Benjamin Adsit in the Revolution

I have decided to write one post for each of the remaining months this year on a Revolutionary War Ancestor. (Thank you to Heather at Nutfield Genealogy for the idea.)

Benjamin Adsit, my 5th great-grandfather, was born 26 October 1728 in Lyme, Connecticut, and was in Dutchess County, New York, by about 1768 according to The Settlers of the Beekman Patent, Dutchess County, New York by Frank J. Doherty. He was initially working as a "path master, " someone responsible for overseeing and maintaining roads and pathways in Crum Elbow, Dutchess County, New York. (It appears that Crum Elbow was in what is now Hyde Park, New York.)

Benjamin Adsit was living in Washington, Dutchess County, New York, at the time of the 1790 federal census. 

Between 1768 (at the age of 40) and 1790, he observed a significant turning point in his life, as well as in his country, as the British Colonies became the United States of America. 

The DAR Genealogical Research Database indicates that Benjamin served as a private under Captain Chamberlain and Colonel Lewis DuBois. 

Service: 
New York; Rank(s): Private
Service Source: 
Fernow, Docs Rel to the Col Hist of State of NY, "NY in the Rev," Vol 15, p. 312; Roberts, NY in the Rev, p. 77.
Service Description:
1) Capt Chamberlain, Col Lewis Du Bois
2) The Levies 

Berthold Fernow's Documents relative to the colonial history of the state of New York (vol. 15, p. 312) is at Archive.org and includes an alphabetical roster of state troops. 

There appears to be a corporal Benjn. Adsill as well as a private Benjn. Adsits. The New York State Archives Index to the Revolutionary War accounts and claims suggests that there was only one Benjamin Adsit (and no Adsill), so I would guess that these are the same man, and he received a promotion at some point. (The NY Archives is only an online index; in-person research is needed to local the original muster and pay rolls.) 

Ancestry has a U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, but Benjamin Adsit's name must be dramatically misindexed and I haven't been able to locate him in this database.

Favorite Photo: Joseph May

One of my favorite photos in my collection is a photo of a painting.

A Record that Adds Color: Great Aunt Adelia in 1921

I have plenty of genealogy to share, but don't want to be constrained by having to blog weekly, so my goal in 2026 is to share one story each month, using one of the themes from Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. This week's theme is A Record That Adds Color.

I have previously written about my grandfather's older sister at Great Aunt Adelia and More on Great Aunt Adelia. Her 1918 passport application reported that she wished to be able to visit Spain, France and Italy.

Census records are one of the cornerstones of genealogy research. Imagine my surprise when a hint popped up last year for a 1921 England census record for Adelia Pyle living at 12 Oakley Crescent in Chelsea, London, England.

“1921 England Census,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/63150/ : 29 January 2025), entry for Adelia Pyle, Chelsea, London, Middlesex, England; citing The National Archives, RG 15/434, ED 10, Sch 203; Book: 00434.

Resolution: Susan Rood (Again) ~ 52 Ancestors #52

I'm not a huge fan of New Year's Resolutions, but I do have a goal for 2025. I have signed up for the Research Like a Pro e-course in which I will spend a year working on a genealogical research question using the Research Like a Pro process. (The year-long e-course will be more manageable for me than their usual 9-week study group.)

Of course, my longstanding brick wall ancestor is going to be my research question: Who are the parents of Susan (Rood) Chapin, born 26 January 1799, who married Orramel Chapin on 17 September 1816, in Ludlow, Massachusetts?

I wrote about Susan in 2012 (Susan Rood's Parents), and again in 2015 (Susan Rood Chapin - A Challenging to Research Ancestor).

The key sources I have include an embroidered sampler, created by her daughter, Susan Arville Chapin, which I wrote about in 2011 (Chapin Family Sampler).

Good Deeds: Lillias Jane Alston ~ 52 Ancestors #51

My third great aunt Lillias Jane Alston was born in January 1838 to John Alston and Lillias Johnston, their third child, second child born in Pennsylvania, and first daughter. Her youngest sister, Marion Helen Alston, is my second great-grandmother.

In about 1877, Lillias Jane married her first cousin Archibald Alston as his second wife. He was a widower with several children. Archibald and Lillias Jane had one son, Walter McHendry Alston, born in June 1879.

Archibald died in 1905 and Lillias Jane (Alston) Alston died in Pittsburgh (North Side, the former Allegheny City) on June 25, 1911. I found a lovely obituary for her in The Pittsburgh Press.

"Mrs. Lillias Jane Alston," Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania),  26 June 1911, p. 7, col. 1; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/image/142716948/ : accessed 15 December 2024).