A Little More about Isaac Kimber

The following post was originally published Sept. 29, 2014 on my other blog Casper Kimber Connections

In my earlier post, "7th ult Minisink Isaac Kimber 40y" Orange County Patriot, Goshen, New York, Nov. 3, 1828 edition, I introduced the Isaac Kimber and Abigail Stilwell family. Today I would like to provide a few more details about Isaac.

The name ‘Isaac’ means ‘he laughs’. I hope 4^th Great Grandfather Isaac found much laughter in his short life. I would add that he likes to keep a secret too as I’ve only been able to uncover 5 instances where documents exist for him. Death certificates for two of his children identify him as their father and the ‘Orange County Patriot’ published a brief death notice. I’ve searched probate and recorded land deeds as well as available church records without success.

The 1820 federal census and the 1825 New York State Census are the remaining 2 documents where I located Isaac Kimber.

1820 Federal Census, Series M33, Roll 64

Minisink, Orange Co., NY, page 238

Isaac Kimber was enumerated on the bottom half of the page (handwritten page no. 583), fourth line.

His household included:

   2 males under 10 years of age-–this would be Isaac’s sons Joseph and William E. born respectively in 1812 and 1815

   1 male between 26 and 45 years—Isaac would have been approximately 32 years old calculating his birth to ca 1788 according to his age at death

   3 females under 10 years of age—Phebe Maria born 1813, Sarah Jane born ca 1818 and Elizabeth born 1820

   1 female between 26 and 45 years—Isaac’s wife, Abigail Stilwell born 1790

   1 person engaged in commerce—I don’t know how Isaac earned his living

I became intrigued when I realized Isaac lived near James Van Bundle (who no doubt is James Van Bomel and appears five names above Isaac). James Van Bomel married Joseph Kimber’s widow and lived on Kimber lands. Joseph Kimber’s widow was Mary Allison. She married James Van Bomel a few years after Joseph’s death in 1804. I have more information about Joseph Kimber but will save it for another day.

Isaac Kimber’s family appeared on page 18 of the1825 New York State Census living in Minisink, New York:

   4 males in family, including head—Isaac, sons Joseph, William E. and Andrew D.

   5 females in family, including head—Abigail, daughters Phebe Maria, Sarah Jane, Elizabeth and Hannah

   1 male qualified to vote—Isaac

   1 married female under the age of 45 years—Abigail

   4 unmarried females under 16 years of age—Phebe Maria, Sarah Jane, Elizabeth and Hannah

   1 female birth in family during the preceding year—must be Hannah

   2 neat cattle owned by family

   2 hogs owned by family

   27 yards linen, cotton, or other thin cloths manufactured in the domestic way the preceding years

A few years later on Oct. 7, 1828, Isaac passed. Abigail must have been pregnant when her husband died as their last child, Isaac Sprague Kimber, was born in 1829.

“7th ult Minisink Isaac Kimber 40y” Orange County Patriot, Goshen, New York, Nov. 3, 1828 edition

This post was originally published Sept. 7, 2014 on my other blog Casper Kimber Connections 
 

My 4^th Great Grandfather Isaac Kimber lived in the Minisink area of Orange County, New York which later became the Town of Wawayanda. It's not known when he married Abigail Stilwell. Their first child, Joseph, was born January 1812 with his youngest born 1829. Isaac died Oct. 7, 1828 when he was only 40 years old leaving a young widow with eight children. Abigail remained in Orange County for much of her life but did spend some time in Tioga County, New York with her daughter, Elizabeth, and her family.

Only in two instances do death certificates document Isaac and Abigail Kimber to be the parents of Joseph Kimber and Elizabeth (Kimber) Yerkes. The other children’s connections were discovered by their presence in each other homes. A military pension for a daughter's husband brought three of the siblings together in one document. My own 3rd great-grandmother named a child for her sibling. Land records would also lead to family relationships.

Isaac and Abigail's children were Joseph, Phebe Maria, William E., Sarah Jane, Andrew D., Elizabeth, Hannah and Isaac Sprague. My ancestor, Phebe Maria Kimber, was a lifelong Orange County resident. The other children left the area beginning about 1845. Joseph Kimber married in Orange County and migrated to Ontario County, New York. William E. Kimber relocated first to Wisconsin, then Minnesota and finally Iowa. Sarah Jane Kimber married in Orange County and moved to Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania with her first husband, Harvey W. Lynch. Andrew D. Kimber and his wife remained in Orange County until sometime between 1855 and 1860 and they also migrated to Susquehanna Co., Pennsylvania. Andrew would later move his family to Tioga County, New York. Elizabeth Kimber and William Yerks were in Nichols, Tioga Co., New York by 1850. Many years later they would relocate to Binghamton, Broome Co., New York. Hannah Kimber and Merrit Brundage were living close to Elizabeth and William Yerks in Candor, Tioga Co., New York when the 1855 New York State census was taken. Isaac Sprague Kimber migrated to Marion County, Ohio. His Aunt and Uncle, Eleanor (Stilwell) and Andrew Denman were also Marion County residents and perhaps this is why he headed west.

            Children:

                      i.   Joseph Kimber, born 16 Jan 1812, Orange Co., NY; married Mary N. Gray, 25 Jan 1840, Minisink, Orange Co. NY; died 22 Jun 1892, Bristol, Ontario Co., NY.

                     ii.   Phebe Maria Kimber, born 4 Apr 1813, New Jersey; married Orsamus Corwin Brundage, abt 1833/4; died 21 Apr 1887, Wawayanda, Orange Co., N.Y..

                    iii.   William E. Kimber, born 20 Nov 1815, Minisink, Orange, NY; married Rosanna Brundage, 15 Jan 1842, Minisink, Orange Co., NY; died 2 Mar 1904, Winnesheik Co., Iowa.

                    iv.   Sarah Jane Kimber, born 1818, New York; married Harvey W. Lynch, 3 Mar 1842, Ridgebury, NY; married George A Brotzman, 24 Sep 1868, Montrose, Susquehanna Co., PA.

                     v.   Andrew D. Kimber, born ca 1819, Orange Co. NY; married Arminda Wheat, 28 Oct 1843, Minisink, Orange Co. NY; married Julia .

                    vi.   Elizabeth Kimber, born Aug 1820, Orange Co., NY; married William A. Yerkes, 11 Feb 1841, Wawayanda, Orange Co., N.Y.; died 9 Aug 1902, Binghamton, Broome Co., NY.

                   vii.   Hannah Kimber, born ca 1825, Orange Co., New York; married Merrit C. Brundage, 18 Nov 1843, Minisink, Orange Co. NY.

                  viii.   Isaac Sprague Kimber, born 1829, Orange Co., NY; married Catherine Free, 16 Apr 1854, Marion Co., Ohio; married Olive Bell Cookes, 15 Mar 1863, Marion Co., Ohio; died 30 Oct 1890, Salt Rock, Ohio.

Presently I don’t know who Isaac Kimber’s parents were but my intuition tells me he was a Casper Kimber descendant. Abigail Stilwell’s parents are a mystery to me too but my sixth sense is failing to lead me to her ancestors so help is definitely welcome.

Amanuensis Monday, Dolly Doty’s Death Certificate Feb. 10, 1884

An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts.

Today I’m posting Dolly Doty’s death certificate. 3^rd Great Grandmother Dolly was John Doty’s widow and mother of nine children. She was born Jan. 31, 1798 and died Feb. 10, 1884 in Wawayanda, Orange County, New York.

Last week I published a post with more details about John and Dolly’s family:

CENSUS SUNDAY: John Doty, Farmer, Wawayanda, Orange Co., NY, 1790-1857

 (Just click on title to view it)

You’ll find a transcription below. I’ve [bracketed] unclear words and added a few comments.

Dolly Doty’s Certificate of Death

Issued by the State of New York

STATE OF NEW YORK

CERTIFICATE OF DEATH

County of Orange

   In the Town of Wawayanda

1.    Full name of Deceased   Mrs. Dolly Doty

2.    Age  86 years, 1 months, 10 days.    Sex  Female

3.    Widowed    

4.    Occupation  [blank]

5.    Birthplace  Orange Co., N.Y.

6.    Father’s Full Name and Birthplace  Wm. Hemingway State Conn.

7.    Mother’s Full Name and Birthplace  Esther Hemingway Orange Co. N.Y. [Esther Halstead]

8.    Place of Death  At Home, Wawayanda, N.Y.

9.    Date and Hour of Death Died on the 10^th day of Feb. 1884

10.   I hereby report this Death and certify that the foregoing statements are true according to the best of my knowledge

J. [W.] Doty  Wawayanda, N.Y.  [This could be Dolly’s son Jefferson or John]

     11.  I Hereby Certify, That I attended the deceased from 1^st of Feb. 1884 to 8^th of Feb. 1884 and that I last saw her Feb. 8^th 1884, and that she died on the 10^th of Feb. 1884, about 8 o’clock a.m., and that to the best of my knowledge and belief the cause of her death was as hereunder written:

Chief and Determining  Pneumonia

Consecutive and Contributing  [blank]

Sanitary observations  [blank]

    

      Witness my hand this 10^th day of Feb. 1884

(Signature) [G. A. Emory]

Residence Middletown, N.Y.

No. of Burial Permit [blank]

Place of Burial Family Ground  [Mills Cemetery]

Date of Burial Feb. 12^th 1884

  Undertaker [blank]

CENSUS SUNDAY: John Doty, Farmer, Wawayanda, Orange Co., NY, 1790-1857

My 3^rd Great Grandfather, John Doty, was born July 23, 1790 in Orange County, New York.[1] Isaac Doty and Betsey Paddock were his parents and he was one of ten children.[2]

John married Dolly Hemingway about 1816/1817. Dolly was also born in Orange County and her parents were William Hemingway and Esther Halstead.

3^rd Great Grandfather first appeared as a head of household in1820 in the Town of Minisink, Orange County, New York.[3]

He relocated the family to Wantage, Sussex County, New Jersey by 1830.[4] Both John and Dolly had ties to Wantage. John’s grandfather, Benjamin Doty, had lived in Wantage. Dolly’s parents, William and Esther Hemingway also migrated to Wantage by 1830. John was about 40 years old by this date. An unidentified boy between 10 and 15 years of age resided in the Doty home. John and Dolly’s daughters, Clarissa, Anna Marie, Harriet and twins Lucinda and Arminda, represented the girls in the family. Dolly would have been about 38 years old.

The boys, Jefferson W., Albert, John and Alanson, were born by the time the 1840 federal census was taken.[5] The family remained in Wantage. I don’t know if Great Grandfather owned land in New Jersey.

Sometime between 1840 and 1850 John returned to Orange County and settled in Wawayanda on 125 acres of farmland.

1850 Federal Census

Minisink/Wawayanda, Orange Co., NY

Page 434, Line 22

John Doty Household

I especially enjoyed learning about Great Grandfather’s farm from the 1850 agricultural census. The census enumerator reported July 16, 1850.[6]

     Owner of Land John Doty

     Acres of Land: 110 improved acres; 15 unimproved acres

     Cash value of farm $4300 

     Value of Farming Implements and Machinery $25

     Livestock as of June 1, 1850: 1 horse, 17 milch cows, 4 other cattle, 16 sheep, 10 swine

     Value of livestock $450

     Produce During the Year Ending June 1,1850: 50 Wheat bushels, 100 Rye bushels, 75 Indian corn bushels,100 bushels of oats, 50 bushels Irish Potatoes, 120 bushels of buckwheat, 2,050 pounds of butter, 25 tons hay

     Value of animals slaughtered $125

Wow, 2,050 pounds of butter! That butter probably went to New York City for sale on the Erie railroad.

The agricultural schedule of the 1855 New York State census was even more detailed than the 1850 census.[7]

     Owner of Land John Doty

     Acres of Land: 123 improved acres; 2 unimproved acres

     Cash Value of Farm $5,000, of Stock $800, of Tools and Implements $150

     Acres plowed the year previous 20

     Acres in fallow the year previous 0

     Acres in pasture the year previous 50

     Meadow: 30 Acres, 40 Tons of Hay

     Oats: Acres sown 7, 150 bushels harvested

     Rye: Acres sown 15, 25 bushels harvested

     Buckwheat: Acres sown 6, 17 bushels harvested

     Corn: Acres planted 7, 200 bushels harvested

     Neat Cattle: Over one year exclusive of working oxen and cows 6,

          2 working oxen, 13 cows, number of cattle killed for beef 1

     Butter: number of cows 13, pounds of butter 1,600

     Horses 2, swine under 6 months 10, swine over 6 months 4

     Special manure used 1,000 lbs., Value $4

After Great Grandfather’s death on January 27, 1857 his estate was divided among his children.

---

[1] Gravestone Inscriptions from Mills Cemetery, Kirbytown Road, Wawayanda, NY. John Doty’s birth date calculated from age at death entered on tombstone.

[2] The Doty-Doten Family in America, Descendants of Edward Doty, an Emigrant by the Mayflower, 1620 compiled by Ethan Allen Doty, 1897, page 359

[3] 1820 Federal Census, New York, Orange Co., Minisink, page 580

[4] 1830 Federal Census, New Jersey, Sussex Co., Wantage page 253

[5] 1840 Federal Census, New Jersey, Sussex Co. Wantage, page 97

[6] 1850 Non Population Schedule, New York, Orange Co., Minisink/Wawayanda, Pages 167-168, Line 13

[7] 1855 New York State Census, Orange County, Town of Wawayanda, Pages 48-52, Line 42