All,
I am researching the following ancestor
Ira Munsell
b. 1790 VERMONT d. 1857 Hamilton Co IL
mar (Sarah) Vilaty UNK
b. UNK MA d. 1843 Hamilton Co IL
The name Munsell is spelled Munsel, Moncel, Muncel, Muncell, Monsil,
Munsil, Monselle, Munselle, etc
Ira is found in:
1820 census of Genesee Co NY (Middlebury)
1830 voting, land and census records of IL (esp Hamilton County IL)
1840 land records in IL
1850 land records in IL
One of Ira's sons is named Allen. An Allen Munsell is also found in an
early Genesee Co NY census. This could be an older relative (father?) of
Ira.
We have solid records on Ira and his descendants after they came to
Illinois, but we have no solid information about Ira's exact place of
origin or his parents.
I know there were a lot of Munsells in Vermont in the late 18th century.
Ira named the sons of his first wife after patriots or military heroes
- I'm drawing a conclusion here... - (Henry, Allen, Harrison, Jackson,
Washington - and Richard, which doesn't fit the pattern) and his later
sons were named Jacob, Joseph, and Samuel. He had 14 children who grew to
adulthood. But I am unable to connect Ira to the many Munsells who
migrated from VERMONT to western NY and beyond. Ira bought his
land in Illinois outright - there seems to be no evidence it was a grant,
so he probably did not serve in the War of 1812.
If anyone has run across this name, and/or can suggest how best to pursue
this search I would be grateful. Perhaps there is a migratory pattern from
Vermont at the time that might be helpful information???? Or something???
Thanks for any help.
Cordah R
Cordah Elizabeth Robinson
ISS/UITS Teaching and Learning Technologies Lab
IU-Bloomington Ballantine Hall 307 855.7829
http://www.indiana.edu/~tltl/