others
Sidney Pratt (5 Dec 1821-17 Mar 1891) — m. Hannah C. Howe about 1842; m. Lucina Marshall Young on 27 Oct 1858; m. Lucia Ann Dinsmore on 24 Jul 1860
Abigail L. (~1823-21 May 1879) — m. James Laughton in 1867
Pheba Ann (Aug 1826-14 Sep 1904) — never married
Israel Bemas (16 Dec 1831-2 Dec 1905) — m. Maria Amanda Patterson in 1858
James was born probably in Canaan, Essex County, Vermont, son of James Luther, Sr. and Mary Parkhurst.
Phebe was born in Canaan, parents unknown. The only Currier family in the 1800 census for Essex County was that of Joseph Currier of Guildhall, which consisted of a couple aged 26-44 and five children under age 10. There are several Israel Curriers buried in Wolcott, Lamoille County, Vermont, where her grandson Charles E. Luther later lived, but that proves nothing. Her familysearch.org record claims, without evidence, that she was baptized in 1787 in Landaff, Grafton County, New Hampshire, which is nearly 80 miles south of Canaan. It’s true at least that there were many Currier families there.
James and Phebe married in Canaan around 1810.
The 1820 census for Colebrook, Coos County, New Hampshire showed what was almost certainly James, Jr. and family: one man aged 26-45, two women ages 16-26, and a girl and boy between 10 and 16. The ages don’t quite fit, but it’s still a safe bet it was them.
Their daughters Abigail and Pheba Ann were born in the US, probably Vermont. The family moved to Quebec probably in the late 1820s or early 1830s. Son Israel claimed to have been born in Pittsburg, Coos County, despite some census data saying he was born in Quebec.
In the 1842 Quebec census, James and five family members (no names given) were living in Sherbrooke district/county, Hereford sub-district. That accounts for Phebe and the four known children, although the 1820 census indicates there were older children for whom there’s no identifying record.
In the 1851 census, James (60, farmer) and Pheba (65, spinster) were still in Hereford with children Abigail L. (28, spinster), Pheba Ann (25, weaver), and Israel B. (21, laborer), plus Allen Luther (15, laborer). Allen was probably Ethan Allen Luther (2 Sep 1835-2 Apr 1917), a nephew, the son of James’s brother Moses. Allen’s mother had died in 1849, and his family seems to have scattered. As for the women, this census used the term “spinster” all over the place for women and never said “wife”, so I’m unclear on what it meant by the term. The word next to Pheba Ann’s name might not be “weaver”, but that’s what it looks like.
The 1861 census placed them in Hereford Township, county of Compton: James (69), Pheba (75), Abigail L. (37), and Pheba Ann (33). The house was described as a frame house, a bit of a status symbol for a region where log houses were the norm. They owned 100 acres of land, 75 of which were under cultivation. It’s statistically unusual that the two girls hadn’t married. Son Israel had married and moved to his own place in Hereford. Allen was nowhere to be found. There was a family named Haynes living nearby, possibly the same Haynes/Haines family into which Israel’s son George Luther married many years later.
James and Phebe died in 1865 and 1870 respectively. They’re buried in Old Hall Stream Cemetery in East Hereford, just two miles up the road from Beecher Falls, Vermont. The same cemetery holds several of their children and grandchildren.
The present-day Hereford and East Hereford are two tiny villages a few miles apart within the Coaticook regional county municipality (RCM), one of eight RCMs that make up the Estrie region of Quebec lying along the border with northeastern Vermont, New Hampshire, and a bit of Maine. The Estrie region is known locally as the Eastern Townships. Coaticook RCM is the one in the angle formed by the Vermont and New Hampshire borders. In the 19th century, “Hereford” meant the roughly 8-mile-square township or sub-district that included both of the modern villages; the name of the county or district in which it lay changed at least twice.
Sidney was born in either Canaan, Vermont or Colebrook, New Hampshire, which are both on the banks of the Connecticut River, although Colebrook is about 8 miles downstream. He married Hannah Calista Howe (Dec 1821-15 Apr 1858) from Holland, New York around 1842. They lived in Hereford sub-district, Quebec and then in Pittsburg, New Hampshire. Their children:
Esther Munn (23 Jun 1843-3 Nov 1919) — m. Charles Z. Hardy on 4 Feb 1864; m. Hiram Wells on 27 Jun 1888; m. Stephen Curry/Corey/Currey in 1899
Helen Abba (10 Sep 1847-18 May 1913) — m. Nathaniel Friend Blanchard on 25 May 1867
James S. (Aug 1850-10 Sep 1870 or 31 Mar 1871)
William Granville (30 Sep 1853-23 Jul 1912) — m. Susannah S. “Susie” Tirrill on 8 Apr 1877; m. Ida M. Brainard on 16 Feb 1887
Tilly H. N. (Nov 1855-10 May 1857)
The 1850 census showed them in Pittsburg with their first two children. Hannah died in 1858. Six months later, on 27 Oct 1858 in Columbia, New Hampshire, Sidney married Lucina F. Marshall Young (Mar 1820-3 May 1860) from Rutland, Vermont. It was her second marriage as well. The marriage certificate gave the name of Sidney’s mother as Betsey Marshall, but that was probably the name of Lucina’s mother.
Less than three months after Lucina’s death in 1860, Sidney married Lucia Ann Dinsmore (1818-9 Feb 1901) in Stewartstown, New Hampshire – her first marriage, although she was 42 at the time. The 1870 census showed the family in Pittsburg, with sons James and William still at home. There are two different dates of death for son James, one in 1870 and one in 1871. Sidney was at the time a selectman of Colebrook.
The 1880 census showed Sidney (57) and wife Lucy A. (60) still in Pittsburg. The Arthur Merrill, age 20, who was staying with them was the son of Sidney’s late cousin Lydia Lucretia Luther.
Sidney died in Pittsburg in 1891. Lucia died ten years later. Sidney and all three wives are buried in Old Hall Stream Cemetery, as are all of Sidney’s children.
Abigail married Civil War veteran James Laughton (29 Oct 1820-19 May 1907) in 1867. His first wife, Nancy Maria Kemp Clement (~1827-1866), was from Canaan, Vermont, and he had been living with her and her family there in the 1860 census. The 1871 census for Hereford Township, Compton District listed James (50) and Abigail (47) Laughton next door to Abigail’s younger brother Israel Luther and his family. With them were James’s children Esther (14) and Frank (12) Laughton.
Abigail died in 1879 and is buried near her parents in Old Hall Stream Cemetery, East Hereford, Quebec. Her gravestone names her as the wife of James Laughton.
James apparently didn’t marry again. In the 1891 census, he was living with his son Frank and family in Paquetteville, Quebec (presumably the modern St-Venant-de-Paquette). He died in 1907, and is buried in Morrison Cemetery in Canaan.
One account claims, without evidence, that Abigail was James’s first wife, and that they married in October 1844 in Canaan. If so, it didn’t take, as Abigail was with her family of origin in 1851 and 1861. I suspect this claim just mixed up Abigail with Nancy.
Pheba Ann apparently never married. I can find no trace of her between 1861 and 1900, in which year the US census listed a Phebe M. Luther, single, as live-in help for Samuel G. Hall (74) and his mother Mary P. “Polly” Piper Hall (99) in Clarksville, Coos County, New Hampshire. Phebe claimed that she was from Vermont and both her parents were from New Hampshire, and that she was born in August 1832. Almost certainly our Pheba, shaving about 6 years off her age.
Pheba died in 1904. She’s buried as Phebe N. Luther with her parents in Old Hall Stream Cemetery, East Hereford, Quebec.
Israel has his own entry in the family tree.
Sidney’s daughter Esther was born in Hereford. At age 18, she was living with an artist named William P. Dean, 25, in the 1861 census for Hereford. Now there’s a story. In 1864, she married Charles Zebediah Hardy (3 Mar 1843-6 Apr 1887). They lived in Colebrook, New Hampshire. Their children:
Calista Ann (14 Jan 1865-17 Jun 1945) — m. Almanzo D. Parker on 8 Jun 1881
Sidney Albert (7 Jan 1867-28 Jun 1877)
Nettie Adelaide (8 May 1869-22 Mar 1893) — m. Ulysses Simpson Grant Parker
Almeda Julia (13 Nov 1874-4 Jul 1931) — m. Edward Norton Haynes on 27 Apr 1892
Seneca Almon (3 Jul 1878-12 Oct 1947) — m. Henrietta Mae Smith on 11 Oct 1899
Charles died in 1887. In 1888, Esther married Hiram Wells, Jr. (4 Jan 1828-7 Apr 1895), who was much older. In 1899, she married Stephen Curry (or Carey, or Currey, or Corey), who was much younger. She died of apoplexy in 1919 and is buried under her maiden name in Old Hall Stream Cemetery, East Hereford.
Sidney’s daughter Helen married Captain Nathaniel Friend Blanchard (1828-15 Apr 1890) on 25 May 1867 in Canaan, Vermont. The 1871 census showed them in Hereford, Compton District, Quebec. Their children:
Frederick H. (1869-1871)
Gadriella Celette (16 May 1873-7 Sep 1938) — m. Ernest Eugene Tillotson
In the 1880 census, they were in Pittsburg, Coos County, New Hampshire. Nathaniel died there in 1890, and is buried in Old Hall Stream Cemetery, East Hereford, Quebec. Helen died in 1913 and is buried with him.
Sidney’s son James died of typhoid fever in Colebrook, New Hampshire. He’s buried with his parents in Old Hall Stream Cemetery back in East Hereford, Quebec.
Sidney’s son William married Susie Tirrill (6 Mar or 2 Jul 1855-3 Oct 1886) in 1877. Their children:
Lillian Abigail (28 Apr 1878-19 May 1926) — m. Jubel W. Wheeler on 18 Jan 1896
Sydney Pratt, Sr. (24 Aug 1880-16 May 1949) — m. Isla “Bud” Parker on 5 Oct 1904
In 1887, he married Ida Brainard (1 Jul 1858-25 Jan 1927) in New Hampshire. Their children:
Claude Burne (18 Jan 1888-4 Dec 1948) — m. Jessie Moore Steele
Clyde Harold (14 Mar 1890-10 Jul 1966) — never married
Lena Louise (17 Oct 1895-6 Aug 1950) — m. Harry Jacob Welch in 1914
William died in 1912, and is buried with Susie in Old Hall Stream Cemetery. Ida died in 1927, and is buried in Colebrook Village Cemetery, as are some of the children.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHG4-1V2 -- 1820 census, NH
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X73Z-DWR -- 1842 census
https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1842LC&op=img&id=004569581_00317 -- same
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWZ6-LT2 -- 1850 census, Sidney
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/e/e093/e002317924.jpg -- 1851 census
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLDL-9Z8 -- 1858 wedding of Sidney; lists his mother as Betsey Marshall
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFD3-K1R -- 1860 census, Abigail’s once or future husband James Laughton
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLDL-9ZQ -- 1860 wedding of Sidney
http://data2.collectionscanada.gc.ca/1861/jpg/4108690_00328.jpg -- 1861 census
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61911377/james-luther -- 1865 grave of James
http://www.interment.net/data/canada/qc/compton/old_hall/index.htm -- Ditto
http://users.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~qcetcem/old_hall_stream_cemetery.htm -- Ditto
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XFKS-84S -- 1867 wedding of Helen, daughter of Sidney
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH56-HP2 -- 1870 census, Sidney
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FS22-9MP -- 1870 death of James, son of Sidney
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH5D-PLG -- 1870 census, Sidney’s daughter Esther
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FS22-9MP -- 1871 death of the same James, wtf?
http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/1871/jpg/4136823_00333.jpg -- 1871 census, Abigail Luther Laughton; Israel next door
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4K4-ZYQ -- 1871 census, Sidney’s daughter Helen
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLDL-96G -- 1877 wedding of William, son of Sidney
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142440947 -- 1879 grave of Abigail
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHRX-VG4 -- 1880 census, Sidney
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHRX-VG8 -- 1880 census, Sidney’s daughter Esther
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHRX-VGT -- 1880 census, Sidney’s daughter Helen
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XF9K-LLK -- 1880 wedding of Abigail’s probable stepson
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLDL-9QG -- 1887 wedding of William, son of Sidney
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLF8-9G9 -- 1888 wedding of Esther Hardy, daughter of Sidney, in NH
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLFM-QPV -- 1899 wedding of Esther Wells, daughter of Sidney, in NH
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FS22-99S -- 1891 death of Sidney
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=142441184 -- 1891 grave of Sidney
http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1891&op=img&id=30953_148194-00559 -- 1891 census, James Laughton
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3Y3-XJD -- 1900 census, prob. Phebe Luther
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=142441169 -- 1904 grave of Pheba Ann
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/150035156/james-laughton -- 1907 grave of James Laughton
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XF2N-BY2 -- 1919 death of Esther, daughter of Sidney
1901 Canada census finds a Luther family in Dorchester, Westmorland District, N.B. (near Moncton): James (b. 1 Jun 1840), Sarah E. (b. 1 Sep 1852), Mary L. (b. 8 Nov 1875), ?Bertha? (b. 27 Jan 1880), William (b. 19 Sep 1882), Robert (b. 17 Oct 1884), Blanchard (b. 18 Oct 1886), Beatrix S. (b. 8 Mar 1889), ?Sarah? E. (b. 20 Nov 1891), and Charles (b. 7 Mar 1897). Any chance these are related? This James is very unlikely to be the son of the 1791 James Luther, since Phebe Currier Luther would have been about 53 when he was born.
