Abby Durfee Gray's line

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DoGeeseSeeGoD
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Abby Durfee Gray's line

Post by DoGeeseSeeGoD »

Anyone with info on Abby's "Durfee" family line? I could use some help.

I have been trying to find where my Fall River Durfee line connects to hers.

What line connects Abigail Durfee Gray to the Durfee family?
There is very little info on-line for Abby's family.
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Kat
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Post by Kat »

Joe was working on that before he moved to KY.

He sent me his partial research before the move, but it's not complete.

It's very hard to find the connection.

I personally was wondering if the Durfee name was given because there was an in-law connection. The reasoning being that Lil' Abbie B. Whitehead Potter's grave has Borden in her name, but that, I think, might possibly have been a 1/2 in-law connection? So I was wondering if that side of the family had pretensions?

It's a theory- I don't know yet, sorry!
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Post by snokkums »

I can't seem to find anything. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places.
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DoGeeseSeeGoD
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Post by DoGeeseSeeGoD »

It has been difficult to find my families relation, although I know it is there.
The majority of my family history is in Portsmouth RI. Except a specific line that branches off to Fall River then returns to Portsmouth.

Heres how my tree goes:

Two brothers, William Durfee with wife Ann Borden, and Benjamin Durfee with wife Prudence Earle move from Portsmouth to Fall River - I think around 1700. Their children Samuel and Mercy Durfee have a child - Hope Durfee (yes, the child of first cousins,...its not as unusual as you think...).

Hope (1738-1780)marries Robbert Bennett(1734-) and their child is Godfrey Durfee Bennett. Godfrey marries Abigail Durfee(1764-1818). ........Those Durfee's they sure can keep the family name in the family!

Here is the part I am Studying the most!
The resulting child is Abner Durfee Bennet(1788-1847), my 4th great grandfather. Abner marries Sarah B Fish(1788-1847).
Abner and Sarah's child Abigail B Bennet is born in 1822. Somehow, tragically both Abner and Sarah die in 1847.

Now my tree will shift back to Portsmouth. The 25 year old orphan Abigal moves to Portsmouth with the Manchester family that lived next door.

I do find a Sarah Gray -(Abigail Durfee Gray's mother was Sarah Sawyer{Gray}, as well as a Asa Gray on the same 1840 Fall River census page with my Abner Durfee Bennet. Also I know Abby's sister Priscilla married one named George Fish- also shown on this census page.
Abner Durfee Bennet, my aforementioned 4th Great grandfather had married into the Fish family as well.

I have a strong feeling these are the same Durfee's, Gray's, and Fish's. But I am still trying to work out the tangles. I suspect a strong family relation to Abby Durfee Gray.

I am definately related to Lizze- three lines that ive found so far- a triple seventh cousin.

Its been a lot of work, and Abby's family relations are not as readily available as Lizzie's on the internet.
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Kat
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Post by Kat »

Thanks! That looks promising. It's a good thing your man is named ABNER! :smile: Yay!

Can you read all the names listed? If so, would you mind transcribing them here?

There's quite a few familiar last names.

What's your line to Lizzie?
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DoGeeseSeeGoD
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family lines to Lizzie

Post by DoGeeseSeeGoD »

I have three lines to Lizzie so far that i am confident in , and two that I havnt fully researched, but I have no reason to doubt them.

This would make me a 7th cousin (5x multiplied). I not sure what degree of relation that makes it, having more than one line of relation to an individual makes for a greater degree of relation.

here are the three lines that i have looked into: (the fourth I outline at the start of this thread, and a fith I am not sure of but suspect)
My line goes Richard then his son Mathew, Lizzie is descended from Richard's son John, hence 7th cousin.

the rows are generational with a dash between the names, starting with Richard Borden on all three, then winding down through my great grandparents down to just me on the three lines. Hope it aint too confusing, but it seemed the easiest way to show three lines side by side.

1st line------ 2nd line -------- 3rd line -
Father-------father------------father
mother-------mother--------mother



Richard Borden- Richard Borden- Richard Borden-
Joan Fowle- Joan Fowle- Joan Fowle -

Matthew Borden - Mathew Borden - Mathew Borden-
Sarah Clayton- Sarah Clayton - Sarah Clayton-

Ann Borden- Ann Borden - Ann Borden-
Giles Slocum I- Giles Slocum I - Giles Slocum I-

Giles Slocum II- Abigail Slocum- Abigail Slocum-
Susannah Brownell- Thomas Brownell- Thomas Brownell-

Giles Slocum III- Ann Elizabeth Brownell- Joseph Brownell-
Susana Brownell - Richard Thomas -

Susana Slocum- Joseph Thomas - Hannah Brownell-
Adam Lawton- Hannah S Anthony - John Cory-

Borden Lawton- Charles Garnder Thomas- William Cory-
Anna Gould Mitchel- Ann Elizabeth Fish- Charlotte Tallman-

Cornelia R Lawton- George Bradford Thomas- Hannah Brownell Cory-
Charles S Sisson- Nettie A Macomber- Joseph Clark Brazell-

Helen Lawton Sisson- Charles Edward Thomas- Mary Zophia Brazell-
William B Caswell II- Mary Zophia Brazell- Charles Edward Thomas-

Marion Lawton Caswell- Clifton Earle Thomas- Clifton Earle Thomas-
Clifton Earle Thomas- Marion Lawton Caswell- Marion Lawton Caswell-

Pamela Caswell Thomas-Pamela Caswell ThomasPamelaCaswellThomas
Steven George Wood- Steven George Wood- Steven George Wood-

ME- Me - Me-



Probably some relation in there somehow to the Brownells that Emma visited....
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Kat
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Post by Kat »

Whew!
Thanks for all that!
I think I got it.

Yes, having more lines into the Borden family is definitely making you more *Borden!*
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Post by nbcatlover »

Descendants of John Graie

1 John Graie
........ 2 Edward Gray I 1623 -
................... 3 Edward Gray II
............................. 4 Thomas Gray
........................................ 5 Edward Gray
............................................ +Sarah Cook
.................................................. 6 [3] David Gray 1753 - 1783
...................................................... +[2] Nancy Corey/Cory 1758 -

............................................................. 7 [4] Ellery Gray 1777 - 1839
................................................................. +[5] Prudence ?
........................................................................ 8 [1] Oliver Gray 1801 - 1878
............................................................................ +[6] Jane Eldredge D. Baker 1826 - 1916
.................................................................................. 9 [7] Sarah Bertha Gray 1864 -
........................................................................ *2nd Wife of [1] Oliver Gray:
............................................................................ +[8] Sarah Sawyer 1794 - 1860 (NOTE: Sarah is 1st wife-this is a software problem)
.................................................................................. 9 [9] Priscilla Gray 1820 -
.................................................................................. 9 [10] Abby Durfee Gray 1828 - 1892
...................................................................................... +[11] Andrew Jackson Borden - 1892
............................................................. 7 [12] Sarah (Sally) Gray 1780 -
............................................................. 7 [13] Edward Gray
............................. 4 Hannah Gray
........................................ 5 Thomas Cory
............................................ +Deborah Almy
.................................................. 6 [2] Nancy Corey/Cory 1758 -
...................................................... +[3] David Gray 1753 - 1783

............................................................. 7 [4] Ellery Gray 1777 - 1839
................................................................. +[5] Prudence ?
........................................................................ 8 [1] Oliver Gray 1801 - 1878
............................................................................ +[6] Jane Eldredge D. Baker 1826 - 1916
.................................................................................. 9 [7] Sarah Bertha Gray 1864 -
........................................................................ *2nd Wife of [1] Oliver Gray:
............................................................................ +[8] Sarah Sawyer 1794 - 1860
.................................................................................. 9 [9] Priscilla Gray 1820 -
.................................................................................. 9 [10] Abby Durfee Gray 1828 - 1892
...................................................................................... +[11] Andrew Jackson Borden - 1892
............................................................. 7 [12] Sarah (Sally) Gray 1780 -
............................................................. 7 [13] Edward Gray
.................................................. *2nd Husband of [2] Nancy Corey/Cory:
...................................................... +Abner Durfee 1761 -

............................................................. 7 Catherine Durfee 1786 - 1862
................................................................. +Asa Pike
........................................................................ 8 Mary Ann Pike
........................................................................ 8 Almira Pike 1814 - 1866
............................................................................ +Philip H. Durfee 1805 - 1885
.................................................................................. 9 Mary Anna Durfee 1837 -
.................................................................................. 9 Lucy Maria Durfee 1842 - 1843
.................................................................................. 9 Philip Benjamin Durfee 1846 -
........................................................................ 8 William Henry Pike 1817 - 1887
............................................................................ +Mary Briggs 1819 -
....................................................................... 8 Sarah Pike
........................................................................ 8 Catharine Pike
........................................................................ 8 Charles Pike
............................................................. 7 Abigail Durfee
................................................................. +Joseph Thacker
............................................................. 7 Bridget Ann Durfee 1793 -
................................................................. +David Robinson



NOTE: Not everything is verified from primary sources. There may be errors.


This is my work-in-progress on the Gray family. The key is Nancy Corey or Cory (depending on the source). Nancy is a descendant of the Gray family herself. Her first husband was another Gray descendant, David Gray. David is father of Ellery, grandfather of Oliver, and great grandfather of Abby Durfee Gray.

When David Gray died, Nancy Corey/Cory married Abner Durfee--a real Durfee! They had 3 daughters.

Abby Durfee Gray comes to the Durfee name as a tribute to her grandfather Ellery's half-sisters and his stepfather. As they've always said--Abby is not a real Durfee. Ellery Gray would only have been 9 years old when Catherine was born. Perhaps Ellery had a good relationship with his stepfather, Abner Durfee.
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Post by nbcatlover »

Abner Durfee is the son of John Durfee and Phebe Gray. Phebe is the daughter of Thomas Gray and Sarah Bennett.

John Durfee is son of Job Durfee and Mary Earle.

Job Durfee is son of Thomas Durfee and Ann Freeborn.


Here's some info on David Gray:
Born 3 Sept 1753; d.Fall of 1783 at sea coming from the West Indies in the employ of Capt. J. Cook in a merchant vessel. He was a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War. Captured by the British and taken to England with his brother-in-law Philip Corey in the ship "Swallow". He wrote a letter home telling of his adventures. The letter is now in the National Archives. He was married to Nancy (Corey) who filed a pension application in her later years.

Children:

Ellery b.3 Feb 1777; d.before 1838; m.Prudence.
Sarah b.27/8 Jan 1780; m.Edward Gray, res. Fall River.
Edward d.before 1838
Source: Gray Family of Tiverton
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~newpor/grayfam.html
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Kat
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Post by Kat »

I had recently found Ellery Gray in the Fall River 1840 census. Hope everyone can read the headers so they know how to count the co- inhabitants.

Thanks for the relationship explanation!
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Kat
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Post by Kat »

It takes some math but here are the 1840 results for Ellery Gray:

1 of the males works in agriculture

1 male born between 1825-1830
1 male born between 1820-1825
1 male born between 1770-1780

1 female born btwn 1830-1835
2 females born btwn 1820-1825
1 female born btwn 1810-1820
1 female born btwn 1780-1790

Note that 3 people here, 1 boy and 2 girls were all born between 1820-1825, a 5 year period.
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Abby Durfee Gray's line

Post by DoGeeseSeeGoD »

I will have to look into the info in these posts. I had not been able to get very far with my research into Abby's line. Thanks everyone!
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Post by nbcatlover »

The following pertains to the Hollie Morse Workman quote from the Morse Society Forum on topic "Why was Abby cleaning the guest room?"
Hi, I have been researching the family tie to Lizzy for years. I live in Georgia now but lived RI most of my life. My great great grandmother was Rebecca Austin Gray. My great uncle was able to remember her and tell me stories about the day that the murders happened a cousin(daughter of Rebecca) was at Lizzies home and made a choice to leave and go with other family members to the RI coast to a park called Rocky Point. Rebecca (b 17 Feb 1843 d. 16 Mar 1935) is buried in E.Prov, I can get you the correct cemetery. She married George F. Jaseph (b 12 Feb 1846 d.7 Mar 1892) they had 10 children one of which was named Abby Borden Jaseph. My information is on Ancestry.com under Hollie Morse Workman. I have Mary Jaseph's bible. I hope my info helped if I can supply any more let me know. It would make sense for Abby Borden to be concerned with pillow covers if an adult female relative was expected back at the house later on August 4.

Hollie Morse Workman
Household Record 1880 United States Census
Search results | Download Previous Household Next Househol
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Household:

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Geo. F. JOSEPH Self M Male W 35 MA Painter MA MA
Rebecca A. JOSEPH Wife M Female W 36 RI Keeping House RI RI
Alice L. JOSEPH Dau S Female W 8 RI MA RI (born 1872)
Mary JOSEPH Dau S Female W 6 RI MA RI (born 1874)
Grace JOSEPH Dau S Female W 2 RI MA RI (born 1878)
Geo. F. JOSEPH Son S Male W 7M RI MA RI (born 1879)

Thomas GARDNER Other S Male W 25 NY Jeweler ENG NY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Census Place Providence, Providence, Rhode Island
Family History Library Film 1255213
NA Film Number T9-1213
Page Number 256A


Abby Borden Joseph (Jaseph) was born in 1869. (I woud speculate that she died young as she was not listed above in the 1880 census when she would only have been 11.)
Source: familysearch.org
This accounts for 5 of the 10 Jaseph children with 4 of them daughters. I wonder which one (if any of the above) was suppose to stay at the Bordens' home on the day of the murder?

Unfortunately, I don't have access to the Family Trees on Ancestry.com. Do any of you?

Note: Sarah "Bertie" Gray Whitehead (who went to the Rocky Point police picnic) was born in 1864. Her children, Abby-age 8 and George-age 5, were too young to go (Source: Rebello) Abby Whitehead (Potter) was always quoted as saying she was suppose to stay with Abby Borden the day of the murders but was sent to her "Aunt Lucy" instead. (Newpaper article on Shelley's Lizzie Borden: Warps & Wefts) This does give some credence to Hollie Morse Workman's story that another Gray relative was at the house the morning of the murders.
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Re: Abby Durfee Gray's line

Post by lovespiano »

I am a Durfee. I read before somewhere, that she was not a true Durfee, but that she had an uncle that was a Durfee that she highly respected, so she wanted to use the Durfee name as hers.That's what I have read.
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