Isaac Lanfear's last name was spelled as Lamphier, Lanphere, Lamfear, Lanfear, Lamfire, etc.) in various records during his life.
He was born in about 1777 in Hillsdale, Columbia County, New York[1], and was baptized in the Dutch Reformed Church known as Christ's Church in Ghent, New York[2]. In the baptism record, his parents were named as Latham Lamphier and Anna Egleston (perhaps nee Wilbur?).
Isaac Lanfear married Rosannah Lown (or Laun, Lowen, etc.) (1781-1881), the daughter of Georg Lown and Susanna Schumacher) on 10 October 1809 in Claverack, Columbia County, New York[1]. They had ten children, all probably born in Lorraine, Jefferson County, New York:
* Anna Lanfear (1807-1898), married before 1831 William Shelmadine (1806-1861).
* Elizabeth Lanfear (1809-1900), married before 1837 Chester Clark Rose (1812-1900).
* Susan B. Lanfear (1812-1849), married circa 1844 Orlando Kellogg (1807-1872).
* Latham Lanfear (1814-1878), married circa 1859 Nancy A. Middleton (1835-1888).
* Nancy C. Lanfear (1816-1898), married 1834 Walter Risley Brown (1815-1891).
* Polly Lanfear (1817-1908), married (1) 1846 Nelson Muzzy (1806-1865); (2) 1870 Francis Cornwell (1818-1887).
* Eleanor Lanfear (1818-1902), married circa 1843 Lester Loveland (1815-1888).
* Malinda Lanfear (1823-1905).
* John Lanfear (1824-1893), married before 1850 Rhoda Mariah Parsons (1827-1888).
* Sarah Lanfear (1828-????).
Isaac Lanfear served in the War of 1812, volunteering at Lorraine on 9 September 1812 and was honorably discharged on 25 August 1814 at Sackets Harbor, New York. Isaac's wife, Rosannah Lanfear applied for a Widow's pension in 1871 and was granted a pension and 160 acres of Bounty land in 1879[1]. There is more information about Isaac's service from the Pension file (201 pages!) transcribed below.
In the 1820 United States Census, the Isaac Lanfier household was enumerated in Lorraine, Jefferson County, New York[7]. The household included:
* Name of head of household: Isaac Lanfier
* Males under age ten: one
* Males aged 26-45: one
* Females under age 10: four
* Females aged 10 to 16: one
* Females aged 26-45: one
In the 1830 United States Census, the Isaac Lamfire household was enumerated in Lorraine, Jefferson County, New York[8]. The household included:
* Name of head of household: Isaac Lamfire
* Males aged 5 to 10: one
* Males aged 15 to 20: one
* Males aged 50 to 60: one
* Females aged under 5: one
* Females aged 5 to 10: one
* Females aged 10 to 15: two
* Females aged 15 to 20: two
* Females aged 40 to 50: one
* Total: 10
In the 1840 United States census, the Isaac Lanfear household was enumerated in Lorraine, Jefferson county, New York[2]. The household included:
* Name of head of family: Isaac Lanfear
* Males aged 15-20: one
* Males aged 20-30: one
* Males aged 50-60: one
* Females aged 10-15: one
* Females aged 15-20: one
* Females aged 20-30: one
* Females aged 50-60: one
* Total: 7
The Isaac Lanfear family was enumerated in Lorraine, Jefferson county, New York in the 1850 United States Census[3]. The person in the household included:
* Isaac Lanfear - age 73, male, a farmer, has $2000 in real property.
* Rosanna Lanfear - age 65, female.
* Latham Lanfear - age 36, male, a farmer.
* Melinda Lanfear - age 27, female.
Isaac Lanfear died on 3 May 1851 in Lorraine, Jefferson County, New York[1]. He is buried in Lorraine Rural Cemetery with his wife[5]. The inscription on his gravestone says:
"Isaac Lanfear
Died
May 3 1851
Aged 74 years"
Isaac Lanfear died intestate and the administration of the estate was granted to his son, Latham Lanfear on 6 September 1853[4]. The probate records include the following:
Surrogates Court / County of Jefferson In the matter of the application for Letters of Administration on the Estate of Isaac Lanfear late of Lorraine in the County of Jefferson, deceased
To James R.A. Perkins Esqr Surrogate of Jefferson County
The petition of Latham Lanfear of the Town of Lorraine in the County of Jefferson respectfully sheweth that he is the eldest son & an heir at law of Isaac Lanfear late of said town deceased; that said Isaac Lanfear died in said Town a natural death in or about the 3d day of May 1851 - & died intestate as your petitioner verily believes; that your petitioner has made diligent search & enquiry for a will of said deceased & has not found any or obtained any information that he left or ever made one; that your petitioner has to the best of his ability estimated & ascertained the value of the personal property of which the said deceased died possessed and that the same does not exceed in value the sum of three hundred dollars.
That said deceased left him surviving kindred & children entitled to his estate whose names and places of residence are as follows, to wit: Rosana Lanfear of Lorraine widow of the deceased. Your petitioner & John Lanfear sons of the deceased, both of Lorraine aforesaid. Anna Shelmedine, wife of William Shelmedine of Lorraine. Malinda Lanfear & Sarah Lanfear of Lorraine. Eleanor Loveland wife of Lester Loveland of Rodman in the County of Jefferson. Betsey Rose wife of Chester C. Rose of the town of Brownsville in said County; & Polly Muzzy wife of Nelson Muzzy of Sandy Creek in the County of Oswego. & also Susan Kellogg wife of Orlando Kellogg of Lorraine all daughters of deceased & all now living except said Susan Kellogg who is now deceased & left her surviving two children, to wit, Harvey Orlando Kellogg & Isaac Orlando Kellog, now living with their father Orlando Kellogg in Lorraine & grandchildren of the deceased & both infants under fourteen years of age & of about six or seven years old & have not to the knowledge or belief of your petitioner any general guardian; that the above named children of said deceased who are now living are all & each over twenty one years of age....and are the only surviving children of said deceased & the above named grandchildren & children now surviving with said widow are the only persons entitled to share in the personal & real estate of said deceased & now living.
That said deceased & intestate at immediately previous to this time of his death was an inhabitant of said County of Jefferson & had property therein; that your petitioner is of full age & that said Rosana Lanfear widow of said deceased has renounced her right & claim to letters of Administration upon the estate of said deceased which renunciation is hereunto annexed in writing signed by her & the execution thereof duly proves that said John Lanfear who is equally with your petitioner en-titled to Letters of Administration upon said estate has also renounced & waived all right thereto as appears in his written renunciation thereof signed by him & duly proven also hereto annexed; that your petitioner is informed & believes that the Surrogate of said County of Jefferson has sole & exclusive power to grant letters of Administration of the goods, chattels &credits of said intestate.
Wherefore he prays that in pursuance of the Statute in such case made & provided and your petitioner will ever pray &c
Dated September 6th 1853
/s/ Latham Lanfear
Rosannah Lanfear applied under the Act of 1871 for a Pension based on Isaac's military service in the War of 1812, but it was denied. She reapplied in 1876, and received the pension and bounty land warrant for 160 acres in 1878. This pension file contains 201 pages.
The Bounty Land and Widow's Brief (pages 179-180) transcription is:
CLAIM OF WIDOW FOR BOUNTY LAND.
State of New York } SS:
County of Jefferson }
On this Twenty fourth day of April, A.D. one thousand eight hundred and Seventy Eight, personally appeared before me, Erwin F Ramsdell, the same being a member of a court of record within and for the county and State aforesaid, Rosannah Lanfear aged 94 years, a resident of Lorraine , in the State of New York , who,
being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of Isaac Lanfear deceased, who was the identical Isaac Lanfear , who served under the name of Isaac Lanfear as a Private in the company commanded by Captains Gould Wilcox and Goodell, the 55th regiment of Militia, commanded by Clark Allen , in the war of 1812; that her said husband Volunteered at Lorraine aforesaid on or about the Ninth day of September , A.D. 1812 , for the term of the war and continued in actual service in said war for the term of sixty six days , and whose services terminated, by reason of
honorable discharge at Sackets Harbor , on or about the 25th dau of August , A.D. 1814 . She further states that the following is a full description of her said husband at the time of enlistment, viz: Occupation farmer age 35 years hight 5 feet 6 nches Complection light Blk hair & blue eyes & was born at Hillsdale, N.Y. She further states that she was married to the said Isaac Lanfear , at the city (or town) of Claverack , in the county of Columbia , and in the State of New York , on the Tenth day of October, A.D. 1809 by one David Wager, who was a Justice of the Peace; and that her name before said marriage was Rosannah Lown ; and she further states that deponent has not remarried since the death
of her said husband. and that her said husband Isaac Lanfear , died at Lorraine , in the State of New York, on the Third day of May , A.D. 1851; and she further declares that the following have been the places of residence for herself and her said husband since the date of his discharge from the Army, viz: Lorraine County of Jefferson and State of New York.
She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land (or the additional bounty land) to which she may be entitled under the act approved March 3, 1855; and she further declares that she has heretofore made an application for a pension under the act of February 14'th 1871 which application was dated about March 08'th 1876 which pension No. is 11,838.
BOUNTY LAND WIDOW'S BRIEF
Case No. 333149, Act of March 3'd 1855, Warrant No. 114282
Rosannah Lanfear , widow of
, Examiner
Approved July 15, 1878
Charles H. Sawyer, Reviewer.
