Descendants of Abraham Palmer2. George2 Palmer (Abraham1) was born circa 1800 in VT;3,4,19,18,20 married Sylvia White say 1822 in Bradford Co., PA;3,18 he died 27 January 1878 in Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 Like his father, George Palmer's family includes two girls born before 1830 who have not been identified. George is taxed in Canton Twp. from 1826 through 1829 and appears is enumerated in Canton in 1830. He is probably the George Palmer enumerated in Delmar Twp., Tioga Co., PA.21 The family pattern fits with the picture of George's family in 1830 and in 1850. If this identity is correct, it suggests some relationship between Abraham Palmer of Canton (Bradford Co.) and Middlebury (Tioga Co.) townships and Joseph Palmer, Sr., of Delmar Twp. Like all other postulated relationships between the various Palmer progenitors, no direct evidence supports this. Sylvia White was born circa 1804 in VT.3,18,20 Known children of George2 Palmer and Sylvia White were as follows:
3. Orrin2 Palmer (Abraham1) was born between 1800 and 1810;9 married Harriet (--?--) say 1837;22 he died 10 June 1848, per his widow's 1880 deposition, an obvious error given his presence as head of household in 1850.22 The Orrin Palmer family as enumerated in the 1840 federal census in Canton Twp. fits the Orrin Palmer family living in Middlebury Twp. in 1850. The only child in the household in 1840 is a female under five years of age, Alsaneda, age 11, in 1850. Her parents' ages do not correspond so well. Orrin Palmer is 30 to 40 years of age in 1840, but is only age 30 in 1850. His wife Henrietta is 31 years old in 1850, but is only 15 to 20 years old in 1840. Given Orrin's proximity to Abram Palmer in 1840 and the corresponding move to Middlebury Twp., it's likely that Orrin is a son of Abram and Hannah Palmer. If he was born in Vermont, his age shown in 1840 may be correct. The Orrin Palmer household in 1850 includes Orrin himself; Henrietta, age 31, Alsaneda, age 11; Morganna, age 8; Augusta, age 7; Joseph, age 5; Betsey, age 3; and Allen and Alace, age 1. Both Orrin and Henrietta were born in Vermont and neither could read or write.3 There is a second family in the household, that of Isaac and Elizabeth Stratton. It's possible that Isaac, age 42 and born in Vermont, may be related to Henrietta. Orrin's children are scattered among several families in 1860, suggeting that he died before the federal census enumeration of that year. Not all children have been located, but the following children and their host households all lived in Tioga Co. in 1860: Morgana, age 18, and Joseph, age 15, reside with Jacob and Nabby Hymes in Middlebury; Elsie (Alsaneda), age 20, lives next door with Solomon and Elizabeth Westbrook; and Allen, age 12, lives with Artemas and Jerusha Crippen, in neighboring Chatham. Their mother has remarried and is enumerated in the home of new husband Benjamin Shelman and their three-year old son Judson.18 Orrin's widow Harriet states in her 1880 declaration that her husband "Orrin Palmer aged 47 years died on the 10th day of June 1848." Given his presence as head of household in the 1850 federal census enumeration of Middlebury Twp., she must be mistaken in this date. Harriet (--?--) was born circa 1819 in VT.18,3 She married (2) Benjamin Shelman 2 August 1857.22 Known children of Orrin2 Palmer and Harriet (--?--) were as follows:
4. Thersa2 Palmer (Abraham1) was born 17 June 1806 in VT;13,23,24,25,26 married Abijah Ayres Jr., son of Abijah Ayres and Hannah Edward, say 1832;13,27 she died 7 January 1894 in Granville Twp., Bradford Co., PA;13 buried in Windfall Cemetery, Granville Twp., Bradford Co., PA.13 Thersa, wife of Abijah Ayres, is identified as Thersa Palmer, or Parmer, on her tombstone in Windfall Cemetery. To date, no direct evidence has been found to place her conclusively in the Abraham Palmer family; however, she does not fit in any other Palmer family in the area. The 1810 census enumeration of the Abraham Palmer family includes three females under ten years of age. Thersa, age 4 at the time, could be one of these three girls. Thersa was the second wife of Abijah Ayres, Jr., a man almost twenty years her senior. The list of children here was taken in most part from Heverly and must be verified. By 1850, the older Ayres children were out of the household and the census entry itself is difficult to read. The household includes Abijah, listed as Abagail, age 64 and male; Thersa, entered as Therissa, age 45; Sarah, age 15; Marcus, listed as age 19, actually age 9 from later censuses and his tombstone; Lucy A., age 5; a female, name illegible, age 4; Andrew, age 2; and a male, name illegible, age 21.26 This census supports children Sarah, Marcus, Lucy, and Andrew; the four-year-old daughter could be Laura, the daughter found in the 1880 census enumeration25 or Naomi, the daughter named by Heverly but not yet found in other records. Since Heverly does not name Laura, it's possible that she was known by another name. Daughter Eliza returned to her parents' home with new husband Charles Randall in 1860.28 Two additional daughters named by Heverly remain unaccounted for: Mary and Christine. Abijah Ayres Jr. was born 18 July 1787 in NY.13,9,13 He married (1) Polly Sheely say 1808.27 He died 2 December 1860 in Canton Twp., Bradford Co., PA.13 He was buried in Windfall Cemetery, Granville Twp., Bradford Co., PA.13 Known children of Thersa2 Palmer and Abijah Ayres Jr. were as follows:
5. Reuben T.2 Palmer (Abraham1) was born 4 March 1814 in Canton Twp., Bradford Co., PA;7,9,20,15,4 married Mary Ayres, daughter of Abijah Ayres and Hannah Edward, 14 December 1837 in Canton, Bradford Co., PA;7,15,15 he died 31 March 1893 in Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA;7,15,4 buried in Union Cemetery, Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 Reuben T. Palmer enlisted on 3 October 1863,, as a private in Company A, 149th Pennsylvania Infantry.15,15 He was discharged from military service on 28 March 1864 Culpepper, VA.15,15 Mary Ayres was born 11 September 1815 in Bradford Co., PA.3,29,18,30 She died 21 June 1902 probably in Keeneyville, Tioga Co., PA.15,4 She was buried in Union Cemetery, Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 Although her husband's biography in the History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania is reasonably accurate in terms of names and relationships, there seem to be several errors in Mary's information. The History identifies her as Mary, daughter of Marcus Ayres. Her maiden name was Ayres,15 but Marcus was her older brother, not her father. Heverly identifies her as one of the many children of Abijah Ayres.27 Unless a much older Marcus Ayres is discovered in Bradford County, Heverly's identification is probably correct. The History, as well as her tombstone, give 11 Sep 1817 as her date of birth. All census enumerations, however, yield 1815 or 1816 as the year of birth. The 1900 census entry states that Mary (Ayres) Palmer was born September 1815, the date used here.29 Mary apparently died in daughter Emma's household and was buried with her husband in Middlebury Union Cemetery. Three of her nine children: Chauncey, Delilah, and Hannah, predeceased her. Known children of Reuben T.2 Palmer and Mary Ayres were as follows:
6. David F.2 Palmer (Abraham1) was born circa 1818 in Canton Twp., Bradford Co., PA;20,15,18,31 married (1) Melissa (--?--) say 1845;4 married (2) Mary J. (--?--) circa 1854.4,18 David Palmer is enumerated in Middlebury Twp. in both the 1860 and 1870 federal censuses. The 1880 federal census finds him living with his son, V. V. Palmer, in Pittsfield, Warren Co., PA.31 Despite the fact that this census records his parents' birthplaces as Pennsylvania (with dittoes), this David is known to be Abraham's son. In October 1893, he signed an affidavit for his brother Reuben's Civil War pension application, signing as D. F. Palmer, age 75, a resident of Pittsfield, Warren Co., PA, and Reuben's brother.15 Melissa (--?--) was born say 1820.4 She died 20 March 1853 in Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 She was buried in Palmer-Pease Cemetery, Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 Known children of David F.2 Palmer and Melissa (--?--) were as follows:
Mary J. (--?--) was born 26 June 1822 in NY.18,4 She died 7 May 1870 in Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 She was buried in Palmer-Pease Cemetery, Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 Known children of David F.2 Palmer and Mary J. (--?--) were as follows:
7. Phoebe2 Palmer (Abraham1) was born 6 May 1820 in Canton Twp., Bradford Co., PA;4,18,10,20 married Horace Pease say 1837;4,4 she died 18 February 1905 possibly in Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA;4 buried in Middlebury Union Cemetery, Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 Horace Pease was born circa 1812 in NY.4,18,20 He died 7 September 1875 in Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 He was buried in Palmer-Pease Cemetery, Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 Known children of Phoebe2 Palmer and Horace Pease were as follows:
8. Abraham2 Palmer (Abraham1) was born circa 1823 in Canton Twp., Bradford Co., PA;4 married (1) Mary Reed circa 1847;16 married (2) Nancy A. French 9 March 1856 in Tioga Co., PA;16,16 he died 20 May 1865 in Alexandria, VA.4,16 Abraham Palmer enlisted on 2 September 1864, in Tioga Co., PA, as a private in Company G, 207th Pennsylvania Infantry.16,16 Mary Reed was born say 1825.16 She died 6 May 1855 in Tioga Co., PA.16 Known children of Abraham2 Palmer and Mary Reed were:
Nancy A. French was born say 1825.16 She married Zelotus Allen 26 September 1867.16,16,16 Known children of Abraham2 Palmer and Nancy A. French were:
9. Griffin2 Palmer (Abraham1) was born 2 February 1826 in Canton Twp., Bradford Co., PA;3,4 married Amy Losey 29 August 1849 in Middlebury, Tioga Co., PA, marriage performed by Elder Bullock, M.G;32,32,32 he died 3 June 1864 in Spottsylvania, VA, . He was killed at the battle of Bethsada Church;32,32,4 buried in Middlebury Union Cemetery, Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 Despite direct evidence in her widow's pension application stating that Griffin and Amy Palmer were married 29 August 1842 or 1849, census evidence contradicts both dates. Amy's fourth child by Sylvanus Ames was a daughter, Matilda, born in 1845, thereby discrediting the 1842 year. She is enumerated in Sylvanus's household in 1850 and Griffin is enumerated with his parents in the Hathaway Losey household, thereby discrediting the 1849 year. In all probability, the marriage took place about 1852. Amy Losey was born circa 1816 in PA.32,32 She married (1) Sylvanus Ames circa 1837. She died March 1885 in Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 She was buried in Middlebury Union Cemetery, Middlebury Twp., Tioga Co., PA.4 Amy's application for a widow's pension does not include any information on her maiden name or her family. Two women, elderly by their marks, do attest that they attended Amy in the births of both her children. One, Hannah Palmer, is probably her mother-in-law. The other woman was Elizabeth B. Ames. The Griffin Palmer household in 1860 includes a Louisa and Clark Ames and is enumerated immediately after the Nathaniel Ames household, which includes a Betsy Ames, age 53. Louisa and Clark Ames are part of the Sylvanus Ames household in 1850, a household which includes Amy Ames, probably Sylvanus's wife and the mother of four children. This evidence shows that Amy, wife of Griffin Palmer, had been married first to Sylvanus Ames and Elizabeth was probably her sister-in-law. She did not read or write and was evidently not sure of her birth date as documentary evidence places her birth at any time between 1814 and 1819.20,32 Fortunately, a biography of Elijah Ames, Amy's son, identifies her maiden name as Amy Losey and calls Griffin Palmer his stepfather.4,32 Amy's household in 1880 consists of herself, her two children, and a four-year old boy, Willie Shaw, who is Amy's adopted son.30 The reason for this adoption is not known, nor has Willie Shaw been followed any further. Known children of Griffin2 Palmer and Amy Losey were as follows:
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