Moses Halsey (1759 - 1857)

Born 1759 in Scuttle Hale, New York

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 24 Mar 1857 at about age 98 in Grayson County, Virginia, USA

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Biography

(The following is credited to Carole Conrad (#46532185) FIndagrave Member)

Moses Halsey

Born ca 1759/1769/1770/1780 probably NY or NJ Most likely born ca 1770/1780 due to kids births

Parents unknown maybe NATHANIEL HALSEY

Below is a discussion of parentage but no Moses seems to fit.

HALSEY, English: habitational name of uncertain origin. The surname is common in London, and may be derived from Alsa (formerly Assey) in Stanstead Mountfitchet, Essex (recorded as Alsiesheye in 1268). Another possible source is Halsway in Somerset, named from Old English hals ‘neck’ + weg ‘way’, ‘road’.

Married Margaret Maiden Name unknown

Moved to SW Va area ca 1790/1800

Died Mar. 24, 1857

Children Robert aka Bobby b Va 1801

Eli b Va 1818

Elizabeth Halsey McMeans b 1792 Va

NOTES FROM SPOTISADOG Moses Halsey.

He came to the southwestern corner of Virginia between 1790 and 1800 with William Halsey.

The genealogy of the Halsey's was traced in the 1890's by the illustrious pair, Jacob Lafayette Halsey and Edmund Drake Halsey. They did a marvelous job. So marvelous that no one ever questions what they wrote. Unfortunately, they, like all genealogists, made mistakes.

These two simply gave the name of the son of Nathaniel as Moses. Proof of this was the will of Nathaniel dated 1768, NY. Rufus Clinton Halsey seems to have found this loose Moses Halsey and on page 81A & 82A of his book he plugs him in as the Moses who goes to Virginia with William. In the days before the internet, who can blame him? Rufus states in his introduction that he knows he made some mistakes, every genealogist does, and I don't think he would be hurt if we question what he wrote.

1) I have always wondered what connection William Jr. and Moses would have had to make them go off to Virginia together. They obviously had a close relationship in Va. as evidenced by marriage bonds, etc. but there is no evidence to suggest a close relationship between William of NJ and Moses of NY.

2) Moses Halsey s/o Nathan(iel) son of Nathan s/o Jeremiah, etc, inherited land in Southampton from his father in 1768.

3) Moses Halsey, Jr. witnessed the will of Hannah Smith in 1774 in Southampton and of James Hildreth in 1778.

4) Inhabitants of New York, 1774-1776. Wilson, Thomas B. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1993., p. 141 lists the following:

Moses Hallsey, Junr. 75-R [75-R = May 1775, inh. of Suffolk Co. who signed the association]

Moses Halsey 76:0.1.2.1.2 [1776 Census of Suffolk Co. 0 males >50, 1 male >16, 2 males <16, 1 female >16, 2 females <16]

5) Moses Halsey, weaver, witnessed the will of Stephen Halsey of Southampton in 1785

6) 1787 Moses Halsey Jr. signs the Woolworth Petition

7) There are 2 Moses Halseys in Southampton in 1790 AND 1 in Morris Co., New Jersey 1790 Census, New York, Suffolk Co., South Hampton, p. 134 Moses Halsey 1 1 3 - - 1 free white male 16+ 3 free white females 1 free white male <16

1790 Census, New York, Suffolk Co., South Hampton, p. 138 Moses Holsey 1 2 1 1 1 free white male 16+ 1 free white female 2 free white males <16 1 other free person

1790 Census, New Jersey, Morris Co. March Tax List Moses Holsey and William Holsey are listed, along with several other Holsey's

8) 1800 Census, New York, Suffolk Co., South Hampton, p. 76 Moses Halsey 3 2 - 1 - // - - - 1 - 3 males <10 1 female 26-45 2 males 10-16 1 male 26-45

So one Moses disappears in Southampton but the book, The Refugees of 1776 from Long Island to Connecticut, Frederic Gregory Mather, states PAINE JOHN . . . From Southold to Middletown, in 1776, with his father Alsop . . . He was b. May 27, 1739; m. (i) Feb. 14, 1762, Mary Booth, who d. Oct. 22, 1801, aged 70; m. (2) in 1803 (?), Sarah, dau. of Joseph Rogers of Southampton, and Wid. of Moses Halsey. She d. Feb. 19, 1826.

There is also the following reference to the dau. of Moses Halsey and Sarah Rogers in Horton Genealogy, or, Chronicles of the descendants of Barnabas Horton, of Southold, L. I., 1640: Ruth Rachel Halsey, daughter of Moses Halsey and Sarah Rogers, and born 1795 . . .

So we know that one of the Moses Halsey's listed in the 1790 census died before 1800 and his widow md. ca 1803 John Paine. We can be pretty sure of this because we find the one remaining Moses in the 1810 census.

1810 Census, New York, Suffolk Co., South Hampton Moses Halsey - 1 1 - 1 // 1 - - - 1 1 boy 10-15 1 girl <10 1 boy 16-25 1 woman 45+ 1 man 45+

Now, if there was actually a different Moses Halsey, that is, one that was NOT the son of Nathaniel of Southampton, and he began paying taxes in 1790 (in Morris Co., New Jersey), that would give him a dob around 1769.

The 1820 Va Census shows a Moses Halsey aged 45 or older, implying a dob of 1775 or earlier.

The 1830 gives Moses' age as 50-60, dob 1770-1780. These birth years are a much closer range than trying to make a Moses b. in 1759 fit the data we find for someone we assume to be him in Virginia, especially since there is no proof that Moses, the son of Nathaniel, ever left Long Island.

Thoughts anyone? I am always ready to find the holes in my reasoning. Point them out!

NOTES FROM CAROLEE Three Moses Halsey's 1. Moses Halsey 12 Jul 1716 Southampton LI NY s/o Nathaniel Halsey and Hannah Stanbrough (Some of the Stanbouroughs/Stansburys moved to Wilkes/Watauga/Ashe Cty NC)

In the name of God, Amen. I, NATHANIEL HALSEY, of Southampton in Suffolk County LI NY, farmer, being well in health. I leave to my son, RECOMPENCE HALSEY (named after grdpa R Stansborough) , all my houses and lands at Meacox, and 1/2 of a lot of meadow at Accabog in Jumping Neck, which I bought of EDWARD HOWELL, as by deed.

I leave to my two grand sons, ANANSIS and ISAREL HALSEY, 10 each. I leave to my son, ELISHA HALSEY, all that my lot of land called the Blank lot; Also my lot of land adjoining to it, called Roberts Lot; And one lot at North Side which I bought of JONAH ROGERS, and also 10 poles wide into the lot I bought of MR. TOPPING, that is, 10 poles wide at the west end, and but 2 poles wide at the water hole, and is on the south side of the lot, joining to his other land; Also all my meadow at Shinecock; Also all my meadow on the east side of Jumping Neck; And 1/2 my commonage.

I leave to my son NATHANIEL all my homestead and buildings, that is, my land, meadow, and buildings, at Cobb; And my lot called Jonathan's Lot; Also all my land called Conklings Neck; And the rest of my land at North side, bought of MR. TOPPING. Also one œ50 right in Lot 29, Great South Division. Also a lot of meadow at the bottom of Jumping Neck called Rapahanock; And two lots at Red creek Neck, which I bought of SAMUEL BISHOP and ISAAC BOWER; And all my right of land and meadow which I have lying with widow MARTHA HALSEY, that is west of Canoe Place; And 1/2 œ50 right of Commonage, east of Canoe Place. I leave to my son, EZEKIEL HALSEY, all my piece of land at Littleworth, called Rogers Close, and 1 lot and 2/3 of a lot of meadow on the west side of Jumping Neck, which I bought of MR.LUDLAM and Mr. SANFORD.

I leave to each of my daughters (not named) 10s. To my son NATHANIEL, my plow, cart, and ox chain. I leave to my wife the use of 1/3 of all lands and meadows given to my son NATHANIEL, and 1/2 the house and barn. If any of my sons wish to sell, they shall give the rest the preference. Dated March 27, 1745. Witnesses, ELLIS COOK, EZEKIEL ROSE, JONATHAN HALSEY. Proved, April 18, 1746. Wife ANNA and ABRAM HALSEY, executors. Sources: Seversmith, Herbert Furman, Colonial Families of Long Island, NY, and Connecticut Being the Ancestry & Kindred of Herbert Furman Seversmith, (Los Angeles, 1944), p.1209. Howell, George Rogers, The Early History of Southampton, L. I., New York, (Albany, NY: Weed, Parsons and Company, 1887).

2. Moses Halsey Abt. 1754 Bridgehampton d. May 1817 Southold, LI NY s/o Nathaniel Halsey and Mary

Page 454.--In the Name of God, Amen. I, NATHAN HALSEY, of the town of Southampton, in Suffolk County, yeoman, being of sound and disposing mind. I leave to my wife Mary 1/3 of my real estate, to improve the same so long as she remains my widow, also 1/2 of my movable estate. I leave to my son, Daniel Halsey, my house and home lot, and my Scuttle Hole lot, and 1/2 of my woodland, and 1/2 of my Commonage. I leave to my son, Moses Halsey, my lot of land lying down Mecox, in the neck that was Arthur Howell's, and 1/2 of my wood land lying by Jonah Sandfords, and 1/2 of all the rest of my wood land and Commonage. I leave to my daughters, Mehitabel and Sarah, 1/2 of my movable estate and 1/2 of my wood land by Jonah Sandfords. I make my brothers, Timothy and Theophilus Halsey, executors.

Dated May 4, 1762. Witnesses, Joshua Howell, Mary Gelston, Maltby Gelston. Proved, October 17, 1768.

Sources: Halsey, Jacob Lafayette, Thomas Halsey of Hertfordshire, England, and Southampton, Long Island, 1591-1679 : with his American descendants to the eighth and ninth generations, (Morristown, N.J.: unknown, 1895), p.94.

3. Moses Halsey 20 Oct 1783 Bridgehampton s/o Daniel Halsey and Jerusha Topping This Moses said to have resided in NYC.

Sources: Halsey, Jacob Lafayette, Thomas Halsey of Hertfordshire, England, and Southampton, Long Island, 1591-1679 : with his American descendants to the eighth and ninth generations, (Morristown, N.J.: unknown, 1895), p.94,173. Pelletreau, William S, Records of the town of Smithtown, Long Island, N.Y. : with other ancient documents of historic value, (Huntington, NY: Long-Islander Print, 1898), pg.479.

Carolee Nichols Diamond

NOTES FROM WEBSITE Casting Doubt on the Origins of Moses Halsey of Grayson County, Virginia Posted on April 26, 2010 by spotisadog

Moses Halsey, my gggg grandfather on my mother’s side, is the furthest back I can go in the Halsey line with certainty. The often copied book, Thomas Halsey of Hertfordshire, England, and Southampton, Long Island, 1591-1679: with His American Descendants to the Eighth Generation, by Edmund Drake Halsey and Jacob Lafayette Halsey, merely gives a Moses as one of the sons of Nathan(iel) Halsey and Mary, his wife. [p. 94] This Nathan(iel) died at Southampton, New York and mentions his son Moses in his will written in 1768. Nathan(iel) Halsey wrote his will in 1762 and did not mention any guardian(s) for the children, indicating that they were likely of age. This would imply that this particular Moses had a birth year of 1741 or earlier. Nathan(iel)’s will was proven in 1768, with no guardians mentioned, reinforcing the idea that this Moses Halsey was twenty-one. Even if we use the later date of 1768 as the age Moses turned twenty-one, it would give this Moses a birth year of 1747. This does not agree at all with later records for “our” Moses Halsey in Grayson County, Virginia.

Rufus Clinton Halsey seems to have found this Moses in the Halsey brothers’ book or perhaps in the records given in The History of the First Prebyterian Church, Morristown, New Jersey, which gives abstracts of the wills of several Halsey families from Southampton, New York stating merely that Moses was a son of Nathaniel’s and was mentioned by name in his will [see part II, p. 305], or he found him in some other records and figured him as the Moses Halsey that came to Virginia as the travelling companion of William Halsey of Morris County, New Jersey. This is all he states in his book, Halsey [p. 81A & 82A]. Rufus gives no sources for much of his information and we are left guessing at how he came to this conclusion. Halsey Family Genealogy Since 1395 AD by David Halsey piggy-backs on Rufus Halsey’s work, just as I am piggy-backing on their work, and gives several references to Moses in Grayson County but seems to take it on faith that Moses son of Nathan(iel) is the Moses Halsey that came to Virginia, citing no proof of Moses’ parentage [pp. 19& 20] I have never seen proof that this particular Moses Halsey, son of Nathan(iel), sold the land his father bequeathed him (excerpt from will: “to my son, Moses Halsey, my lot of land lying down Mecox, in the neck that was Arthur Howell’s, and 1/2 of my wood land lying by Jonah Sandfords, and 1/2 of all the rest of my wood land and Commonage”), moved from Long Island, or moved to Virginia. Just because Nathan(iel) had a son named Moses does not mean that he was the only Moses Halsey or that he was the Moses Halsey that travelled to Virginia with William Halsey of Morris County, New Jersey. While I do not have PROOF as to who exactly this Moses was, I do have enough evidence to cast doubt that it was the son of Nathan(iel) Halsey.

It seems as if there were at least 3 Moses Halseys alive during this time frame, that is around the turn of the nineteenth century, say from about 1760 to about 1840. Two of these Moses Halseys were recorded on the 1790 census and lived on Long Island in 1790.

1790 Census, New York, Suffolk Co., South Hampton, p. 134 Moses Halsey – 1 free white male 16+ 1 free white male <16 3 free white females

1790 Census, New York, Suffolk Co., South Hampton, p. 138 Moses Holsey – 1 free white male 16+ 2 free white males <16 1 free white female 1 other free person

The 1790 Census of New Jersey was lost or destroyed, but tax lists show a possible third Moses Halsey in Morris Co., New Jersey in 1790, paying personal property taxes there in March along with William and several other Halseys. This is the only time I have found this Moses on records in Morris County, with the exception of the tombstone of Cynthia Haines Halsey, wife of Moses Halsey who died 1784 ‘in her 24th year’. If he were just twenty-one when he first began paying property taxes, he would have been born about 1769. This birth year agrees more closely with later census records than the date of 1759 given by other Halsey genealogies.

1790 Hanover Twp., Morris Co., NJ, March Tax List. p. 8 & 9 Ailar Holsey Henry Holsey Jabez Holsey Joel Holsey Moses Holsey Nathaniel Holsey Obadiah Holsey Stephen Holsey William Holsey

While I have not had the opportunity to go to Morris Co., New Jersey and do any search of the records there, from the records available at Ancestry.com and other internet sources, this was the only time Moses Halsey paid taxes in Morris County. It would seem more likely that the William Halsey, whose pension file proves he was the one who migrated to Grayson County, Virginia, would have gone with someone from his hometown. This is not proof either, but it does point out that there was another Moses Halsey who was a more likely candidate to be the one who travelled with William to Virginia.

CHILDREN Sarah/Sally Halsey Purky

Family links: Parents: Nathaniel Halsey (1715 - 1768)

Children: Robert Halsey (1801 - 1876)* Eli Alexander Halsey (1815 - 1892)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial: Body lost or destroyed

Sources

Wyoming County Heritage; Tribal Pages

• "Profile for Moses Halsey (1759 - Circa 1830)," (Click Here for Link)

Burial Record

• "Find A Grave Index," Memorial # 118795980, (Click Here for Link)