#52Ancestors (23) Sally Joslin Spencer

This week on 52 Ancestors, we meet Sarah 'Sally' JOSLIN SPENCER, a maternal great-great-great grandmother. That sad face in the corner is me. Me, because I do not have a photograph or a description of Sally and I dearly wish that I did.

Incidentally, I am not named for Sally. However, the story of my learning about Sally and then sharing her name is even better. You can read it here.

Sally was born in Town of Sheldon, Genesee, New York in 1819. Her name at birth and death was Sarah, but all through her life it was Sally. Her parents were Benjamin JOSLIN and Betsey WYMAN. Betsey had a twin sister Sally, so that may be the origin of the name. Sally had an older brother Wyman and a younger brother Daniel.

[FamilySearch.org] 1820 US Federal census: Town of Sheldon, Genesee, New York

Sally married a local Sheldon farmer, Wright SPENCER, in 1841. He was several years older and had his own farm. Sally and Wright had eight children:

1. Elizabeth Nancy (1842-1919)
2. Benjamin J. (1847-1881)
3. Asa Wyman (1850-1911)
4. Edward J. (1852-1888)
5. Cordelia L. (1854-1912)
6. Washington Irving (1858-1925)
7. Byron P. (1861-1867)
8. Addie Elmosa (1863-1912)

Byron was their only child to die in New York. He was only six and I don't know the circumstances of his death. He is buried with his grandparents in Varysburg Cemetery. I can't imagine how Sally felt, literally leaving one of your children behind.

The SPENCER's moved west in the 1860's, like many families from this area, into central Michigan. They purchased 40 acres in Locke Township, Ingham, Michigan, which is just east of Lansing. Wright eventually had a farm of over 100 acres and as he aged, his son Asa took over the farm duties.

Sally died at the SPENCER family farm on 9 March 1895 and was buried in the local Rowley Cemetery. 

I still wish I had a picture of her :(

Sally's page in my database

Graphic with free use license

© 2014 Sally Knudsen 

#52Ancestors (22) Benjamin Joslin: An 1836 Death by Poisoning?

This week's 52 Ancestors subject is a maternal great-great-great-great-grandfather, Benjamin JOSLIN. The JOSLIN (or also JOSLYN or JOSLEN) name has a long history in New England. Before that, it likely came from France as JOSSELYN or JOCELIN or other variants.

Here is what I do know:

Benjamin was born 1 December 1783 in Tyringham, Berkshire, Massachusetts. His parents were Zebediah JOSLIN and Hannah HALE. He married Betsey WYMAN, possibly in Vermont, about 1815.

By the late 1810's, the JOSLIN's lived in Genesee County in western New York. They had three children: Wyman, Sarah (Sally), and Daniel. Benjamin died in 1836 and is buried in Frink's Corners cemetery in what is now Wyoming County, New York.

Much of the information I have about Benjamin comes from an unpublished, but lengthy lineage of Israel JOSLIN (1693-1761) of Connecticut. I was contacted many years ago by the family and supplied them my own records. I now have a copy of the private publication but it is simply a family tree compilation, without sources. That, for now, is the path I am using to research this family.

New England history has been my own semi-built brick wall. I've had much better luck searching international records. When it comes to finding pre-1850 information in the United States, I have research paralysis!

Thankfully, the compiler has provided many tantalizing hints to Benjamin's life that I can pursue:

• served in the War of 1812 in the Battle of Queenstown
• was a fairly early settler in western New York
• was robbed and poisoned in a Buffalo, New York hotel in 1836

Poisoned?!

Oh yes, there is plenty to keep me hunting on the life and death of Benjamin JOSLIN!

For now, here is his brief lineage:

1-Benjamin JOSLIN

  born: 1 Dec 1783, Tyringham, Berkshire, Massachusetts

  died: Nov 1836, Buffalo, Erie, New York

  parents: Zebediah JOSLIN and Hannah HALE

 +Betsey WYMAN

  born: 27 Feb 1789, Shrewsbury, Rutland, Vermont

  marr: Abt 1815, Huntington, Chittenden, Vermont

  died: 7 Aug 1878, Bennington, Wyoming, New York

  parents: Israel WYMAN and Molly UNKNOWN

       2-Wyman JOSLIN

         born: Abt 1817, Sheldon Town, Genesee, New York

        died: Abt 1839, Genesee County, New York

+Jane MARSH

       

       2-Sarah 'Sally' JOSLIN

         born: 19 Nov 1819, Sheldon Town, Genesee, New York

         died: 9 Mar 1895, Locke Twp, Ingham, Michigan

        +Wright SPENCER

         born: 22 Jan 1811, Shaftsbury, Bennington, Vermont

         marr: 7 Jan 1841, Sheldon Town, Genesee, New York

         died: 15 Feb 1899, Locke Twp, Ingham, Michigan

         parents: Asa SPENCER and Sarah CALKINS

              3-Elizabeth Nancy SPENCER

              3-Benjamin J. SPENCER                

              3-Asa Wyman SPENCER                

              3-Edward J. SPENCER                

              3-Cordelia L. SPENCER                

              3-Washington Irving SPENCER                

              3-Byron P. SPENCER                

              3-Addie Elmosa SPENCER

                

       2-Daniel Norton JOSLIN

         born: Abt 1823, Sheldon Town, Genesee, New York

         died: 23 Jan 1884, Bennington, Wyoming, New York

        +Cordelia L. KNOX

         born: 1828, New York

         marr: Abt 1850, Sheldon Town, Wyoming, New York

         died: 21 Aug 1851, Sheldon Town, Wyoming, New York

         parents: Henry KNOX and Lettie UNKNOWN

        +Emily Rowley PIERCE

         born: 1835, Bennington, Wyoming, New York

         marr: Abt 1855

         died: 8 Oct 1879, Bennington, Wyoming, New York

         parents: Isaac PIERCE Jr and Laura M. ROWLEY

              3-Bert JOSLIN

                

        +Mary A. JAMES

         marr: 26 Apr 1882, Bennington, Wyoming, New York

         

Benjamin's page in my database

Have a connection or suggestion? Let me know!

(c) 2014 Sally Knudsen

Surname Saturday - Spencer

My Spencer line reaches back to Shaftsbury, Bennington, Vermont to about 1800.

My oldest known ancestor is Asa Spencer, born about 1783, likely in Rhode Island.  He was in Shaftsbury by 1808 when his oldest son Waterman was born.  The family removed to Town of Sheldon, Genesee (later Wyoming) County, New York about 1822.  Asa is buried in Varysburg Cemetery, Varysburg, Wyoming, New York.

His children were:

Waterman,   m Russel Thomas
Wright,   m Sally Joslin
infant
William,   m Margaret Rosa
Catherine,   m (probably) Stephen Thayer
Mary
Sarah Ann,   m Abram Long
Melissa,   m Amariah Lincoln
Marcia,   m Benjamin Jones
Charles,   m Sophronia Nicholas

Asa was married to Sarah Calkins of Arlington, Bennington, Vermont.

While there are several other Spencer families in Bennington County, I have not yet been able to connect Asa to any family.  Asa likely has a brother Waterman who spent time in Ontario, Canada before moving to Town of Sheldon as well.

If you have connections or hints, please contact me.

Asa Spencer circa 1855
courtesy D. Carlson