The material below has been submitted by site visitor Cheryl Bills. It is some census information on William Francis of Girard Township and a short will and other information concerning his wife, Damaris Francis who died about six months after her husband in 1878. Any comments or questions concerning this material may be sent directly to Cheryl Bills.

Click here --> for Last Will and Testament of William Francis

1820 Census Lewis, Essex, New York

William Francis

males 3 (0-10)  [Stephen; two unknown--one possibly Walter if born by 1820]

1 (26-45) [William]

females  2 (0-10) [Dorcas, Hannah]

1 (26-45) [Anna (Evans)]

1830 Census Lewis, Essex, New York  page 317

William Francis

males: 1(0-5); 2 (5-10); 1(10-15); 1(15-20); 1 (30-40) [William; Walter & Enos (where is Samuel?); Stephen; William]

females 1 (10-15); 1(30-40)  [Hannah; Anna]

next door is Hezekiah Coburn and he is newly married to Dorcas--no children.

1840 Census Girard, Erie, PA pg 107

Wm Francis

males 2 (under 5); 1 (10-15); 1 (40-50)  [Russell and maybe Ransom; David or William; William]

females 2 (under 5); 1 (10-15); 1 (40-50)  [Polly & Cynthia; unknown--maybe dau of Damaris; Damaris]

1850 Census Girard, Erie, Pa pg. 399

William Francis;  59  NY

Damaris Vaughn;  52  NY

Russell Francis  16  PA

Polly M. Francis  14  PA---( Polly is not named in will of William Francis; she is probably Polly Melvina .  Melvina is named in will.)

Cynthia M. Francis  12  PA

Ranson  Francis 9  PA

Shepherd Francis  8  PA

Charles Vaughn  77 NY

Elisabeth Vaughn  73 NY

Samuel Vaughn  31 NY

1860 Census Girard, Erie, Pennsylvania: pg 565

216/216 Wm Francis  68  NY   farmer  RE $4000; PE $1200

Damaris Vaughn   62  CAN

Sheppard Francis  17  CAN  farm laborer

Samuel Vaughn   45   CAN  farm laborer; cannot read or write; idiotic

Polly A. Wheeler  16  PA  domestic

     /217   Edwin Palmer 45 NY  peddler  [same household; no known relationship]

                Anna Francis  79 b. VT   [probably the Anna who is a sister of William Francis]    

217/218 Salmon Wheeler 74  b. NY  basketmaker   PE 50;  

  (Polly A. Wheeler is believed to be the daughter of William Wheeler (son of Salmon) & Nancy Northrup)

1870 Census Girard, Erie, Pennsylvania:

William Francis  78   Farmer  $9000/$800 b. NY

Damaris Vaughn   73   Keeping House b. NY

Ransom Francis   30   PA Farmer  ---/$2500

Catharine   33   OH              (maiden name is Allaback)

Frank O.  10   WI

Walter M. Francis  7   WI

Eugene Francis   5   WI

Emma Francis   3   PA

Jane Watson   PA  Domestic Servant

WHERE IS SAMUEL VAUGHN????

Cemetery Records of Frances Cemetery  SLC Film 911,843/

William Francis died in Feb 1878

Damaris Francis died in Nov 1878

1880 Census:

Census Place:      Girard, Erie, Pennsylvania

                Source:  FHL Film 1255128  National Archives Film T9-1128     Page 64A

                Relation Sex         Marr       Race      Age         Birthplace

Ransom N. FRANCIS         Self         M            M            W            40           PA

                Occ:        Farmer   Fa: NY    Mo: CAN

Catherine N. FRANCIS       Wife        F              M            W            44           OH

                Occ:        Keeping House    Fa: OH   Mo: VA

Frank O. FRANCIS               Son         M            S             W            19           WI

                Occ:        At Home                Fa: PA    Mo: OH

Walther FRANCIS                Son         M            S             W            18           WI

                Occ:        At Home                Fa: PA    Mo: OH

Edson Eugene FRANCIS   Son         M            S             W            14           WI

                Occ:        At Home                Fa: PA    Mo: OH

Emma M. FRANCIS            Dau        F              S             W            12           PA

                Occ:        At Home                Fa: PA    Mo: OH

Bertha B. FRANCIS             Dau        F              S             W            4              PA

                                                Fa: PA    Mo: OH

Samuel VAUGHN                       Uncle              M            S             W            67           PA

                                                Fa: PA    Mo: PA        Listed as Deranged

Estella C. ROUSE                       Other               F              S             W            18           PA

                Occ:        Servant  Fa: NY    Mo: PA

OBITUARY:  Newspaper dated 12/10/1878:

“In the Francis neighborhood on Nov. 25th, 1878, Mrs. Damaris Francis, widow of the late William Francis, aged 82 years.”

WILL:  signed 23 May 1878; registered Nov 1878 at Girard, Erie, PA:  Will of Damaris Franics; names her brother, Samuel Vaughn and her son, Ransom N. Francis:

 "I give and bequeath unto my son Ransom N. all of my property of every kind and description...in consideration that he shall give my brother, Samuel Vaughn, a good and stable support during his life and provide him with necessary food and clothing and all necessary medical attendance and after his death to give him a decent burial."  (Damaris "x'd" her mark.

 Witnessed A.R. Smith and Henry Ball.  She is buried in Francis Cemetery in Girard.

__________________________________________

Notes from Cheryl Harmon Bills:

Damaris Francis is a daughter of Charles Vaun (Vaughn) and Elizabeth [Morgan].  She married 1^st Ebenezer Joles, son of neighbor, Sylvester Jewel/Jole. Jan 1816 at Conneaut, Erie, PA;  Ebenezer died 3 Jun 1830 in Maryland.  Damaris md. 2^nd William Francis 1 Jun 1840 at Girard, Erie, PA.  According to dates we have, her son, Ransom N. Francis was born 26 Mar 1840—which is prior to her marriage to William Francis.  My records show another son, Shepherd Francis born 22 Sep 1842.  Shepherd is mentioned in his father’s will of Feb 1878, but NOT in his mother’s will of May 1878 –six months prior to her own death.  Perhaps it was because she was leaving her property to Ransom in exchange for the care of her brother while Shepherd’s inheritance was taken care of by his father.  By 1880, Shepherd is in Minnesota.  It is unknown if Damaris had children with Ebenezer Joles. 

1880 Census Place:            Hastings, Dakota, Minnesota

                Source:  FHL Film 1254618  National Archives Film T9-0618     Page 180D

                Relation Sex         Marr       Race      Age         Birthplace

Shepherd J. FRANCIS        Self         M            M            W            38           PA

                Occ:        Carpenter              Fa: PA    Mo: PA

Mary A. FRANCIS Wife        F              M            W            31           ME

                Occ:        Housekeeper       Fa: ME   Mo: ME

Edward N. FRANCIS           Son         M            S             W            11           MN

                Occ:        In School               Fa: PA    Mo: ME

Susan E. FRANCIS              Dau        F              S             W            7              MN

                Occ:        In School               Fa: PA    Mo: ME

Alice B. FRANCIS Dau        F              S             W            4              MN

                                                Fa: PA    Mo: ME

Mary CROSS        MotherL F              W            W            65           ME

                                                Fa: ME   Mo: ME

This page was originally created on  Saturday, January 29, 2005 .

This page was last updated on  Saturday, February 3, 2007 .

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