Susan Rood's Parents ~ Part 6 ~ Lovina Rood's Death

After her 1797 marriage in Massachusetts, and at least three decades in Oneida County, Lovina Rood lived in Syracuse for many years, many of those spent with the family of her youngest daughter, Harriet (Rood) Rose.

She is not enumerated in the Rose household in the 1865 New York State Census, and after exploring a variety of records digitized at FamilySearch for Onondaga County, I found the following:

Oakwood Cemetery, Syracuse, collected by Mrs. Lodder, p. 57, Rood, Lovina, d 4/15/1861 @ 81-5-; image "Vital Records of Onondaga County and other localities in the state of New York, 1799-1913," image 666 of 1467, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS7S-N78D : 24 August 2025), citing Births, Marriages, and Deaths of Onondaga Co. N.Y., Collected for library by Lester Card, New York Genealogical and Biographical Society.

The 40 names on this page represent early burials (from before 1859 when the cemetery opened to about 1879) in Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse and are not quite in alphabetical order. Lovina is the only Rood/Rude in this record.

According to this record, Lovina Rood died on April 15, 1861, at the age of 81 years, 5 months, suggesting a birth in November 1779. This agrees with the age of Lovina Rood found in the census records that I have shown in recent weeks.

Susan Rood's Parents ~ Part 5 ~ More Census Records

I have found no additional records for Oliver Rood/Rude, husband of Lovina, after the 1830 census. Lovina Rood/Rude is not found in the 1840 federal census, another census that only listed the head of households. She was likely living with one of her children. 

The following census records suggest that at some point probably in the 1830s, Lovina moved to Syracuse, Onondaga County, about 50 miles west of the Paris-Sangerfield area of Oneida County, where she had lived for several decades.

In 1850, Lavina Rood [sic] was living in a household headed by Joseph D. Rose.

1850 U.S. census, Onandoga County, New York, population schedule, Syracuse, p. 237B (stamped), p. 473 (penned), dwelling 3172, family 3403, Lavina Rood in household of Joseph D Rose; image, "1850 United States Federal Census," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-67FQ-7CQ?view=index : 4 July 2025).

The household included:
Joseph D. Rose, age 30, was born about 1819-1820 in New York. The handwriting is challenging, but I believe he was in the Salt Manufacturing industry, which was a major industry in Onondaga County at this time. It looks like the value of his real estate was $3,000.
Harriet S. Rose, age 26, was born about 1823-1824 in New York.
Louisa Rose, age 7, was born about 1842-1843 in New York, and attended school during the previous year.
Holland Rose, age 2, was born about 1847-1848 in New York. (See the later censuses below - his name was probably Hulbert.)
Lavina Rood, age 70, was born about 1779-1780 in Massachusetts.

Two of the remaining three household members were not likely members of the Rose family, but workers in the salt industry needing a place to live. The last household member was possibly a servant in their home.
Nathan Abbott, age 60, born about 1789-1790 in New York working as "Inspec Salt."
John Vanhoosen, age 30, born about 1819-1820 in New York, also working as "Inspec Salt."
Catherine Henry, age 15, born about 1834-1835 in Ireland.

 ~~~~~~~ 

Five years later, Lovina Rood was again living in Syracuse. The head of household, J. Dewitt Rose is probably the same person as Joseph D. Rose in the 1850 census. The 1855 New York State Census provides additional information not found in the federal censuses, specifically the county of birth for New York-born residents.

1855 New York State Census, Onondaga County, population schedule, Syracuse, n.p., dwelling 517, household 624, for Lovina Rood in J. Dewitt Rose household; imaged in "New York, State Census, 1855," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/collection/1937366 : 7 July 2025); citing Onondaga County Clerk Office.

The house was a frame house valued at $2,500 and living there were:
J. Dewitt Rose, age 43, born about 1811-1812 in Onondaga County, was married and worked as a Flour Merchant. He had lived in Syracuse for 22 years (since about 1833).
Harriet S. Rose, age 31, born about 1823-1824 in Oneida County, was the wife of J. Dewitt Rose. Both she and her husband owned land. She had lived in Syracuse for 23 years, since about 1832. This suggests that Harriet moved from Oneida County to Syracuse as a young child.
Louisa H. Rose, age 12, was born about 1842-1843 in Onondaga County.
Hulbert D. Rose, age 6, was born about 1848-1849 in Onondaga County.
Clinton F. Rose, age 1, was born about 1853-1854 in Onondaga County. All three children had lived in Syracuse for their entire lives.
Lovina Rood, age 75, was born about 1779-1780 in Massachusetts. She was listed as widowed and had lived in Syracuse for 18 years (since about 1836-1837).

Lovina's relationship to J. Dewitt Rose was listed as Mother, however, it is much more likely that she was Harriet's mother and his mother-in-law. It is unclear why Lovina was reported as living in Syracuse for a shorter time than her daughter Harriet, but it's possible that there was an error in reporting either Harriet's or Lovina's length of residence. 

As in 1850, this household has additional residents:
Nathan Rose, Dewitt Rose's nephew, was age 19, born about 1835-1836 in Onondaga County. He had lived in Syracuse for just a couple of months.
Mary Noven, age 19, was born in Ireland and had lived in Syracuse for about a year. She was a servant, likely in the Rose household.

 ~~~~~~~ 

Five years later, Lavinia [sic] Rood was again living with her daughter Harriet's family. 

1860 U.S. census, Onondaga County, New York, population schedule, Syracuse, p. 55 (penned), dwelling 340, family 428, Lavinia Rood in J. DeWitt Rose household; image, "1860 United States Federal Census," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9BS8-V7Q?view=index : 5 July 2025).

The household included:
J. DeWitt Rose, age 48, born about 1811-1812 in New York, was married and worked as a Salt Manufacturer. The value of his real estate was $11,000 and the value of his personal estate was $1,000.
Harriet S. Rose, age 36, was born about 1823-1824 in New York.
Louisa H. Rose, age 17, was born about 1842-1843 in New York.
Hulbert D. Rose, age 12, was born about 1847-1848 in New York.
Clinton F. Rose, age 6, was born about 1853-1854 in New York. These three children had attended school in the previous year.
Sherman F. Rose, age 4, was born about 1855-1856 in New York.
Lavinia Rood, age 80, was born about 1779-1780 in Massachusetts. 

This birth year and birth place was consistent for Lovina Rood although her name was different in each census. This agrees with the estimated age in earlier census records for Oliver Rood and strongly suggests that she was the Lovina Munger who married Oliver Rood in Massachusetts in 1797. She was the mother of Harriet Rose, wife of J. DeWitt Rose.

The household also included Kate Korb, age 17, born in Germany, who worked as a Domestic (likely a servant in the Rose household) and J. Nathan Rose, age 23, born in New York. This was likely Dewitt Rose's nephew who was working as a Clerk.

Next week I will share the remaining records that I found for Lovina Rood.

~~~~~~~ 

In part 1, census records from Paris (1800) and Sangerfield (1820), Oneida County, New York.

In part 2, the marriage intention for Oliver Rood and Lovina Munger in Ludlow, Massachusetts, in 1797.

In part 3, the federal census record from 1810 and how it correlated with the 1800 federal census and the 1814 Oneida County landowners’ census.

In part 4, the 1830 federal census record for Oliver Rood and an 1831 school record naming Lovina Rood as the parent of two school-age children.

Susan Rood's Parents ~ Part 4 ~ 1830 and 1831 Records

Oliver Rood, married in 1797 to Lovina Munger in Massachusetts, was clearly living in Oneida County, New York between 1800 and 1820. He was still there, in Sangerfield, in 1830.

1830 U.S. census, Oneida County, New York, population schedule, Sangerfield, p. 166 (penned), line 3, Oliver Rood; image, "1830 United States Federal Census," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYTY-6R1?view=index&cc=1803958 : 4 July 2025).

Oliver's household is the fourth line down from the top. It included: 

1 male age 50-60 (Oliver)
2 females age 5-10 (likely two young daughters)
1 female age 15-20 (likely an older daughter)
1 female age 50-60 (probable wife, Lovina)

The ages of the family members in the census records from 1800 to 1830 suggest a family with one or two sons and six or seven daughters. The oldest child was Susan, born in 1799 and the youngest likely child (a daughter according to this census) was born as late as 1824 or 1825.

Susan Rood's Parents ~ Part 3 ~ The 1810 Census

Oliver Rood or Rude, who married in Ludlow, Massachusetts, in 1797, and was living in Paris, New York, in 1800, and Sangerfield, New York, in 1820, doesn't appear in any search results in Oneida County in the 1810 federal census.

Using the 1810 federal census in Oneida County, New York, is a challenge because the towns were not identified on the census sheets and only the initial letter of first names was recorded. A project by Michael Lints, found at the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society's website, cross referenced the 1810 census records with the 1800 federal census and an 1814 landowners' census for Oneida County in order to identify the towns. (The Michael Lints article, “Identifying Locations in the 1810 Census for Oneida County,” is for NYG&B members only.)

Results of searches of this database at https://www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org/online-records/collection/cross-reference-review-1810-census-oneida-county show the initial of the first name, the last name, and the likely town of residence in the 1810 census as well as the 1800 cross reference name and the 1814 cross reference name (assuming the cross-referencing is successful).

There is no O. Rood or O. Rude in the results, but there is an O. Read, with a likely town of residence of Paris, but no cross reference name in the 1814 Oneida County landowners’ census or the 1800 federal census. The enumeration included O Read below A Drury which shows the difference between how the enumerator wrote his letters "O" and "A" (in case you think that this "O" is an "A").

1810 U.S. census, Oneida County, New York, population schedule, Paris, p. 313 (penned), line 13, O. Read; image, "1810 United States Federal Census," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBZ-8DP : 23 May 2025).

The household includes:

1 male age <10
1 male age 10-15
1 male age 26-44 (possibly Oliver Rood, age 35)
3 females age <10
1 female age 10-15 (possibly Susan Rood, age 11)
1 female age 26-44 (possibly Oliver's wife, Lovina)

Susan Rood's Parents ~ Part 2 ~ A Marriage Record

In part 1, I shared background information including the statement in the Orange Chapin book that suggests (incorrectly) that Susan Rood was daughter of Joseph Rood of Ludlow, Massachusetts. Was there an Oliver Rood in Ludlow, Hampshire County, Massachusetts in the late 1790s or early 1800s?

Oliver Rude and Lovina Munger declared their intention to marry in Ludlow, Massachusetts, on October 16, 1797. 

"Ludlow Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1774–1830, Vol. 1," page 441, Oliver Rude-Lovina Munger marriage intention, 16 October 1797; FamilySearch IGN 107028839, image 67 of 110, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-P3X5-MC14?cat=3534569&i=66&lang=en : 24 April 2025). 

 

“The intention of marriage between Mr Oliver Rude of Granby & Lovina Munger of Ludlow made public Oct 16^th 1797.” [Granby, Massachusetts, is just north of Ludlow.]

Oliver and Lovina were probably married by the end of 1797, although the actual marriage doesn’t appear to be recorded.

There is no record of Oliver Rood or Rude in Massachusetts in the 1800 census. This fact, in addition to the census records I previously shared, suggest that this could be the same Oliver who was in Oneida County, New York, in 1800 and 1820.

If Oliver Rood was Susan Rood's father, then Lovina (Munger) Rood was likely Susan's mother, since they married in 1797 and Susan was born in January 1799.

But was Oliver in Paris or Sangerfield in 1810? Next week's post will show how I found him in 1810. 

Breaking Down a Brick Wall: Susan Rood's Parents ~ Part 1

My New Year's Resolution for January 2025 was to spend the year working on identifying the parents of my third great grandmother, Susan (Rood) Chapin, using the Research Like a Pro process.

I succeeded! And I will share how I did in in a series of blog posts over the next several weeks.

I first shared information about this "brick wall" in 2011 with this sampler, created by my second great-grandmother, Susan Arville (Chapin) Adsit (1820-1906).

I have written several blog posts about what I previously knew about Susan Rood:

Chapin Family Sampler (November 2011)

Susan Rood's Parents  (July 2012)

Susan Rood Chapin (July 2015) 

And a few posts about her husband, Orramel Chapin:

Orramel Chapin Moving West Part 1 and Part 2 (July 2012)

Orramel Chapin-Boarding House Keeper (January 2019)

A quick summary: I knew that Susan Rood and Orramel Chapin married on September 17, 1816 (date from the sampler). Their marriage intention was recorded on August 20, 1816, in Ludlow, Massachusetts (Ludlow, Massachusetts, Town Records, Vol. 1, p. 427, Chapin-Rood marriage intention, 20 August 1816, at FamilySearch). 

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 (DAR Ancestor# A000824) 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.

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).

Esther Abigail Whitman ~ 52 Ancestors #47

My second great-grandparents, Esther Abigail Whitman and James Pyle, married in New York City in 1853, when they were recent immigrants from Guysborough, Nova Scotia. I have a lot of information about James Pyle, but much less about his wife.

Matrilineal Monday - Esther Abigail Whitman shared census records for her as well as a brief death notice from the New York Times.

Deaths, New York Times, 10 November 1921, p. 19, col. 7, Esther A. Whitman.

The New York City Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS) now provides the ability to view some birth, marriage, and death records (as long as they're far enough back that the individuals named are long deceased). These images can also be found at MyHeritage (a subscription site).

I found Esther Pyle's November 10, 1921, death certificate at New York City Deaths, 1866-1948 at MyHeritage.

All Mixed Up: Three Joseph Roses ~ 52 Ancestors #35

My Rose ancestral line has three generations of men named Joseph Rose. Because they lived in New York City and northern New Jersey in the late 18th century and well into the 19th century, where records may not have been easily viewed and analyzed in the past, they have been conflated in various reports. They also tended to name their children the same names, generation after generation.

The immigrant Joseph Rose, believed to be born in England about 1735, lived in Manhattan, New York, and died February 28, 1807. He is buried in Trinity Churchyard, a historic graveyard now in the financial district of Manhattan. See his FindAGrave memorial. His wife, Barbara Egbertse (or Egburson) predeceased him on April 13, 1806. She is buried next to her husband and also has a FindAGrave memorial.

Joseph Rose headstone, courtesy BKGeni at FindAGrave

Barbara Rose headstone, courtesy BKGeni at FindAGrave

They had seven children, mentioned in their father's will: Mary, Joseph, William Lucius, Isaac, Ann, Samuel, and Elizabeth. 

End of the Line - Charles Chapin Adsit Jr. ~ 52 Ancestors #31

Charles Chapin Adsit, Jr. was born in 1892, to Charles Chapin Adsit and Mary Bowman Ashby. His father and his grandfather, James, had been prominent businessmen in Chicago for many decades. He was four years old when his sister, Elizabeth, was born. He is the end of this particular ancestral line of men with the Adsit surname as can be seen at Surname Saturday:Adsit. See a photo of him and his sister at 1904 Car.

By 1917, he was a stock and bond broker, working in his father's office at The Rookery Building, an historic office building at 209 South LaSalle Street, as reported in his World War I Draft Registration Card.

This is one section of his registration. All men were required to register for the draft, but not all men served in the military.

From the WWI Draft Registration Card for Charles Chapin Adsit, Jr., June 5, 1917

However, one week after he registered for the draft, he enlisted in the navy.

Freeland Sisters Marry Lake Captains ~ 52 Ancestors #30

When my 4th great-grandfather David Freeland and his family immigrated from Scotland in 1821, they originally settled in Lanark, Ontario, Canada. Within ten years, he was in New Hartford, Oneida County, New York. Widowed by 1840, he likely lived with various of his children until his death in 1862 in Buffalo, New York.

In previous centuries, travel by waterway was often easier and more efficient than traveling over land. Three of David Freeland's daughters married ship captains who spent much of their lives on Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes. 

Edwin A. McAlpin Had Stories ~ 52 Ancestors #25

My second great uncle, Edwin Augustus McAlpin, was born on June 9, 1848, to David Hunter McAlpin (1816-1901) and Frances Adelaide Rose (1829-1870).

Edwin A. McAlpin, Courtesy Wikipedia

 

His New York Times obituary (13 April 1917, p. 13, col. 5) suggests that he probably had many stories to share.

Louisa May Greeley, Health Teacher ~ 52 Ancestors #23

Louisa May Greeley was born in December 1895, in Winnetka, Illinois, to Morris Larned Greeley and Anne Sophia Foote. She was half first cousin of my grandfather, Lowell Townsend Copeland.

She attended Wellesley College, graduating in 1918 with a BA degree from the "department of hygiene."

Wellesley College Yearbook, 1918, p. 115

The one other yearbook page that I find her on is the Running page. I have placed a blue star to identify who I believe is Louisa.

Wellesley College Yearbook, 1918, p. 172

Creativity: William Scott Pyle Jr ~ 52 Ancestors #22

Obituary, 17 February 1938, New York Times, p. 21, col. 6

W. Scott Pyle, Artist and Paint Originator
American Who Experimented With Plant Colors in Europe Is Dead at The Hague

   W. Scott Pyle, American artist, died in The Hague, The Netherlands, on Sunday [February 13, 1938] after an operation, according to word received here yesterday. He had gone abroad in June, taking some of his paintings with him for exhibitions in Switzerland and The Hague.
   Mr. Pyle left Princeton in his sophomore year to study painting, first under William Chase, then at the Academy of Munich and with Frank Brangwyn. He had exhibited at the academy shows in Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, Washington and also in the art museums of Detroit and Toledo.
   Until the last few years he was living in Europe, where he took a leading part in lengthy experiments with paints made from plant colors, which were finally manufactured by the Goetheanum in Switzerland.
   His clubs included the Princeton, University and Racquet and Tennis.
  Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Mietra [sic: should be Maria] Waller Pyle; a daughter, Joan; his mother, Mrs. William Scott Pyle, and a sister, Mrs. Albert Spalding.

William Scott Pyle, Jr. was born on June 22, 1888, in Monmouth, New Jersey, to William Scott Pyle (photo here) and Mary Ann Vanderhoef. He was their third child. The oldest, James Vanderhoef Pyle, died in 1887 of Diphtheria.

His older sister, Mary Vanderhoef Pyle, married famed violinist Albert Spalding. Because their father had died by the time they wed in July 1919, William Junior gave his sister away.

He was the first cousin of my grandfather, Charles McAlpin Pyle, making him my first cousin twice removed.

Taking Care of Business: Martin Adsit ~ 52 Ancestors #20

My second great grandfather, James Monroe Adsit, was born in Spencertown, Columbia County, New York, and was in Chicago, Illinois by 1838, becoming one of its earliest bankers. I previously shared his photograph and I share it again here.

James Monroe Adsit (1809-1894)

His younger brother, Martin Noah Adsit, also born in Spencertown, was in Hornellsville, Steuben County, New York by 1826 (according to obituaries) with his uncle Ira Davenport (brother of my third great-grandmother, Fanny (Davenport) (Adsit) Davis). He remained in Hornellsville until his death in December 1903, just shy of his 91st birthday.

Hornellsville is about 300 miles west of Spencertown.

I found great information about this third great uncle in New York newspapers.

Language: Dutch, German, French ~ 52 Ancestors #10

Most of my ancestors came from England, Scotland, and Ireland, so their original language was English. However, If I go back far enough in my family tree, I do have some ancestors who came from other locations in Europe.

My sixth great-grandmother, Elizabeth Wendell was born in August 1704 in the Colony of New York to Abraham Wendell and Catharina De Kalj / DeKay. (She was baptized in the Reformed Dutch Church of New Amsterdam on August 20, 1704.) Three of her four grandparents were born in New Amsterdam, New Netherlands, which is what New York City was known as from 1653 to 1664.

I have not researched this branch of my family tree in a long time. My tree in Family Tree Maker has several holes in Elizabeth Wendell's ancestry.

Screenshot Elizabeth Wendell's ancestors in Family Tree Maker

However, others have researched this branch and shared their research in the FamilySearch family tree.  (It is important to note that this is a crowd-sourced, open family tree that can be edited by anyone with a FamilySearch account. I have not verified any of the ancestral links in these generations.)

Wordless Wednesday ~ Sara Carter Pyle

Thank you very much to my third cousin once removed who has recently spent some time going through old family memorabilia and shared the following photographs with me.

All three are of my second great-aunt, Sara Carter Pyle, sister of James Tolman Pyle. Unfortunately only one is dated, though I think they may all be from the 1880s.

Aunt Sarah [sic] Pyle McAlpin
sister of W. S. Pyle senior
William Scott Pyle's father
J.P.D.'s father

~~~~~~~~~~~

A Farm in Queens New York ~ 52 Ancestors #39

I am participating in this year's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge from Amy Johnson Crow. Each week has an optional writing prompt and this week's writing prompt is On the Farm.

Yes we all have plenty of farmers in our family trees. It's kind of fun to think about places where farmers were plentiful in the 19th century, but where I don't think we find farms now, like Jamaica, Queens County, New York.

My third great-grandfather, Thomas Cutler Whitman, was born in Nova Scotia in 1803 and immigrated with several members of his family to New York in 1857.

The 1860 U.S. census shows that he was a farmer. He is on the top line of this census image that includes his wife, Diana, and several children (and future son-in-law, William Bruce at the bottom).

1860 U.S. census, Queens County, New York, population schedule, Jamaica, p. 127, dwelling 873, family 964, Thomas C. Whitman; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 January 2010); citing NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 845.

Value of real estate is blank, but value of personal estate is $1,000.

The fun part comes from finding that farmer on the non-population agricultural census schedule and seeing what he produced.

Deaf Ancestor Mary Emma Rose ~ 52 Ancestors #38

I am participating in this year's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge from Amy Johnson Crow. Each week has an optional writing prompt and this week's writing prompt is Unusual Source. In fact, Amy introduced the idea of this source in another blog post from last week: Researching Deaf Ancestors.

I didn't think I had any deaf ancestors; I'm still pretty sure that none of my direct ancestors were deaf. However, I explored the Ancestry database she mentioned, U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895, and I found a fourth great aunt. All I knew of this 4th great aunt was from her gravestone: Mary Rose Mitchell Totten, 1808-1897, which I photographed when visiting Rose Hill Cemetery in Matawan, New Jersey, in 2013.

Mary Emma Rose was the daughter of Joseph Rose and Frances Stanton. From the few records that I previously had on this family, I only knew of six children of Joseph Rose and Frances Stanton and I had complete birth and death dates for only my direct ancestor, Joseph Stanton Rose, whose detailed obituary I transcribed at Joseph Rose (1809-1877). He is buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Matawan, New Jersey, and was the reason I visited the cemetery. Finding GGGG Aunt Mary's gravestone was by chance.

This survey of deaf individuals collected a lot of family information and WOW: I now know that Joseph and Frances had ten children with four dying very young. This is a wonderful example of researching collateral relatives to obtain more information. Not only does the survey include all of Mary's siblings, but their full names and birth dates. No specific death dates are listed, but several siblings died young and those are mentioned. Mary Emma signed the last page.