Wilsey-Roberts plus others with notes
Living [Parents]
Nathan G. Wilsey Willsee [Parents] was born in Jun 1813 in Saratoga County, New York. He died on 25 Feb 1858 in Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York. He was buried in St. John's Cem., Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York. He married Charlotte Williams.
Cemetery Records of Saratoga County, New York Volume I
Name: Charlott William Wilsey
Death Date: 25 Apr 1883 Age: 65 yrs.
w. of Nathan G.
Charlotte Williams [Parents] was born in 1824 in prob Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York. She died on 25 Apr 1883. She was buried in St. John's Cem., Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York. She married Nathan G. Wilsey Willsee.
Cemetery Records of Saratoga County, New York Volume I
Name: Charlott William Wilsey
Death Date: 25 Apr 1883 Age: 65 yrs.
w. of Nathan G.Household Record 1880 United States Census
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Charlotte WILSEY Self W Female W 63 NY Keeping House NY NY
Ada CARPENTER GDau S Female W 14 NY At School NY NYSource Information:
Census Place Greenfield, Saratoga, New York
Family History Library Film 1254928
NA Film Number T9-0928
Page Number 158D
Household Record 1880 United States CensusName Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Christian LAGRANGE Self M Male W 25 NY Harness Maker NY NY
Ruth LAGRANGE Wife M Female W 24 NY Keeping House NY NY
Sennate LAGRANGE Son S Male W 4 NY NY NY
Harmon LAGRANGE Son S Male W 6M NY NY NYSource Information:
Census Place Greenfield, Saratoga, New York
Family History Library Film 1254928
NA Film Number T9-0928
Page Number 158D
They had the following children:
F i Mary J. Wilsey Willsee M ii John H. (J) Wilsey Willsee was born in 1846 in Saratoga County, New York. He died on 13 Nov 1856 in Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York. He was buried in St. John's Cem., Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York. F iii Ruth Ann Wilsey
Living [Parents]
Stephen Harris Wilsey Willsee [Parents] was born in Jul 1810 in Saratoga County, New York. He died on 16 May 1886 in Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York. He was buried in Harris Cem., Saratoga County, New York. He married Polly Davis.
1855 Census, Greenfield, Second District, Saratoga Co., NY
22 78 Frame 800 97 Wilsey, Stephen 44 M Sar 144 Farmer 1 1
23 Polly 38 F Wife Sar 1 38
24 David 20 M Son Sar 20 Farmer
25 Sharlotte 18 F Dau Sar 18
26 Esther 16 F Dau Sar 16
27 Benj.m 13 M Son Sar 13
28 Eveline 3 F Dau Sar 31860 United States Federal Census
about Stephen H Wilsey
Name: Stephen H Wilsey
Age in 1860: 49
Birth Year: abt 1811
Birthplace: New York
Home in 1860: Greenfield, Saratoga, New York
Gender: Male
Post Office: Middle Grove
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members:
Name Age
Stephen H Wilsey 49
Polly Wilsey 43
Charlotte Wilsey 22
Esther Wilsey 19
Franklin Wilsey 18
Sarah A Wilsey 8
Polly Davis was born in 1815 in Saratoga County, New York. She died on 22 Nov 1897 in Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York. She was buried in Harris Cem., Saratoga County, New York. She married Stephen Harris Wilsey Willsee.
St. John's Cem., Greenfield, Saratoga Co., NY
They had the following children:
M i David Wilsey was born about 1835 in Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York. F ii Sharlotte or Charlotte Wilsey was born about 1837 in Greenfield, Saratoga County, New York.
1860 United States Federal Census
about Charlotte Wilsey
Name: Charlotte Wilsey
Age in 1860: 22
Birth Year: abt 1838
Birthplace: New York
Home in 1860: Greenfield, Saratoga, New York
Gender: Female
Post Office: Middle Grove
Household Members:
Name Age
Stephen H Wilsey 49
Polly Wilsey 43
Charlotte Wilsey 22
Esther Wilsey 19
Franklin Wilsey 18
Sarah A Wilsey 8
============
1910 United States Federal Census
about Charlotte R Wilsey
Name: Charlotte R Wilsey
Age in 1910: 73
Estimated birth year: abt 1837
Birthplace: New York
Relation to Head of House: Head
Father's Birth Place: New York
Mother's Birth Place: New York
Home in 1910: Saratoga Springs Ward 4, Saratoga, New York
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Gender: Female
Household Members:
Name Age
Charlotte R Wilsey 73F iii Esther A. Wilsey M iv Benjamin Frank Wilsey M v John H. Wilsey was born in 1846. He died on 13 Nov 1856. He was buried in St. Johns Cem., Saratoga County, New York. F vi Eva A (Eveline) Wilsey
Living [Parents]
Ambrose Murray [Parents] was born on 14 Jan 1903 in Provo, Utah County, Utah. He died on 3 Mar 1973 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was buried on 7 Mar 1973 in Provo Cem. Block 9 Lot 1, Provo, Utah County, Utah. He married Ruth Virginia Richardson.
Ruth Virginia Richardson [Parents] was born on 21 Jan 1904 in Midvale, Salt Lake County, Utah. She died on 11 Mar 2001 in Price, Carbon County, Utah. She was buried in Provo, Utah County, Utah. She married Ambrose Murray.
They had the following children:
F i Living F ii Living
He had the following children:
F i Charlotte Williams
Joseph Vanderpool was born in Mar 1844 in Bradford County, , Pennsylvania. He married Mary Sophia Vanderpool on 29 Nov 1918 in Pa.
Pennsylvania 1910 Miracode Index
about Joseph Vanderpool
Name: Joseph Vanderpool
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
State: PA
Age: 62
Color: W
Enumeration District: 0043
Visit: 0157
County: Bradford
Relation: Head of Household
Other Residents: Relation Name Age Birth Place
NR Sophia Johnson 5- NR
NR Alanson 18 Pennsylvania
Mary Sophia Vanderpool [Parents] was born in Jul 1850 in , Bradford County, , Pennsylvania. She died on 31 Jan 1923 in , Bradford County, , Pennsylvania. She was buried in 1923 in Coles Cem., Bradford County, , Pennsylvania. She married Joseph Vanderpool on 29 Nov 1918 in Pa.
Other marriages:Johnson, Minor
Merritt, Henry
Pennsylvania 1910 Miracode Index
about Joseph Vanderpool
Name: Joseph Vanderpool
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
State: PA
Age: 62
Color: W
Enumeration District: 0043
Visit: 0157
County: Bradford
Relation: Head of Household
Other Residents: Relation Name Age Birth Place
NR Sophia Johnson 5- NR
NR Alanson 18 Pennsylvania
Bigler's parents were Mary Sophia VANDERPOOL [aka "Sophia Merritt"] & Minor Johnson. They had a total of 8 children, with the youngest being the twins. Book tells that they were living in the poor house [in Burlington I believe] when the twins were 8-9 months old, that Minor "escaped" from that institution and stepped in front of that train on Sept 11, 1896.
I know Bigler's mother's maiden name was Vanderpool since there were several refs to her brother Isaac Vanderpool who lived on Hollon Hill at the time of the murder proceedings. I believe all the children were by Minor Johnson. Sophia's older daughter Mary Johnson had married a fellow named HENRY MERRITT [book says alias "Crow"] and Mary had 1 child by him and she & that child died [no details & no dates] and then Mary's mother Sophia Vanderpool Johnson married her "son-in-law" Henry Merritt making her name Sophia Merritt and she's the one implicated in the Maggie & Annie Benjamin murder/arson case but she was acquitted in the courts. In epilogue of book, it says that Sophia moved to S. Towanda in 1910 after she divorced henry Merritt. Then she married Joseph Vanderpool of South Towanda on Nov. 29, 1918. After Joseph died, she lived with her son Alanson Johnson. Sophia died on Jan 31, 1924 & is buried in Cold cemetery in Towanda twp.
Note that the twins, Alanson Johnson & Nancy Catherine Johnson, then 15 years old at the time, were also implicated & jailed but they, too, were released. Briefly, Bigler was found to be an accessary before-the-fact and sentenced to hang which he was, on July 25, 1905. His older brother Charles Johnson was also sentenced to die by hanging and even after his 2 trials, attempts at pardon, etc. he was finally hanged on July 25, 1907, on the 2 yr. anniversary of his brother's hanging.
On Bigler - he was 19 yrs. old when he married Maggie Benjamin who was then 34 yrs old and she had been married previously to Samuel K. Chilson, whom she had divorced. In July 1904, after they had been married for 4 years, Maggie brought charges of dissertion against Bigler and court ordered him to pay her $6 a month for support. [There is no mention of any children for Bigler & Maggie] This was probably part of the motive for the killings - and it was a family affair, for sure. But you'd have to read through the book, & transcripts & details to draw your own conclusions. FYI, Annie Benjamin, the 10 yr old niece of Maggie who was killed also, was a daughter of Maggie's sister Susan Benjamin without the benefit of marriage [father is not named] and Susan went on to marry James Hicks and had ?3 kids by him and through the trials she is the "Susan Hicks" mentioned.
Let's see, you probably want the list of Minor & Sophia [Vanderpool] Johnson's children . I don't have your paper handy so not sure what you have and what you don't. I also don't have exact ages of the children, so they're probably not in order - just know that "Mary" was older and that the twins were the youngest and Charles was maybe 2 yrs older than Bigler.
Children of Sophia Vanderpool & Minor Johnson: [probably not in correct order]
1] Mary Johnson who married Henry Merritt, had 1 unnamed child by him. Mary & unnamed child were deceased prior to Sept. 1904.
2] Martha Ella Johnson - was already married to Lorenzo Heeman in Sept 1904 when trials started and they were living in Binghamton, NY then. Martha divorced Lorenzo on Jan 14, 1908 and she then married Elmer Benjamin [my husband Dale's great uncle - i.e. brother to Dale's grandfather Clark Benjamin] of LeRaysville on April 7, 1917. This was a 3rd marriage for Elmer - m1 Lucy Heeman, m2 Alzina Ellen Johnson m3 Martha Ella Johnson Heeman.
3] Helen Johnson - she is mentioned several times in the book as Bigler's sister "Mrs. Helen Thompson" and she lived on Ward Ave in Towanda then with her 2nd husband, also a Thompson. She had m1 William Thompson had 3 children by him: Mary Thompson, William Thompson Jr and Lester Thompson. Note that William's brother Robert [Ward] Thompson boarded with them on Ward St in Towanda. After William died on May 12, 1903, Helen Johnson Thompson married "Ward" on April 16, 1907 becoming Helen Johnson Thompson Thompson. Ward then died in 1909 and she then married Joseph Vanderpool on Jan 24, 1910. Book note says that this Joseph was different from the Joseph who her mother Sophia married. Helen died on March 24, 1914 at 34 yrs old and she is buried in the Cole cemetery. Note there was mention of a younger brother to Helen's 1st husband William but he was not named, i.e. different from Ward.
4] Charles Johnson - around 2 yrs. older than Bigler. Convicted in killing of Maggie & Annie Benjamin and hanged for his crime on July 25, 1907. Charles never married & no children.
5] Bigler Johnson - married Maggie Benjamin Chilson around 1900 as her 2nd husband when he was 19 yrs & Maggie was 34 yrs old. Bigler convicted in her death and hanged in Bradford County on July 25, 1905. No mention of any children.
6] Etta /Georgette Johnson - m1 Henry Benjamin [sister to murdered Maggie Benjamin & Susan Benjamin mother of murdered Annie Benjamin] and divorced him on June 9, 1920. On July 1, 1920 she m2 Wesley Johnson & divorced him April 23, 1928 and she m2 Burley Johnson on Nov. 14, 1932 & stayed with him until her death on Nov. 12, 1960 @ 75 yrs old. She's buried in Cole cemetery.
7] Alanson Johnson [twin] - aka Delanson Johnson I est. dob around Aug-Sept 1889 from testimony given by nurse in Poor house. He m Sept. 13, 1913 to Dora Vanderpool & they lived in S. Towanda & he worked at Dupont. Alanson d Aug 25, 1973 at 84 yrs old & he & wife are buried in Cole cemetery.
8] Nancy Catherine Johnson - [twin] est dob Aug-Sept 1889. Moved to Binghamton, Ny & m1 Ray Tyler. Nancy m2 Curtis Shepard & she's found on the 1936 directory for Johnson City, NY. She was a custodian for Harry L Drive school & she d on Aug 10, 1967 & is buried with husband Curtis at Floral Park Cem in Binghamton, NY. Note says her obit did not list a child.
Well, think that's all folks.
Have fun with this data. Like I said I can't get my hands on your file right now, to see how much of this might be new info but thought I'd send along what I gleaned from the book. The book itself has lottsa other names but it is totally sad & tragic.
===================
The Bradford Star, Thursday Sept. 17, 1896
Minor Johnson of Asylum Township, was struck and instantly killed by a westward bound train near Sugar Creek on Friday afternoon. The body was picked up and taken to Ulster and Coroner Pratt noptified. At the inquest on Saturday morning the engineer and fireman both testified that the man heard the danger signal given and looked around, but did not leave the track. Other men working on an island in the river saw the man and warned him of the spproaching danger, but he did not heed them, and it is believed that he intended committing suicide. The jury rendered a verdict in accordance with the above facts. Johnson was of unsound mind and had been an inmate of the poor house.
============================I don't have any information on Minor & Sophia other than the census and the information you have. Bigler and Charlie are the 2 sons of Minor and Sophia - Bigler and Charlie were convicted of murdering Bigler's wife Maggie and her little 9-year-old niece. Bigler had been ordered by a judge to pay his wife $6.00 per month for upkeep of the home. When they married, she said in the vital records document that she was something like 4 or 8 years older than Bigler. Just a few years later, she is more than 10 years his senior! At the time of their wedding, he was under age, so Sophia (his mother) signed for him to get married. Boy! That must have bugged his mother no end to find that her son's wife was closer to her own age. Anyway, Bigler liked the booze, and he came home from the local bar one day, was seen crossing the railroad bridge I think. Anyway, some say he had a can of gasoline.&n bsp; As I recall from the newspapers of the time, he stopped to see his mother and brother. They talked about plans to kill Maggie. Bigler told authorities that he said it was wrong to do that, but if they were determined to kill her, he would pay them $3.00 each after it was done. Charlie's story is a little different. Charlie I guess said that he hit Maggie over the head with a bat or something, but the little niece was in the house and ran out the door. The mother, Sophia, stayed to finish Maggie off while Charlie chased the little girl down the road, murdered her, and brought her body back to the house. I think Bigler helped to spread the gasoline, they set the house on fire, and then acted like they didn't know anything about it. The twins (Nancy and Alanson - later named Catherine and Isaac Delanson, switching their first names to middle names) had to help the mother and brothers to clean up the mess. One paper noted that Nancy talked about how much blood there was all over. Mother and twins were arrested and questioned, but they were released. If you ask me, the mother should have been put into a sanitarium. It sounded like she was the instigator.
The twins were "farmed out" to other families - to get away from the stigma of being related to Bigler and Charlie. They changed their names as I mentioned above. But the past has a way of coming to the surface just when folks think it is good and buried! Why have a centennial celebration or remembrance of the last hangings? Such an identity with the past the Town of Towanda does not need! I know it's the past, so it is history. But is it necessary to bring up things that can connect so closely with people who are still alive?
Anyway, this is a family that many folks do not want to admit a relationship to. So I can see why folks would try to ignore the emails and other requests for family information.
This book will just be hurtful for a lot of people. -- Have you ever met Isaac Johnson who lives in Towanda? I think Isaac must be in his 90s now. He's the elderly son of the twin named Alanson and also later named Isaac Delanson Johnson and Dora Vanderpool Johnson.
Mom hasn't conversed with most of the members of this family since she was in her teens. She would like to know about her great aunt Ada Johnson (don't know her married name) and Otis' family - he had children who were in the poor house, one daughter named Ellie was married to a William Parker, and they had a son named Willie Parker, about whom my grandmother used to complain whenever his name was brought up because she considered him crude, vulgar, and ignorant for the way he would taunt her.
Only reference to Otis is as an employee of the nail factory in 1890s - noted on Joyce Tice's website. Mom says Otis' house had a bad odor, and so did Otis personally. Now, she has smelled that same odor from people who are dying with cancer. (Mom used to be a companion to some folks with terminal cancer.) So she figures Otis must have had cancer in his older years. He lived just down the road from his sister Deborah Fidelia Johnson White (my mother's grandmother) up in the Binghamton/Conklin, NY area, and that is where he died.
Well, my granddaughters have arrived to have braids put into their hair. It will take at least 2 hours, so I had better get off the computer.
Good night now - Joyce===================================
Household Record 1880 United States Census
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Household:Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Minor JOHNSON Self M Male MU 28 PA Day Laborer PA PA
(Minor Johnson is mulatto)
Sophiah JOHNSON Wife M Female W 29 PA Keeping House PA PA
Martha JOHNSON Dau S Female MU 8 PA At Home PA PA
Mary JOHNSON Dau S Female MU 6 PA At Home PA PA
Helen JOHNSON Dau S Female MU 5 PA At Home PA PA
Charley JOHNSON Son S Male MU 1 PA At Home PA PA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Census Place Asylum, Bradford, Pennsylvania
Family History Library Film 1255104
NA Film Number T9-1104
Page Number 31B
Stephen Vanderpool Buckley [Parents] was born on 29 May 1894/1893. He married Living.
Other marriages:Runnels, Bessie
Living [Parents]
Henry Wilsey was born in Aug 1779. He died on 10 Feb 1865 in Saratoga County, New York. He was buried in Harris Cem., Saratoga County, New York. He married Ruth Harris.
HARRIS CEMETERY
Benson Farm
Greenfield road, Middle Grove-Porter Corners
This transcription was found in the back of a booklet in which was transcribed some of the Stillwater Baptist Church records. The year in which this record was completed was not recorded in the booklet. These records were copied from the booklet by Mary G. Hafler in 2003.
Harris, Kazia, wf John d May 12, 1841 ae 74
Harris, John d Feb 8, 1859 rest gone
Harris, Ephraim d Nov 5, 1866 72 y 11 m 15 d
Harris, Margaret, wf Ephraim Jan 16, 1870 70 y 8 m 26 d
Harris, Wm. d Mar 24, 1880 ae 81 y 6 m
Harris, Betsey, wf Wm d Dec 8, 1873 ae 71 y 3 mo
Harris, Pamelia, dau Wm. & Betsy Aug 26, 1871 38 y 4 m
Harris, Fletcher, son Almira & John R. June 26, 1877 4 y 2 m 17d
Harris, Marshal, son Almira & John R. June 18, 1877 11 y 1 m
Mills, Dorcas, wf John d Ap 29, 1829 ae 33
(same stone) Mary Ann, dau J & D Ap 10, 1823 ae 4
Wilsey, Ruth, wife Henry Ap 23, 1861 ae 81
Wilsey, Henry Feb 10, 1865 85 y 6 m
Wilsey, Stephen H. May 16, 1886 ae 75 y 10 mo
Wilsey, Polly Davis, wf Stephen Nov 22, 1897 82
Harris, Frederick, son of B.F. & Polly Sept 24, 1871 19 yrs
(same stone) Lyman W., son of B.F.& Polly d Dec 21, 1862 ae 15
Monument:
Harris, Benjamin F. Ap 6, 1824 – Feb 3 1899
Harris, Polly, wife Dec 19, 1828 – d__
Harris, Chester Mar 4, 1880 ae 54 y 9 m
Harris, Lyman W Nov 3, 1847-Dec 21, 1862
Ruth Harris [Parents] was born in 1780 in Saratoga County, New York. She died on 23 Apr 1861 in Saratoga County, New York. She was buried in Harris Cem., Saratoga County, New York. She married Henry Wilsey.
They had the following children:
F i Evaline Wilsey F ii Elizabeth Wilsey was born about 1801. M iii Stephen Harris Wilsey Willsee M iv Harry Wilsey M v Nathan G. Wilsey Willsee
