Is Mary Cutler My Eight Great Grandmother?
FamilySearch's New Feature: See What Cemeteries Your Relatives Are In!
FamilySearch has come out with a new feature that shows where your ancestors are buried. I visited the Old Burying Ground in Lexington, Massachusetts, at the end of March, and I was surprised to find I have five 8th great-grandparents buried there. My first reaction was that I need to go back and see the graves. My second reaction was that I need to check to make sure this is correct.
Because FamilySearch is a world tree and the information is supplied by individuals of different genealogical research skills, errors are not uncommon. The first problem I found is a glitch in the program, not the research. A researcher recorded George Jesse Bentley as the son of William Tyler Brown and Louella Corp. Jesse Bentley was William Brown’s stepson, and another researcher added that to the relationship type. Jesse Bentley was close to his stepfather, even though he was an adult and married when his mother and William Brown married, and having him in a family relationship feels appropriate (See Orson Bellamy and some of his Descendants Part 2). The problem is when I click on View Relationship, William Tyler Brown is listed as my 2nd great-grandfather, and all his ancestors are listed as mine.
That means four of the 8th great-grandparents in the Old Burying Ground in Lexington are not my blood relations. That left Mary Cutler.
I started the verification process with my great-grandmother, Hannah Mary Decker. Her death record said she was born on 2 August 1886 in Mill City, Falls Township, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Andrew Decker and Mary Meade. Sadly, the 1890 census was destroyed, so Hannah does not appear until 1900, living in Overfield Township, Wyoming, Pennsylvania. She was living with her parents, Andy J. and Ester Decker, and siblings John (b. June 1885), Dora (b. January 1888), Pearl (b. May 1890), and Frances (b. August 1895). No birth record was found, as Wyoming County did not start keeping them until 1893.1
But were Mary Meade and Ester Decker the same person? The death record for Mrs. Doris Richards, born 30 January 1888 in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, states she was the daughter of Andey (sic) Decker and Ester Meed. The death record for Mrs. Pearl L Veety, born 8 May 1889 in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, states she was the daughter of Andrew Decker and Esther Mead. At this point, I am comfortable saying Mary Meade and Ester/Esther (also known as Etta) Mead were the same person.2
Fortunately, Falls Township is not very big, and the 1880 U.S. census for the township consists of 26 pages. There is only one Mead family – J.D., a farmer, age 45, living with his wife, Hannah, age 50, children Etta, age 20, Albert, age 23, William, age 17, and twin grandsons Frank and Fred Hammet, age 3.3
The death record for their son, Albert James Mead, states he was born in Mill City, the son of John D. Mead, born in Mill City, and Hannah Kirkpatrick, born in Mill City. John Mead, age 25, and Hannah Mead, age 30, show up in the 1860 census living in Greenfield Township, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, with three children – Catherine, age 4, Albert, age 3, and Esther, age 5 months. This puts John and Hannah’s marriage around 1855, and Hannah was probably living with her parents in 1850.4
Again, the census records for Falls Township in 1850 are small, only 20 pages, contain two Patrick families, and no Kirkpatrick. Noah Patrick, age 46, is listed with Mary, age 47, Esther, age 22, Hannah, age 20, Mary, age 14, John, age 12, and Catherine, age 7. The other family is David Patrick, age 51, with Elizabeth, age 47, Deborah, age 21, Caleb, age 18, and Sarah, age 9. It appears Hannah, the wife of John David Mead, was the daughter of Noah Patrick and Mary. But that would be incorrect. Noah’s first wife, Catherine, died in 1843, as evidenced by the grave marker in the Fairview Cemetery, Lake Winola, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and Mary was his second wife. Hannah was Noah’s daughter with his first wife, Catherine.5
According to the census records, Noah was born in Pennsylvania, and according to his grave marker, he was born in March 1804. He married around 1827, as his daughter Esther Patrick was born around 1828. The census records before 1850 are tick marks, but they still can tell us about his family. In 1830, Falls Township was in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and five Patrick families were listed.6
In 1830, Noah Patrick had five members in his household, the male and female age 20 to 30 were probably Noah and his wife. Noah would have been between 11 and 16 years old when the male child age 10 to 15 was born, so he was probably not a son, but the two female children under age 5 were probably Esther (age 2) and Hannah (a newborn).7
The ages of the other men were close enough to Noah to be his siblings, but Able Patrick had a man and woman in his household old enough to be Noah’s parents.8
The 1840 census again listed five Patrick families in Falls Township, one of whom was Able Patrick, age 80 to 90, with a female age 70 to 80, who were probably the two older adults living in the Able Patrick age 20 to 30’s household in 1830.9
In the 1880 census, the parents’ birthplaces were recorded. Noah Patrick was recorded as born in Pennsylvania (crossed out and replaced with Jersey), and his parents were born in New Jersey.10
Abel Patrick appeared before William S. Ross, Esq., one of the Judges of the Court of County Pleas in Luzerne County on 4 June 1834 and swore he was born on 15 April 1757 at Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut, he served 24 months in the Revolutionary War, and during that time was taken prisoner and was confined for six months until he escaped and returned home where he remained until 1794 when he moved to Falls Township, Luzerne, Pennsylvania.11
Based on this information, whoever provided the information for the 1880 census was not correct on the birthplaces of Noah Patrick and his parents. Noah’s brother William’s obituary stated he was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, his father, Able Patrick, served “in the war of the Revolution, moved to Luzerne, now Wyoming Co., Pennsylvania…a brother of the deceased – Noah Patrick – still resides on the old farm, where the father first settled…. One year ago the brothers – four in number– held a reunion on the old farmstead, now David’s residence…”12
The birth record transcribed by Lucius Barbour listed Abel Patrick, born 15 April 1757 in Norwalk, Connecticut, as the son of John Patrick and Bethia.13
And this is where the chain broke. The Find a Grave listing says John Patrick was born in 1719 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut, and died on 2 August 1808 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut. Researchers on FamilySearch record his parents as Richard Patrick and Mary Munroe. I was so close. Mary Cutler is listed as the mother of Mary Munroe. But while Richard Patrick was married to a Mary, and she could possibly be the Mary Munrow who married a Richard Patrick on 19 December 1718 in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America. The timing works as their first son, John Patrick, was born in 1719, but this Mary does not appear to be the daughter of Mary Cutler.14
The FamilySearch entry for Mary Cutler has her marrying a John Munroe and a William Munroe on the same day, and having daughters with both men, both daughters named Mary, both daughters born on 3 April 1699 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts. One Mary died 10 July 1724 in Bristol, Bristol, Rhode Island, and the other died 3 May 1782 in Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts.15
So I came at the problem from the other direction. From the History of the Town of Lexington written by Charles Hudson in 1868, William Munroe married Mary Cutler, who died 26 June 1713, which is what her grave marker says, “Here Lyes Y Body of Mary Munroe Wife to William Munroe Aged 33 Years and 3 Mo Who died June Y 26 1713.” It appears they had a daughter, Mary Munroe, who was born on 3 April 1699 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, and died on 3 May 1782 in Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts, “the widow of Thomas Wheeler and Joshua Brooks.”16
Thus, Mary Munroe, the daughter of Mary Cutler, did not marry Richard Patrick, the father of John Patrick, which means Mary Cutler is not my 8th great-grandmother.
Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1961, certificates 073201-076050, numerical order, certificate 074856-61, Hannah D. Petty, 22 August 1916; Ancestry. 1906-1969,” database with images, Ancestry. Also, 1900 U.S. census, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Overfield Township, ED 138, Sheet 4A, dwelling 74, family 74, Andy J Decker household; FamilySearch. And, “Prothonotary - Clerk of Courts and Clerk of Orphans Courts,” Wyoming County, Pennsylvania.
1880 U.S. census, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Falls Township, ED 204, 9, dwelling 71, family 73, J D Meaddatabase; FamilySearch.
North Carolina, Deaths, 1919, certificates 14173-17020, numerical order, certificate 15287, Albert James Mead, 28 June 1919; " database with images, FamilySearch. Also, 1860 U.S. census, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Greenfield Township, written page 173, stamped page 413, dwelling 1392, family 1337, John D. Mead household; FamilySearch.
1850 U.S. census, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Falls Township, written page 231, stamped folio 116, dwelling 1809, family 1911, Noah Patrick household; FamilySearch. 1850 U.S. census, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Falls Township, written page 235, stamped folio 118, dwelling 1838, family 1939, David Patrick household; FamilySearch. And, Find A Grave, database with images, memorial 87351317, Catharine Hannah Ager Patrick (1804-1843), created by MaryJane Haight-Eckert, gravestone photograph by Linda Snyder Koons; Fairview Cemetery, Lake Winola, Wyoming, Pennsylvania. And, Find A Grave, database with images, memorial 87349665, Rev Noah Patrick (1804-1890), created by MaryJane Haight-Eckert, gravestone photograph by Linda Snyder Koons; Fairview Cemetery, Lake Winola, Wyoming, Pennsylvania. The stone reads Noah Patrick, Mar 1, 1804, Apr 23, 1890 [7 May 1890 appears to be a transcription error]. Also, Find A Grave, database with images, memorial 87351692, Mary Kennedy Patrick (1801-1877), created by MaryJane Haight-Eckert, gravestone photograph by Linda Snyder Koons; Fairview Cemetery, Lake Winola, Wyoming, Pennsylvania. This is the same stone as Noah Patrick and Catherine but different side. The inscription reads Mary, wife of Noah Patrick, Oct. 29, 1801, Sept. 8, 1877.
1850 U.S. census, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Falls Township, written page 231, stamped folio 116, dwelling 1809, family 1911, Noah Patrick household; FamilySearch.
1830 U.S. census, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Falls Township, handwritten 333, Noah Patrick household; FamilySearch.
1830 U.S. census, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Falls Township, handwritten 333, Abel Patrick household; FamilySearch.
1840 U.S. census, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Falls Township, ED 204, folio 240 back, Abel Patrick household; FamilySearch.
1880 U.S. census, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Falls Township, p.8, John Patrick household; FamilySearch. Also, 1880 U.S. census, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Falls Township, p.8, Noah Patrick household; FamilySearch.
U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, Pate, Matthew–Pattee, Richard, affidavit of military service sworn in the Court of Common Pleas before William S. Ross, Esq. by Abel Patrick on 4 June 1834; Ancestry.
William Patrick’s obituary published in the Fremont Weekly Journal (Fremont, Ohio), Friday, 3 December 1875, p. 8, col. 1; transcribed and posted on Ancestry by epbently on 20 April 2012. The text of the obituary is also available at FamilySearch under Sources.
Lucius B. Barbour, Connecticut Vital Records: Norwalk Births - Marriages - Deaths 1651-1850 (Hartford: Connecticut State Library, 1925), 95, entry for Abel Patrick born 1757; FamilySearch.
Find A Grave, database with images, memorial 209929034, John Patrick (1719-1808), created by Rick, no photo of a grave marker; Poplar Plains Cemetery, Westport, Fairfield, Connecticut. Also, FamilySearch Tree, database, FamilySearch, entry for John Patrick LHP8-7PT. And, Patricia Liddle Haslam, Richard Patrick or Partrick of Norwalk, Conn. and Some of His Descendants (Barre, Vermont: Northlight Studio Press, 1978), 3 & 5. For a transcription, see FamilySearch Tree, database, FamilySearch, entry for Richard Patrick GMZ4-F6V, Richard Patrick or Partrick of Norwalk, part 1 and part 2. And, “Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1638–1927,” database, FamilySearch, transcription of marriage record for Richard Patrick and Mary Munrow dated 19 December 1718
FamilySearch Tree, database, FamilySearch, entry for Mary Cutler LZZZ-NKC. Also, FamilySearch Tree, database, FamilySearch, entry for Mary Munroe LH3X-ZVC. There is no source provided for the death information. And, FamilySearch Tree, database, FamilySearch, entry for Mary Munroe L6BH-2FT. And, Find A Grave, database with images, memorial 79663796, Mary Munroe Brooks (1699-1782), created by dsheindel, gravestone photograph by dsheindel; Lincoln Cemetery, Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts. The inscription states, Thomas Wheeler 1692-1750, and Mary Munroe widow of Thomas Wheeler and Joshua Brooks 1699-1782
Charles Hudson, History of the Town of Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from its First Settlement to 1868, with a Genealogical Register of Lexington Families (Boston: Wiggin & Lunt, 1868), 149, 1-4 William Munroe m. Mary Cutler; Wikimedia. Also, Find A Grave, database with images, memorial 59772191, Mary Cutler Munroe (1681-1713), created by V. Nareen Lake, gravestone photograph by Jason Ur; Old Burying Ground, Lexington, Middlesex, Massachusetts. And, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Births, Deaths, and Marriages, vol. 2, 4, entry for Mary, daughter of Wm Munroe & Mary his wife, born 3 April 1699; FamilySearch. And, Find A Grave, database with images, memorial 79663796, Mary Munroe Brooks (1699-1782), created by dsheindel, gravestone photograph by dsheindel; Lincoln Cemetery, Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
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Excellent work.