When the Quiver is Full: A Note on the John Townsend Family of the Black River Region in Jefferson County from Bucks, PA

 Joseph Martinedale, History of Byberry and Mooreland Townships has long been considered authoritative on the genealogies of families from the Bucks County region. From time to time it has inconsistencies, and omissions. As we noted previously, the section on the maiden name of  the wife of John Townsend of Philadelphia Village, who I have called "Old Quaker John" is given as Strickland in the Townsend section but Carver in the Carver section. She is a Carver, there can be no doubt. Her name, Asenath Carver can be found among the women descendants in the family.  Neither family provide a complete listing of the children of John Townsend (p. 350, Evan 8, John 17 below) and Asenath Carver Townsend ( p. 267, John Carver 10, Ascenath 23). Other omissions have included Rachael Townsend Strickland's children. While they were born in Burlington, NJ, other children born out of the Byberry and Mooreland Township are included, and it seems a bit of a snub to exclude them.

Nevertheless, my focus here is to tidy up the Townsend men in Jefferson County to find my own people. In the process, that means sorting through them and assigning them their group. In the process of doing so, I am leaving this record in case it is ever useful to anyone. There are several of us out there with unknown progenitors in Jefferson County, so having part of the work done may be helpful to a future researcher.

For clarity,  I have underlined the couple I am referencing below.

 

If you don't understand how this group relates to Oneida, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties, I refer you to the first blog.


Based on Court Documents that recently came to my attention through Pete Townsend, I now realize that I may have understated the size of the household of John and Asenath Townsend. I had  assumed that Asenath's  "quiver was full" as is often stated when a woman is done bearing children and thought the "extra male" was at the top of the family. However, it seems that the extra male is at the bottom.

It seems that Asenath's quiver held more arrows than was previously believed. In my earlier posting, Parsing John Townsend's Sons, I had stopped in 1820 for two reasons: 1) my progenitor James was born 1816, so children born after 1820 were  not of interest and 2) the Byberry and Mooreland narrative stops with Evan.

Well,  it would appear that John and Asenath didn't consult with Byberry and Mooreland continued with Genesis 1:28.

Find a grave website http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=83793059&PIpi=62018969

There is a minor chance that this son could really be their  son of Ezra, who died in 1835 at the age of 26 (below). I had rather hoped he would have been a brother or cousin to my ancestor, but it turns out not to be the case. Documents presented in court in the case of Burton Townsend's estate clearly state from the words of Old Quaker John that Burton is his son, not his grandson.

nnygenealogy.com

When a Quaker goes to court on a matter, it is a rare event and he says that Burton Townsend is his son. Burton was a school teacher, who was teaching the classical subjects. His teaching was controversial because he was teaching Greek, Latin, and Architecture along with other subjects. He died at the age of 30 under some mysterious circumstances. Now, he had no children, so he hasn't received a lot of attention in the genealogy community, but he should, because it opens up a possibility that had not been previously explored. That possibility is that John Townsend and Asenath had more children, and a lack of completeness of the Byberry and Mooreland records once families leave Pennsylvania is at issue.

Carefully note is that Burton dies at age 30 in 1853. That places his birth at 1823. In the 1820 Census, Asenath reports that she is still under 45, which means that it is not all that unlikely that she had more children. Mahlon Carver was the informant on the Byberry and Mooreland records, and I suppose it is possible he could have fallen out of touch with the family at this point.

We also know there is a variance with the Calendar used by the Quaker families and by the government. The Quaker calendar, as I recall is a numbering system that begins with March. So, suppose the Census takers come in January and a family has a baby in February. February would be recorded for the previous year. So, while the Census taker arrives in 1820, it is still 1819 on the Quaker Calendar. 1820 begins in March.

However, there is a biological possibility that Ezra is Burton's father, but I regard it as unlikely. If the age for Ezra is correct on the headstone, Ezra's birth year would be 1809, the same year I deduced in the Parsing John piece. That would have made Ezra 14 at the time of fatherhood. Now, I suppose it could happen in theory, but I find it doubtful. Even so, John Townsend would have raised him as his own anyway because Ezra dies in 1835. The point here is that Burton is squarely of the John and Asenath line, and not of the Abraham and Alce line or the other Townsend lines (Martin or the  Horace group) in the area.

It is rather disappointing in some respects. Some of us had hoped he was a grandchild of Abraham and Alce, who donated the land to build a school in Jefferson County. The notion that one of their children would carry it forward was a big romantic and rather tantalizing. Sadly, it is not the truth in this case.  His age at the time of his death, and his year of birth would make him the child of a dead couple. Thus, it doesn't seem likely he could be the child of Abraham and Alce. The impression some of us had was that he was a slightly older gent.

In the probate of Burton Townsend's estate, John Townsend "of full age" steps forward to be the administer of the estate. I have underlined in red the section of interest. I don't know why Harriet doesn't just give Old John back the gold watch and the books, but apparently, this becomes a contested estate. It isn't the finest hour in this community and by the end of the probate, Harriet has a new last name.

The estate is rather fascinating. Beyond the gold watch and the 3 pairs of woolen underwear, the library of books looks like my own shelves. It was actually kind of strange for me to read, because I have modern versions of these same books on my shelves. I have Wheelock and Cannon for Latin Grammar and Machen for Greek Grammar, and I can go down the list. However, the list of books in the estate file (link above) provides an insight into the sort of education that Burton had, and the sort of education he was providing.

Whoever has been teaching the families, they had a classical education.

Now, Burton dies without issue, so no direct genealogy hangs on the inclusion or omission of Burton. There are no descendants to stand forward and complain. However, to have the history correct, he should be included in the family genealogy. He was dearly loved by his father and mother, and that alone should be basis enough for his inclusion. Further his contributions to pedagogy and the institutional development of the educational system of the region is noteworthy, so it is historically important.

For my own genealogy, it isn't relevant. Burton is younger than my progenitor by roughly 5 years, but provides an important clue for my ancestor's background and provides an insight on the sort of training he would have had in if he grew up in the Philadelphia settlement.

 Revisiting that 1830 Census record of Old Quaker John now provides an insight. There is one male 15-19 and that must be Burton? That still does not seem right.  The two males between 20 and 29 are Ezra and Evan. There is one male between 40 and 49, and that is the father, Quaker John.   There is 1 female between 5-9, that is Abi from the 1855 Census record (John is living with her). Odd, Burton is younger than her yet she is coded correctly and he is not?  She is born 1821, so that must be her. There is one female 15-19, that is Martha, one female 40-49 and that is the Mother, Asenath Carver Townsend. 

Now, there are differences in the Quaker Calendar and the traditional Calendar being used, so that might still account for some problems in parsing children. I think that was the problem with parsing Robert, the eldest. I have decided for now to assign him that slot that we thought was a "mystery person;" since we now have Ezra's birth year we can be more confident that Robert is the male in that slot. However, there still seems to be something peculiar about Burton's birth year. He is noted in the census as older than Abi, yet we know Abi's age from the Census. Strange. Perhaps the Census taker made an error, or perhaps there is more to Burton that we know. That being said, the people in this family seem accounted for at the moment.

I am still not quite satisfied with the alignment of dates. There still seems to be something a bit out of kilter.

John Sr. Townsend (b. 1779) and Asenath Carver Townsend
   Of Bucks County, PA moved to the Black River regions with the Friends Settlement in 1806. 

   The purchase was originally part of Oneida County but later became Jefferson County. 

    He arrived with brother Thomas Townsend (married Elizabeth Strickland in 1800). 

    Sister Rachel Townsend Strickland, wife of Robert Strickland Jr arrived the following year

    from Burlington, N.J. The prior generation of the family had been hard hit by the pox 

    epidemic in 1769. Naming patterns appear to fit the relatives lost rather than the traditional

    naming conventions found among Quaker families particularly in the Thomas line.  By 1820,

    the Thomas line gravitates toward Lowville, Lewis County, NY, the John line in Philadelphia 

    Village, Jefferson County, NY.
Mary born between b. 1801, died March 11, 1889 married in 1825 Alfred Coolidge

           Family originally settled in the Philadelphia region.
           In 1853 the family located at 38 Clinton street,  Watertown, NY.  

           They had five sons and one daughter, Asenith Carver Coolidge. 

Robert  b. 1805, Bucks County  m Hannah [per census]

          (Ezra, Eliza Ann, and Abi and likely others) [per census] 

          Lives next door to his father during several census periods. 

 John, Jr born 1807 Jeff Co, NY marries Huldah. Family moves to Fowler in St. Lawrence County, NY

            then goes to Farmington, WI [per Haddock and Census]

           (Ezra [marries Katie from the Isle of Wight, daughter Minnie], Lydia, Laura, and likely others)

 Martha born 1812 dies 1890 marries Nathan Coolidge, settles in Antwerp, Jefferson County, NY
          (Clinton, Cassius, Abi, Ella, J. Emmet, and likely others)

 Ezra born 1809-10 dies 1835 descendants unknown, presumed none. 

 Evan born 1815 moves to Waupaca, County, WI [per census],  buys land and starts 
          the Evanwoods Settlement with Evan Coolidge (Two Evans, get it?). Land records 
          signed by President Andrew Jackson at the National Archive, some on this 
          blog. Descendants unknown but they are not in Jefferson County. 

 Abi b 1818-1820  m. George Williams
           (Elizabeth, Mary, other sons and daughters?) [Per census]
            Lives in the region through the relevant period of inquiry.
            After John Sr passes, the family moves to Waupaca, WI. 

Burton b 1823 dies 1853 married Harriet. School teacher, founded the first academy in the area.
           Dies at age 30 of unknown natural causes; contested estate,  no children.



_____________________________________

As a last minute addition, I want to include a write up of a descendant of John Jr. It may be those reading this blog from that family might enjoy. It seems that John Jr. had one son, Ezra. Ezra grew up to have a good size family of his own. This write up was put together for the town's anniversary. A branch of the family also went to Minnesota.

From what I can tell on the above, the history of the family in the piece probably came from Haddock. He did not know that Burton was John's son, or was not certain because it is not in the Byberry records. However, anyone who reads that probate file quickly realizes that he really is John Townsend's son and was known as such at the time. 

I am happy to include any additional information that anyone would want to include on the family. We might as well update Byberry and Haddock as long as we are sorting through the main Townsend lines. 

_______________
While it may seem obsessive to button down the family group, it is important in searching for our own progenitor. Recall he first appears in 1840 and 1850 with a sister in the Philadelphia settlement, wife, and a couple of children. They are the first family in the 1850 Census. With YDNA results not matching the Martin Townsend group (Josiah, Johnathan, Timothy, Lyman, etc) and a tie to the Quaker group with a similar YDNA profile seemed logical. While I understand that Townsend men are quite prodigious, there still needs to be some degree of geographic proximity for issue to occur.  The only prospect seems to be to buckle down on Abraham and Alce as grandparent progenitors, and work down to see what can be determined, or expand the ring of origin. We know that at least one descendant of that line is a partial YDNA match and they have recently connected to the Abraham/Absolum Alce family.

While I appreciate the multiple suggestions that Old James married to Fanny Ensign is a likely father, he doesn't have son born between 1810 and 1820. It would seem that the first condition of a potential progenitor is that he has a son born in the relevant time frame.

For our line, it seems that building churches, roads, and bridges and a predilection for classical knowledge came from the Philadelphia Settlement.  I can't imagine why James is there if he isn't born there, but he is there and so we begin again.

Townsend Wills in Jefferson County, Oneida, Lewis, & Oswego

Townsend Wills in Jefferson County
With Gratitude to Pete Townsend

Here is the list of Townsend probate files in Jefferson County

Here are the links to each of the wills.


Abner Townsend, died April of 1852 in Syracuse. There is a statement by wife Pamela that Abner's father is Nathan in Watertown. Abner also has a probate file in Lewis County, file 200. I was unable to find it and it may be a different Abner. The date is circa 1815.

Alce Townsend's will, June 12, 1824, which is actually missing from the file and only includes statements by others that they saw her sign the will.  No will is there, so there is still no information on the family group except number of boys and girls, age ranges from the census, and that she is Abraham/Absolum's "relic" in the land records.

Benjamin Townsend, Wilma, June 1882. His wife is Naomi. Pension file from the Civil War is referenced that showed he served with the New York Volunteers; pension card is below. No other information is provided in the probate.

Burton B. Townsend, died, will probated August 1853. He was the son of John Townsend of Philadelphia Village, Jefferson County. His wife Harriet, no children. There is apparently some contest over the administration of his estate. It is quite a probate file of his effects, which include 3 pair of woolen underwear and a bunch of great book titles that one would expect a teacher of the era to have, including a Greek Grammar. . By the time the process is finished, Harriet's last name changes to Lewis.


Charles Townsend of Brownville, probated August 14, 1856.  His father was Daniel Townsend who had not been heard from for 5 years and was of an advanced age with bad habits and presumed dead. Brother George W Townsend of Alexandria is mentioned. Petition to Administer the estate by brother Thomas J Townsend of Henderson. Minor aged sister, Mercy A is listed, with no guardian. Charles fell overboard in Massachusetts and was lost at sea.

Daniel Townsend of Wilma, died intestate, probate filed January 1856. Wife Adeline files for probate. Research by others suggests that he may be a member of the Josiah/Johnathan group. He appears to be the father of Charles referenced above.

Harriet Townsend of Alexandria died intestate in August 1884,  probate filed April 1888.  Letters of Administration filed by daughter Nancy Putnam. George W. Townsend of Alexandria surviving husband; Charles E Townsend, Fred H Townsend, of Cass County Iowa also surviving children.

Johnathan Townsend of Pamela, died   probate filed Sept. 1854;  sons Truman B. Townsend and George K Townsend, Lyman Townsend;  Dexter Havens and Willard Ives executors,  Lewis Barber and Bernard Bagley, witnesses; Harriet Van Amber wife of John Van Amber, Sarah Van Amber of Michigan, and several family members who contest a last minute codicil. Hulls, Blodgets, Moores, Falls, and others from Canada, Pennsylvania as well as Syracuse and Oswego listed among others. Apparently there are children from two different marriages.

Lyman Townsend's will is probated in 1871. Lydia, Addis, George O Townsend, Ida Townsend, Fannie B Townsend, Orvill Townsend, Sarah A Cooper are mentioned.  Guardians appointed for minor children Ida and Fannie.

Truman Townsend 's will probated July 1888 lists Margaret Townsend, wife, George K Townsend, Libbie DeSong of  Watertown, Florence Clark of Franklin County, NY,  Pricilla K Smith of Oak Park, IL as family members.

William Townsend died intestate and in 1866, estate papers are filed . His sons Gilbert S and Devulcout (sp?) step forward along with Eliza Chapman, Mary Ann Sheley (Shelby?), and Miles S Townsend; Two minor children are mentioned of the late Edwin Townsend, son of William. It looks like another son that has a name that is not legible is mentioned. Also M.D. Townsend and Ann Townsend are mentioned.

Oneida Wills Relevant to Jefferson County Townsend Families

Robert Townsend,  Will  filed 1888, testimony that he had been living in Westmoreland, Oneida County  for the last  10 years. This is the oldest son of John Townsend of Philadelphia Village and Bucks County, PA. Will lists second wife, Julie S. Townsend, equal distributions to the children, Abi T. Huntley(sp?), Ann Eliza Bickwell, Ezra R. Townsend, adopted daughter Mary A Carpenter.

Nathaniel Townsend, a citizen of the city of Austin Texas but currently a resident of Troy, NY, October 1863. Wife Angelina, son Benjamin, and friend Fredrick Chandler of Austin, Texas. Generic children mentioned as if he intends to have them in the future, but outside of Benjamin, no specific children named. Provisions for future grandchildren are made, none named. It is a 100+ year will, and looks like the sort of thing filed with a land purchase.

John Townsend of  Westmoreland (not Philadelphia Village). Lists wife Pamela,  sons Henry L. Townsend, George B. Townsend, John Townsend Jr., Martin L. Townsend, William Townsend, daughters Jane Graves (wife of Benjamin Graves), Amelia J. Stoddard (widow), Elizabeth Rogers, wife of Henry Rogers. Provided to help discern any that might drift eastward. [16 July 1860]

Lewis County

I am singularly unimpressed with the indexing of the wills in Lewis. However, once you find the will, you generally find genealogy pay dirt. The judge was extremely detailed in his notes.

Thomas Townsend, brother of John Townsend in Philadelphia, died January 1856. Mentioned are Jesse Townsend, already deceased, Elizabeth Townsend, Thomas's widow; Rachel Rogers the wife of Thomas Rogers,  residing in Grieg,  Lewis County; Sarah Hill, the wife of William Hill residing in Lewis County, Ann Phelps, wife of Solomon Phelps, residing in Lowville, Lewis County,  Thomas J. Townsend of Winnebago, WI; grandchildren listed Thomas T Hill, Western Oneida County, a minor; Abi Gillet, wife of Leonard Gillet residing in Lima, Lewis County; Jesse Townsend, a minor residing at East Avon, Levingston [sic]; Mary Townsend and Margaret Townsend, minors living in Lima. There is apparently an issue because an N. Duane Baker from Minnesota is involved with the will. He is a merchant who had regular contact with Thomas and represented Thomas in his western land interests. The will orders that the lands held in Wisconsin and Michigan be sold and cash given to his daughters Rachel, Sarah, and Ann. Wills said distributions had already been made to son Jesse, Thomas, and daughter Elizabeth. Nothing was to be sold before wife Elizabeth dies, and all profit is to be used to support her until she dies. The distributions occur after her death. The will that is held by Duane Baker has new executors because of Jesse's death.  It is  very detailed, ending with image 396.

Abraham Perkins, mentioned daughter Cynthia Townsend, wife of John Townsend of  Fowler, St. Lawrence County.

Israel Knight, while not a Townsend, certainly someone of note in the Byberry & Mooreland records. On page 325, Giles (7), Joseph (22) lists son Israel Knight. It seems likely this is him. He is also mentioned in Haddock.

Jesse Townsend, son of Thomas Townsend; Jesse Townsend, Margaret Townsend, and Mary Townsend are minors and David Miller of Martinsburg is appointed to represent the children's interests as a disinterested party. Solomon Phelps, Mary Townsend (sister of Jesse), William Hill, and Abi Gillet, appear to prove the will. He made the will at age 49; he died, April 1852.  Abi Gillet is Jesse's daughter as well as three daughters by wife Mary. Daughters Mary Elizabeth and Margaret Amelia receive payments when they are 21. Provisions for care of his parents, Thomas and Elizabeth.

Oswego County

James H Townsend, of the Village of Fulton, d 1872 only person mentioned is wife Julia. He leaves everything to her and mentions no other family member. Will is 553 on J-K. (my James dies much later, this is a man contemporaneous to the James in my line). A beautiful testimony of love for his wife, no other family mentioned.

Baxter Townsend, Wife Jemima W Townsend granted income from estate, Egbert Townsend receives the lands he is on, Egbert and Eliza (wife of Lorenzo Cooper) to share profits after Jemima passes. [Egert and Eliza may be from  prior marriage to Sally while living in Champion, Jefferson County] William Iniff to receive carpenter tools, mentions Jemima's children from prior marriage Hudson, William James, Richard W Quigg. Richard Hard is co-executor with Jemima.

Allenson Townsend, of Schroepple, Oswego, Dec. 23, 1884. A short & sweet will.  Leaves son Harvey in Herkimer County, NY $25.00, the balance to Lucy Townsend, the wife of his son William. After Lucy passes, the shares to be divided equally between William's two daughters Dora and Mary; his son William is named executor.

John Weaver's widow Mary Weaver (formerly of Rome), relevant to the line of Fletcher Jacocks, who married into the Townsend line.

Baxter Townsends Across the Great Lakes

The Baxters Abound

Certainly the Townsend men who arrived in Jefferson County made their mark on the shipping industry on the Great Lakes region. Actually, there was a period in the 1800s where one could set sail on Lake Ontario and wave farewell to a Baxter Townsend in Oswego.

 Then arrive at the other end of the Great Lakes and be greeted by a Baxter Townsend in Danby, Ohio. No kidding. The sons of Henry K Townsend of Jefferson County headed off to Ohio, and strangely, they seemed to gravitate toward Lake Erie. Now, the Baxter in Danby, Ohio is the nephew of the Baxter in Oswego. Baxter in Oswego has a brother Henry K Townsend who married Lara Graves and had a herd of children. Among them is a young man named Baxter. You can look at the states in which the children are born and see the family's pattern of movement.

Beyond the far more readable penmanship of Ohio group's census taker, the other thing that is interesting is to notice the naming patterns, and particularly Clarissa. One can't help but think about the names of the women in the line of James and see the same names, except of course, Gertrude. Clarissa seems very popular in our family in the mid to late 1800s.


Now are these guys part of the Henry K line of the family? I don't think so, but I am not certain. They are in the Northeastern part of Ohio, where most of the Henry K line gravitated, but I simply do not know. It could be another leg of the family drifted into Erie County. It is interesting to see another Absolum alive and well farming, with a Dr. Charles Townsend, a physician. They seem like brothers.

 Well, enough of the Ohio group for the moment. Let's see what we can learn from Old Uncle Baxter's family in New York.

Baxter Townsend from Lyme to Oswego

Baxter appears as an independent household in 1820. It could be that one of the older kids is living with him. I don't know if he is married at this point or if this is one of the sisters living with him. He has a resident alien living with him...

By 1830, the family has left Lyme, Jefferson County, and is living in the Village of Oswego. The family presents as a Mom and Dad and a boy between 5-9 and a little girl under 5. Any siblings that might have been living with him are on their own. Even the babies that barely knew their father, Black River Absolum, would be 30 at this point, and should be having their own families.

In 1840, the family is still in Oswego. The kids are are becoming teenagers.

This is a bit of a repeat with the 1850 Census, but it provides the only opportunity to see the Baxter Townsend household with Baxter. There is a William Lingl living with the family, from New Jersey. I've no idea if they are related. We learn the name of Baxter's wife, Jemima, from Maryland. Gerrit Smith, a boatman, is also living with the family.

The 1860 Census is virtually unreadable for the family, so the index will have to do.  However, it appears that Baxter is no longer with the family. Jemima now says she is from Rhode Island. It appears that Gerrit is still with the family. I suspect that Jemima is taking in boarders to make ends meet.

I would not venture to guess the relationship between these folks and the family. They may simply be boarders. E Townsend could be a son, but I simply do not know. For me, this is a line lost in time, unless there is a family member who can discern the information.  However, I think it speaks to the difficulty of parsing the census. One simply doesn't know the relationships between all the people in a household unless one has family information.  I guess that is why keeping family information has historically been so important.

But back to Baxter Townsend, the man. He was far more than simply a carpenter, although that itself is a noble thing. He was one of the trustees that started the Village of Oswego. He is one of the original Trustees chosen at the first meeting.

This was the sign one saw when they entered the Village Building in 1839-1840s. Notice the name of the 4th Trustee is Baxter Townsend.

Here is the record that he was sworn into office.

In 1844, it seems that a Charles Parker wanted the Village to build a sidewalk to Baxter Townsend's property. One gets the impression that there was a lot of traffic to Baxter's property (4th paragraph, left column). We know that Baxter was on 7th Street. 

It seems by 1845, Baxter was operating in the role of Fire Warden for the community.

In 1846, Baxter Townsend was appointed to a committee to report on graveling sidewalks, perhaps because people wanted the sidewalk to go to his house.

The Village meeting notes show he was still acting as the Fire Warden in 1847.

Baxter appears to have been active in local government. His name is all over the records of the early founders of the community. 

So, what happens to Baxter? Well, I imagine by 2014, it is safe to say he is dead. However, it appears he is no longer in Oswego by 1860. Does he die? Does he leave?

The 1860 Census is practically unreadable. But in St. Lawrence County, there is an entry.

County:	St. Lawrence County
Township:	3 W Ogdenburgh
Year:	1860
Record Type:	Federal Population Schedule
Page:	148
Database:	NY 1860 Federal Census Index

Is this him? Is this another nephew from another brother? A son? If Henry K (who had children born in St. Lawrence) names his sons after his brothers, then I would imagine the other sons might do the same.


Allenson Townsend of New York, Which One?

I mentioned in a prior entry that there were a few Allensons/Allenton, and after this, I think the reader will understand why I am shy on delineating them. I notice not far from where the  Baxter lived, there are the little villages of Schroeppel and Phoenix. In the picture above you can see that they are not far from Lake Ontario.  That would be near Baxter. Constantia is not far from view and my James b. 1819 in Jefferson County is also settled somewhere in view, in the 1870s.

 One might expect  the descendants of orphans to hang tough together in one region.

In 1870, somewhere between Schroeppel and Phoenix, in Oswego County not far from Baxter and James, there lived a very old man named Allenson Townsend. He lived with William Townsend and his wife Lucy. At first, the geography seems right.

Then one does the follow up work on the gent and realizes that this may yet another family group. While I have no doubt that it is a cousin line, the question is which cousin. Is this the Allenton son of Absolum and Alce? Son of Isreal? Son of another?

This guys says in 1855 that he is from Putnam. Since Putnam was created in 1812, this gent likely left  after the creation of Putnam, or else he would have reported Dutchess. Now, it could be this actually is our guy giving us a new clue on Absolum's path into New York, so we don't want to shut the door entirely. We need a fellow from Herkimer, or "Canada" for the Creek at Fairfield, not a gent from Putnam as far as I know. So while the name is right, and the geography is right, and related names convenient, this gent  may not be the Allenton we are seeking, unless we find that  Absolum who settles in the Black River region came to Herkimer through Dutchess (Putnam would have been in Dutchess County during the life of Absolum of the Black River Settlement).  However, I've no reason to believe that Black River Absolum came that route at the present time.

There appears to be some evidence to suggest that this particular Allenson is the son of  Israel and  Keziah Paddock Townsend. A message left on a "Find A Grave" website for Israel and Keziah in New Jerusalem in Herkimer County suggests he belongs to that group and not ours. Of course, messages left on "Find A Grave" are not proof, only a claim of proof. Claims require substantiation and I have found more than one error on Find a Grave messages. (See my blog on Ezra Townsend).

It seems that this farmer is a long way off from that family group. A claim of "from" Putnam County is strange for our group, but it is also strange for their group too. Their group all claims Litchfield in Herkimer, but since our Allenton went back to Herkimer for a time, it is hard to say. I would have thought this one was their guy.

 So it may be that this Allenson in the Schroeppel, Oswego region belongs to neither group and could easily belong to Harrison Townsend. We simply do not know from a census page. 

What I can say is that it does not appear that Alce's children were raised by this gent if he is really from Putnam. He isn't even in the correct part of the state at the time in question.

But before we leave Oswego, there are some gentleman that seem worthwhile to point out. They are in the New Haven area of Oswego. They seems like brothers.  They are a year apart in age, and appear to have been born about the time of our missing guys. Are they them? I've no idea. But they should be researched so that we don't confuse them with ours since they are contemporaneous and in the same region of New York.  If they are NOT ours, then we need to consider them so as to keep the records straight for future researchers; if they are ours, they could be given their due in the family history.

It may be more productive to return to Jefferson County and begin filling in the blanks. Sometimes following a co-line opens a door, and sometimes it creates confusion. I think this is one of those times where it causes confusion. At least we know that most of Henry K's people busy populating the state of Ohio, Quaker John's people are populating Wisconsin, and Horace group has left the region. Baxter and Allenton have left the region too.  That means the residuals who are not of the Martin line have an good probability of being the remnant of the Absolum group.


Thus, we trudge back to Jefferson County, where our family line was lost, to see what can be reclaimed from errant historical writings of a past generation, poorly transcribed census indices, missing wills, intentionally destroyed church records, and the silent unmarked graves that remain as an obstacles to our heritage.

Musings on Alce Townsend

Even people who live the most obscure lives leave a trail. Sometimes obscurity is intention, and sometimes it is not. While the history books go out of their way to avoid mentioning Absolum/Abraham and Alce, we know they existed. We know they were real, and they were trying to raise their families and live their lives on the winds of change. Alce lived through at least one war, and stuff happens during wars. Families often get separated, people die, and communication and travel is not always what it should be.

In sorting through Absolum/Abraham, or whatever his name is, it becomes rather tricky. There is one mentioned in the Keeler genealogy who has a father, Elihu Townsend, that takes off to Canada when the war begins and leaves the land to his 4 children. That family's Absolum is not noted for anything more than "died near Albany, NY." I suppose if one is in Connecticut, the Black River region might be perceived in such a way. However, there is scant to go on, except that an Absolum Townsend was related to someone who married into the Keeler family and that the father was Elihu Townsend.

Then there is another prospect in Herkimer County. There is a cemetery called New Jersusalem that has a group of Isaacs, Allenton, and other similar names. What is worse is that the gentlemen seem to be contemporaneous with ours, so without spouses, it is virtually impossible to sort them out, and I am not particularly motivated to do it. It becomes a pile of Allenton Townsend observations in Herkimer, Oswego, and St. Lawrence who don't want to stay put. All I can say is that one belongs to our group and one belongs to Israel Townsend, and maybe some day I'll have the patience to figure it out.

Then there is one that actually did run off to Canada who is contemporaneous with our guy. I'm not sure how this plays out but he apparently served in the New York Militia in Orange County and then headed to Canada to settle. Now his family is easy to distinguish from ours by geography after the war, and because he has a large number of daughters; he reenters the US via Michigan so he is squarely out of the state of New York.  But when they are single, I am left scratching my head.

Alce Townsend Land Sales

But Alce is another matter.  When she sells the land, the one thing she excludes is the land with the school.

That is how I can tell I am on the right track. This seems like someone who James would be connected to in some way.  James always seem to have a teacher living with the family, even when they leave Jefferson County.  Notice, the school is obviously in place because it is referenced in the land document. Now, I don't feel right posting the sale of the record here, as it is not mine, but if one looks at this sale, just by the date and time it is recorded, there are lands excepted from the purchase. They are the lands associated with the school.

The school is noted in the historical record by LH Lewis. It seems to be the one time our family gets some kind of mention. At least we know the school was built in 1821.























Now, who was the gentleman that bought the lands from Alce at such a fine bargain of $350? William Cooper. Who was that? Well, he went on to become quite a prominent man, based on his acquisition of a considerable amount of land. Yes, that is how the history books describe it. Not that there was widow who was ill with a large family that sold it to him and built a school, but merely that he became a large land owner. 

No mention of Alce, from whom the land was acquired. This is what John Haddock relates (I added the title). 




































Notice two things; first Haddock finally admits that there were people there before the Quakers arrived. Cooper was there in 1798, which predates the Quaker settlement by a decade.  But we also get the idea that he lived on the land and died there. Elsewhere in the book, Haddock provides a very romantic notion of the couple, portraying her as a woman of French Nobility who wept at the sight of the French Revolution.

So, our Alce sold the land to her highness the shirt-tail relative of Marie Antoinette.

Haddock also describes the lands they bought as deep forest and unimproved. You can read it for yourself below if you choose. He even has the couple's prenuptial agreement. He says nothing about the woman from whom the land was acquired.

 

While interesting, it doesn't shed any light on where Alce and the kids may be in the 1820 census and who might have raised them in the 1830 Census. We know they are somewhere, and they are not with her highness there and French Cooper.

We have no idea WHAT might have happened to the school. It clearly important to both Absolum and Alce.

The Family Group

I thought I would put together the census and try to put together a possible family group. This is highly speculative, but I wanted to discern if the theory I was working on was even feasible and how things would "play out" in subsequent census periods. To know what one is looking for in the 1820 census, one has to know the family structure in some detail.  This is a large contingent of boys and a couple of girls,  so they should be fairly obvious in the census. We have two census periods we can be certain about, and one that is speculative, down in Montgomery County. I have a suspicion that we do not have the whole family group, and may well be missing children. I suspect that there may be an older child who stayed behind, perhaps from a prior marriage, because he would have been old enough to be on his own.

This is highly speculative and is a working picture. Nothing here is proven except the numbers from the two census periods.

I parsed the boys out to see who might be eligible to fit in those slots, and to see if any of it did make sense. We don't know how old Absolum/Abraham is when he dies, but in the absence of an accident, one must assume it was old age, so I gave him a larger estimated time of birth. Given Alce's fertility, I am more inclined to go with a 1765 birth year for her, but there is a logical possibility that she is slightly older, and so I have included that. If she was 34, she would still be under 45 in the 1810 Census, and 35 seems like a reasonable date for a guess.

The ages and places parsed out by the children are highly speculative. Henry K for example, has a birth year that comes from the Ohio narrative, and not from the census. Baxter's age comes from his census. Charles's age is from a family history on Ancestry.com. William's age comes from his burial in Jefferson County. James's age comes from the 1855 state census. We have no way to know that this is the actual family group. Maybe none of these guys are related.

We could clearly be missing a child at the lower end and at the upper end of the family. In fact, I am certain there are missing older children.

By the 1820 census, we know the older 4 boys should be on their own, and they do present in the census. That still leaves the 3 little boys and one little girl, and a twenty something female. Sadly, we don't have her name, and if she married it isn't in the data on the NNYGenealogy website. I tried some bride surname searches and came up with nothing.

I have an idea that the Absolum that is in Millford is somehow the key to this. However, if his age is right on this census, he is too old to be Alce's son. An 81 year old man in the 1850 census would be born in 1769, and that is, I suspect before Alce is even born. But a 19 year old man off to war might have left a bride and baby, so it is possible that this old guy is the key to unlocking the past.

Milford is worlds away from the Black River region. But it is in Kent County and that is not far from where the Bucks County and Burlington County group originated. If the family was ever there, there should be evidence of some kind. There is a large Townsend clan in Cape May and that is across the bay from Kent.

I didn't find anything for Absolum the father except the tombstone inscription of the son in the Census above. But I did find something else interesting. A probate file for one Caleb Jervis in Milford, Delaware that mentions a daughter, Alce Townsend. IF this is our Alce Townsend, then we know they were married before 1789, and that they are from the Milford area of Delaware. That means the Census form that was found from 1790 would be  Absolum the son, not the Dad. It also means that we still have to find them in the 1790 census.

It is certainly jumping the shark, but at least we have an idea that we might be on the right track. If we can't find the kids in the Black River region, maybe they were taken to Milford?

Some Final Thoughts on Land Deals

I also thought about the land sale for .66 of an acre that Alce undertakes earlier, not long after she is widowed. That sounds like a small plot of land, like for a building or a store. It is too big for an easement, and really too small to farm.  I thought about this piece below that appears to be owned by J Howard by 1864, and wondered if it might be the same piece of land. If so, it might provide a clue where to look for Alce and the children in the 1820 Census. Notice there is a G Townsend and a W Townsend on either side in 1864. I suspect those two guys are among the missing children born between the 1800 and 1810 Census.





This parcel was bought by Stephen McCoomber. He later goes to Watertown, but one never knows what one will find in 1830.  So I decided to look at the census page with Mr. Stephen McCoomber to see who might be living with him, or who might be in the neighborhood in 1830.

How easy can it be to stash 3 boys and a girl? I found Samuel Kanady, who is the witness on the will. By the way, and by the 1830 census, he is the county supervisor and the post man. Stephen McCoomber looks like he is getting along in the world with his own little boys. The Barber family there and that  is who Old James goes to work for in later years. I'd say Mr. William Phillips has a rather large number of young men living with him. I wonder who he marries? He isn't his own household in the 1820 census, and is not very old himself in this census.













Perhaps we will never know. However, my guy appears out of no where in  and the 1840 census.

It would be helpful in establishing things to find him earlier, and know for certain which son, if any that James b 1819 originated.

The next step is to try to examine the households to determine to whom our guys belong.  I don't know if we will ever know for certain, but some kind of effort should be made to establish a solid connection.

Beyond the Census Index: Musings on the "Canadian" Townsends of Jefferson County That Escape The Regional Histories

Noting that we left old Quaker John with an unaccounted for male born between between 1794-1800, I am willing to go back to the census and who else is available as a local progenitor, assuming there is one. 

Something here is not quite right. There are too many Townsend men claiming to be from the area relative to the number of Townsend men in the Census. Hum....

Harrison Townsend listed here seems out of place. So I paged through the actual census the old fashioned way with the newer technology.

 Haris is very interesting, but seems to leave the region quickly, more quickly than modes of travel of the era suggest. His mother Polly is the stuff of legends, but he is not this man. I looked at the Census. There is no Harrison Townsend. There is a William Harrison and his data matches Harrison Townsend.  However, I am fairly confident he is not my ancestor. He appears in Putnam by 1840 well established in the community of Phillipstown. He is a worthy man in his own right, but he does not appear in the Census of Jefferson County in 1810 or 1820. If he is there, it is so brief, that it isn't genealogically relevant.

But I found a few others that are not in the index.

But before I leave this chart, I want to mention the other families.

There is Joseph there with 5 little boys and two teen age boys and a 16-26 year old male, a 26-45 year old male, and a 45+ male. There is one female to match all the other categories. One gets the sense that a young couple is living with the family. There is a 45+ female and male; there is a female 16-26 and a male. In looking at the 1820 census, it is clear that is exactly the case. I've been informed by cousins that DNA tests in that line do not match the DNA in my line, and they belong to the Martin Townsend line. However, I may come back to this group, because I believe it to an interesting example of the drift of population. Notice, they list below in the census as Champion. But they appear in later census in Philadelphia Village.

But onto what I can figure out about my own group. Now, we've looked at the Quaker group, and the Johnathan/Josiah/Timothy group has been excluded on YDNA testing. Horace doesn't stick around long, and he goes back to Townsendville, the hub of the Dutchess Townsend family. For those unfamiliar with Horace, his line is delineated in the Townsend genealogy in the clip below.

Cleveland Abbe, The Townsend Genealogy (1909)

While this narrows the field, it isn't helpful to me. There is more missing than meets the eye. There are still too many Townsend men even with Allenton, Baxter, and Henry.

Missing Townsend from the 1820 NNY Genealogy Website Census Index

In looking at the 1820 Census I also found something else interesting. There is a guy who didn't make the abstract of the census published on the internet for Jefferson County. He is there, he just isn't in the abstract produced by the NY genealogy website. His name is Charles Townsend. He also has quite a large group of males. He is there in 1830 as well. He is right by "Old James" as I called him in the first blog post.

That leaves this other group of Alan, Baxter, and Henry. There is also, of course, Charles, who ends up moving up St. Lawrence way with Allan. "Old James" states in the 1855 state census that he is from Herkimer, and while he doesn't have any children of the right age to be "my" progenitor, he may yet turn up of interest in other matters.


The Genealogy of Violin Manufacturer, Ship's Captain, and a Jewelers In Ashtebula, Ohio.

 Now the "Henry-Allen-Baxter" group has been the subject of some inquiry. The family has played an important role in several communities, but the information on the genealogies has been couched in those regions and not Jefferson County. For example, in the Biographical Sketches of Northeaster Ohio Embracing the Counties of Ashtebula,Geauga, and Lake published by Lewis Publishing in 1893, the genealogy of one of their prominent local residents, Perry Townsend, is given as follows:

Henry K Townsend was born in Fairfield, New York April 13, 1798. His wife, Laura Graves was born in Rupert, Vermont, 1799. They got married in Champion, New York on July 21, 1817.

Their children were
Allen G Townsend,
Baxter Townsend,
Henry Townsend  Henry was born in Grovenor, St. Lawrence County, 1824. He married Ursala Higgly (born 1824) of Ohio. He served in Company C of the 177 Regiment of the Ohio Volunteers and discharged in 1865. He was wounded and spent 4 months in a southern hospital.
    Children Perry (married Ida Bell 1891), Freeland (b 1850), Henry B (1867). Henry B produced violins.
Eliza G Townsend,
Simeon Townsend (a resident of Chicago)

Now, it is a very nice genealogy of a family of very accomplished men and gives a few more details, but for our purposes, this will send us on our way researching. What we quickly realize is that the genealogy doesn't quite bear the weight of the data.  The people are "right" and the locations are "right," but it is as if they have confused a generation, or left it out, or smushed things a bit. It is a corporate genealogy, thus it is written to convey a corporate image and to market the region as a land of opportunity more than it is aimed at preserving historical information. Thus, unfortunate information isn't likely to emerge. But, it is better than nothing.

According to the 1820 Census in Jefferson County, Allanton is between 26-45 years of age. Baxter's household has two males between 26- 45 and a matching female. My guess is that Baxter, Eliza, and Simeon are living together in the middle household.  We just don't know. Then we have Henry and his wife both between 16- 26, and a male child under 10. That would work for a son Allen, but not the Allen who is listed as his own household.  However, there is no biological way that Henry K Townsend born Fairfield in 1798 and married in Champion in 1817 is the father of the households listed in the 1820 Census. This seems to be a man naming his sons for his brothers.


Let's check some basics. First, is there even a Graves family with an eligible daughter in Champion, Jefferson County? It appears there is one with a female who is in the 10-15 year old age slot. If Laura Graves exists in Champion, Jefferson County, NY, she should be 11-12 years old. So, there is an eligible female. There is also a Robert Graves in LeRay with an eligible daughter, so there is at least two girls surnamed Graves between 11-12 in the county that are eligible to be her. There is also a Josiah Graves in Vermont that has a daughter named Lara, but the year is a tad bit earlier than the Ohio genealogy suggests, and is claimed by the Pettigrews as a female progenitor. Thus, I suspect the Rupert, Vermont might be where Lara's parents were from, but Lara may have been born in Champion. If this was my family, I would be consulting the Pettigrew genealogy. It might be helpful for a descendant researching Lara's parents.

Another Townsend researcher informs me that when Henry went to Ohio, he bought the land from a Josiah Graves. Thus, it could well be that Henry married Laura in Champion, and her father could have gone to Ohio, and Henry to St. Lawrence. Maybe the fellow above indexed as James is really Josiah? Who knows... Maybe they really married in Ohio and the genealogy has it wrong? That I leave for another to determine.

For my purposes, I can safely exclude Henry K as a progenitor. He is clearly a younger brother of Allen and Baxter. He is too young to be the progenitor of my line, and his bio doesn't match my James Townsend's bio.

It would make more sense with the data if Henry K was a brother to Allen and Baxter who had sons Allen and Baxter! I suspect that might be the case.There are a couple of  Allen Townsend entries in 1850 Census of Ohio. There is a Freeland in the 1850 Ohio Census in Milon, Erie. I don't know if it is the same Freeland or not, but I can't imagine there are many men named Freeland Townsend  in Northeast Ohio. So maybe the Allan, Baxter bunch in Ohio are sons of Henry K, and perhaps Henry K named his sons for his brothers?

That is speculative, but one never knows.

Back to New York....


Tis a strange thing. There is also the missing Charles who has a herd of young males. The easy way out for me is to glom onto Charles who has a James and Paulina born in LeRay. But at the end of this inquiry, you'll see why I am still messing with this group of Henry, Allen, Baxter, and I suspect Charles. Charles, like my guy, reports he is from Canada.

While St. Lawrence is "practically" Canada, it is not Canada at that time in history. Canada did not exist as a nation during this time, and Americans would have referred to it as Great Britain. Even in 1957, when my father is naturalized, it is referenced as Great Britain, not Canada.

Now the records show that Allenton went to Gouverneur in St. Lawrence and then later went to Herkimer where he became the first postmaster. That is in the first blog under "Other Townsend Groups." Baxter heads to Oswego and while he lists as a Carpenter, one gets the idea that he might have worked in the shipyard. He seems to have Boatmen living with him and his sons grow up to work in the shipping industry.

The reference in the Ohio Genealogy to Gouverneur is curious, since a Townsend was instrumental in starting the town, along with a Mr. Gouverneur  Morris. Morris is credited with word-smithing the preamble to the U.S. Constitution and being the youngest member of the Continental Congress, so he is well documented in history. He bought the land and set out to establish a settlement. The history of the community states, 

"In the summer of 1805, Dr. Richard Townsend was hired by landowner Morris to lead a team of men into the survey-town of Cambray for the purpose of establishing settlements. In the fall, they returned up the Oswegatchie River to the small island at the site of the present village of Gouverneur. In April of 1810, the name was changed from Cambray and the town of Gouverneur was formally created by an act of the New York State Legislature and named for its landowner. Dr. Townsend was elected the town’s first supervisor."

So it seems, these guys head toward the lakes There is even a port of Townsend. There is even a James up there who has a James, and there seems to be some people who might still be related to the original group.

Richard's line ends up in a little town in Illinois not far from where I grew up. Strange how that works out.

Well,  my guy, James is not at all like these guys. He appears to stay in LeRay, and later takes a job building churches when he moves. That is ultimately how the Townsend and Jacocks families meet. They are church people and glass blowers, not sailors. But that is not so with these guys. Apparently, these guys can navigate a ship without barfing their guts out and the Gospel is not on their radar, except for an occasional holiday or burial at sea.

That doesn't make them bad; they are just very different. Anyone would be proud to have these guys as their ancestors. They just are not mine. They might be cousins, but they are very different people.

 Now, the problem with the St. Lawrence region for a farming generation is that the land wasn't suitable for farming because of all the rock. If one has ever tried to farm rocky land, one will appreciate this statement. It is hard to till bedrock. I spent a few summers of my life "rock farming" with my father on a southern Missouri hill-top, so I am quite confident that farming in this region is similar, and not what it is in Jefferson County. The soil layer is too thin for corn, and everyone grows wheat, lettuce, Belgian endive, or cabbage family plants  or some other shallow root commodity. It has to be combined with dairy farming, sheep herding, chickens, or some other kind of farming that will build up the soil. For a crop farmer, this is not a good place, but for someone willing to acquire new skills, or who can stand being on a boat without barfing, there are opportunities.

There is excellent stone in the region. The region became known for its stone, and for Lifesavers (the candy). The stone slabs were polished and cut and shipped to Chicago, New York, and everywhere for buildings. Chicago had a particularly high demand.  In 1930 when the depression hit, building came to a screeching halt as did shipments of stone. Many of the buildings in Chicago were build from the stone from this region of New York.

That must be how Captain Simeon Townsend, listed above, ends up in Chicago. I suspect, given that the younger Henry is born in St. Lawrence County (in the Ohio genealogy above) that this is also where Simeon was born.

And who is Richard who appears to have dragged the family to the region, and what about the men missing from the census abstracts? How does he play into this whole affair? Is Richard the progenitor of that group? Is he a kinsman of Abraham/Absolum/ or whoever?

I suspect this is a point where the Oyster bay records should be consulted.

My guy apparently stayed in LeRay. I'm not sure that this group is mine, but they are certainly interesting, but this is getting to be a bit like herding cats. I suspect the answer may lie one more census period back.

The Man The 1810 Census Abstract Missed

Now, these men are not really missing in the sense they are lost. They ARE missing from  the index and the history books,  but they know where they are from and where they are at and where they are going. They are on the census form, which is why when in doubt, one goes to the actual page. So, the term "lost" here is tongue and cheek. They are not lost in geography and purpose, but have been lost in time from the index and the histories. Our job is to extract them and discover the story they leave behind.

My own line begins in 1850 on the first line of the first page of the Philadelphia Settlement and so there I will return.

On the first line, of the first page of LeRay's Philadephia Settlement in 1810, there is a curious entry.  He is with the same group as John Townsend and Thomas Townsend. And just like the song says, Father Abraham has many sons.....they guy appears to have 8 of them in LeRay.

He has more sons that anyone in the settlement! How is it that Haddock does not mention him?

I was told the guy wasn't in the census. Yet, there he is with a fine herd of young males, a baby girl, an older teen female, and a wife. How does this guy escape all the existing narratives of the region?

Is he a Quaker? Haddock notes that everyone there was a Quaker except Jason Merrick. Yes Haddock misses this guy, as does the New York Genealogy Website.

The History of Byberry and Mooreland is silent on the matter. If he is a Quaker, he is not from those townships. That isn't too troubling. The Stricklands were from Burlington, NJ, and they get only a tiny mention in the book because Rachel Townsend marries John Strickland Jr. So the silence of the Byberry and Mooreland book simply means the man isn't from there.

 But what is very strange is that John Haddock doesn't mention Abraham at all. Haddock mentions details that suggest he is consulting original records and even discusses the names of obscure survey assistants, trail markers, and minutia of all sorts, and yet nothing on Abraham. Nothing.  He lists all the original settlers (no Abraham Townsend on the list) but then he states that they are all Quakers from Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania, except Merrick.

He doesn't mention Abraham. Why?  If he is a guide, why is his family with him, indeed why would he still be sticking around after 1808? No, he settles there. He lives there. There are land records.

Is he from another Townsend group like the Josiah bunch? The Townsend Genealogy by Cleveland Abbe has no entry for an Abraham Townsend, Absolum Townsend, or an Abner.

As I looked at this Abraham, I started thinking about the number of people searching in Jefferson County with "dead ends" and ancestors reporting to be from Canada, and thinking how odd this situation really seems to be. This is just after the American Revolution and before the War of 1812 and it seems an unlikely place for a British subject to head. I started to contemplate the whole notion of what they meant by being "from Canada."

Geographical Musings on Canada

These men are out there where there is no government, and everything is referenced by geographical markers. I also noticed that in the genealogies of Quaker John Townsend and the other Quakers, they do NOT say "died in the Philadelphia Village Settlement of Jefferson County, NY."   They say he died in the Black River region. They don't even state the name of the state. It is quite peculiar.

I toyed with the idea that perhaps Cambray (bought by Mr Morris above and renamed Gouverneur) was a disputed territory. But I don't think that is the Canada my ancestors are referencing.

 I think when my guy says he is from Canada in 1850, I don't think he meant the nation north of the 49th parallel and the St. Lawrence River. Canada wasn't a county until 1867. These guys are not from the nation of Canada but "Canada Country," the land by a creek named Canada near Fairfield in Herkimer County.

Fairfield is also listed in the Ohio genealogy as the birthplace for Henry K. Townsend. Is this Abraham/Absolum guy there? It does appear that there is some one there who might be the guy, and he has 7 or 8 males who may be children or son-in-laws  in the 1810 census.  In the 1800 Census, he has 4 sons under 10, so any one of them, probably one of the younger ones, could be Henry K born 1799.

Now, I don't know if this is my ancestor. I honestly don't. Since they sold the land, there is no reason to believe that any ancestor of mine would be connected to a prior owner or occupant unless the deed conferred or implied such a relationship. Furthermore, it is unclear that Abraham and Absolum are even the same person. It is a bit of a leap of faith to suppose they are, but they could be different guys.It is just a strange coincidence that my guy shows up in 1850 in the first slot of the Philadelphia Village where Abraham showed up in the 1810 Census years earlier, I suppose. But maybe it is worth looking into.

I think these "Canadian" Townsend men in Jefferson County might belong to this guy. It think they were born on the banks of the Canada Creek in Fairfield, Herkimer County.


Then there is the strange entry in the 1790 Census. Is this Abraham, Absolum of Jefferson County or his son? How does a single guy living in a gandaouage wind up living in a Quaker settlement way up north? This wasn't just an Iroquois Village, but a gandaouage, an Indian version of Masada, a place where one could "hidy-hole" for years.  Another line of my family owned land near this place, so the area is not unknown to me (they were on the other side of the war).  This place has a view of the Hudson Valley that would be of utmost value in a war time situation, and just plain gorgeous in all situations.

It is a gathering place for Iroquois, their Kahn-a-dah.

For a private in the New York Militia during the American Revolution, I guess that is as good a place as any to find him, if it is him. I wonder if it is his son? Maybe he is just "some guy" with the same name?

It certainly gives the term "Canada" a new meaning. The French Jesuits had a school there, and it was a place the French held dear in the French and Indian War.

James LeRay was French.






Back to "Father Abraham"

It seems from land records gleaned by a cousin, Absolum who is in Jefferson County, NY does not live much past the 1810 Census. He has a wife in the land records referenced as Alce' who appears to sell some land after he dies. After she dies, there is a will probated around 1827. They may be more than one tract of land.  There is a probate file, but no will appears to be on the microfilm, just a statement from an S Kanady that there was one, which is a big disappointment. The other item is that the land sales are in Champion, but in the Census, the family appears in LeRay.

In 1830, an Abner Townsend is in Lewis County. I found him when I was parsing the sons of John and Thomas Townsend. Is this a son of Abraham/Absolum? Is this the Abner caught by the troops? Is this just some guy named Abner who wandered into Lewis County with John Townsend Jr named Abner? It looks like a "relic" is living with this Abner, but it is too late to be our Alce'. The 1850 Census presents a child named Abner in the home of a Nathan Townsend, but no old Abner.

Back to the original couple, Abraham/Absolum,and Alce', Elsie, or whatever her name is


She should be in the 1820 Census somewhere.... Her will is probated in 1827, but the microfilm my cousin found shows no will, just a statement by S. Kanady that he witnessed it.

An interesting statement in one of the land transactions is that she is "the relic" of Absolum Townsend. I think I'd have to be pretty old to view myself as a relic. When I think of a relic, I think of this guy below. His name is Absolum Townend. He is in the 1850 Census as an 81 year old man. In 1850? That is a relic!

According to find a grave (Find a Grave Memorial# 46894069), his name is Absolum Townsend, son of Absolum Townsend and his wife was Mary McNutt. He says he is from Delaware, at least what his son Charles to put that on the headstone. Kent seems quite far south for anyone in my family, but one never knows. Kent isn't that far from Burlington, NJ and Byberry and Mooreland, at least not far from my perspective. I suspect it could be traveled in one's days ride in the 1790, and perhaps faster in the 1850s, if one traveled by Steamer. It would not be out of line for someone who traveled with a bunch from Byberry & Moorland PA and Burlington, NJ to be found in Kent, Delaware years later.

Or maybe they are unrelated and just have similar names and it is all a coincidence. Maybe he is part of the group in Cape May?

The take away for me today is

1) don't trust the Census index, look at the actual forms

2) the existing narratives of the region have some big omissions. 

3) Canada is a creek, and to be from "Canada" in Jefferson County probably means one is from Fairfield, NY in Herkimer County or a Mohawk Village in Montgomery County.

4) Henry Townsend might be a cousin line, but he is not my direct progenitor.
5) I think some cousins will hate me tonight.

But there are lot of Townsend guys from this Abraham that need to be parsed. I suspect that the sons of this Abraham are the ones who really built Jefferson County.  This one is going to be some work.

First it has to be established whether or not Abraham and Absolum are the same men or different men. That is the next task. Gathering up the Canadian Townsends in Jefferson County could be another matter.