Laura A (Sprague) Staats (1845 - 1916)

Born Feb 1845 in Schoharie County, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 31 Jan 1916 at age 70 in Staats Island, Rensselaer County, New York

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Biography

Laura was born in Schoharie County, New York,^[1] or Montgomery County, New York,^[2] in February 1845. Her parents also were born in New York.^[3]

The 1850 U.S. Census recorded Laura A. Sprague in the town of Esperance, Schoharie County, New York, in the household of William Sprague, a merchant. Household members were William Sprague, 30; Elisa Sprague, 25; Laura A. Sprague, 5; William A. Sprague, 3; Laura Knight, 48; and Polly M. Ennight, 30. All were born in New York.^[4]

The 1855 New York State Census recorded Laura C. Sprague, age 10, in Binghamton village, Broome County, in the household of 38-year-old merchant W. Sprague and his 32-year-old wife S. E. Sprague. Laura was identified as "child" and was the only Sprague child in the household. Other household members were Loranie Knight, 52, "mother" (probably of W. Sprague's wife); Dolly A Ednewright, 33 and a servant; Goodall Von Avery, 43, a merchant and a boarder; servant Mary M. Knight, 22; and Susan C. Knight, 12, a boarder. According to the record, W. Sprague was born in Saratoga County; S. E. Sprague, Loranie Knight, and Dolly Ednewright were born in Schenectady County; Laura was born in Montgomery County; and Goodall Von Avery and the two Knights were born in Saratoga County. All had lived in "this city or town" for one year, except for Susan Knight, who had been there only 6 months. ^[2]

The 1860 U.S. Census recorded 15-year-old Laura Sprague in the village of Binghamton, in the household of 44-year-old William Sprague, a crockery dealer. Others in the household were Eliza Sprague, 39, Fred K. Sprague, 4, Laura Knight, age 54 and a widow, and Ann Ennight (transcribed by Ancestry as Emight), 48, a servant. All were natives of New York. William Sprague reported $6500 of real estate and $1000 personal estate. Laura is not indicated to have attended school in the previous year. ^[5]

Laura was the wife of Philip S. Staats. They married in about 1868.^[3] Her gravestone shows that her maiden name was Sprague.^[6]

The 1870 U.S. Census recorded 31-year-old farmer Philip S. Staats as head of a household in Schodack, New York, with Laura A. Staats, 25, keeping house; Lawrence Staats, 26, captain on boat; Berthia L. Staats, 41, at home; William S. Staats, 1; and four male farm laborers and one female domestic servant. All household members were born in New York except for servant Christina McClerlan, age 42, who was born in Ireland and apparently was mother of two of the farm laborers. Philip Staats reported $16,000 in real estate and $2500 personal estate.^[1]

The 1875 New York State Census recorded 36-year-old farmer Philip S. Staats in a stone house (valued at $1500) in Schodack, New York, with wife "Larau" A. Staats, 30; sons William S. Staats, 6, and Philip Staats, 4; sister Berthia L. Staats, 46; domestic servant Christina McLenen, 40; and farm laborers Thomas McLenen, 33, and William Wagoner, 49. All family members were born in Rensselaer County except for "Larau," who was born in Schoharie County. Christina McLenen was born in Ireland; Thomas McLenen was born in Albany County; and William Wagoner was born in Germany. The next household on the enumeration sheet was headed by Joachim P. Staats, 43.^[7]

The 1900 U.S. Census recorded 55-year-old Laura Staats and her 61-year-old husband Phillip S. Staats in Schodack, New York, with Philip's unmarried sister Berthia L Staats, age 71. All three family members were born in New York to parents born in New York. Phillip was an ice dealer. He and Laura had been married 32 years, and Laura had had two children, both living. Their household also included George Decker, a 25-year-old farm laborer who was born in Germany to German parents in March 1875 and had immigrated to the United States in 1895.^[3]

The Albany Times-Union newspaper of 1 February 1916 reported the death on the previous day of Mrs. Philip Staats, at her home on Staats Island, described as "a few miles below Rensselaer," where she reportedly had lived for 60 years. According to the death notice, her remains were delivered to the home of her daughter-in-law, Mrs. William Staats, at 26 Riverside Avenue in Rensselaer. The funeral was scheduled for Thursday, 3 February 1916, and burial was to be at East Greenbush village. Mrs. Staats was survived by her husband and one son, Phillip Staats of Rensselaer.^[8] Laura A. Sprague, wife of Philip S. Staats, is buried in East Greenbush Cemetery, East Greenbush, New York.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DCPW-CTS?cc=1438024&wc=92K2-SPP%3A518819101%2C520081001%2C520084501 : 22 May 2014), New York > Rensselaer > Schodack > image 3 of 112; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} New York State Census, 1855. Enumeration sheet for Binghamton village, Broome County, New York, Election District 2. Accessed at Ancestry.com.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSLG-921 : accessed 17 May 2017), Laura Staats in household of Phillip Staats, SchodackTownship Schodack vill., Rensselaer, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 58, sheet 3A, family 54, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,151.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6QQ9-SVW?cc=1401638&wc=95R7-Y4C%3A1031313801%2C1035301501%2C1035303201 : 9 April 2016), New York > Schoharie > Esperance > image 28 of 37; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
5. ↑ United States Census, 1860. Enumeration sheet for Binghamton Ward 2, Broome, New York; Roll: M653_724; Page: 332; Family History Library Film: 803724. Accessed at Ancestry.com.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 01 March 2019), memorial page for Laura A Sprague Staats (1845–1916), Find A Grave Memorial# 111777036, citing East Greenbush Cemetery, East Greenbush, Rensselaer County, New York, USA ; Maintained by RobMinteer57 (contributor 47389024) .
7. ↑ New York State Census, 1875, Microfilm. New York State Archives, Albany, New York. Enumeration sheet for Schodack, Rensselaer County, Election District 1. Accessed at Ancestry.com.
8. ↑ Rensselaer News: Remains Brought to Rensselaer, Albany Times Union, February _ 1916, page 12. Accessed at FultonHistory.com.

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M5SJ-FHS : 29 October 2015), Laura A Staats in household of Philip S Staats, Schodack, Rensselaer, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 38, sheet 4A, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,375,084.