The Halstead Ancestors

Today’s post marks my first blog about the Halstead’s. Thanks to the work of earlier researchers, I’ve learned much about my Halstead ancestry.

Today I’ll begin telling you about 4^th Great Grandmother Esther. She was born Jan. 15, 1779 in Orange County, New York to Michael and Phebe Halstead. I knew a little about Esther from Ruttenber & Clark’s ‘History of Orange County, New York’. Esther’s grandfather, Richard Halstead, was an early Goshen settler featured in the book. Esther married and is identified below as “Mrs. William Hemingway”.

  

Transcript:  Ruttenber & Clark’s History of Orange County, New York, published 1881, page 524

“Richard Halstead was an early settler of Goshen. He lived on the Florida road, near the present Snyder place, over the "Rio Grande," and it is claimed by his descendants that he was the first merchant in Goshen. He afterwards bought 600 acres of land in what is now Wawayanda, adjoining the Fullerton farm. The tradition in this family is that his son Michael was born there. If so (as Michael died in 1820, at the age of seventy- two), it determines the settlement of Richard in Wawayanda to have been as early as 1747 or 1748, not more than ten or twelve years later than the Dolsens. Michael Halstead left several children, Michael Jr., Jesse, Aaron, Mrs. William Hemingway, Mrs. Silas Hemingway, and Mrs. Alma Bailey. Michael, Jr., had one daughter, Mrs. Charles T. Jackson, from whom most of these particulars are obtained. It is understood that the pioneer Richard Halstead had a brother Joseph, who came to Orange County about the same time. He had no children, but an adopted son, bearing the family name, became the owner of the well- known Cash farm in Wawayanda.”

Esther and William lived in Orange County, New York until some time in the 1820’s when they moved to Wantage, Sussex County, New Jersey.

4^th Great Grandmother passed June 22, 1842 and is buried in the Wantage First Methodist Episcopal Church Cemetery. Great Grandfather William Hemingway passed March 9, 1855 and rests alongside her.

If you’re interested in the Hemingway family, you might like

Mystery Monday, Quite By Chance I Found My Hemingway’s in Jersey

Mystery Monday, The Hemingway’s Part 2

A Bed to Sleep In, $40 Per Year and a Horse

In a land agreement between Richard Wight and daughter Carrie P. Barr, Richard was promised $40.00 a year, a horse, and support for the rest of his natural life.

Richard Wight was my 2^nd Great Grandfather born 1834 at McDonough, Chenango Co., NY to Jonas Sweetland Wight and Caroline Ackley. He was raised in McDonough and somehow met and married 2^nd Great Grandmother Emily Brundage from Wawayanda, Orange Co., NY. They lived in New York, then spent some time in Waterloo, Black Hawk Co., Iowa and returned to Orange County, NY by 1868.

After Great Grandmother Emily died, Richard made his home in McDonough (1875) with his three older children—Carrie, Anna and Bertie. His two youngest daughters, Eleanor and Emily, remained with their grandparents, Orsamus C. Brundage and Phebe Kimber, in Wawayanda, NY.

By 1880, Richard was working as a farm laborer in Wawayanda close to the youngest Wight girls. Carrie was about 18 years old and had recently married Fred Barr in Chenango County.

Now that I’ve given you a little background, I’m ready to begin this post.

It wasn’t until I began researching Richard Wight’s mother, Caroline (Ackley) Wight that I learned Great Grandfather owned land in Smithville. Grandfather’s mother, along with his brothers and their wives sold the ‘Jonas Wight farm’ to him Nov. 23, 1889.

A few months later, Richard, received a $2,000 legacy owed him from his father’s estate.

  

Document from Jonas Wight’s estate packet

Later that year Richard sold his interest in a 122-acre tract originally part of the ‘Jonas Wight farm’ to his daughter Carrie P. Barr. I find it odd Richard did not include Carrie’s husband, Fred Barr, in the agreement. When the deed was written, Carrie was 29 years old and had already been married to Fred Barr for 11 years.

Carrie took over the mortgage payments held by Eli T. Wight. According to the indenture Great Grandfather was guaranteed a home for life living in the two north rooms in a house on the property where he already dwelled. Every January he would get $40.00. A horse and firewood were also included in the deal.

Excerpt Deed Book 181, page 599

A transcription of the deed follows:

Chenango County, New York Deed Book 181, pages 598-599

   This Indenture made this 17^th day of November in the year of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and ninety. Between Richard Wight of the town of Smithville Chenango Co. N. Y. party of the first part and Carrie P. Barr of the said town of Smithville N. Y. party of the second part.

Witnesseth that the said party of the first part in consideration of the sum of Forty Dollars to be paid yearly as hereinafter stated and also the convenants hereinafter stated, was sold and by these presents does grant and convey to the said party of the second part her heirs and assigns.

   All that tract or parcel of land situate in the town of Smithville Chenango County N. Y. and being in lot No. 16 in the second township of the Chenango Triangle and bounded and described as follows.

   Being the same premises deeded by Eli T. Wight, Hattie Wight et al. to the said Richard Wight by a deed dated the 23^rd day of November 1889 and recorded in the Chenango County Clerks office on the 14^th day of February 1890 at 11 o’clock a.m. in Book No. 181 of Deeds at page 254 and the particular boundaries and description in the said deed contained are hereby adopted as forming a part of this conveyance the same as if herein fully stated and the said premises hereby conveyed are the same premises deeded by Orlando F. Cowles to Jonas Wight by a deed dated the 1^st day of Jany 1866 and recorded in the Chenango County Clerks office on the 15^th day of Jany 1866 in Liber No. 24 of Deeds at page 237.

   This conveyance is made and accepted subject to a mortgage on the said premises of the amount of $3200 which mortgage is held by Eli T. Wight and the said party of the second part does hereby assume the payment of the said mortgage.

   The consideration of this conveyance is that the said party of the second part shall pay to the said party of the first part yearly and every year the sum of $40.00 to be paid on the first day of Jany of each and every year during the natural life of the said party of the first part, and also that the said party of the second part shall and will support the said party of the first part during the term of his natural life, and to thus support him in a good and suitable manner, and to well and properly care and provide for him.

   The party of the second part shall and will also keep for the use of said party of the first part one horse.

  The said party of the first part reserves from this grant during his natural life the two north rooms in the house on the above described premises now occupied by him and the free and uninterrupted use and enjoyment thereof.

   The party of the first part to have his fire wood from the above premises so long as he lives.

    With the appurtenances and all the estate title and interest therein of the said party of the first part and the said Richard Wight does hereby covenant and agree to and with the said party of the second part her heirs and assigns that the premises thus conveyed in the quiet and peaceable possession of the party of the second part her heirs and assigns he will forever warrant and defend against any person whomsoever lawfully claiming the same or any part thereof.

   In witness whereof the parties herein have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first written above.

                                                                      Richard Wight

                                                                      Carrie P. Barr

State of New York

County of Chenango

          On this 18^th day of November in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety before me the subscriber personally came Richard Wight and Carrie P. Barr to me known to be the persons described in and who executed the written instrument and they severally acknowledged that they executed the same.

Recorded December 9, 1890

At 3:50 p.m.                                                   Charles Clinton

                                                                      Notary Public

Norman Carr

Clerk

 

This arrangement lasted until Oct. 4,1899 when Carrie P. Barr and Richard Wight sold the property back to Eli T. Wight. By June of 1900, Great Grandfather (then 65 years old) and the Barr family relocated to Greene Village, Chenango County, NY.