Person:Mary Corsa (1)

Quote from Poole researcher: "Alfred Poole Family Bible states Mary Corsa(r) and Jackson Poole were husband and wife, married November 12, 1808. Her birthdate and death are also noted in the Family Bible, as well as the children they had.

A question arises based on conflicting information from William DeCoursey published data seen on the LDS Pedigree Resource Files, Disc.18, accessed 6-14-05. Under issue for Isaac Corsa/Mary Gibb Corsa, he identifies 'Mary Corsa' as their daughter and she is married to Jackson Poole. He has no birth dates for Mary. In a second Decoursey report regarding the Andrew Corsa marriage to Hanna Bussing (as a 1st marriage), he states issue were a Mary Corsa and an Isaac Corsa. The birthdate given for Mary is matching to that seen in the Alfred Poole Family Bible. How can these discrepencies be rectified and proven? I have emailed Mr. DeCoursey with these questions (5-05). No reply as of this time (6-15-05). For now, I will leave 'Mary Corsa' as the sister of Andrew Corsa, not his daughter.

Mary is the sister* to Andrew Corsa, identified below. A Brother of Jackson Poole, named 'Solomon'(2) (father Solomon(1)), married Deborah Corsa, a daughter of Andrew and Mary Poole. (List of Andrew and Mary Poole Corsa issue was stated in the Westchester County Historical Society's publication, "Westchester Historian", Summer 1996. Vol. 72 Iss. 3)

Andrew CORSA, son of Isaac and Mary (GIBB) CORSA, was born, 24 Jan 1762, d. 21 Nov 1852. He married first, 1792, to Mary POOLE, and he married second to Helena BUSSING. His obituary in 1852 states "both his father and grandfather were natives of the same place as himself. The latter was born in 1692 about the time of Gov. Fletcher's arrival in the colony, after whom he was named Benjamin Fletcher CORSZEN." See William S. Hadaway, McDONALD PAPERS, pt.II (1927), p.73. French's HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY (1927), v.5; James Riker, REVISED HISTORY OF HARLEM (1904), p.488.

   http://www.teachout.org/du/decoursey1750.html (Accessed 3-9-05)

ANDREW CORSA Andrew Corsa grew up on a farm where Fordham University stands today. Although his father was a Tory during the American Revolution, when this 19 year-old was asked by George Washington and the Comte de Rochambeau to guide them and 5,000 American and French troops to Morrisania to survey British fortifications on Manhattan, he readily agreed. On July 20, 1781, he led them on the Grand Reconnaissance, sometimes dodging cannonballs, and led them back. Corsa Avenue is named after his family.

   http://bronxcountyclerksoffice.com/en/history/chronology.htm (Accessed 5-15-05)

The name "Corsa" is spelled multiple ways in records: Corsa, Corsar, Corszen, Coursa, DeCoursey, etc. Certain Versions used during war time or other locations became "Reeser", "Racer", to Anglicize their name. Because of the hostilities of the Indians and the French leading up to the colonial wars of 1753-1763, it probably was not advisable in the Colonies to have a French sounding name; hence Teunis CORSI (Dennis DeCOURSEY) often used the anglicized version of his name "REESER". Note that the French "COURSIER" pronounced "Coursay" is translated to "RACER" in English; also "STAM" in Dutch as it was used by some of the early deCOURCY's in Holland and New Amsterdam. Several RACER descendants in Ohio, WV, and elsewhere are aware of their DeCOURSEY heritage. See GRACE RACER GENEALOGY, Campus Maritus Library, Marietta, Ohio; Marrietta Chapter DAR, EARLY BIBLE RECORDS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO (Marietta, Ohio, 1940), p.115.

   Source: http://www.teachout.org/du/decoursey1750.html (Accessed 3-9-05)

• Due to multiple conflicting sources of data, we are noting her parentage as 'under research' for the time being."

1.   Email from Poole researcher.

   Alfred M. Poole Family Bible for birthdates, deaths, marriages. Copyrights from 1881 through 1877, Library of Congress.