Tuesday, August 15, 2017

1876 Letter from Cyrus M. Stockwell to a Relative re: Research for a Work on the Stockwell Family


March 4, 1876 letter from C. M. Stockwell of Port Huron, Michigan, presumably Dr. Cyrus M. Stockwell, to a male Stockwell relative, asking for information about the relative's branch of the Stockwell family.

Transcription at the end of this post.  Click on any image to enlarge it.

The letter was found in a Bible started by Joel Stockwell and wife Mary (Bailey) Stockwell of Vermont and Portage, New York.  Sadly, the only envelope found with the letter is blank; it's possible, however, from clues in the letter and entries in the Bible that the recipient was Judson A. Stockwell (1833-1907) of Hume, New York.

The letter is addressed to "Dear Sir".  Mention is made of sister Olive.  Judson had three sisters, including a sister named Olive, and no brothers.

The Bible has four pages of family records with entries for:
  • Parents and siblings of Joel Stockwell and Mary (Bailey) Stockwell
  • Joel Stockwell and wife Mary (Bailey) Stockwell
  • Children and spouses of Joel Stockwell and Mary (Bailey) Stockwell
  • Grandson and spouse of Joel Stockwell and Mary (Bailey) Stockwell  

The author was looking for information to complete his work on the genealogy of the Stockwell family. This may have been privately published, as I haven't found anything mentioned online.



If you have a theory as to the identity of the recipient, especially if different from Judson A. Stockwell, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Transcription

March 4th 1876
Dear Sir
Your favor was duly received for which many thanks.  I must however trouble you still further.  Can you give me the following information
1.  Who did Mary Stockwell marry & day mo & year of marriage  [Possibly Mary Stockwell, daughter of Joel Stockwell and Mary (Wheeler) Stockwell?]
2.  Is she dead?  If so, when did she die.
3d.  Who did Lepha marry & date of marriage  [Could Lepha be the Leafy Stockwell mentioned in the Bible; also a daughter of Joel Stockwell and Mary (Wheeler) Stockwell?]
4th.  Can you give me the names of the parents of your grandfather. [Could they be Joel Stockwell and Mary (Wheeler) Stockwell?]
5.  the day and month your grandfather married
6.  Who did David marry and date of marriage.  [Possibly son of Joel Stockwell and Mary (Wheeler) Stockwell?]
7.  Names & addresses of any cousins who can give me further information.
8.  Who did your sister Olive marry & date of marriage & children etc.  Also, P.O. address  [Presumably Olive M. (Stockwell), daughter of Joel Stockwell and Mary (Bailey) Stockwell and wife of  Daniel L. Wells]
9.  Can you give me date of birth of Samuel Ware & names of his parents & names of children and addresses so I can correspond with them  [Presumably [Samuel] or Lemuel R. Ware, husband of Mary T. Stockwell, daughter of Joel Stockwell and Mary (Bailey) Stockwell
10.  Birth & names of parents of Nancy Talbot who married your uncle Lot. [no spouse mentioned in Bible]
11.  Date of your wife's birth & names & residences of her parents. (NB - In giving dates of birth marriage etc please in each case give Day Month + year + town & State as well) [Presumably Ann (Robinson) Stockwell; married to Judson A. Stockwell on February 7, 1867 at Portage, New York]
12.  Have you any children?  If so, their names & birth.  [Son Joel W. Stockwell, born March 27, 1869; married Helene M. Torpey on February 20, 1892 at Hume, New York]
 I have written the parties you named but can hear nothing from them.  The work is nearly completed.  Your branch is the only one that I am lacking entirely (except what you gave me).  I go to Mass in a few weeks for the purpose of arranging for publication and also to search records to perfect the work.  Mr. Henry Stockwell [or W. Henry Stockwell] is my uncle.  If you can give me your great grandfather's name it will furnish me a link by which I can tell where you belong & if you can give names of great uncles and aunts so much the better.
I would write you more at length & explain but I am pressed for time.  I have been at work on this for over six months devoting all my time to it and now I am more than usually busy as letters pour in very fast.  
I will write you more at length giving particulars etc soon.
I have written P. F. Walker twice but he won't answer.  What shall I do?
Hastily Yours
C. M. Stockwell [presumably Dr. Cyrus M. Stockwell]
P.S.  Please answer as soon possible.
C. M. Stockwell
Port Huron, Mich.

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