Class of ’69 says goodbye to another classmate

Classmate and fellow genealogist, Audrey Isbell Allen passed away this month.  Audrey doesn’t know how much she helped me early on in my search for family and I never told her.  How sad that it is now too late to do so.  Point being – always take that second or two to tell the folks around you, how much they mean to you.

Earlier in the year we lost classmate, Gail Braund Walrath.  I will always remember her and Audrey with a smile on their face and nice to be around.

We will miss you at our next reunion, but I’m sure you will be there in spirit.

Benjamin Stone is Official

I’ve been notified that another one of my NSDAR supplements has been approved.  Benjamin Stone was born in 1732 in Dudley, Worcester Co., MA and married Susannah Buckman.  These are the parents of Perris Stone who was married to Jesse Morse.  I also have Obadiah Morse as an approved ancestor.  His is the father of Jesse.  Many of my newer ancestors hailed from the New England states of Massachusetts and Connecticut.  My next ancestor to verify will be Samuel Clason.  He is the father of Lydia Clason Avery who is buried in the Alba, Bradford Co., PA cemetery with her husband, Ebenezer Avery and daughter, Esther Avery Packard.  Ebenezer, Lydia and Esther all died in 1842 within a short time of each other.  I’ve not taken the time to figure out what from, but can only assume it was some flu or other illness.

According to a letter that James Doty wrote to his cousin, Clell Shoemaker (I have documented most of this letter and will be publishing it shortly), there is probably a Revolutionary War ancestor in the Avery and Packard families, to locate.  My problem is finding the parents of Joel Packard and Ebenezer Avery.  In Connecticut Ebenezer Avery is as common as John Doe, so it has been a challenge teasing out the correct Ebenezer.

I have another ancestor waiting to be completed at NSDAR and that is Susannah Shafer Shoemaker Ayres father, Adam Shafer from Luzerne Co., PA.  This may never be resolved unless someone knows about a document that shows the parents of Susannah.  I only need to document that Adam and Elizabeth Swartwout Shafer are her parents.  Easier said than done and my time is running out to do this.

 

John Wesley Duart, Civil War Soldier

I recently joined the Daughters of the Union Veterans, Civil War 1861-1865 under my gr. gr. grandfather, John Wesley Duart.  It got me thinking that I know a fair amount about him, but not his Civil War experience.  I decided that if I was going to find out, I might as well set a goal of writing an article for someone, about JW.

I started by writing to all my cousins that I know are descendants of John, to see if anyone has more information about him.  I have had a copy of his pension file for many years, but reread it and refreshed my memory about his unit.  I also know that cousin, Don Duart has gr. gr. grandfather’s Civil War sword.  I got a picture of it long ago also.  Don called and said he has an article about JW that he will copy for me.  It is so exciting to know that the sword has been kept in the family and will be passed on to Don’s son, John.   And I’m on my way.

The Duart’s have named every other generation with a John Wesley or David Henry.  It dawned on me not too long ago that maybe there was a reason for John Wesley, since many of the Duart’s have been Methodist’s.  The naming started just about the same time that THE John Wesley began the church.  Go figure.

I’m hoping to hear from other cousins and to find someone has old letters or other articles about John Wesley Duart.  I’ll be adding all my information into the Duart One-Name-Study files as I receive items.