DEEDS
Thursday, March 05, 2009 8:01 PM
Onondaga Woolsey DEEDS
Dear Woolseys:
I have "run" the probate records for Ulster County and Dutchess County, New York. There are several records for Ulster County and very few for Dutchess County. I am also about finished with the Deeds for Dutchess County, which are great records. I'm typing them up now. Along with the deeds I check the census records and try to identify each grantor or grantee, which is not an easy task, as I'll explain in a moment.
In the Onondaga County DEEDS I have been having trouble identifying each individual and I was wondering why it was such a chore. I am about one/half through with these Deeds from the Indexes. I'm typing them up, also.
As I said, I am about 1/2 through the Onondaga Deeds but I have seen enough to be able to make a few generalizations about the Woolseys in Onondaga County, New York.
Unless I'm all mixed up about these lines, and I'm less sure now than I was formerly, I have found five distinct Woolsey lines who are represented in the deed records (and census records) of Onondaga County. A couple of them are rather a surprise!
01. George M. Woolsey is the earliest Woolsey in the DEEDS and there is no family data found therein and his land was in Marcellus (see Asa Woolsey, later). This is George Muirson Woolsey who married Jane Abigail Howland, and we have quite a bit of data on them and their family.
One of their sons was Charles William Woolsey who married Jane Eliza Newton. Charles William was killed, age 38 in the explosion of the Hudson River Steamer "Lexington". Jane Eliza Newton was a remarkable woman and raised the two sons and those amazing girls who were so involved in nursing during the Civil War. George Muirson Woolsey is the son of Benjamin Woolsey, Jr. and Ann Muirson.
Benjamin, Jr. is the son of the Rev. Benjamin Woolsey and Abigail Taylor from Oyster Bay and Jamaica, Long Island. He was a note cleric and accepted no pay, but invited parishioners over for dinner at his expense. A great example. [This was a mild surprise.]
02. David F. (Fowler) Woolsey (1808-1904) md Sarah Ann Burr, and David F. appears in the Onondaga DEEDSa few times. David F. Woolsey is the son of David Woolsey and Rebecca Thompson who have several descendants living in Onondaga County. These descendantsare:
A: David F. Woolsey, who md Sarah Ann Burr
B: Asa Woolsey, who md Catharine _____ [a probable son? He could have been named for his mother's father, Asa Thompson?]
C: Elijah Woolsey, who md Permelia (Pamela) Holmes
D: Eunice Woolsey, of Rome, Oneida, NY,who md Samuel A. Waters
E. Luther Smith Woolsey, Sr., who married Keturah Bloomer. I haven't found him in these deed records but some of his children appear:
- a. Isaac B. Woolsey, who md Eliza
- b. Asa T. Woolsey, who md Ann They were mostly in Elbridge, Onondaga Co, NY.
David Woolsey, who md Rebecca Thompson, is the son of Capt. John Woolseyand Chlorine Peck of Westchester and Ulster Counties, NY., the son of Richard Woolsey and Sarah Fowler.
03. John Woolsey (1785-1853) of Westchester Co, NY & Lafayette, formerly Pompey, in Onondaga Co, NY. John md Elizabeth Fountain (1788-1848) and they deeded land to their two daughters and one son. A son Smith Woolsey had moved to Michigan. This John Woolsey is the son of John Woolsey, Jr. & Elizabeth Knowlton and is the son of John Woolsey, Sr. and Ruth Owen, of Westchester Co, NY. This John Sr. is the son of William Woolsey and Dorcas Williamson.
04. Amos H. Woolsey (1781-1869) md Phoebe Briggs and they had at least three sons who are in the Onondaga DEEDS: (They were mostly in Onondaga, Onondaga Co, NY)
- A. James D. Woolsey, md Julia E. Aulin?
- B. Joseph Benjamin Woolsey, md Priscilla Ann Barber
- C. Henry O. Woolsey, md Sarah A. Abbott Amos H. Woolsey is the son of Daniel Woolsey and Ann Halstead, who is the son of Henry Woolsey and Abigail Woolsey [Wright?] she died in Willoughby, Lake Co, Ohio. Henry is the son of Richard Woolsey and Sarah Fowler.
05. Richard D. Woolsey (1818-1898) is a surprise to me. He and his wife Ruth C. Robbins of La Fayette, assured tax debt of James Keeler, Jr. in 1851. This Richard is probably the son of Richard D. Woolsey and unknown wife, the son of Richard Woolsey and Mary, the son of Henry Woolsley and Abigail Woolsey [Wright], the son of Richard Woolsey and Sarah Fowler.
For some years, I have been anxious about the children and descendants of Richard Woolsey and Sarah Fowler, who have some children well-documented and some children who need much more work. C. Meech Woolsey, the noted lawyer and Ulster County, NY historian said he couldn't name his grandparents' (Richard Woolsey & Sarah Fowler) children and was chagrined that others could presume to blithely name them, with less information than he had. We are fairly certain that Richard Woolsey and Sarah Fowler had 12 children,4 girls and 8 boys. I have hesitated posting their family to the Woolsey Website because there are so many unanswered questions concerning this family. So I am very interested in these different families. And I have found that one cannot work on a specific Woolsey line in a county and ignore the rest. They all need to be accounted for.
I am finding descendants of Richard Woolsey and Sarah Fowler in Westchester, Ulster, Dutchess, Onondaga, and other counties in NY and many descendants moved all over the United States, mine, for example, went to Virginia, Illinois, and Utah. So, this is a beginning to bring this family together.
SO, if any of you can relate to any of the above, let us know and I'll keep you up to date. I hope to post my work soon [?] but will get it done, [the Lord willing].
I'm particularly interested in sorting out the various RICHARD WOOLSEYS we have. Please remind me again of your connection to a Richard Woolsey so we can settle this for once and all. [I hope.] Best wishes.
Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker
March 6, 2009
Greetings All:
I have finished reading and extracting all the Woolsey deeds from Onondaga County, NY - a total of 64 deeds. I didn't pick up any new names or lines and very little extra family data, except that Asa T. Woolsey is Asa Thompson Woolsey, named after his mother's father, and that Asa T. Woolsey's wife's name was probably Ann Gunn, born in Nova Scotia (census).
Instead of posting the individual deeds to the Woolsey list, and I have received very little input on this project, contact me on specific individuals from Onondaga County, and I will e-mail a copy of their deeds to you.
I am now going back to work on the Dutchess County, NY DEEDS and PROBATE records.
Best wishes.
Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker
2009 March 7, from Wilford Whitaker
I found only this deed for Luther Woolsey, but there are several for his sons, especially Asa Thompson Woolsey and his wife Ann Gun. There is not much more info on family in the deeds. When I studied this a little closer, I believe that this is Luther Smith Woolsey, Jr., a son and not the father. I never found any deeds for the father Luther Smith Woolsey, Sr.
ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK DEEDS. FHL# 872668. 113:235.
29 Oct 1853. Isaac B. Wolsey & Eliza his wife of Elbridge, Onondaga County sold to Asa T. Wolsey & Luther Wolsey of same place for $200 land in town of Elbridge part of Great Lot 46 in village of Jordan begin in Skaneateles street at SW corner of Eliges F. Wright E to lands this day conveyed by the said parties and their wives to Joshua W. Ketcham then S then W then N to begin about ¼ of an acre, same premises conveyed to Sheldon Peck by Hollis Knowlton. D. A. Cogswell E.T. Hopkins, clerk. I.B. Woolsey, Eliza T. Woolsey
ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK DEEDS. FHL# 872669. 116:25.
8 Mar 1854. Asa T. Woolsey & Ann his wife & Luther S. Woolsey & Mary his wife all of Elbridge, Onondaga County sold to Robert Laws of same place for $600 tract in town of Jordan part of Great Lot 46 in original twp of Camillus (now Elbridge) begin center of Skaneattles street E to land sold by Asa T. Woolsey & Isaac Woolsey to Mr. Ketchum S to Ira W. Eaton W to center of Skaneattles street then N to begin ¼ an acre part of premises conveyed to Sheldon Peck by Hollis Knowlton & wife subject to a mortgage of $300 held by James Munroe. Luther S. Woolsey, M. E. C. Woolsey his wife, & Asa T. Woolsey & Ann G. Woolsey
1 April 1854 - personally appeared Luther S. Woolsey & M. E. C. Woolsey his wife and Asa T. Woolsey (the word "and" struck out) Anne G. Woolsey (the words "his wife" struck out) E. T Hopkins. M. E. C. Woolsey & Ann G. Woolsey were both examined apart from their husbands.
Are you interested in the other deeds of the sons?
Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker
CORR:
2009 March 4 from Charlie or Jennifer Black
Subject: Re: [WOOLSEY] WOOLSEY Digest, Vol 4, Issue 16
Hi Wilford,
Sorry for the confusion on the Grantor index - I'm not sure what happened if you didn't get my second email with attachment of expanded list.
My interest in the Onondaga Woolseys is with the family of Luther Smith Woolsey and Keturah Bloomer. As for the deeds, I'm hoping they might clarify or hint at any of the following: (1) exactly where the property was;
(2) what Luther's occupation was; (3) where Luther and Keturah came from;
(4) what the maiden surnames of Luther and Keturah's daughters-in-law were;
(5) whether there was a close kinship between Luther and Amos Woolsey.
I'll take liberties to speak for others - we really appreciate the effort you're making to research these deeds. If you need to move on with other investigations, I'm more than willing to rent microfilms and pass on the results.
Thanks,
Charlie Black
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CORR:
2009 March 3 from Wilford Whitaker
Subject: Re: [WOOLSEY] WOOLSEY NAMES IN ONONDAGA COUNTY, NY
To: woolsey@rootsweb.com
Charlie Black and interested researchers:
?
Could you tell me again what your interest in these Onondaga Woolsey is?
?
As I check and then recheck these indexes, I find that the?Grantor Index?I received deleted the volume and page numbers, but the Grantee Index did not.? Anyway, I checked them out and have "run" several deeds from Onondaga county.
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