In a message dated 8/19/2004 11:00:52 AM Pacific Daylight Time, SWEET-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: X-Message: #3 Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 20:49:11 -0400 (EDT) From: john.chandler@alum.mit.edu (John Chandler) To: SWEET-L@rootsweb.com Message-Id: <REME20040818204748@alum.mit.edu> Subject: Re: Silas Sweet, Jr. of Bradford, VT & MA (Correction of Birthdate) Marianne wrote: > I am researching Silas Sweet, Jr., b. abt. 1776-7. His father was Silas, > b. 1745. The older Silas was the subject of the book "Silas Sweet, of New > Bedford, Massachusetts, and Bradford, Vermont, and his Descendants" by Charles > Sweet Johnson, LL.B. > ... > I think the family below is the family of Silas Sweet, Jr.: > > Mercy (unknown maiden name) Sweet, b. abt. 1792-3 in MA > children (that I know of) of Mercy: > Emeline (Sweet) Tatch, b. 22Nov1820 in Bradford, Orange Co., VT (my 3rd > g-grandmother) > Lafayette Sweet, b. 27Apr1825 in Bradford, Orange Co., VT > Maria Sweet, b. 1827-8 in VT > Benjamin F. Sweet, b. 1831-2 in MA > Andrew A. Sweet, b. abt. 1833 in MA or VT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --- If you can locate Sweets who descend from Lafayette, Benjamin, or Andrew, we could investigate the ancestry of Silas by testing the DNA of these descendants. There has been speculation that Silas Sr was the illegitimate son of Elizabeth Sweet (daughter of Jeremiah of North Kingstown and Exeter, RI), but I believe this speculation is based only on a fragment of a page from the (nearly destroyed) North Kingstown vital records, on which a whole family is entered, but only part of the information can be read -- the name of the mother is Elizabeth Sweet, and one of the children is Silas. The fact that the father's name is missing does not mean it was missing from the original records. There is, of course, no proof that this page refers to the same Silas anyhow, but Silas' location in New Bedford suggests that he is related to one of the Sweet families in the area, and those include the extended kin of Jeremiah as well as the Sweets of Attleborough, MA. Both of these families are already represented in the Sweet family DNA project, and so the chances are good that Silas could be placed by testing one of his descendants. See the DNA study at http://www.fairleafarm.harvard.ma.us/dnasweet.htm John Chandler Hello John, I have done research and found that Andrew Sweet died early, and I found no marriage for him, so most likely he has no descendants. Lafayette Sweet only had one daughter - and she had no children, so there ends that Sweet line. I am just now looking into Benjamin. He does have sons, and his sons had sons, so there is a good chance that there are male descendants for him. I am currently waiting for Civil War Pension records for Benjamin, which should list his family. At least it will list his death date - and that might lead to a probate record. Hopefully, the probate record will list his children. Today, I did some directory research for Benjamin, and found another son. I'd like to do a little "proofing", before I accept these sons as fact. I'm still working on the census years for Benjamin. Now...I wonder what this living descendant is going to think, when I contact him out of the blue, and ask him for a DNA sample.... ha! I've asked people for a lot of things in this hobby, but this will be a first for me! I'll have to read more of the details on the website you gave me, and learn a little more about this. I am also waiting for a book (on microfilm) to be sent to my library, titled "Sweet Family in America" 1630-1930, by James Sylvester Perry Sweet, A.M., PhD. I'm hoping to find some info on Silas Sweet, Jr. For some reason, I can find info on Silas Sr, but next to nothing on Silas Jr. So the hunt continues... Thanks for the DNA idea - we're investigating the past with cutting-edge technology! Marianne in CA