Hi Michael,
As we have discussed, very little has made sense with regard to John W. TROUT 1769-1862 being the husband of Hester PURSEL and the father of Horatio Gates TROUT. I believe I now have the problem resolved and am planning additional research steps to further validate my work. As we suspected, there was an extra generation involved. I have now found additional census information that due to indexing anomalies had escaped our review until I located them this morning.
While not all inclusive, the following is an overview of the conflicts or questions encountered when previously assuming Horatio Gates TROUT was the son of John TROUT 1769-1862.
1. A 3 May 1769 deed shows John TROUT’s wife as being Elizabeth, not Hester as expected.
2. While not impossible, I have always been struck by the vast age difference between John TROUT being born circa 1769 and Hester being born in 1803 (34 years difference!).
3. Now that I have found more census entries, we have John TROUT (1769) of Turbot Twp, Northumberland, PA consistently showing from the 1810 through the 1830 census as having only one child, a daughter born between 1800 and 1810. No male child is ever present. John's wife is of about the same age he is. She appears to have been born in about 1770.
4. In a deed dated 13 Sep 1851, John TROUT now refers to himself as a widower, even though Hester was still alive. Elizabeth, John's known wife had died by this time.
5. We also have the problem of John's will not mentioning Hester or any of the children.
Taken altogether, particularly in light of the 1810-1830 census only showing one female child, John TROUT 1769-1862 just cannot be the father of Horatio Gates TROUT.
Now that being said, the 1830 and 1840 census both show a young John TROUT (estimated birth 1802) and wife of the right age to be Hester, and the correct number of children and of the correct gender and age. In 1830, they are living within a few doors of Abraham TROUT Sr., in Milton, and in 1840, the same John TROUT family is found living in nearby Sunbury, the county seat of Northumberland County.
Moreover, the 1810-1820 Census show Abraham TROUT Sr. with a son among his children that would be the correct age to be young John TROUT, perhaps named after Abraham TROUT Sr.’s brother, John TROUT 1769-1862.
Recalling that tax records, deeds, and census information only account for two TROUT’s in Northumberland County of the correct age to be a father of young John TROUT; that we have eliminated John TROUT the elder through census records as a possible father; and we have qualified Abraham TROUT Sr as the very likely father through census records and living almost next door to each other in 1830, I have now corrected my records to reflect Abraham TROUT Sr as the very likely but not proven father of John TROUT 1802-1841, and therefore the grandfather of Horatio Gates TROUT.
Since John TROUT 1802-1841 was living in Sunbury, Northumberland, PA in the 1840 census, that may well be where he died, not Milton. Based on census records showing the family previously living in Milton, it remains consistent that Horatio Gates TROUT was born in Milton as reported in his obituary.
I am considering taking a day off work this coming week and driving up to Sunbury and checking the probate files and Orphan Court docket to see if I can find John TROUT’s estate being settled in 1841, and perhaps Horatio Gates being apprenticed out. I also hope to find his marriage to Hester PURSEL circa 1828. If cemetery records are available, I will try to locate John TROUT’s burial.
I have also noticed a nearby Jacob PURSEL in the census records of the right age and with children of the right gender and age to perhaps be the father of Hester. I will look for Jacob PURSEL’s will and/or probate file to see if Hester is mentioned.
Now as for Abraham TROUT Sr, I found him in the 1860 census at age 84 living in Minersville, Schuylkill, PA with his son, Abraham TROUT, Jr., so I suspect he died soon after in Minersville, since he did not appear in the 1870 census. I plan to contact Schuylkill County to see if there was a will and/or probate file that might name Hester as a surviving daughter-in-law.
I have already updated my database and website to reflect these changes.
Hopefully, I explained my reasoning well, and I look forward to your thoughts. I think this all makes much more sense now.
All good wishes,
Craig Trout
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