Patriarchal Blessings of my Ancestors

I thought that I had posted this info a few months ago, but tonight I just happened to look at the genealogy blog and it wasn't here.  Fortunately all the information and images had been saved, they just hadn't been posted online for some reason.  Anyway, better later than never I suppose.  :)

I found out several months ago that people can obtain copies of patriarchal blessings received by their deceased direct ancestors who were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints. Many church members receive a patriarchal blessing as a teenager or adult. Both my husband and I received ours when we were in high school.

According to the church’s website, “Patriarchal blessings are given to worthy members of the Church by ordained patriarchs. Patriarchal blessings include a declaration of a person's lineage in the house of Israel and contain personal counsel from the Lord. As a person studies his or her patriarchal blessing and follows the counsel it contains, it will provide guidance, comfort, and protection.”
http://lds.org/study/topics/patriarchal-blessings?lang=eng&query=patriarchal+blessing

So, I was interested to learn that it is possible to request copies of the original blessings received by our direct ancestors who are deceased on the church’s website, http://www.lds.org/. I started requesting copies a few months ago (you can only request up to 4 per month, since they have a lot of requests to process).

My mom and her family joined the church when she was a teenager, but I knew that many of my dad’s ancestors were members of the church. I was surprised to find just how many of my father’s ancestors were church members, when I sat down and tried to figure that out. You are only allowed to request copies of blessings for your direct ancestors, so I started looking through my genealogy file to see how many may have been church members during their lives. From the information that I have, it is sometimes hard for me to know if an ancestor may have been a member of the church (if I don’t have an actual baptism date recorded in my file), but from comparing the dates that they lived in certain locations with the migration of church members westward across the United States in pioneer times, as far as I could figure I may have up to 99 direct ancestors who could have been church members, possibly going back as far as 9 generations from me.

I thought that was pretty cool – I’ve spent a lot of my time over the years researching my mother’s ancestry, but it’s pretty cool to learn about my pioneer ancestors too. The church was organized in 1830, and as far as I can tell (even though I don’t have all the baptism dates recorded for each of them), my earliest direct ancestors to be baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints was in 1832, or possibly in 1831. My 5th great grandparents on my paternal grandfather’s side, Mary Ann Brown and Zerah Pulsipher, were baptized on 11 January 1832 in Onendago County, New York. My 6th great grandmother, Zerah’s mother, Elizabeth Dutton Pulsipher, was also baptized on that same date. And on my paternal grandmother’s side, my 6th great grandfather, Isaac M. Allred, was baptized in either 1831 or on 10 Sep 1832 in Salt River, Missouri (I have found different records showing these different dates for his baptism).

Now, I know for sure that not all of those 99 ancestors were active members of the church, and likely some of those never were part of the church at all. And even if they were church members, I suppose that some never received a patriarchal blessing. But I made a list of all the possible ones, and started to request copies of their patriarchal blessings.

Here is my list of ancestors who I have requested copies of their blessings for so far (and the results of each request):

2nd generation from me (my grandparents):
· John Leo Chidester – no blessing found
· Carl John Spohr Jr. – (I already had a photocopy of his original blessing)

3rd generation:
· James Parker Chidester – no blessing found
· Eliza Lucinda Smith Chidester – no blessing found
· Avagail Taylor Moore – received copy of blessing
· Ivan J Moore – no blessing found

4th generation:
· John William Chidester – no blessing found
· Hulda Samantha Heath Chidester – received copy of blessing
· William Smith – no blessing found
· Mary Moss Smith – received copy of blessing

· John Augusta Moore Jr. – no blessing found
· Edith Hunt Moore – received copy of blessing

· Ephraim Austin Taylor – received copy of blessing
· Sarah Rees Taylor – received copy of blessing

5th generation:
· Joshua Parker Chidester – no blessing found
· Juliett Burgess Chidester – no blessing found
· James Harvey Heath – received copy of blessing

· Hulda Mariah Holden Heath – received copy of blessing
· Jorgen Christiansen Smith – received copy of blessing
· Mette Marie Villardsen Johannesen Smith – received copy of blessing (recorded as Maria Smith)
· Stephen Moss – received copy of blessing

And here is my list of those who I still need to request copies for:

5th generation:
· Elsie Marie Iverson Moss
· John Augusta Moore
· Ida Nevada Levi Moore
· Levi Alderman Hunt
· Lucinda Elvira Hyatt Hunt
· Joseph Ephraim Taylor
· Annie Sophia Brian Taylor
· Thomas Parley Rees
· Sarah Jane John Rees

6th generation:
· John Madison Chidester
· Mary Josephine Parker Chidester
· William Burgess Jr.
· Mariah Pulsipher Burgess
· Joshua Holden
· Mary Talley Holden
· Joseph Hyrum Levi
· Sarah James Flake Levi
· Levi Hunt
· Jane Gadd Hunt
· John Smith DeFreeze Hyatt
· Martha Jane Turner Howd Hyatt
· William Riley Taylor
· Margaret Jane Ellison
· Daniel Gross Brian
· Ellen Barnes Brian
· Thomas John Rees
· Rebecca Williams Rees
· William John
· Sarah Ann Ashton John

7th generation:
· Mary Ann Gifford Chidester
· William Burgess
· Vilate Stockwell Burgess
· Zerah (or Zera) Pulsipher
· Mary Ann Brown Pulsipher
· James Holden
· Biddy McDonald Holden
· Frederick John Levi
· Julia Ann Carroll Levi
· James Madison Flake
· Agnes Haley Love Flake
· William Hunt
· Mary Ann Holmes Hunt
· Samuel Gadd
· Eliza Chapman Gadd
· Elisha Hyatt
· Martha Matilda Smith Hyatt
· Simeon Fuller Howd
· Lucinda Morgan Howd
· Allen Taylor
· Sarah Louisa Allred Taylor
· John Ellison
· Alice Pilling Ellison
· Thomas Rees
· Eleanor Furlong Rees
· Joseph Williams
· Margaret Thomas Williams
· Thomas John
· Margaret Thomas John
· Robert Ashton
· Sarah Liptrot Ashton

8th generation:
· Elizabeth Dutton Pulsipher
· William Taylor
· Elizabeth Patrick Taylor Allred
· Isaac M. Allred
· Mary Calvert Allred
· Matthew Ellison
· Jane Wilson Ellison
· John James Pilling
· Peggy Banks Pilling
· John Brown
· Sarah Fairchild Brown
· Mahdelene Bellegarde Levi
· Thomas Carroll
· Margaret ___ Carroll
· Arthur Samuel Morgan
· Sarah Talbot Morgan

9th generation:
· Sarah Best Taylor
· Mary McGardy Calvert
· Ann Langton Wilson


Here are the copies of the blessings that I have received so far. Patriarchal blessings are generally thought of as personal, so I only provide them here because the ancestors have passed away, and because I thought that it would be beneficial for their descendants to learn more about these people and their faith. Although these records were mostly religious, they may also provide some brief biographical information about the person that may be of some genealogical use, including the person’s name, birth date and birth place, the names of the person’s parents, and the date and location that the blessing was given.

Carl John Spohr Jr., my mother’s father

Avagail Taylor Moore, my paternal grandmother’s mother

Hulda Samantha Heath Chidester, my second great grandmother

Mary Moss Smith, my second great grandmotherEphraim Austin Taylor, my second great grandfather

Edith Hunt Moore, my second great grandmother

Sarah Rees Taylor, my second great grandmother

James Harvey Heath, my third great grandfather
(I don't know why, but it appears that both James and his wife, Hulda, each recieved several different blessings over the years).

1843

1856

1872

----------------------------

I have the followng records too, but still need to get them scanned and added here:

James Harvey Heath: June 1875 & September 1875;
Hulda Mariah Holden Heath, my third great grandmother: 1856, 1872, 1875;
Jorgen Christiansen Smith, my third great grandfather;
Mette Marie Villardsen Johannesen Smith, my third great grandmother;
& Stephen Moss, my third great grandfather.

"Some Colonial Families" -- Stewart Family

So, I came across this book that has a short section on my Stewart ancestors that I got copies of.  I typed up the record yesterday, and thought I'd share it here.  I have found some errors in name spellings, but it does provide some helpful family information, I think.  The author believed that Luther Stewart's father was James Stewart, but also notes the other possibility that Luther's parents were instead Paul Stewart and Jerusha Spencer (which is the family line that I have recorded in my genealogy file).  Lucinda Stewart Giffin, the youngest child of Luther Stewart and Esther Smith, is my fourth great grandmother.

“Some Colonial Families: Avery, Brewster, Mills, Morgan, Smith, Starr, Stewart, Tracy” (book) compiled by Eloise M. Roberts, Avard, Oklahoma, 1926. Book in the ‘American Genealogical-Bipgraphical Index’ collection, at the Godfrey Memorial Library, 134 Newfield Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06457. Photocopies of the ‘Stewart’ section of the book ordered from the Godfrey Library by Stephanie Chidester Bradshaw in April 2011. Includes photocopies of cover page, page with Stewart family crest [not numbered], and pages 53-57. [Typed by Stephanie Bradshaw, April 2011].

Page 53:
“From Hampshire County Deeds, on record at Springfield, Mass. ‘No. 20, p 370 Warranty Deed from Thomas Kanada of Blandford, Mass., to Thomas Smith of Norwich, Conn., yoeman, conveying a certain tract of land in Blandford, bounded, beginning at a maple swamp at the N. E. corner of said lot, thence running north 71 degrees, 30 m west, one hundred sixty rods to a hemlock stake and stones, then running southerly and bounded westerly partly on John Savage’s land, and partly on Lt. Wm. Knox’s land, bounded south upon Philemon Doolittles’ farm, to a hemlock stake and stones, thence northerly on the town line to the first mentioned bounds, containing 50 acres with a mansion house.’ Dated March 18, 1783.
Ibid. No. 25, p 554. Deed of above property ‘being the farm I now live upon,’ from Thomas Smith of Blandford, Mass., yeomen, consideration 140 pounds, to Thomas Kanada of said Blandford. Dated Dec. 2, 1783.
Ibid. No. 24, p 558. Deed from Samuel Smith, Jr., of Norwich, Conn., consideration 45 pounds to Thomas Smith of Montgomery, Mass., conveying a tract in Norwich, Hampshire County, Mass., of one hundred acres ‘being the easterly part of lot No. 63 in the second division.’ Dated May 28, 1785.
(Norwich bounds Montgomery on the North.)
Ibid. No. 25, p 707. Thomas Smith of Montgomery, Mass., yeoman, for 45 pounds sells the above tract of land to John Sanford of Saybrooke, Conn., June 1, 1785.’
Ester Smith, born Apr. 18, 1768, daughter of Thomas Smith and Tamar (Williams) Smith married 1784 Luther Stewart.
According to tradition in the Stewart family Luther Stewart was the son of James Stewart, a native of Scotland who left his home at the beginning of the eighteenth century and settled in Mass. Tradition believed by different branches of the family tells that he lost his wife and 8 children through illness on the voyage to America. Only a . . .”

Page 54:
“. . . foster daughter was left, and he afterwards married this foster daughter. It is claimed that the father, James Stewart, and five sons fought in the Revolutionary War. These sons were Luther, William, and Calvin. The other names are unknown.*
Genealogists tracing the line have thought that there was a second James between James and the emigrant, this James being James, Senior, of Concord, Mass.,** who married Jane and had five children, Phoebe, born Jan. 28, 1731/2: Anna, married Nov. 26, 1741, Thomas McGee and James who married Agnes and lived in Colrain, Mass.*** In proof of this line the genealogist gives much the same records that Mr. Edson gives in support of the theory that Paul Stewart, and not James, was the father of Luther. These lines being conflicting and confusing I am omitting them.
The Revolutionary services of James Stewart as given by the War Department and accepted by the Society of Daughters of the American Revolution is: . . .

[Footnotes]
*This tradition is doubted by George Thomas Edson, of Filley, Neb., who gives another ancestry entirely. But as his supposition as to the ancestry is supported by no proof, I prefer the family records given to me by Andrew Stewart, grandson of Luther Stewart, who claimed his great grandfather’s name was James. Mr. Edson says the town records do not give the parentage of Luther Stewart, but merely lists his birth as on such a date. The records as given in the “Stewart Clan Magazine,” by Mr. Edson, Editor, are:

‘Paul Stewart (Walter 2) born March 23, 1723, in Boxford, Mass., married Jerusha (Spencer?). In 1749 Paul Stewart of Suffield bought land in Blandford, where he spent the greater part of his life. He was in a list of pewholders May 28, 1760, and in 1778 was a creditor with Spencer Stewart to the estate of William Henry; and he, his son Calvin and William Gilmore made a deed of land to the minister, with love as the consideration. In 1782 he deeded land to his son Calvin. In 1790 he appears in the first census with himself and his wife the only members of the family, after which we have no record of them. Children, as taken from town records by Mrs. Jessie A. Porter of Springfield, Mass:
9- Jehiel, Oct. 22, 1750. Marriage intentions Dec. 20, 1778, Rachel Williams.
10- Lusannah, Nov. 22, 1752.
11- Daniel Spencer, Feb. 17, 1775.
12- William, Nov. 3, 1759. Marriage intentions April 22, 1780, Beaulah Meachem.
13- Luther, April 2, 1762, married Mar. 18, 1784, Ester Smith.
14- Jerusha, Sept. 11, 1764, marriage intentions Apr. 22, 1780 William Gilmore.
15- Calvin, May 22, 1767: Married Nov. 8, 1787, Eleanor Taylor, West Springfield.
16- Elizabeth, Sept. 19, 1769: marriage intentions June 4, 1789, Edmund Gilmore.’
** ‘Concord, Mass., Births, Marriages and Deaths,’ printed by the Town. P 129.
*** ‘Early Settlers of Colrain, Mass.’ By Chas. McClellen, pp 72-73.”

Page 55:
“. . . ‘Private in Capt. Hugh McClallen’s Company, Col. David Fields’ Regt., which marched from Colrain to Bennington on the alarm of August 17, 1777, six days.’ Also, ‘Private in Capt. McClellen’s Co., Col. Wells’ Regt. From Sept. 22, to Oct. 18, 1777, with the Northern Army.’
The wife of James is unknown. Of the five sons but one is known” Luther, born Apr. 2, 1762 in Blandford, Mass.* Married Mar. 18, 1784 Ester Smith. Luther Stewart’s war record, as given by the War Department and accepted by the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, were: ‘Private in Capt. John Carpenter’s Co. of Guards stationed at Springfield from Oct. 6, 1779 to Jan. 6, 1780.’
Children of Luther Stewart and Ester (Smith) Stewart:
12. Lucina – born April 1, 1785. Died Oct. 29, 1875. Married# ‘In New York State in the Delaware’ to Edward Mills. Their descendants are given in the ‘Avery’ chapter of this book.
13. Lydia – born Jan. 11, 1787.
14. Rolan – born Jan. 27, 1789.
15. Tamar – born March 8, 1791.
16. Nancy – born Jan. 20, 1793.
17. Luther – born Oct. 20, 1794.
18. Ada – born July 19, 1798.
19. Asa – born May 12, 1801.
20. Marvin – born Feb. 17, 1803. Married** 1842 Sally Ann Flower, said to be one fourth Indian blood. They had at least three children, William D., Thomas, and Mary Lucina, who married Eber Hodge in Ohio.
21. James – born Mar. 4, 1806, married* Nancy Whitley, Dec. 27, 1834. Moved to Logan County, Ohio, where the following 13 children were born: . . .

[Footnotes]
*From original town records of Blandford, Mass., copied by Mrs. Jessie A. Porter, Springfield, Mass., for the ‘Stewart Clan Magazine.’
#‘Pioneer and Patriot Families of Brandford Co. Penna.’
*This Stewart family history given to me by my mother, Laura Caroline Taylor, and by Andrew Stewart.”

Page 56:
“. . . I. Andrew – (The family historian who supplied the Stewart line for this book). Born July 5, 1836. Married Kenracie Stratton, his cousin, a daughter of Olive (Stewart) Stratton and Hiram Stratton. Two children were born to Andrew and Kenracie, Olive and Nan. Andrew Stewart died in Lincoln, Nebraska, after 1918.
II. Kitty Ann – born Nov. 19, 1837.
III. John – born May 10, 1839. Died young.
IV. Ester – born Jan. 26, 1841. Married.
V. Milton – born July 10, 1842. Died young.
VI. Joseph – born Aug. 17, 1845.
VII. Whitely – born May 28, 1847. Unmarried. Soldier in Union Army in Civil War.
VIII. Wilson – born May 31, 1849.
IX. Luther – born April 11, 1851.
X. Ed – born June 11, 1853.
XI. Laura – born Aug. 3, 1855.
XII. Nancy – born July 21, 1857.
XIII. Eddy – born Feb. 1, 1861.
22. Olive Stewart, eleventh child of Luther and Ester (Smith) Stewart was born April 1, 1808, in Little Valley, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y. Married in Towanda, Penna., to Hiram Stratton, Feb. 4, 1831. Lived in Missouri. Children of Olive (Stewart) Stratton and Hiram Stratton:
I. Louisa – born April 8, 1832. Unmarried.
II. Myron L. – born May 28, 1833, married Mary Rauk and had children, Luther, Frank, Julia, Mary, Sarah. Myron L. served in the Union Army in the Missouri Militia during the Civil War.
III. Stewart C. – born Jan. 31, 1836. Married Crissie Orr. Children, George, Nannie, Charles C., Oliver, Edward, May, Myrtle E., Stewart C. Stratton was a Methodist Preacher.
IV. George B. – born Sept. 12, 1837. Married Ruth Ellen League. Children, Myron L., William J., and Almeda. George B. Stratton was in the 33 Iowa Regt. Union Army in the Civil War for three years. Was a war prisoner for ten months. . . . ”

Page 57:
“. . . V. Emmaline – born Mar. 20, 1842. Unmarried.
IX. Wilson – born July 21, 1844. Unmarried.
X. Kenracie – born June 13, 1846. Married her cousin Andrew Stewart.
XI. Olive – born Nov. 16, 1849. Married Thomas J. League.


13. Thomas Stewart, thirteenth child of Luther and Ester (Smith) Stewart, born Sept. 9, 1812. Married 1st 1838 in Ohio to Eliza Timmons. Lived in Logan County, Ohio. Had at least three children, Luther, Lucy, and Edmond who died young. Married second, to Ellen La Fre. Children John Mufford and Millard Fillmore.


15. Lucinda, fifteenth child of Luther and Ester (Smith) Stewart, born Dec. 11, 1815. Married Matthew Griffin, and had at least two children, Olive and Ann. Lucinda is said to have been born in Blandford, Mass., but I am inclined to think Lucina is meant, as in 1815 the Stewart family was living in Ohio.


After the Revolutionary War Luther Stewart and family moved from Conn. (?) to N. Y. State, probably Delaware County, then to Seneca Co., and perhaps to Genesee. Then in 1811 to Hamilton Co. Ohio. In 1814 they moved to Clarke Co., and there in 1815 Luther Stewart died. Ester, his wife, moved to Logan County Ohio, and there died in 1845. If Lucinda was born in Blandford Mass., it means that Ester went back to Mass., in 1815, and then back to Ohio.”


My notes:

• Numbering of the children of Luther and Ester Smith Stewart is typed as found in the original document: 1 through 11, 13, and 15. No 12th or 14th children were listed. I suppose that this was probably just a numbering error in the original text. Although it does specifically say that Thomas was the thirteenth child, and Lucinda was the 15th, so I suppose it could also mean that there are two children not listed that the author did not know the names of???
• Also, “Ellen La Fre” who is referred to as the second wife of Thomas Stewart, should be Elenor Morgan Lefevre Stewart. I have copies of an original letter written by Elenor, which you can view here: http://stephsgenealogy.blogspot.com/2008/07/old-letter.html
• And the husband of Lucinda Stewart was Matthew Giffin (not Griffin).

Just for fun . . .

So, I decided to restore this cool old photo of my great grandpa, Ivan J Moore.  I quite enjoy doing this, especially when the photo is cool enough to make the time and effort worth it.  And I have always loved this photo – (I have this idea of someday taking this photo to a carpenter and having a little piece of furniture made just like the cute little bench he is sitting on).  Anyways, just thought I’d share the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos.