Update about blogCa

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Neighborhood relations

I'm still interested in my Swasey and Bowers roots.  So 1790 census of Somerset, MA shows the following record...

1151 persons, 141 dwelling houses...as totaled at bottom of sheet.

Starting in left column the interesting households are:
Line number 6: Joseph Swasey, Jr. with 2 males over 16 and 4 females (no age given) He is probably a brother to Jermethuel Bowers Swasey, since the other Joseph Swasey is closer on the list to Jermethuel, (see below). And Junior usually meant the son of a father by the same name.
number 22 is Jermethuel Bowers, 3 males over 16, 4 females. He is uncle to Jermethuel Bowers Swasey, his mother Mary Bowers Swasey's brother.
number 23 is David Bower (or Bowen? or Bowers? I am assuming those that are clear enough to read as Bower would be related to Bowers, and those that are clearly Bowen are not Bower.)  There was a brother of Mary Bowers Swasey named David, who apparently died in 1786, so perhaps the widow was still keeping this household, or it wasn't a Bowers at all.
then 25 is David Bowers Jr.  I don't have any information on children of Uncle David Bowers.

Then more Bowers households follow:
Lloyd Bowen(Bower?) comes along
William Bower
Mary Bower
Bfs  (Benjamin?) Bower
Clark Bowers
Anna Bowers
Only Bfs Bower might be a sibling of Mary Bowers Swasey, according to those listed as of this date at Ancestry.

Going to the right hand column of names on the same sheet for Somerset, MA we find:
Joseph Swasey, one male over 16, one female, and one "free other person"  (This is either father to Jermethuel Bowers Swasey, or a brother, but it's not definite, so see the Joseph Swasey Jr. above)
Then Samuel Swasey, one male over 16, one male under 16, two females. Probably Jerathmel's brother.
Then Jermethuel Swasey, (my ancestor) one male over 16, four males under 16, three females (see below for more on his house)

later down the row, Primus Bower, with 7 "free other persons."
Then York Bower with 6 "free other persons."
I think the 2 last households would have been servants, perhaps free Blacks, since they weren't indicated in any other way.

Who were my definite ancestors in the 1790 census?
Jermethuel Swasey and his wife Sarah Hellon Swasey

 My next generation ancestor is Alexander G. Swasy, who was to have his 7th birthday in 1790.  So he was one of the 4 males under 16.  As of this writing I only have details of one brother and one sister, but apparently there were 4 other siblings.  As the Somerset census continues to have a lot of Bowers, and a few Swaseys, it's not surprising.

By 1800 census the following information is given for Jerathmel Bowers Swasey:
Here's the original:

Jerathmul Bowers Swasey is the last listing, which is interesting considering the name is at the top left hand column.  There are only 10 sheets of this census on microfilm.  Perhaps the addendum noted under his name at top left had something to do with that...but it's besides the point.

Details of Jerathmul Swasey's 1800 household are
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Males -10 thru 15: 3
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 2
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over: 1
Number of Household Members Under 16: 7
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members:9

How old were Jermethel and his wife Sarah? In 1790 he would have had his 38th birthday, and she her 33rd.  So it would have been a bit of a stretch in 1800 for her to have been considered over 45 (being only 43).

The second census doesn't have any Bowers on the same sheet, so I will just focus upon who in my ancestors would have been living at the Swasey home in 1800.

Alexander G. Swasey would have his 17th birthday that year, but is probably listed as one of the males 10-15.  There are still 4 boys and 3 girls indicated as children, most of which I don't have records for.

Soon, some interesting links to other folks in New England, going back through mothers lines.

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