Hello Ripley,
I hope someone can help me with my ultimate brick wall. My ggg-
grandparents lived in Otter Creek for the 1840 census. Simeon
Williams was born in Stonington CT in 1763 and his wife Tirzah
(possible surname Knight) was born in MA or CT around the same time.
They came to Ripley around 1835 from Butler County Ohio after living
in Essex County NY and Windsor County Vermont. They probably married
in Hartland VT (no record) and some of their older children were born
in VT while the younger ones were born in NY (no birth records on
any.) A family letter dated 1896 stated that Simeon died circa 1847
and Tirzah a few years later (I can't find her in the 1850 census.)
Some of their children still lived in Ripley at that time. It is this
family letter which gives Tirzah's maiden name as Knight and describes
her family as involved in the judiciary in the CT River Valley (which
state though is unclear.) There is no Knight family that fits that
description in CT and a few in VT that have judges in the family don't
have a daughter named Tirzah. I have also explored similar surnames
in case there was a transcription error in the old letter (Wright,
Knights, Wight, White, etc.) And I have tried the many spelling
variations of Tirzah.
I really would like to find Tirzah's maiden name. Here's a rundown of
the avenues I have explored. I tried to obtain death certificates for
all her children. Only 2 lived long enough in their localities to
have records. One, my gg-grandmother Sarah (Williams) Doolittle, had
an 1889 d.c. in Rush IN and it gave her father's name but not her
mother's. The other child Adin, was in the 1880 census in Santa Ana,
which was then Los Angeles County CA. Neither LA or Orange County CA
have a death record for him. I also looked for obituaries for her
children and the only ones I could find did not mention parents'
names. A cousin has been through the LDS microfilms of Church records
for Hartland VT, where they probably married. They are not listed in
the Barbour Collection of CT marriage records. If they married in MA,
I would have to know the town (and I have already checked several
likely possibilities.) I have written to the Ripley County Historical
Society for research into wills, estate inventory, probate and land
records, hoping for a clue to her maiden name.
If anyone has heard of this family and maybe has an old bible laying
around, that would be great. Otherwise, any suggestions are welcome.
Kate from Maryland