Orsamus and his 100 Apple Trees, 52 Ancestors 52 Weeks

Name:	Orsamus Corwin Brundage
Sex:	Male
Father:	Joseph Brundage (1770-1832)
Mother:	Martha Oakley (1785-1860)
Individual Facts
Birth	Jun. 28, 1808	Orange Co., NY1–7
Residence	1835 (about age 27)	Minisink, Orange, New York8
Residence	1840 (about age 32)	Minisink, Orange, New York9
Baptism	Oct. 2, 1842 (age 34)	Sussex Methodist Church, Sussex, NJ10
Religion	abt 1843 (about age 35)	a member of the Old Rome Church, Minisink, Orange Co., NY11
Residence	Jul. 27, 1850 (age 42)	Town of Minisink (Wawayanda), Orange, New York12
Occupation	Jul. 5, 1855 (age 47)	farmer; Wawayanda, Orange, NY3
Residence	1860 (about age 52)	Wawayanda, Orange, NY6
Occupation	Sep. 7, 1860 (age 52)	farmer; Wawayanda, Orange, NY13
Occupation	Jun. 28, 1865 (age 57)	farmer; Wawayanda, Orange, NY2
Residence	Jun. 28, 1865 (age 57)	Wawayanda, Orange, New York14
Residence	1870 (about age 62)	Wawayanda, Orange, NY5
Occupation	1871–72	farmer with 153 acres; Slate Hill, Orange, NY15
Residence	Jun. 1, 1875 (age 66)	Wawayanda, Orange, New York16
Residence	1880 (about age 72)	Wawayanda, Orange, NY1
Death	Mar. 9, 1888 (age 79)	(Near) Johnsons, Wawayanda, Orange, New York, United States17
Burial	Mar. 11, 1888 (age 79)	Ridgebury Cem., Ridgebury, Orange, NY17
Marriages/Children
1. Phebe Maria Kimber (1813-1887)
Marriage	abt 1833/4 (about age 26)	18
Children	Emily Brundage (1835-1873)
	William Kimber Brundage (1836-1914)
	Albert Lewis Brundage (1838-1911)
	Ira S. Brundage (1841-1874)
	John L. Brundage (1845-1913)
	Charles Emet Brundage (1847-1879)
	Ellagene Brundage (1856-1921)
Notes
Orsamus C. Brundage was a successful farmer in the Town of Wawayanda, Orange Co., NY for many years. According to the Agricultural Statistics prepared with the 1875 New York State Census, he owned 130 acres. The cash value of his farm was $12,000. His farm buildings (other than his dwelling) were estimated at $1,000; his stock $1,500; tools and implements $200. The gross sales generated from his farm in 1874 were stated to be $2,000. His property included 100 apple trees, 75 pasture acres, and 50 meadow acres. Orsamus C. Brundage was a lifelong resident of the Town of Wawayanda. About 1843, Orsamus was a Leader at the Old Rome Church in Minisink [Orange Co. Gen. Soc. Quarterly, Feb. 1981]. Ruttenber & Clark's "History of Orange County, New York", published in the early 1880's, page 688, states he was a trustee with the Centreville Methodist Episcopal Church. The land records at the Orange County, NY Government Center in Goshen, NY indicate Orsamus acquired a lot of land throughout his lifetime. He inherited a share of his father's 120 acres in 1832 along with his brothers, William T., Samuel, Abijah, Masten, and Merit. Orsamus was also an executor for his father's will as well as a brother-in-law Nathaniel Knapp. According to Mortgage Book 36, page 528, Orsamus C. Brundage and Mariah, his wife, borrowed $500.00 from Nathaniel Knapp, a brother-in-law. The mortgage was paid per Liber 42 and recorded April 25, 1836. He purchased two parcels of land in Minisink belonging to Levi S. Young April 1, 1840 [Deed Book 72, pg 528] containing about 52 acres. Orsamus' brother, William T. Brundage, sold his 1/6 share of the property he inherited from his father to Orsamus for $800.00 Jan. 17, 1842 [Deed Book 72, pg 553]. On Dec. 4, 1840 another brother, Samuel and his wife Miranda who had relocated to Auburn, Susquehanna Co., PA, sold his share of their father's lands to Orsamus for $600. This deed [Book 73, pg 1] was also recorded Jan. 17, 1842. Orsamus bought property that had belonged to his mother Sept. 7, 1843 [Deed Book 81, pg 441] that had been seized by the Sherrif and sold at public venue. This included several lots covering about 80 acres. Rosannah, Orsamus' sister, and her husband William Kimber sold 9 3/4 acres to Orsamus Jan. 7, 1843 [Deed Book 82, pg 212]. Merit C. Brundage, another brother, sold his holdings he had from his father March 31, 1846 [Deed Book 88, pg 280] to Orsamus. He purchased 61 and 3/4 acres from the Commission for Loaning Money for Orange County Sept. 21, 1846.  Abijah Brundage, brother, sold his property he had received from their father Feb. 25, 1850 [Deed Book 104, pg 212]. Samuel Elston of Sussex Co., NJ sold a 3 acre lot in Minisink to Orsamus March 30, 1850 [Deed Book 115, pg 119].   1850 Federal Census  Wawayanda, Orange Co., NY Finally on March 29, 1860 the last of his brothers, Masten, sold his property to him [Deed Book 162, pg 82].  On August 7, 1861 Wm. H. Hoyt of Tioga Co., NY sold Orsamus 30 acres in Wawayanda that bordered his property [Deed Book 164, pg 224].  Linden Mulford deeded 74 1/4 acres in Wawayanda to Orsamus C. Brundage April 2, 1866 [Deed Book 195, pg 459]. Orsamus later sold Linden Mulford's property to Sylvester Giveans Feb. 17, 1879 [Deed Book 292, pg 295]. On Dec. 20, 1837, Joseph Kimber of Minisink borrowed $300 from Orsamus C. Brundage.  The mortgage was paid Sept. 15, 1838. At this date, there were two men named Joseph Kimber living in Minisink so it's difficult to say with certainty if this was Orsamus C. Brundage's brother-in-law. Very close to Orsamus' death--Feb. 23, 1888 he sold some of his property to Charles A. Pauley for $5,000.00. This sale included a farm containing 46 acres, 1/4 and six rods that had originally belonged to his father, Joseph Brundage. Also a small lot--5 and 3/4 acres and 10 rods that Orsamus had purchased from Levi S. Young's estate; the land he got from the Commission for Loaning Money for Orange County--61 and 3/4 acres; 30 acres Orsamus purchased from Wm. H. Hoyt; 20 acres that had belonged to his sister and her husband Isaac P. King; and 9 acres and 1 rod that had belonged to Joseph Brundage were included in this transaction. (Deed Book 356, pg 476) A newspaper from Wantage, Sussex Co., NJ , the "Wantage Recorder" dated March 26, 1937 reported a brother’s death in William J. Coulter's genealogical column: "Merrit C. Brundage dec'd, Dec. 29, 1867 (buried on David Slawson farm a short distance from Stewarttown School house (in Town of Wawayanda, Orange Co., NY)  His father was Joseph Brundage, buried by Orsa Brundage." A search of available newspapers on microfilm at Thrall Library, Middletown, NY proved unsuccessful in locating an obituary for Orsamus C. Brundage.

An earlier post titled Census Sunday, Orsamus C. Brundage Family, Wawayanda, New York was published August 10, 2014.

           

      1. Ancestry.com and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1880 United States Federal Census Year: 1880; Census Place: Wawayanda, Orange, New York; Roll: 912; Family History Film: 1254912; Page: 418C; Enumeration District: 047; Image: 0213.

      2. 1865 New York State Census, Wawayanda, Orange Co., NY; Page 44, O. C. Brundage Household.

      3. 1855 New York State Census, Wawayanda, Orange Co., NY; Page 34, Dwelling 257, Orsa C Brundage Household.

      4. Ancestry.com, 1850 United States Federal Census Wawayanda, Orange, New York; Page: 227A

      5. Year: 1870; Census Place: Wawayanda, Orange, New York; Page 693A

      6. Year: 1860; Census Place: Wawayanda, Orange, New York; Page: 337

      7. Elizabeth Horton Collection, Housed at Orange Co. Genealogical Society, Goshen, NY.

      8. 1835 New York State Census, Orange County, Minisink.

      9. 1840 Federal Census, New York, Orange, Minisink, roll 323, page 178, image 360 ancestry.com.

      10. Sussex Methodist Church, Sussex, NJ; Marriages 1839-1863; Baptisms 1841 -1851.

      11. Orange County Genealogical Society "Quarterly", February 1981 Issue.

      12. 1850 Federal Census, New York, Orange, Minisink (Wawayanda), page 451/227, line 25.

      13. 1860 Federal Census, Wawayanda, Orange Co., NY; Page 337, Line 9, Osmer C Brundage Household.

      14. 1865 New York State Census, Town of Wawayanda, Orange County, page 44, line 7.

      15. Directory, 1871-72 Orange County, N. Y. Directory.

      16. 1875 New York State Census, Town of Wawayanda, Orange Co., page 1, line 37.

      17. Orsamus Brundage's Death Certificate.

      18. Ancestry Family Trees, Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members, Database online.

Wordless Wednesday, Nellie and Harry

Please meet Nellie and Harry. Nellie Mae Hewitt, daughter of Lillian Clark and George B. Hewitt and Harry Everett Lee, son of Clara Cairns and Thomas Everett Lee, married September 11, 1912 in Middletown, Orange Co., New York.

Harry and Nellie Lee

The picture is a charcoal drawing that might have been a souvenir item. I wonder if the famous honeymoon spot Niagara Falls is in the background.

Nellie and Harry didn’t have children or too many years together. Harry died November 13, 1918 after becoming ill with pneumonia. Nellie missed Harry for the rest of her life. She too died young at 39 years of age September 4, 1929.

Note: Nellie was 1^st cousin to my Grandmother Viola Lillian (Wilson) Doty.

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

A few summers ago I visited the New Jersey Archives in Trenton searching for my Hazen family ancestors. I wasn’t successful and was browsing the shelves about 3:00 o’clock killing time until the library closed at 4 o’clock while waiting for my genealogy buddy/ride. I pulled a volume of The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey and quite by chance found cemetery inscriptions for my 4^th great grandparents, William and Esther Hemingway. I never accumulated much information about them so was very pleased to see they were buried in the First Methodist Episcopal Church Cemetery in Wantage, Sussex Co., New Jersey. William Hemingway died March 9, 1855 at the age of 80 years, 10 months, 5 days.  His wife, Esther, died June 22, 1842 when she was 64 years, 5 months, 7 days.[1]

New Jersey’s vital records began in 1848 so I hoped I’d find a death record for William to take home. Bound volumes contain death indexes and soon I located his passing in Volume A.F., page 648. I immediately went to the librarian for help and he was able to go right to a microfilm and within minutes I was looking at William Hemingway’s death as recorded in the ‘Return of Deaths in the township of Wantage, County of Sussex, State of New Jersey’. The Return of Deaths revealed he was a widower, 80 years old and born in Wantage. He had been a farmer and his cause of death was liver complaint.  The best news was his parents were named; my 5^th Great Grandparents William and Sarah Hemingway. 

3^rd Great Grandmother Dolly Hemingway, wife of John Doty and daughter of William and Esther Hemingway was born Jan. 31, 1798. She died Feb. 10, 1884. Her death certificate states she was born in Orange County, New York. William Hemingway was identified as her father and his birthplace was provided as Connecticut.  William’s birthplace was also said to be Wantage, New Jersey in the Returns of Deaths and a census record stated he was born in New York.  Perhaps future research will document which birthplace is correct. 

Dolly’s mother, Esther Hemingway, was born in Orange County, New York. Esther was a Halstead. I had previously known about Esther’s family from Ruttenber & Clark’s History of Orange County, New York containing a brief biography about her grandfather, Richard Halstead, an early settler of Goshen. Richard’s son, Michael, was Esther’s father. Michael’s children were named in the work including Esther who was called “Mrs. William Hemingway”.  Another daughter of Michael’s married a Hemingway, “Mrs. Silas Hemingway”. The bio follows:

“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.”

The 1798 Assessment Records confirm William Hemingway was a resident of the Town of Minisink. The “Assessment Record, homes and farms, 1798, Town of Minisink, Orange Co., N. Y.” transcribed by William J. Coulter includes William Hemingway dwelling on 134 acres owned by John Forger. This section of Minisink would later become the Town of Wawayanda about 1849/50. 

William Hemingway was still in the Town of Minisink when the 1800 federal census was enumerated.[2] His household included 1 unknown male under 10 years; 2 males between 16 and 26 years, William and another male; 1 female under 10 years, Dolly; 1 unknown female between 10 and 16 years, and 1 female between 16 and 26, Esther.

On March 28, 1804 William Hemingway and his wife, Esther, of the Town of Minisink, Orange Co., NY sold 25 1/2 acres land to Silas Hemingway, house carpenter, also of Minisink. John S. Ketcham was a neighboring property holder. The deed was signed by William and Esther Hemingway and witnessed by Jonathon Davisson and William Halstead. William and Esther appeared in the Court of Common Pleas March 19, 1804 but the transaction wasn’t entered in county records until April 15, 1807.[3]

The Old School Baptist Church at Brookfield (later known as Slate Hill) records indicates William Hemingway was a church member on Feb. 6, 1805 when the Church’s trustees sold pews and seats to raise money to finish their meeting house. William purchased Pew number 11 for $27.00.

  

"Primitive Baptist Church of Brookfield" by Daniel Case - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

(Old School Baptist Church was also known as the

Primitive Baptist Church of Brookfield)

On April 1, 1809, William Hemingway served as a will witness for John Forgerson from Minisink along with Jonathan Shephard and Joshua Reeve.[4] 

William Hemingway remained in Minisink per the 1810 federal census. His household included 1 male under 10 years, perhaps this is a son Silas; 1 unknown male between 16 and 26 years; 1 male between 26 and 45 years, probably William Hemingway; 2 unknown females under 10; 1 female between 10 and 16 years, Dolly would have been 12 years old; 1 female between 26 and 45 years, Esther Hemingway.[5]

When the 1820 federal census was taken, the family was again counted in the Town of Minisink. Dolly had already married John Doty and had started her own family.  William, about 44 years old, and Esther, about 41 years old had young children in their home. Two males, one under 10 years and the other between 10 and 16 were living in the Hemingway home along with two females, one under 10 years and the other between 10 and 16 years.[6]

A search of the 1825 New York State Census for the Town of Minisink proved negative. William must have taken his family to Sussex County, New Jersey sometime between 1820 and 1825. 

In 1830 there were 5 people living in William Hemingway’s home at Wantage, Sussex Co., New Jersey. William and Esther were the 50 - 60 year olds in the house. A small boy, between 5 and 10 years, a young man aged between 15 and 20 years and a girl between 15 and 20 years were the other members of the household.[7] 

The Hemingway family remained in Wantage per the 1840 federal census enumeration. William’s household consisted of 4 people:  one male between 15 and 20 years, William being the male between 60 and 70 years, one female between 10 and 15 years with Esther aged in the 60 to 70 range. One person was employed in the agriculture industry.[8]

My 3^rd Great grandmother, Dolly and husband, John Doty had also relocated to Wantage, Sussex Co., New Jersey per the 1830 and 1840 federal census.[9] [10]

A few years later, Esther (Halstead) Hemingway passed on June 22, 1842. By the time the 1850 federal census was taken Sept. 7, 1850, William Hemingway was living in William and Easter Post’s home with their children.[11] William Hemingway was 74 years old and employed as a laborer. I’m wondering if Easter Post might be a daughter but haven’t been able to document this yet. Easter Post was born about 1807 in New York.  She would be a good fit with the family per the 1810 federal census.

William Hemingway died March 9, 1855 in Wantage, Sussex County, New Jersey. 

I have additional notes and thoughts but will save them for next week’s Mystery Monday, The Hemingway’s Part 2.

---

[1] The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, Volume VI, No. 2, October 1930, Whole No. 22, Sussex County Gravestones

[2] 1800 Federal Census, Town of Minisink, Orange Co., NY page 324

[3] Orange County, New York Land Records, Deed Bk K, pages 7-9

[4] Orange County New York Early Wills Volume II, page 121

[5] 1810 Federal Census, Town of Minisink, Orange Co., NY page 412

[6] 1820 Federal Census, Town of Minisink, Orange Co., NY page 241

[7] 1830 Federal Census, Wantage Township, Sussex Co., NJ page 256

[8] 1840 Federal Census, Wantage Township, Sussex Co., NJ page 96

[9] 1830 Federal Census, Wantage Township, Sussex Co., NJ page 253

[10] 1840 Federal Census, Wantage Township, Sussex Co., NJ page 97

[11] 1850 Federal Census, Wantage Township, Sussex Co., NJ page 217, William Post Household