Matthews Moss Family Gallery

This photo is of Lauren Alonzo Matthews (1837-1906), a Civil War veteran, and his second wife Mary Elizabeth Tompkins (1844-1911).   Lauren and Mary were married on September 26, 1865 and lived in Ashland and Jewett. They are buried in Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Ashland. Together, they had seven children: Lois A., b.8/24/1866, Mary E., b. 1/29/1868, William Tompkins, b. 12/6/1870, Emer Oakley, b. 9/1/1872, Sarah Vica, b. 7/19/1873, Lauren, b. 3/13/1876 and Archibald, b. 3/14/1880. Lois married first George Lavarac and after his death Harry Tompkins; Mary E. married John Zadoc Pratt Northrup; William Tompkins married Minnie Cordelia Moss; Elmer Oakley died at the age of 16; Sarah Vica married Arthur Austin; Lauren married Flora McLain and Archibald married Sarah Tanner Cameron. Lauren's parents were John Albert Matthews and Selina W. Hosford.  Mary's parents were William Tompkins and Drucilla Christian.
2.    Lauren Alonzo Matthews, 1837-1906, son of Selina W. Hosford, 1809-1884, and John Albert Matthews, 1803-1859, married Lois A. Groat, daughter of John, 1774-1863, and Mercy Groat, 1781-1857, on April 25, 1859. On the Ashland State Census for 1855, John Groat's house was number 55 and John Albert Matthews' house was number 50; so, they were probably neighbors and likely grew up together. They had a daughter, Fanny Augusta, on August 15, 1860. Lois died on August 26, 1861 from diptheria. On October 24, 1861, Lauren enlisted for three years in Company M, 5th Regt., Co., K., NY Volunteer Cavalry as a Private. His brother, George, enlisted at the same time. Lauren was not long in the service, as he was discharged for disability on March 2, 1862. Harry Allen Matthews, his grandson and my father, remembered being told that "he was sent home to die". I guess that was an important piece of the family history, as he also told me that he remembered his grandfather's funeral, that he was "scared", but he touched his beard. He would have been 4 years old when Lauren died. Obviously, his disability did not kill him, but it could have done and that is why they sent him home. His grandson stated that he came home with the "black measles" and, never having heard of that disease, I did some research and discovered that it was one of the names given Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. On September 26, 1865, he married Mary Elizabeth Tompkins. According to Jewett Town Records, he owned a farm of 95 acres in 1896.
3. A very poor copy of a photo of Selina W. Hosford (1809-1884), wife of John Albert Matthews, Sr., (1803-1859). They are the parents of Margaret Addie, John Albert, Jr., George Albert, William Harrison, Hannah Alice and Lauren Alonzo Matthews. They lived and died in Ashland.
4.    John Zadock Pratt Northrup family. John Z.P. Northrup, 1858-1941, married Mary E. Matthews (d/o Lauren Alonzo and Mary Elizabeth Matthews, nee Tompkins) on October 6, 1891. They had four children: The oldest were the twins, Elizabeth (Libby) and Elmer, b. 1892. They were followed by Hazel in 1893 and John, Jr., in 1898. Libby never married and died in 1924; Elmer married Mable Merwin, but had no children and died in 1971; Hazel married Darwin DeLong and died in 1961, they had 10 children, but most of them died young; John never married or had children and died in 1959.

Nellie Elizabeth Lord (1879-1958), daughter of Collins and Fanny Lord (nee Matthews) married Peter Davidson Finn (1870-1937), a policeman in Philadelphia like her father. He is shown in in the above photo in uniform. They had five children: Mildred Lois (1901-1972), Peter Collins (1902-1976), Nellie Mignon (1904-1969), Lauren Albert (1907-1965) and John Benton, (1912-1941). The children shown in the photo are Mildred Lois and Peter Collins.
5.    Peter Davidson Finn, 1870-1937, husband of Nellie Elizabeth Lord.
6.    Peter Davidson Finn, later in life.
7.    Mildred Lois Finn, oldest daughter of Peter Davidson Finn and Nellie Elizabeth Lord.
8.    Fanny Augusta Lord, nee Matthews (1860-1929) with her granddaughter, Mildred Lois Matthews, nee Finn (1902-1972). Mildred was the daughter of Fanny's child, Nellie Elizabeth Lord and Peter Davidson Finn.
9.    Rosalia (called Rose). 1852-1914, and Jacob (called Jake) N. Garvey, both of East Jewett when married in Ashland, per the Catskill Recorder.  Rose was the daughter of  Elizabeth P. and Asa Lord and sister of Collins, Adelaid, Delilah and Estelle.
10.    The home of Rose and Jake Garvey - location unknown.

The house pictured above is the original Lord Family Homestead in East Jewett with Ephraim Lord (1808-1893), father of Sarah Ann, Estelle Elizabeth (1865-1914), sister of Collins Lord and niece of Sarah Ann and Estelle's husband, Virgil James Edson posed in front of the building. Unfortunately, the picture was taken at such a distance that the features are impossible to make out. The old homestead is gone and replaced by a newer home, but the Lord Family Cemetery is located behind the site and is maintained by the present owner of the property.

1. The above photo is of the Art Matthews family of Norton Hill. He was known to Mignon as Uncle Art and she thought his name was Arthur, but it was Archibald (1880-1934). He married Sarah Tanner Cameron (1881-1967) and they had 6 children: Harold, Mable, Eugene, Pearl Emily, Emmett and Everett. Everett was known as Pic and lived to be 89 years of age. He always attended Matthews family reunions and lived in Durham. Archibald was the son of Lauren Alonzo and Mary Elizabeth Matthews (nee Tompkins). According to a list on the back of the photo postcard, the people in the photo are: William, Archibald, Elmer, Lauren, Mamie, and Satie. The older lady is his wife's mother, also according to information on the back of the post card; and, Archibald and Sarah must be seated on either side of her. Satie was a nickname for Sarah and Mamie must be her mother. Elmer and William must be the boys and it is possible that the name written on back of the post card is Laura; but, one girl is unidentified if that is the case.

Eunice Brand, (nee Wattles), she was the mother of Eliza Lathrop Moss (nee Brand) 1836-1915, second wife of Orwell Alonzo and     mother of Minnie Cordelia Matthews. Orwell's first wife was Sophronia Lathrop Brand and they had 5 children: Eunice Loretta, b. 1848, Alice Elizabeth, b. 1849, Mary Ellen, b. 1850, Elihu Allen, b.1853 and Carrie Sophronia, b. 1859. Eliza was Sophronia's sister and when Sophronia died in 1864, Orwell later married her sister Eliza in 1866. Orwell and Eliza had two children: Minnie Cordelia in 1868 and William (Willie) in 1877. Willie only lived three years, but Minnie lived to be 56 years of age and had two surviving children with William Tompkins Matthews.
2.    The children in the photo above are the children of Elihu Allen Moss, son of Orwell and Sophronia Moss, and Elizabeth Ancy Chittenden, daughter of Judson and Antoinette Chittenden, all of Durham. They are Allen Evander, Ethel Frances and Judson C.
3.    Minnie Cordelia Moss, daughter of Orwell and Eliza Moss
4.    Carrie Sophronia Moss, daughter of Orwell and Sophronia Moss. She died at the age of 25, and apparently never married.
5.    Reuben (1827-1908) and Orwell (1822-1900) Moss are both sons of Elihu Moss (1791-1849) and Betsy Warriner (1793-1855), who came to Durham from Connecticut. Reuben married Almira Brand (1827-1895) and the above photo is of Reuben and Almira.
6.    Hannah Moss (nee Tyler), 1770-1845, wife of Elihu Moss, 1767-1837, who migrated with her husband and children from Connecticut to West Durham. They had 10 children, but lost two of their sons. This is why there are two sons named Jesse and two named Justin. The surviving children were: Elihu, Emma, Justin, Thankful, Jesse, Reuben, Diantha and Amaryllas. Elihu's father, also named Elihu, fought in the American Revolution in Connecticut. He served as a Lieutenant over a company of 38 Volunteer Minute Men raised in the town of Farmington, Hartford Co., CT, on January 15, 1777. Before the revolution, he also fought in the French and Indian Wars.
7.    Photo of Eliza Brand Moss, with husband Orwill Moss, and his children from his first marriage to Sophronia Lathrop Brand: Carrie, Eunice, Alice, Elihu and Mary.
8.    Ruel Bascom was the husband of Emma, Elihu and Hannah Moss' daughter; and, along with their son, Elihu, an executor of his will.
9.    Electa Bascom, b. abt 1841 in Greene County, probably in the Town of Durham, d/o Ruel and Emma Moss Bascom.
10.    Under the photo, someone has written "Bissel Bascom father of Elizabeth". Bissel was baptized Josiah Bissel Bascomb on July 3, 1836 at the Second Presbyterian Church at Durham, s/o Ruel and Emma Bascomb.
11.   Mary Moss married Platt Chase. Who her parents were is unknown.