Almedia Jones Bassett--U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives

James A Bassett and Almedia Jones

The Special Census entry for Almedia and James was the first one that I located and led me to finding those for the rest of the extended family.  In the initial post(US Special Census Find) I detailed the information for the couple so I won't repeat most of it but I would like to add additional info which was not on that form about the family.

James and Almedia were married about 1874 according to their deaf census information and their 1900 census entry says about 1875.  Their marriage took place in Franklin, Johnson Co., Indiana.  Almedia  was living in Indiana with her sister and brother in law and that is where she married James. They must have been in California by 1876 as their oldest child is listed as born there in their 1880 Sonoma Co CA enumeration.  They were in California for several years and then in Tennessee during the birth of one child before going back to Indiana and eventually on to Chicago IL area.    James was born in Pennsylvania and his parents were born in California and New York. Almedia was born in Tennessee as were both of her parents. They seem to have traveled a great deal.  James and his sister Jane Bassett Adkinson in particular and for a time the family was in Wisconsin.  There were several deaf schools in those areas they traveled to and that may have been part of the reasoning.

James and Almedia along with their families left records in so many places--- a wonderful thing because it maps out the timeline of their lives.  If you are a Bassett or Atkinson research (or a Riddle and Hitchcock researcher) I'd recommend checking out the Special census for all of the families.

Omelia Jones Fuller--U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives

Octavus Fuller and Omelia Jones
From special census forms on Deaf Families information on the marriage date place for the couple and the name of their parents are given with listing of their children as well as siblings of Octavus and Omelia.  This one in particular left more questions than answers so I had to read over what I know of Omelia's early life and go looking for more information in various records to see if I could piece together the picture.

Omelia Jones was one of the daughters of Thomas Jones and Rebecca Hitchcock.  She and her husband Octavus Fuller are listed in the U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895.  Thomas and Rebecca raised their family in White County Tennessee  The information from the forms show that Octavus and Omelia  married in Peeled Chestnut, TN in 1874.  While the day and month are correct, they are off by a year according to White County TN Marriage records which give the year as 1875.  Octavus and Omelia were both deaf and dumb from birth.  She attended the Tennessee School for the Deaf in Knoxville during 1855-1856  and then again after the war in 1866.  It is unclear how she met Octavus.  He grew up in Maine.  Octavus appears to be well traveled as he is in San Francisco in 1870 working as a shoemaker and his deafness is not noted on that census.  In 1870 Omelia is living with her older sister, Catherine(also deaf mute) and Catherine's husband and children in Franklin Co Indiana.  Another sister, Almedia(also deaf) lived there as well. By 1880 Octavus and Omelia are in the area of Maine in which he grew up and are starting a family.  They would have two sons, both of whom could hear.  This is noted in the Special census on Deaf Family and Marriages as well as in the 1880 Supplemental Schedule of Defective, Dependent and Delinquent Classes(see snippet from below.)

Ancestry.com. U.S. Federal Census - 1880 Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes [database on-line, http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1634, search on Octavus W Fuller in Maine]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
Maine State Archives; Augusta, Maine; U.S. Federal Census - 1880 Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes; Year: 1880; Roll: 19-161 Paris Oxford County, Maine, USA

Their oldest son Edward dies in 1900 at age 23 from Diabetes.  Omelia is widowed in 1911 when Octavus dies from Cancer of the Liver.  I find her next in Chicago where sister Almedia and her husband live.  Omelia marries Richard Tracy in 1915 and this is where she is living when she dies Christmas Eve of 1924.    I still don't know exactly how she came to met Octavus.  I thought maybe it might have something to do with schooling or function for deaf persons.  Maybe some day.

Making Connections: How Charles met Catherine?

How does a girl from Tennessee end up meeting and marrying a guy from Ohio in the 1850s.  What is the connection?  In my blog post "Catherine Jones Bronson--U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives" I noted that Catherine was among those on the pupil list at the Tennessee School for the Deaf in 1851.  She marries Charles Bronson(also a deaf mute) in 1856.  In the 1860 census, Charles & Catherine are living near Catherine's family.  Charles' place of birth is listed as Ohio.  A search of other pupils there yielded nothing remotely close to Charles Bronson.  On a whim I checked the teacher listing and there is a George E. Bronson(source:  Knox Co TNGenWeb--TN School for the Deaf)  listed as an instructor from 1849-1853.  

This is the same George E. Bronson who is listed as a sibling of Charles on the U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives(see above image.)   Did George bring his brother, Charles to Tennessee with him during the time he worked at the school?  That would explain how a guy from Ohio came to know a girl from Tennessee.  

WRONG!!  

Well not completely wrong but a check of the 1850 Federal Census shows that Elijah and Fannie Bronson were already in Tennessee by the time that George takes the job at the Deaf School.  They are enumerated in White Co TN in 1650.  Elijah and his wife were both born in Connecticut.  That kind of makes me wonder if they knew the Connecticut Hitchcocks.  Charles' Mother-in-law was a Hitchcock.  In 1850 George--noted as Deaf and Dumb is in KY in what I believe is his sister Sarah Bronson Powers household(though the 1850 doesn't list relationships)  I've yet to find Charles during 1850.  So now I know that the connection was at least that they lived in the same county AND had connections to the TN School for the Deaf.  

  

Catherine Jones Bronson--U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives

Having found one of the granddaughters of Milly Riddle in Ancestry's  Database U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895 I was able to gather so much more information which led to finding two more of Milly's granddaughters(also thru her daughter Rebecca Hitchcock wife of Thomas Jones).  Technically I found two daughters and the Charles Bronson(widower of Catherine Jones Bronson)  By the time of this census--most of the paperwork for their entries showed 1889 and 1890--Catherine had been dead for the better part of 15 years.  I've taken that into account when I am analyzing the documents in Charles Bronson's files.  I also believe that there was another Catherine Jones' information mixed up in the files as the persons who were collecting the information were trying to go over the results.

The census info was collected in the following format
Page 1--Couple Notes:  Date of marriage, children
Page 2--Husband--Parents info--List of Siblings--Additional info on deaf family
Page 3--Wife--Parents info--List of Siblings--Additional info on deaf family
Page 4--Notes on the couple and their children.

If there are multiple marriages the four page form was filled out for each couple.  There are 12 pages in the grouping for Charles.  This may be an Ancestry thing I'm not sure as each couple has a different file number. Charles Bronson (#173--contains 4 pg form Images 1-4)Charles Bronson is listed with Catherine and Catherine's date of death is noted.  Notation that this is Charles' first marriage (#1350-- contains 4 pg form--images 5-8) Edward Francis and a Catherine Jones.  She is born around the same year range as Catherine Jones daughter of Thomas Jones and Rebecca Hitchcock.  Their marriage year is listed as Jun 12th 1860.  A time at which I can place Catherine in Tennessee(White Co Dist 6) with Charles Bronson living near her father.  (#174 --contains 4 pg form  Images 9-12)Charles Bronson and his 2nd wife Sarah Willhartz.  Charles and Sarah married about 13 months after Catherine's death. There is an article about the marriage in the The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) Thursday 11 Jan 1877  edition page 4 column 2.   There is very little information filled in for Edward Francis and Catherine Jones(they appear to be from Iowa). Just enough where the year of birth is similar to that of Catherine Jones Bronson and causing confusion.  I have to keep in mind when they were analyzing the information in the 1890s they did not have the advantage of being able to view the 1860 and 1870 census entries for this family.  See those census entries below with notations I've added. (click to enlarge)

Catherine is listed as a pupil at the Tennessee School for the Deaf in 1851 (see http://knoxcotn.org/old_site/schools/tsd/students1.htm)

Year: 1860; Census Place: District 6, White, Tennessee; Roll: M653_1279; Page: 57; Family History Library Film: 805279 Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7667 accessed Oct 1 2017, search on Thomas Jones White Co. Tennessee]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

Year: 1870; Census Place: Franklin, Johnson, Indiana; Roll: M593_330; Page: 265A; Family History Library Film: 545829 Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7163 accessed Oct 1 2017, search on Charles Bronson Franklin Co.Indiana]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.

U.S. Special Census Find part 2

In one of my previous posts I wrote about finding Milly Riddle's Granddaughter in the Ancestry Database U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895.   I've been in the process of "digesting" all the information.


I did a search via Google for Platteville Wisconsin, the location Jas. A. Bassett mentioned and included the word deaf school.  That search returned a link to a book available for free via Google Books ---American Annals of the Deaf: Volume 65 which contains some information about a school for the deaf located in Platteville, Wisconsin.  I'm intrigued by the title and VOLUME 65.  That's a lot of information for anyone with deaf cousins ancestors etc.  Need to also check all the other locations mentioned.

Having found that much info on the Hitchcock/Jones line I couldn't resist searching within the same database for the surname Hitchcock   BINGO!!

The Amelia(spelled Omelia in most records) Jones and  Catharine Jones Bronson are sisters of Almedia.  So now I also want to go back over all the census records for this family and see if there were notations for those who were deaf.  I'm sure there will be loads more information to process and further leads in the additional special census entries I located.

In Almedia's entry it said that her parents Rebecca Hitchcock and Thomas Jones were first cousins.  I know that Rebecca's mother was Milly Riddle...at least I think I do.  So I want to find out how.  It has to be thru a male Jones marrying a female Riddle or Hitchcock.  There is an Elijah Hitchcock which signs on George and Milly's marriage bond(Roane Co TN).  I believe this Elijah Hitchcock is the same one that shows up in White Co TN census records after George and Milly are in Warren Co TN(a neighboring county) which may just have been down the road depending on what portion of White Co in which the other family lived.

I could also search for the area within the database and maybe get some hints about others in the area who were also deaf.  Lots of great ideas and a lesson to always check out images. It will also be interesting to compare the sisters responses to see if the information they give is the same.

U.S. Special Census Find

In search of females descendants of Milly Riddle I found a WONDERFUL resource at Ancestry.com  U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895  This find is great not only because of the amount of information but also because of the time period it covers.  It also shows that people during that time were a great deal more mobile than I would have imagined.  Below are the notes I copied from the 4-page form.  I also added my own notes in parenthesis to some.  I'll post more about this as I process the details within this entry.

U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895
accessed 25 September 2017 Search on Almedia Jones
U.S. Special Census on Deaf Family Marriages and Hearing Relatives, 1888-1895 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009.

No. 178---Jas A Bassett(Husband) and Almedia Jones(wife)

Details relating to Marriage
Date of marriage:   Sept 10, 1867(but directly underneath it is 1874)
Place of Marriage:   Franklin, Ind.
Parties were not related before marriage

Offspring
# of children born of this marriage  8
How many were deaf:  0  How many could hear? 8
How many died in infancy? 1

Emily A Bassett, Franklin H. Bassett, Isabella J. Bassett, Bessie P Bassett, Nelson T. Bassett, Arthur D Bassett, Julia B Bassett, Hattie O Bassett.

Notes:  Records of births unattainable--mother doesn't know them.  Hattie died the last week of August 1889 under 2 yrs of a Whooping Cough.


Details relating to Husband
Father:  Albert Bassett
Mother Mary A Rose
Parties were not related before marriage.

Mother is deceased
Father is living in Chicago

Brothers & Sisters
Willard Bassett b. Mar 9, 1842
Jane A Bassett B. May 15, 1844, married D.G. Atkinson, deaf
Geo. W  Bassett b. Mar 2, 1847
Jas. A. Bassett b. Mar 25, 1849
Mary E Bassett b. Dec 25, 1850

2 deaf---3 could hear

Other deaf relatives?   Niece daughter of Jane

Notes(appears to be about Husband but dates don't seem logical)
Deafness occurred at age 5 from Scarlet Fever
Attended School or Institution Wis & Cal
Residence when admitted Platteville Wis and Santa Rosa Cal
Years admitted Wis--1843  Cal 1850 Age 10 when admitted
7 years at Wisc and 2 at Calif
Occupation:  Carpenter

Details Relating to Wife
Father:  Thomas Jones
Mother:  Rebecca Hutchings or Hitchcock(Marie Note:  it was Hitchcock)
Parents were 1st Cousins prior to marriage
Mother died at 50 yrs
Father lives in Tennessee

Brothers and Sisters(3 deaf---9 could hear--1 died under 2 yrs of age)
Frank(oldest dead)
Kate B.(Deaf & Dumb--Died of dropsy at 35)
Amanda G.
Pharazetta
Broomfield / Brownfield? J. (died 1 yr old)
Almedia (b. Set 25 1847---1851 written above yr)
Amelia F b.(blank)  (Deaf & Dumb) married Fuller
Louisa E.
Lutitia
Hugh G.
Lucetta H.
Alice D --dead

Notes--wife
Deafness occurred at age 8
Cause:  Poisonous cold remedy(eating poisoned gr_____  is written over cause)
Attended school at Tenn Institution
Residence when admitted Sparta, Tenn in 1855 at age 8
Years of instruction:  4

Remarks: Bright vigorous children.  Family not very well off.  Bassett ---bro of Mrs. Atkinson.

Date of Information August 1889 --Dec 1889
Signed J. C. Balis