| Searles, Voorhees, Hammond Family |
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| JOHN SEARLES, 1798 Name: John Searles Sex: Male Birth: 1798? Spouse: Mary (Polly) Children: Possibly: John Searles, 1807 Mary Searles, born Nov 2, 1810, died Feb 26, 1888, buried Jobs Corners Married Clark Stillwell, Dec 25, 1827 Gilbert searles, 1816 Isaac Searles, 1818 Susan Searles, born 1820m Married George Sheive, and died 1899 Jane Searles, 1823 Sarah Searles, 1826 Thomas J. Searles, 1826 George N. Searles, 1835 Notes: John Searles (Sarles) first appears on the 1838 assessment list of Wells. He was enumerated in 1840 age 40 and under age 50 enumerated 1840 census of Wells with others in his household. He may be the John Searles, age 52, residing with Janson Scofield family in 1850 at Wells. His wife may be the Mary Searles, known as Polly, enumerated Wells in 1850 with John age 43, Thomas age 23, and George N. age 15 in household. She is perhaps the Mary wife of John Searles who d. 15 July 1851 60y 3m 11d (ts) Jobs Corners Cemetery, Jackson Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. |
| ISAAC SEARLES, 1818 Name: Isaac Searles Sex: Male Birth: 1818, New York State Father: John Searles Mother: Mary (Polly) Spouse: Ellen Voorhees, born 1821 Marriage: April 3, 1839 (Elmira Gazette, April 30, 1839) Children: John Aaron Searles, 1840 Charles O. Searles, born 1841, died 1865, buried Daggett Cemetery Ellen M. Searles, born 1843 Hellen S. Searles, born 1845, died 1847, Daggett Cemetery Isaac E. Searles, born 1849, died 1850, Daggett Cemetery Frank C. Searles, born 1851, died 1852, Daggett Cemetery Eva S. Searles, 1854 Notes: . Isaac Searles b. 1818 New York state m. 3 Apr 1839 (Elmira Gazette, April 30, 1839) in Jackson Township, Ellen Voorhees b. 1821 New Jersey. Enumerated 1840 and 1850 census of Wells. Thomas Searles, age 25, residing with family in 1850. Resided southwestern Wells near Tioga County line. Isaac d. 1869 (ts) and Ellen d. 1883 (ts) Daggett Cemetery, Jackson Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. The Troy Gazette Register said on April 1, 1926 that John Aaron Searles died Friday (March 26) 1926 in Mosherville at age 86, and is buried at Daggett Cemetery. It mentioned sister-in-law Mrs. Della Searles (must be wife of Frank Searles -- she was a Hammond); nieces Mrs. Fannie Knapp and Mrs. Loah Benson of Elmira and nephews Ross C. Hammond of Elmira and Raymond F. Hammond, of Mosherville. The Troy Register misspelled my Aunt Leah Benson’s name. |
| EVA S. SEARLES, 1854 Name: Eva S. Searles Sex: Female Birth: 1854, Wells, Tioga County, Pennsylvania Death: 1923 Father: Isaac Searles, 1818 Mother: Ellen Voorhees, 1821 Spouse: Frank Hammond, born, Aspinwall, PA Marriage: April 25, 1886, Methodist Church records Children: Leah Hammond Raymond Friese Hammond, 1890 Ross C. Hammond Notes: Members of Elmira Rebekah Lodge, I.O.O.F., will meet in the Queen City Lodge. I.O.O.F., parlors, on South Main Street, tonight at 8 o’clock to arrange for the funeral of Mrs. Eva S. Hammond. (handwritten on article Sept 28, 1923) (from the Elmira Gazette) |
| RAYMOND FRIESE HAMMOND, 1890 Name: Raymond Friese Hammond Sex: Male Birth: July 4, 1890 Death: Father: Frank Hammond Mother: Eva Searles Spouse: Nina Phidelia Berry. September 9, 1984 Marriage: Children: Ruth Harriet Hammond, 1914 Hugh Claire Hammond, 1912 Lucile Hammond Reed LeRoy Hammond Beverly Hammond, 1925 June Hammond, 1928 Joyce Hammond, 1930 Notes: As Told by Lucile Hammond September 1981 and Recorded by Geoffrey Huggins Married in Elmira, NY Ray was in Flint, Michigan before his marriage. He worked at AC Spark Plug. He was one of the first 20 employees of that company. When he moved back to Elmira, Ray worked in the Morrow plant. Ray’s mother ran a storage house. Lucile was born in the storage house. Ray’s father shot himself. The family moved back to Flint, where Ray worked as a policeman. Reed was born in Flint. Ray also worked at Buick at some point in here. When Lucile was a small child, there was another move from Elmira to Flint The family moved back to Elmira before Beverly was born. The also lived in Mosherville, Pennsylvania, where Ray did some farming. Ray also worked at Eclipse. June was born an RH negative baby and almost died in Jackson Summit at home. Joyce was born in Ellmira. The family moved back to Flint in 1941, where Ray worked at Buick Motors. |
| RUTH HARRIET HAMMOND, 1914 Name: Ruth Harriet Hammond Sex: Female Birth: September 19, 1914 Death: 1989 Father: Raymond Friese Hammond, 1890 Mother: Nina Phidelia Berry, 1894 Spouse: Kenyon Cooke Huggins Marriage: Children: Donna Rae Huggins, July 4, 1935 Geoffrey Guy Huggins, November 25, 1940 |
| PROBABLE OTHER RELATIVES It is my conviction, that if Nathaniel Searles (below) and John Searles (above) were in the same county in New York as early as 1790, then they must be related. After all there were only a few thousand people in the entire state. Had their name been Smith or Jones, you might have reason to argue with me. I gleaned our family roots from this congested, circuitous bit of someone else’s genealogical research. Actually it is one of the pages on Joyce Tice’s wonderful history of three counties. You read and you judge the accuracy of our work. FAMILIES OF WELLS TOWNSHIP, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA SEARLES Nathaniel Searles b. c. 1775 New York was enumerated in the 1830 census of Wells, age 50 and under age 60 with a wife of the same age. Nathaniel first appears on the 1831 asessment list. In 1832 Obadiah and Garry appear on the assessment list. Nathaniel was residing with son Daniel in Rutland Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania in 1850, age 75, shoemaker, with wife, Catherine b. c. 1797 New York. 1. daughter b. 1801-10. 2. Daniel E. Searles b. c. 1817. Second Generation: 2. Daniel E. Searles b. c. 1817 m. Apr 1839 (Elmira Gazette, April 30, 1839) in Jackson Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Mary McCormick. Alley wife of Daniel E. Searles d. 11 Mar 1849 31y 14d (ts) Mosherville Cemetery. Daniel enumerated in Rutland Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania in 1850, farmer, with third wife Catherine, age 27. 1. Elizabeth P. Searles b. c. 1840. 2. Asenath Searles b. c. 1845 . 3. George T. Searles (twin) d. 23 Dec 1849 9m 16d (ts) Mosherville Cemetery. 4. infant daughter (twin) d. 7 Mar 1849 (ts) Mosherville Cemetery. (Please note that Moserville is where Ray Hammond was living when his uncle John Aaron Searles died.) John Searles b. 14 Sept 1793 son of William Searles of England and Dutchess County, New York, served in the War of 1812, m. Abigail Bell, removed to Chemung County, New York in 1830, d. 1849. 1. Hannah Searles. 2. Ann Searles. 3. William Searles b. perhaps c. 1818. 4. Alfred Searles b. 1 May 1820 Cornwall on the Hudson, New York. 5. Almira Searles. 6. Clarissa Searles. 7. Sarah Searles. Second Generation: 3. William Searles b. perhaps c. 1818 is the William who perhaps m. Clarissa Burk b. c. 1828. William d. Tennessee and she returned with children and is buried Doty Hill, Bradford County. 4. Alfred Searles b. 1 May 1820 m. 19 May 1847 Sarah Ann Baker b. 30 Dec 1823 daughter of Amos Baker and Ruth Warner of Wells. Alfred and Sarah resided Ashland Township, Chemung County, New York and owned "Fruit Homestead Farm." Alfred was the first highway commissioner, gave 15 acres of land for the Newtown Sullivan Park. Alfred d. 11 Apr 1896 and Sarah d. 23 Nov 1901 buried Searles Cemetery, town of Ashland, Chemung County, New York. Josephine Searles b. 24 Sept 1849 m. Dr. Thomas Lucy and she d. 1890 buried Searles Cemetery. Milton Searles b. 1855 d. 1864 buried Searles Cemetery. Forrest Searles b. 1857 d. 1864 buried Searles Cemetery. Hattie Lowman Searles b. 24 Feb 1859 m. Charles Elliott b. June 1855 d. 1929 buried Searles Cemetery. Hattie perhaps buried there without a marker. John Searles (Sarles) first appears on the 1838 assessment list of Wells. He was enumerated in 1840 age 40 and under age 50 enumerated 1840 census of Wells with others in his household. He may be the John Searles, age 52, residing with Janson Scofield family in 1850 at Wells. His wife may be the Mary Searles, known as Polly, enumerated Wells in 1850 with John age 43, Thomas age 23, and George N. age 15 in household. She is perhaps the Mary wife of John Searles who d. 15 July 1851 60y 3m 11d (ts) Jobs Corners Cemetery, Jackson Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. Possible children of John and Mary: 1. John Searles b. c. 1807. 2. Mary Searles b. 2 Nov 1810 m. 25 Dec 1827 Clark Stillwell and she d. 26 Feb 1888 buried Jobs Corners. 4. Gilbert Searles b. c. 1816. 5. Isaac Searles b. 1818. 6. Susan Searles b. 1820 m. George Sheive and she d. 1899. 7. Jane Searles b. 1823. 8. Sarah Searles b. 1826. 9. Thomas J. Searles b. 1826. 10. George N. Searles b. c. 1835. Second Generation: 4. Gilbert Searles b. c. 1816 m. Sarah Adams b. 16 Nov 1820 daughter of Levi Finch Adams and Huldah Swartout as her second husband. Sarah had married (1)Palmer Bryant. Enumerated in Jackson Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania in 1860. Viola Searles b. c. 1855. Harriet Searles b. c. 1859. 5. Isaac Searles b. 1818 New York state m. 3 Apr 1839 (Elmira Gazette, April 30, 1839) in Jackson Township, Ellen Voorhees b. 1821 New Jersey. Enumerated 1840 and 1850 census of Wells. Thomas Searles, age 25, residing with family in 1850. Resided southwestern Wells near Tioga County line. Isaac d. 1869 (ts) and Ellen d. 1883 (ts) Daggett Cemetery, Jackson Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. 11. John Aaron Searles b. 1840. 12. Charles O. Searles b. 1841 d. 1865 (ts) Daggett Cemetery. 13. Ellen M. Searles b. 1843. 14. Hellen S. Searles b. 1845 d. 1847 (ts) Daggett Cemetery. 15. Isaac E. Searles b. 1849 d. 1850 (ts) Daggett Cemetery. 16. Frank C. Searles b. 1851 d. 1852 (ts) Daggett Cemetery. 7. Jane Searles b. 1823 m. 17 Apr 1839 Uriah Lucas 2d. 9. Thomas J. Searles b. 1826 enumerated in Isaac Searles household in 1850, age 25 and in Polly Searles household in 1850, age 23. Thomas d. 1903 (ts). Wife, Catherine b. 1836 d. 1909 (ts) Lawrence Corners Cemetery, Rutland Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. Also buried there, James Searles 1867-1949 and Ella M. Searles 1871-1946. Third Generation: 11. John Aaron Searles b. 1840 m. Minnie Taber b. 1846 daughter of Thomas Taber and Juliet Bryan. John d. 19__ and Minnie d. 1916 (ts) Daggett Cemetery. 13. Ellen M. Searles b. 1843 m. Samuel J. Taber b. 1848 son of Thomas Taber and Juliet Bryan. Samuel d. 1908 (ts) and Ellen d. 1917 (ts) Daggett Cemetery. Mary Searles b. 1789 m. John Corzette. Eva S. Searles b. Wells m. 25 Apr 1886 (Methodist Church record) Frank Hammond b. Aspinwall. Frank Searles, age 6/12, b. Pennsylvania, d. Jan 1850 of fits, ill 3 days (1850 Wells township mortality schedule). Hester A. Searles of Wells m. 11 Aug 1853 (Elmira Republican, August 26, 1853) in Wells, D. Griffis of Horseheads, New York. |
| MORE PROBABLE RELATIVES Notes: I am appending the following work done by Sylvia Wizniewski and published on Joyce Tice’s site. I can’t establish a definite connection, but I firmly believe Thomas and Catherine were relatives. Witness the connection to Lapeer, Michigan. Why did Ray Hammond go to Michigan? Did he already have relatives there? I am hoping this might spur some of you on to a new project, and a new interest. Thomas J. Searles and Catherine Patrick How the Searleses and Patricks met is a mystery to me. Catherine's family was from London, Ontario and moved to Lapeer County, Michigan about 1857 then to Sanilac County, Michigan about 1863.1 Thomas's family seems to have been from Bradford County, PA (Lena Clark and obituary) or south central New York (1820, 1850 and 1880 Censuses). Catherine's father, Richard Patrick, was born in New York State, so perhaps their families knew one another a generation or two earlier. Perhaps it was railroad or lumbering work that brought Thomas and one or more of Catherine's relatives to Michigan. In any event, Thomas was in Lapeer County with his wife Catherine and their new family for the 1860 census.2 Lena Clark and Lena Peters both gave their wedding date as October 18, 1855. It seems most likely they met and were married in Michigan, but since they were married before I have evidence that the Patricks moved to Michigan, they may have been married near London, Ontario. I've not found a marriage record for them. Thomas supported his wife and 8 children by working as a carpenter (1880 Tioga County, PA census), laborer (Tioga County, PA tax records and 1860 census for Lapeer County, MI), farmer (death record), and well-digger (Lena Clark). Most of what we have on this family comes from Lena Clark, through a 10-page book she wrote and tape recorded conversations she had with her niece, Doris (Peters) Sykes in 1974. Catherine Searles spent quite a bit of time with Lena Clark's family. Since Lena is such a good storyteller, and these stories are most of what we have about this family, I'll just let her tell the stories. What follows is pretty much dictated from the tape recordings Doris made. I will only footnote what didn't come from Lena Clark. The Indians... Grandma Searles liked to go to bed early, and she used to say "you can bring the girls in," and we'd sit on the foot of the bed, and Grandma would be propped up in bed and she'd tell us stories about her childhood. See, she was brought up among the Indians. And Grandma knew a lot of the medical problems that the Indians had. She told us how to say a few Indian words, like "tie-eye-shockedy-kit" means "you're telling a lie" and things like that. When Catherine was little the Indians would come in at night and sleep in front of the fire. They lay on the floor. They never sat in a chair. And they'd help themselves to anything in the garden, but they'd only take enough for a meal. So that was nice. When the family had a new baby, they come out in the kitchen, and there was a row of Indians sitting round in a circle on the floor. They'd holler papoose! papoose! They wanted to see the new baby. So they showed them the baby, and they all got up and filed out. That was a welcome, I suppose. Here's an extraordinary story Lena told about one family's relationship with nearby Indians. She wasn't sure which family on our tree this was, and I've been unable to verify the family, which Indians would've been involved, or the story itself. Nonetheless, many of these kinds of stories contain at least some truth, and Thomas and Catherine's families were living on the frontier and clearly had frequent interactions with Native Americans. Here's the story. This family lived near the Susquehanna River, in the woods, almost a mile from anybody else. The little boy and girl used to play on the bank of the river, where there was a big tree that hung over the river. The little girl and boy used to climb that tree. Well, this was in the fall, when the ice was forming on the river. They climbed this big tree that hung over the river, and the little girl hollered that she was falling in the river. And the little boy got out there anyway, and he fell in. That Susquehanna is a big river -- I think it was quite a ways up from Harrisburg. The little boy disappeared in the chunks of ice going down the river. They got out searches, but of course he was gone. They thought he was dead. He went down the river, floating with a branch of a tree that broke off among the ice. He went down that river for miles. There was an Indian wigwam, a city, or village. They always build their villages in the bend of the river so they can look two ways for enemies. Well they were out there doing something, and they saw that branch of the tree and the little boy. So they got out there some way on the ice and got him. And a squaw held him until he got warm, and wrapped him up. He tried to tell them a lot of things. The Indians said we can't go up that river with our canoe, the ice would form, and we don't know where to take you anyway. So the Indians told the boy if you be good, we'll take good care of you, and when the leaves begin to come out on the tress, when the little flowers come in the ground, we'll build a big sturdy canoe, and we'll go and start up the river and we'll find your house. Well he slept on the ground with furs wrapped around, and they made him moccasins. They taught him how to hunt, how to make arrows, and how to tan skins. All winter long they were so good to him, and the squaw would rock him to sleep in her arms on the ground in the wigwam. To make a wigwam, they get long poles, and near the end they tie leather straps around it, and then they spread it open like an umbrella. One time the boy came running in as he saw something green. The squaw said we'll start building the canoe. They showed him how they put branches of some certain kind of wood in hot water, then they could bend them the way they want to bend them. When they got it cold, it'd stay that way. In the spring they picked flowers, and they put all the food in the canoe, and blankets, and they started up the river. They went all day and they never saw his house. So the slept on the bank of the river, and they had food. I forget what kind, but they showed him how to cook. When they planted anything they put some part of a fish with everything they planted. Anyway, they finally saw his house. Boy they was rejoicing! They got out and ran up to the house, but there was nobody there. So the Indians told him to put his head down on the ground, his ear to the ground, and you can hear hoof marks, or hoof sounds, almost 10 miles away if you listen long enough. And they heard those hoof marks, like somebody coming home. And they went and sat on the floor, and in come his father and mother and little sister. And you never saw so much huggin' and they brought their food in, and they were so happy. The Indians stayed awhile with them. And then they said each spring they were gonna come back. The family had even had the funeral service for the little boy. What a happy reunion! Now this is a true story, a beautiful story you can tell your grandchildren. Please tell it to them so it'll live on. This was the Susquehanna River, down in Bradford County where Grandpa lived. So they knew this was true. I wish I could remember the tribe. (Note: The Susquehanna River does go through Bradford County, but quite a ways further east than I have been able to locate the family. This story is probably about an earlier generation.) ...And Witches Grandpa Searles was a well-digger. They moved quite often. Grandma told us, it was one place they moved to, the minute they'd go to bed, the rocking chair would start rocking. They could hear it on the wooden floor. And when they'd get up it'd stop rocking. As soon as they got in bed that rocker'd go, go, go. And sometimes they even saw the motion of that rocker. They were so scared they didn't stay: they moved. Wasn't that a funny one? You know in Grandma's days they believed in witches. And she used to tell us a lot of things about the witches. Aunt Tillie--that was one of the girls--Aunt Tillie died, you don't know her-- She said she had a baby and it cried all the time. One of these witches come and told Aunt Tillie to put out a pan of milk and let it get sour, and then cut it. You're hurting that witch just like that, and your baby will stop crying. And it happened! That baby got over what...if it was colic, I don't know. But it stopped crying all the time. What Else? Lena Clark also gave us a glimpse of life with Catherine Searles. "We loved Grandma Searles, but Grandma Howard was full of fun. Not Grandma Searles -- she was a perfect lady. Why, she'd say your feet were always on the floor. We'd do this (cross your legs) and she thought that was terrible! It isn't good to cross your legs because it cuts circulation off, but that wasn't why. She was afraid you'd show your ankles. Grandma Searles was so dignified. She said one time to my mother (Della Howard) that a lady never leaves the kitchen with her apron on. I remember that. Now they don't even stop for an apron." Thomas served briefly during the Civil War, and then deserted, apparently injured. He enlisted in Company H, Ninth Cavalry on March 8, 1863 in Lapeer. They mustered March 14th, and by May 18th Thomas "deserted" at Coldwater, MI.3 There's a record of an illiterate Thomas Searles, about the right age, who applied for a pension from Bradford County, Pennsylvania. In the application he stated that he enrolled March 1863 with Company F (rather than H) of the 9th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry as a private. In 1892 he was claiming he was wholly unable to earn support by manual labor by reason of a rupture or ____(?) which he contracted in service. He also reported disease of the lungs, old age, and general poor health. The record showed he was never discharged, however. Thomas reported that when he was hurt, he went home and sent a substitute, Wilson R. Cole, who served in his place. Perhaps he was a simple man who saw a simple solution: "I'm hurt, I'll go home." Perhaps he thought better of his prospects in the War: his brother Andrew had been serving since November 1861. In the end, the War Department did not grant him a pension because they couldn't find the name of Thomas Searles on the rolls of Co. F, 9th Michigan Cavalry.4 Apparently he officially enlisted in Company H, so if he'd been literate or at least remembered that correctly, perhaps he'd have gotten a pension. Before judging Thomas too harshly, though, realize that it wasn't uncommon for men to desert, and if Thomas did send a substitute, he believed he fulfilled his duty. Perhaps his desertion is what led Thomas to move his family back to Pennsylvania by 1880. I've not located him for the 1870 census, but it seems likely they were still in Michigan. Daughter Mattie’s death record and the 1880 census says she was born in Pennsylvania in 1876, but the Sanilac County clerk's marriage record says she was born in Saginaw, and the 1900 census for Lamotte, Sanilac Co, MI, says she was born in Michigan. The census and marriage records are more credible since Mattie may have provided the information herself for them. There were some Searleses in Hillsdale County, MI, near where Thomas "deserted," and they had ties to Bradford County, PA. It’s possible that Thomas and Catherine stayed with relatives there while they had most of their children. Thomas's obituary says he "died peacefully as the sun sinks in the west on a calm summer evening."5 That was January 1, 1903 in Sullivan Township, Tioga County, PA. Catherine followed him on February 3, 1909.6 They are both buried at Lawrence Corners, north-east of Mansfield, PA. ENDNOTES: 1. Tax records, Elba 1857-62/1860 census, Lapeer, Elba, p. 998. 2. Census for Oregon Twp, Lapeer County, MI, p. 1012. 3. Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War 1861-1865, vol 39, Record, 9th MI Cavalry, Civil War 1861-1865, p. 89. Published under the authority of the Michigan Legislature, no date. 4. Civil War pension application #1132455, 24 Sep 1892. 5. Mansfield Advertiser, vol 8, 7 and 14 Jan 1903. 6. Death certificate, PA Division of Vital Records, File # 26830, District # 859. John and Mary Searles (in process) I believe John and Mary to be Thomas's parents. Polly (a nickname for Mary) is Thomas’s mother according to information from Nellie Smith Shaw, and there is a tombstone for a Mary, wife of John Searles, in the Lawrence Corner Cemetery (but it’s not on the published transcriptions). It has dates but I don’t have it with me right now (I think 1851). Polly is 20 years older than John in the 1850 census (Bradford Co, PA, Wells twp). It's possible that John's father was also named John. There is a land transaction in 1808 where John Searls of the town of "elictton?", County of Cayuga, NY bought the NW 1/4 of Township Lot #7 in Tioga County, NY for $400. And there's a John Searles family in Cayuga County, NY in 1800 (p.620) with 1 male over 45, 1 female under 10, 2 females between 16-26, and 1 female between 25-45. If my best guesses are right, the family was in Cayuta Township, Tioga County, NY in 1821 with three children.(1) John was employed in agriculture on this land in south-central New York, just south of the land between the two largest finger lakes, Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. This had been an area of historical significance during the Revolution, and since both John and Polly were born in New York, it's possible that their parents or grandparent took part. (EXPLAIN) In 1823 part of Cayuta became part of Tompkins County, and I believe this is where Thomas, and possibly a twin sister Sarah, were born.(2 -- Nellie's papers show Sarah b. Thompkins Co, 1826, LDS record, and 1850 and 1880 censuses say Thos and parents b. NY; This History of Cayuta, Cayuta Town Festival Committee, 1984, p.3) The 1825 census for New Field, Cayuta Township, Tompkins County, NY listed John Searles' family with 6 males (1 qualified to vote) and 5 females. In 1830 the John Sarles family was in Hector Township, Tompkins County, NY (p. 420), and they now had 6 children. There were: Males: 1 under 5 Females: 2 aged 5-10 1 aged 10-15 1 aged 10-15 1 aged 15-20 and 1 aged 30-40 and 1 aged 30-40 By 1840, the family moved about 30 miles south to the northwest corner of Bradford County, PA. Here John was employed in "manufacture and trade," and his son Isaac was just starting his family on a nearby farm. By 1850 John may have "retired" to farming since he was now listed as a farmer, but with substantial real estate worth $2000. From there I lose track of John for there are no death, burial, or other census records to be found. By 1860, however, son Isaac had become quite successful, or perhaps he inherited his father's estate since his real estate was worth $4000 and his personal property worth $1500. By comparison, probable relatives J.A. and Gilbert Searl living nearby had no real estate and personal property worth only $100 and $150 respectively. Isaac's family suffered tragedy, though, for they buried all of their children of whom only one lived beyond the age of two (except John Aaron if he was theirs and not John and Mary's). Issac died an unusual death in 1868. He had hitched his mare to a rail fence and was trying to take the horse away when it jerked the rail from the fence. The rail hit Isaac in the forehead and "inflicted a mortal hurt" from which he survived only a few hours.(FN: Tioga County Agitator, Wellsboro, PA, 4 Nov 1868) Isaac is buried in the Daggett Cemetery with his wife Ellen Voorhees (1821-1883) and their children Charles O., Hellen S., Isaac E., and Frank C. J. Aaron Searles (1846-1919) and his wife Minnie Taber (1846-1916) are also buried there. The Troy Gazette Register said on April 1, 1926 that John Aaron Searles died Friday (March 26) 1926 in Mosherville at age 86, and is buried at Daggett Cemetery. It mentioned sister-in-law Mrs. Della Searles (must be wife of Frank Searles -- she was a Hammond); nieces Mrs. Fannie Knapp and Mrs. Loah Benson of Elmira and nephews Ross C. Hammond of Elmira and Raymond F. Hammond, of Mosherville. Thus far unconnected records of Searles: 1. There was a John Searle in Wilkes-Barre, Luzern County in the 1830 PA census index, p. 504. This is right on the Susquehanna which makes it intriguing for the Lena Clark story possibility. I made a note that I checked a John Searl in Luzern in Bradford County (which isn't a township on the current map) and noted that the ages & # of children is wrong. Also in the 1830 PA Census Index are Catherine, Henry, and William Searles all in Luzern; Cornelius in "Buck," and interestingly, Nathanial Searls in Wells Twp, Bradford Co. In the 1830 NY census index, there are several Searles (various spellings, many in Tioga Co) including Johns in New York City, "Wayn," "Wash," and "Grfe" counties as well as the one in Tompkins. 2. Will of John Sarlls of Lansing (just north of Ithaca, NY) dated March 29, 1824, probated Aug 28, 1824 in "Abstracts of Wills of Tompkins County NY 1817-1833" compiled by Gertrude A. Barber, copied from original records at the Courthouse in Ithaca NY, 1941, p.16. It's confusing, but the will mentions "wife Esther, grandchildren William, Sally, Catherine, and Elizabeth Sarlls, sons David, William, Solomon, and John; daughter Hannah, wife of Henry Lewis, granddaughter Mary McKan dau ditto; daughter Mary, wife of Thomas Barto, granchildren Charles, Henry, Nelson, Wood, Elizabeth, Lucinda, Lella Wood, grandchildren Esther, Electa, Miranda Williams. Executors: Sife, Solomon Sarlls, Josiah Hedden. Witnesses: Joshua Nortle, James E. Fitzgerald, William Dearman, Dyer Foote." I copied this at the Burton Collection in the Detroit Public Library, Detroit, MI. 3. There’s also a will for a John Sarles of Newfield in Thompkins Co. between 1843-6. No transcriptions known – need to order a copy. 4. There are mentions of Lemuel and Ruben Searls in Addison, Steuben Co, NY, with Lemuel having a will dated between 1830-45. 5. At the NY State Library in Albany, NY there is mention of a Bible record for John Sarles, b. 2 Jan 1795 married to Phebe Smith 27 Dec 1819. It mentions children Rufus, Sarah, George F., Mary, and Ella. I found this in "Some Bible Records" collected by Van Buren Lamb, Jr of Submit, NY. The Bible was in the posession of Mrs. Sarles (Leonards) 95 North Roger Ave, Mount Kisco, NY in 1960. 6. The Owego Gazette (Tioga Co, NY) noted there were letters at the post office for "Searle" on 5 October 1819 and for Richard Searls on 24 Jan 1826. It also said on 14 Sep 1849 that Richard Searle died on 9 Sep 1849, aged "96-6-" (probably 96 years, 6 months). He was a Revolutionary War soldier who lived in Flemingville. I copied this at the NY State Library in Albany, NY. The original is in the Tioga County Historical Museum, Owega, NY. 7. In the "History of Hillsdale County, MI, 1879 (p.5) there is this information. "Thomas Searles came from Putnam Co, NY in 1814 and settled where John Stilwell now owns (I note from Joyce Tice's records that John's daughter Mary married Clark Stilwell in 1827 in Hector, Tompkins Co). Henry Jeffries married Searles' daughter, and came with Searles and settled on the same farm Cornelius Jeffries, his son, now lives on, on the hill west of Kecklenburg." It continues: Garry Searls, b. Oct 24, 1824 in Seneca Co, NY married May 16, 1858. Ancestors descended from old Dutch Stock residing along the banks of the Hudson. he remained for six years on the home farm, and then removed to Bradford Co, PA and remained there four years. His parents then, following the course of emigration, came to Michigan and located in Hillsdale Co on the Chicago Turnpike, three miles west of Jonesville, the family of Mrs. Searls having moved from Dutchess Co, NY to Michigan in 1855. Resides on farm of 195 acres lying in Hillsdale and Cambria Trops(?). Children: Frederick, Garry Jr., Edward V., George W., Charles H., Anna M., Albert E." This record came from the Schuyler County, NY Historical Society, Montour Falls, NY. 8. Shuyler Co Historical Society also had some other notes: a. A record of a query (undated) from Grace Searle to the Tompkins County DeWitt Historical Society in Ithaca, NY. She was seeking information about John R. Searle who may have come to Tompkins Co around 1816 and died there in 1837. The noted Tompkins County wills for Samuel Searl, Irene Searls, Walter Searles, James B. Searles, Nancy Searls, Marian, Celinda J., Nancy M., and Clara Searls. b. In the Mecklenburg Cemetery, Searles, William, son of James and Polly, 1836-1837. c. In the Reynoldsville Cemetery, Searles, Selah, d. 1/29/1877 (1795-1877); Ansenath, his wife, d. 2/2/1871 (1796-1871); Searles, Jason A. d. 10/21/1882 (1819-1882); and Emily, his wife, d. 3/19/1882 (1823-1882). 9. Tioga County NY Historical Society notes that Searlestown is a placename in Newark Valley, Tioga Co. It was a Methodist community on Rte 38 north of Owego, founded by Richard Searles, a Revolutionary War veteran, before 1790. In the Searlestown Cemetery in the Town of Owego are buried 20 Searleses, including Richard (d.1849 aged 96); Sarah, wife of Emmanuel, d. 1865 at age 70; Phebe, wife of Thadies, d. 1839 at age 53; Thadies, d. 1834 at age 48; Lot, d. 1852 at age 65; and Hannah, Lot's wife, d. 1843 at age 50. 10. Tioga County, NY land records list several Searles (and similar spellings) from 1808 on. They include some records involving a John Searles in 1808 and 1810 (and later) and Polly, who bought land in the town of Candor(?) in 1851. I did not have time to research more than a couple of these, and would be delighted if someone who has researched these records would inform me of their results! 11. There's a Robert Searles on the Rutland Twp, Tioga Co, PA tax rolls in 1829. 12. The July 2, 1885 Reporter-Journal had an article under "Wells Township" that included mention that "S.E. Ayres...occupies the place upon which John Searles began." and "C.M. Wylie...occupies the place upon which Isaac Searles began." In looking at the 1868 Atlas for Wells Twp, Bradford Co, S.E. Ayres and W.E. Wylie had farms very near one another in the extreme SW corner of Wells Two, along what is now Jennings Road, north of Hickory Road. This supports the idea that John and Isaac Searles were close kin. I copied this article (there was no page number) and the page from the Atlas at the Tioga Co, PA Historical Society. I wonder if the tombstones Lena Clark talked about playing teeter-totter on were those of John Searles and his wife on the farm here. 13. There are many records of early settlers named Searle, and also Searl and Searles. They relate particularly to John Searle who settled Springfield, MA in the 1630s; Robert Searle who died in 1717 in Dorchester, MA; Nathaniel Searle, b. 1662 and who lived in Corchester and Duxbury, MA and Little Compton, RI; and several Searles of Ipswich and Rowley, MA in the 1600s. I have not been able to tie "our" Searleses into these families, but it wouldn't surprise me if they do fit in somewhere. I have a pile of copies on these families that I obtained from many sources, like the extensive reprint of most of the "Searle Record" compiled by Rev. William Searle in 1897; A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England (Vol I, p. 45); The American Genealogist (Vol XVI, No. 2, Oct 1939, pp. 88-95); New England Families, (Vol III, pp. 1497-9); Early Settlers of Rowley, MA (pp. 333-40); DAR Bible Records (Vol 32, 1935-6, p. 131 and Vol 38, 1936-7, pp. 181-2); and the New England Historical and Genealogical Register (Vol CXXV, No 2, Apr 1971, pp. 138-9; and I think the reprint of the Searle Record was in several volumes of this as well. I think these are fairly easily gained at a good genealogical library, but if you'd like copies, please contact me. Definitely contact me if you can tie my Searleses into any of these families, please!! 14. Tioga Eagle Newspaper Abstracts 1839-41 include notice that Richard Searl married Lucina Mann of Tioga on 19 Oct 1840. ENDNOTES: 1. 1820 Census, Cayuta Township, Tioga County, New York. I've seen the original, and Solomon Searls is also listed there -- probably John's brother. Also LDS record.
Subj: Searles Hello again Joyce. It's been quite a while since I've been in contact with you. I was just visiting your web pages and you've done just an outstanding job! THANK YOU!!!! I'm afraid I haven't done that much on the Searles line in the past year or two, so I thought I'd better just send you what I have now. I can always update later. I've excerpted the text on the Thomas Searles and John Searles families from the text I've been working on for a long time. My target audience was family, so the Thomas Searles family might have too much extraneous info for your audience. Please feel free to edit. The John Searles one is really rough, but there are research notes, so maybe someone else can benefit from that, or correct or add to it. If you think it OK to post, please do. It's OK to include my contact information.
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I see you had a 1997 query on John Searles (b1807, must be from 1850 census, but note that if this is same John Searles from 1840 census, that indicates
he was born 1790-1800). You show Mary as a sibling (b1810) and Isaac as a brother (b1818). May I ask where you got the info on Mary? This whole
family is confusing and the multiple sources only add to the confusion of mixing generations. I don't know if John, Isaac, and Mary were siblings; or perhaps John's birth year was wrong in 1850 and correct in 1840. If so, John and Polly would be closer together in age and could be Thomas and Isaac's parents. That does make Polly a little old for having George (b1835) though. (There's a John Searles with the Scofield family for the 1850 census in Wells, aged 52, and is a carpenter -- which is a vocation handed down to both Thomas, and Thomas' son George. Is this the same John Searles? Was he with the Scofields for work when the census taker came around, and whoever provided info on the family got a birth date wrong?).
If the birth years are right in 1850, John (b1807) could be father to Thomas (b1826), but not father to Isaac (b1818). Polly could be John's mother. I also note there are 4 John Searles mentioned in the 1850 census for Wells Twp, so there's plenty of room for confusion.
I haven't pieced together anything conclusive. If you see any logic flaws, or anything helpful you can tie into what I've got on these families, please do tell me! Also, can you please tell me how you know the Searles' came from Thompkins County NY? There were also Searles in Steuben, and my family oral history indicates family coming from somewhere along the banks of Susquehanna.
I hope all is well for you and your family. Thank you again for all the great work you've been doing on the web site!
Sharon Wisniewski
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