Person:John Armstrong (45)

The extract from the Geneva NY newspaper gives his marriage date and his residence at the time of the marriage, and the clipping from the LaHarper gives details on John Armstrong Jr.’s mother and her family. Mary Barron is given as John Jr.’s mother, and we have found both the marriage record and a census linking her to John Armstrong Sr. Recent evidence from a county biography of Mary (Armstrong) Lowrey names her parents as John Armstrong and Mary Barron. Census data implies a birth date of ca 1789-90. The principal evidence linking him to his father, an earlier John Armstrong, used to be their geographic proximity and census correlations. Now, deeds have proven this relationship.

In 1816 John purchased from his uncle-in-law Daniel Agnew for $1.00 the share of Martin Armstrong’s land in Ontario Co NY which his father, John Armstrong, and Daniel Agnew had purchased in 1804 from Martin Armstrong. On 8 Apr 1819, John sold this exact lot of land to Abigail Williamson. A year later he was in Genesee Co [later Livingston Co] NY at the 1820 census.

The will of John Armstrong (1808, Feb. 5) of Maidenhead Twp, Hunterdon Co NJ mentions the estate of his father, Martin Armstrong. Also, John Armstrong mentions his son, John Armstrong (son of Barsheba Moore), real and residue of personal estate. Said son to be educated by Dr. James Agnew, his Guardian. Inventory was made by James Coleman and William Baker. This becomes quite a family confusion. John Armstrong (s/o John Armstrong, s/o Martin Armstrong) was also the s/o Barsheba Moore who was the d/o John Coleman. Barsheba/Bathsheba Coleman married Nathaniel Moore. Nathaniel Moore and Bathsheba Coleman Moore are my ancestors but I would love to know about her son, John Armstrong and what happened to him and perhaps he married and had a family of his own. (See Armstrong Board at Ancestry.com.)

He was born after half-brother David Moore, whose family records say was born 21 Jan 1788. He was under 21 [I assume both NJ and NY had an age of majority of 21 at that time] on 5 Feb 1808, when his father signed his will leaving a guardian to educate his son. The 1850 census says 62 years old, which indicates a birthdate of about 1789. He was over 21 in 1816 when he sold land in Ontario Co NY inherited from his father. This fact leaves a latest date for his birth of 5 Feb 1795.

1. ↑ His 1850 and several children’s 1880 censuses all say he was born in NJ, as does dt Mary’s bio in Knox Co IL..