Chapter 7 of The Kenyons of Cattaraugus Co, NY Jeremiah and Sarah (Emerson) Kinyon Richard L. Kenyon 1
This chapter is one of a series of 24 chapters which cover the lives and descendants of the pioneer Kenyon and Kinyon families of Cattaraugus Co, NY. Their Kenyon ancestors are traced all the way back to the first Kenyons to arrive in the Colony of Rhode Island. Hall, Champlin and Mayflower ancestors are also included. List of Chapters Chapter Title 1. Madison S. Kinyon (m1 Polly Warner, m2 Sarah Fults) 2. James and Elizabeth Kenyon 3. Erastus and Amy (Kenyon) Champlin 4. Ancestors of Erastus and Amy Champlin 5 Merritt and Lovisa (Fuller) Kenyon 6. Remington and Thankful (Barber) Kenyon 7. Jeremiah and Sarah (Emerson) Kenyon 8. Addison and Mary (Hunton) Kenyon 9. Horace and Delia (Lake) Kenyon 10. Winfield Scott Kenyon (m1 Mina Milks, m2 Olive Guernsey) 11. Nathan T. and Anna (Hall) Kenyon 12. Samuel and Clarissa (Trowbridge) Kenyon 13. Freeman and Mary (Reynolds) Kenyon 14. Josiah Kenyon and family (married 5 times) 15. Asa B. and Betsy Kenyon 16. Identifying M. S. Kinyon s father and grandfather 17. Identifying M. S. Kinyon s brothers 18. John S. (Sr.) and Susan (Sheldon) Kinyon 19. John S. (Jr.) and Eliza (Sherman) Kinyon. 20. Silvester S. and Tenta (Root) Kenyon 21. Mathew S. Kinyon (m1 unknown, m2 Rebeca Stanley) 22. Nelson S. and Louis (Smead) Kinyon 23. Thomas W. and Sylva (Saunders) Kinyon 24. The first Kenyons in America
Chapter 7 of The Kenyons of Cattaraugus County NY: Jeremiah and Sarah (Emerson) Kenyon and their Kinyon/Kenyon Ancestors Richard L. Kenyon 32 Almond Tree Ln, Irvine CA 92612-2230 e-mail: rlkenyon@cox.net June 7, 2012 Introduction About 1845 the family of Jeremiah and Sarah Kenyon settled in New Albion, Cattaraugus County, New York. They lived there the rest of their lives and some of their descendants still live there. This chapter covers this family and traces their Kenyon ancestors back to 1687 in Rhode Island. In Chapter 8, Addison and Mary (Hunton) Kenyon we cover their son Addison and his descendants. Jeremiah Kenyon Jeremiah Kenyon was born about May 15, 1792 in Rhode Island. About 1793, he moved west with his parents to Brookfield, Madison Co, New York. There he married Sarah Emerson, who was born about December 21, 1793 in New Hampshire. She was the daughter of Richard and Mary (Gorton) Emerson. The Emersons lived nearby in the town of Burlington in Otsego Co, having come there from New Hampshire in 1796. Jeremiah and Sarah lived in New Lisbon, Otsego Co. Jeremiah was a farmer. In 1845 Jeremiah moved west from Otsego Co to New Albion, Cattaraugus Co, New York. Jeremiah died there at age 76 on March 15, 1869. His wife Sarah died there at age 79 on January 31, 1873. They are buried in Tug Hill Cemetery in New Albion. Jeremiah and Sarah had five children. We can identify four of them: 1. William Kenyon Died young. 2. Eliza Kenyon Married Alexander Parker. Assuming this was the same Alexander Parker who was married to Eliza and lived in New Lisbon, Otsego Co, New York, she was born about 1815. Alexander was born about 1814, and was probably the son of Alexander (Sr.) and Joanna (Gardner) Parker. See the source notes for a list of children. 3. Mary E. Kenyon Born April 13, 1818 in New Lisbon, Otsego Co, NY. Did not marry. Last found living with parents in 1855. Buried at Tug Hill Cemetery, New Lisbon. 4. Addison Kenyon Born August 19, 1821 in New Lisbon. Died January 5, 1871 in New Albion. He married Mary M. Hunton, the daughter of John and Anna (Day) Hunton. She was born June 7, 1824, probably in Royalton, Niagara Co, NY, and died in New Albion December 15, 1912. Both are buried in Tug Hill Cemetery in New Albion. They are the subjects of Chapter 7, Addison and Mary (Hunton) Kenyon. 7 Jeremiah and Sarah Kenyon Page 1
Jeremiah Kenyon Jeremiah s wife Sarah Jeremiah s son Addison Addison s wife Mary Addison s son Jeffrey Gravestones for the plot owned by Jeremiah Kenyon at Tug Hill Cemetery, New Albion, Cattaraugus Co. photos: Cattaraugus County Historical Museum 7 Jeremiah and Sarah Kenyon Page 2
Jeremiah s parents: Thomas and Mary (Teft) Kenyon It is well known that almost all of the Kenyons who moved to Western New York in the 19 th century came from Rhode Island. Rhode Island vital records are very poor after the Revolution, and record keeping was even worse after the Kenyons settled in the wilderness of Western New York. This is doubtlessly the reason we found no previous research that identified Jeremiah s parents. We show that Thomas Kenyon of Otsego County, New York, had a son Jeremiah, and that he was the same person as the Jeremiah Kenyon who settled in Cattaraugus County. The ancestors of this Thomas Kenyon are known from previous published research. The will of Thomas Kenyon, of Edmeston, Otsego County, New York, executed August 26, 1847, lists a son named Jeremiah Kenyon. Quaker records from 1818, and the 1820, 1830 and 1840 Federal censuses show a Jeremiah Kenyon living in Otsego County, the same county as Thomas Kenyon. In 1818, a daughter Mary was born to Jeremiah and Sarah Kenyon in this county. In the 1850 Federal census, Jeremiah Kenyon is no longer living in Otsego County, and has moved to New Albion, Cattaraugus County. Daughter Mary is still living with her parents. All the other details are in good agreement. There are no other Jeremiah Kenyons (including variant spellings) in the census with whom he might be confused. Thus the Jeremiah Kenyon of Cattaraugus County is the same person as the son of Thomas Kenyon mentioned in his will. Thomas Kenyon was born February 27, 1762 in Rhode Island. He married Mary Teft, who was born about 1771 in Rhode Island. A biographical sketch of their granddaughter Eliza Bennington relates that about 1793, Thomas and Mary moved from Rhode Island to Plainfield, Madison County, New York. They traveled by means of an ox team pulling a large sled. Their surplus cash was hidden in pockets in the runners of the sled. Thomas is found in the 1820 and 1830 census in Plainfield, and in 1840 in Edmeston, in adjacent Otsego Co. Thomas was a Quaker, and meetings were held at his home in Brookfield until the church was built. Mary died April 30, 1847, at age 76, and was buried in Wooley Hill Cemetery, a Quaker cemetery in Otsego Co. Thomas died at age 90 on May 10, 1852 at the home of his granddaughter Eliza Bennington in Edmeston, in Otsego County. He was probably also buried at Wooley Hill. 7 Jeremiah and Sarah Kenyon Page 3
Children of Thomas and Mary Kenyon Thomas Kenyon was survived by seven children who are named in his will. 1. Ethan Kenyon: Born Oct 30, 1788 in RI. Living in Pittsfield, Otsego Co, in 1854. 2. George Kenyon: Born Jun 12, 1790 in RI. Died Jan 4, 1867 and buried in Wooley Hills Cemetery, Otsego Co, NY. Married Pheobe Bennett who was born Aug 20, 1790, died Oct 10, 1870, and is buried with her husband. Fourteen children: five sons and nine daughters. 3. Jeremiah Kenyon: Our subject. Born May 15, 1792 in RI. See the section on Jeremiah Kenyon on page 1. 4. Beriah Kenyon: Born Jun 17, 1794, RI. Married Sarah Kenyon, a cousin. 5. Rhoda Kenyon: Born 1802 and married to a Mr. Collins. Rhoda died prior to her father, but the names of two grandchildren, Susannah K. Collins and John K. Collins, do appear in Thomas Kenyon s will. 6. Mary Kenyon: Born Jun 10, 1807, died Apr 26, 1880. Married Nov 7, 1827, to Henry Bennington. The genealogical literature contains a great deal of information on this family. Kenyon ancestors of Thomas Kenyon The spelling of the surname has been standardized as Kenyon below, but the spelling Kinyon frequently appears in original sources. FIRST GENERATION John Kenyon: John Kenyon was born about 1657 in England. His parents are unknown. His first documented appearance in Rhode Island is in a 1687 Kingstown tax record. He married a daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Sherman) Mumford whose given name is unknown. He had a farm in Kingstown on land that he received from his father-in-law Thomas Mumford. He made out his will June 12, 1732, and died shortly afterward in Westerly, Washington Co, RI. His will was proved June 26, 1732. The 1935 genealogy American Kenyons by Howard Kenyon erroneously claimed that John married Anna Mumford and was the son of a James Kenyon who was born in 1633 in England and who married May 2, 1654, Ester (daughter of John Smith). This has been conclusively proven wrong by recent research. See Chapter 24 for complete information. The children of John Kenyon are named in his will: John: b 1682, James: b 1684-5iii. Enoch, Joseph, Samuel, David b 1693, Jonathan b 1695 SECOND GENERATION John Kenyon Born at an unknown date. He died before June 1, 1747, in Charleston, Washington Co, Rhode Island. He was married July 1704 to Elizabeth Remington, daughter of John and Abigail (Richmond) Remington, born 1685 in Richmond, RI, and died July 1748. Children: John, Thomas, Sylvester, George, Sarah, Mary, Elizabeth, Samuel, Abigail, and Benedict. THIRD GENERATION: THOMAS KENYON 7 Jeremiah and Sarah Kenyon Page 4
Born December 28, 1708, and died November 1778. He married Catherine Ney/Nye, daughter of John and Sarah (Cook) Nye. Children: George (1733), Elizabeth (1735), Thomas (1738), Stephen (1741), John (1744), Oliver (1754), Sarah (-?-), Catherine (-?-). FOURTH GENERATION: GEORGE KENYON Born February 4, 1733 in Rhode Island. Died December 8, 1819 in Rhode Island. Married March 16, 1758 Martha Hoxie, daughter of Solomon and Mary (Davis) Hoxie. Children: Martha (1759), Catherine (twin 1759), Thomas (1762), Solomon (twin 1762), George (1764), Bathsheba (1765), Sarah (Sally) (1767), Gideon (1770), Ann(e) (1772), Elizabeth (1774), Lydia (1776), Bathsheba (2nd) (1778). FIFTH GENERATION: THOMAS KENYON Thomas Kenyon was born February 27, 1762 in Rhode Island. He married Mary Teft, who was born about 1771 in Rhode Island. See the detailed information in the section on Thomas and Mary Kenyon on page 2. SIXTH GENERATION: JEREMIAH KENYON The subject of this chapter. Questions, Corrections and Additions I welcome questions, corrections and additions. I can be contacted at the e-mail or postal address at the top of page 1. Acknowledgements Thanks to Angela Leshak for calling my attention to a number of important sources. Shirley Hegeman of Oneonta, NY thoroughly searched local records for me in Madison Co and vicinity. Richard R. Kenyon of Huntington Beach, CA, has for many years helped me with the Rhode Island Kenyons. The gravestone photos are from the Cattaraugus Co Historical Museum website. 7 Jeremiah and Sarah Kenyon Page 5
Sources for the family of Jeremiah Kenyon Jeremiah Kenyon: Birth: Place from state of birth given in census and county of birth given in 1855 and 1865 census. Date calculated from age at death (consistent with age reported in census). The record of Tug Hill Cemetery (Cattaraugus Co Historical Museum) gives died March 15, 1869, at age 76 yr, 10 mo. Jeremiah s wife Sarah: Maiden name from Adelos Gorton, The Life and Times of Samuel Gorton.., 1907, p. 282. Birth: Place from residence of parents and from county of birth given in 1855 and 1865 census. Date of birth calculated from age at death. Birth year agrees with Gorton and with 1855 census (one year later in 1850 and 1860 census). The record of Tug Hill Cemetery in New Albion, Cattaraugus Co (Cattaraugus Co Historical Museum) gives Sarah Kenyon, d. 31 Jan 1869/1873, age 79y 1m 10 da. The stone may have been difficult to read the correct year is 1873. Sarah s death notice appears in the Cattaraugus Republican, Salamanca, NY, Feb 20, 1873, p. 3. It reads KENYON In New Albion, Jan. 31 st, 1873, Sarah, widow of Jeremiah Kenyon, in the 80 th year of her age. Jeremiah s family in the census: 1820, NY, Otsego Co, New Lisbon, p 116, family of Jeremiah Kinyon 1830, NY, Otsego Co, New Lisbon, p 274, family of Jeremiah Kinyon 1840, NY, Otsego Co, New Lisbon, p 41, family of Jeremiah Kinyon 1850, NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 29, family of Jeremiah Kenyon 1855, NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 25, family of Jeremiah Kenyon 1860, NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 535, family of Jeremiah Kinyon 1865, NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 623, family of Jeremiah Kinyon 1870, NY, Cattaraugus Co, New Albion, p 380B, Sarah (widow) living in the family of her sonin-law George Carey (indexed by Ancestry as Carsey) Children of Jeremiah and Sarah: Sarah was married 1 time and had 5 children, per the 1865 census cited above. Children William, Eliza, Addison and Mary are named in Gorton, p 424. Son William: Listed by Gorton, p 424. No other data. Daughter Eliza: Gorton, p 424, lists Eliza as a daughter and states that Eliza married Alexander Parker. An Alexander and Eliza Parker are found in the 1850 census (p 286) living in New Lisbon, Otsego Co, NY, the same place that Eliza was born. This family consisted of Alexander (head, b 1814), Eliza (wife, b 1815), Willis D. (b 1836), Stukely? (b 1838), Miranda (b 1839), Charles (b 1841) Evelyn (b 1843) Lewis (b 1846), Mary (b 1847), John (b 1851), Adelbert (b 1852), Louisa (b 1854) and Fannie (b 1855). Birth years were calculated from the age in the census and are approximate. Alexander Parker is probably the son of Alexander (Sr.) and Joanna (Gardner) Parker, based on the biographical sketch of Alexander Sr. s son David G. Parker in D. Hamilton Hurd, History of Otsego Co, New York, 1740-1787. Daughter Mary: Quaker Records from Duanesburgh, Later Called Butternuts, Otsego County, New York, typescript by Josephine C. Frost, 1942, FHL 17543. Mary E. Kinion, born 13 of 4m, 1818, daughter of Jeremiah and Sarah Kinion. She was unmarried and living with her parents in 1855, the last census in which she appears. Son Addison and wife Mary: The sources are given in the chapter on Addison and Mary (Hunton) Kenyon. 7 Jeremiah and Sarah Kenyon Page 6
Sources for Kenyon ancestors Sources for John Kenyon #1: See Chapter 24, The First Kenyons in America Descendants of the first John Kenyon: Two genealogies trace the line of descent from the first John Kinyon in the U.S. down to Remington Kenyon. They are: American Kenyons by Howard Kenyon, Tuttle, VT, 1935. This is still the most comprehensive work on the early Kenyons, but does not reflect the research that has taken place since 1935. Ancestors and Descendants of William Browning Greene and Mary Hoxie Lewis and Allied Families by William E. Wright, Gateway Press, 1993. The book includes many Kenyons, including the line of descent to Remington. It is up-to-date, and well-documented. In the following paragraphs, these sources are abbreviated Kenyon and Wright, and we give the author s ID number for the person. This information has been supplemented by other sources, cited below. John Kenyon 2 nd generation: Wright KE4, Kenyon #11. Wife Elizabeth s parents are family RE2 in Wright. The birth date and place in Wright which Wright qualified as possibly was taken from Kenyon 1935 and was shown by Wood 2004 to not be possible. Thomas Kenyon 3 rd generation: American Kenyons family #112. Wright, family KE 11. George Kenyon 4 th generation: American Kenyons family #1121, Wright, family KE28. Thomas Kenyon 5 th generation: American Kenyons family #11211. A member of Wright family KE28. Sources for Thomas Kenyon The sources used are: American Kenyons (family #11211) and Wright (KE28) have brief coverage. Thomas is living in the family of son-in-law Henry Bennington in the 1850 Census, New Lisbon, Otsego Co, NY, p 286. The age of 88 is consistent with the date of birth in American Kenyons. Will of Thomas Kinyon, proved Mar 28, 1854, Otsego Co Letters Testamentary and of Administration, 3:34. Thomas made out his will Aug 26, 1847, but was still living as of the 1850 census. He resided in Edmeston, Otsego Co at the time of death. The Biographical Review of Otsego Co, New York, Boston, 1893, p 592, in the biography of Eliza Bennington, Thomas Kenyon s granddaughter, states that Mrs. Bennington s paternal grandfather, Thomas Kinyon, came to this county [Otsego] from Rhode Island, bringing with him his wife, formerly Mary Teft, and two small children. This was in 1793. Thomas Kenyon actually lived in Brookfield, Madison Co (1820 and 1830 census), although he moved to Edmeston, Oneida Co by the 1840 census. Edmeston and Brookfield share a common boundary, although they are in different counties. William H. Tuttle, Names and Sketches of the Pioneer Settlers of Madison County, New York, 1984 (edited by Isabel Bracey) writes Thomas Kenyon: Brookfield Quaker. Early settler. Meetings held at his house until the church was built. Quaker Records from Duanesburgh, Later Called Butternuts, Otsego County, New York, typescript by Josephine C. Frost, 1942, FHL 17543. Mary Kinyon, died 30 of 4m [fourth month], 1847. Thomas Kinyon, died 10 of 5m, 1852. Oneonta Chapter DAR Bible, Cemetery, Church, and Local Records Vol 6, p 107, Wooley Hill Cemetery Records, Mary Kinyon wife of Thomas d 1847, 76 yr. Thomas is not listed, but the data is probably from reading the stones and stones are often lost in the pioneer cemeteries. 7 Jeremiah and Sarah Kenyon Page 7
Children of Thomas Kenyon: The name of each heir is included in the will of Thomas Kinyon, proved March 28, 1854 (Otsego Co Letters Testamentary and of Administration, 3:34). Information on son George Kinyon who married Phoebe Bennett appears in Biographical Review of Otsego Co p 591. The same George Kinyon, and his complete family are included in NYS DAR v. 90, p 27-45. This is a treasure trove of data on the Bennington family. George Kinyon s family is also included in a record transcribed from an 1838 Bible, in the family file of the Sherburne NY, Public Library. Beriah Kenyon s family is #112111 in American Kenyons; his birth date and wife s name are from this source. Our primary objective was to research Thomas son Jeremiah, so that we did only enough research on his siblings to identify them. There should be many additional sources of information on them. 7 Jeremiah and Sarah Kenyon Page 8