Samuel Cross (1823 - 1876)

Born 6 Dec 1823 in Connecticut, USA

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 16 Nov 1876 at age 52 in Gurleyville, Mansfield, Tolland, Connecticut, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Cross Name Study.

Samuel Cross, son of Eleazer Cross and Hannah Williams, was born 6 Dec 1823, ^[1][2] probably in Mansfield, Connecticut. He died age 53 in 1876.^[3][4][5]

Samuel spent some of his early years living with his aunt Eleanor Cross. He taught school for a season in Rhode Island from there he joined the crew of a whaling vessel, where he spent three years, sailing from New Bedford around Cape Horn and to the Northern Pacific.^[6]

After his voyage he returned to Mansfield, settling in the village of Gurleyville.^[7] The village was named for Ephraim Gurley, father of Lucius Gurley. Gurleyville is designated as an Historic District.

Samuel married Harriet M. Gurley 1 Feb 1848, in Mansfield.^[1][8]

1 March 1848, Mr. Lucius Gurley (father in law of Samuel) and Samuel Cross bought a mill at Gurleyville of Mr. E.R. Gurley for $2000. The mill ground grist, sawed lumber, and made shingles, and for a short time they put in silk machinery. This mill was operated during Mr. Gurley's life time. Gurley died in 1872.^[7]

Samuel was a Democrat and a member of the Congregational Church.^[6]

The Cross family were enumerated twice in the 1850 US Census, both times in Mansfield, Connecticut. Once on Nov 13th with Harriet, 20, and Adelaide, 1.^[9] Then again 5 days later, but this time with Lucius, 49, and Nabby E Gurley, 27. Adelaide is listed as Elisabeth.^[10]

As expected, the family continued living in Mansfield, (P.O. Box Mansfield Center), with the addition of family members, George b about 1852, and John F, born about 1855^[11] and then Wilber (the 1870 Census says he's eighteen, but he's 8) and Agnes born about 1864.^[12] Adelaide had fallen into a quick decline and died at her grandfather's house in 1867^[7] Samuel sold the mill after his father-in-law died in 1872, and spent his remaining years improving the land he inherited from the Gurleys.^[6]

By 1880, Samuel had died. The older boys had moved out and Harriet M, 53, Wilbur, 18, and Agnes, 16, made up the household.^[13]

Samuel died 16 Nov 1876,^{[1][3][4][5][6]} suddenly while "carrying a small bag of meal in his arms through the door to throw it into a wagon."^[6]

He was a pleasant spoken, good man, with a reputation for honesty as a miller. His funeral was well attended.^[7] Burial took place at Gurleyville Cemetery, Gurleyville, Tolland County, Connecticut, USA^[3][5][4]

Distribution (dated 5 July 1877) of the estate of Samuel Cross, late of Mansfield was made to the widow Harriet Cross, three sons, George G. Cross, John Cross, Wilbur Cross, and daughter Agnes Cross ^[14]

Children^[7]

1. Adelaide Cross b. 23 Sept 1849;^[7] died 5 Jan 1867.^[15]
2. George Gurley Cross b. 30 Aug 1851^[7]
3. John F Cross b. 23 Mar 1855^[7]
4. Wilber L. Cross b. 10 April 1862^[7]
5. Agnes M. Cross b. 5 May 1864;^[7] m. George R. Dimock. Agnes M. Cross Dimock died 11 Mar 1934.^[16] Agnes inherited the Gurley homestead after the death of her mother^[6]

Research Notes

Specific birth 12 June 1823 (Find a Grave memorial), cannot be found at Ancestry, Family Search, American Ancestors or the Mansfield Births, deaths and Marriages by Dimock, that has none of Eleazer and Hannah's children.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Ancestry.com. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls. Wilbur Lucius Cross. Jan 23, 1933.
2. ↑ Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut . Register of pedigrees and services of ancestors the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut. (Hartford, Connecticut : Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, 1941) #463 p. 1007 Pedigree of Wilbur Cross.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Photo of Gravestone Find a Grave 61030680 Samuel Cross Gurleyville Cemetery, Gurleyville, Tolland County, Connecticut, USA
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Personal visit see attached photo
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Charles R. Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5} Cross, Wilbur L. Connecticut Yankee An Autobiography. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1943
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9} The History and Genealogy of the GURLEY FAMILY by Albert E. Gurley, Willimantic, Connecticut, 1897 - Press of the Case, Lockwood, and Brainard Company, Hartford, Connecticut, 1897]. p. 94; p. 151
8. ↑ Dimock, Susan W. Births, baptisms, marriages and deaths from the records of the town and churches in Mansfield, Connecticut, 1703-1850 New York: Baker & Taylor, 1898 marriage p.227 link at Archive; children p. 55.
9. ↑ Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432, 1009 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M68Y-4VT : 9 November 2014), Saml Cross in household of Lucius Gurley, Mansfield, Tolland, Connecticut, United States; citing family 341, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHRC-R73 : 30 December 2015), Samuel Cross, 1860.
12. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN7P-3G2 : 17 October 2014), Samuel Cross, Connecticut, United States; citing p. 16, family 142, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,614.
13. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFZ3-N7Q : 30 December 2021), Harriet M. Cross, Mansfield, Tolland, Connecticut, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
14. ↑ Connecticut County, District and Probate Courts. Mansfield District, Probate Packets, Abbe-Dimmick, E, 1831-1880. Samuel Cross, Mansfield 1876 #248. Mansfield Probate District. Emory B Smith appt administrator 27 Nov 1876
15. ↑ Photo of gravestone. Find a Grave 61030547. Adelaide A Cross. Gurleyville Cemetery, Gurleyville, Tolland County, Connecticut, USA
16. ↑ Photo of gravestone. Find a Grave 61030720. Agnes Mabel Cross Dimock. Gurleyville Cemetery, Gurleyville, Tolland County, Connecticut, USA