OK DOTY’S—TIME TO TAKE IT BACK ANOTHER GENERATION

I’ve written about my Doty ancestry often. Earlier this month I remembered the anniversary of my Grandfather Frank Leroy Doty’s marriage to Grandma Viola Lillian Wilson. Workday Wednesday, Lewis Penny Doty, Iceman featured Great Grandfather Lewis P. Doty. Albert Doty and the Girl Next Door highlighted 2nd Great Grandfather’s life with Grandmother Fannie Jane Bennett. I introduced 3^rd Great Grandfather in Census Sunday, John Doty, Farmer,Wawayanda, Orange Co., NY.

This brings the Doty pedigree to 4^th Great Grandfather Isaac Doty from Minisink, New York. Isaac married Elizabeth “Betsey” Paddock about 1783 and they became the parents of ten children. Their third child, John Doty, born circa 1790 was my 3^rd great grandfather.

I learned about Isaac from Ethan Allen Doty’s book “The Doty-Doten Family in America, Descendants of Edward Doty, An Emigrant by the Mayflower, 1620”. Following is an excerpt from his work, page 359.

Ethan Allen Doty cited no documentation proving my 3^rd Great Grandfather John Doty was Isaac’s son. How did he know this? I explored the volume looking for an answer.

The author credited his interest in family history to an earlier Doty researcher, Rev. Silas Ketchum of Bristol, New Hampshire. In 1871 Rev. Ketchum sought Mr. Doty’s help to collect family records. The two worked together until Rev. Ketchum’s health failed him. Rev. Ketchum encouraged Ethan A. Doty to continue his work and The Doty-Doten Family in America was published in 1897.

I searched the book for more material about Isaac and Betsey’s children and found information for John and Joseph Doty. John’s entry was brief identifying his wife and children. No documentation to prove Isaac was his father.

Joseph’s write-up was a genealogical sparkler. Ethan A. Doty visited Joseph and his 2^nd wife, Mrs. Phebe Clinton Leonard, in 1878. The author writes about his time with them:

    “They were both living in 1878, when the writer called upon them, at Doty Hill, Ridgebury, [Bradford Co., PA] though the post office address was Wellsborough, Chemung Co., N. Y., to which place they removed, 1835, from Orange County. He was a prosperous farmer, and though seventy-eight years of age was in good health and in possession of all his faculties. Mrs. Doty furnished many particulars, giving addresses and history of many of the now widely separated family.” 

         Source: Doty-Doten Family in America, page 433

This interview cements the connection between Isaac and his children. I’m certain Joseph and Phebe provided the details for his parents and siblings. I’m so glad Ethan Allen Doty called on Uncle Joseph and Aunt Phebe.

Stay tuned for future posts about Isaac Doty and Betsey Paddock.

Aunt Sarah and Uncle Wm. Mackney Leave Orange Co. NY for Troy, PA, Kimber Letter 5

3^rd Great Grand Aunt Sarah (Kimber) and Uncle William Mackney arrived in Troy, Pennsylvania after traveling by train from Orange Co., NY. One autumn Tuesday evening Aunt Sarah wrote to her parents Keziah (Bennett) and Benjamin Kimber along with her sister Abigail to tell them how they were faring. A transcription of her letter follows my post.

They stayed at the Troy House until their belongings arrived from home. Aunt Sarah describes her new home as a pleasant place and thinks they’ll be happy after they get settled.

The Mackney’s brought Mary Holly, a 21-year-old domestic servant, to Troy with them. Mary was well known to the Kimber’s. In 1850 she was living in Jane Eliza (Kimber) and Moses Seely’s home at Wawayanda. (Jane Eliza and Sarah were sisters.)

Aunt Sarah closes her letter hoping her family will come for a visit.

I want to tell you a little about Mary Holly. Aunt Sarah spoke of her warmly in her letter. Mary remained Aunt Sarah’s domestic help in Troy. The 1860 federal census enumerator found Mary in Sarah and William Mackney’s home.

  

 

Image copied from 1860 federal census

Troy Borough, Bradford Co., PA

Enumerated 2^nd day of June 1860

William Mackney household

Page 888, Lines 26-28,

I mentioned in an earlier post Aunt Sarah was dealing with health issues. Ten years after arriving in Troy, she died March 22, 1864 just 39 years of age. A deeper friendship developed between Mary and Uncle William and they married the following year on April 11, 1865.

Letter 5.

Troy, Pa., Tuedsay night Oct. 10, 1854.

Dear Parents and sister,

       I shall embrace this privilage

of writing you a few lines in order to let you

know how we are getting along in this land of

strangers   and you will excuse me if they but a

few at this time for I feel to tired to write

much   In the first place we are all as well as

usual and like the place very well so far   We

havent got settled yet    have to take it slow as

we are young beginners and but little strength

We arrived in Troy the same day we left

Middletown    when we got to Elmira the cars were

just leaving for Troy and so we thought we would

come on and see the worst of it but Mary and I

were so tired that we did not know what to do

with ourselves that night      We came right

through safely without any trouble    We got here

at half past five that evening but our things

did not get here until the next Thursday     they

were a week on the road    We staid at the Troy

House until our things came      I tell you we

fared sumptiously there    we had everything that

heart could wish and they were very kind to us

When we came away they gave us enough bread to

last us two days    Mary thought she would not

like to board there very long for they lived so

high that it made her sick    We have a very

pleasant place and I think we shalI be very

contented when we get settled and get acquainted

       The cars run right back of our house   and we

can see them very plain    We have four trains a

day    two each way    We have a new table, stove

and six chairs and a bed stead but we cant find

a feather in the place    We shall have to send

or go to Elmire I expect to get them    We got a

tub of butter and paid 20 cents for it   it is

very good   we paid at rate of 9 dollars a

barrel and very good flour     10 cents a dozen

for eggs and 4 cents a quart for milk    sugar

for 3/6 seven pounds potatoes are 50 cents a

bushel wheat is worth 13 shillings a bushel

We all went to church last Sunday morning and

Mary went again in the evening     heard a very

good sermon    only it was so long that it tired

us out    They dress very fine here    the silk

has to fly    Mary has got a new shawl and brock

and I dont think she could have bettered herself

in New York for the price     it is very large and

very pretty    she gave 9 dollars for it    has a

new bonnet    also paid $3.50 for it    I tell you

she looks up now when she gets dressed for

church    Mary says she is not ready to come back

yet     she hasent felt home sick at all    They

wanted to know at the Troy House if she was a

dress maker     they said there wasent one in the

place     I should think a dress maker would do

well here    William says to tell you that he has

got his old trick of lying on the carpet in the

evening snoozing    our things all came good

nothing at all broken     I have a bunch to say

but I am so tired a sleepy that you excuse

me until next time    for we feel anxious to hear

from you    Tell Caleb that he must come and see

us    If he comes out this fall when he gets to

Elmira take the Williamsport and Elmire Railroad

and it will bring him right to Troy    it is only

24 miles    I should be very happy to have you

all come and see us and I shall live in hopes

that you will yet    Mary will write some next

time     she said she hadent anything to write

about yet    No more at present but remain yours

in love now and for ever    write without fail.

from Sarah B. Mackney to her parents and sister

SOURCE: Edna Raymond, a past Town of Minisink historian, gave me typed transcripts of the letters exchanged between the Kimber sisters and their parents. This letter is 5 of 31.

It was many years ago when I visited Edna and learned of the letters. Edna has since passed away. I believe Edna told me a couple from Illinois visited the Minisink Town Hall and brought the original Kimber letters. The Kimber descendant allowed Edna to photocopy the letters in his/her presence. Edna worked quickly. In those days copy machines were slow and the quality left much to be desired. Edna spent many hours studying and transcribing the letters as the ‘old time’ handwriting was especially difficult to read.

To read earlier Kimber Letters click on the label 'Kimber Letters' at the bottom of this post.

Greetings Mary Ann White, You and Your Children are Summoned to Appear at Augusta County, VA Circuit Court

Today’s post was previously published Jan. 9, 2014 on Barb’s Family Stories. I’ve reworked it and hope it will attract new readers.

3^rd Great Grandmother was born Mary Ann Shelly the daughter of John Shelly and Elizabeth Stover. Methodist minister G.W. Israel married Mary Ann Shelly and William White Jan. 30, 1845 in Augusta County. William worked as a wagon maker and he owned a house and small ¼ acre lot in Mount Sidney. 3^rd Great Grandfather needed money and borrowed $77.62 from Jacob K. Stribling October 29, 1846.

Image from Chancery Suit Nicholas K. Trout vs. William White heirs
Index No. 1858-071, Library of Virginia, Virginia Memory,
Chancery Records digital image collection

William White died before he could pay his debt to Jacob K. Stribling and Jacob K. Stribling passed Sept. 10, 1854.  Nicholas K. Trout was acting as Jacob K. Stribling’s administrator when he filed a bill against Mary Ann White and her children. I don’t have a date of death for Great Grandfather William White but he must have passed prior to Oct. 25, 1855 when court proceedings began. Mr. Trout wanted to sell William White’s property but couldn’t until Great Grandmother Mary Ann got her dower share.

On Oct. 25, 1855, Nicholas K. Trout appeared in Augusta County, VA Circuit Court naming William White’s widow, Mary Ann White, along with her infant children--John William, Jane Maria and Margaret--as defendants to obtain the debt.

Image from Chancery Suit Nicholas K. Trout vs. William White heirs
Index No. 1858-071, Library of Virginia, Virginia Memory,
Chancery Records digital image collection

N. C. Kenney was appointed guardian to the White children by Augusta County Court. It was declared that the dower estate could not be assigned to Mary Ann White by laying off one third of the lot and house because she was not in possession of it. The commissioners decided to rent out the property for twelve months with Great Grandmother receiving one third of the rent and Nicholas K. Trout the remaining two thirds. After twelve months’ time, the property would be sold with Mary Ann receiving her dower. Wm. Shumake was the highest bidder and became the new owner Jan. 27, 1857.

See my Grandmother Lucy Leora Clemmer’s pedigree chart for birth and death dates.

You might enjoy these articles published about 2^nd Great Grandfather John William White:

      JOHN WILL WHITE, Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather

      TREASURE CHEST THURSDAY: John Will White’s Death Certificate

 

      TOMBSTONE TUESDAY: 2nd Great Grandparents John Wm. and Mary Ann White

Remembering Frank and Vi’s Wedding Day

Eighty-six years ago today, September 15, 1929, my grandparents married in Middletown, New York. Rev. Robert A. Greenwell wed Frank Leroy Doty and Viola Lillian Wilson at the Methodist Episcopal Parsonage.  

 Frank Leroy Doty and Viola Lillian Wilson

The Middletown Times Herald reported their marriage in the Society Column of the Monday, September 16, 1929 edition on page 3:

   Doty-Wilson Wedding

      Miss Viola Lillian Wilson, forty-seven Sproat street, daughter of Jerome Walter and Grace Clark Wilson and Frank Leroy Doty, son of Lewis and Emily Wright Doty, eleven Maryland avenue, were united in marriage Sunday afternoon at the Methodist Episcopal parsonage by the Rev. Robert A. Greenwell. Their attendants were David S. Clark and Miss Mildred Kindberg. Mr. and Mrs. Doty will make their home with the groom’s parents.

No doubt my Grandmother spent a lot of time at forty-seven Sproat Street but this was the home of her Uncle Amos and Aunt Irene Clark. Davis S. Clark, an attendant, was Uncle Amos and Aunt Irene’s son (and Grandma’s cousin).

Grandpa’s mother was incorrectly identified as “Emily Wright Doty”. Emily was a Wight—not Wright.

Frank and Vi raised a family and lived many years in their home on Maryland Avenue.