Mary (Soule) Isham (1782 - 1847)

Born 24 Dec 1782 in Massachusetts, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of Reuben Isham — married 19 Jun 1800 in Wilbraham, Hampden, Massachusetts, United States

Died 28 Jan 1847 at age 64 in Michigan, United States

Biography

Polly was born in 1782, probably in Massachusetts.

On 19 June 1800 she was living in Wilbraham, Hampden, Massachusetts, when she married Reuben Isham of that place.^[1] Their children's births were recorded at Peru, Berkshire (then called Patridgefield). The records are scattered throughout the book:

1. Mary, b. 3 October 1800^[2]
2. Epaphras, b. 11 September 1802 (possibly a mistaken duplicate record of the next)^[2]
3. Epaphras, b. 12 September 1803 (possibly identical to the above)^[3]
4. Betsey, b. 12 September^[3] or 11 August 1804^[2]
5. Noah, b. 28 April 1807^[4]
6. William b. 11 September 18[10]^[2] (the last two digits are written over, and is probably either 1809 or 1810)
7. Philander, b. 11 November 1813^[5]
8. John Edward, b. 16 May 1819^[2]

On 5 September 1836, Reuben and Polly, along with other coheirs, sold their interest and claim to a lot of land in the Town of Manlius formerly in the possession of John Sowle.^[6]

Two gravestones seem to exist for Polly. A gravestone in Brabb Cemetery (Washington Center?),^[7] Macomb County, as well as a monument to both her and Reuben in West Farmington Cemetery in Oakland County. The Macomb County gravestone was likely erected first since the Oakland County marker contained information on Reuben who died 15 years after Polly. Their children lived in both locations. The death day is off by one between them, and the age at death is off by a month and two days. Her gravestone in Macomb County reads:^[7]

The inscription on her grave monument in Oakland County reads:^[8]

Research Notes

There doesn't seem to have been two Reuben Ishams of the same generation living in Michigan at this time, let alone two Mary Ishams (wife of Reuben) dying within a day of each other. The two gravestones are likely for the same woman. The difference in dates on the gravestones may be attributed to one of them being constructed long after the fact.

Sources

1. ↑ Wilbraham, Hampden County, Massachusetts. Town Records, vol. 2, p. 297. Digital images of microfilm. FamilySearch, DGS film 007009730.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Peru Town Book, vol. 2, p. 80 family of Reuben Isham.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Peru Town Book, vol. 1, p. 84.
4. ↑ Peru Town Book, vol. 1, p. 94.
5. ↑ Peru Town Book, vol. 1, p. 108.
6. ↑ Onondaga County, New York. Deeds, vol. 69, pp. 287-288. Digital images of microfilm. FamilySearch, DGS film 007173582.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #10165083 (accessed 6 December 2023)
   Memorial page for Mary P Isham (24 Dec 1782-28 Jan 1847), citing Washington Center Cemetery, Washington, Macomb County, Michigan, USA; Maintained by Nicole La Faive (contributor 17167635).
8. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #11484128 (accessed 6 December 2023)
   Memorial page for Mary Isham (26 Oct 1782-27 Jan 1847), citing West Farmington Cemetery, Farmington Hills, Oakland County, Michigan, USA; Maintained by Bob Trapp (contributor 46998499).

• Peru, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Town Book. Digital images of microfilm. FamilySearch, DGS film 004000349.
• Brainard, Homer Worthington. A Survey of the Ishams in England an America; Eight Hundred and Fifty Years of History and Genealogy (Tuttle Publishing Company, Inc., Rutland, Vermont, 1938)