Elijah Porter

Elijah Porter, my 4th great grandfather was living in Taylor, New York in 1850 with his wife Mary. He had been living there for a while, it seems but it wasn't until the previous year that his farm was annexed and combined with other farms to form a new town named after President Zachary Taylor. Until last year, he was from Solon. Now, he lived on the very edge of this brand new community, without ever moving.

The best information I have about Elijah's family comes from his will transcribed below from script. (1)

I, Elijah Porter of the town of Taylor, in the county of Cortland and State of New York being of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding do hereby make and declare this to my last will and testament, as follows, viz:

First, I give devise and bequeath to my wife, Mary Porter the use occupation, reuks and profit of all my real estate being fifty acres of land on lot number 46 Taylor and 25 acres of land on lot number 37 Truxton to her own use during her natural life. 

Second - I also give and bequest to my said wife all my personal estate which I may have on own at my decease after the payment of my just debts and funeral expenses. 

Third - After the decease of my said wife I order and direct my executor herein after named to dispose of all my real estate and turn the same into money and to dispose of the avails thereof as follows, viz: to pay to my daughter Lydia Breed and Polly Graves the sum of one dollar each and that the residual and remainder of such proceeds be paid to and divided between my son Gershum Porter and my daughters Eliza Spencer, Jane Talbert, Sara Boyes, Vienna Aynesworth, Susan Davis and Almira Aynesworth in equal proportion after deducting their fees and expenses in the disposition there of. 

Fourth - I hereby nominate and affirm my said wife Mary Porter and my son-in-law Daniel Aynesworth, executor of this my last will and testament and hereby revoke all and every former will and testament by me made. 

In witness whereof I have here urite set my hand and seal this 19th day of January 1856. 

Elijah Power (L. S.)

His living children on January 19th 1856 include 8 daughters and 1 son:

Lydia Breed
Polly Graves
Eliza Spencer
Jane Talbert
Sarah Boyes
Vienna Aynesworth
Susan Davis
Almira Aynesworth
Gershum Porter

Almira Aynesworth is my 3rd great grandmother. She ends up leaving the area for Michigan along with some of her other family members. Her headstone reads 'Elmira' and her husband's reads 'Ainsworth' so I will use that spelling.

Footnotes

1. Chenango County, Wills, Vol L-M, 1863 -1922  Page 152-153 Ancestry.com. New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. 

Sarah Ann Bretherick

#52ancestors January 1 - Start

My Whitehead family started with Sarah Ann Bretherick, it seems.

My father has always considered his Whitehead ancestry to be a shining star. A Whitehead invented the first self-propelled torpedo and to a young boy particularly fond of army men, that kind of connection was highly honored. Our Whitehead family also was the origin of our very own Born-At-Sea story - Wisconsin Whitehead, who later went by Wessie, was born in 1879 aboard a ship by the same name. Our Whiteheads were blacksmiths, our immigrant story, our first-cousin marriage story, and even the 'part Native-American' story at the same time. But how much of these stories are actually ours? It turns out that our Whitehead name really does start with Sarah Ann Bretherick and stops there too.

I first met Sarah Ann in the 1880 census living in Detroit with her husband and five children.

All of them were born in England with the exception of Wisconsin who was born on the Atlantic Ocean. Sarah's parents were born in England and her husband's mother was as well. (His father's birthplace was unknown). 

Betsy (13), John (9), Mary (7), Albert (5), and baby Wisconsin, only 5 months old were living together at 274 Sixth Street. It is possible that Sarah Ann had more children, either some that died far too young, or some that had since moved out of the house. Betsy and John had 4 years between them and Albert and Wessie had 4 years between them, making me wondering if this poor mama had to leave the graves of one or more of her babies back home in England. 

Since Wessie is still just a baby, this family was likely traveling during part of this year. Certainly Sarah Ann was on the ship. Why did they come to Detroit? How are they connected to our torpedo guy, Robert? I had a lot of questions for Sarah - but then I lost her.

If only that 1890 census wouldn't have burned up. I would have likely found James, Sarah and least two of her children living together in Detroit. As it was, I had to settle for the 1900 census as the next place to look for her. She could be living with her husband James but the rest of her children would have moved on to start their own families by now. Searching Sarah Whitehead in the 1900 Federal Census - as she is nowhere to be found.

To be continued....