How can I prove that Adeline (Fairbanks) Wise Wilson is the daughter of Oren Fairbanks and Eunice Ralph?

Question

I am trying to determine the parents of Adeline Fairbanks (Fairbanks-902).  My most likely candidates are Oren Fairbanks (Fairbanks-904) and Eunice Ralph or a previous wife.

In 1830 and 1840 Census, there are three unidentified daughters, that are the right age.  These three daughters are a little old for Eunice to be their mother, unless she started having children at age 16.  Is it possible Oren had a previous wife?  He is about 11 years older than Eunice.  By 1850 census, Adeline is married.

Adeline's son Charles Wise, married Oren's granddaughter Mina Dunckel (daughter of Fannie).  If Adeline and Fannie were sisters, then Charles and Mina would be 1st cousins.  Charles and Mina did not have any children.

Answer 1

One possibility is a church baptismal certificate as they usually list the sponsoring parents names.

Another possibility is the wills of the parents, indicating bequests made to children stepchildren and others by name.

There probably wasn't any birth registration in that locality at that time.

Comments

Thank you for those suggestions.  I have previously looked for a will for the parents in Clinton County, Michigan, which is their last known place to reside, but to no avail.  I have not found death or burial records either, but that location and time, the records are sketchy, so not locating them, doesn't mean it didn't happen there.  As to a church baptismal certificate, I am not sure where to look.  They were married supposedly in Vermont, and were in New York by 1830, Pennsylvania in 1840 and then Michigan by 1850.  Adeline's birth would have been around 1823-1826, which matches the unidentified girls in the 1830 and 1840 census.  These 3 unidentified girls are all older than any known children. I have looked for birth records in the NY county where they resided in 1830, and the county where Oren resided in Vermont but no luck.

Answer 2

were any of those that you found unmentioned at the bottom of this web page below?

 

http://www.genealogy.com/ftm/w/a/g/Linda-Waggoner-CA/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-7223.html

Comments

No, I had seen your web page before and have accounted for all of those children.  It appears in the 1830 and 1840 census, that there are 3 additional females in the household that are older than Clarissa and Melissa.  I am trying to determine who these 3 females are and if one of them could be my ancestor Adeline Fairbanks.  Adeline was most likely born between 1823 and 1826 in New York.  This is a little too close to Eunice's birth date of about 1809, but she is listed as age 54 in the 1860 census, which would put her birth date as early as 1806.  Another possibility is that Oren had a previous wife, and these 3 older children are with this previous wife.

I also believe that Fannie S. and Sibbel are the same person.  Fannie is the mother of Mina Dunckel who married Charles Wise.  Charles Wise was the son of my Adeline Fairbanks.

In the 1830 census Orrin Fairbanks in Conewango, Cattaraugus County, NY

1 Male <5 (Joshua)
1 Male 20-29 (Oren)
4 Females <5(Melissa and Clarissa +2?)
1 Female 5-9 (?)
1 Female 20-29 (Wife, Eunice)

In the 1840 census Oran Fairbanks in Pymatuning, Mercer County, PA

1 Male <5 (Hiram)
1 Male 5-9 (Joshua)
1 Male 30-39 (Oren)
2 Female <5 (Fannie and Rachel)
1 Female 5-9 (Elizabeth)
3 Female 10-14 (Melissa and Clarissa + 1?) This is one of the same girls that were unidentified in 1830.
2 Female 15-19 (?) This is the additional 2 girls that were unidentified in 1830.
1 Female 30-39 (Eunice)

Answer 3

This Oren is most likely her father (different than Fairbanks-902):

Name:	Oren W Fairbanks
Age:	37
Birth Year:	abt 1813
Birthplace:	New York
Home in 1850:	Ellington, Chautauqua, New York, USA
Gender:	Male
Family Number:	2011
Household Members:	Name Age L D Fairbanks 40 Oren W Fairbanks 37 Olive Fairbanks 32

 

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Source Citation

Year: 1850; Census Place: Ellington, Chautauqua, New York; Roll: M432_484; Page: 144A; Image: 292

Comments

I don't believe that to be the case, due to his birth date of about 1813.  My Adeline Fairbanks was born most likely between 1823 and 1826.  She was married in 1844, so this Oren would be too young.  I also believe that much online information confuses this Oren with the Oren that lived in Clinton County, Michigan.  The Oren that lived in Clinton County, Michigan, was born in 1798 in Vermont. I believe he died between the 1850 and 1860 census, although many people have his death as 10 Apr 1889 in Chautauqua County, NY.  There are two separate Oren's in the 1850 census, one in Clinton County, MI and one in Chautauqua County, NY.  Also due to the difference in age, I believe these are two different people.  These same people have the Clinton County, MI Oren as Oren Wesley Fairbanks, but I have found no mention of the middle name Wesley in any records for the Clinton County, MI Oren, except the death record, which I believe does not belong to the Clinton County, MI Oren.