N.Y. censuses elusive, but helpful

When we’re looking for every little bit of information on our family, doesn’t 10 years seem like a long time between censuses? Of course it does.

During my recent trip to the Daughters of the American Revolution Continental Congress in Washington, D.C., I was thrilled to find that the DAR Library owns a copy of “New York’s Detailed Census of 1855, Greene County,” extracted by Fred Q. Bowman, edited by Arthur C.M. Kelley.

In Catskill, I found in the same household:

“Bray, Hiland, 24/2, NY. Tammy, mother, 74/2, CT.

I don’t know if Hiland was her son or grandson, but I’m sure that Tammy is my great-great-great-great-grandmother, Aseneth Antemar (Hill) Bray, born 1780-1781 in Connecticut, widow of John Bray Sr.

The “/2” refers to the fact that Hiland and Tammy had lived in Catskill for two years. I know she had been in New York for many years, but the census asks how long she had resided in the town.

Her son Eli Bray is listed as 44/3, and wife Deborah as 41/35, so it’s clear they didn’t grow up in the same town.

Isaac Payne, whose connection to my Goodyear Payne I haven’t found yet, is listed in Windham as 84/50, CT, and Susanna as 83/50, CT. Maybe they came to New York in 1805?

According to Gordon Remington, New York took state censuses in 1825, 1835, 1845, 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915 and 1925, the most detailed being 1855, 1865 and 1875. But, he says, the censuses are rather scattered at locations throughout the state.

Indexes are haphazard, but some of the censuses can be ordered on microfilm through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Family History Centers, according to Remington. There is a Family History Center at Grandview Avenue and Essex Street in Bangor.

Remington wrote the foreword to William Dollarhide’s “New York State Censuses & Substitutes,” an annotated bibliography. Dollarhide is a well-known genealogy author.

Genealogical Publishing Co. lists the book as out of print, but Maine State Library in Augusta has a copy.

You also can read Gordon Remington’s fine article, “New York State Censuses,” at http://genealogy.about.com/od/newyork/gr/statecensuses.htm.

And several different pages from Dollarhide’s book are online in a “preview” on http://books.google.com/books.

“Maine Families in 1790” will be the topic when I visit the Ripley Historical Society at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 26, in the hall attached to the church on Route 23 in Ripley village. From Dexter, it’s about four miles – on the left, just beyond the store. Historical societies, preservation members and the public are all invited. Hope to see you there!

Parking is available across the road where the old town hall serves as the RHS Museum, which will be open 5:30-7 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

The Daughters of the American Revolution will dedicate a bronze plaque acknowledging the Revolutionary War service of Col. Jonathan Buck, founder of Bucksport, at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 27, at Buck Cemetery on Main Street in Bucksport. All are welcome.

The Upper Union River Historical Society will meet at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 28, at Amherst town hall on Route 9.

Connee Jellison, who wrote this column for many years, reports the group is raising funds to create an upstairs library, town history quarters and a place to preserve artifacts. Recent gifts will be on display.

The meeting begins with a potluck luncheon and is followed by a musical program featuring the band Freedom.

Membership in the society is $5 a year, and all are welcome to join. For more information, call Jellison at 288-4887.

The 107th Roberts Reunion will be held midmorning Sunday, Aug. 19, at the South Sangerville Grange. Bring a dish for the 1 p.m. dinner, paper plates and cutlery – and of course, news of your individual families. The family descends from Jonathan and Elizabeth (Webb) Roberts, early settlers of Buckfield. Son George and wife Mary (Brown) Roberts, plus children Amos, Jonathan, Alanson and Mary Ann were early settlers in South Sangerville, about 1834.

You may write Ruby McTague, 2451 Main Road, Dedham, ME 04429, or e-mail president Celia Ann Roberts at croberts@simsburylibrary.info. Karyn Seamans is treasurer and Margaret McKenney is vice president.

The Sanborn Family Association reunion will be held 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at the picnic shelter, Fort Williams Park, Cape Elizabeth. Activities will include a business meeting and programs on “Sanborn English Roots and the First Generation in America” and “Your Significant Sanborns.”

Continental breakfast and buffet luncheon are included in the registration fee of $15. For information and registration form, visit www.sanbornfamilyassociation.com/events.htm or call Muriel Parker at 327-1246.

Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or familyti@bangor

dailynews.net.