Saturday, March 1, 2014

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Do You Have a John Smith?

It's Saturday Night - 
time for more Genealogy Fun! 



Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible! music) is to:


1)  How many persons named John Smith do you have in your genealogy management program or online family tree?  How many persons named John Smith are ancestors?


2)  Pick out one of those persons named John Smith and do some online research for them in Ancestry, FamilySearch, or another set of record collections.  Your goal is to add something to your database.

3)  Tell us about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this blog post, or in a post on Facebook or Google+.

Here's mine:

1)  I have 29 persons named John Smith, and one John Smyth, in my RootsMagic database.  Six of them are ancestors, and all were born between 1600 and 1647.

2)  I chose John Smith (about 1647-before 1706), who married Ruth Cutler (1668-1758) in 1693 in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and had three children born in Charlestown recorded in the town Vital Records.  I don't know where John Smith 1647 was born, or who his parents were.  

He married Ruth Cutler in Charlestown on 18 May 1683.  The record says (Charlestown VR book, page 754):  "John smith & Ruth Cutler, m. May 18, 1693."

Ruth (Cutler) Smith married (2) Thomas Upham (1668-1735) on 11 March 1706, and lived out her life in Reading, Massachusetts.  Apparently, John Smith died before 11 March 1706.

I checked for leads for parents in the Ancestry Public Member Trees.  There was only one tree entry for a John Smith that married Ruth Cutler in 1693 with a set of parents named - John Smith and Catherine Morrill.  There is a birth date for the son John Smith as 4 Nov 1651 in Charlestown, with a source attached which gives a birth date of 8 March 1667 in Charlestown, born to Abraham and Martha Smith.  There is also a source attached to the death record of 31 March 1704 in Charlestown, which links to a Find A Grave memorial for John Smith (1667-1704) in Wakefield, Mass.   So this tree has attached sources for a John Smith with two different birth dates and two sets of parents.  

This Find A Grave memorial may actually be for "my" John Smith that married Ruth Cutler.  The only way to determine if this is the correct John Smith who married Ruth Cutler is to find other records that corroborate relationships - probably in land records or probate records that name the spouse and/or the known children (including my ancestor, Mary (Smith) Phillips (1698-1746, wife of Ebenezer Phillips)).

The 4 November 1651 birth record is actually from Reading, Massachusetts (in Reading VRs, page 209, son of John).  Again, this may be "my" John Smith who married Ruth Cutler.  But there is not enough evidence to make that conclusion.  

I'm afraid that I've struck out on this investigation in the short time I had to work on it.  I will add the John Smith (1667-1704) to my To-Do list to look for land and probate records to see if this is "my" John Smith.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2014/03/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-do-you.html

copyright (c) 2014, Randall J. Seaver


Surname Saturday - AMBROSE (England to colonial New England)

It's Surname Saturday, and I'm "counting down" my Ancestral Name List each week.  


I am in the 7th great-grandmothers and I'm up to Ancestor #871, but I don't know who she is, nor do I know #873 to #879. So onward to #881, who is Elizabeth AMBROSE (1698-1792
).   [Note: the earlier great-grandmothers and 7th great-grandfathers have been covered in earlier posts].

My ancestral line back through four generations in this AMBROSE family line is:

1.  Randall J. Seaver (1943-living)

2. Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983)
3. Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002)


6.  Lyle Lawrence Carringer (1891-1976)
7.  Emily Kemp Auble (1899-1977)

12.  Henry Austin Carringer (1853-1946)
13.  Abbey Ardell Smith (1862-1944)

26.  Devier James Lamphier Smith (1839-1884)
27.  Abigail A. Vaux (1844-1931)

54.  Samuekl Vaux (1814-1880)
55.  Mary Ann Underhill (1816-1883)

110.  Amos Underhill (1772-1865)

111.  Mary Metcalf (1780-1855)

220.  John Underhill (1745-812)
221.  Hannah Colby (1745-????)

440.  John Underhill (1721-1793)
441.  Joanna Healey (1723-1809)

880.  Sampson Underhill, born about 1692 in England; died before 27 March 1732 in Chester, Rockingham, New Hampshire, United States.  He married 15 January 1718 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.
881.  Elizabeth Ambrose, born 02 October 1698 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; died before 1782 in New Hampshire, United States.  

Children of Sampson Underhill and Elizabeth Ambrose are:
*  John Underhill (1721-1793), married 1741 Joanna Healey (1723-1809)
*  Jeremiah Underhill (1724-????)
*  Moses Underhill (1726-1804), married 1753 Anna Glidden
*  Hezekiah Underhill (1727-1800), married 1751 Tabitha Sargent (????-1803).

1762.  Nathaniel Ambrose, born 26 February 1678 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; died before 26 June 1745 in Chester, Rockingham, New Hampshire, United States.  He married 08 December 1697 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.
1763.  Sarah Eastman, born 08 November 1674 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; died 28 August 1728 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.  She was the daughter of 3526. Nathaniel Eastman and 3527. Elizabeth Hudson.

Children of Nathaniel Ambrose and Sarah Eastman are:
*  Elizabeth Ambrose (1698-1782), married (1) 1718 Sampson Underhill (1692-1732), (2) 1742 Benjamin Batchelder.
*  Henry Ambrose (1701-1746), married 1722 Hannah Hoyt (1701-1727)
*  Abigail Ambrose (1704-1718)
*  John Ambrose (1707-????), married 1729 Elizabeth Hayes (1706-????)
*  Sarah Ambrose (1716-????)

3524.  Henry Ambrose, born June 1649 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; died before 1724 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.  He married October 1672 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.
3525.  Susanna, born 1646 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; died 22 October 1730 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.

Children of Henry Ambrose and Susanna are:
*  Dorothy Ambrose (1673-1759), married 1693 Samuel Colby (1671-1746)
*  Nathaniel Ambrose (1676-1676)
*  Nathaniel Ambrose (1678-1745), married (1) 1697 Sarah Eastman (1674-1728), (2) 1733 Hannah Hunt.

7048.  Henry Ambrose, born before 13 June 1613 in Kersey, Suffolk, England; died before 19 November 1658 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States.  He was the son of 14096. Henry Ambrose and 14097. Mary.  He married about 1640 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States.
7049.  Susanna, born 1625 in England; died after 22 July 1692 in Massachusetts, United States.

Children of Henry Ambrose and Susanna are:
*  Ebenezer Ambrose (1640-????)
*  Samuel Ambrose (1641-1666), married 1665 Hope Lamberton (1636-1702)
*  Henry Ambrose (1649-1724), married 1672 Susanna (1646-1730).
*  Abigail Ambrose (1654-1715), married 1672 William Osgood (????-1723).

Information about these Ambrose families was obtained from:

1)  Elizabeth French Bartlett, edited by Melinde Lutz Sanborn, "The English Ancestry of Henry Ambrose of Hampton," The New Hampshire Genealogical Record, Volume 9, Number 2 (April 1992) and Number 3 (June 1992).

2)  David Webster Hoyt, The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts ; with some related families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich and Hampton (Providence, R.I., Snow & Farnham, printers, 1897-1917).

3)  Vital Record books for Salisbury, Amesbury, and Chester.

The URL for this post is:

Copyright (c) 2014, Randall J. Seaver



Friday, February 28, 2014

Who Contributed to My X-Chromosome? My List

I had a significant X-chromosome DNA match on 23andMe recently, and have been in contact with Marie, who also has a significant match with me on chromosome 4.  23andMe said that our relationship was 3rd to 5th cousins.  Fifth cousins share a 4th great-grandparent, so I need to look at least 5 to 7 generations back from me for a common ancestor with Marie.

So I wondered who in my ancestry may have contributed to my X-chromosome.  For information, I read up at the following blogs;

* Emily Aulicino's DNA - Genealem's Genetic Genealogy:  But What is the X-Chromosome and How is it Different? 

*  Blaine Bettinger's The Genetic Genealogist:  More X-Chromosome Charts and Unlocking the Secrets of the X-Chromosome.

*  Roberta J. Estes' DNAeXplained - Genetic Genealogy:  That Unruly X ... Chromosome That Is.

*  Debbie Parker Wayne's Deb's Delvings in Genealogy:  X-DNA Inheritance Charts.

All of these blog posts showed fan charts to show the contributors to a male or female person's X-chromosome.  In short, males can inherit the X-chromosome from only their mother, while females can inherit the X-chromosome from both their father and their mother.

That makes for an interesting fan chart of inheritance.  Blaine Bettinger kindly permitted writers to use his X-chromosome fan charts, so here is the X-chromosome inheritance chart for males:


Emily Aulicino posted a table of ahnentafel numbers that contribute to a person's X-chromosome in her But What is the X-Chromosome and How is it Different?  post.  

Based on this fan chart and the ahnentafel number chart, here are the potential contributors to my X-chromosome, listed by ahnentafel number (counting me as Generation 1):

Generation 2:

3.  Betty Carringer (1919-2002), wife of Frederick W. Seaver

Generation 3:

6.  Lyle L. Carringer (1891-1976)
7.  Emily Kemp Auble (1899-1977), wife of Lyle L. Carringer

Generation 4:

13. Abbie Ardell Smith (1862-1944), wife of Henry Austin Carringer
14.  Charles Auble (1849-1916)
15.  Georgianna Kemp (1868-1952), wife of Charles Auble

Generation 5:

26.  Devier J. Smith (1839-1894)
27.  Abigail A. Vaux (1844-1931), wife of Devier J. Smith
29.  Sarah G. Knapp (1818-????), wife of David Auble
30.  James Abraham Kemp (1831-1902)
31.  Mary Jane Sovereen (1840-1874), wife of James Abraham Kemp

Generation 6:

53.  unknown birth mother of Devier J. Smith
54. Samuel Vaux (1816-1880)
55.  Mary Ann Underhill (1815-1883), wife of Samuel Vaux
58.  William Knapp (1775-1857)
59.  Sarah Cutter (1785-1878), wife of William Knapp
61.  Sarah Sephrona Fletcher (1802-????), wife of Abraham James Kemp
62.  Alexander Sovereign (1814-1907)
63.  Elizabeth Putman (1820-1895), wife of Alexander Sovereign

Generation 7:

106.  unknown maternal grandfather of #26 Devier J. Smith
107.  unknown maternal grandmother of #26 Devier J. Smith
109.  Mary Palmer (1788-1844), wife of James Vaux
110. Amos Underhill (1788-1865)
111.  Mary Metcalf (1780-1855), wife of Amos Underhill
117.  unknown mother of #58 William Knapp
118.  Stephen Cutter (1745-1823)
119   Tabitha Randolph (1752-1841), wife of Stephen Cutter
122.  unknown father of #61 Sarah Fletcher
123.  unknown mother of #61 Sarah Fletcher
125.  Mary Jane Hutchinson (1792-1868), wife of Frederick Sovereign
126.  John Putman (1785-1863)
127.  Sarah Martin (1792-1860), wife of John Putman

Generation 8:

213. unknown great-grandmother of #26 Devier J. Smith
214. unknown great-grandfather of #26 Devier J. Smith
215. unknown great-grandmother of #26 Devier J. Smith
218. unknown father of #109 Mary Palmer
219. unknown mother of #109 Mary Palmer
221. Hannah Colby (1745-????), wife of John Underhill
222. Burgess Metcalf (1741-1816)
223. Jerusha --?-- (1750-1817), wife of Burgess Metcalf
235. unknown grandmother of #117 William Knapp
237. Mary Kent (1726-????), wife of William Cutter (1722-1780)
238. Samuel Fitz Randolph (1730-????)
239. Martha Gach (1729-????), wife of Samuel Fitz Randolph.
245. unknown paternal grandmother of #61 Sarah Fletcher
246. unknown maternal grandfather of #61 Sarah Fletcher
247. unknown maternal grandmother of #61 Sarah Fletcher
250.  William Hutchinson (1745-1826)
251.  Catherine Lewis (1759-1845), wife of William Hutchinson.
254.  Mulford Martin (1763-????)
255.  Betsey Rolfe (1766-????), wife of Mulford Martin.

 There are 51 candidates for my common ancestor with Marie on that list.  She has looked at my Ancestry Member Tree, and I have looked at hers, and we don't see a common ancestral person...yet!  I have several blanks in my family tree down through 8 generations, as does Marie,  so we have some work to do on our research.

To be specific, I have 5 unknown ancestors on the list above in generation 7 (my 4th great-grandparents), and I have 9 unknown ancestors on the list above in generation 8 (my 5th great-grandparents).

Note that I included the 5th great-grandparents on the list because only a portion of my shared DNA with Marie is on the X-chromosome - I'm hedging my bets a bit here, since the X-chromosome isn't passed 50% from each parent for a female child, according to the experts (which i'm not).  It is entirely possible, I think, that my common ancestor with Marie would be in the 9th or even 10th generation back from me.

So now Marie and I have a list of my potential common ancestors.  Her list will be longer because she is female, so she inherited her X-chromosome from both her father (but only on his mother's side) and her mother.

There is a real potential for a breakthrough on one or more of my unknown ancestors because of this X-chromosome DNA link.  Devier J. Smith was adopted (birth surname Lanphier?), and his biological mother and grandparents are on the list above.

I didn't put the localities of the candidates on my list - I may come back and add them.  They are probably pertinent for comparison purposes.  The 7th and 8th generation people are all in New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey and Ontario.

This chart will come in handy if, and hopefully when, I receive more X-chromosome matches from the 23andMe and familyTreeDNA autosomal DNA tests.

If you've had your autosomal DNA tested with 23andMe or FamilyTreeDNA, have you identified your potential X-chromosome ancestors?  You should make a list of candidates!

The URL for this post is:

Copyright (c) 2014, Randall J. Seaver


52 Ancestors Friday: #16 Isaac Seaver (1823-1901)

Amy Johnson Crow suggested a weekly blog theme of "52 Ancestors" in her blog post Challenge:  52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks on the No Story Too Small blog.  Here is my ancestor biography for week #9:

Isaac Seaver  (1823-1901) is #16 on my Ancestor Name List, and is my 2nd-great-grandfather.  He married #17 Lucretia Townsend Smith (1828-1884) in 1851.



 I am descended through:

*  their son, #8 Frank Walton Seaver (1852-1922), who married 1874 Hattie L. Hildreth (1857-1920)

*  their son, #4 Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942), who married 1900 Alma Bessie Richmond (1882-1962)
* their son, #2 Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983), who married 1942 Betty Virginia Carringer (1919-2002) 
*  their son, #1 Randall J. Seaver (1943-....)

To create this post, I made an Individual Summary report in RootsMagic 6, then saved it into an RTF file.  I then copied and pasted the Person, the Individual Fact List, the Marriages/Children, the General Notes, and the Source Citations into this blog post.  Unfortunately, the source citations superscripts did not survive this process as superscripts, so I put them in brackets in the Individual Facts list below, and without brackets in the Source Citation list.  I have images of many of these records, but have not included them in this blog post due to the length of the post.  Many of them have been transcribed or shown in Amanuensis Monday and Treasure Chest Thursday posts.

=====================================================
1)  PERSON (with source citations as indicated in brackets):


*  Name:                    Isaac Seaver [1–11]
*  Sex:                       Male   
*  Father:                   Benjamin Seaver (1791-1825)   
*  Mother:                 Abigail Gates (1797-1867)

*  Alternate Name:     Isaac Seaver 3d [16, 25–27 ]
  
2)  INDIVIDUAL FACTS (with source citations as indicated in brackets):
  
*  Birth:                     16 October 1823, Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [1–2, 12]   
*  Guardianship:         19 February 1838 (age 14), Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [13]   
*  Deed:                    22 October 1847 (age 24), Gardner, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [14]   
*  Census:                 1 June 1850 (age 26), Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States [7] *  Occupation:           1 June 1850 (age 26), Hay fork maker; Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States [7]    
*  Census:                 1 June 1855 (age 31), Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States [8]
*  Deed:                    16 June 1858 (age 34), Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [15]    
*  Census:                 1 June 1860 (age 36), Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [16]   
*  Occupation:           1 June 1860 (age 36), blacksmith; Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [16]   
*  Deed:                    6 February 1861 (age 37), Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [17]   
*  Deed:                    6 February 1861 (age 37), Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [18]   
*  Draft Registration:  1 June 1863 (age 39), Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [32]  
*  Military:                10 August 1864 (age 40), Enlisted as a Private in Company H, 4th Regiment of Massachusetts Heavy Artillery; Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [19, 33] *  Census:                 1 June 1865 (age 41), Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [9]    
*  Military:                17 June 1865 (age 41), mustered out of the 4th Regiment of Massachusetts Heavy Artillery; Washington, District of Columbia, United States [20, 33]   
*  Occupation:           1 June 1870 (age 46), works in a fork shop; Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [21]
*  Census:                 1 June 1870 (age 46), Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [21]
*  Census:                 1 June 1880 (age 56), Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [22]  
*  Occupation:           1 June 1880 (age 56), blacksmith; Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [22]
*  Pension Filed:        11 June 1892 (age 68), applied for an Invalid Pension, based on his Civil War service; Clinton, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [23]    
*  Pension Awarded:   21 February 1893 (age 69), awarded an Invalid Pension (Certificate No. 1,117,272) of $8 per month ; Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [24]   
*  Census:                  1 June 1900 (age 76), 7 Cedar Street, Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [11]   

*  Death:                   12 March 1901 (age 77), of cancer of the stomach; Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [25–26]   
*  Burial:                   after 12 March 1901 (after age 77), Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [5]   
*  Probate:                22 March 1901 (age 77), Will filed; Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [4]    
  
3)  MARRIAGES CHILDREN (with source citations as indicated in brackets):
  
*  Spouse 1.              Juliet Glazier (1826-1847)   
*  Marriage 1:            17 September 1846 (age 22), Rutland, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States [6, 27]   
*  Child 1:                 Juliette Glazier Seaver (1847-1910)   

*  Spouse 2:              Lucretia Townsend Smith (1828-1884)
*  Marriage 2:            9 September 1851 (age 27), Walpole, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States [28–29]
*  Child 2:                 Frank Walton Seaver (1852-1922)
*  Child 3:                 Benjamin Seaver (1854-1894)
*  Child 4:                 Elizabeth Lucinda Seaver (1859-1914)
*  Child 5:                 Ellen Maria "Nellie" Seaver (1861-1933)    

*  Spouse 3:              Alvina Matilda Bradley (1848-1923)    
*  Marriage 3:            15 September 1888 (age 64), Saint Regis Falls, Franklin, New York, United States [30–31] 

4)  RESEARCH NOTES: (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

Isaac Seaver was also called Isaac Seaver 3rd throughout his lifetime because there were two other persons named Isaac Seaver in Westminster while he was a youth, including his uncle and step-father, Isaac Seaver 2nd, the second husband of his mother, Abigail (Gates) (Seaver) Seaver.

When he became able to choose his own guardian, he chose his uncle Jeremiah Knowlton Gates (the brother of his mother) [13]:

"To the Hon. Ira Barton Judge of Probate for the County of  Worcester. This certifies that Isaac Seaver 3d a minor above the age of 14 years and son of Benjamin Seaver late of Westminster in said county deceased this day came before me the Subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace for said County and made choice of Jeremiah K. Gates of said Westminster to be his Guardian.  Dated at Westminster the 19th day of February A.D. 1838."   Simeon Henderson Justice of the Peace.

Isaac Seaver married Juliet Glazier on 17 September 1846 in Rutland, Massachusetts [6, 27]. The marriage record in the Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915 has this information:

*  Date 17 September 1846 in Rutland by Daniel R. Casey a Clergyman in Rutland Ms.
*  Groom:  Isaac Seaver 3d, Single, Age 22, a blacksmith, born Westminster, parents Isaac and Abigail Seaver
*  Bride:  Juliet Glazier, Single, age 20, born Rutland, parents Reuben and Catherine Glazier

Isaac Seaver's first marriage to Juliet Glazier ended in tragedy when Juliet died soon after the birth of their child, Juliette, due to "brain fever", apparently a stroke or hemorrhage.  The child survived.

On 22 October 1847, Isaac Seaver 3rd purchase land in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts from Samuel A. Monroe for $900.  The land was 50 acres of land in the northerly part of Gardner [14].

In the 1850 U.S. census, Isaac Seaver (age 26, a hay fork maker, born MA) resided in the house of Mr. Richards in Medfield, Norfolk County, MA [7].   His daughter, Juliette Seaver, was listed as Juliette Glazier in the 1850 census, age 3, living with her grandparents, Reuben and Catherine Glazier, in Rutland MA.

What took him to Medfield is unknown, but he soon met and married his second wife, Lucretia Townsend Smith of Medfield, in Walpole [28-29].  The marriage record in the Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915 record collection has this information:

*  Date:  Sept. 4 1851 in Walpole
*  Groom:  Isaac Seaver, resident of Medfield, age 27, a Blacksmith, born Westminster, parents Benj & Abigail Seaver, Second marriage
*  Bride:  Lucretia Smith, resident of Medfield, age 23, born in Medfield, parents Alpheus & Eliza Smith, First marriage
*  Officiant:  Rev. Geo. R. Newhall

In the 1855 Massachusetts State Census, the Isaac Seaver family was enumerated on 14 September 1855 residing in Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts [8].  The household included:

*  Isaac Seaver - age 31, male, a machinist, born in Mass.
*  Lucretia T. Seaver - age 28, female, born Mass.
*  Juliette G. Seaver - age 8, female, born Mass.
*  Frank W. Seaver - age 3, male, born Mass.
*  Benjn Seaver - age 1, male, born Mass.

On 16 June 1858, Isaac Seaver 3rd bought land from Luke Bigelow for $25 for a piece of land in Westminster on the road to Ashburnham [15].

In the 1860 census, this family resided in Westminster, Worcester County, Massachusetts [16].  The household included:

*  Isaac Seaver 3rd -- age 36, male, blacksmith, $1800 in real property, $600 in personal property, born MA
*  Lucretia Seaver -- age 32, female, born MA
*  Juliette G. Seaver -- age 13, female, born MA, attended school
*  Frank W. Seaver -- age 8, male, born MA, attended school
*  Benjamin Seaver -- age 6, male, born MA, attended school
*  Elizabeth L. Seaver -- age 1, female, born MA.

On 6 February 1861, Isaac Seaver 3rd sold three lots in Westminster for $1000 to James R. Bruce [17].  He then bought them back in a separate deed [18].

Isaac Seaver 3rd registered for the Civil Wart draft in June 1863.  His entry noted [32]:

*  Residence:  Westminster
*  Name:  Isaac Seaver 3rd
*  Age 1 July 1863:  39
*  Race or Color:  White
*  Profession, occupation or trade:  mechanic
*  Place of birth:  Massachusetts

During the Civil War, Isaac Seaver enlisted in Company H of the 4th Regiment of Heavy Artillery of the Massachusetts Volunteers.  The information on this record is [19, 33]:

*  Name and Rank:  Isaac Seaver
*  Age:  40
*  Bounty:  198.66
*  Residence or place credited to:  Westminster
*  Date of Muster:  Aug. 20 '64
*  Termination of service and cause thereof:  June 17, '65, expiration of service

The above information was also obtained from the Civil War Pension File for Isaac Seaver [19, 20].  It noted that he was honorably discharged on 17 June 1865 at Fort Richardson, VA.  His personal description was "age 40 years, a blacksmith, eyes blue, complexion light, hair sandy, 5 feet 10-1/2 inches." 
The 1865 Massachusetts State Census entry for the Isaac Seaver family in Westminster includes [9]:

*  Isaac Seaver - age 41, male, born Westminster, Mass., married, a blacksmith, ratable polls checked, legal voter checked
*  Lucretia T. Seaver - age 37, female, born Medfield, Mass., married, a housekeeper
*  Juliet G. Seaver - age 17, female, born Westminster, Mass., single, a domestic
*  Frank W. Seaver - age 13, male, born Medfield, Mass.
*  Benjamin Seaver - no age, male, born Medfield, Mass.
*  Lizzie L. Seaver - age 6, female, born Westminster, Mass.
*  Nellie M. Seaver - age 4, female, born Westminster, Mass.

In the 1870 US census, this family resided in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts [21].  The household included:

*  Isaac Seaver -- age 46, male, white, works in a fork shop, $2000 in real property, $1500 in personal property, born MA
*  Lucretia D. Seaver -- age 42, female, white, keeping house, born MA
*  Frank W. Seaver -- age 18, male, white, attends school, born MA
*  Benjamin Seaver -- age 16, male, white, attends school, born MA
*  Elizabeth Seaver -- age 11, female, white, attends school, born MA
*  Ellen M. Seaver -- age 8, female, white, attends school, born MA

At some time, Isaac purchased property on the corner of Cedar Street and Lancaster Street in Leominster and resided there for the remainder of his life.

In the 1880 census, the Isaac Seaver family resided in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts [22].  The family included:

*  Isaac Seaver -- white, male, age 56, married, born MA, blacksmith, parents born MA
*  Lucretia Seaver -- white, female, age 52, wife, married, born MA, keeping house, parents born MA
*  Nellie Seaver -- white, female, age 18, daughter, single, attended school, born MA, parents born MA.

Lucretia (Smith) Seaver died on 24 March 1884 in Leominster, Massachusetts.  

Isaac Seaver married, thirdly, to Alvina Matilda (Bradley) Lewis [30, 31].  The marriage record in the Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915 collection includes this information:

*  Date/Place:  September 15 1888 in St. Regis Falls N.Y.
*  Groom:  Isaac Seaver, resident of Leominster, age 64, a Blacksmith, born in Westminster, parents Benj. & Abigail, 3rd Marriage
*  Bride:  Alvina M. Lewis (maiden name Bradley), resident of Clinton, age 40, a Weaver, born in Dickinson, N.Y., parents Harvey H & Sarah F. Bradley
*  Officiant:  Rev. J. P. Dunham, St. Regis Falls, N.Y. 

Alvina was the widow of Joseph P. Lewis, who died 5 January 1882 at Worcester MA, a carpenter;  he was the son of Nathaniel and Betsey Lewis of Sterling MA. and was age 49 years 7 months at time of death.

Isaac Seaver filed a Declaration for an Invalid Pension on 11 June 1892, appearing before a Notary Public, who declared [19, 20]:

"State of Massachusetts County of Worcester, SS on this 11th day of June A.D. one thousand eight hundred and ninety two personally appeared before me, a Notary Public, within and for the County and State aforesaid, Isaac Seaver 3d aged 68 years, a resident of the town of Clinton, County of Worcester State of Massachusetts, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical Isaac Seaver 3d who was enrolled on the 10th day of August, 1864, in Company H (private) 4th Reg't H'y Arty, Mass. Vols in the war of the rebellion, and served at least ninety days, and was honorably discharged at Fort Richardson, Va on the 17th day of June, 1865.  That he is unable to earn a support by manual labor by reason of 'Varicose veins of both legs, Rheumatism, resulting heart trouble, trouble of the urinary organs having symptoms of enlarged prostrate gland and results of carbuncle on back of neck.'  That said disabilities are not due to his vicious habits, and are to the best of his knowledge and belief permanent.  That he has never applied for pension.  That he has not been in the military or naval service of the U.S. since the 17th day of June 1865."

He apparently received approval, since the U.S. Pension Agency in Boston, Massachusetts stopped paying $8 a month due to his reported death.

In the 1900 US Census, this family resided at 7 Cedar Street in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts [10]. The household included:

*  Isaac Seaver -- head, white, male, age 76, born Oct 1823, married 12 years, born MA, parents born MA, no occupation
*  Elvina Seaver -- wife, white, female, age 52, born Apr 1848, married 12 years, 1 child born, 0 living, born NY, parents born NY

Isaac Seaver died 12 March 1901 in Leominster, Massachusetts [25, 26].  The death record in the Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915 collection has this information:

*  Date/Place:  12 March 1901, Leominster, Mass.
*  Isaac Seaver 3rd, Male, Married, age 77-4-26 at death, cause was Cancer of Stomach, resident of Leominster, died in Leominster, a Blacksmith, born in Westminster, father Benjamin Seaver, father born in Westminster Mass., mother Abigail (Gates), mother born in Gardner.
*  Recorded 12 March 1901.

Isaac Seaver is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Leominster, MA with his second wife, Lucretia (Smith) Seaver [5].  The gravestone inscription of Isaac Seaver, two of his wives, and two children in Evergreen Cemetery in Leominster, Massachusetts reads:

1823  Isaac Seaver  1901
1826 Juliett his wife 1847
1828 Lucretia T. his wife 1884
1854 Benjamin Seaver 1894
1861  Nellie M. Seaver  1931

Isaac Seaver died testate, and his probate papers are in Worcester County (MA) Probate Records, Probate Packet B-27905, accessed at the Worcester County Courthouse in Worcester, Massachusetts [4].  His will reads:

"Know All Men by These Presents, that I, Isaac Seaver of Leominster, in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time heretofore made.

"First. I hereby appoint Hamilton Mayo of said Leominster, the executor of this will.

"Second. I give my beloved wife Alvina M. Seaver, the sum of Twelve Hundred Dollars; also all my household furniture and housekeeping effects of every name and nature.  This legacy is given by me in lieu of all her rights in my real estate and personal property.

"Third.  I give and bequeath to the child or children of my deceased son, Benjamin, the sum of one Dollar.

"Fourth.  All the rest and residue of my estate I give, devise and bequeath in equal shares to my children, Juliette G. Bryant, Frank W. Seaver, Elizabeth L. Blanchard, and Nettie M. Seaver.

"Fifth.  I authorize and empower my said executor to sell my real estate at public or private sale, and to pay from the proceeds thereof the above legacy to my wife, dividing the residue among my children above mentioned.

"In testimoney whereof, I hereunto set my hand and seal, and publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, in the presence of witnesses named below, this twenty-eighth day of February, in the year nineteen hundred and one."

Isaac Seaver  (seal)

"Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Isaac Seaver as and for his last will and testament, in presence of us, who, in his presence and in the presence of each other, and at his request, have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto."

Hamilton Mayo
Andrew C. Belcher

Hamilton Mayo filed his affidavit on 22 March 1901, listing the heirs at law to be:

Alvina M. Seaver of Leominster Mass, widow
Juliette G. Bryant of Fitchburg Mass, daughter
Frank W. Seaver of Leominster, son
Elizabeth L. Blanchard of National City Ca, daughter
Nettie M. Seaver of Leominster, daughter
child of Benjamin Seaver, a deceased son, name and residence unknown.

As executor of the estate, Hamilton Mayo filed his account for the period of 9 April 1901 to 21 June 1901, showing that he charged himself with the amounts received from the estate, in the amount of $3737.88, and had disbursed the same amount to the creditors and heirs.  The four living children signed a release of the account on 22 June 1901.  The account was presented for allowance on 13 June 1916.

The inventory showed personal estate of $707.43, two debts due of $30, and the amount received by sale of the real estate as $3000, plus $0.45 interest, totalling $3737.88.  Payments, charges, losses and distributions included $300 to Alvina M. Seaver for furniture, $1200 for her legacy, and $481.71 each to Juliett G. Bryant, Frank W. Seaver, Nellie M. Seaver and Elizabeth L. Blanchard.

Stories told by the family about Isaac Seaver included that he was a large man, with blue eyes and a fair complexion.  He was a blacksmith and moved from Westminster to Leominster.  His third wife, Alvina, was very clean and neat and would not allow Isaac to come in the house with his shoes on - he had to take them off outside and put on his slippers.  When Isaac died, Alvina asked his sister Nellie if she could use the money until she died.  Trusting Alvina, Nellie gave her control of the money and when Alvina died, it was left to her family.  

The probate record for Isaac Seaver seems to prove that story wrong, or at least confusing.  Isaac did bequeath $1200 to Alvina and she, apparently, received the money.  Alvina died in 1923 in Clinton, leaving an estate to her siblings and their children..  
 
5)  SOURCES (with source citations as indicated in brackets):

1. Systematic History Fund, Vital Records of Westminster, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Worcester, Mass.: F.P. Rice, 1908), Births, page 83: Isaac Seaver entry.

2. Westminster, Massachusetts, Copy of Record of Birth, Isaac Sever, 16 October 1823; City Clerk's Office, Westminster, Mass. (certificate dated 17 September 1990).

3. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), Westminster, page 246, Family of Benjamin and Abigail Sever, Isaac Seaver entry.

4. "Worcester County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records" (Worcester County Probate Courthouse, Worcester, Mass.), Probate Packet B-27905, Isaac Seaver (1901).

5. Evergreen Cemetery (Leominster, Mass., on Main Street), Isaac Seaver gravestone.

6. Systematic History Fund, Vital Records of Rutland, Massachusetts to the end of year 1849 (Worcester, Mass.: Franklin Pierce Rice, 1905), page 190, Isaac Seaver and Juliet Glazier entry.

7. 1850 United States Federal Census, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, population schedule, Medfield town, page 356,  dwelling #699, family #699, Lewis M. Richards household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 Mar 2011), citing National Archives Publication M432, Roll 331.

8. "Massachusetts State Census, 1855,"  indexed database and digital image, FamilySearch.org  (https://www.familysearch.org), Norfolk County, Medfield, page 19 (penned), Dwelling #55, Family #55, Isaac Seaver household.

9. "Massachusetts, State Census, 1865", indexed database and digital image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org), Worcester County, Westminster, Page 30 (penned), Dwelling #272, family #310, Isaac Seaver household.

10. 1870 United States Federal Census, Population Schedule, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Leominster: Page 284, dwelling #398, family #526, Isaac Seaver household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M593, Roll 654.

11. 1900 United States Federal Census, Population Schedule, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Leominster: ED 1645, Sheet 19B, lines 74-75, Isaac Seaver household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), citing National Archives Publication T623, Roll 692.

12. Massachusetts, Town Records, 1620-1988, digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com); "Westminster Births, marriages and deaths", page 246 (penned), image 223, Family of Benjamin and Abigail Sever, Isaac Seaver entry.

13. "Worcester County, Massachusetts Probate Court Records", Volume 205, Page 462, Isaac Seaver Nomination of Guardian, accessed on FHL US/CAN Microfilm 0,860,639, original paper filed in Probate Packet A-52855 (for Abigail Seaver).

14. "Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), Worcester County, "Deeds 1847-1848, Vol. 428-429," image 415/416 of 684, in Volume 429, Pages 137-138, Samuel A. Munroe to Isaac Seaver 3d deed in Gardner, Mass., 1847.

15. "Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, FamilySearch  (https://familysearch.org), Worcester County, "Deeds 1858, Vol. 595-596," image 538 0f 681, in Volume 596, Page 382, Luke Bigelow to Isaac Seaver 3d deed in Westminster, Mass., 1858.

16. 1860 United States Federal Census, Population Schedule, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Westminster:  Page 94, dwelling #354, family #386, Isaac Seaver household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M653, Roll 531).

17. "Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org), Worcester County, "Deeds 1861 Vol. 637-638," images 229-230 0f 679, in Volume 637, Pages 439-440, Isaac Seaver 3d to James R. Bruce deed in Westminster, Mass., 1861.

18. "Massachusetts, Land Records, 1620-1986," digital images, FamilySearch  (https://familysearch.org), Worcester County, "Deeds 1864, Vol. 692-693," images 252-253 0f 702, in Volume 692, Page 468-469,  James R. Bruce to Isaac Seaver 3d deed in Westminster, Mass., 1861.

19. Civil War Pension Application Files, Declaration for an Invalid Pension on 11 June 1892, National Archives and Records Administration, Isaac Seaver, Pension File No. 1,117,272.

20. Civil War Pension Application Files, Declaration for an Invalid Pension on 11 June 1892, National Archives and Records Administration, Pension File No. 1,117,272.

21. 1870 United States Federal Census, Population Schedule, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Westminster: Page 284, family #526, Isaac Seaver household; online database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication M593, Roll 654).

22. 1880 United States Federal Census, Population Schedule, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Leominster:  Page 533C, dwelling #493, family #621, Isaac Seaver household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives Microfilm Publication T9, Roll 565.

23. Civil War Pension Application Files, Declaration for an Invalid Pension on 11 June 1892, National Archives and Records Administration, Pension File No.1,117,272.

24. Civil War Pension Application Files, Invalid Pension Award on 21 February 1893, National Archives and Records Administration, Pension File No. 1,117,272.

25. "Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915," indexed database and digital images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (http://www.AmericanAncestors.org), Deaths:  Volume 507, Page 371, Leominster, 1901: Isaac Seaver 3d entry.

26. Leominster, Massachusetts, Death Certificate, Certificate of Death, Isaac Seaver III, 12 March 1901; City Clerk's Office, Leominster, Mass. (certificate dated 17 Septermber 1990).

27. Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915, digital images,  New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (http://www.AmericanAncestors.org), Marriages,, Volume 25, Page 191, Rutland, 1846; Isaac Seaver 3d and Juliet Glazier entry.

28. Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915, indexed database and images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (http://www.AmericanAncestors.org), Marriages: Volume 55, Page 214, Walpole:  Isaac Seaver and Lucretia Smith entry.

29. Walpole, Massachusetts, Certificate of Marriage, Isaac Seaver and Lucretia Smith, 4 September 1851, Town Clerk's Office, Medfield, Mass. (certificate dated 7 October 1994).

30. Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1915,indexed database and images, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Ancestors (http://www.AmericanAncestors.org), Marriages: Volume 390, Page 326, Leominster: Isaac Seaver and Alvina Matilda (Bradley) Lewis entry.

31. Leominster, Massachusetts, Certificate of Marriage, Isaac Seaver and Alvina M. Lewis (Bradley), 15 September 1888, City Clerk's Office, Leominster, Mass. (certificate dated 17 September 1990).

32. "U.S. Civil War Draft Registration Records, 1863-1865," digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), Massachusetts, 9th Congressional District, Volume 3 of 4, page 261 (image 524 of 651), Isaac Seaver 3rd entry.

33. "Record of the Massachusetts Volunteers, 1861-1865," digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com), Volume 1, Page 601, fourth Regiment Heavy Artillery, Company H, Isaac Seaver entry.


Copyright (c) 2014, Randall J. Seaver


Thursday, February 27, 2014

Mocavo.com Keeps Advancing Technology and Has Video Fireside Chats UPDATED!

Mocavo.com has made several announcements recently that advance genealogical research and technology, including:

1)  Photo Detection in Historical Documents (posted 27 February 2014).  This is interesting, but there needs to be some standards for what to index in each photo based on the information provided in the surrounding article.  I was intrigued because the second photo is of the U.S. Grant hotel in downtown San Diego around the turn of the 19th to 20th century.

2)  Coming Soon:  Online Transcription from Mocavo (posted 26 February 2014).  This transcription tool will let Mocavo users index names found in handwritten documents.  It looks like it works similar to what Footnote/Fold3 has used.

3)  A Little Something We've Been Working On ... (posted 20 November 2013).  This is about Handwriting Recognition technology, and would be a superb tool to use on handwritten wills, deeds, court records, etc.

4)  The Mean, Lean, Green Mocavo Machine (28 February 2014).  This is an amazing description of how modern server farms are managed and optimized.

Mocavo.com is also hosting Fireside Chats with notable genealogists.  You can see the archive at http://www.mocavo.com/fireside.

There are FREE to see video chats with the following (not all have a video or audio link):

*  Judy G. Russell (25 February 2014)
*  Cyndi Ingle (29 January 2014)
*  Thomas MacEntee (15 January 2014)
*  Paula Stuart-Warren (14 November 2013)
*  Kelvin Meyers (31 October 2013)

*  Diane Gravel (16 October 2013)
*  Alex Lindsay (2 October 2013)
*  Dr. Michael Lacopo (18 September 2013)
*  Kris Rzepczynski (4 September 2013)
*  Elissa Scalise-Powell (7 August 2013)

*  Maureen Taylor (24 July 2013)
*  Drew Smith (10 July 2013)
*  Polly Kimmitt (26 June 2013)

You can read the Mocavo Genealogy Blog to keep up with the news at Mocavo.

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2014/02/mocavocom-keeps-advancing-technology.html

Copyright (c) 2014, Randall J. Seaver

UPDATED:  2 March 2014 to add item 4) to the list.