COPELAND FAMILY HISTORY-THE GRANDCHILDREN and descendants OF AGNES LOWERY AND ISAAC COPELAND
I apologize for the extraordinarily long delay in completing this post.  I have heard from several people interested in this family and I am happy to hear from readers that they are finding my site useful.   In our last post we had started our look at the grandchildren of Agnes Lowery and Isaac Copeland.  We have completed a look at the children of Mary Copeland and Samuel Cochrane.  As you may recall, Mary and Samuel did not make the journey to America with the rest of the Copeland clan. It was not until after Samuel Cochrane died that Mary and her children made the trip.  We will start this episode with a look at the descendants of Mary Copeland and Samuel Cochrane.
 
​Mary Jane Cochran (1824-1910)- Mary Jane was born in Armagh, Ireland.  After her father’s death, she and her mother and sibling joined her grandparents in Canada.   Mary Jane Cochrane married Lorenzo Raymond, who worked as a Justice of the Peace in Welland Ontario.  Mary Jane and Lorenzo had the following children;
                                                                Mary Elizabeth Raymond 6/27/1865-5/24/1955
Mary Elizabeth Raymond 6/27/1865-5/24/1955- Married Reverend Thomas Clark Street- Macklem and settled in the Toronto Ontario area.   It is unknown at this time whether they had children or not.  They remained in Canada until their respective deaths and are buried alongside Mary Jane Cochran and Lorenzo Raymond. 
                                                                Samuel D. Raymond (8/18/1856-1/1/1927)
Samuel D. Raymond (8/18/1856-1/1/1927) remained in Ontario Canada, where he married Annie M. Greenarmytage on Oct. 30/1895.  Samuel was a banker, starting off as a teller and working his way up to bank manager.  He and Annie had the following children;
John G.C. Raymond 10/9/1896-10/25/1961) John was a soldier when he met and married Constance ( Connie) Mildred Clare Teversham on April 26, 1919 in London England.  They had the following children: Diane Alexis Raymond (1920-2017- settled in Seattle Washington- arriving 4/14/1944), Patricia Cecile Raymond (1/3/1922-11/21/2002. Patricia emigrated to the Us, spending time in Boston Mass, where she met DR. William McLean Wallace.  Patricia took the name of Wallace but it is unknown if she and William married.  He appears to have had two other wives and marriage records could not be located for his marriage to Patricia.  Patricia had at least one son, born in Boston, Andrew McLean Wallace 1951-1995. There are possible three or four additional children, still living.  Patricia moved to Seattle Washington and finally settled in Cuyahoga County Ohio, where she died in 1995)   and Enid Clare Raymond (1928-1988.  Little is known of Enid at this time.  It is believed that she remained in Canada and may never have married)
Laurence Cochrane Raymond (7/9/1898-5/28/1997) Laurence worked as a clerk and, later, as a cabinet maker.  He moved briefly to California, but returned to Ontario, where he died in 1997.  Laurence married Kathleen Perry on July 8. 1925 in Woodstock Ontario.  They had four children, three still living, and Laurence Clark Raymond born in 1926-2016.
Marian Eleanor Raymond (10/8/1900-4/27/1986).  Marian married Norman Phillips Kirkham, on August 24, 1925 in Alberta, where she settled and together they had 3 children; Norma Marian Kirkham (1926-1977, worked as a stenographer.  She does not appear to have married.), Helen Jessica Kirkham (1928-2000, did not marry), and Thomas Raymond Kirkham, (1931-2012, settled in Manitoba Canada, where he married Simone Turcott. Together they had 5 children, all living at this time).  Norman worked as a hotel manager in Alberta. 
                                                                William Beardsley Raymond (1858-1945)
William Beardsley Raymond (4/20/1858-11/4/1945), William was a barrister in Toronto Ontario.  He married Alexa Mcdougal Cromar on August 3, 1909.  They had one child, Alexis Mary Barbra who died in infancy (1912-1912).  They do not appear to have other children.
 
Lorenzo Clarke Raymond (1859-1942)
 Lorenzo Clarke Raymond (10/7/1859-6/19/1942) Lorenzo was a barrister and a Quaker.  He traveled extensively but does not appear to have married. 
*************************************************************************************
 Elizabeth Cochrane (7/9/1826-12/1/1899) settled in Battle Creek, Michigan, where she met and married John Cliff.  John, an English immigrant (1/12/1829-8/1/1856-). John was a farmer After the death of John Cliff, Elizabeth, needing to raise three small children, remarried to John Wilson (1812-1/24/1898).  John was also an English immigrant and a farmer.   ( Please note the Cliff Name appears throughout the record as both Cliff and Cliffe. This variation in spelling is not uncommon during the mid to late 1800’s.) 
 
                                                                Jennifer Cliff, born 1848- . 
Jennifer Cliff, born 1848- unknown.  Jennifer was a school teacher in Mont Calm Michigan.  Jennie moved to Indiana, where she gave birth to a son, Herbert L. Jeffrey, on May 17, 1880.  Herbert is believed to be the son of Herbert L. Jeffrey Sr. but no record of this person was found.  There is no marriage record or census record of a Jennifer Jeffrey, nor is there additional records of Jennifer Cliff.  At this point it is a mystery. 
Herbert L. Jeffrey (5/17/1881-8/3/1946) Hebert was bornin in Indiana, where he remained.  He worked for the rail road and moved his way up to a conductor position.  Herbert married Carrie Wilky in Dubois Indiana, on 1/1/1901. They had one daughter, Leona D. Jeffrey, born 1903 n Dubois Indiana.  No records of Leona have been located at this time.
                                                                Catherine Cliff (1851-1871)
Catherine Cliffe (7/10/1851-10/20/1871) was born in New York State on July 10, 1851. She moved to Michigan with her family, where she remained until her death on October 20, 1871. Katie, as she was known, was a school teacher.  She died from heart disease at the age of 20 years, 3 months and 10 days old.  She never married and left no off spring.
Samuel Cliff (1853-1923),
Samuel Cliff (1853-1923) was a brick layer.  He settled in Lansing Michigan, where he met and married Ida Matilda Sheets (8/22/1860-7/19/1930) on April 6, 1881.    Samuel and Ida had 7 children, all born and raised in Michigan. 
Lilah M. Cliff (8/14/1881-7/23/1951) married Wilbert Somerville (1878-1957) on April 12, 1909.  Delbert, AKA Wilbert worked as a bricklayer in his youth, but settled down to farming once he moved to Michigan.   He and Lilah had four children; Josephine C. Somerville (12/5/1910-1/17/1968) married Leon Keyes Bennett (12/10/1896-7/2/1974).  He was a laborer.  They had one child, Norma J. Bennett born 9/1/1939.  Norma Jean Bennett married Howard B. Doyal (1935-2008) and settled in Michigan.  They had one daughter, Katherine Elizabeth Doyal born 12/7/1963 in Illinois and Died 7/17/1970 in Chicago Illinois.
Mary Mabyn Cliff (12/31/1887-8/12/1966) Clinton County Michigan.  Mary went by the name Maybyn and Maybe or just May, through out her life.  On January 30, 1916, she married Lewis S. Phillips (3/28/1885-3/28/1975) Lewis was a farmer in Michigan.  Lewis and May had three sons; Cliff W. Phillips (10/13/1917-12/5/1979) Cliff married Geraldine M. Pierce in Lansing Michigan on 10/11/1940.  It is unknown whether or not they had children as no records were discovered confirming any children. Lewis S. Phillips Jr. (10/2/1922-11/28/1944) Lewis married Erdine Miller (1/26/26-9/19/2013) on May 26, 1944, while he was serving in the US Army.  Lewis was killed in action while training in Kansas, on 11/28/1944.  They had no children. Ronald Charles Phillips (4/2/1924-2/17/2010) Married his brother’s widow, Erdine Miller Phillips, on Sept. 5, 1948.   Ronald and Erdine had two daughters; Karen Phillips married James Holiday, Suzanne Phillips married Dennis Boone.There are additional living grandchildren and great grandchildren of Erdine and Ronald still living in the DeWitt Michigan area. 
Frances M. Cliff (January 1888-2/14/1972)  One record was found suggesting Francis married a VanZant and had a daughter, Maria, but I have been unable to confirm this through additional records and the find a grave information seems to indicate Frances never married.
 
Winnefred Ida Cliff (1/3/1891-1/24/1982) was born in Michigan and settled in Indiana, where she met and married William W. Harves (6/13/1892-11/1959).  William W. Harves Sr. worked as a general laborer.   Together they had 5 children.  William Wesley Harves Jr. (10/7/1918-4/22/2004).  William was a sales man.  He settled in Indianapolis, where he married Beverly Hartley (on 4/13/1962.  They had two children; William “Hank” Harves (unknown- living) and Hope Harves (1965) married Timothy Sallee.  7/16/1993.  Ellen Harves (12/17/1918-4/2/2015) Ellen married x3.  She was divorced from her first husband, Robert Hufford (1920-1999- Robert was married x 5- Ellen being his first wife).  They had one son, Robert E. Hufford Jr. (1938- living) who married Diane and settled in Georgia.  Robert and Diane had at least one son, who died in childhood, Wesley Hufford. She married a second time in February 1952, to Roy Phillips.  Roy brought a son to the marriage, Charles Phillips, who Ellen helped raise.  Charles is married to Mary and living in Chicago. Ellen married a third time, on June 1, 1970, to Roger F. Nusbaum.  Roger brought a young son, Kurt, and four grown daughters to the marriage. Ellen adopted Kurt Nusbaum, who is now married to Debbie and living in Illinois and was a step mother to the four grown girls; Sue married Delbert Haschemeyer, Donna, married Aschenbrenner and lives in Illinois, Ronda J. Nusbaum living in Arizona and Peggy Nusbaum in Montana. Richard C. Harves(2/19/1921-12/29/2007) settled in Indiana, where he worked for 30 years as a salesman for the Curtis 1000 company.  Dick retired from there in 1982.  He served as a gunnery instructor in World War II, and Married Jenell Conrad (11/2/1923-1/27/1994).  Dick and Jenell had three daughters, Cathie, (4/20/1945-6/13/2005).  Cathie married Mr. Herrod., Carol married Mr. Paine and settled in Texas, and Chrystal Harves who settled in Arizona.  Thomas Own Harves (4/6/1923- 9/8/2013) Thomas settled in Washington state, where he married x2.   His first marriage to Kathleen ended in divorce on 9/28/1973 and resulted in three children.  Thomas married a second time on 6/25/1974 to Florence E. Mickelson. 
 
Rhoda M. Cliff (3/22/1893-12/23/1943) Rhoda married I Edward Waldon (5/14/1890-10/20/1981) in Michigan on 11/15/1915.  Edward was a farmer.  They had two children; Coralie Rhoda Waldron (6/14/1916-4/16/1991) married Ernest Richardson.  It is unknown if they had children., and Edward Waldron (1/25/19178-4/3/1996) Edward was a farmer in Michigan.  He moved his family to Texas whrer he remained until his death.  He married Gertrude Brunink (1917-1988). They had one daughter, Carol Ann Waldron, still living. Carol Ann married Gilbert Stanley Wood, a farmer born in California, settled in Texas.   
Harold S. Cliff (4/5/1907-11/1979) Harold was born in Michigan and settled in Arizona, where he married Lucille E. Lucille was bornin Ohio.  Harold was a factory worker.  It is unknown whether he and Lucille had any children.
Edna I Cliff (9/2/1905-9/1993) Edna married Isaac Buitendorp (1904-7/7/1972).  Isaac was a delivery man who had his own business.  Edna and Isaac settled in Muskegon Michigan, where they raised  6 children, all still living.  Colon H. Beutendorp (3/26/1928-7/4/2011) colon settled in Texas and married Beverly Larson (1929-) Ruth Annette Buitendorp (1930-) married Carl Henry Simple, Norma Rae Buitendorp (8/8/1930-2/8/2016) married Mack Mackenzie ( 1893-1963), Richard Allen Buitendorp (10/22/1934-9/23/2011), Samuel Isaac Buitendorp (3/28/1946-), Marion Buitendorp (1947-) married Roy Robert Commet. 
 
                                                                Agnes Cliff, (1855-1943. 
Agnes Cliff, (1855-1943) married Dennis S. Knickerbocker (1838-4/22/1892) Dennis was a farmer.  Born in Pennsylvania, he settled in Illinois, where he met and married Agnes Cliff.  Together they raised 6 children;
Clifford Earnest Knickerbocker (1874-1949) Clifford was born in Michigan but settled in Missouri, where he worked in retail sales and finally, as a coal miner.  Clifford married Sarah J. Mc Sparrin in 1897. They had one child that died before 1900. 
 
Luella Knickerbocker (1876-1976it appears that she never married.  She settled in Kansas and lived to be 100 years old
 
George Washington Knickerbocker (2/22/1879-5/21/1954) was an insurance salesman, born in Kansas, he settled in Illinois, where he married Mable Esta (9/2/1889-6/26/1941).  They had two children; Roger Knickerbocker (6/19/1916-2/1977) and Georgia R. Knickerbocker (11/2/1930-7/23/1999) Married Nicholas G. Smith in Iowa on 10/8/1959.
 
Bert Arthur Knickerbocker (4/1/1881-1971) Bert was born in Kansas and settled in Missouri, where he worked as a carpenter.  Bert eventually settled in Illinois where he married Dollie Russel in 1906. They had three children; Bertie J. Knickerbocker born around 1900, Clifford Knickerbocker born 10/26/1912-5/11/1985) Cliff worked as a roller operator.  Clifford married Katherine Pike and had two children; Cloyce Eugene Knickerbocker (7/2/1937-5/17/1996) and Louis Knickerbocker (1939).
Walter Floyd Knickerbocker (8/20/1887-9/2/1888) died 1 year 13 days old.
 
Leonard Roy Knickerbocker (1890-1893) died in childhood.
 
 
  Elizabeth and John Wilson had two sons:
                                                                John Charles/ Charles John Wilson born 1859
 John Charles/ Charles John Wilson born 1859 (he used his middle and first name interchangeable). Married Clara Bing.  No further information available at this time.
 
                                                                Freddie Wilson born 1864.   
 
 Freddie Wilson born 1864.  No information was discovered concerning Fredrick Wilson.
 

 
Agnes Cochrane (1826-1899) Agnes also settled in Michigan and married Samuel Cliff, brother to John Cliff. Note that Samuel spells his name with an additional e at the end. He added this after 1870. The original spelling was CLIFF. John was also a farmer.  He is listed in the census as an Irish Immigrant, but likely the Cliff family, like the Copeland clan, had immigrated from English held Northern Ireland.  Agnes and Samuel had the following children;
 Edward Cliffe (1857-) This researcher was unable to find definitive records regarding Edward Cliffe.
 
 Maggie Cliffe, (1859-) This researcher was unable to find definitive records regarding Maggie Cliffe.
 William Cliffe, (1860-) Was born in Canada and settled in Michigan, where he met and married Frances Swift on 7/9/1896.   William was a farmer.  He and Francis had one child, Julia (May 1897-1973).  Julia married Erwin O. Rhines (1895-1/19/1969).  Julia and Erwin had one son; Robert E. Rhines (1922-1958) Robert married Betty Eileen Dalrymaple. 
 
 Gordon Cliffe (1865-6/18/1955) Born in Canada, Gordon emigrated with his family in 1870.  Gordon worked as a butcher.  Gordon married Gertrude Snoor (1867-3/17/1899) on 6/4/1890.  They had four children; Edward James (5/17/1891-8/8/1958) Edward married Marie Kitcher on 9/15/1915.  He was divorced on 8/14/1919. They had no children. , Rudolph F, (9/1892-)3/15/1964) Married Teressa Husted.  Rudolf was an iron worker.  He and Teresa had four children; Leonard Cliffe (1912-) no additional information is available, Gertrude Helen Cliffe (1918-1978) Married Donald Milton Gutekunst (1918-1971)no additional information is available at this time., Fletcher R. Cliffe (1923-1933)Died at age 10.,  and Wayne D. Cliffe (2/7/1924-4/9/1982 )  Wayne married Lois Sellers on 2/11/1944 and divorced 9/16/1950.   Ruth K , (1/1/1894-1963)  married Allen Briggs ( 1900-).  They had one child, Allen J. Briggs Jr. (1921-).  Allen Jr married Marguerite Bowersox (1925-) no additional information available.   Helen (10/1897-6/26/2003)Helen married twice, first to Ernest Luff. They had no children, the second marriage was to Ernest  Forest Merill ( 1896-)E. Forest was a medical Dr.  The family moved frequently.  They had three children; Sylvia Merrill (7/11/1925-3/11/1976) Sylvia married Ross Banes, a career military man.   Gertrude passed away in 1899, leaving Gordon to raise the children alone.  On 9/5/1900, Gordon married a second time, to Mary Schnoor (1881-1909), half sister of Gertrude.  Gordon and Mary had Four children; Agnes Mary Cliffe (1901-1928)died in Rochester NY, Baby Cliffe (1903-1903), Marion Mary Cliffe (1905-2002)married ? Booth. No additional information is available at this time. , and Gordon J. Cliffe (1909-1909).  Mary died in childbirth in 1909. Cliff married a third and final time on June 30, 1910, to Alta Lemm (1970-1945).    After 1900, Gordon moved form working as a butcher to working as a stock saleman. 

 
Samuel Jr. Cochrane, (1834-1914), born in Ireland and immigrated with his mother around 1856, Samuel served in the military and received a pension for his services.  Samuel, like others in his family, was a farmer.  He married Lucy Phelps (born 1841 in Michigan) Samuel died of heart disease in 1914.  Samuel and Lucy had the following children;
Ernest Cochrane (10/1/1869-1/25/1914), Ernest worked as a bicycle repairman and later, as a machinist in a factory.  Ernest married Ethel F. Taggert 10/10/1906.  They do not appear to have had any children.  Ernest died in 1914.  
 
Wayne Cochrane (12/29/1877- 1959) Wayne Alexander Cochrane was a medical Dr. in the Lansing Michigan area.  He does not appear to have married.
 
Ethel M Cochrane, (1879), no definitive records were located for Ethel Cochrane.
****************************************************************************
Alexander William Cochrane, (1835-1900)- not much is known about Alex.  He moved around the country, living in Illinois and Kansas and died in Montana.  He married Sarah Frances Short (last name unknown. ) Sarah went by the name Franny, (1851-1928), and had the following children;
 Inez Cochrane (1880-1935) was born in Indian Territory and was a school teacher, teaching in Montana.  She married John F. Hash in 1901 at Big Horn Wyoming. John worked as a stationary Engineer for the Rail Road.  John and Inez had seven children;
 Zeni Margaret Hash (12/22/1901-1/5/1976) married Ralph C Farnes  (11/18/1904-4/1992) in Billings Yellowstone, Montana on 2/2/1924.  Ralph worked as an auto mechanic in a garage.  They had two children; Ruth Zini Farnes (4/24/1928-1/20/2013) Ruth married x 3 and had a total of 8 children.  Her husbands were Thomas F. Armstrong (1/17/1923-) married on 2/8/1946, divorced 1/5/1948, on 1/14/1948 Ruth married Calvin Sjostrom (4/5/1925-10/18/1993).  We do not have the names of all of Ruth’s children as many of them are still living.  We do know Ruth and Calvin had a daughter, Barbara Diane Sjostrom on 11/28/1951.  Barbara has married x 2. Ruth and Calvin divorced after 1955.  Calvin was a truck driver.  He remarried.  Ruth married Alfred Landon Bissett (10/14/1936-1/7/2010) Alfred divorced his first wife in 1964 and married Ruth. Ruth and Alfred had one daughter, Zena Renee Bissett (3/27/1965-6/1992).  Zena married William Dean Keene.   It is unknown if they had any children.   Robert Ralph Farnes 2/10/(1931-)Robert is presumed to be still living in Montana.  He married Virginia Bailor 4/17/1950.  Robert was arrested for burglary in the first, pled guilty and was sentenced to two years in Montana State prison, entering prison on 10/2/1950.  Robert and Virginia were divorced on 5/24/1951.  Nothing more is known about Robert at this time.  If still living he would be 87 years old.
Fredrick C. Hash (1904-1124/1960) Fred married Mildred C. River (1909-) on 10/6/1926.  Mildred is the daughter of Frances Cochrane and Carson River of Illinois.  It is possible Mildred and Fred were cousins.   The couple lived for a time in Alaska, before settling in the state of Washington. Fred worked as a repair man and a clerk. They had three children; Jack Clifford Hash (8/5/1927-5/1/2008) Married Muriel.  He lived in Washington where he died.  No other information is known at this time, Virginia E. Hash (11/21/1929- ?) Married Donald H. Welcher and settled in Tacoma Washington, Barbara June Hash (7/3/1931-1/16/2014) Married Richard Dale Farnes (1928-2008) and settled in Washington. They are believed to have had three children, at least two still living, their daughter, Donna Louise Farnes (1959-1993) is deceased.
 Willard Fieldon Hash (1/29/1906-9/6/1967) was born and stayed in Montana, where he married x2, His first wife, Virginia Gretchen Saunders (5/14/1917) married 5 times, Willard was her third husband.  They were married in Billings Montana on 4/3/1944 and divorced on 5/31/1944.  He married a second time, to Lois Olive McClelland (7/21/1924-10/27/2013) in Roundup Montana on 7/17/1944. It is unknown if they had any children.
Eda Hash (1909-4/29/1995) married Fermon Lester Farnes on 9/16/1924.  Fermon, or Lester as he was generally called, was the brother of Ralph C. Farnes, who married Zeni Hash (see above).  Eda and Lester had two children; Harold Farnes (7/26/1925-1/30/2007) born in Washington, he married Annabelle Dora Kennedy and settled in Montana.  They have at least one child, Nancy Lee Farnes (1952-) married Ronald William Matheson.    Richard D. Farnes (4/12/1928-2/13/2008) married Barbara June Hash (7/3/1931-1/16/2014. Barbara is the daughter of Fred Cochrane Hash and Mildred C. River (see above)
Charles Watkins Hash (5/26/1910-2/26/1998) Charlie was born in Montana and settled in the Oregon/ Washington area.  He married Alma Heiser on 7/3/1932 at Roundup Montana.  It is believed that Charlie was a farmer or cattleman.  Little else is known about him and his family at this time.
Vernon Hash(1912-12/16/1970)  Vernon was born in Montana but settled in Oregon.  He was a welder by trade.  On 12/1/1933, Vernon married Irma Jones (2/22/1914-4/22/2007). Vernon and Irma had a least one son, Edward Allen Hash (12/19/1936-).  Edward moved from Montana to Washington state, where he married Phyllis J. Russell (1936).  Little else is known at this time.
Marvin Francis Hash (5/7/1916-3/9/1982) Marvin was a post man, delivering mail.  He settled in Billings Montana and married Georgianna B. Larssoon (1917-) on 9/17/1938.  They had at least one child, Marveen Frances Hash (6/19/1942-).  Marveen married Gary Dee Davis (1941-) on 3/5/1963 and divorced him on 6/7/1971.  She married a second time, to Edward William Kneble on 5/26/1973.  Marveen served in the US Navy. 
 
William Alexander Cochrane (2/9/ 1882-1960) was born in Kansas.  He moved to Montana with his parents and siblings where he worked as a painter, and later purchased and ran his own farm.  On 10/22/1925 he married x 2.  On 10/21/1910, William married Olive Estelle Hullar(1/10/1887-12/24/1965- born in Auburn NY). This was Olives second marriage.    Olive married 4 times and died alone, in a nursing home in Idaho, of an over dose of nebutol on 12/24/1965.  On 10/25/1922, William married Emily May Denson (11/2/1892-12/4/1978 ) and raised a family.   Emily had been married once, before she wed William, and several children that she brought to the marriage.  It is noteworthy that the children took the Cochrane name, but it is unclear if thre was ever a formal adoption of the children by William. ; Hazel Maureen Hemmerly (11/9/1918-9/21/2006) On 6/5/1935, At the tender age of 16, Hazel M. Hemmerly was married to her step uncle, Walter Greenwell Cochrane and moved to Idaho. (see below), Alice Hemmerly (1914- ) Alice married x3.  Her first marriage to James O. Lee took placed when Alice was 15 or 16 years old.  She had two children with James; Barbara J. Lee (1930-) and  Kenneth Lee (1932-) her second marriage taking place on 6/25/1936 to Clifton H. Chase. Clifton died prior to 1940 and Alice went on the marry E. J.  Howerton on 7/5/1941.   and Adeline Hemmerly (11/24/1915-9/5/2002)  married Emerson Ray Bunn on 6/5/1935.  They had at least one child, Betty Lucille Bunn (8/28/1951-living) On 9/3/1972 she married Gary John Sahly and they are believed to be living in California.  Clayton Hemmerly (12/26/1920-4/23/2015), Clayton married x2, it is unknown if he has any children.  It appears he retired to the California area. William and May had two children together; Wilma Cochrane (1924-) married James Jones on 9/3/1943.  and Wheeler John /’Jack” Cochrane (11/6/1926-) settled in Washington, where he married Ivy Rebecca Bailey (7/25/1926-) on 6/15/1952.  No additional information is available at this time.
 
Walter Greenwell Cochrane (1/24/1889-11/9/1972) Walter was a farmer. He was born in Wyoming, where he married his step niece, Hazel Maureen Hemmerly on 6/5/1935.  The family settled in Big Horn Montana. They had at least two children; Vicki Jo Cochrane ( 1/31/1954- ) Vickie married x2, Her first husband was Mr. Braten. This ended in divorce in Nov. 1972 and she married Charles Glen Walker. This was also his second marriage.  No further information is available at this time.  Gerald Cochrane (9/3/1938-8/30/2001) Born in Montana and settled in Tacoma Washington.  He married Judith llona Erck on 6/5/1958.  No other information is available at this time. 
 
(Note- the Cochrane families appear to have family “homesteads” in both Tacoma Washington and surrounding area and in Montana in the Red Lodge area.  The families move back and forth between these two states regularly.   Many members of the family are buried in the Red Lodge area of Montana.
 

​Mary Jane Cochran (1824-1910)- Mary Jane was born in Armagh, Ireland.  After her father’s death, she and her mother and sibling joined her grandparents in Canada.   Mary Jane Cochrane remained in Canada, settling in Welland Ontario, where she died on Sept. 10, 1910.  Mary Jane Cochrane married Lorenzo Raymond, who worked as a Justice of the Peace in Welland Ontario.  Mary Jane and Lorenzo had the following children; Samuel D. Raymond (1856-1927), William Beardsley Raymond (1858-1945), Lorenzo Clarke Raymond (1859-1942). Darwin J. Raymond (1860-1931).
 Elizabeth Cochrane (1826- ) settled in Michigan, where she met and married John Cliff. John, an English immigrant (1829-1856-). John was a farmer.   John and Elizabeth had four children before his untimely death in 1856.  The children were; Jennifer Cliff, born 1848- died in childhood, Catherine Cliff (1851-1871), Samuel Cliff (1853-1923), and Agnes Cliff, (1855-1943).  After the death of John Cliff, Elizabeth, needing to raise four small children , remarried to John Wilson.  John was also an English immigrant and a farmer.  She and John had two living sons by 1870, John Charles/ Charles John Wilson born 1859 ( he used his middle and first name interchangeable), and Freddie Wilson born 1864. 
Agnes Cochrane (1826-1899) Agnes also settled in Michigan and married Samuel Cliff, brother to John Cliff.  John was also a farmer.  He is listed in the census as an Irish Immigrant, but likely the Cliff family, like the Copeland clan, had immigrated from English held Northern Ireland.  Agnes and Samuel had the following children; Edward Cliffe (1857-), Maggie Cliffe, (1859-), William Cliffe, (1860-) and Gordon Cliffe (1865-).  Note that Samuel spells his name with an additional e at the end. He added this after 1870. The original spelling was CLIFF.
 Samuel Jr. Cochrane, (1834-1914), born in Ireland and immigrated with his mother around 1856, Samuel served in the military and received a pension for his services.  Samuel, like others in his family, was a farmer.  He married Lucy Phelps (born 1841 in Michigan) and had the following children; Ernest Cochrane (1869), Wayne Cochrane (1877), Ethel Cochrane, (1879), Mary E. Cochrane (1879), Wayne Cochrane, ( ).  Samuel died of heart disease in 1914.
Mary Jane Cochrane (1830-1910) Mary Jane Cochrane settled in Ontario Canada, where she met and married Lorenzo D. Raymond.  Lorenzo was a Barrister, born in Canada on 9/28/1812.  He died on 1/12/1872 in Niagara Falls Ontario Canada.  Mary Jane and Lorenzo had the following children; Samuel D. Raymond (1856-1927), William Beardsley Raymond, (1858-1945), Lorenzo Clarke Raymond (1859-1942), Darwin J. Raymond (1860-1931), Mary E. Raymond (1865-1955).
Alexander William Cochrane, (1835-1900)- not much is known about Alex.  He moved around the country, living in Illinois and Kansas and died in Montana.  He married Sarah Frances ( last name unknown. ) Sarah wet by the name Franny, (1851-1928), and had at least one daughter, Inez Cochrane (1880-1935) Inez married John F,. Hash.
 Margaret Cochrane, (1835-1907) Margaret settled in Michigan, where she became a physician and married twice, first to Mr. Gray, then to Henry A. Cooper (1800-1888).  It is unknow whether she had any children. 
 Susan Cochrane (1836-1928) Susan settled in Michigan, where she married (unknown) Mr. Nostrant.  Little is known about Susan other than her death in Landing Michigan on 12/28/1928.
William L. Cochrane, (1841-1918) settled in Michigan and established a farm.  He married Nellie Ostrander, whom he later divorced.  William and Nellie had no children.
Isaac Newton Cochrane (1842-1916) Isaac Newton Cochrane settled in Indiana, where he married Isabelle Thompson.  Isaac was a physician.  He also served as a colonel in the Civil War for Michigan.  Isabella and Isaac had the following children; Frank Cochran (1873), Oliver  M Cochrane (1878), Mary Cochrane , (1881), William S. Cochrane (1884), and Mable Cochran (1894). 

Martha (Mattie) Cochrane, (1844-1926) Martha was a Physician.  She settled in Michigan and married Reuben E. Strong.   Martha and Reuben had no children.
Sarah A. Cochrane (1848-1937). Sarah Ann settled in Michigan and married William Plummer, a wagon maker.  Sarah and William had one daughter, Mable,(1870).
 
 
 
 
 
Elizabeth Copeland worked as a maid after he father’s death. By 1858 she had married Henry Moorehouse.  Henry was a farmer in Canada.  They had the following children; Henry Moorehouse Jr. 91837-1866), John Moorhouse, (1833-1900),Isabella Moorhouse (1843-1917),Eliza Jane Moorhouse, (  ), William Moorhouse, ( ), Anne Moorhouse, (  ) Elizabeth Elleanor  ), Charles Moorhouse, (  ).
 
John Copeland (1810-) remained in Ontario Canada, working as a sailor. He married Harriet Boughton Fairman. They had the following children; Isaac Seymore Copeland (1849-1919), Susan E. Copeland (1853-1918), John Robert Copeland (1855-1882), Harriett Copeland (1860-), Charlotte Elizabeth Copeland (1863-1940), Charles F. Copeland (1867-1952)
 
Margaret Copeland (1814-1889) settled in Lewiston Niagara NY, where she married Colonel Arthur Gray.  Arthur was born in Canada (1811-1886). They had the following children; Isaac Gray (1831-), Elizabeth Gray (1837-), Catherine Gray (1842-), Margaret Gray (1845-), Arthur Gray Jr. (1849-), Katie (1843-), Margaret Gray (1845-), Jessie Gray (1858-), Libbie Gray (1860-), John Gray (1851-), Grant Gray (1855-), William Gray (1857-)
 
Susan Marie Copeland (1818-1895) Married Martin Snively (1812-)..  Martin was a cabinet maker. They remained in Ontario and had the following children; Adelade Snively (1843-1925), Sarah Snively (1845-1926), Mary Snively (1848-1933), Darcy Snively (1849-1933).
 
William Lowery Copeland (1820-1887) married Margaret Martha McNeely.  William remained in Welland Ontario Canada, working as a farmer.  They had the following children; Mary Jane Copeland (1852-), Martha Copeland (1853-), John Copeland (1855-), Anne Copeland (1859-).
 
Robert Emmett Copeland (1822-1907) was a farmer in Michigan.  He married Mariah/ Maria Lindley.  They had the following children; Ellen Copeland (1847-), Arthur G. Copeland (1850), Agnes Copeland (1852-), Willard Copeland (1854-), Dencie/ Harriet Copeland (1866), John Copeland (1858-), Jessie Copeland (1862-), Charles R. Copeland (1865-)
 
Agnes Nancy Copeland, died 3/23/1862. Nancy remained in Ontario Canada. She never married.

​
 In our next post we will look at the children of Eliza Copeland and Henry Moorehouse.

THE COPELAND FAMILY 1777-
Letter from Isaac to Mary Copeland Cochran
Lewiston, N.Y.
March 12th 1824
 
Dear Children,
I send you these few lines to let you know that we are well and present.  Thanks to God for all his mercies.
We sailed on the 27th of May 1823.  The third day we got on a sandbar near Arklow.  We all got bery sick except Eliza.  She was sick two days.  We had very high contrary winds most all the way.  When we came on the banks of Newfoundland we had very cold weather.  About the first of July we passed several mountains of ice.  We landed at Quebec on the 5th of July 1823.  Then to Prescott and from there to Kingston where we stopped four weeks.
I went to the land office at Kingston to locate land and could have done so by going forty or fifty miles back into the bush, but on being resolved on Talbot's Settlement, I thought little about it.  Kingston is a very flourishing place.  We next went to Little York.
The steamer we took in Kingston was bound for Smith's Creek, but at night came a tremendous hurricane and we never expected to see land again.  Because of the storm the steamer took us past Smith's Creek and landed us at Little York.  We stayed there two weeks for Eliza had fever and ague.  When she got better we went forward on our journey to Port George, where Nancy and George William were seized with fever and ague, and Robert with chin cough.
By this time it was about the fifth of October when we had to stop our journeyings.  Their sickness lasted about six weeks.  It wat then too far in the season to travel.  I had then to look for a place for stop till spring.
We came to Lewiston and here I found a place and employment for us.  I have been hauling since November and the girls spinning knitting and sewing.  We got some money, pork, flour etc. for our work.  This is a new settlement and belongs to Holland Company.  They sell land for $5 and acre, in a state of nature.  It is good land but my mind is set to see Talbot's before we settle anywhere.
I am glad that Jane Spear has given her brother and sister so much encouragement to come, but for my part I will not encourage any more than thus far - that is you think of coming this is the time for you .  The expense if brining a family here and the difficulty together is very great.
If you come bring plenty of clothes for yourselves, clothing here is dear and shoes dear, and very bad.  The best place for coining money here is in the Lockport Canal.  A man will get thirteen dollars a month and found, from April to November paid in cash.  It is eighteen miles from where we live to the Canal.  I wish you to write as soon as possible after this comes to hand and let us know of your affairs, especially concerning yourselves, your crops and cattle.
I hope you will let us know whether you applied for Mary's money or not, and if you succeeded in the affair.  I hope you did.  I want to know how Barney McCannies affairs went.  I hope he got clear.  Let us know if David Conan has come to America. 
The best trade I have observed since setting foot on this land is farming-mason and stone cutting nest, a good trade.  Tailors do well and I think shoemaking is not behind the best of them.
Victuals not dear; flour is sold for three dollars a hundred weight; Indian corn for half a dollar a bushel.  Cows sell for ten and sixteen dollars sheep two dollars and a pair of good oxen cost sixty dollars.  A man will get half a dollar for common work and for cradling or mowing a dollar a day.
I have seen some of Joseph Brown's.  He lives in the state of New York within eleven miles of us and is doing well.
We live in New York state within ten miles of the Falls of Niagara on the river side, bout four hundred and sixty miles from New York City.  We are not any off out of course yet -- Pittsburg or Talbot's Settlement, but this is a very cold place in winter, only for that I would purchase land here. 
This place (Lewiston) is joining an Indian Settlement and very destitute of the Gospel.  I am in the notion of going to Talbots to see it before moving the family out of this.  If I do not see it proper to take the family there, I will purchase land here.
The Indians have a missionary preacher that attends them.  I have been in their meeting house several times.  They are much reformed within these few years.  Four or five years back their practice was cruel.  When their women got old they would burn them, and they have been rescued by white men.  One of these is living here yet.  The missionaries - Universalists and Methodists are what prevail here.  The doctrines of free grace and predestination are foolishness to these people.
Your mother has had her health considerable well since we came to this country.  We want for nothing only the comfort of you, dear Samuel and Mary.  If you were here I think it would be well for you and for us.  I also wish James Thompson were here.  It is the only place for a young man.  If you or James Thompson come, your mother wishes me to ask that you bring "The Pilgrim's Promise".  If you come or not, write when this comes to hand, and let us know whether you are coming or not.
~Affectionately ------ Father
 
This letter was written to his eldest daughter Mary and her husband Samuel Cochrane who, with their children, were left in Ireland.  Later Samuel died and Mary with her brood, eleven by that time, came to the U.S. Smith's Creek which is now Port Hope.  Talbot's Settlement is now London, Ontario.  Robert was one year and two months old when they left Ireland.  He was born March 4, 1822.  He came to live on a farm in Michigan in the spring of 1848.
His father, who wrote this letter, was named Isaac Copeland and his mother's name was Agnes Lowry - of Scotch decent but born in Ireland.
The punctuation, spelling, etc, are exactly like the original letter, so one realizes that he was any educated man.
Later, I think a few months after this letter was written, he started for Talbot's Settlement but was murdered on the way and all his gold taken leaving his family destitute.  But his wife must have been a grand woman for though the children were put with other families, she gathered them together every Sunday and advised and instructed them so they all grew up good men and women.
In Isaac's family were:  Mary Cochrane, Eliza (maid), Agnes Nancy Thompson, John, Margaret Gray, Susan Snively, and Robert.
 
   With Isaac’s death, Agnes was left to fend for herself as best she could.  She settled in Saint-Catharine’s, Niagara Regional Municipality Ontario, Canada, where she remained until her death in 1855.  The children were sent to live or work with various other families, as Agnes was unable to care for so many children, but, as mentioned above,  she brought them all home every Sunday for Sunday dinner and religious instruction.
  Mary Copeland, who remained in Ireland, married Samuel Cochrane. Mary and Samuel had 11 children.  Following Samuel’s death, Mary and her children made the journey across the ocean, settling at Smith Creek, which is now Port Hope Michigan.   Mary landed November 7, 1848.  Mary became a farmer in Michigan.   Mary and Samuel Cochrane had the following children; Mary Jane Cochran (1824-1910, Elizabeth Cochrane (1826- ), Agnes Cochrane (1826-1899), Samuel Jr. Cochrane, (1834-1914), Alexander William Cochrane, (1835-1900), Margaret Cochrane, (1835-1907), Susan Cochrane (1836-1928), William L. Cochrane, (1841-1918), Isaac Newton Cochrane (1842-1916), Martha (Mattie) Cochrane, (1844-1926), Sarah A. Cochrane (1848-1937).
 
Elizabeth Copeland worked as a maid after he father’s death. By 1858 she had married Henry Moorehouse.  Henry was a farmer in Canada.  They had the following children; Henry Moorehouse Jr. 91837-1866), John Moorhouse, (1833-1900),Isabella Moorhouse (1843-1917),Eliza Jane Moorhouse, (  ), William Moorhouse, ( ), Anne Moorhouse, (  ) Elizabeth Elleanor  ), Charles Moorhouse, (  ).
 
John Copeland (1810-) remained in Ontario Canada, working as a sailor. He married Harriet Boughton Fairman. They had the following children; Isaac Seymore Copeland (1849-1919), Susan E. Copeland (1853-1918), John Robert Copeland (1855-1882), Harriett Copeland (1860-), Charlotte Elizabeth Copeland (1863-1940), Charles F. Copeland (1867-1952)
 
Margaret Copeland (1814-1889) settled in Lewiston Niagara NY, where she married Colonel Arthur Gray.  Arthur was born in Canada (1811-1886). They had the following children; Isaac Gray (1831-), Elizabeth Gray (1837-), Catherine Gray (1842-), Margaret Gray (1845-), Arthur Gray Jr. (1849-), Katie (1843-), Margaret Gray (1845-), Jessie Gray (1858-), Libbie Gray (1860-), John Gray (1851-), Grant Gray (1855-), William Gray (1857-)
 
Susan Marie Copeland (1818-1895) Married Martin Snively (1812-)..  Martin was a cabinet maker. They remained in Ontario and had the following children; Adelade Snively (1843-1925), Sarah Snively (1845-1926), Mary Snively (1848-1933), Darcy Snively (1849-1933).
 
William Lowery Copeland (1820-1887) married Margaret Martha McNeely.  William remained in Welland Ontario Canada, working as a farmer.  They had the following children; Mary Jane Copeland (1852-), Martha Copeland (1853-), John Copeland (1855-), Anne Copeland (1859-).
 
Robert Emmett Copeland (1822-1907) was a farmer in Michigan.  He married Mariah/ Maria Lindley.  They had the following children; Ellen Copeland (1847-), Arthur G. Copeland (1850), Agnes Copeland (1852-), Willard Copeland (1854-), Dencie/ Harriet Copeland (1866), John Copeland (1858-), Jessie Copeland (1862-), Charles R. Copeland (1865-)
 
Agnes Nancy Copeland, died 3/23/1862. Nancy remained in Ontario Canada. She never married.


Next time we will look at the Grandchildren of Isaac and Agnes Copeland.

 As promised, today we will take a look at the family history of Isaac Seymour Copeland- publisher and founder of The Elmira Star Gazette.
       Our story begins in Northern Ireland in 1777.  Isaac Copeland was born in Newry, county Down Ireland  in 1777. He was Presbyterian and loyal to the crown.  




​   In 1783, in Newtown, Hamilton County Armagh,  Ireland, Agnes Lowery was born to Sir William Lowery, a British officer of Scottish decent.  At this time exact records concerning sir William Lowery/ Lowerie/ Loughry have not been located.  Agnes was also Presbyterian and her family were loyal to the crown.  

      Agnes and Isaac were married on 3/29/1802 in Newry, County Down, Ireland. It was here that they started their family.  Agnes Lowery and Isaac Copeland had the following children , all born in Newry Down Ireland; Mary Copeland (1803-1888), Elizabeth Copeland (1803-?,) Agnes Copeland (- ), Nanacy Cope;land (-), Margaret Copeland (1814-1895), Susan Copeland (1818-1895), William Lowry Copeland (1820-1887), and Robert Copeland (1822-1907).  The family set sail for Canada on May 27, 1823, leaving their eldest daughter, Mary and her husband and children behind to follow later.   It appears they were planning to move to Talbot' settlement , which is now New London Ontario Canada.  They spent their fist winter in Lewiston , Niagara NY.  Isaac carried gold, as it was a universal currency in those days, to purchase his homestead in Talbot.  When spring came he resumed his journey to the Talbot settlement, thinking he would see how it compared to the settlement in Lewiston before making a decision.  Isaac was murdered en route and his gold stolen, leaving his family destitute in an unfamiliar and hostile land. He was buried in St. Thomas Old English Cemetery in Elgin County,  Ontario Canada.   Shortly before his death, on March 12, 1824, Isaac wrote a letter to his daughter and her family, in Ireland telling of their adventures on the way to their new home.  He tells how some of the family, Young Nancy, George William and Robert,  were ill with fever and Ague and they were forced to stop and rest until  they recovered.  It took 6 weeks for the fever to leave the children and good health return. By that time it was too late in the year to travel, being  Oct. 5th, 1823. They stopped in Lewiston, where they found work. Isaac started hauling in November and the girls spent their time spinning, Knitting and sewing to help make money for the remainder of their journey.  Isaac writes that the land in Lewiston is owned by the Holland land company and selling for $5. an acre in a "a state of nature", meaning unimproved wilderness, but Isaac was determined to go on the Talbot before making a decision to settle in Lewiston.   Isaac laments that there  was  no church in Lewiston and the settlement is adjacent to the Indian settlement, where he went for services performed there by the Universalist and Methodist Missionaries.  
   For more on the history of the Talbot Settlement check on  http://www.elgin.ca/ElginCounty/CulturalServices/Museum/talbot/Talbot%20Settlement.htm

  In our next post we will look at the fate of the family and find out more about the children of Issac and Agnes Copeland.   Stay tuned.  

​

Hello everyone. I hope you have had a good spring and welcome to summer 2017.  I guess it has been longer than I thought since my last post. I apologize.  As this is a free site I am chained to the world of work, so unfortunately I have been unable to  post for awhile.   I have been working on a couple of new projects and will be posting them soon.  I also wanted to let you know we will be upgrading our site in the near future to include a site search component.  That should make everyone happy, including me.  It will be much easier to find specific content once we get that up and running.  
   I do want to thank everyone who has stuck with us while I have been away.  Keep checking in.  I am always researching something, so you never know when some new information or a new family history may post.  Most recently I have had a note from a granddaughter of Robert Keenan of Olean, asking if we can find out a little more about her family.  So, stay tuned, as we will be looking at the Keenan's of Olean. and , of course any associated family.  The Keenan clan is a large one and there are several different Keenan family in New York and Pennsylvania, so it will be interesting to see if we can connect the dots and find a common ancestor.  If you have a Keenan in your tree you will find this history particularly valuable.  
      I have recently completed a look at the Copeland Family of Elmira NY and will be posting some of that information soon.  This is an interesting, though fairly brief history.  The Copeland family founded the Elmira Star Gazette and were instrumental in the founding of the Ganette news empire, though Copeland did not receive the credit he should have for his accomplishments. 
     If you have questions or ideas fro upcoming segments or see something that needs correcting, let me know. Send me an email or a comment and I will get back to you.  I hope you are enjoying  this web site.  Stay tuned.
Sincerely,
​The Random Genealogist  

David,
​ Thank you for this update.  Regarding the Green/ Coates family- I will check my notes and see what I can find for you.  Thank you for your support.

      I would like to take a minute to thank all of you for our patronage over the years, and your patience, as I start projects and contimue to get side tracked with life.  I hope you have all had a happy holiday season and are looking forward to the new year.  It has been a difficult year for the United states, politically speaking, and there is much uncertainty ahead.  But this site is not about looking ahead, is it?  We spend much of our time looking back at the men and Women who shaped our lives  and the world around them.
​  In the spirit of the New Year, I would like to take a look at two men responsible for one of the most enduring and ,perhaps one of the most taken for granted traditions our country has come to embrace;     the Time Square count down ball.
      New Years eve was celebated in New York's Time Square, as early as 1904, following the opening of the first subway, and the establishment of the New York Times  new headquarters in Times Tower.  The area that is now Time Square, had previously been named Longacre Square.  The owner of the New York Times and the impressive Times tower, then the second tallest building in the world,  was a German Jewish  immigrant, Adolph Ochs.  Ochs executed an unprecendented New Years Eve celebration in 1904,  as a way of inaugurating his new building and celbrating hsi paper's tremendous success.   Ochs spared noexpense to make his celebration an historic event.  It began with an all day festival, held in the square surrounding the tower, and culminated at midnight with  fireworks, noise makers,  and cheering from over 200,000.  
   The New York Times' description of the occasion paints a rapturous picture: "From base to dome the giant structure was alight - a torch to usher in the newborn year..."
      The celebration became an instant fixture in New York City,and captured the attention an they were teh preeminanttry and of the world.  The word spread like lightning, Time Square was the place to be on New Years Eve.   Two years later, the city banned the fireworks display, but Ochs was undaunted.  He hired the Strauss Sign company to design a new Years eve sign that would do justice to the world reknown Times Tower.  
    Strauss signs was founded in 1897 by German Immigrant,  Benjamin Strauss.  Strauss was a well known artisan in New York.  His cmpany was responsible for many of the posters adn show cards that adorned the shops and streets of New York.  It was Strauss genious, and good fortune, that he hired Jacob Starr, a Jewish immigrant from Russian held Poland.   Jacob came to Manhatten in, or around 1907.  He was a metel worker and an electrical engineer.   Starr build the first ball, to be fastened to the flagpole on the tower, to be lowered as a count down heralding the change form 1907 to 1908.    The original ball was built of iron and wood and lit with 100 incandescent light bulbs.   The first ball weighed 700 pounds and measured 5 feet in diameter.  The creation of this dynamic display rocketed Strauss signs to the forefront of the "Spectaculars' trade, the creation of large, lit displays and signage.  Strauss' company was commissioned to oversee the ball drop, and continue in that capacity to the present day.
     Starr went on the become an innovative desiner of marques and entertainment centers in New York adn around the country.  In 1920 he left Strauss Signs and started his own business, a franchise of Artkraft Ohio, a company working with neon.  Starr's company, Artkraft - New York.  His business flourished and in  Starr and Strauss merged their companies to form Artkraft-Strauss.  By 1950 they were the preeminant sign manufactures in New York adn were established world wide.  Jacob Starr was also responsible for the famouse statue of the flag raising over Iwo Jima, erected on 4/27/1945 as a tribute to the brave men and women who fought and died in world war II.
    Jacob  Starr was born in Russia held Poland in 1889.  Jacob immigrated to America in 1907. He married his wife, Anna in 1920.  Anna was also a Jewish immigrant form Russian helf Poland.  She immigrated to America in 1911.  Jacob and Anna had three children, Melvin Starr born 1919, Leta Starr born 1929, and Jean.  Jacob and Anna Starr foundedteh Women's League for Isreal, which consisted of the Ann and Jacob Starr evaluation Center in Isreal.  Jacob Starr was a trustee of the Synagogue.    Jacob died in 1976, 5 months after Anna passed away.  
     

The Cayuta Cemetery , according to the sign on  the site, was opened in 1879.  It is  a fairly well maintained and still active cemetery on county  Route 224 in Schuyler County NY.  The cemetery sits beside a quaint little country church on the left side of the road just past the lumber yard in Cayuta.  When I was there, the yard needed to be mowed, but it was not  badly over grown.  There were a few stones that have fallen and have propped up with some care, though not reset.  There were a few mostly sunk in to the ground and spaced that indicate many more that have sunk below ground.  ​ selected a few families to photograph and  research.  I am posting the stones I have pictures on here and will follow with some  family history facts.  I hope you will find it of interest.

  The web site- Find  A Grave- launched a community event this weekend, Oct. 7-9, 2016.  Find a grave is calling on their participants to locate a cemetery on their web site, look at photo requests and go out and photograph graves to post on their web site.   This a a great way to preserve history and grow the on line data availability for family historians and individuals seeking to complete or enhance their family tree.  I support this effort and encourage you to take some time to check out their web page, look for a local cemetery and participate in the community days event, even if the post is a week or two late.  
 The Random Genealogist, in the spirit of the event, decided to look for and photograph the Alpine Cemetery in Alpine New York.    I look at the web site indicated there are 4 photo requests, 179 persons located in the cemetery and 0% of the cemetery photographed so far.  One problem, this is an old pioneer cemetery and Find A Grave did not provide a location. undaunted at this minor detail, I set out for Alpine, a very small hamlet in Schuyler County New York. We drove up and down and no sign of a cemetery anywhere.  Finally, as the sun was setting yesterday, I stopped and asked a couple who looked like they may know something about the local area.  They did, indeed.  They informed me that there is an old, little known cemetery, off of Oak Hill Road on the property of a local businessman.  They indicated that the cemetery is up on a hill and back a distance from the road.  They cautioned to make sure I get permission from the home owner before setting out, as he owns the cemetery and is particular about his property.   Good advice and appreciated.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to contact him yet, and it is raining here today.  Still, it is my plan to complete this mission in a day or two and post the photos here and also on Find A Grave.  Once I have had a look at the cemetery I will report back on it's condition and will attempt to do a couple of histories for some of the families I find there.  So, Stay tuned, there is more to come.
   Also, as I was not able to get to Alpine Cemetery yesterday,I stopped by the Cayuta Cemetery on State Route 224 and picked a few families to do histories on, and took pictures of the  graves. I hope to have something up on that before the weekend comes to a close.  In the mean time, have a happy and safe Columbus Day weekend.

Tim Kaine by follers on July 19, 2016


Birth Name: Timothy Michael Kaine
Place of Birth: St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Date of Birth: February 26, 1958
Ethnicity:
*81.25% Irish
*18.75% Scottish
Tim Kaine is an American politician. He is the Democratic Party’s 2016 nominee for Vice President of the United States, while Hillary Clinton is their nominee for President.
A Democrat, he has served as a U.S. Senator from Virginia, since January 3, 2013. He was previously the 76th Mayor of Richmond, Virginia, from July 1, 1998 to September 10, 2001, the 38th Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, from January 12, 2002 to January 14, 2006, the 70th Governor of Virginia, from January 14, 2006 to January 16, 2010, and a Chair of the Democratic National Committee, from January 21, 2009 to April 5, 2011.
Tim is the son of Mary Kathleen (Burns) and Albert Alexander Kaine, Jr. His father was of Scottish and Irish descent. His mother is of Irish ancestry. Tim is married to Anne Holton, who has served as Virginia Secretary of Education, since 2014, and whose father, A. Linwood Holton, Jr., was Governor of Virginia, from 1970 to 1974.
Tim’s paternal grandfather was Albert Alexander Kaine (the son of Alexander “Alex” Kane/Kaine and Isabella/Isabelle Potts). Albert was born in Kansas, to Scottish parents. Tim’s great-grandfather Alexander was born in Campsie, Stirlingshire, to Peter Kane, who was born in Ireland, and Jane/Jean King, from Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Tim’s great-grandmother Isabella was born in Cavers, Scottish Borders, the daughter of William Potts and Isabella Patterson Hermiston.
Tim’s paternal grandmother was Annabella/Annella/Ann Ellen Mary Farrell (the daughter of Patrick John Farrell and Mary Catherine Fleming). Annabella was born in Kansas. Patrick was Irish, from Donnybrook, Dublin, the son of Patrick Farrell and Mary Milnamow, both from Longford. Mary Catherine was born in Ontario, Canada, to an Irish father, Thomas Patrick Fleming, from Kilkenny, and a mother, Elizabeth Downey, who was born in Ontario, to Irish parents.
Tim’s maternal grandfather was Leo M. Burns (the son of Michael F. Burns and Bridget “Bridgie”). Michael was born in Illinois, to Irish parents, Patrick Burns and Sarah. Bridget was born in Missouri, also to Irish parents.
Tim’s maternal grandmother was Pauline A. Mannion/Manion (the daughter of Thomas Patrick Mannion and Mary A. Hannan). Thomas was born in Missouri, to Irish parents, John Manion/Mannion and Margaret Gormley, both from Galway. Mary A. was born in Illinois, also to Irish parents, Richard Hannan, from Stranorlar, County Donegal, and Mary Elizabeth Sullivan, from Waterford, Waterford City.
Sources: Genealogies of Tim Kaine – http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com
https://www.geni.com

So, you may have noticed that I never got very far on the presidential project.  I apologize for that.  When I started to do the research I was over whelmed with sites that had already completed the family trees for all of the presidents.  It didn't seem to make sense to just replicate that.    There are also sites that have the complete family tree for Clinton and Trump.  But the real truth is, I got side tracked with real life.   I have been working and lost track of  time.  But summer is ending and we have a long autumn and winter ahead of us to explore genealogical subjects.  I would love to hear from some of you about what kind of things you are looking for on a site like mine. 

I will be posting some new material soon, so keep reading and thank you for your ongoing support and interest in the site. 
​   

                          
​Family influences every aspect of a person's growth.  If parents are kind, a child learns to be kind. If parents are industrious, a child learns the importance of work.  If parents are absent or withhold love or fail to take an interest in a child's activities, fears, thought and beliefs, that child will grow up empty, confused, angry and struggle to make sound decisions.  We are all a reflection of our parents and  to a lesser extent, our Grandparents.
      Our sibling also influence us and are influenced by us.  Similarly we are all influenced by the events that take place during our childhood and the effect of these events on our families.  One can often look at a group of grown siblings  and determine by their character the things that were of value to the parents and Grandparents of those children.
    There are, of course, exceptions to the rule and the individual is shaped and influenced by everything and everyone they come in contact with during their lives.  But the core values that make up who we are, what we believe and how we face difficulties are shaped during our childhoods.  For some, a preponderance of negative events may build resilience and compassion.  For others, the same events may leave a person bitter, angry, frustrated.  For some, a life of privilege may lead to feelings of entitlement, in others  a sense of appreciation and feelings of responsibility to the less fortunate.
     In the fall of 2016, America will elect a new president to lead our country.  With this in mind I have endeavored to come up with a topic that will embrace the political atmosphere we find ourselves wrapped in, while  being  of interest to the family historian.   We know a little bit about our former presidents, good, bad and forgettable,  but how much do we know about their family of origin that shaped their presidency, and through them, the country at large?    Similarly, how much do we really know about the current candidates?   Let us take a look at the families and , where available, the family lines of the former presidents and the 2016 presidential candidates.  Who knows what we will discover. Perhaps you will find you are related to one of these interesting characters.
   America has had 44 presidents since the inception of the country, including our current President Barack Obama.  The following is a list of our presidents in order of their position:
​                                                                                                  Vice President
1. George Washington (1789-1797)                            John Adams (1789-1797)
2. John Adams (1797-1801)                                          Thomas Jefferson (1797-1801)
3. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)                               Aaron Burr (1801-1805)
                                                                                                  George Clinton (1805-1809)
4. James Madison (1809-1817)                                    George Clinton (1809-1812)
                                                                                                  None (1812-1813)
                                                                                                   Elbridge Gerry (1813-1814)
                                                                                                   None (1814-1817)
5. James Monroe (1817-1825)                                      Daniel D. Tompkins (1817-1825)
6. John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)                            John C. Calhoun (1825-1829)
7. Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)                                   John C. Calhoun (1829-1832)
                                                                                                   None (1832-1833)
                                                                                                    Martin Van Buren (1833-1837)
8. Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)                                   Richard M. Johnson (1837-1841)
9. William Henry Harrison (1841)                                   John Tyler (1841)
10. John Tyler (1841-1845)                                              None (1841-1845)
11. James K. Polk (1845-1849)                                       George M. Dallas (1845-1849)
12. Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)                                      Millard Fillmore (1849-1850)
13. Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)                                   None (1850-1853)
14. Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)                                     William King (1853)
                                                                                                    None (1853-1857)
15. James Buchanan (1857-1861)                               John C. Breckinridge (1857-1861)
16. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)                                Hannibal Hamlin (1861-1865)
                                                                                                     Andrew Johnson (1865)
17. Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)                                  None (1865-1869)
18. Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)                                   Schuyler Colfax (1869-1873)
                                                                                                    Henry Wilson (1873-1875)
                                                                                                     None (1875-1877)
19. Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)                            William Wheeler (1877-1881)
20. James A. Garfield (1881)                                            Chester Arthur (1881)
21. Chester Arthur (1881-1885)                                       None (1881-1885)
22. Grover Cleveland (1885-1889)                                 Thomas Hendricks (1885)
                                                                                                      None (1885-1889)
23. Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)                               Levi P. Morton (1889-1893)
24. Grover Cleveland (1893-1897)                                 Adlai E. Stevenson (1893-1897)
25. William McKinley (1897-1901)                                  Garret Hobart (1897-1899)
                                                                                                      None (1899-1901)
                                                                                                       Theodore Roosevelt (1901)
26. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)                             None (1901-1905)
                                                                                                        Charles Fairbanks (1905-1909)
27. William Howard Taft (1909-1913)                              James S. Sherman (1909-1912)
                                                                                                      None (1912-1913)
28. Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)                                 Thomas R. Marshall (1913-1921)
29. Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)                                Calvin Coolidge (1921-1923)
30. Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)                                     None (1923-1925)
                                                                                                      Charles Dawes (1925-1929)
31. Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)                                     Charles Curtis (1929-1933)
32. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)                        John Nance Garner (1933-1941)
                                                                                                       Henry A. Wallace (1941-1945)
                                                                                                      Harry S. Truman (1945)
33. Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)                                    None (1945-1949)
                                                                                                     Alben Barkley (1949-1953)
34. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)                         Richard Nixon (1953-1961)
35. John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)                                    Lyndon B. Johnson (1961-1963)
36. Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)                                None (1963-1965)
                                                                                                        Hubert Humphrey (1965-1969)
37. Richard Nixon (1969-1974)                                            Spiro Agnew (1969-1973)
                                                                                                         None (1973)
                                                                                                        Gerald Ford (1973-1974)
38. Gerald Ford (1974-1977)                                               None (1974)
                                                                                                         Nelson Rockefeller (1974-1977)
39. Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)                                            Walter Mondale (1977-1981)
40. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)                                         George Bush (1981-1989)
41. George Bush (1989-1993)                                            Dan Quayle (1989-1993)
42. Bill Clinton (1993-2001)                                                 Al Gore (1993-2001)
43. George W. Bush (2001-2009)                                          Dick Cheney (2001-2009)
44. Barack Obama (2009-present)                                      Joe Biden (2009-present)
http://www.presidentsusa.net/presvplist.html
The 2016 candidates as of 3/20/216:
​HILLARY CLINTON 

• Born: Oct 26, 1947

Bernie Sanders 

• Born: Sep 08, 1941

​John Kasich 

• Born: May 13, 1952

​Ted Cruz 

• Born: Dec 22, 1970

​Donald Trump 

• Born: Jun 14, 1946

​

    ​We will also look at the Meekel family buried in the Friend’s cemetery, also in Jacksonville Tompkins County NY. 

1. Aaron  Mekeel, b. 1817 -d. 1903 was a dairy farmer in Hector NY.  In the 1860’s Aaron became lame in his ankles and used a crutch to get around.  This limited but did not end his Dairy farming.  Aaron traveled to other counties to promote his dairy and to learn about modern technology as it applied to the dairy industry.  In 1872 the disease in his legs was sever enough to require amputation and Aaron spent some time at the Dryden Spring convalescing.  Aaron was married 2x.  His first wife, to Anna was the mother of Catherine (1841) and Mary (1844)  Anna died before 1855 and Aaron moved his sister Anna Mekeel (1828-) into the home to help him with his children  Aaron remarried Lydia ? (1832 d. 1920   ).  He and Lydia had the following children:

Hannah (1856-) married  ? Hopkins and moved to Warrensville PA.
Emma (1858 --d. 1929) never married.  Lived in Trumansburg NY.  Emma was an invalid at the time of her death. 
 William E. (1872-1959) married Sarah D. Tripp (1876 - 1936)
 
In 1914 the Mekeel farm was sold, boasting  “SALE—One of the best 15 acre poultry, truck and fruit farms that has been on the market for years, with good nine-room house, large brooder house 12x70 with hot water piped throughout, all papered and plastered poultry house 40xlO, with concrete floor, large barn 26x60, shop 24x18, lots of fruit., about 60 large apple trees, SO to 40 young apple trees, all of the best varieties and bearing, 40 choice pear trees in full bearing condition; land lays  level, with rich, black loam soil adapted to raising onions, cabbage, vegetables, in fact most any crop; about 4 acres woods and pasture, balance under cultivation and in fruit This property has been in the hands of the present owners fifty or sixty years and is known as the Aaron MeKeel farm.
 
           
William Mekeel, b. 1815- d. 1871- married 2x.  His first wife was Mary G Mekeel,. b. 1825 d. 1867.  Mary appears in the 1850 and 1860 census.  Mary Died in 1867 and William remarried Martha G. Hussey (1820 - 1905) William was a farmer in   Hector NY. 
James T. Mekeel (1836-2/1915)
Elizabeth Mekeel (1838-1908) never married (see Walter Mekeel below)
Jesse Mekeel (1840-1931) married in 1870 to Rebecca H. ? (1849-1934) .  Jesse’s mother was born in Massachusetts. Jesse and Rebecca had 8 children, 7 surviving to adulthood. They had the following children: Charles Owen Mekeel- (1883-1958-married Rachel V. Ganoung.  See Ganoung family in previous post), Anna (1871-1886) Died at age 16,  Elizabeth (1873-1908), Sarah D.  (1876-), Catharine Tripp (1878-1944), Eunice R. (1891-)  Amy Grace ( 1885- d. 1976)  on May 8,1942 Amy Grace reported on the World Friends conference she had attended in Richman Indiana.  Amy Grace never married She maintained her religion throughout her life and spoke often about it.  The following appeared in the Ovid Gazette on 11/9/    1967.  DAR Hears About Perry City Quakers TRUMANSBURG - On Tuesday, Nov. 7 Chief Taughannock Chapter of D.A.R. met at the home of Mrs. Catharine Hoffmire. After lunch and the business meeting, the group listened with great interest to Miss Amy Grace Mekeel and her sister, Mrs. Hopkins both of Jacksonville. They gave an account of the coming of the first Quakers to the Perry City region; about the church built there; about the members and where they lived; where they were buried; where their children were educated and many other things about the Quakers and their belief unknown to most of the audience.
 
Amy Quimby Mekeel (11/10/1841) married in 1865 to Edward Pyle (1837-1901). They lived in Hector NY and had the following children: William L. Pyle (1866-1951, Charles Pyle (1872-1955), Henry Pyle (1873-1886)
Anna G. Mekeel (1825-)
Sarah J. Mekeel (1854-1873)
Walter Mekeel (1857-10/18/1924) in 1870 we find both Walter and Isaiah living with their sister Elizabeth. In 1880 the three continue to live together.  Elizabeth is not married.  She is now 41 years old and is listed as his half-sister, indicating that Walter and Isaiah are the sons of Martha G. Mekeel .  The three are still together, none of them married in 1892.  Both Walter and Isaiah are farmers and Elizabeth keeps house.  They all live in Hector NY.  In 1900 niece Sarah Mekeel (1876-) has moved into the home with them.  Elizabeth Died in 1808 and Niece, Sarah Mekeel remained to keep house.
Isaiah Mekeel (1859-1918) Never married (see Walter Mekeel)
 
 Joshua Mekeel, b. Jun. 25, 1795 d. Feb. 24, 1877-married x2- Hester Bailey and Anna Underhill.  Joshua had the following children:
 Isaac Devoe Mekeel (1822-1875) Married Mariah Diamond ( Dimond) (1/13/1823-5/17/1884)  Isaac was a farmer and settled in Hector NY.  Hector was originally part of Tompkins County but in 1855, with the re-districting of counties, became part of the newly formed Schuyler County.  Isaac and Mariah had the following children; Dewitt Mekeel (1851-), Joshua Mekeel (1853-), Anna H. Mekeel (1856-), Margaret Mekeel (1858-)
 
Anne Eliza Mekeel
 
 Abram V. Mekeel (5/30/1829-4/30/1902) Married Jane C.?(1830-6/6/1896) Abram (shown as Abraham) settled in Hector.  Abram was a farmer.  He and Jane had two children; Carrie (Carolyn) Mekeel (1858-) married ? Smith and settled in Brooklyn NY where they had two daughter; Carrie Smith and Jennifer Smith.
and Arthur Mott Mekeel (1862-7/16/1923)- Married Widow Gertrude  ? Baker (1860-7/21/1923) 1/1/1907.  Gertrude brought one son into the marriage, John R. Baker.  A. Mott accepted John as his own son. A. Mott and Gertrude settled in Wilkes Barre PA.
 
Arthur Michael Mekeel (1832-) married Susan ? (1842-) moved to Fairfax, Linn Iowa.
 
 Hester J. Mekeel (1838-)no information available at this time.
 
Caleb Mekel (1824-) Caleb was a farm hand.  He lived with brother Isaac through 1860 and moved west with brother Arthur, appearing in Arthur’s home in the 1880 census.  Caleb married late in life, taking his wife in 1897 Angeline M. ?.  Caleb and Angeline have no children.
          This concludes out look at the Mekeel family, and our series on The Quakers in The USA. I hope you have enjoyed t.  If you have any suggestions of things you may want to see on this site, please email your suggestions or drop me  letter. Until next time, May the wind blow gently upon your face, the rain fall soft upon your fields and the sun forever warm your soul. Happy Valentines day.

​
Children of Jarvis and Samantha Ganoung
Frank Ganoung (1857-1936) & Kate Vincent (B 1860-?) had the following children;
 Rachel Vincent Ganoung (1886-1/13/1964), married Charles O. Mekeel. (1/19/1883-11/23/1958) in 1913.  They remained members of the Jacksonville community church.  Rachel’s brothers both out lived her.  She and Charles O. Mekeel had the following children; Rhonda Mekeel (3/16/1914-8/3/2001), Florance Mekeel (5/27/1916-10/30/2008)- married  ? Lambeth, Anna Mekeel (10/31/1918-1/28/2007) and son Jesse Mekeel (7/23/1917-9/29/1994).
 
Charles (1889- ), Married 3/10/1909 to Catherine Harris.  Following their honey moon, Charles and Catherine moved to the farm of Grandmother Samantha Ganoung Widow.  Charles and Catherine had two daughters; Ruth Ganoung(1911-) and Marjorie Ganoung (1913-)
 
 Howard (1890-) on 3/15/1916 married Harriet Shepson.  Ceremony performed by bride’s brother Rev. H.M.Shepson of Binghamton.  Howard was a farmer and settled in Covert, Seneca NY, He and Harriet had two sons-
Carol (C.B.) Ganoung (1922-), served in WWII, enlisting on 9/1/1942.  After the war Carol married Onalee Brown and had a son, Gary Ganoung 4/15/1952.
 William Ganoung (1926-8/17/2003) William married Evelyn E. ? in Ithaca, where William and Evelyn lived and worked until they retired to Florida.  They had 2 daughters, Jill Ganoung and Jan Ganoung. The following is the obituary for William:
WILLIAM B. GANOUNG
CLERMONT, FL - William B. Ganoung, 77, formerly of Slaterville Springs, NY, went home to be with his Lord Sunday, August 17, 2003, in Clermont, FL, following a hard fought battle with cancer.He was predeceased by his wife of 28 years, Evelyn E. Ganoung. He is survived by two daughters, Jill Ganoung of Cocoa, FL, and Jan Edwards of Colorado Springs, CO; three grandchildren, Sarah, Ashley and Cody Edwards of Colorado Springs; one brother, C.B. Ganoung of Ithaca, NY; and several nieces and nephews.Mr. Ganoung retired from Ridley's Book Bindery, Page Book Bindery, and was most recently employed with MGM Studios in Orlando, FL.Burial will be a private interment next to his wife in Quick Cemetery, Brooktondale, NY. The family wishes any memorial contributions be made in Mr. Ganoung's memory to the American Cancer Society, or the local Hospice facility. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theithacajournal/obituary.aspx?n=William-B-Ganoung&pid=87919241#sthash.f9yQbUgW.dpuf
 
Children of Jarvis Ganoung and Samantha Fowler
Bertha (1873-),married  ? Fundis
Anna (1856-)- never married
Annaliza (1857-before 1870)
Charles (1858-before 1870)
Arthur (1867-), Married Alice Kirby in 1890.  Alice was the daughter of Thomas Kirby (1838-4/2/1913).  Arthur, like most of his family, was a farmer and settled in the Trumansburg NY area.  Alice and Arthur had two children; Bessie (1891- ) and Clifford (11/15/1892-8/1971) Clifford married Eva? (6/16/1889-12/1979)   Clifford and Eva lived with Arthur and Alice through 1925.  In 1930 we find Arthur and Alice living in a house they have purchased on Hayers street in Ithaca NY.  Arthur is now working as a Janitor in a chain company in Ithaca. Clifford and Eva are living in a rental apartment on Albany St. in Ithaca.  Clifford works as a general laborer doing odd jobs. Clifford and Eva had no children. No information on Bessie is found after 1925.
 Elnora (Ella) (1868- married George Vincent in 1900. George was a farmer in Ithaca NY.  Ella and George had one child that died in infancy.  They had no children after this.
 
William D. Ganoung 1808-1882 (son of Jonathan Ganoung) moved to New Haven Huron Ohio where he purchased a farm and started a family.    William and Mercy had the following children, all born in Ohio;
Lewis B. 1840- Lewis is last seen in 1870 living in Carson City Nevada.  He is unmarried.  No further information available at this time.
Charles H. has born 10/17/1841-7/23/1917- In 1866 He married Carrie A. Adams 1/19/1842-4/24/1918. Charles was a farmer and owned his own farm.  He and Carrie had one child- Nettie L. Ganoung  Born 1870.  Nettie never married.
Susan born 1848. - no information available.  We see Susan in the 1870 census living at home with parents.  She does not appear after that. She may have died, though no record of her grave is available or she may have gotten married.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       This concludes our look at the Ganoung family. It is interesting to see that the Ganoungs are joined to our next family of interest through marriage.  We turn our attention now to the Mekeel Family, also found in the Quaker cemetery in Jacksonville NY. Stay tuned.

Samuel Ganoung b. 6/28/1764- d. Sep. 20, 1850     Married Elizabeth Ganoung (9/7/1767 – 7/7/1843) family Bible of/ Samuel Ganoung and wife Elizabeth Frost Ganoung married 1/31/1790. Ganoung, Elizabeth b. 1767 d. Jul. 7, 1843 -married Samuel Ganoung They had the following children:
Thomas F. Ganoung 10/30/1790-12/10/1814
Huldah F. Ganoung 6/30/1793-10/23/1886 married Samuel Baker-died 2/19/1871, Baker bible records deaths; Abram Baker died 11/24/1844, Elizabeth Baker Bell D. 9/15/1855, Munson Baker d. 6/16/1863, Niles Baker D. 12/14/1870, Warren Baker d. 3/10/1879, Moses Baker d. 11/18/1899, Marenda Baker Owens D. 4/4/1906, Angelina Baker D. 5/13/1912, Samuel T. Baker D. 2/29/1916, Mary G. Bunnitt Baker D. 3/29/1927,Eda Genette Baker Vaughan D. 3/8/1951, Della Mae Baker Hendricks D. 2/3/1968, Mary Ellen Baker Buch D. 8/8/1975
 
Betsey Ganoung 3/7/1795-11/27/1829
Mehetable Ganoung 3/13/1797-
John F. Ganoung 2/28/1799-6/16/1800 Died age 1 year.
Munson Ganoung 9/2/1801-9/19/1820- Died at age 19.
Cornelia/Permelia Ganoung 12/12/1802-4/30/1867/ Ganoung, Pamelia b. Dec. 12, 1803 d. Apr. 30, 1867 (Daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Frost Ganoung) 
Philomena Ganoung 3/24/1806-3/22/1881
Emeline Ganoung 11/25/1809-1/11/1867
 
 
 
 
Jason Ganoung,  b. 1769 d. Nov. 15, 1859- Married Judith Craft.   In the 1800 census Jason appears with a family of 6 children; 3 boys and 3 girls all under 10.  This means all of those children were born between 1790-1800. 
            Ganoung, Judah Craft b. 1775 d. Jun. 26, 1852 married Jason Ganoung (1769 - 1859) parents of 
Children of Jason and Judith
William Ganoung, b. Mar. 26, 1791 d. Sep. 4, 1847
Joseph Ganoung,   b. Aug. 19, 1798 d. Aug. 5, 1884   (Buried in Grove cemetery T-burg)   married Amelia Savage about 1817 Amelia Savage b. Sep. 22, 1800 d. Apr. 18, 1886    
Unknown son
Unknown Daughter
Unknown Daughter
Unknown Daughter.
 
 
Daniel Ganoung born in Dutchess county NY on 6/14/1776 did not move to Tompkins County with his brothers. He died in Putnam County on 1874.  No information has been located about Daniel other than a will probated on 11/20/1874.  Details of the will are not available on line at this time.  

​Jonathan Ganoung line-
Children of James and Eliza Ann Ganoung
Adaline Ganoung b. 1834 d. Nov. 11, 1846- Died at the age of 12.
 
Jarvis Ganoung ( note: when looking for Jarvis in the Ancestry.com database there were transcription errors made in his name in all census.  In one he is transcribed as James, in another as Jesus.  Looking at the document the truth this evident. They are all Jarvis) 11/5/1831-4/10/1893- buried in Hayts cemetery in Ithaca NY.  Jarvis married Samantha Fowler (1834-1816) on 10/10/1855.  1900 census- Samantha mother of 7- 5 living.  In 1860 census Jarvis is a farm laborer.  They do not own their own farm.  Living with them is 14 year old Warren Fowler, Samantha’s brother or possibly cousin. He does not appear in the 1850 census. Samantha Fowler is the daughter of Rheuben Fowler and Elizabeth (last name unknown).
Children of Jarvis and Samantha:
Frank Ganoung (1857-1936) Frank Ganoung  was a farmer.  He bought property next to his mother.  Frank Married Kate Vincent (B 1860-) daughter of Arnold and Eliza Ann Vincent. Frank and Kate had the following children; Rachel Vincent Ganoung (1886-1964), Charles (1889-), Howard (1890-)
Bertha (1873-),
Anna (1856-)
Annaliza (1857-),
Charles (1858-)
Arthur (1867-),
 Elnora (1868-)
 
Oliver Ganoung 1838-7/23/1926.  Oliver was buried in Tompkins NY but lived for some time in Coventry Montgomery Kansas. Married in 1893 to Sarah A. (unknown) B. December 1853 in New Jersey.  Oliver and Sarah had no children.  In 1920 Oliver and Sarah’s 13 year of nephew , Clyde Wintermute Born 1907 in New Jersey, was living with them.
William D. Ganoung 1808-1882 moved to New Haven Huron Ohio where he purchased a farm and started a family.  William married twice, 1st to Jane (last name unknown).  Jane died 4/28/1838. The couple had no children together.  He married a second time to Mercy Head born in NY State in 1813, Mercy died at some time between 1870-1880..  William and Mercy had the following children, all born in Ohio;
Lewis B. 1840
Charles H. born 1842
Susan born 1848.
    
Jacob S. Ganoung 1810-1882 also moved to Huron Ohio where he married Alma Foote on 8/2/1834.  Jacob married a second time to Emily H. Culbertson (1844-)  Jacob and Emily adopted a son, possibly a relative- Howard D. Ganoung born 6/11/1872 in Fairfield Huron Ohio.  Howard married Allie May Blair in Huron Ohio.  They had no children.

Ganoung, Jonathan b. Jun. 14, 1776 d. Jun. 2, 1854         - Elizabeth Drew11/11/1780-1/12/1866 appear in the old Quaker cemetery. 
Jonathan is thought to descend from Jeremiah Ganoung who was born 4/9/1671 in Flushing Queens NY.  Jeremiah married in 1690 in Queens to Martha Denmark born 4/9/1671 in Flushing Queens to John Denmark Jr. (1/16/1621 born in Retford Nottingham England) and Sarah Hollander born 1620 in South Hampton NY.  John and Sarah were married in Suffolk county Mass. In 1643.  Sarah died in Queens NY, in 1671, possibly in childbirth.  Jeremiah and Martha had one confirmed son, Jeremiah Ganoung Jr. born in 1695 in Flushing Queens  Jeremiah Jr. was married in Morris County New Jersey on 6/11/1720 in the Presbyterian church to Deziar (last name unknown very probably Deziar Denison born4/16/ 1693 in Connecticut to George Dennison) Born 1695 in Flushing Queens NY.  Deziar died 9/27/1741 in Morris County New Jersey.  Jeremiah Jr. died in Morris county New Jersey on 5/7/1776.  Jeremiah Jr. and Deziar had one confirmed son, John Ganoung born 1725 in New York State.  John was married in Morris New Jersey on 8/22/1751 to Sarah Clark.  Sarah was born in 1724 In Hanover New Jersey, daughter of Joshua Clark, (1698 Essex NJ -1758 Essex NJ.  Joshua married Mary Duvall in 1721 in Middlesex NJ) John and Sarah both died in Morris NJ, Sarah in 1785 and John in December of 1795.  John and Sarah have one confirmed son; Jacob Ganoung ,born 1748 in Putnam County NY.  Jacob served in the revolutionary army in the 7th regiment in 1776 in Dutchess county NY.  He married in 1775 in Dutchess county NY to Hannah Wilson.  Hannah was the Granddaughter of Samuel Wilson and the daughter of James Wilson (10/31/1718-8/11/1802 Carmel Dutchess NY) and Mary (Last name unknown ) (1/2/1718-6/4/1794) James Wilson served in the NY Militia from 1776-1782.  James and Mary had two confirmed daughters; Phebe Wilson (1748-5/23/1827 married Zebulon Washburn (1747-1833) they had one son- Zebulon Washburn Jr. (1782-1835), and Hannah Wilson married Jacob Ganoung.Jacob and Hannah died in Carmel, Punam NY.  They had the following sons; Daniel Ganoung born Putnam NY 1782-1868 and Jonathan Ganoung born 6/14/1776 in Dutchess county NY. Jason Ganoung 1769-11/15/1859-born in Putnam County married Judith Craft, and Samuel Ganoung 6/28/1764-9/20/1850- married Elizabeth Frost.
        Jonathan married Elizabeth Drew on 1/4/1799. Elizabeth was the daughter of William Drew (5/21/1755 Yorktown Westchester NY-9/11/1837 Putnam NY and Jane Fowler (1759Westchester-5/21/1849-putnam) It is likely that Jonathan did not begin life as a member of the Society of Friends.  Jonathan fought in the war of 1812 and Quakers do not believe in participating in war fair. It is likely his conversion came around the time of his relocation to Ulysses Tompkins NY.  Jonathan was a well-known and well respected farmer in the Trumansburg/Jacksonville area, Tompkins county NY, where he settled with his wife and son James.  All of the children were born in Dutchess and Putnam Counties NY.  Jonathan died on 6/2/1854 and is buried in the Old Quaker Cemetery in Jacksonville Ny.  Elizabeth died 1/12/1866.
Children:
James  Ganoung, b. Oct. 26, 1801 d. Jul. 24, 1885. Married Eliza Ann Jarvis (1805 - 1890)-child Adaline Ganoung (1834 - 1846) James left a will in Ulysses Tompkins NY leaving his heirs- Eliza Ann- wife, Oliver B. Ganoung (1838-7/23/1926) of Coventry Montgomery Kansas (died and buried in Tompkins county NY Grove cemetery), Adeline Mason of Covert Seneca NY age 34, William H. Ganoung Ulysses Tompkins age 58, and Jarvis Ganoung Ulysses Tompkins NY age 50 real-estate worth $7,000, And personal property $5,000.  The will was probated on 10/26/1801.  In 1850 Janes and Eliza are living in Trumansburg NY with their children and Eliza’s mother- Jerusha Jarvis B.1774-1853. In 1860 Elizabeth Ganoung, now widowed, is living with James and Eliza.  Children of James and Eliza Ann Ganoung:
Adaline Ganoung b. 1834 d. Nov. 11, 1846- Died at the age of 12.
Jarvis Ganoung 1831
Oliver Ganoung 1838
 
 
William D. Ganoung 1808-1882 moved to New Haven Huron Ohio where he purchased a farm and started a family.  William married twice, 1st to Jane (last name unknown).  Jane died 4/28/1838. The couple had no children together.  He married a second time to Mercy Head born in NY State in 1813.  William and Mercy had the following children, all born in Ohio;
Lewis B. 1840
Charles H. born 1842
Susan born 1848.
     Mercy died at some time between 1870-1880.
 
Jacob S. Ganoung 1810-1882 also moved to Huron Ohio where he married Alma Foote on 8/2/1834.  Jacob married a second time to Emily H. Culbertson (1844-)  Jacob and Emily adopted a son, possibly a relative- Howard D. Ganoung born 6/11/1872 in Fairfield Huron Ohio.  Howard married Allie May Blair in Huron Ohio.  They had no children.
 


Stay tuned there is more to come.

  I hope you have enjoyed our look at Quaker's in America and I apologize for the long pause between posts.        We have seen that the Quaker faith was influential in  the development of the United States but who were these people?  Let’s take a look at some of the families found in The Old Quaker Settlement Cemetery in Jacksonville, Ulysses Tompkins NY.    One of the most prominent families found in this cemetery is the Ganoung family.  We met some of the Ganoung’s briefly when we reviewed the history of the town of Catharine in Schuyler county NY.    One of the Jones relations married one to the Ganoung relations, who was at that time a Methodist.  
   We will also look at a family found in the Friend's cemetery, also in Jacksonville Tompkins NY, these are the Mekeel family.    If you are a relative of wither of these families I welcome you to send in information about your relatives and , as necessary to expand or correct any information I may post.  Please remember all of my information comes form documents found on line or within the local community.  To really have a feel for a person's character it helps to have some family input.  
​   I will be researching as I post, so we are in this together.  I hope you will find it interesting and find some valuable information you may not have been able to locate elsewhere.

The following Ganoung family members are resting peacefully in the Jacksonville Quaker Settlement.  You can see that I have started some research on this family to try and make connections. 
 1.      Ganoung, Adaline b. 1834 d. Nov. 11, 1846- child of James and Eliza Ann Ganoung.  Died at the age of  12.
2.      Ganoung, Eliza Ann b. Apr. 15, 1805 d. Nov. 23, 1890- James Ganoung
3.      Ganoung, Elizabeth b. 1767 d. Jul. 7, 1843    -married Samuel Ganoung
4.      Ganoung, Elizabeth Drew b. Nov. 11, 1780 d. Jan. 12, 1866    married Jonathan Ganoung        
5.      Ganoung, James b. Oct. 26, 1801 d. Jul. 24, 1885. Married Eliza Ann Ganoung (1805 - 1890)-child Adaline Ganoung (1834 - 1846) James left a will in Ulysses Tompkins NY leaving his heirs- Eliza Ann- wife, Oliver B. Ganoung (1838-7/23/1926) of Coventry Montgomery Kansas (died and buried in Tompkins county NY Grove cemetery), Adeline Masson of Covert Seneca NY age 34, William H. Ganoung Ulysses Tompkins age 58, and Jarvis Ganoung Ulysses Tompkins NY age 50 real-estate worth $7,000. And personal property $5,000.  The will was probated on 10/26/1801.

6.      Ganoung, Jason b. 1769 d. Nov. 15, 1859- Judith Craft
7.      Ganoung, Jonathan b. Jun. 14, 1776 d. June. 2, 1854  - Elizabeth Drew- Son Jonathan Ganoung  Born 1830. James Ganoung born 1801  (1850 they lived in Enfield NY.  Son or possibly grandson- Jonathan still at home and unmarried)(1860 Elizabeth is living in Ulysses Tompkins with son James and his family- Eliza A. B.1815,oliver ganoung b1838 still at home  )
8.      Ganoung, Judah Craft b. 1775 d. Jun. 26, 1852 married Jason Ganoung (1769 - 1859) parents of  Joseph Ganoung (1798 - 1884) married  Amelia Savage about 1817.
9.      Ganoung, Samuel b. 6/28/1764- d. Sep. 20, 1850      Married Elizabeth Ganoung (9/7/1767 – 7/7/1843) family Bible of Samuel Ganoung and wife Elizabeth Frost Ganoung married 1/31/1790. They had the following children:
Thomas F. Ganoung 10/30/1790-12/10/1814
Huldah F. Ganoung 6/30/1793-10/23/1886 married Samuel Baker-died 2/19/1871, Baker bible records deaths; Abram Baker died 11/24/1844, Elizabeth Baker Bell D. 9/15/1855, Munson Baker d. 6/16/1863, Niles Baker D. 12/14/1870, Warren Baker d. 3/10/1879, Moses Baker d. 11/18/1899, Marenda Baker Owens D. 4/4/1906, Angelina Baker D. 5/13/1912, Samuel T. Baker D. 2/29/1916, Mary G. Bunnitt Baker D. 3/29/1927,Eda Genette Baker Vaughan D. 3/8/1951, Della Mae Baker Hendricks D. 2/3/1968, Mary Ellen Baker Buch D. 8/8/1975

Betsey Ganoung 3/7/1795-11/27/1829
Mehetable Ganoung 3/13/1797-
John F. Ganoung 2/28/1799-6/16/1800
Munson Ganoung 9/2/1801-9/19/1820
Cornelia/Permelia Ganoung 12/12/1802-4/30/1867
Philomena Ganoung 3/24/1806-3/22/1881
Emeline Ganoung 11/25/1809-1/11/1867

10.  Ganoung, William b. Mar. 26, 1791 d. Sep. 4, 1847
11.  Genung, Jonathan b. 1776 d. Jun. 2, 1854 married to Elizabeth Drew
We will also look at the Meekel family buried in the Friend’s cemetery, also in Jacksonville Tompkins County NY.


1.      Mekeel, Aaron b. 1817 d. 1903 was a dairy farmer in Hector NY.  In the 1860’s Aaron became lame in his ankles and used a crutch to get around.  This limited but did not end his Dairy farming.  Aaron traveled to other counties to promote his dairy and to learn about modern technology as it applied to the dairy industry.  In 1872 the disease in his legs was sever enough to require amputation and Aaron spent some time at the Dryden Spring convalescing.  Aaron was married to Anna and had the following children; Catherine (B 1941) and Mary (1844)., Hannah (1856), Emma (1859), Mitchell (1942)
In 1914 the Mekeel farm was sold, boasting  “SALE—One of the best 15 acre poultry, truck and fruit farms that has been on the market for years, with good nine-room house, large brooder house 12x70 with hot water piped throughout, all papered and plastered poultry house 40xlO, with concrete floor, large barn 26x60, shop 24x18, lots of fruit., about 60 large apple trees, SO to 40 young apple trees, all of the best varieties and bearing, 40 choice pear trees in full bearing condition; land lays  level, with rich, black loam soil adapted to raising onions, cabbage, vegetables, in fact most any crop; about 4 acres woods and pasture, balance under cultivation and in fruit This property has been in the hands of the present owners fifty or sixty years and is known as the Aaron MeKeel farm. “


2.      Mekeel, Amy Grace b. 1885 d. 1976  May 8.1942 Amy Grace reported on the World Friends conference she had attended in Richman Indiana.  Amy Grace never married She maintained her religion throughout her life and spoke often about it.  The following appeared in the Ovid Gazette on 11/9/    1967.  DAR Hears About Perry City Quakers TRUMANSBURG - On Tuesday, Nov. 7 Chief Taughannock Chapter of D.A.R. met at the home of Mrs. Catharine Hoffmire. After lunch and the business meeting, the group listened with great interest to Miss Amy Grace Mekeel and her sister, Mrs. Hopkins both of Jacksonville. They gave an account of the coming of the first Quakers to the Perry City region; about the church built there; about the members and where they lived; where they were buried; where their children were educated and many other things about the Quakers and their belief unknown to most of the audience.
3.      Mekeel, Anna b. 1870 d. 1886 Daughter of Jesse Mekeel and Rebecca )
4.      Mekeel, Catherine Tripp b. 1878 d. 1944   ( daughter of Jesse and Rebecca)    
5.      Mekeel, Elizabeth b. 1838 d. 1908
6.      Mekeel, Elizabeth b. 1873 d. 1908 (Daughter of Jesse and Rebecca)
7.      Mekeel, Emma b. 1858 d. 1929- never married.  Lived in Trumansburg NY.  Emma was an invalid at the time of her death.  She was survived by one brother- William of Trumansburg and one sister- Mrs. Anna Hopkins of Warrensville PA.
8.      Mekeel, Hester Bailey b. Oct. 18, 1795 d. Jun. 26, 1846-married Joshua Mekeel- children of Joshua and Hester- Isaac Devoe Mekeel (1822 - 1875) & Abram V. Mekeel (1829 - 1902)
9.  Mekeel, Isaiah b. 1859 d. 3/19/1918
10.  Mekeel, Jesse b. 1840 d. 1931 married Rebecca H. ? (1850).  Jesse was a farmer in Trumansburg NY.  They had the following children; Anna Mekeel (1871), Elizabeth (1873), Sarah (1876), Catheren( 1878)
11.  Mekeel, Joshua b. Jun. 25, 1795 d. Feb. 24, 1877-married x2- Hester Bailey and Anna Underhill.- children-1) Isaac Devoe Mekeel
2) Caleb Bailey Mekeel
3) Anne Eliza Mekeel
4) Abram V. Mekeel
5) Arthur Michael Mekeel
6) Hester I. Mekeel
12.  Mekeel, Lydia B. b. 1832 d. 1920- married William E. Mekeel (1872 - 1959)
13.  Mekeel, Mary G. b. 1825 d. 1867
14.  Mekeel, Mary L. b. 1880 d. 1962       
15.  Mekeel, Rebekah b. 1849 d. 1934-Wife of Jesse Mekeel
16. Charles Owen Mekeel (1883 - 1958) married Rachel Ganoung 4/7/1913.  Rachel is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ganoung of Glenwood.  Rachel died 10/13/1964.  survived by 1 son, Jesse Mekeel,three daughters; Rhoda Mekeel, Mrs. Florence Lambeth of Bethseda Md. , Annie Mekeel.  also survived by 2 brothers, one named- Howard Ganoung.  Rachel is buried in Hayts Cemetery.  She was a member of the Jacksonville community church.
17.  Mekeel, Sarah D. Tripp b. 1876 d. 1936
18.  Mekeel, Sarah Jane b. 1854 d. 1873  
19.  Mekeel, William b. 1815 d. 1871- married Martha G. Hussey Mekeel (1820 - 1905) Farmer in Hector NY.  He and Martha had the following children; James T. Mekeel (1836), Elizabeth Mekeel (1838-1908), Jesse Mekeel (1840-1931),Amy Q. Mekeel (1842)
20.  Mekeel, William E. b. 1872 d. 1959-married Sarah D. Tripp Mekeel (1876 - 1936)
     Stay tuned there is much more to come in the next few weeks.

        In this series we will look at the Quaker religion and how they shaped America.  I will look at a couple of Quaker families found in the old Cemetery in Trumansburg NY and see what we can discover.

If you are like me than many of you probably have heard of the Quakers, seen the Quaker oats man and not really known much about them.  In this series I will attempt to answer the questions;

1.      who were the Quakers,

2.       where did they come from

3.       where did they go,

4.       How did they influence American history? 

5.      Aren’t the Quakers really just the Amish with a different name?

      This story really begins way back in 1517.  From roughly 33AD until 1517 the Christian world was governed largely by the Holy Catholic church, later known as the Holy Roman Catholic church, but all of those splits and changes will wait for another time.  In 1517 a Catholic friar from Germany changed all of that when he started to openly question the teachings and practices of the church.  In those times the bible was written in Latin and was kept from the masses and was the sole dominion of the religious and highly educated.  When Martin Luther openly challenged the teachings and practices of the church he opened a flood gate for the Protestant religious movement.  The Bible was translated into the vernacular of the various countries and for the first time the common people had access to the word of God. (for more on Martin Luther see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestant_Reformation, http://www.uhistory.com/pages/h1136.html )  

     Martin Luther was a catalyst for change and reformation and though there had been earlier attempts at reformation it was largely through his stance that Protestantism was born.  Before long Lutheranism took hold in Germany, The Ana-Baptist movement took hold in Switzerland and spread- spawning the Amish, Mennonite and Hutterites (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabaptists ), The seeds of Adventism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventism ), Anglicanism (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglicanism ), Baptists (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptists ), Calvanism from which the puritans came, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism ), The seeds that would become the Methodist church  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methodism) and the Pentecostal churches (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecostalism )  were sown. 

    It was into this climate that Christopher and Mary Lege Fox, devote Anglicans living in Drayton in The Clay Leicester England, brought forth their son, George Fox in July of 1624.  Mary and Christopher were very devout Christians.  Christopher, a weaver by trade was often referred to as “righteous Christer” by his friends and neighbors.  His wife Mary was characterized as being, “of the stock of the martyrs”.  They were a simple, hardworking couple.  They raised their son to be as fiercely devoted to Christian principles as they were.

   George learned well from their example.  He was a bright boy and found himself pondering many of the teachings of the church.  Raised by his parents on the teachings of the Church of England, George had no formal education, but quickly learned to read and write.  He was fascinated by the bible and studied it continually. Fox is quoted as saying that by the time he was eleven years old he “Knew pureness and righteousness; for while I was a child, I was taught how to walk to be kept pure. The Lord taught me to be faithful, in all things, and to act faithfully in two ways; inwardly to God and outwardly to men” (Jones 1908)

     George was apprenticed to a shoe maker and shepherd.   He enjoyed this endeavor as it gave him time to think and contemplate.  He was well known for his diligence.  George constantly pursued the simplicity of life,, practicing humility and foregoing luxury.  While his work as a shepherd was brief it had a great impact on him and in later years he cautioned hid followers to remember that Abel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses and David were all shepherds and thus a formal education should not be seen as a qualification ot ministry.

    Although George practiced a simple life, his mind was always churning and he sought the company of learned men with whom he could engage in long discussions on religious matters.  George formed a close friendship with his hometown Clergyman Nathaniel Stephens, who saw George as a brilliant mind, though the two had very different ideas about religion.  Over time their friendship was strained and Stephens would later refer to Fox as a madman. 

     George also found friendship among the religious professors but by the time he was 19 he had distanced himself from them, finding their behavior and alcohol consumption at odds with his own beliefs regarding purity.  Around this time, when George was 19, he began recording in his journal his experiences during prayer, in which he heard an inner voice guiding and directing him.  George felt compelled to leave Drayton in the Clay in September of 1643.   He wandered around England in “a state of mental torment and confusion”.   George sought out the advice of clergy but found no comfort in their offerings.  Disillusioned and dejected he returned home in 1644.  Home did not offer any more promise to the confused young Fox.  Family encouraged marriage or military service as a solution to his disquiet.  George left home again, determined to question religious figures and challenge those he disagreed with.  He was actively searching for answers to troubling thoughts, trying to reconcile scripture with practice.

    For several years Fox traveled around the country side, praying, discussion and ever seeking answers to his questions.  It was during this time that his unique beliefs began to take shape.  Through prayer and medication George gained a greater understanding of his faith and what it required from him.  He called this process “opening”.   Prayer and meditation, this “Opening” time would become a corner stone of his faith.  George also experienced a series of revelations which offered him a deeper inner understanding of standard Christian beliefs in creation and salvation.  Among these were:

·         Christians differ in external practice but all are “saved” because of belief, thus rituals can be ignored as long as one experienced true spiritual conversion.

·         The qualification of ministry is given by the Holy Spirit, not by Ecclesiastical study. Anyone has the right to minister, assuming the spirit guides them, including women. ( quite and advanced thought in the 1600’s)

·         God lives in the heart of the obedient, religious experience should not be confined to a steeple house. ( fox deliberately refused to use the word Church to refer to a house of worship.  He believed that the Church was made up of the people, not the building. He was known to worship in the fields and orchards, believing that God’s presence could be felt in the natural world).

      Fox sought answers among the various clergy and denominations and among the dissenters as well, but none of them held the answers he was seeking.  Seeking guidance and direction, feeling lost and alone, Fox, while engaged in prayer and meditation states he heard a voice answering his prayer stating; “There is one, even Christ Jesus, who can speak to thy condition”.  From this Fox understood that church and denominations were unnecessary, that he could turn directly to God and speak without intermediaries.

     This was all startling revelations for the time.  Fox, enlightened and enthralled, began preaching his message in 1648.  He was met with a great deal of interest and approval among the common folk and by a great deal of animosity among the clergy and other officials.  He called people to meet in the fields and market-places and , at times, in the steeple houses when the priests had finished with them.  He spoke powerfully and with authority about his Spirituality movement, espousing what he referred to as “The true religion”.  A gathering of followers began to assemble and from this they became known as “The Society of Friends”.  Fox taught his followers to practice “Silent waiting”, when a group would come together and wait in silence for the spirit to move someone to speak.  They found that being together in silence was powerful and uplifting.  Often an hour or more would pass in silent meditation and no one would feel moved to speak.  At other times members of the congregation would feel over whelmed with words or song that they shared with the congregation and then returned to the silent waiting.

    Fox often preached mortality, grounded in scripture but punctuated by personal experience.  He attacked the practices of the church which called men to tithe to support the institutions of the church.    He urged his listeners to live sinless lives but avoided the view that all acts of the believer were automatically sinless.  Fox championed social justice, an important issue at the time when oppression by the powerful was a very real concern.

     Fox led many to convert and turn away from the corruptions of the institutionalized churches of the day.  As such he found himself persecuted by clergy and the English magistrate alike.  He was imprisoned in 1850, 1852. 1854,  for blasphemy.  In 1850 a judge mocked Fox exhortations to “tremble at the word of the Lord” by calling him and his followers “Quakers”.  From the experience of this persecution Fox strengthened his tenant of pacifism.  He taught his followers not to swear oaths, not to take up arms, spiritual or physical, against their fellow man.  Further imprisonment followed Fox career; 1656,60,63,66,74.  In 1669 Fox married Margaret Fell, a woman of high social position and an early convert. In 1671 George traveled to Barbados and to the English colonies in America.  By this time he had followers in the colonies, converted by earlier missionaries.  Fox arrived in Maryland.  While there he carried his message to local Native tribes who were interested in hearing his message.

     George Fox died January 13, 1691 in England and is buried in the Quaker Burying ground at Bunhill Fields in London.  Fox journal was published in 1694 after editing by Thomas Ellwood, and William Penn.  The journal is still in print and can be purchased from Amazon for a modest price.

     John Fox was a religious pioneer who developed a very different type of worship.  The Society of Friends was founded on his beliefs, the term Quaker, as we have seen was a derogatory slur, which was incorporated with pride by the Society of Friends.   

    So far we are off to a good start in answering our questions, but we still have some ground to cover.  We now know that the Quakers, AKA, The Society of Friends were a religious group developed in dissention to the established religions in England.  That they began in England and spread across the globe in the mid to late 1600’s, and that they were not the same as the Amish.  We still need to explore where they went and how they influenced American history.  We will cover those answers and take a brief look at the Amish as well in part II of Is There a Quaker in your Family Tree.

                                     Happy Labor Day