DESCENDANTS OF THOMAS & MERCY (HOLBRIDGE) DISBROW, PART ONE © 1992 by Michael S. Disbrow ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Page 311 (U9) JONATHAN DISBROW b. c1794 NY d. m. RACHEL ( ) b. c1802 NY d. He was in Ledyard, Cayuga Co., NY in 1830, and in Ovid, Seneca Co., NY in 1840 and '50. His presence in Seneca Co. suggests he may have been a son of either (2-2-1) Russell Disbrow or (2-2-5) Jabez Disbrow. Rachel Disbrow moved to MI by 1860 where she and her grandson Charles Disbrow were listed in the household of Frank Keyes (or Keyer) in Burnes Twp., Shiawassee Co. Probable children: +(U9-1) David b. 21 Mar. 1823 NY +(U9-2) Smith b. c1827 NY (U9-3) Harriett b. c1830 NY (U9-4) Ann Maria b. c1836 NY (U9-5) Cynthia b. c1839 NY [A "Cyntha Disbrow", age 20, born Yates Co., NY, listed 1860 Lodi, Seneca Co., NY.] References: census - 1830 Ledyard, Cayuga Co., NY, 1840 '50 Ovid, Seneca Co., NY, 1860 Burnes Twp., Shiawassee Co., MI (U9-1) DAVID DISBROW, prob. son of Jonathan & Rachel ( ) b. (21 Mar. 1823) NY; d. 19 Oct. 1859 Byron, Shiawassee Co., MI (age 36-6-28), bur. Byron cem., Burnes Twp. m. 7 July 1846 Ovid, Seneca Co., NY, MARY GIFFORD, b. c1826 NY; d. before June 1898; she m. (2nd) ( ) Eliot. The notice of their marriage in a Seneca Co. newspaper read: "David Disbrow, 92, to Mary Gifford, 101, both of Ovid, by Rev. W. P. Davis. They were engaged for 65 years." Obviously a joke was being played. David drowned at Byron according to his obit. which appeared in the "Corunna [MI] Courier" of 2 Nov. 1859 and in the "Detroit Free Press" of 6 Nov. The 1860 census mortality schedule states that his death was sudden, by a fall. He was the principal sawyer at Messers. Allen, Royce & Co. In 1860 Mary and her children were living with Hosie Gifford (age 54 - her father?) in Burnes Twp., Shiawassee Co., MI. In 1891 she signed an affidavit in her son Charles' pension file, "Mrs. Mary Eliot," residing at Argentine, Genesee Co., MI. Children: +(U9-1-1) Charles A. b. 8 May 1847 Hector, Schuyler Co., NY (U9-1-2) George b. c1848 MI (U9-1-3) Chester b. c1854 MI (U9-1-4) Frank b. 12 July 1856 MI; d. 29 Mar. 1944, bur. Byron cem., Shiawassee Co., MI (U9-1-5) Flora b. c0ct. 1859 MI; poss. m. Otis Dart; res. 1925 Long Lake, MI References: marr. record per Finger Lakes Gen. Soc., Waterloo, NY [Mrs. B. Auten via Arlynn Gantz]; headstone inscrip. [Arlynn Gantz]; obit., Corunna Courier [Arlynn Gantz] and Detroit Free Press [Robert Mosher]; pension file of Charles A. Disbrow; census - 1850 '60 Burnes Twp., Shiawassee Co., MI ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Page 312 (U9-1-1) CHARLES A. DISBROW, son of David & Mary (Gifford) b. 8 May 1847 Hector, Schuyler Co., NY; d. 23 June 1925 Flint, Genesee Co., NY, bur. Byron cem., Shiawassee Co., MI m. (1st) 25 Dec. 1868 Shiawassee Co., MI, JOSEPHINE C. TOLES, b. 4 May 1848 NY; d. 20 Sep. 1904, bur. Laingsburg cem., Shiawassee Co. They were divorced sometime between 1880 and 1897. m. (2nd) 28 Dec. 1908 Sawtelle, Los Angeles Co., CA, HELEN B. ANDERSON, b. 4 Jan. 1857 Ashton, Lee Co., IL. She m. (1st) William W. Bunce who d. 15 Dec. 1904. She and Charles Disbrow were divorced 24 Oct. 1921 at Oakland, CA. Charles A. Disbrow served in Co. F, 30 MI Infantry in the Civil War; later pensioned. In 1880 he was living with his wife Josephine and dau. Cora in Brookfield Twp., Eaton Co., MI. About 1888 records show he was working as a janitor in the State Capitol building in Lansing. Sometime after 1901 he moved to Sawtelle, CA, where he lived 15 years. Moved back to MI after divorce from second wife, and died at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Charles Simmons in Flint. According to his obit. ["Flint Daily Journal" 24 June 1925], he was survived by a daughter, Mrs. Cora Wort, one brother, Frank Disbrow of Durand, and a sister, Mrs. Otis Dart of Long Lake. Child, by 1st wife: (U9-1-1-1) Cora A. b. 12 Feb. 1870 MI; m. 1895 Livingston Co., MI, John G. Wert/Wort References: pension files, Nat'l Archives; headstone inscrips. & obit. [Arlynn Gantz]; muster roll of G.A.R., Lansing [Arlynn Gantz]; census - 1850 '60 Burnes Twp., Shiawassee Co., MI, 1880 (soundex) Brookfield Twp., Eaton Co., MI; Livingston Co. marriage records [A. Gantz] (U9-2) SMITH DISBROW, son of Jonathan & Rachel ( ) b. c1827 NY; d. after 1880 m. 18 Nov. 1851 Ovid, Seneca Co., NY, MARGARET SMOCK, b. c1834 NY; d. after 1880 By 1859 Smith and Margaret had moved from NY to MI, and were listed in the 1860 census of Danby Twp., Ionia Co., living in the household of Cornelis and Ammarilla Smock (ages 65 and 66.) They moved to Burnes Twp., Shiawassee Co. by 1880 which is the last record I have of them. Children: (U9-2-1) Elizabeth b. c1854 Ovid, Seneca Co., NY; m. 16 Mar. 1873 Cohoctah, Livingston Co., MI, Daniel Kelsey (b. c1849 York, MI). Elizabeth Kelsey and her dau. Myrtle were living w/Smith & Margaret 1880. (U9-2-2) Kate b. c1857 NY; m. 1880 Livingston Co., MI, Leland A. Lewis (U9-2-3) Hannah b. c1859 MI (U9-2-4) David b. c1863 MI (U9-2-5) Jay b. c1865 MI (U9-2-6) Fred b. c1871 MI References: marr. notice per Finger Lakes Gen. Soc., Waterloo, NY [Mrs. B. Auten via Arlynn Gantz]; census - 1850 Ovid, Seneca Co., NY, 1860 Danby Twp., Ionia Co., MI, 1880 (soundex) Burnes Twp., Shiawassee Co., MI; Livingston Co. marriage records [Arlynn Gantz, Joanne Shaffer] _______________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Page 313 (U10) JOSEPH DISBROW b. c1784 poss. NY d. 11 Aug. 1842 Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence Co., NY bur. Ogdensburg cem. m. CLARISSA PLUMB, dau. of Isaac & Sylvia (Ward) b. 3 Mar. 1784 Milford, New Haven Co., CT d. 27 Nov. 1875 Ogdensburg, St, Lawrence Co., NY bur. w/Joseph She m. (1st) ( ) Nichols. Joseph was probably in Ogdensburg (earlier known as Oswegatchie) as early as 1812, but it is unknown where he came from originally. His dau. Caroline listed her father's birthplace as New York in the 1880 census. The fact that he named his son Russell leads me to wonder if Joseph was another of the unproved children of (2-2-1) Russell Disbrow (son of Jabez, grandson of Joseph) by his second wife Chloe. Russell and Chloe were married in 1781 and moved from Fairfield Co., CT to Cayuga/Seneca Co., NY, sometime before 1800. Unfortunately I have no data to connect this Joseph with Seneca Co. Another puzzling aspect of this is that Joseph's daughter Caroline married a Thomas Armstrong. A daughter of the above mentioned (2-2-1) Russell Disbrow, Eunice, also married a man by the same name, although they were certainly two different men and no relationship has been found between them. Both Thomas Armstrongs moved with their wives to Michigan. Clarissa lived in Ogdensburg with her son Russell after Joseph died, and died at the home of her son-in-law Mr. J. M. Wooley, according to her obit. in the "Ogdensburg Journal" of 29 Nov. 1875, which also says that she was born in Milford, CT, 2 Mar, 1784, the second daughter of the late Isaac Plumb Sr. She'd been a resident of Ogdensburg since 1812. Children: +(U10-1) Caroline b. c1814 NY +(U10-2) Russell b. c1816 NY (U10-3) Mary Ann b. 25 Nov. 1818 [NOTE: There may have been more children. A Harriet Disbrow was admitted to the St. John's Episcopal church in Ogdensburg 25 Nov. 1828, who is unidentified. One daughter married J. M. Wooley.] References: fam. data & misc. research notes of Michael J. Helbig, 1987-8, inc. headstone inscrips., obits. & census data; Abbott, Fams. of Early Milford, CT (1979), 587; census - 1820 Oswegatchie, 1830 through 1860 Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence Co., NY (U10-1) CAROLINE DISBROW, dau. of Joseph & Clarissa (Plumb) b. c1814 NY m. 17 Apr. 1834 Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence Co., NY, THOMAS ARMSTRONG, d. May 1869 Grass Lake, Jackson Co., MI Their marriage took place at the St. John's Episcopal church in Ogdensburg, witnessed by Mr. Disbrow and Isaac Plumb. Thomas Armstrong was listed adjacent to Russell Disbrow in ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Page 314 (U10-1) CAROLINE DISBROW, cont'd the 1840 census of Ogdensburg, both engaged in manufactures and trades. The Armstrongs, by 1852, moved to Ontario, and lived at Newburgh and later Napanee. After 1861they moved to Grass Lake, Jackson Co., MI, where the widow Caroline was listed in the 1880 census. Children: (U10-1-1) William B. ARMSTRONG b. c1837 Canada?; poss. d. Wayne Co., MI; m. Clementine Seager (U10-1-2) Russell Disbrow ARMSTRONG (U10-1-3) Joseph Plumb ARMSTRONG (U10-1-4) Mary ARMSTRONG References: fam. data & research notes of Michael J. Helbig, 1987-8, inc. church marr. record (U10-2) RUSSELL DISBROW, son of Joseph & Clarissa (Plumb) b. c1816 St. Lawrence Co., NY; d. Nov. 1869, drowned in Lake Ontario m. MARIA ( ), b. c1818 VT; d. 17 May 1880, bur. Ogdensburg cem., St. Lawrence Co., NY He was a sailor on the Great Lakes, co-owner of a schooner called the "Northerner" in 1861. Captain Disbrow was in command of the schooner "Volunteer" on Lake Ontario in Nov. 1869 carrying a load of apples, when the vessel was struck by a violent storm. Apparently all on board, including Disbrow and a five-man crew, were lost. The ship washed ashore at Port Ontario, NY, on the night of 18 Nov., with no one on board. [per articles in "The Daily Journal" of Ogdensburg, NY, 23 Nov., 25 Nov., 29 Nov. and 1 Dec. 1869 - Michael J. Helbig] Maria Disbrow was listed in the 1870 census of Ogdensburg with Clarissa Disbrow, her mother-in-law. Children: (010-2-1) Mary b. c1840 NY; bur. Ogdensburg cem.; m. Henry C. Hunt (010-2-2) Caroline b. c1842 NY +(010-2-3) George b. c1844 NY (010-2-4) Emma F./Fanny b. c1850 NY; bur. Ogdensburg cem. References: fam. data & research notes of Michael J. Helbig, 1987-8, inc. newspaper items and census data; census - 1840 '50 '60 '65 '70 Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence Co., NY (U10-2-3) GEORGE DISBROW, son of Russell & Maria ( ) b. c1844 prob. Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence Co., NY; d. 1899 Toledo, Lucas Co., OH m. CATHARINE ( ), b. c1845 Canada His death notice appeared in the "St. Lawrence Republican" (Ogdensburg, NY) of 8 Mar. 1899: "Remains of Capt. George Disbrow who died in Toledo were put in Ogdensburg vault. Son of Capt. Russell Disbrow. Lived here until about 18 years ago, went west. Sailor. Commanded various lake vessels." [from card file at History Center, Canton, NY, per Michael J. Helbig] A Marie L. Disbrow, born Aug. 1854 OH, was listed in the 1900 census of Toledo, Lucas Co., OH, with a son Leonard W. Kirkland, b. Dec. 1872 OH. Was she the widow of George? References: fam. data & research notes of Michael J. Helbig, 1987-8, inc. obit. & census data; census - 1850 '60 '70 Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence Co., NY _______________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Page 315 (U11) LEVI DISBROW b. c1786 CT d. m. 24 Sep. 1842 Onondaga, Onondaga Co., NY ADALINE ( ) b. c1809 CT or NY d. As far as I can tell only descendants of Thomas Disbrow were in Connecticut when this Levi was born in 1786. I have no clue as to who his parents were. Perhaps he was a son of (5-9) Levi Disbrow of Ridgefield, CT, whose only known child was Banks Davis Disbrow, born c1783. I can find no record of him until his marriage to Mrs. Adaline Stanton in Onondaga, NY, in 1842. In 1850 he was living in the city of Oswego, a merchant, age 64. For some reason Adaline was not listed with him. She was listed in the 3rd ward of Syracuse, Onondaga Co., age 41, born CT, living with Mr. Montgomery, a lawyer, his wife and dau. She was also listed in Granby, Oswego Co., age 41, b. NY, with Alvin Upharn [?], a carpenter, and family. Levi is listed in the 1860 census of Oswego, 2nd ward. [see ADDENDA for (5-7) Asa Disbrow, p. 321] References: marr. notice, "Onondaga [NY] Standard", 5 Oct. 1842, per Tree Talks Vol. 17, no. 2; census - 1850 '60 Oswego, Oswego Co., NY, 1850 Syracuse, Onondaga Co., NY, 1850 Granby, Oswego Co., NY _______________________ (U12) NATHAN DISBRO b. c1786 NY d. He is listed in the 1850 census of Parma, Monroe Co., NY, age 64, a farmer. He was in the household of Anson Harard or Harvard or ??? I have no previous or subsequent record of him. References: census - 1850 Parma, Monroe Co., NY _______________________ (U13) RICHMOND DISBROW b. c1826 CT d. 1 Aug, 1863 Port Hudson, LA m. JULIA A. ( ) [poss. Julia M. Thorpe] b. c1830 CT d. The Hale Collection of CT newspaper marriage notices records the marriage of a "Robert" Disbrow to Julia M. Thorpe, 10 Feb. 1849, from a notice in the "Columbian Register." In the 1850 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Page 316 (U13) RICHMOND DISBROW, cont'd census of Westport, CT, Richmond Disbrow, age 24, a shoemaker, was listed with Julia A., age 20, Analetta Waterbury 18, and Almon Waterbury 25, all born in CT. Richmond served in Co. C, 28th CT Infantry in the Civil War. He died at Port Hudson, Louisiana on 1 Aug. 1863. Julia Disbrow filed for widow's pension 12 Oct, 1863 and a minor child (H. W. Miller, guardian) filed 3 Feb. 1865. References: marr. notice per Charles Hale Coll.; General Index to Pension Files 1861-1934 [Cash Disbrow]; Adjutant General Reports - CT, I:850, 880 [Arlynn Gantz]; census - 1850 Westport, 1860 Weston, Fairfield Co., CT _______________________ (U14) SIMON DISBROW b. c1792 d. 5 Mar. 1835 Hollidaysburgh, Blair Co., PA m. poss. IRENE ( ) b. d. Dec. 1849 This Simon Disbrow appears in the 1820 census of Gorham, Ontario Co., NY, and in 1830 Rochester, Monroe Co., NY. He should not be confused with (2-2-3) Simon Disbrow (who was much older), or (2-2-3-12) Simon Disbrow Jr. (who was younger). He, too, I suspect of being a son of either (2-2-1) Russell or (2-2-5) Jabez, both of Seneca Co., NY. His death notice appeared in the "Wayne Sentinel" (Palmyra, NY) of 27 Mar. 1835 - Capt. Simon Disbrow, age 43, of Rochester, d. 5 Mar. 1835 in Hollidaysburgh, PA (survived by wf. & 4 ch. in Rochester). I suspect his widow was the "Irena Desbro" listed in the 1840 census of Rochester. The death notice of "Mrs. Irene Disbrow" appeared in three Rochester newspapers on 25 and 27 Dec. 1849 (per an index). If available, these papers could be examined for further clues. Poss. children, not proved: +(U14-1) John +(U14-2) Sanford b. 6 Jan. 1819 Canandaigua, Ontario Co., NY +(U14-3) Lyman b. c1822 NY References: d. notice per Bowman, 10,000 Vital Records of Western NY, 1809-1850 (1985); Rochester newspaper index, Rundle Pub. Lib., Rochester, NY [Donald W. Disbrow]; census - 1820 Gorham, Ontario Co., NY, 1830 '40 Rochester, Monroe Co., NY ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Page 317 (U14-1) JOHN DISBROW, poss. son of Simon & Irene ( ) b. ??; d. Oct. 1867 Rochester, Monroe Co., NY m. ELIZABETH H. BALL, b. c1815; d. 11 July 1884 Grand Rapids, Kent Co., MI, bur. Rochester, NY He was in the tobacco manufacturing business in Rochester, as were his two brothers Sanford and Lyman. He served on the Rochester common council and as alderman of the 2nd ward. His obituary appeared in the Rochester "Union & Advertiser" of 21 Oct. 1867 (per index). I could not find him in the 1850 census of Rochester even though he is listed in the index. Elizabeth Disbrow died in Grand Rapids, MI, as she was walking up Fulton St. on 11 July 1884. She collapsed from the heat. She was a sister of S. S. Ball of Grand Rapids, and she had moved there from Rochester three years before. Child: (U14-1-1) Silas Ball d. Apr. 1841 Rochester, NY [his obits appeared in Rochester newspapers, and I am guessing he was a child of John & Elizabeth (Ball) Disbrow. Another Silas Disbrow d. 1852 in Rochester, unidentified.] References: Rochester newspaper index & "Barton Obits" scrapbook, Rundle Pub. Lib., Rochester, NY [Donald W. Disbrow]; Hist. of Monroe Co., NY (1877), 124; census - 1850 '60 Rochester, Monroe Co., NY] (U14-2) SANFORD DISBROW, poss. son of Simon & Irene ( ) b. 6 Jan. 1819 Canandaigua, Ontario Co., NY; d. 9 Dec. 1882 Rochester, Monroe Co., NY m. Sep. 1837, HARRIET AMELIA KETCHUM, b. ??; d. 29 Mar. 1895 Rochester, Monroe Co., NY His obit., from the Rochester, NY, "Union & Advertiser" of 11 Dec. 1882: "On Sat. morning last ... occurred the death of Sanford Disbrow, ... nearly 64, after an illness of only a few hours ... one of the city's oldest honored citizens ... in 1821 he came to this place and resided here til death." Other data from obit: Interested in the manufacture of tobacco ... in 1836 entered the employ of Richard Ketchum, the pioneer of tobacco trade here ... through industry became a partner in 1840 ... in 1857 Ketchum retired & Sanford became associated with his bro. John Disbrow ... survived by widow and also by Mrs. Mary L. Wells, Mr. & Mrs. J. D. McKay, Mrs. Jane Pierce. Obit & a memorial for Harriet A. Disbrow appeared in the same paper 29 and 30 Mar. 1895. Child: (U14-2-1) Ketchum [obit of Ketchum Disbrow appeared in Rochester "Union & Advertiser" of 20 May 1861] [NOTE: poss. other children, such as the people mentioned in Sanford's obit] References: Rochester newspaper index & "Barton's Obits" scrapbook, Rundle Pub. Lib., Rochester, NY [Donald W. Disbrow]; census - 1860 Rochester 6th ward, Monroe Co., NY (U14-3) LYMAN DISBROW, poss. son of Simon & Irene ( ) b. c1822 NY; d. Aug. 1854 Rochester, Monroe Co., NY m. May 1852, HELEN M. HASKELL Lyman appears in the 1850 census of Rochester, NY, age 28, a "Tobacconist", living in a hotel. An item in a Rochester newspaper, 19 Feb. 1851, states Lyman Disbrow employed 15 hands in a tobacco factory. He died of cholera according to his obit in the 8 Aug. 1854 edition of ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Page 318 (U14-3) LYMAN DISBROW, cont'd a Rochester paper. No known children. References: newspaper items, marr. & obit per Rochester newspaper index, Rundle Pub. Lib., Rochester, NY [Donald W. Disbrow]; census - 1850 Rochester 1st ward, Monroe Co., NY _______________________ (U15) TAYLOR DISBROW b. 1755 or earlier d. He was listed in the 1800 census of Fairfield, CT, near to seven other Disbrow families (all spelled "Disbury") who were descendants of Thomas. In Taylor Disbury's household were one male of 45 and upward, one female 16-25 and one female 45 and upward. No other records of him have been found. Reference: census - 1800 Fairfield, Fairfield Co., CT _______________________ (U16) WILLIAM HENRY DISBROW b. c1817 Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT d. m. 26 Nov. 1843 Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT CLARISSA NORTHRUP b. c1819 Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT d. Marr. record in Ridgefield vital records calls him Henry Disbrow of New Canaan. William H. Disbrow, age 33, a shoemaker, listed 1850 census of Ridgefield, with Clarissa 31, George 5 and Josiah Dauchy (a farmer) 45. All b. Ridgefield except George b. New Canaan. His birth in Ridgefield might indicate a relationship with (5-9) Levi Disbrow who d. in Ridgefield in 1824. Child: (U16-1) George b. c1845 New Canaan, CT [poss. the George Disbrow, age 34, born CT, listed 1880 census of Manhattan, NY, with wife Mary 28 and son William 1, both b. NY.] References: Ridgefield vital records, Barbour Coll.; census - 1850 Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., CT END OF UNPLACED DISBROWS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------