Lynn's Garden Walkabout May 29th Part One

Artist's Acclaim

Throughout history, Artists have used women as models, often not even telling who they were. At 5am, I awoke from a dream inspired to write this poem to give credit to all the women who have been an inspiration.  Can't even remember the dream! This is just one of the portraits, but all the great Artists seem to have had their muses and been guilty of not giving credit.

                                                               Portrait of a Seated Lady

                                                        By Freidrich August Von Kaulbach

 If only to have known what pains the artist took to set the pose,

Or thoughts that ran through the poser's head,

Whilst stillness crept on for hours,                   

Were there dreams perhaps of an admirer,           

Or did she simply wish to stretch in bed.

Just how did the women's thoughts stray?               

Was she shopping perhaps for a new bonnet,        

Or imaging making love to her artist?                      

A shame, we will not know it to this day.          

Was she reflecting upon the path her life had taken?                                            

Or flirting with her artist's eyes... if only to imagine,  

How must his mouth taste and skin feel?                

As these thoughts, he now awakened.

Was it merely a commissioned piece?                       

Or was She the Artist's passion,                                 

A tension, perhaps as yet unfulfilled,                     

As their contract of eyes just did not cease,

The Artist is the one to get the Acclaim,

But what of the poser's dedication to the work?    

The hours spent in thoughts with her musings,           

So sad, we often don't even get to know her name!

                                                                                            Marilyn Cavanaugh 2022

Buell/Wilcox Bible

 Although I once thought this Bible to have been a Buell Bible because that what was written in the front; I have found out differently.  And just how this came to be in "My Attic" at 46 Graves Avenue has a much closer history to my family.

I will start with Captain Eber Wilcox born Apr. 13, 1783, in Killingworth, CT. Eber was my 4th G Grandfather. He married Rachel Hurd Feb. 7, 1806, in Killingworth, CT. Eber is said to have been a Captain in the War of 1812 and I am still searching through tons of material to verify. Captain is written on Eber's graves registration card and his name has been mentioned in graveside ceremonies by the Daughters of the War of 1812.

Eber and Rachel had 5 daughters that were born in Killingsworth, CT.  now Clinton.

1)  Abigail Wilcox b. Nov. 16, 1806, d. Apr. 3, 1879, Clinton, CT.

     She married Eben Buell Dec. 6, 1826. Abigail and Eben's family are the earliest listed in       the Bible. Both buried in Indian River Cemetery, Clinton, CT.

2) Parmelia Wilcox b. Jan. 1, 1810, d. May 13, 1881, in Summit Co. Ohio

      Married Zina Buell Dec. 23, 1828, Both buried in Stow Cemetery in Stow, Ohio.

3) Elizabeth Wilcox (My 3 G Grandmother) b. Apr. 21, 1816, d. Jan. 12, 1906, Guilford, CT. Married William S. Kelsey (My 3 G Grandfather) Mar. 12, 1837. Both buried in Alderbrooke Cemetery, Guilford, CT.

4) Louise Wilcox b. 1819   d. Dec. 31, 1899, Summit CO. Ohio

     Married Edward S. Cartwright Both buried in Markillie Cemetery, Hudson, Ohio.

5) Cornelia D. Wilcox b. May 5, 1833, d. Apr 1, 1917, Summit Co. Ohio

     Unwed     Her will left all to her nephew Charles W. Cartwright Buried at Markillie Cemetery with Eber and Rachael Wilcox and sister Louise Wilcox Cartwright.

These were the children of my 4 G Grandparents.

Abigail was the big sister to my 3rd G Grandmother by 10 years and they would both continue to live in the Guilford area all their lives.

Abigail was not Eben Buell's first wife. He first married Mehetable Kelsey Nov. 1, 1823

 Eben and Mehetable had one child, Jenette Anna Buell b. Nov. 26, 1825, Mehetable died in childbirth. No mention of this child in their Buell Bible which I find strange. This was strictly the Bible pertaining to the Eben Buell and Abigail Wilcox union. The early Census records do not list names within the household so there is no way to know if Ann Jennette as she was later called was raised by Abigail or was sent to grandparents.

Eben married Abigail Wilcox just one year after his wife Mehetable's death.

The Family Records Page of Eben and Abigail shows their children as being:

1) Eben W. Buell   b. Jun.22, 1828   d. Aug. 11, 1829, Just over a year old.

2) Abigail Frances Buell b. Aug. 30, 1830, d. Oct. 16, 1847

    Married Orson Chaffee Feb. 18, 1846, the license was filed by her father Eben in Summit Co. Ohio. Orson was 18 and Abigail was 16. I assume she was pregnant at the time of marriage and probably died in childbirth, 8 months after their marriage. 

3) Andrew W. Buell, b. Mar. 18, 1833, Clinton, CT. d. Jun. 6, 1914, New Haven, CT.

    Married Marietta Stowell Jun. 16, 1856, One son Eben Henry Buell is listed in the Bible born in Greenville, PA. Mar. 18, 1860.

4) Helen Elizabeth Buell b. Nov. 6, 1839, d.  Jan. 15, 1843, Stow Twp, Summit CO. Ohio

     Age 3 yrs 2+ months buried at Oakwood Cemetery, Cuyahoga, Summit Co. Ohio

It is my belief, that this Bible was the property of my 3G Grandmother's sister Abigail Wilcox Buell and that upon her death it was given to Elizabeth Wilcox Kelsey for safe keeping, as she was the only family in the Guilford area. It was passed down to Elizabeth's son Edwin and then to my G Grandmother, May Kelsey Sperry where she would reside at 46 Graves Ave. for many years. 

As dubbed the Family Historian at an early age, it would move out west with Marilyn Senecal Cavanaugh. It now has been passed to my daughter, Tiffany Cavanaugh Hallisey and resides in Redmond, WA. preserved in a special case along with the history of our 4th G Grandparents, Eber and Rachel Hurd Wilcox and all those listed on its pages.

The Buells, Wilcox and Kelseys lived in the tight area of Killingworth, Clinton and Guilford, CT. and the intermarrying of those families comes up many times in our family's genealogy. All had large families with Buell brothers marrying Wilcox sisters and Kelsey's marrying Wilcox. Many of their graves are either in Indian River Cemetery in Clinton or Alderbrooke Cemetery in Guilford.

Eber Wilcox and wife Rachael Hurd Wilcox are buried in Markillie Cemetery in Hudson, Ohio.

May it continue to be passed on for many more generations.

 

   

  

   

      
 Sarah Hubbard was born June 12, 1792 in Guilford, CT. She was the daughter of Abraham Hubbard and Rachel Scranton.

On July 10, 1814, Sarah married Amos Seward; as recorded in the Barbour Collection of CT. Marriages. Aaron Dutton preformed the Ceremony. Sarah was 3+ months pregnant and had just turned 22 years old. I have been doing genealogy for 50 years and have found that an overwhelming number of our female ancestors were pregnant prior to marriage.

Sarah would bear 10 children with Amos Seward.

1) Sarah Elizabeth was born Jan. 29, 1815, just 6 months into their marriage. She married Hezekiah Hosmer and died 1839 They had 2 children.

2) Ellen Agnes born March 13,1816, just 17 months after her sister Elizabeth. She married John Brooke Pinney, had 9 children and died 1889.

3) Rachel Stone born Dec. 5, 1817-1882. She married Ralph Dunning Smyth(Smith) and had 4 children.

At this point in Sarah Hubbard Seward's life, she had 3 children in her first 3 years of marriage.

4) Mary Hedges born Aug. 6, 1821-1895. Married Frederick Augustine Drake. They had 3 children.

5) Nancy born 1822-1826

6) Anne Maria born 1826-1827

The deaths of these two girls were just one year apart and Sarah Hubbard was pregnant with child #7, when Anne Maria passed.

7) Nancy Maria born Dec. 14, 1827-1912. She was named in memory of her two dead sisters. She married Christian W. Slagle. They had 6 children.

Agnes Lee born Dec. 12, 1829- 1904 She would die a Spinster and would spend her last years boarding with my GG grandparents. Burton Lyman Sperry and Lydia Buell Sperry.

9) William Todd born May 2,1832-1907. Sarah Hubbard was almost 40. He married Sarah Wheadon and had 3 children.

10) Fanny Hubbard born Nov. 25, 1833-1907 Married Ripley Baylies and had 3 children.

Sarah Hubbard Seward was age 41 when her last child was born. She would have 30 grandchildren during her lifetime. Sarah died two months prior to her 82nd birthday.

Her family would become some of the most colorful yet respected in Guilford History.

References for photo and poetry are from,

My Phantom Bible

 

Where, oh where to start? This Bible has been around. It documents Amos and Sarah Hubbard Seward and their family of Guilford, CT. I believe it to have belonged to Ellen Agnes Seward Pinney, as much of her family is contained in the documentation of births of her children: Sarah Agnes b. Oct. 23, 1838; Annie Foster Pinney Bissell b. Apr. 14, 1848 (her data written after her marriage); Ella (Ellen) Reed Pinney b. July 10, 1852.

The Bible was printed in 1875, which was the year after Sarah Hubbard Seward died. Her death is recorded in it as, "Mother died April 12, 1874". Amos was still alive until 1881 when his death is recorded. The entries look to be in a more feminine hand. The other possible owner of the Bible is Agnes Lee (his daughter) and a spinster. Agnes lived at home with her parents Amos and Sarah, all her life until her father's death in 1881. It is just a hunch, but Agnes may have inherited the Bible from her sister Ellen Pinney when she died in 1889. When Ellen's husband John Brooke Pinney died in 1882, Ellen went on to marry Willis Lord in 1884. It was a late in life marriage, at age 68 and she would die 5 years later.

After father Amos died, we lose track of daughter, Agnes from the Guilford home on Harbor St. for 19 years. She turns up again in the 1900 Census with my GG grandparents, Burton Lyman Sperry and Lydia Buell Sperry on State St., as a boarder age 69. With no 1890 Census, it is hard to fill in the 19-year gap. Agnes died in 1904, possibly still a boarder with my GG grandparents. Between 1920-30 Burton and Lydia moved to Whitfield St. They may have stored books in the attic of their son Burton Elwyn on Graves Ave. during the move or possibly the Bible made its way over when Burton Lyman was put in the Guilford Sanitorium around 1940.

From what I can tell, the entries are made by 3 different hands. All lettering appears female. The first page of Marriages has the letter "R" written like a backwards 3 almost. The marriages are all of the children of Amos and Sarah Hubbard Seward.

The first birth page is mostly the children of Ellen Agnes Seward Pinney and are written with the same ornate "R". They are written with a fountain pen and ink well ink and a broad point.

The next births page is written in much finer ink with more open slanting letters done very freely and not with the precision of the first two pages. It contains one entry, Fannie Baylies born Nov. 1833 Died Nov. 1907.

On the last page, the Deaths are written in the same ornate script and ink from a well, as the first pages. This last page is what leads me to believe the Bible might have been Agnes'. The page contains the death dates of Ellen 1889 and other family who died as late as 1897.

Agnes was alive until 1904 and Fannie and William Todd until 1907 Nancy M. died in 1912. Fannie was living in Winsor, CT. in the 1900 Census and her husband Ripley had passed.  Agnes appears to be the only one in the Guilford area and was boarding with my GG grandparents. The last few entries of the deaths of Agnes, Fannie and Nancy are made in light ink possibly ballpoint or fine point pen and totally a different hand, very free flowing. I believe these entries to be made by Lydia Buell Sperry, prior to the Bible ending up at my G grandma May Sperry's attic.

Remember 46 Graves Ave and her first Mistress and Matriarch, Mary Ann Evarts? She married William Beckwith, who built the house at 46 Graves Ave. Purchased by my G grandparents with an assist from my GG grandma Lydia Buell Sperry. That Evarts name is about to come full circle. 

My first ancestor searches were all of my blood relatives and there was no bloodline that I could find back to the Sewards. My ancestors were of Puritan roots and having servants was not the sort of thing that they would have done. Time and time again with all the Seward children and descendants, they had servants, Irish and Polish, in the Census Records. They were Doctors, Lawyers Lumber company owners, University Presidents and Ministers, the upper crust of Society.

I turned my search next to the more prominent spouses of my blood kin and I looked for those that had servants in their history. The Bristols and Dudleys  were my choices. I got lucky with both.

I have found two lines back to the ancestors of, "My Phantom Bible". It has taken over a month of searching, so hold on tight as I take you through this Maze.

My G grandfather, Burton Elwyn Sperry's sister Edith was the key to the first line.

1. Edith Sperry married Robert Deforest Bristol (b. 1879) They had two children. Robert would serve as Postmaster of Guilford from July 1, 1924, to Nov. 23, 1931

2. Robert Deforest Bristol was son of Eugene Bristol and Harriet Perry

3. Eugene Deforest Bristol (b. 1843) was son of Leverett Bristol and Sarah Field.

4. Leverett Bristol (b. 1816) was son of Samuel Bristol V and Sophronia Doude

5. Samuel Bristol V (b. 1788) was son of Samuel Bristol IV and HULDAH EVARTS

6. HULDAH EVARTS (b. 1757) was the sister of ELEAZER EVARTS JR. 

7. ELEAZER EVARTS JR. (b. 1748) married Elizabeth Seward (b. 1745)

8. Elizabeth Seward (b. 1745) was the daughter of Capt. David Seward and Elizabeth Bushnell and sibling of Timothy Seward (b. 1756) 

9. Timothy Seward (b. 1756) married Rebecca Lee their son was Amos Seward (b. 1786)

10, Amos Seward married Sarah Hubbard (THE PHANTOM BIBLE FAMILY)!!!!!

According to my Ancestry site, the connection is from the " Nephew of wife of second G. Grand Uncle of husband of G. Grand Aunt (Edith Sperry Bristol)" This is the most direct link; going from Sperry, Bristol, Evarts to Sewards.

The second route to the family goes up from my Grand Aunt Grace Walker Dudley husband's side Shelton Weld Dudley. The Ancestry site Connection is "Nephew of wife of brother-in-law of 4th great granduncle of wife of 1st cousin 1x removed (Shelton Dudley Jr.) son of my Gr. Grand Aunt (Grace Dudley)" This link is a bit lengthier and goes from Griswold, Dudley, Evarts to Sewards.

My connection to the Sewards goes to the family of Eleazer Evarts Sr. Three of his children, Mary, Huldah and Eleazer Jr married into families that would lead to my link with Amos and Sarah Seward. What are the odds that this Phantom Bible with ties to the EVARTS family would find its way to 46 Graves Ave.: the home of Mary Ann EVARTS Beckwith, the first Mistress? It was, as if, I was supposed to find it and tell the story.

AMOS SEWARD was a rather colorful individual. He was elected Postmaster of Guilford, CT. and served from June 15,1829 to February 26, 1833. He was said to have dealt in the trade of the West Indies. (Alcohol) He was born 13 Nov. 1786 in Guilford, CT and died Oct. 16, 1881, and is buried in Alderbrook Cemetery, Guilford, CT. There is a brief story about him in, "A Yankee Post Office" by Frederick Calvin Norton

He married Sarah Hubbard July 10, 1814, in Guilford. She was born Jun. 12, 1792 and died Apr. 12, 1874.

The children documented in the Bible and elsewhere in Public Records were:

1. Sarah Elizabeth Seward 1815-1839 married Ezekiah L. Hosmer.  She died at age 24 and they had no children.

2. Ellen Agnes Seward 1818-1889 married John Brooke Pinney. Had 7 children He was a Presbyterian Minister and Missionary.

3. Rachel Stone Seward 1817-1882 married Ralph Dunning Smyth (Smith) They had 4 Children. He went to Yale and became a famous Lawyer. Their grandson, Bernard Christian Steiner would become a well-known Historian and write, "The History of the Plantation of Menunkatuck and the Origin of the Town of Guilford, Connecticut." It is written largely from the Manuscripts of the Hon. Ralph Dunning Smyth, (his grandfather).

4. Mary Hedges Seward 1821-1895 married Frederick A Drake They had 2 children one died in first year. Frederick was a Shoe Dealer.

5. Nancy Seward 1822-1826

6. Anna Marie Seward 1826-1827

7. Nancy Maria Seward 1827-1912 married Christian Wolfe Slagle and they had 4 children. Christian was a prominent Iowa lawyer, Regent and eventually President of the University of Iowa.

8. Agnes Lee Seward 1829-1907 unmarried and possible reason the Phantom Bible came to 46 Graves Ave.

9. William Todd Seward 1832-1907 married Sarah Elizabeth Wheaton Had 3 children. Fought in Civil War. Was to be shot in Hawaii as a Revolutionist but got pardoned.

10. Fanny Hubbard Seward 1833-1907 married Ripley Baylies had 3 children. He was a Retail dealer of stoves.

This Bible, The Yankee Post Office Book by Frederick Calvin Norton and the History of Guilford by Bernard Christian Steiner, and information I have gathered on the entire family  will be passed down to my daughter for the enlightenment of our future generations. 

It will be interesting to see where they end up in the next 236 years, that being the length of time it took to come to me! (Marilyn Senecal Cavanaugh) 

Sarah Owens was born to John Owens and Sarah Collins Beard, they were both widowed. They married in the Parish of Holyhead, Wales Jan. 19, 1834.

In the 1841 Census, they are living on Stanley Crescent John age 40, Mother Sarah 35 Richard Beard age 13 and little Sarah age 4. John is listed as a Publican, who manages or works in a Pub.

In the 1851 Census, Sarah age 14 is living with her mother Sarah 49(Head of Household), half-brother Richard Beard 23, John age 5, and Mother's brother John Collin's age 27 (a mariner). The mother Sarah's occupation is Keeping the White Lion Tavern. The family lives on Harp St. in the same neighborhood as James Walker at age 16.

James Walker is already listed as Mason in the 1851 Census

and living on Morton Terrace. He and his dad, James might have been stopping in at the White Lion Tavern.

It was not until Dec. 3, 1858, that they would wed at the Parish Church. One of the witnesses was a Joseph Collins, possibly an Uncle of Sarah's. The couple took up residence on Harp St. near Sarah's Mom. That is where we find them in the 1861 Census, just before the birth of son, John Robert.

The next we see them is in the East Lyme, CT. Census of 1870. The family was brought over by John Beattie to work in the Niantic Quarry. Salina (Celina), James's sister came to help with the children.

The Niantic Quarry closed, and the family was moved to the Leete's Island location. James died June 9, 1871 at age 35, after just 13 years of marriage and a relocation to a foreign land.

Sarah must have been devastated and still nursing 10-month-old David! Six children, a foreign land and no husband to provide for them! John Robert became useful as a water boy, William James age 12 would have had a job to do, as well.

Sarah fixed lunches for the Quarrymen and sold them and took them in for meals. I am guessing she did their laundry, too. Her boys would eventually get employed by Mr. Beattie full time and a new house would be built for her. John Robert would become a Foreman at a young age and have a house next door to his mother's. By age 72, she is living in his home. The children would take good care of a Mom that managed to bring them to a new world and raise them under outrageous odds! Sarah never remarried.

I love the story, my great Aunt Grace told of Sarah quieting the baby by putting molasses on his fingers and giving him a feather.

Quite the inventive woman! She was a strong Matriarch. When asked if I could have a chance to spend time with someone who has passed, Sarah Owens Walker would be my choice.

Sarah died Apr. 7, 1917, after a brief illness. On my side of the family, it was said she had stomach cancer.

It is often that the men's stories are told, in the building of this country. In my family history, the Matriarch is what holds everything together! She was a Guilford citizen for 48 years.

 

 

Love and Laughter of Yore

In this season, where Covid 19 has laid siege to our homes,

I am finding the internet my safest place to roam;

Afraid to visit and so lacking of hugs,

Memory Lane's sure producing the greatest of tugs.

My days spent in Guilford offer the safest of Havens,

Wandering memories of Old, offers the Love I am cravin;

When missing the grandkids and sometimes in tears,

My mind takes me back to those earliest years.

Funny, how we compensate for what we are lacking,

Oh, how I wish this Covid would cease its attacking!

I visit those days of yore, when I felt so much love,

And each night, I send a prayer to "Our God" up above!

Return us to days of memory making with family and friends,

And gatherings, not fearing we cause the life of someone to end;

Send us Your Healing this Christmas, that is all that we ask,

So, we can see the smiles of our loved ones, not hidden by masks.

You have shown us how fragile our existence can be,

Please give us, "Your Miracle" of being Covid Free.

Christmas 2021