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James Benajah Cary (1810–1881), son of James Cary and Phebe Howard
Mary Bacon Adams (1806–1876), daughter of Fitch Adams and Amy Bacon
James Benajah Cary (Carey), the son of James and Phebe Cary, was born on 22 August 1810 in Canterbury, Windham County, Connecticut. [1] He died on 4 February 1881, probably in Canterbury. James B. of Canterbury married Mary B. Adams of Canterbury on 17 September 1834 in Canterbury. [1][2] Mary B. Adams petitioned for divorce in Windham County on 14 July 1864. On 26 August 1864, the Hartford Courant reported that the superior court had granted Mary B. Cary a divorce from James B. Cary on the grounds of general misconduct. [3]
James and Mary are buried in the Carey Cemetery in Canterbury. The inscription on his gravestone says, "James B. Carey Died Feb. 4, 1881. Aged 70 Years." Her inscription says, "Mary B. Carey Died July 9, 1876, Aged 69 Years." [4]
Mary Bacon Adams was born on 9 September 1806. [5] She was baptized with three siblings on 26 August 1810 in the Congregational Church in Canterbury. [2] She died on 9 July 1876, probably in Canterbury.
I cannot locate a town record for Mary's birth; her parents moved from Preston in New London County to Canterbury around the time she was born. According to the 1850 census, she was born in Griswold in New London County. [6]
When James was a young man, he went to Ohio to live with an Uncle Howard and attended school there. He returned to Connecticut and lived on a farm given to him by his father: "a fine farm property in the northwest part of the town, which was worth from $8,000 to $10,000." [7]
According to the census, in 1850, James B. was a 37-year-old farmer. He was living with Mary B., age 43; Fitch A., age 12; Elizabeth, age ten; George L., age seven; Dwight, age three; a 38-year-old black laborer named John Henry; and [James's father] James Cary, age 72. [6]
According to the census, in 1860, James B.—a 49-year-old farmer with real estate worth 300 dollars and a personal estate of 800 dollars—was living in his father's household. His wife, Mary B., age 54, is described as having a personal estate of 1,500 dollars. Their children Elizabeth, age 20, and Dwight, age 14, lived with them, as well as Maria [Young?], William Hucks, age 14, and John Henry, then described as a 49-year-old illiterate black farm laborer with a personal estate of 1,000 dollars. [6]
James B.'s father died a year later. The executors of his will—James B. Cary and his brother-in-law David F. Adams—differed over how much James Cary's estate was in debt to James B. Cary. They submitted their assessments on 10 March 1862, and on 10 March 1862, it was ruled that James B. Cary was owed $211.40 plus costs of $8.76. [8]
On 23 July 1864, James B. Carey of Canterbury sold for one dollar all of his personal and real estate, except what was exempted by law, to David F. Adams of Canterbury for the purpose of distributing his estate to his creditors. The inventory of his estate was taken on 30 July 1864 and amounted to $1,358.00. On 4 February 1865, James Benajah swore to the court that he was insolvent and that he had made a complete disclosure of his property for his creditors. [8]
According to the census, in 1870, James was 60 and living with Lucy Brigham, a 33-year-old housekeeper, Agnes, age four, and Frank Hamilton, a peddler. Mary was 62 and living with her son George's household. George was a 27-year-old farmer with real estate worth 5,000 dollars and a personal estate of 1,500 dollars. [His sister] Elizabeth, age 28, with a personal estate of 500 dollars, and John Henry, now additionally described as an idiot with a personal estate of 2,200 dollars, also lived with George. [6]
At one time, James was an active Democrat, but later, he voted Republican. He was a selectman in Canterbury. [CBR]
Mary B. Carey of Canterbury made her will on 20 May 1876; witnesses testified on 27 July 1876. She left her grandson Edward C. Carey 100 dollars and her best narrow bed, and her granddaughter Jennie F. Carey 100 dollars. She left her daughter Elizabeth Geer 2,000 dollars, her parlor bed, a change of bedding, all her silver marked M.B. Adams, all her china, 52 pieces, the looking glass in the parlor, and her choice of a picture from the parlor. She left her son George L. Carey 2,000 dollars, her carriage, a set of silver-plated tea spoons, two large silver spoons, one silver salt spoon, one salt cellar, one silver castor, all her stone white ware, 12 silver-plated forks, 12 large knives, and all her parlor furniture except what she had given to Elizabeth. The remainder of her estate was to be divided between Elizabeth and George, and George was her executor. She did not mention her sons Asa Bacon and Fitch Adams. [8]
The sampler, shown above, was done 15 October 1818 in Canterbury by Mary B. Adams, age 12. (author's).
Children of James Benajah Cary and Mary Bacon Adams: Births recorded in Canterbury as the children of James B. and Mary B. [1] Names and birthdates are also given in Dumas [5]
i. Brigadier General Asa Bacon Carey was born on 12 July 1835. He died on 4 April 1912 in Orlando, Florida. He married Laura Melinda Colby.
ii. Fitch Adams Cary was born on 22 February 1838 in Canterbury. He died on 21 January 1917, age 79. [9] He married first Jennie E. Fry, the daughter of Archibald Fry, on 15 April 1868. [7] Jennie E. Fry, the wife of Fitch A. Carey, died on 9 December 1879, age 36. [9] Fitch and Jennie are buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Moosup, Windham County. [9] Fitch married second Eliza Walker. Eliza, the daughter of Comfort Walker and granddaughter of Aaron Walker, was born on 13 February 1843. [7]
When Fitch was 17, he went to work as a clerk in a store. After 12 years, he went traveling, mainly in Mexico. Upon returning home, he bought a farm in Canterbury, where he farmed for eight years. In 1877 he began dealing in real estate in Plainfield and Canterbury. [7]
Fitch was a Democrat and represented Canterbury in the General Assembly in 1860. He served on the school committee, was a member of the board of relief, and was town auditor for 20 years. He was a Mason. [7]
Child of Fitch Adams and Jennie E. Fry:
i. Jennie F. Carey was born on 20 May 1872. [7][9] She died on 8 October 1936. [9] She married Fred W. Tillinghast. [7] Fred was born on 18 December 1865 and died on 12 November 1942. [9] Fred and Jennie are buried together in the Tillinghast Memorial Cemetery in Central Village, Windham County. [9]iii. Elizabeth Cary was born on 21 April 1840. She died on 19 June 1926, age 86. [9] She married Henry Belcher Geer [9] probably after 1870. Henry, the son of Jeptha and Olive (Starkweather) Geer, was born on 18 February 1836 in Windham, Windham County. [10][11] He died on 18 April 1900, age 64. [9] Henry and Elizabeth are buried together in the New Scotland Cemetery South in Scotland, Windham County. [9]In 1930 Fred W., age 64, and Jennie F., age 57, were living with their son Waldo, age 28. in Plainfield. [6]
Hentry was a jeweler. [11]
Henry and Elizabeth left no children. [7]
iv. George Leonard Cary was born on 10 or 12 (town record) October 1842. He died on 27 July 1923 in Preston, New London County. [14] He married Fannie R. Fisher [9] probably about 1888. [6] She died on 15 March 1927. [12] George and Fannie are buried together in the Carey Cemetery. [9]
George L. was mustered into Company A of the First Connecticut Cavalry on 9 November 1861. [13] Beginning on 25 August 1923, Fannie collected a Civil War widow's pension on account of Sergeant George L. Carey of Company A, First Connecticut Cavalry. [12]
According to the census, in 1920 George L., age 68, was living in Norwich, Connecticut with his wife Fannie R., age 53. They had been married for 32 years. [6]
v. Dwight Cary was born on 21 January 1846. He was killed at Antietam on 17 September 1862.
Dwight's gravestone in the Carey Cemetery says, "In Memory of Dwight Carey Co. F 8th Reg. Ct. Vol. who fell in the battle of Antietam M.D. Sept. 17, 1862. Aged 16 yrs. & 8 mos."
Newspaper article: "Mililtary ltems," Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, 20 October 1862, 2.
References:
1. "Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630–1870," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Canterbury, from original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928, pp. 45–46.
2. Records of the Congregational Church in Canterbury, Connecticut, 1711–1844 (Hartford: Connecticut Historical Society and the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Connecticut, 1932).
3. "Index to Divorce Records of Windham County, Part 1," transcription, Windham County Connecticut, CT GenWeb Project (http://www.ctgenweb.org/county/cowindham/records/marriages/divorcerecordspart1.htm : accessed 17 October 2021), "James B. & Mary B. (Adams)." "State Items," Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, 26 August 1864, 2.
4. Josephine Judson Hentrick, "Inscriptions in the Carey Cemetery in Canterbury, Conn.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 70 (1916): 43–50, 153–161.
5. David W. Dumas, ed., "Bacon - Adams - Whitney - Kingsbury Family Record," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 138 (1984), 32–38. Records compiled by John Bacon (1774–1846), record of John Bacon, son of Captain Asa Bacon and Abigail Whitney.
6. U.S. Federal Census Collection, searchable databases, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/categories/usfedcen)
1850 > CT > Windham > Canterbury, image 36. James B., 37, farmer, b. Canterbury; Mary B., 43, b. Griswold; Children, all b. Canterbury: Fitch A., 12, Elizabeth, 10, George L. 7, Dwight, 3; John Henry, 38, a black laborer; James Cary, 72, with real estate worth $8,000.1860 > CT > Windham > Canterbury, images, 39–40. James, 82, farmer, real estate $8,600, personal estate $1,000; James B., 49, farmer, real estate $300, personal estate $800; Mary B., 54, personal estate $1,500; Elizabeth, 20; Dwight, 14; Maria [Young?], ten; John Henry, 49, black, illiterate farm laborer, personal estate $1,000; William Hucks, 14.
1870 > CT > Windham > Canterbury, image 21. James, age 60, farmer; Lucy Brigham, 33, housekeeper; Agnes 4; Frank Hamilton, peddler. Image 38. George L. Carey, 27, farmer, real estate $5,000, personal estate $1,500; Mary B. Carey, 62, personal estate $1,200; Elizabeth Carey, 28, personal estate, $500; John Henry, black, illiterate farm laborer, idiot, personal estate, $2,200.
1920 > CT > New London > Norwich > dist. 275, image 10. George L., 68, m. 32 yrs.; Fannie R., 53, wife; Amanda M. Fisher, 40, sister-in-law; Louie E. Stockwell, 13, boarder.
1930 > CT > Windham > Plainfield, image 55. Fred W., 64, b. CT, working on own account, house value $5,000; Jennie F., 57, b. CT.; Waldo E., 28, b. CT, single, retail merchant at a grocery store.
7. Commemorative and Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties, Connecticut (Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1903), 382–3.
8. Connecticut, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1609–1999," database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9049) > Hartford > Unprocessed estate files, B–P, images, 521–30, 544–58, citing Connecticut County, District and Probate Courts.
9. Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 26 December 2022), memorial pages for:
Fitch Adams Carey (22 Feb 1838–21 Jan 1917), Memorial ID 84592979, citing Evergreen Cemetery, Moosup, Windham County, Connecticu; Maintained by Linda Mac (contributor 47062703).SGT George Leonard Carey (12 Oct 1842–26 Jul 1923), Memorial ID 55272958, citing Carey Cemetery, Canterbury, Windham County, Connecticut; Maintained by Kevin Hildebrant (contributor 47313524).
Jennie E Fry Carey (unknown–9 Dec 1879), Memorial ID 84593012, citing Evergreen Cemetery; Maintained by Linda Mac.
Elizabeth Mary Carey Geer (21 Apr 1840–unknown), Memorial ID 81552760, citing New Scotland Cemetery South, Scotland, Windham County, Connecticut; Maintained by John Beckstein (contributor 46939506).
Fred Waldo Tillinghast (18 Dec 1865–12 Nov 1942), Memorial ID 60727624, citing Tillinghast Memorial Cemetery, Central Village, Windham County, Connecticut; Maintained by Jeannine Jacaruso Dietz (contributor 47114654).
Jennie Fry Cary Tillinghast (20 May 1872–8 Oct 1936), Memorial ID 60727850, citing Tillinghast Memorial Cemetery; Maintained by Jeannine Jacaruso Dietz.
10. "Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630–1870,"AmericanAncestors.org > Windham, p. 106.
12. Walter Geer, The Geer Genealogy : A Historical Record of George and Thomas Geer and Their Descendants in the United States from 1623 to 1923 (New York: Brentano, 1923), 196, no references.
12. "United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6HH-9GX : 20 August 2019), George L Carey, 1907-1933; citing NARA microfilm publication M850 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,634,380.
13. Horace J. Morse, Catalogue of Connecticut Volunteer Organizations (Hartford: Case Lockwood and Co., 1864), 71.
14. "Web: Connecticut, U.S., Death Records, 1897–1968," database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/70866), entry for George L. Carey, citing" Connecticut Vital Records — Index of Deaths, 1897–1968," database, Connecticut State Library (https://www.ctatatelibrarydata.org/death-records: accessed 7 May 2019).
31-Dec-2022