Archibald LINDSEY–Who? What? Where is the Source?

Related posts:

• In the Absence of Documents
• Puzzle Pieces
• Archibald LINDSEY, DAR, and the American Revolution

Following up on suggestions from the folks on the DAR Facebook page, I contacted DAR and ordered copies of the contents in the documentation files submitted by members for the ancestor, Archibald LINDSEY.  Here is what I’ve received. . . *

*Image Note:  For ease of viewing, click any image to enlarge

1. Cover Sheet
2. Discussion of Service and Residence of Archibald LINDSEY
3. Loomis Genealogy by Elisha S Loomis, 1908, page 270
4. Photostatic copy of a page in an old book which belonged to Benjamin LINDSEY
5. Photostatic copy of a letter written in 1821 from Hiram and Deborah Moore to their son-in-law, Benjamin LINDSEY and their daughter
6. Photostatic copy of the outside portion of the above mentioned letter that lists the names of the members of the LINDSEY family at that date (1821).
7. Transcription of the above mentioned ‘outside portion of the letter’

What did this information have to tell me?  Were there source documents for what, to this point, has been circumstantial evidence and oral history?  My thoughts are in blue.

Cover Sheet

Yes, it is rather faint.  It isn’t a faulty scan of the document, it is exactly as I received it, as are all the other pages that I received and posted here.

Transcription:

Ancestor:  Archibald LINDSEY

Place of Birth & Date: 1744 S Hadley Massachusetts

Place of Death & Date: 17 May 1836   Attica, New York

Service (State): Massachusetts

Applicant:  Frances Whitney

Chapter and State: Old Northwest Ohio

Genealogist:  (unable to read)

Date: 11 September 1958

Discussion of Service and Residence of Archibald LINDSaY

              

Excerpts

First page . . .

- Archibald LINDSAY served as a PVT under Capt Ephraim Jennings, Col David Wells from September 22 to October 18, 1777, in an expedition to the Northern Department.  This item is the only service found for Archibald LINDSAY in MA.

- No other service has been noted for Archibald LINDSAY (and variant spellings) in MA.  No service for Archibald LINDSEY is noted in CT, NH, NY, VT, or White’s Index to Compiled Service Records.

- Additionally, only one Archibald LINDSEY (and variant spellings) has been found in the early censuses.

- Several weak, but independent sources support the theory that Archibald LINDSAY with MA Service moved to NY.

Second page . . .

- Conclusion:  Available evidence shows that during the Revolution only one man named Archibald LINDSAY has service in MA.  No man named Archibald LINDSAY is found with Revolutionary War service in CT, NY, NH, or VT.  Archibald’s son, Kiliab, was born in 1786 in MA.  By 1790, Archibald LINDSAY is living in NY.  No other man named Archibald LINDSAY is found in CT, MA, NH, or VT after the Revolution.  It can be concluded that Archibald LINDSAY, who dies in Attica, New York in 1836 is the identical man who served under Capt Ephraim Jennings and Col David Wells, September – October 1777.

“Several weak, but independent sources support the theory that Archibald LINDSAY with MA Service moved to NY.”  While the sources may be considered weak, I’m heartened to see the footnotes on these two pages detailing the resources that were reviewed.  Heretofore, I have not had that information available to me.

Loomis Genealogy by Elisha S Loomis, 1908, page 270

Transcription

Loomis Genealogy by Elisha S Loomis 1908 p 270 says Hiram Moor Deborah Phelps  They were of Blanford Hamshire Co Mass

Wyoming – now Genesee                                          Mar

In reference o the date of Archibald’ death.  The Biographical Review of Livingston and Wyoming counties, New York, page 401 says, “Archibald LINDSEY died about 1837” which is not as definite as the date on his tombstone.  The inscriptions of all the tombstones in the Maxon, and LINDSEY cemetery at Attica, Genesse County, New York, were sent me by an interested party.  There the inscription gives the date of Archibald LINDSEY’s death as May 17, 1836.  Who his three wives were I have not found out.  His first wife was the mother of his children.  As he was in Queensbury, Warren County at the time of the 1790 census, all three wives must have been buried there.  Also Benjamin went from there, with his wife to Attica, but I have not been able to find them in the Albany New York Library.

As to the birth date of Benjamin LINDSEY, see this photostatic copy of a page in an old book which belonged to Benjamin LINDSEY.

Benjamin LINDSEY’s tombstone was moved from Ravenna Township to Ravenna City Cemetery, called Maple Grove, on account of a street car having been built through the township cemetery.  I find no tombstone for his wife, Abigail.

Shaler’sville named for Mr. Shaler is a town and township of Portage County.  The LINDSEY lot is near the township line.

I am sending a photostatic copy of a letter written in 1821 by Hiram and Deborah Moore to their daughter and husband, Benjamin LINDSEY.  This will show that Abigail was the daughter of Hiram Moor and wife of Benjamin LINDSEY.

The names of the members of the LINDSEY family at the date appear on the outside of the letter.  The address of Benjamin LINDSEY – Attica, Genesse County, New York is in a central section.  As it is hard to read I am sending a written copy of all I can read on the original.

The photostatic copy of the page from Benjamin LINDSEY’s book gives the date of the marriage of Benjamin and Abigail Moor LINDSEY.  Also the date of Roxanna’s birth as their child.

While I have had some recent successes with optimizing my Google searches, thank you Lisa Louise Cooke, I was not successful in locating “Loomis Genealogy” by Elisha S. Loomis.  I found several mentions of him, most notably a genealogy of the Loomis family compiled by him.  But nothing online, that I have found, reference Archibald LINDSEY and his family. 

I realize that I am being a bit nitpicky, but at the top it is noted “Wyoming now Genessee,” however I believe that it should be Genessee now Wyoming.  Or, at least that is how I read it here, Wyoming County was formed from Genesee County in 1841.  The hyperlink will take you to the Wyoming County, New York Wikipedia page.

The identity of Archibald’s three wives are not known, however a leap is made that his first wife must be the mother of all his children.  While that is entirely possible, it is equally possible, is not, that one or both of the others could have also borne his children?  The other circumstantial evidence that I’ve gathered, to date, suggest that Archibald had eleven children.  Again, I admittedly maybe too nitpicky.

In the above discussion, it is surmised that perhaps Archibald’s three wives may have been buried in Queensbury, Warren County New York.  Another clue that I will follow up.  Of course, I am hoping that search for a female, given name unknown, LINDSEY can be found, not once, not twice, but three times.  Nothing is ever easy is it?

And, another clue . . . “Benjamin LINDSEY’s tombstone was moved from Ravenna Township to Ravenna City Cemetery, called Maple Grove, on account of a street car having been built through the township cemetery.”  “Shaler’sville named for Mr. Shaler is a town and township of Portage County.  The LINDSEY lot is near the township line.”

Photostatic copy of a page in an old book which belonged to Benjamin LINDSEY

 

Transcription

Benjamin LINDSEY and Family Record ~

Benjamin LINDSEY born June 27th 1794

B. L. was married to Abigail Moor February 5 1814

BORN ~                                                    

Willard LINSEY                      March 5 1815

Deborah LINDSEY                December 12 1816

Charlotte LINDSEY               April 11 1821

Harriet I LINDSEY                 May 1st 1825

Lucy LINDSEY                     September 15 1827

Roxanna LINDSEY              November 18th 183

DIED ~

Abigail LINDSEY died August 3d 1832

My job will be to track the collateral lines in my search of Archibald.

Photostatic copy of a letter written in 1821 from Hiram and Deborah Moore to their son-in-law, Benjamin LINDSEY and their daughter

Really?  I can only assume that perhaps this letter was at one time in better shape.  I can’t make heads nor tails of it.

Photostatic copy of the outside portion of the above mentioned letter that lists the names of the members of the LINDSEY family at that date (1821).

Again, really?

Transcription of the above mentioned ‘outside portion of the letter’

In the Loomis Genealogy (see above) it notes that the outside page of the letter was difficult to read, but either the original (the image above this one) was at one time in much better condition, or the the transcriber had much better eyesight then I.  I also have had difficulty in making sense of the transcription of it. (above image)  To be clear, I can read the transcription, but it seems disjointed.  That is not to say it is the fault of the transcriber, I realize he/she was attempting to transcribe it exactly as it was written on the paper and as it is written on the original.

What has been posted here deals directly with whom I believe to be my direct ancestor, Archibald LINDSEY, his sons – Benjamin and Kiliab LINDSEY – and his grandchildren.  However, the package I received from DAR contained additional documents received from, or having information on, the DAR applicant who descends from Archibald LINDSEY through another branch.  For the privacy of the applicant’s living descendants, I have not included that information here.

With the additional clues, noted here, I will continue the quest to learn more about Archibald LINDSEY and to find source documents that link Archibald LINDSEY and his descendants down through the branch, ages, and generations to me.

Do you see anything I missed?  I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.