Susan Rood Chapin - A Challenging to Research Ancestor - 52 Ancestors #30

For this week's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge from blogger Amy Crow Johnson of No Story Too Small, the theme is Challenging: It’s a good time to take a look at another challenging-to-research ancestor.

I wrote about this ancestor three years ago, and she is still a challenging ancestor to research, so I thought I'd share what I know about third great grandmother, Susan Rood, again, and share some possible strategies for future research.

The challenging questions are: (1) where was she born and who are her parents and (2) when and where did she die?

Susan Rood was born on January 26, 1799, according to the embroidered sampler that her daughter, twelve-year-old Susan Arville Chapin (1820-1906) created in 1832.

Louisa (May) Greeley (d. 1828) - 52 Ancestors #29

For this week's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge from blogger Amy Crow Johnson of No Story Too Small, the theme is Musical: There seems to be a musician in every family. Who is the one in yours?

There are many musical members of my extended family, though very little is documented earlier than me (see if you can find me in the photograph at Dedham Choral Society's website) or my mother. As noted in my post about my 4th great grandfather, Joseph May, his was a musical family. His daughter, Louisa May, likely enjoyed music during her short life.

Louisa was the sixth child and fourth daughter of Joseph May and Dorothy Sewall, born in Boston on December 31, 1792. She was baptized at King's Chapel, Boston, on March 22, 1793. At not quite 21 years old, she married Samuel Greele, as his second wife, in Boston on October 19, 1823:

Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Boston Marriages (image 4974 of 60705)

Samuel Greele  +  Louisa May, married by
                                                Rev. James Freeman, D.D.  19 Octr. 1823

Her two children, both born in Boston, were Samuel Sewall Greeley, born October 11, 1824, and Louisa May Greeley, born January 1, 1827. Sadly, these two children likely had no memories of their mother, as she died on November 14, 1828, of "Bilious Fever."

Catherine Carr Hunter ~ 52 Ancestors #28

For this week's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge from blogger Amy Crow Johnson of No Story Too Small, the theme is Road Trip: Which ancestor do you want to take a road trip to go research?

A road trip to Pittsburgh is in my future because my maternal grandmother's ancestors for three previous generations lived in and around Pittsburgh. (I also want to visit my cousin!) Although I do know quite a bit about these families, I'm sure that with "on the ground" research in Pittsburgh, I could fill in many blanks.

For example, my 3rd great grandmother, Catherine Carr, was born in 1815 or 1817 or 1820 or 1821, depending on the source. All sources agree that she was born in Pennsylvania, but I don't know where or who her parents were. Census records indicate that her parents and her husband were born in Ireland. Based on the statement in her son James' obituary, I believe they were Presbyterians.

She married Samuel Hunter by 1841, when their oldest child was born. He died in 1863, leaving her a widow with nine children. From about 1860 until her death in 1891, she lived at 217 Jackson Avenue, Allegheny City. (See the Surname Saturday about my Hunter line here.)

The 1850 U.S. Census includes the first four children:

1850 U.S. Federal Census, Allegheny, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll: 744; Page: 34B;
Lines 23-28. Record for Samuel K. Hunter family.

Husband Samuel is a grocer with $1,400 in "Value of Real Estate Owned." Following are Catharine, age 30, and children Mary J. (9), James K. (6), John K. (5), and Ann E. (2).

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Martin Adsit Fought for Independence - 52 Ancestors #27

For this week's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge from blogger Amy Crow Johnson of No Story Too Small, the theme is Independent, as in Independence Day! Which ancestor fought for America’s independence?

I have several Revolutionary War ancestors. I have previously blogged about 4th great grandfather, John Gorin (my DAR patriot), 4th great grandfather, Noah Davenport and 5th great grandfather, John Willet.

Another 4th great grandfather who served in the Revolution is Martin Adsit.

The NSDAR (National Society Daughters of the American Revolution) Genealogical Research System Ancestor Search summarizes Martin Adsit's service as:

Service Source: Roberts, NY in the Rev, p 70
Service Description: 1) Col Wessenfield [sic: should read Weissenfels]

New York in the Revolution as Colony and State can be found at Google Books with Martin Adsit listed as an enlisted man in "The Levies" under Colonel Frederick Weissenfels (page 54). (Col. Weissenfels has an article at Wikipedia.) The Weissenfels' Regiment of Levies (1781–82) was a militia unit from New York which fought in support of the American cause.

At Ancestry.com, there is an index for the Muster and Pay Rolls of the War of the Revolution, 1775-1783 indicating that Martin Adsit, serving under [Frederick] Wissenfells, was listed as a patient in the General Hospital at Albany between October 31, 1781 and November 7, 1781, with a fever.

I have not been able to determine if Martin participated in any battles. It appears that "Levies" were a group of soldiers selected from the ranks of the militia for additional training. These troops were then used to fill in the ranks of regular troops or as independent units. Often Levies served in the forts along the frontier counties in New York in order to stop raids carried out by Indian forces and Loyalists led by British officers.

Stephen Ashby (d. 1829) - 52 Ancestors #26

For this week's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge from blogger Amy Crow Johnson of No Story Too Small, the theme is Halfway: This week marks the halfway point in the year — and the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge! What ancestor do you have that you feel like you’ve only researched halfway?

First of all, I am pleased with myself that I've kept up with this 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge. I am on track to writing as many posts in 2015 as I did in 2012, my most prolific year.

This week, I am sharing what little I know about a third great-grandfather, Stephen Ashby. Most of what I know about him is from The Ashby Book, Vol. 1: Descendants of Captain Thomas Ashby of Virginia (1976), compiled by Lee Fleming Reese, which is digitized and available at FamilySearch.org's Family History Books, a wonderful resource! However, this is a secondary source, so I feel that I've only researched this family halfway because I should really explore the primary source material.

Stephen Ashby was born in about 1805 (or possibly earlier) to Daniel Ashby and Mary Polly Benson. (See Surname Saturday: Ashby for more about my Ashby line.)