james holbrook (part 3 of 3)

death

1830 is the last year that James appears in the Federal Census. His death is recorded in the Vital Records of Weymouth (p 279) on January 29, 1840. The book states he is buried at Elmwood Cemetery in South Weymouth; which is almost across the street from where his land was on Union Street. James' wife Hannah lived another 12 years and is buried with her husband. I did visit the cemetery to locate thier graves and found them and some other smaller stones which probably are their children that died at a younger age.

From james holbrook feb 2013

James was survived by all but two of his children (Edmund and Loisa both died in 1827).  Most of the remaining children stayed close, residing in Weymouth with their new families.  One son, Cornelius, is noted to have moved to California in the History of Weymouth book on ancestry.com (note 1).  A daughter, Belinda Lindsay, also moved from Weymouth to the town of South Scituate (became Norwell).  Norwell is only a couple of towns away from Weymouth, but not sure how frequently they would have been able to see each other or how they got around to different towns. 

At the time of James' death, he had at least 9 grandchildren, all born in Weymouth.  Even though James never knew all of them, he would eventually have at least 39 grandchildren that lived to adulthood.  I found an additional 14 that died in childhood in the various vital records of Massachusetts. (note 2)

I checked the Probate Index, Norfolk County 1793 - 1900; A-K for James Holbrook and found a case number for his will, dated 1840, no. 9716 (p 545).  The probate records are not online at this time for Norfolk County, so I was unable to view the will.  I am hoping when I do eventually obtain it, I will have more information about James' children and probably land.


notes:

1.  records for Cornelius :

• according to weymouth book Cornelius went to CA (3_278)
• I think some of his brother william's children went to CA - maybe together?
• brother Jeremiah records state born dec 1821 - dates are too close, were they twins - cornelius was jan 1822.  But jeremiah's stone on findagrave states birth was 1822 - so maybe he was born dec 1822 and they were not twins - have to find birth record - maybe it was transcribed incorrectly in the weymouth vital record book
• there is a c holbrook b 1823 living in calaveras california in the 1852 CA state census who was born in MA (on ancestry)
• looked at death index on family search - they have deaths only starting in 1856 for that town - did not find any holbrooks - could have died before 1856 or moved from calaveras
• "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1849-1994" images, FamilySearch citing California, County Birth and Death Records, Various county clerks throughout California. https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/2001287
• ALSO a tax register for 1894 in Volcano, CA (Amador county) - Comelius Holbrook b. 1823 in MA
• 1905-1929 - deaths in CA on family search - no cornelius page 509/857 https://familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://familysearch.org/searchapi/search/collection/1932433 maybe he died before 1905
• a cornelius holbrook dies in 1887 in michigan - from find a grave? - not him, found death record on familysearch, parents do not match.
• cannot seem to find him in 1860 and beyond censuses

2. children and grandchildren of James and Hannah:

• oran stayed in weymouth - died same year as father - 1840. had 5 children - 2 died young, all born before 1840
• minot stayed in weymouth - had 4 children before 1840
• edmund and loisa died before they were 20
• james stayed in weymouth - had 7 children - 4 died before a year old - 2 of them before 1840 - one child survived that was born before 1840 - 2 other surviving children were born after 1840. james may have lived in different part of weymouth - buried in different cemetery. - lakeview - 1840 census he is living near an abner and an ira holbrook
• hannah holbrook cushing - stayed in weymouth - had 8 children - 2 before 1840 (one died as child) - 6 after 1840 (4 of the 6 died as children)
• william stayed in weymouth - had 7 children - all after 1840
• jeremiah stayed in weymouth - had 5 children - all after 1840 - 5 more with second wife - 1 died as child
• cornelius - he may have gone to CA
• belinda lindsay holbrook reed - moved to Norwell - had 5 children after 1840
• lucy holbrook - stayed in weymouth - probably in same house as father - had 7 children after 1840 - 2 died as children

to do
1.  visit Elmwood Cemetery again and look closer at smaller stones around James and Hannah
2.  find more information on Cornelius in California
3.  obtain James' will Norfolk County Probate no. 9716

james holbrook (part 2 of 3)

family life

James Holbrook's marriage intentions to Hannah Bates is recorded in the Vital Records of Weymouth, MA to the year 1850 (p91), on May 21, 1803.  I did not see a marriage date recorded, but usually it is within a couple of months of the marriage intentions.  James was 23 years old, Hannah was only 16 years old.  As I mentioned in my previous post, it is likely that James and Hannah were neighbors growing up, as their families are enumerated next to each other in the 1790 Census for Weymouth, MA. 

We are able to see how James and Hannah Holbrook's family had grown by viewing the census records from 1810-1830.  They had a total of 11 children; beginning with their first child, Oran in 1804 and ending with my 3rd great grandmother, Lucy in 1827. 

By the 1810 census, they had the following in their family household...

From james holbrook feb 2013

3 males under 10 (oran, minot, edmund); 1 male 26-44 (james); 1 female 16-25 (hannah)

The 1810 census above also shows many of James' siblings.  According to vital records for Weymouth all but one of James' siblings stayed in Weymouth.  It seems his sister Jerusha married and moved to Maine.  The census also shows that James' mother, Jerusha Holbrook, is enumerated in her own household, with another women, probably her daughter Sarah.  Since the listing is alphabetical, it is impossible to see if James was living close to his mother or his siblings.  They were in separate households though, so perhaps James bought his own land; or the land may have been part of his wife Hannah's family's property.  James' mother died in 1819 in Weymouth; she may have left a will which would probably discuss her land and perhaps her son James.  I will have to locate some deed and probate records for Weymouth in Norfolk County to find more details.  As I mentioned in my last post, James' father Abner died in 1788.  If he left a will, it would be in Suffolk County, as Norfolk County was not formed until 1793.

by the 1820 census...

From james holbrook feb 2013

2 males under 10 (william, james); 2 males 10-16 (edmund, minot); 1 male 16-18 (oran); 1 male 16-26 (oran); 1 male 26-45 (james); 2 females under 10 (loisa, hannah); 1 female 26-45 (hannah) (note 1)

The 1820 census actually shows which street James and Hannah are living on and who their neighbors were.  The notation on the top left corner states Boxbury Street.  This is the first document I have found which documents which part of Weymouth James lived in.  Unfortnately, Boxbury Street no longer exists in Weymouth, but I was able to find information from The History of Weymouth book on ancestry.com about James's house, which states is at 573 Union Street, not Boxbury Street.  The name Boxbury Street may have been an older street name for Union Street, or at least in the same areas, as five entries down on the next page the book discusses a deed of Christopher Bass, a neighbor of James, which mentions his land borders land Easterly on Boxbury Street. (2_933)  This section of the book was discussing a time a little later than this 1820 census, so Christopher Bass is not listed on this census.  Some of the other neighbors are mentioned though, such as Abner and John Holbrook, John and Jesse Shaw, Samuel Bates, and David Whitman.  This area of Weymouth is South Weymouth.  I have written a little about the area in a previous post on James' daughter Lucy, here; which includes a map of the possible location of James' land. 

By the 1830 census, James and Hannah's family grew even more; although some of the older children had since moved out. Oran and Minot moved have households of their own.  Two other children of James and Hannah are also not included in the 1830 census.  Edmund and Loisa both died three years earlier in 1827, the same year they had their last child Lucy (James was 48 years old and Hannah 41).  This must have been a very trying year for their family.  Lucy was born in May, Edmund died in September at the age of 19, and Loisa died in November at the age of 15.  The index of records for Weymouth does not list their cause of death.   

From james holbrook feb 2013

2 males under 5-10 (jeremiah, cornelius); 2 males 10-15 (james, william); 1 male 40-50 (james); 1 female under 5 (lucy); 1 female 5-10 (lindsay); 1 female 10-15 (hannah); 1 female 40-50 (hannah)

There is also another reference to James Holbrook in the History of Weymouth book, though I am not sure if it refers to James or his son.  It is a reference to those that joined the newly formed Democratic Association in Weymouth, in 1839. As it was only a year before Jame's death, and the passage in the book states names were "to form as complete an organization as possible of the Democratic young men of Weymouth" (2_694) it is likely it refers to his son James.  There are some other Holbrooks listed, including William, Abner, Sylvanus, and Asa.  It seems, if not James, at least the younger generation of Holbrooks, had a democratic leaning at this period in history.

continued...

notes
1. the 1820 census has two categories which includes the same age ranges: males ages 16-18, and males ages 16-26, so James and Hannah's son Oran, who is 16 years old is listed twice. 

to do
1. locate deed and probate records for Norfolk county to see where James got his land.  Weymouth was part of Suffolk County until 1793, when Norfolk County was formed.

• His father Abner died while Weymouth was in Suffolk County - 1789 Abner Holbrook Suffolk probate 19255 - from index on google books: Index to Probate Records of the County of Suffolk, MA G-O
• Also a book on google books: Suffolk deeds: liber -I-XIV [1629-87].  Did not find any references to this Holbrook Family. Some references to a John Holbrook and William Holbrook - land bordering Dyer family in Weymouth late 1600s.

 

james holbrook (part 1 of 3)

childhood

James Holbrook, one of my 4th great grandfathers, was born October 16, 1779 in Weymouth, MA to Abner Holbrook and Jerusha Vining. (note 1)  He was the 8th child out of 11; although one older brother, Abner, probably died before he was born . (note 2) 

James was only 8 years old when his father Abner died in 1788.  James' family is found in the first Federal Census of 1790, residing in Weymouth, MA.  His mother Jerusha is listed as head of the hosuehold, as widow Holbrook, with 4 of his siblings. 

Males - Under 16: 2 (daniel, jacob, james); Males - 16 and over: 1 (david); Females: 5 (lydia, jerusha, sarah, betty, jerusha)

Since the household only lists 3 males under 16 years old, one of Jerusha's younger sons may have been living with another family at the time.  The three boys that are under 16 are James, who would have been 11, Jacob, and Daniel.  Also, the two oldest sons, John, age 20, and Abner, age 18, are not incuded in the household.  I did not find John or Abner listed as head of household in Weymouth; so perhaps they are also living with another family.  All 4 daughters are included in the household for 1790, living with their mother Jerusha. 

1790 Census, Weymouth, MA : head of household Widow Jerusha Holbrook

The 1790 Census above seems to be enumerated by residence, so it is possible to see who Jerusha, and therefore James', neighbors probably were.  Samuel Bates and Widow Whitman are listed next to them, perhaps they lived next door.  Samuel Bates is James' future father-in-law; which explains how he met his future wife.  Also, a John Vining is below Jerusha on the 1790 census.  Jerusha had a brother John Vining, but he died before 1790.  Her father's name was also John Vining and was still living in 1790; I believe this is him living next to Jerusha.  I was thinking perhaps one of Jerusha's sons that is not listed with her might be living with her father (their grandfather), since they are neighbors.  John Vining does have one other male living with him who is older than 16.  This person could be one of James' older brothers, John or Abner.  John Vining, their grandfather, did not have any living sons in 1790, so this is a good possibility.  It is still a mystery as to where the third younger son is living in 1790.  I guess it is also possible that the census is incorrect, and they are all living together. (UPDATE: I came across a book on google books : Index to Probate Records of the County of Suffolk, MA, G-O; p 128 which lists guardian records for James, Jacob and Daniel as Suffolk Probate 19534, 19533, 19532 respectively)

By 1800, it seems that James, age 21, is living with his mother Jerusha and his younger brothers, one older brother, and two of his sisters, still in Weymouth, MA.

Males -10 thru 15: 1 (daniel); Males - 16 thru 25: 2 (jacob, james); Males - 26 thru 44: 1 (david); Females - 10 thru 15: 1 (lydia); Females - 26 thru 44: 1 (sarah); Females - 45 and over: 1 (jerusha)

1800 Federal Census, Weymouth, MA : head of household Widow Jerusha Holbrook

This census looks to be enumerated alphabetically, so it is impossible to see who James' neighbors were in 1800.  The census does show that James' older brothers, John and Abner, are now heads of their own households, enumerated separately. 

James' childhood occurred at a changing time in American history.  The American Revolution ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, when James was only 4.  I believe his father Abner fought in the war; at least in the beginning with the march to take possession of Dorchester Heights, according to the Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War book.  (vol 8 p 71)  The end of the war brought along a lot of changes.  Massachusetts joined the union when James was 9 years old, in 1788, the same year his father died. 

James was 10 years old when George Washington was elected as the first president of the United States in 1789.  The Bill of Rights were adopted when he was 12 years old, in 1791.  John Adams was elected the second president of the United States in 1796, when James was 17.  He was probably familiar with the Adams family, as Abigail Smith Adams had also lived in Weymouth, MA.   

continued...

notes:
1.   James' birth is noted in the Vital records of Weymouth, Massachusetts, to the year 1850... , page 131, available online through Open Library. 

2. A brother Abner was born in 1767, then another brother Abner was born in 1772.  Although I did not locate a death record for the first Abner, I am assuming he died before 1772, when the second Abner was born. 

to do:
1. Obtain Gaurdianship records for James, Jacob and Daniel : Suffolk Probate 19534, 19533, 19532