Person:Sophia Wallis (1)

In the 1864 tax list Sophia B Boyer, wife of Thomas M Boyer was taxed $168.76, making her the fifth highest taxpayer in the town. Her 489 acre farm was the largest on the list of high tax payers. The 1865 NY Census gives a view of the Boyer farm. In that census Sophia B Boyer was listed as the head of the household and Thomas M Boyer wasn't listed as being present. The house was frame and had a cash value of $300. The farm was 340 improved and 150 unimproved acres with a cash value of $9800. 60 acres were plowed in 1865, 75 were pasture, 150 meadow. 150 tons of hay was made, 70 bushels of wheat, 1000 bushels oats, 70 bushels barley, 152 bushels buckwheat 100 bushels potatoes. 300 apple trees produced 250 bushels apples and 12 barrels of cider. 100# of honey and 20# wax were collected. There was 1 calf, 8 cattle, 2 working oxen 3 milch cows, 1 colt, 1 horse, 10 pigs, 260 sheep shorn, 100 lambs raised and 67 yards of cloth were made.

Sophia Brooks Wallis was engaged to Albert Maxwell prior to her visit to her aunt Maria Comegys Boyer in 1835. During that visit, letters written by Albert to Sophia were intercepted by Maria Boyer who wanted Sophia to marry her son Thomas. Sophia was convinced that her lover had forgotten her, extended her stay in New York, and eventually married her cousin Thomas Montgomery Boyer. In latter years Maria confessed her deed. Sophia latter contacted Albert to explain the whole episode. He was said to have felt "distressed" about it. He died in 1903 Æ 94 childless. Sophia's marriage to Thomas Boyer was not a good one and they appear to have lived seperately.

In the 1860 census, Wallis M Boyer, age 23 was living at home with his parents. In the next house was Hannah Isabelle Wallis, widow of Hugh Henry Wallis along with her children and a women Cordelia Horton who is said to have been born in Maryland who is unkown. In the third house is a woman M. Holingsworth and her son Harry said to be born in Maryland, Ruth Ann Wallis, Hannah Isabelle's sister, William Woodland who is probably a cousin of Hannah Isabelle and several other people. Wallis M Boyer, and Hannah Isabelle Wallis had been in Lousianna when Hugh Henry Wallis was murdered on 23 May 1860. It is assumed that Ruth Ann Wallis and William Woodland were also in Lousiana at that time. Neither of them were in the 1865 NY census. By 1870 Ruth Ann was in Westmoreland County Virginia and Hannah Isabelle was in Petersburg VA.

1. ↑ John & Sarah Wallis family bible records, Record Number: CS71.W2144 1948. (Mathew Carey, #22 Market St., Philadelphia, PA, 1806).
2. ↑ Wallis, Emily Thomas. John Wallis Family Papers.
3. ↑ Obituary gives date as 11 Feb 1869.