Holbrook line: John Eames 1737-1815

 John Eames is another ancestor who hasn't left us a lot of records.  We have a tantalizing glimpse of him, or perhaps it is him, in the Revolutionary War.  We know who he married and we know his children.  We have census records for 1790-1800, and 1810.  And we have a death date.  So this will be another short post, for which I apologize.

John Eames was born shortly before September 11, 1737, (the date he was baptized) to John and Rachel Comstock Eames, in Norwich, Connecticut.  According to his death record, he may have been born as early as 1728.  He was one of only three children known to have been born to John and Rachel, so he would have received plenty of parental attention, and also plenty of chores.  (Full disclosure: There are trees on line that believe the John Eames baptized September 11, 1737, was a different John Eames.  Based on geography, I tend to go with his parents being John and Rachel but am open to reviewing any facts or documents I may have missed.  Please contact me.)  Rachel is thought to have been only 15 or 16 at the time of her marriage, so she certainly had her hands full. 

John grew up in Norwich, which at the time was a rather large area.  Lisbon was incorporated from part of Norwich in 1786, so it is quite likely that John lived his whole life in the same area, if not on the same farm, where he grew up.  John married  Elizabeth (Betty or Betsey) Longbottom, daughter of James and Elizabeth Jackson Longbottom on November 23, 1758, in the middle of the French and Indian War.  I haven't been able to determine whether John served in that war but it is certainly possible.  If nothing else, he would have been part of the local militia.  

John and Betty are known to have had at least seven together, if the list I've seen is correct. If the two youngest are indeed theirs, Elizabeth had children well into her 40's, which, while not impossible by any means, would have been a bit unusual.  Their known children were Rufus, Comfort, Anna, Cyrus, Lucy, and possibly Gideon and Lydia.  We don't know anything about John's life during this time, except that he likely farmed.  

Was John a soldier in the Revolutionary War?  A man by that name, a sergeant in Col. William Douglas's Regiment, is listed on the pay roll of Lt. Robert Parke or Parke's Company, serving in New York.  (This information is from "Collections of the Connecticut Historial Society Revolution Rolls and Lists 1775-1783, Volume VIII.)  This John Eames entered the service on September 7, 1776.  He is credited with 2 months and 21 days of service, being discharged on November 20 of 1776.  In the records, it is noted that "The above company found themselves 17 guns, 17 blankets, and 17 knapsacks."  Colonel William Douglas's unit was present when the British invaded New York at Kip's Bay, and this was the unit that tipped George Washington over the edge when he caught them retreating.  Washington himself is reported to have flogged some of the men.  He must not have realized that this unit had been together only 9 days at the time of this battle.  The company appears to have also taken part in the Battle of White Plains in October of that year.  We don't know for certain that this is our John Eames, and we don't know for certain that he was present at these two battles, but it is worth noting as a possibility, maybe even a strong possibility.

Rufus, Comfort, and Cyrus all appear on Revolutionary War lists, noted that they came from Norwich, so if John wasn't the man mentioned above, he still instilled patriotism in his children and for that he deserves our thanks.  

John died according to the Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions, on December 4, 1815 at the age of 86 years and six months.  Betsey, consort of John, died May 22, apparently in 1816, at the age of 79 years and 5 months.  I haven't been able to locate a will for either of them, which would certainly be helpful in determining their financial situation, and if we could find an inventory, it would help us determine an occupation and perhaps more.  

This is little to go on for a man who lived in such fascinating times.  I hope to find more records and to verify whether or not John participated in either of the wars I've mentioned, as well as more about his life.  If a reader happens to know more of John's life, I'd sure like to hear from you!

The line of descent is

John Eames-Elizabeth Longbottom

Anna (or Hannah) Eames-James Lamphire

Susan Lamphire-Joseph Eddy

Susan Eddy-Hiram Stanard

Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick

Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook

Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen

Their descendants

Beeks line: John Bloomfield or Blumfield, died about 1639

 Once again, there's not a lot of information about an immigrant ancestor, and what little there is seems to be conflicting.  So what else is new?  I'm going to give the barest of information here, because an ancestor deserves to at least be acknowledged, and perhaps someday more will be found about him.

John Bloomfield or Blumfeild or some combination close to those names was born about 1583-85, probably in Woodbuiry, Sussex, England.  His father may be another John Bloomfield, but I doubt if he's the Sir Henry Bloomfield I've seen on some trees.  At least, I've not found documentation for this claim.  But he may be some relation, as at least they were in the same county at the same time.  

It's believed that John's wife was named Elspeth or Elizabeth, although once again, I can't find records.  They were probably married about 1610 because the oldest of their five known children was born about 1611, with the last born about 1619.  John may have remarried to someone named Ann, because I'm finding her name mentioned as a wife also; again, I've not found any actual records.

Robert Charles Anderson's Great Migration Directory shows him as having arrived in Newbury, Massachusetts, about 1637, when he would have been in his early or middle fifties.  His son Thomas arrived at about the same time.  It also shows that he was made a freeman at some point.  

Sadly, John didn't live long in the New World.  He died in 1639-1640 in Newbury.  (Many trees say he died in Woodbridge, New Jersey but that town was not yet established, and his will is abstracted in "The Probate Records of Essex County", by the Court of Assistants of Boston.  The brief abstract of his will that I've found leaves the house and grounds to his son, Thomas, who was also in the colony, and his "lame" daughter was to have the overplus of the goods not disposed of.  Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of the will or of his inventory, but at least this indicates that he had a few things of value to bequeath.  Since no wife was mentioned, he may have been a widower by this time.

This is as much information as I have been able to locate.  He was in Massachusetts Bay Colony for only a few years.  If he was a freeman, as Anderson indicates, then he was a church member also.  He would have been an active part of his new community (Newbury was formed in 1635).  He lived at a relatively good time in the colony's history, as there were few tensions with the native Americans at this point.  He may have succumbed to the elements, or to one of the many illnesses that the pioneers of the earliest days had to battle.  We just don't know. 

We can honor John for his willingness to come to the New World, and for the efforts he made to give his family a better life within a Puritan framework.  

The line of descent is:

John Bloomfield-Elspeth

Thomas Bloomfield-Mary Waters or perhaps Withers

Mary Bloomfield-Jonathan Dunham

Benjamin Dunham-Mary Rolph

Jonathan Dunham-Mary Smith

Samuel Dunham-Hannah probably Ruble

Jacob Dunham=Catherine Goodnight

Samuel G Dunham-Eliza Matilda Reese

Margaret Catherine Dunham-Harvey Aldridge

Cleo Aldridge-Wilbur Beeks

Mary Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger

Their descendants

Holbrook line: Medad Pomeroy 1730-1801

 Oh, the bubbles I am about to burst with this blog post!  I was really excited to find a lot of good stuff about this ancestor, until I was able to figure out that most of the "good stuff" is about at least two other men by the name of Medad Pomeroy.  One, the Revolutionary War Medad, cannot possibly be the one born in 1730 because his pension application states that he was 72 years old in 1830.  So this is Medad, the son of the Medad I am writing about, because the younger Medad was born in 1758.  (The son does have a fascinating story and it's worth pursuing, as a collateral relative but not as an ancestor.)  There is also a lot of information about "Dr. Medad Pomeroy", who has different birth and death dates, as well as different parents, than our guy.  Our Medad was not a doctor and he was not the son of Seth Pomeroy.  Our subject, and Dr. Medad, however, were each great grandsons of Medad the son of Eltweed Pomeroy.  

Now that I've thoroughly confused you, let's see what we do know about the Medad Pomeroy was born December 17, 1730 in Suffield, Hartford County, Connecticut.  When he was born, however, the town was considered part of Massachusetts, and the dispute between the two colonies wasn't settled until 1749. (This goes along with my slightly tongue in cheek belief that our ancestors found the most difficult ways and places to live, just to make it harder for us to find them and sort it all out.)  Medad's parents were Medad (do you see why there is confusion about all these men?) and Hannah Trumbull Pomeroy.  He was one of at least seven  children, which makes it a little surprising that he was the one given his father's name.  Perhaps his parents were, after all, hoping to make it a little less confusing to future family members, by giving other names to their sons.

We know very little about Medad's specific upbringing.   It appears likely that he was the Medad Pomeroy who was part of the French and Indian War, although I have not yet located information showing when and under whom he served.  (Some think this was his father Medad, but there seem to be enough listings that both men could well have served.)

During the French and Indian War, Medad found time to marry.  He first married Eunice Southwell on August 18, 1757, the daughter of Ebenezer and Elizabeth Judd Southwell.  They had two children together, Medad of the Revolutionary War, and Eunice.  Sadly, Eunice died just ten days after her daughter was born.  It's a wonder that our Eunice survived; there must have been a wet nurse of some sort involved.  Medad, with two children under the age of 4, next married Phebe Kent on July 8, 1761.  She gave birth to a son, Phebus, on January 6, 1762, and died 19 days later.  Now Medad had three children, and once again we wonder how Phebus survived.  (He was another Revolutionary War soldier, so it's a good thing he did survive!) Medad then married Mary Wilcocks or Wilcox on December 4, 1764.  She may have been more than a few years younger than Medad, probably having been born between 1740-1745.  Medad and Mary had as many as nine children together, with the youngest being born in 1784.  Mary would have been a busy lady, with three step children to care for also!

The only clue I've found so far to any potential civil service would be that there was a Medad Pomeroy who was a justice in the 1760s, but I'm not sure whether this was our Medad or not.  Medad the grandfather died in 1767, and he'd held many town offices.

It would be interesting to know when and why Medad left Suffield (his last marriage was in Suffield, in 1764) and went to Northampton, Massachusetts, where he had deep roots. We know that he was there in 1799, when the selectmen found him to be a lunatic and unable to care for himself. THe 1800 census shows that he and Mary were both over 45, and there was also one male aged 26-44 and one female 16-25 living with them.    We don't know what form of dementia Medad had, nor do we know when it first became evident.  

Medad died in Northampton November 13, 1801 and it took a long time to settle the estate.  It appears that Mary got her 1/3 widow's dower, but that bills against the estate took most if not all of the remainder.  There was no will, but there is a large estate packet found on American Ancestors which includes an inventory and then a long list of payments made to the guardian the selectmen had appointed, and other payments made by the estate.  Mary died in 1821 but I've not found a will for her, either, and I don't know whether she re-married.  

There is more research to be done for Medad, but this will at least give a starting point.  Can we find proof that Medad was in the French and Indian War, and what service he might have done? Are there church records?  What did he do for a living?  When did he become disabled by his dementia?  We do know enough to disregard references to Dr. Medad, to a pension application in 1820 in Pennsylvania, and to the Medad who was of Northfield, (as opposed to Northampton).  That's a start!

The line of descent is:

Medad Pomeroy-Eunice Southwell

Eunice Pomeroy-Libbeus Stannard

Libbeus Stanard-Luceba or Euzebia Fay

Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy

Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick

Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook

Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen

Their descendants

 

Beeks line: Johann Frederick Serfass 1753-

 I am so excited to review what is known of Frederick's life, and so unhappy that I have so many unanswered questions.  This man lived through some very tumultuous times and would undoubtedly have many stories to tell us.  Highlights: His childhood family had a close call when neighbors were massacred by the natives during the French and Indian War, and his family became refugees.  They were Moravian by religion.  He is listed as inactive militia during 1780, when the Revolutionary War was going on, and due to his location, he probably had some part in the war effort regardless of his religious beliefs.  He lived through the War of 1812, so the man would have been a walking encyclopedia of events surrounding the birth and early days of our country.  

And yet, there is really very little known about him.  His parents were Johann Philip and Maria Catherina Altomus Servas (spelled many different ways, but eventually most were known by the name of Serfass or Searfass).  He was born about 1754, after his parents had come to Pennsylvania from (likely) the area around Koblentz, Germany.  His parents had first settled in Philadelphia, where Philip was a stocking weaver, but purchased land in 1750 in what was then Bucks County but became Northampton County before Frederick was born.  The family, eventually to total as many as 10 children, went to their new land about 1754 and worked hard to clear land and plant crops to support themselves.  They had become associated with the Moravian Church in Philadelphia and apparently continued as Moravians for at least two generations.  

Frederick was just a small toddler when the French and Indian war came close to home.  Neighbors of the Serfass family, the Hoedts, were massacred (some killed, some captured) in their home, and that was the signal for the Serfass family, as well as many others, to leave their homes and go to Nazareth.  Philip took his family on to Philadelphia where they had friends and perhaps relatives, and brothers and sisters in the church.  A fort was built on Philip's abandoned farm but it doesn't appear that the family went back for several years, perhaps when the war officially ended.  He probably supported the family in the meantime by stocking weaving.  

So Frederick was 9 or 10 years old before he really became familiar with his parent's farm, and this may have been culture shock for him, having lived in the neighborhood of Philadelphia for as long as he could remember.  Nevertheless, he would have learned to do farm chores and all the things that were required of pioneer families in that time.  Although the Moravians were pacifist in nature, we know that Philip had several guns when the family fled their home, and it's likely that Frederick learned to hunt in the thick woods and mountains surrounding his boyhood home.  

It's a little surprising to find several Searfass men from Northampton County who served on active duty during the Revolutionary War.  John, Christian, and Adam, likely served on active duty, and were also likely related to Frederick in some way.  The only reference I found was to Fridrich Serfas, who was in the inactive militia in 1780.  This doesn't mean that Frederick didn't have an important role to play in the war, however.  He was in his early twenties when the war began, and he may have served as a drover, a trader, a road builder, or any number of other civilian jobs that were necessary to the success of the war effort.  

Frederick married Sabina, maiden name not yet known, probably about 1779 as they had children born in 1780 and 1782.  Sabina may have died at an early age, since there don't seem to be additional children for this couple, or she may have been unable to have additional children.  The 1800 census is the last time we see Frederick in Northampton County.  The 1810 and 1820 censuses show a Frederick Searfoss of the correct age in AugustaTownship, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, which is a distance of about 100 miles, directly west of Chestnuthill Township.  I don't know whether this is our couple or not, as I've not found a will for Frederick anywhere-yet.  

There is a lot of information we are missing about Frederick.  We can see him only in the shadows, perhaps in a farm field or slipping through the woods as he hunted deer, or wolves, or whatever was needed.  I'm sure there is more to be found of his story and I'd be delighted to hear from anyone who has found even some small tidbit around him.  Meanwhile, we do know that he is another of the ordinary people who helped form this extraordinary country.  We can be grateful he is part of the family.

The line of descent is:

Frederick Serfass-Sabina

George Philip Serfass-possibly Eva

Mary Searfass-Andrew Wise

David Wise-Matilda Martin

Elizabeth Wise-John W Beeks

Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge

Mary Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger

Their descendants

Harshbarger line: Yost (Joseph) Gingerich or Kingery or something in between about 1712-1776

 We have to love these German people, really we do.  But gee, could they make it any harder?  There are so many spellings for Yost, or Joseph, or Josef's last name that we could spend a lifetime chasing bright shiny objects, as we say in the genealogy world, without really finding anything new.  So this is a brief summary of what we think we know about a man whose name we can't even agree on.  I'm going to call him Joseph Gingerich because that is the most common way I've found records for him.

It's not know who Joseph's parents were, or at least I'm not convinced we know who is parents are.  Most trees show a Johannes Heinrich Gingerich and Anna Sherk as his parents.  Others show a different mother.  One tree says his father is Hans and not Johannes. Johannes's will in 1769 did not mention a Joseph.  All that I am willing to say is that he was likely born in Switzerland, possibly Bern Canton, to a Mennonite couple.  

We don't know when Joseph came to Pennsylvania, but he was here by 1747, when he purchased land from Michael Baughman in Lebanon Township, Lancaster County.  He purchased 239 acres for 37 pounds.  His name is on a tract of land from 1740, but we don't know if he was here by then or if this Michael Baughman might have purchased it in his name and held it until Joseph arrived and paid for it.  If he came as an indentured servant, then he would have had to have worked and saved for quite a while to have that kind of money.  I am inclined to think he was not indentured, because he would have been about 35 years old (using a birth year of 1712 or 1713) and already had a family when he purchased this land.  

Joseph married Anna Elizabeth Huber, daughter of Jacob and Anna Huber, about 1740, possibly in Seftigen, Bern, Switzerland, or perhaps even in Pennsylvania.    Immigration and naturalization records seem to be lacking for him, which is somewhat of a mystery but he isn't the first person to come from Switzerland or the Palatine undocumented.  Because the Mennonites were persecuted and harassed, it's possible that he came under an assumed name, although I don't know how common this would have been.  

Joseph and Elizabeth may have had as many as ten  children, although the Mennonite Vital Records database on Ancestry lists eight: John, Michael, Jacob, Mary, Peter, Ann, Christian, and Barbara.  The dates on this cards show John, the oldest, as having been born in 1743. We find Joseph's name on 1750 and 1755 tax lists, and in 1772 Joseph is still paying taxes, identified as a "freeman".  which is a puzzle to me because "freeman" usually meant a single man.  

Joseph apparently worked hard and prospered in Pennsylvania.  He was always in Lancaster County, but after his death Lebanon County was organized out of what had been Lancaster County, and we can identify his farm as being in what is now South Annville Township. In 1771, he was taxed on not 240 acres of land, but also four horses, 4 cows, and a mill.  This means he lived on a creek or river, to power the mill.  Some tax records in some counties are a little more detailed than what I've found so far, but I'm still looking for more information.

I've not yet found anything that indicates what the Gingerich family did during the French and Indian War.  There were numerous battles and skirmishes near where they lived, but if they were practicing Mennonites, they would likely not have taken up arms.  Did they leave their farm and go to, say, Reading, or Lancaster itself, for safety?  Or did they stay, and go to a nearby fort when the natives were known to be in the area?  If they were part of the general exodus east, then there were surely stories to tell, and if they stayed, there would be more stories.  Most families in that part of the state had were affected in one way or another by the war.  

Joseph died on or before March 5, 1776, and is believed to have been buried at the Gingrich Homestead Cemetery near Annville.  Elizabeth had died in 1759 and I'd certainly like to know her cause of death.  I've not been able to locate a will for Joseph, but the search is ongoing.  I'd love to know more about Joseph, and about his trip to America, and his experiences in what became Lebanon County.  There are always more questions than answers!

The line of descent is

Joseph Gingerich-Anna Elizabeth Huber

Mary or Maria Gingerich-Adam Burkholder

Joseph Burkholder-Elizabeth Miller

Barbara Burkholder-Benjamin Buchtel

Nancy Buchtel-Adam Kemery

Della Kemery-William Withers

Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger

Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks

Their descendants

Holbrook line: Joseph Hayward 1643-1713

 I just love it when history comes up and slaps me in the face, which seems to happen often as I research the ancestors of my children.  Of course, I'm dismayed when the outcome is not good, but I find that knowing what tough times our ancestors went through helps me have faith that our current generations, also, will survive and thrive.  Joseph Hayward's story, or more specifically, his family's stories, are an example.

Just to make it fun for researchers, Joseph's last name is also spelled Heyward, Haward, Heywood, and probably other spellings, but Hayward seems to be the one most commonly used.  And to make it more fun, there is another Joseph Hayward, born the same year and frequently confused with our Joseph.  The one we are not interested in, at least not at the moment, lived his life in Bridgewater, Plymouth Colony, and died in 1702, a few years before our Joseph.

Joseph was the son of George and Mary (possibly Hayward was also her maiden name, but not known for sure) Hayward and was born January 15, 1643, where his parents had lived since at least 1636. (The town was founded in 1635.)  Concord is about 20 miles northwest of Boston, and if that name rings a distant bell, you read about Concord as the site of one of the first battles of the Revolutionary War.  But that was much later, and Concord was a very small village when Joseph was born, the second of at least 7 children born to George and Mary.  

We don't know much about Joseph's early life.  George was a respected citizen in the town and Joseph was raised in a family that had books (per George's will).  He likely learned to read and write, if not in a school, then in the home.  Rev. Peter Bulkeley (a "former ancestor") had helped found the town and was the town's Puritan minister for many years, and we can assume Joseph attended church services regularly and was brought up as a Puritan.  

He married Hannah Hosmer on October 26, 1665, and they had at least four children together.  Sadly, she died December 15, 1675. Joseph had four small children to raise, and he didn't stay single long.  He married widow Elizabeth Treadway Hapgood, the daughter of Nathaniel and Sufferance Haynes Treadway, on March 23, 1676/77, in Concord, Massachusetts.  Joseph had been made a freeman of Concord on May 1, 1673, and the couple seems to have stayed in Concord for the rest of Joseph's life, although daughter Lydia was born in Watertown.  There may be a reason for that location-keep reading.  Elizabeth had five children by her first husband, so it would have been a crowded household to start with, and then Joseph and Elizabeth had five children of their own.  Some of the children may have been apprenticed or indentured out, in order that they learn a trade, but I have no records of that.

Sometime in all of this, he became an investor in the iron works at Concord.  I've been unable to determine whether he ever worked there, or whether it was a profitable investment for him.

The event that shaped much of Joseph's life was King Philip's War.  He was a soldier credited with service under Captain Wheeler on June 24th, 1676.  This appears to be a quarterly accounting, so he may have been gone for some time.  Many of the men named on this list are from the Lancaster area, but we recognize Joseph and his brother John, and there is a Stephen Hosmer listed just below their names, who was likely a relative of Joseph's first wife.  His second wife, Elizabeth, became a widow when her husband, Shadrach Hapgood, was killed by native Americans at Brookfield on August 2, 1675.  Joseph's brother, George Hayward, was killed December 16, 1675 "in the Narraganassett campaign".  Joseph had personal, as well as civic, reasons for fighting in the war.  It's hard to imagine how a marriage started in such pain for each of them could have thrived, but these people were tough. And this may be the reason for Lydia's birth in Watertown rather than Concord.  Lancaster, about 16 miles to the west, had been attacked and burned and a native warrior had specifically threatened Concord, in a list of places he still planned to burn.  It's probable that most of Concord evacuated to the east as the threat continued.  (Can you imagine Elizabeth possibly having charge of 9 children, and being pregnant with another, and still managing to feed and house every one?  Wow!)

When the war was over, the Haywards returned to Concord and lived out their days.  But there were still more confrontations with the natives, and Joseph's half-sister, Mary Hayward Fairbank, survived the September 11, 1697 attack on Lancaster, but her husband and two children were killed, and she was captured.  She was captive until January 17, 1698/99, but had lived with the natives long enough to learn to "doctor" with roots and herbs and was later referred to as a "doctoress".  This also would have caused consternation in the Hayward household, although by now Joseph was likely too old to participate in the battles of that conflict.  

Joseph died October 13, 1714 in Concord.  He left a will and an inventory.  He specifically gave his daughter Mary Whitcomb a gun, sword, two pistols, bed and bedstead, andirons, and a platter, which makes me wonder if she had been caring for her parents in their old age.  His wife Elizabeth was to inherit all his other personal property, to dispose of as she saw fit.  She was also to have control of the real estate to provide for her comfort, which was then to be divided among all his sons and daughters, not named.  Simeon, his son, was one of the executors.  The inventory is not totaled but includes home and land, 4 parcels in all, valued at 137 pounds.  The fist item below the land is books, valued at 1 pound, 4 shillings, and 2 pence.  His other inventory would be typical for a small household, including farm animals, a spinning wheel, and other furnishings.  

I've seen death dates for Elizabeth of September, 1714 (before Joseph died but after he wrote his will) and also of 1757, when she would have been over 100 years old, but I have been unable to verify either date. 

We can learn much from Joseph Hayward.  He was a family man, a Puritan, a soldier, a stepfather, and one of our ancestors who provides us with a lesson in courage.  

The line of descent is:

Joseph Hayward-Elizabeth Treadway

Lydia Hayward-John Hanchett

Hannah Hanchett-John Stannard

Libbeus Stannard-Eunice Pomeroy

Libbeus Stanard-Luceba Fay

Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy

Louis Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick

Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook

Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen

Their descendants

Holbrook line: Libbeus Stanard 1785-1858

 What's not to like about Libbeus Stanard, Jr.?  He was the son of a Revolutionary War vet who served with Ethan Allen's Green Mountain Boys and was on the expedition to Quebec, he himself served in the War of 1812, and he moved to Illinois not long after the Black Hawk War there. 

Libbeus was the son of Libbeus and Eunice Pomeroy Stannard, and was born in Rupert, Vermont on January 23, 1785. (For an explanation of the difference in the spelling of their last names, I've noted in another blog post that it was due to challenges a sign-maker faced in trying to fit "Stannard" on a store sign.  True or not, that's the family story.)  Libbeus was one of at least five children born to the couple, and the oldest known son.  I think it's possible that there were other children born to the couple, because there are two people in the 1800 census that are not accounted for by the records I have, but these may have been relatives-aunts, uncles or cousins, rather than siblings of Libbeus.  

Although the 1810 census is not clear, or perhaps incorrect, it appears that both the father and the son, and perhaps a Roswell Stannard (identified only by first initial, and someone I haven't identified; could he be one of the mysterious two noted in the 1800 census?) were in Smithfield, Madison County, New York by the time of the 1810 census.  Libbeus had married Luceba (also seen as Euzebia) Fay, daughter of David and Marcy or Mercy Perrrin Fay, on March 21, 1810.  I'm still trying to confirm the location of the wedding but it was most likely in Madison County, where her parents also lived.

Libbeus and Luceba lived in Madison County, New York, for 30 years.  The most eventful part of their life there was probably his service in the New York Militia during the War of 1812.  He served in the 129 Regiment of the New York Militia, under the command of Colonel Elisha Farnham, entering and leaving as a private.  This regiment served along the shores of Lake Ontario, the St Lawrence River, and the Niagara Frontier.  They were fighting not only the British, but also native tribes that had joined the British.  There were numerous skirmishes and some battles, but I can't say for sure which ones Libbeus would have participated in.

The other thing that Libbeus and Luceba did was have children, 12 of them.  The 1840 census shows them at Eaton, still in Madison County, New York, with a total of 10 persons in the houshold.  The four oldest seem to have moved to their own households by then.  One would think that Libbeus and Luceba would have settled down to finish raising their children and to watch grandchildren grow up around them.  But wait, there's more!

Shortly after the census was taken, Libbeus and Luceba and most of their family moved from Madison County to Clarion Township, Bureau County, Illinois.  Their most likely mode of travel would have been by ship over the Great Lakes, perhaps arriving in Chicago, but it's possible that they traveled on land.  Either way, the trip would have taken weeks or months, and again there are stories we don't know.

Sadly, Luceba died on January 3, 1842, a member (as was Libbeus) of the Lamoille Baptist Church..  I don't know the cause of death but she must have been weary, after having twelve children and moving half way across the country with most of them.  Libbeus may have been weary, too, and he still had small children to raise (Joseph would have been about 7 years old.)  He married Sarah D Bellows that same year.  

Libbeus farmed, and we are fortunate to have him listed on the 1850 farm schedule, which gives us a good picture of his farm.   He owned 165 acres of land, 100 acres of which was improved (cleared and possibly drained), with a cash value of $3700.  His implements and machinery were valued at $150, and he had three horses, 5 milk cos, 19 other cattle, and 24 swine, valued all together at $500.  When the census was taken, which would have been before the fall harvest, he had 300 bushels of wheat on hand, 300 bushels of Indian corn, and 600 bushels of corn.  

 He was appointed postmaster of Perkins Grove in 1851 and was still postmaster there in 1856, so perhaps he had moved to town by then.   I've often wondered if he ever saw Abraham Lincoln, in his early years as a country lawyer. Would he have a story to tell about that, if it happened? 

Libbeus died October 10, 1858 and is apparently buried with his two wives (picture shows three headstones close together but not the words so this is just a guess on my past).     

Libbeus lived an interesting life.  He would have known stories of his father's life fighting the Revolutionary War, and he served himself in the War of 1812.  We can wonder about the moves he made, and we can wonder how he felt about the Louisiana Purchase, and the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848, and the whole issue of slavery. As I said, he lived in interesting times.

The line of descent is

Libbeus Stanard-Luceba Fay

Hiram Stanard-Susan Eddy

Louis E Stanard-Mary Alice Hetrick

Etta Stanard-Loren Holbrook

Gladys Holbrook-Richard Allen

Their descendants

Beeks line: John Beeks 1809-1872

 I don't know very much about John Beeks, which is a shame because he is the first Beeks ancestor in Wabash County, Indiana, and his grave is only a few miles from our home.  His parents were William and Mary Nimerick (Neimrich) Beeks, and he was born about 1809 near Staunton, Virginia.  It would be in Augusta County except that Staunton is an independent city.  (Staunton has a fascinating history but that is neither here nor there, since John left there at an early age.)

His grandparents, Christopher and Catherine Barnes, Beeks, moved to Xenia, Greene County, Ohio before 1814 and it must have been a multi-generational family that made the trip, as William was likely there, too.  John travelled with them.  On June 30, 1830, when he was 21, he married Mary (known as Polly) Carter there.  I've written before of Polly, mentioning that she may have been the daughter of John Carter of Greene County, but I still haven't been able to prove that.  

I've not located John in the 1840 census, so I'm not sure how long he stayed in Greene County.  Some sites say that his son William was born in Clinton County, Ohio, which is just east of Greene County.  It is possible but I have no proof.  (Beeks is a name that is spelled a lot of different ways, and some of the handwriting on the census sheets is pretty bad, but he was obviously somewhere.  

We do know he and son William and daughter Lucy, along with an unidentified Anna Meadows, who was three years old, were in Lagro Township, Wabash County, Indiana in 1850. We don't know what happened to their other two children, Casey and Polly, but they were not with them that year.  In 1860, Casey is listed as living with them, and right next door is son William with his first wife and their infant son.  I haven't located daughter Polly Beeks at all and possibly she died young.

The only other little nugget I've been able to locate about John is that he was a land owner and farmer.  In an 1875 map, Mrs. John Beeks is listed as owning 100 acres just south of Lagro, and this would have been his land.  A census question advises that he could write, but we don't know how much education he had.  

We also don't know his religion, if any, or why and how he came to live in Lagro Township, or whether he ever served in the military.  The man who died March 25, 1872, and is buried at the IOOF cemetery in Lagro, kept all these things secret.  If someone knows more, please contact me!

The line of descent is

John Beeks-Polly Carter

William Beeks-Mary Wise

John Beeks-Elizabeth Wise

Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge

Mary Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger

Their descendants

Harshbarger line: Is Adam Koch 1758-1816 ours?

 I usually write blog posts with a great deal of certainty.  Sometimes, years later, I've found information that convinced me I had the wrong guy (or gal) and I've had to go back and make corrections.  That's part of genealogy, making mistakes and learning from them.  So, I've learned enough to say up front that I'm not absolutely convinced that Adam Koch is ours, but it seems likely enough that I'm going to put it out here and see if I get feedback correcting and guiding me.  

The man I'm looking for is the father of Henry Cook, born 1794 in Berks County, Pennsylvania, (possibly in the area that became Schuylkill County) who died in 1861 in Whitley County, Indiana.  Henry married Catherine Whetstone and they lived in Stark County, Ohio for something over 30 years before moving on to Whitley County.  Henry named his surviving sons Henry, William, and Joseph, although two sons, each named John, died early.  Those are the clues that I have.

Since Henry would have been a young man when he went to Stark County, it is possible that some of the many Cooks in 1830 were his relatives-brothers, cousins, uncles, maybe even a father.  Henry isn't listed in the 1830 tax list, but Adam, Benjamin, George, Jacob, John, Mary, Michael, Moses, Peter, Rudolph, Thomas, and William are.  Of the list, only Adam and Peter are listed on the 1820 census as being old enough to be a father to Henry.  I've not found any information about Peter, but there is information about several Adams, actually known as John Adam Koch in his early life.  

The Adam Koch I see listed most frequently was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania on March 16, 1758, and died in 1816 also in Bern Township, Berks County, Pa.  So he couldn't be the one on the 1820 Ohio census or the 1830 tax list in Stark County.  However, he did have a son named Henry, although I've been unable to find a birth date for him.  This Adam is buried at Belleman's Church Cemetery, Centre Township, Berks County, and is listed as a Revolutionary War veteran. 

My current theory is that the Adam of Berks County may be the father of the Adam of Stark County, and that Henry may be a son of the older Adam and a younger brother of the younger Adam.  But I am having a hard time finding any document that ties the two together.  I haven't found a will for either Adam, nor have I found land records.  

This is basically a plea for help.  Is someone reading this willing to help work on this puzzle, or perhaps has someone already solved it?  Henry Cook needs a father!