Wednesday, September 12, 2012

June 27, 1853--George Tiffany to Stephen

Seneca Falla, Seneca County N.Y.
June 27th 1853

Broth Stephen Sherwood

Dear Sir  Permite me to inform you that we are all as well as usual although I have been somewhat unfortunate this spring  my business became so overdone at Auburn I though to better myself by changing my location but I found that I have made a bad matter worse although prices  were  better yet  I ____ my cash sales were very tight and most of my customers wanted credit by means of which I was unable to meet my notes and was obliged to close up my business at quite a sacrifice  I shall be unable at present to do any business in my own name and I thought if you thought there was a good chance for Boot and shoe trade in some of the large towns near you and you would furnish 8 or 10 hundred Dollars  I would try and make out as much more and have the business done in your own name entirely  I shall be in New York after 8 or 10 days  I expect and if you do not answer this letter so that I will be likely to get it before that time  you had better direct your letter to New York direct to me tothe care of John H Fowler  give our best respects to the family and let me hear your mind on this subject as soon as convenient

Yours truly ___        Ge (George) Tiffany


George Tiffany was the brother-in-law of Stephen Sherwood.  George was married to Stephen's older sister, Polly (1807-1879).  Auburn is about fifteen miles from Seneca Falls.

March 2, 1853--John B. Sherwood to Stephen



I take this oppertunity of answering your letter  I have waited some dayes to think about it  you gave me short notice to give you an answer  my bisnes is such that I cant come this spring  sidney was a coming to be their by the first of april   he was a riting to you when i got your letter but he told me he could get ready to be off in 2 weekes  soe he may be their most as soon as this letter  you can let him have it this year and if you aint___ you can let me know and maby wee will come out this fall or next spring  I shant rite you much news now because it is late and I want to retire  I have bin drove very hard  the sleighing is getting _oor (?)   sidney can tell you all the news  I have made a trade with sidney and he will fich (?) that note out and I have paid most of the expence  of that note (?) and he will bring that out and you can arange it with him  it look to me as though you and george ware going to calofornia but I should advise you to stay to home and take care of you motherless children  I feel to simpathize with you in the loss of your wife but not in the _ame  as you have lost but I now something from the loss of my little girl  may the grace of god support you and guide(?) you and your children safe throug this world and ____ you all finley home to heaven

Stephen Sherwood         J. (John) B. Sherwood


John B. Sherwood (1817-1891)was  a brother six years young than Stephen Sherwood (1817-1891).  He stayed in Pennsylvania.

John advises Stephen not go go to California.  He mentions that Stephen had planned to take George with him. In the letter (October 6, 1853) a George is mentioned in California. Did Stephen send his son George to California even though he did not go?  John advises Stephen "to stay to home and take care of you motherless children."  With the death of his second wife, Sophia, about two months earlier, Stephen had five boys twelve or younger.  His youngest son, John F, was just two months old.

January 21, 1853--Sophia Sherwood (TIP #1)


Sophia Sherwood
Photo by Suzanne Grundberg
Find a Grave Memorial #55913144
Angola Cemetery

As with all tombstones there is always a story to be told by those left behind.  When Stephen Sherwood's wife,  Sophia Parker Sherwood, died, Jan 21, 1853, she left five boys under the age of thirteen.  She died two weeks after giving birth to her youngest son, John F. Sherwood, at the age of 39.  
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This tombstone was posted at findagrave.com,  There are over 87 million entries on this site.  I have solved many genealogy problems and even broken down brick walls by using this resource.  I would highly recommend it.

LOOK UP THIS MEMORIAL USING NUMBER 55913144 ON findagrave.com.  YOU WILL FIND  MORE INFORMATION ON THE STEPHEN SHERWOOD FAMILY.

  • Go to:                                           findagrave.com (& "Search 87 million grave records")  
  • In the space for Memorial enter:       55913144--you will see Sophia Parker Sherwood 
  • Double click under Family Links:      Stephen Sherwood    findagrave.com

This will list many of his children which you can click to find out more. 
You may want to search for your family names on this site.
If you like,  e-mail me at yship@aol.com or post a comment on this page about Tip #1.  

Grant Davis
yship@aol.com

June 26, 1852--James Vokes Note to Stephen Sherwood


Tuesday's Tip--Sharing Information-"Trails in the Snow"




Crossing Paths
ww.photos-public-domain.com
(search "Trails in the Snow")
The transfer of land from Erasmus D. Walrod and an agreement from James Vokes were published on my blog November 20, 2012.


I notified Larry Wassman who had submitted Erasmus D. Walrod and Keith Reeves who had submitted James Vokes to their family trees in ancestry.com that I had documents written by their ancestors which I had posted on this blog.  I later received responses from them on ancestry.com.  These documents were in the papers of my great great grandfather, Stephen Sherwood.


Larry Wassman of Lacey, Washington wrote he (Erasmus D. Walrod) was "not very close-- brother-in-law of 4th cousin 5x removed."  



The second e-mail was from Keith Reeves of Arlington Virginia.  He wrote a lengthy letter about his ancestry.  I will quote three sentences.

"James (Vokes) was my fourth great grandfather, directly descended....... Are preparing to gather around the Thanksgiving table at the beach house we annually frequent here in Dewey Beach, Virginia.  It's lovely and I'm so glad to write about family on such a wonderful family day."    

These responses made me realize once again we all have family information that can help somebody else.  I am thankful for all those who have contributed to my research endeavors, and hope that somebody can benefit from the information I have.

I responded to Keith Reeves, "Our ancestors crossed paths at one time, but just in a different way than we did today."  The photo above reminded me how that happens.





November 6, 1850 (Census)--Stephen Sherwood @ South Fork of American River--1850 Census

In 1850, Stephen Sherwood (#3) was a miner on the South Fork of the American River in El Dorado County, California.    He was close to Coloma where gold was originally discovered in 1848.  

July 31, 1851--Stephen probably left California on the ship "Oregon."  Stephen was not listed on the 1852 Census in California (so he had left by that time).  

January 6, 1853--John F. Sherwood son of Stephen and Sophia Sherwood born
January 21, 1853--Sophia Parker Sherwood died.  She was buried in Antioch, Lake, Illinois.  His first wife, Maria Hubbell, had died January 19, 1839.  Sophia and Stephen had five boys under thirteen years of age (Oren, William, Wellington, Daniel and John).
September 24, 1853--Stephen married to eighteen year old Elizabeth Denick for this third wife.  She is twenty three years younger than Stephen, the oldest daughter of Laura Denick. 
August 24, 1854--Birth of Lewis B Sherwood 
January 10, 1857--Stephen's son, Henry (a son from Stephen's first wife Maria Hubbell) married  Sarah Denick, the second daughter of Laura Denick.  Sarah was a teacher in the local school.
September 11, 1858--George W. Sherwood, the youngest son of Stephen and Maria Hubbell Sherwood, died.  This son may have been in California in 1853 (see letter of October 6, 1853).    After he died, another son would be named for him born in 1863.