Elijah was born about 1783, son of William Tryon and Catherine Codner. He married Ruth Walker in 1833 [1]. They do not appear to have had any children. He passed away in 1874.
So far, little is known about Elijah. HIs age at death is said to be age 90y, 2m, 21d, but his monument is not currently readable (calculated date of 27 Nov 1783). His mother would be about 46 in 1783 which is quite late. Census information varies on his place of birth as well but his earliest records are in Massachusetts and he gives that as birthplace on his Mason membership [2]. The 1850 and 1855 censuses have him living with his wife, Ruth. Ruth Tryon is buried near his burial place, date of death 1861. No other named family members appear in these records and it is thought that he had no children. In the 1865 and 1870 censuses, after his wife's death, he is living with a servant and her son.
In 6 Oct 1804 he, or someone a lot like him, received a seaman's protection certificate [1].
Occupation: cabinet making
Research Notes
Nothing about him appears in the History of Onondaga County.
Buried near him is his wife Ruth Tryon, who died in 1861, aged 60. Her headstone says: "Wife of Elijah Tryon". Also buried there are brother William and William's wife Hannah.
Mrs. Eliza Adair, mentioned in his will, appears in his household in the 1865 New York State census.
There is no notice of his death or any obituary in the local newspapers available on https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org (as of 30 Dec 2018). The gravesite inscription is said to be unreadable. There is no documentation we can find for his death date and, in fact, there is a document in TFA that is a list of his nephews, nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces that was dated Dec 4, 1874, well after his supposed death.
Last Will and Testament
Copy of the last will and Testament of Elijah Tryon, of the town of Manilus, County of Onondaga, and State of N. Y. as presented in "Tryon Family in America" by Wesley Tryon, second edition, 1980. I cannot find this will in any of the records online but have no reason to believe it is anything but what it is presented as (MT).
I, Elijah Tryon, being of sound mind and rnemory, blessed be God for the same, do make, publish, and declare this my last will and testament, in manner and form following, that is to say:
1st. I direct my executors hereinafter named to pay all my just debts and funeral expenses.
2nd. I give and bequeath unto my nephew Harvey Dunham[3] the sum of three hundred dollars.
3rd. I give and bequeath unto my nephew Albert Dunham (Albert could be a son of Lucy Jane (Tryon) Dunham or Elizabeth (Tryon) Dunham) the sum of three hundred dollars.
4th. I give and bequeath unto my niece Mary Lewis the wife of Deacon Lewis, the sum of three hundred dollars.
5th. I give and bequeath unto my niece Rebecca Hart the wife of Collingwood Hart, the sum of three hundred dollars.
6th. I give and bequeath unto my nephew Austin Tryon the sum of three hundred dollars.
7th. I give and bequeath unto my niece Mary Roberts the sum of three hundred dollars.
8th. I give unto my niece Susan Bloss the sum of three hundred dollars.
9th. I give and bequeath unto Mrs. Eliza Adair, who has been and is now living with me, the sum of eight hundred dollars, to be accepted and received by her in lieu of any and all claims she may have against me at the time of my decease.
10th. I give and bequeath unto my niece Mary Ann Cameron the sum of three hundred dollars.
In case my estate shall amount to more than the several legacies herein outlined, I give and bequeath the excess to the legatees herein named in proportion to the amount herein bequeathed to each.
And lastly, I nominate, constitute my friend Dr. William M. Smith and Amasa H. Jerome, executors of this my last will and testament, giving and granting unto my executors full power to sell and convey real estate, execute, acknowledge, and deliver deeds of conveyance therefor, and do all other acts and things requisite and necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this, my last will and testament, hereby resolving all former wills by me heretofore made.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 10th day of September, 1867."
Elijah Tryon (Seal).
The foregoing will, consisting of two pages, was at the date thereof signed, sealed, published, and declared by the said testator as and for his last will and testament, in presence of us, who at his request, in his presence and the presence of each other, have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto.
A. B. McClenthen, of Manilus, Onondaga Cnty., N. Y.
George Cole, of Manilus, Onondaga Cnty., N. Y.
Sources
↑ New York, Marriage Notices, 1800-1855, 28 Jul 1833 in Manlius, Manlius Repository published 30 Jul 1833 (Ancestry.com)
↑ Massachusetts, U.S., Mason Membership Cards, 1733-1990 for Elijah Tryon, Greenfield, Massachusetts, native of Bernardston, cabinetmaker, 15 Nov 1825
↑ Harvey died in 1869, suggesting this will was written earlier than that date.
Elijah Tryon in the U.S., Craftperson Files, 1600-1995, 1813, Bernardston, Massachusetts, Occupation: Cabinetmaker
United States Census, 1840, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHTW-KQW : 16 August 2017), Elijah Tryon, Manlius, Onondaga, New York, United States; p. 163, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 317; FHL microfilm 17,200. NOTE: one male aged 50 – 59, one female aged 40 - 49.
"United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCBP-T5B : 4 April 2020), Elijah Tryon, Manlius, Onondaga, New York, United States; citing family 1089, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).Two persons in household: Elijah and Ruth.
"New York State Census, 1855," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6QV-MLB : 7 September 2016), Elijah Tryon, E.D. 1, Manlius, Onondaga, New York, United States; citing p. 381, line #6, family #81, county clerk offices, New York; FHL microfilm 870,756.
"United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCBP-T5B : 4 April 2020), Elijah Tryon, Manlius, Onondaga, New York, United States; citing family 1089, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
1865 New York, State Census; Manlius, Onondaga, New York, District 01 (Ancestry.com) NOTE: aged 80 years, born Connecticut, occupation cabinet maker, widower "New York State Census, 1865," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNJ-XFDW : accessed 29 December 2017), Elijah Tryon, District 01, Manlius, Onondaga, New York, United States; citing source p. 6, line 33, household ID 55, county clerk, board of supervisors and surrogate court offices from various counties. Utica and East Hampton Public Libraries, New York; FHL microfilm 860,898.
United States Census, 1870, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8VZ-BHJ : 12 April 2016), Elijah Tryon, New York, United States; p. 21, family 194, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,560.
Elijah Tryon in the Web: US, New England Seamen's Protection Certificate Index, 1796-1871, Declaration Date: 6 Oct 1804, Declaration Port: New Haven, Age: 21, Birth Year: abt 1783, Birthplace: Middletown, Connecticut, Certificate Number: 1581 (ancestry.com)
Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13021602), memorial page for Elijah Tryon (27 Nov 1783–17 Feb 1874), Find A Grave Memorial no. 13021602, citing Christ Church Cemetery, Manlius, Onondaga County, New York, USA ; Maintained by GerbLady (contributor 46637511) .
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Elijah by comparing test results with other carriers of his ancestors' Y-chromosome or mitochondrial DNA.
Y-chromosome DNA test-takers in his direct paternal line on WikiTree:
I have uploaded the list of nieces, nephews, grandnieces/nephews, and even some great grandnieces/nephews with notes on the ones I've found and others still unknown. See the linked PDF file. The original is from TFA. Through it I've been able to add new relatives and connect a few of our "headless" relatives.
I'm trying to track down the named nieces and nephews. It's possible Lucy Jane Tryon and John Dunham had daughters at least one of whom was named Mary and may be the missing Mary Ann Cameron, but Lucy Jane Tryon and John Dunham appear to have left behind very few records.
Your logic is sound. The other William appears much more likely to be his father, and there does not appear to be sufficient evidence for this William as his father. I favor the adjustment.
I do not believe he can be the son of the parents linked here. Reasoning: (1) IF his birth date is as calculated, 1783, his closest sibling was born in 1777; (2) there are several men named Elijah or Elisha Tryon who were close contemporaries; (3) few Tryons were resident in Onondaga County, and of those buried near him, one who could be his father: William Tryon, I don't think it's the same William Tryon as linked here.
I believe his father may possibly have been William Tryon who is known to have settled in Manlius, Onondaga County, NY. Elijah fits within the time frame of William's many children. At present Tryon-625 is listed as a brother of Elijah, not his father. Based on a birth date (calculated from death date) of 1783, his mother would have been William's second wife, Susanna -- Susannah Spofford.
The argument against assuming his father was Tryon-625 is that many papers were left behind by William Tryon (a list of his children, his will, etc., transcribed into TFA) and none of the papers names a relative named Elijah or Elisha Tryon.
There is one other Tryon appearing in early Onondaga County, NY, and that is an Abel Tryon, but I don't know which one of the several Abels. He was elected to a very early office in the county, but I can find nothing further about him.
See the will and my notes regarding it. This seems like sufficient evidence to reconnect him to his parents.
I believe his father may possibly have been William Tryon who is known to have settled in Manlius, Onondaga County, NY. Elijah fits within the time frame of William's many children. At present Tryon-625 is listed as a brother of Elijah, not his father. Based on a birth date (calculated from death date) of 1783, his mother would have been William's second wife, Susanna -- Susannah Spofford.
The argument against assuming his father was Tryon-625 is that many papers were left behind by William Tryon (a list of his children, his will, etc., transcribed into TFA) and none of the papers names a relative named Elijah or Elisha Tryon.
There is one other Tryon appearing in early Onondaga County, NY, and that is an Abel Tryon, but I don't know which one of the several Abels. He was elected to a very early office in the county, but I can find nothing further about him.