Mary Marie Roberts (1826 - abt. 1892)

Descendants

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Biography

Mary was born in New York state near Lake Champlain. She Married Thurston Elliott in 1842, and they had at least 4 children. Thruston grew up in an area of Vermont that was also in close proximity to Lake Champlain. Based on the locations of birth of their children, they were living first in Vermont in 1844, then in New York in 1846, before moving out West to Wisconsin by 1849.^[1] After a brief time period in Wisconsin this family moved to Minnesota by the mid 1850's. Also around this time period, Mary and Thurston separated. Thurston returned to Vermont by 1860, and Mary remained in Minnesota. She^[2] remarried to a recent widower, Robert Beaumont, sometime between 1856-1860. Robert Beaumont was a recent immigrant to the USA, having arrived there from England in 1856. Coincidentally, Mary's father was likely born in England. Mary and Robert remained together until their deaths. They had at least 2 children together (in addition to the many children they both had from previous spouses).

The 4 known children for Thurston and Mary (Albert, Charles, George, and Alice) appear to have gone different ways. By 1857,^[3] Thurston appears to have the 3 oldest children (all sons) in his residence (Goodhue Minnesota), without Mary. By 1860,^[4] we find Mary and Thurston's youngest child (daughter) in the residence of Mary and Robert Beaumont (Steele Minnesota). Also by 1860, Thurston has gone back to Vermont and all 3 sons remained in Minnesota, most likely in close proximity to Mary but not in her household. Soon after the Civil War breaks out, and Thurston, and his 2 oldest sons, all serve.

It is probable that Mary kept in contact with her sons from first spouse Thurston, and she raised their daughter (Alice Charlotte) in the Beaumont household. Charlotte Elliott was married in 1869^[5] and on the license her last name is clearly indicated as Elliott (Beaumont crossed out), and her mother gave permission, indicating Charlotte's father was deceased. In all likelihood he was still alive, in Vermont, with his 2nd spouse Phoebe and their children.

Charlotte has POB for her father (presumably Thurston) as Vermont in the 1880 census. ^[6]

Mary died in 1892^[7] Steele county Minnesota.

Research Notes

It is not known for sure who Mary's parents are, but there is circumstantial evidence that suggests they may be the individuals (William and Silvia Roberts)^[8] who are neighbor to Mary and Thurston in the 1850 census.^[9] Though speculative at this point, the circumstantial evidence based off census records, family movements, and naming patterns, all suggest Robert and Silvia are highly likely to be Mary's parents. A discussion of the circumstantial evidence follows, along with a discussion of William and Silvia Roberts.

Census Records: The Minnesota state census in 1875 lists POB of both individuals and their parents.^[10] Mary lists her POB as New York, her mother's as New York, and her father's as England. The 1880 census indicates the same information^[11] In the only record we have for Mary with Thurston (the 1850 census) the Elliott household is neighbor to William Roberts' household. William and Silvia are the right age to be Mary's parents, and the potential parents for Mary both have POB as would be expected (William Roberts in England and Sylvia Roberts in New York). This is not conclusive evidence. Coincidences do happen, and Roberts is a fairly common surname. However the convergence of ages, names, and locations are interesting and should be explored.

Family movements: William and Silvia Roberts had at least 4 children (John, Benjamin, Lyman, and William). There is no record of Silvia other than the 1850 census, and a record of death for son Benjamin.^[12] She presumably died before 1870. William Roberts (Sr.) is located in the 1870 census widowed^[13] living in the household of John Meesick. Two of their sons (William Jr. and John) remained in the same township as William Sr. (Princeton, Green Lake, Wisconsin). Lyman served and died in the Civil War. Benjamin moved to Maxville, Buffalo county, Wisconsin, which is on the boarder with Minnesota (Goodhue county). Several of Benjamin's children were born in Goodhue (the first in 1858).^[14]

This puts Benjamin and the Elliott's in the same location in or around the same time (Goodhue Minnesota circa 1857-8). Again, circumstantial, but supportive of the picture.

Naming Patterns: Though highly speculative in nature, naming patterns are helpful in determining likely suspects for related individuals. The name "Charles Henry" is used for sons to both Mary Roberts (spouse to Thurston) and Benjamin Roberts (son to William and Silvia).

Mary named her first born son with Robert Beaumont "Luman." A son to William and Silvia Roberts was named "Lyman." Mary and Robert's son's name is also found in the record as Lyman,^[15] though the spelling "Luman" is more commonly found. This could be a naming pattern or coincidence.

Notes on William and Silvia Roberts: Most on-line databases have this William Roberts conflated with a different William Roberts who was from Wales, and was born in 1802. The William Roberts who was spouse to Silvia was from England,* and born in 1797. They each appear separately in the 1870 census.^[16][17]

William and Silvia's location before 1850 has not been established, beyond New York. If they are Mary's parents, then they could be in any one of a number of New York counties in the Lake Champlain area. There are William Roberts households in the 1820-1840 census records in most of those counties. Many of them can be ruled out as either other known individuals, or as individuals who's households do not match William and Silvia's expected households. There are no hints of the correct family in the 1840 census but the 1830 census does have one un-accounted for William Roberts in Peru, Clinton, New York^[18] that could be for this William (though there are older children in the household than one would expect).

* Though William self reports his POB to be England, there are 2 census records (one for son Benjamin^[19] and the other for son William Jr.^[20]) that list William's POB as "At Sea." If this is the case it would likely indicate a year of immigration as well. Additionally, it would indicate the Baptism record and parents for William on the Ancestry trees are in error. ^[21]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4DK-S89 : 23 December 2020), Mary Elliot in household of T N Elliot, Pleasant Valley, St. Croix, Wisconsin, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L5L6-ZRT
3. ↑ Minnesota state census, 1857 https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/1159246:1058?ssrc=pt&tid=34426904&pid=28680127526
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:M4LG-8QX : Mon Apr 03 17:12:27 UTC 2023), Entry for Robert Beaumont and Mary Beaumont, 1860.(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4LG-8QF)
5. ↑ "Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860-1949", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M5-KQKX : 9 March 2021), George Swindell and Charlotte Alice Elliott, 1869.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ95-Y93 : 14 January 2022), Alice Swindell, Owatonna, Steele, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
7. ↑ .https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89343551/mary-beaumont
8. ↑ https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/158607294/person/242249016589/facts
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4DK-SZ5 : 23 December 2020), William Roberts, Pleasant Valley, St. Croix, Wisconsin, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
10. ↑ "Minnesota State Census, 1875," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKNT-MFZ : 22 February 2021), Mary Beaumont in household of Robt Beaumont, Deerfield, Steele, Minnesota; citing p. 121, line 3, volume Steele, St Louis, Stevens and Swift County, State Library and Records Service, St.Paul; FHL microfilm 0565728.
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ9R-9JR : 14 January 2022), Mary Beaumont in household of Robert Beaumont, Owatonna, Steele, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
12. ↑ https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/752939/person/-2053563036/media/8ab47001-ff44-422a-8f40-d55518c451cb
13. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN9F-25N : 29 May 2021), William Roberts in entry for John Meesick, 1870.
14. ↑ https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/752939/person/-2051728026/facts
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDH6-C7L : 28 May 2021), Lyman Beaumont in entry for Robert Beaumont, 1870.
16. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN9Q-GZT : 29 May 2021), William Roberts, 1870.
17. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN9F-25N : 29 May 2021), William Roberts in entry for John Meesick, 1870.
18. ↑ "United States Census, 1830", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:XHPP-FTY : Wed Mar 15 21:15:44 UTC 2023), Entry for William Roberts, 1830.
19. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMKS-4MC : accessed 6 May 2023), Benjamin Roberts, Maxville township, Buffalo, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 10, sheet 4B, family 78, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,779.
20. ↑ 1900 census record for William Roberts Jr. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/63339636:7602?tid=7420284&pid=-655734773&queryId=639c16cbed85f8599ad876f56bd189c6&_phsrc=SGf2071&_phstart=successSource
21. ↑ Roberts-17957 was created by Ruth Elliott through the import of RuthElliottKlein-Verifying_2016-07-10.ged on Jul 10, 2016.