Lois Doud and Joshua Harrington of Stockbridge

Lois Doud was born in 1779, at Madison, Connecticut to Polly Griffin and her husband Reuben Doud. Lois was named after her mother’s older sister, Lois Griffin, who had married Stephen Kelsey. Earlier this year we published our research on the family of Polly and Reuben who had moved from Connecticut to Cortland, New York. The journey found its start in the history written for Reuben’s grandfather, Henry Doud. The Doud history pointed out that there was only a faint trail remaining for the Reuben Douds. The faintest part of the trail was for their daughter , the subject of this essay, Lois. Just a word about the Doud History. The history does contain some information on Lois’s family hidden in its pages. The historians note that they in fact visited the home of Lois’s grandson Nathan Wilcox. The writer noted that although Nathan was not home on the day of the visit the housekeeper had gracious allowed them to copy the family records written in the family Bible. The key to our original Doud project was the discovery of the will of Polly and Reuben’s son, Lois’s brother, Henry. In the court proceeding that finalized Henry’s will we find listed a handy synopsis of the family’s genealogy. Listed in the proceedings are the names of 4 of Lois’s children, Reuben and Nathaniel Harrington and their sisters Fanny Dexter and Philena (Phylura) Vaughn. In the records we find testimony from Nathaniel Harrington, “My mother was Lois Doud she was Henry’s sister. She resides in Stockbridge, New York”. Given the twin hints of Harrington and Stockbridge we went in search of Lois Doud / Polly Griffin / Samuel-Marah / Samuel Griffin of Killingworth. Unlike the original colonies the frontier states and counties recorded very few vital records. The same is true of the churches. The history we have for Lois comes from indirect sources such as cemetery records, town and county histories, etc. The best source is the census records, which identifies the head of each household in each town. Staring with the 1850 Federal Census we have the name, age and place of birth of each member of a family. Lois married Joshua Harrington probably about 1802 either in Onondaga County, which is just north of Cortland, or in Madison County, which is 90 miles to the north east of Cortland where her parents lived. A biography for one of the sons-in-law contains the phrase ”daughter of Capt. Harrington of Onondaga County. The Madison County History places Joshua in Stockbridge by 1808. The census records describe him as a farmer; the county history notes that he was a tavern keeper. Records indicate that Joshua Harrington was born in Rhode Island probably in 1777. Most of his family stayed in the east. He came west, apparently to Onondaga, then settled down in Stockbridge, Madison, New York where he and Lois raised their family. There are 3 key sources for material concerning Lois and Joshua. The first is the family burial plot in the Stockbridge Cemetery. We find Lois, 1779-1847 and Joshua, 1777-1850 next to a daughter Miranda 1808-1823. We also find their son Reuben’s family along with their son Nathaniel’s family. In the 1850 census we find Joshua listed in Stockbridge age 73. Living in his household is a daughter Julia. His next-door neighbors are his sons Nathaniel and Reuben. The key document that we have discovered is Joshua’s will. The will was signed September 27, 1850. Joshua died October 14, 1850 just a few months after the 1850 census was taken. In the will Joshua lists all of his children except Miranda. He refers to his daughters using their married names. Phylura Vaughn, Elvira Barnes, Louisa Wilcox, Lucretia Hathaway, Lydia Barney, Fanny Dexter, Polly Hathaway, who he notes “now deceased”, and his two sons Nathaniel and Reuben. Following tradition he lists them in order of birth. He left the house and most of the property to Nathaniel and Julia. In addition to gifts of household goods he left each daughter $100.00 and his two sons $500.00 each.------ There is almost no direct documentary evidence concerning Lois Doud Harrington. She is listed as the daughter of Reuben Doud and his wife Polly Griffin in the Doud Family History. She is identified in the court proceedings surrounding her brother Henry Doud’s will. She is named in several bibliographic references for her children one stating she was born June 4, 1779. She is mentioned in cemetery records. In a county death record we have “Lois Harrington age 68, December 4, 1847, consumption, Stockbridge”. Lois was born June 4, 1779 in Madison, Connecticut and died December 4, 1847 in Stockbridge, Madison County, New York.------ Joshua Harrington was born 1773 in Rhode Island, according to the census records, and died October 14, 1850. A short bio of him in the Madison County History reads, “Joshua Harrington, tavern keeper 1808, son Nathaniel, died Oct. 14, 1850 age 73, buried Stockbridge.” He left a bequest in his will “I am to be buried by the side of my wife now deceased”. Application to finalize his will was made by his son Nathaniel on December 16, 1850.------ Phylura Harrington was born 1803 probably in Stockbridge and died in May 1884. Listed as Phylura Vaughn in her father’s will she was married to Gardner V. Vaughn. They lived in the next county over from Stockbridge in Augusta, Oneida, New York. There are several renditions of her name in her will she signs it Phylura. In the cemetery records for the Knoxboro Augusta Cemetery is the notation 1803-1884 age 81. The census records support the 1803 date. Her will was probated on July 2, 1884 it contains the phrase, “Died in the month of May last past”. Gardner’s headstone indicates he was born in 1798, his will indicates that he died in June of 1887. Most of their children are listed in the two wills. Sally M. Austin, Abbie H. Hinman. Miranda P. Pexton, Paulina Porter, John G. (Griffin ?), Reuben and their son Smith Vaughn’s children.In a section of Gardner's will that deals with the distribution of his property He lists as "my children" Sally, Abbie, Miranda, but not Pauline, John, Reuben and also Orvis and Leander. Orvis and Leander are not mentioned in Phylura's will which deals only with household goods.There seems to be two family groups the second made up to Orvis, Leander and Pauline. In the family plot in the Knoxboro Cemetery we also find another son William 1842-1855. Orvis and Leander moved west, the remainder of the family lived in Augusta and are buried in the Knoxboro Cemetery. Its interesting to note that Orvis ended up in Wisconsin in the same general area as his aunts Lucretia Hathaway and Lydia Barney. On the other hand Leander is living next door to his father in the 1850 census for Augusta, he later moves to Illinois.------ Elvira Harrington was born March 5, 1805 and died January 29, 1888 the dates are taken from the prominent family headstone and confirmed in family records. Elvira married Ezekiel G. Barnes. Ezekiel, according to a family history, was born September 1, 1799 in Old Beckett, Massachusetts. His headstone lists a date of death as December 31, 1881. The family history states that Ezekiel’s father moved the family to Amherst , Ohio. It states, “In 1825 he revisited the East, and there married same year to Miss Elvira Harrington”. The Barnes family made their home in Amherst and they are buried in the Middleridge Cemetery in Amherst. Their 6 children are listed in several Ancestry Family Trees, Gilbert, Louisa Elvira, Mary D., G. Monroe, Henry D. and Sardis N. born between 1826 and 1838. The family history does not list Mary.------ Miranda Harrington is buried in the family burial plot in Stockbridge. Cemetery records note the dates 1808-1823. Her sisters named daughters after their lost little sister.------ Polly Harrington was born November 8, 1808 and died September 17, 1846. She married Luther Hathaway as his second wife. Luther was born in Oneida, New York in 1793 and died in Augusta on December 16, 1882, “89th year 1st month 25th day of age.” Luther’s biography in the Madison County History reads. “Luther Hathaway father Phineas settled in Stockbridge in 1812, died Augusta 1882. He married Polly Harrington who died September 17, 1846 age 38. Polly is buried in Stockbridge with a daughter Miranda who died December 25, 1830 age 3 months. Children: Melvin, William, LeRoy, Edward, Jay, Ann. Most lived in Oriskany Falls”. The history of the Hathaway family titled, Hathaways of America, notes that Luther and Polly had 10 children. The history is also the source for Polly’s date of birth. After Polly’s death Luther moved the family from Stockbridge to nearby Augusta where he married Mary Ann Francisco. Luther married Hannah Wood about 1812 they had 4 children, Luther born in 1814, David, Hannah and Catherine. Hannah died in 1824. Luther and Polly’s children were, Melvin, born in 1826, Henry Horace, William, Lucinda, Mary, Louisa, Alpheus Jay, Anne Lovina, Franklin LeRoy and Edwin (Edward) born in 1843. After Polly’s death in 1846 Luther married Mary Ann Francisco they had two children together Delia born in 1849 and Elizabeth born in 1850. A good portion of Luther’s family is buried with him in the Deansboro Cemetery in Kirtland, New York.------ Louisa Harrington was born in 1810 and she died December 14, 1855. Louisa married Henry Wilcox on October 2, 1831. Henry was born in Madison County he died November 5, 1885. There are references to their burial in the West Amboy Cemetery in Oswego County, New York. The 1850 census finds them in Parrish, Oswego with Louisa listed as age 40. Their children are listed as Emily, Ora (Aura), Selina, Nathan, Rufus, Luzina, Adelbert, Homer and Patrick. The oldest child , Emily, was born in 1832 in Augusta. There are a number of different spellings for the children used in a number of family trees. The spellings above come from the 1850 census. In the 1860 census Henry is married to an Irish immigrant Rosanna. In 1880 Henry is living with Adelbert.------ Nathaniel R. Harrington was born in July, 1811 and died February 26, 1873. Nathaniel is buried in a separate plot in Stockbridge with his two wives, Julia M. 1815-1844 and Euphemiah R. 1827-1877. His headstone reads Nathaniel R. Harrington Died February 26, 1873 age 61 ye, 7 mo, ? days. The date of his death is also noted in his will. The will lists his widow Euphemiah Harrington and his sons, H. (Hiram) Niles of Smithfield, (David) Elmer and Guy of Stockbridge.------ Lucretia Harrington referred to by her father as Lucretia Hathaway. Lucretia married Luther Hathaway Jr. Luther was the oldest son of her sister Polly’s husband Luther and his first wife Hannah Wood. Their marriage is recorded in the Hathaway history under his father’s name. The birth order in the family suggests Lucretia was born about 1814/15. The 1850 census incorrectly lists her age at 25 instead of 35. The 1840 census finds Lucretia and Luther living in Stockbridge with one son. The 1850 census finds them in Oakland, Jefferson, Wisconsin near Lydia and Schuyler Barney. Luther and Schuyler both received land grants in Marston, Sauk, Wisconsin. By the 1770 Census Luther is remarried. There were apparently 3 children, Lorenzo, from the 1840 census, Zelma and Elmer.------ Reuben Harrington, named after his grandfather, was born in 1819. We have not found a death record for Reuben. He was still alive for the 1892 New York census listed as age 73. Reuben married Sarah J. Harrington. The family plot in Stockbridge notes an infant son 1845-1845. A second son Byron was born January 2, 1848. Cemetery records list Sarah 1819-1848. Reuben then Married Louisa Kimball 1815-1894. They had a daughter Allie J. born in 1852. Cemetery records seem to indicate Allie (Alla) died in 1862. In 1850 he is living next to his father in Stockbridge. From 1860 on he is listed in Madison, Madison County.------ Lydia Harrington was born in 1819/20 and died in 1873. She is listed as Lydia Barney in her father’s will. Her headstone reads “Lydia Barney wife of Schuyler died 1873 age 53 yrs, 2 mo., 19 days”. We could not find any information concerning her in New York. A search of the census indexes found a Lydia Barney born about 1819 in New York living in La Valle, Sauk, Wisconsin married to Schuyer P. Barney. It seemed very unlikely that Lydia would have moved all the way to Wisconsin. After a bit of a search we found a biography for Schuyler “Schuyler P. Barney retired merchant son of Royal and Rachel Barney. Born Ellisburg, Jefferson, New York Sept. 3, 1819 at the age of 4 the family moved to Amherst , Ohio. Married January 1842 to Lydia daughter of Joshua and Ruth Harrington. Mrs. Barney was born in Stockbridge, Madison, New York.” Apparently Schuyler and Lydia met in Amherst where Lydia was living with her sister Elvira. We found a marriage record for Schuyler P. Barney and Lydia Harrington in Amherst dated January 20, 1842. In about 1850 the family made the move to Wisconsin. Their children were Burton S., born in Amherst, Miranda and Emery E. who were born in Wisconsin.------ Fanny (Francis) Harrington was born in 1823 and died in 1891. Fanny married William Dexter, 1809-1863, they share a large headstone in the Stockbridge Cemetery. The Dexter family history indicates they married May 6, 1845. Their oldest child Florence A. Dexter was born January 26, 1846. They added 5 more children Clarence William, Charles H., Francis, F. , Maria Eunice and Edwin N. . William was listed in the census records as a cabinetmaker. The history of Stockbridge notes that he was a clock maker of some note. The advertising for his shop read, “Modern Improved Clocks made and sold by William Dexter”. We recently found a reference on the Internet where two of his clocks were listed as part of an auction held in 2013 for antique clocks. An early city map locates their home at the southwest corner of the village green now the town square.------ Julia Harrington was born in 1825. Listed as Julia Harrington in her father’s will she was living with him in the 1850 census age 25.