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. |
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
March 2, 1853--John B. Sherwood to Stephen
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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
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 |
Tuesday's Tip--Sharing Information-"Trails in the Snow"
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| Crossing Paths ww.photos-public-domain.com (search "Trails in the Snow") |
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
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| 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. |
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
March 1, 1850--Stephen to Sophia Sherwood (Part 1 of 2)
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| Stephen arrived at the San Francisco Harbor February 25, 1850 |
(Part 1 of 2)
Sacrament March 1, 1850
Dear Wife i in good health take my pen in hand this Evning to rite you i was Deprived the privilege at the isthmus on account of mr Fergeson leaving so quick we had a pretty hard trip we landed at San Francisco on February 25 i Did not rite be fore Since I arivd I want ed to find York and Ingarsalls fokes I can not find them a toll in narry (?) citty i found Kimball he is well we start tomorrow morning for the mines the prospects for mining is a good (?) here as at home but all bisness is over _____ in the sittes th (are?) thousands without a Dollar and we shant have per haps a Dollar left when in the mine (go to part 2 of this letter)
Quote from an article published in Sacramento, California April 1, 1850. Perhaps this reflected the thinking of Stephen Sherwood at this time.
"The Middle Fork is now easy of access..........I find tht a great many persons are packing up provisions to supply the miners. The Dry Diggings between the North and Middle Forks I think will prove richer than any yet discovered.........If my health permits me to remain in the mines my course is marked out. I shall go up the Middle Fork as far as I can get and work on the river until the very hot weather drives me off. I shall then go up to the dry digging and prepare ground for a winter's work, throwing up as much as I can."
March 1, 1850--Stephen to Sophia Sherwood--(Part 2 of 2)
   Sacramento, California, January 1850 |
| Sacramento had a flood in January of 1850 which devastated the commercial operations on the embarcadero. In March, after Stephen Sherwood arrived, there was another flood, but not as serious as levees and dams had been built by that time. In October of 1850, Sacramento had an outbreak of the cholera which caused about eighty percent of the population to leave the city, and the death of seventeen of the physicians. (Wikipedia) |
(Part 2 of 2)
Mr Fergeson probly has told you all a bout the Calofornia prises as yet i could not in vite any wane to come to this country my pen cant Describe the sufring I have seen sene since i started from home there was 3 Died on the ship and a grate many sick with out a Dollar give my best respects to all inquiring friends give my love to all the children i Endever to remember you all Daly by my prayers and i trust i am a subject of your prayers be fath full and we shall reape if we fant not give my respects to misses Fergeson & children brother Engleman(?) and family Do the best(?) yes (?) i can rite to Sutters Mill on the account of the post office being ____ it may be 3 or 4 (?) months be fore you get another letter i sopose(?) you have writ (?) a grate many times (?) before you have got this
Latt and Harmann (??) is with me S. Sherwood
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