Bessie Philenia (Harrison) Noyes (abt. 1851 - 1931)

Born about 29 Apr 1851 in Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Wife of William Barrett Haley — married 28 Mar 1873 in Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States

Died 16 Feb 1931 at about age 79 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Biography

Bessie was the daughter of George Lewis Harrison and Roselia Fuller Shaw. Her mother died when Bessie was only 3 weeks old, so she was reared by John and Pamelia Covill/Covell.

Her first husband was Matthew Fletcher, who was lost at sea.^[1] Her second husband was William Haley.^[2]

The Civil War pension file for William Haley tells how they met and were married. Bessie either had a very bad memory or lied about not being married prior to her marriage to William. All the information on a son named Roy Lester Haley is sketchy at best. There is no birth or death record found for him in Massachusetts, nor has a death record been found for him in St. Louis, Missouri, which is where Bessie claims he died.

Her third husband was Charles Noyes.^[3] This marriage record is the only one that names Bessie's correct parents, along with her affidavits in William Haley's Civil War pension file. Charles died in 1913.

She died in Boston and is buried at Pleasant View Cemetery, Derry, Rockingham County, New Hampshire.

Notes

Appears in the 1855 census twice on the same page, both with the Covell family and her father and stepmother (George and Lydia Harrison).

She appears in the 1860 census as Betsy P. Covell AND with her father and stepmother as Betsy Howson.

In 1870 census with Pratt family as Bessy P. Fletcher. Found in 1900 and 1920 census as Bessie F. Noyer.

Had 7 children of whom 5 were living in 1900 census. Had 8 children of whom 5 were living in 1910. At this time, only 5 children are documented:

1. Charles Howard Fletcher Long (1869 - aft 1930, reared by Bessie's foster sister, Nancy Covill Long) 2. Martha Lenora (Haley) Cahoon (1873 - 1961) 3. Cora May (Haley) Miller (1876 - aft 1930) 4. Frank Ellsworth Noyes (1889 - aft 1942) 5. Thomas Sylvester Clement Noyes (1891 - 1971)

There is supposedly a Roy Lester Haley, born and died in 1882, but no documentation found in Massachusetts or Missouri, where he supposedly died).

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHR6-SP6 : 10 November 2020), Bessie P. Covell in entry for Matthew S. Fletcher, 4 Aug 1869; citing Marriage, Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007010716.
2. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NW1D-LFS : 10 March 2021), William Haley and Besse F. Fletcher, 28 Mar 1873; citing Middleboro, Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,433,032.
3. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4SM-H4S : 10 March 2021), Charles H. Noyes and Bessie F. Haley, 31 Jan 1888; citing Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,415,225.

• Massachusetts Census, 1855. [1] FamilySearch, database with images. Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States; page 61, family 164 (Covell), line 66 AND family 168 (Harrison), line 83; FHL microfilm 953,973.
• US Census, 1860. [2] FamilySearch, database with images. Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States; page 84, family 698, line 34; National Archives microfilm M653, film number 486, image number 00090.
• US Census, 1860. [3] FamilySearch, database with images. Wareham, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States; page 206, family 1769, line 24; National Archives microfilm M653, film number 518, image number 00211.
• US Census, 1870. [4] FamilySearch, database with images. Freetown, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States; page 12, family 106, line 7; National Archives microfilm M593, image number 00697.
• US Census, 1880. [5] FamilySearch, database with images. Plympton, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States; page 3, family 33, line 42; National Archives microfilm T9, film 0550, image number 00267.
• US Census, 1900. [6] FamilySearch, database with images. Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; sheet no. 5B, family 113, line 92; National Archives microfilm T623, image number 00226.
• US Census, 1910. [7] FamilySearch, database with images. Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; sheet no. 3B, household 64, line 65; National Archives microfilm T624, film 615, image number 00104.
• US Census, 1920. [8] FamilySearch, database with images. Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; sheet no. 5A, household 93, line 31; National Archives microfilm T625, film 729, image number 00722.
• US Census, 1930. [9] FamilySearch, database with images. Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; sheet no. 16B, household 276, line 61; National Archives microfilm T626, film 943, image number 00126.
• Letter written by Martha L. Cahoon (daughter of William and Bessie) of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, 1st May 1953. Scanned copy available from profile manager.