Family talk:Samuel Seeley and Unknown (1)

Hi,

I've just entered a Samuel Seeley who married my Abigail Winans b ca 1765 or 1766. Could this be your unknown wife ? I saw no places mentioned. Though Abigail was probably born in Perth Amboy, NJ, her parents moved to the Delaware Water Gap, settling in Middle Smithfield Twp, Monroe, PA.--Neal Gardner 12:41, 11 September 2009 (EDT)

Hi, Neal - It is possible that your Abigail WINANS is the missing wife, although I do not see any female named Abigail in "my" family two generatons later. I am related to the Samuel SEELEY whose daughter Julia married Solomon L SMITH of Southport, Chemung Co., New York, and had daughter Orpah who married Abner WELLS my direct ancestor. Here is the newspaper clipping of the family (there is another SMITH and another SEELEY mentioned but I have no knowledge of whether they are related or not): "Orpah Smith was born in the town of Southport[Chemung Co., New York] December 21 St, 1805, and was the second daughter of Solomon L. Smith, who was the first supervisor of the town in the year 1822, and several terms subsequently held that office, in all fourteen years. From about 1819 he resided at the Bulkhead Hotel, where he engaged in hotel business, operating the woolen factory at that place in connection with Charles Evans, lumber and farming extensively. He was married to Miss Julia Seeley, daughter of Mr. Samuel Seeley, who at the time lived on the farm now occupied by Alpha D. Griswold, which is situate about a mile above the Bulkhead Hotel on the plank road leading to the state line. Solomon L. Smith's family consisted of the following sons and daughters, and we give the names of those to whom they were married: Aurelia, the eldest still living, was born in Southport August 6, 1802, and married Shadrack Thompson; Orpha, deceased married Abner Wells; Margaret, deceased, married Mijamin Griswold; Emma, still living, married Sebury French; Orr, still living, married Huldah Ann Smith; Hannah, deceased, married Henry Case Wells; Fanny, still living, married Harvey Farrand and Ebenezer Seeley, [second husband]; Timothy, deceased, married Harriet Fry; Uri, deceased, not married; Jud, still living, married Rebecca Matthews; Harriet deceased, and youngest of the family, married Hammond Matthews." Any of these names and places ring a bell????? I'll check the census records for a WINANS family in the area..... Kathryn

Hi, Kathryn - I don't recognize any of the places you mentioned, but this WINANS family has a penchant for moving like wild rabbits; most ended up in Mahoning County, Ohio; some went to New York. I'll give you a short outline of Abigail's parents & siblings. I'm currently working from a WINANS descendancy chart that does not gives places, just dates, marriages, but if you do a "search" for Alice WINANS EGY WOOLLEY, she has an extensive sight giving places and more details. Here is a short Family Group for Abigail.

Parents: Adjutant Jacob Winans 26 Nov 1726 - 1810 (He married 4 times, children w/three) 3rd wife: Jemima Rae (mother of Abigail) 1st wife: Rebecca Clark; 2nd wife Rebecca Connett (may be mother of Abigail, if she died in or shortly after childbirth); 4th Hannah LaRue 3rd marriage ca 1765 poss. in Perth Amboy, NJ or Scotch Plains, NJ Children: Abigail Winans b ca 1765/66 James Winans (my direct ancestor) 12 Mar 1767 - 11 Aug 1852 m Hannah Bunnell Jemima Winans b ca 1769 m William Baker Anna Winans b ca 1771 m Benjamin Bush Mary Magdalena ba ca 1772 m Rudolph Trach Jacob Winans b 20 Sep 1777 m Catherine Delong

Since Abigail was the eldest of this group, she may have joined an older half sibling, as I remember that a handful traveled to NY. Half siblings are: Isaac Winans b 1764, Matthew Winans b 1761; Jotham Clark Winans b 1753; Phebe Winans b 1758 m James PLACE;Jacob Winans Jr b 1751

Good Luck--Neal Gardner 14:56, 11 September 2009 (EDT)