To Carolyn and Rachel: Thank you for your recent posts. We send our sincere condolences to the family of Oscar Earl Woolsey. It appears he lived a long and fruitful life. As a matter of interest, I send the following: Oscar Earl Woolsey & Mary Marilla Bowman, son of Robert Taylor Woolsey & Laura Etta Broyles, son of David Maziah Woolsey & Elizabeth Price, son of William Bonaparte Woolsey & Alice Bird, son of William Woolsey & Sarah Woolsey, who was a daughter of Rev. Thomas Woolsey, Jr. & Phoebe Gilbert, son of Rev. Thomas Woolsey & (Sarah Pierce?), son of Richard Woolsey & Sarah Fowler, son of Thomas Woolsey & Ruth Bayles, son of the immigrants George Woolsey & Rebecca Cornell --- William Woolsey (above) & Sarah Woolsey, son of Zephaniah Woolsey & Sarah Woolsey, a daughter of Rev. William Woolsey & Sarah Lewis, son of William Woolsey & Dorcas Williamson, son of Thomas Woolsey & Ruth Bayles, son of the immigrants George Woolsey & Rebecca Cornell --- Zephaniah Woolsey (above) & Sarah Woolsey, son of John Woolsey & Mary Sammis, son of John (Hannis) Woolsey & Abigail (Stephenson?), son of George Woolsey & Rebecca Cornell, our immigrants. Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker

Recently Tania Woolsey wrote: Hi Va and Wilford, I hope this email finds you both doing well. I have uncovered some information on the identity of the first wife of Rev. Richard Woolsey of Colchester, Delaware County NY and later Seneca County, NY. It seems Va that your Aunt "Code" had all of her marbles when she did the original research. For clarification I'm going to list the known Children of Richard Woolsey: Esther (birth date unknown, died before 1846) Phebe (1795 - 1824) Sarah (birth date unknown, died before 1846) Joseph (Feb. 23, 1801 - 1858) John (August 30, 1802 - August 20, 1887) Richard (May 22, 1804 - 1883) Daniel (March 5, 1808 - June 27, 1887) Electa Mariah (Nov. 21, 1809 - ?) Lucinda (Jan. 13, 1812 - March 11, 1886) Clarinda (March 17, 1814 - Nov. 30, 1874) Belinda (Jan. 25, 1817 - June 14, 1876) We have suspected that the first 3 girls were daughters of Richard and his first wife. Mostly for 2 reasons. First, Richard's second wife Sarah Fuller Gregory was widowed in Dec. of 1796 and had a child in March of 1797. And second, Daniel Woolsey does not mention them in our family bible. So, now the plot thickens.... In a listing of the Covered Bridge Cemetery, Colchester, Delaware County, New York is this grave: Abigale Woolsey Wife of Richard Died May 22, 1804 36 years Notice her death date and the birth date of Richard in the list of children above are the same! So, it appears that Abigale was not only the mother of the first three girls but also the first 3 boys. This does shed light on the 4 year gap between the births of Richard in 1804 and Daniel in 1808. It still leaves me wondering why Daniel left the 3 oldest girls off the list of his siblings in the bible. Maybe he didn't list them because they were already deceased at the time he inscribed the page in the bible. We'll really never know...... Take Care, Tania Woolsey - ----------------------------------------------------------------------- I will reply to Va Buchanan and Tania Woolsey as follows: Thank you, Tania, for this interesting post. I know that if you and Va keep "digging" around, you will eventually get this line straight. I am particularly interestested because they are descendants of Richard Woolsey and Sarah Fowler. The parents of Rev Richard Woolsey are Joseph Woolsey and Mary Haight, s/o Richard Woolsey and Sarah Fowler. Joseph Woolsey and Mary Haight also had a son Joseph Woolsey Jr , a blacksmith, who married Mehitable Brown, and had (probably) 13 children. They eventually went to Franklin twp, Erie County, Pennsylvania. Now I have an Arza Woolsey b 26 Nov 1799 in New York, married Betsey ________, abt 1819, and they have 2 boys and 1 girl in the 1830 Saratoga Co, NY census. I next found Arza and Betsey in the 1850 and 1860 census of Frankling Twp, Erie Co, PA and Arza and Betsey are buried in the Francis Cemetery, Franklin Twp, Erie Co, PA. Arza Woolsey, b 1799, is too young to be a son of Joseph Woolsey, Sr. and Mary Haight and Arza Woolsey is too old to be a son of Joseph Woolsey, Jr. and Mehitable Brown. Arza Woolsey would fit into the family of Rev. Richard Woolsey and his first wife Abigail Lyon, but I have no proof. Any suggestions about this Arza Woolsey? Thank you all for your wonderful information and help and interest in the Woolsey family. Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker

Thanks so much Wilford for your added input on Oscar. That helps me keep my line straight. Thanks for your labor of love with our Woolsey's. We appreciate all your hard work. It is so interesting to learn about the person behind the name with our ancestors. Thanks so much.. Cousin Rachel T. Brewer

Thanks Carolyn for the obit. For those cousins interested in more info on Oscar Earl Woolsey from the Book, "Historic Greene Co. Tenn. and Its People 1783-1992. Oscar was born 8 Jan 1916 in the Sunnydale Community, 2nd Civil District of Greene Co. Tenn. He lived all his life in Greene County. He attended Sunnydale Elem. and Camp Creek High School. He served two terms as Magistrate of the Second District in the Greene Co. Court. He farmed most of his life. His hobby was raising Jennets and Jacks. He retired from the Greeneville Water Filtration Plant on Jan. 8, 1980. He married Mary Marilla Bowman on 19 Jan 1936. She is the daughter of William August Bowman and Stella Emma Broyles Bowman. She was born 7 Apr 1917. Cousin, Rachel T. Brewer

To Shirley C. Petty and other interested Woolsey researchers. Thank you for reposting your Nathaniel Woolsey data. I am most interested in Nathaniel Woolsey of Kentucky and Illinois as I feel that the key for solving many of the Woolsey problems (of Kentucky) lies with his and his family (families?). My great grandmother Sarah Woolsey said that her uncle and aunt were "Nathaniel Woolsey, born in New York and Rebecca Glen, born in Ireland." Sarah Woolsey was the grand daughter of Richard Woolsey and Nancy Plumstead, so her father Joseph Woolsey (who md Abigail Schaeffer) and Nathaniel Woolsey would be brothers. In my data base I have 12 Nathan Woolseys, all born after 1790, but includes one Nathan Woolsey b 1790-1800, who was living in the 1840 census of Franklin County, Illinois, along with Nathaniel Woolsey, who I think was Nathan's father. Nathan was too old to be a son of Susannah ____________, who appears in the 1850 Franklin County, Illinois, Census as per your post. But I think Nathan was a son of Nathaniel Woolsey and Rebecca Glenn. There are three other Woolsey children who could have been born before 1807, possible children of Nathaniel Woolsey and Rebecca Glenn. Also in my data base are 15 Nathaniel Woolseys, nine of whom were born before 1788. There were 5 Nathaniels who were born in New York, 1 Nathaniel born in New Hampshire, 1 Nathaniel born in Maryland, and 2 Nathaniels were born in or of Virginia. As I look carefully at these records, I think that I could merge one of the New York Nathaniel Woolseys with one of the Virginia Nathaniel Woolseys, combine them and make Nathaniel Woolsey, s/o Richard Woolsey and Nancy Plumstead, born in New York, lived in Virginia, moved to Kentucky, and then ended up in Franklin County, Illinois. I believe this is the same Nathaniel Woolsey who may have married 2) 24 Sep 1807 in Madison County, Kentucky, to Rebecca Rice, and possibly the same Nathaniel Woolsey who married 3) Susannah _________, and was in the 1840 census of Franklin County, Illinois The big problem with this whole group of Woolseys from Kentucky to Illinois to Missouri, etc is that fact that we don't have much data on their families. The census records have helped, except where the early Woolseys died before the 1850 census. I won't go into more detail now. I will spend the next two days at the library researching the Franklin county, Illinois, records and hopefully can find some probate records for Nathaniel and his family. If anyone can help, would sure appreciate hearing from you. Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker

Oscar E. Woolsey Died: 08-18-2000 Oscar E. Woolsey, 84, of Laughlin Health Care Center and formerly of Sunnydale Road, died Friday evening at the center. Mr. Woolsey retired from the Greeneville Water Commission. He was a member of Mountain View BaptistChurch. Survivors include his wife: Marilla B. Woolsey; a son and daughter-in-law: Lyndon and Eddie Woolsey of Greeneville; two grandchildren and special grandchildren-in-law: Connie and Duane Stanton and Darrin and Lisa Woolsey, all of Greeneville; two great-grandsons: Dustin Woolsey and Travis Woolsey; a brother: Charles Woolsey of Greeneville; two sisters: Elizabeth Freshour of Greeneville and Eva Yeskey of New York; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Covey Woolsey, Elizabeth Bowman, Marvin R. and Mary Etta Bowman, Clifton and Mildred Bowman; and several nieces and nephews. He was a son of the late Robert Taylor and Lura Broyles Woolsey and was preceded in death by two brothers: Ray Woolsey and Clay Woolsey; and two sisters: Pauline Swatsell and Ruth Jones. The family received friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Sunday at Kiser Funeral Home. A graveside service was held at 11 o’clock this morning in Harris Memorial Cemetery. The Rev. Ken Smith officiated. Active pallbearers were Jack Jones, Jerry Freshour, Wayne Woolsey, Max Jones, Lynn Jones, Herman Riddle, Buford Shipley, and Clyde Crum Jr. Honorary pallbearers were the employees of Greene County Farmer’s Mutual Insurance Co. Carolyn Woolsey Wilkerson E-mail: carolynw46@juno.com Juno website: http://homestead.juno.com/carolynw46/ Rootsweb website: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bagel

I posted this several months ago, but in hopes someone new is on the list that might help me connect my Nathaniel Woolsey, I am posting this again. ======================================= I am interested in the family of Nathaniel Woolsey of KY. With the kind help of a researcher at the library, we found the following and I hope someone can help me know if we are in fact correct. Catharine J. Woolsey Dawson, born in KY and married to Francis Etherton Dawson from TN, was my great-great-grandmother. We were looking for her ancestry. There was a Zephaniah Woolsey I ran across in KY and TN, but his wife Susannah obviously died early on and he remarried two more times. No children listed for him and Susannah, nor could we find his migration to IL, so we excluded him. At the time Francis Etherton Dawson and wife Catharine Woolsey lived in IL (1830's - 1860's), there were no other Dawsons from TN/KY in the county at the time. There were other Woolseys � same age grouping and all from KY. On the 1850 census in Franklin County, we find: 1. Catharine Woolsey Dawson (age 36) and husband Francis Etherton Dawson with four children, Roxanne (13), Henry T. (11), Susannah (9), Mary A. (7). They later had Martha and Jane Etherton. 2. Mary Ann Woolsey (age 26) married to Isaac Campbell with widowed Susanna Woolsey (age 64) living with them � obviously Mary Ann's mother, three children, Josiah (5), M.S.(3f), Elizabeth (1). 3. Thomas Woolsey (age 39) married to Elizabeth J. (sorry we failed to write down her maiden name) with two children, Nancy J. (2) and James F. (3 months). 4. Martha A. Woolsey (age 32), married to Thomas W. Simpson with 7 children, Polly (13), Ellen (11), William (8), E. (6f), Isaac (4), Andrew (3), Nancy J. (2), and a 63 year old woman named Hannah Simpson(probably T. W. �s mother). And marriage records for but obviously lived in different county (didn't find on census): 1. Elizabeth Woolsey married to Daniel Clayton (m.9/19/1850). 2. Daughter (didn�t get her name) married to a Dial. (Sorry, he was working so fast it was hard to keep up. (Note the naming pattern of Francis and Catharine's children: Susannah, named for her Catharine's mother; Henry T. - Thomas could be for Uncle Thomas Woolsey; Mary A. and Martha, named for Catherine's sisters. Henry may be for the Dawson side - who knows? Also, two of Catharine's siblings have daughters named Nancy J, both age 2 and may be named after their grandmother Nancy Plumstead - (if I am connecting to correct line.) In the 1840 census for Franklin County: 1. Nathaniel Woolsey with 1 male between 20-30 (Thomas), 1 male between 50-60 (Nathaniel), 1 female between 10-15 (probably Elizabeth), 2 females between 15-20 (Mary Ann and unknown), 1 female 50-60 (Susannah). Catharine and Martha would have been married by this time, too. Nathaniel is the only Woolsey in Franklin county from KY with this age/size family. Nathaniel is not anywhere on 1850 census, so he probably died and Susannah went to live with daughter Mary Ann and herhusband Isaac Campbell. On the 1840 census, F. E. Dawson and Catharine Woolsey Dawson are in Jackson Co. IL, which borders Franklin Co.; however, they moved to Franklin Co. by the next census. 1830 census Can�t find the family anywhere. May have been in process of moving or in a state we didn't think to check. We checked KY, TN, OH,IN, MO, and IL. Any ideas or help here would be appreciated. 1826 � A Nathaniel Woolsey paid taxes in Pulaski County, KY. He did not pay taxes in 1827, so he was gone by then. 1820 census � Nathaniel Woolsey in Pulaski Co. KY 1810 census � Nathaniel Woolsey in Pulaski Co. KY. It is the researchers belief that Nathaniel is the son of Richard Woolsey and Nancy Plumstead Woolsey, who were in Washington Co. VA. He looked up so much and said other researchers put this Nathaniel with them. I looked up this family on the LDS library and there is no wife for Nathaniel. Also, it puts him dying in NY (but that record was entered in the LDS library �not computer � in the 1930�s therefore is an old record that may be subject to updating, since they didn�t have access to all the tools we do now). ================================================== This is all pieced together and I would like to find someone from this particular line to either confirm my findings, or set me straight. Thank you. Shirley scpetty00@yahoo.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere! http://mail.yahoo.com/

Hollis ~ What area of Illinois were your WOOLSEY's? Some of my ancestors were in Knox County IL, who migrated there from Ohio around 1851. Valerie In a message dated 8/25/00 3:59:13 PM Central Daylight Time, Kc5vrx@aol.com writes: << Thank you Marcia, for the tid bits of information over the last few weeks. They were just what I needed for more Woolsey in Texas info. I picked up four names and dates to my Woolsey line. I find it amazing to read about the recent postings on the Ill Woolseys. This line was not one of mine, but they were in the same area and time that mine were. I find no connections, but who knows. I like to hear about them. Good Day to All. Hollis D. Woolsey >>

Thank you Marcia, for the tid bits of information over the last few weeks. They were just what I needed for more Woolsey in Texas info. I picked up four names and dates to my Woolsey line. I find it amazing to read about the recent postings on the Ill Woolseys. This line was not one of mine, but they were in the same area and time that mine were. I find no connections, but who knows. I like to hear about them. Good Day to All. Hollis D. Woolsey

To Valerie "Boatkitten" and interested Woolsey researchers: Thank you for your interest. The WOOLSEYS in the US are NOT descended from Rev. Benjamin Woolsey, notwithstanding what the early researchers conjectured. There is NO Rev. Benjamin Woolsey born bef 1600. There was a Rev. Benjamin Woolsey of New York, but he was two or three generations later, and must have been the Rev. Benjamin Woolsey that became confused with the father of George Woolsey by some researchers. Our George Woolsey is the son of George Woolsey and Frances Robberts, of Norfolk, England, and Rotterdam, Holland. Ardell is a fairly common name among the Utah Woolseys, with branches into Canada and Arizona. Ardel Kenneth Woolsey, s/o John Wm Woolsey and Alice Annice Laramie, s/o James Brigham Woolsey and Tyresha Mary Myers, s/o James Hopkins Woolsey and Lovina Patterson, s/o Joseph Woolsey & Abigail Schaeffer. Ardell Wolsey, s/o Burrell Motley Woolsey & Alvena Olsen, s/o Thomas Andrew Woolsey & Sarah Motley, s/o Thomas Woolsey and Mary Burrell, s/o Joseph Woolsey and Abigail Schaeffer. Ardell Lamont Woolsey, s/o Ardell Reece Woolsey & Thelma Laverl Dudley - Ardell Reece Woolsey, s/o Edward Lincoln Woolsey & Merelda Bennett, s/o Edward Peter Woolsey & Esther Rees, s/o Thomas Andrew Woolsey and Sarah Motley, s/o Thomas Woolsey & Mary Burrell, s/o Joseph Woolsey & Abigail Schaeffer. The above is from memory, but I think is correct in spirit, if not in total. Thomas Andrew Wolsey went into Canada, and several of his descendants spell the name with one O. Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker

These are my Woolseys of Pike County, Indiana Would like to find parents of William H. Woolsey and find out if Matilda was his first or second wife. And if Manson was of the first marriage or second. I descend from Martha P. Woolsey. Any Help would be appreciated. Rhonda Friedman rhobofri99@msn.com P.O. Box 412 Dittmer, MO 63023 Descendants of William H. Woolsey Generation No. 1 1. WILLIAM H. WOOLSEY was born January 16, 1832 in Hopkins County, Kentucky, and died April 11, 1909 in Pike County, Indiana. He married (1) MATILDA. He married (2) SARAH HUFFMAN 1850 in Pike County, Indiana. She was born 1833 in Edmonson, Kentucky, and died July 29, 1875 in Pike County, Indiana. Child of WILLIAM WOOLSEY and MATILDA is: i. MANSON T.10 WOOLSEY, b. 1845; d. 1929, P Pike County, Indiana; m. LAURA B.; b. 1864; d. 1946, Pike County, Indiana. Notes for MANSON T. WOOLSEY: Manson must be a child of Matilda and William (uncertain) Children of WILLIAM WOOLSEY and SARAH HUFFMAN are: ii. SIMATHA10 WOOLSEY, b. 1851, Pike County, Indiana; d. September 11, 1872, Pike County, Indiana. iii. SIRMATHA WOOLSEY, b. Abt. 1852, Pike County, Indiana.(uncertain) iv. MARTHA P. WOOLSEY, b. 1854, Pike County, Indiana; d. 1920, Pike County, Indiana. v. ELIZABETH WOOLSEY, b. 1861, Pike County, Indiana; d. December 1942, Pike County, Indiana. vi. EMMA WOOLSEY, b. February 23, 1864, Pike County, Indiana; d. June 1933, Pike County, Indiana. vii. ISABELLE WOOLSEY, b. 1868, Pike County, Indiana; d. 1904, Pike County, Indiana. viii. WILLIAM S. WOOLSEY, b. 1869, Pike County, Indiana; d. 1952, Pike County, Indiana; m. LOU EFFIE; b. 1881; d. 1940, Augusta I00F, Pike County, Indiana. ix. LAWRENCE WOOLSEY, b. February 15, 1875, Pike County, Indiana; d. April 07, 1875, Pike County, Indiana. Generation No. 2 2. MARTHA P. WOOLSEY was born 1854 in Pike County, Indiana, and died 1920 in Pike County, Indiana. She married JAMES WESLEY HOPPER 1877, son of THOMAS HOPPER and ESTHER ROWE. He was born August 1858 in Adair County, Kentucky, and died Aft. 1900 in Indiana. Children of MARTHA WOOLSEY and JAMES HOPPER are: 3. i. KILLI BLAIN11 HOPPER, b. September 1883, Indiana; d. Aft. 1934, Wisconsin or Michigan. ii. CAROLINE HOPPER, b. February 1878, Pike Co., Indiana; d. 1937, Augusta, Pike Co., Indiana; m. ORA CORN, March 10, 1897, Pike County, Indiana. iii. MERTIE HOPPER, b. 1880, Indiana. iv. OMA E. HOPPER, b. October 1881, Indiana. v. EVA HOPPER, b. 1886, Indiana. vi. NIRVIR L. HOPPER, b. March 1891, Indiana. vii. INFANT HOPPER, b. 1894, Indiana; d. 1894, Indiana. viii. JAMES VIRGIL HOPPER, b. February 1897, Indiana. Generation No. 3 3. KILLI BLAIN HOPPER was born September 1883 in Indiana, and died Aft. 1934 in Wisconsin or Michigan. He married ELSIE RICHESON, daughter of WILLIAM RICHESON and SARAH FETTINGER. She was born January 31, 1889 in Augusta, Pike Co., Indiana. Children of KILLI HOPPER and ELSIE RICHESON are: 4. i. HELEN ALLIEEN12 HOPPER, b. 1912; d. 1937. 5. ii. BERNICE ALMA HOPPER. private

To Carolyn W. & interested Woolseys: Thank you, Carolyn, for sharing the Lee website with us. A very impressive site and yes, congratulations and thanks to those responsible for it. Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker

Hi Wilford - My WOOLSEY Line is from the same ancestor (Rev. Benjamin) as these WOOLSEYs in your message. Some friends of our family are WOOLSEY's, are LDS, and live in N. AZ. A common first name is in this family -- Ardel. Could you please let me know if you run across any "Ardel" 's in your WOOLSEY searches? Thank you for sharing. Valerie (a 'saver') In a message dated 8/19/00 3:36:55 PM Central Daylight Time, mwdiet@home.com writes: << To descendants of Joseph Woolsey and Abigail Schaeffer: and other interested Woolsey descendants: I have just finished some interesting research on one of the sons of Joseph Woolsey and Abigail Schaeffer, several of whose descendants traveled to Utah with the Mormons. William Andrew Woolsey was the youngest child of Joseph Woolsey and Abigail Schaeffer, b 1 Jan 1833 in Randolph Co, Illinois, and died 8 Dec 1893 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was buried 9 Dec 1893 in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. >>

I would also like to say thanks to Carolyn for posting this link. I have discovered that I am related to these WOOLSEYS, and to John D. LEE, who built "LEE'S FERRY" on the Colorado River in Northern Arizona, near the Utah border, a place I've visited many many times. This is also where I spent my honeymoon. See a picture of this wonderful place here: http://www.thedam.com/trout/ Lee's Ferry is recognized as being the beginning of the Grand Canyon. All mileages along the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon are based on Mile 0 at Lee's Ferry. Another photo of John D. Lee here: http://www.kaibab.org/images/lee.htm Lee's Ferry is named for John D. Lee, who was instructed by Brigham Young, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to build a ferry across the Colorado River above the Grand Canyon. Lee moved part of his family (two of his nineteen wifes and a number of children) to the area in 1871 and in the year following began construction of the ferry. The ferry operated until 1928, when a bridge was finally constructed across the Colorado River at Marble Canyon. This also may be the proof that the WOOLSEY boy I dated in high school (In N. AZ) is actually a relative too! Valerie In a message dated 8/23/00 11:55:46 PM Central Daylight Time, mwdiet@home.com writes: << To Carolyn W. & interested Woolseys: Thank you, Carolyn, for sharing the Lee website with us. A very impressive site and yes, congratulations and thanks to those responsible for it. Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker >>

The following website: http://www.wadhome.org/lee/ has a picture of John Doyle Lee who married a couple of Woolsey young ladies. Wilford may have already submitted to the list this website but if so I do not recall. (Now, some of the information on this website may be wrong - I don't have the slighest idea - and if there is I can assure you that Wilford will let me know.) I was just impressed with the pictures. Now, let us bypass the fact that any of the information on the website is incorrect - WHAT REALLY IMPRESSES ME - is the unselfishness of the person who compiled the information and put it on a website for all to see and enjoy. Carolyn Woolsey Wilkerson E-mail: carolynw46@juno.com Juno website: http://homestead.juno.com/carolynw46/ Rootsweb website: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bagel

To interested Woolsey descendants: Wow! I've already received several posts regarding the Texas death records. Now that is FAST! Thank you and keep them coming. Chuck, Thank you for the "book keeping". The name as it now stands is good enough. Thanks. Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker

To descendants of Joseph Woolsey and Abigail Schaeffer: and other interested Woolsey descendants: I have just finished some interesting research on one of the sons of Joseph Woolsey and Abigail Schaeffer, several of whose descendants traveled to Utah with the Mormons. William Andrew Woolsey was the youngest child of Joseph Woolsey and Abigail Schaeffer, b 1 Jan 1833 in Randolph Co, Illinois, and died 8 Dec 1893 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was buried 9 Dec 1893 in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. I will trace his movements with some detail as I am trying to find descendants of William Andrew Woolsey, especially any in California. William Andrew Woolsey was born in Randolph Co, IL in 1833. His sister [Wilford's great grandmother] Sarah Woolsey md in Randolph Co, IL to Wm. M. Stevens, 23 Jul 1834. Wm M. Stevens died soon after marriage. But this shows that the Woolseys were in Randolph Co, Ill as early as 1833, and probably as early as 1832. [Sarah Woolsey md as her second husband George Washington Hickerson, of Fayette Co, ILL, from whom Wilford Whitaker descends.] John D. Lee [Mormon firebrand and leader] married as his first wife Agatha Ann Woolsey, an older sister of William Andrew Woolsey. John D. Lee later married another sister of William Andrew Woolsey, Rachel Woolsey, who remained faithful to John D. Lee until he was executed in Utah for his part in the "Mountain Meadows Massacre". John D. Lee had many wives, including a cousin of the Woolseys, Emeline Woolsey Von, a d/o Jacob C. Woolsey, a brother of Joseph Woolsey, who also joined the Mormon church and came west with them in 1848. John D. Lee also md Abigail Schaeffer Woolsey, the mother of the Woolseys in Utah, but he always claimed it was a marriage in name only, for her protection and so she could travel with her children to Utah. In the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, the early leaders drew converts and members to themselves, in a form of "Adoption" in which the leaders would persuade men [both single and married] to join with them individually and with their families, to form extended family units. This was in addition to polygamy, in which men would form several family units, with one wife for each family. For example, Brigham Young "adopted" several men and their families, who would be loyal and work with him to help build "up his kingdom". John D. Lee was an "adopted" son of Brigham Young (along with several others). John D. Lee, in his turn, "adopted" several young men to help him "build up his kingdom", which included several of his brothers-in-law [George Washington Hickerson, Thomas and Richard Woolsey, and William Andrew Woolsey, who would be a boy in his teens, and several other young men and their families, including George Laub and Thomas Johnson.] This system of "Adoption" was rife with arguments and contentions, and did not last very long, as soon Brigham Young and John D. Lee gave permission for their "Adoptees" to leave the arrangement. Some did leave, often with bitter feelings, and others remained "faithful" to their "fathers". George Washington Hickerson seemed to have remained "faithful", while William Andrew Woolsey harbored deep resentment towards John D. Lee for many years afterwards. In the "Journals of John D. Lee" we find many references to the Woolseys, including William Andrew Woolsey, as they worked together to leave Nauvoo in the winter of 1846, and then worked together at the farm at Summer Quarters, raising corn for those to follow, where John D. Lee had been asked to remain as the pioneers and others left for the Great Salt Lake Basin in 1847. John D. Lee and some of the Woolseys left for the Basin in 1848. We find William Andrew Woolsey in these "Journals" [with others] hauling ploughing, hauling timber, planting, weeding, shucking [husking] and hauling corn, sawing timbers, making bridges, etc. All the activities of pioneers on the frontier of Iowa and Nebraska. William Andrew Woolsey was at the center of a disagreement between Abigail Schaeffer and some of her children who advised that she wait before she went to the Vallley. John D. Lee said she had married him for his protection and she should listen to his advise, which was to leave with him in 1848. Some of her sons, especially James H. Woolsey, said that he would take her youngest son, William Andrew Woolsey, and keep him away from her. Abigail decided to follow John D. Lee and made a stirring statement to her children, who she had gathered around her, saying she was determined to go, and that those who she had nurtured would take away her youngest son, when she needed him in her old age, should not do so. Abigail Schaeffer Woolsey Lee started for the Valley in 1848 but never made it all the way, succumbing to the "Rocky Mountain Fever" and dying "at the Ninth or Last Crossing of the Sweetwater River" in Wyoming Territory. There she was buried on the windswept plains, in a grave that was dug by her brother-in-law Jacob C. Woolsey, with a large stone that had her name and dates chiseled upon it. William Andrew Woolsey must have come with this group. [Wilford Whitaker has an old tin type, carefully wrapped in a soft cotton cloth, but suffering the ravages of time and use, of a lady who he thought was Agatha Ann Woolsey Lee, until he saw a photo of Agatha Ann Woolsey Lee, and is not fairly certain that it must be a likeness of Abigail Schaeffer Woolsey.] After arriving in the Valley, they settled around the old Fort and George Washington Hickerson was given the corner where the Walker Bank was built and was a landmark in Salt Lake City for many years. He then traded that property to the Walker brothers for a broken down wagon and lame oxen team, which George Washington Hickerson used to haul his family and relatives to the mouth of the Weber Canyon, north of Salt Lake. There he moved onto a good farm and built a log house, where Wilford's grandmother [Clarissa Melissa Hickerson] was born. With several of the Woolseys, they dug a canal to take water out of the Weber river and has been used many years for irrigation. We next find George Washington Hickerson, with his brother Andrew Jackson Hickerson [from Fayette Co, ILL] in the 1850 Census of Louisville, Eldorado Co, CA 15 Jan, with others from Fayette Co, ILL, and with Wm Wolsey, age 20. They had travelled to CA from Utah in 1849 with the Pomeroy Train, herding cattle to CA, through Los Vegas. Now they had had little success in mining for gold, so they turned their attention to a little store and providing goods and vegetables to the miners. William Andrew Woolsey is found several times in the Utah records, then appears in the 1860 census of Valley Mills P.O, Washington Twp, Alameda Co, CA. In a letter from William Andrew Woolsey to his sister Sarah Woolsey Hickerson, 14 Feb 1859, Alvarado, Alameda Co, CA, he writes: William Woolsey & Emily Woolsey to G. W. Hickerson. Dear Brother and Sister . . . you speak of my family. I have a small one. I was maried to years ago to 18 of January we have got a boy 7 months old. I got tired of keeping old batch and living a dog's life. I suposed that all of the girls back there that I was acquainted with was maried off or at least them that I was in love with I get along very well I am an old man I can't get along without my pipe my wife sends her love to you both says she would like to make you a visit if convient but she wil haf to stay home ahile I go I cannt . . ." So we know his wife is named Emily and they md 18 Jan 1857. ON-LINE CA Genealog Index - William Woolsey married Emily Brazer 1857. Marriage date: 1857. 1860 Census Vallley Mills PO, Washington Twp, Alameda Co, CA. FHL# 803055. 14 Aug p. 210. #1480-1475. William Woolsey 26 m farmer -- $1000 NC ? Emily 26 f MO Charles O. 8 m CA Henry 6 m CA William 2 m CA Leroy (Lucy?) 3/12 m (f?) CA Emily must have been married before, to a Woolsey!! I have a letter (not at hand) in which one of the Woolseys is asking the name of "the cousin who married a Woolsey". This marriage between William Andrew Woolsey and Emily Brazer did not last long. In a later letter, William Andrew Woolsey writes his sister Sarah Woolsey Hickerson, "You ask about my family . . . we are no longer together, THANK GOODNESS..." [I believe his language was a little more colorful than that.] and we find her in the 1870 Census: 1870 Census Gold Hill P. O., Gold Hill Twp, Storey Co, Nevada. FHL# 552334. 5 Jul p. 337. # 6-5. D. M. Tyrell 41 m miner $3000 - Scotland E. A. " 33 f keeping house Mafs? Chas. Wolsey 18 m CAL Henry " 15 m CAL William " 12 m CAL Lucy " 10 f CAL We possibly find William Andrew Woolsey in the 1870 census of Silver Park P.O., Silver Park Twp, Nye Co, NV FHL# 552333. 12 Jul p. 243 # 10-2 Wm Wolsey 31 m Teamster Illinois William Andrew Woolsey came back to Utah and was working in Salt Lake City when he met Ann Jones, the second wife of John Eardley, who was called to help settle Southern Utah. John Eardley did not take his second family to Southern Utah, but left them in Salt Lake City, where Ann Jones Eardley worked in Brigham Young's kitchens for several years. Brigham Young gave her a divorce from John Eardley so she could marry William Andrew Woolsey. They married 1871 and had at least one son, George H. Woolsey, b 1871? in CA? d 19 Mar 1893 and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery but later moved to So. Cottonwood, Salt Lake City. I wonder who moved him? I also wonder why he is not found in the 1880 census? We next find William Andrew Woolsey in the 1880 Census: 1880 Census 6th Ward, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co, UT 3 Jun p. 47. # 92-103. Woolsey, William A. 47 miner Ireland Ireland Ireland Ann 47 wife KH England England Eng Eardley, Edward J. 17 m stepson shoe factory UT En En Mary Emma 15 f stepdau at school UT En En Ann Jones Eardley Woolsey is buried in the Salt Lake Cemetery, but no stone marks her final resting place. William Andrew Woolsey is also buried in the Salt Lake Cemetery, but some distance away, also in an unmarked grave. Ann J. Eardley b Eng 1833 d. 10 Mar 1910 SLC. This has been an interesting bit of research and I hope it strikes a spark of interest in some of the descendants of this man. Wilford's great-grandmother and grandmother were "savers" as they saved every scrap of paper that they came across, receipts, deeds, bills, "Utah scrip", gold coins, family data, all which were given to Wilford's aunt, who gave to him the old wooden trunk in which these were all saved. And which helped spark his interest in his family, over 40 years ago. Thank you all for listening and responding. Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker

To descendants of Woolseys in Texas: The genealogical web site - Ancestry.com - recently posted the "Texas Death Index 1964 - 1998", which will allow free access for the next 6 or 8 days. At this site, I found 17 Wolseys and 282 Woolseys who died in various counties in Texas between 1964 & 1998. Minor Jay Woolsey and others are found here. The surname and given names are given, the death date, county where the individual died, the gender and sometimes whether married, single, widowed, or separated/divorced. And the list is by year. May I suggest that interested Woolsey descendants access this site and identify as many of these Woolseys as possible? And contact me. This site is found at: http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/inddbs/4876.htm Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker

To Carolyn Wilkerson and interested Woolsey researchers: Hi, Carolyn, it is always good to hear from you. You always make it possible to make a meaningful dialogue. As regards John Thomas Woolsey, I have checked out my Ohio sources and can't find any room for him there. So perhaps your "long shot" is worth considering. However, I believe I have all the children of George Woolsey and Jane Hall, so I can't fit him in there very easily. Now in regards to your post regarding "Descendants of Aaron T. Woolsey, s/o George and Jane Hall Woolsey: Aaron T.'s wife was Elizabeth Copenhaver b abt 1829 in Wayne Co, KY and died 22 Sep 1857 in Wayne Co. KY. She was the d/o Rev Thomas Copenhaver and Nancy Simpson of Wayne Co, KY. [Just an aside, the Copenhaver/Copenhoven family of KY possibly had its beginnings on Long Island, New York, as the Copenhaver/Copenhovens on Long Island alluded to the Copenhaver/Copenhovens in KY. But I have not researched that connection.] The Thomas Woolsey, s/o of Aaron, who married Sally Barnes is too old to be a child of Aaron. I believe This Thomas is the s/o of Richard Woolsey and Nancy Plumstead as stated by my great-grandmother Sarah Woolsey. Thomas would be her uncle. He md 1st Mahala / Margery Burns of Ireland, and 2nd Sally Barnes. I have four children of Thomas Woolsey and Mahala Burns, but none for Thomas and Sally. Thomas appears in the Pulaski co, KY tax records until 1819 and then Sally appears under his land. Aaron T. Woolsey and Elizabeth Copenhaver had a son Thomas W. Woolseyh, b May 1850, Wayne Co, KY and md 15 Feb 1877, in Pulaski Co, KY, to Polly Daulton. Until next time, Wilford W. Whitaker

Good Day to all, Fine information, Carolyn, I have recently run across the Minor J. Woolsey and one or two others there in Grayson Co. Texas. I knew he was not one of my line, but did not know where he fit. I have found one in that area of Texas ( Denton ) which did belong to my line, but cannot find where his children went after 1880. Thanks for the info. Hollis D. Woolsey