydia Elizabeth (Apr 1840-August 13, 1905), married George HODGE in January, 1862, in Dodge County, WI. George HODGE died at Jeffersonville, IN, March 29, 1865, of disease contracted while serving with the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry during the Civil War. The young widow married September 28, 1861, James LEEMON in Fond du Lac County, WI.

Nancy Jane (September 10, 1842-January 12, 1907), married Joseph ELLIOTT, December 8, 1858, in Dodge County, WI. They had two sons. She married again on December 17, 1865, to Oscar SPRAGUE, a Civil War veteran. Jane and Oscar lived at Abrams, WI, and later in Mitchell County, IA. They are buried in the Liberty Cemetery at Little Cedar, IA.

Daniel (1844-March 2, 1863) who died in Murfreesboro, TN, of illness while serving with the 21st Wisconsin Infantry in the Civil War.

Hiel remarried Julia Ann NICHOLS, daughter of Charles NICHOLS [no known connection to the Nichols family profile below]. In March of 1850, Hiel and Julia Ann sold their farm and orchard in Herkimer County and relocated on a farm in Leroy township, Dodge County, WI. Hiel and Julia HUNGERFORD had five children, all born in Dodge County, WI:

Charles R. (Dec 1851-February 25, 1933) who married Matilda McLEAN November 28, 1872 at Wampun, WI.

Emma E. (abt 1853-1878) who married Charles BUSKIRK, December 16, 1875, in Leroy township, Dodge County, WI. They had one son, Charles Joseph BUSKIRK, born April 7, 1878. Within one month, on May 5, 1878, Emma died at age 25. She is buried in the Leroy Cemetery.

Roxanna (abt 1857-aft 1930) who married Milan PARRISH. They lived for a time in Antelope, NE, and Mitchell County, IA, before settling in Whatcom County, WA. Roxanna and Milan had four children: Edith, Jessie, Vern and Claude.

Electa L. (1859-1950) who married Henry PARRISH in 1878. They lived in Mitchell County, IA and were the parents of three children: Nellie, Floyd, and Orville.

John P. (Feb 1862-February 29, 1932) who married Nettie PERRY July 10, 1884, in Fox Lake, WI. They lived in Iowa and later Montana.

Hiel and wife Julia separated before 1870 and later divorced. Hiel died after 1880, probably in Wisconsin.

Lucinda (abt 1814-1837) who married Edward BUCK about 1832. He was the son of Jonathan BUCK. She died June 27, 1837, at age 23 and was buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery. After the death of his wife, Edward BUCK moved to a farm in the Town of Richland, Oswego, NY. Lucinda and Edward BUCK had two children, both probably born in Frankfort, Herkimer:

George Edward (September 7, 1833-1912) who married May 12, 1868, Altheda BURDICK. George was a farmer in the Town of Mexico, Oswego, NY. He is buried in the Mexico town cemetery;

Maryette (December 11, 1834-1902). She and her husband Levi WILKINSON farmed in Oswego County, NY. They adopted two children, Frank (died 1874, age 20) and Lena (born 1876, adopted after 1880) who survived her parents. Maryette and Levi WILKINSON both died in 1902 and are buried in the Mexico, NY, cemetery.

John S. born July 15, 1816. He married Permelia LEECH January 29, 1840, in Herkimer County, NY. He and his new wife and his younger brother Daniel lived on the home farm after the death of his parents. In 1846, he sold his farm and purchased 120 acres in Leroy township, Dodge County, WI. The family started their life in Wisconsin in a log cabin surrounded by 13 cleared acres. That first year he raised 200 bushels of wheat that he hauled by ox cart to sell in Milwaukee. John was active in local politics and served as township treasurer and supervisor and as a member of the local school board. John and Permelia Hungerford had three children:

Harriet (1842-?) who was born in Herkimer County, NY;
John E. (January 7, 1845-?) who was born in Herkimer County, NY;
Augusta (1853-?) who was born in Dodge County, WI.

John S. Hungerford died July 7, 1898 and his wife on August 1, 1893. Both are buried in the Leroy Cemetery.

Jonathan (abt 1821-1827) who died November 13, 1827at age 6. He is buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery in Frankfort;

Daniel (May 19, 1822-1888) who married first, Eliza J. BOYD, about 1849. They had one child, Mary Hungerford (June 15, 1850 - March 21, 1852). Eliza (BOYD) HUNGERFORD died July 14, 1866 and is buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery.** He married as his second wife, Mary Ann CLOYES, daughter of Silas and Abigail CLOYES. They had a child born (and died) November 30, 1873. They also apparently adopted a daughter, Carrie, sometime after 1875.*** Daniel farmed in Herkimer County and died there May 5, 1888. He, his second wife Mary Ann, and his children are buried in the Norwich Corners Church cemetery in Litchfield, Herkimer Co, NY.

Notes:

* My two sources for the year of Eliza's birth differ. The year 1808 is on the gravestone. The year 1810 is on a list of Nichols children birthdays. Both sources agree on the day of birth (February 24).

** Eliza Boyd Hungerford's name is also inscribed on the monument that marks her husband's grave in the Norwich Corners Church cemetery in Litchfield, Herkimer County, NY.

*** Carrie Hungerford, age 12 in 1880, was not listed with her parents in either the 1870 federal census or the 1875 New York state census.

Sources:

1) Herkimer and Oswego County, NY deeds.
2) Series J0061, Court of Chancery-4th Circuit, Enrolled Decrees and other case files; File # B242 (Buck); File H166 (Nancy Hungerford); File H165 (John Hungerford); File 164 (Daniel Hungerford).
3) "Memorial and Genealogical Record of Dodge and Jefferson counties, Wisconsin," published by Goodspeed Brothers, 1894, pages 426-427.
4) Oswego County, NY, Will Book P, page 452.
4) Vital records from Dodge, Fond du Lac, Oconto counties, WI; Mitchell County, IA; Cuyahoga County, OH. Researched at the Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT.
5) Civil War military and pension files (George Hodge, Oscar Sprague, Asel Hungerford, Daniel Hungerford, Jonathan Hungerford) from the National Archives.
6) Gravestone inscriptions Herkimer and Oswego counties, NY; Mitchell County, IA; Cuyahoga County, IA. Viewed 2002 by the author.
7) Obituaries and news articles, Mitchell County Press and Mitchell County, IA, vital records from microfilms at the State Historical Library, Des Moines, IA.
8) Census records from the following counties: Hekimer, NY; Oswego, NY; Clark, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Marathon, Oconto, Outagamie,WI; Mitchell, IA; Whatcom, WA.

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NATHANIEL HUNGERFORD

Nathaniel HUNGERFORD

Nathaniel HUNGERFORD, fifth child of Nathaniel and Rachel (CONE) HUNGERFORD, was born May 23, 1767, probably at Lyme, CT. He married Dorothy (Dolly) GATESs November 5, 1788, at East Haddam and there the couple made their home. Dolly joined the Millington Church at East Haddam. The baptisms of their three children were recorded there. By 1800, Nathaniel had undoubtedly heard of the opportunities available in upstate New York. In 1802, he purchased the first of several parcels of farmland in the Town of Frankfort and soon relocated his family to Herkimer County, joining his older brother and others from his community. Nathaniel and Dorothy HUNGERFORD were active members of the Norwich Corners Congregational Church. She was received as a member on May 3, 1805. The church records also show that Nathaniel served as a trustee and contributed the not insignificant sum of twenty dollars toward the building of a meetinghouse. Nathaniel HUNGERFORD died May 25, 1825, two days after his 58th birthday. His wife Dorothy died May 22, 1853. Both are buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery.*

Children of Nathaniel and Dorothy Gates Hungerford:

Octavia (abt 1789-1840) who married Henry CRANE, of Paris, Oneida County, NY, on May 29, 1811 by the Rev. Hugh WALLIS. They lived in Sauquoit, Oneida County, NY.

Stephen (abt 1791-1878) who married Eliza PADDOCK, of Litchfield, Herkimer County, NY, on January 3, 1813, by the Rev. Hugh Wallis. They farmed in the Town of Frankfort until 1837 when they "went west" to Michigan.

Diodate (abt 1793-August 12, 1881) who married Roxana (surname unknown) about 1814. She was received as a member of the Norwich Corners Church May 6, 1821. Diodate and Roxana had three children:

John Calvin (1815-March 12, 1859) an attorney. He and his wife had five children: Lydia, Mary, Charles A., Diodate C., and Edward;
Eliza (1817-1823);
Martin Luther (abt 1819 - ?).

Roxana HUNGERFORD died in1824.** Diodate married a second time to Sarah (surname unknown) abt. 1826. They had two children:

Lydia Eliza Roxana (1830-1837) who was baptized August 15, 1830, at the Norwich Corners Church;
Mary Octavia (abt 1834-?) who married Holmes RIDER about 1858.

Diodate Hungerford was a farmer. He also served as a local magistrate or notary as his name appears on many Herkimer County deeds. Diodate Hungerford, his wives Roxanna and Sarah, and children John Calvin, Eliza, Octavia and Lydia and several grandchildren are buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery.

Notes:

* In his book Thomas Hungerford of Hartford and New London, Connecticut and his Descendants in America, F. Phelps Leach writes that Dolly Hungerford married 2 Feb 1792 to John Sparrow, implying that Nathaniel has died. This is an error. He has confused Dorothy Gates, the wife of Nathaniel Hungerford, with Dorothy Hungerford, a daughter of Nathaniel's uncle Green Hungerford.

** Roxana Hungerford, wife of Diodate, is not to be confused with Roxana Hungerford, daughter of Jehiel Hungerford Jr. They are two different women. Both died in the Town of Frankfort and both are buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery. Roxana, wife of Diodate Hungerford, died either Feb 1824 (Norwich Corners Church Records) or April 14, 1824 (gravestone). Roxanna, daughter of Jehiel Hungerford, Jr., died August 14, 1824. I write this because I have seen many undocumented pedigrees (on internet genealogy sites) that have confused these two women or consider them to be the same woman.

Sources:

1)FHL 1435190, " Norwich Corners Congregational Church (Norwich Society), Paris, Oneida, NY;"
2)Thomas Hungerford of Hartford and New London, Connecticut and his Descendants in America, F. Phelps Leach;
3)Herkimer County Deeds between Nathaniel Hungerford and the heirs of Nathaniel Hungerford, in particular Book 3, pages 111-115; Book 56, page 507;
4)Gravestone inscriptions, Graffenburg Cemetery, viewed 2002 by the author.

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DAVID LEWIS (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

David LEWIS, the son of Rees LEWIS (1774-1842) and Mary JONES (1765-1857), was born in 1802 in a farmhouse called Plas yn Brithdir in Dolgellau, Merionethshire in North Wales and was baptized Sept. 21, 1802 in the Parish of Dogelley (an alternative spelling for "Dolgellau"). He had three brothers and two sisters also born in Wales. They were John born in 1799, Lewis born in 1800, Catherine born in 1804, Mary born in 1807, and Reese born about 1814. David's father Rees and his older brother Lewis emigrated to America from Wales in 1817. One family story is that they emigrated to avoid being drafted into the Welsh brigade sent by the English to fight Napolean. The extraordinary experiences of their journey to America were recorded in Rees' son Lewis' obituary in the Welsh language magazine,"Y Cenhadwr Americanaidd" published in Oneida County. A transcription of this obituary from Welsh to English is here provided by Mr. Edryd JONES of Aberystwyth, Wales who is a descendant of Mary JONES' brother Rowland who remained in Wales. The portion pertaining to the journey follows:

Mr. Lewis emigrated with his father to America in 1817, when he was only 17 years old. They came to see the country and to search for a home, leaving the rest of the family behind. Two of his father's brothers, namely Thomas and Richard Lewis, had emigrated some years previously, and the old man and the boy intended meeting them after landing in the west, and the manner in which they found them is worth recording as a notable example of divine intervention. They had a Welsh Bible to read on the sea journey, and on the front page of it was written the only information they had to reach their relatives. After calling in Baltimore they realised that the instruction sheet had been torn away and they had no idea where to turn nor where to go. They heard that some Welsh people lived in Oneida County, in the district of N. Y., and they turned in that direction. They had a small sailing ship to take them from New York to Albany, but by accident the vessel stuck on the river bottom because of low water, opposite the village of Newburgh on the North River, and since they could not continue to sail they went ashore and asked whether anyone there knew of a man called Thomas Lewis, a Welshman in that village or neighbourhood. They were told that a man of that name lived close to the village. They went ahead with their search and they met a Welshman who was none other than the man they were looking for. They were told that the other brother, Richard Lewis lived, namely in Binghamton where his descendents now live, numerous and now wealthy. Our departed friend often talked of the divine providence which held the old vessel on the river Hudson. All the happenings associated with this fortunate incident are far too numerous to be recorded in this article. (Y Cenhadwr Americanaidd, Vol. XXV, January 1864. pps 21, 23. Transcribed 2003)

Son Lewis returned to Wales after four years to bring his mother, brothers and sisters back to America. The family, including David, the subject of this biography, arrived in America about 1822 and settled in Deerfield (now part of Utica), Oneida County, NY. David soon got a job in a starch factory where he met and married Nancy A. NICHOLS in Frankfort, NY about 1825. Nancy, born July 21, 1796 in Royalston, Worcester, Massachusetts, was the daughter of David NICHOLS and Hannah THOMSON of Frankfort Hill.

David LEWIS was a farmer and landowner in the Town of Frankfort. An 1829 deed conveying real estate from Joshua S. CHAPMAN to David L. LEWIS was recorded in the Herkimer County Clerk's Office on Sept. 4th, 1829 in the Book No. 22 of Deeds pages 448 and 449. David became a naturalized U. S. citizen. He died February 27, 1878 in Litchfield, Herkimer County, NY and Nancy died November 23, 1866 in Litchfield. They are buried in the Norwich Cemetery, Norwich Corners, NY. The couple had six children all born in Frankfort:

Mary A. (?-by 1892);
Leonard J. (dates not known);
Dennis Nicholas (November 2, 1826, Frankfort Hill, NY-June 7, 1905, Frankfort Hill, NY)
John Reese (June 6, 1828, Frankfort Hill, NY-June 20, 1902, Piper City, Ford County, IL)
James H. (April 7, 1834, Frankfort Hill, NY-September 7, 1910, Fremont, Dodge, NE)
Margaret Elizabeth, (abt. 1836-?)

Leonard went to California in 1851. His last known communication with his brother John LEWIS was about 1888.

Dennis married Mary Ann WAKE December 18, 1850 in Willowvale, Oneida, NY. She was born November 17, 1832, and died July 10, 1859 and is buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery, Herkimer, NY. Dennis married second Elizabeth S. RUSSELL April 16, 1862 in the Baptist Church, Frankfort, Herkimer, NY. Elizabeth, the daughter of Jonathan RUSSELL and Mary STEWART, was born December 9, 1832 in Frankfort Hill, Herkimer, NY and died March 4, 1914 in the village of Frankfortl, Herkimer, NY. Although no gravestones exist for them, both Dennis and Elizabeth are buried at the Graffenburg Cemetery. For more on Dennis Lewis, see his biography below.

John Reese moved to Naperville, Illinois in 1850. On June 3, 1852 he married Delia O. JOHNSON (b. May 27, 1833, Rutland, Vermont) the daughter of Hiram and Sarah A. JOHNSON. In 1856 John became one of the founders of Piper City, Ford, Illinois. He was a land agent for the Illinois Central Railroad Company for about eighteen years and, acccording to his obituary printed on page 1 in the Piper City Journal dated June 22, 1901, he "bought and sold probably more land than any man in the county." John was the first justice of the peace in the Brenton Township. He also held the positions of school director and county surveyor. He filled the office of assessor, clerk and supervisor, and was the first postmaster of Piper City. John died in Piper City on June 20, 1901 and Delia died March 19, 1897. They are buried in the Brenton cemetery. They had four children:

Wallace David (April 1855-?) was born in Illinois and married Evelyn R. WHEELER abt. 1880;
Sarah E. (abt 1856-?) was born in Illinois;
Albert W. (abt 1858-?) was born in Illinois;
Adelaide B. (abt 1872-?) was born in New York and married Albert J. JOHNSON.

James married Mary Elizabeth STEWART October 18, 1858 in Frankfort Hill, Herkimer, NY. Mary, daughter of Pardon STEWART and Elizabeth BUCK, was born June 8, 1838 in Frankfort Hill. James died September 7, 1920 in Fremont, Dodge, NE and Mary died March 10, 1923 also in Fremont. For more on James Lewis see his biography below.

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DENNIS LEWIS (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

Dennis Nicholas LEWIS, the son of David LEWIS (1802-1878) and Nancy A. Nichols (1796-1866), was born in Frankfort Hill on November 2, 1826. Dennis was first married to Mary Ann WAKE in Willowvale, Oneida, NY, on September 18, 1850. Mary Ann was born November 17, 1832 and died July 10, 1859. She is buried in Graffenburg Cemetery in the Town of Frankfort. Dennis and Mary Ann had four children.

George H. (October 22, 1851-August 15, 1917);
Sarah E.(December 13, 1853-January 4, 1854);
William David (May 7, 1855-May 1, 1922);
John R. (June 21, 1857-January 21, 1926).

George H. married Margaret A. EDWARDS November 11, 1875. Margaret was born in 1854. George was engaged in farming until he was thirty years old. In 1880 he moved to Utica, Oneida, NY and for 33 years was employed in the wholesale grocery business of Johnson and Murray. He left that position in April, 1915 due to ill health. George died August 15, 1917 in Utica and Margaret died May 3, 1913. George and Margaret had one daughter, Clara who was born in Frankfort Hill on June 8, 1878. Clara LEWIS married John Richard GRIFFITH September 16, 1903 in Utica. John was born in South Wales on February 5, 1878. Clara was in the millinery business in Utica for many years. She had been a member of the New Century Club for more than fifty years, and charter member of the Gateway Garden Club. She was active in church and civic affairs, and was a member of Plymouth Bethesda United Church of Christ. Clara died February 2, 1967 and John died July 12, 1956. Clara and John did not have any children.

William David married Emma E. RUSSELL April 5, 1876. Emma, the daughter of Pardon RUSSELL and Cythera INMAN, was born November 4, 1857. William graduated in 1875 from the Whitestown Seminary, which was located in Oneida County. He taught classes there beginning in 1872 while still a student, and after graduation from the Seminary he taught school in Washington Mills, Oneida, NY for two years. He then worked for the Johnson Encyclopedia people for two years. After that he went into his own grocery business in Washington Mills, which he continued for seven years. William accepted a position with Griffin and Hoxie, wholesale grocers, and was employed by them for ten years. He then suffered a nervous breakdown and was unable to work for nine years. Upon his recovery he returned to the employ of Griffin and Hoxie. After his employment with Griffin and Hoxie he worked for Remington Arms in Ilion, Herkimer, NY as a bookkeeper. During 1916 he accepted employment with the Beechnut Packing Company at Canajoharie, NY and held the positions of representative at Atlanta, Georgia, and then the company's State division manager in the States of Washington and Oregon. In 1918, at the height of the War, he returned to the Oneida-Herkimer counties area and accepted the position as foreman in the inspection department on government work at his former employer, Remington Arms. William traveled abroad during the spring and summer of 1920. After that he worked for a large wholesale house in Pittsburg and Milwaukee that required him to do significant travel. He became ill while traveling in the New England States. He had been ill two months when he died in a Utica hospital on May 1, 1922. The obituary in a newspaper stated, "Mr. Lewis was one of the best known men in Oneida County…He was a through going business man, an expert accountant, thoroughly honest and reliable and in all respects a good citizen…There are a great many people in Central New York who will regret to learn of his death and who remember him kindly."

William's memberships included the Frankfort Lodge, F. & A. M., Utica Commandery, No. 3, Knights Templar, Utica Consistory and the Skenandoah Lodge of Odd Fellows of the city of Utica.

William died May 1, 1922 and Emma died October 9, 1907. They had one daughter and two sons.

Charles William (December 2, 1876-May 22, 1958);
Cora (September 1, 1881-December 17, 1887);
Earl R. (1894-March 24, 1932).

Charles William was born December 2, 1876 in Frankfort and he died May 22, 1958 in Canton, NY. He married Margaret CHAPMAN. Charles graduated from Hamilton College, Clinton, Oneida, NY in the class of 1902. That same year he became vice principal and mathematics teacher at the Little Falls High School in Herkimer County. From 1907 to 1913 he was principal of the Canton, NY high school. He was superintendent of schools in Frankfort from 1929 to 1945. Charles also served as mayor of Canton, NY from 1907 to 1913 and then again from 1945 until 1955.

Earl R.was born in 1894 in Washington Mills, Oneida, NY and died March 24, 1932 in Canajoharie, NY after an illness of five weeks of typhoid fever. He married Evelyn VANDERVEER. Earl graduated from Hamilton College in 1914. He was employed by the Beech Nut Packing Company and worked as a salesman for the company for a number of years. For some years Earl was located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and about four years prior to his death he returned to the village of Canajoharie and took charge of the sale of food products for the company. He was a member of the Fort Rensselaer Club and the Masonic Club.

John R. was born June 21, 1857 in Utica, Oneida, NY and married Julia C. INMAN August 22, 1877. Julia, the daughter of Asa INMAN and Mary McCLAIRE, was born March 4, 1860 in Frankfort Hill, Herkimer, NY. John attended the Whitestown Seminary located in Oneida County, NY. He was a farmer until about 1882. At that time he went to Utica and worked in the car shops of the D., L. & W. Railroad. The newspaper obituary for John Lewis discussed his working career as follows: "In 1883 he entered the mercantile business, and for three years was employed by French, Kincaid & Company at 14 Genesee Street, in the dry goods line. In 1886 he entered the employ of Roberts Hardware Company, and until 1901 was employed by that company as traveling salesman covering northern and eastern New York. He was very successful as a commercial traveler and had a large acquaintance among men of that profession. Roberts Hardware Company had been instrumental in organizing the Continental Tool Company at Frankfort, and in 1901 Mr. Lewis was asked to take charge of it as manager. He accepted, and served in that capacity many years. The company was engaged in the manufacture of forks, hoes and rakes, and under the able supervision of Mr. Lewis its business increased steadily.

After Mr. Lewis had been manager for seven years, the company was reorganized and enlarged as the Union Fork and Hoe Company and Mr. Lewis continued as manager. It had two large factories and employed about 240 hands. Its product was sold not only all over the United States but also in most foreign countries. In June 1920 Mr. Lewis retired after 19 years of service. Much of the success of the company was due to his skillful, prudent and diligent management. He was a very industrious man and always on the job."

John was one of the organizers and promoters of the Citizens' National Bank of Frankfort and also one of the incorporators.

John's membership included being a Mason in the Olive Branch Lodge 40, Frankfort. He was also a member of the Oneida Chapter 57, R. A. M., of the Masonic Craftsmen's Club and of the Arcanum Club of Utica. He was a charter member of the South Congregational Church in Utica, organized in 1920.

John died January 21, 1926 at his home in Utica and Julia died October 21, 1943. John and Julia had three sons who died after attaining young manhood:

Fred G. (September 13, 1877-November 16, 1906);
Arthur G. (July 23, 1879-July 3, 1910);
Raymond J. (April 18, 1889-July 11, 1907).

Fred G. was born September 13, 1877 in Frankfort Hill, Herkimer, NY and married Mae MARSHALL in 1898. Fred's first employment was with William Howarth, the druggist. He then worked for H. H. Cooper & Co. and Utica Clothing Company before accepting a position with the Continental Tool Company at Frankfort. His father, John was the general superintendent of the company at the time of Fred's employment there. Fred contracted a severe cold that turned into the illness known as consumption. Fred did not recover from this illness and died on November 16, 1906.

Dennis married secondly Elizabeth S. RUSSELL in the Baptist Church, Frankfort on April 16, 1862. Elizabeth, a daughter of Jonathan RUSSELL and Mary STEWART, was born December 9, 1832 in Frankfort Hill. Her family and friends knew Elizabeth as Betsey. Five children were born to Dennis and Elizabeth:

Flora Adella (March 23, 1863-June 20, 1944);
Lilla Mae (March 3, 1865-December 14, 1950);
Charles A. (June 25, 1867-March 30, 1868);
Frank Eugene (May 30, 1869-February 28, 1942);
Mary Ann (January 26, 1875-July 18, 1955).

Flora Adella was born March 23, 1863 in Frankfort Hill and married Fred PRESCOTT, August 16, 1887. Fred was born December 16, 1857 and died February 18, 1914. Flora died June 20, 1944. Flora and Fred had two children:

Alice Mae (September 1, 1888-November 18, 1961);
Lewis Thomas (July 31, 1890, d. July 20, 1929).

Daughter Alice Mae was born September 1, 1888 in Walesville, Oneida, NY. Alice died November 18, 1961. She married Howard Perley HENRY October 7, 1908 in the Frankfort Hill M. E. Church. He was born August 15, 1886 and died April 18, 1951.

Lewis Thomas was born July 31, 1890 in Walesville, Oneida, NY. He married Dorothy HORNICK October 16, 1912. Dorothy was born in 1892 and she died in March 12, 1915. He remarried Maude HENRY who was born November 18, 1895. Lewis died on July 20, 1929 while he was working. He climbed an electric pole and was accidentally electrocuted. Lewis served in World War I. An excerpt from the book "Herkimer County in The Great War 1916 - 1918", compiled by Hon. Franklin W. Cristman follows:

Prescott, Lewis T.,
Frankfort, N. Y.
Born July 31, 1890, inducted
June 18, 1918; Syracuse University,
Wheeler, Branch of Service, Co. 4.
Development Battalion;
Discharged December 2, 1918

Lilla Mae was born March 3, 1865 and married George Graves PRESCOTT on January 14, 1885. George, the son of Thomas PRESCOTT and his wife Esther, was born January 21, 1860. George was a cheese maker for 20 years and owned and operated a farm at Walesville, Oneida, NY for twelve years. He was employed by the Union Fork & Hoe Company, Frankfort, Herkimer, NY for twenty years. Lilla Mae died December 14, 1950 and George died December 21, 1934 in Frankfort, NY. Lilla and George had two daughters.

Minnie Belle (May 19, 1886 in Frankfort, NY-January 20, 1943);
Maude Esther (November 18, 1895-December 2, 1941) who was born in the town of Whitestown, Oneida, NY.

Daughter Maude Esther married Valentine GOSSON on September 2, 1922 in Frankfort, Herkimer, NY. Maude graduated from Frankfort High School and in 1916 from Oneonta Normal. She taught school for two years and during the World War was employed for two years in the War Department in Washington, D.C. She had lived in Rochester, NY from 1922 until her death in 1941.

Frank Eugene was born May 30, 1869 in Frankfort Hill, Herkimer, NY and married Hattie M. VANDAWALKER on December 18, 1895 in New Hartford, Oneida, NY. Hattie, the daughter of Chauncy VANDAWALKER and Mary EDIC, was born May 22, 1871 in Sauquoit, Oneida, NY. Frank was a farmer. Frank died on February 28, 1942 and Hattie died August 8, 1966. Frank and Hattie had three daughters.

Mildred Mae (July 15, 1896-January 11, 1996);
Clara Elizabeth (July 12, 1905-March 3, 1992);
Still Living, as of 2003,( July 9, 1911-).

Frank was very active in the social life of Frankfort Hill toward the end of the 19th century. Click here to see a collection of party invitations and visiting cards kept by his descendants.

Mary Ann was born January 26, 1875 and married Charles DEMPSTER on February 28, 1894 in Frankfort, Herkimer, NY. Charles, the son of Henry DEMPSTER and Margaret YOUNG, was born March 12, 1870 in the Town of Frankfort, Herkimer, NY. Mary Ann was a charter member of the Beth-El-Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, and served as its third matron. She also was a member of Col. Marinus Willet Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, and a member of the First Baptist Church of Frankfort. Charles was a member of Oriental Lodge, F & A. M., Knights Templar, Ziyara Temple and a member of the Baptist Church. He was employed for many years in the Union Fork & Hoe Company, retiring about 1948. Mary Ann died July 18, 1955 in Frankfort and Charles died December 2, 1953 in Frankfort. They had two children.

Grace Elizabeth (November 24, 1894-September 26, 1982) who died in Mystic, Connecticut;
Henry Lewis (June 26, 1905-November 15, 1905).

Dennis resided in Frankfort Hill all his life and was active in the public and social life in the town of Frankfort. He was a farmer and also served for twelve years as justice of the peace. During the last few years of Dennis' life, an annual birthday party was held at his home during the month of November. It was one of Dennis' greatest delights to have his children and grandchildren help him celebrate his birthday.

Dennis is listed in the 1869-70 "Directory of the Town of Frankfort":

Lewis, Dennis N.
(Frankfort Hill)
farmer 106

Dennis died at his home in Frankfort Hill on June 7, 1905 and Elizabeth died March 4, 1914 in the village of Frankfort at her daughter Lilla's home. They are buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery.

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JAMES LEWIS (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

James H. LEWIS, the youngest son of David LEWIS and his wife, Nancy NICHOLS, was born April 7, 1834 in Frankfort Hill, Herkimer, NY. He married Mary Elizabeth STEWART on October 18, 1858 in Frankfort Hill. She was the daughter of Pardon STEWART and Elizabeth BUCK and was born June 8, 1838 in Frankfort Hill. James and Mary had four children two of whom were born in Frankfort Hill. With the opening of the western territories after the Civil War, James LEWIS took his family west to Illinois settling in the small community of Piper City that had been founded a decade earlier by his brother John R. LEWIS. The last two children were born there.

Children of James H. LEWIS and Mary Elizabeth (STEWART) LEWIS born in Frankfort Hill were:

Henry Luderny (1859-1933) who married Mary Ellen BAKER NOBLE (aka "May") January 28, 1884 in McLean County, Illinois. They had at least two children: a son, G. Fred, born in 1884 and a daughter, Ina L., born in 1890. Both Henry and May LEWIS are buried in Beatrice, Gage, NE.

Carrie Elizabeth (1862-1959) who married Louis Fremont HOLLOWAY, son of James C. HOLLOWAY and May Elizabeth ROY, in Tobias, Nebraska in 1886. They had two daughters, Grace Pearl (1888-1975) who married Louis NEILSON, and Ruth Olive (1893-1918) who married John Henry BADER. A son, Frank McCAULEY, was adopted around 1900 from one of the orphan trains that brought destitute children from eastern cities to new homes in the west. He married Bess McMILLAN in 1911. Carrie and Louis are buried in the Rider Cemetery in Fremont, Dodge, NE.

Children of James H. LEWIS and Mary Elizabeth STEWART LEWIS born in Piper City, Ford, IL were:

Frank A. (1873-?) who married Minnie F. TRAUGER. They had two daughters: Celia Sarento born in 1895 who married Clair KERR and Nina Caroline born in 1896 who died young. Last known residence for Frank and Minnie Lewis was Exeter, NE in 1923.

Edna Mae (1878-1945) who married Charles Doyle ROSCOE in 1898. He was the son of David A. ROSCOE and Mary Crosby FERO of Frankfort Hill, NY. They had seven children. Edna and Charles are buried in the Moran Prairie Cemetery near Spokane, WA.

James LEWIS was a farmer in Frankfort Hill and, according to the 1865 state census, owned a frame house there valued at $300. He pursued a variety of jobs after moving west. The 1880 US census of Brenton Township, Piper City, Ford County, Illinois, lists his occupation as "laborer." In a letter written in 1898 to his brother John R., he expressed interest in going on a trip to Alaska to mine for gold. He died September 7, 1910 in Fremont, Dodge, NE.

Mary Elizabeth Stewart LEWIS was active in the Congregational Church and a strong supporter of the women's suffrage movement. Her daughters and granddaughters presented her in June of 1898 with a copy of The Beautiful Life of Frances E. Willard published by The Woman's Temperance Publishing Association in memoriam of this noted leader of women's rights. Frances WILLARD (born in Churchville, Monroe, NY in 1839) is said to have been a relative of Mary Elizabeth Stewart Lewis but the exact connection is not known to this author. Mary Elizabeth Stewart Lewis died March 10, 1923 in Fremont, Dodge, NE.

DAVID NICHOLS (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

David NICHOLS was the son of Henry NICHOLS and his wife, Elizabeth TOWNE of Sutton, Worchester County, MA. The NICHOLS and TOWNS were among the early settlers of Salem, MA. David's paternal grandmother, Sarah WILKINS, was of the Wilkins family involved in the witchcraft hysteria at Salem in the 17th century in which John WILKINS was executed for witchcraft. Through cousin intermarriage David and Elizabeth also descended from both Edmund and Joseph TOWNE. Edmund and Joseph were brothers to Mary ESTY and Rebecca NURSE both hung for witchcraft and Sarah CLOYES an accused witch.

Our subject, David NICHOLS, was born March 28, 1764 in Sutton, Worchester, MA. Sometime later his family moved to Royalston, Worchester, MA and are listed among the original settlers of that town.

David father's brother, Isaac NICHOLS, was a colonel in the Revolutionary War. A family letter written by David's grandson, John R. LEWIS, suggests that David himself may have been in the war, although this claim has not be verified:

Excerpt from Feb. 11, 1898 letter from John R. Lewis in Illinois to his brother Dennis N. Lewis in Frankfort Hill, NY:

... There is one more thing I wish to get your opinion of and that is was Grandfather Nichols [i.e., David Nichols] in the Revolutionary War.

It has accurred [sic] to me or I always have had it in my mind that he was in the war or the last years of it. I think he was only 17 years old when went into the service-and his uncle was a general [sic] in the Federal Army known as General Nichols. Try and see if you can learn anything about it. ...(Collection of Evelyn Newby.)

David married Hannah THOMSON (1768-1842) on May 17, 1787 in Royalston. Their marriage is listed in the Vital Records of that town as are the births of six* of their children:

Metilda (March 19, 1789-?) who married a Mr. Barker (first name unknown);
Dennis (July 23, 1792 - June 2, 1795) who is buried in Royalston;
Augusta (April 13, 1794 -?) who married a Mr. Coolidge (first name unknown), probably in Frankfort;
Nancy A. (July 21, 1796 - November 23, 1866) who married David LEWIS about 1825 in Frankfort;
Leonard (June 30, 1799-?);
Dennis (November 11, 1801-February 9, 1826) who died in Frankfort Hill and is buried in Graffenburg Cemetery;

Dency* (1806-?) is not listedin the Royalston records but was born in Massachusetts according to subsequent census records. There is some question about whether she was a daughter or daughter-in-law. (See note below)

The married names for the daughters were only recently discovered in a tinbox of family documents found in the home of an elderly descendant. Read about this discovery.

Two child born in Frankfort Hill, NY were:

Eliza L. (February 24, 1810 - June 12, 1885) who married Amos Hungerford, son of Jehiel HUNGERFORD, Jr. and his wife Sally STEWART, in Frankfort, NY;
Leonard, (May 31, 1818-?). He was a Civil War veteran. Read letter he wrote home while serving in Virginia.

David and Hannah NICHOLS were members of the Norwich Corners Congregational Church. Records of the minutes of this church provide some interesting details about this couple:

From Church Meetings Minutes (obtained by L. Schlater from FHL Film 1435190):

Nov 14, 1825
By request, the church met at the home of David Nichols, his son being sick and near death wished to be baptized and received as a member. He was so received. [Son Dennis died Feb. 9. 1826.]

Dec 30, 1828
Deacon Benjamin Wood, Moderator and Deacon S. Coe presented a complaint against Hannah Nichols, wife of Mr. David Nichols, "Brethren of this church, whereas Mrs. Hannah Nichols is guilty of the use of awful wicked tongue to her husband, calling him an old devil, and wishing his tongue was rotted in his mouth, etc. He has taken steps with her according to scripture but to no avail." Dated, Litchfield, Dec 31, 1828. Accordingly, Mrs. Nichols was cited to appear before it Jan 15.

Jan 15, 1829
Mrs Nichols did not appear.

Jan 22, 1829
Mrs Nichols was to receive a letter of admonition and if she did not give satisfaction within 4 weeks she was to be excommunicated.

Feb 6, 1829
A second letter was sent to Mrs. Nichols. The church voted to meet at her home and give her an opportunity to repent.

Feb 13, 1829
The meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Nichols. She would not confess guilt as to the first complaint, the second one having been withdrawn. She was consequently excommunicated.

Mar 6, 1829
Mrs. Nichols excommunication was recorded.

Membership List:

David Nichols date not given Died 9 Jan 1842, age 78
Mrs. Nichols, wife David Rec'd 8 Dec 1816 Excomm. 29 Mar 1829

David NICHOLS died January 10, 1842. His wife Hannah Thomson NICHOLS died about two months later on March 2, 1842. Both are buried, side by side, in the Graffenburg, Cemetery in Frankfort Hill, NY.

*Whether Dency was a daughter of David and Nancy Nichols or a daughter-in-law, is not clear. Her birth is not recorded in the Vital Records of Roylaston although all the other children born there are. Later census records of Frankfort NY indicate she was born in Massachusetts. Was her birth perhaps simply not recorded in Royalston or did she "join" the family later via marriage? It is possible that she was the wife of son Dennis who died in 1826 in Frankfort. It is known that she lived in the family household at the time it was headed by the youngest son, Leonard. Yet, she is listed separately as having her own farm during this same period in the 1869-1870 Directory of the Town of Frankfort. This would make sense if she were the widow of brother Dennis and had inherited his land. In a letter written by Leonard from camp in Virginia during the Civil War, he addresses her as "My Dear Sister" which could support either interpretation since at that time sisters and sister-in-laws were both often referred to as "sister." However, the envelope for this letter is addressed to "Miss Dency Nichols." Would he likely have referred to his brother's widow as "Miss"? Perhaps a will or land sale for one of these two will turn up and help answer this question.

© K.R.Schaefer. All rights reserved. This information may not be used for any commercial enterprise. Quotation for personal use is allowed with appropriate citation.
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RUSSELL RUSCOE (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

Russell RUSCOE (Rusco, Roscoe, Rosco) was born in 1779 in the midst of the Revolutionary War. His exact parentage is not clear although several options are being seriously investigated. It is know from entries in family Bibles and from various Federal Census reports that he was born in Connecticut. He married Nancy CORBIN sometime before 1816 the birth year for their first child. Nancy was the daughter of Revolutionary War veteran Asa CORBIN and his wife, Mercy HARLOW, and was born in Thompson, Windham, CT in 1784.

The earliest record that has been found of Russell RUSCOE in New York shows him involved in a suit against one Samuel JACKSON in Montgomery County in 1806. On the 1855 New York state census he is listed as having resided in Frankfort for 16 years fixing his arrival in that town to about 1839.

Russell and Nancy had five children all of whom lived in Frankfort:

William Harlow (May 15, 1816 - August 14, 1847);
Sherman H. (June 15, 1818 - January 10, 1852);
Almira Corbin (August 26, 1820 -November 1857);
David A. (July 5, 1823 - May 13, 1884);
Daniel Ward (December 28, 1826 - ?).

The first three children, William, Sherman and Almira, all died unmarried and are buried in the Ferguson Road Cemetery (also called the Town of Frankfort Cemetery) along with their father, Russell. The cemetery is located near the family homestead in northwest Frankfort.

David A., the fourth child, married Mary Crosby FERO (December 11, 1836-March 17, 1923), daughter of Isaac FERO and Philena CROSBY (first-cousin of the well-known blind, hymn writer, Fanny CROSBY) on April 6, 1854. They had ten children, six of whom were born while the family was in New York.

With the opening of the western territories after the Civil War, David sold the family land in Frankfort (in 1869) and took his family west to Illinois settling for a time outside Chicago, in the town of Peotone, Will County where the last four children were born.

Children of David and Mary ROSCOE born in Frankfort were:

Nancy Fero (1855-1913) who married John R. BAIRD (born in NY) in Illinois. She died in Peotone.
Martha A. (1857-1875) who died unmarried in Illinois and is buried in Peotone;
William Harlow (1859-1947) who married Lena JURGENSON (born in Denmark) in Nebraska. Both are buried in the Clatonia Cemetery, Clatonia, Gage County, NE;
Sherman Isaac (1862-1948) who married Martha Ann C. FULLER who was born in Unadilla Forks, Otsego, NY. She was the granddaughter of Waitstill FULLER of Plainsfield, Otsego, NY. Sherman is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery, Shenandoah, Page County, Iowa;
George Corbin (1864-1952 ) who married Mary C. BOGGS in Nebraska. He is buried in the Swanton Cemetery, Swanton, NE;
Franklin A. (1866-?) who married first, Anna ROBINSON in Nebraska. He was married more than once. His last known residence was in Miami, Florida in 1923.

Children of David and Mary ROSCOE born in Illinois were:

Erwin Ward (1868-1886) who died unmarried in DeWitt, Saline County, NE;
Bertrus Francis (1870-1957)who married first, Sarah Elizabeth WALDO (sixth great-granddaughter of immigrant ancestor, Cornelius WALDO of Massachusetts) in Nebraska. He married a second time after Sarah's death in 1940 but the name of this wife is not known. Bertrus is buried in Des Moines Memorial Cemetery, Des Moines, IA;
Edward Wright (1874-1929) who married Inez Garfield COLE (great-granddaughter of John COLE and Lydia MINER of Litchfield, Herkimer, NY) in Nebraska. He died in Ridgeway, Colorado.
Charles Doyle (1876-1962) who married Edna Mae LEWIS (daughter of James H. LEWIS and Mary Elizabeth STEWART both of Frankfort Hill, Herkimer, NY) in Nebraska. Charles and Edna are buried in the Moran Prarie Cemetery, Spokane, WA.

David died in 1884 and is buried in the DeWitt Cemetery, Saline, DeWitt, NE where the family had moved in the early 1880s. His wife, Mary Crosby (Fero) ROSCOE, married Lyman C. ADAMS (descendant of Henry ADAMS of Braintree, Massachusetts) of Crete, Will, Illinois as his second wife on September 22, 1891 and moved back to Crete. After ADAMS' death in 1894, she returned to Nebraska to live with her sons. She was living with her eldest son, William in Clatonia, Saline, NE at the time of her death in 1923 and is buried next to her husband David in the Roscoe plot in the DeWitt Cemetery, DeWitt, Saline, NE.

Daniel Ward, the youngest child of Russell & Nancy RUSCOE, married Mary WILSIE (also sometimes spelled, "Wiltsie" or "Woolsey") in 1852. Harvey Lawson in his History and Genealogy of the Descendants of Clement Corbin,* states that "Daniel was a carpenter, married Mary Woolsey; died at Frankfort, N.Y. three children, girls residing in Utica, N.Y."

Daniel and Mary appear on the 1855 NY state census in Frankfort. Daniel's occupation is given as "Boatman" and his 'years in Frankfort' as 15. A daughter, Sarah (abt 1852-?), is included with her parents on this census. Another daughter, Ida Mae (abt 1858-?), appears on the 1870 census in Canajoharie, Montgomery, NY. She is listed with her mother, Mary E. Roscoe, in the household of her maternal grandparents, Robert and Sarah WILTSIE. There is no mention of Daniel nor the other daughters. Further, Daniel appears alone on the 1860 Frankfort census in the household of his brother, David.

Lawson has said that the daughters settled near Utica but what became of them or their parents is not known to this author. It is also thought that this family may have used the spelling "Ruscoe" as well as "Roscoe."

Russell RUSCOE was a farmer and owned land in northwest Frankfort near the Erie Canal. Son William is said to have been "a boat Captain on the Hudson River." Sherman is said to have worked as "an engineer in the pail factory of his uncle, William Corbin," in East Aurora, Erie NY. While living in Frankfort, David and Daniel both ran boats on the Erie Canal. (Source: Lawson, Harvey M., History and Genealogy of the Descendants of Clement Corbin of Muddy River (Brookline), Mass. and Woodstock, Conn. with Notices of Other Lines of Corbins, (Hartford Press, The Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co., 1905.) Russell died January 10, 1859 in Frankfort, Herkimer, NY and is buried in the Ferguson Road Cemetery there. The family matriarch, Nancy (CORBIN) RUSCOE, accompanied her son David and his family west and is buried in Peotone, Will, Illinois.

Finally, one word about the spelling of this surname.** The immigrant ancestor was William Ruscoe who came to the America from England aboard the Increase in 1635. The name has been spelled many different ways over the centuries including Ruscoe, Rusco, Rescue, Roscoe, Rosco, to name a few.

In a Bible (publication date 1834) belonging to William Harlow Roscoe, the following three spellings are found on a single page:

Names               Births                     Deaths
Russel Rusco      Novm 11, 1779      January 10, 1857

Nancy Wife of     April 3, 1784
Russel Rusco

David A. Ruscoe and
Mary C. Fero were
married April
6th A.D. 1854

Daniel W. Ruscoe
and Mary Wilsie
were married 1854

William H. Roscoe and
Lena Jorgenson were
Married May 1882.

This author has chosen to use "Ruscoe" for Russell's and prior generations and "Roscoe" for his children and their descendants.

Notes:

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JONATHAN RUSSELL (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

Jonathan RUSSELL, Sr, only son of James RUSSELL and his wife, Thankful (surname unknown), was born July 6, 1768 at Frankfort Hill. He died December 3, 1825 and is buried in the Frankfort Hill (aka, Wetmore) Cemetery. His wife, Priscilla SMITH, was born July 28, 1771 and died August 15, 1854. They had twelve children:

Elisha (October 3, 1791-October 28, 1865);

James (July 12, 1792-October 28, 1831) who marrried Mahitable STEWART (? -1871). Mahitable was a daughter of John STEWART and Mehitable HUNGERFORD. The marriage of James and Mahitable is recorded in the Journal of Rev. Hugh WALLIS:

"1812, Feb. 12 Mr. James Russel to Miss Mahitabal Stewart, both of Frankfort. Fee 1 Dollar."

Both are buried in the Frankfort Hill (Wetmore) Cemetery;

Rebecca (September 21, 1794-1852) who married John Stewart, Jr. (1793-?), son of of John STEWART and Mehitable HUNGERFORD. They lived in Frankfort until about 1834 then moved to the Richland area. They had at least five children: Chauncey, Frederick A., Roxy, Jane and Dine.

Jonathan, Jr. (December 18, 1796-February 21, 1885) who married Mary STEWART on February 8, 1821. She was the daughter of John STEWART and Mehitable HUNGERFORD and was born September 13, 1801.

The fiftieth wedding anniversary of Jonathan and Mary was celebrated at their home on Frankfort Hill February 8, 1871. According to a news write up at the time, about sixty relatives and family members attended this special occasion. Supper was served and then the Rev. G. W. Harvey addressed those present and talked about the 50th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Russell. The couple was presented with numerous gifts, and there was a special presentation of a bride's loaf that had been made by Mrs. Ruth Risley*, sister of Jonathan. Mrs. Risley had presented a like token to the couple on their wedding day fifty years ago.

Since 1871, it had been the custom to celebrate Jonathan's birthday by having his relatives gather at the homestead. The last reunion occurred on December 18, 1885 when Jonathan celebrated his eighty-ninth birthday. Jonathan died on his farm in Frankfort Hill on Saturday, February 21, 1885. A copy of a newspaper obituary that was glued inside a Lewis family Bible that is currently in the possession of T. William Davis stated that Jonathan was a captain of a military company in his manhood, and so continued until too old to serve. Jonathan's funeral was Wednesday, February 25th. Jonathan's wife Mary died October 18, 1873. Both Jonathan, Jr. and Mary are buried in the Frankfort Hill (Wetmore) Cemetery. Jonathan, Jr. and Mary had eight children:

Amanda (January 1, 1822 - March 1, 1903) who married Rufus DYKE of Frankfort Hill;
Joshua (January 22, 1824 - December 11, 1875);

Jonathan (February 16, 1826 - July 6, 1878) who married Harriett Louise CLOYES on January 5, 1859. Louise, the eldest daughter of Silas CLOYES and his wife Abigail, was born at Graefenburg November 29, 1828 and died on February 10, ????. Jonathan's and Harriett's only daughter Alice Russell JONES died in 1866. A son, Irving C.G C. was born on June 4, 1861 and died August 14, 1936;

Mary (December 13, 1827 - October 30, 1913) who did not marry. At the time of the 1880 U. S. Census she was living with her widowed father, Jonathan RUSSELL at the Frankfort Hill home. Mary is buried in the Frankfort Hill (Wetmore) Cemetery;

Pardon (February 13, 1830 - July 5, 1899) married Cythera E. INMAN November 29, 1854 . Cythera, one of eight children of Asel INMAN and Cyntha BALDWIN, was born September 22, 1834 and died December 23, 1912. Pardon died suddenly on July 5, 1899. According to the newspaper obituary, he had always been a resident of the town of Frankfort and had held important town offices. Pardon and Cythera are buried in the Frankfort Hill (Wetmore) Cemetery. They had six daughters:

Emma ( November 4, 1857 - October 9, 1907) who married William D. LEWIS, son of Dennis and Mary Ann LEWIS;.
Nella (abt 1861 - ?) who married James McGUCKIN;
Jennie (abt. 1870- ?) who married James HAGUES;
Minna (abt. 1872-April 6, 1917, m. Arthur HULSER;
Flora (abt. 1877-?);
Ethel (April 15, 1880- January 10, 1919) who married H. Bert HAGUES in 1900.

Elizabeth (December 9, 1832 - March 4, 1914) who married Dennis Nicholas LEWIS on April 16, 1862. The Rev. John Ward, pastor of the Frankfort Baptist Church performed the marriage ceremony. Dennis, the son of David LEWIS and Nancy NICHOLS, was born November 2, 1826 in Frankfort Hill, Herkimer, NY. He was a widower at the time of his marriage to Elizabeth. His first wife, Mary Ann WAKE, died July 10, 1859. Upon Elizabeth's marriage to Dennis, she became a stepmother to three young boys:

George H. (October 22, 1851-August 15, 1817);
William D. (May 7, 1855-May 1, 1922);
John R. (June 21, 1857-January 21, 1926).

Elizabeth, who was known as Betsey to her family and many of her friends, lived at Frankfort Hill continuously until she was about 79 years of age. She resided with her daughter Mrs. George PRESCOTT (Lilla Mae) in the village of Frankfort for the last three years of her life. Dennis died June 7, 1905 in Frankfort Hill and Elizabeth died March 4, 1914 in the village of Frankfort at her daughter Lilla's home. Although no gravestones exist for them, both Dennis and Elizabeth are buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery in the Town of Frankfort. Five children were born to Dennis and Elizabeth.

Flora Adella (March 23, 1863-June 20, 1944);
Lilla Mae (March 3, 1865-December 14, 1950);
Charles A. (June 25, 1867-March 30, 1868);
Frank Eugene (May 30, 1869-February 28, 1942);
Mary Ann (January 26, 1875-July 18, 1955.

Rachel (July 25, 1836 - August 22, 1925) who married A. Kilborn MANNING on January 8, 1856. At the time of the 1880 U. S. Census the couple was residing in German Flats, Herkimer, NY and their daughter Lina SEARGENT, age 18, was living with them. Rachel died August 22, 1925 and is buried in the Dennison Corners Cemetery, Mohawk, Herkimer, NY.

George M. (December 22, 1839 - March 13, 1904) who marrried Elmina CLOYES, sister to his brother Jonathan's wife, August 20, 1862. Elmina was born about 1839. At the time of the 1880 U. S. Census this family was living in Litchfield, Herkimer,, NY. The census report listed three children for George and Elmira (should be Elmina).

Fred N. (abt 1865-?) who married Jessie M. ROSE on August 28, 1885;
Frank A. (abt 1869-?);
Clara (abt 1877-?).

Anice (January 10, 1800-March 23, 1872);

Ruth (March 4, 1802-October 6, 1875) who married Eli RISLEY. They had a least one child, a daughter, Alzina (abt 1826-July 3, 1883) who is buried with her parents in the Frankfort Hill (Wetmore) Cemetery;

Naomia (March 4, 1802-April 29, 1877);
Joshua S. (May 19, 1804-December 28, 1865) who is buried in the Frankfort Hill (Wetmore) Cemetery;
David (June 19, 1806-April 8, 1880);
Elvin (May 10, 1809-?);
Elmer (May 10, 1809-March 28, 1889);
Sally (April 14, 1811-March 5, 1881).

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JOHN STEWART (Pictures and other supporting documents.)

Among the Connecticut residents who removed around the first decade of the 19th Century to Frankfort, Herkimer Co., NY, were John and Mehitable (HUNGERFORD) STEWART of East Haddam. A Herkimer deed on file at the Courthouse records John STEWART's purchase on Nov. [17] 1809 of 124 acres, being part of Lot 103 in a large tract of land known by the name of Bayards or the Freemasons patent, for $620.

John STEWART was born in 1762 in East Haddam, Middlesex, CT. and died on August 12, 1834 in Frankfort, Herkimer, NY.1 He was buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery in Frankfort Hill, Herkimer, NY. and his gravestone commemorates his Revolutionary War service. After his death, Mehitable applied for her pension as his widow. The pension papers of two John STEWARTS became intermingled leading later to much confusion about which John STEWART was buried in Frankfort and about whether his wife was the sister of Pardon BURDICK (who was in fact the husband of her sister Lydia HUNGERFORD). Based on available documents including Pardon BURDICK's probate file, family researchers have concluded that the occupants of the graves at Graffenburg Cemetery are indeed the couple above.

John and Mehitable had six children:

Sally (1786-1839) who married her cousin, Jehiel HUNGERFORD, son of Jehiel HUNGERFORD and Hannah SPENCER;
Mahitable (? -1871) who married James RUSSELL, son of Jonathan RUSSELL, Sr. and his wife Priscilla SMITH;
Rachel (dates not known) who married a Mr. INGRAM (given name unknown);
John, Jr.(1793 - ?) who married Rebecca RUSSELL2, daughter of Jonathan and Priscilla (SMITH) RUSSELL of Frankfort. They removed to Richland, Oswego Co., NY, in the mid-1830s. Rebecca died on January 9, 1852, and was buried in South Richland (Willis) Cemetery, Oswego Co., NY.3 Among John, Jr., and Rebecca STEWART's children, their sons Chauncey and Frederick Augustus STEWART, both born in Herkimer County, eventually settled in Howard County, Nebraska, where descendants remained into the 21st Century.
Pardon (1799-1871) who married (1) Elizabeth BUCK, daughter of Jonathan BUCK and his wife Mary (surname unknown) and (2) Prudence DYKE, daughter of Rufus DYKE and Olive MONROE;
Mary (1801-1873) who married Jonathan RUSSELL, Jr., son of Jonathan and his wife Priscillas SMITH.

Read a detailed discussion of the origins and descendants of John STEWART and Mehitable HUNGERFORD at http://www.stanford.edu/~sgilbert/johnstewart1.htm.

Notes:

1George Thomas Edson (editor), Stewart Clan Magazine (monthly pamphlet, 1922-1970; Filley, NE. Associate: Horace W. Dickerman, New Haven, CT), Vol. V, No. 12, Jun 1927, p. 241.
2Family data, James Russell Stewart Family Bible, 1861; original owned by Garold Allen Stewart III (Goodlettsville, TN).
3South Richland (Willis) cemetery census from Oswego County Historical Society files. From gravestone transcription, Rebecca, wife of John Stewart, died June 9, 1852, aged 57 years, 7 months, and 19 days. Also, the date of death and age at death are in the James Stewart family Bible.

Submitted November 12, 2003, by Dorinda Partsch,
© M.D. Partsch. All rights reserved. This information may not be used for any commercial enterprise. Quotation for personal use is allowed with appropriate citation. DorPartsch@aol.com

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PARDON STEWART

Pardon STEWART was born April 16, 1799 in Connecticut the son of Revolutionary War veteran, John STEWART, and his wife, Mehitable HUNGERFORD. The family arrived in Frankfort about 1805 when Pardon was about six years old and settled in the hills south of town known as Frankfort Hill. On older maps the area around their homestead is marked as "Stewarts Corner."

On March 10, 1820 Pardon married Elizabeth BUCK (1820-1842) who was known as "Betsey." She was the daughter of Jonathan BUCK and his wife Mary (whose surname is not known) of Frankfort.

Pardon and Betsey had five children all born in Frankfort Hill:

Henry (1821-1871) who married Almira NYE (1836-1894), daughter of Able and Phoebe NYE of Frankfort. Their had at least one child, a son, Henry (1869-1942), who married Geneva HAMMOND (?-1916);
William B. (1823-1877);
Francis B. (1826-1906) who married Caroline NYE, the sister of his brother's wife, Almira;
Mary Elizabeth (1838-1923) who married James H. LEWIS (1834-1910), son of David LEWIS and Hannah NICHOLS of Frankfort Hill. James and Mary moved west in the early 1870s;
Son (dates unknown) whose name is unknown.

Betsey (Buck) STEWART died on September 6, 1842 in Frankfort Hill and is buried in the Graffenburg Cemetery.

In 1844, Pardon married as his second wife, Prudence DYKE (1820-1900), the daughter of Rufus P. DYKE and his wife Olive MONROE who came to Frankfort from Connecticut. Pardon and Prudence had three children:

Albert (1844-1933) who married Frances RUSHMER in 1865 and had three daughters:

Clara (1873-1923) who married a Mr. KRANZ (dates unknown);
Ada (1883-1933) who married William A. THRESHER (1870-1913);
Etta (1871-1944) married Sardius DYKE, Jr. (1870-1931);

Olive S. (1846-1925) who married Newton HUNGERFORD in 1862 and had three children:

Effie (?-1937) who married Charles BRIGGS (1858-1921);
Orlie (1870-1890) who died at age 19.
Lena Belle (1879-1881) who died at age 2.

Louisa D. (1848-1926) who married Henry W. BOUCK in 1868 at the Old Corn Hill Methodist Church in Utica. They are buried in the Wetmore Cemetery in Frankfort Hill.

Pardon STEWART was a large land owner and active member of his community. F.W. Beer's "History of Herkimer County" published in 1879 states that he was a trustee of the Town of Frankfort in 1870 (p. 138). A listing in the 1869-1870 "Directory of the Town of Frankfort" found in the "Gazetteer and Business Directory of Herkimer County, N.Y. 1869-70" published by Hamilton Child & Co., Syracuse, NY 1869 reads:

Name: Stewart, Pardon
Post Office: (Frankfort Hill)
Occupation: Farmer 100.

In 1839 he sold land for $1 to the community for building a Methodist Church located at Stewarts Corner. This church is no longer standing.

Pardon STEWART died in 1871 and is buried between his mother and first wife, Betsey, in the Graffenburg Cemetery in Frankfort Hill. Prudence (DYKE) STEWART died in 1900 at her son Albert's home in Washington Mills just over the Frankfort border in Oneida County. She is buried along with her parents in the Wetmore Cemetery in Frankfort Hill.

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Some Inter-related Families of 18-19th Century Frankfort, Herkimer County, NY

Buck, Cloyes, Cole, Coolidge, Dike/Dyke, Fiero/Fero, Hungerford, Lewis, Nichols, Ruscoe/Roscoe, Russell, Stewart

Some Inter-related Families of 18-19th Century
Frankfort, Herkimer County, NY