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In the September, 1920 probate record (File No. 72804, Worcester Co. Mass. Probate Court) for her father, Charles L. COLE, the address for May I. ROBERTSON was Leominster, Mass. She and her brother, Alden COLE, were appointed executors of their father’s will.

May I. Robertson and her family were living with her father, Charles L. Cole, at the time of the 1920 census.

† According to a letter from the Leominster Historical Society, the City Directories for Leominster, Massachusetts show that Charles L. Cole resided at 56 Main St. from 1891 through 1900, when he moved to 90 Main St. where he resided until his death in 1920.

* The birthplace given for May Ida (COLE) ROBERTSON’s mother on the 1920 census is wrong, since her mother was born in Pennsylvania. This would lead one to believe that Ralph ROBERTSON was the person who provided information to the census taker, rather than Charles L. COLE, or May herself.

In the Social Security Death Index, there is a record for Frank Robertson, whose birthdate is close to the one (Sept., 1916) extrapolated from his age on the 1920 Massachusetts census, which follows:

Frank Robertson
Birth Date: 15 Aug 1916
Death date: June, 1958
Social Security No. 014-18-9416
Last known location: ---
Zip code of last residence: ---
Zip code of last payment: ---

Additionally, the first 3 digits of his SSN fall within the series of numbers that were issued to Massachu­setts residents, namely the series beginning with “010-034,” according to a message posted to the GEN-NY-L mailing list in March, 1999.

There is no separate biographical sketch for Anthony B. RYAL in S.C. Cleveland’s History and Directory of Yates County, New York; however, scattered references to his name appear on pp. 121, 129, 506, 920, 1055, and 1094-96, which reveal the following information about this family:

Zeruah, dau. of Henry and Rachel (CLARK) BROWN, m. Anthony RYAL of the Town of Torrey, and they had four children: Lucy A., Rachel, Mary and John H. RYAL.  “Lucy A. married William KRESS and Mary married Starkey KRESS.” Phoebe, dau. of Peter and Viletta (WARD) LOCKWOOD, m. John RYAL, son of Anthony B. RYAL of Torrey. In a section on the Starkey Methodist Church, it says that in conjunction with this church Anthony B. RYAL and David SMITH conducted revival meetings in 1838 in the “Beartown” school house, southwest of Eddytown and a class of 75 members was formed.  These same men had pre­viously conducted a revival in 1835 in the “Stone School House,” east of Shannontown, and a class of 60 persons was organized.

According to S. C. Cleveland’s History and Directory of Yates Co., New York, p. 1054, Orison SEAMAN was a son of James SEAMAN, who settled first at Shannontown, then later moved to Reading, where he died. It further stated James SEAMAN was a brother-in-law of Reuben HILL, Sr., implying either that Reuben HILL’s wife was James SEAMAN’s sister, or Reuben HILL’s sister was the wife of James SEAMAN.

Apparently Orison and Sarah (Kress) Seaman did not spend their whole lives in Jefferson, Chemung Co., New York. The 1850 Federal Census for Reading, Steuben Co., New York, p. 176, 32/34 has a record for the family of Orison Seaman, and the names in the household match all those found in Cleveland's History of Yates Co., New York. This area later became part of Schuyler Co., New York, when the area was taken from Steuben County in 1854.  The following is that census record:

Name	S e x	A g e	Occupation	Value of Real Estate	Birth Place
Orison Seaman	M	50	carpenter	$600	NY
Sarah Seaman	F	47			NY
James Seaman	M	26	carpenter		NY
Clinton Seaman	M	24	carpenter		NY
Catharine Seaman	F	18			NY
Samuel Seaman	M	17	carpenter		NY
Dezang Seaman	M	15			NY
Eliza Seaman	F	6			NY

The probate record for Samuel KRESS, Sr. dated 1845 revealed that his daughter, Sarah (KRESS) SEAMAN, was then a resi­dent of “Jefferson, Chemung Co., New York.” She was not a resident of Watkins, Jefferson Co., New York, as stated in S.C. Cleveland’s History and Directory of Yates County, New York, p. 921 said the SEAMAN family resided at Watkins, New York, which appears to be an error, since the only Watkins in New York is Watkins Glen in Schuyler Co.; however, it has been learned that Watkins Glen was formerly known as simply Watkins. Also at the present time there is no town named Jefferson in the county of Chemung; there is, however, a town named Jefferson in Schoharie County, New York.

The January 1869 probate record for the estate of her father, John Jay KRESS, gives the address for Susan A. SLAUGHTER as Benton, Yates Co., New York.

In the 1860 Warren Co., Illinois census, Sumner township, p. 265, the name of James C. MEHAFFEY, age 21, farm laborer, birthplace: Ohio, was found in the record for the household of Jackson SNODGRASS, age 24, farmer, birthplace: Illinois. Jackson SNODGRASS’ wife was Sarah G. (“Sadie”) (Mehaffey) SNODGRASS, age 17, born in Ohio. Also residing with them was John A. MEHAFFEY, age 12, born in Ohio. It is reasonable to assume, based on family stories that James MEHAFFEY had a brother John and a sister Sadie (Sadie is a nickname for Sarah), that the James C. MEHAFFEY in this home was the brother of both Sarah SNODGRASS and John MEHAFFEY, since all three had been born in Ohio and were near the same age. This was further confirmed by a marriage record for Jackson SNODGRASS to Sarah J. MAHAFFEY found in the Warren Co., Illinois records dated 3 Mar 1859. From THE MACE, a SNODGRASS newsletter, Jackson SNODGRASS was born 1835, in Warren Co., Illinois, son of George and Mary Elizabeth (HENDERSON) SNODGRASS. Jackson SNODGRASS also served in the Civil War and died of wounds at Chattanooga, Tennessee on 17 Jul 1864.

Other MEHAFFEYs on this census record were:

1. Samuel MEHAFFEY, age 23 or 33, b. Ohio, and his wife, Ann, on p. 259 in Little York

2. Joseph MEHAFFEY, age 22, b. Ohio, farmer, and his wife Mary, age 19, born in Illinois, on p. 273 also in Sumner Twp., Little York P.O.

Of these two men it is known that Samuel was an older brother of James MEHAFFEY, because when James C. MEHAFFEY applied for a Civil War pension he said he had been residing at Little York, Warren Co., Illinois prior to his enlistment in the Union Army in 1862. Additionally we know from family stories that John and Samuel MEHAFFEY, said to have been brothers of James, stayed in Illinois.

Samuel Mehaffey served as a private in the Civil War. Below is information obtained on his service from the Illinois State Archives in Springfield, Illinois. The following information appears on the “Muster and Descriptive Roll” for Company I, 83rd Infantry Illinois Volunteer Regiment.

The following information appears on the “Muster and Descrip­tive Roll of Company C, Thirty-sixth Infantry Regiment of Illinois Volunteers” for Jackson Snodgrass, first husband of Sarah G. Mehaffey.

According to Lewis C. ALDRICH’s History of Yates County, New York, published in 1892 by D. Mason & Co. publishers, pp. 510-12, in 1845, Catherine HUSON married James SPICER and they had two daughters, Mary and Rebecca. She died 23 Oct 1858 of cancer in Tescumseh, Kansas. (Source:  Genealogical Gleanings Abstracted from the “Yates County Chronicle” Penn Yan, New York May 1856 to October 1867, compiled by Dianne Stenzel, ©1992, Heritage Books, Inc. paragraph 680.)

A record of this family appeared on the 1850 census for Starkey, Yates Co. New York, the 451st family enumerated in the census. James SPICER was age 24, his wife Catherine, age 24, and their daughters, Mary, age 2, and Rebecca, age 11. All were born in New York. Mary SPICER died at age 9 on 30 Mar 1857 in Dundee according to paragraph 208 of the book, Genealogical Gleanings Abstracted from the “Yates Chronicle” Penn Yan, New York, May 1856 to October, 1867, compiled by Dianne Stenzel.

The source for most of the information on Starkey Seminary was a letter from W. R. KUKLENTZ dated August 23, 1975, to Bonnie BUNCE. At that time, Mr. KUKLENTZ (class of 1926) was secretary-treasurer and “self-appointed historian” of the Lakemont Academy Alumni Association. The letter stated when the institution was reopened as Lakemont Academy, the first Headmaster “wanted to cut all ties with the past. I have it from an eyewitness that many of the old records were just taken out and burned. The fire destruction of Palmer Hall (the main building) in 1967 just about finished the remainder.” Further, he stated that materials were being gathered from alumni to be placed in a Starkey Seminary Room at the Dundee Historical Society.

In the book, History of the State of Kansas, by William G. Cutler, published 1883, on p. 1220 in the chapter on Chautauqua County is the following biographical sketch of Dr. Joseph Deweese STEVENS:

”J. D. STEVENS, M.D., was born in Harrison Co., Ind., in 1836. In 1860, he emigrated to Vincennes, Knox Co., Ind., where he remained about five years, and commenced the study of medicine, finishing his course at the Miami Medical College, of Cincinnati, in 1867. He then located at Russellville, Lawrence Co., Ill., and began the practice of medicine. In 1874, he returned to Indiana, locating in Davis County. At the end of two years, he emigrated to Kansas, locating at Peru, where he has since been engaged in the prac­tice of his profession, meeting with good success. He was married in 1856, to Miss M. A. JOHNSON, of Indiana. They were blessed with eight children, seven of whom are living—Thomas A., Nancy E., Dora K., J. C., Abbie A., Mattie M., Edgar M., the seventh child, and Maggie A. In 1878, his wife died, and he was married again in 1879 to Miss Mary D. JACKSON, of Topeka, Kan. He is a member of Peru Lodge, No. 106, I.O.O.F.”

The information on Dr. STEVENS in Bunce Genealogy and History was taken from an obituary published in the newspaper The Peru Derrick, Peru Oil Gazette and Citizen,, Vol. XIII, No. 31, page 1, dated Saturday, March 15, 1913.

According to pp. 160 and 749 of S.C. Cleveland’s History and Directory of Yates County, New York, Jonathan TAYLOR was also the father of Hilda TAYLOR who first married Josiah BUNCE, then married second Joel WORTMAN, had two children by her second marriage and died.

There’s a record of the marriage of Jonathan TAYLOR to Betsey (BUNCE) BOYCE, Abstract No. 1789 in the book Genealogical Gleanings Abstracted from the “Yates County Whig” 1823-1855, Penn Yan, New York, compiled by Dianne Stenzel, published by Heritage Books, Inc. of Bowie, Maryland. It says:  “Jonathan TAYLOR, Esq. and Mrs. Betsey BOYES, both of Barrington, Yates Co., were married 2 Sep 1852 by Rev. D. B. OLNEY in Barrington.”  There appear to have been no children born to this second marriage for both of them.  Betsey (BUNCE) BOYCE would have been about 44 years of age at the time of her second marriage. According to a record in the Frank Swann collection at the Yates County Historical Society, Jonathan TAYLOR died in March, 1870.

According to Howard ULLBERG, his father, Arthur C. ULLBERG, Sr. and first husband of Evelyn V. COLE, was a professional boxer and died as a result of injury to his kidneys during his career; however, Ed Ryan, Jr., nephew of Arthur ULLBERG, stated that he was employed by a pharmaceutical company later in his life. He probably died in New York City in late June, 1949. The Social Security Death Index has a record of a man named Arthur Ullberg who died June, 1949; was born in September. I think this man was my mother’s first husband as I remember her saying her first husband had been born in September, and according to my mother, Evelyn V. (Cole) Ullberg Bunce, she and my father and her two sons by Ullberg traveled to Brooklyn, New York in July, 1949 to attend the funeral of her first husband, Arthur Ullberg. The Social Security death index has a date of birth for this man as 10 Sep 1899, and that he died June, 1949; social security no. 092-01-4524.

In September, 1920, Eva E. (COLE) WAGNER was a resident of Nyack, [Rockland Co.,] New York, according to the probate record for her father, Charles L. COLE, File No. 72804 at the Worcester Co., Massachusetts Probate Court.

Below is a copy of the 1920 census record for a family which is believed to be that of Eva Elnora (COLE) WAGNER, but it may not be hers, because sometimes families were missed when the census were taken. Her age is correct, and the Town of Orangetown is in Rockland Co., New York, and it may also be the location for Nyack; however, the first name of the wife is wrong as is her birthplace, and the birthplaces provided for her parents, since she was born in Mass., and her father in Mass. and her mother was born in Penn. See 1880 census record for Eva E. Cole as confirmation of her name. On the other hand, it is possible that Eva Elnora (Cole) Wagner had already been divorced from Herman by 1920, and this is the record of his second wife. It has recently been learned (Sept., 2007) that Eva Elnora (Cole) Wagner was buried in a Leominster, Massa­chu­setts Cemetery near the graves of her parents. Also it has been passed down in the Bunce family that Herman Wagner was a "meat dealer," but then perhaps that was meant as a derogatory term, since the marriage ended in divorce. Those errors could be also attributed to mistakes by whomever pro­vided information to the census taker, or also in the process of transcribing the records to the web site. That she had a daugh­ter named Evelyn is known from family hearsay. This 1920 census record was kindly provided to me by Joe Patterson, the coordinator for the DeHaven-L mailing list on Rootsweb.com.

It does not seem probable that Tootie WAGNER was the daughter of Herman and Eva Elnora (COLE) WAGNER, due to the age difference between them. Assuming Tootie was in her late teens to early 20’s when she was married on 26 Jun 1948, that would have given her an approximate date of birth in the late 1920s to early 1930s. Eva E. (COLE) WAGNER was said to have been born in August, 1873. By 1920, she would have been 47 years old, and by 1930, she would have been 57 years old, which is too old for her to have given birth to a daughter in the late 1920's. Tootie, however, may have been their grand-daughter, or perhaps this was Tootie's second marriage, thus one that took place later in life. Also it seems probable that "Tootie" was a nickname, not her given name.

The name of Isaac WILKINS was found on the 1855 New York state census in Barrington Township, 45th family enumerated. The record shows he was 40 years of age, lived in a frame house worth $100, was a wagon maker, had been born in Seneca Co., New York and had resided in Yates County three years. His wife was Rebecca Wilkins, age 30, resided in Yates Co. three years and had been born in Pennsylvania. This Isaac Wilkins may have been the same one who married Maria KRESS, eldest child of John Jay and Margaret KRESS. However, he may have left the county for a short time after his first wife’s death, married a second time, and then returned to Yates Co. Judging from the value of his home in an area where the average worth of most homes was $500-600, it seems probable to assume he may have been unable to support his daughters, Catherine and Mary Jane Wilkins and he had given them to their grandparents to raise prior to 1850, or perhaps his second wife was not interested in caring for them.

The probate record for her father, Samuel KRESS, Sr., dated 20 Jan 1845, gives the address of “Leah WALLING, wife of Jacob WALLING,” as Starkey, Yates Co., New York.

The probate record for her father, Samuel KRESS, Sr., dated 20 Jan 1845, gives the address of “Mary WALLING, wife of Levi WALLING,” as Barrington, Yates Co., New York.

An obituary about Lewis BENNETT in the Steuben Courier newspaper dated 1 Oct 1897 had the statement: “his daughter Lida, who married Charles WALLING 16 years ago,” which could indicate either she was Lewis and Thankful (BUNCE) BENNETT’s only surviving child at that date, and that her “3 or 4 brothers” had passed away, or she had been their only child.

From the obit for Lida (BENNETT) WALLING in the [Corning] Evening Leader dated 1 Nov 1917:

“Funeral of Mrs. Charles WALLING held at the family home in South Bradford in 1917, burial in South Bradford Cemetery.”

From an obit for Charles WALLING in the Steuben Courier, dated 29 Mar 1918:  “died at Bath Hospital in 1918, age 69.  Burial in South Bradford Cemetery (1849-1918).”

Source for obits:  email messages dated 1 Jul 1998 from Rick Littell, then historian for the Village of Savona and the Town of Bath, New York.

See also more detailed information on Lewis BENNETT.

The following census record may be that of the eldest daughter of Jesse O. and Rebecca (RICHARDSON) KENNEDY, since her birthdate matches the approximate date of birth of Elizabeth KENNEDY; however, I believed that she lived in Philadelphia, not in Allegheny Co., PA, where her sister Ida Richardson KENNEDY likely met and married Charles L. Cole in 1869, since census records for Carlyle, Clinton Co., Illinois do not show Ida living with her parents, and she was too young to have been living by herself; therefore, more research would need to be done.

Interestingly, Family No. 400, the previous record on the page, was headed by John Wilkinson, age 31, whose wife was also named Elizabeth, but her age was 30, and so she could not have been a daughter of Jesse O. Kennedy, since he would have been aged 9 when she was born. It would appear that possibly this John was a brother of Sam Wilkinson.

On p. 1140 of S. C. Cleveland’s History and Directory of Yates Co., New York, the name of Jacob WALLING appears on a list of men who served as tax collectors for the Town of Starkey, New York. His terms as tax collector were 1845 and 1846.

Anna HOFFLICH was the wife of Isaac Delman WILHEUTE; they married in Portland, Oregon and had 2 sons. Source: Joanne Wells’ letters.

In the September 1920 probate record for her father, the address for Grace Ethel (COLE) WOOD was Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Case No. 72804, Probate Court for Worcester Co., Mass.

In a letter to Bonnie BUNCE dated 19 Apr 1993 from the Bradford, New York Town Historian, is the information that Hattie BENNETT married “Mr. WIXON” on 10 Feb 1892. Her age was 29 at the time of her marriage, which would have given her an approximate date of birth of 1863.

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