My New England Ancestors
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Links

Thomas Steward and wife Catherine Young

4/7/2014

0 Comments

 
"Thomas Steward and His First Family"
- all that was written on back of photo at right (this photocopy sent to me by a relative years ago) 

The following is a timeline I wrote out, attempting to trace the whereabouts of this family.

1858, 1 Sept - Thomas Steward marries Catherine Young at Skowhegan. Both of Skowhegan.
1859, Dec (est) - dau Emma F Steward born in Skowhegan.
1860, 29 July - date Skowhegan census (below) taken
Picture
Picture
1860 Skowhegan, Somerset, ME census
1862, 9 Dec - dau Rosa M Steward born in Skowhegan [date calc from age at death]
1863, 24 July - Thomas is drafted, to serve in the 7th Maine infantry. He did not go.
1863-1864 - perhaps a dau Mary born (seen in 1870 census, aged 6) **see below**
1864, Jan + Feb - Thomas arrested for failing to join, deserted, and was again arrested
1864, July+Aug - deserted (location unknown) and arrested twice.  
1865, 2 July - discharged from service
1866, Spring - dau Sarah born (seen in 1870 census, age 4)
1870, January - son Herbert (aka Orion H) Steward born in Skowhegan (death rec says Lexington)
state aid clip
Skowhegan Annual Town Report (y/e 3/1/1865), family of Thomas Steward received $89.30 in state aid
Picture
1870 Jerusalem, Franklin, ME census
1870, 21 July - (above) census for Jerusalem taken
1872, 19 Feb - dau Hannah B Steward born in Skowhegan
1873, circa - Thomas lived in Cornville, "soon moved to Athens", lived there 3 or 4 yrs. Wife died there. Moved from there ca 1877-78 [affidavit in pension, dated 8/31/1889]
1874, 8 May - son Thomas J Steward born in Athens, Maine
1875, 13 July - wife Catherine (Young) died in Athens
1875 or '76 - worked in Dead River, ME. "Had lost wife and had with him two small children" [Affidavit in pension file, dated 12/7/1892]
1875, 23 Oct - dau Hannah is adopted by Luther and Lovisa Rowell. Name changed to "Alberta Rowell"
1878, 9 Mar - Thomas remarries to Estelle Skillings, at Anson, Maine

The only record seen that shows Catherine (aka Kate/Katie) as being born in Canada is the 1870 census, so this may be wrong. Son Herbert's marriage record lists Jerusalem as her birth place, perhaps more reliable than his death record, which says Lexington (which was his step-mother Estelle's birth place). Looking at the death records of her other children, Rosa's shows "unknown", while Emma's lists Skowhegan as Kate's birth place. 

No burial place has been found for Catherine (Young) Steward. Cemetery transcriptions of graveyards in Athens and Skowhegan have been searched, as well as all of those Somerset County cemeteries included in the Maine Old Cemetery Association (MOCA) records.

It is interesting to note that, in the 1870 census for Jerusalem, Franklin County, Maine, there are only five households in town (in 1860, there were 7, but 2 were unoccupied). One of those five households just happens to be a Young family. John Young, though himself listed as born in Maine, was also shown as having foreign born parents, just as Catherine (Young) Stewart was. Perhaps there is a link between them, though my research has yet to find one.

ADDENDUM, 2015
Since I began typing this blog, I also continued my search into these family members. In the past, I had searched high and low for those two girls (Mary and Sarah) that were only seen in the 1870 census. For many years, before we had the ability via Ancestry.com and Family Search to search for names, the family had been "lost" between 1860 and 1880, as myself and other researchers were always looking in Somerset County. It was in 2003 when I had found Thomas and his family in neighboring Franklin County, with two more names in the household we hadn't known about! Last night, trying again to find these Stewart girls, I lucked out. In the Mass VR, there is an 1897 marriage in Everett, MA between an Isaac W Bryden, Jr and a "May" F (Stewart) Crosgove, both a second marriage for them, both were listed "of Everett, age 30". She had been born in Skowhegan, the daughter of Thomas Stewart and Katie Young! 
Unfortunately, I have yet to find them in the 1900 census, and Isaac is afterwards seen in the 1902 Portland street directory, and remarries (listed as a widower) that same year. I haven't found May/Mary yet in a death record between 1897 to 1902.

ADDENDUM, 9/29/2016
Daughter Sarah has been found. Not sure how I previously missed her while doing blank searches for anyone with a Thomas Stewart/Steward and Catherine/Katherine (Young) for parents, but found her this time around. In 1907, a Sadie E Spaulding was married to an Arthur Woodman of Fairfield, and the above parents were listed. This marriage was listed as her second (in error), she being a widow. Her previous marriage was to William H Spaulding (6/27/1888 in Waterville, ME), whom she married shortly after her divorce from her first husband, Clarence Witham, was finalized. They had been married on 10/21/1883 in Embden, Maine, and they had a daughter Alice together. When Alice was married, she listed her mother as being born in Embden, which seems more likely the correct location, as compared to later accounts of her being born in Exeter, ME. Sadie, aka Sarah Etta, died in 1939, and was buried in Sunset Cemetery, North Anson, the same cemetery as her father. The Lewiston Daily Sun, 08/09/1939, printed an obituary for her.
​https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xSQgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gmoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3377%2C2672070
0 Comments

Alaxis Steward - From Maine to Minnesota

4/5/2014

1 Comment

 
My 4th Great-Grandfather, Alaxis Steward (aka Alexis Stewart), was born in Canaan, Maine on 4 Dec 1812, per town vital records. From 1850 to 1870, he and wife Charlotte (Harnden/Harding) are seen with their children in the Skowhegan, Maine censuses. After this latter date, and prior to 1880, they moved out west to Otter Tail County, Minnesota. It is currently not clear if the parents, with sons Phineas and Lucius, all packed up and left at the same time, but they were all together in the township of Compton by the 1880 census. The 1895 MN State Census lists both Phineas and Lucius as being residents here for 17 yrs, so they arrived ca 1878.
Picture
1880 Compton, Otter Tail, MN census
He was officially granted 40 acres of land as his homestead on 28 Nov 1883, in the "SW quarter of the SW quarter of Section 12 of Township 134 North of Range 36 West of Fifth Principal Meridian".

At right is an 1884 map of the Compton Township, showing Section 12, and the location of Alexis Steward's home. The Phineas "Stewart" to the south and east of Alexis should be his son. To make things confusing, there were other Stewart names in the same town (immigrants from Scotland), who had land just west of the 12th Section.

The 1885 State Census seems to indicate that Alexis, Charlotte and disabled son Lucius were living with Phineas and his family, as he was the head person listed first in the record.

Alexis Steward died on 15 July 1885, according to his gravestone, which lies in Wadena Cemetery, only a short distance from their home in the neighboring county. Wife Charlotte died in 1892.

As seen in current satellite photos of his former land below (marked in red), the home of Alaxis/Alexis no longer stands. The building seen is a new construction.  
Picture
1884 Compton Township
Picture
Satellite view of Section 12 (its southern boundary is 320th Street) of Compton, using Bing Maps
The Find a Grave Memorial for Alexis can be found here:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=99435624

On the above map, the Wadena Cemetery is located in the upper right corner. 
1 Comment

My Civil War Ancestors

4/1/2014

0 Comments

 
I have four ancestors, two each from my paternal and maternal sides, who served during the Civil War.

Isaac Pridham gravestone
ISAAC CHARLES HAVEN PRIDHAM, born in New Castle, NH on 11 Sept 1847; died on 16 Apr 1924 in Brighton, MA. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery, New Castle.

Isaac enlisted for two years into the US Navy at Portsmouth, NH on 23 Sept 1864, and served for 20 months on board the Receiving Ship USS Vandalia, in Portsmouth Harbor. He worked as a landsman from Sept '64 to 1 Jan '65, as an ord. seaman to 31 Jan, and as a lamp cleaner to 18 May 1866, when he was discharged.

When he applied for a pension in 1892, he claimed he was born in Sept 1844, to correspond with the age of "20" he gave when he had enlisted back in 1864, when he had actually been only 17 years old. When he needed to send in a birth record to the pension dep't to verify his identity, he had to admit to falsifying his birth date. He still received a pension. 

See also: my blog page on the Pridham family:
http://www.mynewenglandancestors.com/1/post/2014/03/the-pridhams-of-puddle-dock-portsmouth-nh.html


James Brown photo
JAMES WILLIAM BROWN was born 28 Dec 1841 in Kittery, Maine; died there on 5 May 1923. He was buried in Orchard Grove Cemetery, Kittery.

He served as a private in Company G, 27th Maine Infantry, enlisting at Kittery on 10 Sept 1862. He was mustered into US service at Portland, Maine on 30 Sept 1862, and served until 17 July 1863, when the regiment was mustered out at Portland.

(at right) James W Brown at his home in Locke's Cove, Kittery, on his way to a GAR convention in Washington, DC, likely the one in 1915 (the 49th Annual Encampment).

For more on the 27th Maine Infantry, please see my website:
www.the27thMaine.com 



THOMAS STEWARD (aka Stewart, Stuart), born abt 1838 in Skowhegan, Maine; died 22 Oct 1897 in Embden, Maine. He is buried in Sunset Cemetery, North Anson, Maine. 

He was drafted on 15 July 1863 at Skowhegan, ME, to serve in Co F, 7th Maine Infantry, but did not report for duty. He was arrested on 27 Jan 1864 and brought to camp, only for him to return home the next day. They arrested him again on 3 Feb. It is not clear in the records whether the recruits were still in Maine, but Private Steward deserted on 12 July '64, and was again arrested, on 23 July. He deserted a third time in August and was arrested a week later, this time being shipped to Carlisle, PA. By this time, the 7th Maine had been mustered out of service, except for later recruits and those who chose to re-enlist, and were transferred to the 1st Maine Veteran Infantry. The monthly muster rolls after this date would show him "absent, sick", right up to the muster out roll of the regiment on 28 June 1865. An affidavit in his pension file claims he suffered from scurvy, chronic diarrhea, piles and a trouble in the head, spending the entire winter quarters at Petersburg in the hospital. In the spring of 1865, he was transported to City Point Hospital. In the 1865 Maine Adjutant Report, it shows him being discharged on 2 July '65.

(at right) A copy (of a copy) of a photograph of "Thomas Steward and his first family", sent to me many years ago by a cousin.


Picture

Picture
NATHANIEL B YEATON was born in New Castle, NH on 15 June 1842; died 29 Dec 1926 in Concord, NH. He is buried in the Riverside Cemetery, New Castle, NH.

In October of 1861, Captain James Davidson of Fort Constitution in New Castle enlisted a company of men to garrison the installation. They were never mustered into Federal service, and were paid by the state. Around the end of March, 1862 (they were last pd on the 31st), these volunteers were discharged, as Capt Davidson was authorized to raise another company, this time for US service. 
Picture
New Castle Yeatons in Capt Davidson's State Service (from Ayling's Revised Register, pg 1221)
0 Comments

Griffin - Bowles of Ireland

4/1/2014

0 Comments

 
On the death record (17 July 1894 in Portsmouth, NH) of my second great-grandmother ELLEN (GRIFFIN) CONDON, it lists her parents as DENNIS GRIFFIN and ELLEN BOWLES. Both were born in Ireland, and her father was listed as a farmer. Her widowed mother lived with her and the family, as seen in the 1870 and 1880 Portsmouth census pages posted below. She died on 17 Dec 1889 in Portsmouth, and the death record gives her parents names as Patrick Bowler(sp) and Mary Shea, both born in Ireland.

When Ellen Griffin married John Condon in 1868, she listed her father as a laborer of Ireland. He is unnamed, and she did not list her mother on this record. Whether he was actually alive at this time is unclear. 

 Research has yet to find any other children of Patrick and Mary (Shea) Bowles who may have immigrated to the US. I have come across the same problem when trying to find any siblings of Ellen (Griffin) Condon.

The search continues.
 
Picture
1870 Portsmouth, NH census
Picture
1880 Portsmouth, NH Census
The 1870 census gives her age as 69 yrs, and the 1880 census lists her age as 80 years old. though her death record in 1889 will list her age as 76. So, an exact birth year is difficult to determine.

No burial place was listed on her death record, unfortunately. As there are no visible stones in the Condon/Mulligan plot, it is unknown if she was buried with her daughter.

See also:
http://www.mynewenglandancestors.com/1/post/2014/03/condons-of-creek-st-portsmouth-nh.html
Picture
0 Comments

    Author

    Steve Dow

    Archives

    January 2022
    June 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    November 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    August 2017
    November 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2015
    May 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    "1820 Census"
    52Ancestors
    Alaxis Stewart
    Allerton
    Amazeen
    Athens Maine
    Blake
    Bowles
    Brown
    Canaan Maine
    Chamberlain
    Chandler
    Chelmsford
    Chelsea
    Civil War
    Colchester CT
    Compton
    Concord MA
    Condon
    Cornville Maine
    Curtis
    Danvers MA
    Deering
    Dow
    Downing
    "East Eliot"
    Eliot Maine
    Erskine
    "Father's Day"
    Fedder
    Fernald
    Gilmanton NH
    Gloucester MA
    Goble
    Gray
    Griffin
    Groton
    Hallisey
    Hampton NH
    Hessian
    Hobbs
    Ireland
    Jerusalem Maine
    Kittery Maine
    Knight
    Kramer
    Lambert
    Lancaster MA
    Lear
    Leavitt
    Lewis
    Locke
    Lowell
    Madison ME
    Maine
    Malden
    Marblehead
    Marr
    Massachusetts
    Maverick
    Mayflower
    Medal Of Honor
    Meloon
    Middleton MA
    Milburn Maine
    Minnesota
    Mitchell
    New Castle
    New Castle NH
    New Hampshire
    Newington
    North Hampton NH
    Oklahoma
    Page
    Penn
    Pepperell
    Portsmouth NH
    Pridham
    Revere
    Revolutionary War
    Riley
    "Rumney Marsh"
    Sale
    Salem MA
    Scituate
    Scotland
    Shattuck
    "Six Flags"
    Skowhegan Maine
    Smith
    Solon Maine
    Somerset County
    Steward
    Stewart
    Taylor
    Townsend
    Tredick
    Tuttle
    Vietnam
    Waitt
    Wakefield NH
    Waldron
    Walford
    Whitcomb
    World War 1
    Wyman
    Yeaton
    Young

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.