The Waters Family of 1870 Patten, Maine

Blanchard Project

Blanchard/Utterstrom/Chase/Waters
By Don Taylor

During my ancestor sketch for Sadie Walters, I learned that Patten, Kennebec County, Maine, was settled about 1828, incorporated in 1841. Sadie was born in 1887 in Patten, and her parents were born in Patten as well. So, I wondered, when Sadie’s people came to Patten.  Sadie’s parents were William G. Waters and Laura M. Swett.

I looked previously at the Waters of 1880 Patten, Maine.

1870 Population Schedule

A search of the 1870 Census for “Waters” in Patten, Maine, had 13 results, plus 2 Rowe’s and 3 Grant’s.

  1. George Waters, Age 57 – Widower – Farmer – $1000, $500 Born New Castle, ME – Citizen.
    1. Mary E. Waters, Age 29 – Keeping House Born Palermo, ME – Clearly Elen M. Waters from 1880 Census.
    2. Clara M Waters, Age 27 – Domestic – (possibly a daughter). Born Patten, ME – NEW Person!
    3. William G. Waters, Age 12 – Farm Laborer. Born Patten, ME. Attending School.

      George Waters family in the 1870 Federal Census.

  1. Samuel Waters, age 55 – Farmer 2000 – 1000 – New Castle, ME – Citizen
    1. Frances E. Waters, Age 31 – Hartland, ME
    2. Emily Waters, age 4 – Patten, ME – – Attended School.
    3. Mary I. Waters, age 14 – Domestic – Masardis, ME – Attended School.
  2. Mary Waters – Age 81 – Invalid – Born Jefferson, ME – New Person (Likely William’s mother) NEW Person!
    1. William Waters, Age 50 – Farmer – Born Palermo, ME – Citizen
    2. Olive T. Waters, Age 23 – Born Masardis, ME
    3. George Rowe, Age 12 – Born Masardis, ME.
    4. Emily A. Rowe, Age 9 – Born Masardis, ME.
    5. Martha A. Waters, Age 2/12 – Born in March – Patten, ME (Appears to be Alice M. Waters from 1880 Census)
  3. Eunice W. Waters, Age 64 – Mother of Lonsen Grant – Born Westbrook, ME
    1. Lonson Grant, Age 37, farm Laborer 000 – 200 Born Patten, ME – Married previous October – Citizen
    2. Dora A. Grant, age 18, Born Crystal, ME – Married previous October – NEW Person!
    3. Fred Grant, Age 10 – Born Lincoln, ME – Attending School – Likely brother of Lonson – NEW Person!

Changes from the 1880 Census.

The George Waters household has a new person, Clara M. Waters. She is two years younger than George’s daughter Mary Ellen. I am tentatively assuming that Clara is the daughter of George. If so, Mary Ellen, who was born about 1841 in Palermo and Clara, who was born in Patten about 1843, would suggest that George came to Patten about 1842 or 3.

The William Waters household of 1880 has an 81-year-old invalid heading the household in the 1870 census. I am relatively confident that Mary Waters, born ca. 1789, is William’s mother. Olive and the two Rowe children are all born in Masardis, ME. As such, I believe they are likely siblings of Olive, suggesting her maiden name was also Rowe.

Lonson Grant and Dora A were married in October 1869. Dora would have been eight years old when Fred was born, so I’m confident that Fred is a brother of Lonson and the second son of Eunice W. Waters.

Non-population Schedules

The 1870 Mortality Schedule – William Waters died of cholera in October ed1869, at the age of 1.

The 1870 Agricultural Census Schedule lists the farm information regarding each of the Waters’ farms.[i]

Name of Agent, Owner or Manager George Waters Samuel Waters William Waters
Acres, Improved 50 50 40
Acres, Wooded 50 100 100
Value of Farm $1000 $1500 $1200
Value of Implements $75 $125 $100
Wages Paid 60 60 150
Horses 1 2 3
Milch Cows 3 5 3
Working Oxen 2 3 2
Other Cattle 4 3 6
Sheep 11 24 15
Swine 2 2 2
Value of livestock $350 $400 $200
Spring Wheat, bush. 32 14
Indian Corn 8
Oats 110 260 200
Buckwheat 90 70 100
Wool 30 100 60
Peas & Beans 15 15
Irish Potatoes 200 300 300
Butter 500 400 100
Hay 20 25 20
Value of Animals Slaughtered 200 200 60
Total Value $500 $500 $300

George had 100 acres of land, 50 of which was tilled; he was able to till an additional 10 acres by 1880.  He had one horses, three milch (milk) cows, and 11 sheep. He grew wheat, oats, corn, buckwheat, peas, potatoes, and hay. The total value of George’s farm was $1,925.

Samuel and William’s farms were slightly larger at 150 and 140 acres and valued at $2,525 and $1,800, respectively.


Future Actions

Next – Review the 1860 Census records.

Sources:

  • U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 – Ancestry.com – William Waters
  • 1870 United States Federal Census – Ancestry.com – Eunice W Waters
  • 1870 United States Federal Census – Ancestry.com –  George Waters
  • 1870 United States Federal Census – Ancestry.com – Mary Waters
  • 1870 United States Federal Census – Ancestry.com – Samuel Waters
  • U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880 – Ancestry.com – George Waters – 1870 Agriculture Schedule
  • U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880 – Ancestry.com – Samuel Waters – 1870 Agriculture Schedule
  • U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880 – Ancestry.com – William Waters – 1870 Agriculture Schedule

Endnotes

[i] Note: I deleted lines showing farm items that none of the Walters men possessed from the list. For example, Tobacco, which isn’t grown in Maine, was deleted.

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Hobbs – Surname Saturday

Name Origin

Hob is a “pet form of Robert” and Hobbs is a patronymic form for Son of Hob, as is Hobson.

Geographical

Worldwide there are approximately 99,273 people who bear the Hobbs surname. The vast majority, over 62,000 in the United States, with England and Australia being distant second and third (about 18,000 and 8,000 respectively). Interestingly, in terms of frequency, the little country of Vanuatu has the greatest proportion of the Hobbs surname, where one in 1,644 people have the surname.

Direct Hobbs Ancestors

5.  Mary Lillian Hobbs Howell (1885-1964) LVSF-NCZ
10.  James Ashley Hobbs (1843-1920) – Family Search: M4G8-BZX
20.  George W Hobbs (1805 – 1858) – Family Search: G3WN-FZC

Historical

1920

During the 1920 Census, my wife’s great-grandfather, James Ashley Hobbs was living in Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina. There were 303 Hobbs families in North Carolina during the 1920 Census, but James was the only Hobbs that lived in Martin County. The 75-year-old widower boarded in the household of James R. Hanell. James died later, in November, that year.

1880

According to an Ancestry search, there were 829 people with the Hobbs surname enumerated in North Carolina and one family in Martin County. That family was my wife’s great-grandfather, James Ashley Hobbs, his wife Delora, two sons, Roland and Charles, and two daughters, Annie and Emily. My wife’s grandmother, Mary Lillian Hobbs, was born in 1884. And her 2nd great-grandfather, George passed in 1859.

1840

According to Ancestry, there were 58 Hobbs families in North Carolina. My wife’s 2nd great-grandfather, George W Hobbs, and his wife Mary were married and were raising three children in Beaufort County. They were the only Hobbs family there during the 1840 Census.

Known Hobbs relatives.

My records have identified 145 direct-line descendants of George W. Hobbs (1801-1859) and 23 known Hobbs descendants.

Sources:

 

 

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Donna Darling Collection – Part 60 – Parkway Theatre

Donna Montran – Vaudeville
Treasure Chest Thursday
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at eight images all relating to the Parkway Theatre. None of the clippings indicate what city the show is taking place in and none of the clippings provide a date. Donna’s 1924-1925 show went by many different names, Hollywood Bathing Beauties,” “California Bathing Beauties Revue,” and “Bathing Beauties Revue featuring Donna Darling. A film mentioned, “The Painted Flapper,” was released in October 1924, so Donna’s show most likely within the three months after the film’s release.

From other research, I knew that Donna played at the Parkway Theatre in Madison, Wisconsin from January 11 to the 15th. Could this be the Parkway Theatre of Donna’s Scrapbook?

A quick review said, yes, these clippings came from that show. Many of the clippings were identical to articles I found online so, I feel comfortable these clipping for the Parkway are from Donna’s Madison Show.

PARKWAY

Clipping from the Donna Darling Collection.

Clipping from newspapers.com

THE CALIFORNIA BATHING BEAUTIES REVUE

Direct from the Studios at Hollywood
In Person
featuring

DONNA DARLING
Creator of principal role in “Chin Chin” star of “Girl Behind the Gun;” winner of Madison Square beauty contest.
MR. MURRY EARLE Late feature dancer for George White Scandals
ALL ROSS & ALICE LOUISE Dances and Comedians
MISS BETTY BRYANT – Know for her comedy team work.
MISS MILDRED O’BRIEN – In Mack Sennett Comedies
MISS CLARICE ALLYN – Toe Dancer
MISS KATHERYN KOLLEEN – Dancer
MISS MYRTLE CARLSON – Dancer


PARKWAY
Same info as the previous ad, plus additional info about the accompanying motion picture, “The Painted Flapper: An Ultra Modern Jazzology” starring James Kirkwood and Pauline Garon.

(Note: Donna cut off the ads for coming attractions. )


Parkway

Clipping from the Donna Darling Collection.

The much heralded Bathing Girl Revue headed by Miss Donna Darling and her motion picture studio girls made it bow to Parkway Patrons yesterday and won applause. Their offering is fast, clean and colorful and thoroughly devoid of anything that smacks of the sensational often associated with the miniature revues.

Identical article in the Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI) · 12 Jan 1925, Page 7.

The plot, though not a new one, is unique in development. In a short half hour one is whipped through a mirage of singing and dancing numbers following in quick succession, telling a history of the bathing suit from Grandmother’s day down to the present time, with a side trip around the world including stop offs at various beach resorts. The costumes are elaborate, the setting pleasing and the lighting effects unusual.

Of the cast Miss Darling stand out by right of her personality, beauty and grace. She was ably assisted by Murry Earl, a dancer of accomplishment. Miss Betty Bryant, for her demon dancing in the Mars episode and dainty Clarice Allyn’s Chinese bathing girl number deserve special mention.


BATHING BEAUTIES OF MOVIES IN REVUE AT PARKWAY

Bathing girls from various California motion picture studios will make a personal appearance in a colorful Hollywood Revue at the Parkway this week, beginning today. This review is a clever musical and dancing number which will show the Parkway patrons that these versatile girls can do other things than merely pose before the camera.

Miss Donna Darling, who comes direct from the Mack Sennett studios, is the charming star who introduces the Bathing Beauties dressed in bathing costumes dating from 1860 to the present day. Betty Bryant is the “Miss America of 1925.” Bathing costumes of various countries and fashionable sea-shore centers are introduced. Chief among these numbers is Mildred O’Brian, who appear as the beauty from Palm Beach. Miss Darling’s life guards, Murry Earl and Al Ross, add comedy to the Egyptian dance while petite Clarice Allyn as the Chinese bathing girl enhances the offering with clever toe dancing.

Elaborate costumes have been selected for this sparkling revue. The music is snappy and the production has brilliant scenic and lighting effects.


There was a large ad that ran across two pages in Donna’s scrapbook. It shows Donna on the left and two of the other girls. I have not identified either of them yet. I suspect one of them is probably Betty Bryant, but the other could be Mildred O’Brian or Clarice Allyn or even one of the other two girls. I’ll need to research that further.

Conclusion

The Donna Darling Collection provided new information about her show at the Parkway Theatre, Madison Wisconsin on January 11 to the 15th, 1925.

Follow-up Actions

I’ll need to search for photos of the other individuals of the show that are in the advertising.

Sources

Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wisconsin) · 12 Jan 1925 · Page 7.

Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wisconsin) · 14 Jan 1925 · Page 15.

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Donna in the News – 10 March 1927

Donna Darling Revue. at the Carolina Theatre, Charlotte, SC, March 10 & 11, 1927.

I recently found two ads that ran in the Charlotte Observer on March 10 & 11, 1927. The “Donna Darling Revue with Sammy Clark” was mentioned as playing at the Carolina Theatre. Donna was the second act.

Ad for acts playing at the Carolina Theatre, 10 March 1927 includes the Donna Darling Revue.

Ad for the Carolina Theater, Charlotte, SC, on 10 March 1924 showing the Donna Darling Revue. Image via Newspapers.com

On stage with Donna were:

  • Baldwin & Blair in “Hay! Hay” (the headline act)
  • Donia and Dunlevy — The Italian Sheik and Southern Gentleman
  • Corinne Arbuckle
  • Lamont Four

Plus the Film Version of Belasco stage success “The Music Master.”

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Mercy (Gay) Sanford & the Early Censuses

Mercy Sanford and the 1840, 1830, and 1820 Census records.

Brown-Sanford-Gay
Census Sunday
By Don Taylor

Following widows in early America can often be difficult, Mercy (Gay) Sanford was widowed when her husband, Ezra Clugston Sanford, died 22 June 1813 in Pownal, Bennington County, Vermont.[i] Mercy died in Byron, Genesee, New York sometime in 1841.[ii] So, the question arises, what happened to Mercy between 1813 and 1841? When did she locate to Byron?

Typically, you start with what you know, and go back in time. However, in the case of Mercy, I needed to start with what I knew and go forward in time. First, I looked at the three census records in question.  Miraculously, I found Mercy in the 1830 Census.

Censuses

1830 – Byron, Genesee County, New York

The Mercy Sanford household consists of 1 Female, 60 to 70 years old and 1 male from 10 to 15 years old.

Mercy was born in 1761, so she would have been 69 in 1830. Living with her is a young male; my suspicion a grandson, or even a great-grandson.[iii]

1820 – Not with Lucy. 

After Ezra died in 1813, Mercy was given guardianship of her daughter Lucy.[iv] Lucy married Levi Case in 1817. My first thought was that Mercy might have been living with her daughter Lucy and her husband Levi during the 1820 Census. No Such Luck.

The 1820 Census record for Levi Case is:

Levi Cass 1 – – 1 – – 1 – 1 – – – 

Males
1 Male  Under 10   Apparently Levi A. (Jr.)
2 Males 16 to 26   One must be Levi. The other is unknown.

Females
1 female under 10 apparently is Mercy G.
1 female from 16 to 26 years of age must be Lucy.

So, it is apparent that Mercy didn’t locate to New York with Lucy and Levi.

1820 – Not with Electa. 

Mercy’s daughter, Electa, died in 1819, so Mercy couldn’t be living with her in 1920.

1820 – Bergen, Genesee County, New York. 

After Electa died, her husband, Dewey Miller, married Electa’s sister Sally. Could Mercy be living with them during the 1820 Census? Yes.[v] The 1820 Census entry for Dewey Miller is:

Dewey Miller  3 – – – 1 – 1 – – 2 1  

Males
3 males under age 10. One is likely Aaron, one is likely Albert, the third one is unclear.
1 male between 26 and 45 is clearly Dewey.

Females:

1 female under age 10 appears to be daughter Lucy.
2 females 26 to 45. One must be Sally and the other is an unknown female.
1 female over 45 appears to be Mercy.

Dewey was born in 1787, so he’d be 33 during the 1820 Census.
Sally was born in 1790, so she’d be 30 during the 1820 Census.
Mercy was born in 1861, so she’d be 59 during the 1820 Census.

The marriage of Dewey to Electa, her death, the marriage of Dewey to Sally, and the 1820 census lend themselves to a speculative narrative that Electa got sick. Mercy located to help take care of Electa. Upon Electa’s death, Dewey married Sally, and Mercy was still with the household during the 1820 Census.

1840 – Byron, Genesee County, New York

There doesn’t appear to be a Mercy Sanford in the 1840 Census. However there is a Mary Sanford of the correct age whose neighbors are many of the same people as were neighbors to Mercy during the 1830 Census.[vi] The neighbors include David Shed, Erastus Hamond, and Stephen Clark.  The entry for Mary (Mercy) is:

Mary Sanford – – 1 – – – – – – – – – – –  |  – – – – – – – – 1 – – –

1 Male 10 to 15 – Unknown male.
1 Female 70 to 80 – Mercy (Gay) Sanford

Conclusion

Mercy and Ezra Sanford were married on 11 Oct 1876. His records for the 1790, 1800, and 1810 censuses are the records for Mercy. These three additional census records follow Mercy for the years after Ezra’s death until Mercy’s death.

Endnotes:

[i] Find a Grave, Find a Grave, Ezra Sanford (1763-1813) – Memorial# 43640146. Died 22 Jun 1813. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=43640146.

[ii] “Thomas Sanford, the emigrant to New England; ancestry, life,and descendants, 1632-4,” Carlton E.  Sanford, Charles Arthur Hoppin (1911), Page 226 – Sketch 711 – Ezra Sanford. https://archive.org/details/thomassanfordemi01sanf/page/n3.; PDF, Archive.Org (https://archive.org/details/thomassanfordemi001sanf).

[iii] 1830 Census (FS), Family Search, 1830 Census – Byron, Genesee, New York – Page 368 – Mercy Sanford. “United States Census, 1830,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPN-YDQ: 29 July 2017), Mercy Sanford, Byron, Genesee, New York, United States; citing 368, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 90; FHL microfilm 17,150.

[iv] Vermont; Wills and Probate Records, 1749-1999, Ancestry.Com, Probate – Ezra Sanford (1753-1813) – Page 03 (00390). Guardianship Papers – Assigning Mercy Sanford as guardian for Lucy Sanford, 5 July 1813. https://search.ancestry.com/collections/9084/records/325523/.

[v] 1820 Census (FS), Family Search, 1820 Census – Bergan, Genesee, New York – Page 43 – Dewey Miller. “United States Census, 1820,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLV-7N5 : accessed 15 February 2020), Dewey Miller, Bergen, Genesee, New York, United States; citing p. 43, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 72; FHL microfilm 193,727.

[vi] 1840 Census (NARA), 1840 Census – Bergan, Genesee, New York, Page 267 – Mary [Mercy] Sanford. “United States Census, 1840,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHT7-SWK : 15 August 2017), Mary Sanford, Byron, Genesee, New York, United States; citing p. 267, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 286; FHL microfilm 17,188.

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