Lydia Ann Farry - Timeline

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Farry Fary

The purpose of this page is to provide an account of the life of Lydia Ann (Farry) Wills (1850-), daughter of Rebecca Hall and William Farry, and attempt to untangle her children/spouses through all possible documentation available to the researcher(s).

Contents 1 Birth & Childhood 2 William Farry vs. Richard Bowne Jr. 3 Marriage to Bennett 4 Marriage to Wills 5 Research Notes 6 Sources

Birth & Childhood

16 Jan 1850: Lydia is born, daughter of William Farry and Rebecca Hall.^[1]

12 Sept 1850: Lydia is enumerated in the US census at 8 months old, and is living with her parents William & Rebecca and her two older siblings, Caroline (age 3) and Edward (age 2). ^[2]

In the 1860 census Lydia (age 11) was in her parents' household.^[3]

William Farry vs. Richard Bowne Jr.

20 May 1869: Monmouth Courts: Richard Bowne, of Middletown, was brought up before Judge Sendder, on Tuesday, on three separate indictments. The first was committing a rape upon the person of Lydia Fary, of Wall Township; the second for fornication, committed with the same person; and third for escaping from an officer when arrested on the first indictment. The prisoner was acquitted on the first indictment; found guilty on the second; and on the third the Court decided that he could not be tried, as he had been acquitted of the crime for which he was arrested. Haight & Ely, defended the prisoner.^[4]

23 Dec 1869: Wm. Farry, of Farmingdale, against Richard Bowne, Jr.. Deft. lived in Middletown and was charged with seduction under promise of marriage of Lydia Farry, pltff's daughter, about 19 years old. Trial commenced on Thursday afternoon, and closed on Saturday afternoon. The jury was charged on Monday morning, and returned at 2 P.M. with a verdict of $4,000 damages.^[5]

23 Dec 1869: Richard Bowne seduces Lydia Farry: The trial of Richard Bowne Jr., for seducing Jydia Ann, the daughter of William Farry, resulted in a verdicted for the plaintiff for $4000. R. Allen Jr. and W. H. Vredenburgh for plaintiff; Haight & Ely, for defendant.^[6]

About 1869 Birth of son Ira L. Bound.^[7]

In the 1870 census Lydia, At Home, was in Howell, Monmouth, New Jersey.^[8]

Marriage to Bennett

"Married...on the 4th of May 1873, Britain M. Bennett of Shark River, NJ to Lydia A. Fary of Farmingdale, NJ by me, Rev S. M. Stone."^[9]

25 Sep 1884: An Elopement:^[10] (From the Manasquan Democrat.) On Wednesday of last week Mrs. Lida Bennett, wife of Mr. Britton M. Bennett, of this place, eloped with Thomas Wells, who had been boarding with the family for some time past. An intimacy had existed between Wells and Mrs. Bennett for some little time, it appears, without the slightest knowledge or suspicion on the part of the husband. Wells left Sea Plain on Tuesday evening, stating to Mr. Bennett that he was going to New York in search of employment. Mrs. Bennett acted strangely on that evening, which was noticed by her husband, who attributed it to an attack of nervous headache, of which she complained, and from which cause she made it appear that she was unable to prepare his breakfast. Mr. Bennett got breakfast ready and then called his wife who partook of a portion with him, and, after the usual farewell kiss, he departed to his work. It is supposed that his wife took a train shortly after he left, and that she met Wells, according to the appointment, at some place on the road between Spring Lake and New York. She took with her everything of value that she could carry. Well's trunk (which he took with him,) it is supposed was well filled with wearing apparel, silverware, etc. No cause is given for Mrs. Bennett's rash act, as it is said the couple have lived happily together since their marriage eleven years ago. Much sympathy is felt for Mr. Bennett, who, it is stated, gave his wife all his earnings, and some time ago, at her solicitation transferred to her a deed of his property. He will at once apply for a divorce.

23 Apr 1886 INFATUATED BY A YOUTH: ^[11] The Spicy Story that a Sea Plain Divorce Will Disclose. LONG BRANCH, April 23.

--Britton M. Bennett, a builder, at Sea Plain, a seashore resort below Ocean Grove, has instituted a suit in the New Jersey state court of chancery for divorce from Mrs. Lida A. Bennett. The story of the couple has several remarkable features. Mrs. Bennett is a bright and vivacious brunette, with fine form and black hair and eyes. She is only about thirty years of age and comes from one of the leading families of Monmouth county. The couple were married twelve years ago and have one child, a bright boy. They had a pretty home at Sea Plain. During the summer of 1884 Thomas D. Wills, a good looking young fellow formed the woman's acquaintance and through her efforts he became a boarder in her house. He was evidently such a great favorite of the pretty and lively wife of his landlord and was so constantly in her company that their names were frequently coupled together by the people of the town. On Tuesday afternoon, September 9, 1884, Wills took away his trunk, saying that he was going south. Mrs. Bennett seemed to be much depressed that evening. When her husband went to business the next morning she kissed him affectionately. When Mr. Bennett returned home that night he learned that his wife had run away, taking her son. He was unable to account for her disappearance until he became convinced that the woman had gone. Mr. Bennett had transferred the handsome house in which he lived by deed to his wife some time before she left him.

About a year ago Mrs. Bennett returned to her husband, but kept up a constant correspondence with Wills, to whom she returned after a delay of several weeks. Before her return south she executed a new deed by which her husband regained his house. Her father and mother did all in their power to induce her to remain permanently with the man who was the husband of her youth, and who had always been loving and faithful, but she was so infatuated with Wills that she would not give him up. She evidently wrote and told him of the attempt to influence her, as he sent several letters to her father, assuring him of his deep love for her and the hate he entertained for Mr. Bennett. In one of these interesting epistles Wills "swears as square as a mason" that he will be good to Mrs. Bennett if she returns to him. His letters to Mrs. Bennett were filled with obscene expressions and vile charges against her husband. He charges her with having blighted his life, rants of his love and then calls her low names. These letters will figure in the proceedings instituted by Mr. Bennett. They are, beyond doubt, the most filthy set of letters ever taken before the courts of New Jersey, and yet, in one of his epistles, Wills speaks of some letters which were sent to Mrs. Bennett by another man as letters "which are disgusting for any moral mind to read." Mrs. Bennett, her innocent son and her younger sister, at last accounts, were with WIlls in Norfolk, Va. The case is one of considerable interest to the people of Monmouth county owing to the prominence of the woman's husband and parents.

16 Feb 1887 - MR. BENNETT'S VALENTINE. The Court of Chancery Grants Him a Divorce.^[12] Britton M. Bennett, a well-known builder at North Spring Lake Beach, received a valentine on Monday which pleased him exceedingly. It was a legal document from the Court of Chancery of New Jersey, and it grants him a divorce from his wife, Lydia A. Bennett. Mrs. Bennett was the oldest daughter of William Farry, of Farmingdale. She was a bright and handsome blonde, and married twelve years ago while she was still in her teens. The young couple lived happily together until two years ago when Mrs. Bennett became acquainted with Thomas D. Wills, who succeeded in winning her love. Early in September, 1884, Mrs. Bennett and Wills ran away and settled in Norfolk, Va., as man and wife. In 1885 Mrs. Bennett returned to her husband but continued to correspond with WIlls, who sent letters to her regularly. Last year she went back to Wills and her husband began suit for a divorce, which ended as above stated. The woman is still in Norfolk with Wills and her son.

Marriage to Wills

On 22 Sept 1889, giving her name as Lydia Ann Bound, Lydia married Thomas David Wills in Manhattan, New York City, New York. She stated that it was her second marriage, and named her parents as William Farry and Rebecca Hall.^[13] See image of record here.

Research Notes

• Dig further into Bowne/Bound question. Who was Richard?
• Obituary for RICHARD BOWNE

• Was Ira one of the 1 year old children enumerated with the William Farry family in 1870?

• Where are Lydia, Ira and Britton Bennett in 1880 census? Other NJ census records?

Transcribe and mine:

• Possible death certificate.

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: "New Jersey, U.S., Birth Index, 1848-1878, 1901-1903"
   New Jersey State Archives; Trenton, New Jersey; New Jersey Births, Marriages, and Deaths 1848-1878 (Digital)
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61252 #5781793 (accessed 23 September 2022)
   Lyia Ann Fery born on 16 Jan 1850, daughter of Wm Fery & Rebeca Fery, in Ocean City, Monmouth, USA.
2. ↑ 1850 Census: "1850 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1850; Census Place: Ocean, Monmouth, New Jersey; Roll: 456; Page: 82b; Line Number: 17
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8054 #4504388 (accessed 23 September 2022)
   Wm Harry (24), Laborer, in Ocean, Monmouth, New Jersey, USA.
3. ↑ 1860 Census: "United States Census, 1860"
   citing Page: 86; Affiliate Publication Number: M653; Affiliate Film Number: 701; FHL microfilm: 803701; Record number: 11066;
   FamilySearch Record: MFC4-1QD (accessed 24 September 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GBSC-9NLM Image number 00295
   Lydia A Ferry (11) in Ocean Township, Monmouth, New Jersey, United States. Born in New Jersey.
4. ↑ “Monmouth Courts", digital image, Newspapers.com (Online: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012), [Originally published “Monmouth Courts", The Monmouth Inquirer, Freehold, New Jersey, 20 May 1869, Page 2], <https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110147009/monmouth-courts/>
5. ↑ “Wm. Farry, of Farmingdale, against Richard Bowne, Jr.", digital image, Newspapers.com (Online: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012), [Originally published “Monmouth Courts.", Monmouth Democrat, Freehold, New Jersey, 23 Dec 1869, Page 3], <https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106844978/wm-farry-of-farmingdale-against/>
6. ↑ “Richard Bowne seduces Lydia Farry", digital image, Newspapers.com (Online: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012), [Originally published “Monmouth County Courts", The Monmouth Inquirer, Freehold, New Jersey, 23 Dec 1869, Page 2], <https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18257804/richard-bowne-seduces-lydia-farry/>
7. ↑ Child Marriage: "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1938"
   citing FHL microfilm: 001906780;
   FamilySearch Record: Q2CX-5YW6 (accessed 26 September 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89ZW-H9CK-S Image number 00083
   Lilly Ferry's child Ira L Bound marriage to Ellen M Allison on 4 Sep 1892 in Queens, New York, United States.
8. ↑ 1870 Census: "1870 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1870; Census Place: Howell, Monmouth, New Jersey; Roll: M593_875; Page: 105B
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7163 #24456485 (accessed 27 September 2022)
   Lydia A Farry, At Home, in Howell, Monmouth, New Jersey. Born in New Jersey.
9. ↑ Marriage: "New Jersey, U.S., Marriage Records, 1670-1965"
   Marriage Records. New Jersey Marriages. New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey
   Ancestry Record 61376 #900088186 (accessed 24 September 2022)
   Lydia A Fary marriage to Britian M Bennett on 4 May 1873 in Monmouth, New Jersey, USA.
10. ↑ “An Elopement.", digital image, Newspapers.com (Online: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012), [Originally published “An Elopement.", The Monmouth Inquirer, Freehold, New Jersey, 25 Sep 1884, Page 3], <https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110148210/an-elopement/>
11. ↑ “INFATUATED BY A YOUTH", digital image, Newspapers.com (Online: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012), [Originally published “INFATUATED BY A YOUTH", Courier-Post, Camden, New Jersey, 23 Apr 1886, Page 1], <https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106780012/infatuated-by-a-youth/>
12. ↑ “MR. BENNETT'S VALENTINE", digital image, Newspapers.com (Online: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012), [Originally published “MR. BENNETT'S VALENTINE", The Daily Register, Red Bank, New Jersey, 16 Feb 1887, Page 2], <https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106761321/mr-bennetts-valentine/>
13. ↑ Marriage: "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1938"
    citing FHL microfilm: 1558602; Record number: 72;
    FamilySearch Record: 249C-WKY (accessed 24 September 2022)
    Lydia Ann Ferry Bound (40) marriage to Thos. David Wills on 22 Sep 1889 in Manhattan, New York County, New York, United States.